Canada & Alaska Masterpiece

Day 1 | Vancouver

Welcome to Vancouver! Your Tour Director is on hand from 3-6:00 p.m. to answer any questions.

Day 2 | Vancouver

This morning, an included city tour highlights Stanley Park, the harbour, beaches, and more. The remainder of the day is at leisure. You could take a water-taxi to lively Granville Island with its outdoor markets, street musicians, and waterfront cafés, or visit historic Gastown with its steam-powered clock, antique shops, and art galleries.

Day 3 | Vancouver – Rocky Mountaineer – Kamloops

Board the Rocky Mountaineer for a 2-day, all-daylight adventure through some of Canada’s most spectacular scenery. Travel along the Fraser and Thompson River canyons, before arriving in the city of Kamloops.

Meals: breakfast & lunch

Day 4 | Kamloops – Rocky Mountaineer – Banff National Park

Reboard the train and continue your adventure as you travel along Shuswap Lake, through the Columbia Mountains, and into the Canadian Rockies. Wind your way through the Spiral Tunnels while climbing Kicking Horse Pass to cross the Continental Divide into the province of Alberta. Enter Banff National Park for a two-night stay.

Meals: breakfast & lunch

Day 5 | Banff National Park

After an orientation tour, today is at leisure. Hike the many wilderness trails in the area, stroll through Banff townsite, or simply relax at the hot springs. Banff National Park is the perfect place for photographers and wildlife watching, and as a visitor you may be lucky enough to encounter some of these amazing creatures, like elk, deer, or big-horn sheep, in their natural habitat. 

Day 6 | Banff National Park – Lake Louise – Columbia Icefield – Jasper National Park

Enjoy a day of scenic grandeur. First visit famous Lake Louise, where green-blue waters create a perfect reflection of the surrounding mountains. Then travel the stunning Icefields Parkway where you’ll stop to ride the Ice Explorer all-terrain vehicle over ice that’s 750 feet thick! This afternoon, take the opportunity to glide down the Athabasca River on an optional scenic float trip. Enjoy an orientation tour of the town of Jasper upon arrival.

Day 7 | Jasper National Park – Mount Robson – Sun Peaks

Start your day with a magical optional cruise on Maligne Lake to the much-photographed, Spirit Island*. Then travel to the base of 12,972-foot Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Continue through British Columbia’s Fur Trade and Cariboo regions for glimpses of the soaring granite mountains. Watch for wildlife as you continue to the internationally renowned Sun Peaks ski resort for an overnight stay.

Day 8 | Sun Peaks – Lillooet – Whistler

Head south, following the once-treacherous Cariboo Wagon Trail. From Lillooet, “Mile 0 of the Gold Rush Route,” you’ll follow the rushing waters of Cayoosh Creek enroute to the resort town of Whistler, with an afternoon arrival and orientation.

Day 9 | Whistler

Today is at leisure to explore this lively mountain resort town on your own. Choose to soar to new heights on an optional Peak 2 Peak Gondola ride which spans the distance between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains and is the world’s longest unsupported span for a lift of this kind. Or if you’d prefer staying closer to the ground, perhaps take an optional excursion to the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, a First Nations Museum and Art Gallery, for an authentic Indigenous experience.

Day 10 | Whistler – Ferry Crossing – Victoria

Set sail across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island. In Victoria, sightseeing includes a visit to gorgeous Butchart Gardens and their 55 acres of floral displays, and seeing the Empress Hotel, Legislative Buildings, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park. In your free time this evening, perhaps take a stroll along the scenic harbour front.

Day 11 | Victoria

A day at leisure gives you the chance to have high tea at the Empress Hotel, go shopping on Government Street, or have lunch in one of the many pubs. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for additional sightseeing. Or take home a whale of a tale by embarking on an optional Marine Wildlife and Whale Watching Expedition where you’ll cruise the beautiful waters of the San Juan and Gulf Islands, looking for whales, porpoises, seals, and eagles.

Day 12 | Victoria – Ferry Crossing – Vancouver

A scenic ferry crossing to the mainland, where the tour ends. Make your way to your hotel, the rest of the day is at leisure.

Days 13 - 14 | Vancouver

Enjoy the day at leisure, perhaps head out and start exploring the vibrant, culturally diverse city nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Coastal Mountains. Take a walk to the harbour front or check out the city’s thriving culinary scene that offers a wide array of delicious cuisines.

Day 15 | Vancouver

After breakfast, make your way to the cruise terminal ready to embark on Crown Princess.

Departs 4.00pm

Day 16 | At Sea

Spend a relaxing onboard. Enjoy the ship’s elegant dining, enrichment talks, spa experiences, or simply unwind on deck as you sail through one of the world’s most scenic waterways.

Day 17 | Ketchikan

Ketchikan is known as Alaska's "First City" because it's the first major community travellers 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 Centre. The Haida, Tlingit and Tsimshian are all a part of the city's colourful history. Ketchikan, with its abundance of salmon, is also a sport-fishing paradise. Sightseers will be impressed with both the scenic town and its surroundings, especially Misty Fjords National Monument.

Arrive 6.00am | Depart 2.00pm

Day 18 | Juneau

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.

Arrive 8.00am | Depart 9.15pm

Day 19 | Skagway

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 flavour of the gold rush era.

Arrive 6.00am | Depart 8.30pm

Day 20 | Glacier Bay National Park (Scenic Cruising)

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.

Arrive 6.15am | Depart 3.15pm

Day 21 | College Fjord (Scenic Cruising)

Discovered in the northwest corner of Prince William Sound during an 1899 research expedition, spectacular College Fjord and its glaciers were named after prestigious east coast schools by the college professors who first laid eyes upon their majesty. Stretching for miles, these massive rivers of ice tumble down from mountains and through valleys, dipping into the pristine waters of the fjord. There you'll have a chance to watch the awe-inspiring process of glaciers calving, or dropping enormous pillars of ice into the sea, as they crack and land with a thunderous splash – a once-in-a-lifetime experience not to be missed. College Fjord not only boasts the world's largest collection of tidewater glaciers, but it features magnificent snowcapped mountains as far as the eyes can see. Plus, during the summer, it's not unheard of to catch a glimpse of one of the area's 40-ton humpback whales feeding in the waters of the fjord. It's a magical wonderland of epic proportions, so breathtaking you won't want to blink.

Arrive 6.00pm | Depart 8.30pm

Day 22 | Anchorage (Whittier) - Mt. Mckinley Princess Wilderness Lodge®

Disembark the ship after breakfast. Board a comfortable motorcoach for a scenic ride that takes you straight from the ship to the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. Sit and gaze at the majesty of "The Great One" from the lodge's treehouse designed and built by Pete Nelson of Animal Planet's Treehouse Masters. Hear stories about climbing North America’s tallest mountain in the Hudson Theatre or roast a marshmallow at the fireside patio.

Day 23 | Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge

Sightsee by motorcoach to Talkeetna then enjoy Princess Rail service to the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge, located a short shuttle ride away from spectacular Denali National Park. Get settled and perhaps do an optional excursion. Or you may enjoy the spectacular main lodge, river view deck, and Princess Village with the popular Christmas cottage and sugar shack. Be sure to check out Fannie Q's Saloon, named after a famed local homesteader.

Day 24 | Fairbanks

Check in with the Guest Service Desk for help in planning your own Denali adventure. Later this afternoon, motorcoach to Fairbanks, Alaska's "Golden Heart City". The evening is yours to get to know this unique city.

Day 25 | Fairbanks

Your trip ends this morning in Fairbanks, make your way for your onward journey.

*Itinerary is subject to change.