November 15, 2007

Photos of Chip's Alaska Cruises

We received the following letter from one of our Quyana Members, Chip Wright.  Chip traveled on two of our Alaska cruises this summer and took over 3,400 photos.  Wow!  He's posted 400+ in his photo gallery on Web Shots.  We hope that you enjoy them as much as we have.  Thanks for sharing, Chip!

---

Given the number of photographs and the difficulty of posting on your site, I chose WebShots (where I normally post my vacation photo's).  These are public. They have had over 5,000 plus hits.

The photographs encompass both of our two cruises --- we were on the Spirit of Columbia for 4 nights and 5 days cruising Prince William Sound, and then on the Spirit of Discovery for 7 nights and 8 days cruising the Inside Passage.  Both cruises were GREAT and both were different.
 
For the first "half" of our trip to Alaska,  we flew into Anchorage on June 23; drove down to Seward, AK stopping at the Alaskan Zoo (rescue center), Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and the Seward SeaLife Aquarium on June 24; and on June 25 were bussed to Whittier, AK to start our 4 night, 5 day cruise on Prince William Sound, styled "Glacier Wonderland" by CruiseWest.  CruiseWest operates small boats (compared to the big passenger liners) and Spirit of Columbia, our boat for this trip, carried only 78 passengers plus crew.  143 feet long with a really shallow draft, we were able to go places the larger ships could not. 
 
Prince William Sound was wonderful and I'm afraid the photographs do not really do it justice.  Incidentally, this "collection" is a selection from the 2,601 digital photographs Chip managed to take during these 6 days!
 
For the second "half", we came back into Anchorage for two nights and then flew to Juneau to start the Inside Passage cruise.  Our ship was the Spirit of Discovery, carrying only 84 passengers plus crew.  166 feet long, a really shallow draft, and 3 DIBs (Durable Inflatable Boats --- like a Zodiac).  It, like the Spirit of Columbia, could get into some really tight spots that larger vessels could not reach.  These albums begin with our travel from Anchorage (rental car) to the Eagle River Wildlife Preserve and then on to Talkeetna (hoping to see Mt. McKinley, but we did not). On July 1 we flew to Juneau.  Departure was on July 2 and the return was on July 9.

The Inside Passage was spectacular with abundant wildlife and scenic vistasalmost every moment.   
 
The photographs are organized into multiple albums with the album name being the description of the photo subjects.  The file name on the photograph represents the date and time (Alaskan Time) taken (year-month-day--hour-minutes-seconds).  There are comments attached to some of the photographs, but not all. The Inside Passage photographs commence with Album numbered 20.  Chip took a total of 3,435 photos on this leg of our trip, but was able to select 412 to include in the albums.  Please don't feel compelled to look at them all.  It was just progressively more and more difficult to choose one over the other given the ever-changing views.
 
There is also a combination video file at the end (Album 50) with selected video footage from the Inside Passage cruise.
 
View The Album Here 

Thanks,
 
Chip

Posted by Leigh Strinsky on November 15, 2007
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

September 18, 2007

2007 Alaska Cruise Season Ends

Posted by Larry Johansen on September 18, 2007
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

September 07, 2007

Elizabeth's Alaska

I admit it. We are travel snobs. We pick an area, buy a few good guide books, gather detailed maps and find our way on our own terms. We have never traveled with an organization and were a bit wary of our Cruise West Alaskan tour and cruise -- but it was for a good cause, a family reunion to celebrate my parent’s 50^th wedding anniversary.

A long flight from Rome, Italy finally landed in Fairbanks to cool drizzle and mist. This is summer? Visions of the beach flashed before my eyes, but a Sunday brunch at the Pike’s Landing restaurant and a side-trip to the Chena Hot Springs the next day took care of our travel-worn bodies. We were fed, rested, relaxed and ready to begin.

“Here we are, on a tour”, we whispered as reality hit at the opening wine and cheese meeting with its discussions on luggage protocol and excursion reservations before we boarded our bus the next morning. First stop, the oil pipeline and then the Chena River cruise aboard an historic sternwheeler.

With expectations of a nip up and down the river, we were pleasantly surprised when Bob landed his bush plane port side and chatted with us via microphone before an exhibition take off and landing. In the winter, bush planes are the main means of transportation and 80% of year-round families own one. He was followed by a series of locals who showed us their ways, from a training camp for dog mushers to an Indian fish camp preparing salmon for the winter. Reindeer even came out to meet us.

There was a Disney-like flavor to it all, with people popping up on shore as we paddled by to talk to us via microphone, but heck, this in America and where else would you expect to find a professional well-organized show!

Next stop the University of Alaska museum for lunch with a video and visit before continuing to Denali. I was beginning to relax and enjoy the tour part – just having to show up at the bus on time without having to figure out where we were going. Everyone was pleasant and our guide, Chris, told us personal stories on life in Alaska as we headed on our way. When we arrived, we found our properly tagged luggage already in our rooms! We had mastered luggage protocol after all.

Denali park was beautiful, breathtaking actually – well worth the long, bumpy school bus ride. An afternoon white water rafting trip (dutifully reserved at the opening meeting), a couple of very good meals complete with Alaskan Crab legs and salmon and an evening hot tub overlooking the river under a hint of midnight sun put us into true vacation mode. Here we are, in Alaska, soaking away after a day immersed in uncontaminated wilderness. Life is good.

Sun led the way past THE mountain itself the next day on our scenic train ride and Anchorage gave us back to city life, at least for a few hours, before we headed to Whittier and boarded the ship.

Within our first half hour, we had already seen a bear scooping up some fresh salmon for supper and by the end of our three days on the boat, we had seen another bear doing the same, a mother with two babies playing on the beach and a swimming bear whom we followed and cheered on until he landed on a nearby island. The bears were accompanied by humpback whales, orca, lots of sea otters, harbor seals, steller sea lions, bald eagles, jumping pink salmon, tufted puffins, glaciers calving away and more. We saw it all, even the sun – a special treat.

The only other signs of civilization we encountered during our cruise were a few fishing boats in a small harbor and Dave, the oyster farmer, who boarded the ship to tell us about his lifestyle and profession. For those of us who live busy city lives, the silence, stillness and magnitude of nature were wonderful gifts, although we weren’t above tucking inside to warm up and enjoy some very nice meals with family and fellow sojourners.

The biggest problem we encountered was choosing between that last bite of dessert and following a whale sighting. Great vacation problem to solve. The whale won.

Thanks to Cruise West staff for a wonderful trip and a perfect introduction to the joys of organized tours.

See you in…..

Elizabeth Abbot.

Prince William Sound Cruise and Denali Tour, August 7-13, 2007

Posted by Elizabeth Abbott on September 07, 2007
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(2) | Trackbacks(0)

August 16, 2007

New Photo Gallery is Live

We are so excited about our new photo gallery.  Several weeks ago, we quietly released it to our website.  Many of our Quyana Members (past guests) have loaded their photos to the gallery.  Our CEO, Dick West has also loaded his South Pacific cruise photos to the web.  There's a E-Postcard feature as well as the ability to send a link of your entire album to your friends and family.  The gallery is still in beta mode and we'd love to have your feedback.   What's working?  What needs improvement? Email us and share your thoughts with us.

Posted by Leigh Strinsky on August 16, 2007
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(2) | Trackbacks(0)

July 19, 2007

An Alaskan Dream

It early in the morning in a beautiful boat harbor north of Juneau. Summer Solstice is approaching and the sun has been up for an hour already. The Cruise West vessel Spirit of Alaska is making a special stop at the Auke Bay harbor to drop guest off in time to catch their early morning flight from Juneau. All is serenely quiet as the vessel makes fast her lines on the outer float of the harbor. Guest are leaning on the rails watching Captain Paul Hawes at the bottom of the ramp making a final check of the lines before disembarking. Suddenly a blow is heard coming from the inner harbor and all eyes focus on the sight of a baby humpback whale rising out of the water for a breath. A whale INSIDE the harbor is unheard of- its only 10 yards from the nearest vessel. Astonishment gives way to awe. The next thing we see is full grown mama humpback rising amongst the moored vessels releasing a tremendous blow. Its as if she is trying to scold her runaway child for swimming "out of bounds". I turn my head to to say something to Captain Paul but he's gone! He's running down the dock looking over the side as the Humpbacks swim underneath. Just as quickly as it happens its over. Its early- pre coffee- it must have been a dream we say. An Alaskan dream!

Posted by Larry Johansen on July 19, 2007
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

February 07, 2007

Meet The Avid Cruiser

Back in September, we invited Ralph Grizzle, a.k.a The Avid Cruiser, to join us on a cruise/tour from Denali National Park to Ketchikan, Alaska.  Ralph chronicled the entire trip on video and we've since created a wonderful, online video presentation of his cruise. 

View Ralph's  "Small-Ship Snapshots" video production.

---

MEET RALPH:

I'm Ralph Grizzle, editor of The Avid Cruiser magazine. I've been writing about travel on cruise ships for more than a decade. My job since the early 1990s, in fact, has been to travel on cruise ships and write about them in order to help you make informed decisions about your own cruise travel.

I know what you're thinking: That guy has a great gig. I don't deny it. Cruising is a great way to see and experience the world, and I am lucky that as a journalist, I chose the cruise industry as a my speciality.

In the interest of full disclosure, I want you to know right up front that I am a fan of Cruise West. In fact, I find that among my professional peers (the cruise industry press corps) that Cruise West is often ranked as a favorite, if not the favorite, cruise line. That's quite an endorsement considering that we cruise on dozens of ships year-round.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the experience Cruise West's small ships can offer you. I first sailed on Spirit of Endeavour in the Sea of Cortez. The year was 1999, and I was impressed with not only the educational aspects of the journey but also the casual atmosphere aboard ship. No pretense, no hint of haughty service or pushing of products such a photographs and pricey shore excursions. True to its mission, Cruise West provides an "up close, personal and casual" travel experience.

I've created a series of "Small Ship Snapshots," comprised of photos and short videos that you may view through your web browser. Each series highlights a particular journey that I've experienced with Cruise West.

I've also designed my site for those who have experienced Cruise West. If you belong in that category, please bookmark this page for future reference and sign up to stay informed about updates to these pages. My intent for experienced Cruise West guests is to create a sense of community here on these pages, and I'm hoping that you will participate with your own stories and photos of your Cruise West travels.

So come on in, and let's explore a world of life-enriching travel on Cruise West.  And please feel free to contact me directly by e-mailing rgrizzle AT avidcruiser.com with your comments or questions.

Oh, and true to the spirit of full disclosure, my favorite beer while in Alaska is Alaskan Amber, though I have very fond memories of the Spruce Tip Ale from Haines Brewing Company.

Happy travels, Ralph 

---

A very special thanks to Tony, Catherine and the entire team at www.dragonfly.com for their unwavering support of this production.  We have enjoyed every minute of time spent creating this production.

Posted by Leigh Strinsky on February 07, 2007
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(1) | Trackbacks(0)

February 02, 2007

Shooter Video

Last week, we found another video nugget in our archives. This video is of a "shooter."  A "shooter" is a piece of ice (usually very large) that breaks off of a glacier below the surface of the water.  Witnessing these events is very rare.  Capturing it on video was pure luck.  Enjoy!

Posted by Leigh Strinsky on February 02, 2007
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

December 01, 2006

My Anchorage

This post is part of our series, "My Hometown" These posts will feature the hometowns and local connections that our employees have with the ports that our guests visit. This week's post is submitted by Andy Compton, Exploration Leader Land Manager.

---

Q: What is your connection to Anchorage, AK?
A: My family moved to Anchorage when I was 7 years old. I attended most of elementary, junior high, and high school in the Anchorage Public Schools. Since college I have returned to Anchorage to work for Cruise West.

Q: Do you have a funny story or little known fact about Anchorage you’d like to share?
A: Hmmm... so many to choose from! Anchorage is loaded with wildlife. The Department of Fish & Game estimates the Anchorage moose population at around 1200. With this in mind, we encounter them all the time. In high school I was on the Cross-Country Ski Team. I remember during one race I was skiing up a very steep hill. It was about 9 kilometers into a 10 kilometer race and I was struggling. About 3/4 of the way up I look up to see four racers coming down the hill. Considering that it was a one-way race course I knew something was wrong. As they come flying by me a moose came over the hill toward me. In a split second I was heading down the hill praying I didn't fall. The only other thing I remember was skiing up that blasted hill one more time!!!

Q: What is your favorite time of year in Anchorage and why?
A: May and September are a wonderful time in Anchorage. In May we typically have some of the best weather of the year. In September the rainbow trout fishing is at its peak! The fish have been gorging themselves on salmon eggs and spawned salmon and have reached their peak in size and weight. In both May and September, there are a lot fewer visitors in town. This means that visitors can explore town without the crowds that hit town in the mid-summer months.

Q: Is there a particular food or song that reminds you of Anchorage?
A: PIZZA!!! Moose's Tooth Pub & Pizzeria creates the best pizzas in Alaska if not the entire Pacific Northwest! Additionally they handcraft over a dozen different beers which rotate all the time. Live music the first Thursday of each month caps it off. There are no reservations available, and on a weekend you have to wait upwards of two hours for a table.

Q: What is on your “must see” list for visitors to Anchorage?
A: Anchorage is a very diverse area loaded with things to do. For me it's all about the out of the way places. I love going up to Glen Alps and Flattop Mountain where you can have a fantastic look out on the city, especially around sunset. I will also bring visitors to the Alaska Native Medical Center for their world class displays of Alaskan Native Art.

Q: Is there a favorite activity that you enjoy in Anchorage?
A: THE IDITAROD!!! The first Saturday in March the Iditarod Trail Sleddog Race kicks off in Anchorage. It is loads of fun. Thousands hit the streets of downtown Anchorage and it is a wonderful atmosphere.

Q: Is there a particular restaurant that you’d recommend for visitors?
A: The Anchorage dining scene is very unique in that many of the best restaurants are situated in strip malls, commercial parks, and other off the beaten path locations. My personal favorite, aside from the aforementioned Moose's Tooth, is Kincaid Grill. It offers fantastic cuisine, a solid wine list, and a great "bring your own" wine policy!

Q: Anything else you'd like to add?
A: The quality of life is head and shoulders above what many other places offer. Anchorage is home to some of the greatest people you will ever meet. Though the population is up to 280,000 people, there is still a small town community feel. If I leave my car running while getting a cup of coffee in the wintertime, I know it will be there when I get back. If I get a flat tire, I know somebody will pull over and help. It is simply a great place to live and visit!

---

Cruise West guests visit Anchorage when they travel on our Voyage to the Bering Sea, Coastal Odyssey , Glacier Wonderland  or Best of Both Worlds cruises.  Anchorage is also the home base of our land tour program.  If you'd like to learn more about Anchorage, consider visiting the Anchorage Convention and Visitor's Bureau website.

Posted by Andy Compton on December 01, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

November 27, 2006

Flipper Flapping and Tail Lobbing

Now that the Alaska season is over, much of the equipment onboard the ships is sent to Seattle for maintenance.   One item that makes it's way to the Seattle office is the digital camera that each Exploration Leader carries onboard.  The cameras receive quite a work-out during the summer months.  Each week, our ELs produce a photo slide show for our guests to enjoy on the last night of the cruise. 

A few weeks ago, Scott Steinke, our techie guru, was cleaning up the cameras, erasing the memory cards and getting the cameras ready for another season of work. Scott knows that I'm always on the lookout for those special, heart-stopping moments that often happen but are rarely recorded.  So, when he came into my office, grinning ear-to-ear, I knew that something good was about to happen.  Sure enough,  Scott had discovered a series of video clips on one of the cameras of a Humpback whale flipper-flapping and tail-lobbing.  For me, it was like finding $20 in the pocket of a jacket that I hadn't worn since last season.  What a find! 

Happening upon a whale exhibiting this behavior is rare.  In the three summers that I spent in Alaska, I probably only witnessed the flipper flapping 10-12 times.  Capturing it on video is even rarer.  I hope that you enjoy the clips.

---

Most of our Alaska cruises travel through the fertile waters of Frederick Sound and Icy Straight.  Both of these passages are known as feeding grounds for the Humpback Whales.  We also have one special itinerary, our Wilderness Inside Passage Cruise with a Whale Guarantee. 

Posted by Leigh Strinsky on November 27, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

November 22, 2006

Chef Doug's Sweet Potato Salad

I think I've mentioned before, I have a fear of cooking.   I'm always worried that the dish will be a flop.   That said, I know that I can always count on our Head Chef, Doug Kramer,  to soothe my fears and guide me toward a dish that will please a crowd.   I've even been known to phone him from home, mid-recipe to ensure that I'm on track.   

Last week, I asked Chef Doug for a list of his most requested recipes and found one that seems perfectly suited for a Thanksgiving Day meal.  If you are looking for a quick, easy salad to prepare, our Sweet Potato Salad(pdf link)  might be just what you've been looking for.

Bon appétit!

"CRUISE WEST" SWEET POTATO SALAD

Servings: 8

This recipe has been electronically scaled down from 80+ portions. Some adjustments may be necessary.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound fresh sweet potatoes or yams, washed
brown sugar, as needed
1 each red apple, cored and diced
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup red bell pepper, seeded and ribbed, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped

DRESSING:
1 ounce sour cream
2 ounces mayonnaise
1 each lemon, zested and juiced, no seeds
1 ounce honey
salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped

PROCEDURE:

Peel and cut sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Hold cut potatoes in water.

When potatoes are all cut, drain well and place in mixing bowl. Toss lightly with just a little brown sugar to coat
well.

Place cut potatoes on paper lined sheet pan, single layer and bake in 350 d. oven just until tender. This will not
take very long. Remove from oven, transfer to cool sheet pan, single layer and place in cooler to chill.

Prepare apples, pecans, red bell peppers, celery and red onion, place in clean mixing bowl.

Separately mix all ingredients together for dressing and blend well.

When potatoes are chilled gently toss all ingredients together.

Place in serving bowl, decorate and garnish for service.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 149 Calories; 9g Fat (51.0% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 4mg
Cholesterol; 55mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Posted by Leigh Strinsky on November 22, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

November 13, 2006

My Fairbanks

This post is part of our series, "My Hometown" These posts will feature the hometowns and local connections that our employees have with the ports that our guests visit. This week's post is submitted by Margi Ungrodt, one of our superstar team members in Fairbanks.

---

Q: What is your connection to Fairbanks?
A: I first visited Fairbanks in the summer of 1970, between high school and college. My brother and I stayed with my sister at the university before heading to a remote wilderness site to help them start building a log cabin. After college, my husband and I moved to Alaska in 1975 as carefree newlyweds (no debts, no jobs we were attached to, and no children), taught in the 'bush' for two years, and then moved to the Fairbanks area permanently in 1978. We have lived here and raised our two sons here; being active in school and community sports, soccer especially. We actually LIVE in North Pole, just south of town.

Q: Do you have a funny story or little known fact about Fairbanks you’d like to share?
A: I saw this humorous saying on the blackboard at my favorite coffee shop a while back. "Fairbanks is not so much a city as a collective mental disorder in which people think that 17 degrees (Fahrenheit) is warm." After the temperature has been -40 degrees or so for a week or more, 17 degrees IS warm!

Q: What is your favorite time of year in Fairbanks and why?
A: My first favorite time of year is summer, because of the long days and non-existent 'nights'. The joy of being able to see daylight and sunshine around the clock just gives an incredible rush of energy. Many Alaskans find themselves 'burning the candle at both ends' all summer long. My second favorite time of the year is what we call spring. That is the month of March (before break-up in April) when the sun shines twelve hours a day, the skies are clear, the snow is white, and most everyone is smiling. I guess I can't really say WHICH time of the year is my favorite, because I really enjoy living here year-round!

Q: Is there a particular food or song that reminds you of Fairbanks?
A: The food that particularly reminds me of Fairbanks is salmon - smoked salmon, fresh grilled salmon, salmon chowder, baked salmon, salmon sandwiches, salmon spread/dip, etc.

Q: What is on your “must see” list for visitors to Fairbanks?
A: The places on my must-see list include the Museum of the North, the Ice Museum in downtown Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs Resort (east of town about a long hour's drive), and as many of the art galleries in the downtown area as you can get to. I really enjoy the work of the local Alaskan artists who display their creations in these gift shops. If you want to hike without going out of town, try the ski trails up at the University or the shorter trails at Creamer's Wildfowl Refuge on College Road.

Q: Do you have a favorite area of the city?
A: My favorite area (other than OUT of town) is downtown. It's a small downtown with many small, locally owned shops and restaurants, and the river walk area which is growing,

Q: Is there a favorite activity that you enjoy in Fairbanks?
A: We enjoy the many sports events from the university and the local sports teams (basketball and hockey mostly). We also enjoy First Friday which is a monthly, year-round event sponsored by all the art galleries in town. New shows are highlighted, beverages and snacks are provided, and we get to see many friends all in one night.

Q: Is there a particular restaurant that you’d recommend for visitors?
A: We recommend Gambardella's or Lavelle's Bistro to folks who are going to be in the downtown area for a main meal. We've enjoyed our meals there for years.

Q: Anything else you'd like to add?
A: Come up and visit us in March as well! As well as the World Ice Art Carving Championships at the Ice Park  There are sprint dog sled races, ski races, and opportunities for visitors to enjoy northern light viewing most every night.

Posted by Margi Ungrodt on November 13, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(1) | Trackbacks(0)

November 04, 2006

Update on Hooper Bay Fire Relief

Earlier this summer a devastating fire caused severe damage to the Hooper Bay community of Southwest Alaska. The fire destroyed a school complex, 14 homes, 14 acres and several other structures of this Yupik Eskimo village.

As part of the Cruise West “Our Bear Cares” program in which guests and the company provide assistance to local communities and Native organizations in the destinations where we travel, Cruise West initially contributed funds for relief efforts in Hooper Bay. The crew of the Spirit of Oceanus, which was traveling through the region when the disaster hit decided to hold an auction. They raised $1,700 by auctioning off the ship’s flag. Guests onboard also made personal donations.   In the picture you see John Kreilkamp, who is Vice President of Alaska Land Operations handing over a $4,200 donation check to Anchorage Wells Fargo Branch Manager Lisa Call for the Hooper Bay relief fund. 

This money will be used to aid in  the purchase of furniture for five pre-fabricated houses which have been shipped to Hooper Bay before the winter freeze up on their river.

Jack Dalton is a guest speaker who has been coming onboard Cruise West ships for the past five years. He is also a resident of Hooper Bay and he says , “The devastation in Hooper Bay was jarring, but the immediate response and overwhelming generosity of Cruise West and their guests has truly impacted the relief efforts.”

Posted by Gail Manahan on November 04, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

September 26, 2006

Stunning Alaska Photo Album

Last week, we received another modest email from a guest.  Here's an excerpt: "My husband and I took an Alaskan Inside Passage Cruise with Cruise West in August 2006. We've put our photos from our trip on our website..."  Turns out, the photos are from Patty & Bill Hankins.  In the interest of full disclosure, you should know that they are professional photographers.  That said, they were not compensated in any way by Cruise West for the trip and in fact, we didn't even know that they were onboard.  It really is a compliment that they would even choose to travel with us!

Here's what the landing page on their photo site says:

 We chose this particular cruise for a couple of reasons. The Spirit of Endeavour is a small cruise ship,with a capacity of 102 passengers. This allows the ship to go where the big cruise ships can't, and generally to get closer to the wildlife and the scenery. Also, we went in August on the cruise that stops at Hyder, AK, in the hopes of seeing bears as they fed on the salmon heading upstream to spawn. It was our first trip with Cruise West - we had a great time, and Captain Mike did a fantastic job getting us close to the wildlife.

They've also provided a nice page on tips and tricks for photographing Alaska from a Cruise Ship.  I was definitely inspired! 

Thanks to Patty & Bill for sharing their work with us. 

Posted by Leigh Strinsky on September 26, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

September 11, 2006

Alaskology Blog

I have to admit it, I'm a picky blog reader.  I spend a lot of time looking for fun blogs, that might relate to our cruises.  I do this, because I think that the way you really learn about a place is through the people who live there.  Local voices are much more interesting than paid fluff meant to sell on a visitor's bureau website.   Problem is, there are very few really good blogs about the destinations that we visit.    Well, today, I found a really fun blog called Alaskology.  It's written by Steve Edwards, of the Anchorage Daily News.    Steve talks about what's going on in Anchorage, hikes he's taken, how we feels about the weather, basically, whatever strikes his fancy.  That's Steve's picture on the left (hope you don' t mind, Steve!)  If you want to get inside the head of an Alaskan, this is a fun blog to read.

Back to my admitted blog snobbery. I'd love to be proven wrong.  Do you have a really great blog that we should know about?  Send me an email and let me know:  leighsATcruisewestDOTcom

 

Posted by Leigh Strinsky on September 11, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(1) | Trackbacks(0)

August 28, 2006

How We Handle Tipping

Today, I found an online article by Linda Garrison about cruise line tipping policies.  As I read it, I found myself reliving a recent family vacation.  Before we left, my husband handed me a stack of bills- ones & fives, so that I would be prepared to tip when necessary.  Throughout the trip, I always kept track of my smaller bills- making sure not to spend them lest I get caught in an embarrassing situation, where a tip was required and I had nothing to give. 

Several years ago, we realized that our guests had this same concern.  So, we implemented our  No Tipping Policy.  At Cruise West, gratuites are neither expected nor required.  When you cruise aboard our small ships, travel on our exclusive land tours or even enjoy one of our included shore excursions- your gratuities are covered.  One less worry when you travel with us. 

Linda did a great job of mentioning our policy in her article.  If you'd like to see how we compare to other lines, be sure to read the article.

 

Posted by Leigh Strinsky on August 28, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

August 21, 2006

Meet Our Oldest Cruising Quyana Club Member

Sylvia Ryder has been cruising with Cruise West since the 1950s when she met Chuck West on a July 4th Alaska cruise he was running. She’s been a Cruise West fan ever since. Now 98, Sylvia has cruised with us at least six times. She and her daughter, Barbara, “Bobbie” Stoermer, have voyaged Mexico’s Sea of Cortes, the Columbia & Snake Rivers, Alaska’s Inside Passage, Costa Rica & Panama, British Columbia and the Bering Sea. They both agree their favorite trip was the Bering Sea adventure.

Sylvia isn’t sure when or where they’re going next but she does plan to go again. What does she like best about Cruise West cruises? Sylvia says, “You get to know everybody right away.”

We believe Sylvia is our oldest cruising Quyana Club Member at 98.  Do you know otherwise? If so, please let us know! Call your Quyana toll-free number 1-888-851-4132

Posted by Leigh Strinsky on August 21, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

August 14, 2006

Chef's Recipes

My local grocery store is having a big seafood sale right now, with Alaska prawns readily available.  I love shrimp & prawns, but am not very original when it comes to preparation.  While I love to eat great food, I'm not much of a Chef. So, when I need to really dazzle a crowd, I turn to our Vessel Culinary Manager, Doug Kramer for advice.  Doug is always happy to help me and is even happy to share advice with our guests.  I've published his Shrimp Scampi recipe on our website.   I hope that you enjoy the recipe.  We do have a cookbook in the works, but if you have a favorite recipe that you enjoyed while onboard, just post your request in the comment section of this post and I'll be happy to publish it to our site.  Bon Appétit!

Posted by Leigh Strinsky on August 14, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

August 11, 2006

Flight Security Tips

With the latest news on tightened airport security, I thought it might be useful to share a few tips.

The Department of Homeland Security has published a lot of useful information on their website and I'm republishing some of it down below:

• No liquids or gels of any kind will be permitted in carry on baggage. such items must be in checked baggage. This includes all beverages, shampoo, sun tan lotion, creams, tooth paste, hair gel, and other items of similar consistency.
  
  Exceptions: Baby formula and medicines*, which must be presented for inspection at the checkpoint.  *Be sure that your medications are in the original, labeled pharmacy bottle and not in a pill minder.
  
  
• Beverages purchased in the boarding area, beyond the checkpoint, must be consumed before boarding because they will not be permitted onboard the aircraft.



• Passengers traveling from the United Kingdom to the United States will be subject to a more extensive screening process.
  

And now, a few helpful hints from me:

• Get to the airport early, early, early.
• Have your bags organized and ready to be searched.
• Keep your tickets and ID in an area that is easy for you to locate.
• Don't forget, TSA still expects you to take your shoes, jackets, belts when passing through security.  Dress comfortably and sensibly for a smooth pass through.
• All those liquid items that now must go in your carry-on luggage should be stored inside a plastic zip type bag.  I've had more shampoo explode in my luggage than I care to remember!
• Ladies: play it safe and pack your make-up in your checked luggage.  You'd be heartbroken to throw out that favorite color that only works for you!
• Pack your patience and your humor.  Just think of all the great people-watching you'll get to do!
• Many gift shops on the other side of security have stopped selling bottled liquids, so don't expect to be able to stock up these items once through security.
• If you forget all of these tips and have to throw out your personal items, you'll find shampoo, conditioner and soap inside your cabin onboard the ship.

And finally, don't forget why you are traveling.  You are headed on the trip of a lifetime and this little inconvenience will all be worth it when you receive your first of many warm, welcoming smiles and a hearty "Welcome Aboard" from our crew. 

And as we sailors like to say, "Fair Winds and Following Seas."

Posted by Leigh Strinsky on August 11, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

June 16, 2006

Nenana Fire Jumpers

A little background, Chris Tomsen is a retired Army Major and still uses a lot of military lingo. There was a forest fire between Fairbanks and Denali National Park that shut down the highway. We were able to work with one of our vendors, Alaska Timberline Aviation, and it's Owner/Pilot, Roger Fischer, to air-vac our 8 guests around the fire and into Denali. This is a GREAT testament to what we, at Cruise West can do to make the guest experience a great one in less than ideal circumstances. Chris & Ed did a FANTASTIC job! C hris had one guest who was very nervous about flying in such a small plane  so he gave her his Audubon Society Ptarmigan with accurate bird call when squeezed, hence TEAM PTARMIGAN!

---

My eight guests (Team Ptarmigan) told me that Cruise West should use them for positive testimonials for their great adventure experience with the "Nenana Fire Jump" with Roger at Timberline Aviation (maybe we should make some Nenana Fire Jumper shirts?). They were totally impressed with the speed Cruise West organized a plan to bypass the Nenana fire blockade (less than an hour).

When you conveyed the message that we could "go airborne" we rolled the bus back up to the roadblock and quickly passed through. Since the fire line was about six miles down the road (a state trooper had blocked us previously at mile 298) and we only needed to go a mile to the municipal airfield, I was able to persuade the NCO manning the roadblock to let us slip through (Ed thought my 'Ranger Assn-Life' card might help). We left three fully loaded Princess tour busses sitting behind the barricade watching us drive on!  At the airfield, it only took 6 minutes for the team of 8 guests to reconfigure, select critical items. Roger was right on time with his High Wing JetProp - like Sky King to the rescue, coming down skirting the column of smoke from the 12 mile long fire. In less than 10 minutes the guests (Team Ptarmigan) were airborne, jumping the fire and flying into the Alaska Range to Denali (Healy airstrip). It was only an 18 minute flight for us, but an impenetrable wall for 99% of tourists in campers, busses waiting on the fire.

(More...)

Posted by Andy Compton on June 16, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

May 30, 2006

Back for her 16th Trip!

Submitted by John Kreilkamp, Vice President of Alaska Operations.

---

Yesterday my family got a treat.

Quyana Member, Ila G. arrived in Anchorage for her 16th cruise with Cruise West.   She has sailed on almost all of our cruises and Prince William Sound is her favorite (her 4th trip to this area). Each year, she celebrates her birthday by giving herself a cruise with Cruise West.   Because I had a previous engagement with my visiting family, I asked Andy Compton  to take her out to dinner but to bring her over for a glass of wine first.  He did and Ila delighted us all...she was in her prime....she held court over the gathering of my 12 relatives and they realized that they had met a rather significant person in history.

What makes her so special?  Ila is a nuclear physicist.  Not just any nuclear physicist but a pioneer physicist.  Beginning in 1948, she worked at the Los Alamos research lab and was there for 34 years...she witnessed several atom bomb detonations in the Nevada Desert, she knew Robert Oppenheimer.  She was one of the first women to work at the Los Alamos site in the post war development of the Bomb.  Ila is fairly unpretentious...she disdains those who thought their work was too important.  She recalled with a devilish wink when Oppenheimer went into a local restaurant with shorts on one day for lunch and the waitress, who noticed he was not wearing the required apparel refused to give him service....no slacks - no service.

Ila is celebrating her 82nd birthday with us on the Spirit of Columbia this weekend, she almost missed her cruise with us after last year's heart attack.  Her doctor advised her not to go...but she told him if she was going to go, she would rather have it be in front of a glacier in Prince William Sound.

The Sheraton Anchorage upgraded her to a Jr. suite and last night she thoroughly enjoyed her Copper River Salmon at her favorite restaurant in town.

---

Posted by John Krielkamp on May 30, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(2) | Trackbacks(0)

March 24, 2006

Suzie The Oyster Farmer

From time to time, we will be releasing stories submitted by our staff that recount their personal experiences while traveling aboard. 

---

Submitted by Jeff Krida, Cruise West President and COO.  This photo of Jeff was taken on our Voyage to the Bering Sea.

It was a crisp but sunny evening in July, 2001 when the “Spirit of Glacier Bay”, our smallest and our original overnight cruise vessel, carrying all 49 of our guests, sailed into Mueller Cove near the center of Prince William Sound. We were in the home stretch of a long and serenely beautiful summer day of watching humpback whales feed and rafts of sea otters happily frolic through their seemingly endless play and dining on shellfish. What a life! We were all feeling just about as calm, happy and privileged as they by this time and were getting ready to gather in the ship’s lounge for pre-dinner snacks, libations and a re-cap with each other and our Exploration Leader of what we had actually observed and experienced in this remote and pristine place today. We had no idea the surprise our Captain had in store for us.

(More...)

Posted by Jeff Krida on March 24, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)

January 31, 2006

Does Global Climate Change Affect the Glaciers in Alaska?

Submitted by Cruise West Exploration Leader- Peter Rumm

Nothing is more anticipated by our guests, returning officers and crew than a to visit one of the most dramatic places in all of North America, Tracy Arm Fjord and its' two stunning Sawyer Glaciers at its terminus. I have been making this pilgrimage since 1998 with guests, however,  this was the first season anyone could remember that for weeks, even months we could not reach either of these two glaciers. In years past, the Sawyer Glacier was clear of ice and we had no trouble safely viewing it from a 1/4 mile.   In 2005, South Sawyer Glacier was visible but only from a distance, with so much ice calving off the face, and breaking off the submerged bottom that it completely choked off the entrance preventing a close approach. It was not until July, when I was on the Sheltered Seas that Captain Mike managed to squeeze up to the face. We let our guests know that they were the first boat of the season to get as close as we did. What is so interesting from a naturalists point of view, is that this glacier has retreated unevenly over two miles in the past two years! Why is this glacier retreating so fast and calving off so much ice? One instantly asks if it has anything to do with climate change?

Posted by Peter Rumm on January 31, 2006
PermaLink | Share Your Thoughts on This Post Here(0) | Trackbacks(0)