Magnificent Volcanoes of the Aleutian Islands

Petropavlovsk, the oldest town in the Russian Far East, was established in October 1740 when the ships Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul, captained by Vitus Jonassen Bering, the Danish explorer working for the Russian Navy, first entered the bay. The Military Glory Museum, found in the town center, is the most important in all of northern Russia. Keep your camera at the ready, though, as nearby is the picturesque Petrovskaya Hill, which also has some surprises in store for you - don’t forget to admire the sumptuous views across the Bay of Avacha from its summit. The bay’s circular shape creates a natural protection against the impetuous wind, all the while providing ships with easy access into port.

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

Located at the western edge of the Aleutian Islands, Attu Island, belonging to the Near Islands group, also represents the westernmost part of the United States. Caught in a vice between the Bering Sea and the North Pacific Ocean, it has to contend with a difficult climate, characterized by storms and often violent winds. During the Second World War, it was the scene of a forgotten battle. In June 1942, the Japanese landed on the island in order to occupy it. On 11 May 1943, it was the Americans’ turn to disembark on Attu and drive out their enemy after a fierce battle lasting several days that left very few survivors on the Japanese side.

Kiska belongs to the Rat Islands group, located to the west of the Aleutian Islands. It is home to a cone-shaped active volcano, culminating at over 1,200 meters. Along with Attu Island, some kilometers further west, it makes up the only two American territories to have been occupied by the Japanese during the Second World War. During the summer of 1943, American troops disembarked in order to bring this enemy occupation to an end. They discovered, to their surprise, that the Japanese had already fled the island, under the cover of bad weather.

Amchitka is also located in the Rat Islands Group and is a volcanic, tectonically unstable island. It’s part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and it’s recognized for wilderness qualities.

Atka Island is the largest island in the Andreanof Islands of the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. In the northeast of the island, you can find the Korovin volcano, which reaches a peak of 5,030 feet. After the Japanese attacked Unalaska and seized Attu and Kiska, the U.S. Government evacuated Atka residents and burned the town to the ground to prevent Japanese forces from using it and advancing. The community was rebuilt after the War. Discover this traditional Unangan settlement and its customs and lifestyle during your visit to the island.

Yunaska Island is the largest of the Islands of Four Mountains group in the Aleutian Islands of southwestern Alaska. It offers a stunning volcanic landscape as the island is formed by two volcanic mountains, with a flay valley between.

Chuginadak Island is located in the Islands of Four Mountains of the Aleutian archipelago. The western part of the island is dominated by Mount Cleveland, one of the most active volcanoes in the Aleutian arc. A narrow strip of land separates the volcano from the rugged and lower eastern side of the island.

During your cruise, discover an exceptional site: Unalaska Island and its port, Dutch Harbor. Located between the Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, on the Aleutian Islands, Dutch Harbor is the only deepwater port in the archipelago. As for the island itself, it offers you unique landscapes: volcanic summits swept by the wind and surrounded by the sea, lush green valleys, sometimes covered with bright summer flowers, sometimes with deep winter snow… Unalaska is not only an island with astonishing nature and very varied wildlife, but it is also rich in history, where ancient indigenous cultures and remains from World War II can be seen and their tales be told.

Off the Alaska Peninsula hides a small gem: Chankliut. From mountainous terrain to flowery moors and valleys covered in sea Lyme grass, this island, which is part of the Aleutian archipelago, offers landscapes with a unique charm. During your walk around a lake, you will cross a sumptuous meadow where beautiful aconite and willowherb vie for attention. The more courageous will venture onward to the neighboring valley and its ancient calderas to admire the splendor of the scenery. This uninhabited island bears no trace of any past settlement. Small, curious heads will catch your attention, however: crested puffins and horned puffins bask on the water near spotted seals…

Here you are in the heart of Katmai National Park and Preserve. Here, the rocky cliffs are punctuated with white marks. These are the remains of ash deposits that accumulated following a volcanic eruption in the past. A little further south, you will explore every part of Geographic Harbor and its tall cliffs covered in vegetation and plunging into the sea.

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness center. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

Formed by the retreat of the Guyot, Yahtse and Tyndall glaciers over the past 100 years, Icy Bay is one of those timeless places where silence reigns supreme. Let yourself be enthralled by landscapes of breathtaking beauty, enhanced by magnificent views over the Saint Elias Mountains, visible in the background. The bay, several kilometers wide, is often scattered with icebergs sliding on clear and deep waters. It will let you access several sounds, among which are the Tsaa fjord, very close to the Guyot glacier. Many marine mammals and sea birds have chosen to live on this territory with very few visitors in the south of Alaska.

At the tip of an island in the Alexander Archipelago, not far from the Canadian border, peaceful Elfin Cove shelters a fishing community that’s only linked to the rest of the world by the sea. There are just a dozen wooden houses, a long wooden pontoon and a tiny port surrounded by crystalline waters. It doesn’t get any quainter than this. Choose from a network of hiking paths that weave through a pristine forest, to lead you to secret beaches where silence reigns. The wonders of the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, accessible by a short boat trip, are many.

In 1880, gold diggers flocked here, and it didn't take long before Juneau was singled out, getting itself a solid reputation and henceforth becoming the capital of Alaska. Along the Gastineau Strait, in the heart of the spectacular Inside Passage, the 31,000 or so inhabitants of Juneau enjoy some of the world’s most incredible fauna and scenery every day of their lives. Perhaps you are even able to watch the antics of humpback whales against a backdrop of majestic glaciers. Culture and shopping are certainly not lacking; the city is full of places to experience and enjoy.