Alaska – Land and Cruise

Board our coach at one of our pre-determined pickup locations to head for Toronto Pearson Airport where we will depart on our included flights to Anchorage. We will arrive in Anchorage in the late afternoon and check into our local hotel. The remainder of the day will be at leisure to explore the city, get dinner or relax after a long flight for the journey ahead! 

This morning we will be greeted by our local guide before departing for a ride on the famed Alaska Railroad from Anchorage to Talkeetna. Our deluxe dome railcar will offer 360-degree views of the passing scenery. This afternoon we will continue to Denali via motor coach and make a stop to learn about the Alaskan state sport of dog mushing with an included stop at a local Iditarod sled dog kennel. Afterwards we’ll check in at the hotel in Denali for the next two nights and the evening will be at leisure. 

This morning, we will take a tour of Denali National Park – entering on the only road in and out of the park. Along the way, enjoy narration about the flora and fauna of this 6 million acre area while looking out for the wild animals that roam freely and call this park home. A light snack is included on the tour. We will return to the hotel this afternoon and the rest of the evening will once again at your leisure!

This morning you will have time on your own in Denali to explore. There are so many amazing things to do – be sure to connect with your tour director about your options! In the afternoon, continue north to Alaska’s Golden Heart City, Fairbanks, on your deluxe motor coach. We will spend the next two nights here and this evening you will be free to explore the city! 

This morning, enjoy a visit to the historic Gold Dredge #8 where you will get the chance to do some panning just like the early pioneers of Alaska. Afterwards, board your deluxe motor coach for a city tour of Fairbanks before finishing in historic downtown for lunch on your own. Tonight you will have the evening open once again to explore Fairbanks or take an optional tour.

Today’s journey travels south along the Richardson Highway to Valdez. Enjoy spectacular vistas of the Alaska Range over one of the rarely utilized highways in Alaska. We will check into our hotel in the beautiful port community of Valdez where you can enjoy the rest of your evening at leisure! 

This morning, we will depart for a scenic cruise through the majestic Prince William Sound and along the Meares Glacier, keeping a watchful eye out for ocean wildlife. Continue your day-long journey to the port community of Whittier where our coach will be waiting to take us to the ship. On route to the ship, we’ll stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Centre where we can get a close-up look at large animals found throughout Alaska including moose, bears and musk ox. Continue towards Seward where we will board the Norwegian Jewel for our 7-day Alaska cruise to Vancouver.

Today is a day at sea packed full of spectacular scenery. Get up close and personal with the gigantic Hubbard Glacier, North America’s largest tidewater glacier. It’s 1350 square miles of blue ice and one of the most active in Alaska. You won’t want to leave the deck as you cruise through this incredible part of the world, but if you so choose, opt to visit the onboard spa, swim in the pool or take part in the many entertainment activities planned each day! 

Today we will venture “where the north wind doesn’t blow.” Known for this famous saying, Icy Strait Point is the ideal landing spot for adventurers seeking a new experience. Breathtaking and exciting, Icy Strait Point truly takes you where the wild things are. It’s one of the few places in the world where wildlife outnumbers the human population. Today we’ll enjoy Alaska’s  awe-inspiring scenery and the many excursion options that NCL has to offer.

Today we’ll make our way to Juneau – home to unparalleled glacier viewing. Visitors come from all over the world to see the magnificent Dawes Glacier. Our ship will turn into the glacially carved fjord of Endicott Arm. This 31-mile fjord will take your breath away with it’s sheer granite walls, plunging waterfalls and spruce and hemlock trees clinging to the steep sides. Keep an eye open for bears, mountain goats and whales, too. As we approach Dawe’s glacier, have your camera ready and listen for thunderous cracks as this glacier recedes daily causing huge chunks of ice to plunge into the sea. At 600 feet tall and a half-mile wide, this blue-hued glacier may be the highlight of your Alaska cruise!

In a single year from 1896 to 1897, this remote town along the Inside Passage grew from a few tents to a city of 20,000 gold seekers. Today, travellers come in search of other riches – to experience yesteryear along Skagway’s charming boardwalk lined with buildings that replicate those Gold Rush days. Opt to take a ride on the White Pass Railway today, walk the town or just relax on the ship! 

Ketchikan in the local indigenous language means “spread wings of the eagle.” Chances are you’ll see one of these magnificent birds perched atop a Sitka tree. Thanks to its abundant rainfall, Ketchikan is surrounded by some of the world’s most lush wilderness. Today you might opt to visit the Rainforest Wildlife Sanctuary to get a closer glimpse at the local wildlife.

Get ready for amazing views and wildlife like nowhere else as you sail through the islands of Alaska’s Inside Passage. Shaped by the staggering force of massive glaciers millions of years ago, Alaska’s Inside Passage stretches 500 miles along the Pacific Ocean and boasts wildlife-filled fjords, tidewater glaciers, and lush island scenery. Watch for wildlife and savour every moment of your last day on board.

Welcome to Vancouver – a city that blends big-city sophistication with small-town charm. We will disembark this morning and depart for Vancouver airport where we will board our return flight home to Toronto! Upon arrival in Toronto, our coach awaits to return us to our original pickup locations!