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.