Wild & Beautiful: 5 Quintessential Alaskan Experiences

Dreaming of a rejuvenating outdoor escape? Get away from it all and experience Alaska the way it was meant to be with Oceania Cruises. Revel in the wild wonders of the Last Frontier while enjoying a luxurious small ship experience aboard the beautiful Regatta. Our Alaska cruises, including our exciting newly released 2022 Alaska voyages – immerse you in the best of the 49th state: calving glaciers, breathtaking fjords, fascinating wildlife encounters and lively historic gold mining towns like Juneau and Skagway. Each new day brings exciting adventures like witnessing the beauty of Hubbard Glacier, crabbing in the Bering Sea, helicopter flightseeing, glacier trekking, ale tastings and so much more.

Discover some of our favorite authentic Alaskan tours below and let them inspire your travel planning.

Ketchikan | The Bering Sea: Crab Fisherman’s Tour
Overview: Join seasoned Bering Sea fishermen for an extraordinary journey of discovery on the crab boat featured on the television series “Deadliest Catch.”

What You’ll Experience: This tour is all about immersing you in an authentic crabbing experience with a side of wildlife viewing aboard your “Deadliest Catch” tour boat on the protected waters off of Ketchikan – crab pots hauled up will reveal king crab, octopus, prawns, rockfish and more.

Why It’s Unique: You’ll gain bragging rights for having sailed aboard the Aleutian Ballad, the famed crab “Deadliest Catch” crabbing boat and throughout the entire experience the crew will share stories of their lives at sea and point out marine life such as seals, sea otters and whales.

Ketchikan | Misty Fjords Flightseeing & Crab Feast
Overview: Aboard a floatplane, you’ll take an unforgettable flight into the pristine Alaskan wilderness and land at a waterfront lodge in Misty Fjords National Monument to dine on a veritable feast of Dungeness crab, salmon and more.

What You’ll Experience: You’ll be reveling in a bird’s-eye view of some of the most spectacular scenery in Alaska while listening to the bush pilot share details on the natural wonders below. The thrilling flight will be followed by a sumptuous Dungeness crab feast complete with mouthwatering sides and a seasonal dessert at George Inlet Lodge. After the meal, you’ll have more time to take in the spectacular scenery.

Why It’s Unique: Misty Fjords National Monument is majestic beyond imagination and has changed little over the centuries. This mosaic of sea cliffs, misty mountains, glass-like lakes, rock walls, deep fjords and dense rainforest is only accessible by boat or plane. You’re likely to see waterfalls plunging into the sea, river otters frolicking in the water and bald eagles soaring overhead.

Skagway | Venture to Glacier Point
Overview: Cruise through a spectacular fjord to a remote beach where you’ll hike and then canoe to Davidson Glacier, a four-mile-long river of ice.

What You’ll Experience: During the fjord cruise, you might spot whales breaching the water’s surface and frolicking sea lions. Along the nature trail, your guide will point out the most interesting flora and fauna that lives in the shadow of Davidson Glacier. Next, you’ll experience the glacier by canoeing through iceberg-dotted waters to the glacier’s base.

Why It’s Unique: The fjord you’ll cruise down, Lynn Canal, just happens to be America’s longest and deepest fjord. You’ll be aboard a custom-built boat specially designed for wildlife viewing and that’s not to mention getting off the beaten path to view Davidson Glacier up close, a stunning sight.

Juneau | Go Local: Behind the Scenes with a Local
Overview: On a scenic drive, take in some of Juneau’s historical landmarks – the Governor’s Mansion, onion-domed Saint Nicolas Orthodox Church and more – all en route to the Chez Alaska Cooking School where you’ll experience the local culinary scene during a hands-on cooking class, followed by locally brewed beers at a pub.

What You’ll Experience: You’ll enjoy Juneau’s unexpectedly sophisticated culinary scene through a cooking class, a fresh and seasonal meal of the dishes you’ve created, plus a beer tasting on Douglas Island featuring craft beers from several different local microbreweries.

Why It’s Unique: The cooking class is hands-on and led by a talented local chef and you’ll learn all about the unique and surprising ingredients Alaskan chefs use, such as the tips of spruce trees; bull kelp, a plant found along deep-water shorelines; tart, tannic salmonberries and much more.

Sitka | Sitka Cycling & Forest Walk
Overview: Bicycle along the undeveloped coastline south of Sitka where wildlife flourishes, forest-covered mountains rise in the distance and uninhabited islands dot the bays. This segues into a memorable nature walk in Tongass National Forest.

What You’ll Experience: You’ll discover spectacular coastal views while bicycling south of Sitka, a part of town where nature still reigns supreme. The second part of the tour takes you on a guided walk through Tongass National Forest, revealing the most noteworthy flora and fauna.

Why It’s Unique: You’ll have the chance to explore a side of Sitka that few visitors experience, which is also an area of Alaska that has changed little over the centuries. The landscapes and environments you’ll witness are so impactful that Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society recommends this tour as inspiration to act responsibly for the protection of our planet’s vital ecosystems.

Explore our enticing Alaska cruises – be sure not to miss our new 2022 Alaska voyages – and find your perfect journey.

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