Each year before the start of the Alaska cruise season, Holland America hosts a travel show in both Seattle and Vancouver — their two gateway ports to the 49th state. Admission is free so I decided to check out the show in Seattle on March 8, 2025.
I registered online though it looked like you were able to register at the door. All who register, and show up, are entered to win one of seven prizes. For 2025, the prizes were six $500 Holland American gift cards and one Alaska cruise for summer 2025. The rules did not require you to be present at the time of the drawing, just that you had checked in prior to the drawing.
The Seattle show ran from 9:00am to 4:00pm at the Pier 66 Conference Center and Cruise Terminal on Seattle’s waterfront.
I arrived around 9:30 and there was already a large number of visitors. After checking in, I was handed a bag and directed upstairs.
The show was divided into two rooms.
The first room had a faux campground in the middle with exhibitors around the outside. An acoustic guitar player performed in the “Denali Square”.
The exhibitors were mainly excursion venders advertising their offerings.
Holland America also had booths throughout the show including a section between the two rooms with “cruise consultants” ready to sell you on an itinerary.
The second room had a couple of interactive booths. The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan set up an axe throwing court.
Riverboat Discovery out of Fairbanks hosted a gold panning experience.
Alaska Airlines hosted a scavenger hunt. If you got the “passwords” from six exhibitors on a card, you could turn it in to the Alaska Airlines booth and make a customized luggage tag. There was a long line for this activity and the tags were simple laminated cards so I passed on the that prize.
I left after about 30 minutes having seen what was available. There was nothing that couldn’t be found online, but to have a one stop shop for those planning a cruise to Alaska could be helpful for some.
