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Uncruise Northern Passages & Glacier Bay Post-Cruise Travel Log May 26-June 2


LMADAMS91
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Notes from our recent cruise, posted so others looking for information on Uncruise can hopefully get an idea of what Uncruise is all about and what Uncruise provides as far as a cruise experience. This is written as a daily journal. I couldn't find much information on Uncruise when researching, so am hoping this helps others who are looking at this cruise line.

 

My husband, brother, sister-in-law and I were sailing on the 7 night Uncruise NORTHERN PASSAGES & GLACIER BAY on Wilderness Explorer cruise on Saturday, May 26, embarking from Sitka. My husband and I had arrived in Sitka a couple of days earlier to explore the area. Saturday morning, we checked out of our hotel (Aspen Suites) and walked across the street to the Westmark hotel where we met up with the Uncruise staff. We checked in with the staff, dropped off our luggage and went off to explore the town more until time to transfer to the ship. Uncruise providestransfers to and from the ship when arriving the day of sailing as well as astaffed hospitality room for luggage storage. They also had local tour vendors lined up to provide transportation to some of the local attractions.

Around 4:30, we boarded a bus for the transfer to theship. Our luggage had already been taken aboard. We were greeted at the gangplank by the hotel/hospitality director and then escorted to our room by one of the crew, who also gave us a quick overview of the evening’s events and locations of main places aboard ship. Our luggage was waiting for us in our room. We attempted to put everything away as best we could, then headed to the forward lounge for the mandatory muster drill, introduction of crew and brief overview of the week ahead. This was our 11th cruise, but our first Uncruise cruise, so weren't sure what to expect.

 

 

After the drill and introductions, it was off to dinner,with options of beef tenderloin, salmon and a vegetarian option (can’t remember it and didn’t write it down.) After dinner, we were on the bow of the ship watching as we sailed, ducking back into the forward lounge area when it became too cool to stay out. We reached an area near the Magoun Islands, where we dropped anchor and spent the night. We were off to bed early….our internal clocks were still on Eastern time and hadn’t adjusted to the four hour time difference.

 

 

More about Uncruise in general, this ship and the cruise in general

Our ship, the Wilderness Explorer, had a total passenger capacity of 74; we had 71 aboard. There are approximately 20-25 crew members; those responsible for the sailing and maintenance of the ship (captain, engineers, etc,) the hospitality crew, responsible for the food, bar and tending to the rooms, and the expedition staff.

An Uncruise cruise doesn’t have regular port stops as you have on a regular cruise. They have an embarkation port and a disembarkation port;the rest are more……locations, meaning they have an area in mind and they drop anchor. No town, usually, few, if any other boats or people in view. Excursions on our cruise were done with the Uncruise staff in a variety of activities, but were basically hiking, kayaking,skiff tours or snorkeling and were offered usually twice a day.

 

 

Exercise opportunities were available in abundance through the excursion activities. The onboard “fitness center” consisted of a few machines placed on the back upper deck, which also served as a staging area for departing excursions. One of the staff usually offered a morning stretch class. The only pool onboard was the hot tub on the front deck. There were no bingo tournaments or evening shows, other than an occasional lecture/talk/talent show, all held in the forward lounge/bar, where we also had our daily briefing. During the briefing,we would learn where we would be the following day and what activities would be available to select.

 

 

Dining wasn’t your normal cruise fare. There wasn’t a 24 hour buffet or pizza place. But there was never a shortage of food and the food was very good. There were the usual three scheduled meals, a “pre-breakfast,” consisting of fruit and fresh baked goods from the onboard pastry chef, afternoon cookies, evening hors d'oeuvres served with the cocktail hour and snacks available all day in the lounge. And, speaking of the cocktail hour, the bar is open whenever and is included with the cruise pricing.

 

 

All regular meals were served in the main dining room on deck one. The dining room was large enough to accommodate all guests and was open seating. There were a variety of table sizes. We had one guest who was traveling solo. Every evening at dinner, one of the wait staff (the same one every evening) would find her and escort her into the dining room a few minutes early so she could select a seat. She was told they did this with all guests traveling solo to make it easier to meet others, especially at the beginning of the trip (the solo traveler wouldn’t have to ask if a chair was taken, but was already seated, therefore making it easier to meet others. ) She was a delightful 90 year old woman originally from the UK with an abundance of spirit and probably wouldn't have needed any help introducing herself to others, but it was a nice touch.

 

 

Breakfast and lunch were buffet style. Breakfast usually offered several options including at least one egg option, meat option,usually a sweet option (pancake, French toast, waffle) and potatoes, fresh fruit, cereals, juices and coffee. Lunches were also buffet style, with a soup, a salad, sandwich or both,and sides as well as a desert. Drinks were available. Staff was always available and brought drinks and refills.Dinner was served around 6:30 or 7 usually, but was adjusted for our schedule if needed.

 

 

The staff explained the menu options and what wine was suggested with the food as well as offering their own preferences if asked.Dinner main entrees always consisted of a meat dish, a fish/seafood dish and a vegetarian option. Special diet options were available if needed. The menu for the day was always written on aboard outside the dining room when we came down for breakfast. A sheet was placed in the lounge at some point during the day where each person indicated what they would like for dinner. We could always change our mind-the sheet was to give the chef an idea of how much he would need to prepare. We were also able to select half and half ora little of everything if you wanted to sample all three option. Requests for how something was to be prepared were always followed when orders taken at dinner (regardless of how the chef recommended something be cooked…ie Beef Wellington recommend served medium; requested medium well and was served medium well. As someone who has sent food back numerous times because it wasn’t prepared as I requested, that was a big deal!)

 

 

 

The staff aboard the Wilderness Explorer was exceptional. Most of the staff did at least double duty-our wait staff folks were also our cabin stewards. The Expedition Team did luggage valet service. After the first day or two, the bar staff remembered our preferences. We saw the staff everywhere around the ship (granted, it was a small ship) and they were a fun,knowledgeable group that seemed to really enjoy what they were doing.

 

 

The Expedition Team was the group that led the excursions.The leader of the group was Jess, who was kind of the “cruise director” type-person aboard. She let us know where we were going to be in our evening briefings, what types of things we might see/explore in the area and the different activities we could take part in (or skip if we preferred.) Then she and another member of the team would circle the room, going to each group, taking activity requests and answering questions. Our groups for the following day were posted either later that same night or early in the morning on a bulletin board outside the lounge.

 

 

The other members of the team were the folks who accompanied us off the ship, leading the excursions and showing us the natural highlights of the area. Since there are no ports,no one gets to go ashore and wander around alone (there was one exception laterin our cruise.) The places we were stopping were sparsely inhabited, at least by humans, but had bears and other critters around, plus, there weren’t any real trails, other than those made by one of the aforementioned critters. Wandering around alone wouldn’t be a good option for most people.

 

 

The Expedition Staff was made up of adults, mostly ranging from mid 20s to early 30s in age (my estimation) with impressive backgrounds as tour guides from various spots around the country. Uncruise apparently haspretty rigorous standards for their guides, requiring them to have experience with guiding, teaching, public speaking and natural sciences. Our guides were well versed in a variety of subjects and they seemed to love what they were doing.Some seemed as excited as we were when we discovered a new animal. They had a wealth of knowledge on the different plants (from trees to flowers to fungus)and wildlife (flying, swimming, crawling and walking) that they shared. If there was something they didn’t know, they’d find out. They were very personable and fun. I can name our entire Expedition Team of 6 and can only remember the name of one cruise director from our previous 10 cruises, and that’s only because we had him 3 different times.

 

 

Staterooms aboard are small….smaller than a normal cruise stateroom. Divide your normal stateroom in half and you might be close to the size (at least of our room. We were in a navigator cabin, the cheapest room aboard.) Each has a private bathroom…again….very, very, very small. You can take care of business and wash your feet in the shower at the same time. The shower itself is larger than the tube things on RCI ships. Our room itself hada queen sized bed in one corner, fully against the wall. There was a window above the bed. At the end of the bed, jammed between thefoot of the bed and the bathroom wall, was a sink/vanity with a small amount of storage underneath and room for the bathroom door to open. On the side of the bed, by the outside door, we had maybe 3 feet of walking space. There was room for suitcase storage under the bed (but it would only hold one large suitcase. One had to be left out.) There was one drawer under the bed at the head. There was also a small closet with two small drawers in the bottom, a shelf on top and room to hang clothes (closet width was at most 2 ft.) There were a couple of hook son the doors and wall for hanging items. We literally shuffled around each other all week. It was difficult for both of us to get ready for something at the same time. After we began doing activities and needed places to hang clothing to dry, the lack of space became an even bigger issue. In short, this room should not be a 2 person room.

 

 

 

 

In addition to the lack of storage space, there was a gap between the door and frame, which allowed cold air to blow directly onto the bed. After the first night, we managed some creative coat/clothing hanging that blocked most of the problem.

 

 

Provided in each room was a set of binoculars and a coupleof refillable water bottles. The regular amenities are provided-soap, shampoo,body wash, etc.

My brother and sister in law were also in a navigator cabin,but it had two fixed twin beds. Their room was larger with at least twice the storage space, a desk, table between the beds as well as the closet with storage, and they had a clothes line in their bathroom, which we did not have. We liked their room better, but decided if we cruised Uncruise again, we would be going up to the next cabin level.

 

 

Housekeeping was available daily.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by LMADAMS91
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SUNDAY MAY 27

Sunday began very early for me…..jet lag, body clock, claustrophobia,concern about things at home all combined to produce a sleepless night. After tossing and turning for hours, I finally showered, grabbed my laptop and camera and headed down to the forward lounge about 4 am, where it was mostly empty,but, of course, light outside. I found coffee and a corner and worked on picture editing.

 

 

The weather outside was pretty dismal. We left home with 70-80 degree temps (I like a nice 80 degree temp and sunshine!!) and entered the temperate rainforest that is southeast Alaska, where “rain” is the predominant weather. Rain, wind, fog, mist, cold (40° to 50°)brief period of sun…..repeat.

 

 

Around 7ish, the staff brought out the “pre-breakfast” which consisted of fresh fruit and fresh baked pastries. Oatmeal and breakfast bar type things were also available at that time of the morning, as well as plenty of coffee and tea.

 

 

Regular breakfast, usually served at 7:30 but was 8 on the first morning. We started our day with a couple of orientation and safety meetings with the Expedition Team that included general kayaking information, how to get in/out of the kayaks safely,and how kayaks were launched and returned to the ship. They have a special launching area in the back of the ship where guests step into the kayaks, guides make adjustments to the rudders and help with kayak skirts, then kayakers are on their way right from the ship. We were also given instruction regarding what to do should we run into wildlife…or in particular….bears. Prevention was the best defense here….make noise to scare the bears away and be aware of our surroundings. After that, we set out on our first excursion.

 

 

My husband and I chose a guided kayak tour with Lauren,while my brother and his wife opted to do a bushwhacking excursion with Wilson. (Bushwhacking is hiking, but in a wilderness area where there are no trails.) Both couples enjoyed the different excursions, although I think my brother and his wife liked their excursion better than we liked ours. Our kayak excursion was okay…I really enjoy kayaking, but there wasn’t a lot to see that was that exciting. No animals, just trees, plants…..DH did taste kelp, but I passed;too slimy and too green. Brother and SIL had a great time with Wilson, sliding down large hills and checking out the landscape on one of the islands.

 

 

After our excursions were over, we pulled anchor and cruised toward Takatz Bay through Peril’s Stait. Along the way, we spotted a brown bear along the shore, as well as a black tail deer. As the evening progressed, a pair of Dall’s porpoises appeared and raced alongside the ship,leaping in and out of the water while a rainbow arced across the channel ahead.

 

 

 

Dinner that evening was Cornish hens, cod and stuffed acorn squash for the vegetarian option. They also had a creamy squash soup that was wonderful. I’m not a fan of squash, but this was great. It could have been a combination of the cold, dismal weather seeping into my bones that helped spur my desire for warm, creamy soup, but whatever, it worked.

 

 

 

We reached Takatz Bay as it grew darker, dropped anchor andspent the night there.

Edited by LMADAMS91
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Monday, May 28,2018

We awake around 4:00 am, were up and in the lounge around 6am. We were anchored in a beautiful sheltered bay, surrounded by mountains with tall firs. We could see a small waterfall cascading down high in the mountain, disappearing into the tree line. The water surrounding the ship was dark blue-green, clear enough to see jellyfish slowly drifting past below the surface. A sea otter swam near the shore looking for his breakfast. It was so quiet; no cars, no planes, no people noises. Occasionally, we could hear the trill of a bird from shore. It was a beautiful place to start the morning.

 

 

DH and I were going our separate ways for the excursion on this day. My SIL and I were doing a skiff tour (an upgraded, motorized raft) with Wilson, while DH and my brother were doing a bushwhacking excursion with Ben. Some of the other activities offered in this area were kayaking and snorkeling. We all passed on the snorkeling option as the payoff for what they thought we might see wasn’t enough to coax us into the 40° water, even with a super thick wet suit.

 

 

The weather, as it had been the day before, was fickle. Cold, misty, foggy, windy, throw in a little sun and repeat. Preparing for an outing was a bit of a challenge in our tight room, shuffling past each other grabbing the dozen or so different articles of clothing we needed; it took a good 20 or more minutes to dress; layering was an art form we had not yet mastered. A typical excursion on a cold morning for me required a base layer or two (Heat 33? Brand…a thin layer but effective for adding warmth without adding bulk, water wicking…worked well for us) followed by water resistant, fleece lined pants; a turtleneck; followed by a wool sweater or sweatshirt; on top of that went a waterproof layer both top and bottom. Over that, a waterproof thicker vest with a million pockets for my camera stuff, with waterproof, thermal gloves, a waterproof hat and a scarf. Add two pairs of wool socks, and, the absolute worst footwear known to man, but a requirement in Alaska: knee high, waterproof boots. Add a PFD on top of it all and we were ready to roll! (For those who are wondering……yes, I was seriously questioning WHY I was in Alaska at all. As I previously stated, I like it around 80° and sunny. DH really wanted to go to Alaska and I did too, or so I thought. In theory, it seemed like a good idea.)

 

 

Our skiff tour with Wilson was okay. We saw a couple of harbor seals and a couple of birds. Wilson picked out plants and geological items and told us about those. There wasn’t much to work with and I was happy to get back to the ship and out of the extra layers of clothing. Our clothing needed some place to dry out, which, without a line or space, became an issue. We had clothing draped over doors, the TV, vanity doors….everything but the bed. (There is a dryer on the upper deck available for guests to use,but as you might expect, it was in high demand and hard to find available.)

 

 

DH and my brother thoroughly enjoyed their excursion with Ben. They didn’t see any animals but did see claw marks left by a bear on a tree, bear scat, some cool plants and land features and enjoyed climbing around in the woods.

 

 

After everyone was back onboard, we pulled up anchor and setoff for an afternoon of cruising for critters through Chatham Pass. The weather was again, dismal and the animals were not cooperating. The only critters sited for a long time were a couple of harbor seals napping on a channel marker. Finally, after hours of cruising, someonesited a whale spout and most of the ship headed for the bow to watch for further spouts and the eventual breach.

 

 

This whale (or whales) would spout 4 or 5 times (we could hear it outside on the bow.) You could see the water/mist being blown up from the blowhole of the whale. The whale would do that 4 or 5 times fairly close together, then breach the surface, where we could see the back and tail before he dove back down. We were able to see the whale a couple of times before he moved on.

 

 

Dinner was served early this evening. Our choices were New York Strip, Crab Cakes and a veggie gnocchi dish. I’m not a seafood fan so stuck with the meat dishes throughout and wasn’t disappointed. DH, my brother and SIL all went for the crab cake and raved about it, as did some of the other guests from New England. The chef was doing a fantastic job keeping everyone happy.

 

Not long after dinner, we arrived at Pavlof Harbor, where we dropped anchor. The weather had improved a bit by then….at least it wasn’t raining. Our guides immediately spotted a couple of bears along the shoreline. We were offered the choice of kayaking on our own, going out on a skiff tour or stand up paddle boarding. DH and I headed for the kayaks, SIL hit the paddle board while my brother stayed onboard and took pictures.

 

 

The kayaking was easy as the area was protected from wind and tide. We were able to paddle within 100 yards or so of the shore to get a better look at the brown bears. We were able to get some great pictures of the bear eating and roaming about the shore. Our expedition team members were nearby in skiffs and kayaks in case anyone had problems or got a little too close to shore.

 

 

After everyone was back on board, we again pulled up the anchor and sailed on to our next location, sailing at least through part of the night.

 

 

If I can figure out how, I will post pictures of our trip.

Edited by LMADAMS91
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Tuesday May 29, 2018

We awoke this morning in Seal Bay. It was a beautiful, calm morning. We were in a sheltered bay with the water reflecting the sky and clouds like glass. The sun slipped in and out of the clouds but for once, the clouds weren’t oozing as they had the past couple of days.

 

 

We would be spending the entire day in Seal Bay and had been offered the opportunity to do two separate excursions or do a full day excursion, consisting of kayaking and bushwhacking with a picnic lunch. Our group of two couples opted to do the all day excursion with Allison as our guide.

 

 

We set off kayaking, gliding across the water, into and out of little hidden coves. Eagles perched in the trees above, hoping for a fish or small critter to wander into their site. We paddled through areas covered during high tide, marveling at the different colors of sea stars visible several feet below the surface. A harbor seal stalked us as we paddled, popping up quietly out of the water to get a better look at the creatures in the colorful boats, then disappearing just as quietly beneath the water again.

 

 

Allison scanned the shoreline ahead as we paddled into yet another cove searching for a nice spot for lunch. Our guides always wanted to be the first person entering a new area so they could make sure the area ahead was safe. Allison had us stop as she pulled out the binoculars to confirm her find…..a brown bear already occupied the shore we had been eyeing. We watched the bear from a safe distance, snapping as many pictures as we desired. Then, we quietly reversed our course and found yet another cove, this one just as lovely, and more importantly, unoccupied for our picnic lunch.

 

 

We pulled the kayaks far out of the water (the tide would be coming in) and grabbed our provisions out of our kayaks. While dressed in my multiple layers of clothing (limiting my mobility and agility) and wearing knee high, ill-fitting boots; a PDF and kayak skirt and carrying a backpack and my camera and some of my husband’s things as he was helping pull up other kayaks, I attempted to walk across the large, oddly shaped, slick rocks along the shore. The thought that this might not be the brightest move flashed through my mind..a couple of seconds later, my ill-fitting boot slipped on one of the rocks, I fell, slamming my right shin into a rock really, really hard. (We’re pretty active and I’ve fallen enough times in different activities that it’s really not a big deal. My usual thought is…ouch! ******.. another bruise. No big deal….) This time it was more of an Oh..****. We’re in the middle of nowhere and I think I may have actually done something.

 

 

Then……my beloved camera hit the rock next to me with a sickening thud and even though my leg was seriously hurting, my concern was for my camera. Before I checked to see if I could stand, I checked to see if the camera still worked. (It did…lens was broken but still useable and I have other lens.) By that time, DH and SIL were at my side and helped me up. I hobbled over to our lunch site (Allison didn’t see me fall and I didn’t bother to tell her.) The seal continued to pop up from the water and check everyone out during lunch and a couple of bald eagles set atop of the tallest fir tree on a small island just off shore. The view was enough to help take my mind off of my throbbing shin.

 

 

After lunch, we set off on our bushwhack, which was fortunately, pretty tame compared to some of the pictures I saw from others. We found an abandoned cabin, saw some different plants and a sapsucker in a tree. The woods were carpeted with moss so thick it felt like ultra-thick carpet and made walking on my leg a little easier, however, I was happy to get back in the kayak. By this time, the weather had taken a turn and it was raining. We spent the next 90 minutes or so paddling back to the ship.

 

 

Once all passengers were back on board, we pulled anchor and set sail for our next site. After dinner, the sun appeared right after another shower and we passed one of the most vibrant rainbows I’ve ever seen. All of the colors of the spectrum were visible.

 

 

After the show from the rainbow, the Expedition staff started a talent show, featuring some of their staff and guests. It was a fun evening but came to a close rather abruptly when someone spotted a bear along the shoreline. We headed for bed not long afterward.

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Wednesday, May 30

Wednesday, we awoke near the Inian Islands to another beautifully calm, quiet morning. The water was as smooth as glass, reflecting the hills and sky around. A mother sea otter swam back and forth not far from the ship, occasionally diving to the bottom to return to the surface with mussels. She laid her breakfast out on her chest, feasting on the mussels while she swam effortlessly on her back. At one point, her baby swam out to join her,mother and baby making chirruping noises that our guides told us are only heard when a mother otter is near her young.

 

 

After breakfast, we all set off on our morning excursion. We were limited to a skiff tour for this area. In small groups, we set off at 15 minute intervals for a tour around the nearby islands. We were once again with Allison as our group leader.

 

 

These islands were very near where the channel met the Pacific Ocean. There was a lot of turbulence at the junction, which was why we weren’t kayaking through the area. The turbulence caused problems with the fish ballast system, which caused fish that were usually bottom dwellers to surface and were not able to dive back to their normal depth. That was bad for fish,like the rock fish we saw early on our tour, but good for those higher up the food chain, like the sea lions and birds who were taking advantage of the buffet.

 

 

After the rock fish, we ventured forward in our skiff to the area of turbulence. Sea lions, some almost close enough to touch, were surfacing all around, fish clamped in their mouths, thrashing about battling their prey, attempting to consume their hard fought breakfast before the fish slipped away or snatched by another critter. Birds of various breeds were circling above hoping for a careless moment when a morsel might slip away from one of the sea lions. We watched the carnage for several minutes before moving closer to shore, where hordes of other sea lions, who’d already eaten their fill, were basking in the (rarely seen) sun.

 

 

 

Further on our tour, we visited the rocky cliffs that provided nesting grounds for the cormorants, gulls and kittiwakes. From the birds, we visited a raft of sea otters floating near a bed of kelp. For those of us who enjoy photography, it was a wildlife bonanza. We returned to the ship for a wonderful lunch. We hoisted anchor and sailed to our afternoon destination near Idaho Inlet.

 

 

Our weather had improved dramatically from earlier in the week. We had had sunshine that lasted and no rain, mist or fog! Temps were mid to upper 50s and it was a gorgeous day (relatively speaking.) My shin was swollen, bruised, scraped and very painful. Walking was difficult. I opted to stay aboard the ship for the afternoon while DH, brother and SIL did a bushwhack with Ben. DH helped me get situated in our room with my leg propped up on a pillow, laptop in place for photo editing, camera at my side near our open stateroom window and Bloody Mary within reach. I enjoyed my afternoon editing photos and sipping my Bloody Mary and the others enjoyed their excursion. They came back with some beautiful pictures. I was a little sad about not at least taking a skiff tour when I heard some other guests from one of the tours talking about the whales that breached right in front of them, but in the end, was glad I let my leg rest. It felt better, at least for the night.

 

 

After all the excursions were aboard, we left Idaho Inlet and headed for Glacier Bay. We stopped near the entrance to the park where we picked up a National Park Ranger who would stay onboard with us through the night and all through the next day.

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Thursday, May 31,2018

We arose early for our arrival at the Marjorie Glacier. We arrived there somewhere around 6am and were able to hang out there for a limited amount of time. We were directly in front of the Marjorie Glacier and the Grand Pacific Glacier. Most of the passengers were on the bow of the ship admiring the glacier, with the blue highlights mixed amongst the white compacted ice. We had it all to ourselves. It was quiet, except for the occasional sound of ice breaking off and crashing down.It sounded like thunder as it rumbled through the valley.

 

 

After our time at the Marjorie Glacier, we sailed to the Lamplaugh Glacier, where we dropped anchor for the morning. From here, we were able to either take a skiff tour, kayak tour or a bushwhack tour. All in our group opted for the kayak tour.

 

 

When it was our tour time, we set off with Allison toward the glacier. Little ice bergs floated all around us (they have specific names depending on their size, but I don’t remember them.) As we paddled toward the glacier, a whale spouted and breached across the cove from where we were. Another group of kayakers from our ship was right in front of the whale and had a fantastic view!

 

We stopped in front of the glacier for photos and were able to see ice breaking off into the waters. We paddled back toward our ship through the ice field, listening to the “rice krispies” popping sounds as air trapped in the mini-icebergs was released.

 

 

We returned to the ship in time for my DH and my SIL to change and prepare for the Polar Plunge, an Uncruise tradition. Every Alaskan Uncruise Cruise offers guests the opportunity to jump into the icy cold waters.Our cruise would have that opportunity in Glacier Bay, complete with 40° water and mini icebergs floating by. My brother and I dutifully took on the obligation of staying on board to document the procedure for future generations.

 

 

Several passengers and a few crew members took part in the Polar Plunge. Some of the passengers went back for a second plunge, but for most, once was enough. The hot tub and hot showers were very popular after the plunge.

 

 

After the plunge and lunch, we set sail toward the entrance of Glacier Bay, cruising by a couple of areas known for their nesting grounds for birds. We saw mountain goats with their new baby goats grazing on the hills above us as we cruised. Once we reached South Marble Island, we slowed in order to get a better view of the inhabitants. There were more sea lions, and many birds, most we had seen before. We did see the Tufted Puffin,which was a new one for us.

 

 

We eventually made our way to the Glacier Bay Visitor Center at Bartlett Cove. Here, we were able to leave the ship without a guide to take advantage of the well-marked trails and gift shop. Our Expedition Team guides were positioned at strategic points along the trails to insure we didn’t turn the wrong way. The trails were a very easy walk,didn’t require knee high boots and provided a pleasant, though still somewhat painful walk. We ran across a porcupine strolling down one of the trails and saw some new duck-like birds in another area. We returned to the ship as it was getting dark and sailed not long afterward.

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Friday, June 1,2018

We awoke to another beautiful, calm and sunny morning in Funter Bay. We would be staying here for the entire day. Everyone would have the option of doing a skiff tour and one other excursion. Options for other excursions included kayaking tours, paddle boarding, bushwhacking and a bushwhacking “light” option that they called a meander. Our group of two couples did our skiff tour together in the morning with Wilson as our guide. For the afternoon excursion, DH and I would do the meander with Wilson while my brother and SIL did another bushwhack.

 

 

Our skiff tour with Wilson was wonderful. The sun was out for most of the tour, the wind was quiet and the water a deep blue and clear. We saw little fish in the water, sea stars, beds of mussels, harbor seals,spring flowers blooming on the islands and best of all, a whale spout just in front of our skiff. We stopped and waited a few minutes, then witnessed it breach right in front of our skiff. We had a front row view.

 

 

After lunch onboard, we set off on our meander with Wilson.We landed on the shore of Admiralty Island, one of the islands with the highest bear populations. We strolled along the beach where we found a multitude of interesting items. Wilson examined them, then explained what they all were. From there, we headed into the forest,wandering around looking for items of interest. It was a nice afternoon in the rare Alaska sunshine.

 

My brother and his wife enjoyed their bushwhack tour with Ben, wandering up and down the hills of another island. They visited the site of an old cannery, discovering a building that used newspaper circa 1917 as wallpaper.

 

 

During the day, we settled our onboard account, which basically meant we paid gratuities to the crew (non officers and non leadership positions. ) Uncruise doesn’t add a specific amount to an onboard account;gratuities are up the passengers. They have a suggested amount and formulas available to make it easy if you want to make adjustments. They also offer a very good onboard booking discount. Not only do returning passengers get a discount that increases with the number of cruises you’ve taken, if you prebook your next cruise while onboard, you get $500 per person off the cost of the cruise fare. That can be combined with the discount for multiple cruises but not with other sale offers. The only catch is that you have to book your next cruise within a year and sail within two. You have 45 days to change your mind; after that, the $750 per person deposit is non-refundable.

 

 

After all were again onboard, we set sail for Juneau and disembarkation. We had dinner as usual, then gathered in the forward lounge for a presentation in pictures of our week onboard. All guides take cameras with them while on excursions, taking pictures of the different plants, animals, sites as well as the guests. Those pictures are compiled and put to music for a closing night presentation. After the cruise, the pictures are all made available to all the passengers for download.

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Saturday, June 2,2018.

We awoke to find ourselves docked in Juneau. Due to flight times, we planned to spend a night in Juneau, then fly out early the following morning. We were up and dressed early. Our bags were packed up and set outside our door before we went down to breakfast. The staff picked up our luggage and transported it to a hospitality suite in the convention center in Juneau until time for transfers to the airport or in our case, transferred it directly to our hotel, which was right across from the convention center and pier. After breakfast, we filed off the ship, saying our goodbyes to the crew, who were lined up outside to see us on our way. We later checked into the hotel and received a note that Uncruise would be sending transportation to transport us from our hotel to the airport in the morning.

 

 

In summary, my DH, brother and SIL loved the cruise and Alaska. I did not love Alaska; it was pretty and the animals were cool to see. I’m glad I went but have no desire to ever set foot in the state again. I did not enjoy our room, but other than that, was very pleased with the cruise. There are some things I think Uncruise can improve, ie, the information provided about their cruises claims there are informational talks given every evening about the destinations. We had virtually none of that, other than basic information of where we would be and what activities would be available. We had a “storyteller” aboard who gave us some information a couple of nights on Alaska in general and we had the Park Ranger who spoke briefly on Glacier Bay. Other than those and the talent show, the evenings were pretty empty and I think Uncruise dropped the ball.

 

The Expedition Staff, however, was impressive in their knowledge. We were impressed with all the staff onboard. I’d read that, since the staff is mostly people from the US, they don’t really feel the need to go out of their way to provide a great experience. We didn’t see that. We had a group that worked hard and truly seemed to want to make our experience something to remember. They knew their stuff, and they seemed to have fun doing their jobs.

 

 

Another “issue” that came up was the Uncruise “open bridge”policy. Their training information claims passengers have access to the bridge 24/7 unless the ship is dropping anchor or there are rough waters, etc. Our cabin was right next to the bridge and there was almost always a chain across the entry to the bridge area (just past our door) denying entry to the area. We personally didn’t have a burning desire to see the bridge, but some aboard did and were upset that they weren’t allowed the opportunity. There were apparently a couple of times during the cruise when passengers were allowed up, but we only saw the chain down once.

 

 

I consider both of these as pretty minor issues. We were very happy with the Uncruise experience and had we been in any other area, I think I would have loved it. As it was, I know I don’t want to go to Alaska again. We did, however, put a deposit down on a future Uncruise cruise, location to be determined.

 

 

In closing, we returned home on 6/3 (to lovely 80+ degree weather and sunshine!!) . On 6/4, I had my leg X-rayed, followed a few days later with a CT. My souvenir from Alaska is a compressed fracture of the tibia. I’m now supposed to be non-weightbearing and on crutches for the next 4-6 weeks. Did I mention I don’t plan to return to Alaska?

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Thank you so very much for your detailed review. I will be doing the Northern Passages and Glacier Bay in May 2019 so this held special interest for me. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy Alaska that much but sounds like you had a great time anyway, trying a new destination and such. Having been to Alaska a few times prior, I am getting more and more excited from all the details you shared as I've never done Uncruise before. Am going solo so interesting how they seat the solo diners. And thank you also for sharing pictures. Very much looking forward to seeing more. Really, this has been a true pleasure to read.

 

Barb

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Really, this has been a true pleasure to read.

 

Barb

 

Thank you! I'm just not a cold weather (below 80°) person. I loved seeing the animals; the scenery was beautiful and the cruise and people aboard were great. I'm glad we went, but not really looking at a return trip to Alaska. Our next Uncruise trip will be a WARM weather destination, which I think I will love.

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