Alaska Small Ship Cruising Tips From Todd Smith Of AdventureSmith

Alaska Small-Ship Cruising.

By Heidi Sarna

Over the weekend we had an e-chat with Todd Smith, president and founder of AdventureSmith Explorations, to get his insights on Canada’s recent ban of Alaska-bound cruise vessels over 100 passengers through February 2022.

While the bad news is that big ships will miss a second season in Alaska due to the pandemic, the good news is that our favorite ships — quirky small-scale vessels — are able to keep on doing their thing. Small-ship lines who still plan to operate this summer in Alaska include UnCruise Adventures, Lindblad Expeditions, Alaskan Dream Cruises and Pacific Catalyst.

Todd started California-based AdventureSmith Explorations in 2003 and is considered a leading expert on small-ship cruising. He helped pioneer the concept of wilderness cruising that marries the comforts of a small cruise ship with the adventure of sea kayaking, hiking and exploring remote wilderness areas ashore.

Todd Smith talks Alaska Small-Ship Cruising

AdventureSmith Explorations Founder & President Todd Smith. * Photo: AdventureSmith Explorations

QuirkyCruise: Were you surprised about the Canada ban?

Todd Smith of AdventureSmith Explorations: Yes and no. I am not surprised because Canada has been very cautious about the spread of COVID-19 and this is an understandable step to protect communities.

I was surprised at the suddenness of the announcement because the previous ban was not set to expire until Feb 28, and usually we hear some rumors beforehand. I was also surprised at the timing because things are finally moving in the right direction. I think the entire industry was caught off guard.

QuirkyCruise: Do you have clients wanting to go to Alaska this summer?

Todd Smith: Yes, demand began to pick up again in October (2020) and continued through January (2021). In the past two weeks demand has been high. We have some clients who receive their second vaccine, then call us the next day to begin planning. We also have many clients postponed from last year who are eager to travel this summer.

On the other hand, there are clients who are nervous about travel this summer and we are happy to re-accommodate them later in summer 2021 or 2022.

Cruising Alaska on the 12-pax Sea Wolf. * Photo: AdventureSmith Explorations

QuirkyCruise: What will you offer them?

Todd Smith: Only a handful of the cruises we offer will be affected by Thursday’s announcement from Canada. So, we have plenty of cruises and inventory to offer interested clients.

The ban applies to foreign-flagged vessels stopping in Canadian ports.

We work with US-flag vessels cruising in US waters. A few of the northbound and southbound positioning cruises to/from Seattle, Washington would be affected, but most of these had been removed already.

We expect great demand without the big ships operating in Alaska. Virtually all the cruises on our Alaska Cruises will be operating this summer.

wild flowers on an alaska small ship cruise

Alaska’s wild flowers. * Photo: AdventureSmith Explorations

QuirkyCruise: Is your private charter business up?

Todd Smith: Yes. We have always had a robust private charter business, but things really picked up last summer after the pandemic took hold. We identified early that this was a way for travelers to create their own pod and travel with less risk during COVID-19.

Alaska charters are in high demand, so we have been steering folks into other popular charter destinations such as Belize or the Galapagos Islands.

QuirkyCruise.com’s “Charter This” showcases great offers for private charters for friend and family groups.

QuirkyCruise: Can you share three small ships you sell in Alaska that can operate this summer (2021)?

Todd Smith: Three trips that will operate and currently have availability include:

9-Day Inside Passage Sojourn aboard the 49-guest Baranof Dream
7-Day Sea Wolf Glacier Bay Adventure aboard the 12-guest Sea Wolf
8-Day Northern Passages/Glacier Bay aboard the 86-guest Wilderness Legacy and 36-guest Safari Explorer

The 49-guest Baranof Dream in Alaska’s Hobart Bay. * Photo: AdventureSmith Explorations

QuirkyCruise: Why is Alaska ideal for small-ship cruising?

Todd Smith: In many ways Alaska is the birthplace of small-ship adventure cruising where travelers and the travel industry first embraced “a cruise to nowhere” in which wilderness exploration superseded port calls.

Alaska coastal geography with endless protected coves and bays is ideally suited to up-close cruising by shallow draft small ships. Bears, moose, and eagles dot the shoreline. Whales, otters, and salmon fill the sea. This wildlife is easily viewed by small ships with flexible itineraries that cruise close shore and stop when wildlife is spotted. Those same bays and coves offer protective shelter in which to get off the ship to explore up close on hikes, in small craft and by kayak.

Small ships in Alaska allow ordinary travelers to have extraordinary backcountry experiences that would otherwise be impossible to achieve. The logistics of wilderness exploration can be insurmountable for a typical independent traveler, but small ships make it possible for anyone to have once in a lifetime experience in Alaska. This summer especially (2021), Alaska may offer a once in a generation opportunity to experience unspoiled nature and wildlife.

Brown bear sighting along the shoreline. * Photo: AdventureSmith Explorations

whale fluke on an Alaska small ship cruise

Spotting whales close up is easy on a small-ship cruise. * Photo: AdventureSmith Explorations

QuirkyCruise: Why should a big-ship lover consider going small?

Todd Smith: I’ll be the first to admit that small ship cruises are not for everyone. I was once a guide leading small groups of kayakers launched from small ships paddling to the face of tidewater glaciers in Glacier Bay National Park. Occasionally our kayak excursions would be interrupted by the arrival of a massive cruise ship, also there to view the glacier. I would tell my group that half the people aboard that ship think we are crazy. The other half want to be out here with us.

Kayaking in Alaska. * Photo: AdventureSmith Explorations

Here are 5 reasons to go small in Alaska:

Big ships tend to focus inward on the ship itself with Broadway quality entertainment, midnight buffets and flashy pools or nightlife. Small ships are focused outward, on the destination, with up close exploration of Alaska’s nature, culture and wildlife.
Shore excursions are included aboard small ships. No need to buy a whale watching trip or kayaking excursion in port, this is the primary focus of the trip.
Spend time exploring Alaska, not cruising to Alaska. With a small ship cruise, you will fly to Alaska and embark in an Alaskan port. The entire week is engaged in exploration instead of days at sea getting to or from Alaska.
Aboard a small ship you will get to know your fellow passenger and crew. This camaraderie is an essential part of small ship cruising. It will enhance your experience and often it leads to lifelong friendships. We’ve had guests who met on small ships and the next year are taking cruises together.
If you take a small ship cruise in Alaska you will fall in love with small ship cruising. We consider Alaska, along with the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica, to be “gateway destinations” where travelers are introduced to this style of small ship cruising. Once you take a small ship cruise you will never go back to the big ships.

RELATED: AdventureSmith Explorations’ Take — Small Ship or Big Ship – What is the Difference

Small-ship cruising in Alaska — remote and isolated. * Photo: AdventureSmith Explorations

QuirkyCruise: What do you recommend folks do to prepare to travel to Alaska this summer?

Todd Smith: The best resource for updated entry requirements and health information in the state of Alaska is https://covid19.alaska.gov/travelers/. We recommend testing prior to arrival so you arrive with negative results in hand. Considering the investment you have made in a small ship cruise, the risks of a positive test or false positive upon arrival are too great.

There are some commonsense steps travelers can take to ensure personal health and satisfactory test results prior to departure. As with any big trip, quarantining and isolating yourself before departure will ensure you are healthy and rested for the journey ahead.

If travelers are not able to obtain a 72-hour PCR test in their community, we can recommend at-home, mail-in tests for about $150 that guarantee results in time. If you are high risk, or the type of person who needs guarantees, travel in the next few months might not be the best choice.

RELATED: Read about Todd’s personal experience with testing and travel in Alaska from a trip last August — “I Took an Alaska Small Ship Cruise During Covid-19.”