Heart of Alaska/Denali Explorer Cruisetour - Itinerary
Touching the Heart of Alaska is a peak experience with Princess! Fairbanks is a frontier city with a heart of gold. Try your own hand at panning for gold, or take a nostalgic sternwheeler riverboat cruise along the Chena River. Fairbanks has perfected the art of historic frontier hospitality, and you’ll be planning your return trip before you even depart! At Denali National Park, take a Natural History Tour and (weather permitting) catch a glimpse of dazzling Mt. McKinley from Primrose Ridge. Spend a night at the lovely Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. Board the McKinley Express for your journey among magnificent scenery to Whittier, where you embark on your seven-day cruise.
Enjoy breathtaking beauty as you sail past Hubbard Glacier. Take in the spectacular views of pristine Glacier Bay National Park and College Fjord, where you can see up to six gleaming glaciers at once, cascading down into the sea. Skagway, with its worn boardwalks, false-fronted buildings, and old-time saloons, is the gateway to Gold Rush Country and the heart of the Klondike National Park. At Juneau, Alaska’s state capital, visit the U.S. Forest Service Observatory for a close-up look at the mighty Mendenhall Glacier. Explore Ketchikan, known as the Salmon Capital of the World. Travel the 1,000-mile-long inland waterway of the Inside Passage, keeping watch for wildlife and native fishing villages along the way.
The sequence of touring and days may be altered to adjust to religious holidays, special closings of sites, air schedule changes, etc. Hotels listed subject to availability. Meal inclusions may vary by departure. Please note itinerary may operate in reverse.
Day 1 - Hometown/Fairbanks
Fly today from your hometown to Fairbanks, where you are met and transferred to your hotel for overnight.
Day 2 - Fairbanks/Denali
You'll be immersed in everything Alaskan as you glide along the Chena River during your nostalgic Sternwheeler Riverboat Cruise. This afternoon transfer by motorcoach to Denali for check-in at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge where you can soak up your surroundings wrapped in Princess comfort, with the remainder of the day at leisure.
Day 3 - Denali
Wake up feeling rested and fully alive. During your Natural History Tour you'll get a fascinating overview of Denali National Park's flora and fauna. And, weather permitting, you'll catch a glimpse of dazzling Mt. McKinley from Primrose Ridge. Enjoy another night at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge.
Day 4 - Denali/McKinley
Relax during a leisurely morning surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature. This afternoon transfer by motorcoach to the lovely Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, which features enormous floor-to-ceiling windows that look out on Mt. McKinley and the Alaska Range -- with one of the most inspirational views of The Mountain found anywhere.
Day 5 - McKinley/Whittier
Transfer to the train station this morning and board the McKinley Express for a journey among magnificent scenery to Whittier, where you embark on your seven-day cruise. (D)
Day 6 - Hubbard Glacier
Enjoy breathtaking beauty as you sail today. This afternoon view Hubbard Glacier, the longest tidewater glacier in Alaska, which routinely calves off icebergs the size of a ten-story building! (B,L,D)
Day 7 - Glacier Bay National Park
Today enjoy more spectacular glacial views as you cruise through pristine Glacier Bay National Park. Keep your camera handy! (B,L,D)
Day 8 - Skagway
Skagway, at the north end of the Lynn Canal, is the gateway to Gold Rush Country and the heart of Klondike Gold Rush National Park. It was a mighty lively place in the gold rush days and still is -- and it looks much the same, with worn boardwalks, false-fronted buildings, and old-time saloons. An optional activity that is a good way to catch the flavor is to drop in on the hilarious "Days of '98" show. Or, you may want to take a ride on the narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Route railroad. (B,L,D)
Day 9 - Juneau
Make a stop at Alaska's capital, the first city founded in Alaska after the American purchase in 1867. Explore on your own, or shop for native crafts and gold nuggets. Take an optional tour to the U.S. Forest Service Observatory and Visitor Center for a close-up look at the mighty Mendenhall Glacier. On the way back to town, visit the Chapel by the Lake, a little log church with a truly inspiring view of Auke Lake and Mendenhall Glacier. (B,L,D)
Day 10 - Ketchikan
Established in 1887 as an Indian fishing camp, Ketchikan is now an important mining, logging and fishing town, known as the Salmon Capital of the World. Be sure to go ashore: you may choose to inspect the excellent display of native Alaskan art and artifacts at the Tongass Historical Society Museum, or take an optional tour to Saxman Village to watch native carvers at work. (B,L,D)
Day 11 - Inside Passage
Relax in the luxurious surroundings of your Princess ship while cruising through the 1,000-mile-long inland waterway of the Inside Passage. Be sure to keep watch for wildlife and native fishing villages as you enjoy the views of this magnificent waterway. And there's plenty to do on a Princess ship; check the daily newsletter for scheduled activities. (B,L,D)
Day 12 - Vancouver
Arrive to Vancouver and disembark, then transfer to the airport for your return flight home. (B)
