Where Are We Going?
Tuesday, June 20 - VANCOUVER
Vancouver's location at the mouth of the Fraser River and on the waterways of the Strait of Georgia, Howe Sound, Burrard Inlet, and all their tributaries makes this busy seaport an easy place for meeting. It is one of Canada's most populated, ethnically diverse cities that is a popular filming location. Visit the intriguing neighborhoods of Gastown, Granville Island, and Chinatown. Walk across the Capilano Suspension Bridge and stroll through Stanley Park. See the Vancouver Art Gallery and the Museum of Anthropology. There is a variety of things to see and do here.
Wednesday, June 21 - CANADIAN INSIDE PASSAGE
Today we cruise the fjords of Canada's Inside Passage boasting centuries-old coastal rainforests, beaches, waterfalls, and mountains. Over 25,000 miles of rugged coastline lie in Canada's Inside Passage, joining Alaska's 15,000 miles of inside waters and providing a safe and sheltered West Coast waterway transit. In this isolated wilderness, look for coastal First Nations longhouses fronted with proud totems and a variety of marine life, from orcas and porpoises to some of the largest populations of bald eagles.
Thursday, June 22 - KETCHIKAN
Dubbed the Salmon Capital of the World, Ketchikan is the southeastern-most town in Alaska and home to the world's largest collection of standing totem poles that are throughout the city and at four major locations: Saxman Totem Park, Totem Bight State Park, Potlatch Park, and the Totem Heritage Center. Other attractions of Ketchikan are Creek Street, a boardwalk road built on pilings over Ketchikan Creek, and the Waterfront Promenade that skirts the bustling shoreline with inviting whale-tail benches to take in the view.
Friday, June 23 - MISTY FJORDS
Misty Fjords, with its gorgeous views of natural formations, is a national monument and wilderness area with steep valleys formed by glaciers and lava flows. It is part of the Tongass National Forest and is about 40 miles east of Ketchikan along the Inside Passage. With its icy blue lakes, waterfalls, snowcapped peaks, and glacial valleys everywhere you point your camera, you will get a postcard picture, depending on the weather. Optional expedition excursions will be available for a more up-close opportunity; in this beautiful scenic sanctuary.
Saturday, June 24 - WRANGELL
One of the oldest towns in Alaska, Wrangell is located near the mouth of the Stikine River. Much of its history can be seen in the impressive collection of totems scattered throughout the town. Highlights here are the amazing Petroglyph Beach State Historic Park, where you can find primitive rock carvings, and just 30 miles away is the Anan Wildlife Observatory with the largest pink salmon, runs in the Inside Passage, and a platform from which you can look for eagles, harbor seals, and black bears.
Sunday, June 25 - SITKA
Sitka, one of the oldest and most culturally significant communities in Alaska, is filled with rich Tlingit, Russian, and early American settler history. Sitka is famous for its spectacular scenery, abundant wildlife, the copper-domed St. Michael's Cathedral, the Pioneer Home, and the Russian Bishop's House. It contained 22 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, where the contract of sale was inscribed, transferring Alaska from Russia to the United States.
Monday, June 26 - TRACY ARM / ENDICOTT ARM
Stunningly beautiful Tracy Arm is a fjord 45 miles south of Juneau that consists of two deep and narrow fjords - Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm. Both fjords are over 30 miles long. At the end of Tracy Arm are the impressive twin Sawyer Glaciers. Wildlife in the area includes black and brown bears, deer, wolves, harbor seals, and a variety of birds. What you'll be able to see today and how far we can travel up Tracy Arm is weather and ice-dependent.
Tuesday, June 27 - HAINES
Haines is one of the most popular Alaska cruise ports and one of the best places for hiking, fishing, and wildlife viewing, especially bald eagles. Within Haines city limits, Fort William H. Seward is a nationally recognized historic landmark, with some of its structures open to the public. Other cultural offerings in Haines include the Alaska Indian Arts Center, where traditional craftsmen offer demonstrations of their work; the Sheldon Museum & Cultural Center, where local Tlingit people are featured, the Hammer Museum, dedicated to the history of the hammer, and the Tsirku Canning Company Museum with memories of Haines; salmon canneries.
Wednesday, June 28 - JUNEAU
Located on the Gastineau Channel in the Alaskan panhandle, Juneau sits at sea level below steep mountains between 3,500-4,000 feet high. Atop these mountains is the Juneau Icefield, a large ice mass from which about 30 glaciers flow, and two of them - Mendenhall Glacier and Lemon Creek Glacier are visible from the local road. A unique feature of Juneau is that it is the only U.S. capital that has no roads connecting it to the rest of the state.
Thursday, June 29 - KENAI FJORDS NATIONAL PARK
Today is a day of wonder as you cruise the Kenai Fjords, Alaska's smallest national park. Carved by glaciers flowing from the Harding Icefield to the sea, Kenai Fjords has a rugged arctic landscape and is a rich habitat for marine animals and other wildlife. Most cruise lines don't go here, so enjoy this unique opportunity, and you can even take an optional expedition excursion here. As with all Alaska, what you'll be able to see is subject to weather and ice conditions.
Friday, June 30 - SEWARD (ANCHORAGE)
Seward, (Anchorage's gateway) is sandwiched between the Kenai Mountains and the Kenai Fjords National Park. It is one of Alaska's oldest and most scenic communities, with Mount Marathon rising majestically behind the town. Even though Anchorage is Alaska's largest city, it is also home to 1,500 moose, surrounded by national parks full of wildlife.