It’s been a long time waiting at home to travel but we finally think it is time to get out and explore the world again. Dave and I have kept our travels to a minimum these past two years, but in 2022, we plan on seeing the world again and are gearing up to interact with our fellow humans. A great place to start is with our neighbor to the north – Alaska! An Alaskan cruise is on our schedule as one of our first trips back in 2022 and we don’t want to be the only ones on board, so when Holland America told us about their Love Letters to Alaska contest, we thought this was the perfect opportunity to share with you.
Love Letters to Alaska – Giveaway Details
If you have always wanted to go to Alaska and have a flair for writing or poetry, now is your chance to enter for a chance to win an amazing dream in one of 10 suites including a grand prize Neptune Suite on a 2022 Alaskan cruise with Holland America. Dave and I don’t take cruises often, but there are a few places on earth where a cruise makes complete sense. Places like Antarctica, The Galapagos, The South Pacific, and yes, Alaska. With untouched wilderness, glaciers, and massive bays that can only be reached by ship, a cruise to Alaska is the best way to explore the largest state in America.
We don’t share giveaways often, but it is no secret that we loved our cruise with Holland America through the South Pacific. Every time anyone asks us about our time on the MS Amsterdam, we rave about the three glorious weeks we spent enjoying fine dining, world-class entertainment, and awe-inspiring locations. In fact, we loved it so much, we’re going to join them again in Alaska. Wouldn’t it be cool if we were on the same cruise?
How to Enter – Love Letters to Alaska Giveaway
To enter for your chance to win an Alaskan cruise, all you need to do is write a letter or poem (in 25 – 250 words) telling Holland America Line why you love Alaska or why you would like to visit Alaska. Be creative, have some fun, or write from the heart and get emotional. Tell them why Alaska inspires you. Keep reading to get ideas from us further below.
I know that seeing whales and grizzly bears in their natural habitat can make me emotional and sometimes when I think of our experiences in Alaska, my heart fills with gratitude as I remember calving glaciers, whales breaching and eagles soaring through the ear. But don’t wait too long because the contest ends March 15th – Skip directly to all the details here.
If you need to get your creative juices flowing, we’ve written our own love letter to Alaska to help get things started. Keep it short and sweet, love letters or poems only need to be 25 – 250 words. But make sure to be creative and to stand out.
Dear Alaska – Our Love Letter
Dear Alaska, It was in 2011 that we first visited you and gazed upon your glorious landscape. We had always dreamed of visiting one day and cannot believe that we have had the privilege of returning again to witness one of the final frontiers of adventure travel. It has been nearly three years since we were last in your presence but I can still hear the roar of the ice plunging from John’s Hopkins Glacier as the waves rocked our tiny zodiac sitting in the ice-filled waters of the Inlet.
You have left us with memories to last a lifetime with so many firsts. It was on your shores that we saw our first grizzly bear in the wild and it was the first time we ever saw a whale tail breaching in the sea. You allowed us to experience the land of the midnight sun for the very first time and offered us the chance to fly over North America’s highest mountain. Every travel experience we have is compared to our travels through Alaska. You are the final frontier. The wild unknown and a land that captivates our imagination. Each time we visit, we find something new, we add new “firsts” to our list and we create new memories. Alaska, you are beautiful and I wish everyone could see you too.
Head over and write your own letter here right now!
Dear Alaska – Our Poem
So, I am not a poet, but I put together my own little verse inspire you. Hopefully, this will give you some ideas to write your own. (I am sure it will be better than mine)
Ode to Alaska
It is filled with life on land and seaThe untamed beauty is calling me.The snowcapped land of the midnight sun,Our great adventure has just begun.
Was that a bear I spotted on the shore?Was a bald eagle soaring in the air?These moments I have never had before,Alaskan beauty is more than I can bear.
~ The Planet D
For more writing inspiration, read Holland America Cruise Line’s own Love Letter to Alaska here.
Love Letters to Alaska Contest Details
Holland America Lines is giving away nine Alaska cruises for seven days in a Visa or Signature suite and one grand prize winner for two in the luxurious Neptune Suite. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges with a deep connection to Alaska or Holland America cruises and announced in early April. The cruises will take place during the upcoming 2022 season. Submissions end on March 15, 2022. Enter here.
About the Judges:
It’s always good to know who will be reading and judging your writing, so here is a bit of inspiration about the judges for this Love Letters to Alaska contest. They all have ties to Alaska and Washington State, so let them see why you love or want to visit the north.
Jim Dever, an Emmy Award-winning host and reporter on Seattle’s KING 5 Evening show who has traveled to Alaska numerous times professionally and personally.Dr. Pepper Schwartz, an acclaimed professor, author, researcher, and television personality furthering the field of intimacy, who currently is teaching at University of Washington.Tekla Butcher-Monson, daughter of acclaimed Alaskan musher Susan Butcher and a musher in her own right, as well as the owner of Trail Breaker Kennel in Fairbanks, Alaska. Russell Dick, president and CEO of Huna Totem Corporation, one of the most successful village corporations in Alaska, owned by more than 1,440 shareholders with ties to the Village of Hoonah in Southeast Alaska near Glacier Bay. Danny Genung, chief executive officer of Harr Travel, a California-based boutique agency that offers individualized services. Over his years in the industry, Genung has led travelers to all parts of the world on both land and sea.
Enter Now!
To enter, visit the Love Letters to Alaska contest page to submit your detail and your letter, essay, or poem by March 15, 2022. You can get more inspiration from Holland America’s own love letter to Alaska here.
To see what it is like to take a Holland America cruise, read our post about our time in the South Pacific at What to Expect on a South Pacific Cruise with Holland America
Holland America in Alaska
In 2022, six Halland America Line ships will be exploring Alaska. You can combine your cruise with an inland portion to Denali National Park or the Yukon in Canada. Trips are round trips from either Seattle, Washington, or Vancouver, BC.
We’ve taken a Holland American cruise and can attest that their ships deliver a premium experience. Every cruise will visit at least one of Alaska’s glacier destinations such as Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier. Plus, they stop at the ports of Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Stika. Each has its own unique flair and adventures to be had.
We’ve taken two Alaska cruises on both a small ship, a large ship, and on land and have thoroughly enjoyed each experience to the fullest. Even if you don’t win the contest, we highly recommend putting Alaska at the top of your travel bucket list.