Destination: Expedition Cruising in Alaska

There’s a lot of exciting news coming out of Alaska for the upcoming 2018 small ship cruise season, says AdventureSmith Explorations. Historically small expedition vessels begin plying cruise routes in Alaska in mid-May. However, next year the first Alaska sailing of the season is set for April 14, 2018, on board Wilderness Adventurer’s new Glacier Bay National Park Adventure Cruise route. A major benefit of cruising in April will be opportunities to see more wildlife. In the spring, moose, wolves and bears with cubs are active.

Helping to expand the overall Alaska small ship passenger capacity is the returning 88-guest S.S. Legacy, a replica turn-of-the-century coastal steamer which features a dance floor, full bar and a new complement of adventure equipment for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. There will also be more charter options with the addition of the eight-guest Golden Eagle. 

These small ships join the popular 100-guest National Geographic Quest whose inaugural 2017 Alaska voyages sold out. Lindblad Expeditions’ National Geographic Quest, the line’s first new build in the history of the company, commenced her inaugural voyage in July, as she set sail from Juneau. Her sister ship, the 100-guest National Geographic Venture, is under construction and currently scheduled to sail Alaskan waters in 2018.