Expedition Overview
Expedition Overview
SPECIAL OFFERS
- Limited Time Offer: Families & Groups Save on Select Departures
For a limited time, families and groups can save on cabin fare for select 2023 Expedition Cruise departures when they book by June 30, 2023.
Two travelers paying full price per person can enjoy the following savings when they bring 2 guests:
- 1st guest (aged 22 and under): Save 50% on cabin fare
- 2nd guest (aged 22 and under): Free cabin fare
One traveler paying full price may also enjoy the following savings when bringing 2 guests:
- 1st guest (aged 22 and under): Save 50% on cabin fare
- 2nd guest (aged 22 and under): Free cabin fare
Call (888) 966-8687 to take advantage of this limited-time offer.
On select 2023 departures, every two full-paying adults are welcome to bring a guest aged 22 and under at 50% off and a second guest aged 22 and under for free. Offer applicable only on bookings of two double-occupancy cabins, and second cabin must be in same category or lower as first cabin. An individual full-paying adult is welcome to bring a guest aged 22 and under at 50% off and a second guest 22 and under for free when booking a single double- or triple-occupancy cabin, pending availability. Valid on cabin fare only, not valid on extensions or airfare. Please call for details.
Available Departures- Sep 18-25, 2023
- Air Credit on Select 2023 & 2024 Expedition Cruise Departures
Book by April 30, 2023 and receive a $700 air credit per person on select departures. Valid for new bookings only, subject to availability. Call for details.
Available Departures- Sep 18-25, 2023
- Special Offer for Solo Travelers
Book by June 30, 2023 and we will waive the solo premium on solo cabins on select departures. Valid for new bookings only, subject to availability. Call for details.
Available Departures- Sep 18-25, 2023
- Travel aboard the nimble National Geographic Venture, designed to navigate inlets and wildlife-rich passageways that are inaccessible to larger ships.
- Seek out the mystical Kermode bear—the elusive and rarely seen white-furred “spirit bear” is only found in the Great Bear Rainforest—as well as an array of coastal wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose, and wolves.
- Experience the Great Bear Rainforest assisted by the expertise of indigenous knowledge and told by an indigenous cultural interpreter.
- Glimpse British Columbia’s dazzling undersea realm, captured on video by our ship’s undersea specialist, and spot orcas and humpbacks from on deck.
Itinerary
Itinerary
Aboard the National Geographic Venture, sail along the rugged northern coast of British Columbia and cruise into Great Bear Rainforest, the only place on the planet where you have the chance to glimpse the elusive Kermode bear, or spirit bear. Get immersed in the natural riches that have sustained First Nations people here for thousands of years, and commune with wildlife on land and sea—from orcas and sea lions to grizzly bears and coastal gray wolves—as you navigate moss-draped forests, soaring granite peaks, and glacier-cut fjords.
This trip is operated in collaboration with Lindblad Expeditions.
Arrive in Ketchikan, the southernmost city in Alaska, spread at the base of forested slopes on Revillagigedo Island, in the early afternoon. Its many monikers, from “salmon capital of the world” to “rain capital of Alaska,” capture the spirit of this city, famous for colorful buildings and abundant fishing boats and canneries. Embark the National Geographic Venture in time for cocktails and an introduction of the vessel staff and crew.
National Geographic Venture for the entire voyage
Wake up in the scenic harbor town of Prince Rupert, located on British Columbia’s rugged northwest coast. Get immersed in First Nations history at the Museum of Northern British Columbia, built in the style of a coastal longhouse. Breathe in the scent of cedar beams and peruse an impressive collection of ornate carvings, weavings, ceremonial objects, and regalia. Visit the North Pacific Cannery Museum, a collection of cannery buildings located in pristine wilderness surroundings that highlight British Columbia’s economic, cultural, and natural development over the last century.
Over the course of the next 4 days, we will cruise far into the fjords and deep valleys that carve into the Coast Range looking for black and grizzly bears. We will be accompanied by a cultural interpreter* who knows the area intimately and will share local indigenous knowledge, culture and practice. We will explore the eastern coast of Princess Royal Island in search of the elusive Kermode bear. It is believed that between 10 to 20 percent of bears in this region are born with recessive gene that causes their white fur; fewer than 400 are estimated to exist.
British Columbia has one of the highest proportions of protected lands of any jurisdiction in the world. Almost 15 percent of the land is protected, with a wide range of provincial parks, national parks, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We will go ashore and explore several remote locations where few people venture. Discover hidden gems by Zodiac and kayak, and navigate the tidal narrows to the backs of bays while constantly scanning for bears along the rocky shoreline and meadows such as Gilttoyees Inlet.
*Please note: Cultural interpreter is dependent on availability.
Sail alongside pods of killer whales and see foraging brown bears as we sail north through the narrow Grenville Channel between Pitt Island and the mainland, a dramatic navigational experience. Not only does the channel narrow to less than a quarter of a mile across, but a slight bend in the passage makes the waterway seem to disappear into the hills ahead and behind the ship. Here, we will drop our Zodiacs and kayaks to explore the salmon run at Verney Falls in Lowe Inlet Provincial Marine Park on our way to Prince Rupert.
Disembark and transfer to the airport in Prince Rupert. Board a charter flight to Seattle for your connecting flight home.