Press Release

EXPLORE THE PRISTINE COASTLINES BETWEEN BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA ON CRUISE WEST’S COASTAL ODYSSEY ITINERARY Guests Gain a New Understanding of Beauty with an Up-close Glimpse of Fragile Wilderness

Mar 10 2005 12:00AM

For more than 1,600 miles, between Vancouver and Anchorage, guests aboard one of Cruise West’s Coastal Odyssey itineraries will experience the spectacular wonders of nature – from cliffs that soar 3,000 feet from the waters edge to the magnificent “salmon forest” of British Columbia, where millions of spawning salmon support dense concentrations of forest life. From May through the beginning of September, guests can choose from 12-, 14- or 16-day itineraries aboard the Spirit of Oceanus, the newly renovated all-suite flagship, beginning at $5,797 per person, double occupancy.

The Coastal Odyssey “A” cruise begins by sailing under the Lion’s Gate Bridge in Vancouver through nutrient-rich waters, home to whales and porpoise and surrounded by the majestic evergreens of the Great Bear Rainforest, home to the oldest and largest trees on earth. Here, guests will meet and interact with First Nations, a culture of Aboriginal Canadians, while visiting a remote village on the British Columbian coast. Cruising Alaska through the tremendous granite cliffs of Misty Fjords, guests will visit Metlakatla, a Tsimshian community, where they are welcomed with a special performance dance in the tribal long house. Later, guests will explore the waters of Frederick Sound for humpback and orca whales, seals, sea lions and porpoise.

The Spirit of Oceanus will sail up Tracy Arm, a fjord home to the largest icebergs in Alaska, to the twin Sawyer Glaciers, lined with steep cliffs and adorned with icebergs, then to Gastineau Channel and Juneau. At Glacier Bay National Park, an onboard Park Service Ranger will assist guests in spotting various wildlife. After strolling along the totem-laced forest trail of Sitka National Historic Park, the former capital of Russian America, guests will enter the romantic Gulf of Alaska, set amongst the background of snowcapped mountains. Before sailing to Anchorage to head home, guests may also see puffins, orcas, seals and sea lions along the beaches of remote Kenai Fjords National Park.

The Coastal Odyssey “B” cruise allows guests to add a stay at Denali National Park and Preserve for an additional four days. Along this extended voyage, guests will travel by motorcoach to Talkeetna where they will board a deluxe domed railcar for the journey to the park. At the park, a guide will assist guests in locating moose, grizzly bears, caribou and Dall sheep. Guests will also have the opportunity for other optional activities including up-close flightseeing, heli-hiking, whitewater rafting and float trips, or horseback riding. As the voyage comes to an end, guests will ride down the Chena and Tanana Rivers, aboard an authentic sternwheeler riverboat, the main form of transportation in the North for more than a century.

Cruise West, on the Coastal Odyssey “D & DD” itineraries, offers travelers an extended stay at an extraordinary lodge of their choice, Redoubt Bay Lodge or Winterlake Lodge. Redoubt Bay Lodge, open during the fishing/bear season, features three rustic cabins that can accommodate up to 20 guests. The Lodge encompasses the excitement of the great terrain of Alaska, sitting on 171,000-acres of critical habitat area, which is home to many wildlife species. Winterlake Lodge is open year-round and has many alternate activities including dog-sledding along the historic Alaskan Iditarod Trail. Because of the dense bear population, bear-sighting is not unusual on the D and DD itineraries.

 ~~ Up-Close, Casual and Intimate Cruising~

As the largest American-owned cruise line, Cruise West – a second-generation, family owned business, offers eco-adventure seekers 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 – eight in all – hold between 78-114 people each, and the casual style onboard encourages relaxation and congenial interaction between guests and crew alike. The experience is personally enriching through 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.

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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.