Overview
This epic small-ship cruise itinerary includes two days in Glacier Bay National Park, which offers an up-close look at glaciers, old-growth forests, and sea life. Hike remote coastlines and take in diverse birding at South Marble Island. Explore the shores and fjords of the Tongass National Forest and Tracy Arm, all while cruising onboard the Wilderness Discoverer.
Inviting, and oh, so cared for by her crew, the Wilderness Discoverer delivers big adventure with top-of-the class style. Her shoal draft allows access to waters that are off-limits to bigger boats, where she can slip right in. An instigator of action, she was the first "Wilderness" boat in the family and set up a path towards great Un-Cruise adventures.
Itinerary
Ship Wilderness Discoverer
Wilderness Discoverer delivers big adventure with top-of-the-class style. Adventure and discovery are at the heart of the 76-guest Wilderness Discoverer. Loaded with amenities and a lounge evoking the feel of a National Park lodge or neighborhood pub, this expedition vessel, from top to bottom, exudes the spirit of exploration.
The Lounge has a large flat-screen TV featuring closed-circuit channels which include a GPS map of the location of the ship and an under-bow camera. Movies are shown at night in case enough passengers agree. The lounge also has a limited library, filled with wildlife encyclopedias and Alaska guidebooks. Guests can buy hiking gear, knit caps and T-shirts, with and without the logo of UnCruise Adventures. Binoculars are available for wildlife-spotting.
The Dining Room features open seating, buffet-style meals at set times. Unlimited beverages, alcoholic and non, are included in the price of the cruise. Vegetarian options are always available. Dietary restrictions happily accomodated with advanced notice.
Onboard Features: EZ Dock kayak launch platform; bow-mounted underwater camera; kayaks, paddleboards, inflatable skiffs, hiking poles, snorkel gear/wetsuits; two on-deck hot tubs; fitness equipment and yoga mats; DVD and book library.
Day 1 Juneau
Arriving in Juneau, you will be transferred from the airport to our hospitality area. Upon boarding, your crew greets you with champagne and smiles. Set sail for a week of scenic channels and secluded wilderness.
Overnight stay onboard the Wilderness Discoverer.
Day 2 Icy Strait & Neka Bay
Kick-start the morning with on-deck yoga stretches and a strong cup of coffee. Energized and snug in your kayak, glide around in remote bays off Icy Strait through giant bullwhip kelp that can grow to over 100 feet long. Join the gang in a skiff to a rocky outcropping to watch sea lions play. Or step into mud boots for a forest hike with your top-notch, naturalist guides who have plenty to share about everything Alaska—marine biology, plants, and even geology. On board, soak it all in as you soak in the hot tub.
Overnight stay onboard the Wilderness Discoverer.
Day 3 Glacier Bay National Park
This crown jewel of America’s national parks covers 3.3 million acres (that’s a tad smaller than the state of Connecticut). Let that sink in. Most visitors see the same sliver of the park as everyone else. Not you. You’re going the furthest and exploring parts that 99% of visitors never go to. And you have two days to do it. Get started! Taylor Bay sea stacks and rocky shores make for good adventure. Or hike the outwash field of glaciers winding down the Fairweather Mountain Range. The cool breeze off the nearby snow and icefields is energizing. If you motor over to Dundas Bay, keep your eye out for bears, humpbacks, and if you’re lucky, a wolf sighting. Kayak the bay. Bushwhack into the forest. Discover Glacier Bay.
Overnight stay onboard the Wilderness Discoverer
Day 4 Glacier Bay National Park
Your camera’s memory card needs plenty of room. South Marble Island is abuzz with activity. Rare sea birds, black oystercatchers, and orange-beaked tufted puffins can’t be missed. A colony of raucous sea lions adds to the hubbub. They add a distinct aroma to the air, too. Tucking into silent Tidal Inlet—the stomping grounds for bears, wolves, mountain goats, eagles—the backdrop is spectacular. At the end of the western-most arm of the bay sits Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers. And possible views of glacial calving. Take it all in on deck.
Overnight stay onboard the Wilderness Discoverer
Day 5 Chichagof Island
Kick off the morn with on-deck yoga stretches (your guides love it when you join them). Meander through glacier-carved fjords along the Chichagof coast. Then stop. It’s a prime time to lower the kayaks and skiffs. Camera in hand, set off on land and sea explorations. Closer inspection by skiff, moss-dripping trees run right down to the water. Any bears in there? With one of the world’s largest populations of bears, it’s possible. Go searching for giant trees and tidal pools. Hiking in the Tongass, it won’t take long to find them. Your eagle-eyed guides lead the pack—and pull up the rear.
Overnight stay onboard the Wilderness Discoverer
Day 6 Frederick Sound
Humpbacks beeline it here each season to feed on krill, zooplankton, and herring. Watch for whales feasting in these abundant glacial waters. Hang out and enjoy the show. Based on wind and weather, your expedition team has the lineup of adventures all mapped out. Cruise past Five Fingers Lighthouse, Alaska’s oldest light station and The Brothers Islands, where sea lions nap on rocky nobs. Paddle into the deeps of Port Houghton or Windham Bay or head ashore for a hike. Somewhere nearby, carrot-billed black oystercatchers are saying hello. Tonight, toast another big day in Alaska.
Overnight stay onboard the Wilderness Discoverer.
Day 7 Tracy Arm & Sawyer Glaciers
Take an early peek out your window. Fjord cliffs reach skyward. Floating ice. And deep u-shaped valleys. There’s no abracadabra here. Mother Nature’s magic is real. Cruise past harbor seals and their pups lounging on chunks of ice. In classic fjord form, Tracy Arm delivers with the cotton candy blue Twin Sawyers glacier of its furthest reaches. Tides permitting, your skiff driver knows the ropes and guides you along. It’s a mashup of towering walls, temperamental currents, and the Coastal Mountains. So many waterfalls. Mountain goats show off fancy foot work on the cliffs. Look for them. Your captain joins you tonight for a Farewell Dinner. Celebrate and reminisce about your Alaskan journey with a “photo journal” by your crew.
Overnight stay onboard the Wilderness Discoverer
Day 8 Juneau
Enjoy fresh baked pastries over one last breakfast. Your crew and new friends wish heartfelt goodbyes. This morning, transfer to the Juneau airport or begin your hotel stay or land tour.
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