SS Wilderness Legacy

The paddlewheel steamship SS Legacy (aka "Wilderness Legacy") cruises on Columbia and Snake rivers (in Northwestern USA), departing roundtrip from homeport Portland Oregon. The riverboat was formerly named "The Spirit of 98" and operated by Cruise West. The ship's itinerary program is perfectly synchronized with the region's history and all ports along the navigated waterways. In 2013 the SS Legacy cruise ship was fully refurbished and its passenger capacity was reduced.

Like all UnCruise ships, Wilderness Legacy (IMO number 8963703) is USA-flagged (MMSI 367578110) and all American-crewed.

UnCruise Adventures (formerly American Safari Cruises) is a USA-based, wholly-owned cruise company, a subsidiary of InnerSea Discoveries Alaska. In 2013, the American Safari Cruises line was renamed to "Un-Cruise Adventures". Currently, the company has 2 headquarters - the main in Seattle WA, and the second in Juneau AK.

In 2013, the UnCruise company transformed this small vessel into an expedition ship (initially renamed to "Safari Legacy") which looks more like a turn-of-the-century coastal steamer. During the makeover, some of the original details (like the layout of the Klondike dining room and the Western decor of Pesky Barnacle Saloon) were preserved. Crewmembers repeatedly dress in historic clothing like Gold Rush-era costumes and encourage passengers to do so, too.

Decks and Cabins

Wilderness Legacy/SS Legacy has a total of 44 staterooms, all of which are outside/oceanview and in 6 cabin grades.

The boat has 4 decks, all of which are passenger-accessible and with cabins.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

The Legacy cruise ship was reinvented as a traditional US river steamship with wooden cabinetry and a Grand Salon with a dance floor and full bar. There are several unique social areas onboard and three public decks, all accessible via an elevator. The ship features an intimate library and wine bar. The Pesky Barnacle Saloon has a wrap-around viewing balcony and attracts guests with tasty cocktails and period accents in the design. The Klondike Dining Room is spacious, with large view windows and cosmopolitan atmosphere of a turn-of-the-century hotel. An intimate bar on the Lounge Deck is stocked with fine wines and premium spirits. The large open bow welcomes passengers to view wildlife. A covered area with chairs and tables, fitness equipment and two large hot tubs are available on the Sun Deck. The Spa area also features a sauna, massage, yoga classes.

Our SS Legacy river cruise prices are in USD, Per Person, and based on double occupancy. These are the ship's cheapest cruise fares. Know that Un-Cruise Adventures rates here are only suggestive and updated monthly. So they could be different at the time of your riverboat cruise booking.

Un-Cruise Adventures bought the 88-passenger SS Legacy (former "Spirit of 98") from the now-defunct Cruise West company and transformed it into an expedition cruise ship. With its new name, the riverboat debuted in August 2013 after an extensive drydock refit. SS Legacy cruises primarily on Snake and Columbia rivers in the USA's Pacific Northwest region. The boat is leaving out of homeport Portland Oregon on roundtrip itineraries.

Together with some of its fleet mates, this ship was formerly owned and operated as "Spirit of ’98" by the Cruise West line (1973-2010, now defunct). Based in Seattle WA (USA), at its peak Cruise West had a fleet of 9 small ships (capacity between 78 and 138 passengers). They operated on cruise itineraries in Alaska, British Columbia and also in the Pacific Ocean (Sea of Cortes, Panama, South Pacific islands, East Asia and Russia). The line ceased operations in September 2010.

From the former fleet of Cruise West are also the ships Spirit of Columbia (Baranof Dream), Spirit of Alaska (Admiralty Dream), Spirit of Glacier Bay (Chichagof Dream), Spirit of Endeavour (Safari Endeavour), Spirit of Discovery (Wilderness Explorer), Spirit of Yorktown (Americana).

Note: You can see the CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.