Guests can cruise on all or select segments of the Grand Pacific & Far East Voyage aboard Holland America Line’s ms Amsterdam, plus Cruise Specialists guests receive exclusive benefits.

 Seattle, Washington (August 26, 2014)—Today, Cruise Specialists (www.cruisespecialists.com), America’s leading world cruise and grand voyage travel agency, is revealing the most popular hidden gems – or segments – of Holland America Line’s upcoming Grand Pacific & Far East Voyage that may still be reserved by the general public. This extensive cruise includes ports of call in destinations such as: China, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Vietnam, along with Australia and Fiji. Plus, the luxury cruise agency is announcing details about its exclusive shore excursions that will allow travelers to enjoy authentic, personalized travel experiences, all with a knowledgeable Cruise Specialists expert at their side. The Grand Pacific & Far East Voyage departs September 21, 2014, from Seattle, WA, and all Cruise Specialists guests who book the full 78-day cruise are also invited to an exclusive send-off gala dinner and hotel stay in Seattle, the night before the cruise departs.

“A Grand Voyage cruise incorporates the best parts of a world cruise – such as unique and exotic ports of call – yet focuses on one major region of the world, such as Asia/Pacific, South America, or the Mediterranean. Grand Voyages are typically two or three months long and provide an in-depth experience that travelers would not receive on a shorter cruise,” explained Annie Scrivanich, Senior Vice President, Cruise Specialists. “Additionally, if a traveler is unable to commit to the full length, they can choose the segment or segments that coincide best with their schedule, and those individual segments are sometimes less than two weeks long.”

The most popular segments being booked by Cruise Specialists for the Grand Pacific & Far East Voyage aboard Holland America Line’s ms Amsterdam include:

1. Full 78-day cruise, from Seattle, WA, to San Diego, CA (Sept. 21 – Dec. 8, 2014)

Currently, 120 Cruise Specialists guests are booked for the full 2014 Grand Pacific & Far East Voyage aboard Holland America Line’s flagship ms Amsterdam. The ship will make two port calls in Alaska before crossing the Pacific and spending four days in Japan, including two in Tokyo. From there, travelers cruise to South Korea, spend one week in China, proceed to Vietnam, Singapore and Indonesia, before a four-day Australian sojourn. The cruise also includes stops in New Caledonia, Fiji and Samoa, before four days in Hawaii. Fares from $11,499 per person.

2. Thirty-seven day segment from Seattle, WA, to Singapore (Sept. 21 – Oct. 29, 2014)

Highlights include two days in Tokyo, Japan; two days in Seoul, South Korea; and two days in Hong Kong – plus port calls in Vietnam and Singapore. Fares from $5,999 per person.

 

3. Thirty-one day segment from Seattle, WA, to Hong Kong (Sept. 21 – Oct. 23, 2014)

Highlights include most of the port calls previously mentioned in the Seattle to Singapore segment, with passengers disembarking in Hong Kong instead of traveling to Singapore. “Hong Kong is an exceptionally popular port for many of our guests visiting the region, and that is a major reason why these two particular segments are so popular,” said Scrivanich. Fares from $5,049 per person.

Scrivanich reported that clients are still booking segments for the Grand Pacific & Far East Voyage, including the final segment – Sydney, Australia, to San Diego – which does not depart until mid-November 2014.  Limited space is available for all segments of the Grand Voyage.

“There are incredible opportunities to immerse oneself in the local culture on a Grand Voyage cruise and we highly recommend that, whenever possible, our clients book their shore excursions in advance to ensure availability,” added Scrivanich. “Cruise Specialists’ program director curates a unique selection of exclusive shore excursions, guaranteed to delight guests, and provide them with as many authentic experiences as possible. These are tours that are not available to the general public, and they are only available to Cruise Specialists guests by booking prior to the cruise departure.”

Two examples of Cruise Specialists’ highly-recommended excursions for the Grand Pacific & Far East Voyage include:

• Cruise Specialists’ Exclusive Best of Beijing Overnight Adventure (2 Days): This exclusive adventure is hosted by one of Cruise Specialists’ three acclaimed voyage hosts escorting the cruise. From Beijing, guests explore one of the world’s most spectacular wonders – The Great Wall. Clients then spend time at the Ming Tombs, in the hills outside Beijing, which date back to the early 1600s. Guests stay at the luxurious Peninsula Beijing Hotel. On day two of the excursion, clients visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven.
• Cruise Specialists’ Exclusive Grand China Overland Adventure (4 Days): Departing from Shanghai, the first stop on this exclusive tour is the world-famous Terracotta Warriors Museum. Days two, three and four include visits to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which dates back to the 600s; Xian City Wall – one of the most important landmarks of Xian; and Xian’s Great Mosque – regarded as one of the city’s most beautiful structures. Additional highlights include a picturesque Li River day cruise, with views of dramatic limestone formations and time to stroll local markets; plus more time in the scenic Guilin Region to visit limestone caverns and stunning landmarks such as The Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill.

Cruise Specialists clients, whether on the full 78-day cruise, or a segment of the Grand Voyage, benefit from the services of three Cruise Specialists Voyage Hosts who will travel with the group. The Voyage Hosts ensure each guest feels welcome, escort clients on Cruise Specialists shore excursions, assist with any special requests, and in general, serve as a personal resource for Cruise Specialists clients.

Cruise Specialists is currently featuring 11 separate Grand Voyage sailings, departing between September 2014 and January 2017, on three different cruise lines. For more information about how Cruise Specialists can help create a personalized vacation experience for the Holland America Line Grand Pacific & Far East Voyage or any other cruise vacation, contact Cruise Specialists at 888-681-7408. Visit their website at www.cruisespecialists.com. Or email [email protected].

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About Cruise Specialists:

Cruise Specialists is an award-winning cruise and tour agency dedicated to arranging the most luxurious land and sea vacations for its clients. Cruise Specialists is part of Travel Leaders Leisure Group and has been sending clients on memorable world cruises, family reunion cruises, affinity group cruises, honeymoons and unique personal travel experiences since 1987. The agency has been recognized by a number of travel publications, including Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure as one of the top luxury travel agencies. Cruise Specialists is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with an additional office in Novato, California.