Baranof Island Alaska Cruise from Sitka to Vancouver — 15 Days

Sitka, Baranof Island Alaska

Set between forested mountains and the Pacific, Sitka occupies the west coast of Baranof Island in Southeast Alaska. Here, Tlingit history and Russian influence meet in a compact town reached chiefly by air or sea. Walk Sitka National Historical Park’s coastal trail among carved totem poles. The park interprets the 1804 conflict between Tlingit people and Russian forces. St. Michael’s Cathedral and the Sheldon Jackson Museum add depth, while nearby waters invite wildlife watching.

Glacier Bay, Alaska

Glacier Bay is Alaska at its most elemental: a vast marine wilderness where tidewater glaciers meet the sea. Cruise ships enter this protected national park, often with a park ranger aboard to interpret the landscape. Watch for calving ice, humpback whales, sea otters and bald eagles. The bay is also the ancestral homeland of the Huna Tlingit, whose connection to this changing coast reaches back generations. Bring binoculars, and stay on deck.

Chichagof Island, Alaska, Elfin Cove-Pelican

At Icy Strait Point, your ship brings you to Chichagof Island, a wild corner of Alaska’s Alexander Archipelago. Hoonah, Alaska’s largest Tlingit community, opens onto dense forest, sheltered coves, and abundant wildlife. Look for humpback whales offshore, or join a guided search for brown bears in the island’s temperate rainforest. The port’s small scale keeps local history and the surrounding wilderness close at hand.

Icy Strait Point, Hoonah, Alaska

Icy Strait Point sits beside Hoonah on Chichagof Island, Alaska. A restored salmon cannery anchors the waterfront, with exhibits, local shops and Tlingit cultural experiences. Whale-watching boats venture into Icy Strait, where humpbacks feed in summer and sea lions and eagles are often seen. Ashore, forest trails, a gondola and a long zipline offer a change of pace. Hoonah brings an authentic community within easy reach of the cruise dock.

• Inian Islands Alaska (Scenic Stop)

Inside Passage, Alaska-Canada

Alaska’s Inside Passage is not a single port, but a sheltered coastal route threading southeastern Alaska’s islands, channels and fjords. From the ship, watch for bald eagles, whales and mountains rising straight from the water. Calls may include Juneau, Ketchikan or Skagway, each with a distinct story, from Tlingit heritage to Gold Rush history. Bring binoculars; here, the finest moments often unfold between destinations.

Haida Gwaii Islands, Queen Charlotte Islands Canada

At the edge of the Pacific, Haida Gwaii rewards travellers who value culture as much as scenery. This remote archipelago off British Columbia is the ancestral home of the Haida. Their art, language and living traditions shape every visit. Walk beneath giant cedars, watch for whales and bald eagles, and encounter carved poles rich with history. At SGang Gwaay, a UNESCO World Heritage site, ancestral village remains and poles endure between rainforest and sea.

Inside Passage, Alaska-Canada

Alaska’s Inside Passage is not a single port, but a sheltered coastal route threading southeastern Alaska’s islands, channels and fjords. From the ship, watch for bald eagles, whales and mountains rising straight from the water. Calls may include Juneau, Ketchikan or Skagway, each with a distinct story, from Tlingit heritage to Gold Rush history. Bring binoculars; here, the finest moments often unfold between destinations.

Alert Bay BC, Cormorant Island Canada

Alert Bay sits on Cormorant Island, off northern Vancouver Island, where forested shores meet the sheltered waters of Johnstone Strait. Here, Kwakwaka’wakw culture is more than history: it shapes the community’s art, ceremony and public life. At the U’Mista Cultural Centre, see ceremonial regalia confiscated during Canada’s potlatch ban and later reclaimed. Around town, carved poles and the Big House offer a striking introduction to Indigenous traditions. In summer, boat trips may reveal orcas and other wildlife in the strait.

Gulf Islands Canada (Scenic Area)

Vancouver, BC Canada

Vancouver puts mountains, ocean and a working harbour within easy reach of the city centre. From the cruise terminal at Canada Place, walk to Gastown’s brick lanes, the waterfront and the shops of Robson Street. Stanley Park offers seawall views and towering cedars, while Granville Island brings a lively public market and artisan studios. Beyond downtown, ferries cross to North Vancouver, where the Capilano Suspension Bridge and mountain trails reveal the region’s wilder side.