35-night Alaska & Japan Cruise: Ketchikan, Tokyo & Osaka

Aug 05, 2027 - Vancouver

Vancouver is a thriving metropolis surrounded by natural beauty. With parks, beaches, gardens, museums, art galleries and the second-largest Chinatown in North America, Vancouver lives up to its promise of offering something for everyone. With modern buildings set against green, rolling hillsides, this city is breathtaking; no location offers a more spectacular view than Stanley Park - with a zoo, aquarium, totem poles and honking geese. A short walk from the park leads to Robson Street, which offers the town's best window-shopping. Stores with European flavor share the avenue with delicatessens and tea rooms ready to serve. As architectural heart of the city, Robson Square features a central plaza with a food fair and an old provincial courthouse, which now houses Vancouver Art Gallery. Be sure to stop at 8 Pender St. - "the narrowest building in the world." Other points of interest include the Museum of Anthropology; Japanese-style Nitobe Memorial Garden; and VanDusen Botanical Garden. Capilano Canyon is site of the world's longest and highest suspension footbridge.

Aug 06, 2027 - Inside Passage

Imagine being confronted with a myriad of mysterious channels. Following each fjord to the interior, encounter massive mountain ranges, towering cliffs, tumbling waterfalls, virginal forests of two-hundred foot tall spruce, while whales, bears, seals, salmon, eagles and other wildlife. Always they were stopped by an inevitable face of ice - glaciers pushing inexorably downward to meet the sea. What must have been a mapmaker's nightmare is today cherished as the continent's last great untouched wilderness, harbouring the world's largest temperate rain forest. An Eden of the North to captivate the every modern-day explorer. The string of islands of the Inside Passage create a protective barrier to the open sea running from the Washington State/Canadian border and the bottom of Vancouver Island all the way up to the top of Chichagof Island, where the Gulf of Alaska begins its curve westward, offering a supremely serene cruising environment in some of the most dramatic surroundings on earth.

Aug 07, 2027 - Ketchikan

Ketchikan is known as "Alaska's First City" because it's the first major community travelers come to as they travel north. The city is built on steep hillsides and is billed as salmon capital of the world. A quaint village, the town is three miles long and three blocks wide. With fishing boats sailing in and float planes ascending from the water, this seaside town is bustling with activity. With the world's largest collection of totem poles, Totem Bight State Historical Park offers insight into various native cultures of the Pacific Northwest. These wood-carved creations tell colorful, intricate tales – often showing a family history or depicting a local legend. Ketchikan has many options for adventure of relaxation, including mountain bike tours, sea kayaking, seaplane riding, or strolling down the boardwalk of Creek Street, Ketchikan's most famous section with a historic cable car and quaint boutiques. Blessed with an abundance of hiking trails, Ketchikan offers many breathtaking vistas, including the panoramic, 360-degree view from the top of Deer Mountain.

Aug 08, 2027 - Wrangell

Wrangell, a hidden jewel in the heart of the Tongass National Forest, is the third oldest community in Alaska and the only community to be ruled by 4 nations: the indigenous Tlingit nation, Russia, Great Britain and the United States. The island is rich in native heritage as evidenced by the rock carvings at Petroglyph Beach as well as the totems seen around town. Walk in the steps of John Muir amidst historic buildings that will take you back to the unhurried pace of yesterday, and enjoy the beauty of the Stikine River and the surrounding wilderness.

Aug 09, 2027 - Haines

Alaska's heritage comes alive in the handcrafted artistry of the Tlingit Indians and in the lively performances of the Chilkat Dancers, with their brightly painted tribal masks. Get a glimpse of the town’s gold-rush history in local museums. Visit the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve—Haines boasts the world’s largest concentration of the magnificent birds, drawn to the area by the salmon-rich waters. Take a boat trip on Lake Chilkoot or a glacier country flightseeing trip.

Aug 10, 2027 - Sitka

Resting between snowcapped mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Sitka is one of the most beautiful seaside towns in Alaska and the biggest city in America - encircling 4,710 square miles on Baranof Island. No symbol shows Russian influence more than the landmark St. Michael's Cathedral. Original artifacts and icons, including the Sitka Madonna, were saved from fire and are on display. Visit Castle Hill, once site of a two-story log mansion known as Baranof's Castle, which overlooked Sitka Sound during the town's fur trading days. Only stone walls and mounted cannons remain from Russia's bloody battles against native Tlingit. Sitka National Historical Park offers information and artifacts relating to the Tlingits, including totem poles as a chronicle of early life on this fertile ground. Alaska Raptor Rehabilitation Center cares for as many as a dozen bald eagles and other birds at a time. The facility caters to rare wildlife recovering from injuries incurred in the wild. Among the more popular trails is Indian River Trail, which parallels a salmon stream, and the three-mile-long Gaven Hill Trail.

Aug 11, 2027 - Hubbard Glacier

Seventy-five miles long and covering over 1,350 square miles in area, the Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier in North America. It is also one of the most impressive, a 300-foot wall of ice rising sheer and jagged from the ocean. You may hear the rumble and see the monumental splash as the glacier breaks off in great ice chunks, known as "calves."

Aug 12, 2027 - Valdez

Valdez is known as the "Switzerland of Alaska," a tribute to the splendid snow-capped mountains that surround this prosperous port. Once the gateway to the gold country, Valdez is now the southern terminus of the famous Alaskan Pipeline that carries "black gold" from the Arctic Ocean to an oil-thirsty world.

Aug 13, 2027 - Anchorage (Seward)

Seward and its surroundings comprise a land of memorable beauty--saltwater bays, blue glaciers, majestic mountains and alpine valleys. Located on the Kenai Peninsula at the head of Resurrection Bay, the city is one of Alaska's oldest communities, and also one of the most scenic.

Aug 14, 2027 - Kodiak Island

Kodiak, home to Alaska's largest fishing fleet, offers a taste of Alaska's Russian heritage. Visit Russian Orthodox Church, and the Baranof Museum (located in Alaska's oldest wooden structure, a historic fur storehouse). Over 200 species of birds have been recorded in the Kodiak Archipelago, and bird watching is a main attraction. Special wildlife viewing is found at Miller Point within Ft. Abercrombie State Historic Park. During the early summer, gray, humpback, and minke whales can be spotted as they migrate through nearby Whale Passage. Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge was established to protect the habitat of the brown bear. Kodiak is home to extensive fishing, hunting and photographic opportunities.

Aug 15, 2027 - At Sea

Aug 16, 2027 - Dutch Harbor

Dutch Harbour is a port in the Aleutian Islands. Geologically, the archipelago is a continuation of the Aleutian Range, which is on the Alaskan mainland, and contains a number of volcanic peaks. Few trees, all of stunted growth, are found, but grasses grow in abundance. Although a few good harbours are found in the archipelago, navigation is dangerous because of almost perpetual fog and numerous reefs.

Aug 17, 2027 - At Sea

Aug 18, 2027 - At Sea

Aug 19, 2027 - At Sea

Aug 20, 2027 - At Sea

Aug 21, 2027 - At Sea

Aug 22, 2027 - At Sea

Aug 23, 2027 - At Sea

Aug 24, 2027 - Miyako

This island has an excellent reputation for its beauty. Miyako is the main island among a chain of eight islands, with its main city located in Hirara.  Visitors will enjoy the coral sand beaches, and emerald green sea, perfect for swimming. The island also has a beautiful coastline fringed with the coral reefs.  The scale of coral reefs far outshines others. Travellers will also enjoy visiting the many historical sites symbolizing the life of the island.

Aug 25, 2027 - Oarai

Oarai Town is situated in the east of Ibaraki. The seashores facing the Pacific Ocean, Lake Hinuma located on the west side of the town, and areas along the Hinuma River form popular resort areas, belonging to Oarai Prefectural Seaside Park. The white-crested waves breaking against the conglomerate rocks on Oarai Promontory are very dynamic, from which the sandy beach stretches southward. This beach is as one of the pleasantest sea resort in Kanto Region.

Aug 26, 2027 - Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan, presents a different view at every turn. It's one of the world's main economic centers and its most populous agglomeration. The business of Tokyo is business, but you can still find harmony and small-scale gardens on back streets. Around the corner from neon and concrete, you may find the bonsai-lined courtyard of a traditional inn.

Tokyo was nearly destroyed by bombs and fires during World War II, and by earthquakes at other times, but it has always rebuilt itself. As a result, there is little left of Old Japan in the city, but there's plenty of New Japan to take its place.

The streets are a confusing maze, so a map is essential. The transit system is excellent, however, and there are kobans (police boxes) throughout the metropolis, as well as a populace generally willing to answer questions.

Visitors to Tokyo represent both business and leisure travelers. And despite its past reputation, Tokyo is no longer fearsomely expensive. It's relatively easy to visit Tokyo on a budget.

Aug 27, 2027 - Shimizu

Shimizu is located on the northwest coast of Suruga Bay on the island of Honshu. Protected by a sandspit, it is a major commercial port and fishing centre. Places of scenic and historic interest include the Pine Groves of Miho, the Ryuge Temple, containing a fern palm believed to be more than 1,000 years old, and the nearby Nippon-Daira plateau.

Aug 28, 2027 - Nagoya

Nagoya is located at the head of Ise Bay on the south eastern coast of central Honshu. Sights of interest include Nagoya Castle (1610 rebuilt 1959), one of the largest of the Edo period, Tokugawa Art Museum, Citizen Hall, Aichi Cultural Centre, Chunichi Hall, and Misono Theatre. You can also visit the zoological and botanical gardens in Higashiyama Park. Further afield, the Atsuta Shrine and the Grand Shrine of Ise are the oldest and most highly esteemed Shinto shrines in Japan.

Aug 29, 2027 - Osaka

This large, bustling port is the starting point for tours to the ancient cities of Kyoto and Nara, the cultural fountainheads of classical Japan. Kyoto's Old Imperial Palace and the shogunal Nijo Castle remain glorious symbols of the power the city held for over 1,000 years. Until 1868, Kyoto was the capital of Japan, filled with elegant timber buildings and, perhaps more than any other Japanese city, imbued with Kami, the divine spirit. You'll sense it everywhere, for there are hundreds of Shinto shrines and over a thousand Buddhist temples, as well as sacred treasure-houses of religious sculpture, painting and exquisite gardens. Nara, City of the Seven Great Temples, lies in an idyllic setting.

Aug 30, 2027 - Osaka

This large, bustling port is the starting point for tours to the ancient cities of Kyoto and Nara, the cultural fountainheads of classical Japan. Kyoto's Old Imperial Palace and the shogunal Nijo Castle remain glorious symbols of the power the city held for over 1,000 years. Until 1868, Kyoto was the capital of Japan, filled with elegant timber buildings and, perhaps more than any other Japanese city, imbued with Kami, the divine spirit. You'll sense it everywhere, for there are hundreds of Shinto shrines and over a thousand Buddhist temples, as well as sacred treasure-houses of religious sculpture, painting and exquisite gardens. Nara, City of the Seven Great Temples, lies in an idyllic setting.

Aug 31, 2027 - Hiroshima

Hiroshima in southwestern Honshu has grown rapidly as a commercial city, and after 1868 it was developed as a military base. Every August 6 since 1947, thousands participate in multidenominational services in the Peace Memorial Park built on the site where the bomb exploded. After the war the city was largely rebuilt, and commercial activity gradually resumed. Visit the Peace Park but also explore Miyajima Island and its colourful shrines and mysterious forests.

Sep 01, 2027 - Kitakyushu

Sep 02, 2027 - Pusan (Busan)

Korea's "museum without walls" is akin only to China in its depth and cultural wonder. From Pusan, you can journey to the ancient Silla capital of Kyongju, a dynasty which reigned in Korea for almost a thousand years. Today this small provincial town is virtually a museum without walls, dotted with many splendid ruins. Nearby, the forested mountains and valleys shelter hundreds of beautiful Buddhist shrines including the renowned Sokkuram Grotto, and Tongdosa and Pulguksa Temples. Pusan is also a shopper's mecca and Korea's vital southern link to Japanese and American trade.

Sep 03, 2027 - Sakaiminato

Sakaiminato is a city in Tottori Prefecture, Japan. Sakaiminato is well-known for being one of the biggest fishing towns in Japan, it specializes in fresh sea food and tourists love to try out their famous and delicious king crab. The city has a multitude of tourist attractions which include visiting museums, a famous wooden lighthouse, or you can simply enjoying an ocean view picnic at the beautiful Sakai Dabai Park

Sep 04, 2027 - Kanazawa

Kanazawa's importance grew in the 15th century, when the powerful and militant Ikko sect established its new headquarters there after being chased out of Kyoto by the monks of Mt.Hiei. During the Edo Period, Kanazawa was the seat of the Maeda clan, the second most powerful clan after the Tokugawa in terms of rice production and fief size. Accordingly, Kanazawa grew to become a town of great cultural achievements, rivaling Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo). In World War Two, Kanazawa was Japan's second largest city (after Kyoto) to escape destruction by air raids. Consequently, parts of the old castle town, such as samurai, temple and pleasure districts, have survived in pretty good condition. Kanazawa is capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, a prefecture along the Sea of Japan.

Sep 05, 2027 - Niigata

Niigata has a long history as a port and is distinguished for being the site of one of only five international ports opened in 1868 when Japan resumed contact with other countries after nearly 250 years of self-imposed isolation. Since that time, Niigata has developed into one of Japan's most important modern international ports. Geographically, the city is distinctive in that it is surrounded by water. The Shinano and Agano, two of the largest rivers in Japan, run through the heart of Niigata before emptying into the Japan Sea. In addition, until relatively recently, the city was crisscrossed by a series of canals used to transport goods. Although the canals have been filled in to make the construction of modern roadways possible, the willows that lined these canals still remain today and now serve to lend a gentle air to the bustling downtown area. Although Niigata has grown into an important regional center of activity, the city has pursued a plan of careful development in order to preserve its traditional culture, natural environment, and distinctive local character. When Niigata is mentioned, many people often think immediately of the area's delicious rice and sake or the city's beautiful sunsets, but the residents of Niigata themselves take pride, rather, in the spirit of hospitality and community that so distinguishes the city. Following this tradition, the city's long held goal has been to create a society where every citizen is valued and allowed to shine. Numerous cultural and civic facilities support the activities of local groups and organizations. In addition, Niigata's conscientious system of social welfare seeks to preserve the dignity as well as the well-being of all of the city's residents. The city is constantly trying to tackle society's problems in progressive, innovative and caring ways.

Sep 06, 2027 - Akita

Akita is a prefecture in the north of Japan's main island known for it's natural beauty and old world charm.

From November to March it's a winter wonderland with deep drifts, icicle sheets hanging off every roof and superb skiing and snowboarding. Winter festivals celebrate ancient traditions like the building of snow shrines, or kamakura, complete with offerings of sake and fruit.

Sep 07, 2027 - Aomori

A city for all seasons, Aomori attracts visitors from afar for its beauty and events. In the spring, Hirosaki Castle Park is one of Japan’s most famous sites for viewing the cherry blossoms. The Nebuta Festival is held in the summer time and is one of the largest and most colorful summer events in Japan. Lake Towada is famous for the changing of her leaves in the autumn, and the winter months bring glorious snow for skiing, skating and snowboarding. Aomori is also home to the largest outdoor Buddha’s in Japan – weighing over 220 tons.

Sep 08, 2027 - At Sea

Sep 09, 2027 - Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan, presents a different view at every turn. It's one of the world's main economic centers and its most populous agglomeration. The business of Tokyo is business, but you can still find harmony and small-scale gardens on back streets. Around the corner from neon and concrete, you may find the bonsai-lined courtyard of a traditional inn.

Tokyo was nearly destroyed by bombs and fires during World War II, and by earthquakes at other times, but it has always rebuilt itself. As a result, there is little left of Old Japan in the city, but there's plenty of New Japan to take its place.

The streets are a confusing maze, so a map is essential. The transit system is excellent, however, and there are kobans (police boxes) throughout the metropolis, as well as a populace generally willing to answer questions.

Visitors to Tokyo represent both business and leisure travelers. And despite its past reputation, Tokyo is no longer fearsomely expensive. It's relatively easy to visit Tokyo on a budget.