Western Explorer with Pre-Tour Cruise (Eastbound)

(14 nights/15 days)

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Itinerary (also available in reverse)

Package Includes

• 2 day Rocky Mountaineer RedLeaf Service
• 7 nights Glacier Bay Inside Passage Cruise, Verandah Stateroom
• 9 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 7 dinners
• 7 nights hotel accommodation
• Exclusive Attractions Pass
• Meet and greet service at Vancouver airport
• Private limousine transfer to Vancouver cruise terminal, including
  gratuity
• Private limousine transfer to Vancouver accommodation, including
  gratuity
• Choice of activity in Jasper
• Icefields Parkway Tour, including Ice Explorer, Jasper to Lake
  Louise
• Guided lakeshore stroll at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
• Yoho Park Tour, Lake Louise to Banff
• Banff to Calgary Tour, including ranch visit
• Rail station transfers in Vancouver, Kamloops and Jasper

Not Included

• Transportation to Calgary airport
• Meals, other than specified
• Activities, other than specified
• Onboard ship gratuities charged at USD $10 per person per day
  plus 15% on liquor purchases
• Gratuities for rail, hotel and transfer staff
• Port charges and taxes, approximately $250 per person
• Fuel surcharges

2009 Package Tour Start Dates:

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Day 1 Vancouver Arrival
You will be met on arrival at Vancouver International Airport and transferred by limousine to the Vancouver cruise terminal where you board your ship. Overnight on Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam. D.

Day 2 Cruise the Inside Passage
Enjoy sailing through the dramatic Inside Passage. Overnight on Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam. B, L, D.

Day 3 Port of Call Juneau, Alaska
Located at the foot of grand mountain peaks on the Gastineau Channel, the town of Juneau has the massive Mendenhall Glacier and the immense Juneau Icefields at its back door. Juneau is the place to let your imagination run wild. Explore the lush Tongass National Forest, visit the rustic shops in town, set out and whale watch, flightsee, hike, kayak, raft or fish. Due to the long daylight hours, there’s plenty of time for your perfect Juneau adventure. Overnight on Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam. B, L, D.

Day 4 Port of Call Skagway, Alaska
Take your time and poke into every little store from the Trail Bench to Lynch & Kennedy’s Dry Goods. The Red Onion Saloon, with its honky tonk piano and costumed barmaids, is a treasure trove of memorabilia featuring pictures of Klondike Kate, Peahull Annie and other vintage characters. To complete the picture of those rip-roaring days, visit the nostalgic Trail of ‘98 Museum. The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park boasts restored buildings and wooden boardwalks that invite you to take a stroll into the past. Overnight on Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam. B, L, D.

Day 5 Glacier Bay Scenic Cruise
As Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Glacier Bay National Park protects a unique ecosystem of plants and animals living in concert with an ever-changing glacial landscape. Bring out the camera and listen for the thunderous sound of a monumental chunk of ice that has split from a glacier as it crashes into the sea. The impact shoots water hundreds of feet into the air. Glacier Bay has more actively calving tidewater glaciers than anyplace else in the world. Overnight on Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam. B, L, D.

Day 6 Port of Call Ketchikan, Alaska
Built out over the water and climbing weathered stairways, Ketchikan clings to the shores of Tongass Narrows and drapes the mountains with a cheerful air. Take time to explore Creek Street, the Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Bight State Park and Saxman Village, Ketchikan’s main attractions. Deep water fjords created by retreating glaciers has left behind stunning granite cliffs towering thousands of feet above the sea and countless waterfalls cascading into placid waters. Overnight on Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam. B, L, D.

Day 7 Cruise the Inside Passage
Enjoy sailing through the dramatic Inside Passage. Overnight on Holland America’s ms Zuiderdam. B, L, D.

Day 8 Vancouver
After breakfast you will disembark the Zuiderdam and be transferred by private limousine to your Vancouver accommodation. The remainder of the day is yours to explore this scenic city at your leisure. Overnight in Vancouver. B.

Day 9 Vancouver to Kamloops
Travel onboard the Rocky Mountaineer from the coastal city of Vancouver to Kamloops, in the heart of British Columbia’s interior. On today’s journey you will see dramatic changes in scenery, from the lush green fields of the Fraser River valley, through forests and winding river canyons surrounded by the peaks of the Coast and Cascade mountains, to the desert-like environment of the interior. Highlights include the rushing waters of Hell’s Gate in the Fraser Canyon and the steep slopes and rock sheds along the Thompson River. Your day concludes as the Rocky Mountaineer travels along the shores of Kamloops Lake and into Kamloops. Overnight in Kamloops. B, L.

Day 10 Kamloops to Jasper
Your journey continues north and east to the mighty Canadian Rockies and the province of Alberta. Once again you will be surrounded by dramatic scenery as you follow the banks of the North Thompson River through the Monashee and Cariboo mountains, climbing ever nearer to the high peaks of the Continental Divide. Today’s highlights include Mount Robson, at 3,954 metres (12,972 feet) the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, Pyramid Falls, and the climb over the Yellowhead Pass into Jasper National Park. Your rail journey ends on arrival in the resort town of Jasper this evening. Overnight in Jasper. B, L.

Day 11 Jasper Sightseeing
Jasper tour option, select one of the following Jasper tours to be included during your stay: Maligne Valley Tour, Wildlife Safari, Athabasca River Float Trip, “Mile 5” Rafting Trip or a one-hour horseback ride. All tours include pickup and drop-off at your hotel. Overnight in Jasper.

Day 12 Jasper to Lake Louise
Travel to Lake Louise via one of the most scenic highways in the world, the Icefields Parkway. A stop will be made at Athabasca Falls before arriving at the Columbia Icefield. Here you will ride on an Ice Explorer to the middle of the Athabasca Glacier to learn more about its geological features. Your driver/guide will explain how glaciers are formed and point out some interesting geological features. Time will be available for lunch (not included). Afterwards, a brief stop will be made at Bow Lake before arriving in Lake Louise this afternoon. While in Lake Louise you will be treated to a one-hour guided lakeshore stroll. Overnight in Lake Louise at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.

Day 13 Lake Louise to Banff
This afternoon, a half-day tour takes you into Yoho National Park to view some of its natural wonders. Among the attractions are the Spiral Tunnels, Emerald Lake and a natural rock bridge that spans the Kicking Horse River. At the end of the tour you will be transferred to Banff. Overnight in Banff.

Please note: While departure from The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise will be approxi­mately 2:25 p.m., scheduled check-out time is normally 11:00 a.m. Your luggage will be stored upon check-out and you are free to enjoy the amenities of the hotel before the tour departs.
Day 14 Banff to Calgary with Summit Helicopter Tour

Today you will enjoy a full-day tour concluding in Calgary. Begin the morning with a sightseeing tour of Banff. Among the points of interest are Bow Falls, Lake Minnewanka, Surprise Corner and the Hoodoos. Continue on to Kananaskis for the highlight of today’s adventure, a 15-minute Summit Helicopter Tour over the remarkable landscape of the Rockies. Enjoy lunch at a local ranch and spend time exploring Kananaskis at your leisure before your afternoon transfer to Calgary. Overnight in Calgary. L.
Day 15 Calgary Departure

A rate for infants ages 0–1 years will apply to cruise portion of package and is available on request