Alaska And British Columbia – Inside Passage, Bears And Aleutian Islands (Southbound)

Enjoy British Columbia's largest city 

Your expedition cruise starts with an overnight stay in Vancouver, a bustling and beautiful seaport city set against steep mountains.  

Vancouver's various neighbourhoods buzz with world-class farm-to-table cuisine. Don't miss Gastown, Vancouver's Victorian neighbourhood. Here you'll find the 553-foot Vancouver Lookout, which offers a perfect 360-degree panoramic view over the city.  

If you have time, why not arrive a few days prior and take a luxury train trip on the famous Rocky Mountaineer through the Rockies and beautiful landscape with our optional, special Pre-Programme. What better way to begin your adventure? 

Launch your adventure in historical Nome 

Today, we fly you from Vancouver to Nome for the start of your expedition cruise.  

Set at the tip of the Seward Peninsula, overlooking the Bering Sea, Nome is perhaps the most famous Gold Rush town in Alaskan history. There are artifacts from this era to be seen everywhere, including abandoned dredges, turn-of-the-century steam engines, and old railroad tracks. 

Nome was also the end point of three of Roald Amundsen's great polar expeditions, including an attempt by air to reach the North Pole in 1926. It's a fitting place to launch your grand Alaska adventure.  

Cross the line where tomorrow meets today 

Spend your first day at sea chatting with new friends, listening to lectures from the Expedition Team in the Science Center, or just watching the world sail by out on deck.  

During the day, we'llcross the International Date Line – heading into tomorrow for a short while, before sailing back into today! 

Natural wonders abound here, so keep an eye out for humpback whales, and seabirds wheeling through the skies. 

Experience this wild, remote and isolated island  

Part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, 200 miles from the nearest village, St Matthew Island is wild, remote and isolated. You'll see traces of abandoned buildings between black sand beaches and wildflower-dotted tundra. A few hardy souls have tried – and failed – to make a home here.  

Today, the only inhabitants are birds, including thousands of puffins, murres and cormorants. On our nature landing, if you're lucky, you'll catch sight of the rare McKay's Bunting, which breeds almost exclusively here. And listen out for the sound of the singing vole, named after its unusual warning cry.  

Culture and wildlife on the largest Pribilof Island 

The windswept island of St Paul is home to the largest Aleut community in the US, numbering around 400. You can visit the historical remains of barabaras here – traditional dwellings built half-underground to protect against the sea winds.  

St Paul is also designated an Important Bird Area, and around 300 species of migrating birds use it as a resting point. Scan for Horned and Tufted Puffins, the Pribilof Sandpiper and the rare Red-legged Kittiwake.  

On the shore, youmay find northern fur seals waddling and playing – half the world's population of these charming animals live on these islands. 

Relax and reflect as we cruise along the coast 

MS Roald Amundsen continues south through the Bering Sea, from the Aleutian Islands and towards our next stop of Dutch Harbor. The Expedition Team will prepare you for our upcoming destinations and continue their lecture series. 

Keep scanning the seas and skies for puffins, auklets, and murrelets, especially closer to the coast. If you're lucky, you might glimpse the Red-legged Kittiwake, only found in this part of the world. 

If you'd like to take it easy, you can take in the panoramic views from our Explorer Lounge & Bar, from the infinity pool or from the outdoor hot tubs. 

Learn the fascinating history of America's biggest fishing port 

America's largest fishing port, Dutch Harbor is a fascinating place to visit. As we sail towards it you may see Mount Makushin, a steaming volcano reaching almost 6,000 ft.  

Here, you'll learn about the local Indigenous Unungan people at the Museum of the Aleutians. Visit the Russian Orthodox Cathedral or tour the WWII museum commemorating the battle that took place here in 1942.  

Scout for Bald Eagles and puffins in the skies. Foxes, lemmings and wild horses thrive on land and whales, sea lions and porpoises in the waters. Dutch Harbor is where the reality television series The Deadliest Catch was filmed, following crab fishermen at work under extreme conditions. 

Experience Unga – a deserted Alaskan town 

Wild and deserted, Unga Village is an abandoned yet picturesque settlement on the southern end of Unga Island.  

It was settled by Aleuts in 1833 but was abandoned in 1969 as subsistence fishing proved insufficient to support living here. Today, the few wooden buildings that remain are the only evidence that people once lived here.  

A carpet of pink lousewort,  fireweed and other wildflowers surround the abandoned shacks as nature has gradually taken over.  Experience the eerie beauty of this place during a nature landing with our small expedition boats. 

Sample local life in a small Alaskan fishing town 

Perched on the southern coast of the Unalaska Peninsula, Chignik is one of Alaska's most beautiful small settlements. Venture ashore to explore the village, where the local fishing community will gladly receive you. Chignik's rivers are home to spawning salmon throughout the summer months, and you may be lucky enough to see the leaping fish making their way upstream. 

Keep your eyes on the skies, as Chignik's sheltered conditions and plentiful fish support an abundant population of Bald Eagles. You should also watch for tracks from the local bear population, which can frequently be seen close to the settlement. 

Brown bear spotting in Katmai National Park  

Your adventure continues in the four million–acre Katmai National Park, which has over a dozen active volcanoes. Katmai is home to  more than 2,000 protected brown bears – the largest concentration in the world.  

Accompanied by an experienced bear guard, we'll be safely scouting for bears from the deck or in our small expedition boats. They might be foraging for berries, digging for clams or catching fish in the stream. 

Depending on conditions, we might visit either Geographic Harbor, Kinak Bay or Kukak Bay. Keep your eyes open for sea otters, seabirds and humpback whales. 

Explore the home of the Alutiiq people  

Kodiak Island got its nickname, the ‘Emerald Isle', due to its Spruce forests and grasslands. It's the second-largest island in the US,  meaning there's plenty to see. 

Discover the island's rich Indigenous heritage at the Alutiiq Museum, or visit the 1808 Kodiak History Museum, housed in the oldest standing building in the state. You can alsovisit Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park, with its strategic WWII 1939 naval fort and bunkers.  

The island's most famous inhabitantsare Kodiak brown bears. Around 3,500 of them live in the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, which covers two-thirds of the island.  

A day of relaxation and birdwatching at sea  

Your cruise continues across the Gulf of Alaska. It's the ideal time to enjoy onboard facilities such as the infinity pool, hot tubs, and sauna. Go for a run, hit the gym, or enjoy a massage in the spa.  

In the Science Center, the Expedition Team invite you to join lectures about the region's wildlife, geology, glaciology, history and culture.  

Relax in the Explorer Lounge & Bar and share a drink with your fellow guests, or just sit back and enjoy the view. See if you can spot all three species of North Pacific albatross. The Laysan and Black-footed Albatross are  often sighted, but the Short-tailed Albatross is harder to spot.  

Wildlife watching in glacier-fed waters 

You'll experience a fantastic expedition day in Icy Bay today. Three glaciers – Guyot, Yahtse and Tyndall – regularly calve into the bay. If conditions allow, you'll explore the bay in our small expedition boats or by kayak, immersing you in the area's remarkable beauty. 

Wildlife abounds in the Gulf of Alaska, offering unrivalled photography opportunities. Humpback whales, orcas, Stellar sea lions, sea otters and harbour seals lazing on floating chunks of ice are often seen in these waters.  

Take in Sitka's views and unique mix of cultures 

Surrounded by Tongass National Forest, Sitka is only accessible by sea or air. Get out on deck for stunning views of the Sisters Mountains and Mount Edgecumbe volcano.  

Discover Sitka's fascinating history with our Expedition Team. Inhabited by the Tlingit people for 10,000 years, it was occupied by Russia in 1804 before being sold to America after the Crimean War. Today, Sitka blends all three cultures.  

Visit the Russian Orthodox cathedral and Russian Bishop's House. Admire ornate Haida and Tlingit totem poles at Sitka National Historical Park, a real highlight, or enjoy a walking trail through the forest to the ocean.  

Visit one of Alaska's oldest harbour towns 

We continue cruising the Alaskan islands to Wrangell. Only a mile out of town, the incredible Petroglyph Beach is where you'll seek out the ancient rock carvings among the sand. 

Visit the local museum to learn more about Wrangell's fascinating past. Now part of the United States, it was once governed by Britain, Russia and the Tlingit people. Cross to Shakes Island, where the Chief Shakes Tribal House and totem poles tell the story of the Indigenous Tlingit people.  

Hikers will enjoy the nature trails, surrounded by alluring scenery at the mouth of Stikine River, and the foot of Mount Dewey to the edge of the rainforest.  

Discover a wilderness where wildlife thrives  

Part of the Tongass National Forest, Misty Fjords is a pristine wilderness of evergreens, waterfalls and snow-capped peaks. The revered naturalist writer John Muir described the area as one of the most beautiful places he'd ever seen.  

Weather permitting, you'll join the Expedition Team to tour Misty Fjords in our small expedition boats, or take kayaks out. 

Misty Fjords is rich in wildlife. You'll scan for mountain goats, bears and moose as you explore. The waters are home to Pacific salmon, otters, sea lions, harbour seals, orcas and Dall's porpoises. Skywards, you might spot herons and Bald Eagles. 

See sublime scenery as we sail the Inside Passage 

The Inside Passage coastal route takes us through the great North American Pacific Fjordland, a protected stretch of water over 930 miles long. Unlike other cruises which pass through at night, you'll be able to view the sublime scenery in all its glory during the day.  

Our smaller expedition ship allows us to reach areas that larger vessels can't, meaning you'll get to explore lesser-travelled channels with breathtaking scenery. Keep your cameras and binoculars at the ready to catch sight of dolphins, porpoises, orcas and humpback whales.  

See more of Vancouver or extend your adventure 

Your expedition ends in Vancouver, giving you another chance to explore this picturesque metropolis. Take in the café culture of Granville Island or head to Richmond's famous multicultural night market for treats from the tasty food stalls.  

There are plenty of galleries, museums, events, exhibitions and shows to go to here. Or if you'd like to take it easy, head for the sands of Kitsilano Beach.  

Extend your adventure with our optional Post-Programme to the nearby mountain resort of Whistler. We´ll stop at Shannon Falls and go on the Sea to Sky Gondola, which takes you on a ride with panoramic views almost 3,000 ft above sea level.