Alaska Cruise and the Canadian Rockies

Fly west to the cattle town of Calgary, where you’ll meet your tour manager and board your coach for the scenic journey up into the towering Rocky Mountains. You’ll spend the next three nights in the exquisite mountain capital, Banff, surrounded by breath-taking scenery.

Explore the Rockies' spectacular capital, perhaps joining one of the exciting optional excursions on offer. If you’re good with heights, you can take to the skies and discover the unspoilt beauty of Banff’s spectacular surroundings by helicopter. You’ll soar over the high mountain peaks of the Goat and Sundance Ranges, and glide across the alpine meadows and pristine lakes on this 25-minute flight.

You can also join a panoramic cable car ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain for all-encompassing, 360-degree views. You’ll have time for coffee before returning to Banff for a tour of this popular mountain resort town renowned for its hot springs. Marvel at the imposing Cascade Mountain looming above Banff Avenue, before the tour ends with Surprise Corner’s spectacular views of the infamous Banff Springs Hotel.

This morning, journey into Banff National Park for a panoramic coach tour around three of the Rocky Mountains’ most impressive vistas.
Your first stop will be the Vermillion Lakes, three shallow bodies of water backed by striking mountain views. As you drive along the shores, you can enjoy uninterrupted views of the park’s sprawling landscapes and learn about Banff’s early history under guidance. The tour will also stop at Two Jack Lake, one of the national park’s most popular spots for water sports and photography.

Complete the day with a drive to Lake Minnewanka, where you’ll board a cruiser for an hour-long sailing. As you cross Minnewanka’s still waters, you’ll witness Banff National Park from a different perspective, and your captain will introduce you to some of the lake’s most scenic spots. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the park’s magnificent local wildlife.

Afterwards, reboard the coach for the return journey to the hotel.

Another breath-taking day awaits as you re-board the coach and journey to beautiful Lake Louise, its turquoise waters – frozen for much of the year – set against the awesome backdrop of imposing Victoria Glacier. This afternoon, continue your journey, along the renowned Icefields Parkway, one of the world’s most scenic roads, to the historic Rockies' railroad town of Jasper, at the gateway to picturesque Jasper National Park. Spend the night here, and soak up the atmosphere of one of Canada’s most "western" townships.

Today, you’ll have the chance to join a scenic optional excursion, which will include a ride on the historic Jasper Skytram, Canada’s longest cable car. After taking in the sights from above, enjoy some of the sights of Jasper National Park including a drive up to mirror-like Maligne Lake, which reflects the faces of its craggy surrounding peaks and a quick stop at lakeside Jasper Park Lodge.

This evening, reconvene at your Jasper hotel for the rest of the evening under your own steam.

Your panoramic journey through the Rockies continues with a drive past majestic, towering Mount Robson, the Canadian Rockies' highest point, and travel along the Yellowhead Highway to the delightful mountain resort of Sun Peaks, where you'll spend the night.

Bid farewell to the high mountains and head further west today through the Coastal Ranges. You'll pass the frontier town of Kamloops and travel on the final western section of the famous Trans-Canada Highway, as you head to lively, waterfront Vancouver on the Pacific Ocean.

Upon arrival in the city, check into your downtown hotel, set on lively Burrard Street, and spend the evening under your own steam.

Enjoy an optional guided tour this morning for an introduction to Vancouver’s major highlights. Start at Stanley Park, where you can admire its array of colourful totem poles. Continue to lively Gastown, with its trendy art galleries and cocktail bars, before visiting colourful Chinatown, and the glass and steel wonders of the Burrard Inlet waterfront. Next, cross Lion’s Gate Bridge into the leafy suburbs of North Vancouver and the wilderness beyond to brave the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge. Surrounded by ancient Douglas fir trees and teetering above the Capilano River, this historic bridge offers magnificent views of Vancouver’s wild green spaces. Keep an eye out as you cross, and you might also find a few of the park’s traditional native American totem poles.

This morning, check out of your hotel to board your Holland America Line cruise ship ahead of the late-afternoon sailing. After settling into your stateroom, you’ll have the rest of the day to get acquainted with the ship’s first-class amenities or perhaps mingle with your fellow passengers on deck. If live music is on the agenda, why not pay the Rolling Stones Lounge a visit, or relive the classic hits at Billboard Onboard? Live music, theatrical performances and expert-led talks are all available while wellness is front of mind at the ship’s pool, fitness and spa centre.

Admire the views as you set sail out into the Strait of Georgia, heading north towards the wilderness state of Alaska, you can find dinner at one of the diverse onboard restaurants.

Awake to enjoy a day at sea, as your ship cruises the waters of Alaska’s scenic Inside Passage. This narrow waterway is surrounded on both sides by a thickly forested land of mountains and glaciers, and the very occasional settlement (while this region is nowhere near as inhospitable as the Alaskan north, it is still referred to as The Last Frontier). Take a turn on deck, keep watch for aquatic life, and enjoy the ship’s wide range of on-board amenities.

Today you'll call in the Alaskan capital, Juneau, in its awe-inspiring setting at the foot of the magnificent mountains from which the immense Mendenhall Glacier flows. Built with the proceeds of gold prospecting, Juneau, which is only accessible by air or sea, is a surprisingly chic and stylish city framed by dense forest.

Optional shore excursions on offer will include guided city tours, a fascinating trip to the nearby Mendenhall , and activities like kayaking or dog-sledding.

Skagway, the northernmost point of your cruise, was the historic gateway to the Yukon Territory. It was from here that tens of thousands of hopeful adventurers once set off into the wilderness, many never to return, and it remains a pioneering town of honky-tonk saloons and Klondike memorabilia. A fascinating shore excursion to Klondike Gold Rush National Park will reveal one of American history’s most colourful chapters, and some of the improbable characters that lived through it.

Today brings the scenic highlight of your cruise as your ship sails through the UNESCO-listed Glacier Bay.
Start the day with spectacular views of the bay, a magnificent prehistoric landscape which was carved by the slow retreat of the Grand Pacific Glacier over the last two centuries. As you sail through its channels, you’ll have the unique opportunity to view the towering walls of ice up close. Keep an eye on the surrounding landscapes, and you might also witness a teeming display of wildlife on land and sea, as black and brown bears, and native moose, vie with humpback whales, porpoises, seals and a whole variety of sea birds for your attention.
Please note: Tours departing on 23 April, 2027, will instead venture on an enchanting cruise along Endicott Arm, a 30-mile stretch of magnificent granite cliffs and coastal glaciers. As you pass along the waterfalls and woodland of the neighbouring Tongass National Forest, keep a watch for the abundant deer, bear and wolf populations that roam the surrounding landscapes. Reaching the fjord’s head, enjoy dramatic views of the spectacular Dawes Glacier, a 600-foot-tall ice cap before pausing for the chance to see a ’calving’ up close. Listen out for the thundering noise of the ice moving and marvel at the blue giant before heading back down the fjord.

The last of your Alaskan ports is the southernmost settlement of Ketchikan, with its historic wooden buildings, boardwalks and profusion of arts and crafts stores. From here, many will wish to join the optional shore excursion by floatplane to the remote Misty Fjords National Monument.

Enjoy a last day at sea, cruising the Inside Passage, and making the most of life aboard your wonderfully appointed Holland America Line ship.

This evening, a farewell dinner completes your wonderful cruise experience.

Your holiday concludes as you touch down back in the UK.

Today you'll return home, at the end of a wonderful Alaskan holiday.