accommodation profile

76 guests

166 feet in length

Cruising speed of 13 knots

Registered in United States

American crew

All cabins feature private facilities

The original M/V Wilderness Explorer (under the direction of AdventureSmith founder, Todd Smith) pioneered adventure cruising in Southeast Alaska in the 1990s.  In 2012, the former Spirit of Discovery was relaunched as a new-generation Wilderness Explorer offering a level of service and comfort far superior to the original. 

 

The 76-guest Wilderness Explorer, formerly known as the 84-passenger Spirit of Discovery, offers three cabin categories consisting of 21 Trailblazer, 13 Pathfinder and 4 Explorer cabins. Bed configurations include twin or queen. Cabins feature flat screen televisions with DVD players, iPod docking stations, and eco-friendly bath amenities. All cabins aboard the Wilderness Explorer feature a large, view window. Onboard amenities include two hot tubs (one on the bow and one on the aft sun deck), sauna, and exercise equipment. The lounge bar will offer 10 taps serving a selection of microbrews and cask wine. To ensure ample space for included adventure activities, there is a swim step on the ship’s main deck aft. The space serves as a launch pad for excursions and hosts a state-of-the-art kayak launch platform able to quickly and safely launch five kayaks at a time.
 
With an emphasis on exhilarating explorations in Alaska’s wilderness, expert naturalists lead hiking and kayaking tours of varying lengths and activity levels. Other adventure activities aboard the Wilderness Explorer include stand-up paddle boarding, skiff explorations, and whale watching. Snorkeling is available for a fee. Flexible itineraries allow the ships to seek out wildlife and maximize viewing time for guests.

 

Other amenities include complimentary on-deck yoga classes, a large resource library, well-stocked DVD library and board games. A professional masseuse is part of the crew and massages are available for a fee. An underwater camera mounted on the ships’ bow streams video from the underwater world to flat screen televisions in all guest rooms and the lounge. Healthy and hearty meals feature fresh ingredients including locally caught Alaskan seafood. A 3-1 guest to crew ratio aboard the Wilderness Explorer ensures attentive service.

 

Affectionately and appropriately called our “floating base camp” the M/V Wilderness Explorer is perfectly designed for remote exploration of Glacier Bay National Park and Alaska's coastal wildlife.

 

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