Is train travel included?

Yes. Alaska Railroad in Adventure Class is included for the legs from Whittier/Seward to Anchorage, Anchorage to Denali National Park, and Denali to Fairbanks.

Which cruise ship is used?

Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Jade, on its 7-day Alaska sailing with Glacier Bay, northbound from Vancouver.

Is this trip guided or independent?

It is an independent rail and cruise vacation with guided sightseeing tours included in Vancouver, Anchorage, and Denali National Park; the Fairbanks days and part of the Denali stay are left free to explore at your leisure.

What is not included?

Government taxes and fees applicable to the cruise are not included, and no meals are listed among the inclusions.

How many nights are on the ship versus on land?

The package includes 7 nights onboard the Norwegian Jade and 8 nights of hotel accommodations across Vancouver, Anchorage, Denali National Park, and Fairbanks.

Which hotels are used?

The package offers hotel choices at each stop, including the Fairmont Pacific Rim and Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver, Embassy Suites and Hilton Anchorage in Anchorage, Grande Denali Lodge and Denali Cabins in Denali National Park, and Westmark Fairbanks and Pike's Waterfront Lodge in Fairbanks.

Amtrak Vacations · Independent rail & cruise vacation

Alaska Rail and Sail with Denali National Park

Alaska cruise, Alaska Railroad, and Denali National Park from Vancouver to Fairbanks

Amtrak Vacations combines rail and cruise travel on this 16-day, 15-night trip from Vancouver to Fairbanks. Two nights in Vancouver open the trip with a hop-on, hop-off city tour before boarding the Norwegian Jade for a 7-night cruise through the Inside Passage, with stops in Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway and cruising days at Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier. After disembarking in Whittier, a narrated transfer past Portage Glacier valley and Turnagain Arm reaches Anchorage for two nights of guided sightseeing, including Lake Hood seaplane base. Alaska Railroad's Adventure Class then carries travellers to Denali National Park for two nights of touring through forest and tundra, followed by a second rail leg north to Fairbanks along Healy Canyon and the Nenana River. The final two nights in Fairbanks are unstructured, with a stroll along the Chena River suggested. This trip suits travellers who want an extended Alaska itinerary combining a full cruise, a national park stay, and two scenic train rides, without a tightly guided schedule throughout.

What to know before you look closer

The included rail list states the Alaska Railroad leg runs from Seward to Anchorage, but the day-by-day itinerary describes disembarking the cruise and boarding the transfer to Anchorage from Whittier; confirm the exact departure point before booking.
Government taxes and fees applicable to the cruise are not included in the price.
No meals are listed among the inclusions; confirm which, if any, meals are covered.
Hotels are chosen from multiple options at each stop (Vancouver, Anchorage, Denali National Park, and Fairbanks), so the specific hotel you get depends on the tier selected.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Vancouver
Vancouver, BC
Welcome to Vancouver! Settle into your hotel and rest up for a day of exploring tomorrow.
Day 2overnight: Vancouver
Vancouver, BC
Today, enjoy a full day of sightseeing with your hop-on, hop-off city tour. Visit popular attractions including Stanley Park, Granville Market, Gastown and more!
Day 3overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade
Overnight Onboard Norwegian Jade
Later today, board the Norwegian Jade® and begin your scenic cruise to Alaska! While at sea, take some time getting acquainted with many of the ship's amenities including the delicious dining options, bars and lounges, and dazzling casino!
Day 4overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade
Overnight Onboard Norwegian Jade
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 5overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade
Overnight Onboard Norwegian Jade - Ketchikan
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 6overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade
Overnight Onboard Norwegian Jade - Juneau
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 7overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade
Overnight Onboard Norwegian Jade - Skagway
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 8overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade
Overnight Onboard Norwegian Jade - Cruise Glacier Bay
Today you will sail to Glacier Bay National Park comprised of 3.3 million acres of natural wonders! Take in the sights of magnificent glaciers, snow-capped mountains and abundant birds and wildlife.
Day 9overnight: Onboard Norwegian Jade
Overnight Onboard Norwegian Jade - Cruise Hubbard Glacier
Cruise up to 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 10overnight: Anchorage
Whittier to Anchorage
After disembarking from the Norwegian Jade in Whittier, Alaska, take some time to explore this seaside community surrounded by mountains and beauty. This morning, you will board a sightseeing transfer to Anchorage. This fully narrated tour includes incredible views of the Portage Glacier valley and Turnagain Arm before arriving in downtown Anchorage.
Day 11overnight: Anchorage
Anchorage, AK
Today, enjoy a guided scenic tour through Anchorage and learn about its history and the culture. One of the stops includes Lake Hood, the world's busiest seaplane base, and you watch them take off and land.
Day 12railovernight: Denali National Park
Denali National Park, AK
Board Alaska Railroad this morning and start the journey to Denali National Park. When stunning views of Denali rising above the Susitna River come into sight, you know you are getting close!
Day 13overnight: Denali National Park
Denali National Park, AK
Tour deep into the heart of Denali National Park, you'll travel through the forest and tundra, see the wild rivers and glaciers, and learn what makes this an amazing Alaskan landscape. Be sure to have your camera for wildlife and they are commonly spotted along the park road and into the hills and forests.
Day 14railovernight: Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK
Explore Denali at your leisure this morning and enjoy the hotels complimentary shuttle to take you to town or the visitor center where many trail leave from. This afternoon, board Alaska Railroad for the journey north winding along Healy Canyon, following the curves of the Nenana River below, as you make your way to Fairbanks.
Day 15overnight: Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK
Today you can explore Fairbanks at your leisure. Take a stroll along the Chena River, visit one of the many art galleries filled with paintings and pottery or check out some of the shops with Alaska Native art and jewelry.
Day 16
Your Journey Ends in Fairbanks

The moments this trip is built around

Day 8The ship cruises Glacier Bay National Park, 3.3 million acres of glaciers, snow-capped mountains, and wildlife.
Day 9The ship cruises up to Hubbard Glacier, North America's largest tidewater glacier, 1,350 square miles of blue ice.
Day 10After disembarking in Whittier, a narrated transfer to Anchorage passes the Portage Glacier valley and Turnagain Arm.
Day 12Alaska Railroad carries travellers from Anchorage toward Denali National Park, with views of Denali rising above the Susitna River.
Day 14Alaska Railroad continues north from Denali to Fairbanks along Healy Canyon and the Nenana River.

Included

One-way Alaska Railroad® in Adventure Class accommodations from Seward to Anchorage; Anchorage to Denali and Denali to Fairbanks
8 nights' hotel accommodations
7 nights' onboard the Jade

Not included

Government taxes and fees applicable to the cruise

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?: Yes. Alaska Railroad in Adventure Class is included for the legs from Whittier/Seward to Anchorage, Anchorage to Denali National Park, and Denali to Fairbanks.
Which cruise ship is used?: Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Jade, on its 7-day Alaska sailing with Glacier Bay, northbound from Vancouver.
Is this trip guided or independent?: It is an independent rail and cruise vacation with guided sightseeing tours included in Vancouver, Anchorage, and Denali National Park; the Fairbanks days and part of the Denali stay are left free to explore at your leisure.
What is not included?: Government taxes and fees applicable to the cruise are not included, and no meals are listed among the inclusions.
How many nights are on the ship versus on land?: The package includes 7 nights onboard the Norwegian Jade and 8 nights of hotel accommodations across Vancouver, Anchorage, Denali National Park, and Fairbanks.
Which hotels are used?: The package offers hotel choices at each stop, including the Fairmont Pacific Rim and Fairmont Waterfront in Vancouver, Embassy Suites and Hilton Anchorage in Anchorage, Grande Denali Lodge and Denali Cabins in Denali National Park, and Westmark Fairbanks and Pike's Waterfront Lodge in Fairbanks.

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