Alaska Cruises: Excursions

Enjoy the highlights of Victoria and a visit to the spectacular Butchart Gardens. Your guide will provide you with a look into how the Butchart Family transformed the gardens from a barren rock quarry to what is now one of the world's best-known horticultural attractions. The gardens are a lush paradise of flowers, rare trees and winding paths. Created over 100 years ago, this once-private garden is spectacular. When darkness falls, you'll be treated to an evening wonderland of lighting displays illuminating the gardens. Enjoy the cascading fountains and footbridges connecting you to the many themed gardens - including the beautiful Sunken Gardens, the Japanese Garden and the Rose Garden. Multi-language maps help you on your self-guided tour. As an added bonus, guests visiting on Saturdays in July and August will be treated to the Butchart Gardens fireworks display, choreographed to music. Note: Order of sights may vary. Walking time and distance is at each guest's discretion. The gardens are stunning in the evening when illuminated by thousands of hidden lights. Garden illuminations offered when daylight hours shorten. less

Tour historic Skagway, as your guide points out places of interest and amuses you with tales of the famous and foolhardy. Wind through streets lined with wooden boardwalks and false-fronted buildings en route to a Gold Rush Trail Camp re-created on the very spot where it stood a century ago. At Liarsville, you’ll dine on freshly grilled filet of Alaskan Salmon, baked chicken, rice pilaf, and a variety of salads, baked beans, corn bread, coffee, lemonade, and dessert. Wander through the camp and visit the general store, saloon, and bordello and laundry tents to view the antiques and vintage clothing left behind and have your picture taken with one of the dance hall girls or the camp mascot, a loveable freight husky. less

This tour provides an outstanding overview of the state's capital city and its scenic attractions, including one of the world's only drive-to glaciers, the Mendenhall. Your guided tour drives you through Juneau's picturesque downtown. Visit the Mendenhall Glacier, a moving river of ice with rugged crevasses and a distinctive blue color. Stroll the walkways to the Visitor Center and take in one of the glaciology exhibits, an interpretive talk with a Forest Service Ranger, or simply enjoy the panoramic view of the glacier. Afterward, your drive takes you to Juneau's Macaulay Salmon Hatchery and Visitor Center. Note: This tour operates under a special use permit issued by the U.S. Forest Service. Wheelchair access may be limited - for details, please consult your Shore Excursion staff before booking. less

Become absorbed in the rich living culture of Southeast Alaska’s Native Americans and witness a rip-roaring lumberjack competition on this comprehensive tour of Ketchikan. Your first stop will be a visit to Saxman Native Village. For generations, Tlingit villages have maintained a tradition of welcoming visitors in regal style. At Saxman, guests are still afforded this same time-honored welcome. In this Native community, tribal elders and others have worked hard to pass on many of the traditions that have long defined the culture of Southeast Alaska. A visit to Saxman gives the visitor a firsthand opportunity to see the results of these efforts. A short video program introduces the visitor to the culture and history of Saxman. Guests then enter the Beaver Clan House where they are welcomed by song and dance. Visitors are encouraged to participate in the final dance before moving onto the Saxman Totem Park, one of the largest gatherings of totem poles in the world. Your guide will help unravel the mysteries of these towering, majestic poles that stand as sentries over the present generation. The next stop is the Village Carving Center where world famous carvers work and pass on their skills to eager apprentices. A visit to the Village Store provides guests with the opportunity to purchase some of the finest Alaska Native art available or a small memento of your visit. On the return trip, see sights of Creek Street and let the fun begin with a stop at the Great Alaska Lumberjack Show. Hardy lumberjacks bring to life Alaska’s colorful forest history with an action packed competition in the partially covered and heated outdoor arena. Cheer on your team of World Champion lumberjacks in events such as chopping, sawing, tree climbing and much more. You will be kept on the edge of your seats as the entertaining host relives rich logging tales of a bygone era. Note: Please note that there may be a short wait prior to the Lumberjack Show. Time can be spent on your own or in the rustic company store located at the Lumberjack Show. Tour may operate in reverse. less

No trip to Alaska is complete without a ride on the White Pass and Yukon Route narrow-gauge railroad that served the mad rush to the Klondike in 1898. You’ll board an old-fashioned parlor car for a 40-mile round trip. A panorama of wilderness unfolds, as you leave Skagway and pass through two tunnels, sky-high trestles, and remote valleys. Outside your large picture window, view Bridal Veil Falls, Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch. Your guide will announce all points of interest and tell the unique story of this railway. After reaching White Pass Summit, the international boundary between Canada and the U.S., you’ll begin your return journey down the White Pass & Yukon Route. Note: The 4:30 pm departure of this tour is referred to as the 'White Pass Evening Summit'. For more details about this tour please visit: http://www.wpyr-ncl.com

Flying high above wetland habitat, Alpine ridges and lush rainforests, you’ll gain new appreciation for this rugged land as your pilot shares a lively narrative. As you approach the Icefield and its many glaciers, you’ll marvel at the twisted spires, deep blue crevasses and carved peaks that make up this ancient landscape. Soaring even higher, you may pass the Mendenhall Towers - jagged rock sentinels that climb more than 7,000 feet - and the spectacular icefalls that overflow to form the Mendenhall Glacier. View icefalls, spires, and the many hanging glaciers suspended on the surrounding mountainsides before a gentle landing on this slowly moving river of ice and explore the glaciers’ surface with your expert glacier guide. See and understand how glaciers form, flow and carve out the landscape. Enjoy complimentary beverages when you return to the helicopter base and discuss this inspirational experience. Note: Flight time is approximately 30 minutes, with an approximately 20-25 minute landing on the glacier. This tour operates under a special use permit issued by the U.S. Forest Service. This tour is non-refundable. Guests 250 lbs. and over are charged an additional rate to reserve two seats for safety and comfort. These spaces are capacity controlled. You will not be able to book this option online. Please call 1.866.625.1167 for assistance with these reservations. Approximate weight of each participant must be provided. Time spent on the glacier is approximate and may vary due to weather and glacial conditions. Glacier boots are provided at the heliport. For more details about this tour please visit: www.alaskahelicoptertours.com
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