Rocky Mountaineer's New Coastal Passage

The internationally-acclaimed Rocky Mountaineer train service has just launched its brand new Coastal Passage route, allowing cross-border travel to the USA for the first time in its history. 

With this unique route, the Rocky Mountaineer - which links with many cruise lines out of Vancouver - will travel along the glistening Pacific Northwest shoreline, seamlessly connecting Seattle to the majestic Canadian Rockies via the Canadian city of Vancouver.

 

Guests onboard the train, departing from and arriving into Seattle, will enjoy a balance of city visits and breathtaking landscapes as they journey along the spectacular shorelines, from Washington State into British Columbia, before reaching the breathtaking Canadian Rockies.

 

From the comfort of the Mountaineer’s award-winning GoldLeaf Service, guests will enjoy luxurious surroundings in a bi-level custom-designed dome coach with panoramic views, gourmet cuisine in a private dining room and personalised service.

 

The new route launched with four departures in August and has 24 departures scheduled for the 2014 season. More than 40 per cent of all Rocky Mountaineer guests book a rail journey in conjunction with an Alaskan Cruise. And, with flexible cruise dates out of the Port of Seattle, guests now have the opportunity to see the best of both worlds through rail and cruise holiday packages.

 

For more information, contact the Rocky Mountaineer directly at 00-800-0606-7372 or visit rockymountaineer.com. To get a glimpse of the new Coastal Passage route, visit their YouTube channel. For Alaska cruises, be sure to follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury cruise specialists.

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Un-Cruise Adventures’ Big Year

Specialist luxury adventure-cruise operator Un-Cruise Adventures has announced its biggest-ever deployment for 2014, with 19 itineraries in Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and the Pacific North-west, with eight vessels offering their range of Active, Luxury and Heritage Adventure cruises.

Their five main offerings are as follows:

Mexico’s Sea of Cortés

Joining the fleet in December, the renovated 64-guest Safari Voyager will sail Luxury Adventures year-round in Mexico’s Sea of Cortés on four different itineraries, all new. A week-long Cousteau’s Aquarium of the World cruise sails round-trip from San José del Cabo and visits two ports, Loreto and La Paz, with an emphasis on encountering whale sharks. A week-long Baja’s Whale Bounty cruise round-trip from San José del Cabo includes a trip to Bahia Magdalena for a panga ride to see gray whales up close.  Humpback whale-watching takes place at Gordo Banks and encounters with blue, pilot, fin and other whale species add to the bounty.  

Coastal Washington & British Columbia

New in 2014, an all-Washington itinerary, exploring the Olympic Wilderness and San Juan Islands. Sailing round-trip from Seattle, it includes extended time in Princess Louisa Inlet, in spring and autumn. The week-long Active Adventure aboard the 60-guest Wilderness Adventurer visits South Hood Canal, Port Townsend, Deception Pass, Lopez Island, Orcas Island, Friday Harbor and Sucia Island. The 22-guest Safari Quest sails British Columbia’s Yachters’ Paradise round-trip Seattle in spring and autumn.

Hawaiian Islands

The 36-guest Safari Explorer yacht returns for its third season sailing Luxury Adventures among the islands between Moloka’i and Hawaii, the Big Island (and reverse) from November-April. The week-long Hawaiian Seascapes itinerary explore four islands, the Big Island, Maui, Lana’i and Moloka’i. Guests enjoy a full complement of water sports activities, night snorkelling with Giant Pacific Manta rays, exclusive tours on Moloka’i and encounters with dolphins, whales and turtles.

Alaska

Seven vessels cruise Alaska on 12 different itineraries ranging from one to three weeks from home-ports of Seattle, Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka from April-September. Three upscale vessels, the 22-guest Safari Quest, 36-guest Safari Explorer and 86-guest Safari Endeavour, sail Luxury Adventures round-trip from Juneau; expedition vessels Wilderness  Adventurer, Wilderness Discoverer and Wilderness Explorer sail Active Adventures out of Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka; and the 88-guest S.S. Legacy sails Heritage Adventures between Juneau and Ketchikan.

Columbia & Snake Rivers 
The 88-guest S.S. Legacy, a replica coastal steamer, sails Heritage Adventures along the Columbia and Snake Rivers in spring and fall. Week-long Legacy of Discovery cruises sail round-trip from Portland, Oregon, with a focus on Living History, including Lewis and Clark’s Expedition, the Oregon Trail, Native Americans and early pioneers. 

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's adventure-cruise specialists.

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Crystal's Pacific Coast Extravaganza

~ Shore Excursions Explore Region’s Renowned Outdoors, History, and Artistry ~

On its sole Pacific Coast itinerary this year, Crystal Cruises has set more than 40 Crystal Adventures ashore, almost a dozen of them new. From Vancouver to Los Angeles, the seven-night Crystal Symphony voyage on April 29 explores the Pacific Northwest and California coastlines with a selection of new nature-loving, cultural and historic shore-side options, such as:

For Art and Film Fans

• Explore private art studios and galleries, from glass-blowing in Seattle to the historic art colony of Sausalito.
• See the real-life movie locations used in films such as The Goonies, Free Willy and Kindergarten Cop.

For Outdoor Adventurers

• Zip-line through dense Oregon forest near Astoria, over eight lines, and into a private lake.
• Follow Lewis and Clark’s footsteps through the same dunes and fields they “discovered” outside Fort Clatsop.
• Sail San Francisco Bay aboard the ORACLE team’s USA 76 America’s Cup yacht, just months before the city hosts this year’s race.

For History and Culture Buffs

• Ride a “Magic Bus” through landmarks of San Francisco’s 1960’s counterculture.
• Go behind-the-scenes at the 146-year-old Fort Stevens, the only US fort in the 48 states to be bombed by a foreign power since the War of 1812.

Also, for the first time ever, three complimentary “You Care, We Care” voluntourism opportunities will be offered on one cruise, with guests and crew assisting at an Astoria State Park and helping feed the hungry in Victoria and Santa Barbara. Other coastal Crystal Adventures explore Victoria’s charming architecture; local wine, cheese and seafood; quaint seaside villages; Mount St Helens; the City by the Bay by helicopter; and outdoor sporting activities on wheels or the water in Santa Barbara.

“California and the Pacific Northwest are renowned for their beauty and culture, but these excursions offer innovative ways to experience those touchstones of America and Canada’s ‘left coast’, whether world-famous or under-the-radar,” says Philip Ordever, Vice President, International Sales & Marketing. 

The Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, Astoria, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles cruise also features a jazz theme honouring saxophonist, composer and arranger Benny Golson. All-inclusive “Book Now” fly-cruise fares start from £3,314 per person.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, the UK's leading luxury cruise specialists.

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Enjoy Scenic Washington State & British Columbia with American Safari Cruises

Well-known in yachting circles as a favourite for 'gunkhole' cruising — a yachter’s paradise of quiet, scenic anchorages — the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands star in American Safari Cruises’ Pacific Northwest Passage itinerary returning in 2012. The cruise features Washington state and British Columbia, with a new home port of Seattle, Washington.

Beginning September 14, 2012, the 22-guest Safari Quest (above) sails 10 week-long cruises round-trip from Seattle. The yacht returns in the spring for six more week-long cruises beginning March 29, 2013. The Pacific Northwest Passage itinerary explores the inlets and islands of the San Juan and Canadian Gulf Islands including visits to Victoria, Jervis Inlet, the Harmony Islands, Princess Louisa Inlet, Nanaimo and the Gulf Islands in British Columbia; Friday Harbor, San Juan Island and Stuart Island in Washington.

Sailing from Seattle, the yacht passes through the historic Hiram M. Chittenden Locks to Puget Sound. In Victoria, guests enjoy a tour of Butchart Gardens with a traditional British high tea, a visit to the Royal British Columbia Museum and the historic Empress Hotel.

A flexible itinerary allows time to search out and view wildlife such as orca whales, eagles, seals, sea lions, porpoise, black bears and deer. ASC's expedition-style cruising means the yacht freely explores among the inlets and islands of the Pacific Northwest. An onboard expedition leader provides expert narration while leading waterborne or land-based adventures including kayaking, hiking, beachcombing and skiff rides. Paddle boards are also available for solo adventures in these scenic waters.

Other highlights of the cruise include exploration by foot or by kayak in Princess Louisa Inlet, only half a mile wide and culminating at the spectacular Chatterbox Falls; scenery and solitude while relaxing in the upper deck hot tub; stroll along Nanaimo’s picturesque waterfront promenade; a visit to the town of Friday Harbor with boutiques, galleries and a Whale Museum; hiking along a bluff to Turning Point Lighthouse on Stuart Island and kayaking among the sheltered Harmony Islands.

Cruise fares start at $3,995 per person, based on double occupancy.

The inclusive cruise includes all yacht activities and equipment; transfers; meals; fine wine, premium spirits and microbrews; and all port charges, taxes and fees. The Quest also features a hot tub, Tempurpedic mattresses, and heated tile floors in all bathrooms and upper category balconies. An all-American crew has a guest-crew ratio of 2 to 1. Yachts can also be booked as a private charter or by individual stateroom.

For more info, visit www.americansafaraicruises.com or contact the UK's leading adventure-cruise travel agents of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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