Queen Elizabeth - September 18, 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.

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.

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

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.

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.

With breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and a spectacular bay, San Francisco is one of the U.S.'s most beautiful cities. Visitors have a wide range of things to see, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Nob Hill, Alcatraz, and Chinatown. And no trip to this city is complete without a ride on the cable cars. The restaurants are excellent, with a rich diversity of cuisine.

When you visit Los Angeles, you'll discover that the life here seems to thrive somewhere between reality and dream. LA is always re-inventing itself, from Mexican outpost to boomtown movie colony the new economy, LA reaches new horizons every day. Cultures from around the world meet here in fusions of language, fashion and food, and at more than twice the size of Switzerland, there's plenty to explore.

Sail past Los Arcos, the soaring rock archway at the extreme southern tip of Baja California that guards Cabo's perfect harbor. This idyllic bay once sheltered treasure ships from the Orient, and pirate brigs bent on those treasures. Now Cabo caters to an international vacation set, and has a strong artistic tradition famous for its black-coral jewelry.

Puntarenas is a paradise of sand beaches, pristine rainforests, and tranquil turquoise seas. Guests will find themselves in a watersport-lover's paradise, with fun-filled options ranging from water skiing to scuba diving readily available throughout the province. Puntarenas boasts mild weather and tropical sunshine, offering languid days to spend relaxing in the surf and sand.

Spend an unforgettable day cruising the Panama Canal, a fifty-one-mile waterway through the rainforest that is one of the world's engineering masterpieces. The ship glides down the canal with inches to spare, through locks that raise and lower it like a toy. Along the way it crosses enormous Gatun Lake, and the amazing Gaillard Cut, blasted out of a solid mountainside.

Once the port where the wealth of the New World flowed back to the Old, Cartagena also served as a notorious base for privateers and pirates. Today, you can stroll the tree-lined Spanish colonial artistry of old in the streets and see the works of the Gold Museum. The port is also a great place to find bargains on emeralds.

Blessed with a non-stop breeze, neat little Oranjestad reflects the Dutch passion for cleanliness. Stroll the town's chic shops, venture out to see the wind-formed divi-divi trees, or visit an undersea garden of brilliant corals on a semi-submersible craft.

Explore all that Miami has to offer, from the magnificent Port of Miami, to the world famous Everglades and Biscayne National Parks, historic Coconut Grove, and trendy South Beach. Other attractions include the Miami Seaquarium , Miami MetroZoo, and sports teams the Dolphins, Heat and Marlins. No wonder so many celebrities, such as Gloria Estefan, Madonna and Ricky Martin, call Miami home.