SHORE EXCURSIONS

OVERVIEW

Fly over the majestic wilds of the Tongass National Forest in a floatplane and land in the waters off George Inlet Lodge, where you will feast on iconic Alaskan dishes. You will fly there in a DeHavilland aircraft – the workhorse of the Alaskan bush – on a route over America’s largest national forest and the crystal-clear waterways that rim Revillagigedo Island. Many natural wonders lay below, which include sea cliffs, deep fjords, and mist-shrouded peaks. You may even spot black bears foraging on berries and humpback whales breaching the water’s surface. Shortly after the plane lands in George Inlet, you will enjoy an enlightening tour of the lodge and then sit down to a classic Alaskan meal. Come hungry as you can expect to dine on signature dishes centered around the famous dungeness crab, which is sure to satisfy your taste buds. Dessert will be just as mouthwatering. Once finished with the meal you will be driven back to the ship.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

The adventure begins even before you hit the trail. Your local guide will share stories of the people and history of Ketchikan on the 15-minute drive from your ship to our secluded and challenging hiking trail. Once you’ve arrived in the trailhead, your guide will lead you on a lush, 2-mile rainforest trail. As you begin your hike, listen closely as your guide gives you an overview of all the flora and fauna surrounding you. Take a deep breath and let the pure mountain air envelop you as you admire the giant cedar, hemlock and spruce trees tower overhead. Salmonberry, blueberry, and huckleberry bushes abound for a delicious understory. Make sure you keep an eye out for bears year-round as they are occasionally spotted nearby. After your hike, you can relax at Ketchikan's popular bar and indulge in a well-earned local brew, draft beer, soda or coffee. This is the perfect place to chat with locals and nature-loving travelers alike. A short van ride takes you back to your cruise ship pier.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a challenging yet invigorating two-mile hike through Tongass National Forest.
• Hear enlightening commentary about the indigenous wildlife and flora.
• Quench your thirst with a beer or a different cool beverage at a pub.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Cruise along Ketchikan’s beautiful waterfront in a window-walled expedition boat and look for Alaska’s most iconic wildlife on the outskirts of town. Whether you settle in on the observation deck or inside the heated cabin, you will enjoy spectacular views of Ketchikan and its backdrop of mountainous rainforest. Commentary will enhance your understanding of the sights, which include the town’s oldest working salmon cannery and Whiskey Cove, an infamous cove that rumrunners used during Prohibition. You will also learn about the area’s indigenous people when cruising past the world’s largest collection of totem poles at Saxman Native Village. Wildlife is especially abundant around Nichol’s Passage, where whales, seals and porpoises are frequently spotted. The captain will maneuver the boat to ensure the best views and pause so you can clearly see an active bald eagle’s nest. Built with large sticks for stability and moss for comfort, bald eagle nests can weigh up to 1,000 pounds.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy a sightseeing cruise along Ketchikan’s waterfront and into the surrounding waters.
• Learn about Ketchikan’s indigenous people and the town’s history during Prohibition.
• Look for iconic marine life such as whales, seals and porpoises.
• View an active bald eagle’s nest, a massive stick structure that may weigh 1,000 pounds.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Visit some of the most visually dramatic settings in Northern Ireland where pivotal scenes from the blockbuster series “Game of Thrones” were shot. You don’t have to be a fan of the show to appreciate these destinations as they are spectacular on their own. Dark Hedges – a dirt-covered avenue lined with ancient eerie-looking trees – represented Kingsroad in the series. Even if you don’t recognize it from scenes such as Arya Stark’s escape from King’s Landing, you will want to snap a picture as it is incredibly photogenic. Dunluce Castle, is one of the most picturesque and historically significant castles in Northern Ireland. Served as the exterior of Pyke, the stronghold of House Greyjoy on the Iron Islands. Continue the journey to Glenarm, a new location introduced in the world of Game of Thrones. It will feature prominently in the upcoming series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Visit Steenson's Jewelry Factory in Northern Ireland, where some of the jewelry from Game of Thrones was crafted. You will also stop at Carnlough, a coastal village that served as the backdrop for the city of Braavos in “Game of Thrones.” Arya Stark famously crawled up its harbor steps after being stabbed.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See picturesque locations such as Carnlough, Dark Hedges, Glenarm, Steenson's Jewelry Factory, and Dunluce Castle where scenes from “Game of Thrones” were shot.
• Hear stories about the film production that make the settings even more captivating.
• Learn some of the real-life events that made these sites famous long before “GOT.”

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Enjoy a spectacularly scenic cruise to a lodge on secluded Grant Island for a bountiful seafood lunch. You will board the boat in Clover Pass and then settle in for a leisurely cruise, passing some of the most magnificent scenery in this part of Alaska. Along the way, the guide will point out an active eagle’s nest and one of the area’s few manmade structures, a naval facility used to measure the acoustics from submarines. You might also see seals and porpoise frolicking in the water. Upon arriving at Silverking Lodge in the heart of Grant Island State Marine Park, you will have time to check out the anglers’ fresh catch and stroll the boardwalk that winds through the rainforest. The tallest known red cedar in the Tongass National Park towers majestically at the end of the boardwalk. A family style seafood feast follows, featuring a crab boil that includes Dungeness crab, mussels, shrimp, corn on the cob, baby red potatoes and garlic.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise to Grant Island, admiring the coastal scenery.
• See an active bald eagle’s nest.
• Walk through a rainforest on Grant Island.
• Feast on freshly caught seafood.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress warmly in layered clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

This excursion is for guests that use a cane/walker, have limited mobility issues or for companions of those guest that have booked mobility equipment tour.

Those guests that are fully dependent on their mobility device please book: SAL_A8 ACCESSIBLE Mobility Equipment: Pompeii, Sorrento & Amalfi Coast (Van).

Tour includes step-free routes, shorter distances and no stairs. Accessible restrooms with wide doors for wheelchairs are present along the tour route. Vehicles are adapted with an access ramp (or lift where available) to accommodate a limited number of wheelchairs and/or mobility scooters. Guides are not allowed to push wheelchairs; therefore, guests needing special assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied.

Drive along the gorgeous Amalfi coast and explore the resort city of Sorrento on your own before proceeding to the excavated ruins of Pompeii. You will pass towering bluffs, dramatic gorges and pastel-colored villages that will make the coastal journey all the more memorable. In time, you will pause for photos of Positano, a picture-perfect almost vertical town that clings to the side of a cliff overlooking the sea. Farther down the peninsula, you will stop in Sorrento. It too offers sweeping views of the Mediterranean with Mt. Vesuvius looming in the distance. While exploring, you will behold extraordinary architecture and feel the vibrancy of everyday life in this classic Italian setting. Then, it’s on to Pompeii, a Roman town forever known for the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius that buried it under ash and pumice in 79 AD. While touring the somber necropolis, you will see eerie plaster casts of some of the victims.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Travel along the Amalfi coast, a UNESCO World Heritage site recognized for its physical beauty.
• Stop to snap photos of the pastel-colored cliffside village of Positano.
• Explore Sorrento independently and dine on your own, if you wish.
• Meander through the ruins of Pompeii with a stop at the necropolis.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.

Take the undeniably, charming capital city of Dublin, the serenity of the Irish countryside and combine them with the picturesque setting of Glendalough’s monastic ruins for an extraordinary introduction into Ireland’s many faces. After a scenic drive through the city, you’ll head south, traveling into the green and uncrowded Wicklow Mountains with their rounded healthy summits, pretty valleys and the impressive monastic remains of Glendalough. You’ll then travel further into County Wicklow, which richly deserves the title "Garden of Ireland."

A short stop is made at the Avoca Woolen Mill, where the colors in the woven products reflect the beauty of the area and where you’ll have some time for shopping. You'll then travel to the important, early Christian site of Glendalough, which has overwhelmed people with its peace and isolation for many centuries. This most romantic of monastic sites was one of Ireland’s greatest pilgrimage centers up to the middle of the 19th century. You’ll then enjoy lunch served at a small country hotel situated amidst the delightful countryside. Return through the Wicklow Hills, with more magnificent scenery to enjoy as you head back towards Dublin.

OVERVIEW

Experience the ultimate treetop adventure and come away with a newfound confidence in your physical abilities, mental fortitude and sheer willpower to push yourself to new heights. Rooted in the culture of the Tlingit People, this aerial course includes swinging ropes, balance bridges and daring climbs into the tree canopy while wearing a harness and smart belay system. An orientation and practice run on the ground will help prepare you for the fun and challenges that lie ahead. Afterwards, you will warm up on the easy Xíxch' (Frog) Course, move on to the moderate Yéil (Raven) Course and then pull yourself along a rope while hanging high above the forest floor on a Tyrolean Traverse. That’s the Xóots (Bear) Course. With your confidence now soaring, you will be ready for the high-flying Ch'áak' (Eagle) Course, which ends in the treetops 50 feet above the ground. The descent will be just as exhilarating as you soar back to earth on an auto-descent device, called the “Eagle’s Flight”.

HIGHLIGHTS

• These aerial ropes adventure will have you swinging, scrambling, and climbing through multiple elements.
• Climb high into the tree canopy by negotiating a series of aerial ropes courses.
• Prepare for the ultimate challenge by warming up on easier aerial ropes courses.
• Enjoy literal bird’s-eye views of the forest from high above.
• Gain newfound confidence in your abilities to meet new challenges.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes; thick-soled shoes recommended.

OVERVIEW

Your professional guide will provide you with lively narration and share the unique history of Ketchikan as you drive along the scenic Tongass Narrows in route to Totem Bight State Park, home to one of the world's largest stand of totems. Immerse yourself in the beauty of the Tongass National Rainforest under the canopy of majestic hemlock and cedar trees. At the end of the trail, you’ll be impressed by the large collection of totem poles that your driver/guide will bring to life for you. Through entertaining stories and narrative, you’ll learn about the culture and lifestyles practiced by the northwest coastal Natives and have a chance to enter an authentic Native clan house. During your brief stop at the quaint Alaska Totem Trading store, you’ll have an opportunity to shop and view beautifully carved totems along with a collection of vintage automobiles. On the scenic drive to your next stop, you will be engaged with an entertaining town overview and learn of the industries which built Ketchikan and helped to make it the “Salmon Capital of the World”. Finally, it’s time to enjoy the 'The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show'! Hardy lumberjacks gather in this partially covered and heated outdoor arena, to compete in various logging events for you. Crowd favorites like log rolling, ax-throws and speed-climbing events will bring you out of your seat, as you cheer your lumberjack on. Many world champion athletes, as seen on ESPN and the Travel Channel, spend their summers in Ketchikan and will be performing in this great show.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Travel along the Tongass Narrows with a professional guide who shares lively stories about Ketchikan’s unique history.
• Walk through the Tongass National Rainforest under towering cedar and hemlock trees.
• Brief stop to browse hand-carved totems, see a vintage car collection, and shop for local souvenirs.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy a leisurely day in the low-key village of Mahahual with plenty of time to relax on its magnificent golden beach. Once a fishing village known mostly to locals, Mahahual has grown to become a much more popular seaside destination, yet it hasn’t lost its casual appeal. As you will discover, the soaring white lighthouse is wonderfully photogenic, especially with the large colorful letters spelling “MAHAHUAL” as a backdrop. You will also stop at Tequila Hacienda for a tasting of Mexico’s national drink. As the bartender will explain, tequila can only be made from Blue Weber agave, a succulent plant with sharp blue-green leaves. You might sample a white tequila, an amber añejo tequila and a caramel-flavored reposado aged in oak barrels. Free time at the beach follows, during which you can do most anything you please. The water is typically calm and crystal-clear, which makes a refreshing swim even more inviting.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore the village of Mahahual, which is known for its casual ambiance.
• Snap photos at the lighthouse and enjoy a tasting of several characteristic tequilas.
• Spend time relaxing at the golden beach that rims Mahahual.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing with a swimsuit underneath.
• Bring a towel, hat and sunscreen.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Settle in for a panoramic drive around Cadiz and come away with an excellent overview of the city, especially after spending free time in Old Town. You will first see key landmarks around the perimeter of the peninsula that contains the historical district where Cadiz was founded. You will also pass beautiful La Victoria, La Caleta beaches and La Viña, a vibrant neighborhood that was once a vineyard.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive around the perimeter of the Old Town peninsula, taking in its scenic beauty.
• Hear enlightening commentary about attractions such as Old Town’s popular beaches.
• Spend free time in Old Town, a hub for dining and shopping.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Step into Alaska’s rugged heritage and welcoming backcountry charm on this memorable combination of frontier cuisine and legendary entertainment. Your experience begins in the heart of the Tongass National Rainforest at a secluded hillside dining venue, where the crackle of open fires and towering evergreens set the stage for an authentic Fireside Feast. Watch skilled chefs prepare a hearty, multi course meal over live hardwood flames, showcasing locally inspired flavors and seasonal ingredients that reflect Southeast Alaska’s culinary traditions. After dining, enjoy time to relax by the fire pits, stroll the forested paths, or take in scenic views of the Tongass Narrows before continuing on to one of Ketchikan’s most iconic attractions—the Alaskan Lumberjack Show. In a covered and heated grandstand, cheer on world class timbersports athletes as they compete in high energy events rooted in Alaska’s logging history. From axe throwing and log rolling to speed climbing, this lively and family friendly show delivers humor, excitement, and a true taste of frontier spirit.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Open fire Fireside Feast in the Tongass National Rainforest.
• Locally inspired menu featuring salmon, slow roasted beef, reindeer, and seasonal sides.
• High energy Alaskan Lumberjack Show with professional timbersports athletes.
• Covered and heated grandstand seating at the lumberjack venue.
• A family friendly experience blending Alaskan flavors and frontier tradition.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress warmly and wear layers.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.