Partner Feature
Few travel experiences can rival the scale and splendour of Western Canada and Alaska. This is a land of superlatives - where ancient glaciers calve into jade-green seas, where mountain ranges stretch further than the eye can see and where wondrous wilderness awaits at every turn.
At the heart of this adventure are two names that have long defined luxury travel in this part of the world. Rocky Mountaineer has been carrying guests through the breathtaking landscapes of the Canadian Rockies since 1990, earning a global reputation as one of the world's greatest train journeys. Holland America Line brings more than 150 years of seafaring heritage to Alaska's wild and dramatic coastline, its tradition of enriching, destination-focused cruising perfectly matched to one of nature's most spectacular stages.
Brought together by Canadian Affair - Canada's specialist travel experts - the Rockies & Alaska Cruise Extravaganza is more than a holiday. It's an invitation to experience the very best of this extraordinary corner of the world, with every detail thoughtfully curated on your behalf.
From your seat aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, the landscape unfolds like pages from a storybook you never want to end. Dramatic river canyons carved over millennia, waterfalls tumbling from great heights, wild rapids threading through ancient gorges - and above it all, the impossibly turquoise waters of glacial lakes nestled between peaks that seem to touch the sky. As the train climbs toward the continental divide, the mountains rise ever higher, their snow-capped summits shifting in the light as forest gives way to rock and rock gives way to open sky.
Boarding Holland America Line in Vancouver, you leave the Rockies behind and sail north into one of the last great wildernesses on Earth. Towering fjords cut deep between ancient mountain walls and tidewater glaciers stretch to the horizon. The pristine landscapes of Glacier Bay National Park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - offer views that simply cannot be found anywhere else. This is Alaska at its most elemental: raw, vast and utterly unforgettable.
GoldLeaf Service is widely regarded as one of the finest ways to travel by rail anywhere in the world - and it's not hard to see why. The bi-level, glass-domed coaches are designed to ensure the landscape is always the star, with panoramic windows framing the scenery from every angle and a dedicated outdoor viewing platform for when you simply need to feel the mountain air on your skin. Below, in the elegantly appointed dining car, five-star gourmet breakfasts and lunches are served using the finest regional produce, paired with wines chosen to complement both the food and the occasion. Attentive hosts are on hand throughout the journey, sharing stories of the landscapes you pass through and pointing out can't-miss highlights along the way.
Step aboard your Holland America ship and into a world of understated elegance. Each stateroom has been designed as a genuine retreat – a place to rest and restore after days of spectacular sightseeing. The signature Mariner's Dream™ bed, dressed in finely woven cotton linens, sets the tone for the comfort that awaits throughout the ship. Dining is a journey in itself, with a range of restaurant options spanning everything from delicate Asian-inspired dishes to classic French cuisine, with new signature creations introduced regularly by the onboard culinary team. Evenings bring world-class entertainment and enrichment programmes that bring Alaska's culture, history and natural wonders to life long after you've returned to port.
The Canadian Rockies are home to some of North America's most iconic wildlife, and few vantage points offer a better chance of spotting them than the elevated coaches of the Rocky Mountaineer. Black bears and grizzlies, bighorn sheep negotiating rocky outcrops, ospreys and bald eagles riding the thermals overhead - even the elusive cougar has been known to appear along the tracks. Your onboard hosts keep a watchful eye on the terrain throughout the journey, alerting guests whenever wildlife is visible and ensuring the train slows so you can soak up every moment of these once-in-a-lifetime encounters.
Alaska's coastal waters and surrounding forests teem with wildlife at every turn. From the ship's deck, look out for humpback whales breaching, sea otters floating on their backs and bald eagles circling above the tree line. For those looking to get closer, a Ketchikan bear-viewing excursion takes you by boat or floatplane into remote Alaskan wilderness where you can watch black or brown bears feeding on salmon in their natural habitat. This is wildlife watching at its most extraordinary, in one of the world's last truly wild places.
Begin your journey at Lake Louise, one of Canada's most celebrated and beautiful destinations, before boarding the Rocky Mountaineer in either Banff or Jasper for a two-day rail journey through the heart of the Canadian Rockies to Vancouver. Then step aboard your Holland America Line ship for a magical cruise north through the Inside Passage and into the breathtaking waters of Alaska - taking in some of the world's most dramatic coastal scenery along the way.
Every aspect of this trip has been planned by the specialists at Canadian Affair, whose depth of knowledge and attention to detail means you can focus entirely on the experience itself. Prices are available on request, with 2027 and 2028 departures now open for booking.
