Holland America Line is introducing new "World Cruise" tours and "Overland Adventure" tours in India, Africa and South America.
During Overland Adventures and Grand World Voyage, guests will have the opportunity to get an in-depth experience of the countries they are visiting. The adventures range from two and three-day tours to eight day excursions in regions including, India, the Far East, Africa and South America.
"More cruise guests are looking to fully immerse themselves in the culture they've flown thousands of miles to see," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs for Holland America Line.
During the 2010 Grand World Voyage, guests can take an eight-day train tour from Mumbai to Port Kelang, India.
The Palace on Wheels Over Adventure, which is part of Holland America Line’s Medallion Collection of exclusive tours, takes guests thought the heart of India, stopping in Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Sawai Madhopur, Chittaurgarh, Udaipur, Bharatpur and Delhi. Guests will then hop on a flight to Kuala Lumpur.
Travelers are also welcome to take a camel ride through the Great Indian Desert and go for a four-wheel drive in the Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary, known for its tigers and leopards.
Guests can explore the city of lakes in Udaipur and visit the National Bird Sanctuary in Bharatpur. After this excursion, travelers will take a train to Agra, where they can visit the Taj Mahal.
Guests have the opportunity to venture to Delhi, where they can explore India’s capital and its third-largest city, with the Rashtrapati Bhawan presidential palace.
For those cruisers looking for a safari adventure, guests have the opportunity to travel on the Ngala Overland Adventure from Port Elizabeth to Durban, South Africa.
During the three-day Medallion Collection tour, guests will travel to the Ngala Private Game Reserve that borders Kruger National Park, South Africa’s largest wildlife sanctuary.
In an open, four-wheel drive vehicle, guests can journey through the safari, spotting one of Africa’s “big five,” lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and cape buffalo. After traveling through the safari, guests will hop on a flight back to Durban and board their ship.
Overland Adventure trips in Africa and the Far East also include: the Chobe National Park and Victoria Falls Overland Adventure, a five-day tour from Cape Town to Durban; the Cambodia and Angkor Wat Overland Adventure, a three-day tour from Singapore to Sihanoukville, Cambodia; the Terra Cotta Warriors, Great Wall and Beijing Overland Adventure, a four-day tour from Shanghai to Xingang, China; and the Kyoto and the Shinkansen Bullet Train Overnight Tour, a two-day adventure from Kobe to Yokohama, Japan.
Moving across the map, cruisers wishing to sail in South America have the opportunity to hop on the Galapagos Islands Cruise Overland Adventure and Mendoza: Land of Wine.
The Galapagos Island Cruise Overland Adventure is a four-day adventure, giving the guests the opportunity to discover destinations from Manta, Ecuador to Callao, Peru.
On motorcoach, guests will travel to Guayaquil, Ecuador and board a plane to the easternmost Galapagos Islands. From there, guests will hop on the m/v Galapagos Explorer II, a 293-foot vessel for just 100 guests. A naturalist will guide shore excursions to search wildlife including blue-footed boobies, brown pelicans, whimbrels and sanderlings, Darwin's finches and yellow warblers.
Heading over to Argentina on The Mendoza: Land of Wine tour, wine-loving guests will board a flight from Buenos Aires to Mendoza for a city tour in the heart of the Argentine wine country. Guests will visit a vineyard and sample local wines before returning to their ship.
Along with its new excursions, The Holland America Line has introduced the Explorations Team, that offers guests "edutainment" programs. The Explorations Team is comprised of event staff with expertise ranging from technology and party planning to book club discussions (on select cruises of 14 days and longer) and travel.
As part of the Explorations Speaker Series, special guest lecturers sail on segments of the Grand Voyages to offer perspectives on regional art, history and culture.
Culinary staff and guest chefs lead cooking classes and demonstrations in the on-board Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine. In the Explorations Café, powered by the New York Times, guests can feel connected by going on the Internet and listening to music.
The line's newest enrichment program is the Holland America Line Digital Workshop powered by Windows. Guests can learn how to share all of their digital vacation memories through e-mail, blogging and social networking.
Visit www.hollandamerica.com.
Check out what Holland America Line has to offer in Alaska in the video below: