Cunard has announced that its return to Alaska to offer a culturally-rich onboard programming for 2019 voyages.
The Queen Elizabeth will sail four 10-night roundtrip Alaska voyages out of Vancouver in May and June, with port calls in Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Icy Strait Point and Victoria.
Highlights include scenic cruising through the famous Inside Passage, Tracy Arm Fjord, and Hubbard Glacier, the company said.
“For our return to Alaska the “Queen Elizabeth will bring Cunard’s iconic luxury experience to one of the most magnificent places in the world. More than our signature Gala evenings and award-winning White Star Service, our team has curated some of the most interesting and engaging speakers to join our Insights program in Alaska. Our guests will have the opportunity to gain a deep understanding about Alaska and its breathtaking landscape, rich cultural heritage and local cuisine,” said said Josh Leibowitz, senior vice president, Cunard North America.
Cunard’s new Alaska Insights programming will include presentations on the Alaskan ecosystem by naturalist Dr. Rachel Cartwright, lectures and workshops by Alaska Native Voices and members of the Huna Tinglet tribe, and a live talk with renowned cookbook author and fisherwoman LaDonna Rose Gundersen, alongside her husband, fellow fisherman and accomplished photographer Ole Gundersen.
Other festivities onboard the Queen Elizabeth during her time in Alaska will include a live bridge commentary to narrate scenic cruising areas, dedicated Alaska in-room entertainment (such as a screening of the Emmy Award-winning documentary series “The Ketchikan Story”), and complimentary blankets and hot cocoa for taking in while enjoying the Alaska coastline.
Cunard will also offer Rocky Mountaineer rail tours in Alaska, which include from three to five nights’ accommodation and two full days aboard the train.