The Canadian Rockies with Alaska Cruise

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

This morning, enjoy an included city tour that highlights Stanley Park, Chinatown, the harbour, beaches, and more. Have the rest of the day to explore this vibrant city. Perhaps take a water taxi to Granville Island to visit its bustling Public Market and waterfront cafés or spend time in historic Gastown, Vancouver's oldest neighborhood, with its cobblestone streets, Victorian architecture, and iconic Gastown Steam Clock.

Depart Vancouver and journey through British Columbia's fertile valleys and rich mountain forests to Okanagan Lake. Travel along the lake to the resort city of Kelowna, beautifully situated on the lake shore and surrounded by orchards and vineyards.

Head north through the Okanagan Valley, famous for its peaches and vineyards, and climb up 4,364-foot-high Rogers Pass, a National Historic Site in Glacier National Park. Make a photo stop at the Pass to enjoy the vistas of rugged mountains, glaciers, and waterfalls. Enter Yoho National Park and ascend Kicking Horse Pass at 5,332 feet. Reach Banff National Park, Canada's first national park, nestled in the heart of the magnificent Canadian Rockies.

Go on an orientation tour this morning and then enjoy the day exploring Banff, Canada's first national park and home to 53 species of mammals. The most commonly seen are deer, elk, and big horn sheep. Hike, shop in the townsite, or relax at the hot springs. Perhaps treat yourself to a once in a lifetime experience on an optional helicopter ride for spectacular views of the Canadian Rockies! Or if you prefer keeping your feet on the ground, join the Panoramas & Peaks* optional excursion to see breathtaking Moraine Lake in the famed Valley of the Ten Peaks.

First, to Lake Louise, its turquoise waters a perfect natural mirror that reflects the surrounding mountains and glaciers. Then travel northward, and see precipitous gorges, snowcapped summits, and lakes of exquisite blues and greens come into view. Stop for a one-of-a-kind experience at the Columbia Icefield to ride the Ice Explorer, an all-terrain vehicle that travels on ice measuring 750 feet thick! Enjoy an orientation tour of the town of Jasper upon arrival.

Today is free to enjoy everything Jasper has to offer—from quaint shops to meandering wildlife. Find serenity on the glacial blue waters of Maligne Lake this morning on an optional narrated cruise to Spirit Island*, revealing the history, geology, flora, and fauna of the largest natural lake in the Canadian Rockies. Later, go with the flow on an optional scenic float trip down the Athabasca River.

Leave Jasper and follow the Fraser River to the base of Mount Robson, the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, peaking at 12,972 feet. Continue following the Yellowhead Highway south along the North Thompson River—a route pioneered by fur trappers. Overnight in the mountain resort village of Sun Peaks.

Head south, following the once treacherous Cariboo Wagon Trail. Via Lillooet, “Mile 0 of the Gold Rush Route,” your motorcoach will follow the shores of Seton and Duffey Lakes with a late-afternoon arrival in Whistler. Have an evening at leisure to start exploring this wonderful resort town with its stunning mountain scenery.

Spend the day in Whistler, nestled at the base of breathtaking Blackcomb and Whistler Mountains. Have free time to explore the many sites of the 2010 Winter Olympics that were held here. Or have your own adventure with a choice of optional excursions, including a Ziptrek Adventure through an old-growth temperate rainforest, a guided Tree-Trek Canopy Walk via suspension bridges and boardwalks high above in the treetops, or ride the Guinness World Record holding Peak 2 Peak Gondola* between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains!

Set sail across the Strait of Georgia, known for its Mediterranean-type climate, for beautiful Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia. Afternoon sightseeing includes world-famous Butchart Gardens with its 55 acres of floral displays, and then a tour of the picturesque city featuring Bastion Square, Inner Harbour, and Thunderbird Park with its unusual collection of totem poles.

A day at leisure gives you the chance to discover this splendid city. Visit the Royal British Columbia Museum, shop on Government Street, or take a leisurely stroll around the harbour. Or get back to nature on an optional Wildlife and Whale-Watching Expedition while cruising the pristine waters of the San Juan and Gulf Islands, seeking whales, porpoises, seals, and eagles.

A scenic ferry crossing to the mainland. Upon arrival, say goodbye to your Tour Director and transfer to Canada Place to board Holland America's MS Koningsdam or MS Zaandam for an unforgettable Inside Passage cruise. Your package price includes Holland America's ‘Have It All Premium Cruise Package.' (D)

Spend the day cruising one of the world's most spectacular waterways. Located along the coast of British Columbia, the Inside Passage is the longest sheltered inland waterway in the world. Watch the water for orcas and humpback whales. (B/L/D)

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 get out and kayak, raft, hike, whale watch, flightsee, or fish. There's no end to the adventure because of the long daylight hours. (B/L/D)

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 traveling on 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. (B/L/D)

Glacier Bay has more actively calving tidewater glaciers than anyplace else in the world. How does it feel when a colossal chunk of ice splits off a glacier and crashes into the sea? The sound is like thunder and the impact shoots water hundreds of meters into the air. You hold your breath as you capture the moment on camera, then wait for it to happen again! (B/L/D)

Alaska's “First City” of Ketchikan is so named because it is the first major landfall for most cruisers as they enter the picturesque fjords of the Inside Passage, where 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, visitors can try their luck on a sport-fishing excursion or simply savor the fresh seafood at one of the local restaurants. It is also one of the best spots along the Inside Passage to explore the rich cultural sights of Native Alaskan nations like the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian. (B/L/D)

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 & Preserve. Sailing the Inside Passage offers opportunities to spot some of Alaska's most iconic wildlife, with humpback whales and orca plying the bountiful waters alongside the ships, bald eagles soaring overhead and brown bears lumbering on the shoreline. (B/L/D)

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