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Traveler on a glacier tour of Alaska.

Gold Rush Legacy

Example 12 Day Cruise aboard SS Legacy
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Itinerary Highlights: - History comes alive with guided narration in Ketchikan, Wrangell, Petersburg, Sitka, Haines, and Skagway - View stunning glaciers in Glacier Bay National Park - Discover Tlingit culture and see carved totems - Explore scenic winding channels and straits by Victorian-style steamer - Visit the Whale Museum, shops, and galleries of quaint Friday Harbor - Living History presentations from your onboard Legacy Leaders and guest experts - Unhurried time for watching whales and wildlife
Alaska travel and dall sheep grazing on Alaska hillsideA pile of old totem poles.Humpback whale in Alaska.Coastal town of Ketchikan, Alaska.Traveler on a glacier tour of Alaska.
Activity Level: Relaxed
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
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Full Itinerary

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Day 1: Seattle, Washington - Embark

Sailing from Seattle’s Fishermen's Terminal, transit the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks and cruise along Seattle’s picturesque waterfront. Settle into the rhythm of the Salish Sea and begin your journey of discovery along the path of the Gold Rush.

Day 2: Friday Harbor / Salish Sea

Keep watch for the resident orca pods as the boat makes its way through the San Juan Islands. Explore the shops, galleries, and intriguing whale museum in charming Friday Harbor, once an important whaling center. Shaped and molded by the last ice age, forested islands dot the seascape of this yachter’s paradise.

Day 3: Strait of Georgia / Johnstone Strait

Nestled between Vancouver Island and the mountainous mainland of British Columbia, the Strait of Georgia’s islands, fjords, and intricate waterways unfold before you. Sail north into Johnstone Strait—summer home to approximately 150 orca whales. Onboard Living History presentations unlock the storied-past of these wild shorelines.

Day 4: Canada's Inside Passage

Quiet reaches, whale watching, yoga on the deck, and engaging presentations fill your day in a landscape of glacially carved fjords and temperate rainforest. Pass by the Great Bear Rainforest and keep a watchful eye for the Kermode “spirit” bear, easily recognized by its white fur. Cruise past the ghost town of Butedale — founded in 1918 as a fishing, mining, and logging camp—before crossing the US/Canada border into Alaska.

Day 5: Ketchikan, Alaska

Timing and tides deliver today’s scenic wonders before arriving in Ketchikan, “salmon capital of the world,” where it’s all ashore for a historic tour focused on Ketchikan’s local Tlingit culture. Discover the exceptional art forms of intricately carved totems, enjoy masterful storytelling with a local Tlingit guide, and don’t miss Dolly’s House in the red light district of Creek Street.

Day 6: Wrangell

Established as a fur trading center by the Russians in the early 1800s, Wrangell is the only Alaskan town ever governed by four nations. During the 1800s, it held a strategic location for Gold Rush prospectors and served as the launch point for pioneering conservationist John Muir’s famous glacier expedition. Visit the Wrangell Museum to re-live the town's colorful past. This afternoon, transit the once treacherous (in the pre-technology age) Wrangell Narrows, a 22-mile winding, snake-like channel—dubbed "Christmas Tree Lane" for its abundant red and green navigational lights. Along the way, watch the shore for Sitka black-tailed deer, black bears, and seabirds.

Day 7: Petersburg / Frederick Sound / Chatham Strait

Founded over 100 years ago, Petersburg was nicknamed “Little Norway” due to its large Scandinavian population, and has been called "the town that fish built" for it's extensive fishing history. An included city tour reveals the impact fishing had on this tiny Alaskan village, and afterwards, have time on your own to explore. Whale watching in the nutrient-rich waters of Frederick Sound and Chatham Strait highlight your afternoon. Seals and sea lions frequent the shores around Turnabout and The Brothers Islands and the Five Fingers Lighthouse.

Day 8: Sergius Narrows / Sitka

Amidst the Tongass National Forest, you’ll navigate through Sergius Narrows, the “inside route” to Sitka—Southeast Alaska’s oldest non-Native settlement. A guided walk through Sitka National Historical Park—Alaska’s oldest federally designated park—and the Cathedral of St. Michael’s brings Sitka’s Russian American and Tlingit history to life.

Day 9: Captian's Choice / Chichagof Island / Icy Strait

Leave it to your Captain to uncover the best opportunities for today’s wilderness adventure. As your ship cruises along the shore at Chichagof Island and through the northern whale waters of Icy Strait, keep watch for the gentle humpbacks. Feasting on krill. Breaching. Giving you the fluke.

Day 10: Glacier Bay National Park

First established as a National Monument in 1925, Glacier Bay holds the status of National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. Glaciers unfold front and center today and there are many to choose from—Margerie, Grand Pacific, Johns Hopkins, or Lamplugh. Cruise by Marble Islands and witness Steller sea lions barking on the rocky haulout. Seabirds also flock to the area—murrelets, puffins, and black-legged kittiwakes are frequent residents. The 15,000-foot peaks of the Fairweather Range drape the skyline. This evening, set sail toward the Lynn Canal, North America’s deepest fjord.

Day 11: Haines / Skagway

Haines — home to the world's largest autumnal congregation of bald eagles — thrived for years as an integral trade center to the Chilkat band of Tlingit natives, famous for their intricately designed blankets woven with mountain goat hair and cedar bark. A tour at Fort William H. Seward and Sheldon Museum & Cultural Center shares the history and significance of this notable landmark. In Skagway, gateway to the Chilkoot Trail and one of the original routes of the Klondike Gold Rush, wooden boardwalks line the outer edges of the town’s historic buildings where tales of betrayal, fortune, and mystery come alive. An included White Pass and Yukon Route narrow gauge railway tour carries you 3,000 feet up and around cliff-hanging turns for a stunning panorama of glaciers, mountains, and gorges, and waterfalls. Join the Captain for a toast at tonight’s Farewell Dinner and relive your journey with a memorable presentation by your Heritage Leader.

Day 12: Juneau, Alaska - Disembark

Disembark after breakfast for your transfer to the Juneau airport or to begin your add-on overnight stay or extended land tour.

Ship/Hotel

SS Legacy

Relax in the Grand Salon aboard the SS Legacy.
SS Legacy' Owner's Suite
SS Legacy's lounge area in the Owner's Suite.

Dates & Prices

My Preferred Start Date

Per person starting at
SS Legacy's Master Stateroom.
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Master Stateroom
Fixed double bed, view window, private bath with shower. #103-104, 319-320
SS Legacy's Commander's Stateroom
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Commander Stateroom
Queen, double or twin beds, view window, private bath with shower. #105-112, 206-210, 303-308, 311-318
SS Legacy's Captain Stateroom
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Captain Stateroom
Queen or two twin beds, view window, private bath with shower. #211-214
SS Legacy's Admiral Stateroom
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Admiral Stateroom
Queen or twin beds, view window, private bath with shower, trundle bed for triple. #101-102, 201-202, 309-310
SS Legacy's Commodore Suite.
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Jr Commodore Suite
Queen or twin beds, refrigerator, wrap-around windows, private bath with shower. #301-302

Notes

- All rates are quoted in USD and represent cost per person, based on double occupancy. Any stateroom (except designated single) may be sold as a single for 175% of the double occupancy rate. Triple and quad rooming arrangements are available, please contact us for rates.

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Everything was amazing! The planning with Adventure Life went smoothly. The actual trip was fantastic! One of the best trips I have experienced. The cruise staff members were knowledgeable and attentive. I will be writing more about this on the blog!
Justin Chappelle
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