October 2017 Adventure Cruises Define Your to April 2019 22 to 86 Guests Un-nessSM ALASKA | MEXICO | HAWAIIAN ISLANDS | COSTA RICA | PANAMÁ | GALÁPAGOS | COLUMBIA & SNAKE RIVERS | WASHINGTON | BRITISH COLUMBIA Contents Define Your Un-ness 3 Small Ships, BIG Adventures 5 Adventure 6 Place 8 Connection 10 Finding Our Un-ness 12 Unparalleled Value 14 Ready. Set. Go. 16 Theme Cruises 18 Wellness Cruises 20 Family Discoveries 22 Solo Travel 23 Groups & Charters 24 Sailing Calendar 26 COSTA RICA & PANAMÁ 28 MEXICO’S SEA OF CORTÉS 40 HAWAIIAN ISLANDS 48 GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS 56 COLUMBIA & SNAKE RIVERS 64 PACIFIC NORTHWEST 72 ALASKA 82 Life On Board 116 Wining & Dining 118 The Fleet 122 Small Ship Comparison 142 What’s Included 144 Reservation Information 145 Responsible Travel & Affiliations 146 Welcome Aboard 147 2 UnCruise.com Define Your Un-nessSM [uhn-nis] To break away from the masses. Challenge. Freely used to release, exemplify, or intensify a force or quality. To engage, connect, and explore unique places, oneself, and with others on a most uncommon adventure. Snapshot: I found my happy place. unique. 3 “Exceeded expectations. Thanks to the crew—you are fabulous. Only downside? My cheeks hurt from smiling. Awesome, fantastic!” -Nancy D; Silver Lake, NH (Alaska 2016) 4 UnCruise.com Snapshot: (L) Best to pack your Alaska tennis shoes. (R) Go with the flow. Small Ships, BIG Adventures A crew member shows you to your cabin. After a short time getting situated, gain your bearings with a spin around the ship. Then head to the lounge for a glass of bubbly and to meet your shipmates. Once on board, transplanting yourself and settling in is a snap. And you’re off! Headed to where the big ships can’t go—in more ways than one. Be sure to pack a go-with-the-flow attitude. There are set itineraries, but Mother Nature leads the way and in-the-moment changes will happen. No two UnCruise departures are ever the same, and they’re way more personable. No matter how you travel—with a companion, family, solo, or in a group—adventure, place, and connection are at the heart of your exploration. Uncover hidden treasures, meet locals (the human, feathered, and wild-and-woolly ones), and learn while having fun. Change the way you see the world. unrivaled. 5 Adventure That urge to reach beyond the norm. Explore. Try new things that stretch the mind and body—they lead to the most elusive discoveries and moments of excitement. Experience life on the outside. Snapshot: Boot-sucking mud. Bigger ice. Fewer people. Alaska is different. 6 UnCruise.com The spirit of adventure comes in many forms, and all are welcome. An avid kayaker? A snorkeling newbie? A long-distance hiker? Wine lover? Or maybe you’d rather watch from the sideline and snap photos from a skiff. Each activity level matters. Your expedition team fills you in on the daily options and helps you find the right fit. Leading the charge. If there’s interest, guides take small hard-charging groups further afield. They create a safe, informative space for trying out new activities like paddle boarding, and give snorkeling 101 lessons. If you’re in the mood for more relaxation, or mobility concerns might hold you back, no sweat. No one misses out. You’ll find activities to pique your interest. And at the end of each day, everyone on board has stories to share. Daily activities are designed to take advantage of the location, weather, conditions, and potential to cross paths with wildlife. If an unexpected encounter happens—like bow-riding dolphins— Mother Nature takes the helm, and plans change. We’ve got the goods. Kayaks. Paddle boards. Hiking poles. Life jackets. Wetsuits. Check. What you need to bring is gear like rubber boots, water shoes, rain hats and jackets, rash guards, or any other active wear you need. “I’ve never cruised before, and I admit some skepticism, but this has by far been one of the top trips we have ever taken. It was hard to pick just one highlight... Northern Lights, bushwhacking, Lamplugh Glacier hike. Who could ask for anything more?” — Caroline K; Washington, DC (Alaska 2016) undeniable. 7 Place Lost, then found, then lost again. And once there, it has the potential to blow you away. The realization of your significance against the scale of the place you’ve found. It’s hard to put into words, but you leave a piece of your heart. 8 UnCruise.com Snapshot: Life is never ordinary. In the moment. You’re out in a far-off channel. No sign of civilization, and certainly no cell reception or internet. You’re completely cut off. Unplugged, but totally plugged in. And you don’t miss it. Nothing else matters. There’s nothing but the sound of a breeze. A howler monkey. Or a calving glacier. Be there. Something special happens between you and these unique places. Centuries before, explorers traveled beyond the known ends of the earth to where you now set foot. With no interfering distractions, the energy of the trees, rivers, mountains is strong. Feel small and fully a part of nature’s system. The best time is anytime, every time. It’s common for guests to ask, “when is the best time to go?” The true answer: no matter what month or season, there is plenty to see and do. Your captain and crew, whether they’re locals or have spent season-after-season in the area, know where to find overlooked and hidden gems. “Oh—what a great time we had! Each day we had a unique adventure. We rode the skiffs to amazing places, hiked, snorkeled, kayaked, took about a thousand pictures of land and seascapes, birds and animals...I can’t say enough.” — Carol H; Ladson, SC (Costa Rica & Panamá 2017) unmapped. 9 Connection From mountain trails to footprints ashore, between feeding whales and fleeting krill—there’s connection. Places and adventures forever united by storytellers, fellow travelers, and salts of the earth. It’s as old as time. 10 UnCruise.com Snapshot: Now that we have the pleasantries out of the way... Everyone on board winds up as one big family, no matter if you’ve come solo or with travel companions. The welcoming friendliness and open-hearted enthusiasm of the crew sets the tone. Adventure-hearted guests quickly grow that vibe and carry it on. Bonds of friendship are forged. In short order, introductory questions of “where are you from” or “where have you traveled” make their way to conversations akin to those between old friends. It comes with sharing awe-inspiring experiences, the gratification of a successful exploration, and laughter over a meal. They touch your soul. Taro fields in a steep valley, where ancient Hawaiian practices are still in play. A snorkel with Giant Pacific Mantas, filled with squeals of underwater excitement. Holding hands with local children proud to show you their village. Paddle slow through kelp beds to see what lives below. “Traveling with UnCruise is wonderful. We saw friends from our previous cruise and familiar staff faces. People are always open, have a sense of adventure, and always bring new inspiration to our lives.” — Samantha C; Singapore (Mexico 2017) uncut. 11 Finding Our Un-ness It took grit, hard work, and a bit of luck, but the stars aligned when UnCruise Adventures came to be. It was 1996. Connection and innovation have been at the heart ever since. We are driven by a fearless team and a commitment of leaving the beaten path and really exploring—experiencing—what the world has to offer. Your crew—and everyone working hard behind the scenes—has a fierce love of travel, and a deep respect and appreciation for the wilderness, wildlife, culture, and heritage of the places we visit. It’s our hope and goal that some of this rubs off on those who travel with us (it almost always does). 12 UnCruise.com Snapshot: (L) Your means to the point source of adventure. (R) Weathered, well-tested, and Alaska strong. Onboard Team Each crew member is hand-picked for their outstanding knowledge, experience, customer service, and safety skills—and also their genuine enthusiasm and welcoming spirit. Your onboard team includes the captain, engineers, chefs, expedition guides, and hotel, galley and deck staff. After selecting a fantastic crew, they undergo annual training in areas such as leadership, CPR, wilderness response, safety, guest services, and “Leave No Trace” practices. In other words, you’re in great hands. UnCruisers Small ships are intimate, and it doesn’t take long for guests and crew to get comfortable. Plenty of laughs are shared during your time on board. Wondering who your fellow adventurers might be? Well, they hail from all walks of life. A medley—of ages, lifestyles, places around the globe; couples, singles, and generations of family; educators and the educated (be it the school-of- life or a Ph.D.), savvy-travelers, entrepreneurs, even the occasional celebrity. They are likely a lot like you, and generally like each other. So much so, it’s not uncommon to see them traveling together again. We bet you’ll find something in common. unbound. 13 Unparalleled Value From your first inquiry until even after your trip and, of course, throughout your UnCruise, you receive welcoming, friendly, personalized service—and a host of benefits you won’t find on most other ships. 14 UnCruise.com Snapshot: Back away from the blowhole. I need some room. Choose to UnCruiseSM Flexibility to do as much or as little as you like, and in comfort.