Vancouver to Tokyo

“Gassy Jack” Deighton saw a chance to make money from the miners on their way to the Yukon and the saloon he built became the focus of the shanty town known as Gas Town. From here, modern Vancouver was born – Canada’s third largest city. The government persuaded the settlers to change the name of the town to Vancouver, after Captain George Vancouver, who sailed the area’s waters in 1792. Today Vancouver offers travelers tram rides to the top of Grouse Mountain, the lovely Ming Dynasty Gardens, historic Gas Town and picturesque Stanley Park.

Shore excursions on the first and last day of a cruise are only available for guests who are combining back-to-back voyages to create a longer cruise. Those guests may organize custom tours through the Destination Services Desk on board.

Ketchikan, on the southwest side of Revillagigedo Island, grew up around salmon canneries and sawmills. Ketchikan’s name supposedly comes from the native term “Katch Kanna”, which roughly translates: “spread wings of a thundering eagle.” At one time Ketchikan was proclaimed the “Salmon Capital of the World.” An outstanding collection of totem poles make a visit to Ketchikan essential for anyone interested in Native art. Travelers flock to Ketchikan for their first look at the North Country, and are rarely disappointed.

Discover the frontier town of Icy Strait surrounded by nature in its unspoiled glory. Pine trees as tall as skyscrapers, humpback whales, eagles, wild salmon, black bears and more, form the harmonious tapestry of life in this Alaskan hinterland. Visit the Native Theater and Heritage Center to see Tlinglit tribal members enacting their history through song and dance. Also worthy of attention are the elaborately carved totem poles. Stroll over to the Cannery Museum and find out how this staple of the Alaskan diet is processed. Shop for locally made preserves, jewelry, wooden carvings, clothing, and bath products. Take a walk along the well-marked nature trail to Hoonah. Enjoy delicious and abundant seafood, Dungeness crab, salmon, shrimp and cod in this remarkable natural environment.

Viewing the magnificent grandeur of immense glaciers is surely one of the highlights of a journey to Alaska. Sail along a cliff face over six miles wide, 300 to 400 feet from peak to sea level and 300 feet from sea level to the bottom. As Hubbard Glacier advances, listen to the symphony of creaks and groans as it moves and calves. This makes for some exciting moments when the huge chunks of ice crash into the bay creating a wonderful sound called ‘white thunder’ by the Tlingit people. Please be advised that due to the under-developed nature of this destination, organized tours are not available.

Seward was originally founded in 1903 as the southern terminus for the Alaska Railroad, a distinction it still holds today. The picturesque harbor with its colorful wood-frame houses and background of soaring cliffs looks out on Resurrection Bay, so named by a band of Russians explorers who found this calm spot along the storm-tossed Gulf of Alaska on Easter Sunday. From downtown Anchorage you can view two active volcanoes, the highest point on the continent of North America (Mount McKinley), and six major mountain ranges.

The city of Kodiak is situated on the second largest island in the United States, approximately 250 miles southwest of Anchorage. It is famous for huge Kodiak brown bears, world-class sport fishing, and the magnificent green that the island turns during the summer–which is why Kodiak is affectionately called Alaska’s Emerald Isle. Kodiak’s first settlers were undoubtedly attracted to the region by the overabundance of sea mammals, seabirds, fish, and shellfish.

Located on Unalaska Island at the end of the Aleutian Island chain, approximately 900 miles southwest of Anchorage, Dutch Harbor is one of America’s busiest commercial fishing ports. The island of Unalaska, is full of breathtaking scenery, from windswept volcanic peaks, to green valleys dotted with the vibrant colors of wildflowers in the summer. From the onion-domed churches of the early Russian explorers to rusted Quonset huts from the bitterly fought campaign of World War II, here history surrounds you.

Kushiro is a city on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. It’s known for the large Kushiro Marsh, home to deer, sea eagles and Japanese cranes. A circular trail runs through the marsh from the Kushiro Marsh Observatory. On the coast, Fisherman’s Wharf is home to restaurants and the glass-covered EGG Garden. Nearby, Hokkaido Kushiro Art Museum displays works, including photography and sculpture, by local artists.

Hakodate is the largest city in southern Hokkaido. Hakodate was founded in 1454, when Kono Kaganokami Masamichi constructed a palace at the foot of Mount Hakodate. The mansion is said to have included a barricade and looked like a box from the distance giving the area its name, box mansion. The city is overlooked by Mount Hakodate, a lumpy, totally forested mountain. The summit of the mountain is easily reached by either hiking trail, cable car, or car.

Sendai is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tohoku (northeast) region. The city was founded in 1600 by the daimyo Date Masamune. Sendai is considered to be one of Japan’s greenest cities, mostly because of it’s great numbers of trees and plants. Sendai became known as “The City of Trees” at least before World War II. Air raids destroyed much of the greenery, but there are massive restorations to restore the greenery.

Yokohama is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture and, with a population of 3.6 million, is Japan’s largest city after Tokyo. It is centered on an inlet on the western side of Tokyo Bay, to which it is connected by a half-dozen railway lines as well as expressways and surface streets via Kawasaki. A major industrial zone known as the Keihin Industrial Area stretches along the reclaimed coastline to the north of the central area towards Kawasaki and Tokyo beyond.

Yokohama is the capital of Kanagawa Prefecture and, with a population of 3.6 million, is Japan’s largest city after Tokyo. It is centered on an inlet on the western side of Tokyo Bay, to which it is connected by a half-dozen railway lines as well as expressways and surface streets via Kawasaki. A major industrial zone known as the Keihin Industrial Area stretches along the reclaimed coastline to the north of the central area towards Kawasaki and Tokyo beyond.