7-Day ~ Musk Ox and Glaciers Alaska Knitting Cruise (May 2022)

7-Day Musk Ox and Glaciers Alaska Knitting Cruise with Galina Khmeleva
May 22-29, 2022

Musk Ox & Glaciers is one of our most popular Alaska itineraries because it combines cruise and land. Take just the 7-night knitting cruise or add our exclusive 4-night Musk Ox tour for an ultimate 11-night Alaska knitting adventure. The cruise starts in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia, and ends in Anchorage. Whether you take just the 7-night cruise or the combination, you are sure to have a memorable Alaska experience meeting local knitters, designers, and fiber producers while shopping for beautiful souvenir yarn.

The optional post-cruise land tour gets you into the heart of Alaska. This exclusive adventure includes a visit to the Musk Ox Farm, the Oomingmak Musk Ox Producers Co-Operative, Denali National Park, and a visit to a working sled-dog kennel where you'll learn about the most challenging race on earth, the Iditarod. We invite you to join Galina Khmeleva and other knitters on this Alaskan adventure of a lifetime. The 7-night cruise starts in Vancouver and visits Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Glacier Bay National Park before ending in Whittier just outside of Anchorage.

Alaska is the perfect cruising area for an educational knitting cruise because it offers three full days at sea, allowing for an enriching knitting program. This knitting cruise features the instructional expertise of Galina Khmeleva, Orenburg Russian Lace exert and founder of Skaska Designs. Galina strives to keep the tradition or Orenburg Russia lace alive by teaching and promoting easy to knit, heirloom quality pieces. She is a huge proponent of U.S. grown fibers such as; cashmere, cashgora, Pygora, bison, qiviut, and paco-vicuna.

Cruising by forested isles, seeing icy-blue glaciers and exploring charming frontier ports, all while being pampered onboard one of Holland America Line's most beloved ships, the ms Nieuw Amsterdam while knitting to your heart's content is a great recipe for a memorable Alaska vacation.

7-Day Musk Ox and Glaciers Alaska Knitting Cruise Highlights

• Arrive early to explore Vancouver and see yarn dyed at the studio of SweetGeorgia Artisan Hand-Dyed Luxury Yarns


• Fondle Canadian produced yarn and samples by popular local knitwear designers at Urban Yarns in Vancouver.


• Sharpen your knitting skills in classes taught by knitting expert Galina Khmeleva


• Enjoy the scenic beauty of Canada's Inside Passage, where you'll be surrounded by lush rainforests, marine wildlife, stunning fjords, and steep mountains


• Spot Bald Eagles as these magnificent birds migrate north for the summer.


• Be pampered on board Holland America Line's beautiful Nieuw Amsterdam.


• Learn about the gold rush in Skagway at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.


• Take a vintage train ride on the White Pass & Yukon Route up the famously steep Chilkoot trail, where you'll enjoy sweeping mountain views and a glimpse into this crazy era.


• Walk along Creek Street in Ketchikan, where you can stop by Fabulous Fiber Arts, where you'll find a wide range of Alaskan yarns.


• Savor Alaska's best crab at Tracy's Crab Shack right at the dock in Juneau.


• Take in the incredible views of Gastineau Channel in Juneau atop the Mount Robert Tramway.


• Experience for yourself the grandeur of Misty Fjords.


• Cruise amongst the glaciers in Glacier Bay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its unique ecosystems, wildlife, and glaciers


• Head home or extend your stay on the optional 4-night Musk Ox and Denali land tour.


• Shopping for locally produced yarn in Anchorage


• Visit the Oomingmak Cooperative


• Learn all about the designs and patterns used by the Alaskan knitters of rural coastal villages to create beautiful one-of-a-kind garments out of luxurious Qiviut


• Meet local Alaskan knitters


• Visit the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer


• Snuggle Alaskan Husky puppies while learning about the furry athletes competing in the toughest race on earth, the Iditarod


• Shop for yarn at Tangled Skein in Eagle River, Alaska.