Alaska Dream Inside Passage Cruise and Land Tour
July 12-25, 2012
July 26-August 8, 2012
August 23-September 5, 2012

Day 1: Flight to Seattle

Welcome to Seattle! Our courtesy shuttle provides a comfortable five-minute drive from the airport to the hotel, leaving you the rest of the day to relax and enjoy the amenities of our beautiful hotel. Your Rupiper tour manager will meet you in Seattle.

Day 2: Seattle/Vancouver - Set Sail at 4:30 p.m.

Seattle, home of the famous 650-foot futuristic Space Needle, combines spectacular natural beauty with cosmopolitan style. Our local guide provides you with a wealth of information on our morning Seattle City Tour. Back again this season is everyone's favorite, the Boeing plant. See the giant 747 passenger jet being assembled in the largest building in America. Our journey continues as we travel north to Vancouver, the Canadian jewel of Puget Sound - every bit as cosmopolitan as Seattle but with a distinct European flair. At 4:30 p.m. we set sail and depart the beautiful city harbor. This is always an unforgettable moment...you'll be on deck enjoying the impressive skyline of Vancouver and a spectacular sunset. The band will be playing as our majestic cruise vessel sails out of the harbor and our wonderful travel experience continues.(B, L, D)

Day 3: Inside Passage (Cruising)

Get acquainted with the many features of the magnificent Millennium - always something for everyone. Dine in elegant settings or casual surroundings; there are dining options in a variety of restaurants sure to please the most discerning palate. Evening dining is always special on a cruise - a five-course meal followed by Las Vegas or Broadway-style entertainment. Add to all this Celebrity's famous personal service, and every guest goes home relaxed, refreshed and revitalized. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Ketchikan (Port of call) - Arrive 7:00 a.m. - Depart 3:00 p.m.

Ketchikan, well known as the salmon capital of the world, is the ancestral home of the Tlingit people and home to an outstanding collection of totem poles. Our complementary shore excursion includes a city tour and the Totem Bight State Historical Park, with an opportunity to enjoy the many totem poles on display. Discover the meaning of the characters and witness the actual carvings of a totem pole. No need to purchase this shore excursion, we've included it! (B, L, D)

Day 5: Icy Strait (Port of Call) - Arrive 8:00 a.m. - Depart 6:00 p.m.

Icy Strait Point is a charming little island covered with beautiful walking trails. There are many ways to experience Icy Strait Point. Meander along a wooded trail, watch for wildlife, breathe in the fresh, clean air and enjoy Alaska’s natural beauty, or visit the historic salmon cannery and a museum filled with Alaskan artifacts. Alaskan Indians make available their arts and crafts. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Juneau (Port of call) - Arrive 7:00 a.m. - Depart 4:00 p.m.

Juneau (Port of Call) Juneau, the capital of Alaska, is a small port city located at the base of the mountains. Main Street is just a block away from the harbor, allowing you to stroll around town and enjoy the untainted splendor of this magnificent land. Visit the oldest Russian Orthodox Church in North America. Stop for a cool one at the famous Red Dog Saloon, a rustic tavern with sawdust on the floor and a piano player performing, just like in the Gold Rush days. Take a tram up the mountainside for an awesome view of the city or hike up the mountain for an unbelievable nature walk. Included is our complimentary shore excursion to Mendenhall Glacier as well as a city tour. Enjoy a close up view of the glacier and the capital city of Alaska. There’s no need to purchase this shore excursion – we’ve included it! (B, L, D)

Day 7: Skagway (Port of Call) - Arrive 7:00 a.m. - Depart 4:00 p.m.

The frontier spirit is alive and well in the Gold Rush town of Skagway, the northernmost point of Alaska’s Inside Passage. White Horse Pass, the treacherous mountain pass that beckoned the gold miners of the 1800s, towers over Skagway, the gateway to the Klondike. Freshwater streams, teeming with salmon, wind through the city, where fishermen catch their limit right off the dock. Our included shore excursion – fully guided with great narration – lets you experience the city’s boomtown past and enjoy a drive along the Klondike Gold Rush Trail to White Horse Pass. There’s no need to purchase this shore excursion – we’ve included it!

Day 8: Hubbard Glacier (Cruising) - Arrive 7:00 a.m. - Depart 11:00 a.m.

This is definitely the "coolest" part of our tour! Hubbard Glacier, the largest tidewater glacier on the North American continent, moved at the astonishing speed of 130 feet per day back in 1986. To this day, Hubbard continues its march to the ocean, losing massive pieces of ice along the way - a process called "calving". These massive chunks of ice plunge into the ocean with a thundering roar - an incredible sight and sound. The ship comes so close to the more than six miles long, 1,000-foot wall of ice you may need your jacket and sweater! (B, L, D)

Day 9: Seward / Anchorage / Fairbanks - Arrive 4:00 a.m. in Seward

Seward, a fishing village set amidst surroundings of pristine beauty, is named for William Seward, who negotiated a two-cent per acre price on the historical purchase of Alaska. We disembark in Seward and travel by motorcoach along the towering glacier-covered Kenai mountain range, past Turnagain Arm, and on to Anchorage. Depending on flight arrangements, we may tour either the Heritage Museum in Anchorage, containing historical presentations from the early Athabascan Indians, to the boom days of the Gold Rush, to the discovery of oil, and the construction of the Alaskan pipeline, or the newest museum in Fairbanks. Downtown Anchorage features numerous shops, galleries adorned with hanging baskets of colorful flowers and pots of lush foliage. Stroll down the very street where the Iditarod starts each year before we board our plane to Fairbanks, located in Alaska's interior, 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle. While in Fairbanks, we may be able to visit the Alaskan pipeline upon arrival or the following morning. (B)

Day 10: Fairbanks / Denali

Today, we enjoy a leisurely cruise down the Tanana and Chena rivers aboard an authentic sternwheeler, the Riverboat Discovery. Our journey takes us to an Athabascan Indian village, where we learn about their culture and customs. Also scheduled is a visit to the home of four-time Iditarod winner Susan Butcher. Susan's legacy continues through her trainer, telling us about the dogs and showing us how an Alaskan musher controls the animals. An Alaskan bush pilot demonstrates with his Piper Super-Cub how to take off and land on an unbelievably short runway. We continue our journey by deluxe motorcoach to Denali, where we overnight.

Day 11: Denali / Talkeetna

This morning we enjoy the Denali Natural History Tour, a guided experience in the six million-acre Denali Park. Search for wildlife in the lush taiga forests and across the rolling tundra. Then it's "all aboard" the Wilderness Express as we travel to Talkeetna, the closest viewing point for Mount McKinley. We'll journey across some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world! Alaska is one-fifth the size of the entire lower 48 states and 17 of the 20 highest mountain peaks in the U.S. are located on its territory. We'll have a spectacular viewpoint too, seated behind huge wrap-around windows in our own comfortable glass-domed train car. This truly memorable day will wind down with a wonderful evening in the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge.

Day 12: Talkeetna / Anchorage

Talkeetna offers the best possible view of Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America, topping out at 20,320 feet. This rugged mountain, which actually creates its own weather, stands beyond the tundra in the heart of Denali National Park. You'll have time to enjoy the amenities of the lodge or take a walk in the clear, fresh Alaskan air. Ride the free shuttle to the quaint village shopping area of Talkeetna or take a flight tour for a close-up view of a glacier or Mt. McKinley itself. Later we re-board the Wilderness Express, our luxurious glass-domed train car, for our return trip to Anchorage, where we stay in one of the city's finest hotels.

Day 13: Anchorage

Anchorage is Alaska's largest city and is known as "The City of Lights and Flowers". Pamper yourself and sleep in - our tour will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a tour of the city of Anchorage. New this year is a trip to Palmer to see an actual working heritage farm growing those huge vegetables as well as other grain and hay crops. Several of Alaska State Fair vegetable records set at last year's fair include a 23-foot, 3 1/2-inch corn stalk, a 1,019 pound pumpkin, a 17 pound zucchini, and a giant cabbage at 73 pounds. This is sure to be very interesting. Arrive in Palmer, enjoy a picnic lunch followed by the farm tours including a Musk Ox Farm. This private non-profit organization founded in 1954 is dedicated to the development and domestication of the Musk Ox for the purpose of providing additional subsistence income opportunities for Alaska natives living in remote coastal villages. Enjoy the quaint little city of Palmer and its specialty shops before driving back to Anchorage for your farewell dinner. Following dinner, return to the hotel for luggage pick up and transfer to the airport for your return flight home. L, D

Day 14: Arrive Home

Arrival at your home gateway depends on your air schedule. Bring home memories to treasure for a lifetime.

CRUISE TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Celebrity Cruise Line Accommodations
7-Day Cruise - All Meals & Entertainment included
Riverboat Discovery Chena & Tanana River Cruise
Ultra Dome Train Experience
Denali National Park Wildlife Tour
Mt. McKinley Vistas
4-Day Land Tour, including Seward, Anchorage,
Fairbanks, Denali and Talkeetna

INCLUDED FREE SHORE EXCURSIONS
Totem Bight State Historical Park & Guided Ketchikan City Tour
Mendenhall Glacier & Guided Juneau City Tour
White Horse Pass & Guided Skagway City Tour

INCLUDED PRE & POST TOURS
1-day Pre-Cruise Adventure of Seattle
Incl. Seattle Hotel, Full Breakfast, Lunch, Seattle City Tour
Boeing Plant Tour & Scenic Drive to Vancouver Pier
Extra Day in Anchorage Guided Tour Including:
A heritage farm tour in Palmer plus a Musk Ox farm tour
Noon lunch & Farewell Dinner

Cruise Taxes and Port Charges
Round-trip Airfare from Omaha (excluding luggage fees)
Ask about departure from your gateway city
(Slight price adjustment may be necessary)

NOT INCLUDED IN PRICE
Fuel Surcharges if imposed by the airlines