Alaska Cruises: Excursions

Relax during your short drive to the world-famous Dunn’s River Falls where you’ll climb 600 feet of cool refreshing water as it cascades over natural limestone terraces. Guides are provided to assist you when ascending the rushing waters as they plunge directly into the pristine Caribbean Sea. After this invigorating experience, you’re transported to Dolphin Cove where you are met by friendly hostesses and given a complimentary fruit drink. This unique cove surrounded by lush tropical jungle, is home to our beautiful family of bottlenose dolphins, exotic birds, snakes and iguanas. There you’ll participate in a brief orientation and then enter the world of nature’s most fascinating creatures - the dolphins. Get to know the animals as you interact with them in deep water. Experience the thrill of 'riding' the dolphin belly to belly. Dance, sing, play and even enjoy a kiss or two. After enjoying this unique experience, spend the rest of the day at Dolphin Cove and all that it has to offer. At the conclusion of your tour you’ll have the option of being dropped-off at a local shopping plaza for shopping time at your leisure and then make your own way back to your ship. Note: Participants must be at least 8 years of age. Participants must weigh no more than 250 lbs. Shuttle buses are available at 10-minute intervals to return you to your ship. This tour is not recommended for guests with heart, neck/ back problems, mobility/balance problems or pregnant women. The Dunn’s River Falls are the highlight of Jamaica and tend to be very congested. All guests participating in a tour that visits the falls should wear foot protection that can get wet. River socks are available for rent at the falls. The rocks at the falls are slippery. Climbing the falls is optional and at your own risk. Participants who do not wish to climb the falls may enjoy the small beach at the base. The walk to the beach is on a slope with many stairs, therefore participants should be in reasonably good health. less

No trip to Alaska is complete without a ride on the White Pass & Yukon route narrow-gauge railroad. Take the unforgettable journey aboard the "Scenic Railway of the World" and travel from tidewater to the summit of the White Pass, a 2,865 foot elevation. Ride 40 miles round-trip in vintage rail cars as you retrace the original route to the White Pass summit, passing Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point, and Dead Horse Gulch. This fully narrated tour features panoramas of mountains, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles and historic sites. See the original Klondike Trail of '98 worn into the rocks, a permanent tribute to the thousands that took this route during their quest for gold. This narrow-gauge railroad is a designated International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, shared with the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.

This tour provides an outstanding overview of the state's capital city and its scenic attractions, including one of the world's only drive-to glaciers, the Mendenhall. Your guided tour takes you through Juneau's picturesque downtown. Visit the Mendenhall Glacier, a moving river of ice with rugged crevasses and a distinctive blue color. Stroll the walkways to the Visitor Center and take in one of the glaciology exhibits, an interpretive talk with a Forest Service Ranger, or simply enjoy the panoramic view of the glacier. Afterward, you'llo visit Juneau's Macaulay Salmon Hatchery and Visitor Center. Note: This tour operates under a special use permit issued by the U.S. Forest Service. Dress in layers, as temperatures at Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Area tend to fluctuate. less

Head out with a prospector/guide in authentic 19th century dress for a historical tour of Juneau including the state capitol. Then, turn up the road to Gold Creek and “Last Chance Basin”, where Joe Juneau and Richard Harris struck gold in 1880. In a secluded setting alongside Gold Creek your prospector shows you how gold panning is done. Then, it’s your turn, as you learn how to expertly work the pan with helpful tips and advice. You’re guaranteed to find gold! And, all that glitters is yours to keep. Around you are remnants of the original buildings of the Alaska-Juneau Mining Company. You’ll learn about the mining techniques that were used and more about the quest for gold that is so much a part of Alaska’s history. Take home a souvenir Gold Claim Certificate, all the gold you find, and an appreciation of what it was like to seek your fortune in the wilds of Alaska more than a century ago. The Gold Creek Salmon Bake is an all-you-can-eat adventure in a unique outdoor setting that’s been grilled to perfection for more than 30 years. Savor the aroma of wild salmon, grilling slowly over fires of fragrant alder wood while enjoying entertainment provided by local musicians. The sumptuous spread has something for everyone. Choose from salmon, chicken, baked beans, wild rice pilaf, potatoes and other sides, salads, beverages and desert. After dinner, roast marshmallows over a campfire. Stroll through forest to Salmon Creek waterfall. Visit the trading post to purchase a souvenir. less

Experience an unforgettable journey along the eastern side of White Pass aboard the world famous narrow gauge White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, built more than 100 years ago through some of the North's most rugged terrain. Board a comfortable, vintage rail car and retrace the original route beyond the summit of White Pass at 2,865 feet through breathtaking scenery. Upon reaching Fraser, British Columbia, you’ll board a motor coach for the journey down the west side of White Pass Canyon as you hear about Tormented Valley and Pitchfork Falls.

Stop at historic Liarsville, a gold rush trail camp located at the foot of the White Pass and nestled beside a waterfall. The camp was named for the journalists whose reports on the Klondike Gold Rush included tall tales of the prospectors’ exploits. Browse the authentic camp exhibits, including antiques and garments left behind. A cast of sourdoughs and dance hall girls will entertain you with a hilarious melodrama and a poem. You’ll then be set free in the Liarsville gold fields, where you are guaranteed to find some gold of your own! Enjoy a snack, shop for souvenirs or have your photo taken with a dance hall girl or the camp’s sled dog mascot, Denali.

Note: All guests must carry a valid passport as this tour will be crossing both U.S. and Canadian borders. This tour may operate in reverse order.

Catch “gold fever” and experience what it was like to seek your fortune during Gold Rush days! Learn to pan for gold (and keep all you find!) and discover Juneau’s colorful mining heritage for yourself. Head out with a prospector/guide in authentic 19th century dress for a historical tour of Juneau, including the state capitol, en route to “Last Chance Basin”, where Joe Juneau and Richard Harris struck gold in 1880. In a beautiful, secluded setting alongside Gold Creek — only accessible under our tour’s special permit — your prospector shows you how gold panning is done. Then, it’s your turn, as you learn how to expertly work the pan with helpful tips and advice. You can choose to pan in the creek, or in the waist-high demonstration trough. Every one of all ages and those with limited mobility can learn how to pan and capture the full gold rush experience. You’re guaranteed to find gold! And, all that glitters is yours to keep. Around you are remnants of the original buildings of the Alaska-Juneau Mining Company, which at the height of production was the largest operation of its type in the world. You’ll learn about the mining techniques that were used, and more about the quest for gold that is so much a part of Alaska’s history. Take home a souvenir Orelove Brothers Gold Claim Certificate, all the gold you find, and an appreciation of what is was like to seek your fortune in the wilds of Alaska more than a century ago. less