Canadian Masterpiece with Rocky Mountaineer & Alaska Cruise
Canadian Masterpiece with Rocky Mountaineer & Alaska Cruise
Canadian Masterpiece with Rocky Mountaineer & Alaska Cruise
19 Days Starting and ending in Vancouver, Canada
Visiting: Vancouver, Kamloops, Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Whistler, Victoria, Inside Passage, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Ketchikan
Tour Overview
Experience unmatched natural beauty on this affordable Canadian vacation and Alaskan Cruise. Arrive in Vancouver for two nights and enjoy guided sightseeing including Stanley Park, Chinatown, and more. Then board the Rocky Mountaineer Train for a 2-day trip following the Fraser River through canyons to Kamloops. Travel through the Selkirk Mountains then enter Yoho National Park with its towering peaks. Wind through the Spiral Tunnels before your train climbs Kicking Horse Pass then crosses the Continental Divide and enters Alberta and Banff National Park. Spend two nights in Banff with time to hike, play golf, horseback ride or relax at the hot springs. Visit gorgeous Lake Louise, its turquoise waters perfectly reflecting the surrounding mountains and glaciers. Travel the stunning Icefields Parkway and take a ride on the Ice Explorer all-terrain vehicle over the 750-foot-thick ice! Travel through magnificent Jasper National Park and arrive at the base of 12,972-foot Mount Robson on your way to the resort town of Sun Peaks. Continue to Whistler where you’ll spend two nights and have time to enjoy the many activities this resort village has to offer. Cross via ferry to Victoria for sightseeing and a visit to beautiful Butchart Gardens. Have a day at leisure to explore this charming city before returning to Vancouver to embark on your 7-night cruise through the Inside Passage to Alaskan ports of call. Follow the coast through spectacular waterways to watch for orcas, whales, otters, and eagles. Dock in Juneau on the Gastineau Channel and visit the Alaskan capital’s rustic shops in town. Next port is Skagway, with its history of tough prospectors who passed through on their way to find Gold in the Yukon. Visit Skagway’s Trail of ’98 Museum for a glimpse into the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1800s. Cruise on to Glacier Bay, which has more actively calving tidewater glaciers than anywhere in the world. Your next port of call is the picturesque town of Ketchikan. This value-minded vacation in Canada with an Alaskan cruise is not to be missed and won’t soon be forgotten!
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Vancouver
Location: Vancouver
Accommodation Name: Sandman Hotel Vancouver City Center
Welcome to Vancouver! Your Tour Director is on hand late this afternoon to answer any questions.
Day 2: Vancouver
Location: Vancouver
Accommodation Name: Sandman Hotel Vancouver City Center
This morning, an included city tour highlights Stanley Park, Chinatown, the harbour, beaches, and more. The remainder of the day is at leisure. You could take a water-taxi to lively Granville Island with its outdoor markets, street musicians, and waterfront cafés, or visit historic Gastown with its steam-powered clock, antique shops, and art galleries!
Day 3: Vancouver,Rocky Mountaineer,Kamloops
Location: Kamloops
Accommodation Name: Kamloops Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Board the Rocky Mountaineer for a 2-day, all-daylight adventure through some of Canada’s most spectacular scenery. Travel along the Fraser and Thompson River canyons, before arriving in the city of Kamloops.
Day 4: Kamloops,Rocky Mountaineer,Banff National Park
Location: Banff National Park
Accommodation Name: Rundlestone Lodge
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Reboard the train and continue your adventure as you travel along Shuswap Lake, through the Columbia Mountains, and into the Canadian Rockies. Wind your way through the Spiral Tunnels while climbing Kicking Horse Pass to cross the Continental Divide into the province of Alberta. Enter Banff National Park for a two-night stay.
Day 5: Banff National Park
Location: Banff National Park
Accommodation Name: Rundlestone Lodge
After an orientation tour, today is at leisure. Hike the many wilderness trails in the area, golf, horseback ride, stroll through Banff townsite, or simply relax at the hot springs. Banff National Park is the perfect place for photographers and wildlife watching, and as a visitor you may be lucky enough to encounter some of these amazing creatures, like elk, deer, or big-horn sheep, in their natural habitat. Perhaps elevate your experience with an optional helicopter ride over the awe-inspiring Canadian Rockies – a once-in-a-lifetime experience you won’t soon forget!
Day 6: Banff National Park,Lake Louise,Columbia Icefield,Jasper National Park
Location: Banff National Park
Accommodation Name: Lobstick Lodge
Enjoy a day of scenic grandeur. First visit famous Lake Louise, where green-blue waters create a perfect reflection of the surrounding mountains. Then travel the stunning Icefields Parkway where you’ll stop to ride the Ice Explorer all-terrain vehicle over ice that’s 750 feet thick! This afternoon, take the opportunity to glide down the Athabasca River on an optional scenic float trip. Enjoy an orientation tour of the town of Jasper upon arrival.
Day 7: Jasper National Park,Mount Robson,Sun Peaks
Location: Jasper National Park
Accommodation Name: Nancy Greene's Cahilty Hotel & Suites
Start your day with a magical optional cruise on Maligne Lake to the much-photographed, Spirit Island*. Then travel to the base of 12,972-foot Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Continue through British Columbia’s Fur Trade and Cariboo regions for glimpses of the soaring granite mountains. Watch for wildlife as you continue to the internationally renowned Sun Peaks ski resort for an overnight stay.*This optional excursion begins operating in late May/early June.
Day 8: Sun Peaks,Lillooet,Whistler
Location: Whistler
Accommodation Name: Listel Whistler Hotel
Head south, following the once-treacherous Cariboo Wagon Trail. From Lillooet, “Mile 0 of the Gold Rush Route,” you’ll follow the shores of Seton and Duffey Lakes, with an afternoon arrival and orientation in Whistler. Perhaps enjoy an optional flightseeing by floatplane over the glaciated peaks for amazing views!
Day 9: Whistler
Location: Whistler
Accommodation Name: Listel Whistler Hotel
Today is at leisure. Explore on your own or soar to new heights on an optional Peak 2 Peak Gondola ride which spans the distance between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains and is the world’s longest unsupported span for a lift of this kind. Or if you’d prefer staying closer to the ground, visit Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre, a First Nations Museum and Art Gallery, for an authentic Indigenous experience.
Day 10: Whistler,Ferry Crossing,Victoria
Location: Victoria
Accommodation Name: Royal Scot Hotel & Suites
Set sail across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island. In Victoria, sightseeing includes a visit to gorgeous Butchart Gardens and their 55-acres of floral displays, and seeing the Empress Hotel, Legislative Buildings, Bastion Square, and Thunderbird Park. In your free time this evening, perhaps take a stroll along the scenic harbour front.
Day 11: Victoria
Location: Victoria
Accommodation Name: Royal Scot Hotel & Suites
A day at leisure gives you the chance to have high tea at the Empress Hotel, go shopping on Government Street, or have lunch in one of the many pubs. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for shopping, dining, and additional sightseeing. Take home a whale of a tale by embarking on an optional Marine Wildlife and Whale Watching Expedition where you’ll cruise the beautiful waters of the San Juan and Gulf Islands, looking for whales, porpoises, seals, and eagles.
Day 12: Victoria,Vancouver (Embarkation)
Location: Vancouver
Accommodation Name: MS Zaandam
Meals Included: Dinner
Board your ferry this morning and head back to the Canadian mainland, where you will transfer to Holland America’s luxurious MS Zaandam for a 7-night voyage through the famed Inside Passage. Your package price includes Holland America’s ‘Have It All Premium Cruise Package.'
Day 13: Scenic Cruising: Inside Passage
Location: Inside Passage
Accommodation Name: MS Zaandam
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Spend the day cruising one of the world’s most spectacular waterways. Located along the coast of British Columbia, the Inside Passage is the longest sheltered inland waterway in the world. Watch the water for orcas and humpback whales.
Day 14: Juneau
Location: Juneau
Accommodation Name: MS Zaandam
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Located at the foot of grand mountain peaks on Gastineau Channel, Alaska’s capital city of Juneau has massive Mendenhall Glacier and the Juneau Icefield at its back door. Visit the rustic shops in town—or get out and kayak, raft, hike, whale watch, flightsee, or fish. There is no end to the adventure because of the long daylight hours.
Day 15: Skagway
Location: Skagway
Accommodation Name: MS Zaandam
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
In winter, the sidewalks are all but rolled up in Skagway, so you can imagine the frightful conditions endured by gold prospectors who passed through enroute to the Yukon. Take your time and poke your head into every little shop, 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 historic characters. To complete the picture of those rip-roaring days, visit the nostalgic Trail of ’98 Museum.
Day 16: Scenic Cruising: Glacier Bay
Location: Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Accommodation Name: MS Zaandam
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Glacier Bay has more actively calving tidewater glaciers than any place else in the world. How does it feel when a colossal chunk of ice splits off a glacier and crashes into the sea? The sound is like thunder. The impact shoots water hundreds of meters into the air. You hold your breath as you capture the moment on camera, then you wait for it all to happen again.
Day 17: Ketchikan
Location: Ketchikan
Accommodation Name: MS Zaandam
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Alaska’s “First City” of Ketchikan is so named because it is the first major landfall for most cruisers as they enter the picturesque fjords of the Inside Passage, where the town clings to the banks of the Tongass Narrows, flanked by green forests nurtured by abundant rain. An important hub of the salmon-fishing and -packing industries—visitors can try their luck on a sport-fishing excursion or simply savor the fresh seafood at one of the local restaurants. It is also one of the best spots along the Inside Passage to explore the rich cultural sights of Native Alaskan nations like the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian.
Day 18: Scenic Cruising: Inside Passage
Location: Inside Passage
Accommodation Name: MS Zaandam
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Arguably one of the greatest cruising routes in the world, the Inside Passage stretches through stunning landscapes, from Misty Fjords National Monument to famed Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. Sailing the Inside Passage offers opportunities to spot some of Alaska’s most iconic wildlife, with humpback whales and orca plying the bountiful waters alongside the ships, bald eagles soaring overhead and brown bears lumbering on the shoreline.
Day 19: Vancouver (Disembarkation)
Location: Vancouver
Meals Included: Breakfast
Your cruise ends this morning. Please schedule flights after noon.
What's Included
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Accommodation
Stay at various hotels including Sandman Hotel Vancouver City Center, Rundlestone Lodge in Banff National Park, and Royal Scot Hotel & Suites in Victoria.
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Meals
The tour includes 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, and 7 dinners.
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Rocky Mountaineer Train Journey
Experience a 2-day, all-daylight adventure on the Rocky Mountaineer through Canada's spectacular scenery.
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City Tour of Vancouver
An included city tour highlights Stanley Park, Chinatown, the harbour, beaches, and more.
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Ferry Crossing to Vancouver Island
Set sail across the Strait of Georgia to Vancouver Island.
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Visit to Butchart Gardens
Sightseeing in Victoria includes a visit to the gorgeous Butchart Gardens.
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Holland America's 'Have It All Premium Cruise Package'
Your package price includes Holland America's 'Have It All Premium Cruise Package' for a 7-night voyage.
What's Not Included
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Optional Excursions
Optional activities such as helicopter rides over the Canadian Rockies, a scenic float trip on the Athabasca River, and a cruise on Maligne Lake are not included.
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Personal Expenses
Personal expenses such as shopping, dining outside of included meals, and additional sightseeing are not covered.
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Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is not included and is recommended to be purchased separately.
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Flights
Flights to and from the starting and ending points of the tour are not included.
Meals
9 breakfast, 8 lunches, 7 dinners
Notes
Early departures may not be able to visit Columbia Icefield, which opens in early May, or take the Maligne Lake & Spirit Island optional excursion, which opens in mid to late May. Visiting and participating in other activities in this region may be subject to favorable weather conditions and vendor dates of operation.At least one member of the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older.Cruise itineraries are provided by Holland America Line and are up to date at time of printing. Your travel documents will contain the most current information.Maximum elevation on tour: 7,500 ft.
UNESCO Sites
Banff National Park|Glacier Bay|Jasper National Park|Yoho National Park
Accommodation
Vancouver:Sandman Hotel Vancouver City CenterVancouver:Sandman Suites on DavieBanff National Park:Rundlestone LodgeBanff National Park:Irwin's Mountain InnJasper:Lobstick LodgeJasper:Tonquin InnSun Peaks:Nancy Greene's Cahilty Hotel & SuitesWhistler:Listel Whistler HotelVictoria:Royal Scot Hotel & Suites
Check out our Q&As
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What kind of wildlife might I see during the tour?
During the tour, you may have the opportunity to see a variety of wildlife including orcas, humpback whales, elk, deer, big-horn sheep, porpoises, seals, eagles, and possibly brown bears along the Inside Passage.
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What activities are available in Banff National Park?
In Banff National Park, you can hike the wilderness trails, golf, horseback ride, stroll through the townsite, relax at the hot springs, or engage in wildlife watching. There is also an optional helicopter ride over the Canadian Rockies available.
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What can I do during the leisure day in Victoria?
In Victoria, you can have high tea at the Empress Hotel, shop on Government Street, have lunch in one of the many pubs, or embark on an optional Marine Wildlife and Whale Watching Expedition.
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What is included in the 'Have It All Premium Cruise Package' on the MS Zaandam?
The 'Have It All Premium Cruise Package' on the MS Zaandam includes a 7-night voyage through the Inside Passage, offering a luxurious cruising experience with opportunities to see stunning landscapes and wildlife.
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What are some optional excursions available during the tour?
Optional excursions include helicopter rides over the Canadian Rockies, a scenic float trip on the Athabasca River, a cruise on Maligne Lake, flightseeing by floatplane over glaciated peaks in Whistler, and a Marine Wildlife and Whale Watching Expedition in Victoria.
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What is the significance of Ketchikan on the tour?
Ketchikan, known as Alaska's 'First City,' is an important hub for the salmon-fishing and -packing industries. It offers opportunities for sport-fishing excursions and exploring the rich cultural sights of Native Alaskan nations like the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 1961
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Cosmos is committed to minimizing our impact on the environment and to reducing dependence on non-renewable resources. In this endeavor, we have implemented policies to support this mission and are working carefully to enhance our products with this mission and our values combined. We are committed to complying with all relevant legislation and/or regulations.
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Travel documents, including any air tickets, itineraries, and other information, are available approximately two to three weeks prior to departure provided full payment has been received.
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
All guests are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 for travel through February, 2023. Beginning March 1, 2023, while we highly recommend vaccination, we will no longer require it. We ask all guests to comply with airline and destination requirements, which still may apply. To check your destination requirements for your travel dates, view the Latest Travel & Health Restrictions for Travel.
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Low Deposit
Cosmos requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of cosmos charges.
Up to 91 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 90 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 80% of booking price.
At 1 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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