Small ship cruising with Cruise West’s Spirit of Endeavour
By Karen York
Suddenly, from the portside tables, the call— “Thar she blows”— and, as if on cue, a pod of killer whales proceeded to provide us with a dinner show we will never forget.
We were sailing through Alaska’s Portland Canal, in the breathtakingly beautiful Inside Passage; dining on superb food, chatting with congenial shipmates and, now and then, glancing through the dining room’s large picture windows. Suddenly, killer whales were surfacing and diving alongside, their black bodies and bold white markings glittering in the evening sunlight of the northern summer sky. Wow!
My husband, Arnold, and I had been planning to visit Alaska for a long time, when finally, encouraged by returning friends with rave reviews, we had decided to make this the year to do it. Not wanting to rough it through hiking and camping, and feeling that large luxury cruise ships would not provide us with the kind of travel experience we most enjoyed— a more intimate encounter with the wildlife, glaciers, terrain, towns and people— our travel agent and Malibu friend Linda Androlia of Sunstone Travel introduced us to the concept of small ship cruising in Alaska through Cruise West.
“It’s a family business.” she explained, “committed to the vision that ‘Alaska’s magnificence must be seen in a close, personal encounter.’ And, in a way that combines comfort, style and amazing up-close experiences. I think this I exactly what you’re looking for.”
She was right.
Boarding Cruise West’s Spirit of Endeavor just a few months later, our first impression was that it was beautiful, yet small — comfortably small — especially in comparison to the behemoth cruise ships berthed nearby. The fact that the Endeavor’s passenger list for our voyage consisted of only sixty-five hardy souls (the ship carries one hundred fourteen guests at most), and had been designed for casual cruising, was a winning combination. We felt at home from the moment we stepped aboard.
Actually, the Cruise West experience started even before we boarded. Landing in Ketchikan and whisked by the Cruise West crew to the Cape Fox Lodge to await embarkation, our immersion in all things Alaska began when we were introduced to Joe Williams, a wonderfully articulate Tlinglit cultural interpreter. Joe spoke with humor, insight and passion about Alaska’s Indian cultures and his own tribe’s traditions. Then he introduced us to his extended family, which proudly performed a Tlingit ritual dance for us, complete with beautifully handcrafted drums and tribal dress.
Once aboard, we were welcomed to the ship’s cozy lounge, introduced to the captain, crew and exploration leaders and presented with ship, trip and safety briefings. These were followed by an introduction to the ship’s chef, an eccentric, lanky Louisianan, who assured us that just because he was “skinny” didn’t mean he couldn’t cook! As he would do every evening, he proceeded to describe his dinner menu with mouth-watering detail — a choice of several entrées including vegetarian and fresh Alaskan seafood, homemade breads and delicious desserts. Upon entering the dining room, breathtaking views of Ketchikan and the hills beyond passed slowly by.
With perfect timing, we began our first meal together at the same moment we began our shared adventure. In no time at all, strangers became friends. An, active, affluent and well-educated group from throughout the United States and as far away as New Zealand, we soon discovered we had much in common, especially our love of travel and the expectation of great things to come.
And come they did. The scenic wonders did not disappoint: loads of wildlife sightings, fascinating excursions to unique ports, a well-trained and caring crew and lots and lots of learning. We learned to appreciate Alaska as a “real place,” so much more than just a series of port towns (with their pervasive souvenir shops) or beautiful but empty vistas.
Cruise West’s commitment to providing a comprehensive Alaska experience was demonstrated in countless ways throughout the trip — from its excellent reference library to the plentiful supply of strategically placed binoculars, to the unique shore excursions and, of course, superb service and cuisine. Our well-informed exploration leaders, Ian Sampson and Lisa Matlock, organized events and generously shared their knowledge of the cultural and natural environment (formally, at special evening slide presentations, and informally throughout the day). Visiting park rangers boarded regularly to elaborate on the geology and wildlife all around us.
We learned about the Russian trappers who were the first Europeans in Alaska and the Gold Rush days. We visited the remote and fascinating Tsimshian Indian settlement of Metlakatla and stopped at the small fishing village of Petersburg, where teens performed Norwegian folk dances in traditional costume as parents welcomed us with Scandinavian treats. There was salmon fishing, kayaking or hiking in Sitka. Finally, there was Juneau, arguably the prettiest state capitol in the U.S.
And, in between stops, we cruised incredibly scenic waterways, always close enough to touch, hear and smell the forested mountainsides, valleys and islands, pale fjord waters, cascading waterfalls, groaning and calving glaciers and incredible ice-blue icebergs.
Amongst the scenery, the ubiquitous bald eagles came swooping as they fished or roosted in trees along the shore (five to ten at a time); the dolphins leapt in the ship’s wake; mother seals tended to their pups atop icebergs; sea otters cavorted; and bachelor sea lions sparred for position on rocky outcroppings. We were a bit early for the salmon run, so bears were scarce, but the many breaching and “waving” hunch back whales more than compensated.
Finally, after seven days at sea and a delightful day in Juneau, our Cruise West voyage officially ended. We flew home in perfect post-vacation condition: rested, inspired, informed, energized. From the plane window, scanning the waterways, islands and coastlines that define the Inside Passage, the fishing boats and even the enormous cruise ships looked like toys. Yet, the grandeur of this awesome area was undiminished.