Afternoon: Independent arrivals and transfers to the program hotel after 4:00 pm. Please note that rooms are not generally available until mid to late afternoon.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

Evening: INTRODUCTIONS: Following dinner, you will meet for introductions, a review of the program and site orientation.

Lodging: Best Western Sands by the Sea

Meals Included: Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Visit the Museum of Anthropology, Canada's largest teaching museum and world-renowned for its collections and research. Your local guide will take you through the exhibitions providing insight into the cultures of indigenous peoples around the world. The Museum houses some 535,000 ethnographic and archaeological objects, many of which originate from the Northwest Coast of British Columbia.

Lunch: Enjoy a traditional Dim Sum lunch in Chinatown.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: An expert on Asian history and culture will be our guide during an exploration of Chinatown and its brightly colored facades, street markets, and the buzz of modern-day Cantonese commerce. Built by Chinese people to authentically reflect their culture and traditions it is still predominantly populated by Chinese people. (Unlike San Francisco's Chinatown which was built by their Chamber of Commerce to attract tourists.) Discover Chinatown's rich heritage, vibrant culture, and incredible food markets while exploring the colorful streets and alleys. Sample traditional Chinese tea at the well-known Tea House and indulge in steamed rice cakes and warm apple tarts from a traditional bakery. Learn about the Millennium Gate, a four-pillar, three-story high, brightly painted arch spanning Pender Street which was erected in 2002 to mark the millennium and commemorate the Chinese community's role in Vancouver's history.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.

Lodging: Best Western Sands by the Sea

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: A local guide will lead a walking exploration of Stanley Park and the English Bay area. The history of Stanley Park coincides with the early days of Vancouver. Opened in 1888 and named after Lord Stanley, then Governor General of Canada, this urban park is a cool, lush, evergreen oasis situated on a peninsula in the heart of the city. Today, Stanley Park is recognized as one of the great parks of the world, offering a backdrop of majestic cedar, hemlock and fir trees. The Stanley Park Seawall rings the peninsula of Stanley Park for a distance of 5.5 miles (8.85 km). It was designed in the early 1920s as a precaution to prevent erosion. It took nearly six decades to complete the entire seawall, and today it is the most popular spot in Vancouver, used by residents and visitors alike.

Lunch: Lunch at the hotel.

Afternoon: Depart for ship. Arrive at Canada Place Pier and board the Norwegian Sun. Use any free time this afternoon to explore the ship and all of its wonderful amenities.

Dinner: Aboard ship.

Evening: Free evening to relax and participate in shipboard activities

In Transit: Ship sets sail for Nanaimo, BC at 4:00 pm.

Lodging: Norwegian Sun

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Nanaimo & Central Vancouver Island: Qualicum Cheeseworks/Coombs Market/Cathedral Grove

Arrive To: Ship arrives at Nanaimo, BC at 8:00 am.

Breakfast: Breakfast on board.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Board the coach for Qualicum Cheeseworks. On board, a local expert will give an in depth look at the local history of the community surrounding the beautiful town of Nanaimo. En route, learn about the First Nation's influences on the area, and the coastal life and biodiversity of the coast. At Qualicum Cheeseworks, take a tour of the farm and enjoy the tastes and smells of some of the 16 Artisan cheeses made fresh on location.

Lunch: Lunch on your own at Coombs Market. The Old Country Market in Coombs is famous for its "goats on the roof". The goats have posed for many a picture. Inside the Market you will find the freshest local produce, a selection of gifts from the farthest reaches of the world and a delicatessen that specializes in a variety of international meats and cheeses.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Travel to "Cathedral Grove" old growth forest where we experience the forest as the First Peoples & settlers did. This wondrous display of 800-year-old trees has undergone trail restoration since a severe windstorm damaged several sections of the park in January 1997, toppling a number of huge ancient trees. Trails are short walks, not hikes, winding through some of the biggest trees in Canada including the largest Douglas-fir trees with the biggest one measuring over 9 meters in circumference. Return to the dock to re-board the ship.

Dinner: Dinner on board.

Evening: Free evening to relax and participate in shipboard activities

In Transit: Ship sets sail for Victoria, BC at 5:00 p.m.

Lodging: Norwegian Sun

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Arrive To: Ship arrives at Victoria, BC at 8:00 a.m.

Breakfast: Breakfast on board.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Enjoy a historic walk of Victoria's Old Town and Inner Harbour. A walk along Wharf Street in the heart of Old Town provides a look at the many examples of Victorian architecture. Despite a fire in 1910 which ravaged the city core, many fine buildings remain and many restorations are evident. Our local historian will discuss the well-marked and hidden treasures of Victoria including the BC Legislature, Old Town, the historic Empress Hotel and the Inner Harbour. During a visit to the Empress Hotel, learn of its history and famous past guests. Following our guided walk, we boadepart for the renowned Butchart Gardens to see all the lovely plants and flowers in full bloom.

Lunch: Enjoy lunch on your own at Butchart Gardens at one of the coffee shops or restaurants at your leisure while at the gardens.

Afternoon: EXCURSION: After lunch, enjoy a memorable excursion at Butchart Gardens, a National Historic Site of Canada. Learn about the story of Jennie Butchart who crafted this gem from a limestone quarry. Still owned and operated by family descendants, the expansive gardens offer 55 acres of wonderful floral display. From the exquisite Sunken Garden to the charming Rose Garden, this show garden still maintains the gracious traditions of earlier times.

Dinner: Dinner on board.

Evening: Free evening to relax and participate in shipboard activities.

In Transit: Ship sets sail for Astoria, OR at 5:00 pm.

Lodging: Norwegian Sun

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Astoria: Astoria Column/Columbia River Maritime Museum/Fort Clatsop National Monument

Arrive To: Ship arrives at Astoria, OR at 8:00 am

Breakfast: Aboard ship

Morning: This morning, we arrive in Astoria, the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies. EXCURSION: At the Astoria Column which stands on the highest hill, climb the 160 steps for spectacular views overlooking the town of Astoria and the Columbia River estuary. FIELD TRIP: Explore the Columbia River Maritime Museum which chronicles the history of river navigation and of Astoria, the epicenter of the fur trading empire in the early 1800's. The Columbia River, the second-largest river in the United States, was the object of centuries of exploration in the Northwest, and, since its discovery in 1792, it has been essential to the region.

Lunch: Enjoy lunch at the Bridgewater Bistro. Casual fine dining in the style of Pacific Northwest Cuisine at the mouth of the Columbia River, Astoria, Oregon.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Visit Fort Clatsop National Memorial and experience the full-scale reconstructed fort where Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery hunkered down from December 1805 to March 1806. This boldly designed museum, built to resemble waves on the ocean, tells the story of the Columbia River's maritime history. The Coast Guard, fishing, navigation, and naval history are also subjects of museum exhibits. Docked beside the museum and open to visitors is the lightship Columbia, the last seagoing lighthouse ship to serve on the West Coast. Return to the dock to re-board the ship.

Dinner: Aboard ship

Evening: Free evening to relax and participate in shipboard activities.

In Transit: Ship sets sail for San Francisco, CA, at 5:00 pm

Lodging: Norwegian Sun

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast on board.

Morning: PRESENTATION: This first lecture aboard ship will provide a thorough introduction to the upcoming coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest that will be explored on this program. Your study leader will highlight the diverse learning experiences that you will encounter at each port and city.

Lunch: Lunch on board.

Afternoon: PRESENTATION: History of the Pacific Coast in North America. What drew people from across the world to settle along the Pacific Coast? Hear a brief introduction to the First Nations people of the Coast, the arrival of the Europeans, then, immigration from around the world.

Dinner: Dinner on board.

Evening: Free evening to relax and participate in shipboard activities.

In Transit: Ship continues its journey down the coast to San Francisco, CA.

Lodging: Norwegian Sun

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Arrive To: Ship arrives at San Francisco, CA at 8:00 a.m.

Breakfast: Breakfast on board.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Disembark in San Francisco and board your privately chartered motor coach for an exclusive lecture on the colorful history of San Francisco, while driving through its distinct neighborhoods. See the Franciscan Mission build by the Spaniards and learn how the city was founded. Travel the historic streets of the Barbary Coast and learn about the riotous days of the 49'ers Gold Rush. Drive along streets lined with beautiful Victorian architecture, to the highest point in the city with panoramic views. Experience the culturally significant Haight Ashbury neighborhood and enter Golden Gate Park, a thousand acre jewel in the middle of the city. Stop at the Golden Gate Bridge to marvel at its elegance and engineering. Then travel by coach to Chinatown, the largest of its kind outside of Asia.

Lunch: Enjoy a lovely Chinese lunch at a colorful local eatery.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Leave the coach behind and explore the bustling fish and vegetable markets, tea and herb shops of Chinatown on foot with expert guides. EXCURSION: There is free time in Fisherman's Wharf to explore on your own before your coach returns to the ship in time to sail under the Golden Gate Bridge and continue your cruise.

Dinner: Dinner on board.

Evening: Free evening to relax and participate in shipboard activities.

In Transit: Ship sets sail for Los Angeles, CA at 5:00 pm.

Lodging: Norwegian Sun

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast on board.

Morning: PRESENTATION: New Lands along the Old Coast: Building the Pacific Northwest. As Pangaea ruptured during the birth of the Atlantic Ocean about 200 million years ago, the North American plate began drifting westward. Since that date, the western edge of the continent has grown westward as a succession of volcanic island chains and assorted ocean-floor rocks have been added along the continental margin. Examine the series of events in last 200 million years that evolved after the breakup of Pangaea.

Lunch: Lunch on board.

Afternoon: PRESENTATION: Documentary Film: Salmon Without Rivers, fisheries biologist Jim Lichatowich will offer an eye-opening look at the roots and evolution of the salmon crisis in the Pacific Northwest. Hear about the evolutionary history of the salmon along with the geologic history of the Pacific Northwest over the past 40 million years' including the indigenous cultures of the region, and the emergence of salmon-based economies that survived for thousands of years. Examine the rapid transformation of the region following the arrival of European up and the history of efforts to protect and restore the salmon.

Dinner: Farewell dinner on board.

In Transit: Ship continues it's journey down the coast to Los Angeles, CA.

Lodging: Norwegian Sun

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Arrive To: Ship arrives at Los Angeles, CA at 8:00 am.

Breakfast: Breakfast on board this morning will be at your leisure.

Morning: Independent departures from Los Angeles, California. Disembarkation begins around 10:00 a.m.

Meals Included: Breakfast