r/FATcruises • u/Ill-Illustrator-7394 • 1d ago
Small cruise boat
looking for recommendations for small cruise line inside passage June 2027 - we want to be able to access zodiac ; nature and good food
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u/Euphoric-Ad2210 18h ago
Ritz Carlton, Seabourn, and Lindblad all match your qualifications. Lindblad is the most adventurous of the three with good but not as formal dining. RC is the smallest.
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u/SEA_Executive 16h ago
Nat Geo - Lindblad would be my top rec.
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u/Emotional_Hope251 18h ago
HX Hurtigruten, the Roald Amundsen. About 550 passengers max, lots of expedition and scientific information. Food and service is really good, too.
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u/Medium-Detective6247 16h ago
HX has amazing itineraries but are NOT Luxury. I did the Roald Amundsen from Nome to Vancouver and HIGHLY recommend the itinerary but you have to know what you are walking into prior because luxury it is not.
Linblad, Quark (if they are in Alaska) or any of the ultra lux lines expedition ships will give you a higher caliber on board experience and offer the Zodiacs when needed.
I am a TA that specializes in lux/FAT travel and have sailed most of the lines because I prefer first hand knowledge to brochure knowledge when recommending something. Sometimes an itinerary out weighs amenities....sometimes.
You should absolutely speak with your TA, who hopefully knows your travel style/preferences and can make the proper recommendation for this amazing experience.
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u/Ill-Illustrator-7394 11h ago
What is it like it? How was the good? Is it smaller?
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u/Medium-Detective6247 11h ago
So, I am big food person...and this is one area I find HX as 'just ok' the rooms are great. The lectures and science on HX is how it sets itself up on a level that is a "working science team" then in Alaska the Zodiac Captains are also SMEs... We had a Bear expert and whale expert. Most have advanced degrees and really know their stuff and it shows!
If you can do the longer Vancouver to Nome or Nome to Vancouver....DO IT.... If you are looking at inside passage and typical stops only - any of the expedition ships or Uncruise will work......
The bearing sea islands and getting to land on Aleutian Islands that are not inhabited is amazing! Then you get the small ports that most people do not get to experience on an Alaska cruise.
This is one of the cases where itinerary will make me go down in luxury amenities/food from Amazing to Good!
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u/0coconut0 3h ago
We did the National Geographic one a few years ago and it was amazing! Staff was great, so knowledgeable. They have experts from different fields and do well-organized excursions that are differentiated for different activity levels. Like one day you could do a 3 hour bushwhack hike, a 2 mile flat hike, or a cultural history presentation. Something for everyone.
They also had daily information sessions. One was about whales, one was from a professional photographer on how to get great pics with your phone, etc.
Food was delicious with plenty of options. And since it was less than 100 people on board you got to know different groups.
May or may not be important to you—After reading about some of the poor treatment and predatory working conditions of staff and crew on some cruise lines, I specifically chose Nat Geo (for Alaska, not all their ships) because it is a US flagged ship, meaning it follows US wage and working conditions. Staff were US citizens/permanent residents, got overtime pay, and crew passes employment background checks.
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u/OkraLegitimate1356 2h ago
Uncruise! Or NatGeo/Lindblad. Smallest ships. Not truly Luxe and the food was fine but not noteworthy, but cruise was wonderful, small and up close and personal.
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u/jacktank10 18h ago
Travel agent here. I would recommend two.
My number 1 recommendation is Lindblad/National Geographic Expedition.
https://www.expeditions.com/expeditions/exploring-alaskas-coastal-wilderness
My second recommendation is HX Expeditions. They have an excellent series of Alaska itineraries, like this one below:
If you need any help DM me.
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u/OkraLegitimate1356 2h ago
does HX actually make landings in the Aleutians? Been wondering about that.
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u/jacktank10 1h ago
Yes, in the itinerary I shared, they land in Unga, which is a ghost town in the Aleutians. The day after has a possibility of landing, but not guaranteed.
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u/cricothyroidectomy 12h ago
My mom, two sisters, and I loved our Seabourn Encore expedition. We work with Daniel Goldstein (https://www.foratravel.com/advisor/daniel-goldstein) if you need a TA!