Itinerary

Day 1     
Seattle, Washington
Arrive in Seattle and enjoy a guided tour of this beautiful city. First stop will be Pikes Place Market for lunch on your own. This is the home of the famous Fish Market and Starbucks with local breweries, flower shops and a gourmet selection of food. After lunch, enjoy a tour of the city which is built on hills surrounding a harbor and is home of the Microsoft Corporation. Check in to your hotel. You’ll have time for dinner on your own at the Space Needle this evening if you choose.
    
Day 2     
Vancouver, British Columbia
Depart for Vancouver, Canada. Enjoy a guided tour of this beautiful city that was the gateway to the 2010 Olympics. Board the ship this afternoon to begin your cruise.
    
Day 3     
At Sea
    
Day 4     
Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is known as Alaska's "First City" because it's the first major community travelers come to as they journey north. Located on an island, Ketchikan began life as an Indian fishing camp. The name Ketchikan comes from a Tlingit phrase that means "eagle with spread-out wings," a reference to a waterfall near town.
    
Day 5     
Juneau, Alaska
In 1880, it was slow going for Joe Juneau and Richard Harris as they searched for gold with the help of Native guides. After climbing mountains, forging streams and facing countless difficulties, they found nuggets "as large as beans." From their discovery came three of the largest gold mines in the world. By the end of World War II, more than $150 million in gold had been mined. Eventually the mines closed, but the town Joe Juneau founded became the capital of Alaska and the business of gold was replaced by the business of government. Some 30,000 people live in Juneau. Its total area makes it one of the biggest towns, in size, in the world. Only Kiruna, Sweden, and Sitka, Alaska, exceed Juneau's 3,248 square miles. Today Juneau is famous not only for gold and government but also for its breathtakingly beautiful glaciers and stunning views of both water and mountains.
    
Day 6     
Skagway, Alaska
Skagway was the gateway to the gold fields for the thousands who flocked to Alaska and the Yukon with the hope of striking it rich. Skagway may have boasted the shortest route to the Klondike, but it wasn't the easiest. Over 100 years ago, the White Pass route through the Coast Mountains and the shorter but steeper Chilkoot Trail were used by countless stampeders. Many a would-be miner perished on the treacherous Chilkoot Trail. The gold rush was a boon and by 1898, Skagway was Alaska's largest town with a population of about 20,000. Hotels, saloons, dance halls and gambling houses prospered. But when the gold yield dwindled in 1900, so did the population as miners quickly shifted to new finds in Nome. Today, Skagway has less than 1,000 residents. It still retains the flavor of the gold rush era.
    
Day 7     
Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska (Scenic Cruising)
Princess is one of a select few cruise lines permitted to cruise the pristine waters of Glacier Bay, the highlight of our 7-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise. Just west of Juneau, this breathtaking national park and preserve boasts some of the world's most spectacular tidewater glaciers, such as Margerie Glacier, which often drops colossal chunks of ice into the sea. Not surprisingly, Glacier Bay National Park and its epic ice giants are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising Alaska's magnificent park system.
    
Day 8     
College Fjord, Alaska (Scenic Cruising)
Discovered in the northwest corner of Prince William Sound during an 1899 research expedition, spectacular College Fjord and its glaciers were named after prestigious east coast schools by the college professors who first laid eyes upon their majesty. Stretching for miles, these massive rivers of ice tumble down from mountains and through valleys, dipping into the pristine waters of the fjord. There you'll have a chance to watch the awe-inspiring process of glaciers calving, or dropping enormous pillars of ice into the sea, as they crack and land with a thunderous splash, a once-in-a-lifetime experience not to be missed!
    
Day 9     
Anchorage (Whittier), Alaska
Whittier, approximately 65 miles southeast of Anchorage, lies nestled at the base of the Chugach Mountains bordering Passage Canal. Established as a World War II port for cargo and troops of the Alaska Command, Whittier remained activated until 1960. Today, Whittier's economy and its 290 residents rely largely on the fishing industry, the port and, increasingly, on tourism.


Whittier/Mt. McKinley
Disembark in Whittier and board the McKinley Express rail direct to Talkeetna. Continue by motorcoach to the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. The afternoon and evening are at your leisure.
    
Day 10     
Mt. McKinley/Denali
Enjoy a scenic motorcoach ride to Denali National Park. Upon arrival, take a Natural History Tour into the park. Overnight at the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge.
    
Day 11     
Denali/Fairbanks
This morning, travel by scenic motorcoach to Fairbanks. Soak up some local color and history on a Sternwheeler Riverboat cruise.
    
Day 12     
Fairbanks
Your tour ends this morning in Fairbanks. Begin your journey home with fond memories of your Grand American Tour.

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