With the Alaska cruise season 2022 now in full swing, it’s well worth thinking about adding a pre- or post-cruise stay in Vancouver onto your booking. Both one-way and return cruise itineraries are available from the largest city in British Columbia.
Renowned as one of the world’s ‘most liveable’ cities based on its diverse culture and environment, world-class education, infrastructure and healthcare, and economic and political stability, this dynamic west coast seaport is also one of the most ethnically diverse of Canadian cities – something visible not only in its wealth of art, theatre and music venues but also in its fantastic dining scene.
Vancouver is a fantastic port to sail from, as cruise ships pull right into the Downtown area – at Canada Place, which is within walking distance of many of the city’s fantastic restaurants, shops, hotels and other attractions and activities.
Set between ocean and mountains, Vancouver has been described as one of the rare places in the world where you might ski, windsurf and play golf all on the same day. Must-sees here include the Capilano Suspension Bridge – a walkway over a canyon into a temperate rainforest park, Stanley Park with its First Nations totem poles and swimming beaches, and the former shipyard of Coal Harbour with its inviting seawall cafés, craft breweries, restaurants and harbour-seal sightings. You could also hop over to Vancouver Island to explore British Columbia’s picture-postcard capital, Victoria, and to enjoy more beaches, along with walking trails, cedar forests, and whale-watching or kayaking excursions.
Just down the street from the cruise terminal you’ll find historic Gastown, the district in which the city took seed, with cobbled streets, vintage lampposts and one of the world’s only still-functioning steam-powered clocks.
Other things to do include hopping aboard a rainbow-hued Aquabus – a sort of mini-ferry – to cross False Creek to Granville Island, an artisanal culinary hub including a distillery, a brewery and a sake-maker. You can even give yourself a fitness challenge while you’re in Vancouver too by taking on the Grouse Grind 2.4km steep trek straight up Grouse Mountain, also known as ‘Mother Nature’s Stairmaster’ (there’s a gondola for those who can’t tackle it on foot).
Cruising from Vancouver also means you pass through the Inside Passage en route to Alaska. This scenic coastal route along the west coast of British Columbia into southeastern Alaska includes the cruise stop-offs of Skagway, Ketchikan, Juneau and Glacier Bay, as well as giving you plenty of leisure time aboard to experience your vessel’s amazing facilities and amenities.
The passage was one of the sea routes carrying American prospectors to the north during the Klondike Gold Rush. The British Columbian portion includes the narrow, protected Strait of Georgia and Discovery Passage between Vancouver Island and the mainland. From Fitz Hugh Sound northwards, the Passage is sheltered from Pacific winds and waves by several large islands and includes an array of stunning channels and straits.
Vancouver is also leading the way as a more sustainable port, having been the first in Canada, and the third in the world, to introduce Shore Power in 2009 – hydro power that enables ships to turn off their engines, reducing carbon emissions. Currently 60% of cruises in Vancouver can plug into Shore Power while docked.
To book your Alaska cruise with a pre- or post-cruise stay in Vancouver, get in touch today.
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