Welcome to the last frontier … Alaska

The sheer immensity of Alaska invites you to explore. Magnificent mountains and pristine landscapes beckon. The wilderness teems with life. Where else can you hear the howl of wild wolves piercing the unearthly silence? Observe grizzlies feasting on salmon? Or see humpback whales leaping from icy waters? At Celebrity we bring you the Alaska of you dreams, with unique insights from Native Alaskans, The Nature Conservancy, naturalists and guides.

You'll sail on one of two elegant new ships surrounded by original artwork, where you can enjoy the gourmet cuisine of Master Chef Michel Roux, our luxurious AquaSpa and spacious staterooms and suites with private verandas. You can choose a spectacular Glacier Cruise that goes beyond the Inside Passage to the Gulf of Alaska and Wildlife-rich College Fjord-visiting a new destination every day. Or extend your explorations with a Celebrity Cru9sietour vacation combining a cruise with a land tour into the very heart of Alaska or the Canadian Rockies.

Wilderness as far as the eye can see

The ancient Aleut Indian called it Alyeska-The Great Land. Even today the vast, untamed landscape remains, awaiting your exploration. To experience the sweeping vistas and majestic mountain ranges of the Alaska Interior, we offer escorted Celebrity Cruisetours to extraordinary destinations such as Denali and Fairbanks.This, combined with our enchanting Glacier Cruise between Vancouver and Seward, provides you with a complete Alaska experience.

On land, you may travel on the Wilderness Express - our new custom glass-dome traincars-by deluxe motorcoach, or airplane. Then you'll stay in charming lodges, hotels and cottages, where land excursions offer opportunities to experience native cultures and wildlife in natural habitats.

Our new Canadian Rockies Cruisetours will carry you away to the breathtaking scenery of towering mountains, canyons and waterfalls as you travel to destinations including Calgary, Banff and the emerald waters of Lake Louise.

The Wilderness Express travels through the interior

As you ride the rails, you can recapture the spirit of gold rush prospectors and adventurers in turn-of-the-century Alaska. The breathtaking splendor of mountain passes and valleys remain, yet riding the Wilderness Express today is an experience filled with the singular comforts of Celebrity. Our custom glass-dome traincars are the newest and largest in the world, offering superior views and a spacious interior. Throughout your trip, you can enjoy specialty coffees, tea and cocktails.

Knowledgeable Tour Directors will accompany you on your entire land tour experience, including your trip on the Wilderness Express, providing insight into Alaska's diverse landscape. And if you wish to get even closer to nature, simply step outside to our traincar's open-air observations platform.

Our train heads north through spruce forests, skirting an inlet and glacier-carved mountains. Farther, we see McKinley dead ahead, more that 20,000 feet of granite and glacier. WE pull into Denali Park Station, nestled in a gap in the Alaska range. Wild Dall sheep peer down from bold cliffs, bald eagles soar overhead. Moose wander the spruce forest surrounding the station, so do bears. Beyond the mountains the countryside opens up. Birch forests blanket low rolling hills and broad river valleys. This is Alaska's great interior. -- Penny Rennick, editor of Alaska Georgraphic

Celebrity is known for attention to detail, fresh cuisine and unsurpassed service-and our traincars are no exception. In our bistro-style restaurant, you'll savor made-to-order entrees, including regional Alaska specialties. ON our dome-level, you'll enjoy plush, roomy seats that rotate in pairs to face forward or form seating groups with family and friends. You'll capture the best views in all directions through the world's tallest glass-dome traincar windows.

If you wish to relax, our seats recline and feature music selections from our digital library. In addition, our traincars provide dome-level and restaurant seating for the physically challenged. As you'll discover, when you ride the Wilderness Express you've found a most refined way to travel through the most untamed of landscapes.

Explore the golden heart of Alaska

Before or after you Gulf of Alaska Glacier Cruise through areas resplendent with wild beauty such as Prince William Sound, an Alaska Cruisetour can take you deep into the land of the midnight sun, form Anchorage to as far north as Fairbanks. Your explorations may take you on optional land excursions across the Arctic Circle to experience a remote Athabascan Indian village and on a Tundra Wildlife Search in Denali National Park. Or you can venture height into the Canadian Rockies, from Vancouver to Calgary, before or after your cruise of the Inside Passage.

DISCOVERING DENALI
When Captain George Vancouver came cruising through northern Pacific latitudes in 1794 he noted in his ship's log - while sailing Cook Inlet near present-day Anchorage-a rise of far distant " stupendous snow mountains". These were unquestionably Mts. McKinley and Foraker, about 140 miles inland. Today, as then, they pierce the Alaska sky at 20,320 and 17,395 feet. Surrounding these peaks, Denali National Park Comprises more than six million acres of wild parkland, where wildlife populations of big and tiny animals roam free and unfettered.
-- writer Mike Miller lives in Juneau

Experience Alaska CruiseTours destinations

Discover the pioneering spirit of the frontier and learn about the Native Alaskan way of life as you travel into the rugged wildlands, cities and towns of the Interior.

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA,
Nearly a quarter of a million people-half the population of Alaska-live in the city of Anchorage. Gleaming high-rises stand in dramatic contrast to surrounding mountains and the wilderness. City highlights include a wildlife refuge, zoo, performing arts center, museums and shopping. The Alaska Native Heritage Center offers insight into the first people of Alaska, including the Athabascan, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian and Inupiat Eskimo Native groups.

DENALI NATIONAL PARK, DENALI, ALASKA
One of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world, the six-million acre Denali National Park is home to grizzly bears, caribou, Dall sheep, moose, wolves, Trumpeter swans, Golden eagles and countless other living creatures. The park is dominated by Mt. McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America, and part of the 600 mile long Alaska Range. The mountain's great beauty is reflected in Wonder Lake.

FAIRBANKS, ALASKA
Just 90 mils south of the Arctic Circle, Farbanks is known as the "golden heart" of Alaska. Founded on the banks of the Chena River in 1901, the town's colorful gold-rush history comes to life in working gold mines and on the Riverbaot Discovery-an authentic sternwheeler. Shopping includes gold nugget jewelry, and Native handicrafts from the Interior, such as beaded slippers and gloves, birch-bark baskets and procupine quill jewelry.

ALYESKA (GIRDWOOD), ALASKA
Founded as a mining town, Girdwood is located at the foot of Mt. Alyeska and has evolved into a seasonal resort community. Yet, this quaint town has managed to retain its quirky charm and is said to have been one of the models for the Northern Exposure television series. Hiking trails offer wondrous sights through forests and wildflower meadows, leading to a roaring gorge.

TALKEETNA, ALASKA
Situated just outside Denali State park, the town of Talkeetna is the stating center for Mt. McKinley climbers. Once a gold mining town, this picturesque community features the historic Talkeetna Roadhouse, log cabins and clapboard houses. Three glacier-fed rivers, the Sustina, Chulitna and Taleetna converge here and offer superb opportunities for salmon and trout fishing.

Wilderness lodgings filled with comfort and charm

Surrounded by unspoiled wilderness areas, our Alaska Cruisetour lodgings price a comfortable home base for your explorations, including optional land excursions. ANCHORAGE MARRIOTT DOWNTOWN The Marriott provides a central location near shops, museums and historic building for exploring Alaska's largest city-yet it's only a short distance from the wilderness. As a guest at the Marriott, you'll enjoy a number of amenities such as fitness center, indoor swimming pool and a nearby golf course.

GRANDE DENALI LODGE
Built to showcase the stirring beauty of Alaska, the Lodge offers sensational views from the outside deck and the Alaska-size sitting area surrounding the fireplace. The alpenglow Restaurant also offers great views of the Alaska Range and Nenana River Canyon. Or you can enjoy a buffet-style dinner show in the Peak Experience Theater, where a mountaineer shares his stories of conquering Denali, "The Great One".

PIKE'S WATERFRONT LODGE
On the beautiful Chena River in Faibanks, Pike's offers a comfortable lodge setting in the "golden heart" of the Alaska interior. A lobby with a fireplace welcomes you, and a collection of photos and mementos offer a glimpse into the area's gold rush and riverboat past. Amenities include a hot tub and sauna, and rooms with floor-to-ceiling views.

TALKEETNA ALASKAN LODGE
Overlooking the Talkeetna River Valley, the lodge is in full view of magnificent Mt. McKincly, the largest mountain in North America. The lodge offers all the amenities of a great hotel in a mountain lodge setting complete with a 45-foot stone fireplace and nature trails. It's located near the quaint town of Talkeetna, filled with Alaska history and local charm.

ALYESKA PRINCE HOTEL
Situated in Girdwood at the very foot of majestic Mt. Alyeska and nestled amongst mountains and glaciers, the chateau-style Alyeska Prince Hotel offers a four-diamond experience and first class amenities in a rugged environment. The indoor pool has a cathedral ceiling and large windows with mountain views. You can enjoy a number of activities such as hiking and kayaking. The adjacent Alyeska Tramway will carry you 2,300 feet above the valley for extraordinary views and a mountaintop restaurant.

Introducing Canadian Rockies CruiseTours

Some 70 million years ago the stunning landscape of the Canadian Rockies was formed. Today, our Cruisetours take you to the area's national parks, cities and villages as well as to explore icefields and glaciers, beautiful remnants of the Ice Age.

BANF, ALBERTA, CANADA
At the foot of Cascade Mountain, the township of Banff lies nestled in the Bow river valley, within Banff National Park. The Park's spectacular scenery includes the snow-capped Canadian Rockies, glacial lakes and forests; and is home to mountain goats, elk, bears, wolves and cougars. The historic Cave and Basin Centre is the site of the original hot sulphur springs that first drew visitors in the late 1800s. The Banff Gondola offers breathtaking views and hiking trails with bighorn sheep grazing nearby.

CALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA
To the east is wide open prairie land and to the west are the Candaian Rockies. Situated in the midst of this spectacular landscape is the dynamic city of Calgary. Although you'll see a skyline of high-rises, the "stampede City" strongly identifies with the cowboy culture of surrounding Alberta ranch lands. Highlights include the Glenbow Museum with an excellent collection of native art.

JASPER, ALBERTA, CANADA
The spectacular mountain scenery of the Icefields Parkway links Banff with the small town of Jaspet. Along the way you can visit the Columbia Icefield-an immense area of glaciers and snow in the Canadian Rockies-and get an up-close look at Athabasca Glacier via special Snocoaches. You'll also pass two enthralling waterfalls before arriving at Jasper township, settled in a valley in the stunning Jasper National Park.

KAMLOOPS, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
Founded as a fur-trading post in 1812, Kamloops is situated at the confluence of the north and south branches of the Thompson River. The town's name is derived from a native Shuswap word for "meeting of the waters." Following the river by train from Kamloops takes you east to the Caribboo Mountains with its lofty peaks and alpine lakes. Or west to Fraser River Canyon and Hell's Gate, 600-foot-deep gorge forcing the river into a narrow and powerful torrent.

LAKE LOUISE , ALBERTA, CANADA
The snowy peaks of Victoria Glacier are reflected in the emerald green waters of Lake Louise, forming the loveliest of landscapes-considered on e of the seven natural wonders of the world. Both the lake and nearby village of Lake Louise are within the vast Banff National Park.

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA
The Coast Mountains from a grand backdrop for the impressive city skyline of Vancouver with its deep fjordlike harbor. The city's 1,000 acre urban green space, Stanley Park, encompasses rain forest and gardens. In Vancouver's birthplace, the historic Gastown district, you can shop for native art in the galleries lining the cobblestone streets.

EXAMPLES:

ALASKA CRUISETOURS
An Alaska CruiseTour combines a 7-night Gulf of Alaska or Glacier Cruise with a land tour of 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 nights in length. The result is a 9, 10 , 11, 12 or 13 night CruiseTour that takes in southeast Alaska and the Alaskan Interior. The cruise component is made up of any number of ports, but can include Vancouver, Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier, College Fjord, Valdez and Seward, or any combination of these ports.

CANADIAN ROCKIES CRUISETOURS
A Canadian Rockies CruiseTour combines a 7-night Inside Passage Cruise with a land tour of 4, 5 or 6 nights in length. The result is a 11, 12 or 13 night CruiseTour that takes in southeast Alaska and the Canadian Rockies Interior. The cruise component is made up of any number of ports, but can include Vancouver, Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Sitka, and Hubbard Glacier, or any combination of these ports. The land component can include stops in Vancouver, Kamloops, Banff/Banff National Park, Jasper/Jasper National Park, Yoho National Park, Lake Louise, and Calgary, or any combination of these destinations. Canadian Rockies CruiseTours include travel by Rocky Mountaineer glass-dome traincar and deluxe motorcoaches. Accommodations are provided in well-known and historic hotel properties in nearly all locations. All CruiseTour packages include a number of included activities, such as a tour of Banff National Park including the Cave and Basin Center, the Banff Gondola, and the HooDoos; a city tour of Vancouver through Gastown and past Stanley Park; Dinner served at the Two River Junction Dinner Theater in Kamloops; a Snocoach ride on the Athabascan Glacier; and many more. Guests can choose CruiseTour itineraries that offer the land portion before or after the cruise.

EUROPE CRUISETOURS
A Europe CruiseTour combines a 7, 10, 11, 12 or 14-night European Cruise with a land tour of 3, 4, 5 or 6 nights in length, which results in a variation of lengths. The result is a 11, 12 or 13 night CruiseTour that takes in various ports of call offered on the cruise portion and combines it with land packages to some of the region's best know sights. The cruise component is made up of any number of ports in any number of destinations, such as the western Mediterranean, the eastern Mediterranean, a combination of both the western and eastern Mediterranean, Scandinavia/Russia, the British Isles & Norwegian Fjords, etc.

The land component is dependent on the specific turn around port (Rome, Barcelona, Dover, etc.). The programs we're launching in 2003 include CruiseTour packages that combine a cruise with tours to Rome; Rome, Florence & Sienna; Barcelona & Madrid; Barcelona, Madrid & Seville; London & Paris; and Venice and Lake Como. Europe CruiseTours include travel by deluxe motorcoaches and/or local train and air travel. Accommodations are provided in centrally located hotels so guest can make the most of their stay in each location. All CruiseTour packages include a number of included activities dependent on the tour, such as visits to the islands of Murano and Burano outside of Venice, St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel in Rome, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, and many more.