ALASKA LIKE NEW
An UnCruise Adventures cruise proves the perfect way to reopen the Great Land for tourists.
For centuries, Alaska has represented a challenge to be conquered by resilient people seeking to blaze a new path forward. Thus, this beautiful and highly soughtafter destination also represents the perfect backdrop for the beginning of the comeback story for cruising. UnCruise Adventures, the small-ship leader in Alaska for more than two decades, made a big splash by launching its first sailings in May to mark the first significant step in the reopening of tourism in Alaska.
UnCruise brought six ships, the bulk of its fleet, to Alaska to meet the surging demand for expeditions in this idyllic location. The company had not sailed for more than a year and a half during the pandemic, but had managed to hang on long enough to celebrate a triumphant restart. Passengers were assured of a safe environment on these fully vaccinated cruises (both passengers and crew) that also required pre-cruise negative COVID tests.
My sailing on the 86-passenger Legacy departed from Juneau bound for Sitka with 60 passengers and 30 crew aboard. As is customary for UnCruise, the captain and crew always warn cruisers that the start and end points listed on the program are the only parts of the itinerary that you can really count on. The weather and whims of the whales and other creatures often dictate the course, as the goal is always to provide the most exciting experience and the best opportunities to see humpbacks, orcas, bears, porpoises, river otters, sea lions, moose and mountain goats. So, the ship goes where the animals are spotted.
Well, the weather certainly cooperated. As we departed rainy Juneau, slipping out of the marina and up Gastineau Channel on our way toward Icy Strait and, eventually, Idaho Inlet, the drizzle ceased and the clouds lifted.
Numerous passengers were experiencing both a cruise and Alaska for the first time. What a way to do it!
The next morning — and the four following — brought sunshine and mostly blue skies, and an energized ship was crackling with excitement as we all jumped into the daily excursion offerings. From Idaho Inlet — where I was elated during my inaugural foray into bushwhacking — we sailed for two days within stunning Glacier Bay National Park, then cruised to the thoroughly isolated areas of Neka Bay and Deep Bay before edging closer to Sitka and civilization once again as we anchored for a day of exploration around the Magoun Islands, a state marine park.
Legacy is UnCruise’s largest ship, and the four-deck vessel makes a spacious home while we tool around such an idyllic place. The serene bays and fjords offer a comfortable solitude for cruisers in Southeastern Alaska, and we quickly realize that we are fortunate to be enjoying this environment during a truly unique time. Being among the very first cruisers to get back onto Alaska’s waterways after the long travel shutdown means that our group of fewer than 100 souls has this playground to ourselves.
And play, we do.
The ship features an innovative floating marina, the Sea Dragon — a boat that travels in tow and then is used to launch kayaking outings and skiff operations. We kayak up close to the Lamplugh glacier and along the coastlines and into fjords in Glacier Bay, and we head ashore for multiple chances to bushwhack, essentially carving our own path into the cedar, hemlock, and spruce of the old-growth Tongass Forest.
These are challenging hikes. As we thrash through the gnarly wilderness, we learn to watch out for the spiny devil’s club shrub and the dense blueberry bushes (the branches tend to whip-snap back toward your face as you follow your fellow hikers single-file).
We relish the chance to get dirty by crawling under and over moss-covered logs, traipsing through boot-sucking mud in marshy muskegs and discovering “animal highways” that Sitka blacktailed deer, brown bears, and moose use as they venture through their forest home.
Many of us rinsed off with an invigorating polar plunge, leaping from the ship’s second deck into the 34-degree waters in Glacier Bay.
Tidepooling walks are shore meanders during low tide that allow us to marvel at the marine life that’s exposed when the shoreline waters recede. Our expedition guide Bobby DeMarinis takes us out on a morning when the tide drops a remarkable 41/ feet to expose a colorful tapestry of squishy, squiggly, and squirting creatures. We immediately spot hundreds of sea stars of all sizes and vibrant
purples, oranges, and reds. There are sea cucumbers, mussels, clams, limpets, and hermit crabs, as well as barnacles and chitons.
There is no internet, no TV, and no stress. It's a pleasant departure from the world most of us have come to know far too intimately over the past year.
Instead, this trip gives the chance to breathe the freshest air you can imagine, while sharing laughs, meals (the food aboard is a definite highlight), hugs, and smiles with new friends. Our days are full, and the more than 17 hours of daylight in late May gives us the opportunity to spot all kinds of animals from daybreak until dusk.
The bow of the ship is the main viewing point, but outdoor spaces are available throughout Decks 2, 3, and 4. Passengers wander the ship, relax in the lounge — or even in one of the two hot tubs — and never miss a call of a sighting of breaching humpbacks or bowriding Doll’s porpoises, mountain goats perched in the steep rock walls, or brown bears grazing on the shoreline.
We saw them all, many on the same evening during one epic stretch sailing past a spot called Gloomy Knob. Cruisers also reported spotting bears and moose from their kayaks or while on shore walks and skiff tours.
DeMarinis calls Glacier Bay a special place. “It sticks with you, and leaves you wanting more,” he said.
You know a cruise is special when the CEO of the line joins his guests. UnCruise is celebrating its 25-year anniversary, and this sailing on Legacy was a smash hit. Many passengers were so pumped up about the trip that they took advantage of an onboard booking promotion to put down deposits on future voyages.
Founder Dan Blanchard told the crowd all week that he was especially thankful to be able to share this landmark sailing with them. On the final night — after a viewing of the trip video that showed all we were able to squeeze into our week — Blanchard addressed his guests and was unable to hold back tears as he expressed gratitude that they chose to take their vacations with UnCruise.
He emphasized how we will all likely look back at this period with a greater appreciation for connections with our friends, family and travel experiences like this. These sentiments certainly ring true for me. ⠛