Think Small to Appreciate Alaska's Big Picture

By Art Sbarsky
*originally published in Cruise and Travel Lifestyles Spring/Summer 2011

Spotting whales, bears, sea lions and eagles: check. Kayaking, paddle-boarding, hiking, fishing, skiffing: check. Close-up looks at icebergs and bergy bits as well as walking on a glacier: check. Production shows, casinos and late night buffets: no way. After all, this cruise line refers to themselves as an ‘Uncruise’. And that’s a pretty apt description for a Safari Quest Alaska cruise.

The Safari Quest, one of three ships operated by American Safari Cruises, is really small, the smallest on which I’ve ever taken a cruise. It has only 11 staterooms for a total of 22 guests. The other two ships in the fleet, Safari Spirit and Safari Explorer, carry 12 and 36 guests respectively. It can be described as upscale adventure traveling committed to showing guests what nature is all about. And, despite the size of the ship (it’s shorter end to end than the inside promenade on the new Royal Caribbean ships), it delivered a BIG experience on the seven-night itinerary from Juneau to Ketchikan.

We only called at one town, the rarely visited Wrangell, the rest of the time was spent communing with nature, anchoring every night in a calm, secluded cove or bay. Waking up to mists rising off the water and mountainsides was heavenly. The weather on this September cruise was utterly spectacular with nary a cloud in the sky the entire way and the temperatures mostly in the 50s. There’s no guarantee that this happens every September but seeing such places as Misty Fjords without the mist is amazing.

An hour after the ship left Juneau, whales were spotted. The ship slowed down to enjoy the moment. The large ships in Alaska cannot do this; they have to keep to a rigid schedule. The spirit of American Safari Cruises is what they call ‘rigid flexibility’ which really came into play in Frederick Sound one afternoon when approximately three dozen whales formed a semi-circle in front the ship. The captain cut the engines and we drifted for a couple of hours to take in the breeching and spouting.

The most active among the group of guests went on hikes and kayaking trips that lasted up to seven hours. The rest, including me, took shorter hikes, skiff rides or just enjoyed being on the ship and enjoying nature. One afternoon we had a great view of black bears strolling the water’s edge and dining on fresh salmon; during a skiff ride, playful sea lions bobbed up and down, and one night it was all hands on deck to see the brilliance of the Northern Lights – I will no longer question photographs featuring bright green phosphorescent skies. The expert fisherman in the group caught a 60-pound halibut right from his kayak; he and the chef collaborated and served it seared, fried and ceviche style over the rest of the cruise.

And the ship’s food is way better than one could expect out of such a small galley. Breakfasts were served buffet style with juices, fruits, bacon (the best ever!), potatoes, sausage and more; the chef very happily made cook-to-order eggs for those interested. Lunches were mostly buffet but a couple were served. Offerings included soups, self-made deli-sandwiches, curries, etc.

For dinner, the dining room was done up beautifully and each evening featured a choice of meat or fish (or surf and turf if desired). The chicken scaloppini and king crab legs got the widest acclaim. For the crab, individual butter warmers were at each place setting – a very nice touch. All day long snacks were available starting with early morning muffins that were incredible, from cranberry to banana, from chocolate chip to coconut lime. After dinner a couple of nights, very definitely quiet time, the crew made up a batch of fresh popcorn when the guests turned the main salon into movie night, picking out films from the very extensive DVD collection.

The staterooms are relatively small but they are comfortably stocked and there should be plenty of drawer and closet space for couples on a seven-night trip. The bathroom amenities are bio-degradable in keeping with the line’s Green Guardian philosophy. The bathroom tile floors are heated and there’s even an automatic night light that goes on when the main bathroom light is turned off.

Beyond the salon and dining room, there was not a whole lot of public space. But I did get to enjoy the small niche next to the tiny library where the L-shaped sofa was just perfect for a one- or two-person reading/napping session, especially when the sun was shining in. The aft stern deck from which all water sports are launched was also a wonderful location to watch nature unfold as the ship drifted along the waterways of southeastern Alaska.

Up top, there’s a viewing deck with hot tub and some exercise equipment. The tub got lots of use, the equipment, not so much. Meandering along at a maximum of 10 knots, mostly in the Tongass National Forest for nearly six full days away from the world – no cell phones, no internet, no CNN, no ESPN – makes it easy to escape everyday life.

The nine-member crew, including expedition and nature experts, served multiple roles and could not have been nicer or more accommodating. Just before or after dinner each night, they describe the activities for the next day. All excursions are labeled one, two or three befitting their level of difficulty. A ‘three’ might be a seven-hour kayaking/hilly hiking trip. A ‘one’ might be a shorter hike on plank-marked trails. Should a guest decide to simply stay aboard and nap or read, watch the scenery or have a crisp, cold Alaskan Amber draft beer, that was fine too. That’s the essence of an American Safari Cruise trip. As NitaKuwa Barrett, the first mate/expedition leader told me, “This is not a tour. We are not your guides. We simply bring you to the path less traveled and let everything unfold.”

The three ships of American Safari Cruises will be offering Alaska, the Hawaiian Islands, Mexico’s Sea of Cortes and Washington’s Wine Country in 2011/2012. Safari Explorer gets to Alaska, Hawaii and, along with Safari Spirit, the Columbia and Snake Rivers in Oregon/Washington.

No matter where their ships go, the adventure is heavily nature-oriented with very few port calls. It’s not an inexpensive vacation but it’s important to consider how much is included in those prices: meet/greet and transfers; virtually all excursions; premium wines, liquors and beers; taxes, port charges and fees, etc. For those who may want something a little less expensive, ASC’s sister brand InnerSea Discoveries has two ships offering up lower-price and less-inclusive options. InnerSea is also probably more appropriate for families.

For info on American Safari Cruises, it’s www.AmericanSafariCruises.com. For InnerSea, it’s www.InnerSeaDiscoveries.com.