Sojourn, Alaska Glaciers Fjords & Inside Passage ex Vancouver Return

Details

14 Night Cruise sailing from Vancouver roundtrip aboard Seabourn Sojourn.

14 Night Cruise sailing from Vancouver roundtrip aboard Seabourn Sojourn.

The second of Seabourn’s new class of ships, Seabourn Sojourn, was also built at T. Mariotti yard in Genoa. Her debut was on June 6, 2010 in the middle of the River Thames in London. Seabourn Sojourn’s godmother was the English fashion icon and actress Twiggy. Like her sisters, Seabourn Sojourn enchants her guests with an array of public areas scaled to encourage a relaxed sociability. One of the most unusual features of Seabourn Sojourn and her sisters is Seabourn Square, an ingenious “living room” that replaces the traditional cruise ship lobby with a welcoming lounge filled with easy chairs, sofas and cocktail tables. An enclave in its center houses knowledgeable concierges discreetly seated at individual desks, ready to handle all sorts of business or give advice and information. The ship’s shops are conveniently located just off the Square and it has its own open terrace aft.

The Spa at Seabourn is the largest on any ultra-luxury ship, 11,400 square feet encompassing indoor and outdoor space over two decks. A variety of open terraces are scattered over seven decks, offering places to gather with a few friends or spend an isolated hour with a book. Seabourn Sojourn offers six whirlpools and two swimming pools, including the Pool Patio, with a pair of large whirlpool spas and a “beach” style pool, a casual Patio Grill and the Patio Bar. On the sun deck above sits Seabourn’s popular open-air Sky Bar. High atop Deck 11 is a Sun Terrace with 36 tiered double sun beds. Just aft of that is The Retreat, with shuffleboard courts and a nine-hole putting green. The panoramic Observation Bar on Deck 10 offers 270° forward views over the sea. The Club is a lively spot for dancing before and after dinner, while the larger Grand Salon is used for dancing as well as lectures, production vocal shows, cabaret performances and classical recitals.

Highlights of this cruise:

Vancouver
The humble beginnings of the City of Vancouver, in the settlement of Gastown on Burrard Inlet, rose out of the old growth forests and the sawdust of the old Hastings Mill. Its location between the Pacific Ocean and the snow-capped coastal mountains creates one of the most idyllic settings of any city in the world. As a world-class city it has the best of both worlds, intermingling urban sophistication with a sense of wilderness and outdoor adventure. Whether you are exploring Vancouver's diverse downtown core, strolling through the giant trees of Stanley Park or taking in the 20 miles (30 km) of uninterrupted waterfront trails along the seawall, you are bound to fall in love with Canada's third largest metropolitan center, which is consistently ranked as one of most livable cities on earth.

Haines
Tucked in along the shores of the longest fjord in North America and surrounded by breathtaking scenery, Haines is an authentic Alaskan experience. It is an eclectic community and a truly hidden gem. Its rich culture shines brightly during the annual state fair that draws people from all over Alaska.

Haines is home to the largest concentration of bald eagles on earth, and grizzly bears gorge themselves on spawning salmon in its rivers. It was originally named Dteshuh, which means 'end of the trail' in the language of the Chilkat natives, who used to portage across the peninsula to Chilkat Inlet as a shortcut to their trade route to the interior.

The first Europeans arrived in 1879 to build a school and a Presbyterian mission. In time, the mission was renamed Haines in honor of Francina E. Haines, the chairwoman of the committee that raised funds for its construction. Haines grew dramatically during the 1899 Klondike gold rush in the Yukon, supplying prospectors with food and equipment.

Juneau
Juneau, Alaska’s capital, is accessible only by air and sea, due to the rugged mountain terrain that surrounds the city. It has been a world-class travel destination since the early 1900’s. The city has plenty to offer the outdoor adventurer. You may choose to explore on foot along the Perseverance Trail or around Mendenhall Glacier, or board one of the many local whale-watching boats, or view the mountains and extensive glaciers of the Juneau Icefield from a helicopter.

Although founded by Alaskan pioneers, this area was in use for thousands of years by the Tlingit people and was originally settled by the Auke tribe, taking advantage of the abundant food and natural resources provided by the land and sea. Their descendants continue to gather clams, gumboot chitons, grass and sea urchins to this day.

Originally named Harrisburg in 1880, after the gold prospector Richard Harris, the name was later changed to honor his partner Joe Juneau.