Alaska and British Columbia - Wilderness, Glaciers and Culture Small Ship Cruise

Enjoy British Columbia’s largest city Your adventure begins in the beautiful city of Vancouver at the foot of the Rockies, where you'll spend the night before your expedition cruise. Vancouver has a flavour all its own – and so does its global cuisine. Chinatown, Punjabi Market and Little Italy are all waiting to tempt your tastebuds. Visit Gastown, the city's oldest neighbourhood, and climb Vancouver Lookout for a citywide panorama overlooking neon-lit Granville Street, West End beaches and the towering cedars of Stanley Park. Why not come early and join our optional Pre-Programme taking you on a luxury train trip through the Canadian Rockies. What better way to begin your adventure.

Enjoy the incredible highlights of this fantastic city After a delicious breakfast at your hotel, you’ll get your adventure under way with a fun tour taking in the highlights of this fantastic and vibrant city. Even if you've seen some already, they're always worth seeing again. We’ll give you a taste of the sights and sounds that make Vancouver so unique and who knows? We may even inspire your next adventure. Our first excursion ends at the pier where we meet your beautiful hybrid-powered home for the next 12 days, MS Roald Amundsen. It’s time to begin your unforgettable expedition cruise.

Up close to nature as we explore islands and channels On our smaller expedition ships, you'll get an unrivalled intimate experience of the protected North American Pacific Fjordland. As we navigate the lesser-travelled channels, you’ll get close to the beautiful and fascinating scenery. Keep your binoculars close at hand. As always, there’s plenty to see and learn in the Science Center, with insightful lectures from your Expedition Team, and opportunities to swap memories of your adventures. This is also a great time to wind down, with a little pampering in the spa or sitting up on deck with your fellow explorers as the stunning scenery slips by.

Alaskan wilderness where wildlife thrives all around Part of the Tongass National Forest, Misty Fjords is a pristine wilderness of evergreens, waterfalls and snow-capped peaks. Influential mountaineer John Muir described it as one of the most beautiful places he’d ever seen. Weather permitting, you'll join the Expedition Team to tour Misty Fjords on small expedition boats or take kayaks out for an optional excursion. Look out for mountain goats, bears and moose. In the water, you'll find Pacific salmon, along with otters, sea lions, harbour seals, orcas and Dall porpoises. And look skywards for hummingbirds, herons and Bald Eagles.

Visit one of Alaska’s oldest harbour towns Our cruise of the Alaskan islands takes us to Wrangell. A mile out of town you’ll find the ancient rock carvings of Petroglyph Beach. Bring paper and take some stone rubbings as a unique souvenir. Learn more about Wrangell's fascinating past in the local museum. Now part of the US, it’s been governed by Britain, Russia and the Tlingit people. On Shakes Island, the Chief Shakes Tribal House and totem poles tell the Tlingit story. Your visit includes a trip on the waters in our small expedition boats. On land, hikers will enjoy the nature trails from Stikine River and Mount Dewey to the rainforest.

Icebergs and wildlife in idyllic twin fjords Holkham Bay has two arms – Tracy and Endicott – beautiful fjords that are out of reach for larger cruise ships. Your captain will decide which offers better exploration options on the day, but don't worry, both are equally special. At the end of each fjord, fresh icebergs calve from the glaciers against a stunning backdrop of forested cliffs. Endicott Arm is a breeding ground for harbour seals, often seen on the floating ice. You might also see whales, bears, mountain goats and moose. Get wildlife tips from our onboard photographer before we head out on expedition boats to get closer to these unique sights.

Humpback whales and the Devil's Thumb We continue to cruise north to Petersburg, perched at the edge of stunning Frederick Sound. Settled by a Norwegian in the 1800s – and fondly known as 'Little Norway' – its shallow, bustling harbour houses Alaska's largest home-based halibut fishing fleet. Our ships are small enough to enter, and our shared Norwegian heritage makes for a great talking point with the local community as we explore this charming town. Don't miss the views from the waterfront. You can watch icebergs float down the sound, look across to North America’s biggest rockface, the Devil’s Thumb, and in summer, the waters attract feeding humpback whales.

Artist community in the 'Valley of the Eagles' The frontier town of Haines was originally home to the Chilkat Tlingit people, renowned for their weaving skills. You’ll see amazing examples of their work, with mountain goat fur and cedar bark woven into intricate designs, at the Haines Sheldon Museum. Haines has a flourishing art scene, with galleries and workshops filled with Totem carvings, silverwork and sculptures. Investing in Alaskan art is a great way to support local artists. You can practice your photography skills on the incredible landscapes and wildlife. Known as ‘Valley of the Eagles’, Haines has a thriving Bald Eagle population. The valley ecosystem supports bears and moose too.

Ancient forests, wildlife and whales At William Henry Bay on the edge of the Chilkat mountain range local guides will lead you through the old-growth forest. They’ll keep you safe as you watch for brown and black bears, black-tailed deer and moose. You’ll see evidence of copper and gold mines here, although the US government’s mid-20th century rush for uranium proved unsuccessful. Recent surveys suggest there might still be gold to find, so keep those eyes open. In the evening, we pass Point Adolphus on Chichagof Island. Overlooking Glacier Bay National Park, it’s considered one of the best whale watching spots in North America.

Stunning scenery and a unique mix of cultures Surrounded by Tongass National Forest, Sitka is only accessible by sea and air. Get out on deck for stunning views of the Sisters Mountains and Mount Edgecumbe Volcano. Discover Sitka's fascinating history with our Expedition Team. Inhabited by the Tlingit for 10,000 years, it was occupied by Russia in 1804, before being sold to America after the Crimean War. Today, Sitka blends all three cultures. Visit the Russian Orthodox cathedral and Russian Bishop's House. Sitka National Historic Park is a real highlight, where you'll see ornate Haida and Tlingit totem poles. Or enjoy a walking trail through the forest to the ocean.

Wildlife watching in glacier-fed waters You'll experience an amazing expedition day in Icy Bay today. Three glaciers – Guyot, Yahtse and Tyndall – regularly calf into the bay. If conditions allow, the Expedition Team will take you ashore on the 34-mile-long, 8-mile-wide Guyot Glacier or you can explore in kayaks on an optional excursion. Wildlife abounds in the Gulf of Alaska, offering unrivalled photography opportunities. Humpback whales, orcas, Stellar sea lions, sea otters and harbour seals lazing on floating chunks of ice, can be seen in these waters. Our onboard photographer is ready with expert tips on how to get the best from your camera.

Cordova's successful environmental recovery Sitting in the Chugach National Forest and only accessible by boat or plane, remote Cordova has retained its tradition small-town authenticity, and its friendly residents will welcome you as you explore the salmon fishing town. You'll be in awe of its spectacular setting between Orca Inlet, Hawkins Island, Mount Eccles, Eyak Lake and the Copper River Delta. In 1989, Cordova was probably best known for the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Today, after major clean up efforts, its coastline has mostly recovered, and you'll be able to see wildlife like sea otters, eagles, tundra swans, beavers, moose and bears.

Elemental nature and whimsical names Your lecture today may well be related to glaciology. We visit College Fjord, which holds five tidewater glaciers, five valley glaciers and a dozen others. The 1899 Harriman Expedition team, which charted the fjord, named the glaciers after their alma maters, which include Vassar, Harvard and Yale. Princeton is missing, apparently a deliberate snub. We’ll get as close to the glaciers as we can, taking our small expedition boats on the fjord if possible, or in kayaks as an optional excursion. From the water, you might glimpse humpback whales, Bald Eagles, otters and sea lions who inhabit this icy wilderness.

Sitting on the Kenai Peninsula at the head of Resurrection Bay and beneath Mount Marathon, Seward boasts incredible natural scenery. It’s the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park, a vast mountainous area which contains one of the largest ice fields in Alaska. Founded in 1903, Seward is the only deepwater, ice-free port that also connects to Alaska’s interior via plane, train, and highway. It is named after William H. Seward, the Secretary of State who negotiated the USA’s purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867. When we arrive at the lively harbour here, you’ll bid farewell to the ship.

Itineraries are subject to change.