If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Cruise West Launches 2004 Alaska Program!
Hi Everyone,
I received this press release from Cruise West and thought it would be of interest. If you have missed any of my news' postings, they are available on my web site. Best regards, Ray LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL 800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905 http://www.lighthousetravel.com Cruise West Launches 2004 Alaska Program: More Sailings Entirely Within Alaskan Waters, New Excursion to Hyder for Close-Up Bear Observation, Expanded Zodiac Fleet and Several Itinerary Enhancements SEATTLE, October 2003 Seattle-based Cruise West has made several exciting changes to its small-ship Alaska cruising program for 2004, including an expanded roster of Inside Passage sailings entirely within Alaskan waters and a new excursion to the picturesque town of Hyder for optimum bear-viewing opportunities during peak salmon-spawning season. Zodiacs or other inflatable excursion craft will now be used on five of eight ships, a substantial increase over 2003; a two-night stay at Glacier Bay National Park has been added to the Daylight Yacht Tour portfolio; and the Bering Sea itinerary features several additional ports and highlights. The complete Alaskan program is detailed in Cruise West’s new 116-page 2004 “Alaska Experience” brochure. Cruise West's Alaska series calls at 24 Alaskan and Russian ports -- more than all other cruise lines in Alaska combined -- ranging in size from Anchorage, population of 260,000, to Elfin Cove, home to just 32 residents. Cruises of three to 13 nights explore wilderness regions extending from the southern tip of the Alaska Panhandle to the Arctic ice in the Bering Strait, including Southwest and Southeast Alaska, Prince William Sound and the Bering Sea. Small-ship capacities of 78 to 114 passengers never overwhelm Alaska’s smaller, eco-sensitive communities, and the emphasis is always on the destination -- wildlife, fjords, glaciers, natural and pioneer history, and native cultures. For travelers wishing to maximize time spent in Alaska and minimize time sailing to or from the state, the frequency of the eight-night “Alaska’s Inside Passage” itinerary -- sailing between the Alaskan ports of Ketchikan and Juneau -- was increased with the addition of a third ship on the route. The Spirit of ’98 joins the Spirit of Endeavour and Spirit of Discovery to offer 37 departures, a 20 percent boost from 2003. The ships visit Metlakatla, Petersburg, Sitka, Skagway and Haines, plus Glacier Bay, Misty Fjords and Tracy Arm with fares ranging from $3,449 to $5,349. Cruise West is pioneering a special full-day excursion to Hyder, known as the friendliest ghost town in Alaska, on five “Alaska’s Inside Passage” sailings departing in late July and early August, replacing visits to Metlakatla and Misty Fjords. After a journey up Portland Canal, a fjord cutting 70 miles through alpine mountains and forest, passengers will be able to watch as brown and black bears assemble in packs to feast at a chum salmon run at nearby Fish Creek. Prices for these special departures are $3,649 to $5,349. Cruise West has expanded its fleet of Zodiacs and launches, equipping five ships in 2004 -- the Spirit of Endeavour, Spirit of ’98, Spirit of Columbia, Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Oceanus -- compared with two vessels in 2003. In addition to “Coastal Odyssey,” “Voyage to the Bering Sea,” and “Wilderness Waterways,” “Alaska’s Inside Passage” will be the fourth itinerary to offer inflatable excursion craft, which allow up-close views of beachcombing bears in search of salmon, waterfalls, sea lion colonies, diving humpback whales and icebergs as well as island landings where possible. For 2004, a Glacier Bay National Park option has been added to shoulder season departures of the "Daylight Yacht Tour" program, in which passengers cruise by day aboard the Sheltered Seas yacht and overnight on land. Travelers, spending two nights at rustic Glacier Bay Lodge within the park, experience in-depth cruise exploration of Glacier Bay, accompanied for a full day by a Park Service Ranger, who helps to identify the region’s diverse wildlife and interpret its Ice Age history. The option adds two nights to the original six-night itinerary and is priced at $2,849; the regular six-night sailings are $1,499 to $2,199. The 13-night "Voyage to the Bering Sea," offered aboard the all-suite flagship Spirit of Oceanus, has been expanded to include visits to Kenai Fjords National Park on the Kenai Peninsula, Nunivak National Wildlife Refuge in the Bering Sea and the Native village of Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island. Fares are $7,199 to $10,499. The 2004 Alaska Experience brochure fully describes the line’s Alaska itineraries of three to 13 nights' duration. Eight sail entirely within Alaskan waters, while two continue to cruise the full 1,000-mile-length of the Inside Passage: the 12-night "Coastal Odyssey" and 10-night "Gold Rush Voyage." The brochure also features nine- to 17-night land-sea packages combining cruising with land packages to Anchorage, Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Nome, Kotzebue and the High Arctic. Cruise fares range from $1,099 for a Category C Spirit of Alaska cabin on a three-night shoulder season “Glacier Wonderland” sailing to $10,499 for a Grand Titan suite aboard the Spirit of Oceanus on a 13-night midseason “Voyage to the Bering Sea” departure. Early-booking and early final payment savings range from $100 to $1,000 per person for bookings made by December 5 and $50 to $500 for bookings made by February 27. Cruise West is celebrating its 20th year in 2003 and was recently named “Best Cruise Line-Small Ship" by travel agents voting in Recommend Magazine's Sixth Annual Readers' Choice Awards. Reservations, additional information and brochures can be obtained from travel agents. Background Information: Cruise West is a family-owned small-ship cruise line based in Seattle and headed by Richard G. West, chairman and CEO. The company was founded in 1973 by Charles B. (Chuck) West, founder and former owner of Westours. Destinations served: Alaska, British Columbia and Islands of the Pacific Northwest, Columbia and Snake Rivers, California Wine Country, and Baja Mexico's Sea of Cortés. The emphasis for all Cruise West destinations is outward on scenery, wildlife, history, local cultures, and shoreside attractions--rather than inward on shipboard activities such as gambling and nightclubs. Each ship features a Cruise West certified Naturalist Guide who is trained in the natural history and lore of the destination. Ships: For 2001 the company owns and operates eight small ships--seven cruise ships, with capacities ranging from 52 to 114 guests, and a 90-foot touring yacht. Each of the overnight vessels has a comfortable forward lounge, substantial outside deck space, private facilities in all cabins, and a dining room that seats a full complement of guests at a single sitting. Open seating in dining rooms helps travelers meet and come to know one another. Dining is more sophisticated than is typically associated with small-ship expedition cruising. The motoryacht Sheltered Seas has two carpeted lounges and a beverage bar. The lower-deck lounge converts into a dining room. All ships have bow thrusters for maneuvering close to shore. Passengers are welcome on the bridge. Ships are American-built and registered and are crewed by Americans, except for the line's new flagship (May 2001), the Bahamas-registered Spirit of Oceanus. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
SCR Group Cruise Promotions - 09/27/2003 | Steve Hennessey | Cruises | 0 | September 27th, 2003 07:00 PM |
SCR Group Cruise Promotions - 09/24/2003 | Steve Hennessey | Cruises | 0 | September 25th, 2003 06:01 AM |
SCR Group Cruise Promotions - 09/21/2003 | Steve Hennessey | Cruises | 0 | September 21st, 2003 09:47 PM |
Help with Alaska cruise | Ray M | Cruises | 15 | September 20th, 2003 06:10 AM |
SCR Group Cruise Promotions - 09/18/2003 | Steve Hennessey | Cruises | 0 | September 19th, 2003 03:42 AM |