Alaska and British Columbia

British Columbia’s Vibrant Port City

Your expedition cruise starts in Vancouver. Set amid gorgeous mountain scenery and along the waters of English Bay, Vancouver is both a bustling seaport and cosmopolitan city. Arrive a few days ahead of your cruise and find out why people rave about British Colombia’s largest city.

Its neighborhoods buzz with world-class farm-to-table cuisine. Chinatown and Punjabi Market have arguably the best Asian food in North America, while Commercial Drive is the home of Little Italy.

Don’t miss Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood! Gastown’s Victorian buildings house some of the city’s hottest restaurants and its over 500-foot-high Vancouver Lookout also offers a great view of the city.

Take in the neon lights and nightlife along Granville Street strip or just relax on one of the beaches in West End. The latter is also the gateway to the towering red cedars of Stanley Park, filled with wide-open spaces to explore.

Enjoy your first night in Vancouver in a nice, centrally located hotel.

After your long journey, relax and enjoy the amenities the hotel has to offer. The day is at your leisure, with dinner on your own.

Why not extend your stay in this lovely scenery with our unique Pre-Program and take a trip aboard the luxurious Rocky Mountaineer train through the Canadian Rockies? The scenery is nothing short of spectacular.

Start of the Expedition

After an enjoyable breakfast at your hotel, we will take you on a city tour of the main highlights of fabulous Vancouver.

The excursion will end at the pier where the MS Roald Amundsen is waiting for you to take you on an unforgettable expedition cruise.

Cruising through British Columbia

As we cross north into the open ocean, we’ll make our way toward the narrow channels of Canada’s Inside Passage. Feel the thrill of a great adventure as we navigate through the thousands of islands of the Pacific Northwest.

The great North American Pacific Fjordland is a protected stretch of water almost 933 miles long, known for its relatively calm waters and few ocean swells.

As our journey begins, consider joining the Expedition Team at the onboard Science Center for fascinating lectures. Spend time getting to know your fellow travelers and head on deck to look for dolphins, porpoises, orcas, and humpback whales.

Our expedition ship is small enough to pass through the Inside Passage and make close approaches to interesting and scenic channels. Don’t forget your binoculars!

Unspoiled wilderness

The first area you’ll explore on your expedition cruise is none other than the spectacular Misty Fjords National Monument. It forms part of the two-million-acre Tongass National Forest, a pristine coastal wilderness of evergreen trees, deep fjords, and majestic snow-capped peaks.

This region receives more than 150 inches of rain per year, which feeds lakes and rivers that run into waterfalls and tumble from the dark granite cliffs. These mountains, covered in cedar, spruce, hemlock, and moss, rise almost vertically from the fjords to heights of more than 3,000 feet.

The influential Scottish-American mountaineer John Muir, known as the ‘Father of the National Parks’, famously called the Misty Fjords one of the most beautiful places he’d ever seen. As we explore the area, we hope you’ll feel the same. Weather permitting, you’ll tour the area aboard small boats (RIBs) or by kayak on an optional excursion.

Keep your eyes peeled for mountain goats, brown bears, black bears, and moose along the shores, the ridges, or slopes. All five species of Pacific salmon swim in the waters, along with river otters, sea otters, sea lions, harbor seals, orcas, and Dall porpoises. Keep your binoculars ready for the hummingbirds, Trumpeter Swans, herons, and the greatest American icon: the majestic Bald Eagle.

Petroglyph Beach

Feel like you’re truly stepping back in time at Wrangell, one of Alaska’s oldest and most historic island towns. After a short 15-minute walk, you’ll start to see the ancient petroglyph carvings that dot the beach here. There are about 50 in total—see how many you can spot.

Afterward, pay a visit to the Wrangell Museum. It’s packed full of interesting artifacts and information about the town’s history. Wrangell is now part of the U.S., but was previously governed by Great Britain, Russia, and the Tlingit people, as far back as 8,000 years ago.

Don’t miss the moss-covered totem poles at the Chief Shakes Tribal House, which tell the story of the local Tlingit people. The beautiful Tribal House, constructed from cedar wood, is only a short walk from the town center, over the wooden bridge to Shakes Island.

Reconnecting with nature is easy on one of the local trails to the edge of the rainforest, surrounded by alluring scenery at the mouth of Stikine River and at the foot of Mount Dewey.

Glaciers in all their glory

Crossing Holkham Bay, we can choose between exploring Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm. These fjords are lesser-known gems of Alaska, due to their relative inaccessibility for larger vessels. You’ll appreciate just how special they are when you see them.

The water is often so calm here it seems like a mirror reflecting the sky and the mountains around it. Calving glaciers lie at the end of each fjord, releasing beautiful fresh icebergs out into the tranquil waters—some as tall as buildings.

Tracy Arm is the home of the combined North and South Sawyer Glaciers, while the Dawes Glacier lies in the Endicott Arm. Both arms are home to rugged and radiant blue-ice glaciers and icebergs, set against a stunning backdrop of Alaskan forests and towering cliffs.

Endicott Arm is one of the world’s largest breeding grounds for harbor seals, which are often seen loafing on the floating ice.

Keep your eyes peeled for whales, bears, mountain goats, moose, and other wildlife. If conditions are right you might catch a closer view from our small boats (RIBs) or by kayaks on an optional excursion.

Little Norway

This little fishing town is located at the north end of Mitkof Island, where the Wrangell Narrows meets Frederick Sound. Here, you might see icebergs in the sound, calved from LeConte Glacier on the opposite shore. In the summer, these waters are usually important feeding grounds for humpback whales.

Petersburg boasts the largest home-based halibut fleet in Alaska, which supports a number of canneries. The harbor is brimming with ships and seaplanes, but isn’t deep enough to receive larger cruise ships.

From the waterfront, you’ll have enviable views of the snowy summits across Frederick Sound. The most prominent of these peaks is the Devil’s Thumb, the site of the biggest rockface in North America.

Founded by a Norwegian named Peter Buschmann in the 1800s, the 3,000 residents of this ‘Little Norway’ are very proud of their Scandinavian heritage. With Hurtigruten being from their ancestral homeland, we’re likely to get a warm welcome from the locals.

Enjoy the quaint wooden houses decorated with traditional Norwegian rosemaling as you stroll quiet streets like Sing Lee Alley. Learn all about the town’s Nordic history at the Sons of Norway hall, a large white building built in 1912. You’ll even find a locally constructed replica of a Viking ship, the Valhalla, which was constructed nearby.

Art on the wild side

Discover this rugged frontier Alaskan town with a heart for art. Haines is postcard perfect, located in the northern part of the Alaskan Panhandle beside the Lynn Canal deepwater fjord.

Before the Gold Rush, Haines was the home to the Chilkat Tlingit people. who are well-known for weaving intricate designs with mountain goat fur and yellow cedar bark. Visit the Haines Sheldon Museum to see authentic Chilkat blankets on display.

The creative spirit lives on in Haines through its flourishing art scene. There are more artists per capita here than any other town in Southeast Alaska, explaining the diverse art collections in the local galleries and workshops. Totem carving, silverwork, sculpture, and photography are just some of the art forms on display here.

Haines is also ideal for adventurers seeking hiking and wildlife-spotting opportunities. Known as the ‘Valley of the Eagles’, Haines is a Bald Eagle magnet. Its varied ecosystems also support bears and moose.

If you’re a fan of the offbeat and quirky, check out the Hammer Museum. It’s not hard to spot—just look out for the giant hammer.

Explore the wilderness

William Henry Bay lies south of Haines, at the edge of the Chilkat Range mountain range. We’ll drop anchor and explore the shores lined with old-growth forest with local guides. Keep your eyes open for brown and black bears, black-tailed deer, and moose.

The area here was the site of copper mining, and later gold, in 1921. With the Cold War and nuclear arms proliferation of the 1950s, the U.S. government spurred on a ‘uranium rush’ around William Henry Bay, but failed to find any significant deposits. Recent surveys seem to suggest that there still be gold in these hills…

In the evening, we’ll pass by Point Adolphus, located on the northern tip of Chichagof Island, across from Glacier Bay National Park. These nutrient-rich waters are famous for attracting large numbers of humpback whales and other marine life. See why Point Adolphus is known as one of the best whale-sighting spots in North America.

A history of cultures

Situated on Baranof Island on the outer coast of the Inside Passage, Sitka can only be reached by sea or by air. It’s also surrounded by Tongass National Forest, the largest temperate rainforest in the world. While you sail here, enjoy views of the Sisters Mountains and of Mount Edgecumbe, a dormant volcano reminiscent of Japan’s Mount Fuji.

Originally inhabited by the Tlingit people over 10,000 years ago, Sikta was conquered by Russia in 1804 and renamed ‘New Archangel’. By 1808, the city was the largest in the region and designated the capital of Alaska. Today, Sitka is home to a blend of cultures. Tlingit traditions remain strong, existing alongside Russian and American influences.

With Russia reeling from the Crimean War, it sold Alaska to the U.S. to keep it out of the hands of the British. The location of the transfer ceremony in 1867 was none other than New Archangel, which was promptly renamed ‘Sitka’. At the meager price of $7.2 million for the entire region, it was a steal at just two cents per acre!

Historic sites abound in Sitka, like its oldest intact building, the Russian Bishop’s House, dating back to 1842. Or you can visit the Russian Orthodox St. Michael’s Cathedral, which still features its original chandelier, religious art, and a range of other artifacts.

A highlight for many visitors to Sitka is the 107-acre Sitka National Historical Park. There is a fascinating museum here offering a range of exhibits. You can then follow a trail that leads you by the ocean through a peaceful forest. You’ll also discover beautiful examples of ornate Haida and Tlingit totem poles along the way.

Trio of tidal glaciers

Discover Icy Bay, near Prince William Sound—a place that really lives up to its name. Three prominent glaciers—Guyot, Yahtse, and Tyndall—feed vast chunks of floating ice into the bay’s waters.

This area was once a giant tidewater glacier that ran directly into the Gulf of Alaska. Icy Bay has only been accessible to ships for the last 100 years or so.

This was also the site of the 2015 megatsunami, when 180 million tons of mountain rock and forest collapsed into the fjord. The resulting wave is thought to be one of the tallest in the past century. Thankfully, the megatsunami dissipated without doing any damage.

Our aim will be to visit the Guyot Glacier, measuring 34 miles long and 8 miles wide, but that depends on ice we encounter along the way and on local weather conditions. We’ll land as close to the glacier as safely possible and explore the waters by kayak as part of an optional excursion.

Like always, we’ll be on the lookout for the awesome wildlife that abounds in the Gulf of Alaska, including humpback whales, orcas, Stellar sea lions, sea otters, harbor seals, and many others.

Photo ops will abound throughout the day in this rough and rugged area steeped in natural beauty. The harbor seals, in particular, love to loaf around on the floating ice.

Alaska’s Little Secret

Cordova is an authentic Alaskan salmon fishing town surrounded by the vast Chugach National Forest. As it’s only accessible by boat or plane, only a few visitors each year admire the town’s spectacular setting between Orca Inlet, Hawkins Island, Mount Eccles, Eyak Lake, and the Copper River Delta.

Thanks to this remoteness, Cordova has preserved its small-town, traditional feel more than many other communities in Alaska. Enjoy the friendly atmosphere and chat with the welcoming locals about their lives.

Head down to the Ilanka Cultural Center and see a collection of tribal artifacts and artwork, including a fully reconstructed orca skeleton. You can also check out the museum on Main Street for a snapshot of Cordova’s history.

Some might know of Cordova due to the infamous Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989, when a tanker ran aground on Bligh Reef northwest of the town. Major efforts helped clean up the coastline. While the region’s sea otters, eagles, Tundra Swans, beavers, moose, and bears have largely recovered, certain after-effects remain.

Ivy League Glaciers

This area in northern Prince William Sound is home to five magnificent tidewater glaciers, five large valley glaciers, and a dozen smaller ones. From afar, the glaciers look like frozen waterfalls, tumbling slowly down the black rock of the Chugach Mountains into the blue seas below.

Glaciers such as Vassar, Smith, Yale, and Harvard were named after their discoverers’ Ivy League alma maters during the 1899 Harriman Expedition. Princeton is notably missing—the discoverers are said to have taken great delight in this deliberate snub!

Harvard Glacier is the largest among these glaciers. Its face is 200-feet-thick and over a mile wide. We’ll get as close as we safely can to these natural wonders, provided that the wind, waves, and conditions are favorable.

Be on the lookout for wildlife, including humpback whales, bald eagles, otters, and sea lions, which are often spotted in this remote area. There is also a possibility of small-boat (RIB) cruising on the fjord, or even kayaking as an optional excursion.

Heading inland

Sitting on the Kenai Peninsula at the head of Resurrection Bay and beneath Mount Marathon, Seward boasts incredible natural scenery. This is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park, a vast mountainous area containing one of Alaska’s largest ice fields.

Founded in 1903, Seward is the only deepwater ice-free port that also connects to Alaska’s interior via plane, train, and highway. It is named after William H. Seward, the Secretary of State who negotiated the U.S’s purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867.

When we arrive at this lively harbor, you’ll bid farewell to the ship.