Explore the Rockies & Alaska Cruise

Day 1 - Welcome to Vancouver

Arrive in Vancouver and make your way to Canada Place to board Holland America’s MS Koningsdam cruise ship.

Hotel: Overnight on board the MS Volendam
Meals: Dinner

Day 2 - The Inside Passage

Your cruise of the Inside Passage begins today. With most of Southeast Alaska accessible only by boat or plane, this cruise will provide a unique view.

Hotel: Overnight on board the MS Volendam
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3 - Juneau

The dramatic Sawyer Glaciers at the end of Tracy Arm are framed by mountains and bathed in the blue hue of the ice. Arrive in Juneau, where you can shop downtown, kayak, dogsled, raft or flightsee.

Hotel: Overnight on board the MS Volendam
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - Skagway

Step into the town’s colourful past at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.

Hotel: Overnight on board the MS Volendam
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 - Glacier Bay National Park

From the comfort of your ship, enjoy the pristine wilderness of Glacier Bay National Park.

Hotel: Overnight on board the MS Volendam
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 - Ketchikan

While ashore, check out the world’s largest collection of standing totem poles or an optional guided tour through town or a harbour cruise.

Hotel: Overnight on board the MS Volendam
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7 - The Inside Passage

Today is a day of relaxation as you cruise back to Vancouver. Grab a spot on the deck and enjoy some amazing scenery and hopefully some wildlife sightings.

Hotel: Overnight on board the MS Volendam
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 - Vancouver

Sail into Vancouver Harbour this morning. After disembarking, transfer to the hotel and join your Travel Director and travelling companions for a welcome reception.

Hotel: Pinnacle Harbourfront or similar
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 - Victoria (via Strait of Georgia)

Embark on a morning sightseeing tour of Vancouver’s historic neighbourhoods. Savour the smells of freshly steamed Siopao in Chinatown and admire the Victorian façades of Gastown as you make your way to the leafy sanctuary of Stanley Park to view the First Nations totem poles. Travel by ferry to Victoria on Vancouver Island and visit a family-owned working farm where you’ll get a taste of freshly prepared farm to table cuisine over lunch. Later, you’ll enjoy a sightseeing tour of Victoria.

Hotel: Chateau Victoria
Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Day 10 - Victoria

Embrace the Garden City status of Victoria as you greet the day with breakfast at Butchart Gardens, a 55-acre showcase of gorgeous floral gardens that have colourfully transformed a once unused quarry. Spend the rest of the day at leisure exploring the walkable capital of British Columbia.

Hotel: Chateau Victoria
Meals: Breakfast

Optional: Victoria Whale Watching Excursion
Board your vessel to enjoy a three-hour whale-watching expedition in the waters off Victoria. While it can’t be guaranteed in advance which of the abundant marine wildlife you’ll see on your journey, chances are you’ll also spot magnificent bald eagles, porpoises or seals. Spring and summer are the best times of the year to see the resident Orca whales in all their glory. Approx. duration: 3 hours.

Day 11 - Kamloops

In Kamloops, the soul-stirring sounds of the Shuswap melodies welcome you today, as you gain insights into First Nations’ traditions and culture. Be entertained by a storytelling member of the First Nations followed by a delicious dinner.

Hotel: Crystal Lodge
Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Day 12 - Mount Robson

This afternoon you’ll stop at the Mount Robson Visitor Center where you can admire UNESCO-listed Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies in all its 12,972 feet (3,954 meters) of glory. Continue to the raw wilderness of Jasper National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you’ll spend the next two nights.

Hotel: Chateau Jasper
Meals: Breakfast

Day 14 - Jasper National Park

Start the day with an interpretive walk at Maligne Canyon followed by a cruise to Spirit Island on Maligne Lake. The rest of the day is free before dinner at the hotel.

Hotel: Chateau Jasper
Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Optional: Jasper Float Trip
Join the fun and experience an easy rafting / scenic float trip down the Athabasca River, a designated Canadian Heritage River. A National Park licensed guide will provide commentary on the human and natural history of Jasper while navigating you along the same route used by the “fur traders” over 2 centuries ago.

Lifejackets and the specially designed, 25 foot (7 meters) long, oar powered rafts; offer a safe and comfortable ride through several small, easy sets of rapids and calm stretches that any first time rafter will enjoy. Don’t worry the guides do all the rowing; you sit back and enjoy while exploring all the spectacular scenery drifting down a route that was used by fur traders many years ago. There is always a chance of seeing various wildlife including elk, deer, moose, coyotes, wolves, eagles, ospreys, mountain sheep and bears.

Tours will operate rain or shine, and a poncho will be provided when required. Approx. duration: 50-90 minutes

Day 14 - Lake Louise

The icy fingers of the Columbia Icefield beckon as you journey along the Icefields Parkway to Athabasca Glacier. Cross its icy terrain on board a specially designed Ice Explorer and continue on to Lake Louise, where there is time to soak in the majestic beauty of the lake and its turquoise, glacier-fed waters, fringed by high peaks, deep green forests and overlooked by Victoria Glacier. Continue on to the township of Banff, in the heart of UNESCO-listed Banff National Park. Settle in for an evening at leisure.

Hotel: Banff Park Lodge
Meals: Breakfast

Day 15 - Banff National Park

Join a local specialist and learn about his experiences as a retired Mountie and the history of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Spend the afternoon exploring the rugged beauty of Banff, from its postcard viewpoint of Surprise Corner to Bow Falls. The rest of the day is free for you to pursue your own interests. Your Travel Director will be available to help plan the perfect day for you. Tonight, you join your newfound friends for a farewell dinner to toast the end of an unforgettable encounter with the Canada’s Rockies.

Hotel: Banff Park Lodge
Meals: Breakfast and dinner

Optional: Royal Canadian Helicopter Tour
This journey will only enhance the Three Sisters Peaks Tour by exploring the Goat and Sundance Ranges of the Rocky Mountains. You will see mountain peaks, alpine meadows, waterfalls and untouched glacier lakes. Perhaps even a glimpse of some wildlife. It’s an extraordinary adventure not to be missed.

Optional: Three Sisters Peak Helicopter Tour
The most action-packed twelve minutes of your life. Get up close and personal with the world famous Three Sisters Peaks. Reach out and touch them as you whisk by before escaping into the Spray Valley where you will explore the extraordinary hues of the Spray Lakes. Your return flight travels along the Goat Range before following the pristine Bow River back to Canmore.

Optional: Brewster Banff Gondola
At the Banff Gondola, you’ll see more mountains in a moment than most see in a lifetime! Ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain to experience a bird’s eye view of six mountain ranges of the Canadian Rockies. Begin with an eight-minute journey to the summit in a fully enclosed four-passenger gondola cabin. The views become increasingly spectacular as you climb to an elevation of 7,486 feet (2,281 meters) to the Summit Upper Terminal. Witness the breathtaking views in every direction or go to the restaurant area to enjoy the views inside or from its upper deck.

You can also take the Banff Skywalk for a short self-guided interpretive walkway along the summit ridge leading to the Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site of Canada. Subject to weather conditions. Approx. duration: 2.5 hours.

Day 16 - Farewell from Calgary

Descend from the glorious Canadian Rockies and make your way to Calgary International Airport or to the Westin Calgary if you are extending your stay.

Meals: Breakfast