Cruise West Offers New “Wild Alaska Seafari” in 2011

Cruise West is offering a new five-night itinerary called “Wild Alaska Seafari” that is designed to showcase Alaska’s wildlife.

The new Wild Alaska Seafari was designed to provide guests with the experience closest to a true explorer. While the major ports and places have been identified, the sequence and timing will be determined by Mother Nature and the captain of the Spirit of Alaska. On select journeys, there will be professional photographers onboard to offer guidance on how to capture the shots.

Programming has been designed for the more active traveler, so inflatable raft excursions have been planned during the day and evening, to maximize the adventure experience. Routes will be carefully timed to ensure that the ship’s location is designed for the best possible light. Guests will visit Pelican, a town that is only accessible by ship, and the West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness.

The Icy Strait represents more than 13 shore opportunities along the more than 100 miles of coastline. Each cruise experience will differ depending on the whims of the wildlife and the captain’s instincts for the best guest experience. Some overnight anchorages will be scheduled. A pre-night package includes a presentation by local photographers and an early morning photo shoot at Eagle Beach.

The “Wild Alaska Seafari” can be combined with an optional five-night land tour within Denali National Park and Preserve, home to Mount McKinley, North America’s largest mountain. The Denali experience offers a visit to the home and kennel of Mary Shields, the first woman to run the Iditarod, a tundra wilderness tour, and optional excursions like rafting or flightseeing.

In addition, Cruise West will continue to offer the following itineraries in 2011. For each itinerary, Cruise West provides a shore excursion in every port. “Alaska’s Inside Passage” is a seven-night roundtrip from Juneau, “Gold Rush Inside Passage” is 10 or 11 nights between Seattle and Juneau, the four-night “Glacier Bay Highlights” is roundtrip from Juneau, and the four-night “Glaciers of Prince William Sound” is a roundtrip from Anchorage
Across all Alaska itineraries, prices start at $1,299 before any special offers. The “Wild Alaska Seafari” departure dates in 2011 include June 1, June 6, June 11, June 16, June 21, June 26, July 1, July 6, July 11, July 16, July 21, July 26, July 31, Aug. 5, Aug. 10, Aug. 15, Aug. 20 and Aug. 25. Guests can save $700 per person by paying in full by Sept. 24, 2010.