California dreaming

San Diego has been called ‘the birthplace of California’, and in celebration of new beginnings it’s a perfect match for the first day and night of your expedition.  

The city is known for its laidback vibe, more than 60 beautiful beaches and possibly the best weather in all of America. There is exciting foodie culture here, cooking up signature Baja California cuisine and concocting more craft beer flavours than anywhere else in the US.  

Your trip starts with an overnight in a centrally located hotel in San Diego.

The start of an adventure

After an overnight stay, you have the opportunity to explore ‘America’s Finest City’ in the morning on your own and check out some of the numerous shopping options.

Return to your hotel for lunch and an inclusive excursion – a city tour of San Diego. On your way to the ship, you’ll visit the Gaslamp District, San Diego Downtown as well as the Old Town, the historic heart of San Diego and the place for food, folklore, and fun. Drive over the award-winning San Diego-Coronado Bridge and take a picture of the skyline of San Diego before you start boarding MS Roald Amundsen in the afternoon. 

After you’ve boarded and checked in, you’ll pick up your complimentary expedition jacket and have time to unpack in your cabin. There’s a mandatory safety briefing to attend, but otherwise you can explore the ship and settle in. After we set sail, the Captain will give a welcome toast and you’ll enjoy the first of many sumptuous meals as you get to know your Expedition Team.

The American Riviera

Situated between the fertile vineyards of the Santa Ynez mountains and the pristine Pacific coast beaches, Santa Barbara is all about old style Spanish charm in a Golden State setting. For over a decade, the city housed the world’s largest movie studio of silent film, until the business grew too big and they took it all to Hollywood. 

The Santa Barbara Mission church is a great place from which to start exploring. You can admire the beautiful Spanish-era buildings, browse the shops along terracotta-tiled State Street and wander around the alluring Mission Rose Garden. At Stearns Wharf, California’s oldest pier, take in views of the Pacific and grab some homemade ice cream. If you’ve time, chill out in one of the many excellent restaurants and bars. This could be combined with a spot of wine tasting from a local vineyard – after all, the city is famed for its wines.

On our way to or from Santa Barbara, don’t miss the opportunity to look out for whales from deck when we sail through the surrounding Channel Islands.

Scanning for sea life

Part of being on an expedition is knowing how to enjoy living in the moment; taking time out to reconnect with nature and the world around you. So settle into a spot in the panoramic Explorer Lounge or out on deck and really bask in the sights and sounds that surround you. The waves might be broken by signs of humpback whales known to swim in the area. Or tune in to the hum of the sea breeze punctuated by the cries of a wide variety of seabirds commonly seen along the West Coast.

We also support a number of Citizen Science projects that you can join. These projects include Happywhale, where your photographs help identify and track the movement of specific whales across the planet due to their distinguishing characteristics. Or you can participate in the GLOBE Observer project, which combines your observations of clouds and sky conditions from below with data collected by satellites from above. This helps scientists at space agencies such as NASA get a more complete picture of the clouds in our atmosphere. By participating in these projects, not only will you be supporting the scientific community, you’ll also be gaining a better understanding of the world around you.

Walk among ancient giants

Today we drop anchor at Eureka, and from here we’ll go on an included excursion to the incredible Redwood National Park. Wandering around this International Biosphere Reserve is an awe-inspiring experience. With some of the old-growth giant redwoods over 100 metres tall, you’ll see why the world’s tallest trees are often called ‘nature’s skyscrapers’. Certain trees here are over 1,500 years old, living testaments to the success of a well-supported conservation project that saved these ancient giants from the lumberjack’s saw.

After your visit to Redwood National Park, there’s an opportunity to explore Eureka. Welcome to a scenic seaport known for its Victorian era charm and eco-conscious vibe. The town’s prosperity was built on the lumber trade, and there’s evidence of this in the handsome Victorian mansions on display. Check out the picturesque Old Town where you’ll find some boutique shops along the beautiful waterfront. Here, you can enjoy a drink while watching fishing boats return across Humboldt Bay.

Leisure cruising

Inspired by the landscapes and adventures so far, perhaps you’d like to use this day at sea to channel your inner artist in an onboard art workshop? Or maybe you’ll spend some time learning the basics of expedition photography from our onboard photographer who’ll make sure your digital memories will be as vivid as the ones in your head.

Spend some time out on deck and watch the seas for signs of wildlife as the Californian coast rolls by in the distance - who knows, you may even spot a humpback or two! You might then be in the mood for soaking in one of the relaxing hot tubs or taking a dip in the infinity pool. Suitably refreshed, you could head up to the bar and enjoy a cocktail or two with some of the other guests. We’re sure to have some bottles of local wines stocked up too, so a wine-tasting session of Californian chardonnay or Cabernet wouldn’t be amiss!

The views of the Pacific North West

Today, we’ll do some cruising around the ecological haven of the San Juan Islands. These rugged islands form an archipelago between the US state of Washington and Canada’s Vancouver Island, and they’re a world class destination for spotting marine wildlife. What could be better than sitting on deck and gazing at these pine covered islands with a backdrop of snowy mountain peaks in the distance?

If we’re lucky, you might spot humpbacks, minke whales and even orcas. The islands also host a great concentration of bald eagles, great blue herons, black oystercatchers and numerous shore birds.

The Expedition Team will be joining you out on deck, helping you to spot wildlife and pointing out sites of interest along the way.

Sub-alpine splendour

We anchor up today at the small seaport of Port Angeles for a day of mountain exploration. The town itself has a lot of charm, especially the downtown area near the ferry port, but we plan to spend most of this day exploring Olympic National Park.

Olympic National Park was declared a National Monument in 1909 before being later designated by UNESCO as an International Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site. The park hosts three distinct ecosystems: the rugged Pacific coast, an area of temperate forest, and a sub-alpine forest with wildflower meadows.

Today, we’ll explore the sub-alpine region and take you to the mountainous area of Hurricane Ridge, where there might still be some snow from winter. From here, you’ll have the option to go on a guided hike through the park where you’ll discover its rich and varied flora and fauna. There will be plenty of bird watching opportunities along the way, and you may even come across Roosevelt elk, which are indigenous to the area, as are black bears.

Welcome to Canada!

Your expedition cruise along the Pacific coast of America reaches its final port of call as we sail into Vancouver. Set amidst stunning mountain scenery, Vancouver is both bustling seaport and cosmopolitan city. 

There’s always something cultural going on in Vancouver, and you’ll soon find out why people rave about British Colombia’s largest city. After your exciting expedition voyage, perhaps you’ll just want to relax and sample Vancouver’s world-class culinary scene, or take in a few art galleries or museums. 

If you want, you can extend your stay in Vancouver with a Post-Programme to the nearby mountain resort of Whistler. Or maybe you’d just like spend a few days extra here as you wind down from the experiences of the past nine days – the choice is yours!