Overview
INCLUDED in our Tour Cost:
- Fully Escorted from New Zealand by a Maher Tour Leader
- International Economy Flights (upgrade available)
- Superior-grade Hotel Accommodation
- Air-conditioned Transport
- Exceptional Meals
- Entrance Fees & Gratuity Tips
After 4-nights in Vancouver, including city sightseeing and a day trip (via sea plane!), to Vancouver Island to explore Victoria and the world-famous Butchart Gardens, we join a 7-night Seabourn Alaska’s Glaciers and Inside Passage cruise.
Alaska will make you feel alive, as we see, hear, touch and smell one of the last frontiers. Here, the wilderness seems to stretch out forever. The majesty of the snow-covered peaks and glaciers combined with the history of the towns and the wildlife will leave you in awe. Hubbard Glacier is truly impressive, with a 9,600 meters wide, 120 meter tall face, the blue ice will seem to envelop your boat, especially if you can get up close. The Hubbard is in Disenchantment Bay near the outer coast town of Yakutat, and offers large vistas on clear days, including Mt. St Elias at 5,500 meters.
The Inside Passage is frequently named one of the most scenic stretches in the world, particularly because of geography that allows boats to sail up close to the passage’s steep walls. Stretching 500 miles along the Pacific Ocean and boasts wildlife-filled fjords, tidewater glaciers, and lush island scenery. That’s the splendid spectacle of these serene landscapes — the scenery is constantly changing, from picturesque shores to friendly coastal towns.
Seabourn Encore Cruise, 7-nights – Alaska’s Glaciers & Inside Passage
We join our superb cruise ship from Vancouver. This 604-guest ship is fully inclusive onboard, and with their unmatched sense of style, elegance and grace, Seabourn Encore beckons you to travel on what is an ultraluxury resort at sea. Let’s not forget of course the magnificent passing scenery and interesting and exciting ports of call.
All Veranda Suites feature a full-length window and glass door to private veranda, comfortable living area, queen-size bed or two twin beds, dining table for two, walk-in closet, interactive flat-screen television with music and movies, fully stocked bar and refrigerator, makeup vanity, spacious bathroom with separate tub and shower..
Cruise Highlights Include:
- Queen Charlotte Sound
- Hecate Strait
- Ketchikan
- Sitka
- Yakutat Bay
- Hubbard Glacier
- Inian Islands
- Icy Strait Point
- Juneau
Itinerary
Monday 31 August Auckland – Vancouver (D)
Assemble at Auckland International Airport early this evening and join the direct flight to Vancouver. Cross the International Dateline en route arriving into Vancouver early afternoon of the same day. We check into the Fairmont Vancouver, our base for the next 4-nights and enjoy dinner together this evening.
Tuesday 01 September Vancouver (B, D)
Vancouver is one of the most captivating cities within Canada, with its multicultural fusion and spectacular mountain and ocean setting. A city tour includes Stanley Bay and Park, Chinatown, Gastown, Queen Elizabeth Park, English Bay as well as some prestigious residential areas of Vancouver. Cross the Lion Gate Bridge and visit Capilano Park. Experience the suspension bridge, the tree top adventure and the cliff walk, plus Salish Nations culture. See the Salmon Hatchery before continuing onto Grouse Mountain to take the gondola ride where we will see spectacular city, mountain and Gulf Island views.
Wednesday 02 September Vancouver – Victoria & Butchart Gardens (B, D)
A special treat today. Taking off from Canada Place in a sea plane for the short but scenic flight to Vancouver Island for a full day of sightseeing. The first stop is at Butchart Gardens with time to wander, then enjoy a tour of this distinctively old-world city with its Victorian architecture, elaborate gardens and British flavor. Some free time is given in Victoria before we join the ferry back to Vancouver for the night.
Thursday 03 September Vancouver (B)
A free day for you to explore the city at your leisure – there is so much to see and do!
Friday 04 September Vancouver – Seabourn Cruise (B, D)
This morning enjoy a few hours at leisure in Vancouver before we transfer to the Canada Place Cruise Terminal to embark on our cruise to Alaska! Our ship departs at 5.00pm
Saturday 05 September Queen Charlotte Sound Cruising (B, L, D)
The Queen Charlotte Sound lies between the Queen Charlotte Strait, which winds between Vancouver Island and the British Columbia mainland in the south, and Hecate Strait, which is northward, adjacent to the Haida Gwaii Islands off the Pacific coast of British Columbia. It is a broad reach in the long shipping route called the Inside Passage threading the myriad islands stretching from Washington’s Puget Sound to Alaska.
Sunday 06 September Ketchikan (B, L, D)
Ketchikan is a picturesque coastal town with a colourful frontier history, standing at the southern entrance to Alaska’s famed Inside Passage. It began as a salmon cannery in 1885, built by company employee Mike Martin at the mouth of Ketchikan Creek. Once dubbed the ‘Canned Salmon Capital of the World,’ today government, commercial fishing, and tourism are its main industries. The renowned Creek Street, perched on stilts along the mouth of the creek, would bring lasting infamy to the area for the red-light district that burgeoned there during the Gold Rush. The town’s site first served as a camp for Tlingit people, and for thousands of years this has been their home. Their rich culture is being preserved to this day. A visit to Ketchikan is not complete without visiting one or all of Native American sites such as Totem Bight State Park, Potlatch Park, Saxman Native Village and the Totem Heritage Centre. Together, these locations comprise the world’s largest collection of standing Native American totem poles.
Arrives 7.00am, Departs 3.00pm.
Monday 07 September Sitka (B, L, D)
Story and soul await in the history and lush scenery of this remote city on Baranof Island. As the oldest city in Alaska, only accessible by air and sea, Sitka is the perfect place to relish in unbridled beauty of the Last Frontier. Nicknamed the ‘Paris of the Pacific’ for the growing wealth acquired during its logging, gold, and fur trade booms, Sitka was sold to the United States by Russia in 1867. Picturesque remnants of Russia’s architectural influence are still present; one of the most intriguing structures is the Cathedral of Saint Michael, built in 1848 to honor a Russian Orthodox bishop. The mix of Tlingit tradition runs heavily through Sitka’s streets as well, making for a unique blend of history and culture. From salmon fishing, hikes in the Tongass rainforest, exploring the coastline by private vessel, or even a round of golf in some of the toughest and most beautiful holes in all of Alaska… one visit to Sitka is never enough because of the infinite ways to connect with its culture, wildlife, and people.
Arrives 8.00am, Departs 5.00pm
Tuesday 08 September Cruising Yakutat Bay & Hubbard Glacier (B, L, D)
Yakutat Bay is 18 miles wide at its entry, and cuts from the Gulf of Alaska into Disenchantment Bay, the entryway to the huge Hubbard Glacier, North America’s largest tidewater glacier. As the bay narrows and the shorelines draw closer, the 400-foot face of the glacier exerts a luminous, ghostly presence, often from as much as 30 miles away. More and more floating ice dimples the surface of the water, and seals bob up and disappear again. There are a range of different excursions available.
Arrives 10.00am, Departs 6.00pm.
Wednesday 09 September Inian Islands & Icy Strait Point (B, L, D)
As the gatekeepers to the northern entrance of the fabled Inside Passage, the remote Inian Islands stand between Cross Sound and Icy Strait, exposed to the high energy seas of the Pacific Ocean. Tidal currents surging through the narrow channels separating the islands can be severe. Nicknames like ‘The Laundry Chute’ justify their notorious reputations. For millennia, Tlingit people came here to hunt and fish in the rich bounty that these waters provided. Today, the Inian Islands Institute, located within the islands, provides access to the abundant and protected waters for scientific research. Sitka black-tailed deer and brown bears frequent their rugged and rocky shores, while sea lions fill their stomachs with salmon before hauling out to rest on the many rocky outcrops making up this island group. Sea otters, bald eagles, and humpback whales frequent the area in great numbers during the summer months. The Inian Islands were named by William Healey Dall, one of Alaska’s earliest scientific explorers, in 1879.
Arrives 5.30am, Departs 12.30pm.
Icy Strait Point is a unique community on Chichagof Island near the entry to Glacier Bay National Park. It was created and is owned by a corporation of over 1300 Native Americans of various local Tlingit tribes, for the purpose of offering visitors an enjoyable, educational experience of Alaska’s native cultures, as well as the human and natural history of the region. Your tender will dock at the historic 1912 salmon canning facility, which today is a museum. The surrounding grounds offer cultural performances, Native American-owned shops and galleries, restaurants and a variety of tours and excursions for every interest. The small village of Hoonah is just over a mile away, and can be reached either by walking or on a shuttle. It also has shops and eateries, as well as a totem-carving enterprise run by the corporation. The Huna Totem Corporation maintains complete control of the content and access to the community, which has won a number of prestigious awards for its sustainable approach to exploiting the natural and historical heritage of Alaska and its native peoples for their benefit.
Arrives 4.00pm, Departs 8.00pm.
Thursday 10 September Haines (B, L, D)
Tucked in along the shores of the longest fjord in North America and surrounded by breathtaking scenery, Haines is an authentic Alaskan experience. It is an eclectic community and a truly hidden gem. Haines is home to the largest concentration of bald eagles on earth, and grizzly bears gorge themselves on spawning salmon in its rivers. It was originally named Dteshuh, which means ‘end of the trail’ in the language of the Chilkat natives, who used to portage across the peninsula to Chilkat Inlet as a shortcut to their trade route to the interior. The first Europeans arrived in 1879 to build a school and a Presbyterian mission. In time, the mission was renamed Haines in honour of Francina E. Haines, the chairwoman of the committee that raised funds for its construction. Haines grew dramatically during the 1899 Klondike gold rush in the Yukon, supplying prospectors with food and equipment.
Friday 11 September Disembark Juneau – Vancouver (B)
Sadly, today our cruise comes to an end. We depart from Juneau airport and fly back to Vancouver (via Seattle). We arrive late and transfer to our city hotel for an overnight stay.
Saturday 12 September Vancouver – Auckland (B,L)
A leisurely morning, until we check out of our hotel around midday. We enjoy lunch together, before heading to Stanley Park where we visit Canada’s largest aquarium, with over 65,000 incredible animals like rescued sea otters and sea lions across 120 world-class indoor and outdoor exhibits. Later this afternoon, we transfer to Vancouver airport in time to join our evening flight back to Auckland.
**Cross International Dateline**
Monday 14 September Arrive Home
Arrival time is early morning. Welcome home.
