MAHARAJA CRUISE

3 –Night Post CCL Sprit Program (NB sailing 7/16 – 7/23)

7/23
Exclusive coach Whittier to Denali (approximately 9am – 6pm w/time for stops)
Overnight Moderate Denali Hotel (Village or Grizzly Bear)

7/24
5-hr Natural History Tour of Denali Park
Overnight Moderate Denali Hotel (Village or Grizzly Bear)

7/25
Deluxe Dome McKinley Explorer rail Denali – Anchorage (12noon –8pm)
Overnight Moderate Anchorage (Clarion Suites or similar)

7/26
Transfers to ANC airport (these will be FIT transfers unless 30 or more are on same flight)

10 Things To Do in Alaska

Count down the best of the 49th state on a Carnival Alaska cruise.

For an unforgettable Alaska cruise, mine our list of 10 can’t-miss activities that spotlight Southeast Alaska’s bounty.

1 HANG OUT WITH BEARS
Alaska is the only state inhabited by all three species of North American bears: polar, black and brown/grizzly. Large numbers of the latter two species roam Southeast Alaska’s rain forests and mountains, but the best—and safest—places to see them are at designated viewing areas. Bear-watching tours give visitors a chance to see black bears and brown bears (the coastal cousins of grizzlies) up close—without disturbing them—at streams where they fill their bellies with salmon and put on weight for winter’s long hibernation. .

2 HOOK A WILD SALMON
Huge runs of Pacific salmon return to the Inside Passage every spring and summer, bound for the spawning streams where they began their lives. Anglers hopcharter fishing trips out of many ports in Southeast Alaska, including Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka (some offer halibut fishing too). For those who’d rather eat fish than pull them from the ocean, almost every Alaskan restaurant menu includes preparations of fresh salmon and other local seafood.

3 LOOK UP A TOTEM POLE
The Native tribes of Southeast Alaska have been carving totem poles from the forests’ giant cedars for centuries. Their designs mix mythical figures with familiar animals of the region and often tell stories that explain mysteries such as the origin of the world. Among the best places to see totem poles are Ketchikan’s Totem Bight State Historical Park and Totem Heritage Center and Sitka National Historical Park.

4 PADDLE AMONG PORPOISES
Small and quiet, sea kayaks make it possible for paddlers to get close to the creatures that inhabit these coastal waters, from sea otters and seals to seabirds, salmon and even jellyfish. Guided kayak trips are available at several Carnival ports, including Ketchikan, Sitka and Skagway.

5 SOAR LIKE AN EAGLE
See the region’s forests, mountains and glaciers from an eagle’s perspective on a flightseeing tour over Misty Fjords National Monument. As for the birds themselves, bald eagles are abundant throughout Southeast Alaska, and you’re likely to see dozens—if not hundreds—of the national symbols on your Inside Passage cruise. To spy them from the ground, think like a bird and head for any harbor when fishing boats are unloading the day’s catch.

6 SEE THE FOREST-and ITS TREES
A cruise through the Inside Passage offers an excellent vantage point on North America’s last great expanse of temperate rain forest. Large stands of old-growth trees remain protected in wilderness areas of the Tongass National Forest. Wander trails near Skagway or Sitka to get a close-up look at the forest’s grand trees.

7 CATCH GOLD FEVER
In the late 1890s, the upper Panhandle was the starting point for thousands of gold-hungry prospectors who disembarked at the town of Skagway and headed over the passes to the Klondike goldfields. The days of the rush are past, but there’s still gold in those hills—and streams. Under the tutelage of an experienced prospector, you can dip a pan in an Alaskan stream and experience the thrill of swirling away the silt to reveal tiny gold flakes.

8 STARE A WHALE IN THE EYE
Sometimes they show only their backs or tails while slicing through the waves. Other times, whales spy-hop (poke their heads out of the water) or breach (leap completely out, then reenter with a giant splash). Traveling in family groups known as pods, orcas, humpbacks and gray whales are often spotted throughout the Inside Passage in summer. Whale-watching tours operate out of many Alaskan port cities, including Juneau.

9 VISIT A RUSSIAN BISHOP'S HOUSE
In 1842 the Russian-American Company built a log house for Bishop Innocent (Ivan Veniaminov) in what was then the capital city. Painstakingly restored and facing Sitka’s harbor, this registered historic landmark is now open to the public. Among the relics is a clock the bishop invented, which keeps accurate time with the dripping of water. Russian Orthodox churches in Sitka and Juneau also are open to visitors.

10 STOP OVER IN ANCHORAGE
Alaska’s urban center has something for everyone, including a world-class trail system shared by bicyclists, joggers and walkers; museums; a Native cultural center; and a weekend downtown market featuring Alaskan-grown vegetables. Neighboring Chugach State Park, known as the city’s “backyard playground,” offers picnicking, camping and more than 100 miles of trails. The state’s largest city is also the jumping-off point for trips to many of Alaska’s premier national parks, including Denali, with 20,320-foot Mount McKinley. Extend your adventure with an Alaska Cruise Tour that takes you by train from Anchorage into Alaska’s Interior.