There are adventurous travelers and there are travelers who
really enjoy being pampered more than a great adventure. I have
vacationed the complete spectrum, I have pinched pennies while
vacationing in Gatlinburg Tennessee and stayed in a very expensive
vacation home with a private maid in Saint Jean de Luz, France. I will
admit that the vacation home with a private maid was a nice way to
experience France.
But, I am an adventurer at heart, probably born from my days as a kid where I grabbed a fishing pole or net and waded creeks and ponds to see what was there. My favorite type of travel is where you see things up close and personal with exposure to the people, culture and wildlife. This might require you to hop on a rubber landing raft and land on a beach where no one lives, or it might require you to reach down and pet a whale. Adventurers run between 8 and 98 years old generally.
This trip is one of the most unspoiled explorations available. What makes this trip special?
This cruise not only allows you to explore the Alaska Coast it also goes above the Arctic Circle and into the Bering Sea. Kodiak and other seldom visited islands and cultures are included. Cruise West is known for great exploratory cruising off the beaten path. Their small cruise ships provide something similar to a yacht feel. Most of the time they are cruising the ship will be diverted for closer looks at bears, whales, orcas, seals and more. This ship stops at small ports of call where you can meet people who still live according to ancient customs. The climate changes are forcing these people to change their locations and habits because their food is not available in the same areas, this is a disappearing culture.
This is a great trip for people who have never seen Alaska but want to see everything, but it is also a great trip for someone who says "I've seen Alaska". Until you have made this trip you haven't seen all of the treasures of Alaska.
Guest speakers on wildlife and history, free shore excursion at each port, up close to shore wildlife viewing, wildlife detours when appropriate, Zodiak boat launching from back of ship when appropriate. If you want to see Alaska as it was many years ago this is your trip.
Itinerary
Day 1 - SET SAIL FROM VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Board the Spirit of Oceanus in Vancouver. Enjoy a great view as you cruise under the Lion's Gate Bridge. This begins your discovery of the best of Alaska. After dinner your exploration leader will provide an itinerary talk and discuss the next 25 days.
Day 2 - CRUISING BRITISH COLUMBIA
You will cruise the sheltered waters of British Columbia as you move along the Great Bear Rain forest. The captain will take you past the most scenic areas as everyone searches for whales, dolphins and other wildlife. There is a chance to see a white furred black bear, called the Spirit Bear. Enjoy a great program in the evening after dinner.
Day 3 - CRUISING BRITISH COLUMBIA
You will visit a remote village on British Columbia's coast and see a First Nations culture. The Kitasoo/Xaixais First Nation are coastal people with an ancient history that is alive and well today.
Day 4 - MISTY FIORDS AND METLAKATLA
This is one of my favorite places in Alaska (Misty Fjords). Enjoy the beautiful Behm Canal where six inlets come together. You will be joined by a National Forest Service Kayak Ranger to learn even more. You will see incredible, steep cliffs at the water's edge and view harbor seals, seagulls and pigeon guillemots.
You will also visit Metlakatla on Annette Island. This island was set aside in 1891 for the exclusive use of the Tsimshian Indians and other Alaska natives. The Tsimshian indians will provide a dance performance at their tribal house.
Day 5 - PETERSBURG
Today you will visit a Norwegian founded fishing village named Petersburg which is found on Mitkof Island. You will be entertainedby the Leikarring Dancers who will perform traditional Norwegian dances in traditional dress. You will be able to explore this fishing community and sample some homemade Norwegian pastries.
Day 6 - TRACY ARM AND FREDERICK SOUND
Cruise through Holkham Bay with two beautiful fjords. Cruise on to Tracy Arm which has emerald green seawater with steep cliffs of granite. The narrow fjord stretches for 25 miles and comes to the incredible North and South Sawyer glaciers. You will surrounded by great beauty and quiet as Arctic terns buzz by and harbor seals check out the ship.
Frederick Sound has a very large humpback whale population. The rich waters attract many forms of fish and shrimp which the humpbacks feed on. This is an area where you expect to see humpbacks and sometimes they are very close.
You will cruise the Wrangell Narrows which is too shallow for large cruise ships. You will snake along this 21 mile stretch looking for Sitka black tailed deer, bears and sea birds.
Day 7 - SKAGWAY
Enjoy a cruise through Lynn Canal with it's snowcapped mountain peaks. Relive the gold rush in Skagway, this is where the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898 started. You will tour Skagway in a touring car. This is also the start of the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway.
Day 8 - GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE
You will be joined by a Park Service Ranger and a Native Interpreter as the captain explores the remote bays looking for wildlife. Your guides will give you interesting information on this changing area as the glaciers have retreated significantly in the past 200 years. As the ship approaches the Marble Islands you will have a chance to see sea birds such as Murrelets, Puffins and Kittiwakes. There are bears and mountain goats along the shoreline and seals, otters and humbacks in the rich waters here.
Day 9 - SITKA
You will take a different route than other ships to Sitka. You will cruise through narrow passageways between Baranof and Chichagof Islands. You and the crew will be searching for Bald Eagles and Sitka deer along the shore. Enjoy an included tour of the Sitka National Historic Park and the beautiful Totem Poles along the trails. When you board the ship you will begin cruising other narrow channels including Peril Channel which is appropriately named for larger ships.
Day 10 - EXPLORING THE ALASKA COAST
You will be cruising the beautiful and unspoiled Alaska coast and making a Zodiak landing if weather permits.
Day 11 - PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
Enjoy an area which is rarely visited, Prince William Sound. You will be cruising narrow passages and viewing steep cliffs along the shore. As you enjoy the scenery you will be searching for otters, humpbacks, orcas and sea lions. You will also see puffins and other birds in this area. This area was greatly impacted by the Alaska Oil Spill in 1989 but it is not obvious at this time.
Day 12 - WHITTIER
Spend the day in Whittier. You can visit their Museum or choose optional acitivities such as kayaking or a trip to Anchorage. As you explore this area you will gain a better understanding of the environment.
Day 13 - WILDERNESS CRUISING
You will be searching for beautiful wildlife and scenery. Enjoy thousands of sea birds on Granite Island which is home to rhinoceros auklets, fulmars, murres, puffins and kittiwakes. This is one of the top bird watching locations anywhere. This area is also home to humbacks, orcas, minkes, bear, moose, mikes and mountain goats.
Day 14 - KODIAK
Kodiak lies at the boundery between the treeless expanse of the Aleutians and the spruce forests to the south. Trees are slowly gaining a foothold again after being stripped from the area in the last ice age. You will enjoy sightseeing at the Baranov Museum, the Fish Tech Center and the Alutiiq Museum.
Day 15 - KATMAI NATIONAL PARK
Enjoy cruising the shoreline of Geographic harbor and watch for Brown Bears digging clams. You have a chance at up close views of Brown bears from inflatable excursion crafts which can also land on the beach for exploring. There is a visible ash flow from the Novarupta Volcano eruption in 1912. Three different pilots will board the ship which are trained experts of the Bering Sea.
Day 16 - SHUMAGIN ISLANDS
Enjoy an inflatable craft landing on an uninhabited island if conditions permit. You will enjoy the tidal pools and 20 million year old petrified wood. The only surviving forest of that type is in Szechuan, China. Explore the tundra and take a guided walk to see birds, tundra flowers, arctic foxes and sea lions. Enjoy your exploration of Haystack Rocks
Day 17 - DUTCH HARBOR
Unalaska has been inhabited by the Unangan Natives for over 9000 years. Dutch harbor was bombed by the Japanese during World War II. You can still see visible remnants of the war and bombings in this area.
This is primarily a town that survives on fishing and crabbing. The sightseeing here includes the WW II memorial park, Bald Eagles and the Museum of the Aleutians.
Day 18 - PRIBILOF ISLANDS
These islands were uninhabited until Russians discovered that this was a pupping ground for Alaska fur seals. They enslaved some Aleuts and moved them to the Pribilofs to help manage the fur seals. The Russians left and the Aleut families remained on the islands.
You will enjoy an inflatable landing excursion on St George to view fur seals and seabirds up close. You may also spot a reindeer here.
Day 19 - YUKON DELTA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Enjoy an inflatable shore excursion to Nunivak Island in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. You will be looking for Musk Oxen and Reindeer. There are only 215 known eskimo residents of this 1.2 million acre island.
Day 20 - EXPLORING THE BERING SEA
The captain will choose exactly what options are safest based upon the weather conditions. You will start by taking a tour of Provideniya in Russia. You might also visit
Novoye Chaplino a Russian Yupik village
Savoonga, considered the walrus capital of the world
Yanrakynnot, Chukchi hunters here hunt walrus and whales. Home of Whale Bone Alley
Little Diomede - Separated from Russian's Big Diomede by less than two miles and the International Date Line.
Day 21 - EXPLORING THE BERING SEA
Visit native communities and see how they rely on the sea to survive. The Cold War (called the ice war here) between Russian and the US had a terrible impact on the people in this area. Families living on different islands were separated from each other and not permitted to see each other.
Day 22 - EXPLORING THE BERING SEA
You will learn that these amazing people who survive here are threated by warming temperatures as the ice melts. These people are dependent upon the ice for survival and their cultures are being impacted by the lack of ice! This is one of those places you visit and notice how happy people are without cell phones, electronic toys and traffic jams.
Day 23 - THE ARCTIC CIRCLE
Cruise into the Chukchi and cross the arctic circle where it intersects the International date line. You can see humpbacks, grays, orcas and bowhead whales. This is a day of relaxation and enjoying this incredible sea.
Day 24 - NOME TO ANCHORAGE
Visit Nome and enjoy a sightseeing tour before flying to Anchorage. You will enjoy dinner and stay at the Sheraton Hotel.
Day 25 - ANCHORAGE
Fly back home or take an optional tour
OPTIONAL TOUR 1 - Denali
This is the optional tour to Denali National Park which adds four days
Day 1 - ARRIVE IN FAIRBANKS - Stay at Pike's Waterfront Lodge and enjoy a cheese and wine reception
Day 2 - FAIRBANKS SIGHTSEEING, TO DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE - Sightsee Fairbanks, University of Alaska Museum and the Alaska Pipeline. Travel to Denali via motorcoach and stay overnight
Day 3 - EXPLORE DENALI NATIONAL PARK - Take a guided trip deep into Denali exploring the scenery and incredible wildlife. There are also optional activities such as flight seeing and river trips.
Day 4 - DENALI TO ANCHORAGE VIA RAIL AND MOTORCOACH - Enjoy more activities in the park then take a domed railcar to Talkeetna then a deluxe motorcoach to Anchorage. Spend the night in Anchorage at the Sheraton hotel.
Day 5 - FLY ANCHORAGE TO JUNEAU where you will be getting on the cruise ship
But, I am an adventurer at heart, probably born from my days as a kid where I grabbed a fishing pole or net and waded creeks and ponds to see what was there. My favorite type of travel is where you see things up close and personal with exposure to the people, culture and wildlife. This might require you to hop on a rubber landing raft and land on a beach where no one lives, or it might require you to reach down and pet a whale. Adventurers run between 8 and 98 years old generally.
This trip is one of the most unspoiled explorations available. What makes this trip special?
This cruise not only allows you to explore the Alaska Coast it also goes above the Arctic Circle and into the Bering Sea. Kodiak and other seldom visited islands and cultures are included. Cruise West is known for great exploratory cruising off the beaten path. Their small cruise ships provide something similar to a yacht feel. Most of the time they are cruising the ship will be diverted for closer looks at bears, whales, orcas, seals and more. This ship stops at small ports of call where you can meet people who still live according to ancient customs. The climate changes are forcing these people to change their locations and habits because their food is not available in the same areas, this is a disappearing culture.
This is a great trip for people who have never seen Alaska but want to see everything, but it is also a great trip for someone who says "I've seen Alaska". Until you have made this trip you haven't seen all of the treasures of Alaska.
Guest speakers on wildlife and history, free shore excursion at each port, up close to shore wildlife viewing, wildlife detours when appropriate, Zodiak boat launching from back of ship when appropriate. If you want to see Alaska as it was many years ago this is your trip.
Itinerary
Day 1 - SET SAIL FROM VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Board the Spirit of Oceanus in Vancouver. Enjoy a great view as you cruise under the Lion's Gate Bridge. This begins your discovery of the best of Alaska. After dinner your exploration leader will provide an itinerary talk and discuss the next 25 days.
Day 2 - CRUISING BRITISH COLUMBIA
You will cruise the sheltered waters of British Columbia as you move along the Great Bear Rain forest. The captain will take you past the most scenic areas as everyone searches for whales, dolphins and other wildlife. There is a chance to see a white furred black bear, called the Spirit Bear. Enjoy a great program in the evening after dinner.
Day 3 - CRUISING BRITISH COLUMBIA
You will visit a remote village on British Columbia's coast and see a First Nations culture. The Kitasoo/Xaixais First Nation are coastal people with an ancient history that is alive and well today.
Day 4 - MISTY FIORDS AND METLAKATLA
This is one of my favorite places in Alaska (Misty Fjords). Enjoy the beautiful Behm Canal where six inlets come together. You will be joined by a National Forest Service Kayak Ranger to learn even more. You will see incredible, steep cliffs at the water's edge and view harbor seals, seagulls and pigeon guillemots.
You will also visit Metlakatla on Annette Island. This island was set aside in 1891 for the exclusive use of the Tsimshian Indians and other Alaska natives. The Tsimshian indians will provide a dance performance at their tribal house.
Day 5 - PETERSBURG
Today you will visit a Norwegian founded fishing village named Petersburg which is found on Mitkof Island. You will be entertainedby the Leikarring Dancers who will perform traditional Norwegian dances in traditional dress. You will be able to explore this fishing community and sample some homemade Norwegian pastries.
Day 6 - TRACY ARM AND FREDERICK SOUND
Cruise through Holkham Bay with two beautiful fjords. Cruise on to Tracy Arm which has emerald green seawater with steep cliffs of granite. The narrow fjord stretches for 25 miles and comes to the incredible North and South Sawyer glaciers. You will surrounded by great beauty and quiet as Arctic terns buzz by and harbor seals check out the ship.
Frederick Sound has a very large humpback whale population. The rich waters attract many forms of fish and shrimp which the humpbacks feed on. This is an area where you expect to see humpbacks and sometimes they are very close.
You will cruise the Wrangell Narrows which is too shallow for large cruise ships. You will snake along this 21 mile stretch looking for Sitka black tailed deer, bears and sea birds.
Day 7 - SKAGWAY
Enjoy a cruise through Lynn Canal with it's snowcapped mountain peaks. Relive the gold rush in Skagway, this is where the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898 started. You will tour Skagway in a touring car. This is also the start of the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway.
Day 8 - GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE
You will be joined by a Park Service Ranger and a Native Interpreter as the captain explores the remote bays looking for wildlife. Your guides will give you interesting information on this changing area as the glaciers have retreated significantly in the past 200 years. As the ship approaches the Marble Islands you will have a chance to see sea birds such as Murrelets, Puffins and Kittiwakes. There are bears and mountain goats along the shoreline and seals, otters and humbacks in the rich waters here.
Day 9 - SITKA
You will take a different route than other ships to Sitka. You will cruise through narrow passageways between Baranof and Chichagof Islands. You and the crew will be searching for Bald Eagles and Sitka deer along the shore. Enjoy an included tour of the Sitka National Historic Park and the beautiful Totem Poles along the trails. When you board the ship you will begin cruising other narrow channels including Peril Channel which is appropriately named for larger ships.
Day 10 - EXPLORING THE ALASKA COAST
You will be cruising the beautiful and unspoiled Alaska coast and making a Zodiak landing if weather permits.
Day 11 - PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND
Enjoy an area which is rarely visited, Prince William Sound. You will be cruising narrow passages and viewing steep cliffs along the shore. As you enjoy the scenery you will be searching for otters, humpbacks, orcas and sea lions. You will also see puffins and other birds in this area. This area was greatly impacted by the Alaska Oil Spill in 1989 but it is not obvious at this time.
Day 12 - WHITTIER
Spend the day in Whittier. You can visit their Museum or choose optional acitivities such as kayaking or a trip to Anchorage. As you explore this area you will gain a better understanding of the environment.
Day 13 - WILDERNESS CRUISING
You will be searching for beautiful wildlife and scenery. Enjoy thousands of sea birds on Granite Island which is home to rhinoceros auklets, fulmars, murres, puffins and kittiwakes. This is one of the top bird watching locations anywhere. This area is also home to humbacks, orcas, minkes, bear, moose, mikes and mountain goats.
Day 14 - KODIAK
Kodiak lies at the boundery between the treeless expanse of the Aleutians and the spruce forests to the south. Trees are slowly gaining a foothold again after being stripped from the area in the last ice age. You will enjoy sightseeing at the Baranov Museum, the Fish Tech Center and the Alutiiq Museum.
Day 15 - KATMAI NATIONAL PARK
Enjoy cruising the shoreline of Geographic harbor and watch for Brown Bears digging clams. You have a chance at up close views of Brown bears from inflatable excursion crafts which can also land on the beach for exploring. There is a visible ash flow from the Novarupta Volcano eruption in 1912. Three different pilots will board the ship which are trained experts of the Bering Sea.
Day 16 - SHUMAGIN ISLANDS
Enjoy an inflatable craft landing on an uninhabited island if conditions permit. You will enjoy the tidal pools and 20 million year old petrified wood. The only surviving forest of that type is in Szechuan, China. Explore the tundra and take a guided walk to see birds, tundra flowers, arctic foxes and sea lions. Enjoy your exploration of Haystack Rocks
Day 17 - DUTCH HARBOR
Unalaska has been inhabited by the Unangan Natives for over 9000 years. Dutch harbor was bombed by the Japanese during World War II. You can still see visible remnants of the war and bombings in this area.
This is primarily a town that survives on fishing and crabbing. The sightseeing here includes the WW II memorial park, Bald Eagles and the Museum of the Aleutians.
Day 18 - PRIBILOF ISLANDS
These islands were uninhabited until Russians discovered that this was a pupping ground for Alaska fur seals. They enslaved some Aleuts and moved them to the Pribilofs to help manage the fur seals. The Russians left and the Aleut families remained on the islands.
You will enjoy an inflatable landing excursion on St George to view fur seals and seabirds up close. You may also spot a reindeer here.
Day 19 - YUKON DELTA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Enjoy an inflatable shore excursion to Nunivak Island in the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. You will be looking for Musk Oxen and Reindeer. There are only 215 known eskimo residents of this 1.2 million acre island.
Day 20 - EXPLORING THE BERING SEA
The captain will choose exactly what options are safest based upon the weather conditions. You will start by taking a tour of Provideniya in Russia. You might also visit
Novoye Chaplino a Russian Yupik village
Savoonga, considered the walrus capital of the world
Yanrakynnot, Chukchi hunters here hunt walrus and whales. Home of Whale Bone Alley
Little Diomede - Separated from Russian's Big Diomede by less than two miles and the International Date Line.
Day 21 - EXPLORING THE BERING SEA
Visit native communities and see how they rely on the sea to survive. The Cold War (called the ice war here) between Russian and the US had a terrible impact on the people in this area. Families living on different islands were separated from each other and not permitted to see each other.
Day 22 - EXPLORING THE BERING SEA
You will learn that these amazing people who survive here are threated by warming temperatures as the ice melts. These people are dependent upon the ice for survival and their cultures are being impacted by the lack of ice! This is one of those places you visit and notice how happy people are without cell phones, electronic toys and traffic jams.
Day 23 - THE ARCTIC CIRCLE
Cruise into the Chukchi and cross the arctic circle where it intersects the International date line. You can see humpbacks, grays, orcas and bowhead whales. This is a day of relaxation and enjoying this incredible sea.
Day 24 - NOME TO ANCHORAGE
Visit Nome and enjoy a sightseeing tour before flying to Anchorage. You will enjoy dinner and stay at the Sheraton Hotel.
Day 25 - ANCHORAGE
Fly back home or take an optional tour
OPTIONAL TOUR 1 - Denali
This is the optional tour to Denali National Park which adds four days
Day 1 - ARRIVE IN FAIRBANKS - Stay at Pike's Waterfront Lodge and enjoy a cheese and wine reception
Day 2 - FAIRBANKS SIGHTSEEING, TO DENALI NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE - Sightsee Fairbanks, University of Alaska Museum and the Alaska Pipeline. Travel to Denali via motorcoach and stay overnight
Day 3 - EXPLORE DENALI NATIONAL PARK - Take a guided trip deep into Denali exploring the scenery and incredible wildlife. There are also optional activities such as flight seeing and river trips.
Day 4 - DENALI TO ANCHORAGE VIA RAIL AND MOTORCOACH - Enjoy more activities in the park then take a domed railcar to Talkeetna then a deluxe motorcoach to Anchorage. Spend the night in Anchorage at the Sheraton hotel.
Day 5 - FLY ANCHORAGE TO JUNEAU where you will be getting on the cruise ship
Brian is also the author of Free Cruise Book at [http://www.freecruisebook.com]
He has traveled to Europe, Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, Alaska and the Caribbean. You can reach Brian at brian@freecruisebook.com
Whew, that would be a great trip. For more info on Cruise West trips please visit [http://www.my-cruise-space.com/]
He has traveled to Europe, Canada, Mexico, Bahamas, Alaska and the Caribbean. You can reach Brian at brian@freecruisebook.com
Whew, that would be a great trip. For more info on Cruise West trips please visit [http://www.my-cruise-space.com/]
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Shigley
It looks interesting, i've been in similar travel once. Few years ago i visited Arctic, but we start this cruise from Norway. It was wonderful experience and i highly recommend it to all who want to explore new horizons. We used this service http://poseidonexpeditions.com.
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