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Alaska Cruise Review: Spirit of Yorktown

Alaska's Inside Passage - August 2008

Dear Linda,

Just wanted to tell you how wonderful our Alaska Inside Passage cruise was. It truly was a trip of a lifetime and would not have been possible without your assistance. Thank you!

Every aspect of this cruise was different from previous large ship cruises:

Up close and personal to Sawyer Glacier.

• We stayed overnight in Juneau and got to see what the capital of Alaska is like without several mega-liners and an additional 1-12,000 extra passengers in town.
• We went to Haines, visited Fort Seward, saw a native Tlingit clan house and met author Heather Lende. Haines is a 45-minute fast-ferry ride away from Skagway, where the big ships dock.
• We got close to Stellar Sea Lions, a rare Gray Wolf, Dahl Sheep, Humpback Whales and a plethora of sea birds, let alone Majarie Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. Larger cruise ships simply cruise on up to see the glacier from a distance and exit.
• We explored Sitka's culture & historic past at the Sitka National Historic Park, complete with native totem poles, rocky beaches, spawning salmon and bear droppings. Large cruise ships don't visit Sitka.
• We saw loads of humpback whales in Frederick Sound, had a BBQ lunch on the Sun Deck of the Spirit of Yorktown while sailing up Tracy Arm, and got closer than most at Sawyer Glacier. We also snuggled up to and felt the spray of two glacial waterfalls. The Norwegian ship that pasts us couldn't do that.
• We were entertained by the childeren dancing at the Sons of Norway Hall in Petersburg. We also watched as sea lions fished in the harbor. Larger ships can't visit Petersburg due to their size.
• We experienced the culture of the Tsimshian community in Metlakatla. We were entertained by their engaging dances and chants, and even joined them for a dance. Larger cruise ship aren't even aware of Metlakatla.
• We got a glimps into Misty Fjords, as kayak rangers boarded our ship and provided commentary on the region, their work and lives in Misty Fjords.
• As we bidded the Spirit of Yorktown so long in Ketchikan, we were shuttled away to a warm, cozy place, away from the rain. We, and our luggage, found their way to the Ketchikan Airport with not a worry.

The Spirit of Yorktown was simply amazing. While I had selected this ship for its itinerary and recent refurbishments, I was initially concerned about the comfort of a small ship and whether we would feel too constricted. The cabins were absolutely cozy and the beds were unbelieveably comfortable. I really looked forward to getting into bed after the full days we had. There was plenty of closet space, with three closets hosting three drawers each. And while that was plenty, there was more room under each bed if needed.

The Spirit of Yorktown docked in Haines.

The services and crew onboard ship were outstanding. The Expedition Leaders, part naturalists, part cruise directors, would keep us informed of sights outside, and organize presentations in the evenings. Whe I asked one of the Expedition Leaders about a specific lighthouse that we would be passing the next day, he took it upon himself to find out when we would be passing it, and then followed-up and alerted me during dinner that I should make my way on deck to see it. That's personal service, and over and above in my book.

The food onboard the Spirit of Yorktown was very good. While somethings were just okay, other items, such as the daily breads and soup selection, along with the dinner entrees and desserts were fantastic. Besides the chocolate buffet during the last evening, the BBQ Lunch (with BBQ smoked salmon) on the Sun Deck as we traveled through Tracy Arm was simply top notch.

I've written a detailed account of my cruise, along with a picture slideshow. Please feel free to link to it to provide your site visitors some additional information.

Dennis & Carol Deacon
Vernon Hills, IL