Ultimate Alaska & The Yukon with Alaska Cruise

Welcome to Alaska!

Meet your Tour Director between 3 pm and 7 pm in the hotel reception area.

FREE TIME TIPS - EXPLORE MORE: in Anchorage with a dinner out in this iconic Alaskan city. Your Tour Director can point you in the right direction. Tap your GlobusGO mobile app for the best bites, brews, and things to do!

Riding the Rails

Travel north into the majestic wilds of Alaska and visit the Iditarod Headquarters, home of the world-famous dogsled race. Continue to Talkeetna, the starting point for climbers attempting to summit Denali (formerly known as Mount McKinley), the highest peak in North America at 20,320 feet. Board the historic Alaska Railroad for a scenic trip to Denali National Park. Tonight, enjoy a private presentation by a Local Naturalist at the Murie Science & Learning centre followed by dinner. (B/D)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - EPIC RIDE: Board the Alaska Railroad train for spectacular views through its panoramic windows designed for soaking in the stunning scenery on this full-day journey that truly showcases America's 49th state. Keep an eye out for views of Denali (formerly known as Mount McKinley)-as well as wildlife along the way!

Wilderness Wonders

Journey into the 6-million-acre Denali National Park with a Naturalist Driver Guide on the Tundra Wilderness tour exploring the majestic wilderness. Your late afternoon and evening are free for optional adventures such as float trips, a dogsled demonstration, a helicopter ride over the park, or a delicious dinner and rollicking musical comedy performed in a camp house reminiscent of the Gold Rush era. (B/L)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - NATURAL WONDERS: Venture deep into Denali National Park and Preserve with a Naturalist Driver Guide in search of fantastic wildlife and natural wonders. Stay alert for wildlife, including Denali's Big-Five, the grizzly bear, caribou, moose, Dall sheep, and the formidable yet elusive wolf. Named for the highest mountain peak in North America, Denali is a natural treasure of pristine and untamed wilderness at its finest.

Bites & Brews

This morning, spend a little more time marveling at the wonder of Denali National Park. Then, enjoy a friendly atmosphere during lunch at the 49th State Brewery to taste some local specialties and play Alaska lawn-games. Travel into the heart of Alaska to Fairbanks, where the remainder of the day is at leisure. (B/L)

LOCAL FAVOURITE - LOCAL TASTES: Craft brewing as well as great food is a hallmark of Alaskan culture. Taste the tradition of Alaska with lunch at the fabulous 49th State Brewing Co. Taste the attention to detail born of glacial aquifers, fine malts and hops, and yeast, served Cicerone Certified beer servers and proper glassware to accompany various styles of beer, along with a hearty menu to satisfy your appetite. More than a place to have a beer and a bite, the 49th State Brewing Co is the place to make memories of a lifetime.

Native American Traditions

Start the day by boarding the sternwheeler Discovery for a cruise on the Chena River, with a stop at a recreated Chena Indian Village to learn about Athabascan Native culture. Later, during a city tour, visit the University of Alaska-Fairbanks Museum and a stop at the Trans-Alaska Oil Pipeline. (B)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - CULTURAL GEMS: Experience frontier living in an Athabascan village on the Chena River. Here in the Alaskan forests, cabins are made of spruce logs, and the old ways of living with the land are beautifully preserved in the heritage of the Athabascan Native culture. Learn about traditions and survival in an unforgiving yet beautiful environment, where generations of Athabascans skillfully survived for over 10,000 years, ultimately adapting to village life and Western culture in the past century.

Goldminers & Old Timers

Continuing the journey into Gold Rush history, motor over the Top of the World Highway and enter Canada's Yukon Territory. Passing through the village of Chicken, today promises to be filled with breathtaking scenery.

Tonight, you have reservations at Diamond Tooth Gerties, featuring ragtime music, can-can girls, and an old-fashioned casino. (B)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT CULTURAL GEM: Get a rush of nostalgia for the old frontier with casino games, nostalgic tunes, and can-can shows at Dawson City's rip-roaring Diamond Tooth Gertie's saloon to relive the days of the Gold Rush, prospectors, barkeeps, and piano players in the Wild West.

There's Gold in the Yukon!

Step back in time at the site of Klondike Gold Rush Claim #1, where the first gold strike was made. Continue to the Robert Service Interpretive centre to learn of the numerous poems and ballads he composed while exploring this remote area. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for additional sightseeing, shopping, and dining. (B)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - LEGENDARY LIVES: Walk in the footsteps of historic figures of the Yukon Gold rush. Stand in the spot where George Carmack and Skookum Jim discovered the first shiny glimpse of gold in Bonanza Creek in 1896 to stake the first Gold rush Claim in the Yukon. Enter the humble cabin (now a historic site) where bank teller and famed poet Robert Service penned some of the Yukon Territories' most famous ballads and poems. See the artifacts belonging to this legendary "Bard of the Yukon."

Roaring Rapids & Rip-Roaring Times

Trace the trail of the gold seekers on their way to the Klondike. View the Five Finger Rapids, which once posed a major obstacle to the hordes of fortune seekers stampeding into the Yukon. Your day concludes in Whitehorse, capital of the Yukon, for a free evening. (B)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - NATURAL WONDERS: Marvel at the sight of The Five Finger Rapids on the Yukon River. Here, four islands divide the river into five narrow channels of which only the eastern is passable. The Five Finger Rapids is mentioned in Jack London's novel The Call of the Wild and posed a significant challenge to the throng of fortune seekers on the hunt for gold.

A Dog's Life

A city tour stops at the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, where you can meet the Ice Age giant mammals that once ruled the ancient subcontinent. See the historic SS Klondike Riverboat and learn about its importance on the Yukon River in the Gold Rush days. Later, head to Whitehorse's premier dogsled facility, Muktuk Adventures, where you will personally meet the huskies and their trainers. Afterward, enjoy a special Taste of the Yukon dinner. (B/D)

LOCAL FAVOURITE - CULTURE & TRADITION: Get up close and personal to Alaska's amazing sled dogs and their trainers at Muktuk Adventures. Learn about the training and care of the Alaskan champions and the spirit needed to race in world-famous Iditarod and Yukon Quest competitions. An experience that leads the pack!

Depart the Yukon Territories and head to Alaska along the rugged mountains of Kluane National Park, home to 19,625-foot Mount Logan, Canada's highest peak. Continue on the Alaska Highway to Tok, the "Dog Sled Capital of the World." (B)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - WILDERNESS TREASURES: On your way to Alaska's dogsledding town of Tok, you'll drive along the mountains of Kluane National Park and Reserve in the southwest of the Canadian Yukon. Witness a vast wilderness of ice fields, forests, and towering peaks, including Canada's highest summit, Mount Logan. Here, spectacular sights created by the glacier-fed Alsek River are home to grizzly bears, Dall sheep and more than 100 bird species.

Sights on the Sound

Head to Alaska's northernmost ice-free port, Valdez, home of the Alyeska Pipeline Terminal. As you travel toward some of the highest coastal mountains in the world, enjoy views of Thompson Pass, Worthington Glacier, and Bridal Veil Falls before arriving in the "Switzerland of Alaska"- Valdez. Visit the Valdez Museum to learn of the areas Native Culture, early explorers, the 1898 Gold Rush, and the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake. Free time this evening. (B)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - NATURAL WONDERS: Located near the head of a deep fjord in Prince William Sound, Valdez is a mix of tidewater glaciers, rainforests, majestic mountains, and wildlife on land and sea. Orcas and humpback whales, otters, sea lions, and birds are among the many animals you might spy from this spectacular seaport.

True Fish Stories

Board a boat today and get a closer look at the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Terminal, the many massive glaciers, and the playful sea life of Prince William Sound. Keep your eyes open for eagles, whales, mountain goats, dolphins, and sea lions! Continue to Anchorage for a farewell dinner. (B/L/D)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - CULTURE & TRADITIONS: Go further with a scenic cruise on the spectacular Prince William Sound. Cruise along the 3-mile face of Columbia Glacier with a watchful eye out for wildlife, including seals, sea otters, birds, and even whales!

Life in the Wild

Travel to Whitter, a remote village nestled along breathtaking Prince William Sound, home to a stunning array of wildlife, including bald eagles, sea otters, and Orcas! Embark on a 7-Night cruise south through the Inside Passage to Vancouver, BC. (B/D)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - TRADITIONS & HERITAGE: Whittier has the odd distinction of being almost entirely under one roof. No need to get in a car to go to the grocery store, bank, or a friend's house. All town services are sheltered from the often-inclement weather in this unique and practical way, and virtually all of Whittier's approximately 220 residents live in the 14-story Begich Towers, originally a Cold War outpost for the U.S. Army.

Gulf Dreams

Scenic cruising through the Gulf of Alaska. (B/L/D)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - EPIC RIDE: Go deeper into the unmatched beauty of the Last Frontier with a scenic cruise on the Gulf of Alaska so explore just a part of this nearly 600,000 square-mile gulf reaching from the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island in the west and Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage to the east.

Ice Dancing

Cruise through Glacier Bay National Park (A UNESCO World Heritage Site).(B/L/D)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - WILD DISCOVERIES: Cruise to Glacier Bay where the sounds of creaking groans of living ice in constant flux, the shrill calls of gulls and soaring eagles, and the splash of breaching humpback whales are likely to greet you. Frosted peaks towering over mossy forests, wide tidewater glaciers (there are seven in the park), and marine wildlife are main attractions, but every discovery in this dynamic biosphere is unique. 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 at the ready as you cruise Glacier Bay to the mile-wide Margerie Glacier for the chance to witness ice calving. Wildlife abounds in Glacier Bay, so stay ready-you never know when you will see the fluke of a humpback rise out of the water or spot a lone brown bear patrolling a windswept beach.

The Rush for Gold

At the height of the Klondike Gold Rush, the port town of Skagway served as the primary gateway to the legendary gold fields, and quickly grew into Alaska's largest settlement. It was then a raucous frontier hub packed with trading posts, saloons, and guesthouses. As the gold rush faded into the 1900s, so did Skagway-but today it has been reinvigorated as a gateway for a new kind of visitor: those looking to explore Alaska's colourful history, pristine wildlife, and unrivalled natural beauty. Note: Haines may be an alternative port and will be determined by Holland America onboard. Free time. (B/L/D)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - LEGENDS & LORE: At every turn, you'll find yourself immersed in gold rush lore in the town of Skagway, from the infamous Red Onion Saloon that still keeps a pistol that Wyatt Earp left behind on his way to the Klondike, to the narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, traversing rugged mountains, waterfalls, and towering glaciers on its course to Whitehorse deep in the Yukon.

The Wild Places

Cruise to Juneau, Alaska and visit the most remote, most beautiful and strangest state capital in the United States. Surrounded by water, forest and mountain sights, visitors seeking things to do in Juneau indoors and outdoors can hike a glacier, eat fresh-caught fish on a seaside patio and tour a grand capitol building all in one day. (B/L/D)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - ICONIC SIGHTS: Surrounded by water, forest, and mountains, Juneau is known for its outdoor recreation, fresh seafood, and fine dining, but the real highlight of a visit to Juneau is tracking down some wildlife. You can hike up Mount Roberts to chance upon wild deer and bald eagles. Most sightseeing and whale-watching tours head north to Auke Bay-bring a good pair of binoculars to get the best view of these majestic and surprisingly graceful creatures.

If you prefer land mammals, catch a floatplane to a nearby wildlife reserve such as Chichagof or Admiralty Island to spy some bears. The sleepy, misty city of around 32,000-mostly fishermen and small-business owners-has a frontier town vibe that's hard to resist.

Port of Call

Take an adventure and cruise to Ketchikan, Alaska. Alaska's "First City" of Ketchikan is so named because it's 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. (B/L/D)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - LOCAL TASTES & TRADITIONS: Ketchikan has long been an important hub of the salmon-fishing and packing industries. Indulge in fresh seafood at a local restaurant and explore the rich cultural sights of Native Alaskan Nations of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. Marvel at the intricately carved totem poles at the Totem Heritage centre and Totem Bight State Park and take in the beautiful culture of the Tlingit people at Saxman Village, where traditional carvers and dancers share their heritage in the clan house.

Explore the sights in the town itself, including historic Creek Street, a boardwalk built over the Ketchikan Creek, where you can shop for souvenirs, smoked salmon, and local art, while exploring gold rush-era treatures like Dolly's House Museum.

Ice Sculptures

Alaska's Inside Passage is a protected network of waterways that wind through glacier-cut fjords and lush temperate rain forests along the rugged coast of Southeast Alaska. Arguably 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.(B/L/D)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - ALASKAN ADVENTURE: 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. Arguably 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.

Safe travels until we meet again!

Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. Schedule flights departing from Vancouver International Airport after Noon. (B)