Wild Alaska Cruise Adventure Travel - Journey From Sitka To Juneau

Expedition cruising is a widespread phenomenon right now, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic began. It is much like traditional cruising but with a significant emphasis on the experiences we all get to enjoy on the shores, excursion activities, and various ports of call. Unlike your typical mainstream cruises, most of these experiences are more on the lines of traveling on rugged, off-beaten paths. 

One such off-beat path we will discuss in this article is in Alaska; what a wild Alaska cruise adventure travel looks like, and how can you do it? We are going to be encompassing a voyage from Sitka to Juneau, and discovering the world's remotest areas, getting up close and personal with nature, indulging in its breathtaking awesomeness, and having astounding experiences, all in one cruise vacation, or should we say a premium expedition trip? 

Enjoy the unique flora and fauna of Alaska, learn about the untouched territories with an expert team by National Geographic, guiding you at all times, and taste what real adventure and exploration feel like on a journey you have never taken before! 

What is the adventure all about?

Travelers can set off on this great, wild Alaska cruise adventure travel to participate in the National Geographic Global Explorers program. Developed by experts at National Geographic Education, the hands-on interactive program helps teach the young passengers a thing or two about developing attitude, skills as well as knowledge about being an explorer, offering them fun activities like getting to learn about glaciers, hiking through the rainforests, rafting, bird watching, etc. The certified, onboard field educators are trained to optimally use the myriad of learning opportunities that are a part of Alaska. 

You can learn and hone your observations, skills and capture and share your experiences in words or photographs, videos, and so much more. With a range of activities to choose from, in the field and on-board the National Geographic Sea Bird, travelers are encouraged to explore their own interests and learn about the beauty of Alaska like never before. 

About the ship 

National Geographic's Sea Bird will house 62 guests in over 30 outside cabins. The ship is big enough to operate in remote regions in full comfort, yet small enough to pass through the narrow inlets, which are otherwise inaccessible to other bigger cruise ships. 

The ship also carries sea kayaks, fleets of expedition landing crafts, offers easy access to coastlines and other exciting locations in Alaska. Every cabin will face outside, equipped with windows, so you do not have to worry about missing the outer beauty even while you are in bed. The cabins will be comfortable and attractive, fully furnished with a lower berth, a private bathroom, reading lights, and personal climate control for the room. 

Things to expect on your Alaska cruise adventure travel 

Simply put, a unique Alaska cruise adventure travel expedition will have a fantastic itinerary planned out for you with premium services on the National Geographic Sea Bird cruise ship. This luxury expedition will house not more than 62 passengers, looking forward to making memories of a lifetime and experiencing something truly far apart from anything on this planet right now. These memories and experiences will stay with you for a lifetime and will tick multiple items off your bucket list of adventures. 

Price 

The prices for Alaska cruise adventure travel start at $4,660 per person for a six days adventure. 

Signing Up

You can reserve your spot on this excellent expedition cruise adventure by visiting the official National Geographic website. 

Things included 

- Transfers for arrivals and departures for all guests booked on the recommended group airlines 

- Accommodations on-board the premium expedition cruise ship of National Geographic 

- Meals as included in the itinerary 

- Daily shore excursions and expedition activities as mentioned in the itinerary 

Things not included 

- Your airfare to and from the destination

- Internal airfare, if any, wherever applicable

- Trip cancellation insurance 

- Other travel insurance 

- Visas 

- Alcoholic beverages 

- Gratuities 

Keeping with the nature of the expedition, National Geographic will keep their schedules flexible enough to accommodate the needs of everyone on board. The Alaska cruise adventure travel experience will be indeed one that is not expected by anyone and can adapt the course of adventure as per the conditions and opportunities that will arise on the way. The expedition cruise team will tailor the activities and itineraries as per the levels you choose, whether light, moderate, or a combination of both. Travelers onboard must remain in good health, should be comfortable walking around or even standing up for an extended period of time or on uneven surfaces, and should be able to get in and out of various unstable activities. 

Daily activities aboard this wild Alaska cruise adventure travel experience can include Zodiac cruises, easy hiking, cultural visits, historical exploration, walking tours, and other physical activities like hiking, biking, and kayaking, depending on weather conditions. Departures shall be completely family-friendly. 

Specialist cruise adventures and expeditions of the kind will be primarily remote, and the vessels for the same are designed to slice through ice and sail as close as they can to the shore. Expedition cruises like this are intimate, unique, and indulgent. They are designed in a way to transport you to breathtaking locales in Alaska. This stunning, frozen wilderness simply cannot be explored on land. 

So, rather than sitting by the poolside and sipping on your vacation mimosas, you will be traveling by Zodiac for hiking to wildlife sanctuaries and icebergs. You can also view extraordinary animals and birds and other wilderness, learn about the local culture there and attend various expert National Geographic lectures by scientists and naturalists. 

Expedition Team 

Accompanying every single one of the National Geographic's expedition adventures will be a diverse team of experts, regional specialists, biologists, naturalists, and historians, all ready to share their knowledge and insights into the Alaskan wilderness landscape and their local culture. 

With grand staterooms, luxurious spa facilities, and delectable dining experiences available onboard, with expert assistance from the best historians, biologists, and photographers, there is nothing you would miss back home! 

On the Alaska cruise adventure travel, every single need of yours will be catered for!

Alaska Cruise Adventure Travel Highlights 

- Enter the narrow channels and explore the secluded harbors, primarily inaccessible to other large ships aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird. 

- Be up close and personal with dramatic icebergs, glaciers, and other snowy wilderness on various shore excursions in multiple locations across Alaska.

- Get an aerial view of the ice caps of Glacier Bay and the Jagged Peaks on the optional flight tour. 

- Young travelers aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird can be a part of the Global Explorers program, learning more about whales, undersea life, glaciers, and much more. 

- Have fun and learn from National Geographic's team of expert historians, naturalists, and biologists. 

Itinerary 

You can explore Alaska on a wild expedition cruise adventure aboard the National Geographic's Sea Bird in 2022. You can spend six days of pure fun, filled with experience, discovering Alaska like never before, including its glaciers, never touched before regions, stunning coastal sceneries, and the timeless culture of their indigenous people. 

With the noble Alaska cruise adventure travel ships being their moving basecamps, you can find yourself kayaking deep inside Alaska's carved fjords, hiking beneath towering spruce, and hemlock in the old-growth rainforests of Alaska, or simply rafting from the ancient Tlingit village. 

Day 1 

Sitka, Alaska

The first day of your Alaska cruise adventure travel will have you arrive in Sitka, situated on Baranof Island's west coast, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. You can take a walk into the Sitka National Historical Park, where Haida and Tlingit totem poles are towering over the coastal trails here. You can also visit the Alaska Raptor Center to get an up-close and personal view of the Alaskan birds of prey. Later, you can embark on National Geographic's expedition cruise Sea Bird. 

Meals included for Day 1 - Dinner. 

Day 2 

Exploring Chichagof Island of Baranof 

On day two of this beautiful journey, you will explore the breathtaking views of Chichagof Island and Baranof Bay. Both the locations are a part of the ancient Tongass National Forest. Chichagof Island also harbors a massive number of brown bears. Both the islands are home to a diverse range of flora and fauna. 

You can paddleboard or kayak along the rugged coastline here, while in the afternoon, you can go hike through the rain forests in Alaska, listen for bald eagles calling out atop of the towering hemlock and spruce trees. 

Meals included for Day 2 - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 3 

Icy Strait and Indian Island 

Spend your third day on Alaska cruise adventure travel in the middle of the wilderness, searching for wildlife in the Pacific Ocean's rich waters, meeting further with the Inside Passage. You get various expedition options today, like landing craft cruise in the Indian Islands, where you will find an abundance of Steller Sea Lions; kayak around the calm outer waters of Glacier Bay; or hike through the lush rainforests. 

Meals included for Day 3 - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 4

Haines 

Known for being the adventure capital of Alaska, Haines is a scenic peninsula situated between Chilkoot and Chilkat rivers. You can hike one of the various world-class trails in the area or enjoy an aerial view of the Glacier Bay National Park with the optional flight-seeing tour. You can also cycle around the edge of the glacial lake or visit the ancient Tlingit village in Klukwan. When you are there, you would love to enjoy the traditional dance and cultural performance; after which you can finally set off on your rafting adventure. Keep an eye out for bald eagles, bears, and even moose, during the day as you cruise through the fantastic Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. 

Meals included for Day 4 - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Day 5 

Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness 

On day five, you will wake up in the Endicott Arm or Tracy Arm, part of the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness. You will be cruising through this glacial fjord, later set out to explore the expedition landing craft. Later, you will get to view the beautiful and soaring Dawes, or the Southern Sawyer Glacier, up close and personally, though you will need to keep an eye out for dramatic sights of huge ice slabs breaking off and crashing into the water below. You should also simultaneously paddle a kayaking boat below the steel fjord walls. Celebrate your Alaska cruise adventure travel plans with a farewell dinner on board towards the end of day 5. 

Meals included for Day 5 - Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Day 6 

Juneau 

The last leg of your adventure, day six, will bring you back to Juneau to disembark and then be transported back to the airport so you can catch your flight back home. 

Meals included for Day 6 - Breakfast. 

Summary 

The ultimate goal of this phenomenal Alaska cruise adventure travel is to bring you closer to nature, with unmissable wilderness, natural beauty, bucket-list adventures, and expert interactions and learning experiences. 

With this growing market for expedition cruises, National Geographics Alaskan adventure aboard the Sea Bird is awe-inspiring and mesmerizing for people longing for adventure, being free-spirited, and are looking forward to making memories that will last a lifetime!