Service awards to include Cruisetour excursions

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Princess Expands Alaska Service Awards to Include Cruisetour

Excursions from Wilderness Lodges



Inland Tour Operators Honored as Passengers Pick Favored Activities



SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (October 18, 2007) - Each year Princess cruise passengers vote for their favorite shore excursions and guides in Alaska, choosing the recipients of the line's annual C.R.U.I.S.E. service awards. This year, Princess has expanded the program to recognize operators who provide land-based excursions to the company's cruisetour passengers throughout the summer.



The unique awards, which are primarily based upon positive feedback from tour participants, recognize the importance of local excursion companies and guides as an integral part of visitors' Alaska cruisetour experience. Both tour operators and individual guides are recognized, chosen from among Princess' extensive line-up of more than 120 land excursion options offered to cruisetour passengers from Princess' own Alaska wilderness lodges as well as the cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks. These land excursions range from a heli-hiking adventure from Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge to river rafting from Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. Recipients receive their awards at ceremonies held at the Princess wilderness lodges or in a city location.



"We're pleased to expand this successful program to our land-based tour operations and recognize their efforts in making vacation experiences special for our customers as they travel through the interior of the state," said Charlie Ball, president of Princess Tours. "These top tour operators are vital in continuing the Princess experience our passengers expect, even when they are touring the Alaskan wilderness from our lodges."



Begun in 1999 as part of Princess' C.R.U.I.S.E. (Courtesy, Respect, Unfailing In Service Excellence) customer service program, the tour operator awards cap off a season-long effort to recognize the role that Alaskan-owned tour partners play in passengers' cruisetour experiences. Tour Guide of the Year award winners receive $100, a letter of commendation, and a special gift to mark the occasion. Operators of the Land Excursion of the Year receive a plaque and a letter of commendation, an invitation to dinner with company officials and recognition in the next year's tour brochure.



A full list of winners of the land excursion awards is below.





Princess Cruises and Tours

2007 Alaska Land Excursion C.R.U.I.S.E. Award Winners



Anchorage

Land Excursion of the Year:

Discover McKinley, Rust's Flying Service



Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge

Land Excursion of the Year:

Wrangell St. Elias Wilderness Adventure,

Prospector Enterprises, Inc.



Tour Guide of the Year:

Ian Dorsey, ATV Trail ride Adventure



Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge

Land Excursion of the Year:

Denali Heli-Hiking Adventure, ERA Helicopters LLC



Tour Guide of the Year:

Matt Payne, Doyon/Aramark JVC



Fairbanks

Land Excursion of the Year:

Arctic Circle Air Adventure, Northern Alaska Tour Company



Tour Guide of the Year:

Earl Hughes, Eldorado Gold Mine



Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge

Land Excursion of the Year:

Alaska Husky Spirit, Lorraine Temple



McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge

Land Excursion of the Year:

Chulitna River Rafting, Talkeetna River Guides



Tour Guide of the Year:

Yukon, D & S Trailrides
 
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