Inside Passage with Glacier Bay

As cosmopolitan as it is rich in natural beauty, Vancouver is an impressive backdrop for a departing Alaska cruise.

Heading to their first port of call in Alaska, passengers spend this first full cruise day winding through a network of fjords, inlets, and barrier islands that comprise the Inside Passage.

This lively town is a fitting welcome to Alaska, with nearby glaciers to visit, numerous shore excursions to take, fresh seafood and craft brews to taste, and wildlife to see.

The tiny town of Skagway popped up during the Klondike Gold Rush. It was the way through which hopeful miners attempted to reach rumored gold in Canada. Today passengers can follow a similar path, albeit much more comfortably, via the White Pass Railway. Rather stay in town? There are many historic sites to explore by streetcar or city tour.

Keep that camera and those warm layers handy, today's a day to spend on deck. The cruise spends all of it sailing slowly through Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. To make for an even more illuminating experience, a park ranger comes on board for the day to answer questions about the park's natural and human history.

Spend the day strolling Ketchikan's colorful boardwalk, on a guided rainforest walk, trip to a local raptor sanctuary, or aboard a coastal wildlife day cruise. Don't miss out on a seafood snack, Ketchikan is known for its scrumptious salmon.

The ship turns into the Gulf of Alaska and spends a full day at sea traveling south. Enjoy this final day relaxing on board.

The itinerary concludes in Vancouver. Farewell!