Cruises
Info for 2023 – Zoom Event Recording
In case you missed the opportunity to tune in on Zoom on December 6 for the crew’s presentation on their 2024 cruises, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered with the video recording below. Highlights from this presentation include a description of all of our destinations and a virtual tour of the David B itself. We hope you enjoy it!
Take 30% Off Alaska Cruise
We have two available last-minute spaces on Trip # 376 – Alaska’s Inside Passage with Pack Creek Bear Viewing. This is an amazing trip filled with tidewater glaciers, whales, hiking, and kayaking. The highlight of the trip is a visit to the Pack Creek Bear Viewing Area, a special location on Admiralty Island, known as Kootsnoowoo (meaning Fortress of the Bear) by the Tlingit. This area was set up by the US Forest Service for visitors to watch brown (grizzly) bears in the wild. It’s also one of our favorite places, and spring is one of the best times to watch bears do their bear things. Love is in the air and getting to watch brown bear courtship is better than any soap opera.
These spaces are open to anyone who is or will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at the time of sailing.
Dates: May 18-25, 2021
Departs: Juneau, AK
Disembarks: Petersburg, AK
Available Cabin: Keta with 2 extra long twin bunks and private ensuite head
Cost: Regularly $6800. Now special price: $4760 per person
We hope to see you aboard the David B!
Christine
PS – If you have any questions about any of our trips in Alaska, the San Juan Islands, or the Inside Passage, send Sarah an email or give her a call at 360-474-7218.
PPS – Also, if you would like a private tour of the David B contact Sarah to schedule an appointment for our spring Open Boat is this weekend, April 10 or 11. Each appointment will 30 minutes with a 15-minute gap between appointments. The maximum group size will be 5 and masks will be required.
Sign me up, Sarah!
So, you hear about the once in a lifetime trip your friends took to Alaska on the David B… Or maybe you are searching about small ship cruises to Alaska and find our website… Or you are reading Outdoor Photography magazine and see one of our ads.
Eventually, you click on “Contact Us” and sign up for our newsletter to find out more about the David B and its crew.
Then one day, Christine’s photos of Alaska’s wilderness and a witty article about a previous trip from Jeffrey seals the deal and you get excited enough to book a trip.
Here’s how it works. I’m Sarah, and let me take you through what you can expect in terms of making a reservation with us and what it’s like working with me, “shore support” for the David B.
I take the reservations (as well as serve as cat staff to Harriet and Oswald (Jeffrey and Christine’s cats,)
while the David B is in Alaska during the summers.) It’s my pleasure to answer the questions you have about our trips. I’m even more delighted when someone I am communicating with signs up.
So when you say, “Sign me up, Sarah!” the first step is the deposit. I’ll send you an email invoice to pay. We take payments through QuickBooks online. This way I don’t have access to your credit card information and it’s all on their secure server.
Once we receive your reservation deposit, I’ll send you our Welcome Letter. It highlights all the details of your trip so you can start planning your flights and hotels. Of course, I am always happy to answer your questions with suggestions about side trips and what to do if you plan to stay a few extra days in port before or after your trip.
Then things are pretty quiet after that for a while. I’ll probably do some knitting or play with Harriet.
When your trip is a little over 90 days away, I’ll contact you again with a reminder that your final payment is due. You can pay online again or send us a check if that’s more convenient. If you make your reservation less than 90 days before the trip sails, then you would have paid in full at that time.
Again 6 weeks out, I’ll be in touch to make sure we have all of your Health and Liability forms filled out. This is where you can tell us your food allergies, special diets or what interests you most about your upcoming trip so we can customize the adventure just for you.
As your trip approaches, the emails become more frequent with a trip reminder two weeks out making sure your flights are confirmed, and finally a few days beforehand to make sure you know how to find the boat on the day of your trip.
On the day of a trip, even though I’m not there, I’m just as excited as you are! However, my job isn’t finished yet. 
After I get a text from Jeffrey that everyone has arrived at the boat safely, boarded, and you are underway I usually don’t hear anything, but I am available to the crew throughout the trip – just in case.
After your trip, I’ll send you an invoice for any David B Gear you purchased to take home such as a book, coffee mug or sweatshirt. And finally, I’ll send a post-trip survey to find out how we did.
So if this has made you interested in signing up with us, don’t hesitate to contact me and say “Sign me up, Sarah!”
Stay safe and stay well,
Sarah
PS – If you have any questions about any of our trips in Alaska, the San Juan Islands, or the Inside Passage, send me an email or give me a call at 360-474-7218.
PPS – Also, if you would like a private tour of the David B contact me to schedule an appointment for our spring Open Boat on the afternoons of April 10 or 11 from 2-6pm. Each appointment will 30 minutes with a 15-minute gap between appointments. The maximum group size will be 5 and masks will be required.
How Will COVID-19 Affect My Trip?
will look like in terms of COVID-19 precautions and policies. We feel that the virus is still a moving target and it’s hard to know exactly what to expect. Our hopes are that the vaccination rollout will gain momentum and the vast majority of us will be vaccinated soon. For now, we are keeping our COVID-19 policies in place. You can visit our COVID-19 policy page for more information. In the meantime, here’s what we’re working on making sure that travel aboard the David B, while the coronavirus is still an issue, is as safe as possible.
Vaccinations: Like many small and large businesses in tourism, we would like to require vaccinations for all of our passengers. However, there may be many legal implications, and there simply may not be enough vaccinations available until later spring or early summer.
do a health check. We were then given permission to anchor if needed due to any weather or mechanical issues. No one was allowed to get off the boat for any reason. If this continues to be the case, our plan is to cruise up the Inside Passage in 4-6 days possibly running 24/7 and anchoring only if necessary. Once we cross the border into Alaska, we will make up the remaining days by cruising in Misty Fjords National Monument. It’s a good time of year for bear viewing, and with the reduction of cruise ships, Misty Fjords will be quiet, remote, and stunningly beautiful. We will be monitoring this closely and will likely know in March if the border will be open in late April when we leave to go north.
-19, you will be isolated in your cabin and the trip will end. We will return to the dock and you will be required to quarantine in a hotel at your own expense until you test negative.Plotting a Course
“So, what if…,” has been the beginning of most of our conversations as we search for signs of when we’ll be able to start our season. Since we operate in two US states and a Canadian province, we’re constantly monitoring the orders of Washington, Alaska, and British Columbia looking for news of when we can fire up the engine and get underway.
Over the last few days it feels like there are some encouraging signs. The cases of coronavirus in Washington state have plateaued. There are some cautious steps being taken to ease some of our restrictions. It’s also been encouraging to see that some airlines are requiring people to wear masks, which is something we hope will become widespread in the coming weeks and months. As each day passes, the smart people in labs are learning more and more about how this virus works. It’s good to hear that new treatments are being tried and possible vaccines being developed.
So, what if…
Until there’s a vaccine, we are all going to have to adapt to life with a new and dangerous disease. It means we’ll do things differently and more cautiously. How will that happen? Here are some of the things that we’re monitoring:
- The lifting of travel restrictions in Alaska, Washington, and Alaska.
- The lifting of the mandatory 14-day quarantine period for all people arriving in Alaska.
- The possible seasonality of the virus.
- The ability to perform more testing.
- The need for pre-travel health screenings and waivers.
- The requirement to wear masks on flights and in public spaces.
- The continued social distancing rules.
So, what if…?
Stay safe. Stay well,
Christine