Day 1 – Sail from Seattle
Arrive in Seattle and take some time to enjoy this thriving metropolis. Visit the Space Needle for a spectacular panoramic view of the city and Puget Sound. Watch the fish “fly” in Pike Place Market, visit the Seattle Art Museum or experience some of the landmark shops in the downtown area.
This afternoon, meet at the Westin Hotel for a transfer to your ship. Settle into your comfortable stateroom then step out on deck as you cruise through the Hiram M Chittenden Locks to Elliott Bay. As you enjoy your first dinner aboard, watch the impressive skyline of Seattle pass by ad you depart the “gateway to the north” Seattle.
Deluxe: Overnight Cruise West – various categories available
Day 2 – Cruising in the San Juan Islands
Today our ship is cruising in the beautiful San Juan Islands. Located between the mainland of Washington State and Vancouver Island these islands are both beautiful and historic. This morning the ship docks at the charming resort community of Friday Harbor, once an important whaling center and now a thriving commercial and tourism attraction. Take some time and explore the boutiques and galleries. This afternoon, join your Exploration Leader on deck and help spot wildlife as the ship cruises gently among the islands.
Deluxe: Overnight Cruise West – various categories available
Day 3 – Cruising in the Strait of Georgia
Cruise among the pristine islands nestled between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia. This is the home of bald eagles, harbor seals, and orca whales. This is also one of the busiest commercial shipping channels on the west coast with coastal freighters, massive tankers, tug towed barges and elegant cruise ships constantly passing by.
Deluxe: Overnight Cruise West – various categories available
Day 4 – Cruising the Inside Passage of British Columbia
Along this remote coastline, you will enjoy the pristine beauty of glacially carved fjords and old growth forests. This special place is known as the Great Bear Rainforest and is one of the world’s largest remaining temperate forest areas. Keep and eye out for the “Spirit Bear”, a rare Kermode black bear that is a sight to behold because of his white fur. All the while eagles, and seabirds soar overhead and playful seals and orcas make their presence known.
Deluxe: Overnight Cruise West – various categories available
Day 5 – Ketchikan
You are now cruising within the Tongass National Forest which covers 80% of Southeast Alaska. Your cruise takes you to Ketchikan, the “Salmon Capital of Alaska” and home of an impressive collection of Tlingit totem poles. Visit the Discovery Center and enjoy the interactive displays and personal presentations of Tlingit elders.
Deluxe: Overnight Cruise West – various categories available
Day 6 – Petersburg
This is an exciting day as our captain navigates the ship through the Wrangell Narrows on a 22 mile path that has 46 course changes through an array of rugged islands. Keep and eye open for the Sitka black-tailed deer and black bears on the shoreline. The Norwegian-heritage fishing village of Petersburg is hospitable and unique. None of the large cruise ships stop here so when the local Leikarring Dancers perform for you, it will be a very special occasion for everyone. Later in the afternoon the ship will cruise into iceberg-filled LeConte Bay and surrounding wilderness waterways like mysterious Thomas Bay.
Deluxe: Overnight Cruise West – various categories available
Day 7 – Frederick Sound & Tracy Arm Fjord
Travel through Holkham Bay, the mouth of two spectacular, glacier-fed fjords. Travel up Tracy Arm, a deep fjord with sheer 1,500-foot-high vertical cliffs that twists and turns for 25 miles leading to the twin Sawyer Glaciers. Later our ship will enter Frederick Sound the body of water that hosts one of the largest humpback whale populations. The afternoon will be spent looking for these gentle creatures of the sea and the massive Seller’s sea lions that also frequent the sound.
Deluxe: Overnight Cruise West – various categories available
Day 8 – Sitka
Our journey to Sitka will take us through a zigzag of beautiful, narrow passageways between Baranof and Chichagof Islands. Only small ships like ours can navigate these waters and the “inside route” to Sitka, the oldest non-native settlement in Southeast Alaska. Enjoy the guided walk through Sitka’s National Historic Park and view the towering totem poles. After lunch on the ship, cruise the scenic passageways of Olga, Neva and the Peril Straits.
Deluxe: Overnight Cruise West – various categories available
Day 9 – Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Glacier Bay is one to the most enjoyed and honored National Parks in America. It is a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site with over 65 miles of pristine territory. A National Park Ranger and Native Cultural Interpreter will offer insightful narration regarding the dramatically retreating “rivers of ice” as well as the wildlife including bears, mountain goats, and harbor seals.
Deluxe: Overnight Cruise West – various categories available
Day 10 – Skagway and Haines
Cruise the waters of Lynn Canal to Skagway, gateway to the Chilkoot Trail, one of the original routes to the Klondike Gold Rush. Wooden boardwalks line the town and its historic buildings. After lunch the ship departs for Haines, a community that thrived for years and an important and integral trade center for the Chilkat and Tlingit natives. Here, you will get a chance to see the largest concentration of bald eagles and visit historic Fort William.
Deluxe: Overnight Cruise West – various categories available
Day 11 – Arrive in Juneau
The ship travels through spectacular Gastineau Channel on the way to Juneau where your journey ends.
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- 10 night Cruise West Cruise aboard including all meals, non-alcoholic beverages, shore excursions and an onboard Exploration Leader
- Service Charge ($595 USD per person) for land based personnel which covers taxes, port charges, fees and onboard services
- Personalized documentation package
PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Fuel Surcharge (approximately $15 USD per person/per night)
- Alcoholic beverages
- Optional shore excursions
- Gratuities (Onboard gratuities are neither required nor expected. Recognition for exceptional service is discretionary and you are welcome to tip individuals directly)
- Transfers to and from the cruise ship
- Trip Cancellation Insurance (Insurance can be purchased from your Vacation Specialist, ask for more details)