23 Day Eastern Canada, The Rockies & Alaska
A land of rugged hills, rushing waters and undisturbed wildlife, Alaska is as big as it is wild. Whether you're watching whales splash in the Pacific Ocean, gazing up at towering ice formations like the Hubbard Glacier or journeying by train deep into the last frontier on Anchorage's Coastal Classic Railroad, Alaska is sure to quench any explorer's thirst.
A portion of this tour runs as a group tour where you will be escorted by an expert tour leader. Another portion is self-guided, whether conducted by rail, cruise or land, and you will travel between destinations on your own, with free time to explore at your own pace.
This tour is categorised as 3 out of 5
Balanced exploration with walking tours: Our most popular style, this tour offers a good mix of planned activities and free time. Expect moderate daily walking tours, so pack comfortable shoes.
As a general requirement across all of our trips, you may be required to walk up and down stairs, get on and off transportation, handle your own luggage, and participate in all scheduled sightseeing that may be conducted on uneven ground and terrain. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability and where required, supporting documentation may be requested to ensure that we are comfortable that you will enjoy your trip.
Inspiring Vacations has been globally recognised and awarded for its handling of COVID-19 during the pandemic. The safety and wellbeing of our guests is our highest concern during this time of uncertainty, and we are continuously monitoring the evolving COVID-19 situation.
We have adopted the advice of the WHO to ensure all customers can travel with the knowledge of how to travel safely and with confidence.
Australian owned and operated with 100% Australian Customer Service support
We are proudly 100% Australian owned and operated, with our head office located in Melbourne, Victoria. When you make your booking, you will receive dedicated and ongoing support from our team of travel professionals throughout your booking, up until you are due to depart.
✓ Add Return International airfares for only $999 per person
✓ Incredible sightseeing including Toronto's famous landmarks, witness the beauty and power of the Niagara Falls, discover Quebec's French-speaking cities, Banff National Parks snow-capped peaks, sparkling glaciers and emerald green lakes, and explore the cosmopolitan cities of Vancouver and Calgary
✓ Included flight from Toronto to Calgary
✓ 15 nights accommodation in central 3 star accommodation
✓ 7 nights cruising the Inside Passage and Alaska with Royal Caribbean including gratuities
✓ Breakfast daily, 6 lunches and 7 dinners
✓ English speaking Tour Director throughout Canada
✓ Arrival airport transfer in Toronto
✓ Dedicated transportation as outlined in the itinerary
✓ All entrance fees and activities mentioned in the itinerary
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
On arrival in Toronto, you will be transferred to your downtown hotel. After checking in with your tour director, the remainder at your leisure to explore the streets of this dynamic city. Discover Toronto’s colourful neighbourhoods, take a ride to the top of the CN Tower, experience the lively theatre district and indulge in one of the numerous restaurants.
Arrival airport transfers are included as part of your package. You will be met upon arrival at the airport and transferred to your hotel.
If Inspiring Vacations has not provided your international airfares, please ensure you provide your flight details via your Traveller Hub portal no later than 90 days prior to travel so that your transfers can be confirmed.
Please note: if you are arriving early and have made your own arrangements prior to your tour commencing, airport transfers will not be included. However, if you are purchasing pre-nights accommodation as part of your Inspiring Vacations package, airport transfers will still be provided to the starting hotel.
This morning, meet your group at breakfast before setting out to discover the many identities of the Canada’s most cosmopolitan city. After seeing the provincial parliament buildings, the waterfront, the imposing CN Tower and lively Chinatown, we leave the city and head for the Niagara Peninsula. We pass through outlying communities and towns along the shores of Lake Ontario en route to Niagara Falls. Time is allocated to admire the falls and take part in some of Niagara Falls numerous activities.
We leave the Toronto skyline behind and drive east towards Ottawa. Our route then winds through rolling farmland, following the rivers and lakes of the Rideau Waterway. Upon arrival in Ottawa, we enjoy a sightseeing tour of the national capital. Defined by the Rideau Canal (designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site) and the government buildings on Parliament Hill, the city offers many great sights including the public gardens, the Byward Market and City Hall.
This morning we travel along the scenic Ottawa River to the French-speaking province of Quebec. We skirt the magnificent Laurentians and follow the Chemin du Roy Highway past rustic Quebecois villages and historic shrines. Today’s journey ends in Quebec’s cultural heartland, Quebec City. We tour within the walls of the old city and view the ornate city gates, Lower Town, the Citadel and Battlefields Park.
The day is at your leisure to further explore the sights of this charming World Heritage Site. You can enjoy an optional full day excursion to Tadoussac including 3-hours of whalewatching on the St. Lawrence River at the mouth of the Saguenay River aboard a regular boat. Upon return, we will visit the spectacular Montmorency Falls that are 30 metres higher than the Niagara Falls with a flow of roughly 35,000 litres of water per second.
Departing from Quebec City we drive along the St. Lawrence River in the footsteps of the early settlers. Upon arrival in Montreal, we tour the secondlargest French-speaking city in the world. The dynamic city of Montreal encapsulates the two founding cultures of Canada and boasts a curious blend of history and modernity. Touring the downtown area we view the Olympic Complex, charming Old Montreal, McGill University, the residential streets of Mount Royal and the bustling shopping streets.
Today’s journey takes us back to Toronto. On route will be a stop in Rockport you have an option of enjoying an entertaining and relaxing cruise through the beautiful 1000 group of islands.
This morning, join your included transfer to Toronto Airport for your flight to Calgary.
Arrive at Calgary’s International Airport and join your included transfer to your downtown hotel. After an individual check-in, the remainder of the day is free to explore the streets of this dynamic city, famous for its annual Stampede. The tour director for your Rockies adventure will contact you in the late afternoon.
This morning we set out to meet fellow travellers at breakfast before we tour the sights of Calgary. We admire such modern and historic landmarks as the Calgary Tower, Fort Calgary and the skyscrapers of the commercial district. Leaving Calgary behind we set our sights on the Rocky Mountains, which can already be seen, far off in the distance. Experience the majesty of the mountains as we first travel through the foothills and then enter Banff National Park. We tour the region around Banff amidst snow -capped peaks, sparkling glaciers and emerald green lakes and see landmark Banff Springs Hotel, Bow Falls and Tunnel Mountain.
The entire day is at leisure to tour Banff area and browse through the many boutiques and specialty shops along Banff Avenue.
Alternatively, you may wish to travel along the Icefields Parkway to the Columbia Icefield (additional expense). From the unsurpassed beauty of Lake Louise we enter rugged wilderness as we travel up the world famous Icefields Parkway. At the spectacular Columbia Icefield we board a Ice Explorer that will take us onto the surface of the ancient Athabasca Glacier. We return late in the afternoon.
Our drive today is on the famed Trans -Canada Highway, following a route charted by the railroad engineers and fur traders of the mid 1800s. We continue our tour of the Canadian parks system as we cross the jagged Kicking Horse Pass into British Columbia’s Yoho National Park. From the highway, we are treated to a dazzling display of vast icefields, deep canyons, dense forests and glacier -fed streams. One awe -inspiring landscape follows another en route to Glacier National Park. We continue through the Monashee and Selkirk mountain ranges to the rugged interior town of Kamloops.
We can expect a day of dramatic scenery changes when we drive through the ranch lands and head for the coastal mountains. An optional Floatplane Sightseeing Tour over Garibaldi Park gives you an inspiring view of a natural preserve of volcanic peaks, alpine lakes and meadows. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
We drive south along the spectacular Sea -to -Sky Highway through a dramatic landscape of jagged fjords and glaciated mountain peaks. We leave the countryside behind and explore the metropolis of Vancouver on a sightseeing tour. Highlights include Stanley Park, Prospect Point, English Bay, historic Gastown, bustling Chinatown and much more. The afternoon is free to discover more of this coastal gem.
The Pacific Ocean and the Coast Mountains form the backdrop to your day at leisure in Vancouver. You might want to do some shopping down on Robson Street, relax in Vancouver’s playground Stanley Park or stroll through the markets of Granville Island. If you prefer to explore the outdoors, take a gondola ride to the summit of Grouse Mountain. You can also go on an optional full-day tour to Victoria, the charming provincial capital that is proud of her maritime heritage. See the beautiful 19th century landmarks and enjoy its lively atmosphere. Before taking the ferry back to Vancouver, you will visit Butchart Gardens, one of the world’s great floral displays set in a reclaimed stone quarry.
Enjoy another day at leisure in cosmopolitan Vancouver.
Please note: Guests staying on the 7th September 2024 will be required to change hotels to the 4-star Sheraton Wall Centre for this night.
You have some time this morning for some last minute shopping before making your own way to the Vancouver Cruise Terminal to board your Alaskan Inside Passage cruise.
Once you have checked in to the cruise, begin exploring all that your ship has to offer.
Ports of call may vary cruise to cruise based on ship schedules.
Your ship offers the perfect platform for viewing British Columbia’s Inside Passage. This archipelago spans 25,000 miles from Seattle to Prince Rupert near the Alaskan border. Here you’ll ply calm waters sheltered between the British Columbia mainland and Vancouver Island. Along the way catch a glimpse of breathtakingly rugged scenery, plus staggering wildlife like salmon sharks, white spirit bears, and millions of seabirds.
Sitka truly offers the best of Alaska. Its small-town appeal stems from a unique blend of Russian, Tlingit and American history. Its snow-capped peaks and volcanic Mount Edgecumbe pose amongst the state’s most postcard-worthy scenes. And its rare wildlife astounds, from Saint Lazaria Island’s orange-beaked puffins to Alaska Maritime Refuge’s 40 million seabirds. This is off-the-beaten-track Alaska, where you can kayak Sitka Sound alongside swimming sea otters or fly-fish for the world’s biggest halibut. Whether it’s hiking along Baranof Island trails or listening to tribal stories passed down for generations, in Sitka the midnight sun never sets on adventure.
You can’t get to Juneau easily without a sprint by air or by sea. But once you arrive you’ll find majestic views and rich culture in every corner. With its snowcapped mountains, misty rainforests, massive glaciers and bounty of wildlife, Alaska’s remote state capital is the perfect place to dive into nature. Framed by Mount Juneau and Mount Roberts, the city’s picturesque central area offers centuries-old bars, boutique shops and historical landmarks. For a taste of the local culture, visit the historic district and the Alaska State Museum. And for outdoor thrills, you can take your pick of activities ranging from whale watching in Auke Bay Harbour to tundra trekking over Mendenhall Glacier, and even try your hand at gold panning in Last Chance Basin.
The tiny town of Skagway still looks like it did during the Klondike Gold Rush over 100 years ago – and today it remains an outpost for thrilling Alaskan adventure. An old-time tram ride along bustling Broadway Street reveals well-preserved buildings, including the state’s oldest hotel. You can see engraved walrus tusks at the Corrington Museum, or get lost in riveting historical reenactments around town. If outdoor adventure is more your thing, there are plenty of ways to ramp up the adrenaline, from sledding with Alaskan Huskies on Laughton Glacier to rafting on Lynn Canal, the longest fjord in North America.
Tracy Arm Fjord extends over 30 miles alongside the wilderness of Tongass National Forest. Sailing through this deep and narrow passage delivers some of the most breathtaking scenery you’ll find in Alaska. See active glaciers carved into 7,000-foot-tall mountain peaks and plunging waterfalls burrowed into evergreen-clad cliffs. Glimpse native wildlife and watch deep blue icebergs float past the ship.
Discover the twin Sawyer Glaciers at the end of Tracy Arm Fjord. While viewing the massive face of these tidewater glaciers, spanning more than a half-mile wide, you can hear the roar and feel the rumble of huge pieces of ice calving into the water in spectacular display.
Tracy Arm Fjord is home to a spectacular array of wildlife. See pigeon guillemots, kittiwakes and arctic terns. Mountain goats graze on rocky slopes, while newborn seal pups sun on ice floes. Glimpse black bears hunting for lunch and soaring eagles— or watch for the fluke of a whale diving below.
Today is a full day to relax and enjoy the many activities, restaurants and entertainment your ship has to offer.
Welcome back to Vancouver. Your ship will arrive in port at approximately 7:00AM this morning. At the appropriate time, disembark your Alaska cruise and make your own way to the airport for your onward flight. We hope you have had an unforgettable experience in Canada.
Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.
Give your routine a rest and press pause on reality, because adventure is well within reach. Whether you’re dining in one of the onboard restaurants or soaking up the sunshine poolside at the adults-only Solarium, Brilliance of the Seas is what getaway goals are made of.
Spend your time poolside soaking up sunshine and serenity,or fill your days with new ways to play and non-stop action on every deck. On this ship, how you live it up is entirely up to you.
Stateroom Details;
Each stateroom aboard Brilliance of the Seas includes the following services and amenities;
Complimentary 24-hour In-Room Dining
Daily Housekeeping
Nightly turndown service
Generous Storage
Safes for your valuables
INSIDE - Included
Two lower beds convertible to one Royal King bed, with seating and a desk. Each room includes a private bathroom, vanity area, hair dryer, TV and phone. (Approximately 12 square metres).
OCEAN VIEW - From an additional $350 per person, twin share (Single from an additional $700)
These staterooms include two lower beds convertible to one Royal King bed—includes seating and a desk, with a window allowing natural light into the room. Each room includes a private bathroom, vanity area, hair dryer, TV and phone. (Approximately 12 square metres).
OCEANVIEW BALCONY CABIN UPGRADE - From an additional $1,620 per person, twin share (Single from an additional $3,240)
Sliding glass doors open onto your private balcony from this comfortable stateroom, which includes two lower beds convertible to one Royal King bed. Each room includes a private bathroom, vanity area, hair dryer, TV and phone. — (Approximately 18 square metres with a 4sqm balcony).
Cabin Upgrades and prices are subject to availability upon booking. Please note your upgrade option as a "Special Request" when booking and our team will be in touch with a confirmed quote. If we are unable to confirm your request, we will quote alternative options.
We offer two payment options – the choice is yours. Our advertised price is based on our 'Pay in Full' option, which includes a discount by making full payment at the time of booking. Alternatively, choose our 'Installment Payment Plan' option for the flexibility of incremental payments, beginning with a low deposit.
Please click 'Book Now' and proceed to the payment page to select your preferred option under the heading ‘Choose how to pay’. The total due will be reflected accordingly.
Pay In Full Option:
Installment Payment Plan Option:
Booking Process
Limited Time Offer - Return Economy International Flights for $999 per person
Please refer to conditions below, which are agreed to at time of purchase.
Can I extend my stay pre- and/or post-tour?
This depends on the package you are booking.
Where available, extensions must be added at time of purchase and cannot be added post-purchase unless inside the 7-day cooling off period.
We can assist in arranging your airfares to accommodate an extension; however, you must also book the additional nights’ accommodation through us at time of booking (where available as an add-on):
When adding additional nights to your booking, the cost of the extra nights’ accommodation will be reflected on your invoice and payable with the final balance.
Airfare surcharges may apply if extending due to airfare seasonal changes and possible fare differences. These are payable at the time of selecting your desired airfare.
The second installment of your booking must be made before airfares can be booked.
Outside of extending your stay you must select Land Only if:
If you are interested in one of the above options, please select LAND ONLY at time of check-out and you will need to arrange your own airfares. Inspiring Vacations will not be accountable for flight delays or missed tour components due to late arrival or airline changes.
How to book my flights through the flight portal:
As the travel industry moves towards providing customers with more self-service options, we are excited that our customers will have the opportunity to book their flights through our flight portal. If this option is available to you, you will be notified once flights are available to book for your selected departure date. Flights may be booked by Inspiring Vacations at any time.
Please visit our FAQ for more information.
Conditions of flights for this package bookable by Inspiring Vacations:
Seat Selection & Frequent Flyer Points
Inspiring Vacations do not arrange seat selection. It is important to highlight that some airlines do not allow pre-selected seats or they may charge a fee to do so. We strongly suggest you contact the airline directly with seating allocation requirements and or arrive at the airport earlier to arrange your seating. While we do not add frequent flyer member details to bookings, you can do this directly with the airline once you have your flight information.
Online check-in
Some airlines may not permit online check-in where flights have been booked by a travel company. Where unavailable to do so online, you will be required to check-in at the airport. Inspiring Vacations cannot check-in online on behalf of our customers.
COVID -19
Due to COVID there maybe disruptions to standard operating schedules of particular components of this itinerary. Should a component be affected a substitute will be confirmed prior to departure.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard.
Single Supplement
Single supplement is $3,900.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.
Triple Share
Not available.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is recommended to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.
We have partnered with nib to offer our customers competitive rates for their travel insurance. You can book Comprehensive or Essentials cover for your domestic, international or multi-trip journeys simply by clicking HERE.
Note that Inspiring Vacations cannot provide advice with regards to any insurance product.
Visa & Passport information
It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return.
Visas may be required.
Please note that these details are subject to change without notice. We recommend visiting https://smartraveller.gov.au for up to date information in terms of entry requirements.
Tour Documentation
Final documentation including, e -tickets and hotel details, will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.
Group Size
This package is made up of multiple components which will be provided by different operators throughout your trip. As such, group size will differ between operators and can be as intimate as 2 people or as lively as up to 50 people, depending on the activity and advertised inclusions. There may be unique cases where your selected travel date exceeds the expected group size for special events or types of activities, particularly during popular times of travel. For packages that include a train or cruise, you will be travelling with other passengers up to the capacity of this component.
When travelling with a group, no matter the size, we ask you to be understanding of the various needs and preferences of your group - patience with your fellow travellers is sometimes required for the benefit of everyone's travel experience.
Children
Children must share a room with parents at all times and are charged the same price as adults.
Tour Length
The total length of the tour in days includes time spent inflight and is subject to change, depending on the flight schedule. Please refer to the day-by-day itinerary for the time spent in your destination(s).
Tour Type - Partially Escorted
A portion of this tour runs as a group tour where you will be escorted by an expert tour leader. Another portion is self -guided. We have arranged transportation in most cases and day tours for you to see the destination. Enjoy the time and flexibility to linger longer or pick up the pace and see as much as possible. The choice is yours.