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Vacations By Rail · Independent

Rocky Mountaineer & Alaska by Sea

Rail and cruise from Canadian Rockies through Alaska's Inside Passage to Denali

Illustration of Rocky Mountaineer & Alaska by Sea

Vacations By Rail's Rocky Mountaineer & Alaska by Sea combines three of North America's most celebrated train journeys into one 16-day independent itinerary spanning the Canadian Rockies, Alaska's Inside Passage, and Denali National Park. You begin in Calgary, transfer to Banff and board the Rocky Mountaineer for two days of daylight-only travel west through the Canadian Rockies, crossing the Spiral Tunnels and Kicking Horse Canyon before arriving in Vancouver. After two free days to explore the coast, you board a Holland America cruise ship for a seven-night Inside Passage voyage, calling in Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, drifting through Glacier Bay and College Fjord where you see tidewater glaciers and Alaska wildlife. Upon disembarking in Whittier, you board the Holland America CruiseTrain's domed-glass cars to Anchorage, then the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star northward, crossing the Knik River and Broad Pass en route to Denali National Park. You have a free day in Denali before the train carries you north to Fairbanks. The package includes eight hotel nights, a seven-night cruise, all rail and coach travel, nine breakfasts, eight lunches, and seven dinners, plus guided sightseeing in Vancouver and activities at each port of call.

What to know before you look closer

  • Flights to Calgary and from Fairbanks are not included in the from-price; airport transfers must be arranged separately.
  • The package is described as independent travel, meaning you navigate your own schedule on unguided days in Vancouver and Denali.
  • Cancellation and travel insurance are not included and must be arranged separately if desired.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Banff

    Arriving in the Canadian Rockies

    Arrive in Calgary and join a group transfer to Banff, in Banff National Park. Evening at leisure to explore.

  2. Day 2overnight: Kamloops

    West to Kamloops on the Rocky Mountaineer

    Board the Rocky Mountaineer in Banff; breakfast and lunch onboard past the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon, Rogers Pass and Craigellachie, pausing overnight in Kamloops (daylight-only travel).

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

  3. Day 3overnight: Vancouver

    Continuing west to Vancouver on the Rocky Mountaineer

    Rejoin the Rocky Mountaineer for the final leg to Vancouver, past the Thompson River, Hell's Gate in Fraser Canyon and the Coast Mountains.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

  4. Day 4overnight: Vancouver

    A memorable perspective while touring Vancouver

    Guided tour of downtown Vancouver, across the Lion's Gate Bridge to the North Shore and Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, then Granville Island Market, Chinatown and Gastown.

  5. Day 5overnight: Vancouver

    A day at leisure in Vancouver

    Free day in Vancouver: Robson Street, Vancouver Art Gallery, Stanley Park, Granville Island Market, or an optional seaplane excursion.

  6. Day 6overnight: aboard ship

    Beginning your Alaskan cruise

    Free morning in Vancouver, then board the Holland America cruise ship in the harbor to begin the Inside Passage cruise.

    Meals: Dinner

  7. Day 7overnight: aboard ship

    Cruising through Alaska's Inside Passage

    Full day cruising the UNESCO-protected Inside Passage past fjords and inlets of British Columbia and southeast Alaska.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  8. Day 8overnight: aboard ship

    Docking in Alaska's "First City," Ketchikan

    Port call in Ketchikan: Totem Heritage Center, Totem Bight State Park, and Creek Street boardwalk.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  9. Day 9overnight: aboard ship

    A day in Alaska's capital, Juneau

    Port call in Juneau: downtown sights, the Alaska State Museum, Mt. Roberts Tramway, or an optional shore excursion to the Mendenhall Glacier and Juneau Icefield.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  10. Day 10overnight: aboard ship

    Delve into Skagway's Klondike Gold Rush past

    Port call in Skagway, exploring its preserved Klondike Gold Rush-era boardwalk, galleries and craft shops.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  11. Day 11overnight: aboard ship

    Alaska's dramatic Glacier Bay

    Full day cruising Glacier Bay's tidewater glaciers, fjords and wildlife (humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, otters).

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  12. Day 12overnight: aboard ship

    The unimaginable beauty of College Fjord

    Cruise through Prince William Sound to College Fjord, viewing multiple named glaciers including Harvard Glacier.

    Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

  13. Day 13overnight: Anchorage

    Docking for the final time in Whittier

    Disembark in Whittier and board the Holland America Line CruiseTrain in single-level domed-glass cars along Turnagain Arm to Anchorage.

    Meals: Breakfast

  14. Day 14railovernight: Denali National Park

    The Denali Star to Denali National Park

    Board the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star, crossing the Knik River with views of the Chugach Mountains, Talkeetna, Hurricane Gulch and Broad Pass, arriving in Denali National Park.

  15. Day 15overnight: Fairbanks

    Denali National Park and Fairbanks in Alaska's Golden Heart

    Free day in Denali National Park (hiking trails, ranger-led tours), then the Denali Star onward to Fairbanks.

  16. Day 16

    Tour conclusion

    Check out of the hotel and travel independently to Fairbanks airport for your flight home, or extend your stay in Fairbanks.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Board the Rocky Mountaineer in Banff and travel west in daylight through the Spiral Tunnels, Kicking Horse Canyon, Rogers Pass and Craigellachie to Kamloops, with breakfast and lunch onboard.
  • Day 11Cruise through Glacier Bay on a full day viewing tidewater glaciers, fjords and Alaska wildlife including humpback whales, orcas, sea lions and otters.
  • Day 12Cruise through Prince William Sound to College Fjord, viewing multiple named glaciers including Harvard Glacier.
  • Day 14Board the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star and cross the Knik River with views of the Chugach Mountains, Talkeetna, Hurricane Gulch and Broad Pass to reach Denali National Park.

Included

  • 8 nights' hotel accommodation
  • 7-night cruise onboard MS Nieuw Amsterdam or MS Westerdam
  • All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
  • 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 7 dinners
  • All guided tours and excursions

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour but can be arranged
  • Flights and Airport transfers not included

Questions travellers ask

Which trains are included in this trip?
The Rocky Mountaineer (Banff to Vancouver in SilverLeaf Service), the Holland America Line CruiseTrain (Whittier to Anchorage in single-level domed-glass cars), and the Alaska Railroad's Denali Star (Anchorage/Talkeetna to Fairbanks via Denali National Park in Adventure Class).
Is this trip escorted or independent?
Vacations By Rail describes it as independent travel following a well-planned itinerary. You have a guided tour in Vancouver on Day 4, but Days 5, 15 and 16 include free time to explore on your own.
How many nights will I spend in hotels versus on the ship?
Eight nights in hotels (one in Banff, one in Kamloops, three in Vancouver, one in Anchorage, one in Denali, one in Fairbanks) and seven nights aboard the Holland America cruise ship.
What meals are included?
Nine breakfasts, eight lunches and seven dinners. Onboard the cruise ship, breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided daily.
Are flights included?
No. Flights to Calgary and from Fairbanks, as well as airport transfers, are not included in the price.
What is the physical demand of this trip?
The guided tour in Vancouver includes the Capilano Suspension Bridge and walking across the Lion's Gate Bridge. Optional activities in Juneau include an excursion to Mendenhall Glacier and Juneau Icefield. In Denali, hiking trails and ranger-led tours are available during your free day.

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