14-Day Holland America Alaska Adventurer Cruise

The Emerald City of the Pacific Northwest, Seattle is known for its stunning waterfront. "Catch" a salmon at Pike Place Market, ride to the top of the Space Needle, sample a local microbrew in funky Fremont, or down a cup of java in the coffee capital of the world.

Built out over the water and climbing weathered stairways, Ketchikan clings to the shores of Tongass Narrows and drapes the mountains with a cheerful air. Besides the main attractions - Creek Street, the Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Bight State Park and Saxman Village, try a flightseeing trip to breathtaking Misty Fjords National Monument--a transformational adventure not to be missed. These deep water fjords left by retreating glaciers left granite cliffs towering thousands of feet above the sea and countless waterfalls cascading into placid waters. The souvenir photos you'll take from the pontoons of the plane are worth the trip alone.

This narrow, 26-mile-long fjord is another of Alaska's most dramatic glacier settings. The lush rain forest recedes to reveal a stunning canyon of bare rock. The panorama of 7,000-foot mountain peaks and nearly vertical rock cliffs is astounding. Waterfalls appear at every turn. Icebergs make their way to the sea in all sorts of wondrous shapes. And tucked away at the end of this remarkable waterway are two very active reminders of the Ice Age - the twin Sawyer Glaciers, calving icebergs into the jade-colored inland sea. Kittiwakes, mountain goats and seals are a common sight. Whales and bears may even make an appearance in this magical place.

Located at the foot of grand mountain peaks on the Gastineau Channel, the town of Juneau has the massive Mendenhall Glacier and the immense Juneau Icefields at its back door. Juneau is the place to let your imagination run wild. Explore the lush Tongass National Forest. Visit the rustic shops in town. Or get out and kayak, dogsled, raft, hike, whale watch, flightsee or fish. There s no end to the adventure because of the long daylight hours. Climb aboard the Mt. Roberts Tramway for a great spot to hike and shoot a souvenir photo.

Immerse yourself in secluded beaches, old-growth forests and Alaskan adventure - the best of Southeast Alaska is yours, including some of the best whale-watching and bear viewing opportunities anywhere.

Rich with authentic native Tlingit culture and near the historic settlement of Hoonah, the area is home to Dall's porpoises, seals, sea otters and bald eagles.

What will you do during your day at sea?  Your beautiful ship features extensive on-board enrichment programs and activities every day. Take a self-guided art tour, lounge by the pool, practice yoga or work out in the fitness center, or pamper yourself with a spa treatment and indulge in world-class luxury shopping. You can also choose from a variety of group activities such as cooking and computer classes, basketball, volleyball, bridge and board games to name a few. Or you can do nothing at all. It's entirely up to you.

Anchorage, beautifully situated on Cook Inlet and surrounded by the Chugach Mountains, is a hub of activity with everything from fine restaurants and frontier saloons to museums and art galleries. Extend your stay in this cosmopolitan city and take advantage of the many optional tours that spotlight Alaska's history, culture and outdoors lifestyle.

On southern Kenai Peninsula, Homer is located on the pristine waters of Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet, in the shadow of the Kenai Mountains. The second largest city on the peninsula, Homer boasts the geographical anomaly that locals call The Spit. 15,000 years ago, a glacier covering Kachemak Bay pushed a five-mile long gravel bar toward Cook Inlet. After the glaciers retreated, this bar remained. Today, it is a bustling port where visitors can stroll its beaches and boardwalks.

Visit Pratt Museum, where you can learn the natural history of the bay and the southern Kenai Peninsula. Start a tour of the harbor by exploring the galleries of local artists or rest for a spell at the Salty Dawg Saloon, which dates back to the late 1800 s. At low tide, walk the sand and marvel at the life in the tide pools. If you re lucky, you may just spot an eagle soaring overhead or catch seals, otters and sea lions enjoying the view along with you.

Kodiak Island has been home to the Alutiiq people for more than 7,500 years, but its most famous inhabitant is surely the enormous sub-species of grizzly known as the Kodiak brown bear. Some of these giants weigh 1500 pounds and stand ten feet tall. Apart from a larger-than-life animal kingdom, Kodiak also boasts legendary fishing, the noticeable influence of historic Russian America, and spotless green fjords.

Come face to face with a gigantic wall of ice that fills your view and extends for miles in either direction. It s a titan on the move, advancing faster than almost any other glacier on the continent. When it reaches saltwater at Disenchantment Bay, the imposing architecture of this behemoth measures five miles in width and 40 stories in height, dwarfing even the largest ships. As you glide along this sparkling blue marvel, watch for seals basking on ice floes, listen for the loud, deep rumble and wait for the mighty crack and thunderous crash. At any moment, you could be witness to an eternal drama as nature s hand sculpts icebergs before your wondering eyes.

The onion domes of St. Michael's Cathedral are your first clue that Sitka was once a Russian settlement - the colonial headquarters of Count Baranof, no less. Discover the echoes of its heyday at a performance by the New Archangel Dancers. Be greeted by Tlingit native people, then stand on the spot where the United States took possession of Alaska in 1867 for $7.2 million, less than two cents per acre. The dramatic setting in the shadow of Mt. Edgecumbe is one of the lovliest in the Great Land. Take a stroll through old growth forest in Sitka National Historical Park, shop the downtown district, and poke around the Sheldon Jackson Museum for a close-up look at some of the city's most prized arts, crafts and Russian relics.

Today maybe you'll finially get the chance to read that book you've been trying to find time for...I'll bet the ship library has it.   

A touch of England awaits: afternoon tea, double-decker buses, the famed Butchart Gardens - a brilliant tapestry of color spread across 50 blooming acres. Sample shore excursions: A Taste of Victoria: City Lights with Wine & Chocolate; Ale Trail & Pub Tour.