Alaska’s Glacier Country Cruise

Upon arrival you will be transferred from the airport or hospitality area to board the ship (please arrange an arrival no later than 2:30pm today). Toast to the riches of Alaska as you sail west toward Icy Strait.

Kick start your morning with on-deck yoga stretches and a strong cup of coffee. Explore the remote bays off of Icy Strait by kayak or hop in a skiff to a rock outcropping and watch sea lions play. Or, step into mud boots for a forest hike with your experienced naturalist guides. Back on board, reflect on the day's adventures as you soak in the hot tub.

Spend the day exploring and searching for humpback whales, porpoise, sea lions and other wildlife in the rich waters of Icy Strait/Cross Sound. Tour by kayak and inflatable skiff and then soak in the on board hot tub this evening.

During your cruise through Glacier Bay, a National Park ranger comes aboard to share expert insight. Have your binoculars handy - South Marble Island is a birder's slice of heaven. Puffins scoot through the water, guillemots and gulls chatter, and sea lions snooze through it all. Cruise to the far end of John Hopkins Inlet or Tarr Inlet where glaciers calve into the water. Look for bears and mountain goats along the shoreline. Back at Bartlett Cove, take a hike in the forest if time allows and say farewell to your ranger.

Stretching 150 miles into the Tongass National Forest, Chatham Strait offers adventure aplenty. Anchor in a remote Chichagof Island inlet and hike up through moss-covered trees and rain-fed waterfalls. Or, keep to the water and explore the area by kayak, paddle board or skiff. Tonight, take a nightcap to the sun deck and watch the sky.

The jagged coastline of Kuiu Island is dotted with salmon streams, attracting a dense population of black bears. From a kayak or skiff, scope the intertidal zones of Saginaw Bay for bears and eagles as they feed on salmon. Kayak along the Keku Islands, or slow down with with an easy stroll amidst the tide pools. It's remote, and remarkable.

Humpback whales come to Frederick Sound every season to feed on krill, zooplankton and herring. Watch for whales feasting in these abundant glacial waters. Based on wind and weather conditions, your expedition team has a lineup of adventures all mapped out. Cruise past Five Fingers Lighthouse, Alaska's oldest light station and the Brothers Islands, where sea lions nap on rocky nobs. Paddle into the deeps of Port Houghton or Windham Bay, or head ashore for a hike. Tonight, toast to another spectacular day in Alaska.

Skiffing up Endicott Arm, keep your eyes out for harbor seals lazing around on icebergs. If the tides are right, slip into Fords Terror and marvel at the steep walls of this narrow opening streaked with waterfalls. Back in Endicott Arm, admire the deep glacier carved valleys before arriving at Dawes Glacier where blue ice marches dramatically down from the Coast Mountains. Tonight, celebrate a week of adventure with a festive Farewell Dinner.

After breakfast, disembark in Juneau at about 9:00am. A transfer to the airport or your hotel is provided. (Please arrange a departure no earlier than 11:30am today)