Puget Sound & San Juan Islands

Abounding in natural and man-made wonders, Seattle is Washington’s largest city. Located on the Puget Sound, this vibrant city is surrounded by water, mountains, and evergreen forests. Seattle is also home to a large tech industry with Microsoft and Amazon headquartered in its metropolitan area. Arrive a day early to explore this incredible destination. Stop at the original Starbucks in Pike Place Market, before exploring the iconic Space Needle, a 1962 World’s Fair legacy. Departing from the famous Fisherman’s Terminal, begin your cruise from this lively city to the majestic waters of Puget Sound.

Seattle is a scenic seaport city in western Washington, situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound to the west and Lake Washington to the east. It is the largest city in Washington. Five pioneer families from Illinois first settled the area in 1851, and named the town after a friendly Suquamish Indian chief. It was incorporated as a city in 1869, and grew quickly after the Great Northern Railway arrived in 1893, especially during the Alaska Gold Rush of 1897. When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, Seattle became a major Pacific port of entry, and today it is the region's commercial and transportation hub and the centre of manufacturing, trade, and finance, with an estimated 684,451 residents as of 2015.

Anacortes is a picturesque waterfront town located on Fidalgo Island in Northwest Washington. This vibrant coastal community is home to one of the world’s largest whale watching fleets, as well as Deception Pass, one of the most photographed places in the Northwest. More than 50 miles of trails run through Anacortes and Fidalgo Island, where you can enjoy views of Mount Erie, four fresh-water lakes, old growth forest, and a variety of wildlife, including bald eagles. Explore the downtown, just a few steps from our dock, and peruse its sophisticated boutiques, art galleries, and antique shops.

Your cruise is as much about the journey as it is about each destination. Today is a day to revel in the scenery, as we make our way through the San Juan Islands. Witness the whales, eagles, and seals that adorn the backdrop of the Olympic and Cascade Mountains. As we cruise, listen to our onboard expert describe the native wildlife or simply sit back and enjoy the sun on the top deck.

Friday Harbor is a charming town with a rich history and an abundance of character. Small enough to walk from one end to the other, this secluded coastal fishing village is adorned with historic storefronts, picturesque turn-of-the-century houses, and Coast Salish native carvings. Explore Friday Harbor’s diverse topography, from pebbly beaches to magnificent mountains and lush valleys. Stroll through the historic district and witness the local population of whales from the Port of Friday Harbor. At the Whale Museum, learn about Spirit, the orca whale American Cruise Lines adopted during our first season on the Puget Sound.

The only Canadian town on our cruise, Victoria is a wonderful place to spend a day on a guided tour through the magnificent Butchart Gardens and lively waterfront.

Victoria, the capital of a province whose license plates brazenly label it "The Best Place on Earth," is a walkable, livable seaside city of fragrant gardens, waterfront paths, engaging museums, and beautifully restored 19th-century architecture. In summer, the Inner Harbour—Victoria's social and cultural center—buzzes with visiting yachts, horse-and-carriage rides, street entertainers, and excursion boats heading out to visit pods of friendly local whales. Yes, it might be a bit touristy, but Victoria's good looks, gracious pace, and manageable size are instantly beguiling, especially if you stand back to admire the mountains and ocean beyond. At the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria dips slightly below the 49th parallel. That puts it farther south than most of Canada, giving it the mildest climate in the country, with virtually no snow and less than half the rain of Vancouver. The city's geography, or at least its place names, can cause confusion. Just to clarify: the city of Victoria is on Vancouver Island (not Victoria Island). The city of Vancouver is on the British Columbia mainland, not on Vancouver Island. At any rate, that upstart city of Vancouver didn't even exist in 1843 when Victoria, then called Fort Victoria, was founded as the westernmost trading post of the British-owned Hudson's Bay Company. Victoria was the first European settlement on Vancouver Island, and in 1868 it became the capital of British Columbia. The British weren't here alone, of course. The local First Nations people—the Songhees, the Saanich, and the Sooke—had already lived in the areas for thousands of years before anyone else arrived. Their art and culture are visible throughout southern Vancouver Island. You can see this in private and public galleries, in the totems at Thunderbird Park, in the striking collections at the Royal British Columbia Museum, and at the Quw'utsun'Cultural and Conference Centre in nearby Duncan. Spanish explorers were the first foreigners to explore the area, although they left little more than place names (Galiano Island and Cordova Bay, for example). The thousands of Chinese immigrants drawn by the gold rushes of the late 19th century had a much greater impact, founding Canada's oldest Chinatown and adding an Asian influence that's still quite pronounced in Victoria's multicultural mix. Despite its role as the provincial capital, Victoria was largely eclipsed, economically, by Vancouver throughout the 20th century. This, as it turns out, was all to the good, helping to preserve Victoria's historic downtown and keeping the city largely free of skyscrapers and highways. For much of the 20th century, Victoria was marketed to tourists as "The Most British City in Canada," and it still has more than its share of Anglo-themed pubs, tea shops, and double-decker buses. These days, however, Victorians prefer to celebrate their combined indigenous, Asian, and European heritage, and the city's stunning wilderness backdrop. Locals do often venture out for afternoon tea, but they're just as likely to nosh on dim sum or tapas. Decades-old shops sell imported linens and tweeds, but newer upstarts offer local designs in hemp and organic cotton. And let's not forget that fabric prevalent among locals: Gore-Tex. The outdoors is ever present here. You can hike, bike, kayak, sail, or whale-watch straight from the city center, and forests, beaches, offshore islands, and wilderness parklands lie just minutes away. A little farther afield, there's surfing near Sooke, wine touring in the Cowichan Valley, and kayaking among the Gulf Islands.

Start the tour from our berth in Port Angeles, continuing to Hurricane Ridge with vast views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the mountainous wilderness of Olympic National Forest.

Bordered by Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Port Townsend is a historic Victorian seaport with a rich maritime heritage, artistic spirit, and a touch of urban chic. Explore its ornate Victorian era homes, small museums, and unique art galleries as you view the spectacular snow-capped Olympic Mountains.

Poulsbo is a great place to visit for its history, scenery, and lively downtown. Originally a logging camp settled by Norwegians who likened the landscape to the fjords of their homeland, Poulsbo retains a Scandinavian influence. A distinct Native American influence is present in nearby Suquamish, located on the Port Madison Indian Reservation, where a museum is dedicated to the history and culture of this native tribe.

Welcome back to Seattle. Relax on the sun deck as the famous skyline of the city draws near. Once we arrive, make the most of you time in Seattle with a tour or allow American Cruise Lines to assist with transportation arrangements home.

Seattle is a scenic seaport city in western Washington, situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound to the west and Lake Washington to the east. It is the largest city in Washington. Five pioneer families from Illinois first settled the area in 1851, and named the town after a friendly Suquamish Indian chief. It was incorporated as a city in 1869, and grew quickly after the Great Northern Railway arrived in 1893, especially during the Alaska Gold Rush of 1897. When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, Seattle became a major Pacific port of entry, and today it is the region's commercial and transportation hub and the centre of manufacturing, trade, and finance, with an estimated 684,451 residents as of 2015.