What Makes Our Alaska Cruise Special?
Small Ships: The small size of the Catalyst—only 12 passengers—means you can anchor in inlets and coves that larger ships just can’t access.
Trip Leaders: The experienced crew offers a great diversity of talents and skills with backgrounds as naturalists, kayak guides, researchers, and authors.
Itinerary Design: We've handcrafted a journey that brings you to the best sections of the Inside Passage in just 7 days. Maximizing your wildlife and landscape viewing while making sure you feel like you have all of Alaska to yourself!
Cuisine: We have a dedicated onboard chef preparing delicious, locally sourced, and artfully presented meals.
Conservation: The traditional engine is efficient, using as much fuel in an entire season as some competitors consume in a week. The built-in electrical system also allows hours at anchor without running a generator.
Overview
Glaciers crackle, bald eagles soar, and the sea is filled with whales, orcas, and porpoises. Explore this northern wonderland the perfect way, on a historic 12-guest wooden vessel that can maneuver around icebergs, follow whales, get close to glaciers, and tuck into tiny coves that bigger vessels wouldn’t even dream of approaching. On this active adventure, your days are filled with sea kayaking, hiking on glacial moraines, tracking wildlife, and exploring fjords, islands, and tidepools, all in the company of an on-board naturalist who shares insights into the local botany, natural history, and native culture. Back on board, you’ll be welcomed “home” for a delightful sea-to-table meal by the talented on-board chef. This is the way to experience the Inside Passage!
This small boat adventure was outstanding! Amazing food, very knowledgeable naturalist, great captain and engineer. The small number of passengers made it really fun and we received very personalized service and interactions.
— Cindy S., Woodside, CA
Note: This cruise is not exclusive to, nor operated by, Wilderness Travel, who acts solely as agent in booking your reservation with the ship operator. The itinerary, lecturers, and all other arrangements are subject to change at the discretion of the cruise line.
Itinerary at a Glance
Days 1-2
Juneau / Ford’s Terror (Juneau to Petersburg itinerary)
From Juneau, head into Stephens Passage, watching for bald eagles and orcas. You’re likely to spot the first icebergs as the ship enters fjord-like Endicott Arm for a sail to the face of Dawes Glacier, where you can linger to witness the calving and booming of the bergs and view harbor seals and their pups. A skiff ride upriver often reveals jumping salmon and nesting waterfowl. In Ford’s Terror, known as “a flooded Yosemite Valley,” the ship navigates between 5,000-foot granite faces. You’ll have the chance to explore on foot and kayak through the tidal rapids (at slack water) in this spectacular and little-visited realm.
Days 3-5
Seymour Canal / Pack Creek Zoological Reserve
Head out to Endicott Arm, watching for bear, moose, wolves, and whales. Tides permitting, you may stop to hike in meadow and woods along the way. Enter Seymour Canal, a 25-mile-long inlet that is home to the highest concentration of bald eagles in southeast Alaska. At the Pack Creek Zoological Area, enjoy the best brown bear viewing opportunity in southeast Alaska. Head to Admiralty Island for an estuary paddle, and at The Brothers Islands, hike and watch for humpbacks and orcas in this prime summer feeding ground. From the ship’s idyllic anchorages, the sound of breathing whales or the call of an eagle frequently drifts across the evening calm.
Days 6-7
Thomas Bay / Scenery Cove / Petersburg
If whales are around, the ship will shadow the pod (and drop the hydrophone to listen to them), then head to Thomas Bay, watching for black bears on the beaches. Anchoring at Scenery Cove, ride upriver by skiff for a hike on the ice of the Baird Glacier. Depart on Day 7 from charming Petersburg, or extend to Denali National Park to look for moose and caribou.
Alaska's Inside Passage
Highlights
Highlights
Details
Download Brochure
Download a PDF of our Alaska's Inside Passage Detailed Itinerary to learn more about our day-to-day itinerary, prices and dates, the boat, and leaders.
