Activity Level
Q. How active are the tours?
A. Each itinerary varies with regard to activity level. See your specific itinerary details. A variety of activity levels are also available when choosing optional shore excursions.
Adaptors
Q. Will I need a special converter or adaptor for the electricity?
A. No, all electrical outlets are U.S. standard 110 Volt on all our ships.
Arrival
Q. When I arrive at the airport how will I find you?
A. On the day your Cruise West tour begins, Cruise West will have uniformed representatives at the airport to greet you when your flight arrives, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Should you arrive before 9:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m., please see your personal itinerary lists, included with your final documents, for taxi transfer vouchers.
We’ll provide a transfer from the airport to our ship or the hotel as long as we have received your air travel information at least 72 hours in advance. Otherwise you will be expected to make your own arrangements for initial transfers.
Make sure you have provided us with your flight number, city of origin, and flight departure and arrival times. Please wear your Polar Bear button on your lapel and put your Cruise West luggage tags, which will be included with your final documents on your luggage.
Beds
Q. In addition to twin beds, do you have queen-size beds available on your vessels?
A. Queen-size beds are available in select cabin categories on the Spirit of Endeavour, the Spirit of ’98, the Spirit of Discovery, the Spirit of Columbia and the Spirit of Yorktown. King-size beds are available in all categories on the Spirit of Oceanus and in the Owner’s Suite aboard the Spirit of ’98.
Disembarking
Q. On the last day of the cruise, what time will we disembark the ship?
A. Most Cruise West vessels disembark between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m. Specific disembarkation procedures will be announced onboard. If your friends or relatives are meeting you, please note that disembarkation takes approximately 30 minutes after your scheduled arrival time. Only Cruise West guests and crew are allowed inside a ship’s security zone.
Elevator
Q. Do any of your ships have an elevator?
A. The Spirit of ’98 and Spirit of Oceanus both have elevators. The Spirit of ’98’s elevator services all decks except for the sun deck.
Hairdryers
Q. Are there hairdryers onboard?
A. The Spirit of Glacier Bay, the Spirit of Yorktown, and the Spirit of Oceanus each have hairdryers onboard. If you are traveling on one of our other vessels, you will want to bring your hairdryer from home.
Q. Will I need a special converter or adaptor for the electricity?
A. No, all electrical outlets are U.S. standard 110 Volt on all our ships.
Internet/Email
Q. Do you have Internet, email and phone access on your ships?
A. The Spirit of Oceanus, Spirit of Endeavour, and Spirit of ’98 all have Internet, email and satellite phone access available. On these three ships there is a computer in the lounge for guest use and WiFi access in the lounges and dining rooms for those who bring their own laptops. All of our ships have satellite phone capability for emergency purposes.
Phone or Internet cards can be purchased onboard. While any unused minutes are not refundable, the cards do not expire and can be used on any of our vessels with Internet or phone access. The rates for these cards are as follows:
Internet: $50 card $0.50/min, $25 card $0.70/min
Phone: $50 card $2.50/min, $25 card $3.00/min
Laundry
Q. Are there laundry facilities onboard your ships?
A. We do have fee-per-item laundry service available on the Spirit of Oceanus. There is no laundry service on our other ships, but laundry services can be found in many of the towns we visit.
Library
Q. Do you have a library onboard?
A. Yes, we have a library of books and magazines, videos, games, maps and visitors guides available for your use and enjoyment onboard the ship.
Meals
Q. What time are meals?
A. Meal times onboard vary depending on the day’s scheduled activities. Generally, we provide an early riser continental breakfast starting every morning at 6:00 a.m. A full breakfast is served in the dining room starting around 7:30 - 8:00 a.m., lunch is around noon and dinner is served around 7 - 7:30 p.m. Appetizers are also served at Social Hour each evening before dinner.
Q. Can special dietary considerations be accommodated?
A. We are able to accommodate most special dietary needs. Prior to your cruise, visit
www.cruisewest.com
, and select Booked Guests, where you’ll find the Special Meals form. Completing this form will ensure that the chef has enough notice to prepare for your needs. The chef or hotel manager onboard will check in with you upon your arrival to the ship to confirm your request.
Medical
Q. Do you have medical personnel onboard?
A. Each Cruise West vessel has a trained first responder onboard at all times. The Spirit of Oceanus has a doctor onboard for all itineraries.
Onboard Details
Q. How are onboard charges handled?
A. Charges for wine, beer, cocktails, gift shop purchases and optional shore excursions will be charged to your personal shipboard account. You may settle your account with one easy payment at the end of your cruise. The day prior to disembarkation, you may settle your account with U.S. traveler’s checks, personal checks, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express, or your debit card.
Q. Can we bring our own alcohol?
A. The laws require that any alcohol served on the vessel be poured and provided by the vessel. It is perfectly suitable, however, to take your drink back to your room with you.
Q. Do you do celebrations onboard for special occasions?
A. Our land personnel and shipboard crew are happy to help you celebrate a special event during your trip, such as a birthday, honeymoon or anniversary. Please advise us as far in advance as possible.
Packing
Q. What clothes should I pack?
A. You should be prepared for a wide variety of weather conditions. We recommend that you check the weather forecast for the area before your departure at
www.weather.com
. We always recommend packing clothes you can layer to be prepared for temperature changes and comfortable clothes for relaxing onboard. Footwear should be comfortable, preferably water resistant, closed toe and appropriate for the level of activity on the specific itinerary you have selected. Umbrellas are provided in each cabin for your convenience.
Q. You say casual, but just how casual do you mean?
A. We believe in traveling in comfort. Come as you are – you’ll feel at home in jeans and sweaters during the day and the evening. Even at dinnertime no jackets, ties, or formal dress are required.
Q. How much luggage can I bring?
A. We recommend you limit your luggage to one standard piece and one carry-on per person. This is due to limited space on some motorcoaches and storage space limitations onboard. Please also check with your specific air carrier as most airlines have specific luggage limitations and additional fees.
Q. Is there a place to store my luggage?
A. On all ships, there is limited storage space underneath the bed and in the closet.
Passports
Q. What kind of ID is required?
A. All voyages aboard the Spirit of Oceanus and all of our international voyages require a passport. For all guests traveling domestically we only require a government-issued photo ID such as your driver’s license.
Q. Why is it important that my passport remain valid six months after I return from my international cruise?
A. The U.S. government requires that your passport remains valid for six months after you return. The purpose of the regulation is to guarantee that you will be able to leave the country you are visiting. It also serves to make sure that your passport will be valid for travel to your next port or destination and return into your own country. For non-U.S. passport holders we recommend you check with your country’s embassy or consulate.
Seasickness
Q. Will I get seasick?
A. With the exception of the Spirit of Oceanus, our small ships sail close to land and do not tend to encounter rough waters. In the occasional event of rough waters, seasick medication is kept onboard all our ships but if you are particularly sensitive you may want to bring your own. The Captain will update you when there might be extra ship motion so you can take the medication in enough time to be effective.
Security
Q. What are your security procedures?
A. Your safety and security are of utmost importance to us. On boarding a Cruise West vessel, we will check your photo ID, and positively match all pieces of luggage with individual travelers. As in checking in for a flight, your luggage will be subject to search as well.
Smoking
Q. Where is smoking allowed?
A. Smoking is allowed in designated areas on outside decks only. Smoking is not permitted in the interior of any vessel, including your cabin, the lounge, or the dining room. Smoking is also not permitted on motorcoaches. Specific hotel smoking policies will also apply.
Tipping
Q. How are gratuities handled?
A. Tipping is neither expected nor required for Cruise West Staff, on land or at sea. Recognition for exceptional service is discretionary and you are welcome to tip individuals directly.
Travel Insurance
Q. Do I need Travel Insurance?
A. For your protection, we recommend you purchase travel protection coverage for all eventualities of your trip. See your travel agent for details or visit the General Tour Information section of our Website. You should also review your medical insurance policies to determine whether treatment occurring onboard the vessel or while traveling is covered. Details regarding Cruise West’s Travel Protection Plan can be found on our Website at www.cruisewest.com
.
Weather
Q. What’s the weather going to be like?
A. Please refer to the destination specific quesitons for the most accurate information.
Wheelchair Accessibility
Q. Are your vessels wheelchair accessible?
A. Cruise West will do everything possible to accommodate all guests wishing to travel with us. Guests with some mobility and with collapsible wheelchairs can generally be accommodated on most itineraries, but Cruise West vessels do not meet all applicable standards of the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for building and facilities.
Guests should be aware that ships and operating conditions can always present challenges to wheelchairs and participation may not be possible for some activities and events. Ship
interiors often have raised door thresholds, steep stairs and narrow passageways that can prevent wheelchair passage. Gangways between the ship and docks can be steep due to
variable tide conditions. Inflatable excursion craft are sometimes used for shore visits where no docks exist.
Land tours present a variety of physical environments including high altitude, uneven terrain, rocky trails, museums and buildings without elevators and stairways without handrails.
These conditions and guest expectations should be discussed in detail at the time of booking and confirmed in writing to ensure travelers will get the most out of their Cruise West experience.
Windows
Q. Do the windows open on the ship?
A. Most of the ships in our fleet have some windows that can open. The specific cabins with this capability vary by ship. On the Spirit of Alaska, cabins 201-206, the entire 300 deck and all suites have windows that open. Spirit of Discovery cabins 107-114, the entire 200 and 300 deck. Spirit of ’98, 200 and 300 deck cabins and the owner’s suite. Spirit of Columbia cabins 201-204, the entire 300 deck, cabin 302 has a small opening window. All suites except the Columbia open. On the Spirit of Endeavour, Spirit of Glacier Bay and Spirit of Yorktown, none of the windows open. Spirit of Oceanus suites 505-512 and 601-604 all have sliding glass doors. All the other suites have porthole windows that do not open.
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