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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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