Alaska Dreams/Regatta
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Regatta

Alaska Dreams - 11 night cruise



Cruise only from €3,782

Price based on lowest available cruise only fare for double occupancy. Subject to change at any time.


Description

Gratuities

Dates and Prices

Cabins

Better than new, Regatta is the flagship of the Oceania Cruises fleet and features a beautifully re-inspired ambiance. Each luxurious suite and stateroom is entirely new from floor to ceiling, including the bathrooms. Her decks are resplendent in the finest teak, custom stone and tile work, and her lounges, suites and staterooms showcase designer residential furnishings. Regatta offers four unique, open-seating restaurants, the Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center, eight lounges and bars, a casino and 333 tony suites and sleekly redefined staterooms, nearly 70% of which feature private verandas. With more than 400 crew to serve a maximum of 656 guests, it's no wonder these small and luxurious ships are more than acclaimed – they are legendary.

In a dramatic re-inspiration process, Regatta has become a completely redesigned ship without peer. Every surface of every suite and stateroom is entirely new, while in the public spaces, a refreshed colour palette of soft sea and sky tones surrounds tasteful renewal of fabrics, furnishings and lighting fixtures that exquisitely encompasses the inimitable style and comfort of Oceania Cruises. From the bejewelled new chandeliers in the gracious Grand Dining Room to the beckoning Reception Hall, Regatta celebrates a rejuvenation so sweeping, you will find it positively unimaginable to resist her welcoming embrace.

Sleek and elegantly charming, Regatta is the flagship of the Oceania Cruises fleet. Her decks are resplendent in the finest teak, custom stone and tile work, and her lounges, suites and staterooms boast luxurious, neo-classical furnishings. Regatta offers every luxury you may expect on board one of our stylish ships. She features four unique, open-seating restaurants, the Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center, eight lounges and bars, a casino and 342 lavish suites and luxurious staterooms, nearly 70% of which feature private verandas. With just 656 guests to pamper, our 400 professionally trained European staff ensure you will wait for nothing.

Cruise ID: 12116

How much you choose to tip is a personal matter and completely at your discretion. For your convenience, the following gratuities are automatically added to your shipboard account.

For guests occupying staterooms, gratuities of $16.00 per guest, per day will be added.

For guests occupying Penthouse, Oceania, Vista or Owner's Suites where Butler Service is provided, gratuities of $23.00 per guest, per day will be added.

In addition, an 18% service gratuity is automatically added to all beverage purchases, spa services and dinner at La Reserve. Naturally, guests may adjust gratuities while on board the vessel at their sole discretion.

Date Time Price * Booking
28 June 2024 18:00 €3,782 Call us to book
26 July 2024 18:00 €3,878 Call us to book

* Price based on lowest available cruise only fare for double occupancy. Subject to change at any time.

Cabins on Regatta

Inside Stateroom
1-2

Beautifully re-designed with a modern flair, these private retreats boast 160 square feet of luxury. Highlights include a comfortable seating area, vanity desk, refrigerated minibar and plenty of storage. The ingenious use of space is complemented by the re-inspired decor.

Inside Stateroom FREE Amenities:

  • FREE soft drinks replenished daily in your refrigerated mini-bar
  • FREE still & sparkling Vero Water
  • FREE room service menu 24 hours a day
  • Inside Stateroom Included Amenities:
  • Tranquility Bed, an Oceania Cruises Exclusive
  • Bulgari amenities

Twice-daily maid service

  • Interactive television system with on-demand movies, weather and more
  • Wireless Internet access and cellular service
  • Writing desk and stationery
  • Plush cotton towels, robes and slippers
  • Handheld hair dryer
  • Security safe
  • Belgian chocolates with turndown service
  • Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • TV
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk

Deluxe OceanView Stateroom
1-2

With entirely re-designed closets, dressers and vanities, these 165-square foot staterooms feel even more spacious. A generous seating area, vanity desk, refrigerated mini-bar and breakfast table are perfectly complemented by the soothing hues and stylish fabrics of the sleek new decor.

Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom FREE Amenities:

  • FREE soft drinks replenished daily in your refrigerated mini-bar
  • FREE still & sparkling Vero Water
  • FREE room service menu 24 hours a day

Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom Included Amenities:

  • Tranquility Bed, an Oceania Cruises Exclusive
  • Bulgari amenities
  • Twice-daily maid service
  • Category (C1) includes accessibility features in stateroom #4052 and #4056.
  • Interactive television system with on-demand movies, weather and more
  • Wireless Internet access and cellular service
  • Writing desk and stationery
  • Plush cotton towels, robes and slippers
  • Handheld hair dryer
  • Security safe
  • Belgian chocolates with turndown service

Deluxe Oceanview Accessibility Features:

  • Bed with hoist space
  • Large bathroom door
  • Toilet grab rails
  • Roll in bathrooms with no lip riser which has a wraparound drainage system as well as a bathtub
  • Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Free Mini Bar
  • TV
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk

Owner's Suite
1-2

Lavish new fabrics and designer furnishings grace our six new Owner's Suites – always among the first to be reserved. Immensely spacious and exceptionally luxurious, these suites span nearly 1,000 square feet and areas of quietude and relaxation. Every imaginable amenity is found here, further enhanced by a sumptuous re-designed bathroom with an oversized shower, a private teak veranda and two flat-screen televisions.

Owner's Suite Privileges

In addition to Stateroom Amenities

  • FREE laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom+

  • Priority 11 am ship embarkation with priority luggage delivery
  • 24-hour Butler service
  • Optional private in-suite embarkation day lunch from noon to 2 pm
  • Complimentary in-suite bar setup with 6 full-size bottles of premium spirits and wines from our suite beverage menu
  • Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne
  • Fresh fruit basket replenished daily
  • Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
  • Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace
  • Luxury bath amenities
  • Choice of daily printed newspaper
  • Complimentary Oceania Cruises logo tote bag and personalized stationery
  • Cashmere lap blankets, perfect for relaxing on your veranda
  • Choice of pillow from a luxurious selection
  • Complimentary shoeshine service
  • Complimentary pressing of garments upon embarkation++

+Up to 20 garments per laundry bag. 3 day turnaround time and laundry will not be accepted 3 days prior to disembarkation.

++Certain limitations apply

Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

BUTLER SERVICES

Exclusively in Suites

  • Course-by-course in-suite dining+
  • Order in from any of our specialty restaurants+
  • Coordination of shore-side dinner and entertainment reservations
  • Last-minute luggage collection
  • Packing and unpacking upon request
  • Complimentary garment pressing+
  • Complimentary shoe shine service
  • Gourmet evening canapés
  • Special services upon request

+Certain limitations apply

Facilities

  • Pillow Menu Available
  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Dining Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • Suite Benefits
  • Full Bar
  • Butler Service
  • TV
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Media/Entertainment Station
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk

Vista Suite
1-2

Named for their sweeping views over the ship's bow, the four Vista Suites each sprawl over 786 square feet. Every imaginable comfort is here, including a second bathroom for guests as well as a master bathroom newly redesigned in onyx and granite with a luxurious new shower. Relax on the private teak veranda, listen to music in enhanced surround sound or watch a movie on one of two flat-screen televisions. Access wireless Internet on a complimentary iPad®.

Vista Suite Privileges

  • FREE laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom+

  • Priority 11 am ship embarkation with priority luggage delivery
  • 24-hour Butler service
  • Complimentary in-suite bar setup with 6 full-size bottles of premium spirits and wines from our suite beverage menu
  • Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne
  • Fresh fruit basket replenished daily
  • Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
  • Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace
  • Luxury bath amenities
  • Choice of daily printed newspaper
  • Complimentary Oceania Cruises logo tote bag and personalized stationery
  • Cashmere lap blankets, perfect for relaxing on your veranda
  • Choice of pillow from a luxurious selection
  • Complimentary shoeshine service
  • Complimentary pressing of garments upon embarkation++

+Up to 20 garments per laundry bag. 3 day turnaround time and laundry will not be accepted 3 days prior to disembarkation.

++Certain limitations apply

Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Pillow Menu Available
  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Dining Area
  • Vanity Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • Suite Benefits
  • Full Bar
  • Butler Service
  • TV
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Media/Entertainment Station
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk

Penthouse Suite
1-2

Our collection of 322-square-foot Penthouse Suites has been completely transformed with splendid new decor and exquisite furnishings in serene shades of the sea and sky. Spacious enough for private in-suite dining, the living area features a refrigerated mini-bar a vanity desk and the granite-clad bathroom is large enough for an indulgent walk-in shower. Relax on the beautifully furnished private teak veranda.

Penthouse Suite Privileges

  • Free laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom+
  • Priority 11 am ship embarkation with priority luggage delivery
  • 24-hour Butler service
  • Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
  • Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace
  • Complimentary iPad®
  • Variety of Bulgari amenities
  • Complimentary Oceania Cruises logo tote bag
  • Cashmere lap blankets, perfect for relaxing on your veranda
  • Complimentary shoe shine service
  • Complimentary pressing of garments upon embarkation++

+ Up to 20 garments per laundry bag. A 3 day turnaround time and laundry will not be accepted 3 days prior to disembarkation.

++ Certain limitations apply

Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • Suite Benefits
  • Full Bar
  • Butler Service
  • TV
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk

Concierge Level Veranda Stateroom
1-2

Located in some of the most desirable locations on the ship, Category A Concierge Level Veranda Staterooms offer the attractive blend of both value and luxury. These sleekly redefined 216-square-foot staterooms offer coveted amenities and exclusive privileges, such as free laundry service, that make your experience that much more carefree. Fresh new decor, sumptuous Tranquility Beds and re-inspired verandas with stylish new furniture complete the Concierge experience.

Concierge Level Exclusive Privileges

In addition to Stateroom Amenities

  • FREE laundry service – up to 3 bags per stateroom+

  • Expanded lunch and dinner room service menu from The Grand Dining Room
  • Complimentary welcome bottle of Champagne
  • Priority online specialty restaurant reservations
  • Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace
  • Complimentary Oceania Cruises logo tote bag
  • Cashmere lap blankets, perfect for relaxing on your veranda
  • Complimentary pressing of garmets upon embarkation++
  • Complimentary shoeshine service

+ Up to 20 garments per laundry bag. 3 day turnaround time and laundry will not be accepted 3 days prior to disembarkation

++ Limited availability

Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Room Service Available
  • Free Mini Bar
  • TV
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk

Oceanview Stateroom - Cat D
1-2

Featuring a classic porthole, these exquisitely appointed 165-square-foot staterooms showcase sophisticated new decor and a modern design that maximizes both space and convenience. Enjoy a comfortable seating area with a sofa on which to stretch out, as well as a vanity desk, breakfast table and refrigerated mini-bar.

Oceanview FREE Amenities:

  • FREE soft drinks replenished daily in your refrigerated mini-bar
  • FREE still & sparkling Vero Water
  • FREE room service menu 24 hours a day

Oceanview Included Amenities:

  • Tranquility Bed, an Oceania Cruises Exclusive
  • Bulgari amenities
  • Twice-daily maid service
  • Interactive television system with on-demand movies, weather and more
  • Wireless Internet access and cellular service

Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • Free Mini Bar
  • TV
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk

Solo Oceanview Stateroom
1

These charming 143-square-foot staterooms are the perfect retreat for the solo traveler. Amply spacious and centrally located on Deck 6, each is equipped with a sublimely plush Tranquility Bed, refrigerated mini-bar, writing desk and abundant storage space.

Solo Oceanview FREE Amenities:

  • FREE soft drinks replenished daily in your refrigerated mini-bar
  • FREE still & sparkling Vero Water
  • FREE room service menu 24 hours a day

Solo Oceanview Included Amenities:

  • Tranquility Bed, an Oceania Cruises Exclusive
  • Bulgari amenities
  • Twice-daily maid service
  • Interactive television system with on-demand movies, weather and more
  • Wireless Internet access and cellular service
  • Writing desk and stationery
  • Plush cotton towels, robes and slippers
  • Handheld hair dryer
  • Security safe
  • Belgian chocolates with turndown service

Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Queen or Twin Configuration
  • Lounge Area
  • Shower
  • Toiletries Provided
  • TV
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk

Veranda Stateroom
1-2

Custom-crafted furnishings, exotic stone finishes, supple upholstered headboards and chic lighting are just a few of the enhancements within these 216-square-foot staterooms that also boast our most popular luxury – a private teak veranda for watching the ever-changing panoramas. Conveniences within each stateroom include a vanity desk, refrigerated mini-bar, breakfast table and spacious seating area.

Veranda Stateroom Amenities

  • Ultra Tranquility Bed, an Oceania Cruises Exclusive
  • Private teak veranda
  • Twice daily maid service
  • Complimentary 24-hour room service
  • Signature Belgian chocolates with nightly turndown service
  • Plush cotton towels
  • Thick cotton robes and slippers
  • Bulgari amenities
  • Handheld hair dryer
  • Wireless Internet access and cellular service
  • Writing desk and stationary
  • Flat-screen television with live satellite news and programming
  • DVD player with extensive 24-hour room service menu
  • Security safe

Smoking in suites, staterooms and on verandas is strictly prohibited.

Facilities

  • Double or Twin Configuration
  • Shower
  • Room Service Available
  • TV
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Safe
  • Hair Dryer
  • Telephone
  • Desk

View Itinerary By Date



Day 1 Seattle, Washington, United States

Seattle is a scenic seaport city in western Washington, situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound to the west and Lake Washington to the east. It is the largest city in Washington. Five pioneer families from Illinois first settled the area in 1851, and named the town after a friendly Suquamish Indian chief. It was incorporated as a city in 1869, and grew quickly after the Great Northern Railway arrived in 1893, especially during the Alaska Gold Rush of 1897. When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, Seattle became a major Pacific port of entry, and today it is the region's commercial and transportation hub and the centre of manufacturing, trade, and finance, with an estimated 684,451 residents as of 2015.

Day 2  Cruising

Day 3 Ketchikan, Alaska, United States

Ketchikan is famous for its colorful totem poles, rainy skies, steep–as–San Francisco streets, and lush island setting. Some 13,500 people call the town home, and, in the summer, cruise ships crowd the shoreline, floatplanes depart noisily for Misty Fiords National Monument, and salmon-laden commercial fishing boats motor through Tongass Narrows. In the last decade Ketchikan's rowdy, blue-collar heritage of logging and fishing has been softened by the loss of many timber-industry jobs and the dramatic rise of cruise-ship tourism. With some effort, though, visitors can still glimpse the rugged frontier spirit that once permeated this hardscrabble cannery town. Art lovers should make a beeline for Ketchikan: the arts community here is very active. Travelers in search of the perfect piece of Alaska art will find an incredible range of pieces to choose from.The town is at the foot of 3,000-foot Deer Mountain, near the southeastern corner of Revillagigedo (locals shorten it to Revilla) Island. Prior to the arrival of white miners and fishermen in 1885, the Tlingit used the site at the mouth of Ketchikan Creek as a summer fish camp. Gold discoveries just before the turn of the 20th century brought more immigrants, and valuable timber and commercial fishing resources spurred new industries. By the 1930s the town bragged that it was the "salmon-canning capital of the world." You will still find some of Southeast's best salmon fishing around here. Ketchikan is the first bite of Alaska that many travelers taste. Despite its imposing backdrop, hillside homes, and many staircases, the town is relatively easy to walk through. Favorite downtown stops include the Spruce Mill Development shops and Creek Street. A bit farther away you'll find the Totem Heritage Center. Out of town (but included on most bus tours) are two longtime favorites: Totem Bight State Historical Park to the north and Saxman Totem Park to the south.

Day 4 Juneau, Alaska, United States

Juneau, Alaska's capital and third-largest city, is on the North American mainland but can't be reached by road. Bounded by steep mountains and water, the city's geographic isolation and compact size make it much more akin to an island community such as Sitka than to other Alaskan urban centers, such as Fairbanks or Anchorage. Juneau is full of contrasts. Its dramatic hillside location and historic downtown buildings provide a frontier feeling, but the city's cosmopolitan nature comes through in fine museums, noteworthy restaurants, and a literate and outdoorsy populace. The finest of the museums, the Alaska State Museum, is scheduled to reopen in May 2016 on its old site as the expanded Alaska State Library, Archives, and Museum (SLAM) following several years of planning and exhibit research. Another new facility, the Walter Soboleff Center, offers visitors a chance to learn about the indigenous cultures of Southeast Alaska–-Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. Other highlights include the Mt. Roberts Tramway, plenty of densely forested wilderness areas, quiet bays for sea kayaking, and even a famous drive-up glacier, Mendenhall Glacier. For goings-on, pick up the Juneau Empire (www.juneauempire.com), which keeps tabs on state politics, business, sports, and local news.

Day 5 Haines, Alaska, United States

Unlike most cities of Southeast Alaska, Haines can be reached by road. With a population of 2,200, Haines lies in the upper northern reaches of the Inside Passage and is an important access point to the Yukon Territory and Interior Alaska. While cruising into Haines, see the Lynn Canal, the longest and deepest fjord in North America. Once in town, mountains seem to surround you on all sides while the jagged cathedral peaks of the Chilkat Mountains loom over Fort Seward. Haines has two distinct personalities. On the north side of the Haines Highway is the section of Haines that developed around the Presbyterian mission. After its missionary beginnings, it served as the trailhead for the Jack Dalton Trail into the Yukon during the 1897 gold rush to the Klondike. South of the highway, the town resembles a military post, which is exactly what it was for nearly half a century. In 1903 the U.S. Army established Fort William Henry Seward at Portage Cove just south of town. The post (renamed Chilkoot Barracks in 1922) was the only military base in the territory until World War II. In 1939, the army built the Alaska Highway and the Haines Highway to connect Alaska with the other states. Today, the community of Haines is recognized for the Native American dance and culture center at Fort Seward as well as for its superb fishing, camping and outdoor recreation.

Day 6  Cruising

Day 7 Icy Strait Point, United States

Since Icy Strait Point opened in 2004, Hoonah has attracted more visitors, particularly those who arrive by cruise ship. The port is centered around the restored salmon cannery, which now houses a museum, local arts and crafts shops, restaurants, and a mid-1930s cannery line display. Outside is the world's largest and highest zip line at 5,330 feet long, featuring a 1,300-foot vertical drop—a thrilling ride with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and ocean. If you're looking for more relaxing mountaintop views, book a gondola ride that will whisk you up into the mountains for some leisurely hiking and stellar sightseeing. Icy Strait Point houses several restaurants where visitors can dine on freshly caught seafood while taking in the waterfront views. A range of excursions are available at Icy Strait Point catering primarily to cruise ship passengers, from Alaska Native dance performances to bear viewing and whale watching.

Day 8 Sitka, Alaska, United States

It's hard not to like Sitka, with its eclectic blend of Alaska Native, Russian, and American history and its dramatic and beautiful open-ocean setting. This is one of the best Inside Passage towns to explore on foot, with St. Michael's Cathedral, Sheldon Jackson Museum, Castle Hill, Sitka National Historical Park, and the Alaska Raptor Center topping the must-see list.Sitka was home to the Kiksádi clan of the Tlingit people for centuries prior to the 18th-century arrival of the Russians under the direction of territorial governor Alexander Baranof, who believed the region was ideal for the fur trade. The governor also coveted the Sitka site for its beauty, mild climate, and economic potential; in the island's massive timber forests he saw raw materials for shipbuilding. Its location offered trading routes as far west as Asia and as far south as California and Hawaii. In 1799 Baranof built St. Michael Archangel—a wooden fort and trading post 6 miles north of the present town.Strong disagreements arose shortly after the settlement. The Tlingits attacked the settlers and burned their buildings in 1802. Baranof, however, was away in Kodiak at the time. He returned in 1804 with a formidable force—including shipboard cannons—and attacked the Tlingits at their fort near Indian River, site of the present-day 105-acre Sitka National Historical Park, forcing many of them north to Chichagof Island.By 1821 the Tlingits had reached an accord with the Russians, who were happy to benefit from the tribe's hunting skills. Under Baranof and succeeding managers, the Russian-American Company and the town prospered, becoming known as the Paris of the Pacific. The community built a major shipbuilding and repair facility, sawmills, and forges, and even initiated an ice industry, shipping blocks of ice from nearby Swan Lake to the booming San Francisco market. The settlement that was the site of the 1802 conflict is now called Old Sitka. It is a state park and listed as a National Historic Landmark.The town declined after its 1867 transfer from Russia to the United States, but it became prosperous again during World War II, when it served as a base for the U.S. effort to drive the Japanese from the Aleutian Islands. Today its most important industries are fishing, government, and tourism.

Day 9 Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada

Just 40 mi (66 km) south of the Alaskan border, Prince Rupert is the largest community on British Columbia's north coast. Set on Kaien Island at the mouth of the Skeena River and surrounded by deep green fjords and coastal rain forest, Prince Rupert is rich in the culture of the Tsimshian, people who have been in the area for thousands of years. As the western terminus of Canada's second transcontinental railroad and blessed with a deep natural harbor, Prince Rupert was, at the time of its incorporation in 1910, poised to rival Vancouver as a center for trans-Pacific trade. This didn't happen, partly because the main visionary behind the scheme, Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad president Charles Hays, went down with the Titanic on his way back from a financing trip to England. Prince Rupert turned instead to fishing and forestry. A port of call for both BC and Alaska ferries, but relatively new to cruise ships, this community of 15,000 retains a laid-back, small-town air.

Day 10  Cruising

Day 11 Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Victoria, the capital of a province whose license plates brazenly label it "The Best Place on Earth," is a walkable, livable seaside city of fragrant gardens, waterfront paths, engaging museums, and beautifully restored 19th-century architecture. In summer, the Inner Harbour—Victoria's social and cultural center—buzzes with visiting yachts, horse-and-carriage rides, street entertainers, and excursion boats heading out to visit pods of friendly local whales. Yes, it might be a bit touristy, but Victoria's good looks, gracious pace, and manageable size are instantly beguiling, especially if you stand back to admire the mountains and ocean beyond. At the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria dips slightly below the 49th parallel. That puts it farther south than most of Canada, giving it the mildest climate in the country, with virtually no snow and less than half the rain of Vancouver. The city's geography, or at least its place names, can cause confusion. Just to clarify: the city of Victoria is on Vancouver Island (not Victoria Island). The city of Vancouver is on the British Columbia mainland, not on Vancouver Island. At any rate, that upstart city of Vancouver didn't even exist in 1843 when Victoria, then called Fort Victoria, was founded as the westernmost trading post of the British-owned Hudson's Bay Company. Victoria was the first European settlement on Vancouver Island, and in 1868 it became the capital of British Columbia. The British weren't here alone, of course. The local First Nations people—the Songhees, the Saanich, and the Sooke—had already lived in the areas for thousands of years before anyone else arrived. Their art and culture are visible throughout southern Vancouver Island. You can see this in private and public galleries, in the totems at Thunderbird Park, in the striking collections at the Royal British Columbia Museum, and at the Quw'utsun'Cultural and Conference Centre in nearby Duncan. Spanish explorers were the first foreigners to explore the area, although they left little more than place names (Galiano Island and Cordova Bay, for example). The thousands of Chinese immigrants drawn by the gold rushes of the late 19th century had a much greater impact, founding Canada's oldest Chinatown and adding an Asian influence that's still quite pronounced in Victoria's multicultural mix. Despite its role as the provincial capital, Victoria was largely eclipsed, economically, by Vancouver throughout the 20th century. This, as it turns out, was all to the good, helping to preserve Victoria's historic downtown and keeping the city largely free of skyscrapers and highways. For much of the 20th century, Victoria was marketed to tourists as "The Most British City in Canada," and it still has more than its share of Anglo-themed pubs, tea shops, and double-decker buses. These days, however, Victorians prefer to celebrate their combined indigenous, Asian, and European heritage, and the city's stunning wilderness backdrop. Locals do often venture out for afternoon tea, but they're just as likely to nosh on dim sum or tapas. Decades-old shops sell imported linens and tweeds, but newer upstarts offer local designs in hemp and organic cotton. And let's not forget that fabric prevalent among locals: Gore-Tex. The outdoors is ever present here. You can hike, bike, kayak, sail, or whale-watch straight from the city center, and forests, beaches, offshore islands, and wilderness parklands lie just minutes away. A little farther afield, there's surfing near Sooke, wine touring in the Cowichan Valley, and kayaking among the Gulf Islands.

Day 12 Seattle, Washington, United States

Seattle is a scenic seaport city in western Washington, situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound to the west and Lake Washington to the east. It is the largest city in Washington. Five pioneer families from Illinois first settled the area in 1851, and named the town after a friendly Suquamish Indian chief. It was incorporated as a city in 1869, and grew quickly after the Great Northern Railway arrived in 1893, especially during the Alaska Gold Rush of 1897. When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, Seattle became a major Pacific port of entry, and today it is the region's commercial and transportation hub and the centre of manufacturing, trade, and finance, with an estimated 684,451 residents as of 2015.

Day 1 Seattle, Washington, United States

Seattle is a scenic seaport city in western Washington, situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound to the west and Lake Washington to the east. It is the largest city in Washington. Five pioneer families from Illinois first settled the area in 1851, and named the town after a friendly Suquamish Indian chief. It was incorporated as a city in 1869, and grew quickly after the Great Northern Railway arrived in 1893, especially during the Alaska Gold Rush of 1897. When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, Seattle became a major Pacific port of entry, and today it is the region's commercial and transportation hub and the centre of manufacturing, trade, and finance, with an estimated 684,451 residents as of 2015.

Day 2  Cruising

Day 3 Ketchikan, Alaska, United States

Ketchikan is famous for its colorful totem poles, rainy skies, steep–as–San Francisco streets, and lush island setting. Some 13,500 people call the town home, and, in the summer, cruise ships crowd the shoreline, floatplanes depart noisily for Misty Fiords National Monument, and salmon-laden commercial fishing boats motor through Tongass Narrows. In the last decade Ketchikan's rowdy, blue-collar heritage of logging and fishing has been softened by the loss of many timber-industry jobs and the dramatic rise of cruise-ship tourism. With some effort, though, visitors can still glimpse the rugged frontier spirit that once permeated this hardscrabble cannery town. Art lovers should make a beeline for Ketchikan: the arts community here is very active. Travelers in search of the perfect piece of Alaska art will find an incredible range of pieces to choose from.The town is at the foot of 3,000-foot Deer Mountain, near the southeastern corner of Revillagigedo (locals shorten it to Revilla) Island. Prior to the arrival of white miners and fishermen in 1885, the Tlingit used the site at the mouth of Ketchikan Creek as a summer fish camp. Gold discoveries just before the turn of the 20th century brought more immigrants, and valuable timber and commercial fishing resources spurred new industries. By the 1930s the town bragged that it was the "salmon-canning capital of the world." You will still find some of Southeast's best salmon fishing around here. Ketchikan is the first bite of Alaska that many travelers taste. Despite its imposing backdrop, hillside homes, and many staircases, the town is relatively easy to walk through. Favorite downtown stops include the Spruce Mill Development shops and Creek Street. A bit farther away you'll find the Totem Heritage Center. Out of town (but included on most bus tours) are two longtime favorites: Totem Bight State Historical Park to the north and Saxman Totem Park to the south.

Day 4 Icy Strait Point, United States

Since Icy Strait Point opened in 2004, Hoonah has attracted more visitors, particularly those who arrive by cruise ship. The port is centered around the restored salmon cannery, which now houses a museum, local arts and crafts shops, restaurants, and a mid-1930s cannery line display. Outside is the world's largest and highest zip line at 5,330 feet long, featuring a 1,300-foot vertical drop—a thrilling ride with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains and ocean. If you're looking for more relaxing mountaintop views, book a gondola ride that will whisk you up into the mountains for some leisurely hiking and stellar sightseeing. Icy Strait Point houses several restaurants where visitors can dine on freshly caught seafood while taking in the waterfront views. A range of excursions are available at Icy Strait Point catering primarily to cruise ship passengers, from Alaska Native dance performances to bear viewing and whale watching.

Day 5  Cruising

Day 6 Haines, Alaska, United States

Unlike most cities of Southeast Alaska, Haines can be reached by road. With a population of 2,200, Haines lies in the upper northern reaches of the Inside Passage and is an important access point to the Yukon Territory and Interior Alaska. While cruising into Haines, see the Lynn Canal, the longest and deepest fjord in North America. Once in town, mountains seem to surround you on all sides while the jagged cathedral peaks of the Chilkat Mountains loom over Fort Seward. Haines has two distinct personalities. On the north side of the Haines Highway is the section of Haines that developed around the Presbyterian mission. After its missionary beginnings, it served as the trailhead for the Jack Dalton Trail into the Yukon during the 1897 gold rush to the Klondike. South of the highway, the town resembles a military post, which is exactly what it was for nearly half a century. In 1903 the U.S. Army established Fort William Henry Seward at Portage Cove just south of town. The post (renamed Chilkoot Barracks in 1922) was the only military base in the territory until World War II. In 1939, the army built the Alaska Highway and the Haines Highway to connect Alaska with the other states. Today, the community of Haines is recognized for the Native American dance and culture center at Fort Seward as well as for its superb fishing, camping and outdoor recreation.

Day 7 Juneau, Alaska, United States

Juneau, Alaska's capital and third-largest city, is on the North American mainland but can't be reached by road. Bounded by steep mountains and water, the city's geographic isolation and compact size make it much more akin to an island community such as Sitka than to other Alaskan urban centers, such as Fairbanks or Anchorage. Juneau is full of contrasts. Its dramatic hillside location and historic downtown buildings provide a frontier feeling, but the city's cosmopolitan nature comes through in fine museums, noteworthy restaurants, and a literate and outdoorsy populace. The finest of the museums, the Alaska State Museum, is scheduled to reopen in May 2016 on its old site as the expanded Alaska State Library, Archives, and Museum (SLAM) following several years of planning and exhibit research. Another new facility, the Walter Soboleff Center, offers visitors a chance to learn about the indigenous cultures of Southeast Alaska–-Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. Other highlights include the Mt. Roberts Tramway, plenty of densely forested wilderness areas, quiet bays for sea kayaking, and even a famous drive-up glacier, Mendenhall Glacier. For goings-on, pick up the Juneau Empire (www.juneauempire.com), which keeps tabs on state politics, business, sports, and local news.

Day 8 Sitka, Alaska, United States

It's hard not to like Sitka, with its eclectic blend of Alaska Native, Russian, and American history and its dramatic and beautiful open-ocean setting. This is one of the best Inside Passage towns to explore on foot, with St. Michael's Cathedral, Sheldon Jackson Museum, Castle Hill, Sitka National Historical Park, and the Alaska Raptor Center topping the must-see list.Sitka was home to the Kiksádi clan of the Tlingit people for centuries prior to the 18th-century arrival of the Russians under the direction of territorial governor Alexander Baranof, who believed the region was ideal for the fur trade. The governor also coveted the Sitka site for its beauty, mild climate, and economic potential; in the island's massive timber forests he saw raw materials for shipbuilding. Its location offered trading routes as far west as Asia and as far south as California and Hawaii. In 1799 Baranof built St. Michael Archangel—a wooden fort and trading post 6 miles north of the present town.Strong disagreements arose shortly after the settlement. The Tlingits attacked the settlers and burned their buildings in 1802. Baranof, however, was away in Kodiak at the time. He returned in 1804 with a formidable force—including shipboard cannons—and attacked the Tlingits at their fort near Indian River, site of the present-day 105-acre Sitka National Historical Park, forcing many of them north to Chichagof Island.By 1821 the Tlingits had reached an accord with the Russians, who were happy to benefit from the tribe's hunting skills. Under Baranof and succeeding managers, the Russian-American Company and the town prospered, becoming known as the Paris of the Pacific. The community built a major shipbuilding and repair facility, sawmills, and forges, and even initiated an ice industry, shipping blocks of ice from nearby Swan Lake to the booming San Francisco market. The settlement that was the site of the 1802 conflict is now called Old Sitka. It is a state park and listed as a National Historic Landmark.The town declined after its 1867 transfer from Russia to the United States, but it became prosperous again during World War II, when it served as a base for the U.S. effort to drive the Japanese from the Aleutian Islands. Today its most important industries are fishing, government, and tourism.

Day 9 Prince Rupert, British Columbia, Canada

Just 40 mi (66 km) south of the Alaskan border, Prince Rupert is the largest community on British Columbia's north coast. Set on Kaien Island at the mouth of the Skeena River and surrounded by deep green fjords and coastal rain forest, Prince Rupert is rich in the culture of the Tsimshian, people who have been in the area for thousands of years. As the western terminus of Canada's second transcontinental railroad and blessed with a deep natural harbor, Prince Rupert was, at the time of its incorporation in 1910, poised to rival Vancouver as a center for trans-Pacific trade. This didn't happen, partly because the main visionary behind the scheme, Grand Trunk Pacific Railroad president Charles Hays, went down with the Titanic on his way back from a financing trip to England. Prince Rupert turned instead to fishing and forestry. A port of call for both BC and Alaska ferries, but relatively new to cruise ships, this community of 15,000 retains a laid-back, small-town air.

Day 10  Cruising

Day 11 Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Victoria, the capital of a province whose license plates brazenly label it "The Best Place on Earth," is a walkable, livable seaside city of fragrant gardens, waterfront paths, engaging museums, and beautifully restored 19th-century architecture. In summer, the Inner Harbour—Victoria's social and cultural center—buzzes with visiting yachts, horse-and-carriage rides, street entertainers, and excursion boats heading out to visit pods of friendly local whales. Yes, it might be a bit touristy, but Victoria's good looks, gracious pace, and manageable size are instantly beguiling, especially if you stand back to admire the mountains and ocean beyond. At the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria dips slightly below the 49th parallel. That puts it farther south than most of Canada, giving it the mildest climate in the country, with virtually no snow and less than half the rain of Vancouver. The city's geography, or at least its place names, can cause confusion. Just to clarify: the city of Victoria is on Vancouver Island (not Victoria Island). The city of Vancouver is on the British Columbia mainland, not on Vancouver Island. At any rate, that upstart city of Vancouver didn't even exist in 1843 when Victoria, then called Fort Victoria, was founded as the westernmost trading post of the British-owned Hudson's Bay Company. Victoria was the first European settlement on Vancouver Island, and in 1868 it became the capital of British Columbia. The British weren't here alone, of course. The local First Nations people—the Songhees, the Saanich, and the Sooke—had already lived in the areas for thousands of years before anyone else arrived. Their art and culture are visible throughout southern Vancouver Island. You can see this in private and public galleries, in the totems at Thunderbird Park, in the striking collections at the Royal British Columbia Museum, and at the Quw'utsun'Cultural and Conference Centre in nearby Duncan. Spanish explorers were the first foreigners to explore the area, although they left little more than place names (Galiano Island and Cordova Bay, for example). The thousands of Chinese immigrants drawn by the gold rushes of the late 19th century had a much greater impact, founding Canada's oldest Chinatown and adding an Asian influence that's still quite pronounced in Victoria's multicultural mix. Despite its role as the provincial capital, Victoria was largely eclipsed, economically, by Vancouver throughout the 20th century. This, as it turns out, was all to the good, helping to preserve Victoria's historic downtown and keeping the city largely free of skyscrapers and highways. For much of the 20th century, Victoria was marketed to tourists as "The Most British City in Canada," and it still has more than its share of Anglo-themed pubs, tea shops, and double-decker buses. These days, however, Victorians prefer to celebrate their combined indigenous, Asian, and European heritage, and the city's stunning wilderness backdrop. Locals do often venture out for afternoon tea, but they're just as likely to nosh on dim sum or tapas. Decades-old shops sell imported linens and tweeds, but newer upstarts offer local designs in hemp and organic cotton. And let's not forget that fabric prevalent among locals: Gore-Tex. The outdoors is ever present here. You can hike, bike, kayak, sail, or whale-watch straight from the city center, and forests, beaches, offshore islands, and wilderness parklands lie just minutes away. A little farther afield, there's surfing near Sooke, wine touring in the Cowichan Valley, and kayaking among the Gulf Islands.

Day 12 Seattle, Washington, United States

Seattle is a scenic seaport city in western Washington, situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound to the west and Lake Washington to the east. It is the largest city in Washington. Five pioneer families from Illinois first settled the area in 1851, and named the town after a friendly Suquamish Indian chief. It was incorporated as a city in 1869, and grew quickly after the Great Northern Railway arrived in 1893, especially during the Alaska Gold Rush of 1897. When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, Seattle became a major Pacific port of entry, and today it is the region's commercial and transportation hub and the centre of manufacturing, trade, and finance, with an estimated 684,451 residents as of 2015.

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