Caribbean Voyage: Costa Rica, Colombia & The Panama Canal

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Holland America will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them during your cruise. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to the local conditions.

Have It All Cruise Package

For one simple fare, you can save with Have It All, a package available for pre-cruise purchase and specially designed to give you the best possible experience. By purchasing this package, you will receive the below:

• Up to 3 nights speciality dining (dependant on length of cruise)
• Up to $300pp shore excursion credit (dependant on length of cruise)
• Signature beverage package (15 drinks a day up to $11 per drink)
• Surf Wi-Fi package
• Pre-paid crew appreciation

Price: from £60.00 per person per day

This package upgrade can be added to your booking exclusively through Mercury Holidays and not directly with Holland America. To upgrade, please contact our Customer Experience team anytime, up to 14 weeks before departure.

If booking more than 14 weeks before departure a deposit of £500.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 14 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 14 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

All UK passport holders must have a biometric e-passport, and your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date you are expected to arrive back in the UK. Important note: if you do not have a bio-metric e-passport, you will be refused entry into the USA and all other Ports on this Tour.

You will need to obtain an ESTA visa. This must be applied for at least 7 days before you are due to land in the USA. An ESTA can be applied for directly on the website of the Department of Homeland Security. The Fee for application is approximately $40.00 plus a processing fee and is applied for and payable via a Credit / Debit Card online. https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta

The US Government enforces a restriction on people who have travelled to Cuba since on or after 12 January 2021. These travellers are no longer eligible to apply for the ESTA Visa Waiver programme and need to apply for a US visitor's visa (B1/B2) via their nearest US Embassy. This ban includes transit, where you’re flying on to another country.

Costa Rica Visa requirements - You can visit Costa Rica without a visa for up to 180 days under a tourist visa waiver. The exact period is at the discretion of the immigration officer on arrival.

Aruba Visa Requirements - You can visit Aruba for up to 3 months without a visa.

Colombia Visa Requirements - You can visit Colombia for up to 90 days without a visa for business or tourism, at the discretion of the Colombian immigration officer on arrival.  You must be able to show an onward or return ticket valid within the 90-day period.

Panama Visa Requirements - If you arrive on a cruise ship or are travelling through the Panama Canal, you do not need a visa unless you are staying in Panama for more than 3 months. Immigration authorities will stamp your passport if you leave the ship. They do not board cruise ships travelling through the Canal to check passports.

Cayman Islands Visa Requirements - You can visit the Cayman Islands without a visa for up to 6 months, for business or tourism.

Alternatively, we work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be who will be able to arrange the ESTA visa on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. When Calling the Travel Visa Company, they will advise you of any changes to the fees or procedure, they will also advise you all of the information they will require in order to apply for the visa.

Please note that final flight details, including terminal, airline and baggage allowance, will be confirmed on your final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you.

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, www.travelhealthpro.org. uk, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

Medical Facilities & Emergencies

Remote regions lack advanced medical facilities, including intensive care and surgery. Ship doctors and nurses provide basic care, but serious cases may require evacuation, which depends on weather conditions, distance from a port and feasibility for medical evacuation to travel the distances required for evacuation.

Medications & Motion Sickness

The ship’s medical facility stocks a limited supply of both regular and emergency medications, so bring extra supplies of your regular and any necessary medications in your hand luggage. In case of unexpected delays, bring extra medication for beyond your cruise and a list of your medication in case you need refills. Seas can be rough—if you are prone or concerned about motion sickness, we advise you to consult your doctor and bring medication.

Health, Vaccinations & Insurance

Travellers should be in good health; those with medical conditions should consult their doctor before travel. Up to date vaccinations are strongly recommended. Comprehensive travel insurance, including emergency evacuation (minimum $100,000 coverage), is strongly recommended due to high costs and limited evacuation options.

Special Medical Needs & Age Requirement

If you need medical assistance (e.g., oxygen, mobility aids), inform the team when booking. Children must be at least 12 months old to sail to remote destinations.

This cruise is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves moderate days of walking on uneven paths and small hills, and getting on and off the cruise ship. This tour may not be suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.

We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK On board our ships, U.S. dollars are the only currency accepted. We also accept U.S. travellers' checks. In most ports of call, you may easily exchange your currency into the local currency at banks, airports, and major hotels. All onboard purchases and services in US Dollars are charged to your account by using your stateroom keycard. Cash is not accepted for individual transactions, e.g. bars, shops, spas, shore excursions. Cash is accepted in our casinos. Whilst in the Chilean Ports, the currency used is Chilean peso. For Uruguay it will be Uruguayan Peso and Argentina is Argentine pesos. It is advised that you order the smaller denominations when getting your currency ordered.

PLEASE NOTE: There is not an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) available on board.

As normal practice you may be asked for your credit card details on check-in for your cruise in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit or use a debit card. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.

You will need to take money with you to cover any You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any extras not mentioned on your itinerary and personal purchases, such as souvenirs, extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £400-500 per person should be sufficient for the duration of your Cruise. Please also bear in mind that there will be several shopping opportunities throughout your tour.

PLEASE NOTE: There is not an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) available on board.

The Crew Appreciation charge is paid to Holland America Line team members and represents an important part of their compensation. An 18% service charge is automatically applied to all beverage purchases, bar retail items, specialty restaurant cover charges, all for-purchase a la carte menu items, and all Spa & Salon services. Local sales taxes are applied where required.

Tipping is customary on most cruise liners, a daily charge will be applied to your onboard account. If you would like to adjust the amount or make your own tipping arrangements, please visit the customer service desk onboard at the start of your cruise..

The maximum number of travellers on your cruise will be dependent upon the Cruise ship capacity. Please note: your cruise is shared with international clients from other companies.

Excursions during your cruise are in shared services, meaning that these excursions are not exclusive to Mercury Holidays customers, you will have an English-Speaking local guide present during these excursions ensuring that you always have first-hand knowledge. This guide will only be available during excursions.

Transportation to and from the hotel and airport will be provided by group or private transfers, depending on your group size, please note that transfers for low passenger numbers may not include a guide, just a driver so please refer to your paperwork for check in / embarkation details.

Your stateroom category is based on an inside cabin (a cabin without a window or balcony). If you'd like more space or a view, you can upgrade to a different stateroom type online at the time of booking. If you have already booked, please call our Travel Specialist who can assist in amending your cabin type.

All tour cruise ships/hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure standards meet your needs.

In addition to breakfast, lunch and a multi-course dinner, you can enjoy afternoon tea, hearty salads, comfort classics, global cuisine, an ice cream bar, hot hors d’oeuvres during the cocktail hours, and the traditional late-night snack. Complimentary In-Room Dining is available 24 hours a day. Drinks are payable onboard, however there are beverage package options available to pre book.

Vegetarian and Vegan meals can be catered for onboard. Please advise Customer Experience about other dietary requirements or allergy information.

• Shirts/cover-ups and footwear are always required indoors.
• During daytime, dress is casual.
• Most evenings smart casual attire is appropriate.
• Shorts, pool and beachwear, distressed jeans, and men’s tank tops are best left to the daytime and are not permitted in table service restaurants.
• Dressy Nights evoke the grand traditions of cruising as guests dress to impress for special events on board, including our five-course gourmet dinner in the Dining Room.
• For gentlemen, collared shirts and slacks are required in all fine dining restaurants.

The dress for each evening is listed in the Daily Programme and on the Navigator App.

Upon arrival, you will be met after exiting baggage claim and Customs by a Go West representative holding a Mercury sign who will assist with your transfer to the hotel.

Boarding Procedures

Guests are encouraged to complete the Online Check-in process at hollandamerica.com and, if possible, download the Holland America Line Navigator App. Once Online Check-in is complete, travellers should either print their Boarding Pass or access the electronic version via the Navigator App.

At the pier, guests must present their Boarding Pass, have their passports and applicable visas verified, and have their photo taken if one was not uploaded through the app. Stateroom keycards will be delivered directly to staterooms.

Important Notes:

• Online Check-in must be completed prior to the sail date. • Required documents for check-in include: o Boarding Pass (available via Express Docs) o Proof of citizenship o Applicable visas

To comply with U.S. security regulations, Holland America must submit guest information to law enforcement at least 60 minutes before departure. This requires all information to be submitted no later than 90 minutes before the ship’s departure. Guests who do not complete Online Check-in beforehand or arrive late to the terminal risk being unable to board. Costs incurred to join the vessel at the next port will be the guest’s responsibility.

Ship Identification Card:

Upon completing check-in, guests will receive a ship ID card, which serves as identification for embarkation, disembarkation, onboard purchases, and access to staterooms. When boarding or leaving the ship, guests should carry their ship ID card along with a government-issued photo ID. Terminal security may also require a valid picture ID.

Embarkation Details:

Boarding begins at 12:00 p.m., and all guests must check in no later than 90 minutes before the published sailing time. Passports will be collected during check-in for secure handling by staff, as some ports require face-to-face immigration inspections. Guests are encouraged to bring photocopies of their passport pages as a precaution.

Although embarkation may start as early as 11:30 a.m., preparation of staterooms will be underway, with readiness anticipated by approximately 1:00 p.m. Guests are welcome to relax in bar, lounge, or pool areas while waiting. Checked baggage will be delivered to staterooms later in the afternoon.

Holland America ensures an organised and seamless embarkation process, allowing guests to start their cruise stress-free.

If you need to contact our agency representatives during your stay, the details are:

For your Cruise:

For any other queries, please call Holland America 24 hr contact number: 001 206 626 7382

Email address: Holland America Line Groups UK groups@hollandamerica.co.uk

For your transfers and hotel:

Go West Tours: 24 hr contact number: +1 415 235 1171

Please find below the emergency contact details for Go West Tours

24hr Telephone: +1 415 837 0154 (business hours 08:30-17:30 USA Pacific Time)

Out of hours West Coast Groups: +1 415 710 1913

Out of hours East Coast Groups: +1 415 793 6458

Text & WhatsApp Line 24/7 +1 415 484 7201

• Sunglasses, Sunscreen and hat in summer
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Camera and charger
• Antibacterial hand gel
• Binoculars
• Personal first aid kit containing travel pills, rehydration powder, plasters, stomach settlers, antiseptic creams, aspirin etc
• Small day pack for excursions
• Waterproof, lightweight jacket
• Lightweight clothing
• Sweater and jacket for the cooler months
• Swimwear