An Alaska small ship cruise can overnight in quiet bays and inlets in which larger cruise liners cannot drop anchor. This, along with a small group of like-minded passengers on the ship, makes for a more intimate Alaska cruise travel experience. Inside Passage cruise tours take on a different sensation when travelers are able to witness sights that are incredibly remote. Fantasy Cruises’ Island Spirit provides just such an Alaska small ship cruise vacation. The owner and captain, Jeff Behrens, installed a large battery which sustains the entire boat’s energy all night. He is able to shut off the engine at night, so that his ship’s guests (32 in total) don’t hear the constant drone of the engine. Nothing interrupts his passengers’ ability to hear the evening and early morning sounds of southeast Alaska. Taking in the sights and sounds of the Alaskan wilderness, unimpeded by boat noises, is quietly astounding. See this video.
Shutting off the engines at night makes for a better night’s sleep, and leaves a lighter carbon footprint as well. Alaska 
small ships are a more environmentally friendly cruise vacation already, but running on battery power at night puts Fantasy Cruises above the rest. Standing in the early morning light and fresh, brisk Alaska air, appreciating the grand sweep of the Inside Passage and Tongass National Forest all around — with no other cruise ships in sight, just bald eagles and sea birds, seals and sea otters in the bay’s tranquil water — these are the quieter memorable travel moments of an Alaskan vacation. The rest of the day can feature hiking to natural hot springs, watching orcas breach, exploring a small coastal town, and engaging in friendly banter with the Alaskan small cruise ship’s captain and crew. Starting off each morning with these reflective travel moments gives us an immediate sense of place and perspective. It’s a great way to start another great day in southeast Alaska.
Thank you to Fantasy Cruises for hosting this southeast Alaska cruise travel vacation.
Fantasy Cruises sounds great. It sounds like the kind of experience that anyone would want to have. Waking in the morning and hearing the sounds of nature while anchored in a bay sounds heavenly.
[...] Alaska Small Ship Cruise Travel Moment | The Vacation Gals Alaska small ship cruise. Short video of a quiet morning moment in a tranquil bay in southeast Alaska’s Inside passage, during a small cruise ship vacation. See the rest here: Alaska Small Ship Cruise Travel Moment | The Vacation Gals [...]
We’d like to take an Alaskan cruise in Augst. Our travel agent recommends Princess Cruises (the Diamond Princess for our itinerary), based on many, many happy clients. I read reviews which don’t support such satisfaction during peak months (the reviews were better for May and September cruises.) We’ve done Royal Caribbean and Carnival to other destinations and all the reviews were great, as were our trips, so I’m reluctant to invest so much for a mediocre experience.
I would like to know:
1) Can anyone comment on Princess (especially Diamond) to Alaska in July? I want to know about efficiency of staff, quality of food and crowding, like no place to sit!
2) Is the weather mostly rainy?
3) Denali National Park visit – during May & Sept, passengers loved it. During July, reviews reported chaos, long waits, preference given to passengers who took additional excursions during the land trip. Any comments here?
Thank you very much.
[...] Miner presents Alaska Small Ship Cruise Travel Moment posted at The Vacation Gals. Jennifer says, "Cruising isn't normally thought of as an [...]
I love the small boat cruise
! I just went on one to Alaska with The Boat Company and had the time of my life!