Not everybody has a rich friend who collects fine wines, appreciates wildlife, cruises to Alaska and Hawaii in one of his four megayachts and, most importantly, invites you along for the journey, precisely why American Safari Cruises’ (ASC) new flagship yacht, the Safari Explorer, is so appealing.
ASC, the Seattle-based company that pioneered yacht cruising in Alaska in 1997, created a casual and friendly environment aboard its newly renovated, 145-foot yacht, which was christened on Memorial Day weekend. After the christening ceremony, more than 40 travel industry professionals and agents got a taste of the good life, embarking on the Safari Explorer’s maiden voyage.
The five-hour day cruise departed from Seattle’s Fishermen’s Terminal, cruising along the Lake Washington ship canal, Lake Union and Lake Washington. Agents learned firsthand that ASC’s largest yacht to date can be quite intimate. For instance, the guest-crew ratio is 2 to 1, allowing the all-American crew to give special attention to guests.
An onboard masseuse will give complimentary massages and teach yoga classes on the top, open-air deck to those cruising to Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska (late May through early September), and between the Hawaiian islands (mid-December through early May).
Also on the top deck is ASC’s signature Jacuzzi — ideal for stargazing and basking in the Northern Lights — flanked on one side by a handful of brand-new stationary bikes and elliptical trainers and on the other side by a small sauna, its windows offering views of passing scenery.
Just as if guests were cruising on a close friend’s ship, they are welcome to walk behind the bar to mix a cocktail, borrow a DVD or book from the collections (without having to notify anyone, of course) and spontaneously request of the captain certain shore excursions and detours.
Keeping with the theme of cruising on “your friend’s yacht,” clients won’t have to fret over misplaced room keys; there are none. While the doors to each stateroom — 17 doubles and one single, enough room for 36 guests — lock from the inside, clients cannot lock them when leaving. There is, however, a security box in the rear of each room’s closet for storing valuables.
The staterooms feature a windowed door, some with an additional view window, Tempur-Pedic memory-foam mattresses, flat-screen televisions with DVD players, a vanity and an iHome for your iPod. The bathrooms, decked out with heated tile floors, are surprisingly spacious, some complete with Jacuzzi tubs.
The Safari Explorer’s eight-day, seven-night Voyagers’ Glacier Country itinerary departs from Juneau, Alaska, which allows enough time for a leisurely cruise to Mendenhall Glacier on the first day. Since the ship cruises exclusively during the daytime, quiet nights are spent anchored in remote destinations, like Sitkoh Bay and a secluded cove just outside Glacier Bay.
Along the way, guests can see humpback whales flip their tails as they dive beneath the ocean’s surface, mountain goats climb nearby cliffs and bears search for lunch along the shoreline. If clients want to get a closer look at the wildlife, all they have to do is ask the staff to arrange it. After all, when you’ve got a friend with a multi-million-dollar yacht, just about anything seems possible.
JUST THE FACTS
Year Built: 1998; receiving a $3.5 million renovation in 2008
Number of Guests: 36
Crew Members: 18
Number of Decks: 2
Price Range: $4,395-$6,195, depending on dates and stateroom size; $189,995-$248,995, private yacht
Commission: For commission levels, contact American Safari Cruises
888-862-8882
www.amsafari.com