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Coast Starlight with Alaska Cruise via Glacier Bay
Tour Description:
COMBINE TWO OF THE MOST EXCITING CITIES ON THE WEST COAST WITH AN ALASKA CRUISE TO CREATE A SPECTACULAR RAIL-CRUISE VACATION!
This 10-day rail-cruise adventure combines some of the most breathtaking scenery on the west coast by land and sea with a relaxed and well-paced itinerary to meet every lifestyle. The Coast Starlight links Los Angeles to Seattle, the Gateway to Alaska. Widely regarded as one of the most spectacular U.S. train routes, you will travel more than 100 miles of magnificent Pacific coastline as you journey north past the Cascade Mountains to Seattle where you will meet your Holland America cruise ship for your 7-day Alaskan cruise.
Highlights:
* Rail travel on Amtrak, including private sleeping accommodations
* Hotel accommodations for 1 night
* All Meals onboard the train and ship
* 7-day Holland America Line Alaska cruise
* Port of Calls:
-Juneau
-Hubbard Glacier
-Sitka
-Ketchikan
-Victoria, British Columbia
* Select transfers
Click for larger view.
Destination & Sightseeing
ITINERARY
ITINERARYDay 1 - Los Angeles En Route to Seattle
Your journey begins at Los Angeles' historic Union Station for a morning departure on Amtrak's Coast Starlight bound for Seattle. Settle into your accommodations as the train makes its way north. With miles of dazzling coastline stretching before you, take time to drink in the picture-perfect sights or explore the legendary train. Enjoy lunch and dinner in the Dining Car as the train hugs the Pacific coastline bound for its final destination. Overnight train. (L, D)
Day 2 - Coast Starlight to Seattle
Wake up this morning and enjoy breakfast in the Dining Car as you pass through Klamath Falls, Oregon. Spend the day relaxing in the Sightseer Lounge and marveling at the Cascade Mountains. The train will make a short stop in Portland, where you can stretch your legs and get some fresh, Pacific Northwest air. As you leave Portland, look out the left side of the train to catch a glimpse of Mt. Hood rising in the distance. Dinner is served as you pass through Washington's capital city of Olympia. Transfer on your own to your hotel. Overnight Seattle. (B, L, D)
Day 3 - Seattle and Alaska Cruise
With Mount Rainier and the Space Needle standing watch, take the morning to discover the Emerald City before boarding your Holland America cruise ship. Explore historic Pioneer Square, browse the stalls and shops at Pike Place Market, visit the Experience Music Project, and enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the city atop the Space Needle. This afternoon, transfer to Holland America Line's ms Oosterdam for the cruise portion of your fantastic rail-cruise combination tour. Your ship sets sail for Alaska at 4:00 pm, giving you enough time to settle into your cabin before heading on deck to wave good-bye to magnificent Seattle. With tomorrow at sea, you will have more than enough time to explore the ship and enjoy all of its amenities. Overnight ship. (D)
Day 4 - ms Oosterdam at Sea
Take today to enjoy some of the ship's special features. Enjoy a hot stone massage at the spa, take a complimentary digital workshop taught by a Microsoft "techspert," spend some time at the Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine Magazine, or lounge poolside. Dine and dance the night away but ensure a good night's sleep as your Alaska sightseeing begins tomorrow. Overnight ship (B, L, D)
Day 5 - Juneau, Alaska
Located at the foot of majestic mountain peaks on the Gastineau Channel, the city of Juneau is home to the massive Mendenhall Glacier and the immense Juneau Icefields at its back door. Explore the lush Tongass National Forest. At 17 million acres, it is the largest U.S. national forest and includes fjords, glaciers, and peaks of the Coast Mountains. Visit the rustic local shops, climb aboard the Mt. Roberts Tramway for a great spot to hike and shoot a souvenir photo, or get back to nature and kayak, dogsled, raft, hike, whale watch, flightsee, or fish. Because of the long daylight hours, there's no end to the adventure! Overnight ship. (B, L, D)
Day 6 - Hubbard Glacier
Hubbard Glacier is up to 213 feet wide at its face and 164 feet tall, but that’s only the tiniest piece of the ice: The main channel of this frozen river begins 76 miles back, pouring down from around the 11,100-foot mark off the shoulder of Mt. Walsh.
Hubbard is the longest tidewater glacier (meaning it ends at the ocean) in North America. But unlike nearly every other tidewater glacier on the continent, Hubbard is advancing, not retreating; it’s forever pushing a little further into the bay. Chunks of ice that break off become floaties for seals, who like the bergs because orca sonar doesn’t work well among them.
The deep blue of the face of the glacier on a sunny day—the color made by compression of ice crystals that can be a foot or more long—is the blue of the furthest stars. The glacier is on the move. Overnight ship. (B, L, D)
Day 7 - Sitka, Alaska
The onion domes of St. Michael's Cathedral are a clue to Sitka's past as a Russian settlement - the colonial headquarters of Count Baranof, no less. Discover the echoes of its bustling past at a performance by the New Archangel Dancers. Meet Tlingit natives and stand on the spot where the United States took possession of Alaska in 1867 for $7.2 million. Take a stroll through the Sitka National Historical Park, shop the downtown district, and visit the Sheldon Jackson Museum for a firsthand look at some of the city's most prized art, crafts, and Russian relics. Overnight ship. (B, L, D)
Day 8 - Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is recognized as the "Salmon Capital of the World" and is known for several popular attractions including Creek Street, the Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Bight State Park, and Saxman Village. But its most popular attraction is undoubtedly Misty Fjords National Monument, a protected area in the southeastern portion of Alaska that covers more than 2,294,000 acres of Tongass National Forest in Alaska's panhandle. 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. Try a flightseeing trip to the area for an up-close look at the breathtaking sight. The souvenir photos you'll take from the pontoons of the plane are worth the trip alone! Overnight ship. (B, L, D)
Day 9 - Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
A touch of England awaits you today as you dock in Victoria. The capital city of British Columbia, located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, pays homage to its British ancestry with double-decker buses and horse-drawn carriages, tearooms, and some of the finest formal gardens in North America. In fact, Victoria has earned a reputation as the "City of Gardens" due to its sunny, mild climate and gardens full of palms, eucalyptus, bananas and rare plants not indigenous to Canada. The must-see attraction in Victoria is the world-renowned Butchart Gardens, featuring 55 acres of brilliant colors and blooms year-round. Overnight ship. (B, L, D)
Day 10 - Welcome Back to Seattle, Washington
Your Alaska cruise adventure comes to a close this morning as you enter the port of Seattle. Consider extending your stay in the Emerald City in order to fully explore Seattle, or enjoy your included transfer to the airport for your return flight home for flights after 1:00 pm. (B)
