Small ship Alaskan cruising

While we did not go to Alaska with Lindblad, we found them to be absolutely fabulous on our Antarctica expedition. And, I guess that's the key word: expedition vs. cruise. Lindblad is more nature oriented and more relaxed than the large or luxury type ships....still very, very nice, but just more relaxed environment (no dress-up evenings). Safety is also key with Lindblad (which operates under the National Geographic brand). Naturalists are fabulous, they will usually have some photography experts on board to assist passengers, and fellow passengers are typically much more interested in nature/environment.

Other brands that have nice small-ship environments, but would qualify more as luxury cruising would be Silversea, Seabourn, and Tauck, all of which are fabulous and strike a nice balance between focusing on the area in which the cruise is taking place and fine dining, etc. unless some use their specific expedition ships for that area.

We have enjoyed all four brands, but for Alaska, I'd probably suggest leaning toward National Geographic/Lindblad if all else (price, timeframes, ports, etc.) is equal.

While I have no experience booking with REI Travel (as in the retail sporting goods stores), you might check out their travel web site. I have heard others say they were pleased with various REI-booked trips.

Unfortunately, when we went to Alaska decades ago, we did a huge cruise ship....we were young, and it was our second cruise ever, and the price was right for our budget back then. We still had a fabulous time and saw (what the naturalist on board called) a phenomenal amount of humpback whale one evening........100s of them. Also saw icebergs, glaciers calving, etc. Lovely scenery. We went in mid-July, I recall. But, now that we have developed a preference for small ships, we now realize how much more wonderful our experience would have been on a small ship.

If you love your experience cruising the inside passage to Alaska and haven't yet been to Antarctica, put that on your bucket list. Best trip we have EVER taken!!!!

P.S. With Lindblad, all off-ship excursions are included in the price, whereas typically with other small (non-expedition type) ships, there are fees for shore excursions. But, from time to time, various providers will run specials that include excursions and even airfare, etc. The small luxury ships often include gratuities (although passengers often give a bit extra to their cabin steward) and adult beverages.

Rick Steves did a series about his experience on a small ship in Alaska a few years ago. Not sure if that might help. http://blog.ricksteves.com/blog/small-ship-cruising-in-southeast-alaska/

Lindblad is a good choice. They have been teamed up with National Geographic and there are National Geographic photographers and other experts on board. This really is not luxury cruising but if you just want a small ship to go to Alaska, this is a decent choice. Don't be surprised if your room is twin-bedded and the ship feels like a hostel on the water. We prefer the really luxury large ships but if you don't want one of those, Lindblad should suit you. Happy cruising.

We have not cruised but I am a former Alaskan and have returned to visit three of the past four years( mostly Denali). I read and contribute to the Alaska forum on Tripadvisor, which is very friendly and very informative. I suggest you post your question there. The three companies you describe are very different in terms of price, itinerary, and amenities. Un- Cruise seems to be favored by many and is less expensive than the others, especially Lindblad. I suggest you ask questions and research to find the one that best suits your budget and interests. All three are reputable and will provide a good experience; it just depends on what appeals to you.

We did a cruise with Alaskan Dream a couple of years ago and could not have wanted a better experience.

Question for Terri Lynn :

Where/when did you cruise with Lindblad....which ship?

Curious what gave you the impression it could be like a "hostel on water." Far from it!!!!!

It's expedition sailing, but very nice expedition sailing. China/wine glasses are less formal, and there is no dressy night, dinner is less formal (but still many very nice choices and waiters are very attentive). Cabins are serviced at least twice daily, and finishes are nice.

Please share the when/where/which ship you went on.

Thanks everyone for your replies. Lola, I didn't even think of Trip Advisor - I will check it out.

Keep those replies and suggestions coming!

Only because you used the term "small-ship", I suggest that you evaluate whether your schedule and budget would accommodate the "smallest" ships. These range from fat-cat luxury to medium-level comfort. The difference is that they anchor for the night in tiny coves that won't admit even a "small" cruise ship, they provide personalized service, and they have a very light ecological footprint.

It is a remarkable experience to be one of three or four kayakers on a deserted flat calm cove after dinner, and to be within earshot of your guide no matter where you are in the line-of-hike through national park forests. In our case, we had one guest (of 20) with post-polio disabilities, and one guest with severe bowel disease, who couldn't wade up from a zodiac landing. Both of them had a wonderful time, and felt that they participated as much as they possibly could in the trip, but without holding back any of the more-abled guests. Dinner was served to all 20 of us at a single, temporary table set up on the rear deck, with rain curtains surrounding us when necessary.

It was a bonus that our ship is run by a conservation charity, dedicated to re-mediating bad decisions by agencies like the US Forest Service. They operate two very small ships, the MV Liseron and the MV Mist Cove. We sailed on the former, which was converted from an (all wood) minesweeper that was sold to the French navy for a period after WW II. Our naturalist spent part of the year lobbying for conservation in the capital, part of the year living in a tree-perch observing wildlife research, and the rest of the year guiding for The Boat Company, the group that runs the ships.

I'm not saying this is the only way to go to Southeast Alaska. But it might interest you. They do tend to book up a year in advance. http://www.theboatcompany.org/

Thanks Tim! I had looked at The Boat Company and it probably would be our top choice except for price. We have a few other trips planned in the next couple of years, and unless I win the lottery, it's probably out of range.

Mother Duck, Are you planning on the cruise only, or are you looking for one that allows post-cruise travel on land, say to Denali? Or will you plan that part yourself? (Generally the recommended route).

Margaret, I do not think Terri Lynn is speaking from actual experience with Lindblad cruises, so we may not hear back from her on that.

Hi Lola:

We are hoping to do either a pre- or post- cruise add-on. We would probably plan that ourselves. We are trying to arrange this with friends from the East Coast, so we thought agreeing on the cruise company would be a good first step. We may not try and do land touring with the friends, possibly just the cruise. We are pretty low-key, husband is fine with driving anywhere, and there needs to be some fishing included. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

OK. Planning the land portion on your own is by far the best way to go. The best way to get a good price on your rental car is to book early--like now for 2017 if you know your dates. November should still be OK. Costco Travel has good prices if you are a member. But one time we got the best deal right from Hertz, so it is worth checking around.

Assuming your small-ship cruise ends in Sitka or Juneau, you can easily fly to Anchorage For your land tour ( Sitka flights may go through Juneau). for fishing, you will want to go to either Seward or Homer. Both offer ocean-fishing charters for salmon and halibut. We enjoy walking to the docks when the boats come in to see the catch---pretty amazing. If he is looking for river fishing, you may need to read up on the "combat fishing" on the Kenai River. Not recommended! A guide with a drift boat is a better option here. Again, you can get excellent specific advice from the Tripadvisor Alaska forum. There is a guy who know a lot about fishing and the various seasons and guides.

Both Homer and Seward have a lot to offer visitors in the way of hiking, sea kayaking and other activities. The Harding Icefield hike near Sewardnis world-class if you are strong hikers. There are wildlife/glacier cruises from there that many people enjoy, but may be a bit redundant after your small ship cruise. Homer offers flight-seeing trips for bear viewing, as well as boat rides to a small art colony named Halibut Cove across the bay, with a nice restaurant called the Saltery---it make for a nice evening excursion.

One of our favorite places to stay anywhere is the Alaska Paddle Inn in
Seward---a small 2-room B and B out of town with great waterfront views and lovely handcrafted rooms. Each room is a self-contained studio apartment.

In Homer we stayed in a small apartment above the Sea Lion Cove art gallery on the Spit. Great location with waterfront views, and a nice budget option, although less charm than the Paddle Inn. Homer has some excellent restaurants and a great little museum.

Most people doing a land tour of Southcentral and Interior Alaska prior to or following a cruise go to the Kenai Peninsula (Homer and/or Seward, maybe Cooper Landing for fishing and Girdwood for hiking and rafting); Denali, and maybe Matanuska Glacier for a guided trek on the glacier. Many add Talkeetna for flightseeing Denali, with or without a glacier landing. That much requires a minimum of 7-10 days. With more time you could add Valdez and maybe Wrangell-St. Elias NP but getting there is tricky ( most rental cars are not allowed on the road in). Or bear viewing at Katmai NP or Kodiak, but now you are getting into $$$ and well beyond my personal experience.

If you want more specific information on these options let me know, but I still advise checking with the Tripadvisor Alaska forum for a range of opinions---those people are great!

But first you have to choose your cruise and get dates nailed down. It is an amazing place and well worth the effort it takes to get it figured out.

Thanks Lola! You've given me some great information. I've seen pictures of the "combat" fishing you mentioned - not for us. We have lots of contacts who have fished in Alaska.
Looks like I have some research to do. But, first as you've said, need to figure out the cruise.

I know most people like to take a cruise to see the inside passage, but at the time I went we couldn't afford it so we planned our own 'tour' of the inside passage. I'll throw it out there as an option, in case someone is interested.

We flew to Haines for the first 3 nights and did a day trip to Seward (White Pass & Yukon railroad), an eagle/moose/bear watching boat ride on the Chilkat River, and a Native American salmon bake (recommended) - all the things you do on optional excursions from a cruise ship. Then we flew to Juneau for 2 nights and a tour to Mendenhall glacier. From there we did a 2-day/1-night trip to Glacier Bay with an overnight at Glacier Bay Lodge (highly recommended) and 2 whale watching/glacier cruises. Back to Juneau for a day cruise to Tracy Arm (highlight) and an evening of shopping and relaxing. From there we flew to Ketchikan for 3 nights, did a hike in the forest, a seaplane tour to Misty Fjords (another highlight) and a visit to the totem pole park.

This was back in 2000 so I'm sure things have changed and prices have risen with demand, but it was quite reasonable booking it all ourselves. There were budget options for lodging in all three places we stayed - definitely no-frills but decent places. Of course some of the excursions were pricey splurges but, on the whole, it was cheaper for us to do it that way than to do a cruise and we enjoyed it a lot. If asked we would both say it was our best trip ever. We would have loved to get to Anchorage, Denali, and Kenai Peninsula also, and we were planning to do that on another trip but health issues intervened and we never got around to it.

I just wanted to add this to the thread as an option so people who aren't fond of cruising and like to do it themselves know that you can see the inside passage without taking a cruise.

EDIT I'll also add that this included several flights in small (read quite small) aircraft which may not be for everybody, but for us it was just more highlights, especially when one of the pilots obliged me by flying low over one of the lighthouses and dipped the wings so I could get get good photos. Also some people prefer large ships to the smaller boats that we used for our various whale watching and glacier day cruises. It's all a matter of preferences.

Nancy, thank you for that information!

Thanks Nancy for a different take on the trip. Hadn't really thought of putting various parts together ourselves. Will do some more research.

Harold, enjoyed reading your report on Sicily. That's on our agenda for May/June 2017. Probably about 10-12 days. I may have questions.

My husband and I did the "Un-Cruise" cruise. One of our favorite trips. There were 52 passengers. It was a lot of fun, several of the passengers were from other countries (Scotland, Israel, Germany and the Philippines). The food was great, especially the fresh oysters. We have recommended it to many of our friends and would love to do their Baja Peninsula trip. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

I will note that a no-cruise trip like Nancy's can also be done by Alaska ferry. However, it is tough to plan right now, as the 2017 summer schedules will not be out for a couple of months, and the state budget situation in Alaska means that some routes will be limited.

We had a SE Alaska trip tacked on to the end of our 2015 Denali trip, all booked. Then the ferry schedules changed, due to the budget crisis, and the ferry we had booked no longer matched up with our plans. So we cancelled that part and went to Homer instead. Fortunately we were able to cancel our flights to and from Juneau and Ketchikan without penalty, thanks to Alaska Airlines generous cancellation policy.

We still want to do that trip.

We had a fantastic experience with Lindblad. We saw many whales, sea otters, bears. They will change the ship's location if there is a sighting of one of these creatures and will nead that way.
Congenial fellow passengers, around 60-70. many from outside the US. Excellent naturalists who lead you on excursions and hikes. Friends went on a large cruise ship at the same time and din't see the wildlife or birds that we saw. Highly recommend Lindblad.