North to Alaska is not being offered this year. A variety of other spectacular tours to see America by rail are currently available for travel.

One of the comments we often hear about Alaska cruises is that the overall vacation is a bit too hectic, with long flights into Vancouver, without enough time in Vancouver, then all too short a cruise before fooling with airports all over again. With this in mind, we have designed a relaxing, stylish and leisurely holiday to Alaska, the Great Land, at the perfect time of the year that features little or no airports, a comfortable pace, plenty of time to enjoy both Seattle and Vancouver and travel aboard some of the most famous trains in the country like the Empire Builder, California Zephyr, or the Coast Starlight.

We begin with FREE train travel from ANY US city or town to Seattle aboard the Empire Builder train (Guests living in the Southwest and California/Nevada enjoy travel aboard the famed Coast Starlight to Seattle). In fact, when booked early, guests enjoy free round-trip travel by train, that is, to Seattle and the start of the trip and then home from San Diego after the cruise! In Seattle, there is a superb hotel (with all taxes and breakfast included) and plenty of free time for exploring the Emerald City before we depart for Vancouver by train. Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and our guests have two days to enjoy it all along with a city tour that includes Queen Elizabeth Park.

Saving the best for last, after our time in Vancouver, we board Holland America's ms Zuiderdam, an acclaimed moderate sized ship for the stunningly beautiful Inside Passage cruise, a visual feast that includes awesome Glacier Bay National Park, and after our Alaska cruise we enjoy another day in Vancouver with time to see what we were not able to visit seven days earlier, then we make a very rare visit to scenic Astoria, Oregon on the mouth of the Columbia River before two blissful days sailing down the West Coast with time to relax before our arrival in San Diego. At San Diego, guests may extend their stay in Southern California or travel home aboard such well known trains at the 'Southwest Chief' or 'Sunset Limited'. All Aboard!

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• Free train travel from any US city to Seattle and the start of the tour utilizing the famed Empire Builder or Coast Starlight trains. Guests may even stopover at no additional cost or arrive in the Pacific Northwest earlier if they like. Train travel home from San Diego is included to any US point when booked early.
• Overnight hotel stay in Seattle at the superb Warwick Hotel in the heart of downtown along with plenty of free time in this beautiful city.
• Seattle to Vancouver passage aboard the 'Talgo' train, a scenic ride along the Puget Sound.
• One-night hotel stay in Seattle at the superb Warwick Hotel in the heart of downtown along with plenty of free time in this beautiful city.
• Seattle to Vancouver passage aboard the 'Talgo' train, a scenic ride along the Puget Sound.
• One-night stay in Vancouver at the wonderfully located Hyatt Regency Hotel.
• Complete Vancouver sightseeing tour including a visit to Queen Elizabeth Park and Afternoon Tea overlooking English Bay.
• 12-night Alaska Inside Passage cruise from Vancouver to San Diego aboard the Holland America liner ms Zuiderdam visiting Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park, and Ketchikan, Alaska, and Astoria Oregon.
• Fully hosted by professional tour manager with special parties & events for our guests both aboard ship and 'ashore'.
• Two-night First Class hotel stay in San Diego. Guests can extend their stay if they choose taking advantage of our great hotel rates.
• All transfers from the start of the tour in Seattle until the final day in San Diego.

Day 1: Chicago Union Station
Guests depart Chicago today aboard the Empire Builder bound for Seattle via Glacier National Park.

Day 2: Empire Builder
Today the train travels through the Continental Divide and ascends into Glacier National Park as it continues its westbound journey to Seattle. Overnight is spent onboard.

Day 3: Seattle Washington
Morning sightseeing, afternoon at leisure, overnight in Seattle at the Warwick Hotel.

Day 4: Seattle Washington
The day is yours to explore the Emerald City at your leisure.

Day 5: Vancouver British Columbia
We depart the hotel this morning and travel aboard the sleek European designed Talgo train north to Vancouver, a pretty 3.5 hour ride along the Puget Sound and the best way to travel between these two cities. Arriving in Vancouver at noon, we have a city sightseeing tour of this extraordinary city followed by Afternoon Tea overlooking English Bay before our arrival at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in the heart of downtown.

Day 6: ms Zuiderdam
All morning to sleep in or further sightsee in Vancouver since we do not leave the hotel for the pier until 2pm. At 5pm, Zuiderdan sets sail for Alaska, then Great Land.

Day 7: Inside Passage
The fabled Inside Passage is one of the most scenic sea-lanes in the world, and one of the few where deep-draft vessels can sail close to steep mountain walls. The scenery is unbelievable, with forests in a hundred shades of green, tumbling turquoise glaciers, and evocative towns loaded with history, culture and adventure.

Day 8: Tracy Arm & Juneau
This narrow, 26-mile-long fjord is another of Alaska's most dramatic glacier settings. The lush rain forest recedes to reveal a stunning canyon of bare rock.

Day 9: Skagway
Take your time and poke into every little store from the Trail Bench to Lynch & Kennedy's Dry Goods. The Red Onion Saloon, with its honky-tonk piano and costumed barmaids, is a treasure trove of memorabilia. This is also the starting point of the fabled White Pass & Yukon Railway, an optional tour that is worth every penny.

Day 10: Cruising Glacier Bay
Glacier Bay National Park protects a unique ecosystem of plants and animals living in concert with an ever-changing glacial landscape

Day 11: Ketchikan
Built out over the water and climbing weathered stairways, Ketchikan clings to the shores of the Tongass Narrows and drapes the mountains with a cheerful air.

Day 12: Inside Passage

Day 13: Vancouver

Day 14: Astoria
Astoria is a beautiful setting at the mouth of the Columbia River and the final point of the westbound trek of the Lewis & Clark expedition since this is as far as Sacagawea could get them.

Day 15: At Sea

Day 16: At Sea

Day 17: San Diego
Guests disembark after breakfast to begin their journey home. Guests departing/ returning to West Coast points do not need to start/end in Chicago. Please call for train route details!

   

   

   

Economy Inside 2 lower beds convertible to 1 queen-sized bed, shower. *very limited availability.

Large Inside 2 lower beds convertible to 1 queen-sized bed, shower.

Standard Outside 2 lower beds convertible to 1 queen-sized bed, bathtub and shower, picture window.

Large Outside 2 lower beds convertible to 1 queen-sized bed, bathtub and shower, picture window.

Verandah Suite 2 lower beds convertible to 1 queen-sized bed, whirlpool bath and shower, sitting area, private verandah, VCR, mini-bar, refrigerator, floor to ceiling windows.