There are Alaska cruises — and then there's HX.

After the raw wonder of Antarctica, the wildlife magic of the Galápagos, and the culture of East Asia, we’re keeping our 7-continent adventure afloat — one epic voyage at a time. Today we’ve touched down in Vancouver to board an HX expedition ship for a 10-day journey through the fjords and glaciers of Alaska’s wild, rugged coastline — our fourth continent by sea. And we’re just getting started.

But this is no sail-by-and-wave cruise. We’ll be out on daily zodiac tours in search of bears, eagles, seals, and otters, hiking mountain passes cradled by ancient glaciers, and soaking up jaw-dropping views of humpbacks, orcas, and untouched landscapes from the decks of this purpose-built vessel — one that carries a fraction of the crowds and environmental impact you’d find on a mass-market mega ship.

As always, Colt has ditched his sisters to join the trek — and once again, Erin’s mom Mary signed up for the adventure too.