Cruise West - Small Ship Cruising
Saturday, 17. May 2008, 22:01:45
The Cruise West Experience
If you've traveled with big ship cruise lines in the past, it's time to forget everything you thought you knew about cruising. And if you've avoided cruising because you thought it would be like traveling in a floating mall, it's time to think again. This is something else altogether.
Are You a Cruise West Cruiser?
Cruise West guests would rather watch for whales than spend the afternoon in a casino. They linger outside on deck as the Captain noses under a waterfall, rather than watch a video. On a small ship, the focus is outside where Nature provides the entertainment, rather than on artificial amusements conjured up to occupy your attention during long hours of open water.
With Cruise West, you're not just a visitor, you're a participant. Whether you're kayaking off a wilderness island in Mexico, hiking in a rainforest in Alaska, or enjoying a spectacular spring garden in British Columbia, each of our small-ship cruises is an engaging experience for all your senses.
Up-Close, Casual and Personal
When Chuck West first offered unique and personal travel experiences more than 60 years ago, he built his business on the philosophy that drives Cruise West to this day: to provide up-close travel that focuses on the destination - its scenery, wildlife, natural history and culture - all in the company of limited numbers of like-minded travelers.
While magnificent sweeping views are certainly abundant in every one of our destinations, it's the glory of the details, viewed close up, that bring you the most rewarding memories - cruising so close to a waterfall you can feel the mist, or seeing the barnacles on a humpback's fin.
The casual style onboard all of our vessels encourages relaxation and congenial interaction between guests and crew alike. And the experience is personally enriching, through onboard narratives and lectures, special local guests from a wide variety of backgrounds, and the library provided on each vessel.
The Small-Ship Advantage
In many of the remote waterways we visit, small ships are the only way to explore the area. We forsake the wider shipping lanes for channels just a few hundred feet wide, tie up to inner piers in tiny villages, and share waterways with local fishermen and perhaps a few private yachts. And our ships carry inflatable excursion craft to take you to where the action is.
Your cruise on our small ship is not filled with elaborate distractions, sleek resorts, and packaged tours. Rather, our small ships are perfect for intimate exploration of off-the-beaten track waterways, narrow channels and tiny ports that passengers on large ships will never see.
When Cruise West guests visit a small port in Alaska's Inside Passage or along Baja Mexico's Sea of Cortés, we don't overwhelm the local communities or crowd nature trails. In fact, our largest vessel hosts just 138 guests. And in the small ports we visit, we've nourished excellent relationships with the local innkeepers, port directors, and storytellers. That means everywhere you travel, you have entrée to the very best experiences that each community can offer. And in every Cruise West destination, at least one shore excursion or highlight is included in each port of call, to further encourage your active involvement.
Your time is spent wisely, too. Rather than making a beeline from port to port, our Captains have the flexibility - and the inclination - to linger when nature is putting on a show, whether it's a spectacular rainbow or a rare view of wildlife.
If you've traveled with big ship cruise lines in the past, it's time to forget everything you thought you knew about cruising. And if you've avoided cruising because you thought it would be like traveling in a floating mall, it's time to think again. This is something else altogether.
Are You a Cruise West Cruiser?
Cruise West guests would rather watch for whales than spend the afternoon in a casino. They linger outside on deck as the Captain noses under a waterfall, rather than watch a video. On a small ship, the focus is outside where Nature provides the entertainment, rather than on artificial amusements conjured up to occupy your attention during long hours of open water.
With Cruise West, you're not just a visitor, you're a participant. Whether you're kayaking off a wilderness island in Mexico, hiking in a rainforest in Alaska, or enjoying a spectacular spring garden in British Columbia, each of our small-ship cruises is an engaging experience for all your senses.
Up-Close, Casual and Personal
When Chuck West first offered unique and personal travel experiences more than 60 years ago, he built his business on the philosophy that drives Cruise West to this day: to provide up-close travel that focuses on the destination - its scenery, wildlife, natural history and culture - all in the company of limited numbers of like-minded travelers.
While magnificent sweeping views are certainly abundant in every one of our destinations, it's the glory of the details, viewed close up, that bring you the most rewarding memories - cruising so close to a waterfall you can feel the mist, or seeing the barnacles on a humpback's fin.
The casual style onboard all of our vessels encourages relaxation and congenial interaction between guests and crew alike. And the experience is personally enriching, through onboard narratives and lectures, special local guests from a wide variety of backgrounds, and the library provided on each vessel.
The Small-Ship Advantage
In many of the remote waterways we visit, small ships are the only way to explore the area. We forsake the wider shipping lanes for channels just a few hundred feet wide, tie up to inner piers in tiny villages, and share waterways with local fishermen and perhaps a few private yachts. And our ships carry inflatable excursion craft to take you to where the action is.
Your cruise on our small ship is not filled with elaborate distractions, sleek resorts, and packaged tours. Rather, our small ships are perfect for intimate exploration of off-the-beaten track waterways, narrow channels and tiny ports that passengers on large ships will never see.
When Cruise West guests visit a small port in Alaska's Inside Passage or along Baja Mexico's Sea of Cortés, we don't overwhelm the local communities or crowd nature trails. In fact, our largest vessel hosts just 138 guests. And in the small ports we visit, we've nourished excellent relationships with the local innkeepers, port directors, and storytellers. That means everywhere you travel, you have entrée to the very best experiences that each community can offer. And in every Cruise West destination, at least one shore excursion or highlight is included in each port of call, to further encourage your active involvement.
Your time is spent wisely, too. Rather than making a beeline from port to port, our Captains have the flexibility - and the inclination - to linger when nature is putting on a show, whether it's a spectacular rainbow or a rare view of wildlife.
THE VALUE OF CRUISE WEST
* Cruise West offers life-enriching experiences in extraordinary destinations.
* Small ships can go where large ships cannot - through narrow waterways, to tiny ports, and to islands, inlets and coves without docks.
* Our focus is on up-close experiences with a focus on the destination, rather than the ship itself.
* One excursion or activity is included in all ports of call and shore stops.
* Flexible itineraries mean we can stop and linger to watch whales and other wildlife.
* An Exploration Leader offers expert narration on every sailing, and on our escorted land tours.
* Special guest speakers and local guides add insider insights.
* Tipping is neither expected nor required.
Small vs Big
Our Cruise Destinations
Unforgettable natural beauty and an intriguing sense of history reveal themselves in-depth and up-close on the small-ship voyages of Cruise West. These are not typical vacations. These are journeys of discovery that take you into places you've only imagined, introduce you to people you'll always treasure, and put you back in touch with your true self.
* Alaska Cruises
April -SeptemberFrom a 4-day cruise to a 25-day odyssey no one gives you more Alaska cruise choices than Cruise West. From routes along the Inside Passage to destinations on the Bering sea, our beautiful small ships explore Alaska the Cruise West way — up-close, casual and personal.
Begin Your Breathtaking Voyage to Alaska
Here our exciting routes include many along the beautiful Inside Passage, the glacial wonderlands of Prince William Sound and Glacier Bay, and stops in fascinating towns and cities such as Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka among others. And don’t miss the chance to add a customized land-tour to Denali National Park and Preserve fully escorted by Cruise West.
Let Us Bring You Closer, Let Us Show You More
Only a small ship can give you the best of Alaska. Our ships take you where the large ships can’t go. See whales and wildlife undisturbed in their natural habitat. Leave the crowds behind and join us for a rewarding and memorable journey where you’ll feel the true spirit of the last frontier.
Come With Us. This is Cruise West. This is Alaska.
* Mexico's Sea of Cortés
December - MarchEach of our Sea of Cortés breathtaking destinations has an exceptional wonder all its own. Isolated coves, pristine waters. Playful sea lions, dolphins and whales. Remote islands, exclusive wildlife and historic missions. Desert beauty and remarkable sunsets. Let our beautiful small ship take you away to the world you've dreamed of...Cruise West's Whales & Wildlife cruise on the Sea of Cortés. Explore our Whales & Wildlife Cruise.
Over 140 million years ago the Baja peninsula began to move slowly away from the mainland, forming the Sea of Cortés - the planet's newest sea. In this region more than 900 species of fish, one-third of the world's species of whales and dolphins, hundreds of varieties of birds and thousands of species of marine animals flourish. Many of them found only here. And many of them as curious to learn about you as you are to learn about them.
Stand on the deck as hundreds of dolphins welcome us into their midst. Swim with playful sea lions in their home waters. Kayak over gently flapping butterfly rays and schools of sergeant majors. And go ashore on islands that are home to both plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.
The turquoise waters here are so impossibly brilliant and crystal clear that floating on the surface can be disorienting, like walking into space with nothing but air below you. Nearby shores are rimmed with white-sand beaches and cacti. And idyllic towns still echo with mission bells of a bygone era.
To explore this extraordinary place is to know firsthand how small the human presence on earth truly is.
* South Pacific
December - FebruaryJoin us as we explore remote islands, motus, and atolls accessible only by small ship, pausing often to learn traditional skills from welcoming South Sea Islanders and discovering the stunning beauty of these tropical natural wonders.
This is a voyage of discovery. Who built the strange ruins at Nan Madol? How did the first Polynesians survive on remote atolls where conditions were so extreme? Through onboard narration, lectures, and slide shows, you'll expand your understanding and appreciation of the cultures and natural history of the places we visit.
And when we reach new shores, guided explorations by people who live and work in these island communities will give you an intimate hands-on perspective that brings these insights to life.
* Panama Canal & Costa Rica
The narrow link of land that connects North and South America is unique on earth, and our small-ship voyages offer unparalleled access to the animals, plants and indigenous people who call this region home.
On the 100-guest Pacific Explorer, you'll visit ports of call and remote landings the big ships pass by. And with a limited number of fellow travelers, your experience both on board and ashore is up-close, casual, and very personal, whether you're meeting the Kuna Indians of Panama's San Blas Islands or seeking wildlife in a Costa Rican jungle.
Our Zodiac inflatable excursion crafts take you right to remote bays and deserted shorelines, close enough to the water to trail your fingers in the sea as you watch for blue-footed boobies, red-billed oystercatchers, and magnificent frigate birds. On the edge of Panama's Darién Jungle, you step from a Zodiac launch onto a huge gnarled root in the streambank. A tattooed man, the headman of the Emberá village, welcomes you ashore with a smile and a handshake.
Thanks to our expert Costa Rican naturalists and local contacts, you're given a true insider's view of this magical world.
Come with us on your own voyage of discovery to this beautiful tropical wonderland.
* California Wine Country
September - November Explore California Wine Country Learn about "hand riddling"and other secrets of making fine champagne. Sip fine sparkling wine on the terrace of a French-inspired chateau. Or tour a mountainside vineyard by a tractor-pulled tram. This is the Wine Country you always wanted to see, only better, with unique access via our small ship on peaceful and scenic waterways instead of grid-locked freeways.
Admire views of the city's evening lights, Alcatraz, and Angel Island as you cruise up the bay. The next morning, fresh and relaxed, you're berthed far up the Napa River, ready for exploration.
You'll enjoy frequent tastings and interactive discussions about the history and mystery of wine in between visits ashore to explore distinctive estates in Napa Valley, Sonoma and Carneros. You will enjoy special events, tastings, and meals, frequently in areas of the wineries that are off-limits to the casual drop-in visitor. You'll also have a chance to tour the architectural masterpieces that dominate many of these hillside estates. French chateaux, mission-style, Victorian - the variety is almost as rich as the wines. A variety of special guests will speak as well, from winemakers to hospitality directors.
These journeys are for both novices and connoisseurs alike who enjoy great scenery, congenial camaraderie and the opportunity to learn more about the culture of the vine.
* Epicurean Cruises
Cruises for Wine Lovers & Foodies Savor a vintner's true artistry as it expands across your palate in a private tasting among the vineyards of Coyote Canyon Winery. Meet the owners of a wheat farm-turned-winery in Walla Walla, whose stories add as much flavor to your experience as the delicate traits in their wines. Taste the difference between a Royal Comice, Seckel and Columbia Red d'Anjou pear, picked fresh from the orchard. Linger over leisurely dinners prepared with local bounty ranging from hazelnuts and huckleberries to artisan cheeses, chocolate-covered cherries and fresh, local salmon - topped off, of course, with a premium Washington or Oregon wine.
Join us on Cruise West's inaugural Taste of the Pacific Northwest tour and savor the rich history and flavors of the people, land and bounty of some of the region's most remote and scenic territory.
* British Columbia
Only a few of these beautiful islands are accessible by ferry. The rest are reserved for adventurous souls who long to leave civilization and all its trappings far behind. In 1791, Captain George Vancouver was one of the first European mariners to record his visit to what is now British Columbia and Washington, leaving behind a legacy of place names such as Vancouver Island and Mt. Rainier. Come with us and retrace Captain Vancouver's historic voyage, visiting quaint ports, great cities, and remarkable wilderness that has changed little since Vancouver's visit.
These secluded islands - the remaining mountaintops of a receding continent - still offer incredible scenery and solitude. Only private yachts and Cruise West's Spirit of Endeavour can take full advantage of this captivating maze of islands and fjords. You'll see wild shores that have changed little since Captain George Vancouver first explored here in 1791, and navigate scenic, narrow passageways en route to British Columbia's charming Gulf Islands, the colorful logging community of Nanaimo, and Victoria's incomparable Butchart Gardens.
And whether you're exploring the stately British heritage of Victoria or turn-of-the-century Rosario Resort on Orcas Island, our Exploration Leader will give you an insider's view of both the past and the present. Learn how to pronounce "Esquimault," and where to find the best Irish linens and Scottish tweeds in Victoria. Learn the past of Vancouver's Stanley Park, and how the Hudson's Bay Company changed the face of Vancouver Island.
So much history. So much beauty. Come explore the best of the Pacific Northwest with us.
* Columbia & Snake Rivers
You cruise down the winding Snake River through scenic Hells Canyon, ancient Nez Perce horse trails still visible from the river. As your small ship approaches the mouth of the mighty Columbia, you disembark to visit the Fort Clatsop. Passing the heavy wooden gates, you can feel the presence of buckskin-clad Lewis & Clark who sheltered here from the elements during the rainy winter of 1805.
Here, some new wonder awaits around every bend. Dramatic waterfalls dropping into the Columbia River Gorge. Historic forts where blue-coated U.S. Cavalry strived to tame the new frontier. And a fascinating look at how the rivers themselves were tamed, as you transit almost 1,000 miles and navigate eight major sets of locks and dams-twice.
The Pacific Northwest's pioneer history is made more enriching by the casual, congenial atmosphere of our small-ship cruises. Our crew and Exploration Leaders have gathered a rich trove of lore and insider knowledge that they are eager to share, and a special series of excursions, guest speakers, and narration help you recapture the past in intimate ways. You'll meet those who can tell of the hardships of establishing the Whitman Mission in the midst of wilderness, and from a Nez Perce speaker, who will share their historical contributions in the shaping of this region and the vision for the future of their culture.
The historical tapestry flows right down to the present day, from the saga of dam construction in the 1930s, to the awesome new profile of Mt. St. Helens and the modern environmental issues of salmon survival and irrigation rights.
* Grand Asia
Vietnam and China November - DecemberAsia calls. Now's the perfect time to answer. While Asia's influence is weaving its way through every world culture, there's no substitute for first-hand experience.
Join us as we sail the Sea of Japan, the Yellow and the South China Seas, winding our way around islands and down a coastline that has enticed explorers, adventurers, conquerors and kings for centuries. Discover ancient temples and pagodas; relish the smells and sounds of bustling markets and silent monasteries; and drink in the beauty of the coastal landscapes of Japan, China, Korea and Vietnam.
From Kobe's prospect at the edge of the Orient to Nagasaki's beautiful bay, from the Yangtze River city of Shanghai to Korea's cherished Jeju Island and the ancient treasures and modern miracles of Vietnam's Mekong Delta, let the wonders of Grand Asia envelop you.
Our small-ship approach gives you a very special perspective on each destination, and your exploration is enhanced by returning each day to the elegant comfort and camaraderie of the Spirit of Oceanus.
Explore the mysterious Ring of Fire or the Trade Route of Japan to Vietnam in our Grand Asia cruise.
* Japan
April - May, October - November
Surrounded by sea, the island nation of Japan has long been a stopping place for ocean voyages, absorbing itinerant cultural influences and making them uniquely Japanese. The port cities were often home to samurai, the clan chieftains, and the great feudal lords, who, while fending off foreign rule, were trading with the outside world. These ports then formed the filter through which external influences passed to the interior.
While other visitors make long overland journeys, we will anchor right offshore many places we visit, including Izumo Taisha, the most important Shinto shrine in Japan. We will also cruise right past the red torii at Miyajima at high tide, giving you an unforgettable view of the famous "floating" gates.
Our journeys are exclusively for those who believe, as we do, that the best way to experience an island nation is not by land, but by sea.
Come with us as we explore the rich historical and cultural tapestry that is Japan in the same way its adopted influences arrived - by ship.
Contact me today to plan your Cruise West getaway! info@sailawaytravel.biz
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