Grand Alaskan Adventure with Alaska Cruise

Welcome to Anchorage! Your Tour Director is on hand from 3-6:00 p.m. to answer any questions.

Settle into your downtown hotel and perhaps venture out and start exploring the shops and restaurants or stroll on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail along the waterfront.

This morning, enjoy a city sightseeing tour of Anchorage, Alaska's largest city, with a visit to the Anchorage Museum where you will see a fascinating display of artifacts of the native people of Alaska. The rest of the day is free for independent exploring.

This morning, board the world-famous Alaska Railroad for a memorable train journey to Talkeetna, the jumping-off point for climbers attempting to summit Denali, formerly known as Mount McKinley. Denali is the highest peak in North America at 20,310 feet. Enjoy strolling along the shops downtown or take a walk to the river. Then early this afternoon, journey to Denali National Park and Preserve for a 2-night stay.

Denali National Park and Preserve majestically dominates the park's six million acres. Enjoy a free day for independent activities like a hike along one of the many wilderness trails. Perhaps take advantage of several exciting optional outings, including a wildlife tour to spot grizzly bears, caribou, moose, and Dall sheep; a Denali photography excursion; a raft trip down the Nenana River; or an exhilarating flightseeing tour over the park. Your Tour Director will have plenty of suggestions.

Relish one last look at the outstanding scenery and wildlife of Denali before traveling across the Denali Highway. This seldom-traveled road, the first road to allow access to Denali National Park, is in the true wilderness and offers the opportunity for frequent wildlife sightings and amazing views of the Alaska Range.

Next, climb over the top of Thompson Pass, well-known for its annual winter snowfall which averages 46 feet but, in the summer, offers unforgettable views. End today's journey in the town of Valdez, nestled between the waterfront and mountains, giving it the nickname, Alaska's Little Switzerland.

Embark on a cruise across magnificent Prince William Sound to explore the three-mile face of the mighty Meares Glacier and hear tales of the region as told by the Alaskan crew. Keep your eyes open and cameras ready for marine wildlife such as otters, seals, and whales while viewing spectacular glaciers and scenery. Watch for eagles soaring above and salmon leaping out of the cold, pristine water. Disembark in the remote village of Whittier where you will board Holland America's MS Westerdam for an unforgettable 7-night Inside Passage cruise.

Hubbard is the longest tidewater glacier (ending at the ocean) in North America. However, unlike nearly every other tidewater glacier on the continent, Hubbard is advancing, not retreating as it endlessly creeps further into the bay—with breaking ice providing a floating haven for resident seals.

With the serene majesty of snow-flecked and forested mountains defining its shores, Glacier Bay National Park offers some of the most dramatic scenery in the world. Keep your binoculars and camera on hand as you cruise Glacier Bay to the mile-wide Margerie Glacier, where you may have a chance to witness the thrilling spectacle of ice calving. Wildlife abounds in Glacier Bay, so keep a watchful eye to catch the fluke of a humpback rise breaking the surface or a lone grizzly bear wandering a wind-swept beach.

Skagway is historically considered the gateway to the Gold Rush of 1898 when thousands of men with dreams of striking it rich poured into the city and withstood treacherous winter conditions en route to the Yukon Territory. Explore gold rush lore at the Trail of '98 Museum or at the Red Onion Saloon, with its treasure trove of memorabilia featuring pictures of Klondike Kate, Peahull Annie, and other historic characters. Or simply walk on the boardwalks along the dirt streets and enjoy perusing the shops.

Located at the foot of grand mountain peaks on Gastineau Channel, Alaska's capital city of Juneau has massive Mendenhall Glacier and the Juneau Icefield at its back door. Visit the rustic shops in town or take advantage of optional outdoor excursions to kayak, raft, hike, whale watch, flightsee, or fish. With long daylight hours, opportunity for adventure is endless.

Named Alaska's “First City,” Ketchikan is so named as the first major landfall for most cruisers entering the picturesque fjords of the Inside Passage. Here, the town clings to the banks of the Tongass Narrows, flanked by green forests nurtured by abundant rain. An important hub of the salmon-fishing-and-packing industries, Ketchikan offers the opportunity to try your luck on a sport-fishing excursion, savor fresh seafood at a local restaurant, or explore the rich cultural sights of Native Alaskan nations like the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian.

One of the greatest cruising routes in the world, the Inside Passage stretches through stunning landscapes, from Misty Fjords National Monument to famed Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Sailing the Inside Passage offers opportunities to spot some of Alaska's most iconic wildlife, with humpback whales and orcas plying the bountiful waters alongside the ships, bald eagles soaring overhead and brown bears lumbering on the shoreline.

Your vacation ends this morning. Please schedule homebound flights after noon.