Going on an Alaskan cruise is expensive and it will cost you a fair amount money even if it’s the cheapest one you could possibly ever find. Besides airfare and hotel accommodations you will often be paying for port fees and taxes not listed on the ‘Too good to be true’ bargain-basement rate. Those hidden fees more often than not make your incredibly cheap cruise maybe not quiet as cheap as you thought.
I would like to suggest that maybe it’s time you stopped looking for the cheapest possible cruise that shoehorns you into a one-size fits all vacation package. Please spend a few moments and start thinking about what you really want in a cruise. You have worked long hard hours to earn a well spent cruise vacation and you should get what you want, and not just what big industrialized tourism tells you that you want.
As the owner/operator of Northwest Navigation Co., and the Motor Vessel David B, a six passenger cruise boat that carries people on cruises from the San Juan Islands in Washington state to Southeast Alaska, and the beautiful Canadian Inside Passage, I’ve spent years obsessing over the different types of cruise experiences that you have to choose from.
Kayaking in No Name Cove
From my perspective, I truly believe that the owner/operator cruise is the best possible choice for Alaska. You get so much more local knowledge, flexible itineraries, meals prepared especially for you, and the ability to see and experience sights and wildlife that are not accessible to bigger operators. I do however understand (sort of) that the cruises we offer are not everyone’s dream vacation and with this in mind I hope you will spend some time factoring in your own unique personality with the style of Alaskan cruise you are dreaming of.
When I’m taking a reservation or talking with prospective passengers I am able to tell quickly if the person on the other end of the phone is a good fit for our style of cruising. When someone is interested in coming aboard the David B, we want to make sure we are the boat for them since they will be spending their hard earned vacation with Capt. Jeffrey and me. If the person on the other end of the phone wants a quiet wilderness experience where they can get off the boat and wander a remote Alaskan beach with the hopes of catching a fleeting glimpse of a wolf or if they want to drift silently among the humpback whales in Frederick Sound, then we are probably a good fit. If the person on the other end of the line is not really as interested in experiencing nature as they are in simply being able to say they’ve been to Alaska and seen a bear, a whale and a glacier, and if that person is looking bigger amenities such disco balls, casinos, and Broadway-style productions night after night, I recommend they try elsewhere.
To help you choose your best possible Alaskan cruise before settling on the cheapest cruise available, I’ve come up with a list of questions you’ll want consider for your Alaskan cruise. If you choose cruise that is right for you, you’ll be rewarded with a lifetime of happy memories. To help you narrow down your list I have divided the cruise industry into four sub-categories:
Owner/Operator – Usually run by a Captain an 1-4 crew and generally range from 4-12 passengers.
Small Ships – Usually run by a local corporation and carry up to 250 passengers.
Medium Ships – Run by both local and national corporations and carry between 250 and 1000 passengers.
Large and Extra Large Ships – Run by multi-national corporations are carry between 1000 and 6000 passengers.
Humpback whale near Gambier Bay
When you are are trying to make a decision about what size of boat you would like to cruise on here are some things that can help you pick your best Alaskan cruise:
Imagine yourself on each size of boat and which ever one causes you to smile the most is the size you should go with. If you are still having trouble deciding think about the following.
If you love boats and enjoy the chance to get some hands on experience or just want to have a boat to yourself, then an owner/operator cruise is a good place to start your search.
If you don’t like crowds, but you want to be on a ship with a few bigger amenities then a small ship would be good for you.
You are ok with crowds and you want the village like feeling of ship-board life with restaurants, bars and swimming pools, then I’d look at the medium sized ships.
If you love big, big, big, and want to just blend in with the crowd and you enjoy climbing walls, on-board marathons, dance clubs, swimming pools, gyms, different restaurants, and public address systems, then the large and extra large cruise ships are for you.
Think about what kind of tour you would like to go on.
Are you interested in first hand wilderness? Try owner/operator and small ships.
Do you want to feel like you are on the water? I suggest owner/operator and some small ships
Do you want the boat you are on to anchor overnight in quiet coves and bays? – Owner/operator and some small ships
Would you like to go for walks on the shore or in the forest? – Owner/operator and some small ships
Do you enjoy being around just a few people? – Owner/operator and some small ships
Do you feel more comfortable with a crowd? – Small ship or large ship
Are you interested in spending time touring big ports? – Large ship
Do you like shopping for gifts, t-shirts and jewelery at a number of different ports? Medium and large ships.
Do you want to book off-board excursions such as helicopter tours and Zip-lines from your ship? Large, medium some small and a few owner/operator.
Do you want a cruise that is custom? – Owner/operator
Are you looking for the cheapest cruise? – Large ships
Are you going on a cruise for the big amenities, such as movie theaters or swimming pools? – Large ship
Cannery Cove, Pybus Bay, Alaska
I sincerely hope that as you plan for you perfect cruise you really do spend more time judging a cruise by more than just its ticket price and I hope this article helps guide you to the perfect cruise. Check out our website if you would like to see more about cruising Alaska on a owner/operator style cruise.
Support KPLU-FM and 6 Other Western States NPR Station’s Online Auction
Starting tomorrow, February 18th through February 27th, you can support KPLU-FM and six other western states NPR stations with their online auction. We’ve donated a San Juan Islands Weekend Getaway trip for two. The retail value is for $1390.00 and bidding starts at $695.00 you could win a fabulous weekend on the David B for a steal and support great national and local news and jazz all at the same time! Here’s some more information and a link to our page on the auction’s website for a sneak preview.
Once again this year we are working with Chuck Byrd of the Austin Chapter of the Sierra Club to put together a San Juan Islands outing. This year’s trip will be August 24-27 and will include two days of causal easy to moderate bicycling on Lopez Island and San Juan Island.
On this trip you’ll enjoy beautiful scenery and easy riding on the pastoral islands of San Juan and Lopez. Highlights include a stop at the Lime Kiln Lighthouse/Whale Watch Park and a visit to the Lopez Island Vineyards. You’ll also be going on some great hikes with beautiful panorama views of the San Juan and Gulf Islands. Throughout the trip David B will be your home base while you ride with all your meals and accommodations included. For more information on this itinerary…
Bikes ready to get on the ferry
Please note this is a Sierra Club members only trip. Contact the trip leader, Chuck Byrd at 512-292-6985 or cbyrd4@austin.rr.com for information, reservations, or how to become a member of the Sierra Club.
If you live in the Austin area and would like more information on this trip, come see us at the Austin Sierra Club’s March 2nd Outings Meeting. We will be giving a presentation on our San Juan Islands cruises and answering questions. For times and directions, read more…
Out of the Way Places on the David B – Bottleneck Inlet
About eight days north of our homeport in Bellingham, on the British Columbia coastline is a secret cove called Bottleneck Inlet. The first time we entered Bottleneck, it was late in the day. We had to time our arrival for high tide so that we could safely pass over the 1 fathom shallow spot that’s located part way through the inlet.
The entrance to Bottleneck Inlet is tricky to find. As soon as we came into Finlayson Channel after cruising past the village of Klemtu, Jeffrey began watching the chart plotter to make sure we wouldn’t miss the entrance.
You can’t see it now, but the opening for Bottleneck is just up ahead, Jeffrey told everyone in the pilothouse as he steered the David B across the channel and towards what looked like a steep forested hillside.
We all strained to find the opening, but it was still invisible to our eyes. Jeffrey checked the chart again to make sure we were on course. As we neared the far side of the channel we began to see a small gap in the forest widen to become the entrance. It did not seem possible that it would open up enough for there to be a large anchorage just beyond what we could currently see. Jeffrey lined up the bow of the boat and made way for the entrance.
Everyone went up on deck to watch as the gap widened into a cut. Off the port and starboard sides of the boat the trees clung to the hillside that rose steeply from the water to a height of nearly 2000 feet. Where the trees came down to the water, their branches hung so low and even that it looked as if some gardener had come through with a hedge trimmer. It was a good sign that waves rarely came into the inlet and that our anchorage would be secure.
We continued into the inlet and easily passed over the one fathom mark with lots of water to spare under the keel. The cut opened into a spacious bowl with lots of room to anchor. As we motored through the inlet, curious seals started popping up around the boat. They watched us while Jeffrey circled around a spot he thought he liked. He took the boat out of gear, let it coast for a moment, then shifted in to reverse to bring the boat to a stop. When he was happy, he looked around and then over to Aaron who was waiting at the anchor.
One shot,he said to Aaron and suddenly the inlet echoed with the sound of anchor chain running quickly to the bottom. The sound stopped as suddenly as it started. Aaron, now finished with the anchor walked from the bow of the boat and then down into the engine room. In a moment there was silence.
With the anchor down we all gathered on deck to have a look around, the sweet upward spiral song of Swainsons Thrushes began to fill the air. It seemed like there must have been hundreds of them and every individual call echoed throughout the anchorage.
Later that night after dinner had been served and the galley was clean, I’d decided it was too nice to go to bed at my usual time and that I wanted to stay up late and listen to the birds on deck. Sean was also still up and we sat on deck together listening. It was 11:30 and the sun had just gone down. The air was cool, but it still felt good to be outside.
Do you hear that I asked.
Yeah, it’s an owl, Sean whispered. I think it’s over there, he said pointing to the hillside.
Yeah I think you’re right, I quietly said back to him. I can’t believe how lucky we are to be here.
Last week Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines welcomed their newest ship the, Oasis of the Seas to it’s homeport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While I usually don’t get wrapped up in the fanfare of the major cruise lines, I found this ship’s story to be a bit different. What got my attention is that it’s the world’s largest cruise ship and the complete polar opposite of what I enjoy about being on the water.
As I read about all the amenities on the Oasis of the Seas, I was struck by how much of the boat is a diversion to the natural world. To get their passengers in touch with nature the folks at RCCL have designed a garden with 12,000 plants and 56 trees called ‘Central Park’, I assume that there isn’t any natural beauty in the Caribbean otherwise they wouldn’t need have an over-sized garden. I hope they at least are growing herbs for their kitchens. Other on board distractions includes, a zip-line, mini golf, climbing walls, and a theme park.
‘Wow,’ I thought to myself as I read the Wikipedia description of the Oasis of the Seas. ‘There’s a lot you can do on that boat. How are we ever going to convince people to come with us? Is RCCL making our trips sound boring?’
Well, I know why people come with us. It’s because we don’t offer all those whiz-bang distractions. We go out into nature and we cruise around at about 6.5 knots. We take our time and we take in the real natural beauty of every place we visit.
The Oasis can cruise at about 22 knots whisking their record-setting 6,296 passengers and 2,165 crewmembers from port to port. When we cruise it’s not with a small city, it’s with 6 passengers and 2-3 crew. Since we carry so few people, passengers and crew become family and forge lifetime friendships. We don’t need mini-golf or theme parks to make a memorable cruise. We have good conversation, great food and real adventure in a natural setting.
I do have to admit that our main distraction is an exercise bike on the pilothouse roof. On our 7-day and 12-day cruises the bike is quite popular for anyone who’s over-indulged in homemade pastries and deserts. While I confess the Oasis’ on-board tattoo parlor is kind-of nifty, if the option of getting a tattoo while on your cruise vacation is the only thing holding you back from making a reservation with us, well then, let us know. We’ll be sure to help you find and consult with the right tattoo artist in one of our destination towns long before you set foot on the David B.
