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Holland America Line to Launch New EXC In-Depth Voyages that Feature Zodiac Excursions for Up-close Discovery

Sailfarther and delve deeper with innovative and engaging approach
to cruising aboardMaasdam in fall 2018

Seattle, Wash., Feb. 15, 2018—ThisSeptember Holland America Line will begin an innovative approach to cruisingfor travelers who are looking for thoughtful and immersive ways to see theworld. Offered on the 1,258-guest Maasdam,new EXC In-Depth Voyages explore some of the most fascinating corners of theglobe on itineraries from 12 to 34 days, using world-renowned experts, localscholars and customized Zodiac tours to immerse guests in the experience.

With EXC In-Depth Voyages, each journey offers guests a variety of themes andchoices to tailor their exploration: photography; science and nature; arts andculture; food, wine and spirits; history and perspective; and activeexploration. Guests are free to focus on one area of interest or combine theirpassions through onboard enrichment and captivating shore activities. Guestscan choose to do as much or as little as they like.

"We created EXC In-Depth Voyages to further enhance our guests immersionexperience in a more personalized way in the exotic destinations featured onthis series of specially designed itineraries," said Orlando Ashford, presidentof Holland America Line. "The addition of Zodiac tours will allow guests to bemodern-day explorers, and Maasdamwill visit many ports that we have never been to or haven't visited in years;EXC In-Depth Voyages are truly unique."

Notable Experts LeadWorkshops, Seminars and Learning Opportunities
From September 2018 through April 2019, EXC In-Depth Voyages expand on HollandAmerica Line's exciting Explorations Central (EXC) programming by creating a total experience on board andashore. Onboard enrichment is guided by a special resident team of subject-matterexperts — covering such topics as marine and bird life, geology, culturalanthropology, history and more — who sail on all EXC In-Depth cruises,complementing each adventure with informative talks and insightful discussionsof their own field experiences.

A sea day could include a lecture on Captain Cook (history and perspective),discovering the indigenous breadfruit (food, wine and spirits), growing coral(science and nature), DSLR Basics (photography) and a traditional tattoo designworkshop (arts and culture). Additional EXC programming on board is designed tobring guests together with similar interests and will offer interactiveactivities, destination insight from location experts and EXC Guides, andcultural encounters to make each cruise more engaging and meaningful.

Since EXC In-Depth Voyages are designed with added emphasis on the destinationand onboard learning, evening entertainment will reflect the local cultureinstead of mainstage production shows. America's Test Kitchen is being replacedwith local chefs, locally sourced ingredients and local traditions to enhancethe culinary offerings appreciated by Holland America Line guests. Juniorcruisers are welcome, but Club HAL kids' activities will not be offered on EXCIn-Depth Voyages.

Zodiac InflatableBoats Amplify Up-close Experiences
Maasdam willcarry Zodiac inflatable boats, the type popularized by famous oceanographerJacques Cousteau, so guests may enjoy opportunities to intimately exploreless-accessible sites and wildlife habitats in select ports as part of theships EXC Tours program. A mix of onboard experts and local guides co-guideZodiac outings to enrich the experience for guests.

For example, guests might foray around sheltered islands to spot local birdlifeincluding waders, oystercatchers, nesting cormorants and other species. Orventure up rivers to explore the history and sights of a region from a uniquevantage. Perhaps they will uncover the beauty of nature reserves on a photoadventure that features rugged shores, blue waters, limestone cliffs andabundant wildlife. Zodiac tours are not included in the cruise fare.

Dr. Peter Carey, Holland America Line's director of explorations, is currentlyscouting locations and refining plans for this innovative new series of voyagesand Zodiac excursions. A zoologist who has traveled extensively throughout andresearched the region, Carey will draw on his journeys and vast research intosea mammal behavior and seabird ecology to craft experiences that open up even wilderplaces for guests to enjoy and remember as the ultimate field trip. Carey isdirector of the Sub-Antarctic Foundation for Ecosystems Research and acontributing lecturer at the University of Canterbury and an affiliateprofessor with the Geography Program at the University of Alaska.

Other shoreside activities focus on offering memorable experiences likephotographing the colors of a Tahitian market (photography), taking a guidedwalking tour of Komodo National Park in search of the Komodo dragon (activeexploration), touring the Nukubalavu Village and seeing the Fijian kavawelcoming ceremony (arts and culture), visiting famous ruins in Thailand(history and perspective) and watching the platypus playing in billabongs inAustralia (science and nature).

Islands and PortsAre Off-the-Beaten Track but Accessible to Intimate Maasdam
The ports on EXC In-Depth itineraries were selected to evoke curiosity andinspire wonder. Maasdamwill visit 154 ports in 36 countries on 12 individual cruises with guestshaving the opportunity to explore far-flung locales like Easter Island,Pitcairn Island, Java, the Maldives, the Marquesas and Nuku Hiva. Twenty-eightports are maiden calls or have not been visited by Holland America Line shipsin years.

EXC In-Depth VoyagesRange from 12 to 239 Days
The first EXC In-Depth Voyage departs Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Sept. 10, 2018,and sets sail for Papeete, Tahiti, via the Panama Canal. Along the way the shipcalls at ports on the west coast of South America, sails across the PacificOcean to Easter Island, and visits several South Pacific islands during the34-day voyage. Maasdamthen spends October and part of November exploring the South Pacific beforeheading to New Zealand.

Come December, Maasdamjourneys along the southern coast of Australia, featuring a special 16-dayholiday cruise departing Dec. 21. The ship spends January cruising thenorthwest coast of Australia up to Singapore where it embarks on a 20-dayadventure in the culturally rich Indian Ocean region. Following a 20-daySoutheast Asia itinerary in February 2019, the ship explores the Spice Islandsand ports along the northeastern coast of Australia, then sails back to theSouth Pacific and charts a course throughout the idyllic islands. The final EXCIn-Depth cruise is a 24-day Polynesian Crossing ending at San Francisco,California, May 7, 2019.

Cruises can be combined to form longer voyages extending up to an incredible239-day adventure that covers French Polynesia, the South Pacific, Australia,New Zealand, South America, Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean.

Overnight calls are a highlight of the EXC In-Depth Voyages. Guests will haveovernight experiences in Callao (Lima), Peru; Easter Island; Papeete, FrenchPolynesia; Tauranga and Waitangi, New Zealand; Adelaide, Australia; Singapore;Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand; Sihanoukville, Cambodia; Halong Bay, Vietnam;and Hong Kong, China.

Fares for the EXC In-Depth Voyages start at $1,599 per person, double occupancyfor a 12-day sailing. Taxes, fees and port expenses are additional. Airspecials are available on select cruises: Fly roundtrip Los Angeles,California, for $999 per person when booking the October 14 or October 28,2018, 14-Day Polynesian Idyll cruise. Additional gateways also are availablefrom $1,199 per person.

For more information, contact a travel professional, call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (1-877-724-5425)or visit hollandamerica.com.

Editor's note:Photos are available at #

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About HollandAmerica Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL andCUK)]
Holland America Line's fleet of 14 ships offers more than 500 cruises to morethan 400 ports in 98 countries, territories or dependencies around the world.From shorter getaways to 113-day itineraries, the company's cruises visit allseven continents, with highlights including Antarctica explorations, SouthAmerica circumnavigations, Cuba cruises and exotic Australia/New Zealand andAsia voyages; four annual Grand Voyages; and popular sailings to the Caribbean,Alaska, Mexico, Canada and New England, Bermuda, Europe and the Panama Canal.The line welcomed Koningsdamin 2016 and has a second Pinnacle-class ship,Nieuw Statendam, tobe delivered in December 2018. A third Pinnacle-class ship, due for delivery in2021, recently was announced.

The company is undergoing $300 million in brand enhancements to secure itsposition as the leader in premium cruising. Fleetwide, the ships featureinnovative initiatives and a diverse range of enriching experiences focused ondestination immersion and personalized travel. Guests can expand theirknowledge through an exclusive partnership with O, The Oprah Magazine; duringan America's Test Kitchen show; at Explorations Café presented by The New YorkTimes; and by taking a Digital Workshop powered by Windows. Outstandingentertainment fills each evening at venues including Lincoln Center Stage,Billboard Onboard and B.B. King's Blues Club. The dining experience can besavored at a variety of restaurants with menus that feature selections fromHolland America Line's esteemed Culinary Council, comprising world-famous chefswho design dishes exclusively for our guests.

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