Queen Elizabeth - July 10, 2025

Christened "The Emerald City", Seattle is known as one of the most livable cities in the world and actually receives less annual rainfall (36 inches) than New York and Atlanta. Surrounded by lakes, rivers, Puget Sound, and mountains, Seattle is a recreation enthusiasts' dream. In the summer, water sports are only 10 minutes away and winter sports, such as snow skiing, are only 45 minutes away.

The first cruise ship appeared in Ketchikan 114 years ago, and it has been a favorite port ever since. You can tour the area by boat, bus, horse-drawn trolley, or even a restored 1955 Chevy. The most famous part of town is Creek Street. The homes once comprising the red light district are now filled with arts, crafts and gift shops. Totem poles are everywhere, with 24 at Saxman Native Totem Park.

Haines, Alaska is located in northern Lynn Channel, and has a population of 1,260 people. Haines has the largest concentration of bald eagles in the world at the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. Another popular attraction is the recreated gold rush town of "Dalton City." There are also native history performances by the Chilkat Indian Dancers at the Chilkat Center for the Arts.

Tracy Arm, a classic fjord, has it all: snow capped peaks, shear rock palisades, rainbows and tidewater glaciers. Drift among icebergs and waterfalls that cascade 1,000's of feet for the most close-up view of Sawyer Glacier. You'll see incredible mountains and emerald green water, and be able to watch for whales, bear, eagles and mountain goats, and seals

Alaska's capital city, Juneau, is located in Southeast Alaska. The Tongass Rain Forest climate provides Juneau with lush terrain and wildflowers. Visitors can find unparalleled glacier viewing from Tracy Arm Fjord, Mendenhall Glacier, the Juneau Icefield and Glacier Bay National Park, and outdoor enthusiasts will love Juneau's kayaking, dogsledding, rafting, biking, hiking and glacier hiking.

Sitka is considered Alaska's most beautiful seaside town, with views of island-studded waters and stately spruce forests reaching to the water's edge. Sitka offers a combination of Native culture, Russian history, and Alaskan wilderness which provides a diverse and unequaled Alaskan experience. The mild climate and dense forests make Sitka one of the best places to view wildlife in Alaska.

Almost unknown until a decade ago, Misty Fiords National Monument is 115 miles long and 50 miles wide, and has 2.3 million acres of deep, narrow fiords, steep-walled canyons, waterfalls and bowl-shaped lakes. The fiords' rock walls have been scoured by glaciers, and the park is home to bald eagles, bears, wolves, moose, sea lions, killer whales, beavers, and mink.

Founded as a fur-trading post by the Hudson Bay Company, Victoria is home to an interesting mix of cultures. There are English pubs, East Indian restaurants, and Japanese sushi bars. Chinatown features great buys at Market Square. Spend a pleasant afternoon among the flowers and waterways of world-famous Butchart Gardens.

Christened "The Emerald City", Seattle is known as one of the most livable cities in the world and actually receives less annual rainfall (36 inches) than New York and Atlanta. Surrounded by lakes, rivers, Puget Sound, and mountains, Seattle is a recreation enthusiasts' dream. In the summer, water sports are only 10 minutes away and winter sports, such as snow skiing, are only 45 minutes away.