Canadian Rail Panorama & Alaska Cruise
Experience the panoramic views of Canada aboard VIA Rails' transcontinental train, followed by an Inside Passage cruise aboard the ms Zuiderdam. No other mode of transportation allows you to view the very essence of Canada so close, or so comfortably as you travel on this unique transcontinental journey from the East Coast to the Pacific ocean, passing through cities & towns along the way. Discover the cosmopolitan coastal city of Vancouver, then escape by cruise ship to discover the Glacier Bay Inside Passage. There's only one way to truly experience the rugged expanse of Alaska's coastline. This classic Alaska cruise will thread through the Inside Passage where fir forests slip by seemingly close enough to touch. Explore rustic frontier towns like Skagway & Ketchikan and marvel at the shimmering centerpiece of the itinerary, Glacier Bay. From the decks of the ms Zuiderdam, experience one of Alaska's best-kept secrets, the twin Sawyer Glaciers of Tracy Arm.
Highlights
* Travel aboard VIA Rail's Canadian in a private bedroom in Silver & Blue Class
* Holland America Alaska 7 Night cruise aboard the ms Zuiderdam round-trip from Vancouver
* Vancouver City Tour with visit to the Lookout Tower, providing you with a bird’s-eye view of Vancouver
* Grouse Mountain & Capilano Suspension Bridge Tour
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Toronto
Upon arrival at the Toronto International Airport you will be met by your private sedan and transfer to your downtown hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure for you to start exploring this world class destination.
Moderate: Overnight Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Toronto
Superior: Overnight Fairmont Royal York Hotel - Fairmont room
Deluxe: Overnight Fairmont Royal York Hotel - Fairmont Gold room
Day 2, 3 & 4 - VIA Rail - Toronto to Vancouver
In the early morning you will transfer (on own) to the train station to begin your train adventure across Canada. In the morning VIA Rail's Canadian train rolls out of the Toronto station. Your journey will take 3 nights as you cross the lake country and prairies of central Canada and pass Mt. Robson, the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies, and see the glaciers, mountain peaks and lush forests of western Canada. Enjoy private bedroom accommodation, meals in the private dining car and relax in the "Silver & Blue Lounge or Dome car.
Moderate: Overnight VIA Rail in a Private Bedroom
Superior: Overnight VIA Rail in a Private Bedroom
Deluxe: Overnight VIA Rail in a Private Bedroom
Day 5 - Vancouver City Tour
In the early morning the train will arrive in Vancouver. Upon arrival in Vancouver, you will transfer by private sedan to your hotel. At the hotel, you will store your luggage with the bell desk and depart on a 4 hour morning city tour while you wait for your hotel check-in time. You will see Stanley Park, Gastown, Robson Street, English Bay, Queen Elizabeth Park and Granville Island. A visit to the Lookout Tower is included, providing you with a bird’s-eye view of Vancouver.
Moderate: Overnight Residence Inn by Marriott Downtown Vancouver (includes buffet breakfast)
Superior: Overnight Fairmont Hotel Vancouver - Fairmont room
Deluxe: Overnight Fairmont Hotel Vancouver - Fairmont Gold room
Day 6 - Vancouver Exploring / Depart Vancouver aboard Holland America's ms Zuiderdam
You have the morning at leisure to explore Vancouver. Take a water taxi to the market on Granville Island get your designer duds on Robson Street get your culture fix in Chinatown and get splashed by a beluga whale at the Vancouver Aquarium. And when you're all done, get sand in your shoes at English Bay before you head back uptown for fusion cooking at the vibrant restaurant scene of Gastown. 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 an unforgettable onboard experiences.
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 an Outside Cabin with Veranda (VB class)
Day 7 - 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 an Outside Cabin with Veranda (VB class)
Day 8 - 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 Zuiderdam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Outside Cabin with Veranda (VB class)
Day 9 - 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 flightseeing adventures.
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 an Outside Cabin with Veranda (VB class)
Day 10 - 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 an Outside Cabin with Veranda (VB class)
Day 11 - Ketchican, 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 Zuiderdam in an Inside Cabin (J class)
Superior: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Outside Cabin (D class)
Deluxe: Overnight ms Zuiderdam in an Outside Cabin with Veranda (VB class)
Day 12 - 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 an Outside Cabin with Veranda (VB class)
Day 13 - Arrive Vancouver / Day at leisure
Arrive back into Vancouver in the early morning. Upon arrival back in Vancouver, you will transfer by private sedan to your hotel. At the hotel, you will store your luggage with the bell desk and depart on a 5 1/2 hour tour of Vancouver's North Shore while you wait for your hotel check-in time.
Grouse Mountain & Capilano Suspension Bridge - This morning you will begin your tour of Vancouver’s North Shore. From Stanley Park, you will travel across the Lions Gate Bridge to North Vancouver. A stop will be made at the Capilano Fish Hatchery, before continuing to Grouse Mountain, where you will take a Sky Ride to the top of the mountain where you will enjoy the panoramic and spectacular views from the mountaintop. This is what memories are made of. You will have approximately 2 hours play time on top where you can enjoy Theatre in the Sky, seasonal lumberjack shows, Grizzly bear refuge, scenic chairlift and other activities. There is ample time for a meal in the bistro or cafeteria. In the afternoon, you will 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. In the late afternoon, you will return to your hotel.
Moderate: Overnight Residence Inn by Marriott Downtown Vancouver (includes buffet breakfast)
Superior: Overnight Fairmont Hotel Vancouver - Fairmont room
Deluxe: Overnight Fairmont Hotel Vancouver - Fairmont Gold room
Day 14 - Depart Vancouver
Today you will transfer by private sedan from your hotel to the Vancouver International Airport in time for your flight departure home.
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
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3 nights accommodation, room tax and any mandatory service charges
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3 nights bedroom accommodation and meals on VIA Rail
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7 night Alaska Glacier Bay Holland America cruise aboard the ms Zuiderdam including onboard meals & entertainment, taxes and port charges
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Vancouver City Tour including visit to the Lookout Tower
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Grouse Mountain & Capilano Suspension Bridge Tour
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Private sedan transfers between Toronto Airport & hotel, Vancouver train station & hotel, hotel & cruise ship terminal, cruise ship terminal & hotel and hotel & Vancouver Airport including gratuities
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Personalized documentation package
PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
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Shore Excursions
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Alcoholic beverages
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Gratuities not listed as included (including meals & cabin attendants onboard the ms Zuiderdam)
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Meals not listed as included
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Transfers not listed as included
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Optional activities not listed as included
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Goods and Services tax (GST)
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Trip Cancellation Insurance (Insurance can be purchased from your Vacation Specialist, ask for more details)
Trip Length
13 Nights / 14 Days
Overnights
1 Night Toronto
3 Nights VIA Rail
1 Night Vancouver
7 Nights aboard ms Zuiderdam
1 Night Vancouver
Dates
Departs Monday (Westbound) and Friday (Eastbound) from May 8 to September 22, 2006
Accommodation
Moderate, Superior or Deluxe (3, 4 or 5 star hotels)
Meals
All meals aboard ms Zuiderdam and Meals onboard VIA Rail (meals depend on departure times)
Flights
Domestic and Trans Border airfare from the United States may be easily arranged through New England Railroad Rail Vacations when purchased in conjunction with a vacation package.
Travel Insurance
Canada Your Way believes that Travel Insurance is important for those unfortunate circumstances that may disrupt your travel plans. Ask your Vacations Specialist for more details.
Departure Dates
Package Tour Start Dates - Mondays (Westbound)
May 8, 15, 22, 29
Jun 5, 12, 19, 26
Jul 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Aug 7, 14, 21, 28
Sep 4, 11, 18
Package Tour Start Dates - Fridays (Eastbound)
May 12, 19, 26
Jun 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Jul 7, 14, 21, 28
Aug 4, 11, 18, 25
Sep 1, 8, 15, 22