11-Day Alaskan Fjords, Summer Solstice & Canada's Channels Cruise

Day 1 - Vancouver

Arrive: Fri 09 June 2028 / Depart: Fri 09 June 2028 at 17:00

The humble beginnings of the City of Vancouver, in the settlement of Gastown on Burrard Inlet, rose out of the old growth forests and the sawdust of the old Hastings Mill. Its location between the Pacific Ocean and the snow-capped coastal mountains creates one of the most idyllic settings of any city in the world. As a world-class city it has the best of both worlds, intermingling urban sophistication with a sense of wilderness and outdoor adventure. Whether you are exploring Vancouver's diverse downtown core, strolling through the giant trees of Stanley Park or taking in the 20 miles (30 km) of uninterrupted waterfront trails along the seawall, you are bound to fall in love with Canada's third largest metropolitan center, which is consistently ranked as one of most livable cities on earth. In 1886, the Canadian Pacific Railway reached Vancouver, completing Canada’s 'National Dream' of a connection between east and west, and opening up new trade routes between Asia and Europe. The city was named for British captain and explorer George Vancouver.

Day 1 - Transit the Seymour Narrows

Day 2 - Cruising the Queen Charlotte Sound

Day 3 - Transit Snow Pass

Day 3 - Transit Decision Passage

Day 3 - Ketchikan

Arrive: Sun 11 June 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 11 June 2028 at 15:00

Ketchikan is a picturesque coastal town with a colorful frontier history, standing at the southern entrance to Alaska's famed Inside Passage. It began as a salmon cannery in 1885, built by company employee Mike Martin at the mouth of Ketchikan Creek. Once dubbed the 'Canned Salmon Capital of the World,’ today government, commercial fishing, and tourism are its main industries. The renowned Creek Street, perched on stilts along the mouth of the creek, would bring lasting infamy to the area for the red-light district that burgeoned there during the Gold Rush. The town’s site first served as a camp for Tlingit people, and for thousands of years this has been their home. Their rich culture is being preserved to this day. A visit to Ketchikan is not complete without visiting one or all of Native American sites such as Totem Bight State Park, Potlatch Park, Saxman Native Village and the Totem Heritage Center. Together, these locations comprise the world's largest collection of standing Native American totem poles. VIEW CRUISES

Day 4 - Sitka

Arrive: Mon 12 June 2028 at 09:00 / Depart: Mon 12 June 2028 at 18:00

A stroll through the streets and National Historic Park of Sitka is a glimpse into its unique and colorful past. A blend of Tlingit and Russian cultures defines this first capital of Alaska. Although fish canning and gold mining were the initial catalysts for growth in Sitka, the construction of an air base during World War II truly paved the way for Sitka to come into its own. One of Sitka's most intriguing structures is the Cathedral of Saint Michael, built in 1848 to honor a Russian Orthodox bishop. Sitka’s history begins thousands of years ago with the Tlingit people and their use of the land for sustenance and spirituality. Old Sitka, located just north of the present-day settlement, was founded by Russian-American Company trader Alexander Baranov in 1799. Originally named Novo-Arkhangelsk (New Archangel) under Russian rule, its name was changed to Sitka after Alaska was purchased by the United States in 1867. Sitka is a Tlingit word meaning 'by the sea.’

Day 5 - Cruising Stephens Passage

Day 5 - Petersburg, Alaska, US

Day 6 - Cruising Lynn Canal

Day 6 - Haines, Alaska

Arrive: Wed 14 June 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 14 June 2028 at 17:00

Tucked in along the shores of the longest fjord in North America and surrounded by breathtaking scenery, Haines is an authentic Alaskan experience. It is an eclectic community and a truly hidden gem. Its rich culture shines brightly during the annual state fair that draws people from all over Alaska. Haines is home to the largest concentration of bald eagles on earth, and grizzly bears gorge themselves on spawning salmon in its rivers. It was originally named Dteshuh, which means 'end of the trail' in the language of the Chilkat natives, who used to portage across the peninsula to Chilkat Inlet as a shortcut to their trade route to the interior. The first Europeans arrived in 1879 to build a school and a Presbyterian mission. In time, the mission was renamed Haines in honor of Francina E. Haines, the chairwoman of the committee that raised funds for its construction. Haines grew dramatically during the 1899 Klondike gold rush in the Yukon, supplying prospectors with food and equipment. VIEW CRUISES

Day 7 - Inian Island, Alaska

Arrive: Thu 15 June 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Thu 15 June 2028 at 17:00

As the gatekeepers to the northern entrance of the fabled Inside Passage, the remote Inian Islands stand between Cross Sound and Icy Strait, exposed to the high energy seas of the Pacific Ocean. Tidal currents surging through the narrow channels separating the islands can be severe. Nicknames like ‘The Laundry Chute’ justify their notorious reputations. For millennia, Tlingit people came here to hunt and fish in the rich bounty that these waters provided. Today, the Inian Islands Institute, located within the islands, provides access to the abundant and protected waters for scientific research. Sitka black-tailed deer and brown bears frequent their rugged and rocky shores, while sea lions fill their stomachs with salmon before hauling out to rest on the many rocky outcrops making up this island group. Sea otters, bald eagles, and humpback whales frequent the area in great numbers during the summer months. The Inian Islands were named by William Healey Dall, one of Alaska's earliest scientific explorers, in 1879.

Day 8 - Hubbard Glacier (Scenic Cruising)

Day 9 - Valdez, Alaska, US

Day 10 - Chiswell Islands, Alaska

Arrive: Sun 18 June 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 18 June 2028 at 12:00

Day 10 - Holgate Glacier, Alaska, US

Day 11 - College Fjord

Day 12 - Whittier

Arrive: Tue 20 June 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Tue 20 June 2028

Whittier was developed by the United States government as a strategic military port for the North Pacific during World War II. It is still an important ice-free, deep water port for Alaska’s largest city of Anchorage, approximately 58 miles away. Until 2000 it was connected only by rail through a tunnel blasted in the surrounding mountain range. Today the tunnel has been improved to allow regular road transport access from the Seward Highway. It is a useful terminal for rail and ferry traffic and cruise ships embarking and disembarking guests for Anchorage. Most of the town’s fewer than 300 residents live in two tall residential towers originally built by the military.