SEATTLE -- Holland America Line dropped a short-lived policy that
required its Alaska and Yukon Territory hotels to turn away guests
who had traveled through SARS-affected areas.
The policy had been put in place to protect cruise passengers
who were staying in the line's 13 Westmark Hotels from possible
exposure to the disease.
Hotel guests were required to fill out the same SARS
questionnaire HAL requires of its cruise passengers.
A spokesman for HAL said discussions with Alaska state officials
led the line and Westmark to discontinue the practice.
"The state feels it's better that we provide [guests] with
information for proper self-monitoring," he said.
HAL, like other cruise lines, will continue to question
embarking cruise passengers about their travel history.