UnCruise Adventures

One of the industry's best small cruise lines, UnCruise Adventures (uncruise.com) operates smaller-sized vessels with regularly scheduled itineraries in Southeast Alaska, Hawaii, Baja Mexico (Sea of Cortez), the USA (Columbia and Snake rivers, Washington coastal voyages), and Canada (British Columbia).

Company History

UnCruise Adventures offers an exceptional small-ship cruising experience on expedition voyages to remote destinations. The line operates a fleet of small expedition boats and upscale yachts with a capacity of up to 88 passengers.

UnCruise Adventures is among the few cruise companies whose vessels are USA-flagged. This allows them to operate cruises with itineraries that do not require visits to foreign (non-US) ports.

The company was established in January 2013 (originally named "Un-Cruise Adventures") following the merger of two USA-based cruise brands, "American Safari Cruises" and "InnerSea Discoveries," into the new InnerSea Discoveries Alaska Inc (parent company/shipowner). While the vessels in the combined fleet remained the same, their names were changed to reflect the company's new expedition style.

The company's current owner and CEO is Dan Blanchard (owner of Blanchard Marine). As a captain, he served for 14 years with Cruise West (including roles as Director of Marine Operations and VP of Operations) before joining American Safari Cruises in 1999. He acquired the company in 2008 and launched InnerSea Discoveries (becoming CEO), which was rebranded to Un-Cruise Adventures in 2013.

The company's leadership team also includes Tim Jacox (President and COO/Chief Operating Officer; co-founder of InnerSea Discoveries), Eric Gier (CFO/Chief Financial Officer), and Monica Sagisi (VP of Marketing and Sales).

UnCruise Adventures offers a unique product at highly competitive prices, which, in addition to affordable rates, includes:

• A comfortable and luxurious expedition experience. It's perfect for those who own the latest REI gear and are ready to use it, but also want to enjoy simple pleasures like massages (one massage is included) and fine wine.
• The expedition staff assists guests with activities such as identifying flora or spotting humpback whales. These cruises emphasize learning about the geology, culture, flora, and fauna through soft-adventure activities and guided shore excursions.
• A day in Alaska might start with a canoe tour to view a glacier and end with kayaking under the midnight sun. In Hawaii, passengers may visit a macadamia nut farm and later snorkel by moonlight. Night sailings depend on the venue. Excursions are included fleetwide.
• UnCruise ships feature memory foam mattresses, reasonably priced full bars, and special kayak launching pads. All cabins are above deck with outward-facing windows, perfect for enjoying the view.
• Dinners are typically casual affairs, with a limited menu and plenty of opportunity for conversation. There are usually a couple of main course options, often featuring freshly caught seafood. Most alcoholic beverages are included. Ship bars are open 24 hours a day and stocked with top liquor brands.

River cruises (only offered onboard the SS Legacy/Wilderness Legacy) offer "softer" adventures, with light walking in town. These cruises highlight the history, culture, and wildlife of the ports of call through a series of tours and enrichment lectures onboard. For those seeking more activity during free time in port, there are options to explore on their own, whether through window shopping or hiking local trails.

UnCruise caters to a wide range of travelers. The Adventure cruises’ Sea of Cortez, Hawaii, and Alaska itineraries attract active 30- to 70-year-old eco-conscious enthusiasts and families. River sailings appeal to a more mature clientele with an adventurous spirit. As these voyages do not feature kayaks or skiff rides, guests embrace their desire to explore the wilderness and culture of the regions visited, while in a state of total relaxation. Most passengers are from North America, but you may also encounter Australians and Europeans.

In early February 2019, UnCruise announced a new 7-day itinerary (themed "Aloha Hawaii Adventure Cruise") as part of the company's "Hawaii Small Ship Cruise" 2019 program on Safari Explorer. The six summer departures (July-August) visit four Hawaiian islands. The 7-day round trips are from Kaunakakai (Molokai Island) to Lanai Island (Day 3), Maui Island (Olowalu, Day 4), a sea day (Day 5), and Hawaii Island (Day 6 Milolii/Honomalino Bay, Day 7 Kailua-Kona, Day 8 Disembarkation at Kawaihae Harbor). UnCruise has operated seasonally in Hawaii since 2011. The new voyages feature themed activities such as sea kayaking, hiking, snorkeling, paddleboarding, wildlife viewing, and skiff (boat) tours.

In August 2024, UnCruise Adventures signed a deal with Versonix Seaware to use its booking software and revenue management solutions.

Currently, the American travel brand UnCruise Adventures owns and operates the following vessels:

• Safari Endeavour (1983-built as "Newport Clipper" for Clipper Cruise Line) - 84 passengers
• Safari Explorer (1998) - 36 passengers
• Safari Quest (1992) - 22 passengers
• Safari Voyager (1982) - 66 passengers
• Wilderness Adventurer (1984) - 60 passengers
• Wilderness Discoverer (1992) - 74 passengers
• Wilderness Explorer (1976) - 74 passengers
• Wilderness Legacy/SS Legacy (1983) - 86 passengers
• La Pinta (1982/2007 reconstructed) - 48 passengers

In 2028, citing strong booking demand, UnCruise scheduled the bigger Wilderness Explorer to operate the popular “Aleutian Islands Adventure with Dutch Harbor & Kodiak” itinerary (introduced in 2025), replacing Safari Explorer. For the summer of 2028 (June 2 through August 15), Wilderness Explorer's schedule listed eight 10-night voyages between Seward and Dutch Harbor. The scenic route features Kenai Fjords NP, Katmai NP, Ugashik National Wildlife Refuge, Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve, Shumagin Islands (20 islands; the largest are Unga, Popof, Korovin, and Nagai), and Akutan.

In 2020, the company planned to introduce a new cruisetour itinerary ("Belize and Guatemala Wonders - Rivers, Reefs, and Cultures"), departing roundtrip from Belize City. Scheduled for Safari Voyager (October-December, 6 departures), the itinerary would have visited Belize Barrier Reef (the world's second-largest coral reef, after the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, Australia), Ranguana Caye (private island, west of Placencia), Carrie Bow Cay, and Laughing Bird Caye Island (off Placencia's coast). Prices started at USD $4550 per person (double occupancy), inclusive of meals, beverages (including alcohol), watersports activities, and all transfers. Early bookings received a USD $800 ticket discount.

UnCruise Itineraries

The next table shows UnCruise Adventures' main/core cruise routes and itineraries. Unlike traditional ocean and river cruise lines, UnCruise focuses on expedition-style voyages, with kayaking, hiking, snorkeling, skiff excursions, wildlife viewing, and flexible routing forming a major part of the experience.

Regional Summary

Alaska is by far UnCruise's largest itinerary category. The company says it operates in 4 of Alaska's 5 regions, and its current Alaskan collection contains 19 itineraries, although many are themed or special versions of the core routes.

The 7-night Alaska cruises are the dominant format, with core routes concentrating on Glacier Bay NP, Southeast Alaska, the Inside Passage, and Prince William Sound. Longer routes extend into the Pacific Northwest, coastal Alaska and the Aleutians.

UnCruise's Hawaii principal itinerary (7-night "Hawaiian Seascapes") covers 4 islands (Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and the Big Island).

Baja has two principal expeditions: the 8-night "Baja California's Whales & Sealife" and the 11-night "In Steinbeck's Wake".

In 2027, Costa Rica expanded into Panama. The 7-night "Costa Rica" itinerary is complemented by a 14-night "Costa Rica-Panama" expedition that includes a full Panama Canal transit.

Galapagos is centered on the 7-night "Darwin's Discoveries" roundtrip from Guayaquil. The 2027-2028 itinerary version is 8-nights and adds Quito. The cruise visits 7 islands (Seymour Norte, Isabela, Fernandina, Rabida, Santa Cruz, Floreana).

UnCruise Alaskan Program

In 2018, UnCruise Adventures added its 7th vessel to its Alaskan fleet. The 88-passenger SS Legacy, newly outfitted with skiffs and sea kayaks, operates in Alaska as part of the company's Alaskan itinerary program with visits to Glacier Bay National Park and new itineraries.

UnCruise's Alaskan departures (one-way and roundtrip) are from homeports Seattle, Sitka (Baranof Island), Juneau, and Ketchikan (Revillagigedo Island).

• Among the new additions is Haines, where a float trip down the Chilkat River is offered (available on most Alaskan itineraries). Also offered are a guided hiking tour, bike rides through the town, and an onboard lecture by local Chilkat Tlingit people.
• The company also added new "Alaska Insider" cruises as themed voyages. The "Alaska Insider" theme is part of the company's "Alaska Awakening" campaign, highlighting the benefits of Southeast Alaska cruising during spring. These voyages, which take place in April and May, feature expert lectures and guided tours by authors, nature writers, glaciologists, bear and salmon experts, an ethnobotanist, a historian, a marine ecologist, and cultural heritage guides from the Alaska Native Voices Educational Institute.
• The new "Alaska Insider" themed voyages are offered on the Safari Endeavour, Safari Explorer, SS Legacy, Wilderness Adventurer, Wilderness Discoverer, and Wilderness Explorer.

UnCruise's fleet of small boats and boutique yachts offers a vessel capacity of 22-86 passengers. The adventure voyages last 1-2 weeks, with all activities and shore excursions included in the fares.

The Alaska 2022 program made UnCruise the brand with the longest cruise season in Alaska (April 8 through October 8). The program was based on 7- to 14-night itineraries (14 different routes) and 7 boats. Fares started from USD $2995 per person (double occupancy).

UnCruise Alaskan Itineraries (Themes)

Below are the UnCruise Alaskan itineraries organized by theme:

• 7-day "Alaska: Northern Passages and Glacier Bay Wilderness" (between Juneau and Sitka)
• 7-day "Alaska: Northern Passages and Glacier Bay" (between Juneau and Sitka)
• 12-day "Inside Passages and Glacier Bay Wilderness" (between Juneau and Seattle)
• 7-day "Alaska’s Glacier Country" (roundtrip from Juneau)
• 7-day "Alaska Fjords and Glaciers" (between Ketchikan and Juneau)
• 7-day "Glacier Bay National Park and Haines Adventure" (between Ketchikan and Juneau)
• 7-day "Glacier Bay National Park Adventure" (roundtrip from Juneau)
• 7-day "Wild, Woolly, and Wow" (roundtrip from Juneau)
• 14-day "Eastern Fjords and Glacier Bay" (between Ketchikan and Juneau)

Note: CruiseMapper's UnCruise ship schedules provide all sailing dates and the line's ticket prices per cabin. Follow the ship links to compare prices, port departures, and arrival dates in ports of call. This way, you can better plan and budget your UnCruise small ship vacation - knowing where and when all their ships go and for how much.

(Coronavirus Crisis) Passenger Shipping Pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID pandemic, UnCruise announced on March 23, 2020, that it would partially suspend operations in Central America (Panama and Costa Rica), Baja Mexico, Hawaii, the Pacific Northwest, and Alaska (round trips from Juneau on the 7-night "Glacier Bay" itinerary) due to USA-imposed travel restrictions. Eventually, the company canceled its entire 2020 program and all voyages through May 2021.

Listed below are all UnCruise ships and their first departures (dates/deployments/regions) in 2021:

• Safari Endeavour (BAJA MEXICO / ALASKA) - Restarted on May 29, leaving from Sitka and Juneau.
• Safari Quest (PACIFIC NORTHWEST / ALASKA) - Restarted on May 28, leaving from Juneau, AK.
• Safari Voyager (PANAMA / COSTA RICA) - Restarted on October 1, leaving from Puerto Caldera (Costa Rica).
• Safari Explorer (ALASKA) - Restarted on May 29, leaving from Juneau, AK.
• Wilderness Discoverer (ALASKA) - Restarted on May 16.
• Wilderness Adventurer (ALASKA) - Restarted on June 4.
• Wilderness Legacy (ALASKA) - Restarted on May 10.
• Wilderness Explorer (ALASKA) - Restarted on May 30.

Under the CERTS (Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services) Act, the company received a USD 8.7 million (CAD 10.96M / AUD 11.87M / EUR 7.37M) grant from the U.S. government in August 2021. The CERTS program provides grants to eligible U.S.-based and American-crewed passenger transportation companies (including motorcoach, school bus, shipping, and pilotage) that experienced a 25% or more annual revenue loss due to the COVID crisis.