|
 Travel
Review
Looking for a
great family vacation that is closer to home? Be adventurous and
explore Denali and Glacier Bay on an Alaskan cruise tour with Holland
America!
Holland
America makes cruising Alaska an extraordinary vacation. Their five-star
ships were built with Alaska cruising in mind. The ships are smaller
and carry fewer passengers than others allowing for maximum elbow
room. That means more space at the rail for snapping award-winning
photos! Below is a sample cruise itinerary. It is a 12 day land tour
and cruise that begins in Fairbanks, Alaska and ends in Vancouver, BC.
Day
1, Fairbanks:
Your cruise/tour begins in Fairbanks. Here you commence your land
tour exploring in Alaska's second-largest city.
Day
2, Fairbanks:
You can join the optional Natural Wonders Field Trip with the
University of Alaska Museum before you step aboard the sternwheeler
riverboat Discovery III for gold rush history, native culture and
local color. Then tour the historic Gold Dredge No. 8. Keep whatever
you find in your pan at the mining sluice and enjoy miners' stew.
Overnight in Fairbanks.
Day
3, Fairbanks/Denali National Park:
This morning board the McKinley Explorer for luxury sightseeing to
Denali National Park. Then enjoy the added value of the Tundra
Wilderness Tour for 71% more wildlife and better views, weather
permitting, of Mt. McKinley. With a stay at the fabulous McKinley
Chalet Resort, how can you resist?
Day
4, Denali/Anchorage:
Enjoy a morning at leisure. Then take in the sights from your
McKinley Explorer railcar-including the thrilling crossing over
Hurricane Gulch and optional lunch and dinner featuring Alaskan
specialties. Check into your deluxe downtown Anchorage hotel for a
stay in Alaska's largest city.
Day
5, Anchorage/Seward:
Get plenty of film loaded for the scenic Seward Highway trip along
Turnagain Arm and through the Chugach Mountains. Your cruise ship and
dinner await you.
Day
6, College Fjord Cruising:
Cruising through the scenic College Fjord area (see map).
Day
7, Glacier Bay National Park Cruising:
How does it feel when a monumental chunk of ice splits off a glacier
and crashes into the sea? The sound is like thunder. The impact
shoots water hundreds of feet into the air. You hold your breath as
you catch the moment on film. Then you wait for it to happen again.
And it does. Glacier Bay has more actively calving glaciers than
anywhere in the world. Traveling on the ship with you is a National
Park service ranger naturalist to enliven history, point out wildlife
and reveal why the colour of the ice is so blue.
Day
8, Sitka:
Discover the echoes of Sitka's Russian heyday beneath the onion domes
of the St. Michael's Cathedral and at a performance by the New
Archangel Dancers. Then stand on the spot where the United States
took possession of Alaska in 1876 for $7.2 million, less than two
cents per acre. Take a stroll through old-growth forest in Sitka
National Historical Park, shop the downtown district, and poke around
the Sheldon Jackson Museum for a close up look at some of the city's
most prized arts, crafts, and Russian relics.
Day
9, Juneau:
Located at the foot of the grand mountain peaks on the Gastineau
Channel, the town of Juneau has the massive Mendenhall Glacier and
the immense Juneau Icefields at its back door. Explore the lush
Tongass rain forest. Shop the rustic shops in town or get out and
kayak, dogsled, raft, bike hike or fish. There's no end to the
adventure, since the ship is in port long enough to truly take
advantage of the long daylight hours.
Day
10, Ketchikan:
Built out over the water and climbing weathered stairways, Ketchikan
clings to the shores of Tongass Narrows and drapes the mountains with
a cheerful air. Besides the main attractions - Creek Street, the
Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Bight, and Saxman Village - there's
one other thing highly recommended. A floatplane flightseeing trip to
breathtaking Misty Fjord National Monument is a transformational
adventure not to be missed.
Day
11, Inside Passage Cruising:
This full day of cruising through the sheltered waterways of the
Inside Passage is magical. On this day you can take advantage of the
scenic views, the shipboard amenities and service while also
observing the Native Artist-in-Residence create wonderful pieces of art.
Day
12, Disembark in Vancouver.
There are many
cruise itineraries to choose from and various land tours including
the Rocky Mountaineer, a spectacular train trip of the Rocky
Mountains. If staying closer to home is your priority, then consider
a calm water cruise on the St. Lawrence River - a new adventure into
an old tradition.
Contact
Carolyn for great prices on cruising.
|
