$250 Per Person Savings when you book your 2026 Alaska trip by August 31, 2026.
At a glance
- Duration:
- 13 Days
- Start/End:
- Seattle to Juneau; or reverse
- From:
- $7,300
- Time of Year:
- April-May; September
Sail one of the most spectacular adventure cruise routes in North America, a 13-day journey from Seattle to Juneau through Canada’s wild and remote Inside Passage, culminating in two unforgettable days deep inside Glacier Bay National Park.
This isn’t your typical Alaska cruise. Along the way, you’ll wander the San Juan Islands, cruise past the fjords of Desolation Sound, and scan the shorelines of the Great Bear Rainforest for elusive spirit bears and sea wolves—species found almost nowhere else on Earth. Then, as you push north through Queen Charlotte Sound, the landscape shifts from misty temperate rainforest to towering, ice-carved peaks, setting the stage for the trip’s grand finale: two full days exploring Glacier Bay National Park, one of Alaska’s most iconic and pristine wilderness destinations.
Glacier Bay National Park with Inside Passage and San Juan Islands Highlights
- Spend the day exploring Seattle before departing out of Ballard
- Cruise through Canada’s Inside Passage: Strait of Georgia, Desolation Sound, and more
- Spend two full days in Glacier Bay National Park
- Search for sea wolves and spirit bears along the shores of Great Bear Rainforest
- Explore Sucia Island Marine State Park (only accessible by boat)
This Glacier Bay National Park itinerary sails on multiple small vessels, so you can select the ship that best matches your travel style—all while enjoying the same up-close, immersive access to Alaska’s and British Columbia’s most remote wilderness that adventure travelers crave.
From the island-hopping start in Puget Sound to the glacier-studded finale in Glacier Bay, this 13-day expedition is built for travelers who want more than a cruise—they want a true wilderness adventure.
Glacier Bay National Park with Inside Passage and San Juan Islands Details
Day-to-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Seattle, Washington Embarkation
Welcome to the Emerald City. Board your ship at Fishermen’s Terminal and meet your captain, crew, and fellow adventurers. Settle into your floating home for the next 13 days as you pass through the historic Hiram M. Chittenden Locks and begin your journey north. A welcome cocktail and Champagne toast in the lounge set the tone for the adventure ahead. Grab the binoculars waiting in your cabin and scan the horizon for wildlife as the city slips behind you.
Day 2: Sucia Island
Accessible only by boat, Sucia Island is a secluded gem of the Pacific Northwest, remote, rugged, and magical. Sculpted sandstone formations rise from emerald waters, while winding trails lead through lush forests and quiet coves. Whether you explore tidepools, walk the gorgeous beaches, hike to scenic overlooks, or simply soak in the solitude, this island rewards adventurers with beauty, bragging rights, and a true sense of escape.
Day 3: Canada’s Inside Passage - Day at Sea
As we sail north, we enter Canada’s Inside Passage, a winding network of forested islands, narrow channels, and remote anchorages. Keep an eye out from the bridge for whales and seabirds. Today’s pace is more relaxed. Join a cocktail or cooking demo, take a galley tour, or chat with the crew about navigation and knot tying. Wildlife can appear at any time. Keep binoculars close and spirits high.
Day 4: Canada’s Inside Passage - Day at Sea
Start your day with coffee on the bow. Watch bald eagles follow the ship from treetop to treetop. On one side is rugged mainland. On the other, the islands stretch westward. The captain and crew expertly navigate the twisting route and take time to breathe in the wild. In the lounge, sip the day’s special and join a friendly round of cards or conversation with new friends.
Day 5: Canada’s Inside Passage – Northbound Toward Alaska
Today is about slowing down and savoring the journey. We travel intricate waterways, past remote forests and villages. Keep watch for black bears and, with luck, the elusive white spirit bear. Civilization draws closer, but the wilderness remains close at hand.
Day 6: Misty Fjords National Monument
Some places do not just take your breath away; they leave you speechless. Misty Fjords is one of them. Sheer 3,000-foot cliffs, glacially carved valleys, and rainforest-cloaked slopes cradle every paddle and skiff ride. Explore Walker Cove or Rudyerd Bay by water during an open paddle, skiff, or even (if the conditions are just right) a long-drop paddle where you’ll enjoy the experience of feeling truly left in the wilds of Alaska, or float quietly and take it all in.
Day 7: Ketchikan
Welcome to Ketchikan, Alaska’s First City. Here, you will connect with the vibrant Tlingit culture. Tribal leader and storyteller Joe Williams (KaXeshX’e) guides a walking tour steeped in tradition and local history. The stories, like the landscape, run deep.
Day 8: Thomas Bay and Wrangell Narrows
Glacially carved Thomas Bay is a mosaic of moraines, muskegs, and shimmering mudflats. Enjoy an open paddle over glassy waters where fjord walls reflect like mirrors, exploring at your own pace. Or join a skiff tour over these waters or a waterfall hike or bushwack. Depending on when Captain sets sail, you may get to witness Wrangell Narrows, nicknamed Christmas Tree Lane for its vibrant red and green navigational lights. It is a peek into everyday life in Southeast Alaska’s backcountry.
Day 9: Chichagof Island
Today, we explore the wild coastline of Chichagof Island in search of the elusive coastal brown bear. This remote area is rich with life and offers some of the best bear-viewing opportunities in Southeast Alaska. Your captain and expedition leader will take you deep into bear territory using their expert local knowledge. Activities include shoreline walks, kayaking, skiff rides, and up-close (but safe) bear spotting from the water. This is a day of awe-inspiring encounters with nature at its most raw.
Day 10: Icy Strait
Ease into the day with sunrise stretches on deck and a strong cup of coffee as your expedition team scouts the best opportunities for exploration. Today is all about flexibility and immersion, with options to kayak at your own pace, join an all-day paddle, set out on a shore walk, or venture deeper on a bushwhack hike that reveals the raw textures of Alaska’s wild landscapes. Skiff rides open access to otherwise unreachable stretches of coastline, while open paddles and yak-and-walk combinations let you shape the day moment by moment alongside your naturalist guides, who bring the region’s ecology, geology, and sense of place to life.
Day 11: Glacier Bay National Park
Spanning 3.3 million acres, just shy of the size of Connecticut, Glacier Bay National Park is vast, wild, and mostly unexplored. But you are not most visitors. Today, you venture deep into the park where you can kayak, skiff, hike glacial ridges, moraine walks, or even all-day paddle. Watch for mountain goats, sea lions, puffins, and, if you are lucky, a surprise whale sighting. You have two full days here, plenty of time to absorb its grandeur.
Day 12: Glacier Bay National Park
Start your morning with a deep breath of glacier-fresh air. Today’s adventures are yours to shape, whether you choose an all-day paddle through kelp-lined channels, a wilderness trek through spruce and hemlock forest, or a skiff ride to tucked-away inlets, this is your chance to fully immerse yourself in the quiet magic of this remote, rugged corner of Alaska. Moraine walks and skiff tours may also be available.
Day 13: Juneau, Alaska - Disembarkation
Arrive in Juneau and enjoy a final breakfast with new friends before disembarking. Say farewell to the crew who guided you through the wilds of the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Alaska. Your journey may end here, but the stories and connections will travel with you long after you return home.
