On your 11-day Alaska Cruise, you’ll start off in beautiful Seattle, where you can experience the infamous Pacific salmon and sip a cup of the delicious local coffee. Then board your cruise ship and embark on a journey through the amazing sights of Alaska, including Tracy Arm Fjord, Skagway, Juneau and the Inside Passage. End your journey with a stop in elegant Victoria, the capital of British Columbia before landing back in Seattle.
Please note: 2009 cruise line and itinerary vary. Please call for details.
Trip costs include:
- Round-trip air transportation with a major airline, airport transfers and escorts, where applicable
- The services of a Go Ahead Tour Director
- A professional city guide in Seattle
- 3 nights accommodations in comfortable, well-located hotels with private bath or shower
- 7 nights accommodations aboard the Rhapsody of the Seas in comfortable cabins with private shower
- All hotel service charges and tips, baggage handling and local taxes
- Buffet breakfast (B) daily
- 1 lunch on land (L)
- 1 three-course dinner on land, including wine or beer (D)
- All shipboard meals and shipboard porterage
- Private deluxe motorcoach
- Go Ahead travel gift and membership in our World Traveler Club, which includes credit toward your next tour
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 - Seattle
Your trip begins with a regularly scheduled flight aboard a major airline to Seattle, Washington. Upon arrival, you'll be met be a Go Ahead representative and assisted with the transfer to your hotel. This evening, meet your fellow travelers at an included dinner. (D)
Day 2 - Seattle
Take advantage of a full free day to explore Seattle, a city made famous by migrating Pacific salmon, tech moguls and its plentiful and prosperous coffee shops. You might choose to ride the monorail to Seattle Center, check out the beautiful and 1960s-flavored U District (home to the University of Washington), or browse the shops and cafes of Ballard or Capitol Hill, the heart of Seattle's creative life. (B)
Day 3 - Alaskan Cruise
This morning, a local expert guide taes you on a guided tour of Seattle. See Seattle Center, the city's vibrant cultural hub. Here you'll view the iconic Space Needle, which served as the centerpiece for the 1962 World's Fair, and the Frank Gehry-designed Experience Music Project. You'll also visit Pioneer Square, Seattle's first industrial logging center, where the name "Skid Row" was first coined. The name actually refers to marks the timber made as it slid down the square to the waterfront. Then tour Chinatown and Pike Place Market, most famous for its seafood-tossing fishmongers. Late this afternoon, check in at your cruise ship and embark on a journey showcasing Alaska's natural beauty. (B, D)
Day 4 - Alaskan Cruise
Comprising over one-fifth of the United States' land mass, the sheer vastness of Alaska is an amazing sight to behold. Your first exposure to this magnificent state, which sits a mere 55 miles east of Russia, takes you through the Inside Passage, a patchwork of of waterways with spectacular views stretching along the Southeastern Panhandle. Cruise amid a scenic blend of islets, coves, forrested terrain and glacial pools, keeping a close watch for soaring bald eagles and the telltale pectoral fins of humpback and bowhead whales. (B, L, D)
Day 5 - Alaskan Cruise
This morning, cruise the Inside Passage, en route to the Alaskan capital of Juneau, a town made famous during the Gold Rush of the late 1800s. With a free afternoon to spend however you wish, you can visit some of the historical attractions within the city, including the Alaska State Museum, the Last Chance Mining Museum and St. Nicholas Russian Church, which reflects the Orthodox influence brought to Alaska in the early 18th century. (B, L, D)
Day 6 - Alaskan Cruise
Your next port of call is the intimate town of Skagway, the Garden City of Alaska. In 1896, Skagway became a major player in the Alaska Gold Rush and experienced a huge population surge. Today, a walk down historic Broadway Street, replete with numerous saloons and general stores, shows a town returning to its humble beginnings. (B, L, D)
Day 7 - Alaskan Cruise
Cruise through Tracy Arm, a 20-mile fjord, which twists
and turns through a granite canyon lined with waterfalls, icebergs and
towering mountain peaks. From the deck of your ship, gaze up at the
stunning Sawyer Glacier, believed to be the bluest and most beautiful
of Alaska's glaciers. (B, L, D)
Day 8 - Alaskan Cruise
Spend the day on the open water, cruising through more breathtaking scenery. Watch in awe as untamed wilderness and pristine beauty unfold before your very eyes. Keep an eye out for Humpback, Grey, Minke, Fin and Killer Whales (Orcas). En route to Victoria, take a moment to relax aboard and revel in the serenity of Alaska. (B, L, D)
Day 9 - Alaskan Cruise
Cross into Canada today to enjoy a full day in the capital city of Victoria, home to Canada's mildest climate and its most lush gardens. Walk around the city's gorgeous and painstakingly restored historic Inner Harbour, enjoy a formal afternoon tea at the Empress Hotel or stroll through Victoria's renowned flowering gardens. Butchart Gardens, one of Victoria's most colorful and fragrant gardens, is known for its original seasonal plantings and displays. For an immediate sense of peace and well-being, stroll past its waterfalls and immerse yourself in the wonderful sounds of nature. Then head back to the ship for your final overnight sail to Seattle. (B, L, D)
Day 10 - Seattle
Your cruise ends this morning as you sail through Puget Sound and into Seattle's port. After you disembark, transfer by private motorcoach to your hotel. On the way, join your group for an included lunch before checking-in. The afternoon and evening are yours to explore Seattle as you wish, and reacclimate to life on land. You might enjoy the view from Queen Anne of board a ferry to beautiful Bainbridge Island. (B, L)
Day 11 - Seattle
A Go Ahead representative escorts you to the airport for your return flight home. (B)
Please note: 2009 cruise line and itinerary vary. Please call for details.
Protect your investment with affordable travel protection
Basic Trip Cancellation/Interruption Coverage
Protect yourself in the event you need to cancel your trip or leave your tour unexpectedly due to an emergency. Or choose one of the comprehensive packages below, and receive a discounted rate!
TravelSafe Plus — For one low price, you’ll receive:
- Trip cancellation & interruption protection
- Medical & accident protection
- Baggage & property protection
TravelSafe Gold with Flight Cancellation Protection
Take advantage of the best possible deal for your investment dollar. For $60 USD more, you’ll get all of the above plus additional coverage (up to $1,000 USD) if the flight to your tour is cancelled due to reasons beyond your control.
Purchase your travel protection package early and receive an added benefit!
Purchase one of the above TravelSafe packages within 14 days of reserving your tour, and you’ll automatically receive AnyTime Travel Protection at no additional charge. This means you can cancel for any reason up to 72 hours prior to the departure of your initial flight and still protect your investment. You will be provided with a credit voucher towards your next Go Ahead tour.
What’s unique about these protection plans?
- Most primary travel protection companies don’t cover international travel.
- Under the AnyTime Travel Protection Plan, you can cancel for any reason and your investment is protected in the form of a credit voucher.
- Efekta travel protection covers lost or stolen cash while on tour.
- Efekta travel protection covers the cost towards replacement of valuable documents—such as passports, airline tickets and visas while on tour.
- In the event that your roommate cancels for a reason covered under the policy, you will be reimbursed for the single supplement fee, should you still choose to travel.
- The following policies are also available to be purchased separately:
- Medical & Accident: $70 USD
- Baggage & Property: $60 USD
Extended Protection Plan
The Extended Protection Plan allows you to purchase extended coverage for any travel you do before or after meeting up with your Go Ahead Tours tour group (with flights arranged by Go Ahead Tours).
For more detailed descriptions of the benefits available under Efekta Insurance International LTD's Travel Protection Plans please call 1-800-597-0350 or download a PDF copy of the Efekta Travel Protection booklet here.