Featuring Chicago, Empire Builder, Seattle and 7-Day Alaska Cruise

An iconic rail route takes you across the northern United States to board a magical 7 day cruise to the glaciers and mountains of Alaska. This 11 day tour combines some of the most spectacular scenery in the United States with at a relaxed and well-paced itinerary.

Scheduled for scenery, the Empire Builder's historic 2,206 mile journey takes you from Chicago to Seattle through unforgettable, eye-popping scenery of the majestic North and Pacific Northwest of the United States.

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• Tour Highlights, Inclusions and Route Map
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• Mississippi River
• Lake Pepin
• Bear Paw Mountains
• Glacier National Park
• Icicle Canyon
• Skykomish
• Gateway to Mt. Rainer
• Columbia River Gorge
• Major Portions of the Lewis and Clark Trail
• Glacier Bay
• Sitka, Alaska
• Ketchikan, Alaska
• Victoria, British Columbia

• Roomette sleeping accommodations on board Amtrak’s Empire Builder between Chicago and Seattle
• Pre-Night Cruise Hotel Accommodations in Seattle
• Transfer between Seattle hotel and Cruise
• All Meals onboard Amtrak’s Empire Builder
• All Meals onboard Holland America's ms Oosterdam
• 7-Day Alaska Cruise onboard Holland America Line’s ms Oosterdam

Day One - Arrive Chicago – The Windy City
Is it the weather or the politicians that earned Chicago the nickname “The Windy City.” Find out for yourself by picking up a current newspaper at historic Chicago Union Station before boarding Amtrak’s Empire Builder and settling into your sleeping accommodation for your two-night rail journey west to Seattle. This afternoon the Empire Builder heads northwest, following the Mississippi River at times and passing through Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Plan an early arrive into Chicago so you have plenty of time to make the Empire Builder’s early afternoon departure.

Day Two - Good Morning North Dakota
Wake up this morning to start a full day on the rails taking your through North Dakota and, Big Sky Country, Montana. Enjoy a hot breakfast in the dining car and take some time to review the Empire Builder route guide for today’s scenic highlights. From the miss the spectacular Gassman Coulee Trestle west of Minot in the morning to an evening pass by Glacier National Park, today is filled with scenery rich in history. Enjoy your second night onboard the Empire Builder, as the train continues its journey west into Washington State.

Day Three - Arrive in Seattle, Washington
With Mount Rainier and Space Needle looming in the distance you have reached the city of Seattle. With a mid-morning is arrival, you will have plenty of time to explore some of Seattle’s best including Space Needle, Pike Place Market, a combination shopping mecca and farmer’s market, Chinatown, or the Experience Music Project. Enjoy a cup of coffee at any one of the hundreds of coffee shops throughout the city after checking into your hotel for the night.

Day Four - Alaska Cruise!
Transfer to Holland America Line’s ms Oosterdam for the second part of a trip of a lifetime. Your ship sets sail at 4:00pm, giving you enough time to settle into your cabin before heading on deck to waive good-bye to magnificent Seattle. With the next day at sea, you will have time to explore the ship and relax.

Day Five - At Sea
Spend some time at the The Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine Magazine or enjoy a facial, hot stone massage, steam in a thermal suite and have your hair and nails done for a special evening.

Day Six - Glacier Bay
As Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Glacier Bay National Park; protects a unique ecosystem of plants and animals living in concert with an ever-changing glacial landscape. How does it feel when a monumental chunk of ice splits off a glacier and crashes into the sea? The sound is like thunder. The impact shoots water hundreds of feet into the air. You hold your breath as you catch the moment on film. Then you wait for it all to happen again. And it does. Glacier Bay has more actively calving tidewater glaciers than anyplace else in the world.

Day Seven - Juneau, Alaska
Located at the foot of grand mountain peaks on the Gastineau Channel, the town of Juneau has the massive Mendenhall Glacier and the immense Juneau Icefields at its back door. Juneau is the place to let your imagination run wild. Explore the lush Tongass National Forest. Visit the rustic shops in town. Or get out and kayak, dogsled, raft, hike, whale watch, flightsee or fish. There s no end to the adventure because of the long daylight hours. Climb aboard the Mt. Roberts Tramway for a great spot to hike and shoot a souvenir photo.

Day Eight - Sitka, Alaska
The onion domes of St. Michael's Cathedral are your first clue that Sitka was once a Russian settlement - the colonial headquarters of Count Baranof, no less. Discover the echoes of its heyday at a performance by the New Archangel Dancers. Be greeted by Tlingit native people, then stand on the spot where the United States took possession of Alaska in 1867 for $7.2 million, less than two cents per acre. The dramatic setting in the shadow of Mt. Edgecumbe is one of the lovliest in the Great Land. Take a stroll through old growth forest in Sitka National Historical Park, shop the downtown district, and poke around the Sheldon Jackson Museum for a close-up look at some of the city's most prized arts, crafts and Russian relics.

Day Nine - Ketchikan, Alaska
Built out over the water and climbing weathered stairways, Ketchikan clings to the shores of Tongass Narrows and drapes the mountains with a cheerful air. Besides the main attractions - Creek Street, the Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Bight State Park and Saxman Village, try a flightseeing trip to breathtaking Misty Fjords National Monument--a transformational adventure not to be missed. These deep water fjords left by retreating glaciers left granite cliffs towering thousands of feet above the sea and countless waterfalls cascading into placid waters. The souvenir photos you'll take from the pontoons of the plane are worth the trip alone.

Day Ten - Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
A touch of England awaits: afternoon tea, double-decker buses, the famed Butchart Gardens - a brilliant tapestry of color spread across 50 blooming acres. Sample shore excursions: A Taste of Victoria: City Lights with Wine & Chocolate; Ale Trail & Pub Tour.

Day Eleven - Welcome Back to Seattle, Washington
Return to Seattle after your Alaska cruise adventure with a disembarkation time of 7:00am. Transfers are included for flights after 1pm, or consider a post night stay n Seattle with transfer the next day.

   

   

   

Ocean-View Stateroom 2 lower beds convertible to 1 queen-size bed, bathtub & shower

Deluxe Verandah Outside 2 lower beds convertible to 1 queen-size bed, bathtub & shower, sitting area, private verandah floor-to-ceiling windows

Dates	Ocean-View Stateroom	Deluxe Verandah Outside
Jun 10 - Jun 20	$2,365	$2,729	SOLD OUT
Jul 15 - Jul 25	$2,489	$2,989	SOLD OUT
Aug 5 - Aug 15	$2,489	$2,989
Sep 9 - Sep 19	$2,039	$2,409

Per Person Train Sleeping Accommodation Upgrade:
Guests who wish to upgrade from the included roomette accommodations may purchase a Deluxe bedroom upgrade for a $395 supplement per person double occupancy.