SHORE EXCURSIONS CREDIT

At the White Pass & Yukon Route Depot, board a vintage railcar for a ride up the White Pass Summit. View at the incredible scenery as your train ascends dramatic mountains and your guide shares colorful stories and the history of the gold rush. Marvel at the waterfalls, tunnels and historic sites you pass on your journey to the summit of the White Pass and beyond. In Fraser, disembark the train and board a motorcoach for a dramatic journey past the Tormented Valley and Pitchfork Falls en route to Skagway. Your Driver-Guide will regale with a colorful account of the history of Klondike Gold Rush. Taking views of the surrounding mountains, waterfalls and glaciers may be captured during the many photo stops. Stop at Alaska 360 where you will learn the art of gold panning and practice your technique in warm-water troughs. Gold is guaranteed in every pan! Haul your treasure into the Gold Shack and have it weighed. Then, browse a collection of gold nugget jewelry and discover unique, souvenirs in the gift shop. Finally returning to your ship with your loot and newly acquired "gold fever."

Enjoy the highlights of Victoria and visit the spectacular Butchart Gardens. Departing Ogden Point your guide will point out the highlights including the majestic legislative buildings, Empress Hotel, Royal British Columbia Museum, and Beacon Hill Park.

At Butchart Gardens, see how the Butchart family transformed a barren rock quarry into what is now one of the world’s best-known horticultural attractions, covering more than 55 acres. The gardens are a lush paradise of flowers, rare trees and winding paths, that were created more than 100 years ago. Enjoy the cascading fountains and footbridges connecting you to the many themed gardens, including the beautiful Sunken Garden, the Japanese Garden and the Rose Garden. Multi-language maps will assist you on your self-guided tour.

The gardens are illuminated by thousands of hidden lights in the evening.

Cruise into waters teeming with humpback whales and other marine life, and then dine on traditional Alaskan dishes at a seafood feast. Point Adolphus has the highest concentration of humpback whales in the Alaskan panhandle, so be on the lookout for these majestic and intelligent creatures. They will be breaching the water’s surface, waving their flukes up and down as they dive, and feeding voraciously to fatten up for their winter migration south. You might also observe frolicking Dall’s porpoises, Stellar Sea Lions, curious Harbor Seals and Orca whales, which sometimes feed on infirm or wounded humpbacks. Be sure to look skyward for majestic bald eagles, too. Following the whale-watching adventure, you too will have the opportunity to feast. A sumptuous meal of classic Alaskan dishes awaits you back in Hoonah. The menu will include seasonal shrimp and crabs, Andouille sausage and all sorts of sides. Afterwards, you can roast marshmallows around the campfire.

Experience one of the most stunning, scenic train rides in North America aboard an Alaska Railroads railcar from the Seward cruise ship dock to the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

Just steps from the cruise ship terminal in Seward, you’ll be welcomed aboard your Alaska Railroad Cruise Train bound for the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. You’ll travel along the Coastal Classic Route on this 4 1/2 hour picturesque journey. Your train pulls from Seward, skirting the edge of picturesque Kenai Lake, before rising into a waterfall-laced mountain valley offering a stunning view of Trail Glacier.

The tracks wind through a series of mountain tunnels and past Bartlett and Spencer Glaciers before emerging along the coastline of Turnagain Arm. Here, dramatic views of steep mountains plunging into the sea before the train pulls into the depot at the Anchorage Airport. A short enclosed walkway connects passengers to the departures terminal.

Discover historic Astoria! You’ll make a brief photo stop at the Astoria Column which was built in 1926. This 125-foot tall concrete and steel structure features a cast-iron 164 step staircase that leads to an observation deck. If you decide to climb to the top, you'll see majestic views of Astoria, the Pacific Ocean and the lower Columbia River estuary. Views from the base are just as panoramic, the column stands atop Coxcomb Hill, Astoria's highest point. Continue to the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park for a tour of Fort Clatsop. You’ll also visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum located on Astoria's historic waterfront. The museum features nautical artifacts including the Lightship, which served as a floating lighthouse. Enjoy a scenic drive through Astoria nestled between the Columbia River and Young’s Bay. You’ll see picturesque Victorian and Queen Anne style homes and churches, Uniontown - home of the men who worked at the Union Fish Cannery and the Doughboy monument, dedicated to the soldiers who served in World War I.

Sit back and enjoy the sights along the famed Hana Highway without having to navigate the twisting, curving road yourself. With an expert driver at the wheel, you won’t miss any of the incredible scenery of lava cliffs, tumbling waterfalls, the rugged northern coastline, lush hillsides of feathery ferns and trees laden with tropical fruits. You’ll stop to explore various sites along the way to "Heavenly Hana," in this wonderfully natural and pristine landscape. This tour goes to Hana and returns on the same route. A box lunch is included at the start of the tour.

At the White Pass & Yukon Route Depot, board a vintage railcar for a ride up the White Pass Summit. Take in the incredible scenery as your train ascends dramatic mountains and your guide shares colorful stories and the history of the gold rush. Marvel at the waterfalls, tunnels and historic sites you pass on your journey to the summit of the White Pass and beyond to Fraser, British Columbia. In Fraser, disembark the train and board a motorcoach for a dramatic journey past the Tormented Valley and Pitchfork Falls en route to Skagway. Your Driver-Guide will regale with a colorful account of the history of the Klondike Gold Rush. Taking views of the surrounding mountains, waterfalls, and glaciers may be captured during the many photo stops. Next, you will head to Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp for a salmon bake buffet. Enjoy wild Alaska salmon grilled over an open wood fire, baked chicken, a variety of salads, beans, rice pilaf, cornbread and dessert while in the destination of the recreated tent city from 1898. After your meal, wander through the Liarsville camp, named for the journalists that reported from the area during the height of the Gold Rush. The final stop will be the world famous Red Onion Saloon. Enjoy a drink with one of the "madames" as they regale you with tales of the girls who worked in these historic rooms. Walk through the Brothel Museum and take a step back into Skagway during the historical Gold Rush. Finally, depart the Red Onion Saloon and return back to the ship.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a wild Alaskan salmon bake buffet
• Pan for gold much like the prospectors during the gold rush.
• Ride a private railway car to the White Pass, following a route that the prospectors took.

OVERVIEW
Enjoy a 360° view of Seattle from the top of the Space Needle and see the city’s artistic side at Chihuly Garden and Glass. Built for the 1962 World’s Fair to symbolize humanity’s Space Age aspirations, the saucer-shaped Space Needle soars above the city. Its observation tower offers sweeping views of Seattle’s urban sprawl, Mount Rainer, Puget Sound and the Cascades and Olympic mountain ranges. You can also look straight down to the ground 500 feet below by standing on the tower’s rotating glass floor, the only one in the world. Chihuly Garden and Glass lies at the foot of the Space Needle. As you stroll through its indoor and outdoor galleries, you will behold a collection of artist Dale Chihuly’s visually stunning blown-glass artwork. Highlights include a massive suspended glass sculpture, thousands of colorful glass flowers and plants, and all sorts of whimsical pieces that showcase the artist’s prodigious talents.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Enjoy the ultimate view of Seattle and beyond from atop the soaring Space Needle.
• Look straight down 500 feet through the Space Needle’s rotating glass floor.
• Be awed by the whimsical, visually stunning glass art in Chihuly Garden and Glass.

This tour combines the splendor of visiting Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area with a comfortable trip into the rainforest at Glacier Gardens. Your journey begins with a visit to Alaska's most accessible glacier, the Mendenhall. There you will be able to view the glacier, tour the adjacent visitor center, and explore the outlying trails and viewpoints during your 75 minute stay. Next you're off to Glacier Gardens where you'll board a guided tram vehicle and climb up through the temperate rainforest to a scenic viewing platform that offers alpine views of the surrounding mountains, waterways and islands. Upon your return to the base area, you'll have time to visit the Gardens pavilion and view the variety of botanical plants that thrive in the local climate. Finally, you'll visit the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery and learn about the facility's positive impact on Alaska's prized fishing industry through the implementation of ocean ranching.

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 White Pass, a 2,865 foot elevation. Ride 40 miles round-trip in vintage rail cars as you retrace the original route to White Pass Summit passing Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch. This fully narrated tour features panoramic views of mountains, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles and historic sites. See the original Klondike Trail of '98 worn into the rocks, a tribute to the thousands that took this route to seek their fortune. The narrow gauge railroad is a designated International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, shared with the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty.

OVERVIEW
Sample a selection of wines at two celebrated wineries around Woodinville, an idyllic river valley setting on the outskirts of Seattle. You will first stop at Chateau Ste. Michelle, a winery established more than 50 years ago on the early 20th-century estate of a lumber baron. It eventually branched into two wineries—one for reds, the other for whites, which you will visit. Following an enlightening tour of the vineyards, you will taste several wines that may include a Chardonnay with ripe pineapple and butterscotch flavors and perhaps a Sauvignon Blanc that offers the bright fruit character of melons. The second winery will be chosen the day of the excursion from the hundreds in the Columbia Valley wine country. As the valley encompasses more than a third of the state, the terroir varies considerably from winery to winery. Even so, the Merlots are typically redolent of flavors such as sweet cherries, raspberries and chocolate.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Enjoy wine tastings at two esteemed wineries in the river valley around Woodinville.
• Discover why certain varietals were planted while touring the vineyards.
• Learn about the various terroirs that produce the valley’s award-winning wines.

Embrace your inner adventurer by exploring the Alaskan wilds by boat, walking through a rainforest and canoeing near the face of an ancient glacier. The adventure begins by cruising the upper Lynn Canal, North America’s longest and deepest fjord. It’s an incredibly scenic area teeming with wildlife, so watch for breaching whales and frolicking sea lions. After disembarking at the beach at Glacier Point, you will drive through a rainforest and then walk through the wonderfully serene woods. Before long, the gentle trail will open up to a panoramic view of the pristine Davidson River and Davidson Glacier. The glacier is even more unforgettable up close, as you will discover by paddling a canoe toward its sheer face. On the approach, the details will sharpen, and you will enjoy a closer view of the intense blue of the ice, the deep crevasses and the mountain’s granite walls that frame the glacier.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Cruise the gorgeous Lynn Canal, America’s longest and deepest fjord.
• Walk through a rainforest, reveling in the serenity.
• Canoe toward an ancient glacier, marveling at its enormity.
• Keep an eye out for breaching whales and sea lions in the fjord.
• Listen to a naturalist describe the flora and fauna in this glorious corner of Alaska.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress warmly in weather-appropriate casual clothing, a hat, thick socks and gloves.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.