Exploration of the Pacific Cities of Canada & Alaska with Seabourn

Day 1 Fly to Victoria

Your first day of your exploration of the Pacific Cities has you flying via Vancouver to the beautiful Victoria, the provincial capital of British Columbia. This small city offers an array of activities both land and sea based. Meet your driver at Victoria Airport for your transfer to Victoria’s downtown. Take a saunter around Victoria’s Inner Harbour taking in the beautiful architecture of the renowned Fairmont Empress and British Columbia’s Parliament Buildings. Relax and enjoy the beauty of the harbour and enjoy watching floatplanes landing and taking off from the bustling harbour. Overnight Victoria

Day 2 – 3 Victoria

Sitting on the craggy southern end of Vancouver Island, Victoria is known for outdoor activities. Butchart gardens offers 55acres of vivid floral displays as well as water features and is only a 20-minute drive from the city downtown. Afternoon tea can be had at the Butchart Garden’s dining Room, where you can take in the views of the Italian Garden and Saanich Inlet whilst dining on award winning fare. Marine wildlife is plentiful in the waters surrounding Victoria, including orca, humpback whales, minke whales and grey whales. There are three resident orca pods totalling over 80 whales in Victoria’s waters alone. Take a whale watching tour by covered boat or zodiac with one of the many local certified naturalists for a more in-depth discovery of these majestic mammals. 2 nights Victoria.

Day 4 Floatplane to Vancouver

Make your way to Victoria’s Inner Harbour for your floatplane flight from Terminal 1 for your 40minute flight to the mainland. This is by far the best and most unique way to travel between Victoria and Vancouver, as you fly over the Strait of Georgia and view the coastal mountains looming in the distance as you get closer to Vancouver’s Canada Place terminal. It’s time to explore the western coastal city of Vancouver in all her natural beauty. Spend the afternoon exploring Vancouver's many vibrant neighbourhoods, from Vancouver's oldest neighbourhood, Gastown, to one of Vancouver's chicest neighbourhoods, Yaletown filled with residential loft spaces, sidewalk cafes, cool restaurants, and leafy parks. A must do recommendation is to explore just outside the city at Grouse Mountain or Capilano Suspension Park. Overnight Vancouver

Day 5 – 7 Vancouver

Three days to explore this city may seem at first too much but Vancouver has plenty to offer the discerning tourist. Hire a bike and explore Stanley Park along the seawall or venture within the park itself. One of the city’s main tourist destinations and featuring miles of well-maintained paved and dirt trails, Canada’s largest aquarium and an array of other activities, this 400-hectare park is recognised as one of the greatest urban parks in the world. The city also boasts plenty of flightseeing tours offering; a 30-minute circle tour of the skyline and the surrounding mountainous coastal islands, options for day trips that include landing on mountain lakes for a picnic, action packed excursions to Whistler, Bowen Island and more. 3 nights Vancouver.

Day 8 Embarkation and Transit the Seymour Narrows

After embarkation at Vancouver Cruise terminal you will depart at 5pm and make way up the Seymour Narrows. These 3 miles stretch of Discovery Channel north of Vancouver Island is notorious for the strength of tidal currents. This part of the cruise requires skill and technical accomplishment as the Venturi effect created from the tides increasing the velocity.

Day 9 Cruising the Queen Charlotte Sound

The Queen Charlotte Sound lies between the Queen Charlotte Strait, which winds between Vancouver Island and the British Columbia mainland in the south, and Hecate Strait, which is northward, adjacent to the Haida Gwaii Islands of the pacific coast. This long shipping route is also called the Inside Passage, stretching from the shores of Washington to Alaska.

Day 10 Ketchikan

Ketchikan is a picturesque coastal town with a colourful frontier history, standing at the southern entrance to Alaska's famed Inside Passage. Once dubbed the 'Canned Salmon Capital of the World,’ the renowned Creek Street, perched on stilts along the mouth of the creek, would bring lasting infamy to the area for the red-light district that burgeoned there during the Gold Rush. A visit to Ketchikan is not complete without visiting one or all of Native American sites such as Totem Bight State Park, Potlatch Park, Saxman Native Village and the Totem Heritage Centre. Together, these locations comprise the world's largest collection of standing Native American totem poles.

Day 11 Sitka

A stroll through the streets and National Historic Park of Sitka is a glimpse into its unique and colourful past. A blend of Tlingit and Russian cultures defines this first capital of Alaska. Although fish canning and gold mining were the initial catalysts for growth in Sitka, the construction of an air base during World War II truly paved the way for Sitka to come into its own. One of Sitka's most intriguing structures is the Cathedral of Saint Michael, built in 1848 to honour a Russian Orthodox bishop.

Day 12 Hubbard Glacier Cruising Only

The Hubbard Glacier is breath-taking and if you listen carefully, you can hear it calving! Soak up the surroundings of jagged icy peaks and the turquoise waters.

Day 13 Inian Islands Alaska US

As the gatekeepers to the northern entrance of the fabled Inside Passage, the remote Inian Islands stand between Cross Sound and Icy Strait, exposed to the high energy seas of the Pacific Ocean. Tidal currents surging through the narrow channels separating the islands can be severe. Nicknames like ‘The Laundry Chute’ justify their notorious reputations.

Day 14 Haines Alakska US

Haines can be found along the shores of the longest Fjord in North America. Surrounded by breath-taking scenery, Haines, is an authentic Alaskan experience. Haines is also home to the largest concentration of bald eagles on earth, and grizzly bears come to this shoreline for the spawning salmon in its rivers.

Day 15 Juneau, Alaska, US

Welcome to Juneau. Alaska’s capital is accessible only by air and sea, due to the rugged mountain terrain that surrounds the city. It has been a world-class travel destination since the early 1900’s. You will disembark the cruise ship this morning and have the rest of the day to explore. The city has plenty to offer the outdoor adventurer. You may choose to explore on foot along the Perseverance Trail or around Mendenhall Glacier, or board one of the many local whale-watching boats or view the mountains and extensive glaciers of the Juneau Icefield from a helicopter. Overnight Juneau

Day 16-17 Fly from Juneau to Anchorage

Today you will board a flight to Anchorage to continue your Alaskan adventure. With the wonders of the Chugach and waters of Cook Inlet, Anchorage has a lot to offer. With 1,500 moose, incredible national parks nearby and 60 glaciers a short drive away this is a dream destination. There is plenty to do with your time in Anchorage, a flightseeing trip to Denali is a popular excursion or dog sledding on a glacier offers a truly Alaskan experience. 2 nights Anchorage

Day 18 Fly Home

Today marks the end of your exploration of Alaska and Canada’s Pacific Cities. Enjoy some time at your leisure prior to boarding your flight back to the UK.

ESTA online application for entry to the USA

Important: All cruise passengers must complete the online Visa Waiver form by visiting https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov which is needed for entry into the US at a cost of $21 per person.

You must complete an ESTA application at least 72 hours before flying. Any traveller who fails to complete an ESTA application at least 3 days before departure will almost certainly be refused entry into the country under new US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations. If you are even considering visiting the States, it's worth filling out an ESTA application now as they are valid for two years. Important: If you are refused entry because you do not hold the correct travel documents or have had your application for ESTA rejected - you will NOT be entitled to any form of refund or covered by your travel insurance policy.

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