Those who know me best know my biggest fear - FISH. I know its a silly thing to be scared of, but I prefer to be on solid ground and have quite the imagination on what lurks below me when it comes to getting into the open water. I only swim in pools. And, when I do brave it out and jump into open fresh or salt water sea, I always have my husband go in first to splash around and scare things away. I really don't even like to look at fish in fish tanks, it just kind of gives me a chill. So, when I traveled to Baja with my pregnant and dear friend it was quite the peer pressure situation when we had the opportunity to swim with Sea Lions.
Young Sea Lions are known for their playful personalities. They come right up to you and want to swim and twirl. They are most attracted to the people that are out there moving and shakin'. If my pregnant friend could do, I sure could. So, maybe I was like a stick floating out there in the open water. And yes, I was ready to use the fins covering my feet as a shield if I needed. But, it was fun! And, how often do you get the chance to swim with Sea Lions in the wild? (You can see how fun the Sea Lions are - I have attached a picture of one trying to join us in our DIB.)
One of the best feelings in the world is to visit a beautiful piece of earth that is still natural and traveled by few. I loved Isla Partida, there I took a short and easy beach walk with our Exploration Guide, Paulino. Paulino was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of the Baja region and from the moment we met him we knew he loved this beautiful region. On our beach walk Paulino started to pick up small pieces of trash, and old fish hooks that he would find washed up on the beach. Following Paulino's lead other Cruise West guests started doing the same. There was a great since of pride in leaving the beautiful island even more unsoiled then it was when we arrived.
The local children of Loreto that performed in the beautiful courtyard of the Loreto Mission were so fun. They were so excited to perform for us and were talented too.
Chesna traveled on our Whales & Wildlife cruise through Mexico's Sea of Cortes in March 2006. Thanks for sharing your experience, Chesna.
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.
On each cruise, our Exploration Leaders chronicle the journey through photos. At the end of the cruise, we create a photo CD that we sell to our guests, with proceeds going to our Our Bear Cares Program. Even though it's summer now, I find myself dreaming of a warm, tropical vacation. I pulled out the of the photo CDs from this winter's cruise in Mexico's Sea of Cortes, just to take an armchair vacation. Years ago, I spent a winter working down there. I've been back several times since and thankfully, not much has changed. It was so much fun seeing the photos that I thought I'd share them with you. I've uploaded the slide show to our You Tube account, but here it is for your enjoyment as well.
For many years, we have been involved with the La Paz Children's home. So, when the Our Bear Cares Committee agreed to sponsor my proposal for a volunteer paint party in January 2008, I was thrilled. In 2007, we provided new mattresses and bedding for the girl's dorm and our work party in January will allow us to finish off this project.
I was inspired by a similar project in Panama, where our crew and guests painted the school house at the Embera village that we visit.
The paint party is planned for January 18-20. We will spend all day on the 19th at the Children's home, painting and enjoying the company of the Padre and children. We'll also enjoy a barbeque lunch hosted by the children.
The work party is open to guests who will be cruising with us on the Spirit of Yorktown as well as non-cruisers who have a special interest in helping with this project. We have tried to keep the costs down to a minimum and are pleased to be offering this experience for $299 per person. To download the flier, with all of the details, click here.
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.
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.
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
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!
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."
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 small-ships visit. This week's post is submitted by Josef Boyar, Chief Engineer aboard the Spirit of Endeavour. Meet Josef: My name is Josef Boyar and I am the Chief Engineer on the Spirit of Endeavour. I have been with Cruise West for seven years. During this time I have had the opportunity to sail on most of our itineraries in Alaska, British Columbia, The Columbia and Snake Rivers, California wine country, and Mexico’s Sea of Cortés.
Born a Mariner: I was born and raised in Seattle Washington on the tall ship Schooner Zodiac. She is a 124-foot topsail Schooner built in 1924. As a child I sailed through the waters of the San Juan Islands. You could say that I have been in the passenger ship industry my whole life.
Love on the High Seas: In 2004 I had the opportunity to sail in Mexico on the Spirit of Endeavour. This would forever change my life. I met my now wife and have moved to Loreto.
Home on Dry Land: Loreto is a small town in Baja California South on the Sea of Cortés and is one of the port calls for Cruise West. There is so much history in Loreto. From the oldest mission in the California’s, to the indigenes people that lived there. There are lots of things to see in Loreto if you chose to visit. The mission of Loreto built in 1697 by the Jesuit Priests. The beautiful mountain mission of San Javier, which was the second mission of the California’s and overlooks Loreto and the Sea of Cortez. Sport fishing is a major attraction in Loreto all year long. The gray whales of Magdalena Bay on the Pacific side are a must during the months of February and March.
I have lived here in Loreto for two years now and I can say that is my favorite place that Cruise West travels to.
This article was originally printed in our Q-News, which is our quarterly Quyana Newsletter. We caught up with Al and Sylvia at their home in California.
Q: Where was your first trip with Cruise West? A: We went to Alaska’s Inside Passage on the Spirit of ’98. We had the Denali package too. It was a wonderful trip even though we didn’t see Mt. McKinley in Denali and we had some pretty bad weather and were overtaken by a storm, it was an adventure we really enjoyed.
Q: What was your next trip? A: We like the small-ship cruising so much we went to the Sea of Cortes. We had been to Mexico before, flying in a small plane. It was so fun to see Loreto and La Paz by ship and the Spirit of Endeavour is a terrific boat. We took the Copper Canyon land tour and were so impressed by the very talented Tarahumaras.
Q: Have you cruised with other lines? A: Not even once – we saw those big ships in Alaska and wouldn’t consider ever going on them – the escalators, the big lines, the waiting and waiting. We chose Cruise West because we liked the idea of fewer people, and we’ve met some lovely people onboard. They are truly wonderful.
Q: Do you have a favorite memory? A: I (Al) went on the aerial tram line through the treetops in Costa Rica – it was wild and fun! I (Sylvia) have too many favorite memories to mention.
Q: Anything else you’d like to add? A: You people are the tops as far as helping people out and taking care of them, how well you take the effort to make sure people see what can be seen in each destination. Although we’re older, the younger crew takes good, kind care of us.
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.
Ciudad de los Niños y Niñ Orphanage was founded in 1952 by Father Zelndo Marigo. The children living there range in age from 6-18 and are not only orphans, but also children in need. The staff at the orphanage consists of a psychologist, a social worker, three nuns, one father and two helpers. The orphanage, though simple, is kept clean and tidy.
Over the past few years, Cruise West Captain Dave Yurina has been deeply commited to raising money for this Orphanage through our program of selling memorable cruise photographs on CDs, throughout the season, averaging 30 CD's sold each trip.
On Friday, March 24th with the help of our ship's agents Lyn & Arturo Musi, Father Fernando Quezada Cobarrubias, who has been with the Orphanage for 14 years, brought four boys between the ages of 5-9 to the Spirit of Endeavour. The boys were greeted with milk and cookies (they loved Chef Irv's cookies) and they were given a tour of the vessel. Their eyes lit up around every turn, especially in the Bridge! They returned to the Lounge and the event began.
Through the eyes of our Second Mate aboard the Spirit of Endeavour
After a pleasant morning of wildlife viewing just north of Loreto, the guests sat down to an informal lunch. The Captain negotiated the small islands to find the perfect anchorage just off a perfect white sandy beach. The water was a beautiful aquamarine near shore and transitioned to a deep sea blue as the water deepened.
We saw meandering porpoise just off the bow as the ship settled into its anchorage. Seabirds such as terns and pelicans soared along the coastline with a poetic grace that soaked the soul.
With light winds blowing, and the sun shining so wonderfully, the ship’s launches shuttled the guests to the beach. It didn't take long to see kayakers exploring the volcanic shoreline that book ended the stretch of beach we laid claim to. Hikers were working their way through the arroyo and amongst the cactus to check out the flora. Snorkelers were being guided to the undersea world of hundreds of species of small fish. And, of course, their were those that saw the value in just taking in the sun in a lounge chair and forgetting their worries as the warmth of the sunshine blanketed them with peace.
videos 
booked guests 
For many years, we have been involved with the La Paz Children's home. So, when the 
school house at the Embera village that we visit. 
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 
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 
Meet Josef:
Love on the High Seas:
port calls for Cruise West. There is so much history in Loreto. From the oldest mission in the California’s, to the indigenes people that lived there. There are lots of things to see in Loreto if you chose to visit. The mission of Loreto built in 1697 by the Jesuit Priests. The beautiful mountain mission of San Javier, which was the second mission of the California’s and overlooks Loreto and the Sea of Cortez. Sport fishing is a major attraction in Loreto all year long. The gray whales of Magdalena Bay on the Pacific side are a must during the months of February and March. 
Q: Where was your first trip with Cruise West? 
Yesterday my family got a treat. 
deeply commited to raising money for this Orphanage through our program of selling memorable cruise photographs on CDs, throughout the season, averaging 30 CD's sold each trip. 