Denali Explorer & Glaciers

Day 1 - Fly UK to Anchorage

Arrive Anchorage and transfer (included) to Captain Cook Hotel.

Day 2 - Transfer Anchorage to McKinley Wilderness Lodge

Board a motorcoach for your journey along the dazzling George Parks Highway, an attraction in itself. You may catch your first views of incredible Denali along the way. Once you arrive at the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, the mountain is visible for nearly anywhere on the property. Take in those sensational views with a glass of wine in the Great Room or on the expansive deck. The 20,320 Alaskan Bar & Grill is the perfect place for a relaxed dinner to end your day. 

Day 3 - Transfer to Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge with Natural History Tour

This morning you depart on another scenic motorcoach ride to the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge at the doorstep of Denali National Park. You're treated to an afternoon Natural History Tour to learn more about the flora and fauna of the area before returning to the lodge. Tonight, opt for the lively "Music of Denali" dinner theatre, a great introduction to the region's culture and history.

Day 4 - Transfer Lodge to Rail Depot & embark Ship at Whittier

Enjoy the scenic rail journey through some of the best wilderness in the Great Land on our exclusive Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail service. Once in Whittier, you'll step from the train onto your ship for the beginning of your unforgettable cruise.

Day 5 - Hubbard Glacier Scenic Cruising

Nicknamed the "Galloping Glacier," this east Alaskan glacier is rapidly advancing toward the Gulf of Alaska into a pristine area known as Disenchantment Bay. In fact, its movement temporarily formed a natural dam that twice closed off nearby Russell Fjord from the bay, but the intense water pressure building within the fjord-turned-lake has thus far been enough to explode through the wall of ice. 

The largest tidewater glacier in North America, Hubbard Glacier measures 76 miles long and plunges 1,200 feet into the depths of the bay. Its immense beauty and phenomenal blue hues are enchanting, even from afar. But it's when your cruise ship draws closer that its towering surface really impresses, dwarfing even the uppermost deck on your ship at a whopping 40 stories high. There, with the snowcapped mountains serving as a glorious backdrop, you'll have a prime viewing spot from which to witness the glacier calving, as it often expels icebergs the size of 10-story buildings-imagine the splash!

The area around Hubbard Glacier is also renowned for its wildlife, where whales, harbor seals and otters swim, brown bears, moose and black-tailed deer roam ashore, and a wide variety of seabirds soar gracefully across the sky.

Day 6 - Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska Scenic Cruising

Princess is one of a select few cruise lines permitted to cruise the pristine waters of Glacier Bay, the highlight of our 7-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise. Just west of Juneau, this breathtaking national park and preserve boasts some of the world's most spectacular tidewater glaciers, such as Margerie Glacier, which often drops colossal chunks of ice into the sea. Not surprisingly, Glacier Bay National Park and its epic ice giants are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising Alaska's magnificent park system.

During your scenic cruise, friendly Park Rangers will join the ship to share their knowledge of this amazing place and host a fun Junior Ranger program for kids. They may even be able to help you identify Glacier Bay's abundant wildlife, including humpback whales, sea otters, porpoises, harbor seals, black bears, mountain goats, bald eagles and large colonies of seabirds.

Take in the awe-inspiring scenery as you enjoy an unforgettable day of sailing through this dazzling park, where you'll glide along emerald waters and past calving icebergs, and can breathe in the crisp, fresh air to your heart's content.

Day 7 - Skagway, Alaska

Skagway was the gateway to the gold fields for the thousands who flocked to Alaska and the Yukon with the hope of striking it rich. Skagway may have boasted the shortest route to the Klondike, but it wasn't the easiest.

Over 100 years ago, the White Pass route through the Coast Mountains and the shorter but steeper Chilkoot Trail were used by countless stampeders. Many a would-be miner perished on the treacherous Chilkoot Trail.

The gold rush was a boon and by 1898, Skagway was Alaska's largest town with a population of about 20,000. Hotels, saloons, dance halls and gambling houses prospered. But when the gold yield dwindled in 1900, so did the population as miners quickly shifted to new finds in Nome.

Today, Skagway has less than 1,000 residents. It still retains the flavor of the gold rush era.

Day 8 - Juneau, Alaska

In 1880, it was slow going for Joe Juneau and Richard Harris as they searched for gold with the help of Native guides. After climbing mountains, forging streams and facing countless difficulties, they found nuggets "as large as beans."

From their discovery came three of the largest gold mines in the world. By the end of World War II, more than $150 million in gold had been mined. Eventually the mines closed, but the town Joe Juneau founded became the capital of Alaska and the business of gold was replaced by the business of government.

Some 30,000 people live in Juneau. Its total area makes it one of the biggest towns, in size, in the world. Only Kiruna, Sweden, and Sitka, Alaska, exceed Juneau's 3,248 square miles.

Today Juneau is famous not only for gold and government but also for its breathtakingly beautiful glaciers and stunning views of both water and mountains.

Day 9 - Ketchikan, Alaska

Ketchikan is known as Alaska's "First City" because it's the first major community travelers come to as they journey north. Located on an island, Ketchikan began life as an Indian fishing camp. The name Ketchikan comes from a Tlingit phrase that means "eagle with spread-out wings," a reference to a waterfall near town.

In the early 1900s, when gold was Alaska's claim to fame, fishing and timber industries were established in Ketchikan. The growth of these industries helped make this Inside Passage port Alaska's fourth-largest city.

Visitors to Ketchikan will be intrigued by its rich Native heritage, which includes the world's oldest collection of totem poles at Totem Heritage Center. The Haida, Tlingit and Tsimshian are all a part of the city's colorful history. Ketchikan, with its abundance of salmon, is also a sportfishing paradise. Sightseers will be impressed with both the scenic town and its surroundings, especially Misty Fjords National Monument.

Day 10 - At Sea

Cruising at sea today, make use of the ships endless facilities onboard or even pop up on take and take in the stunning scenery.

Day 11 - Disembark Ship Vancouver

Disembark ship this morning in Vancouver, transfer (included) to your downtown hotel and spend the remainder of your day at your leisure in Vancouver.

Day 12 - Enjoy Vancouver

Spend today at your leisure in Vancouver. Perhaps even ask one of our Canada Experts about the option day trips on offer in Vancouver or even to the capital Victoria, on Vancouver Island or to Whistler.

Day 13 - Fly Vancouver to UK

Today you will be transferred (included) from your hotel to Vancouver Airport for your overnight flight to the UK