2008 Itinerary
Day 1 - Calgary / Transfer to Banff
Upon arrival at the Calgary International Airport you transfer by regular scheduled motorcoach to the mountain resort town of Banff. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Moderate: Overnight Charlton Cedar Court
Superior: Overnight Fairmont Banff Springs - Fairmont room
Deluxe: Overnight Fairmont Banff Springs - Junior Suite
Day 2 - Rocky Mountaineer® - Banff to Kamloops
Early today, a private sedan will transfer you from your hotel to the Banff train station. For the next two days, you will be experiencing the 'Most Spectacular Train Trip in the World '® aboard Rocky Mountaineer®. Travel aboard the train that puts you in the middle of the awe-inspiring scenery of the Canadian Rockies. Upon arrival in Kamloops, transfer to your hotel. With service and interpretive commentary provided by your Onboard Attendants, you will realize that with Rocky Mountaineer®, you are experiencing one of the world's most unforgettable rail adventures.
Choice of Kamloops Evening Entertainment
A choice of evening entertainment will be offered in the new River Roundhouse venue featuring two dinner theatre. Select between two entertainment choices during your overnight stay in Kamloops:
Two River Junction Dinner and Musical Revue - A classic dinner and musical revue offering a fun-filled look at Canadian rail history. Enjoy the historic tale of infamous bandit Billy Miner's botched train robbery. Watch the fun as local reporter Mary Spencer tries to capture this exciting story, only to find instead that Billy has captured her heart. The minute the show starts; you will sing along to old favourites and laugh at “Tales from the Rails" woven around the notorious train robber, Billy Miner.
The Great Canadian Lumberjack Show - A wild and entertaining evening show featuring an icon of “Canada's West” the lumberjack. This comedic story features two world-class lumberjacks competing to be the best in town. Recreating the historic world of a logging camp, the local lumberjacks will dazzle and amaze the audience with their skills, tricks and showmanship. Among the challenges are a 50-foot tree climb, an axe-throwing competition, and an entertaining log-rolling competition.
Moderate: RedLeaf Service®
Superior: RedLeaf Service®
Deluxe: GoldLeaf Service®
Overnight in Kamloops (Hotel to be advised)
Day 3 - Rocky Mountaineer® - Kamloops to Vancouver
You will depart early this morning for your second day aboard “Rocky Mountaineer Railtours®”. Continue your journey westwards from Kamloops and travel along the Thompson River to the Fraser Canyon. At Hell's Gate watch water torrent past the canyon walls at its narrowest point, a true highlight of the canyon. Upon leaving this region, the train will journey through the fertile Fraser Valley to the coastal city of Vancouver. Upon arrival at the Vancouver Train Station, you will be transferred by private sedan to your downtown hotel.
Moderate: Overnight Residence Inn by Marriott (includes Buffet Breakfast)
Superior: Overnight Fairmont Waterfront Centre Hotel - Fairmont room
Deluxe: Overnight Fairmont Waterfront Centre Hotel - Fairmont Gold Harbourview (includes deluxe continental breakfast and afternoon hors d'oeuvres)
Day 4 - Vancouver City Tour & Capilano Suspension Bridge / Depart aboard Holland America's ms Statendam
This morning depart on a city tour of Vancouver & the Capilano Suspension Bridge. You will see Stanley Park, Gastown, Robson Street, English Bay, Queen Elizabeth Park and Granville Island. From Stanley Park, you will travel across the Lions Gate Bridge to North Vancouver. Swing 230 feet above the Capilano River as you cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge. You will also experience the new Tree Top Adventure, Treetops offers visitors a squirrel's eye view of a thriving coastal forest, as they venture from one magnificent Douglas fir tree to another via a series of elevated suspension bridges, some reaching as high as 100 feet above the forest floor. Upon arrival back at your hotel, transfer (on own) to the cruise ship terminal. This afternoon, you will set sail for new adventures on board the exciting ms Statendam. The ms Statendam dazzles guests with more of everything they desire on a cruise ship: more staterooms with verandahs for private dining, sunning and relaxing more dining choices from fancy dress-up dinners to casual pool-side dining more ways to be pampered in The Greenhouse Spa and Salon. This spectacular cruise ship delights guests with unforgettable onboard experiences.
Moderate: Overnight ms Statendam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Statendam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Statendam in an Veranda Suite (BB class)
Day 5 - Scenic Cruising Inside Passage
Today is at sea. Journey deep into one of nature's most isolated monuments accessible only by sea and air and encounter the magnificence of the Ice Age as you slowly glide through the Inside Passage. Expect the unexpected on your Alaska cruise - a massive glacier calves, a bald eagle soars above, a humpback whale clears the water and the night sky awakens to waves of color. With guaranteed views of sky-splitting peaks, glaciers and vast wilderness.
Moderate: Overnight ms Statendam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Statendam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Statendam in an Veranda Suite (BB class)
Day 6 - Tracy Arm & Juneau, Alaska
In the morning you will cruise through this narrow, 26-mile long fjord is another of Alaska's most dramatic glacier settings. Stand on deck as the lush forest recedes and you enter 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. The face of the South Sawyer Glacier stretches one-third of a mile and calves icebergs big and small. Harbour seals dot the floating platforms. Kittiwakes and mountain goats are a common sight. Whales and bears may even make an appearance in this magical place where closeness and intimacy make visitors a part of the scene.
In the afternoon, arrive Juneau. For years Juneau's livelihood, like that of many cities in Alaska, was tied to mining. The city itself is built on tailings from the A-J mine whose shafts perforate the hillside above town. Because it is Alaska's capital, Juneau prospers through government work and tourism. This is a great place to sample salmon baked over an alderwood fire, pan for gold, and hike the massive Juneau Icefield. If you feel the need for speed, hop on a sled and let a dog team pull you across the surface of a glacier. Sample Shore Excursions (not included): Alaska-style Salmon Bake, Glacier View Sea Kayaking, Gold Panning at Gold Creek.
Moderate: Overnight ms Statendam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Statendam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Statendam in an Veranda Suite (BB class)
Day 7 - Skagway, Alaska
The sidewalks are all but rolled up in Skagway come winter, so you can only imagine the frightful conditions endured by the gold prospectors who passed through en route to the Yukon, with a mandatory ton of supplies to be hauled with them over the steep and treacherous Trail of '98. 21st-century summertime visits to Skagway require nothing of the sort, but you can still ride the antique White Pass & Yukon narrow-gauge railway up through silvery-purple rock faces, past Deadhorse Gulch, to see what it was like back then. Sample Shore Excursions (not included): White Pass Summit Scenic Railway, Biking, rock- climbing and flight seeing adventures.
Moderate: Overnight ms Statendam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Statendam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Statendam in an Veranda Suite (BB class)
Day 8 - Glacier Bay Scenic Cruising
Cloistered in the rocky recesses of Alaska, Glacier Bay is a world still emerging from the Ice Age. Sixteen dazzling tidewater glaciers creep back and forth by millimeters, chiseling great masses of moraine onto their pristine surfaces.
Moderate: Overnight ms Statendam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Statendam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Statendam in an Veranda Suite (BB class)
Day 9 - Ketchikan, Alaska
In the heart of the Tongass National Forest, immerse yourself in Tlingit Indian culture and view the world's largest collection of totem poles kayak the colorful waterfront and stroll the boardwalk that once led to Ketchikan's red light district. Sample Shore Excursions (not included): Adventure Kart & Jet Boat Expedition, Misty Fjords by Floatplane, snorkeling adventure, Totems & Town Tour.
Moderate: Overnight ms Statendam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Statendam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Statendam in an Veranda Suite (BB class)
Day 10 - Scenic Cruising Inside Passage
Today is at sea as you continue your cruise back to Vancouver. You set the pace and choose your pleasure: Start your day early with a brisk walk around the teak deck or enjoy a long, lazy morning with breakfast served in your stateroom. Relax away the afternoon by the pool or participate in one of many classes or speaker presentations. Dress for another stylish dinner or enjoy an excellent meal at one of our more casual restaurants. In the evening, watch a great show, try your luck in the casino or dance into a moonlit night at sea.
Moderate: Overnight ms Statendam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Statendam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Statendam in an Veranda Suite (BB class)
Day 11 - Arrive Vancouver
Arrive back into Vancouver in the early morning. Upon arrival, transfer by private sedan from the cruise ship terminal to the Vancouver International Airport in time for your flight departure home.
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- 3 nights accommodation, room tax and any mandatory service charges
- Rocky Mountaineer® 2 day rail tour including 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches & snacks
- 7 night Alaska Glacier Bay Holland America cruise aboard the ms Statendam including onboard meals & entertainment, taxes and port charges
- Choice of Kamloops Evening Entertainment: Two River Junction Dinner & Musical Review OR Great Canadian Lumberjack Show
- Vancouver City & Capilano Suspension Bridge Tour
- Motor coach transfer Calgary Airport to Banff
- Private sedan transfers between Banff Hotel & train station, Vancouver train station & hotel and Cruise Ship Terminal & Vancouver Airport including gratuities
- Alaska State Cruise Tax
- Personalized documentation package
PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Shore Excursions
- Alcoholic beverages
- Gratuities not listed as included (including meals & cabin attendants onboard the ms Statendam)
- Meals not listed as included
- Transfers not listed as included
- Optional activities not listed as included
- Trip Cancellation Insurance (Insurance can be purchased from your Vacation Specialist, ask for more details)
2009 Itinerary
Day 1 - Calgary / Transfer to Banff
Upon arrival at the Calgary International Airport you transfer by regular scheduled motorcoach to the mountain resort town of Banff. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Moderate: Overnight Charlton Cedar Court
Superior: Overnight Fairmont Banff Springs - Fairmont room
Deluxe: Overnight Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel – Fairmont Gold View room (includes deluxe continental breakfast and afternoon hors d'oeuvres)
Day 2 - Rocky Mountaineer® - Banff to Kamloops / Dinner Theatre
Early today, a private sedan will transfer you from your hotel to the Banff train station. For the next two days, you will be experiencing the 'Most Spectacular Train Trip in the World '® aboard Rocky Mountaineer®. Travel aboard the train that puts you in the middle of the awe-inspiring scenery of the Canadian Rockies. Upon arrival in Kamloops, transfer to your hotel. With service and interpretive commentary provided by your Onboard Attendants, you will realize that with Rocky Mountaineer®, you are experiencing one of the world's most unforgettable rail adventures.
Choice of Kamloops Evening Entertainment
A choice of evening entertainment will be offered featuring two dinner theatre. Select between two entertainment choices during your overnight stay in Kamloops:
Maple Leaf Musical Dinner Theatre – An authentic Canadian dinner and upbeat musical journey about a group of Canadian singers/songwriters embarking on a cross-country train trip is sure to surprise and delight audiences of all ages. This lively performance features internationally known songs by several of Canada’s most loved entertainers, including Anne Murray, Paul Anka, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell and Shania Twain. Guests will enjoy a multimedia trip that trumpets Canada’s musical diversity.
The Great Canadian Lumberjack Show - A wild and entertaining evening show featuring an icon of “Canada's West” the lumberjack. This comedic story features two world-class lumberjacks competing to be the best in town. Recreating the historic world of a logging camp, the local lumberjacks will dazzle and amaze the audience with their skills, tricks and showmanship. Among the challenges are a 50-foot tree climb, an axe-throwing competition, and an entertaining log-rolling competition.
Moderate: RedLeaf Service®
Superior: RedLeaf Service®
Deluxe: GoldLeaf Service®
Overnight in Kamloops (Hotel to be advised)
Day 3 - Rocky Mountaineer® - Kamloops to Vancouver
You will depart early this morning for your second day aboard “Rocky Mountaineer Railtours®”. Continue your journey westwards from Kamloops and travel along the Thompson River to the Fraser Canyon. At Hell's Gate watch water torrent past the canyon walls at its narrowest point, a true highlight of the canyon. Upon leaving this region, the train will journey through the fertile Fraser Valley to the coastal city of Vancouver. Upon arrival at the Vancouver Train Station, you will be transferred by private sedan to your downtown hotel.
Moderate: Overnight Residence Inn by Marriott (includes Buffet Breakfast)
Superior: Overnight Fairmont Waterfront Centre Hotel - Fairmont room
Deluxe: Overnight Fairmont Waterfront Centre Hotel - Fairmont Gold Harbourview (includes deluxe continental breakfast and afternoon hors d'oeuvres)
Day 4 - Vancouver City Tour & Capilano Suspension Bridge / Depart aboard Holland America's ms Zuiderdam
This morning depart on a city tour of Vancouver & the Capilano Suspension Bridge. You will see Stanley Park, Gastown, Robson Street, English Bay, Queen Elizabeth Park and Granville Island. From Stanley Park, you will travel across the Lions Gate Bridge to North Vancouver. Swing 230 feet above the Capilano River as you cross the Capilano Suspension Bridge. You will also experience the new Tree Top Adventure, Treetops offers visitors a squirrel's eye view of a thriving coastal forest, as they venture from one magnificent Douglas fir tree to another via a series of elevated suspension bridges, some reaching as high as 100 feet above the forest floor.
Upon arrival back at your hotel, transfer (on own) to the cruise ship terminal. This afternoon, you will set sail for new adventures on board the exciting ms Zuiderdam. The ms Zuiderdam dazzles guests with more of everything they desire on a cruise ship: more staterooms with verandahs for private dining, sunning and relaxing more dining choices from fancy dress-up dinners to casual pool-side dining more ways to be pampered in The Greenhouse Spa and Salon. This spectacular cruise ship delights guests with unforgettable onboard experiences.
Note: Vancouver City Tour & Capilano Supsension Bridge Tour operates from May 15 – Sep 20, 2009. When the tour is not running, it will be substituted with Deluxe Vancouver City Tour.
Deluxe Vancouver City Tour - This morning you will be taken on a 4 ½ hour city tour of Vancouver. You will see Stanley Park, Gastown, Chinatown, Robson Street, English Bay, Queen Elizabeth Park and Granville Island. Admission to the Lookout Tower has been included on the tour, providing a bird's-eye view of Vancouver.
Moderate: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in a Veranda Suite (VB class)
Day 5 - Scenic Cruising Inside Passage
Today is at sea. Journey deep into one of nature's most isolated monuments accessible only by sea and air and encounter the magnificence of the Ice Age as you slowly glide through the Inside Passage. Expect the unexpected on your Alaska cruise - a massive glacier calves, a bald eagle soars above, a humpback whale clears the water and the night sky awakens to waves of color. With guaranteed views of sky-splitting peaks, glaciers and vast wilderness.
Moderate: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in a Veranda Suite (VB class)
Day 6 - Tracy Arm & Juneau, Alaska
In the morning you will cruise through this narrow, 26-mile long fjord is another of Alaska's most dramatic glacier settings. Stand on deck as the lush forest recedes and you enter 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. The face of the South Sawyer Glacier stretches one-third of a mile and calves icebergs big and small. Harbour seals dot the floating platforms. Kittiwakes and mountain goats are a common sight. Whales and bears may even make an appearance in this magical place where closeness and intimacy make visitors a part of the scene.
In the afternoon, arrive Juneau. For years Juneau's livelihood, like that of many cities in Alaska, was tied to mining. The city itself is built on tailings from the A-J mine whose shafts perforate the hillside above town. Because it is Alaska's capital, Juneau prospers through government work and tourism. This is a great place to sample salmon baked over an alderwood fire, pan for gold, and hike the massive Juneau Icefield. If you feel the need for speed, hop on a sled and let a dog team pull you across the surface of a glacier. Sample Shore Excursions (not included): Guide’s Choice Adventure Hike, Underground Juneau Gold.
Moderate: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in a Veranda Suite (VB class)
Day 7 - Skagway, Alaska
The sidewalks are all but rolled up in Skagway come winter, so you can only imagine the frightful conditions endured by the gold prospectors who passed through en route to the Yukon, with a mandatory ton of supplies to be hauled with them over the steep and treacherous Trail of '98. 21st-century summertime visits to Skagway require nothing of the sort, but you can still ride the antique White Pass & Yukon narrow-gauge railway up through silvery-purple rock faces, past Deadhorse Gulch, to see what it was like back then. Sample Shore Excursions (not included): White Pass Summit Scenic Railway, Dogsledding & Glacier Helicopter Flight.
Moderate: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in a Veranda Suite (VB class)
Day 8 - Glacier Bay Scenic Cruising
Cloistered in the rocky recesses of Alaska, Glacier Bay is a world still emerging from the Ice Age. Sixteen dazzling tidewater glaciers creep back and forth by millimeters, chiseling great masses of moraine onto their pristine surfaces.
Moderate: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in a Veranda Suite (VB class)
Day 9 - Ketchikan, Alaska
In the heart of the Tongass National Forest, immerse yourself in Tlingit Indian culture and view the world's largest collection of totem poles kayak the colorful waterfront and stroll the boardwalk that once led to Ketchikan's red light district. Sample Shore Excursions (not included): Adventure Kart & Jet Boat Expedition, Misty Fjords & Wilderness Explorer.
Moderate: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in a Veranda Suite (VB class)
Day 10 - Scenic Cruising Inside Passage
Today is at sea as you continue your cruise back to Vancouver. You set the pace and choose your pleasure: Start your day early with a brisk walk around the teak deck or enjoy a long, lazy morning with breakfast served in your stateroom. Relax away the afternoon by the pool or participate in one of many classes or speaker presentations. Dress for another stylish dinner or enjoy an excellent meal at one of our more casual restaurants. In the evening, watch a great show, try your luck in the casino or dance into a moonlit night at sea.
Moderate: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in a Veranda Suite (VB class)
Day 11 - Arrive Vancouver
Arrive back into Vancouver in the early morning. Upon arrival, transfer by private sedan from the cruise ship terminal to the Vancouver International Airport in time for your flight departure home.
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- 3 nights accommodation, room tax and any mandatory service charges
- Rocky Mountaineer® 2 day rail tour including 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches & snacks
- 7 night Alaska Glacier Bay Holland America cruise aboard the ms Zuiderdam including onboard meals & entertainment, taxes and port charges
- Choice of Kamloops Evening Entertainment: Maple Leaf Musical Dinner Theatre OR Great Canadian Lumberjack Show
- Vancouver City & Capilano Suspension Bridge Tour (SUBSTITUTIONS: If not operating will be substituted with a Deluxe Vancouver City Tour)
- Motor coach transfer Calgary Airport to Banff
- Private sedan transfers between Banff Hotel & train station, Vancouver train station & hotel and Cruise Ship Terminal & Vancouver Airport including gratuities
- Personalized documentation package
PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Shore Excursions
- Alcoholic beverages
- Gratuities not listed as included (including meals & cabin attendants onboard the ms Zuiderdam)
- Meals not listed as included
- Transfers not listed as included
- Optional activities not listed as included
- Goods and Services tax (GST)
- Trip Cancellation Insurance (Insurance can be purchased from your Vacation Specialist, ask for more details)