Day 1: Scenic Seattle

Your expedition cruise starts with an overnight stay in Seattle. If you can, why not arrive early and see what the Emerald City has to offer? Head to the Seattle Aquarium to see sea otters and a giant Pacific octopus. Or for incredible views of Puget Sound and the surrounding mountains, take a stroll through the nine-acre Olympic Sculpture Park, admiring the work of renowned artists as you go. For a feast of the senses, visit the famous Pike Place Market. Operating for over a century, this lively farmer’s market boasts everything from buskers and bars to salmon-throwing fishmongers!

Day 2: Your Expedition Begins

Today, HX will fly you from Seattle to Nome for the start of your expedition cruise. Set at the tip of the Seward Peninsula and overlooking the Bering Sea, Nome is perhaps the most famous Gold-Rush town in Alaskan history. There are artifacts from this era to be seen everywhere, including abandoned dredges, turn-of-the-century steam engines, and old railroad tracks. Nome was also the end point of three of Roald Amundsen’s great polar expeditions, including an attempt to reach the North Pole by air in 1926. It’s a fitting place to launch your grand Alaska adventure.

Day 3: Crossing the Bering Sea

Spend your first day at sea chatting with fellow explorers or just watching the world sail by out on deck. You’ll have plenty of time to get to know your expedition ship, so perhaps now’s the time to take advantage of its facilities as you settle into expedition mode. Along with talks by the Expedition Team about what to expect on the voyage ahead, delve into the books in the onboard library and get to know the Science Center. Natural wonders abound here, so keep an eye out for humpback whales and seabirds wheeling through the skies.

Day 4: Wild St. Matthew

Part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and 200 miles from the nearest village, St. Matthew Island is wild, remote, and isolated. You’ll see traces of abandoned buildings between black sand beaches and wildflower-dotted tundra. A few hardy souls have tried—and failed—to make a home here. Today, the only inhabitants are birds, including thousands of puffins, murres, and cormorants. On your nature landing, if you’re lucky, you’ll see the rare McKay’s bunting, which breeds almost exclusively here—and listen out for the sound of the singing vole, which was named after its unusual warning cry.

Day 5: Unangan Life in St. Paul

The windswept island of St. Paul is home to the largest Unangan community in the US, numbering around 480. You can visit the historical remains of barabaras here—traditional dwellings built halfway underground to protect against the sea winds. St. Paul is also designated an Important Bird Area, and around 300 species of migrating birds use it as a resting point. Scan for horned and tufted puffins, the Pribilof sandpiper and the rare red-legged kittiwake. On the shore, you may find northern fur seals waddling and playing—half the world's population of these charming animals lives on these islands.

Day 6: Learning and Leisure

You’ll continue south through the Bering Sea from the Aleutian Islands toward your next stop of Dutch Harbor. The Expedition Team will prepare you for your upcoming destinations and continue their lecture series. Keep scanning the seas and skies for puffins, auklets, and murrelets, especially closer to the coast. If you’re lucky, you might glimpse the red-legged kittiwake, which is only found in this part of the world. If you’d like to take it easy, you can take in the panoramic views from the Explorer Lounge & Bar, from the infinity pool or the outdoor hot tubs.

Day 7: Discover Dutch Harbor

America's largest fishing port, Dutch Harbor, is a fascinating place to visit. As you sail toward it you may see Mount Makushin, an occasionally steaming volcano that reaches almost 6,000 ft. Here, you’ll learn about the local Indigenous Unungan people at the Museum of the Aleutians. Visit the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, or tour the WWII museum commemorating the battle that took place here in 1942. Scout for bald eagles and puffins. Foxes, lemmings and wild horses thrive on land, while whales, sea lions and porpoises command the waters. Dutch Harbor was the filming location of the reality television seriesThe Deadliest Catch, which follows crab fishermen at work under extreme conditions.

Day 8: The Ghost Town of Unga

Wild and deserted, Unga Village is an abandoned yet picturesque settlement on the southern end of Unga Island. It was settled by Aleuts in 1833 but was abandoned in 1969, as subsistence fishing proved insufficient to support living here. Today, the few wooden buildings that remain are the only evidence that people once lived here. A carpet of pink lousewort, fireweed and other wildflowers surrounds the abandoned shacks as nature has gradually taken over. Experience the eerie beauty of this place during a nature landing with our small expedition boats.

Day 9: The Remote Bays of the Alaska Peninsula

The Alaska Peninsula is an untamed wilderness and a haven for wildlife. The region is characterized by its raw coastal landscapes, towering mountains and secluded bays. Join your Expedition Team for close exploration of hidden bays and inlets along the shoreline, offering the opportunity to scout for bears, bald eagles, and marine species like sea otters and humpback whales. Learn about the geological evolution of the region, appreciating how natural forces have sculpted the unique topography around you.

Day 10: Brown Bears in Katmai

Your adventure continues in the four-million-acre Katmai National Park, which has over a dozen active volcanoes. Katmai is also home to more than 2,000 protected brown bears—the largest concentration in the world. Accompanied by an experienced bear guard, you’ll safely scout for bears from the deck or in your small boats (RIBs). They might be foraging for berries, digging for clams or catching fish in the stream. Depending on conditions, you might visit either Geographic Harbor, Kinak Bay or Kukak Bay.

Day 11: Kodiak's Brown Bears

Kodiak Island got its nickname, the “Emerald Isle,” due to its spruce forests and grasslands, and it's the second largest island in the US. The island’s most famous inhabitants are Kodiak brown bears. Around 3,500 of them live in the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, which covers two thirds of the island. You’ll search for these powerful creatures in their natural habitat, marveling at their size and grace from the safety of your small expedition boat. This perspective offers a rare glimpse into the lives of these bears against the backdrop of Alaska’s breathtakingly rugged landscape.

Day 12: Across the Gulf of Alaska

Your cruise continues across the Gulf of Alaska. It’s the ideal time to enjoy onboard facilities such as the infinity pool, hot tubs, and sauna. Go for a run, hit the gym, or enjoy a massage in the spa. In the Science Center, the Expedition Team invite you to join lectures about subjects such as Alaska’s wildlife, geology, glaciology, history and culture. Relax in the Explorer Lounge & Bar and share a drink with your fellow guests, or just sit back and enjoy the view. See if you can spot all three species of North Pacific albatross. The Laysan and black-footed albatross are often sighted, but the short-tailed albatross is harder to spot.

Day 13: Glaciers of Icy Bay

Today is an exploration day in Icy Bay. Three glaciers—Guyot, Yahtse and Tyndall—regularly calve into this bay. If conditions allow, you’ll explore in the small expedition boats or by kayak, immersing you in the remarkable beauty of this icy landscape. Wildlife abounds in the Gulf of Alaska, offering unrivaled photography opportunities. Humpback whales, orcas, Stellar sea lions, sea otters and harbor seals lazing on floating chunks of ice are often seen in these waters.

Day 14: Blended Cultures of Sitka

Surrounded by Tongass National Forest, Sitka is only accessible by sea or air. Get out on deck for stunning views of the Sisters Mountains and Mount Edgecumbe volcano. Inhabited by the Tlingit people for 10,000 years, the town was settled by Russian explorers around the turn of the 19th century before being sold to the United States after Russia lost the Crimean War. Today, Sitka has roots in all three cultures. A visit to the Russian Orthodox cathedral and Russian Bishop's House is recommended. Admire ornate Haida and Tlingit totem poles at Sitka National Historical Park and enjoy a walking trail through the forest to the ocean.

Day 15: Wrangell's Petroglyphs

We continue cruising the Alaskan islands toward Wrangell. Only a mile outside of town, Petroglyph Beach is where you'll see ancient rock carvings among the sand. Visit the local museum to learn more about Wrangell's fascinating past. Now part of the United States, it was once governed by Britain, Russia and the Tlingit people. Cross to Shakes Island, where the Chief Shakes Tribal House and totem poles tell the story of the Indigenous Tlingit people. Hikers will enjoy the nature trails surrounded by alluring scenery at the mouth of Stikine River, and the foot of Mount Dewey at the edge of the rainforest.

Day 16: Unspoiled Misty Fjords

Part of the Tongass National Forest, Misty Fjords is a pristine wilderness of evergreens, waterfalls and snowcapped peaks. The revered naturalist writer John Muir described the area as one of the most beautiful places he’d ever seen. Weather permitting, you'll join the Expedition Team to tour Misty Fjords in the small expedition boats or take kayaks out. Misty Fjords is rich in wildlife. You’ll scan for mountain goats, black and brown bears and moose as you explore. The waters are home to Pacific salmon, otters, Steller sea lions, harbor seals, orcas and Dall’s porpoises. Skyward, you might spot herons and bald eagles.

Day 17: Canada's Inside Passage

The Inside Passage coastal route takes us through the great North American Pacific Fjordland, a protected stretch of water over 930 miles long. Unlike other cruises, which pass through at night, you’ll be able to view the sublime scenery in all its glory during the day. The smaller expedition ship allows us to reach areas that larger vessels can’t, meaning you’ll get to explore lesser-traveled channels with breathtaking scenery. Keep your cameras and binoculars at the ready to catch sight of whales, including humpback, fin, minke and perhaps even orca.

Day 18: A Taste of Vancouver

Your expedition cruise ends in Vancouver, a beautiful city at the foot of the Rockies. Visit Gastown, the city's oldest neighborhood, and climb Vancouver Lookout for a citywide view overlooking neon-lit Granville Street, the West End beaches, and the towering cedars of Stanley Park. Vancouver has a flavor all its own—and so does its global cuisine. Before your onward journey, we recommend you dine out in Chinatown, Punjabi Market or Little Italy for a taste of the city's buzzing atmosphere.