Traveling Troubadour
    Cruises & Tours

                 
 

Traveling Troubadour proudly presents
Cruising the
Great Land of Alaska

 July 1-8, 2012! 

with optional land tour (only available in combination with cruise)
July 8-13, 2012

Watch in awe as we sail out of Vancouver onboard Holland America's ms Statendam, bound for
forested isles, icy-blue glaciers and charming frontier ports! Breathe the fresh air as we thread through the Inside Passage where fir forests slip by seemingly close enough to touch. Experience the wonder as whales, puffins and Glacier Bay National Park's active tidewater glaciers come into view. 
Travel back in time to a land where Ice Age giants dominate the landscape.
Where whales, moose, bear and eagles roam free.

This truly will be the trip of a lifetime!
 

By Sea:

Day

Port

Arrive

Depart

Sunday-July 1, 2012

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

-----

5:00 p.m.

Monday-July 2, 2012

Scenic cruising Inside Passage

Tuesday-July 3, 2012

Ketchikan, Alaska

 7:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday-July 4, 2012

Juneau, Alaska

 10:00 a.m. 10:30 p.m.

Thursday-July 5, 2012

Skagway, Alaska

 7:00 a.m. 9:00 p.m.

Friday-July 6, 2012

Scenic cruising
Glacier Bay National Park

   
Saturday-July 7, 2012

At Sea (Gulf of Alaska)

   
Sunday-July 8, 2012

Seward (Anchorage),  Alaska

 6:00 a.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We begin our cruise adventure in:  Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Vancouver has been rightfully acknowledged as one of the world's great cities. Beautifully situated between majestic mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Vancouver boasts world class museums, galleries, boutiques, colorful public markets, and restaurants of every ethnicity.  You might want to come in early and take a visit to vibrant Chinatown and Stanley Park, with its 1,000 acres of forests, gardens, lakes and lawns in the heart of the city.

Sunday you arrive at the cruise dock, board our luxury cruise ship and prepare for the journey of a lifetime!  As we cruise through the Inside Passage the shimmering waterways, towering mountains and ice-blue glaciers of America's last true wilderness will unfold before you.  The fabled Inside Passage is one of the most scenic sea-lanes in the world, and one of the few where deep-draft vessels can sail close to steep mountain walls. The scenery is unbelievable, with forests in a hundred shades of green, tumbling turquoise glaciers, and evocative towns loaded with history, culture and adventure. With most of Southeast Alaska accessible only by boat or plane, the Inside Passage is a lifeline to the outside world. All day long it hums with activity.  An on-board naturalist will be on hand to present intriguing commentary throughout your cruise. 
Cozy up in a teak lounge chair and watch Alaska's majestic scenery glide by.  Keep your eyes open, you never know when an eagle will soar overhead or a pod of orca whales will appear!

Ketchikan, Alaska
Known as "Alaska's First City," Ketchikan is Alaska's southern most port and the first major town pioneers and prospectors came to heading north. Built out over the water and climbing weathered stairways, Ketchikan clings to the shores of Tongass Narrows and drapes the mountains with a cheerful air. Besides the main attractions - Creek Street, the Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Bight State Park and Saxman Village, try a flightseeing trip to breathtaking Misty Fjords National Monument--a transformational adventure not to be missed. These deep water fjords left by retreating glaciers left granite cliffs towering thousands of feet above the sea and countless waterfalls cascading into placid waters.  An exhilarating water landing in Misty Fjords gives you the opportunity to experience the silence, serenity, and monumental beauty that surrounds you.  We took these pictures on a previous trip to give you an idea.  The one on the right was taken from the pontoons of our plane when it landed on a mountain lake in the Misty Fjords.  The one on the left is Creek Street.

Juneau, Alaska
Located at the foot of grand mountain peaks on the Gastineau Channel, the town of Juneau, Alaska's capital city, has the massive Mendenhall Glacier and the immense Juneau Icefields at its back door. Juneau is the place to let your imagination run wild. Explore the lush Tongass National Forest. Visit the rustic shops in town. Or get out and kayak, dogsled, raft, hike, whale watch, flightsee or fish. There’s no end to the adventure because of the long daylight hours. Climb aboard the Mt. Roberts Tramway for a great spot to hike and shoot a souvenir photo.

Skagway, Alaska
The sidewalks are all but rolled up in Skagway come winter, so you can only imagine the frightful conditions endured by the gold prospectors who passed through en route to the Yukon, with a mandatory ton of supplies to be hauled with them over the steep and treacherous Trail of '98. Today, summertime visits to Skagway require nothing of the sort, but you can still ride the antique White Pass & Yukon narrow-gauge railway up through silvery-purple rock faces, past Deadhorse Gulch, to see what it was like back then.

Take your time and poke into every little store from the Trail Bench to Lynch & Kennedy's Dry Goods. The Red Onion Saloon, with its honky-tonk piano and costumed barmaids, is a treasure trove of memorabilia featuring pictures of Klondike Kate, Peahull Annie and other vintage characters. To complete the picture of those rip-roaring days, visit the nostalgic Trail of '98 Museum. The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park boasts restored buildings and wooden boardwalks that invite you to take a stroll into the past.

Glacier Bay National Park
As Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Glacier Bay National Park protects a unique ecosystem of plants and animals living in concert with an ever-changing glacial landscape. How does it feel when a monumental chunk of ice splits off a glacier and crashes into the sea? The sound is like thunder. The impact shoots water hundreds of feet into the air. You hold your breath as you catch the moment on film. Then you wait for it all to happen again. And it does. Glacier Bay has more actively calving tidewater glaciers than anyplace else in the world!

Gulf of Alaska Cruising
As we make our way to Seward, the port for Anchorage, we will enjoy a day of cruising in the Gulf of Alaska.  Watch for wildlife, wonder and the kind of beauty that makes your heart stand still.  In this part of the world whales breach, eagles soar, and pristine beauty can move you to tears.  Sit back, relax and breathe in the fresh air. Enjoy your beautiful floating palace and this natural wonderland for one more day!

Seward, Alaska
The cruise portion of our adventure ends in Seward (Anchorage) Alaska.  Anchorage, beautifully situated on Cook Inlet and surrounded by the Chugach Mountains, is a hub of activity with everything from fine restaurants and frontier saloons to museums and art galleries.  It is from here that those of you who have chosen to continue on the land tour will prepare to immerse yourself in the wonder, magic and mystery of the Great Land of Alaska.  If you are not able to continue on the land tour, consider extending your stay in this cosmopolitan city of Anchorage and take advantage of the many optional tours that spotlight Alaska's history, culture and outdoors lifestyle. You may want to visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center, where village elders and apprentice youth - known as Native Tradition Bearers - demonstrate the time-honored customs and crafts of the various Native groups.

                By Land:
(only available in combination with cruise)

Sunday, July 8, 2012 - Seward/Anchorage
Upon our arrival, you will enjoy a morning in Seward and lunch aboard our ship.  Then say "hello" to your Tour Director and set off along the "All-American Road," traveling past scenic Turnagain Arm and lovely Cook Inlet.  Check into your downtown hotel and overnight in Anchorage, soaking up the flavor of Alaska's most cosmopolitan city.
 
 

Monday, July 9, 2012 - Anchorage/Denali
In the morning, board the spacious domed railcars of the McKinley Explorer
® Rail and sit back and enjoy the ride to Denali!  You will have an unforgettable two-night stay in the Denali area, exploring Alaska's most renowned and unspoiled wilderness. With the long daylight hours, there's plenty of time for exploration! Spend your first night relaxing, and enjoying your surroundings at our gracious Denali gateway lodge.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012 - Denali National Park
The next morning you will take the full Tundra Wilderness Tour into Denali Park. Get to know Alaska as few ever do. Denali National Park and Preserve is a park of international significance. It features North America's highest mountain, 20,320-foot tall Mount McKinley. The Alaska Range also includes countless other spectacular mountains and many large glaciers. The park was established as Mount McKinley National Park on Feb. 26, 1917. The original park was designated a wilderness area and incorporated into Denali National Park and Preserve in 1980. It is the largest continually protected natural ecosystem in the world. Watch for moose, sheep, caribou and bear and marvel at massive icefields.

Every turn on the Park Road brings a new wonder as you journey miles into this astounding wilderness preserve with your knowledgeable driver/guide. Watch for ptarmigan, Alaska's state bird, in the open valleys. See golden eagles patrolling the higher elevations and ridge tops. And listen to ravens, magpies and gray jays chattering in the brush. With any luck, you'll see grizzlies crossing braided streams, Dall sheep traversing rugged cliffs and moose foraging in upland meadows. And this unfolding adventure leads to the lofty, isolated grandeur of Mt. McKinley itself - a wonder to behold.  Later hike, river raft, flightsee or just relax at your cozy lodge.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - Denali/Fairbanks
After a morning and early afternoon at leisure, board our luxury domed railcars again for the scenic journey to Fairbanks. Upon arrival in Alaska's "Golden Heart" city, you will be transferred to your hotel for an evening on your own for frontier fun or optional excursions.

Thursday, July 12, 2012 - Fairbanks
When all stakes had been claimed and the rush for gold had faded in the Klondike, the sourdoughs headed west toward Fairbanks in the hopes of making their fortunes there. Trouble was, the gold in Fairbanks lay buried deep under a layer of "muck" that had to be dug out. Thus the gold dredge was conceived, a sort of floating gold pan that combined the four parts of the mining process - digging, sorting, gold-saving and disposal of tailings.

One of these giant diggers was Gold Dredge No. 8, a massive four-story-tall machine that was in operations right up until 1959. The dredge represents such a valuable landmark to the historical archives of Alaska that it has been placed on the register of National Historic Sites. Today it is one of the few gold dredges still open to the public. Holland America Line purchased and restored the dredge in 1996. Now owned and operated by the Binkley family of Fairbanks, a visit to Gold Dredge No. 8 also includes the unique and memorable El Dorado Gold Mine experience where guests are able to take a step back in time aboard a narrow gauge railroad, explore a permafrost tunnel, and even try their hand at gold panning – all accompanied by a hearty lunch. After lunch, you will complete your adventure with a visit to a replicated native village and see a bush pilot demonstration while cruising aboard the sternwheeler Discovery.  Say a fond farewell to your Tour Concierge and enjoy your last night in this magical land as you prepare to leave the next morning with many fond memories of a most incredible vacation!

Friday, July 13, 2012 - Tour Ends
Today you will transfer from your hotel to the Fairbanks airport to board your flight home.

** Please note that meals are NOT included on the land tour, except the one lunch as noted.**
 

Please call for current availability and pricing!

 

***Note:  All U. S. and Canadian citizens must carry a passport that is valid for six months beyond the duration of the cruise.***

Call (800) 584-6724 or (540) 887-8491


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©2011 Traveling Troubadour, L. L. C.