Holland America Line review: Boarding denied

I am 81 yrs old and my wife is 78 yrs old. We are retired and saved up for the Alaskan cruse and planned it for entire year at a cost of $4432, Aug 13th 2023, air fair $619, hotel 2 nights $532, plus Seattle express $ 90, total $5673. All booked thru Holland American agents.

We where denied boarding at the gate due to no Pass Port, Birth certificate, or enhanced drivers licenses (offered by only 5 states) where denied boarding because we accidental left the pass ports at home. We thought there would be no problem, because we are US citizens, living in California our entire life and we where going to a United States State of Alaska. To our surprise and 20 other guest, because we are boarding on a foreign registered ship we needed pass ports, For Alaska? After waiting 6 hours while agents made excuses pretending to be helpful. At 3.30 pm all of us where escorted by a police man to the parking lot that now was empty of transportation. A worker helped us call a cab, it was $90 to take us back to our hotel. We spent 4 extra days at the hotel trying to communicate our problem thru off shore Customer service explaining our situation with little help, due to their drop calls, being transferred to other personal, and poor English commutation. There was so much back around noise on some of the calls we had to hang up and start all over again.

Lucky the hotel accommodates us with rooms for another night, but ended up 3 nights at a extra cost of $ 750. The reason for extra nights is Holland America air agents said we had a flight at 10 am Tuesday then its Wednesday, then Thursday at 10 am they never reschedule the original flight. After 2 hrs explaining to the Alaskan air agent on Thursday our predicament, she talked to her supervisor. Finial we where booked at 7:30 pm Thursday night to Burbank California. At no extra charge! Thank God, total cost now $6513.00.

Holland America offered No refund or credit on another cruses, so we are out $6513.00 How inconsiderate, and uncaring by Holland American cruse line. Similar our traveler agent, Joanne Spring, who we contacted in the beginning of our problem said she could not help us and we couldn't contact her again. Our feelings are frustration, and sadness because we will never be able to go on that trip again and the loss of so much money for nothing is very painful.