Amtrak Vacations
The Empire Builder and Alaska Rail and Sail with the Norwegian Jade®
12-day Amtrak and Alaska cruise from Chicago to Anchorage
12 daysfrom $2,259
25% rail
Amtrak Vacations · Independent rail & cruise vacation
Alaska and the Empire Builder Rail and Sail with the Norwegian Jade®
12-day Alaska cruise and Amtrak rail journey from Anchorage to Chicago
Amtrak Vacations puts together this 12-day rail and cruise trip that starts in Anchorage and ends in Chicago. The first week is spent aboard the Norwegian Jewel, sailing the Inside Passage with stops in Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan and views of the Hubbard Glacier and Tracy Arm Fjord along the way. From Vancouver, where two days include a hop-on, hop-off city tour and a visit to the Vancouver Lookout, the trip switches to rail: the Amtrak Cascades to Seattle, then an overnight on the Empire Builder through Big Sky Country and Glacier National Park to Chicago. It is billed as an independent vacation rather than a fully escorted tour, with guided time limited mostly to Vancouver and free afternoons built in. The mix of cruise, city sightseeing and long-distance train travel suits travelers who want Alaska's glaciers and wildlife paired with a classic cross-country rail finish, without committing to a single guided group the whole way.
What to know before you look closer
- Government taxes and fees for the cruise portion are charged separately from the quoted price.
- Anchorage and Vancouver hotels are offered as a list of options rather than one fixed property, so the actual hotel depends on what is booked.
- The evidence does not describe day 11 of the itinerary in detail; it falls between boarding the Amtrak Cascades in Vancouver and arriving in Chicago on day 12.
Day by day
- Day 1overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jewel
Anchorage to Seward (Embark at 9:00 PM)
Transfer from the Anchorage Airport to the cruise port in Seward, Alaska to embark on the Norwegian Jewel.
- Day 2overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jewel
Cruise Hubbard Glacier (At Sea)
Get up close and personal with the gigantic Hubbard Glacier, North America's largest tidewater glacier. It's 1,350 square miles of blue ice and one of the most active in Alaska!
- Day 3overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jewel
Icy Strait Point (Docked 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM)
Your experience at Icy Strait Point today includes the best of the surrounding natural resources and the fascinating regional culture. Watch humpback whales and brown bears in their natural habitat, and enjoy expressive Tlingit dancing and art. Sample fresh Dungeness crab straight from the local waters.
- Day 4overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jewel
Juneau (Docked 7:00 AM to 1:15 PM)
Today you will dock in Juneau, Alaska. Juneau has been called "Alaska's peak experience," certainly due in part to its unparalleled glacier viewing from such places as Tracy Arm Fjord, the Juneau Icefields and Glacier Bay National Park. Kayak up one of the area's many protected waterways, go flightseeing, tour historic downtown or try your hand at panning for gold.
- Day 5overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jewel
Skagway (Docked 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM)
Today, you'll sail into beautiful Skagway. In a single year from 1896 to 1897, this remote town along the Inside Passage grew from a few tents to a city of 20,000 gold seekers. Today, travelers come in search of other riches - to experience yesteryear along Skagway's charming boardwalk lined with buildings that replicate those Gold Rush days.
- Day 6overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jewel
Ketchikan (Docked 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM)
Spend the day in Ketchikan. Its Tlingit Indian name, Kach Khanna, means "spread wings of the eagle." Chances are you'll see one of these magnificent birds perched atop a Sitka tree. Thanks to its abundant rainfall, Ketchikan is surrounded by some of the world's most lush wilderness.
- Day 7overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jewel
Cruise Inside Passage (At Sea)
Today, sail through the islands of the Inside Passage, the longest sheltered inland waterway in the world, and get ready for amazing views and wildlife like nowhere else! Be on the lookout for orcas and humpback whales!
- Day 8overnight: Vancouver
Vancouver, BC
This morning, you'll arrive in Vancouver! Enjoy a full day of sightseeing with your included hop-on, hop-off city tour. Visit popular attractions including Granville Island, Chinatown, Coal Harbor, Gastown and more!
- Day 9overnight: Vancouver
Vancouver, BC
This morning, enjoy a guided city tour showcasing the best of Vancouver's vibrant neighborhoods and scenic highlights. As part of your tour, you'll visit the Vancouver Lookout, where panoramic 360-degree views provide a stunning perspective of the city and surrounding mountains. Following the tour, enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure, perhaps explore the shops and eateries on Granville Island or stroll along the scenic waterfront.
- Day 10railovernight: Onboard Amtrak (Empire Builder)
Overnight Onboard Amtrak
This morning, board the Amtrak Cascades train for a scenic ride to Seattle. Spend the afternoon exploring Seattle's waterfront or Pike Place Market before boarding the Empire Builder to continue your journey back to Chicago. Enjoy beautiful landscapes as you travel through the mountains in Big Sky Country and Glacier National Park, be sure to spend time in the observation car soaking in these views!
- Day 12
Your Journey Ends in Chicago
The moments this trip is built around
- Day 2Cruises past the Hubbard Glacier, North America's largest tidewater glacier at 1,350 square miles of blue ice.
- Day 4Docks in Juneau, with glacier viewing at Tracy Arm Fjord, the Juneau Icefields and Glacier Bay National Park.
- Day 8Arrives in Vancouver for an included hop-on, hop-off city tour past Granville Island, Chinatown, Coal Harbour and Gastown.
- Day 9Guided tour of Vancouver visits the Vancouver Lookout for 360-degree views of the city and surrounding mountains.
- Day 10Boards the Amtrak Cascades to Seattle, then the Empire Builder overnight through Big Sky Country and Glacier National Park.
Included
- One-way Amtrak® in Coach accommodations from Vancouver to Chicago on the Cascades and Empire Builder®
- 2 nights' hotel accommodations
- 2 nights onboard Amtrak
- 7 nights' onboard the Jewel
- Transfer from Anchorage airport to Seward cruise port
Not included
- Government taxes and fees applicable to the cruise
Questions travellers ask
- Is the rail travel included?
- Yes, one-way Amtrak coach travel from Vancouver to Chicago on the Cascades and Empire Builder is included, along with 2 nights onboard Amtrak.
- Is this trip escorted?
- It is described as an independent rail and cruise vacation; Vancouver includes a guided hop-on, hop-off city tour, but the rest of the journey is self-directed.
- What is included in the cruise portion?
- 7 nights aboard the Norwegian Jewel from Anchorage to Vancouver, with stops in Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan.
- What is not included?
- Government taxes and fees applicable to the cruise are extra.
- Where can I start the trip?
- Amtrak Vacations lists over 500 Amtrak stations across the US as possible starting gateways.
- How much does it cost?
- Prices start at 2369 USD, about 197 USD per day.
