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We set sail from Petersburg at lunchtime, and spent the remainder of the afternoon whale watching – and by golly did we see whales! During this time of year (September) the last humpback whales are still in Alaskan waterways, eating before they migrate south for winter. To wait for our tide timing, we spent the afternoon in a small wilderness bay.
Admiralty Dream Itineraries
This is one of several cruises that will call at Cordova this year, a remote fishing village on the eastern side of the sound, which suddenly has become rather popular with cruise ships. This itinerary will be repeated in 2025, along with the company’s first-ever cruises to the Aleutian Islands sailing between Whittier and Dutch Harbor. Dinner menus include several selections that usually include a seafood or meat entrée and are prepared with primarily fresh, organic, and locally produced ingredients. Locally caught Alaskan seafood is a specialty of Alaskan Dream Cruises, and a complimentary glass of beer or wine is served with dinner. A continental buffet breakfast is served for early risers, while other mealtimes vary depending on the day’s activities.
Common Areas Aboard Alaskan Dream
I lived for 15 years in Alaska, as well as four years each in California and Washington. I share travel resources and stories based on my personal experience and knowledge. This was perhaps the most guided part of our itinerary; I got a strong sense that they didn’t want us wandering around on our own – which makes sense, as Kake lacks a lot of tourism infrastructure even for a small group like ours. We awoke already anchored in Petersburg, which sits at the north mouth of the Wrangell Narrows. Petersburg was established by Norwegian immigrants – fishermen who recognized how similar this part of Alaska looks to their home country –, and that cultural heritage is still present today.
Cabins & Toilets
Inside, the focal point of the Huna Ancestors’ House is a fire pit in the middle of the vast room. Though we were the only visitors that day, the space is often used by tribal members to participate in ceremonies, workshops, educational programs, and tribal meetings. Though the headquarters are open to anyone, it’s also often skipped by large cruise ships—there’s just not enough space to accommodate all their passengers. Every year myriad cruise ships pass by Hobart Bay, a sheltered cove in southeast Alaska that's roughly 60 nautical miles from Juneau—but very few make a stop there.
The toilet and shower are in the same small bathroom, separated by a plastic curtain, while a sink and medicine cabinet stand alone inside the main cabin. There is no Wi-Fi, television or telephone; cell service can be restricted, especially outside the larger ports. The 20 staterooms aboard the Alaskan Dream all have a private bathroom with shower and extra-large viewing windows. Staterooms are double occupancy except for #104 which can accommodate up to four guests with the addition of a bunk bed. Fresh, soft, hypo-allergenic linens and towels; hairdryers; fans; and Alaska-crafted soaps and shampoos are offered in every stateroom.
Pack layers, including one pair of shorts and a couple of short sleeved t-shirts, if you're going in the summer. I should have packed one pair of shoes that were easy to slip on and off for the boat, since we spent a lot of time on the boat traveling around and wildlife viewing. Located on the Upper Deck, the Owner’s Suite has one queen bed, large picture windows and a wardrobe. This site focuses on small-format cruises and ship-within-a-ship concepts on large cruise ships, including special cruise experiences you can enjoy during your next vacation. You are one of a few dozen passengers and get to know the crew and your fellow passengers rather well during the trip. There's no escaping interacting with other guests when there aren't many of you.
Review: Alaskan Dream Cruises - TravelAge West
Review: Alaskan Dream Cruises.
Posted: Sat, 13 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Glaciers
The Journey Is the Destination with These Top Tours, Cruises, and Transportation Services - Sunset
The Journey Is the Destination with These Top Tours, Cruises, and Transportation Services.
Posted: Tue, 05 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The sound had been a chunk of ice sloughing off the side of the ancient glacier. We were on a small ship and granted a rare overnight pass into the national park, there were no other vessels around, so we were the only ones to witness it, all alone, bobbing along in a vast field of blue cotton candy-colored ice. The most profound look into the regional Indigenous culture was at the headquarters for Glacier Bay National Park, where other cruise lines are able to dock.
Stateroom Bathrooms
Sitka was an interesting town and I bumped into a group of women making baskets out of salmon skin. Alex and Kari were both enthusiastic and knowledgeable, very personable and friendly, and just plain nice to be around. Alex was great at identifying birds, land animals, and sea animals.
Wi-Fi and Cell Phone Service on Alaskan Dream Cruises
One queen bed convertible to two twin beds (Katlian is queen only with a settee to accommodate a 3rd person), ocean-view window, wardrobe, private bathroom with shower. Ocean-view window, wardrobe, private bathroom with shower. Most outside staterooms are either 104 (the AA category) or 120 (the AAA category) square feet in size. There’s also a pair of 147-square-foot, forward-facing Vista View suites and a single 208-square-foot Owner’s Suite.
Aside from the included glass of beer or wine with your dinner each day, drinks can be purchased from the bar. The exception is that onboard alcohol is included for guests of the Deluxe and Deluxe Suite cabins. The ships are small, offering an experience that is casual, personal, and intimate. Itineraries are designed to explore the Alaska where big ships cannot venture. Included are visits to the line’s exclusive wilderness lodges, Orca Point Lodge and Windham Bay Lodge.
I had the chance to discover that on a September 2021 cruise (rescheduled from 2020, of course!). I boarded an Alaskan Dream Cruise to from Sitka to Juneau over the summer. Our voyage's main focus was the land itself and the Indigenous peoples' connection to it.
He went the extra mile as did the excellent naturalists and contacts in the communities. I really loved taking the zodiac raft out to get a MUCH closer look at the wildlife and to generally explore. My husband, a non swimmer, actually tried his hand at the kayaks.
Each stateroom also provides guests with a pair of high-powered, lightweight binoculars for use while on the cruise. That said, the ship’s public spaces and brand attributes begin to make up for any accommodation shortcomings. The very top observation deck, which is half covered and half exposed, is a perfect viewing platform for watching outstanding displays of humpback whales bubble-net feeding and dramatic glacier calving in Glacier Bay. Unlike on larger cruise ships, we were able to get close enough to shore in the national park to giddily spot brown bears and, even rarer, puffins. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (hl-cruises.com), based in Germany, offers expedition cruises for an international clientele. The emphasis is on wilderness areas like Aialik Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park and remote communities such as Elfin Cove (population 30) and the Tlingit community on Kupreanof Island.
The Admiralty Dream is perfect for adventure in the wilderness waterways of the Inside Passage. With its shallow draft and stately pace of cruising, nothing will be missed in the channels, bays, and wilderness islands of Southeast Alaska. Enjoy several options to explore the colorful history of Wrangell, including a trip to the town’s impressive museum. Visit the intriguing state historic park, Petroglyph Beach, which contains the highest concentration of petroglyphs in Southeast Alaska. Choose from a guided hike on the Rainbow Falls Trail or an exciting optional opportunity aboard a high-speed jet boat. Hike a rainforest trail featuring towering spruce and hemlock trees and lush undergrowth.
I've been telling all my friends just what a wonderful job AdventureSmith did and strongly recommending you. I especially appreciated the fact that you folks took care of EVERYTHING from the plane flights to ground transport. It's the first trip I've been on where I didn't have to do every-darned-thing myself. Could not have asked for better - for our Captain, crew, trip leader, and guides on board and at various small town stops. Their obvious knowledge of the area and culture was evident.
We were all vaccinated and tested and welcomed the opportunity to get to know each other on-board without masks and distancing. We were a diverse age group from around the US and we enjoyed each other as much as our shared adventure. We formed a photo sharing platform that allows us to re-live our trip into the future. I (age 78) was traveling with my oldest daughter (age 53) for the first time. It was the first time since the start of the Pandemic that we felt comfortable planning such a trip and even though the Delta variant was growing rapidly, we felt protected with the safety protocol and arrangements.
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