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Grand Alaskan Cruise & Tour

From $1699 (was $1949)

Per person, double occupancy, excludes roundtrip airfare

12 Days
Passport Required View Dates and Prices

This program is currently sold out but new dates are coming soon! Call 877-332-6185 for more details.

Alaska Vacation Package Details

Rugged, remote, and so beautiful it takes your breath away, the wilds of Alaska come alive on this exploration of the Frontier State. Grand Alaskan Cruise & Tour provides the perfect opportunity to experience the best that Alaska has to offer, going from highlight to highlight by land and by sea.

After time in Seattle and Vancouver, your Alaska cruise tour begins. Settle into your elegant cabin on the award-winning ms Noordam, then wake up to one of the most glorious sights in the world: the Inside Passage. Pass by magnificent glaciers, adorable villages, and past miles of lush forests as you cruise through the most famous sea lane in Alaska.

Spend the next days exploring quintessentially Alaskan towns: stilt-bound Ketchikan, the state capital of Juneau, and the classic Gold Rush town of Skagway. Next, the grandeur of Glacier Bay National Park, an exotic, pristine environment, is the perfect place to catch sight of a calving glacier—one of the most dramatic sights in nature. Your final day on board the ship will be spent among Prince William Sound and College Fjord’s tidewater and large valley glaciers.

Disembark and travel to Anchorage, where you will visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center before traveling deep into Denali National Park for one final day in nature.

Tour Includes

2 Countries
  • USA
  • Canada
Sightseeing
  • Seattle
  • Vancouver
  • Ketchikan
  • Juneau
  • Skagway
  • Glacier Bay
  • Anchorage
  • Denali National Park
  • Alaska Inside Passage 
  • Gulf of Alaska 
Cruise Accommodations
  • 7 Nights
  • Cruise aboard Holland America Cruise Line's ms Noordam
Hotel Accommodations
  • 4 Nights
  • Moderate hotels based on twin/double occupancy
Meals
  • All meals onboard ship
Service
  • A professionally trained local tour director who is knowledgeable of the area and will provide you with a wealth of information. Their friendly service will make your trip a memorable experience.
Baggage Handling
  • To and from your hotel room and cruise ship cabin throughout your tour for one piece of Checked Baggage per person.

Activity Level

Easy going activity level

Click here for full details.

Please note: although all these sites are featured on all departures for this vacation, some departure dates operate in the reverse order.

Tour Highlights

  • Cruise both the world-famous Inside Passage and the Gulf of Alaska
  • Marvel as huge pieces of ice “calve” (break off) from glaciers, all from the comfort of your luxurious cruise ship
  • Visit one of the world’s great frontiers for wilderness adventure during a Denali National Park Tour
  • See bears, elk, bison and caribou at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

Set sail offers free onboard credit

*$50 per person Free Onboard Credit for Ocean View cabins only. $100 per person Free Onboard Credit for Balcony cabins only. Web prices reflect Instant Rebate pricing. Offers valid for new bookings only and subject to availability. Offer may be cancelled at any time. Click here to view additional offer details.

Please follow the steps below to price your vacation with YMT Vacations. When you complete all the steps, click “Reserve” next to the date on which you would like to travel.

Step 1

Flying From:

Step 2

Number of travelers:

Step 3

Cabin Type:

Inside Cabin

(Click the map to enlarge)

Grand Alaskan Cruise & Tour - Northbound

Tours Starts: Seattle, Washington

Tours Ends: Anchorage, Alaska

Day 1

Arrive in Seattle

Today your Alaskan Cruise Tour adventure begins in Seattle. If you booked your flight with YMT, a representative will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

Crowne Plaza Seattle Airport or similar

Day 2

Vancouver & Embarkation (Departs at 4:30 PM)

Head north across the Canadian border to Vancouver, Canada’s third largest city. After a brief city tour and lunch on your own, you will board the ms Noordam your floating hotel for the next week, with time to settle into your stateroom before dinner. (B)

Day 3

Cruise Inside Passage

Cruise along Vancouver Island and Alaska's spectacular Inside Passage. The Inside Passage is one of the most scenic sea lanes in the world. Look for marine animals while you pass turquoise glaciers, forests in a hundred shades of green, and delightful coastal villages.

Day 4

Ketchikan (7:00 AM - 3:00 PM)

This distinctive frontier town is famous for its bawdy history and wooden boardwalk, which has remained perched on stilts above Ketchikan Creek for over a century. Take a leisurely stroll along Creek Street, the former “Red Light” district that is now lined with colorful shops and family-friendly restaurants.

Day 5

Juneau (10:00 AM - 10:00 PM)

Today’s port of call is Alaska’s state capital city, nicknamed “Little San Francisco” because of its narrow streets and multicolored houses that hug the hillside. Sitting at the foot of snowcapped Mt. Juneau and next to the massive Mendenhall Glacier and Juneau Icefields, this remote yet developed city offers a variety of activities. Enjoy panoramic views on the tram, which takes you up through a rainforest and to Mt. Roberts.

Day 6

Skagway (7:00 AM – 9:00 PM)

Where the Gold Rush began, Skagway was the turbulent staging point for prospectors hell-bent on getting to the Klondike gold fields. Even in modern day, Skagway’s well-preserved history and culture brings to life the 1898 Gold Rush atmosphere like no other Alaskan port of call. Go ashore to stroll the weathered boardwalks, drop in at old-time saloons, or shop for gold nuggets.

Day 7

Cruise Glacier Bay National Park

Covering 3.3 million rugged acres, Glacier Bay National Park is one of the most scenic sections of Alaska's massive 25-million acre protected World Heritage Site. Spend the day cruising through a 60-mile passage rich with glaciers, exotic wildlife, and pristine nature. Your route is the frequent site of glacier calving, where great chunks of ice fall into the bay with a deafening crash. You'll never forget the sight or sound!

Day 8

Cruise College Fjord

Cruise through the Gulf of Alaska and enjoy a relaxing day at sea. Today the ms Noordam sails through Prince William Sound to College Fjord, which contains five tidewater and large valley glaciers, a spectacular site. Take full advantage of your last night aboard the ship; the daily newsletter outlines a variety of shipboard activities and the experienced crew will be happy to help with suggestions.

Day 9

Disembark in Whittier (Arrives at 7:00 AM) & Anchorage

Disembark in Whittier and begin your land tour. Stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage. You can see wolves, bears, moose, lynx, bald eagles, and prickly porcupines, the world’s third largest rodent. Spend the evening enjoying Anchorage at your leisure.

Crowne Plaza Anchorage - Midtown or similar

Day 10

Denali via Talkeetna

Visit the Iditarod Sled Dog Headquarters to learn about the world's most famous dog sled race, and maybe even meet some puppies! Guests who choose an optional Alaska Railroad Upgrade will board the train in Talkeetna, then rejoin the rest of the group in Denali. Spend the evening at leisure, or join an optional tour.

Denali Park Village or similar

OPTION: ALASKA RAILROAD UPGRADEOPTION: ALASKA RAILROAD UPGRADE:

Upgrade to a scenic 4–hour train ride along the famous Alaska Railroad from Talkeetna to Denali Park. Enjoy 360° views in upper-level seats on Deluxe Dome Railcars for $189 p/p. Alaska Railroad upgrade must be prebooked. Please add this option at time of booking. *Train may travel on Day 11.







Day 11

Denali National Park

Spend the morning on a professionally guided tour of the 6-million acre Denali National Park. Along with Denali's awe-inspiring mountain views, it’s not rare to see some combination of Alaska’s Big Five: grizzly bears, caribou, moose, Dall Sheep, and wolves. Depart the park for Anchorage after free time to enjoy the sights.

Crowne Plaza Anchorage - Midtown or similar

Day 12

Depart Anchorage for Home

Note:Most flights from Anchorage are non-direct with at least one or two connections. Departure flights from Anchorage to most cities are overnight and arrive the following day; some flights depart Anchorage after midnight. Guests choosing to book their own flights will need to book flights departing after 5pm.

Please note that this is a proposed itinerary; the actual itinerary may vary due to season, special events, or weather. Hotels may differ depending on date. Because our tour arrangements are often made a year or more in advance, YMT Vacations reserves the right to alter the itinerary. Itinerary changes are made to improve your vacation experience, as well as respond to any unforeseen circumstances that mandate alterations. By their nature, all tour vacations involve a certain level of physical activity. While YMT tours have been designed with our guests in mind and are not physically demanding, this tour does include walking and periods of standing during the sightseeing visits. You will also encounter steps and some uneven ground along the way, particularly at older, historical sights. Please ask your Travel Consultant for more information.

(Click the map to enlarge)

Grand Alaskan Cruise & Tour - Southbound

Tours Starts: Anchorage, Alaska

Tours Ends: Seattle, Washington

Day 1

Arrive in Anchorage

Today your Alaskan adventure begins upon arrival in Anchorage. If you booked your flight with YMT you will meet a YMT representative at the airport for transfer to your hotel.

Crowne Plaza Anchorage-Midtown or similar

Note: Most flights to Anchorage are non-direct with at least one or two connections.

Day 2

Denali via Talkeetna and Wasilla

We leave Anchorage in the morning and travel north toward Talkeetna. En route we visit the Iditarod Sled Dog Headquarters near Wasilla to learn about the “Last Great Race.” Rail and coach travelers meet up in Denali and transfer to the hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure or participate in an optional tour.

Denali Grizzly Bear Resort or similar

OPTION: ALASKA RAILROAD DOME RAIL UPGRADEOPTION: ALASKA RAILROAD DOME RAIL UPGRADE:

Upgrade to a scenic 4–hour train ride along the famous Alaska Railroad from Talkeetna to Denali Park. Enjoy 360° views in upper-lev-el seats on Deluxe Dome Railcars for $189 p/p. Alaska Railroad upgrade must be prebooked. Please add this option at time of booking. *Train may travel on Day 3.







Day 3

Denali National Park to Anchorage

This morning embark on a Denali National Park Tour. Travel 30 miles into Denali National Park aboard a park bus to explore one of the world’s largest frontiers for wilderness adventure. Your dedicated naturalist will provide a great introduction to the conservation efforts and history of the park. In the afternoon we depart Denali for Anchorage.

Crowne Plaza Anchorage-Midtown or similar

Day 4

Whittier and Embarkation

Enjoy a morning sightseeing tour of Anchorage. This afternoon we travel south along the scenic highway. En route we visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center to see Alaska’s wildlife up close. The land portion of your Alaska cruisetour ends in the port community of Whittier with a brief city tour. Board your cruise ship ms Noordam with time to settle into your stateroom before dinner.

Day 5

Scenic Cruising College Fjord

Cruise through the Gulf of Alaska and enjoy a relaxing day at sea as the ms Noordam sails through Prince William Sound to College Fjord, which contains five tidewater and large valley glaciers, a spectacular site. Take full advantage of your last night aboard the ship; the daily newsletter outlines a variety of shipboard activities and the experienced crew will be happy to help with suggestions.

Day 6

Scenic Cruising Glacier Bay National Park

The overwhelming grandeur of glaciers, exotic wildlife, and pristine environment combine to offer a breathtaking view of raw nature. One of Alaska’s noblest and most impressive natural beauties awaits you today. Witness large chunks of glacier ice “calve” (break off) and fall into the bay with a deafening roar as you spend the entire day cruising a 60-mile passage.

Day 7

Skagway (6:30 AM–9:00 PM)

Where the Gold Rush began, Skagway was the turbulent staging point for prospectors hell-bent on getting to the Klondike gold fields; even in modern day, Skagway’s well-preserved history and culture brings to life the 1898 gold rush atmosphere like no other Alaskan port of call. Go ashore to stroll the weathered boardwalks, drop in at old-time saloons, or shop for gold nuggets.

Day 8

Juneau (8:00 AM–6:00 PM)

Nicknamed “Little San Francisco” because of its narrow streets and multicolored houses that hug the hillside, Juneau is Alaska’s state capital. Inaccessible by roads from the rest of North America, visitors and goods are brought to Juneau by either sea or air. A Mendenhall Glacier tour and the Mt. Roberts Tramway are amongst the most popular activities here.

Day 9

Ketchikan (11:00 AM–7:00 PM)

This distinctive and eye-catching city is built on stilts over the water, with a boardwalk and weathered stairways that cling to the granite cliffs. Stroll Creek Street, the former “Red Light” district with its gold shops, gift boutiques, and restaurants or visit the Totem Pole Park at Saxman Native Village.

Day 10

Scenic Inside Passage Cruising

Cruise along the Alaska Inside Passage and the west coast of Vancouver Island. The famous Inside Passage is one of the most scenic sea lanes in the world. The scenery is breathtaking with forests in a hundred shades of green, turquoise glaciers, and evocative towns.

Day 11

Disembarkation in Vancouver and Seattle

After disembarking, your driver-guide will take you on a brief city tour before you’ll continue south across the U.S. border to Seattle.

Crowne Plaza Seattle Airport

Day 12

Depart for Home

Bid farewell to Seattle, taking home a suitcase full of memories and stories to share from your Alaska vacation. Transfers to Seattle Tacoma airport are included for guests who have booked their air with YMT. (B)

Please note that this is a proposed itinerary; the actual itinerary may vary due to season, special events, or weather. Hotels may differ depending on date. Because our tour arrangements are often made a year or more in advance, YMT Vacations reserves the right to alter the itinerary. Itinerary changes are made to improve your vacation experience, as well as respond to any unforeseen circumstances that mandate alterations. By their nature, all tour vacations involve a certain level of physical activity. While YMT tours have been designed with our guests in mind and are not physically demanding, this tour does include walking and periods of standing during the sightseeing visits. You will also encounter steps and some uneven ground along the way, particularly at older, historical sights. Please ask your Travel Consultant for more information.

YMT Vacations itineraries may contain suggestions for activities for your leisure time; these suggestions do not constitute a recommendation nor an endorsement of any specific service provider and the decision to participate in any such activities should be made independently.

Inside Cabin

Two lower beds convertible to one queen-size bed—our signature Mariner's Dream™ bed with plush Euro-Top mattresses, premium massage shower heads and a host of amenities are featured in these comfortable staterooms. The configuration of staterooms may vary from the images shown.

Approximately 151-233 sq. ft.
 

Ocean View Cabin

These expansive staterooms include include two lower beds convertible to one queen-size bed—our Signature Mariner's Dream™ bed with plush Euro-Top mattresses, premium massage shower heads, a host of amenities and an ocean view. The configuration of staterooms may vary from the images shown.

Approximately 174-180 sq. ft.

Balcony Cabin

Filled with light from floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a private verandah, these staterooms include a sitting area, two lower beds convertible to one queen-size bed—our signature Mariner's Dream™ bed with plush Euro-Top mattresses, and bath tub with premium massage showerheads. The configuration of staterooms may vary from the images shown.

Approximately 212-359 sq. ft. including verandah

Holland America ms Noordam Deck Plans

Click here to view ms Noordam's deck plans on Holland America's website. Content that you may read on Holland's website may not be applicable to your tour, please speak with a YMT Travel Consultant for clarification.


FAQ

Don't see what you are looking for? Check out our general FAQ page here.

A worry-free experience for our guests is very important to us. With guest's help and the implementation of a few changes and new protocols such as increased sanitization, responsible social distancing, and enhanced tour director training, you can continue to enjoy peace-of-mind while traveling. Additionally, prior to joining a tour, we require that each guest show proof of vaccination, a negative COVID-19 test results performed 72 hours prior to travel or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 within 90 days. Our Tour Directors and motor coach suppliers will also meet these requirements. For more information on our new safety protocols, please see our Travel Safe Program.

U.S. guests will need a passport, but not a visa for this tour. Guests are required to have a valid government issued passport with an expiration of a minimum of six (6) months beyond the end date of for this tour. Please note that the passport application or renewal process is taking longer than before due to reduced operations during the pandemic. It may take up to 16 weeks to complete. It is extremely important that guests planning to travel check the validity of their passports not only for expiration date, but also to ensure that they have at least 6 months of validity after the final date of travel.

Yes. Holland America Cruise Line has an obligation to collect certain cruise guest information before embarkation. This is a Department of Homeland Security requirement and should only take a few minutes.

To check in online please:

1. Access the Holland America website at www.hollandamerica.com
2. Click "Register"
3. Select "Yes" to Do you have a cruise booked with Holland America?
4. Enter Holland America Booking Number
5. Enter Sailing Date
6. Enter First Name & Last Name
7. Continue
8. Follow the instructions to continue with registration.

If you require further assistance, please call the Holland America support desk at 1-800-426-0327.

Northbound Tours - Arrival in Seattle
If you are not planning to take the available optional tour, please arrive at any time during the day of arrival day, however, hotel check in does not begin until 3pm.

If you are planning to take the optional we have available in the evening, please arrive at the hotel no later than 4:00pm.

Southbound Tours - Arrival in Anchorage
Guests can arrive at any time during this day, however, hotel check in does not begin until 3pm.

Seattle
Flights into Seattle should arrive before 3PM. Departures from Seattle are booked between 8AM-1PM.

Anchorage
Flights into Anchorage should arrive between 3PM-10PM. Departures from Anchorage are generally red-eye flights and can be booked after 6PM.

Several weeks prior to your departure date, you will receive notification via email that Optional Tours are available for booking at an additional cost. These Optional Tours are also available for purchase online by logging into your YMT account. Optional Tour information will also be mailed to you along with your travel documents.

Additional Shore Excursions are available directly with the cruise line. We highly recommend that you book Shore Excursions well in advance by accessing the cruise line's website and registering online. Information on how to register with the cruise line will be mailed to you along with your travel documents.

For more information about the different types of optional tours, read this article.

The weather in Seattle and Vancouver will be warmer with average temperatures between 74°F and 53°F during the months of May through September. The weather in Alaska will be fairly cooler with average temperatures between 62°F and 48°F during the months of May through September.

You can find more on the weather in Alaska here.

On Cruise
For most ocean cruises, consider three different types of clothing: casual attire for days aboard, layered outfits for time in port, and smart or formal eveningwear. Contact your respective cruise line for their dress code and guidelines for evening attire. Typically, a larger amount of nights is reserved for more casual clothing while some evenings are set aside for formalwear. Some recommendations for daywear include slacks or pants, blouses or shirts, knit tops or polo shirts. Bring a pair of sneakers or rubber-soled shoes for deck sports and a swimsuit cover-up for cool areas on the ship. As port wear for women consider a casual dress, skirt and blouse, or pants outfit; for men, casual pants or walking shorts, and polo-type shirts. Comfortable walking shoes are a must. Also, remember to bring extra bathing suits, as well as sun block, sun visors and other types of sun protection. Formal attire can include cocktail dress, gown, or dressy pantsuit for women and a tuxedo, suit, or dinner jacket with slacks for men. Note that T-shirts, swimsuits, robes, bare feet, tank tops, baseball caps and pool wear are often not allowed in certain areas of the ship, for example restaurants.

On Tour
For more information, check out our How To Pack for Your Alaskan Vacation article.

You will need U.S. dollar in the U.S. and Canadian Dollar in Canada.

No, guests will not need to bring adapters or converters as the U.S. and Canada both use standard 110V plugs.


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