Heading to the Last Frontier

Inside Passage Cruising

Round-trip Seattle 

 With the passing of the Alaska Tourism Recovery Act, cruise lines are announcing their return to Alaska this summer.   Normally, cruises would have already started in Alaska, but there was a major roadblock, which was lifted by the passing of this legislation.   Read More

Carnival Corporation

Carnival Corporation (Carnival, Holland America, and Princess Cruises) has announced 7-day Inside Passage voyages from Seattle beginning in July, 2021.

Carnival Cruise Line

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Carnival Miracle Sailings

Carnival Miracle will sail weekly departures starting Tuesday July 27, 2021 through September 14. There are seven 7-day cruises featuring calls in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, as well as scenic cruising in Tracy Arm Fjord. The September 14 departure is an 8-day cruise with an additional stop in Icy Strait Point. 

The cruises will be open to guests who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before the cruise; proof of vaccination is required.

Holland America Line

 

Holland Nieuw Amsterdam Sailings 

Holland America Line will resume operations to Alaska with seven-day itineraries aboard Nieuw Amsterdam, calling at Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Sitka and Ketchikan, with scenic cruising in Glacier Bay and Stephens Passage. The first cruise for the brand is scheduled to depart July 24, with 11 Saturday departures that will operate through Oct. 2.

The cruises will be open to guests who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before the cruise; proof of vaccination is required.

Princess Cruises

Majestic Princess will sail 7-day Inside Passage voyages which include ports of call in Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan with scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park.  The ship will depart on Sundays starting July 25 - September 26.

In a briefing we attended yesterday from Princess Cruises, we learned that not all the protocols have been finalized.  Passengers will need to be fully vaccinated 14 days prior to sailing.  

According to Princess, passengers will be able to disembark the ship on Princess shore excursions or on their own.  They are waiting for CDC guidelines regarding masks and capacity limits, among other safety protocols which will need to be followed.   Princess Cruises will continue to update the trade, so it is best to work with a professional travel advisor so that you have the latest information.

Royal Caribbean Group

Royal Caribbean Group (Celebrity and Royal Caribbean) has announced 7-day Inside Passage voyages from Seattle beginning in July, 2021.

Royal Caribbean

Serenade & Ovation Sailings

Royal Caribbean® returns to Alaska with two fan favorites sailing from Seattle. Adventures on Serenade of the Seas® begin July 19, 2021 from her new homeport of Seattle, and the biggest ship in the region, Ovation of the Seas®, returns August 13, 2021. It’s time to take on the untamed thrills of the Last Frontier..

Plan your Alaska cruise with peace of mind knowing that all crew members and vacationers 16 years of age or older will be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and everyone 12 or older after August 1, 2021  will receive a test prior to sailing. These measures are part of Royal Caribbean's commitment to the health and safety of every guest, crew member and community visited. The measures will be evaluated and updated as public health circumstances evolve. 

No matter which itinerary you choose, get ready for fjord flightseeing in Juneau, glacier gazing in Alaska’s Inside Passage, and peak seeking in Endicott Arm and Tracy Arm Fjord.

Celebrity Cruises 

 

Celebrity Summit Sailings

Starting on July 23, you’ll be able to discover the wild beauty of Alaska once again aboard the fully revolutionized Celebrity Summit. This 7-night cruise will set sail from Seattle and will visit stunning destinations including Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. 

During your journey, you’ll have the chance to get up close and personal with towering glaciers, watch whales as they breach the water, and admire the rugged landscapes of the Last Frontier from the comfort of this award-winning ship.

The same health and safety protocols will be implemented on Celebrity Summit.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Bliss Sailings

 Norwegian Bliss will sail Alaska itineraries out of Seattle starting August 7, 2021 through October 16, 2021. The itineraries include stops in Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Icy Strait Point. Each stop offers between 7 and 13 hours of port time. 

 Just like the other cruise lines, all adult guests will need to be fully vaccinated to be onboard.

Contact us to book your Alaska adventure today. 

There are many choices when it comes to sailing to Alaska this summer and next year. Alaska is often a once in a lifetime experience, so you want to get it right. As Alaska specialists, we can advise you on the cruise ship that is right for you and your guests. 

In addition, the health and safety protocols continue to evolve, and there is no need for you to concern yourself about understanding them - we will take care of that for you.

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Cruising Seattle - What Would a Foodie Do

Embarkation Seattle, Washington 

Seattle, Washington is the embarkation port for west coast cruises to destinations such as British Columbia, Oregon, California, and my favorite, Alaska.

My advice, for any cruise, is to arrive at least the day before your cruise departs to avoid stress of same day travel, and give you some time to explore the destination. Seattle's Waterfront is a great location to spend your time prior to departure. There are many hotels within walking distance to the waterfront.  You may even be able to arrange an inexpensive shuttle to the pier from your hotel.

Pictured above is Miner's Landing and the Seattle Great Wheel on Pier 57 of Seattle's Historic Waterfront.  Take a ride on the Great Wheel and see Seattle from your 8 passenger gondola.  Day or night the view is amazing.   Grab something to eat in one of the restaurants along the Waterfront or just take a leisurely stroll along the pier. 

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Have You Seen Flying Fish

If not, you can in Seattle's Public Market. 

The Pike Place Fish Market, founded in 1930, is an open air fish market located in Seattle, Washington's Pike Place Market, at the corner of Pike Street and Pike Place. It is known for their tradition of fishmongers throwing fish that customers have purchased, before they are wrapped.

The store is now a popular tourist destination in Seattle, attracting up to 10,000 daily visitors, and is often billed as world-famous.  A must-see for foodies.

There's much more to see and do in Seattle.  We'll cover more about this homeport in another blog post.   This week #FoodTravelChat is talking about World Markets.   Seattle's market is world famous and worth consideration for foodies and non-foodies alike.


Additional photos can be found on our Close to Home Shutterfly page

Pike Place Market

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Cruise West Ceases Operations

The final chapter in the 64 year history of Cruise West was written this weekend as Chairman, Dick West, announced that the company was shutting down. He said in the statement that he is "heartbroken" by the end of his family's legacy.  The small ship, Seattle, Washington-based cruise line was founded by the late Chuck West -- a pioneer of tourism in the state known as "Mr. Alaska".

Visiting the Cruise West website, you'll find the following statement:

"For the last year, Cruise West has aggressively pursued a number of options with interested parties to maintain operations, including investment, selling assets, and selling the company.  In part because of the most recent dip in the markets and the continued lack of economic confidence, these options have not come to fruition."

The statement indicated that it has canceled all future sailings, with the exception of a Danube river voyage scheduled to begin on Wednesday.


In July, Dick West had secured a $1.5M personal bridge loan to allow operations to continue.  As reported in our blog post,  Cruise West Continues Restructuring, the company has recently sold the Spirit of Oceanus in a last effort to continue operations.    Perhaps this was too little too late.

West thanked the line's "loyal employees, many of whom have been here for decades."  "I am devastated that, though they have given abundantly of their time and energy, we will be unable to continue delivering memorable experiences," he said.

As reported previously, layoffs had already begun at the company as part of the restructuring.  Only a small handful of employees will remain to complete the shutdown.

Their Galapagos partner, Canodros, is working to provide alternative options for guests booked on the cruises that were to depart through 2011.   For other guests, the instructions are the same as we reported when the news first broke (see the actual statement for details if you are impacted).

The actual date of the cessation of operations is September 18, 2010.  This is a sad day for the cruise industry, and for small ship lovers in particular.

Cruise West Continues Restructuring

Port of Seattle, Washington

Seattle-based Cruise West is continuing it's restructuring of the company as it attempts to survive.  We first broke the news several days ago that the Spirit of Oceanus' world cruise had been terminated in Newfoundland, Canada.   (Cruise West Undergoing Restructuring).

We have learned that the Washington state Employment Security Department has received a legally required layoff notification from Cruise West.. The department says Cruise West laid off 24 employees last Wednesday and another 41 were to be laid off starting last Friday.  This isn't a surprising event since new bookings were suspended when the original news broke.

Meanwhile other sources indicate that the Spirit of Oceanus might be on the chopping block, which would make sense based on the termination of the world cruise.   Cruise West has been very silent throughout this process but the announcement released September 8th did indicate some cruises would continue through October.

UPDATE: Spirit of Oceanus Sold

When Cruise West abruptly terminated the 335 day world cruise on Spirit of Oceanus last week, it was rumored that the ship would be sold.    We now know the rest of the story...

Spirit of Oceanus has indeed been sold by ship management company International Shipping Partners (ISP), on Cruise West's behalf, to a group of  Danish investors. The ship will be renamed Sea Spirit, and will be available for long-term charter according to ISP.   Full story: ISP Insider

So ends the story of the Spirit of Oceanus.  Secrecy continues surrounding the various changes at Cruise West.   No word yet on the fate of the other ships in the fleet or the company itself.

If you are scheduled to sail on Cruise West, keep a close eye on this developing story.

Carnival Triumph - Great Cities Theme

Carnival Triumph - Ship Decor

While on our recent Canada & New England cruise aboard Carnival Triumph, I learned that the theme for the ship is "Great Cities". In looking at the decor throughout the ship, I might have thought it was "Around the Globe" or "The World" since the globe theme appears throughout the public areas.

When you look at the names of the various public spaces, the theme does start to take shape. The two dining rooms are called London and Paris. The main show lounge is the Rome Lounge. Another entertainment venue is Club Rio Lounge. You can enjoy a drink and cigar in the Oxford Bar or perhaps curl up with your favorite book in Washington Library. Those are just a sample of the "Great Cities" represented on Carnival Triumph.

Decor of a ship contributes to the overall atmosphere during your cruise experience. Modern cruise ships are brightly decorated often, with abstract art throughout the vessel. In ages gone by, the ships were decorated with exquisite wood and often times the decor was very dark. Cruise lines spend a large portion of the new ship budget bringing their vision to life.

The next time you are onboard a ship, take a look at the decor and see if you can determine the ship's theme. Take some time, perhaps on one of the sea days, to walk around the ship and enjoy the various art that is displayed throughout the ship. This may open up an entirely new aspect to your cruise experience.