In many of the remote waterways we visit, small ships are the only way to explore the area. We forsake the wider shipping lanes for channels just a few hundred feet wide, tie up to inner piers in tiny villages, and share waterways with local fishermen and perhaps a few private yachts. And our ships carry inflatable excursion craft to take you to where the action is.
Your cruise on our small ship is not filled with elaborate distractions, sleek resorts, and packaged tours. Rather, our small ships are perfect for intimate exploration of off-the-beaten track waterways, narrow channels and tiny ports that passengers on large ships will never see.
When Cruise West guests visit a small port in Alaska's Inside Passage or along Baja Mexico's Sea of Cortés, we don't overwhelm the local communities or crowd nature trails. In fact, our largest vessel hosts just 138 guests. And in the small ports we visit, we've nourished excellent relationships with the local innkeepers, port directors, and storytellers. That means everywhere you travel, you have entrée to the very best experiences that each community can offer. And in every Cruise West destination, at least one shore excursion or highlight is included in each port of call, to further encourage your active involvement.
Your time is spent wisely, too. Rather than making a beeline from port to port, our Captains have the flexibility - and the inclination - to linger when nature is putting on a show, whether it's a spectacular rainbow or a rare view of wildlife
From the romantic and spectacularly beautiful Society Islands we sail through pristine cobalt blue waters to the remote Tuamotu and Marquesas Islands.
Here we'll explore the great variety of dramatic volcanic and coral islands, fjord-like bays, and atolls that make these islands a naturalist's paradise, and meet many of the locals whose rich cultural heritage is evident in the fascinating archaeological ruins found here.
Immortalized by Gauguin's paintings and James Michener's words, Papeete is a place of romance and seduction. You may be charmed by the Tahitian aita pea pea (no problem) attitude. Or fall in love with the colorful 150-year-old municipal market.
