Alaska CruiseTour, 2007
 
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Please join us for an   Alaska CruiseTour Discovery Cruise & Denali Express June 17 –27, 2007 |
"It's not just the destinations, but the journey that counts." The ms Statendam is the fifth ship to bear the name in Holland America Line's 133-year history. With more than $2 million worth of art and artifacts, the ms Statendam features a theme of Dutch life and exploration. The Van Gogh Theater is a work of art in itself. Themed to Dutch artist Vincent Van Gogh's paintings "The Starry Night" and "Irises," the room features computerized fiber optic lighting as well as a state-of-the-art sound system.You can expect more of the same aboard this signature Holland America ship; fine dining, spacious staterooms, the best in cruise entertainment, relaxing nooks and beautiful art displayed throughout the ship. In the center of the ship, a soaring three-story atrium showcases an elaborate 26-foot-high "Fountain of the Siren" sculpture, which extends from the Lower Promenade Deck to the Upper Promenade. ms Statendam … spacious comfort |
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Your Executive Worldwide Travel Tour Itinerary | |||
Day 1 June 17 – Vancouver Depart from Ottawa on our Air Canada direct flight to Vancouver. Transfer to ms Statendam with plenty of time for lunch, unpacking and a stroll around the ship. We sail at 5:00 p.m., under Vancouver’s Lion’s Gate Bridge and into the scenic wonders of the Inside Passage. As the dinner hour approaches, the melodious call of the chime master invites guests to the Rotterdam Dining Room with its surrounding panoramic ocean views, as well as fine art and antiques. Enjoy a sumptuous five-course dinner while a quartet plays soft dinner music. Attune yourself to refined elegance. This is home for the next seven nights. |
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Day 2 June 18 – Inside Passage scenic cruising The Inside Passage of the Alaska Panhandle and coastal British Columbia is a natural sheltered coastal route for oceangoing vessels along a series of passages between the mainland and the coastal islands. Shaped by the staggering force of massive glaciers millions of years ago, the Inside Passage boasts wildlife-filled fjords and lush island scenery. Its very warm and temperate environment is biologically rich. Orca and humpback whales, porpoises and dolphins, seals and sea lions, bears, wolves, mountain goats and sheep, puffins, murrelets and eagles are just some of the creatures you may encounter along the way. Steep coastal mountains and marine wildlife will be the magnificent backdrop to this, your first relaxing day at sea. So will you be the one with binoculors and camera, first to spot the whales? Or will you start the day working out the travel kinks in the Fitness Centre? Perhaps a massage in the Greenhouse Spa? One thing is certain, there’s a wealth of exciting daily activities for you to discover on the Statendam. And the personal-touch service is phenomenal! |
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Day 3 June 19 – Ketchikan, Alaska Ketchikan, Alaska's "first city," in the heart of the Tongass National Forest boasts a beautiful setting with rainforests, fjords, glaciers and numerous waterfalls, and enjoys a mild climate and rich history. Ketchikan is best known for its Alaskan Native culture and great salmon fishing. In addition to native villages, it has more totem poles than anywhere else in the world. As the 'Salmon Capital of the World' Ketchikan is Alaska’s Sport Fishing Capital. Besides the main attractions – Creek Street, (the original home of the town’s sportin’ ladies) the Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Bight State Park and Saxman Village – there’s one other activity that is recommended. A flightseeing trip to breathtaking Misty Fjords National Monument is deemed essential by those who have done it before. |
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Day 4 June 20 – Juneau Today, explore the lush Tongass National Forest or visit one of the shops featuring limited edition designer jewelry and beautiful Native Alaska design jewelry. History buffs can browse the Alaska State Museum. You’ll have the day to explore Mendenhall Glacier or go whale watching, fishing or even dogsledding on a glacier! Juneau is a great place to sample salmon baked over an alderwood fire, pan for gold, and hike the massive Juneau Icefield.   
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Day 5 June 21 – Skagway The sidewalks are all but rolled up in Skagway come winter, so you can only imagine the frightful conditions endured by the gold propectors who passed through en route to the Yukon, with a mandatory ton of supplies to be hauled with them over the steep and treacherous Trail of '98. 21st-century summertime visits to Skagway require nothing of the sort, but you can still ride the antique White Pass & Yukon narrow-gauge railway up through silvery-purple rock faces, past Deadhorse Gulch, to see what it was like back then. Biking, rock-climbing and flightseeing adventures are also available from Skagway. |
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Day 6 June 22 – Glacier Bay National Park Scenic Cruising Cloistered in the rocky recesses of Alaska, Glacier Bay is a world still emerging from the Ice Age. Sixteen dazzling tidewater glaciers creep back and forth by millimeters, chiseling great masses of moraine onto their pristine surfaces. With a full day of cruising, you will again have the opportunity to sample the entertainment options on the ms Statendam – a cooking lesson in the Culinary Arts Center perhaps? Is there an art auction today? |
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Day 7 June 23 – College Fjord Scenic Cruising Prince William Sound's College Fjord is one of the northernmost inlets on the Gulf of Alaska. It terminates in Harvard Glacier, more than two miles wide and 300 feet tall at the face. On the west side of the fjord, the glaciers are named after colleges for women; on the east, after colleges for men — hence the name College Fjord. It’s our last full day of cruising. Have you tried your luck at the Casino tables? Do you and your friends have reservations for the Pinacle Grill? |
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Day 8 June 24 – Seward/Fairbanks Disembark in Seward and board your motor coach for the scenic journey through the Chugach National Forest. The nation’s second-largest national forest, its mountains and immense rivers of ice cradle the largest contiguous wetland area on the U.S.West Coast. Arriving in Anchorage, you’ll board your flight to Fairbanks and overnight in Alaska’s “golden heart” city. |
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Day 9 June 25 – Fairbanks/Denali National Park Board your McKinley Explorer luxury domed rail car and enjoy an optional breakfast and lunch served onboard the train in the elegant dining room. Take in the sights and sounds of the Alaska Railroad, an Alaska Scenic Byway. Sit back and relax in the observation lounge and watch magnificent scenery glide by. You’ll arrive and check into your inviting lodge. This afternoon will find you exploring Denali National Park on an informative Natural History Tour. Note the feel of a vast landscape traversed by only a narrow ribbon of road.  
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Day 10 June 26 – Denali/Anchorage Wake up to a morning at leisure relaxing at your lodge or exploring your surroundings on an optional tour. Then reboard the McKinley Explorer for the continuation of your rail journey. Optional lunch and dinner are available to enhance your sightseeing experience. Soak in the magnificent views as you cross the Hurricane Gulch Bridge and glide from one mountain, forest or river scene to another. Arrive in Anchorage where the city backs up to a stunning skyline of mountains. Day 11 June 27 – Transfer to the Anchorage International Airport for return flights to Ottawa. |
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Travel Agency: Executive Worldwide Travel Agent: Jean Sheikh, C.T.C. (613) 236-5555 Or 1-800-267-5552 Registration No.: 1892605 |
Cost: $3,565.00 to $4960.00 Categories B, C, D, DA, DD, E, and MM have been reserved For more details on this tour or to request a brochure, | ||||
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