Viking Oceans Cruises – Alaska & the Inside Passage (Canada, United States) 11 Days

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Embark your ship and settle into your stateroom. Vancouver is one of Canada’s most diverse cities and the influence of its multi-ethnic society is reflected in the city’s multitude of restaurants and public settings, such as the tranquil Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden at the heart of Chinatown. The city’s cultural treasures reflect its indigenous community and embody the influence of European and Asian settlers. Its vibrant institutions run the gamut, from bustling markets to museums that chronicle the region’s anthropology and rich art heritage.

Scenic Sailing: The Inside Passage
Stretching some 500 miles along the Alaska Panhandle, the Inside Passage is a pristine wilderness of fjord-like channels. It winds its way through a vast maze of islands laden with emerald-green forests and strewn with glistening glaciers. Nature is at her most magnificent here, tranquil and hushed. Unspoiled waterways weave their way past tiny coastal villages and a breathtaking array of snowcapped mountains and pine-covered hills. Sea lions and otters reside in these waters, and moose and brown bears are often spotted as they wade along the coast.

Ketchikan, Alaska, United States
Ketchikan is set among the soaring coastal mountains and sloping woodlands of the Tongass National Forest. The gateway into America’s 49th state, it is known to travelers journeying north by ship as Alaska’s “First City” and the “Salmon Capital of the World” for its thriving fishing industry. Ketchikan also embraces its rich and enduring Tlingit heritage; it is home to the most standing totem poles anywhere in the world. The artful icons are sprinkled throughout the town as well as its parks and cultural centers.

Shore Excursions – Potlatch Totem Park & Ketchikan History
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Discover the coastal community of Ketchikan and learn about the ancient native craft of totem pole carving. Drive by motor coach to Potlatch Totem Park, a modern recreation of a 19th-century native village located on historic Tlingit fishing grounds along the shores of the Tongass Narrows. Here, you can see numerous houses, totem poles and panels, and hear the legends behind the designs. Visit the carving studio to learn about the ancient techniques used to create these iconic native sculptures. You will also have an opportunity to view a display of rare antique weapons, some dating back to the 16th century, including firearms, whaling harpoons and authentic uluknives. After, return to your coach and begin the journey back to your ship—along the way, gain insight into Ketchikan’s rich timber heritage and the historic Ketchikan Pulp Company mill.

Sitka, Alaska, United States
Sitka has long been inhabited by the indigenous Tlingit people. Fur trading brought Russian settlers here in 1799 as part of a colonial merchant company. The town grew to become the capital of Russian Alaska, and remains of those days can be found in the Russian Orthodox Cathedral and the Russian Bishop’s House, the latter built by the Tlingit with guidance from Finnish carpenters in the 1840s. Today’s Sitka is a delight to explore by foot, its streets dotted with inviting art galleries displaying artwork inspired by the region’s natural beauty and rich heritage.

Shore Excursions – Scenic Sitka & Theatrical Performance
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Enjoy Sitka and its stunning setting on the Gulf of Alaska as you discover its fascinating landmarks. Board your motor coach and join a local guide, who will regale you with the legends and lore of this small city first settled by Russians in 1799. See historic Castle Hill, where the territory of Alaska was officially transferred from Russia to the US in 1867, and the cratered peak of looming Mt. Edgecumbe, a nearby dormant volcano. Your panoramic tour will also take you past Sitka Sound, where you can gaze out at the many small, forested islands dotting the water. At Centennial Hall, witness a theatrical performance by the Alaska Story Teller Dancers. Marvel at the energy, grace and talent of these dancers who strive to keep Alaska’s rich Russian and indigenous histories alive. Afterward, you may choose to enjoy free time, returning to your ship via shuttle.

Juneau, Alaska, United States
Juneau is the only capital of the continental US that is inaccessible by car. The dramatic fjord-like terrain of steep, rugged mountains and vast glaciers isolates the city, creating a remote setting with limited access from the rest of the mainland. Its seclusion along the scenic Gastineau Channel also makes it one of the most picturesque cities in the world. In ancient times, the Auke and Taku Tlingit tribes fished these waters. Their descendants have kept artistic and cultural traditions alive throughout a long history of European and Russian explorations.

Shore Excursions – The Mendenhall Glacier
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Explore the sights of Juneau and visit Mendenhall Valley to stroll its scenic trails with views of its glacier. Embark on a panoramic drive from downtown Juneau to see the city’s highlights. As you approach the Mendenhall Valley, your guide will run through suggested experiences that you can participate in during your time here. You may enjoy the viewpoint from Photo Point at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, which provides a breathtaking perspective of the glacier from above. During your enriching visit, your guide will share stories and insights about the region. After, you can head out to explore one of the nearby scenic trails, including Nugget Creek Falls, Steep Creek or the Moraine Ecology Trail, with each route showcasing the region’s natural wonders and stunning vistas of the Mendenhall Glacier and the Tongass National Forest. Afterward, return to your awaiting ship.

Skagway, Alaska, United States
Skagway was once the gateway to the gold-rich Canadian Yukon and is set in a stunning glacial valley. One remnant of its mining past is the narrow gauge railway that follows the original Yukon trail to the historic White Pass high in the surrounding mountains. Completed in 1900 as a means of transit for prospectors to reach goldfields during the Klondike gold rush, the route is preserved as a heritage railway. About 100 of the town’s buildings date from the gold rush era. Legend says that the town was named for a mythical woman who turned herself to stone at Skagway’s bay.

Shore Excursions – Historic Skagway & White Pass Summit
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Discover Skagway’s colorful past during a scenic drive through town and up to the famous White Pass summit. Begin your tour in the historic downtown area, with its picturesque wooden boardwalks and vibrant false-fronted buildings. Your guide will regale you with tales of Skagway during its late 19th-century gold rush. Then, follow in the footsteps of thousands of Klondike stampeders as you ascend to the majestic 3,290-foot-high White Pass summit. Hear tales of the hardships faced by these fortune seekers as you pass historic landmarks, such as the old Brackett Wagon Road and Dead Horse Gulch. Depending on weather conditions, you may also see breathtaking glaciers and snowcapped peaks. Afterward, return to your awaiting ship and listen to your guide’s continuing stories on Skagway’s colorful history along the way.

Icy Strait Point, Alaska, United States
Icy Strait Point is a re-created village outside the small town of Hoonah, a thriving Tlingit community. A former canning and packing station in a coastal woodland setting, Icy Strait Point is steeped in Native American heritage. The charming island hamlet has been beautifully restored by the local Tlingit people to its original character, offering visitors unique insight into traditional life in an Alaskan fishing village. Today, the old canning station is a museum chronicling salmon and subsistence fishing.

Shore Excursions – Icy Strait Point On Your Own
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Explore the waterfront and sights around Icy Strait Point independently and enjoy a Tlingit cultural show. From the pier, set out to discover this bustling port on your own. You may choose to browse the shops, sample local fare at one of the restaurants or cafés (at your own expense), or set out along a scenic walkway, taking in the views and keeping watch for wildlife. You can also take the opportunity to use your Skyglider gondola pass to ascend to the mountaintop, where you can glimpse the views from the summit. At the Heritage Center Native Theater, you may watch a Tribal Dance and Cultural Legends performance by locals that provides insight into tribal traditions. Wearing authentic, vibrant regalia, Huna Tlingit performers will share their history and culture through song, dance and storytelling. After, make your way back to your ship.

Scenic Sailing: Hubbard Glacier, Alaska
Hubbard Glacier is one of Alaska’s most dramatic icefields. This towering wall of ice at the water’s edge began its long journey about 400 years ago, in the early 1600s. As it flows to the sea, Hubbard is met by Valerie Glacier. The combined surge pushes a wall of ice toward Bert Point, which threatens to close off Russell Fjord from the bay. The closure has happened before—in 1986 and 2002—transforming the fjord into “Russell Lake.” Each time, runoff and rainwater filled the lake, building up an enormous pressure and breaking through the ice wall with a thundering force.

Valdez, Alaska, United States
Valdez enjoys a breathtaking setting at the tip of a deep-cut fjord in Prince William Sound. The glacial Chugach Mountains rise up all around the city, adding to its scenic allure. In its early days, the promise of gold attracted explorers and seekers of wealth, but the land proved barren. The town finally experienced its economic boom as North America’s northernmost ice-free port. Today, it is the southern terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline that carries oil south from Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic coast.

Shore Excursions – Valdez On Your Own
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
Explore this small fishing town’s rich past at your leisure, following your own interests. From your berth, begin your self-guided exploration by taking a free shuttle bus to any of three stops: the Valdez Museum, the Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum or a city center exhibit at which a 35-minute video detailing the history of Valdez plays continually throughout the day. The remote frontier town of Valdez, surrounded by soaring peaks, was named for the Spanish secretary of the navy in 1790. It grew after settlers lured gold seekers here from the Klondike gold rush trail with the promise of riches. The gold was never found, but the town grew nonetheless. Today, picturesque Valdez thrives on fishing and oil; colorful boats line the harbor alongside the Trans-Alaska Pipeline terminal. As you explore, perhaps you will visit the Whitney Museum, a fascinating collection of native art and artifacts, and stop by a charming café for lunch.

Seward, Alaska, United States
Seward enjoys a magnificent setting between snowcapped peaks and Resurrection Bay, a pristine harbor ringed by mountains. The Alaskan city was named after Abraham Lincoln’s secretary of state who defied public opinion to pursue the purchase of Alaska from Russia. Seward is steeped in marine culture, from its busy fishing port to the excellent exhibits and preservation efforts of the Alaska SeaLife Center. It is also the famed starting point of the Iditarod Trail, the dogsled race route originally laid to link Seward to inland Alaska.

Shore Excursions – Alaska SeaLife Center
Duration: 2 hours
Head to Seward’s renowned Alaska SeaLife Center for independent exploration, compliments of Viking. As you disembark your ship, receive an overview of the varied venues throughout Seward, beautifully set on a mountain-ringed bay. Shuttles will operate between our berth and the marine center, so you may depart and return at your leisure and explore more of Seward if you wish. At the fascinating Alaska SeaLife Center, dedicated to putting visitors in close contact with cutting-edge marine research, admire the species in the public aquarium and learn about the research animals in the exhibit tanks. North Pacific mammals, birds, fish and invertebrates are profiled in the center’s comprehensive displays. Here, you will discover how both injured wild animals and resident animals requiring medical treatment are nursed back to health. Experience the center as long as you wish and return to the pier via our shuttles.

Seward, Alaska, United States
Bid farewell to your fellow guests and journey home. Or spend more time exploring, perhaps joining one of our extensions.