Cruise & Capture: Culture and Photography in Alaska and at Sea
KETCHIKAN, JUNEAU, SKAGWAY, ANCHORAGE - ALASKA
PRINCESS CRUISES | GRAND PRINCESS
$1,295 | IN-PERSON | 72 hours (equivalent to 6 credits)
+ registration fees
This immersive photography course takes place aboard a 7-day Alaska cruise, beginning in Vancouver, Canada, and traveling north through the breathtaking coastal landscapes of the Inside Passage before concluding in Anchorage, Alaska. The course combines experiential learning with academic instruction, using the ship, ports of call, and surrounding wilderness as dynamic classrooms where students explore photography as a tool for visual storytelling, observation, and creative expression.
Students will practice photography daily through guided lessons, creative challenges, and reflection activities while documenting coastal scenery, glacier landscapes, wildlife, changing light conditions, and life onboard the ship. At each destination, students will engage in hands-on photography exercises that emphasize composition, lighting, perspective, and storytelling.
The cruise concludes in Whittier, where students will disembark and travel by private bus toward Anchorage. The group will visit a local reindeer farm for a unique Alaskan wildlife experience and photography opportunity. After the visit, students will return to downtown Anchorage, arriving around 1:00 PM, where they will reflect on their work and begin curating a final mini photo collection that captures the journey and demonstrates growth in both photography skills and visual storytelling
Students may use a smartphone or camera. No prior photography experience is required.
SPACE IS VERY LIMITED, SO REGISTER EARLY!!
August 8 – 15, 2026
Registration closes May 10th, or sooner if it sells out!
What's Included in the Price?
Tuition and Academic:
- Tuition fees
- All course materials
Cruise Experience:
- 7-night cruise to Alaska (August 8-15)
- Shared inside cabin accommodation (2-4 au pairs per cabin)
- All cruise taxes and pre-paid mandatory gratuities
Meals:
- All meals onboard the ship: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Included onboard beverages (as provided by the cruise line)
Accommodation:
- 7 nights in a shared inside cabin (own bed) on board Grand Princess
Transportation:
- Local transportation to and from all included activities and excursions during cruise
- Bus shuttle from Whittier to Anchorage after cruise
Activities & Excursions:
- Excursion to Totem Bight State Park and Creek Street in Ketchikan
- Mount Roberts Tram and Hiking in Juneau
- Famous White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad train ride in Skagway
- Visit to local Reindeer Farm outside of Anchorage
What's NOT Included in the Price?
- Airfare to Vancouver, Canada and airfare from Anchorage, Alaska
- Canadian Visa fees, should you need a visa. (Depends on your nationality)
- Wi-Fi/Internet access onboard the ship (available for purchase at an additional cost)
- Alcoholic beverages (available for those who are 21+ after class hours)
- Required eTA fees to enter Canada (CAD$7.00)
- Airport transfer from airport to cruise port in Vancouver
Course Overview
This course will begin in Vancouver, Canada and end in Anchorage, Alaska.
For travel planning, we recommend flying into Vancouver Airport, or Seattle Airport and then taking a bus or train to Vancouver, and departing from Anchorage Airport.
Please do NOT purchase flights until the course has been officially confirmed to run. We require a minimum amount of students to run the class.
**We reserve the right to modify the schedule, activities, or itinerary if any planned experience becomes unavailable due to inclement weather, port restrictions, or other unforeseen circumstances. Please note that cruise itineraries may also be rerouted or adjusted by the cruise line for safety and operational reasons
June 14, 2026 @ 8:00PM – 10:00PM Eastern Time – Pre-Departure Course Info and Q&A Zoom Meeting
Mandatory Zoom meeting where important course information will be shared and students will have the opportunity to ask questions about what the course will look like and what to expect throughout the experience.
August 8, 2026, DAY 1: 11:00AM Cruise Check-In and Embarkation (4:00PM Cruise Departure)
Students will meet in Vancouver where the ship is docked, complete check-in, and embark the cruise. After boarding, the class will gather for a course orientation followed by an introductory lecture on photography. The day will conclude with a group dinner, providing an opportunity for students to get to know one another and begin building a creative learning community for the voyage ahead.
August 9, 2026, DAY 2: Cruise – at Sea
While the ship cruises through Alaska’s scenic coastal waters, students will participate in lectures and discussions on Alaskan culture and the fundamentals of photography. Guided photography assignments will encourage students to practice composition, lighting, and visual storytelling while photographing ocean scenery and life onboard the ship.
August 10, 2026, DAY 3: Ketchikan – ship docked 6am – 2pm
While docked in Ketchikan, students will visit Totem Bight State Park to learn about Alaska Native totem art and cultural traditions as well as explore historic Creek Street, while practicing photography focused on detail, texture, and storytelling.
August 11, 2026, DAY 4: Juneau – ship docked 9:00am – 9:00pm
While docked in Juneau, students will take the Mount Roberts Tramway to the summit for panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, forests, and waterways. Students will hike nearby trails and complete guided photography assignments focused on landscape composition, lighting, and capturing the dramatic scenery of Southeast Alaska.
August 12, 2026, DAY 5: Skagway – ship docked 7am – 8:30pm
While docked in Skagway, students will ride the historic White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, traveling through dramatic mountain landscapes and scenic alpine terrain once used during the Klondike Gold Rush.
August 13, 2026, DAY 6: Cruise – at Sea
While cruising through Alaska’s coastal waters, students will focus on how light, weather, and atmosphere influence photography. Through short lessons and guided assignments, students will practice capturing changing light conditions, reflections on the water, and the mood created by fog, clouds, and distant landscapes.
August 14, 2026, DAY 7: Cruise – at Sea
During this sea day, students will focus on developing visual storytelling through photography. Guided exercises will encourage students to document daily life onboard the ship, capturing moments, details, and interactions that convey a sense of place and experience.
August 15, 2026, DAY 8: Arrival in Whittier & Disembarkation
The cruise ends in Whittier, where students will disembark and travel by private bus toward Anchorage. Before officially concluding the class, we will also visit a local Reindeer Farm for a unique Alaskan wildlife experience and photography opportunity. After the visit, we will return to downtown Anchorage, arriving around 1:00 PM, where students will reflect on their work and begin curating a final mini photo collection that captures the journey and demonstrates growth in both photography skills and visual storytelling
Important Things to Know about this Class
Tuition & Academic
– Tuition fees
– All course materials
Cruise Experience
– 7-night cruise to Alaska (August 8-15)
– Shared Inside cabin accommodation (2-4 au pairs per cabin)
– All cruise taxes and pre-paid mandatory gratuities
Meals
– All meals onboard the ship: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
– Included onboard beverages (as provided by the cruise line)
Accommodation
– 7 nights in a shared inside cabin (own bed) onboard Grand Princess
Transportation
– Local transportation to and from all scheduled activities
– Bus transportation from Whittier to Anchorage after the cruise
Activities & Excursions
– Excursion to Totem Bight State Park and Creek Street in Ketchikan
– Mount Roberts Tram and Hiking in Juneau
– Famous White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad train ride (3 hours) in Skagway
– Visit to a local Reindeer Farm outside of Anchorage
– Airfare to Vancouver, Canada or airfare from Anchorage, Alaska
– Airport transfer from airport to cruise port in Vancouver
– Canadian Visa fees, if required. (Depends on your nationality. You can check HERE if you require a visa to enter Canada)
– Required eTA fees to enter Canada (CAD$7.00)
– Wi-Fi/Internet access onboard the ship (available for purchase at an additional cost)
– Alcoholic beverages
Each student is solely responsible for obtaining and carrying all required travel documents for the duration of the cruise and course. All documentation must be valid and available at the time of boarding and throughout travel. Passengers who do not present the required documents will be denied boarding. No refunds will be issued to individuals who are unable to travel due to missing, invalid, or incomplete documentation.
Alaska is a US State and no special travel documents are needed. However, since this cruise class starts in Vancouver, Canada, the following Travel Documents are required:
– Your valid passport with J-1 Visa
– A valid extension DS-2019 that has been signed for travel
– Your I-94 card
– Visa-exempt au pairs traveling to Canada by air need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). This applies to citizens from countries like the U.K., Japan, and many E.U. nations. You can check HERE if you require and eTA.
– The eTA is for AIR TRAVEL only (if you are flying to Vancouver); it is NOT required when entering by car, bus, or train.
– Application: Processed online via the official Canada.ca website for a cost of CAD$7.
– Depending on your nationality, you may need a Visa to enter Canada. Please check HERE if you require a visa.
In most cases, au pairs in their extension year are not permitted to travel internationally. However, U.S. regulations include an exception called Automatic Visa Revalidation (AVR). AVR may allow travel for 30 days or less to Canada, Mexico, or certain adjacent Caribbean islands, as long as the au pair:
– has a valid passport
– has a valid DS-2019 with a current travel signature
– has a valid I-94 record
– does not apply for a new U.S. visa while outside the U.S.
Please Note** Even if AVR applies, re-entry is never guaranteed. Cruise lines may deny boarding, and final admission to the U.S. is always decided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the port of entry.
Au pairs must contact their sponsoring agency in advance to confirm whether they are eligible before booking any international travel and signing up for this class.
Attendance is mandatory for all days of this class. You may not arrive late on the first day or depart early on the final day. Please book flights that allows you to attend all scheduled class hours.
This is a long-weekend, intensive course, and days will be full. Please bring comfortable shoes, appropriate clothing, water, and snacks. We expect you to arrive well-rested and prepared to participate fully, learn, and enjoy the experience.
SCHEDULE
DAY 1: 12:00PM – 7:00PM
DAY 2: 9:00AM – 8:00PM
DAY 3: 9:00 AM – 3:00PM
DAY 4: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
DAY 5: 7:00AM class dismissed
DAY 6:
DAY 7:
DAY 8:
This 72-hour course consists of in-person instruction as well as required pre- and post-assignments completed through Google Classroom. You will receive a Google Classroom invitation approximately one month prior to the course start date. Please register using a Google-compatible email address (e.g., Gmail, Outlook, Hotmail, or Yahoo), as all course communications and your course completion certificate will be sent to this email. Invitations may be filtered to spam/junk folders. If you do not receive the invitation, you are responsible for contacting us to request access.
Pre-assignments will be posted three weeks before the course begins and require approximately 18 hours to complete. These assignments must be completed before attending the in-person sessions.
Post-assignments will be posted during the course weekend and also require approximately 18 hours to complete. Successful completion of these assignments is required to receive the course completion certificate.
Course completion certificates are emailed within a few days of the official course end date, provided all required assignments have been successfully completed. Students have four weeks to complete post-assignments. If you require your certificate earlier, please indicate this during registration; and provide necessary documents.
1.) Apply fundamental photography techniques — including composition, lighting, framing, and motion — to create visually strong and intentional images.
2.) Demonstrate an understanding of visual storytelling by producing photo sequences that communicate mood, place, culture, and personal perspective.
3.) Use photography as a tool for cultural observation, thoughtfully documenting environments such as Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Anchorage.
4.) Identify and describe key elements of Alaskan culture, including local traditions, history, architecture, community life, and reflect on how culture influences daily life.
5.) Adapt photography techniques to diverse settings and lighting conditions, including urban spaces, natural landscapes, onboard environments, and wild landscapes.
6.) Capture movement and candid moments using basic techniques to freeze action or creatively convey motion.
7.) Select and curate a cohesive collection of images that reflects growth in technical skills, cultural awareness, and storytelling ability.
8.) Engage in reflective discussion and peer feedback, articulating how visual choices influence meaning, cultural representation, and interpretation.
9.) Demonstrate increased confidence using either a smartphone or camera to document travel experiences with intention, creativity, and cultural sensitivity.