AdventureSmith Explorations is offering a series of National Park cruises for 2016 in celebration of the National Park centennial. Guests can choose from itineraries in Alaska, the San Juan Islands and on Oregon's Columbia River.
Alaska
In Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, travelers can choose from three eight-day programs: Exploring Muir’s Wilderness on the 84-guest Safari Endeavor; Northern Passages & Glacier Bay on the 60-guest Wilderness Adventurer, 74-guest Wilderness Explorer or 76-guest Wilderness Discoverer; and Discoverers Glacier Country on the 22-guest Safari Quest, the 36-guest Safari Explorer, the Wilderness Adventurer or the Safari Endeavour. Itineraries have themed departures the week of August 25, 2016, celebrating the centennial, with commemoration gifts, guest speakers, evening onboard presentations focused on the history of the National Parks, surprise birthday celebrations and special presentations by Park Rangers on board while in Glacier Bay.
The six-day Glacier Bay Adventure Cruise is the only Inside Passage small ship cruise that spends most of its itinerary inside the park. The itinerary travels from waterfall-laden Geike Inlet to the barren mountain faces of the East and West arms of Glacier Bay National Park, then routes outside the park to Point Adolphus for whale watching. The base of exploration is the historic 12-passenger small ship M/V Sea Wolf, owned and operated by Alaskans.
In Kenai Fjords National Park, on the edge of the Kenai Peninsula south of Anchorage, a number of lodge-based itineraries allow guests to spend time on the water boating through Kenai Fjords. To access most of these remote lodges, guests embark by boat from Seward on a five-hour wildlife and tidewater glacier journey. Kenai Fjords Backcountry Explorer over seven days explores the Native-owned, 1,700-acre Pedersen Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary. The eight-day Ultimate Alaska Adventure includes sea kayaking in Kenai Fjords National Park, a helicopter landing onto a glacial snowpack, a floatplane journey to a remote mountain lake and more.
Lower 48
In Washington's Olympic National Park, the Olympic Wilderness & San Juan Islands is an eight-day-expedition on the Wilderness Adventurer or the Wilderness Discoverer. Kayaks and paddleboards sail aboard, allowing guests to actively explore the park’s coves and canals.
Lewis & Clark National Historical Park at Fort Clatsop in Astoria, Oregon, offers two small ship itineraries on the Columbia and Snake Rivers. The Columbia & Snake Rivers Journey over seven days highlights the culture, history, food and wine of the Pacific Northwest, with an emphasis on local cuisine through a new affiliation with the Food Alliance. Guests will be on board either 62-passenger National Geographic Sea Bird or 62-passenger National Geographic Sea Lion. Over eight days on Legacy of Discovery guests aboard the 88-guest S.S. Legacy traverse the Columbia River Gorge.