Alaska and British Columbia – Inside Passage, Bears and Aleutian Islands (Northbound)

Arrive in Vancouver

Your expedition cruise starts with an overnight stay in Vancouver, a bustling and beautiful seaport city set against steep mountains.

Vancouver’s various neighborhoods buzz with world-class farm-to-table cuisine. Don’t miss Gastown, Vancouver’s Victorian quarter. Here you'll find the 553-foot Vancouver Lookout, which offers a perfect 360-degree panoramic view over the city.

Your Expedition Begins

Explore British Columbia’s largest city

Your expedition ship MS Roald Amundsen awaits you in Vancouver. Settle in and take your time to get to know the ship before listening to the safety briefing.

Your knowledgeable Expedition Team will lead the way on excursions and landings. Get to know them and sit down to enjoy a welcome dinner — your adventure is now underway.

Enjoy sublime scenery as we sail the Inside Passage

The Inside Passage coastal route takes us through the great North American Pacific Fjordland, a protected stretch of water over 930 miles long. Unlike other cruises, which pass through at night, you’ll be able to view the sublime scenery in all its glory during the day.

Our smaller expedition ship allows us to reach areas that larger vessels can’t, meaning you’ll get to explore lesser-traveled channels with breathtaking scenery. Keep your cameras and binoculars at the ready to catch sight of whales, including humpback, fin, minke, and perhaps even orcas.

Revel in a wilderness where wildlife thrives

Part of the Tongass National Forest, Misty Fjords is a pristine wilderness of evergreens, waterfalls and snowcapped peaks. The revered naturalist writer John Muir described the area as one of the most beautiful places he’d ever seen.

Weather permitting, you'll join the Expedition Team to tour Misty Fjords in our small expedition boats or take kayaks out.

Misty Fjords is rich in wildlife. You’ll scan for mountain goats, black and brown bears and moose as you explore. The waters are home to Pacific salmon, otters, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, orcas and Dall’s porpoises. Skyward, you might spot herons and bald eagles.

Visit one of Alaska’s oldest harbor towns

We continue cruising the Alaskan islands toward Wrangell. Only a mile outside of town, Petroglyph Beach is where you'll see ancient rock carvings among the sand.

Visit the local museum to learn more about Wrangell's fascinating past. Now part of the United States, it was once governed by Britain, Russia, and the Łingít people. Cross to Shakes Island, where the Chief Shakes Tribal House and totem poles tell the story of the Indigenous Łingít people.

Hikers will enjoy the nature trails surrounded by alluring scenery at the mouth of Stikine River, and the foot of Mount Dewey at the edge of the rainforest.

Take in Sitka’s views and a unique mix of cultures.

Surrounded by Tongass National Forest, Sitka is only accessible by sea or air. Get out on deck for stunning views of the Sisters Mountains and Mount Edgecumbe volcano.

Inhabited by the  Łingít people for 10,000 years, the town was settled by Russian explorers around the turn of the 19th century before being sold to the United States after Russia lost the Crimean War. Today, Sitka has roots in all three cultures.

A visit to the Russian Orthodox cathedral and Russian Bishop's House is recommended. Admire ornate Haida and  Łingít totem poles at Sitka National Historical Park and enjoy a walking trail through the forest to the ocean.

Embrace the thrill of wild Alaska

Today is another day of exploration as we sail into Icy Strait and take a closer look at some of the islands. Possible destinations to explore include George Island, the Inian Islands, and Idaho Inlet, but—as always—we will gauge the weather conditions and wildlife spotting opportunities to decide on the best location.

Using our expedition boats, we may get close to some of the rocky shores here, and it’s possible we may land and take a nature walk. The coast in this region grows more rugged the closer we get to the open sea, and there are rocky pinnacles and sea caves galore. Keep an eye out for whales, as well as sea lions, orcas, and bald eagles.

Spot wildlife in these glacier-fed waters

Today is an exploration day in Icy Bay. Three glaciers—Guyot, Yahtse and Tyndall—regularly calve into this bay. If conditions allow, you’ll explore in our small expedition boats or by kayak, immersing you in the remarkable beauty of this icy landscape.

Wildlife abounds in the Gulf of Alaska, offering unrivaled photography opportunities. Humpback whales, orcas, Stellar sea lions, sea otters and harbor seals lazing on floating chunks of ice are often seen in these waters.

A day of relaxation and birdwatching at sea

Your cruise continues across the Gulf of Alaska. It’s the ideal time to enjoy onboard facilities such as the infinity pool, hot tubs, and sauna. Go for a run, hit the gym, or enjoy a massage in the spa.

In the Science Center, the Expedition Team invite you to join lectures about subjects such as Alaska’s wildlife, geology, glaciology, history and culture.

Relax in the Explorer Lounge & Bar and share a drink with your fellow guests, or just sit back and enjoy the view. See if you can spot all three species of North Pacific albatross. The Laysan and black-footed albatross are often sighted, but the short-tailed albatross is harder to spot.

Explore the home of the Alutiiq people

Kodiak Island got its nickname, the “Emerald Isle,” due to its spruce forests and grasslands, and it's the second largest island in the US.

The island’s most famous inhabitants are Kodiak brown bears. Around 3,500 of them live in the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, which covers two thirds of the island.

We’ll search for these powerful creatures in their natural habitat, marveling at their size and grace from the safety of our small expedition boat. This perspective offers a rare glimpse into the lives of these bears against the backdrop of Alaska’s breathtakingly rugged landscape.

Spot brown bears in Katmai National Park

Your adventure continues in the four-million-acre Katmai National Park, which has over a dozen active volcanoes. Katmai is also home to more than 2,000 protected brown bears—the largest concentration in the world.

Accompanied by an experienced bear guard, we'll safely scout for them from the deck or in our small expedition boats. They might be foraging for berries, digging for clams or catching fish in the stream.

Depending on conditions, we might visit either Geographic Harbor, Kinak Bay or Kukak Bay.

Explore rugged scenery in an untamed wilderness

The Alaska Peninsula is an untamed wilderness and a haven for wildlife. The region is characterized by its raw coastal landscapes, towering mountains and secluded bays.

Join your Expedition Team for close exploration of hidden bays and inlets along the shoreline, offering the opportunity to scout for bears, bald eagles, and marine species like sea otters and humpback whales. Learn about the geological evolution of the region and appreciate how natural forces have sculpted the unique topography around you.

Experience a deserted Alaskan town

Wild and deserted, Unga Village is an abandoned yet picturesque settlement on the southern end of Unga Island.

It was settled by Unangax̂ in 1833 but was abandoned in 1969 as subsistence fishing proved insufficient to support living here. Today, the few wooden buildings that remain are the only evidence that people once lived here.

A carpet of pink lousewort, fireweed and other wildflowers surrounds the abandoned shacks as nature has gradually taken over. Experience the eerie beauty of this place during a nature landing with our small expedition boats.

Learn the fascinating history of America’s biggest fishing port

America's largest fishing port, Dutch Harbor, is a fascinating place to visit. As we sail toward it you may see Mount Makushin, an occasionally steaming volcano that reaches almost 6,000 ft.

You’ll learn about the local Indigenous Unangan people at the Museum of the Aleutians here. Visit the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, or tour the WWII museum commemorating the battle that took place here in 1942.

Scout for bald eagles and puffins. Foxes, lemmings and wild horses thrive on land, while whales, sea lions and porpoises command the waters. Dutch Harbor was the filming location of the reality television series The Deadliest Catch, which follows crab fishermen at work under extreme conditions.

Relax and reflect as we cruise along the coast

Part of being on an expedition cruise is taking time to connect with the sights and sounds of the world around you. A day at sea lets you do just that. Sit back and take in the panoramic views from our Explorer Lounge & Bar, from the infinity pool, or from the outdoor hot tubs.

Keep scanning the shores, seas, and skies for puffins, auklets, and murrelets, especially closer to the coast. If you’re lucky, you might glimpse the red-legged kittiwake, which is only found in this part of the world.

You'll learn more about the region's geography, climate, and birdlife from the Expedition Team in the Science Center.

Look out for wildlife on the largest of the Pribilof Islands

The windswept island of St. Paul is home to the largest Unangan community in the US, numbering around 480. You can visit the historical remains of barabaras here—traditional dwellings built halfway underground to protect against the sea winds.

St. Paul is also designated an Important Bird Area, and around 300 species of migrating birds use it as a resting point. Scan for horned and tufted puffins, the Pribilof sandpiper and the rare red-legged kittiwake.

On the shore, you may find northern fur seals waddling and playing—half the world's population of these charming animals lives on these islands.

Experience this wild, remote and isolated island

Part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and 200 miles from the nearest village, St. Matthew Island is wild, remote, and isolated. You’ll see traces of abandoned buildings between black sand beaches and wildflower-dotted tundra. A few hardy souls have tried—and failed—to make a home here.

Today, the only inhabitants are birds, including thousands of puffins, murres, and cormorants. On our nature landing, if we’re lucky, we’ll see the rare McKay’s bunting, which breeds almost exclusively here—and listen out for the sound of the singing vole, which was named after its unusual warning cry.

Watch for wildlife and relax at sea

As we cruise the Bering Sea, you'll have Russia to the west and the United States to the east.

Natural wonders abound here, so keep an eye out for humpback whales, and seabirds wheeling through the skies.

This is your last full day at sea, so relax and enjoy your time on board. The Expedition Team will recap the highlights of your Alaskan adventure, and you can continue your journey of discovery in the Science Center.

Learn about Nome’s golden past

Prospectors first came to Nome in 1898, and people still hunt for gold here today. You'll see evidence of the Gold Rush all around, including abandoned dredges, turn-of-the-century steam engines and old railroad tracks, lending the town a unique atmosphere.

Nome was the end point of three of Roald Amundsen's great polar expeditions, including an attempt to reach the North Pole by air in 1926.

Naturally, Nome is a fitting place to bid farewell to our own MS Roald Amundsen before flying back to Seattle, where you’ll enjoy an overnight stay.

End your adventure in the Emerald City

Your Alaskan adventure comes to an end in Seattle.

If you have time before your onward journey, why not head to the Seattle Aquarium to see sea otters and a giant Pacific octopus? Or for incredible views of Puget Sound and the surrounding mountains, take a stroll through the nine-acre Olympic Sculpture Park, admiring the work of renowned artists as you go.

For a feast of the senses, visit the famous Pike Place Market. Operating for over a century, this lively farmer’s market boasts everything from buskers and bars to salmon-throwing fishmongers!

If you have the time to go farther afield, we recommend booking a Post-Program with us and discovering some of the region’s natural highlights.