Alaska Discovery

Download the Alaska Discovery Brochure

From $3495.00, per person, plus airfare and V.A.T., based on double occupancy.

Operated by Alumni Holidays International (AHI)

Alaska is a land of superlatives. Its mountains rival the Alps, its fjords surpass Norway’s in their grandeur, its glaciers are outnumbered only by Greenland’s and Antarctica’s, and its marine life is boundless!

After arrival in Canada’s cosmopolitan city of Vancouver, explore southeast Alaska in a way the early pioneers could not even imagine—from the elegant environs of the Seven Seas Mariner. Cruise to Ketchikan, home of the world’s largest collection of totem poles. Explore the length of Tracy Arm and see Sawyer Glacier. Visit Juneau, Alaska’s picturesque capital city; the Yukon Gold Rush town of Skagway; and Sitka, where onion-domed churches recall its quaint Russian heritage. Marvel at the electric-blue expanse of Hubbard Glacier before concluding in Seward. The legendary coastal beauty of Alaska awaits your discovery on a fantastic journey along America’s Last Frontier.

Day 1
Depart your gateway city for Vancouver, British Columbia, aboard scheduled jet service. (Provided for Air Program participants only.)

Upon arrival, transfer by deluxe motorcoach to the pier to embark the Seven Seas Mariner. (Transfer provided for Air Program participants only.)

This evening, gather with fellow travelers for a Welcome Reception on the ship.

Day 2
Spend the day cruising northward along the coastal straits and sounds. Relax onboard and admire scenic natural beauty. Enjoy a leisurely-paced ambience and the opportunity to fully familiarize yourself with the ship’s many amenities.

Day 3
Although the lovely fishing port of Ketchikan is only a few blocks wide, it strings along the waterfront for several miles. Its colorful houses and buildings, many of which are built over the water on pilings, offer a striking view as you enter the harbor. Along Ketchikan Creek, the town creeps up the lower portion of Deer Mountain, with a number of houses perched on the mountainside. Explore the shops, galleries and restaurants along historic Creek Street. Proud of its rich native heritage, Ketchikan has the world’s largest collection of totem poles as well as museums and native cultural centers. Ketchikan is the gateway to Misty Fjords National Monument, a magnificent complex of fjords, mountains, dense rain forests, wild rivers, tumbling waterfalls and high alpine lakes.

Day 4
This morning, cruise the narrow, 30-mile length of Tracy Arm. Pass sheer rock palisades and waterfalls en route to Sawyer Glacier. Not only is it possible to see great chunks of pale blue ice suddenly calve into the fjord waters, but also black and brown bears, deer, wolves, harbor seals, mountain goats and bald eagles along the rain-forested shoreline. In the afternoon, the ship ports in Juneau. Founded as a gold-mining camp in 1880 and named for prospector, Joe Juneau, this is the only U.S. state capital accessible solely by air or sea! Ringed by soaring mountains, the teal-hued Gastineau Channel and the snowy peaks of Douglas Island, the city’s setting is spectacular.

Day 5
For thousands of years, the area around present-day Skagway was the peaceful home of the native Tlingit (pronounced KLING-git) tribe. In 1896, their serene way of life came to an end when gold was discovered in the Klondike region of Canada’s Yukon Territory. By the summer of 1897, tens of thousands of prospectors climbed the 21-mile trail from Skagway to the Yukon over White Pass. Relive this historic trek along the Gold Rush Trail of ‘98 into the Yukon. Today, this historic boom town retains much of its frontier character. Explore the formerly rollicking outpost where false-front buildings and boardwalks still line the streets and saloons, gambling houses and dance halls once ran all night.

Day 6
Originally a Tlingit settlement, Sitka was the capital of Russian America from 1808 until 1867 when Alaska was purchased by the U.S. See three of the city’s National Historic Landmarks: Saint Michael’s Cathedral, an onion-domed Russian Orthodox church; the Russian Bishop’s House, one of the few surviving examples of Russian colonial architecture in North America; and the American Flag-Raising Site on Castle Hill. Admire an extensive collection of authentic totem poles displayed in Sitka National Historic Park.

Day 7
The ship turns into Yakutat Bay to view the longest tidewater glacier in Alaska. From its source on Mt. Logan in the Yukon, Hubbard Glacier stretches 76 miles (122 km) to the sea where it stretches across Disenchantment Bay with an active calving face over six miles (10 km) wide!

This evening, attend a Farewell Reception onboard the ship.

Day 8
After a morning arrival in Seward, disembark the ship and transfer to the airport for the return flight(s) to your gateway city. (Transfer and flight provided for Air Package participants).

Updated April 6, 2009.