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
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May 03, 2007

Cruise Report from Japan

Posted by Andy Compton on May 03, 2007
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December 13, 2006

Russia and Japan Photo Albums

Recently,  I posted a Ring of Fire photo album, submitted by Quyana Member Brian Cleverly.  In that post, I received a nice comment from another guest on that same cruise, named Mike Bowles.  Mike and his wife, Sharon, traveled on our Ring of Fire cruise  this year.  Mike has given me permission to share their photo albums with you.  There's are two wonderful Ring of Fire Albums and a newly posted Ring of Fire-Japan album. 

After you've looked at these, I'd highly recommend spending some time looking at their other albums.  They've posted albums for Costa Rica, Maine, Yellowstone, Chile, and Egypt.  All of the albums are wonderful and Mike relayed to me that he welcomes your comments and/or label corrections on any of the images in his albums. You are also welcome to download any of the photos.  

We are a few months away from launching our own, hosted photo album service.   In the meantime, I'd love to hear from other Quyana members who've posted similar albums.  We love seeing the real thing!

Thank you, Mike & Sharon, for sharing your adventures with us.  Your albums make for a great armchair vacation.

Posted by Leigh Strinsky on December 13, 2006
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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August 07, 2006

Cruising to Asia

My family and I visited Vietnam aboard the Spirit of Oceanus in early May 2001, just after taking delivery of her in Singapore, where my daughter, Lauren, who was just seven years old at the time, christened her. It was a memorable, life- and perspective-changing experience for all of us.

While I did not serve in the military, having lived through the “Vietnam Era,” I was curious and a bit apprehensive about what I would discover in Vietnam. We had been exposed to so many years of negative news from this country, but what I found was completely different from what I expected. As the tourist bureau people say, “Vietnam is a country – not a war.” Fifty percent of the Vietnamese are under 25 years old! They did not experience the war years.

The people are very warm and friendly. The scenery and culture are remarkable. And in the past five years, more of Vietnam has been made more accessible to foreign visitors. There are now many flights into Vietnam, including our own United Airlines. There are more ports of call available to us than five years ago, making access to some of the remote cultural and historical treasures much easier.

New for 2007, our Vietnam cruise visits ports like Chan May, Hue, the cultural heart and soul of Vietnam, and Hoi An, a delightful town filled with remnants of its importance as a trading port in the 17th century and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Qui Nhon, a charming fishing port and Nha Trang, with spectacular beaches, snorkeling and birdwatching opportunities. 

Treasures of the Orient ports include many of the “life-list” places such as Shanghai, and Hong Kong, but also the virtually unknown places such as Xiamen in China and Hagi in Japan that remain treasure troves of culture that really offer an insider view to these countries that most tourists miss entirely.

All of this means we will have even more enriching, enlightening experiences for you, our guests, in 2007.

I hope you will consider joining us on one of our cruises to these wonderful, dynamic countries.

Posted by Dick West on August 07, 2006
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May 30, 2006

Back for her 16th Trip!

Submitted by John Kreilkamp, Vice President of Alaska Operations.

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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.

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Posted by John Krielkamp on May 30, 2006
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April 22, 2006

Our Inaugural Cruise To Japan

It is very gratifying to see the results of one’s efforts come to fruition. After many years of planning and developing our new Japan cruise program, my family and I joined 100 guests on our Inaugural Japan cruise from Kobe to Niigata March 10-20.

Kobe was chosen as our homeport in part because Kobe is Seattle’s Sister City. It also happens to be well located near Osaka’s Kansai Airport and the historic cities and former capitals of Kyoto and Nara. Kobe’s Mayor, Mr. Tatsuo Yada, extended a warm welcome to our Captain, crew and guests aboard the Spirit of Oceanus. Local news reporters and cameras were on hand for the event.

Every port we visited was special – at each we received a warm and friendly greeting. They do not get many American cruise ships coming to these ports. We are indeed unique. After a welcome reception in the small port town of Hagi, Leslie and I were in a pottery shop when the proprietor motioned to us to look at the TV she was watching, and there was our ship and some of our guests being interviewed! We were big news wherever we went.

(More...)

Posted by Dick West on April 22, 2006
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April 14, 2006

Japan through Andy's Eyes and Stomach

I'm sitting in the Alaska Airlines Board Room in Seattle waiting to fly home to Anchorage and have taken a moment to think back on my 40 days in Japan. I had truly wonderful time in Japan! It is such a wonderful country. It is a juxtaposition of tradition vs. modernity; welcoming vs. hidden; and Raw vs. Still Alive!!! I loved every moment of it! That being said I'm having pizza tonight and a hamburger tomorrow... no fish for a couple weeks I don't think. Looking back on the many experiences I've had all I can do is think about how glad I am to have had this opportunity.

 
If there was one place I fell in love with, it was the city of Kyoto. When the cherry blossoms FINALLY came out, the city burst into action. Over 1 Million people will visit Kyoto during the 7-10 days of the sakura (cherry blossom) season. They will go to the park areas and lay out blue tarps and blankets and sit under the trees all day and all night. When returning from dinner one night, our group ended up in the middle of this. We saw tiny charcoal grills which were being used to cook yakitori, college students with cases of beer, and elderly couple sitting together and conversing at an unbelievable rate of speed. It reminded me of Gas Works Park in Seattle on the 4th of July!

One other experience I'd like to share occurred the same evening.

(More...)

Posted by Andy Compton on April 14, 2006
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March 29, 2006

White Day in Japan

Submitted by Exploration Leader Melissa Smith, currently aboard the Spirit of Oceanus in Japan

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March 14, 2006

A white blanket of snow drapes over everything today. Great big snowflakes fall from the sky. We have several children aboard this trip so the guests and I revel in watching them have snowball fights and try to catch snowflakes with their tongues.

This gift of white is very appropriate as today is White Day in Japan.

February the 14th is St. Valentine's Day in the United States as well as Japan. However on Valentines Day in Japan their gift giving tradition seems to vary a bit from ours. In Japan it is traditional for the females to give gifts of chocolate to the males. It is not considered proper for a woman to be overt with her feelings. The custom is that she is to give chocolate to the gentleman she’s sweet on and giddy choco (compulsory chocolate) to all the men surrounding him.

(More...)

Posted by Melissa Smith on March 29, 2006
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March 27, 2006

The Rhythm of Japan

Posted by Melissa Smith on March 27, 2006
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