DAY 1 – SEWARD, ALASKA
Seward was originally founded in 1903 as the southern terminus for the Alaska Railroad, a distinction it still holds today. The picturesque harbor with its colorful wood-frame houses and background of soaring cliffs looks out on Resurrection Bay, so named by a band of Russians explorers who found this calm spot along the storm-tossed Gulf of Alaska on Easter Sunday. From downtown Anchorage you can view two active volcanoes, the highest point on the continent of North America (Mount McKinley), and six major mountain ranges.
Emerald Lake
DAY 2 – CRUISING HUBBARD GLACIER
Cruising to the majestic Hubbard Glacier in Alaska is a mesmerising encounter with nature’s raw, icy grandeur. As your vessel navigates the frigid waters of Disenchantment Bay, you’ll be drawn closer and closer to this colossal river of ice that seems to defy the imagination. The Hubbard Glacier is an awe-inspiring testament to the power of nature, standing as a towering sentinel that appears as though it’s frozen in time.
The glacier’s face stretches for miles, a jagged, otherworldly wall of blue-white ice, where immense icebergs calve off with a thunderous crack, plunging into the frigid depths below. It’s a dynamic spectacle, where nature’s forces are on full display, and the primal, timeless dance of ice and water unfolds before your eyes.
As you approach, you’ll feel the palpable chill in the air, and the sense of anticipation builds with each resounding crash of ice. The ever-changing hues of the glacier, from deep sapphire to glistening white, are a mesmerizing sight, enhanced by the ethereal stillness that envelops you.
Expert naturalists on board provide insights into the glacier’s history and the critical role it plays in the region’s ecosystem. You’ll come to appreciate not just the breath-taking beauty of this ice giant but also its profound importance in maintaining the balance of this remote wilderness.
Cruising to the Hubbard Glacier is an experience that transcends the ordinary, a chance to stand in the presence of a natural wonder that has awed and inspired generations. It’s a journey that connects you to the heart of Alaska’s untamed wilderness, and as you watch icebergs calve and the glacier shift and groan, you’ll carry with you a memory of this frozen masterpiece that’s etched into your very soul.
Hubbard Glacier under cloudy skies
DAY 3 – SITKA, ALASKA
Founded by Russian fur traders as New Archangel in 1799, Sitka was the historic center of Russia’s Alaskan empire. The Russian flag was replaced by the Stars and Stripes when the United States purchased the Alaska territory in 1867. Today, picturesque Sitka, is known for its fishing industry, an annual summer classical music festival and, of course, its many historic visitor attractions. On a clear day Sitka, the only city in southeast Alaska that actually fronts the Pacific Ocean, rivals Juneau for the sheer beauty of its surroundings.
DAY 4 – SKAGWAY, ALASKA
Beginning in 1897, this frontier town at the northernmost point of the Inside Passage was the starting place for more than 40,000 gold-rush stampeders who headed to the Yukon primarily by way of the Chilkoot Trail. Immerse yourself in the colorful history and characters of the Klondike Gold Rush era in downtown Skagway, where over 20 historic buildings have been preserved and locals in period costumes detail the town’s bawdy history. Ride the historic narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Route Railway as it climbs 3,000 feet high into immensely picturesque mountains, taking in views of Bridal Veil Falls and the peaks of Inspiration Point.
DAY 5 – JUNEAU, ALASKA
In 1880, Joe Juneau and Richard Harris were prospecting for gold with the help of Indian guides. Here they discovered nuggets “as large as beans” at the mouth of the aptly named Gold Creek. Out of their discoveries came three of the largest gold digs in the world where more than $150 million in gold was mined. Juneau’s surrounding beauty and natural wonders have attracted cruise ship travellers for over a century, with steamship companies bringing tourists here since the early 1880’s.
Juneau
DAY 6 – KLAWOCK, ALASKA
As a town of less than 1,000 residents, idyllic Klawock is emblematic of a true Alaska pioneer town. Untouched and full of wildlife, this is the Alaska seasoned travellers yearn to experience. Supported by logging, fishing and canning, Klawock is the site of the first cannery in Alaska. The town has also been a native Tlingit village for thousands of years and features one of the most extensive collections of totems in the world. Located on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island, Klawock is surrounded by the temperate rainforest typical of the Inside Passage and you’ll be treated to scenic views of lush archipelagos and soaring mountains as you sail in and out of port. It is a natural sanctuary for marine birds and home to dense population of bears due to the abundance of salmon, all of which make it one of the premier birding and wildlife sites in North America.
DAY 7 – CRUISE THE INSIDE PASSAGE
Enjoy all that the Regent Seven Seas Explorer has to offer while cruising the Inside Passage.
Whale watching.
DAY 8 – VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
This gleaming city in the midst of natural splendor has its origins in a saloon built for miners on their way to the Yukon. Walk the cobblestone streets of Gastown for a sense of Vancouver’s frontier history in what’s become one of the city’s most vibrant and unique areas. Explore the second largest Chinatown in North America on your way to Stanley Park, home to soaring old-growth trees and a spectacular collection of First Nation totem poles. Breathtaking views abound: Travel to ‘Vancouver’s Peak’ on the Grouse Mountain skyride and walk the Capilano Suspension Bridge for a treetop adventure.
Vancouver Skyline
