Alaska and the Rocky Mountaineer on Crystal

Beginning with complimentary airport lounge access, you’ll board your flight to Anchorage, arriving the same day. Here, you’ll be met on arrival by a private driver who’ll see you to the central hotel for sweeping inlet and mountain views from its welcoming rooms and fine-dining restaurants. You’ll also have all of Anchorage’s delights on your doorstep, from its picturesque coastal trail to its microbreweries and the superb Alaska Native Heritage Center.

This morning, your private driver will bring you out to Whittier to board the Crystal Symphony. One of the most spacious ships at sea, it’s ranked – alongside its sister ship – as one of the top two ships in the world by Condé Nast Traveler. And, with good reason – your all-inclusive luxury extends from fine wines, spa relaxation and show performances to expert lectures, fitness classes and fine-dining experiences; tuck into afternoon tea and pair world-class sushi with superb champagnes. You’ll settle into all this and more as you set off to stunning views of the dramatic shoreline. Keep your eyes peeled for sea otters and orcas. 

Stay: Crystal Symphony (Deluxe)

Today is given over to cruising the Hubbard Glacier. This 75-mile-long giant covers over 1,350 square miles, making it the largest tidewater glacier in North America. Its 300-foot-tall wall of ice rises sheer and jagged from the ocean and, if you’re lucky, you’ll watch as great chunks of ice break off and fall into the waters below with an almighty crash.

Stay: Crystal Symphony (Deluxe)

Arriving into picturesque Sitka, you’ll be welcomed by the iconic cone of Mt. Edgecumbe, towering over countless scores of green-tufted islands. As a Russia’s former New-World capital, it’s also host to a unique heritage, explored on guided tours of its cathedral architecture, historic craft workshops and totem-dotted clan houses. For something more active, there’s also the option of spotting sea otters, bears, humpback whales and bald eagles or exploring with everything from snorkel, hiking and biking trips to salmon fishing, catamaran cruises and ATV rides.

Stay: Crystal Symphony (Deluxe)

Your next port of call is the Alaskan capital, accessible only by air and sea thanks to its spectacular position between towering Mt. Juneau and the dramatic Gastineau Channel. It’s a gold rush town at heart, something evident across saloon bars and its evocative 19th-century architecture. You’ll also want to explore its picture-perfect surrounds. There are sightseeing flights, dogsledding trips and helicopter landings everywhere from hidden waterfalls to alpine meadows and mighty glaciers. Driving the glacier highway is particular highlight, stopping at 12-mile rivers of ice, sculpted gardens and salmon hatcheries.

Stay: Crystal Symphony (Deluxe)

Following the gold rush, you’ll then arrive at Skagway. In its booming heyday, this frontier town was the gateway to the goldfields and one time hosted 80 saloons, winning it the nickname – “The Roughest Town in the World”. It’s all showcased on tours in 1920s streetcars, saloon visits and the chance to learn the art of blowing glass, dressing your creation with 24k gold leaf. But, if it’s the natural world you’re after, helicopters and bush planes can bring you out to spectacular glacial-valley views.

Stay: Crystal Symphony (Deluxe)

Continuing south, you’ll arrive into Ketchikan, Alaska’s salmon capital. Here, fishermen haul in great catches served up in quaint restaurants perched on stilts above the water. There’s definitely a distinct pioneer feel to the place. As you might have guessed from its name, Ketchikan is also home to a vibrant Native American heritage, featuring native villages, the world’s largest collection of authentic totem poles and the chance to canoe through pristine mountain lakes and dense rainforests. You might also want to spot orcas on a RIB adventure or cruise through green-carpeted fjords on a catamaran. Just don’t miss out on sampling the local seafood, from juicy crabs to fresher-than-fresh salmon.

Stay: Crystal Symphony (Deluxe)

Your last day onboard will see you sail the Inside Passage – a spectacular route sheltered from the open seas by countless forested isles. If you glance portside, however, you’ll be looking up at the peaks of the world’s tallest coastal mountains. It really is scenery that seems custom-built for cruises, with your meandering route bringing you between dense pine forests dotted only by wild game and the occasional rustic town. You’ll also have plenty of time to relax onboard, perhaps enjoying one of the complimentary courses. There’s everything from dance and fitness classes to golf and technology lessons. 

Stay: Crystal Symphony (Deluxe)

Your final cruise stop is Vancouver where you’ll met on arrival by a private driver and brought to your central hotel, its rooftop sauna and whirlpool offering pretty city views. As such, you’ll be perfectly positioned to explore Vancouver’s myriad delights. Taste your way through artisan cafés and craft breweries, marvel at award-winning art installations and sample what is Canada’s most vibrant dining scene, predicated on the city’s multicultural past. Take it all in on cobbled-street walks through the city’s historic centre or a stroll along the city’s five-mile-long seawall, fringed by mountains and dense forests.

Stay: Hampton Inn and Suites  (Superior)

Today, after an included transfer, you’ll board the Rocky Mountaineer, settling in to the comforts of your SilverLeaf service. Here, all the scenery is invited in with panoramic dome windows and outdoor viewing areas, as gastronomic meals are served right to your seat. Along the way, you’ll enjoy complimentary drinks and snacks along with expert commentary from your onboard hosts. Your route today will bring you through the lush green fields of the Fraser Valley to wind through river canyons surrounded by mountain peaks. Then, skirting a giant lake, you’ll arrive into the First-Nations heritage of Kamloops.

Stay: Kamloops accommodation (Superior)

Continuing east towards the mighty Canadian Rockies, you’ll sweep across ranchlands, along rocky lakeshores and over high mountain passes. In between, you’ll dip through short tunnels that remember all of Canada’s rich railway heritage to emerge to yet more spectacular vistas. Highlights include cragged canyons and great arched bridges that hop over vertiginous drops. It’s all backdropped by the glaciers and snow-capped peaks of the Rockies. You’ll end the day in a mountain lodge in Banff, an alpine spa resort surrounded by wilderness.

Stay: Banff Caribou Lodge and Spa (Superior)

Swapping rail for road, today will see you take in the twin, national-park delights of Banff and Jasper along the Icefields Parkway. This dramatic route weaves through evergreen forests to pause at great shimmering lakes and crashing waterfalls. You’ll also stop at the Columbia Icefield – one of the largest accumulations of ice south of the Arctic. Here, you’ll board a six-wheel, all-terrain Ice Explorer to head right out onto the Athabasca Glacier. You’ll end in Jasper, Banff’s quieter cousin where elk, moose and caribou wander through your lodge’s grounds. Once checked in, perhaps warm up with a sauna or hot-tub soak.

Stay: Marmot Lodge (Superior)

Reboarding the Rocky Mountaineer, you’ll plunge back into the British Columbia interior. The Continental Divide has realised the river valleys of the Monashee and Cariboo mountains into cragged peaks and carpeted troughs alike. As always, your carriage’s attendants will be on hand to point out the scenic highlights, your driver slowing down for the likes of towering Mt. Robson and the Pyramid Falls – a waterfall that tumbles down exposed rock in tiered cascades. The dramatic climb over Yellowhead Pass is an additional highlight, bringing you to the North Thompson River and then back into Kamloops.

Stay: Kamloops accommodation (Superior)

Retracing your first leg, today will see you return west towards the Pacific Ocean. After desert-like landscapes, any shred of aridity is vanquished as you ply winding river canyons to steam through the pristine forests that line the Coast and Cascade Mountains. Travelling alongside the Thompson River, you’ll be brought to the rushing waters of Hell’s Gate in Fraser Canyon before arriving into Vancouver. With a last night to explore, perhaps end with one of the city’s world-class restaurants.

Stay: Hampton Inn and Suites (Superior)

After breakfast, a private transfer will see you to the airport for you overnight flight home.