17 Day Canada Rockies & Alaska with Fairmont Banff Stay & Flights

Alaska Inside Passage Cruise - Embark

This morning catch a taxi (own cost) to the Vancouver cruise terminal to check-in for your Alaska Inside Passage Cruise on the Queen Elizabeth Ship. The ship will depart at 5 PM. 

Accommodation: Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth Ship in an Inside Cabin^ on a twin share basis
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Alaska Inside Passage Cruise

Enjoy the ship’s facilities as you cruise towards Alaska.

Accommodation: Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth Ship in an Inside Cabin^ on a twin share basis
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Alaska Inside Passage Cruise - Juneau

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.

Arrive into port at Juneau at approximately 10 AM and depart at about 10 PM.

Accommodation: Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth Ship in an Inside Cabin^ on a twin share basis
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Alaska Inside Passage Cruise - Skagway

Skagway was the gateway to the goldfields 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 flavour of the gold rush era. 

Arrive into port at Skagway at approximately 7 AM and depart at about 5 PM.

Accommodation: Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth Ship in an Inside Cabin^ on a twin share basis
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Alaska Inside Passage Cruise - Sitka 

Sitka is a hidden beauty on the east coast of Baranof Island in southeast Alaska. Towered over by snowy mountains in the distance, it houses the oldest national park in Alaska - Sitka’s National Historical Park. This morning, take some time to explore the beautiful city of Sitka! 

Arrive into port at approximately 8 AM and depart at about 6 PM.

Accommodation: Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth Ship in an Inside Cabin^ on a twin share basis
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Alaska Inside Passage Cruise - Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay is part of a 25-million-acre World Heritage Site, it’s home to an array of wildlife and houses more than a 1000 amazing tidewater glaciers. Soaring to over 15,000 feet, these are the highest coastal mountains in the world, and with their abundant snowfall, the perfect breeding grounds for glaciers.

The Bay is also a vibrant habitat for a rich variety of wildlife. Massive humpback whales and orcas are often spotted in this area with Stellar sea lions basking in the sun on rocks. Along the coastline, you may spot brown bears and moose, while the sky is filled with hundreds of bird species, including rare puffins and majestic bald eagles.

Enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime experience between 7 AM and 5 PM. 

Accommodation: Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth Ship in an Inside Cabin^ on a twin share basis
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Alaska Inside Passage Cruise - Hubbard Glacier

Witness the incredible glacial formations and towering icebergs in action as you sail by a highlight of Alaska’s many coastal wonders - the Hubbard Glacier, between 7 AM and 11 AM. Enjoy the ship’s facilities as you cruise towards British Columbia. 

Accommodation: Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth Ship in an Inside Cabin^ on a twin share basis
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Alaska Inside Passage Cruise - Prince Rupert 

Today, take some time to explore Prince Rupert, a beautiful port city in British Columbia.

Arrive into port at approximately 2 PM and depart at about 8 PM.

Accommodation: Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth Ship in an Inside Cabin^ on a twin share basis
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Alaska Inside Passage Cruise - At Sea

Enjoy the ship’s facilities as you cruise towards Canada.

Accommodation: Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth Ship in an Inside Cabin^ on a twin share basis
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Alaska Inside Passage Cruise - Victoria 

Victoria exudes old-world charm and fragrant and colourful flowers are everywhere. Founded in 1843 by James Douglas of the Hudson's Bay Company, the city was first known as Fort Victoria. By 1848, Vancouver Island was a British colony and Victoria was its capital.

In 1858, Victoria was a tent city and the base for some 25,000 prospectors on their way to the Frasier River goldfields. When Vancouver Island was incorporated with mainland British Columbia in 1868, Victoria became the capital of the entire province. Although it's a port city, Victoria is not as industrially oriented as Vancouver. The harbours, especially Inner Harbour, are dotted with pleasure craft, ferries and floatplanes. The city is renowned for its beautiful gardens, charming houses and very British feel.

Arrive into port at Victoria at approximately 9 AM and depart at about 6:30 PM.

Accommodation: Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth Ship in an Inside Cabin^ on a twin share basis
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Vancouver 

Your cruise arrives back in Vancouver at 8 AM this morning. Transfer to your hotel by taxi (own cost) and get ready for your Vancouver City Sights tour. Explore the city’s downtown landmarks including Canada Place, the Olympic Cauldron, and the bustling Robson Street shopping district. The Vancouver city tour then showcases Stanley Park, a sprawling 405 hectare of forest and nature right in downtown Vancouver. We continue through English Bay, vibrant Granville Island, and the historic districts of Chinatown and Gastown. Finally, we board a glass elevator to be carried skyward to the 360-degree observation deck atop the Vancouver Lookout, affording a panoramic view of the impressive cityscape of downtown and beyond. 

Accommodation: Exchange Hotel or similar, Vancouver
Meals included: Breakfast

Vancouver Jasper

Please catch a taxi (own cost) to the Hyatt Regency Hotel to check-in for your Rockies Tour coach departure point. Today make your way through the farming communities of the Fraser Valley. Ascend the Coastal Mountains and follow the Coquihalla Highway to Kamloops, in the arid interior of British Columbia. After lunch, retrace the route of the famous Overlanders along the North Thompson River to reach your hotel in Jasper. 

Accommodation: Chateau Inn or similar, Jasper
Meals included: Breakfast

Jasper Banff

Your day starts with a scenic hike through Maligne Canyon before heading South. Then, travel along the world-famous Icefields Parkway to take in some of nature’s most spectacular mountain scenery. Have your camera ready for possible wildlife sightings! Highlights include Athabasca Falls, Peyto Lake, and the Columbia Icefield. Choose to ride the “Ice Explorer” on Athabasca Glacier or visit the Glacier Skywalk (own cost).

Accommodation: Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel or similar 
Meals included: breakfast

Banff National Park

Enjoy a full day of sightseeing in Banff National Park. Start your morning with a leisurely hike in Johnston Canyon and stroll along the shores of picturesque Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. In the afternoon, visit the world-famous Banff Springs Hotel and Bow Falls. With your free time in Banff, you may also choose from optional activities such as soaking in the natural spa at the Upper Hot Springs or taking a gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain. 

Accommodation: Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel or similar 
Meals included: Breakfast

Banff Vancouver

This morning, enjoy a drive through Rogers Pass, the highest part of the route to the Rockies. On your scenic return journey through Yoho National Park, catch a glimpse of an engineering marvel: the Spiral Tunnels. Make your way back to Vancouver as your tour draws close to an end! 

Accommodation: Exchange Hotel or similar, Vancouver
Meals included: Breakfast

Vancouver Australia

This morning, check out of your hotel and transfer (included) to the airport for your flight home.

Meals included: Breakfast and inflight