Alaska

DAY ONE — Arrive SEATTLE 

Our journey to the “Land of the Midnight Sun” begins in Seattle, Washington, where our Tour Manager greets us at the hotel. The first day of travel will come to a quiet close as we prepare for our adventure.

DAY TWO — TRAVEL TO VANCOUVER AND BOARD THE NORWEGIAN SUN 

After a welcome breakfast this morning we board our waiting motor coach for the transfer to Vancouver, British Columbia. Here, we board our ship, the Norwegian Sun to begin the unforgettable cruise portion of the tour. Breakfast and dinner

DAY THREE — CRUISING THE INSIDE PASSAGE 

Cruise the Inside Passage, a 1,000-mile-long sea corridor from British Columbia to Alaska, the longest sheltered inland waterway in the world. Its scenery is as grand as that of Norway. Be on the lookout for orcas and humpback whales as you take in the sheer cliffs, massive glaciers and snow-capped mountains. All meals on board

DAY FOUR — KETCHIKAN 

A popular destination along Alaska’s famed Inside Passage, Ketchikan is teeming with Native American culture. Known as the “Salmon Capital of the World,” it is home to the largest concentration of Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian people in the state. All meals on board

DAY FIVE — JUNEAU 

Our port of call this morning is the Alaskan Capital of Juneau, considered by many to be the most beautiful capital city in the nation. Founded during the gold rush in 1880, the former gold-mining town counts among its riches some of Alaska’s most spectacular scenery. The terrain is hilly and winding, and narrow streets present a small-town quaintness existing side-by-side with cosmopolitan sophistication. All meals on board

DAY SIX — SKAGWAY AND THE LYNN CANAL  

As our ship approaches Skagway, we see the town resting peacefully at the base of a river valley bordered by the Coast Mountains. When gold was discovered in the Klondike region of the Yukon Territory, it resulted in the historic Gold Rush of 1898. As thousands of gold-crazed adventurers sought the best jumping-off spot for their trek, they found the deepest penetration by boat was at the northern tip of the Lynn Canal. This is how Skagway was born. All meals on board

DAY SEVEN — GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK 

This spectacular national park and preserve displays massive glaciers that stretch 3.3 million acres from the St. Elias and Fairweather mountain ranges to the ends of the fjords. It is home to an amazing world of marine life, including humpback whales, sea otters, porpoises and harbor seals. It also possesses the highest concentration of tidewater glaciers on the planet. At the head of Glacier Bay is the Tarr Inlet, where scientists have found exposed rock that is believed to be more than 200 million years old. All meals on board

DAY EIGHT — FULL DAY CRUISING  

With its endless miles of shoreline, scenic archipelagos of tidewater glaciers and abundance of wildlife such as otters, seals, bears and eagles, this is some of the most beautiful and fascinating country in these United States. Enjoy cruising today and be amazed. All meals on board

DAY NINE — SEWARD AND THE ALASKA SEALIFE CENTER  

This morning we disembark the Norwegian Sun and begin the land portion of the tour. Not only is Seward one of Alaska’s oldest communities, it’s one of the most scenic. Known as the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park, you’ll find a historic downtown district filled with quaint shops and galleries. On the shores of Resurrection Bay lies Alaska’s only public aquarium and ocean wildlife rescue center. The Alaska SeaLife Center is dedicated to understanding and maintaining the integrity of the marine ecosystem of Alaska. Later we continue to Anchorage. Often called the “Metropolis of the North,” Anchorage is home to almost half of Alaska’s population. Tonight, dinner is at the Sourdough Mining Company featuring great food and lively entertainment. Breakfast and dinner

DAY TEN — RIDE THE ALASKA RAILROAD 

Today we board the Alaska Railroad’s flagship The Denali Star for the trip into Alaska’s interior. The track cuts through the northern boreal forests of the interior on a journey where sparkling salmon streams, stands of aspen and birch and carpets of purple fireweed create a dramatic landscape. At the town of Talkeetna, we board our motor coach and continue to Denali National Park where we arrive with free time in the afternoon to enjoy your scenic surrounding and partake in an optional “flight-seeing” trip on a helicopter through the park, or a river float trip on the Nenana River. Tonight, sample Alaskan cuisine at Alaska Cabin Nite and enjoy an all-you-can-eat Alaska dinner. Then sit back for a hilarious show of tall tales, fun songs and foot-stompin’ music. Breakfast and dinner

DAY ELEVEN — NATURAL HISTORY TOUR OF DENALI NATIONAL PARK  

We are up early as an experienced local guide conducts this morning’s Natural History Tour of Denali National Park. Weather permitting, see North America’s tallest mountain, Mt. McKinley. Learn about Denali’s varied and interesting collection of birdlife as well as the over 650 species of flowering plants. Later, we travel up the George Parks Highway where you might catch a glimpse of Mount McKinley and the rest of the Alaska Range through the stands of spruce and pine. Later, we arrive in Fairbanks, our home for the next two nights. Breakfast

DAY TWELVE — FAIRBANKS, THE “GOLDEN HEART CITY” 

We cast off aboard the Riverboat Discovery, the only authentic sternwheeler in Alaska. Your narrated cruise takes you to Old Chena Village where native Alaskan guides show the culture and lifestyle of the original Alaskans. The afternoon is free to enjoy Alaska’s second largest city at your own pace or you may wish to join us on an optional visit to the El Dorado Gold Camp for a rail journey through an old mining camp. Here you will be able to try your hand at gold panning in an authentic setting. Dinner this evening is a sumptuous all-you-can-eat feast of grilled salmon, prime rib or deep-fried halibut and cod. Afterwards, enjoy humorous skits and songs about early Fairbanks in the Palace Theatre’s production, Golden Heart Review. Breakfast and dinner

DAY THIRTEEN — HOME  

After breakfast prepare for your group motorcoach transfer to the airport with a new appreciation of Alaska’s mountain spires, mighty rivers and glaciers. Breakfast