Pacific Northwest Cruises

Accommodations Review

Our cabin on the Legacy was very comfortable and well maintained. I loved having the window view. The only comment I can think of to add would be that being able to adjust the temperature in the dining room and the lounge so that it was not so cold would have been welcome.

Crew & Guides Review

Skiba did a superb job organizing and communicating the activities of the day.  Julie was an informative and enthusiastic leader!  I learned so much from Ryan about the geology of the area.  it added much to our actual visits.  Keka (Ericka) is certainly a special guide.  She did an excellent job presenting the salmon information as well as her knowledge of other naturalist elements of the trip.  Alll of the leaders and guides that I experienced were skilled and attentive making us all feel comfortable regardless of the activity . Although the wine was not my major interest I thought Asher, as sommelier, did an excellent job of creating activities and sharing information for everyone.

Traveler Advice

I would suggest the twin bed arrangement for a couple for ease of movement in the cabin.

Meals Review

I had some dietary restrictions (GF) that were well handled at the meals. The chef , Marcus, frequently provided me with chicken soup when I needed it. And Julie, the pastry chef, made wonderful gluten free bread that I enjoyed at almost every meal. This was facilitated by our server, Quinn. They made the extra efforts to meet my individual needs, not an easy task when you are serving a large group. Kudos to the food staff.

Itinerary Review

[I most enjoyed] The visit to Palouse State Park, the hike at the Dalles, the Maryhill Museum of Art, viewing the dams and locks from the boat, and Fort Clatsop. [I least enjoyed] The Stonehenge replica - not as interesting as a replica. Would have spent more time at the Maryhill Museum.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

I felt I had the information I needed to plan for the trip. They arranged for us to be taken to the airport to pick up a rental car following our disembarking. I felt that Leslie was easy available for any questions we might have. I think the materials provided really give an accurate picture of the trip.

Accommodations Review

We were lucky to be on a departure that was only 1/3 full, so the ship felt extra spacious. My cabin was a Master on the upper deck. The cabin was comfortable and it had a full bathroom. The viewing accessibility on the S.S. Legacy was a nice feature of the ship. You can literally stand anywhere and get a good view.

Itinerary Review

I most liked riding bikes through the Hood River wineries. I thought this was a unique and fun way to explore the area. I also enjoyed kayaking on the Palouse River and the hike at Rowena Plateau, which came with amazing views of Mount Hood and Mount Adams. The 3rd party outfitter provided everything we needed, but it was a very cold day. The scenery was nice, but being soaked and on the river for multiple hours took the enjoyment out of it. It was nice to be outside and among the beautiful scenery and the ship’s crew came prepared with warm drinks and lunch for us after the rafting. All in all not bad, but it would have been better if it wasn’t so cold.

Crew & Guides Review

Megan was very organized and patient during our cruise. Sarah and Bobby were knowledgeable about the region and did a good job during their evening presentations.

Meals Review

No complaints about the food. Each meal is well prepared and nicely presented. The kitchen even made me special dairy free desserts at lunch and dinner.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

All preparatory information was timely, useful and easy to follow.

Traveler Advice

Try small ship cruising, even if you don’t think you’re the cruising type. The day’s itinerary and meals are arranged for you so you can spend your vacation enjoying your family without dealing with logistics every few hours.

Accommodations Review

I had sailed on Wilderness Discoverer before, so it was like coming home again.

Meals Review

The breakfast bacon on UnCruise ships is the best in the world, and I always eat more on my trips than I do all year at home. A big plate of perfectly ripe fruit available at the pre-breakfast made it easier to resist the two baked offerings that were there too. The variety and imaginative combinations of ingredients--who knew you could do so much with kale! Impressive how the single gluten intolerant guest had her requirements met at every meal.

Crew & Guides Review

Kelly was enthusiastic beyond words, and very knowledgeable. Our guide at Glacier Bay National Park who spent two days with us was a pleasure to have along, and I think she enjoyed us as much as we did her (sorry don't have her name) because we were a very receptive audience for all the information she had to share.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Adventure Specialist Andrew has arranged all my trips over the years, and he is as good as it gets. He even advised on which side of the ship was a better choice of cabin on this trip, and he was spot on.

Accommodations Review

Could have used a few more hooks in the rooms for hand towels, clothes, etc. Our bathroom was usually foul smelling and could have used an air freshener...

Meals Review

BACON was da bomb! I loved the salmon, scallops and ribs; my husband liked the lamb and the raw oysters. Daily different special bar drinks were exciting and fun to look forward to! The only thing we could even possibly give less than 5 stars was that some of the fish dishes at dinner were less than exciting. The desserts were fantastic, though!

Crew & Guides Review

We loved our morning on Spencer off of Lopez Island... with the remnants of the morning fog it was a photographer's dream!

Itinerary Review

Without a doubt, I loved the moonlight kayaking around Lopez Island, a truly spiritual experience when we turned most of the lights out and became very quiet, just hearing the sound of our paddles churning up the bio-luminescent plankton in the water. I loved hiking in the rain and fog through The Staircase area of Olympic National Park. We also enjoyed the morning guided kayak trip in total fog around the Finger Islands around Sucia Island. We also liked the bus trip up Mt. Constitution, the picnic beside the lake as well as the short walk through the surrounding woods on Orcas Island- and so many other activities on this trip...as well as the comradery on the boat...we made so many new friends!

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

AdventureSmith is always terrific and thorough. We have and will continue to [recommend AdventureSmith Explorations], in fact I just did so earlier today!

Traveler Advice

Pack for casual and exciting adventures. Don't expect luxurious quarters-just fun, fantastic food and lots of fun!

Accommodations Review

The Sea Bird is old and cabins are what they are, but still really good.  Get fitted sheets. Easier on stewards and passengers. But vessel was great. We knew what to expect so no surprises. The common areas were more than adequate for the expedition.

Meals Review

Amazing work given the limitations of the galley. Breakfast and lunch were perfect to fuel us up and keep us energized. Appetizers were a highlight. I very much liked the portion size at dinner. Soup needs work. Too much of same dark base. Think miso or chowder, but minor. Great baked goods.  Service was A+++ from Val on down.

Crew & Guides Review

No one better than Rab, Betty Lou and Linda. Gold standard. Rab shared personal experiences and emotions and displayed encyclopedic knowledge of every subject. Clone him. Betty Lou's talk on her career was fabulous. The whole team was knowledgeable, personable, helpful, available, great in crisis and enthusiastic. How can one be with Rab and not get excited about the events or with Linda, Betty Lou, Eryn and not learn? 

Photography staff was first rate. Brian and Drew knew everything and explained it clearly. Divers, Jim and Lynn, added a whole different dimension to our experience. Local guides were essential to understanding Haida and Kwakwaka wakaw cultures. And the Watchmen gave such authenticity to our experience. Loved Ranger Molly. Wow!!!! No weak individual on this team.

Itinerary Review

Haida Gwaii, Gwai Hannas, Old Massett, and Alert Bay were strong cultural experiences which made the whole trip worthwhile. The nature walks were well chosen and instructive. Sometimes after dinner talks were repetitious, but small issue.

Zodiak tours were uniformly outstanding and exciting. The excursion into the sea near the Hobbit Hole was a memory for all time as was Rabs talk about Vitas Bering and George Stellars. Whew, all good!!! Glacier visits were well done, awesome, and sobering to see the impacts of climate change. Potlach dances were highlight also as was the ability to meet Jim Hart and Christian White. Legendary and inspiring. Gwaii Hannas was magical.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Andrew was, as always, excellent. Made our trip prep easy. We would recommend AdventureSmith to friends and family without hesitation.

Traveler Advice

Embrace the experience. Pack lighter/take less. Read some history like Muir's Travels in Alaska, history of decimation of tribes by European exposure and books on Northwest art.

Accommodations Review

This was our fourth river trip and the first where we were able to visit the bridge at will. For me, the mechanics of running a boat this size requires a certain management level which obviously existed. I saw lots of teamwork and enthusiasm at all levels.

Meals Review

So maybe a hamburger can be offered at times but you are obviously are on a par with other trips that we have experienced. I would guess that the general client group had no idea how healthy your meals were. You failed miserably to add 10 pounds as requested. 5 was all I could muster. Portion sizes were excellent. No improvement necessary in this category.

Crew & Guides Review

Can't add anything other than great job at all levels. Their wealth of knowledge was amazing. I think they had as much fun as we did.

Itinerary Review

Hard to rate but [I enjoyed most] the Snake River Fast Boat excursion was tops and the Winery Tour was second. Why - Both took lots of people management skills and coordination. Included in all the excursions were the Heritage Guides and your Hotel Manager. These are obviously top notch people who loved their work and did a wonderful job.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Pre-trip information was adequate. We have already recommended AdventureSmith Explorations.

Traveler Advice

The Lewis and Clark theme was a great way to understand how our country grew. When we left the boat we traveled East cross country more or less on their route back to the Missouri. We uncovered new information that added to our base knowledge about Lewis and Clark. Made for an even more interesting experience. Read the book also.