aksightseeingcruisewest,Small Ship Cruises travel information on small ship cruises

CRUISE WEST
Alaska, British Columbia, Columbia and Snake Rivers, California Wine Country, Sea of Cortez, East and Southeast Asia, Russian Far East, South Pacific

SPIRIT OF OCEANUS
Passenger Capacity: 114
Built: 1991; refurbished 2001
Former Names: Renaissance V, Sun Viva, Megastar Sagittarius
Length: 294 ft.
Beam: 50 ft.
Draft: 13 ft.
Decks: 5
Elevator: To all guest-level decks
Officers: Scandinavian
Staff and Crew: Canadian, American, Filipino

Itinerary: Summer cruises are in Alaska with 7 and 10-night cruises between Whittier and Victoria and Victoria and Juneau, sometimes a series of British Columbia 7-night cruises, roundtrip from Seattle. Cruises in the South Pacific include roundtrip Tahiti to the Marquesas or to the Cook Islands, one way between Tahiti and Fiji, and Fiji to the Great Barrier Reef, and Asia. Other cruises go from Nome or Anchorage to the Bering Sea, including the Arctic Circle, Russia, Pribilof Islands, Aleutian Islands, Kodiak, and Homer.
Cabins: 57. All are outside and have air conditioning and a private bath with shower. 12 upper-deck suites have a private balcony.
Dining: The dining room has open seating, with a three-hour window for dinner. American/continental cuisine with regional specialties. Fresh fruit throughout the day is in the lounge. Vegetarian, low-salt and other diets can be accommodated if requested at time of booking. Some buffet lunches are held on deck.
Dress: Casual during the day. Casual or resort wear in the evenings. No formal nights.
Facilities and Activities: The center of activity is the observation lounge, where cocktail hour with snacks is held and lectures on culture and natural history are given. There is a small library with books and videos about the people and the regions visited. You can visit the bridge much of the day. Smoking is allowed outside only. One shore excursion is included at nearly every port. Zodiac launches take guests to shore where there are no docks.

Typical Rates and Special Deals: A 13-night Asia cruise-tour starts from $7,895 per person double occupancy. An 8-night Alaska cruise tour is from $4,695 per person, 11 nights from $5,145. Early booking discounts vary from product to product; ask at time of reservations. Late reservations (within 35 days of cruise date) have a $25 late booking fee.

SPIRIT OF ALASKA
Passenger Capacity: 82
Built: 1980; refurbished 1995
Former Name: Pacific NW Explorer
Length: 143 ft.
Beam: 28 ft.
Draft: 7.5 ft.
Decks: 4
Elevator: None
Officers: American
Staff and Crew: 19; American

Itinerary: Columbia and Snake Rivers cruises are offered spring and fall, cruising 1,000 miles of riverway in the wake of Lewis and Clark. In the summer, the ship operates in Alaska between Ketchikan and Juneau, exploring Misty Fjords, Metlakatla, Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm, Frederick Sound, Lynn Canal, Petersburg, Sitka, Skagway and Haines.
Cabins: 39. All cabins are outside and have air conditioning and a private bath with shower. Some cabins have a pullman berth. There are three suites.
Dining: There is a casual open-seating dining room, with meals at a specific time. Pacific Northwest and Alaskan seafood specialties are frequently served. Fresh fruit throughout the day is in the lounge. Vegetarian and low-salt diets can be accommodated if requested at time of booking. Some buffet lunches are held on deck.
Dress: Casual during the day. Casual or resort wear in the evenings. No formal nights.
Facilities and Activities: The vessel has bow stairs for direct offloading of passengers to shore. The center of activity is the observation lounge, where cocktail hour with snacks is held and lectures on culture and natural history and videos offered. There is a small library with books and videos about the people and the regions visited. You can visit the bridge at any time. The bridge deck has a covered seating area to view the passing scenery. Activities include whale watching, watching icebergs calve from glaciers. Passengers explore ports, and ride in a high-speed jet boat for some 100 miles through the rapids of the Snake River in the deep gorge of Hell's Canyon. Smoking is allowed outside only.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: The 7-night Columbia & Snake Rivers cruise is from $795 per person; 8-night Alaskan cruise-tour from $2,495 per person. There is a discount for early booking. Late reservations (within 35 days of cruise date) have a $25 late booking fee.

SPIRIT OF COLUMBIA
Passenger Capacity: 80
Built: 1979; refurbished 1995
Former Name: New Shoreham II
Length: 143 ft.
Beam: 28 ft.
Draft: 7.5 ft.
Decks: 4
Elevator: No
Officers: American
Staff and Crew: 21, American

Itinerary: Three and four-night cruises in Prince William Sound from mid-May to mid-September include port calls at Valdez and (on the 4-night) Cordova, as well as College Fjord and Columbia Bay. Ten-night cruises go between Juneau and Seattle to Glacier Bay, Skagway, Haines, Tracy Arm, Sitka, Admiralty Island, Petersburg, Misty Fjords, Ketchikan, and Desolation Sound. In spring and fall there are seven-night cruises roundtrip from Seattle to British Columbia, including Chemainus, Desolation Sound, Victoria, Vancouver and the San Juan Islands.

Cabins: There are inside and outside cabins, most with twin beds that can be converted to queen, and have a bath with shower. Cabins on the bridge and upper decks open directly onto port or starboard promenades. Lower-deck cabins have portholes high on the bulkhead, not satisfactory for viewing. Baths in these cabins have hand-held showers. They are over the engine room and some report that they can be noisy when the ship is underway.
Dining: There is an open-seating dining room with one seating. Fresh fruit throughout the day is in the lounge. Vegetarian and low-salt diets can be accommodated if requested at time of booking.
Dress: Casual during the day, casual or resort wear at night.

Facilities and Activities: The vessel has a bow ramp for easy access to shores (a segment of the bow is hinged and can be lowered to form a ramp with direct access to the shore for passengers to disembark). The center of activities is the lounge. Most popular spot for viewing is the bow. There are exercise machines. Smoking is only permitted outside on deck.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: British Columbia rates are from $795 to $3,245 per person. Prince William Sound three-night is from $895, four-night from $995. The 10-night Seattle to Juneau cruise is from $2,695. Port charges and some excursions are included.

SPIRIT OF DISCOVERY
Passenger Capacity: 84
Built: Built 1976; refurbished 1992
Former Name: Independence; Columbia
Length: 166 ft.
Beam: 37 ft.
Draft: 7.5 ft.
Decks: 3
Elevator: None
Officers: American
Staff and Crew: 21, American

Itinerary: Columbia and Snake Rivers cruises are offered spring and fall, cruising 1,000 miles of riverway in the wake of Lewis and Clark. In the summer it operates between Ketchikan and Juneau , including Misty Fjords, Metlakatla, Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm, Frederick Sound, Lynn Canal, Petersburg, Sitka, Skagway, and Haines.
Cabins: 43. All cabins are outside and have windows and a private bath. Some cabins are singles. Cabins have double or queen bed, two twins, or an upper and lower berth. Some have desk, chair, TV/VCR, and minibar. Some cabins on the Bridge Deck and Lounge Deck are entered from the outside. Two lowest priced cabins are on the lower main deck forward, with walls that conform to the curve of the hull.
Dining: There is an open-seating dining room with one seating. Local food is served. Fresh fruit throughout the day is in the lounge. Vegetarian and low-salt diets can be accommodated if requested at time of booking.

Dress: Casual during the day and at night.

Facilities and Activities: The center of activities is the forward observation lounge with windows on three sides. There are three exercise machines. Main activity is viewing the scenery. Passengers have free access to the bridge at all times. Smoking is only permitted outside. There are occasional lectures and crew entertainment. The ship stops at small ports and will vary its schedule for events such as whale-watching or wildlife sightings. On the Columbia and Snake River cruise, you can visit the Maryhill Museum with a large collection of Rodin sculpture and the Fort Clatsop National Memorial Park at the site of the 1805 winter encampment of Lewis and Clark.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: Seven-night Columbia & Snake Rivers cruises are from $1,395 to $3,745. The eight-night Alaska cruise-tour isfrom $3,295 to $4,995 per person double occupancy and includes one night in Juneau before or after the cruise. Packages are available for stays before or after the cruise.

SPIRIT OF ENDEAVOUR
Passenger Capacity: 102
Built: 1983; refurbished 1996
Length: 207 ft.
Beam: 37 ft.
Decks: 4
Officers: American
Staff and Crew: 28; American

Itinerary: Mid-December to early April the ship cruises Baja Mexico's Sea of Cortés seven nights roundtrip from Cabo San Lucas, visiting ports of La Paz, Mulegé, and Loreto, plus visits to wilderness island beaches. Cruise guests visit the gray whales at Bahia Magdalena when the whales are present mid-January to mid-March. Two other seven-night Mexico itineraries are between Cabo San Lucas and San Diego, and Cabo and the mainland port of Topolobampo. In the summer there are eight-night cruise-tours one way between Seattle and Juneau that explore the Inside Passage, including Misty Fjords, Tracy Arm, and Glacier Bay. In the fall, three and four-night California wine cruises are offered round trip from San Francisco.
Cabins: 51. All cabins are outside and have windows, TV/VCR, individually controlled air-conditioning, and private bath with shower.
Dining: There is an open-seating dining room with one seating. Fresh fruit throughout the day is in the lounge. Vegetarian and low-salt diets can be accommodated if requested at time of booking.
Dress: Casual during the day. Resort wear at night.

Facilities and Activities: The library has books about the regions visited and videos. You can visit the bridge at any time, including evening hours. There is no smoking in the dining room or anywhere inside the vessel. There are occasional lectures.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: The eight-night cruise-tours in Alaska are $2,845 to $4,845 per person double occupancy. A three-night wine cruise is $595 to $1,145, four-night from $795 to $1,515. Sea of Cortés cruises are $1,695 to $3,445. There is a discount for early booking.

SPIRIT OF GLACIER BAY
Passenger Capacity: 52
Built: 1971; refurbished 1996
Former Name: Glacier Bay Explorer
Length: 125 ft.
Beam: 28 ft.
Draft: 6.5 ft.
Decks: 3
Elevator: None
Officers: American
Staff and Crew: 17; American

Itinerary: Spring 10-night cruises go between Juneau and Seattle to Glacier Bay, Skagway, Haines, Tracy Arm, Sitka, Admiralty Island, Petersburg, Misty Fjords, Ketchikan and Desolation Sound. Three and four-night cruises in Prince William Sound mid-May to mid-September include port calls at Valdez and (on the 4-night) Cordova, as well as College Fjord and Columbia Bay. In the fall, seven-night Columbia and Snake Rivers cruises explore 1,000 miles of riverway in the wake of Lewis and Clark. All shore excursions are included on this cruise.
Cabins: 27. Each cabin is outside and has a private bath with shower. Most have a window, but those on the lower deck only have porthole high on the wall, not usable for viewing. These cabins are less expensive, but suffer from engine noise when the ship is underway. On Upper Deck there are two single cabins in the bow that have a window. Most cabins have two lower berths, two cabins have a double bed, and two also have an upper third berth. Two cabins aft on the Upper Deck have two picture windows and are sometimes called "the condominiums". All have air-conditioning and heat control.
Dining: There is an open-seating dining room with picture windows. There is one seating. Some lunches are served on deck. Dinner features local seafood. Regional wines and beers are served. There is no smoking in the dining room. In the lounge there is fresh fruit throughout the day. Vegetarian and low-salt diets can be accommodated if requested at time of booking.
Dress: Casual during the day, casual or resort wear at night.

Facilities and Activities: The vessel has bow stairs for beach access. The forward lounge has picture windows lining the port and starboard sides and has a TV/VCR for videos and movies. The library has books about the regions visited and videos. You can visit the bridge at any time, including evening hours. There is no smoking inside the vessel. There are occasional lectures.
Typical Rates and Special Deals: For the 10-night cruise in Alaska, fares are$2,245 to $3,045 per person double occupancy. The three-night Prince William Sound cruise is$745 to $1,345, four-night $895 to $1,645. Columbia and Snake Rivers cruises are $1,195 to $2,695. If you book in advance you can get an early bird discount.

SPIRIT OF '98
Passenger Capacity: 96
Built: 1984; refurbished 1995
Former Names: Colonial Explorer; Victorian Empress, Pilgrim Belle
Length: 192 ft.
Beam: 40 ft.
Draft: 9 ft.
Decks: 4
Elevator: 1
Officers: American
Staff and Crew: 26, American
Wheelchair Access: Yes.

Itinerary: Mid-December to early April the ship cruises Mexico's Sea of Cortés in three, four and seven-night cruises, and guests visit the gray whales at Bahia Magdalena when the whales are present mid-January to mid-March. In the summer, there are eight-night cruise-tours one way between Seattle and Juneau exploring the Inside Passage, including Misty Fjords, Tracy Arm, and Glacier Bay. In the autumn, seven-night Columbia and Snake Rivers cruises go roundtrip from Portland, Oregon.
Cabins: 49. All cabins are air-conditioned, have a private bathroom with shower and have windows that open. Cabins on lounge and upper decks open onto promenades. Six cabins have queen beds, two have upper/lower bunks, others have twins. There is a large two-room owner's suite on the top bridge deck with picture windows on both sides. It is the only cabin on the deck and has a sitting area, a complimentary bar, TV/VCR, king-size bed, and full-size tub.

Dining: There is an open-seating dining room with one seating. Pacific Northwest and Alaskan cuisine highlights fresh seafood and local produce and local wines and beers. There are meat and seafood choices at all dinners. Specialties include fresh halibut, Oregon razor clams, Dungeness crab, and salmon. There is no smoking in the dining room or elsewhere inside the vessel. There is room service in the owner's suite. Fresh fruit throughout the day is in the lounge. Vegetarian and low-salt diets can be accommodated. There is a barbecue lunch on deck.
Dress: Casual during the day, casual or resort wear at night.

Facilities and Activities: There is a main lounge and a second lounge with wraparound windows in the stern. The interior looks turn-of -the-century Victorian and was used in a scene in Kevin Costner's movie Wyatt Earp. There are two exercise machines, a player piano in the main lounge. Passengers spend most time on deck or inside viewing glaciers and wildlife. There is one night of crew entertainment, a casino night, and occasional lectures.

Typical Fare and Special Deals: Prices for seven-night Alaska cruises are $3,595 to $6,245 per person double occupancy, including port charges and one shore excursion in every port. Seven-night Sea of Cortes cruises are $2,095 to $4,495, three-night Baja cruises are $1,095 to $2,245, 4-night from $1,395 to $2,795. Columbia & Snake Rivers cruises are $2,195 to $4,095 per person. There is a discount for early booking.

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	TO MAKE A RESERVATION: We work with several agencies and tour operators who are experts in small ships. If you want them to make a reservation for you,
	call 800-290-0077 (toll-free) or 727-393-4077 to discuss options and reserve a cruise.
	or fill out the form at the Reservation Request Page.