HOLLAND AMERICA ZAANDAM NSIDE PASSAGE CRUISE

The Inside passage cruise is included in the Canada & Alaska tour and Grand Tour. It is optional on the Western USA National Parks tour. The cruise package is  a 7-night inside pasasge cruise in a ocean view stateroom with private bathroom. Upgrades are avaialable. All meals, port charges and taxes are included, drinks, shore excursions and graturities are additional. The Holland America Zaandam is our home away from home on this 7 day inside passage cruise to Glacier Bay and back to Vancouver.  At 781 ft it is a small vessel in cruise ship terms which allows better close-up viewing than larger cruise ships.

THE INSIDE PASSAGE

The Inside Passage is a coastal route for ships and boats along a network of passages which weave through the islands on the Pacific NW coast of North America.   It features endless miles of untouched wilderness. Marvel at the countless islets, soaring cliff walls and cascading waterfalls of the Great Land, you’ll be treated to astounding glacier viewing as you journey through one of the world’s most spectacular waterways.

TRACY ARM INLET AK

On this cruise you get to visit both Tracy Arm and Glacier bay. They are quite different. Tracy Arm is not so weather dependent to enjoy it, whereas in Glacier Bay you really need good weather to see things. Tracy Arm is a narrow fjord with green water and towering cliffs that end up at the Sawyer Glaciers which in recent years have been calving a lot. Usually lots of seals are on the ice and bears have been seen in the arm…a spectacular trip.

JUNEAU AK

Juneau is unusual among U.S. capitals in that there are no roads connecting the city to the rest of Alaska or to the rest of North America (although ferry service is available for cars). The absence of a road network is due to the extremely rugged terrain surrounding the city. A long list of day tours and excursions are available at Juneau. The main attractions are the Mendenhall Glacier and the Mount Roberts Aerial Tramway. For many a drink or lunch at the Red Dog Saloon with sawdust floors and great atmosphere  is a must. For seafood lovers Tracy’s King Crab Shack is hard to beat.

SKAGWAY AK

Situated at the end of the Lynn Canal, Skagway provides road access to the Yukon Territories and Northern Canada.  The town is situated close to the cruise ship terminal and has a variety of shops and restaurants. A range of day tours are available the most popular being the Whitehorse Pass vintage railway. This forty-mile round trip excursion climbs from tidewater at Skagway to the Summit of the White Pass – a 2,885 foot elevation. The fully narrated tour passes through two tunnels, over sky-high trestles and cascading waterfalls.

GLACIER BAY AK

The spectacular scenery and wildlife of Glacier Bay make it a highlight of any Alaska cruise. The ship travels into the heart of the Fairweather Mountains for a trip into the ice ages. Watch for icebergs and calving glaciers.Scan the shorelines for wildlife…brown bears, mountain goats, sea otters, sea lions, harbor seals, bald eagles, and a variety of seabirds are regularly seen.

KETCHIKAN AK

Ketchikan, Alaska is truly the beginning of the last frontier. Set at the southernmost entrance to Alaska’s famed Inside Passage—a network of waterways that snake through some of the most jaw-droppingly beautiful wilderness in the world—Ketchikan is best known for three things: feisty salmon, idyllic scenery, and an incredibly rich Alaska Native culture.