7 Night Fjords and Glaciers Cruise from Juneau

Arriving in Juneau and met with a warm welcome, that's a good start. You have time to take in a bit of the city once you check in at the hospitality area. But after boarding, grab a glass of bubbly as you push off the dock. Set sail for the Endicott Arm wilderness. (D)

Take an early peek out your window. Fjord cliffs reach skyward. Floating ice. And deep u-shaped valleys. There's no abracadabra here. Mother Nature's magic is real. Cruise past harbor seals and their pups lounging on chunks of ice. At the end of Endicott, the blue face of Dawes Glacier is stories high. And in classic fjord form, Tracy Arm delivers with the cotton candy blue of the twin Sawyers glaciers of its furthest reaches. Tides permitting, your skiff driver knows the ropes and guides you along. It's a mashup of towering walls, temperamental currents, and the Coast Mountains. So many waterfalls. Mountain goats show off fancy foot work on the cliffs. Look for them. (BLD)

Humpbacks beeline it here each season to feed on krill, zooplankton, and herring. Watch for whales feasting in these abundant glacial waters. Hang out and enjoy the show. Based on wind and weather, your expedition team has the lineup of adventures all mapped out. Cruise past Five Fingers Lighthouse, Alaska's oldest light station, and The Brothers Islands, where sea lions nap on rocky knobs. Paddle into the deeps of Port Houghton or Windham Bay or head ashore for a hike. Somewhere nearby, carrot-billed black oystercatchers are saying hello. Tonight, toast another big day in Alaska. (BLD)

When you come this far, you might as well go all in. This is a backcountry of Alaska's wilderness. Glacial landscapes marked by moraines, muskegs, and mud. In this playground, it's all an option today. Kayak and skiff in water almost clear as glass. The mirror image of fjord walls plays on the surface. Hike through the outwash of Baird Glacier. Or keep it green on an interpretive walk through a grassy meadow into the forest. Later, wind into the Wrangell Narrows. Abundant bright red and green navigation lights guide the way. It's nicknamed "Christmas Tree Lane", of course. (BLD)

The Blashke Islands are your playground today. A full day of choose-your-own-adventure fun. Hiking, kayaking, skiff tours, snorkeling, and full-day yak-n-whack excursions. (BLD)

Wildlife abounds. Black bears, mink, eagles. In Behm Canal, it's all remote waterways and the isolated Tongass National Forest. On Cleveland Peninsula, your expedition team leads a low-elevation hike near clear, rushing streams. Good opportunities for enticing forested shots of Southeast. In the water, orca, porpoises, seals, and otters go about their business. Go about yours on a guided paddle in tiny, deserted waterways that feed into Behm Canal. (BLD)

There are places on the planet that completely overcome you. This is one of them. The sense of place you feel. Misty Fjords National Monument represents nearly every ecosystem found in Southeast Alaska. And that alone is a lot to consider. Glacial valleys filled with sea water. Sheer 3,000-foot cliffs. Sea birds, brown and black bears, mountain goats, Sitka black-tailed deer, all find safe haven here. Kayak in Walker Cove or Rudyerd Bay and you find it's just as easy to paddle and go, as it is to sit and float and take it all in. Or skiff to the base of a waterfall for a fjord-released shower. Your captain joins you tonight for a Farewell Dinner. Celebrate and reminisce about your Alaskan journey with a "photo journal" by your crew. (BLD)

After breakfast this morning, bid adieu to your new pals before you disembark and transfer to the Ketchikan Airport or begin your extended UnCruise hotel stay or land tour. (B)