| Join World Explorer Cruise Line on their extensive
itinerary and discover the Great Land. Sail from Vancouver, a cosmopolitan and
ethnically diverse city where a harmonious blend exists between past and future, scenery
and sophistication and a plethora of cultures. Sailing up the beautiful coastline of
British Columbia will take us to our first port-of-call, Wrangell. Here we will find
the tranquil atmosphere of a small, working Alaskan community. This frontier village
has the distinction of being the only Alaskan town to have been under Russian, British and
American rule. Continuing north brings you to Juneau, the capital city of Alaska,
accessible only by sea or air. clinging to the base of two 3,500 foot emerald peaks,
Juneau's city lights glow in stunning contrast to nature's nearby 1,500 square mile Juneau
Ice Field. Thrill seekers can be transported to one of the glaciers by helicopter
and step out into remote wilderness and fresh alpine air. The next leg of your voyage takes us to Skagway. The town's name comes from
an Indian word meaning "Home of the north Wind,' but that didn't deter the hordes of
gold-seekers who boosted the town's population from two to 10,000 within a year's
time. "Gold in the Yukon" still rings through the streets lined with
wooden boardwalks, general stores and saloons. You may choose an optional excursion
from here to Haines to enjoy a beautiful float trip through the Chilkat Bald Eagle
Reserve, home to the world's largest concentration of Bald Eagles. Or take in a
performance by the Chilkat Indian Dancers at the Center for the Arts.
The next two days will be spent at sea, sailing through
magical grandeur that may reveal humpbacks, orcas, porpoise and puffins. As the
ship sails quietly through Glacier Bay's breathtaking display of nature, national park
Service naturalists will talk about Alaskan wildlife. The next morning will find us
at Hubbard Glacier. Few cruise ships sail into Yakutat Bay revealing this70-mile
long glacier, encompassing 46,000 acres of wilderness. northeast across the Gulf of
Alaska, lies Valdez, frequently called the "Switzerland of Alaska"
because of its snow-capped peaks and green meadows. Valdez is also noted for its
breathtaking Bridal Veil Falls, Worthington Glacier, and the terminus of the Trans-Alaska
Pipeline. The northernmost port of call, Seward, is a quiet seaport village, still a
reminder that William H. Seward's decision to purchase Alaska from the Russians was no
folly. Here you can walk right up and touch a glacier. or explore Resurrection
Bay, teeming with wildlife. If you wish to visit Anchorage, Alaska's most cosmopolitan
city, an optional excursion beckons. Anchorage is as far west as Hawaii and as far
north as Helsinki, Finland.
From Seward your voyage takes us back down the Inside
Passage to Sitka, once the capital of Czarist Russia in the New World and the site of the
historic transfer of Alaska to the United States. A mix of Russian relics and Indian
lore still lingers here. St. Michael's, the first Russian Orthodox church in
America, stands proudly in town while native craftsmen continue to carve totem poles at
Sitka National Historical Park. Our final Alaskan port is Ketchikan, known for its
superlatives including Salmon Capital of the World. Abounding in colorful totemic
art, this picturesque village is also home to more totem poles than anywhere else in the
world and with annual rainfall of 160 inches, it is known as the wettest town on the
continent. The name Ketchikan translates to "Thundering Wings of an Eagle."
British Columbia's Victoria, on the southern tip of
Vancouver Island, is often called "The City of Gardens," and is about as English
as Stratford-upon-Avon. A visit to beautifully tended Butchart Gardens or afternoon
tea at the Empress Hotel provide a pampering contrast to Alaska's unbridled wilderness
before you sail back under Lion's Gate Bridge to Vancouver. |
