Alaska Inside Passage

A sea route north from Vancouver or Seattle through the islands and fjords of North America's west coast to Southeast Alaska, with Glacier Bay, Juneau and Ketchikan as classic ports of call.

The Inside Passage is a coastal waterway on North America's Pacific coast, sheltered by a barrier of islands. It runs from Puget Sound in Washington through the British Columbia coast to Southeast Alaska (the "Panhandle"), with fjords, glaciers and temperate rainforest along the way, and is one of the world's most popular cruise routes. A classic 7-night cruise departs from Vancouver or Seattle and calls at Ketchikan (totem poles and salmon streams), Juneau (Alaska's capital, with Mendenhall Glacier, whale watching and helicopter trips onto the icefield) and Skagway (an old gold-rush town and the White Pass Railroad). It also cruises past Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier or Tracy Arm Fjord to watch glaciers calve. One-way itineraries continue to Seward or Whittier and can be linked to land tours of Anchorage and Denali, forming a 7+4 "cruise plus land tour." Besides cruising, you can also take the Alaska Marine Highway ferry (AMHS) north from Bellingham or Prince Rupert, which is more flexible but takes much longer. Note that most port towns are not connected by road, and spaces on shore excursions are limited, so book ahead. The weather is changeable and rainy, so bring a waterproof jacket. Cruises departing from the US must call at a Canadian port, so be aware of the visa requirements.

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