During its 2023 Alaska cruise season, Holland America Line intends to donate proceeds from a special fundraising event taking place on vessels sailing through the region to the nonprofit Alaska Geographic.
Alaska Geographic and Holland America Focus on Conservation
Holland America Line, headquartered in Seattle, Washington State, plans to donate earnings from its special “On Deck for a Cause” event to Alaska Geographic in 2023.
The event will take place on board the cruise line’s six ships sailing into Alaskan waters during the summer 2023 cruise season. The vessels will depart for Alaska from ports in Seattle, as well as Vancouver, British Columbia.
Alaska Geographic is a nonprofit educational partner representing Alaska’s parks, forests, refuges, and conservation lands.
With over 60% of its sprawling wildernesses protected by reserves and national parks, Alaska stands out as one of the few remaining pristine wild regions left on Mother Earth.
Alaska’s natural topography is defined by strong-featured terrain, immense glaciers, the tallest mountains in North America, plus vast, open expanses or forests, tundra, and ice-covered landscapes.
Proceeds from the “On Deck for a Cause” event will support scientific research and educational activities conducted inside Alaska’s gigantic natural parks.
Guests traveling on Alaska-bound voyages will be invited to donate $25 to the cause. Furthermore, passengers can also take part in a fun (no winners or losers) onboard 5k walk to help raise conservational awareness about Alaska.
“Not only do we love Alaska, but our guests can’t help but fall in love with everything that makes Alaska so spectacular, from its glaciers and wildlife to its cultural and natural beauty, which all directly benefit from the good work of Alaska Geographic,” Holland America senior vice president Michael Smith remarked.
Smith went on to say that the cruise line is firmly behind Alaska Geographic’s mission, with the goal of making “Alaska’s public lands more accessible to everyone and boost their work to preserve them for future generations.”
Participants in the walk will be given an “On Deck for a Cause” T-shirt and wristband to commemorate the fundraiser. After the noncompetitive walk, a reception will be held for everyone who supported the cause.
Holland America Line’s “On Deck” Fundraising Walks
Since the launch of the company’s “On Deck” program in 2006, Holland America Line has organized over 8,400 walks to raise money and awareness for charities and causes in need of financial support.
This worthy initiative also brought in more than $550,000 for Direct Relief, an altruistic humanitarian aid organization centered around a Ukrainian relief fund.
“On Deck for a Cause” also supported five different cancer organizations and societies in the past. These special fundraising events will likely raise even more capital for noble causes in the coming weeks and years.
Holland America’s Alaska Summer Season
“Their [Holland America’s] guests come to Alaska from around the world to see incredible places like Glacier Bay and Denali national parks,” Alaska Geographic executive director Andy Hall noted.
“On Deck for a Cause allows them to give back by supporting our mission while learning about the importance of stewardship of these public lands.”
From May to September 2023, Holland America Line’s fleet of six ships will set out to explore Alaska’s impressive parklands and ocean waterways.
Two of the travel season’s biggest highlights are Glacier Bay National Park, clocking in at 3.3 million acres, with its icy fjords, rugged shores, temperate rainforest, and more, and Denali National Park (reached via an Alaska Overland Cruisetour), featuring the tallest mountain on the continent, Denali, which comes in at an imposing 20,310 feet (6,190 meters) in height.
