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Experience the best in small ship cruising. Join us in the inner reaches of Alaska's amazing Inside Passage and see it, smell it, touch it for yourself. Close enough to see the barnacles on a whale's tail. Close enough to feel the chill of the glacier on your face. Steep and wild, blanketed in lush green forests below snowcapped peaks, the Inside Passage beckons you to one of the last great wild places on earth. Make it your own.

Our small vessels the Spirit of Yorktown and Spirit of Endeavour accommodate 138 and 102 persons respectively. These small ships show you what others simply can't. Discover whales, eagles and glaciers up close. Experience the grandeur of Tracy Arm, Glacier Bay National Park, and Frederick Sound. Your small ships will share with you the secrets of this natural wonder.

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Day 1 - Sail from Juneau

Your small ship sails in late afternoon, leaving you plenty of time to explore Juneau. Even though it is located on the mainland, the surrounding imposing mountains and massive icefield create a community accessible only by air or water. And it takes only minutes to cruise along Gastineau Channel into the wilderness.

Some of the best optional excursions in Alaska are available in Juneau. Perhaps a flightseeing trip over the famous Juneau Ice Field, exploring the impressive Mendenhall Glacier. Meet your traveling companions at the hotel to board buses for a quick included tour of the little island of Douglas, once Alaska's largest city. Board the ship to begin your cruise. Once onboard, step out on deck to watch Gastineau Channel glide by as you enter Alaska's true wilderness.

Accommodations: Spirit of Yorktown or Spirit of Endeavour
Included Meals: dinner

Day 2 - Tracy Arm and Frederick Sound

Travel through Holkham Bay, the mouth of two spectacular, glacier-fed fjords. Crossing the bar, look for signs of the strong currents tugging at the red and green navigational markers and for the many birds that feed on the rich nutrients stirred by these currents. Travel up Tracy Arm, a glacially carved fjord filled with deep, emerald-green seawater, bordered by steep cliffs. The fjord twists and turns for 25 miles.

We’ll come as close as safely possible to the face of a glacier and hope for a show of thundering ice splashing seawater hundreds of feet high. Arctic terns may buzz close to the bow, their shrill call warning us to stay away from their nests. We’ll exit Holkham Bay and enter Frederick Sound, the body of water that hosts a world-renowned humpback whale population. Nutrient-rich waters compel large numbers of humpbacks to return from Hawaii every summer to feed and frolic in this region. Look for these magnificent creatures as well as Steller’s sea lions and harbor seals.

Accommodations: Spirit of Yorktown or Spirit of Endeavour
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 3 - Wrangell and Petersburg

Wrangell is the only Alaskan town to have existed under four nations: Tlingit, Russian, British and American. You'll see this rich history reflected in your tour of the Wrangell Museum. A passage through picturesque Wrangell Narrows -- known as "Christmas Tree Lane" for its many lights and buoys - takes you to the village of Petersburg, a true Alaska fishing town.

Arrive in picturesque Petersburg at the northern tip of Mitkof Island and disembark for your shore excursions and adventures in Alaska’s “Little Norway,” with a population of about 3,000. Begin with an included celebration at the Sons of Norway Hall, close to where the vessel moors. The Leikarring Dancers perform traditional Norwegian dances in colorful and authentic dress of bright blues accentuated by red, white and yellow embroidered flowers. You will also be treated to an introduction to the community and sample some homemade Norwegian pastries. Explore this tiny seaside fishing community surrounded by 10,000-foot snowcapped mountain peaks jutting from the sea.

Accommodations: Spirit of Yorktown or Spirit of Endeavour
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 4 - Wilderness Cruising

Your Captain will determine the best spots to cruise to today based on the local conditions. Weather permitting, explore by inflatable excursion craft.

Accommodations: Spirit of Yorktown or Spirit of Endeavour
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 5 - Sitka

On the way to Sitka cruise through a zigzag of beautiful, narrow passageways between Baranof and Chichagof Islands to Sitka, the oldest non-Native settlement in Southeast Alaska. Along the way there is an excellent opportunity to view bald eagles and Sitka black-tailed deer along the shorelines. Also look for sea otters feeding on sea urchins and floating close to protective kelp beds. Sitka is nestled on the shores of Sitka Sound, on the west coast of Baranof Island, protected from the Pacific by lush, forested islands and Mt. Edgecumbe, the “Mount Fuji of the West.” Enjoy a wonderful walk through the Sitka National Historical Park, whose forested beachside trail is lined with a number of finely carved totems. Various optional shore excursions are available in this small coastal community that was once called “The Paris of the Pacific.”

Accommodations: Spirit of Yorktown or Spirit of Endeavour
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 6 - Icy Strait Whale Watching

Watch for gentle humpbacks as they feast on small fish and tiny krill churned by upwelling currents from the Pacific Ocean. Watch for behaviors such as spouting, sounding, breaching, lobtailing, flipper-slapping and lunge feeding. You may see rare bubble feeding if you're very lucky. The coves and inlets offer enticing opportunities to get out and explore by inflatable craft. Be sure to keep watch for Steller's sea lions, orcas, harbor seals and porpoise.

Accommodations: Spirit of Yorktown or Spirit of Endeavour
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 7 - Glacier Bay Cruising

Entering the park in the early morning we’ll pick up a Glacier Bay Park Ranger and a local Tlingit Cultural Interpreter in Bartlett Cove. They will provide a comprehensive day of narrative sightseeing. Over 65 miles of pristine terrain and habitat have been revealed in Glacier Bay since its giant rivers of ice began dramatically retreating 200 years ago. Approach Marble Islands and hurry outside to encounter a teeming multitude of seabirds like black-legged kittiwakes, murrelets and puffins, all swooping and swarming above the writhing, barking haul-out of Steller’s sea lions. We may encounter mountain goats on Gloomy Knob or watch brown and black bears foraging along the shoreline. Look for more harbor seals, sea otters and the humpback whales that call Glacier Bay their summer home.

Accommodations: Spirit of Yorktown or Spirit of Endeavour
Included Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner

Day 8 - Arrive in Juneau

Disembark in Juneau this morning, and transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Accommodations: n/a
Included Meals: breakfast

Extend your Alaska small ship cruise:

Denali National Park pre cruise extension:
Day 1 - Arrive Fairbanks, Alaska
Day 2 - Fairbanks to Denali National Park
Days 3-4 - Explore Denali National Park
Day 5 - Alaska Railroad to Anchorage
Day 6 - Fly Anchorage to Juneau
Day 7 - Board Cruise in Juneau

You may also wish to consider one of our more affordable independent tours Denali Backcountry Explorer or Brown Bears of Katmai. These extensions can be arranged for either pre or post cruise. Our Alaska experts will help you customize your Alaska adventure, call today.

Notes on Itinerary: We may occasionally alter itineraries slightly for safety, or to take advantage of weather, wildlife, and unplanned discoveries. Our ability to be spontaneous makes our style of cruising unique.

Single Travelers: Single cabins are available. If you are traveling alone and wish to share accommodations, our Roommate Share Program guarantee double occupancy rates in Categories AA and AAA.

Land Cost Includes: $464 per person which covers all taxes, port charges, fees and on board services. On board gratuities are neither required nor expected; all airport/ hotel transfers; Alaska cruise including all meals while aboard and an experienced naturalist guides.

Not Included: Airfare to Alaska; excess baggage charges; items of a personal nature such as alcoholic beverages, and insurance of any kind.

Arrival/Departure: This cruise begins and ends in Juneau. Please plan flights to arrive by 1:00pm on day 1 of the cruise. On day 8, the final day of the cruise; departure flights should be planned to depart no earlier than than 12:00 noon.

Payment and Cancellation Policy: A deposit of 20% of the cruise-tour is required to confirm a reservation, with final payment due 90 days prior to departure. Cancellations received prior to departure are subject to the following cancellation penalties per person.

Anytime 120+ days prior to departure $200 pp*
Between 119-90 days prior to departure, full deposit (20%)
Between 89-61 days prior to departure, 50% of cruise fare
Between 60-31 days prior to departure, 75% of cruise fare
Between 30-0 days prior to departure, No refund
*A future cruise credit will be made available, to be applied to future bookings.

Please see AdventureSmith Explorations Terms and Conditions.

We highly recommend our travelers
protect their investment with comprehensive Trip Cancellation and Insurance

Accommodations Aboard: Your comfortable home-base throughout Alaska will be aboard the Spirit of Endeavour or The Spirit of Yorktown. These vessels accommodate 102 and 138 guests respectively. Well-appointed staterooms feature comfortable beds, large view windows and private bathroom. Deluxe staterooms also have queen bed, TV/VCR, desk, chair and a refrigerator. The vessels also feature a dining room, lounge, sun deck, viewing platforms and more. The vessel is casual - the food delicious - and the staff friendly and helpful.

Qualifications: These trips will be enjoyed by anyone with a love for nature and the outdoors.

Extending Your Trip: Call AdventureSmith Explorations about the possibilities of combining trips to Denali National Park and more.

Photo Credit: Cruise West

General Information: This trip is subject to AdventureSmith ExplorationsTerms and Conditions. Please read this information carefully and call us if you have any questions. A packing list, extensive pre-departure and travel insurance information is sent upon confirmation. We strongly recommend the purchase of Trip Insurance through AdventureSmith Explorations. If purchased within 14 days of sign-up, the pre-existing condition exclusion is waived.

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime! Call today.


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