7 Day Alaskan Explorer Onboard Eurodam Leaving Seattle, Washington

Cruise Seattle to Alaska roundtrip with returning itineraries July through September. Discover majestic glaciers, awe-inspiring wildlife and rich cultures with the cruise line rated Best in Alaska. Holland America Line cruises to Alaska are available for guests who have received their final does of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise and have proof of vaccination.

Bounded by the Puget Sound to the west and Lake Washington to the east, and surrounded by forests and mountains, Seattle, Washington boasts a stunning location.

Cruise to Seattle and explore the largest city in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle is as much an homage to human ingenuity as it is to natural beauty. From logging to shipbuilding to aircraft manufacturing to modern-day software and biotech development, the Emerald City has worn a succession of industrial hats, birthing the likes of Amazon and Starbucks—not to mention music legends Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana—along the way.

Visitors are spoiled for choice of things to do in Seattle, Washington with iconic attractions, such as the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and Pike Place Market along a stunning, steel-gray waterfront with ferries gliding back and forth. Tour local attractions, go sightseeing, and explore the city’s museums Seattle on a shore excursion. "Local" and "sustainable" are words to live by in Seattle, an ethos reflected in the profusion of fresh-seafood restaurants, independent coffee roasters and quirky boutiques nestled among sleek skyscrapers. Whatever you end up doing, you’ll fall in love with the Emerald City. Seattle is a popular departing port for Alaska cruises.

Puget Sound cruises deliver incredible Pacific Northwest scenery, more than enough reason to choose Seattle as an Alaska departure port. Keep your eyes peeled. On Puget Sound cruises en route to the Great Land, you’ll see everything from ice-capped mountains to remote islands dotted with gigantic Douglas firs to Mount Rainier, hulking behind Seattle’s sleek skyscrapers as if to remind coffee-fueled urbanites that nature is boss.

You, yourself will soon be reminded that nature is boss as you cruise San Juan Islands from Seattle. The San Juan Islands are a wildlife-rich archipelago and popular vacation spot amongst locals. From the comfort of your cruise, watch for soaring eagles, harbor seals, and both humpback and orca whales. Both whale species appear to be making a comeback in recent years and scientists are cautiously optimistic. However, dwindling salmon populations remain a concern for the Puget Sound resident orcas. Cruises to San Juan Islands often lead to whale sightings, especially between March and October for the famous resident orcas of the J, K, and L pods.

Also look for humpback whales bubble-net feeding: Teams of whales spiral upward around prey, blowing cyclones of air. When the panicked fish crowd into a column, the predators launch toward the surface en masse—pleated throats wide open—to suck in as many as possible. Even if you don’t see whales as you cruise San Juan Islands, the beauty of the landscape is unforgettable from rocky outcrops to hundreds of forested mounds.

While at sea, take the time to recharge before the next adventure. Lounge by the pool, be spoiled at the spa, taste the delicacies or explore the venues on-board, until we arrive at the next amazing destination.

Stephens Passage is like the best shortcut in the world, a straight line through Southeast Alaska in a landscape that comes with very few straight lines. It’s not only people and ships that use the passage: Concentrated in and around its waters is a greatest hits of Alaskan wildlife, from humpback whales, the whoosh of their breath loud enough to be heard almost a kilometer away, to giant sea lions and their very distinctive smell—well, okay, call it a stink—that can carry just as far.

The southern reaches of Stephens Passage start at the edges of Frederick Sound, one of the best whale-watching areas in the state. The sound narrows and as you are funneled into the passage, the mountains come right down into the sea, high tide licking the roots of spruce and hemlock. In tiny bays, guillemots and gulls gather; when they take off at the ship’s wake, the noise is like applause.

The water of the passage is ridiculously deep, well over 300 meters (1,000 feet) in places. But in this landscape cut by the last ice age, you really have to measure to the mountain peaks for true scale: They climb to summits at 1,500 meters (5,000 feet), their slopes covered with forests, meadows that turn sunset into alpenglow, and best of all, by the purple tinge of glaciers that form the passage’s crown.

Cruise to Juneau, Alaska and visit the most remote, most beautiful and strangest state capital in the United States. Surrounded by water, forest and mountain sights, visitors seeking things to do in Juneau indoors and outdoors can hike a glacier, eat fresh-caught fish on a seaside patio and tour a grand capitol building all in one day.

Juneau is known for its outdoor recreation, fresh seafood and fine dining. The city itself is pleasant, but the real highlight of a visit to Juneau is tracking down some wildlife. You can hike up Mount Roberts to chance upon wild deer and bald eagles. Most sightseeing and whale-watching tours head north to Auke Bay—bring a good pair of binoculars to get the best view of these majestic and surprisingly graceful creatures. If you prefer land mammals, catch a floatplane to a nearby wildlife reserve such as Chichagof or Admiralty Island to spy some bears lolling around on Alaska cruise excursion.

The sleepy, misty city of around 32,000—mostly fishermen and small-business owners—has a frontier town vibe, but welcomes more than a million visitors each summer to its natural attractions, cementing Juneau as Alaska’s number-one tourist destination. Experience this breathtaking city on an Alaska cruise.

On your cruise to Glacier Bay, close your eyes and take in the sounds—the creaks and groans of “living” ice, the shrill cries of gulls and soaring eagles, the splash of a breaching humpback whale. Frosted peaks towering over mossy forests, wide tidewater glaciers (there are seven in the park), and marine wildlife are givens on Glacier Bay cruises, but every experience in this changing biosphere is unique.

Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is best explored on an Alaska Cruise or an Alaska Land+ Sea Journey cruise tour. Our ships are perfectly sized for the optimal experience. Prepare for inclement weather, even in summer and dress for rain. Pack a hat, gloves, wool or fleece layers, a warm coat and waterproof gear to comfortably admire the landscape from the open deck of your ship. There are glaciers, fjords, inlets, rivers, streams and wildlife galore on Glacier Bay cruises, so bring those binoculars.

Icy Strait Point is a popular cruise destination on Alaska cruises and is only open when a cruise ship is in port. This historical town is filled with history and culture. Back in the old days when a freezer was a piece of ice, fishermen in Alaska had two problems. The first one was finding the fish, although that wasn’t too complicated, the ocean was chock-full of fins; but the second problem was a little harder. The government regulated how long you could keep your catch on the boat, and it wasn’t very long.

Canneries were the answer. Owning a cannery was having a license to print money. Really. As operations spread up and down Southeast Alaska, each cannery had its own currency. True company towns, canneries had their own workforce, their own laws. A big cannery needed a couple hundred workers, for everything from keeping books to making the millions of cans needed to ship all that fish, as well as the actual cleaning and prepping of fish on the line, called "slime row."

Canneries were usually somewhere beautiful, someplace you could see from far off and aim your boat towards. But canneries didn’t survive the advent of refrigeration. Most were taken back by the forest or simply left to rot. With one exception: Icy Strait Point, beautifully restored. Just opposite Glacier Bay, Icy Strait Point stretches for a few hundred meters along the beach; the old wooden buildings, bright red in the endless green of the Tongass, now offer a museum and a cannery demo. But more interesting is simply the madness of scale. Icy Strait Point gives a chance to look into history to see where Alaska’s money came from, all in a ghost town of millions of fish.

A storied past mixed with jaw-dropping scenery sets Sitka, Alaska apart from other ports. Located on Baranof Island surrounded by the Sitka Sound’s icy blue water, it not only boasts lush scenery and captivating wildlife, Sitka offers a unique glimpse into Alaska history. Russia controlled Alaska from the mid-1700s until the United States purchased it in 1867, and Sitka was settled as the capital of Russian America with the name New Archangel.

Sail to Sitka on an Alaska Cruise today and you’ll see vestiges of Russia’s influence. Stroll past the onion dome of St. Michael’s Cathedral and the Russian Bishop’s House, both National Historic Landmarks. On a Sitka, Alaska shore excursion, stop by the visitor center of the Sitka National Historical park to peruse fascinating collections of Russian and Native Alaskan artifacts, and then join a ranger-led tour of the battlefield where Russia fought the native Tlingit people.

Surrounded by the Tongass National rain forest, nature abounds in Sitka, Alaska. A walk up Castle Hill offers the ideal vantage point to take in Mount Edgecumbe, a dormant volcano. Visits to the Fortress of the Bear and Alaska Raptor Center are in order for any animal-lover. Both provide the opportunity to see Alaska wildlife, such as bears or raptors up-close, but safely.

Take an adventure and cruise to Ketchikan, Alaska. Alaska's "First City" of Ketchikan is so named because it’s the first major landfall for most cruisers as they enter the picturesque fjords of the Inside Passage, where the town clings to the banks of the Tongass Narrows, flanked by green forests nurtured by abundant rain.

Ketchikan has long been an important hub of the salmon-fishing and -packing industries. Visitors can try their luck on a sportfishing or simply savor the fresh seafood at one of the local restaurants on a cruise to Ketchikan excursion. Ketchikanis also one of the best spots along the Inside Passage to explore the rich cultural sights of Native Alaskan nations like the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian. You can see intricately carved totem poles at the Totem Heritage Center and Totem Bight State Park, while the attractions of Saxman Village just outside of Ketchikan offers the chance to see Tlingit culture in action, with working carvers and a dance show in the clan house. On an Alaska cruise to Ketchikan don't forget to leave time to explore the sights in the town itself, including historic Creek Street, a boardwalk built over the Ketchikan Creek, where you can shop for souvenirs, smoked salmon and local art, while exploring gold rush­–era tourist attractions like Dolly’s House Museum.

A Victoria cruise delivers passengers to a charming British-influenced city plunked in the rugged Pacific Northwest. You can have high tea in an English garden and go whale watching the same day. Victoria ranks high for quality of life—you’re always a stone’s throw from a windswept beach or a pint at a convivial pub—and it’s the perfect swirl of city life and nature. The influence of the First Nations culture is also strong in Victoria, with totem poles taking a front-and-center position on the Inner Harbour and in Beacon Hill Park and extensive galleries devoted to the First People at the Royal Columbia Museum. A Victoria cruise means delicious dining is in store. Taste your way through Canada’s oldest Chinatown, sample fresh fish and chips, and gobble down heavenly Nanaimo bars.

The Victoria, British Columbia cruise port is just a pleasant walk or cab ride away from the Inner Harbour. Whale-watching cruises and sightseeing floatplanes take off and return here and government buildings, museums, the Visitor Centre and the grand Fairmont Empress provide a dignified welcome. Just around the point, Fisherman’s Wharf offers working fishing boats, paddling harbor seals and busy seafood restaurants. Roam the peaceful paths of the vast Butchart Gardens and see vibrant blooms at every turn. Enjoy afternoon tea or a walk in the park or a shopping trip to Market Square or along Government Street. Whatever you choose to do on your Victoria cruise, you will be so charmed by the city, you may never want to leave.

Cruise Seattle to Alaska roundtrip with returning itineraries July through September. Discover majestic glaciers, awe-inspiring wildlife and rich cultures with the cruise line rated Best in Alaska. Holland America Line cruises to Alaska are available for guests who have received their final does of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise and have proof of vaccination.

Bounded by the Puget Sound to the west and Lake Washington to the east, and surrounded by forests and mountains, Seattle, Washington boasts a stunning location.

Cruise to Seattle and explore the largest city in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle is as much an homage to human ingenuity as it is to natural beauty. From logging to shipbuilding to aircraft manufacturing to modern-day software and biotech development, the Emerald City has worn a succession of industrial hats, birthing the likes of Amazon and Starbucks—not to mention music legends Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana—along the way.

Visitors are spoiled for choice of things to do in Seattle, Washington with iconic attractions, such as the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass, and Pike Place Market along a stunning, steel-gray waterfront with ferries gliding back and forth. Tour local attractions, go sightseeing, and explore the city’s museums Seattle on a shore excursion. "Local" and "sustainable" are words to live by in Seattle, an ethos reflected in the profusion of fresh-seafood restaurants, independent coffee roasters and quirky boutiques nestled among sleek skyscrapers. Whatever you end up doing, you’ll fall in love with the Emerald City. Seattle is a popular departing port for Alaska cruises.