You are not a run-of-the-mill traveler. Maybe you’re fit and seeking hard-charging workout hikes. Maybe you’re a family looking to learn and do rather than go to a theme park. Or maybe you are like me and need a little push to try something new. Wherever you are on the adventure spectrum, the guides are here to encourage you to step out of your comfort zone safely.
OK, you want a great trip but want to be COVID safe. So you decided to stay domestic and take a small boat Alaska cruise for 2021. Good choice! No need for a passport renewal, and Alaska Airlines will whisk you up to Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, or Anchorage quickly and safely. With some of the lowest COVID infection rates and some of the highest vaccination rates in the country, Southeast Alaska is a safe retreat from the worries of the past year.
After you get here, we create a safety bubble. All guests and crew are fully vaccinated and have a negative COVID test before the trip. Then we are out in the great outdoors, far from other people.
We’ll take some commonsense precautions. We’ll have lots of hand sanitizer and you’ll see us cleaning public touch points several times a day. When you are inside the lounge, you’ll need to wear a mask.
But outdoors, where we spend as much time as possible, you don’t have to wear a mask at all. Kayak and hike in the fresh air, maybe even enjoy a campfire at night if the timing is right.
An UnCruise is a soft adventure trip. What does that mean? We want to enable every guest to do as much as they want to do and to encourage and support guests to try new things. Our guides are the best in the business. Behind those big smiles and goofy jokes, they are experts in safety. Our expedition leaders are all Wilderness First Responders with over 80 hours of training to keep you safe in the great outdoors where we adventure.
Along with teaching you which kinds of kelp are edible and what moose tracks look like, the guides will teach you the Viking Handshake to safely get in and out of skiffs.They’ll carry bear spray on hikes and are trained to manage any wildlife encounters. But they’ll also show you tracks and spoor and will teach you the value of just plain making happy noise as you go, calling “Heeey, Bear!”
Want to try kayaking for the first time? Guides will teach “Kayak 101” the first full day of the cruise. The hardest part of kayaking is getting in and out of the things! The easy launch platforms on many of our boats make that part a breeze. You and a travel buddy or a new friend can be out paddling by yourselves that same afternoon.
How about a hike? Guides take out small groups so that everyone can be comfortable but as challenged as they want to be.
Sometimes this is convincing Grandma to come ashore and try a meadow meander with our hiking poles.
Sometimes it’s encouraging office workers to try a bushwhack, hiking through streams and forests where there are no trails.
And sometimes, it’s taking a fit, active group on a full day “Yak-and-Whack” and pushing them to their limits all day long. Wherever you are, whatever level you need, we’ve got your back.
So, after a full day’s activity, take your shower, change into dry socks (ah….) and head down to the lounge or up to the sundeck. Our bartenders also love to get you to try new things. Every day will be a new signature cocktail and a new infused water. That said, they will also remember the brand of beer you like, the wine your partner prefers, and keep your kids in sodas or fun mocktails.
Head down to dinner. Safety is important to us here too. What our chefs manage to do in the tiny galley is a miracle every day. If you get a chance for a galley tour, do take it!
This year, tables are more spaced out, and all food is served at table. Our chefs and stewards take careful note of any and all food allergies and dietary requirements. They will double check with you regularly to make sure that you are getting what you need.
Diabetic? Nightshade or nut allergies? Vegan? We’ve got you. Even the gluten free bread products are made on board.
While you are with us, try something new! Go ahead, try a vegetarian dish – or something spicy – or maybe seafood if that isn’t your thing! You can always ask for “half and half” of two entrees.
And our pastry chefs love to make celebration desserts for birthdays, anniversaries, retirements – let us know!
Lastly, I really encourage you to do the polar plunge when you are given the opportunity. Put on your swimsuit, take your turn before your cheering fellow guests, and jump into the chilly Alaskan waters – maybe even near a glacier! It’s an experience like no other – bragging rights, fun photos, and the soak in the hot tub immediately after is heavenly.
While you are with us, stretch your wings. Try new things. Live a little.
Know that you are in the safest place to step out of your comfort zone. We’ve got you.
