Press Release

Sub-Arctic Wildlife, Aleut And Eskimo Cultures, World War II Artifacts And Russian History -- Comfortably Accessible To Cruise West Travelers Aboard All-Suite Spirit Of Oceanus

Mar 4 2004 12:00AM

Seattle, March 2004 -- Passengers taking Cruise West’s 13-night Voyage to the Bering Sea aboard the line’s all-suite flagship, the 114-passenger Spirit of Oceanus, explore nearly 2,000 miles of Alaska and Far Eastern Russia coastline. Ignored by conventional cruise ships, totally removed from traditional patterns of Alaska tourism and visited only by small groups of travelers seeking what is beyond the ordinary, these remote regions are now comfortably accessible because of the combined attributes of the ship. On-board exploration leaders are well-versed in the history, ecology and wildlife of the area and provide commentary, lectures and insights throughout the sailing. Four departures, June 11, 23, July 5 and 17, from Anchorage or Nome are priced from $7,199 to $10,499, per person, double.

The itinerary offers a first-hand view of Aleut and Eskimo societies in seldom-visited ports of call, rewarding passengers with a unique perspective on what Alaska was like more than fifty years ago when cruising in the state was first promoted by Chuck West, the company’s founder. Sights and activities include viewing fur seals and sea birds from premium vantage sites on the Pribilof Island of St. George; visiting America’s closest frontier to Russia, Little Diomede, less than three miles from Russia’s Big Diomede; searching for musk oxen on Nunivak Island; exploring the tidal pools and tundra on the Shumagin Islands for foxes, Steller sea lions and eagles; sailing past the dramatic scenery of the world’s longest archipelago, the Aleutian Islands; and in Russia, being welcomed by the 319-resident Yu’pik village of Novoye Chaplino, claimed to be of ethnic kinship to Alaskan Eskimos; and meeting Chukchi subsistence hunters on Yanrakynnot.

Wildlife sightings include sea otters, dolphins and whales in Kenai Fjords National Park, great brown bears in Katmai National Park and seabirds by the millions in Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. The ship also calls at Kodiak and Dutch Harbor, each with a number of Aleut and Russian museums displaying artifacts from 10,000 years of Aleut cultural history and 100 years of Russian occupation.

The 295-foot mini-liner, complete with stabilizers for ocean passage, offers fine dining and some of the luxury services available on much larger vessels -- two main lounges, exercise room, indoor dining room with open seating, outdoor dining terrace surrounding a large hot tub, video and book lending library, elevator to all passenger decks and well-appointed suites -- 12 with private balconies. Each suite looks out at the wilderness through picture windows, has separate living space, satellite telephone access, private bathroom, desk, TV/VCR, large closets and a mini-bar. These features, combined with the ship’s small number of passengers, ocean-going capability, Zodiac fleet and maneuverability, enable complex itineraries impossible for both larger cruise ships and smaller vessels not rated for ocean travel.

 Travelers looking for an even grander “grand cruise of Alaska” may combine the Voyage to the Bering Sea with the 12-night Coastal Odyssey itinerary that sails along 1,500 miles of British Columbia and Alaska coastal waters between Vancouver and Anchorage. Ports of call are Prince Rupert, Petersburg, Juneau and Sitka as well as visits to Alaska’s four most spectacular fjord regions: Glacier Bay National Park, Tracy Arm, Prince William Sound and Misty Fjords National Monument. When linked, the two cruises comprise a 24-night comprehensive voyage that departs Vancouver, June 1, and Nome, July 17. Cruise travelers save five percent on the combined costs of the two itineraries -- $12,158 to $18,333 with the discount.

An optional five-day Denali Park land extension can be added to either cruise. Highlights of the optional extension include taking a deluxe domed railcar across the high trestle at Hurricane Gulch and descending via Broad Pass into the Alaska Range, a Denali Park Tundra Wilderness tour and a day of sightseeing in Fairbanks.

Reservations, additional information and brochures can be obtained from travel agents and Cruise West, Suite 700, 2401 Fourth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98121, telephone (800) 888-9378; fax (206) 441-4757; web site www.cruisewest.com 

Gillies and Zaiser 110 Riverside Drive New York, NY 10024 CW-04-March, 2004

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Cruise West – a second-generation, family-owned business based in Seattle – offers the opportunity to explore remote, worldwide locales by providing distinctive, one-of-a-kind, personalized itineraries not offered by the traditional larger cruise lines. Cruise West’s smaller ships – nine in all – hold between 78-138 people each, and the casual style onboard encourages relaxation and congenial interaction between guests and crew alike. The experience is personally enriching through expert Exploration Leaders providing onboard narrative and lectures, special local guests from a wide variety of backgrounds, and the library provided on each vessel. All have forward lounges and ample outdoor deck space for viewing and photographing wildlife and scenery. All vessels are also equipped with inflatable landing boats for close-up exploration of remote areas and shore landings.

Destinations served include: Alaska and the Bering Sea, British Columbia, Columbia & Snake Rivers, California Wine Country, Mexico's Sea of Cortés, Costa Rica & Panama, Japan, the South Pacific, and the Kuril Islands.