Explore a land and sea brimming with life: the remarkable and unique Mexico’s Sea of Cortés. This Cruise West voyage is highlighted by visits to unspoiled islands, teeming with plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Visit breathtaking private beaches where you can explore by kayak, to turquoise coves for a snorkel with the sea lions, and inland to where the giant cardón cactus grows. Extend your cruise with a journey into amazing Copper Canyon. Visit rustic towns deep in the Sierra Madres where you will rise over 8,000 feet and pass through more than 68 tunnels in this maze of 200 gorges.

For a limited time, Sunstone Tours & Cruises is offering special savings on this itinerary. Book your December 2008 Sea of Cortes cruise by May 23, 2008 and save $125 per person. Save an additional $50 per person when you pay in full by May 23, 2008. That’s a total of up to $350 per cabin.

View details of Whales & Wildlife itinerary…

Want to get the best deal or value during these hard economic times? Especially when booking a complex trip? Then look no further than your trusted travel agent.

Travel agents have insight into the systems and suppliers that consumers will never have. And many agents have special relationships that allow these agents to provide extras, as in savings or perks. And an agent is only a phone call away when things go wrong. That’s a special kind of insurance you won’t find with the online systems.

Inc.com recently published an article that covers just this topic. View this article.

National Geographic Traveler Magazine’s May/June 2008 issue offers up its 3rd annual 50 Tours of a Lifetime. We’ve provided the list below. However, we noticed several tours that we believe to be life changing without mention. So we are preparing our own list of top tours. Look for that posting in the near future.

Albania
“Land of the Eagles: Albania”
Andante Travels

The Americas
“Along the Americas’ Coasts”
Maris Freighter & Specialty Cruises

Antarctica
“Icebergs & Emperors-Mawson’s Antarctica”
Aurora Expeditions

Australia
“Arnhem Land Marine Rescue Project”
World Expeditions

“Australian Dreamtime: Billabongs, Beaches & the Bush”
Ker & Downey

Bhutan
“Hidden Treasures of Bhutan”
Geographic Expeditions

Bulgaria
“Cultural Crossroads, Bulgaria”
Country Walkers

Cambodia
“Project Cambodia”
G.A.P Adventures and Globe Aware

Canada
“CapeRace Eco-Culture Experience”
CapeRace Cultural Adventures

“Royal Canadian Rockies Experience”
Royal Canadian Pacific

Caribbean
“Sailing the Southern Caribbean: An Epic Sojourn Aboard Sea Cloud II“
Lindblad Expeditions

China
“Immersion with the Tribes of the Aini and Wa; Beijing to Simao, Yunnan”
A Bridge to China

Ecuador
“Andes to Amazon, Ecuador”
BikeHike Adventures

“Volunteer Galápagos”
Myths and Mountains

Egypt
“Exclusively Yours Egypt”
African Travel Inc.

Georgia and Armenia
“Mountains & Monasteries, Georgia and Armenia”
MIR Corporation

Guyana
“Great Green Guyana”
Journeys International

India
“Family India”
Greaves Tours

“Heritage India”
Cox & Kings

Ireland
“Sea Kayaking Ireland, The Northwest Coast of County Donegal”
H2Outfitters

Italy
“Sardegna Multi-Sport Adventure, Italy”
Ciclismo Classico

Japan
“Food Lovers Japan”
Intrepid Travel

Kenya
“Tribes and Trails of Kenya”
Sierra Club Outings

Mauritania
“Mauritania: Sahara Desert Expedition: Journey into the Land of the Moors”
Wilderness Travel

Mexico
“Oaxaca Up Close: Living the Day of the Dead”
Culture Xplorers

“Sierra Spectacular by Private Railcar, Mexico”
Canyon Travel

Middle East
“Caravan Cities of the Ancient Near East”
Martin Randall Travel

Namibia
“Namibia Desert Rhino Expedition: A Trails Exploration”
Wilderness Safaris

Nepal
“Himalayan Tree Planting Trek”
Journeys International

New Zealand
“New Zealand Discovery”
Mountain Travel Sobek

North and South Korea
“Contrasting Koreas”
Snow Lion Expeditions

Norway
“Lofoten Multi-Adventure, Norway”
Crossing Latitudes

Palau
“Palau: Oceania Odyssey”
Boundless Journeys

Panama
“Coiba Island: The Hidden Dive Secret of the Decade, Panama”
Wild Planet Adventures

Patagonia
“Futaleufu Explorer”
Bio Bio Expeditions

Russia and Mongolia
“Russia and Mongolia Overland”
Dragoman Overland

Seychelles and South Africa
“Surf and Turf, Seychelles and South Africa”
Seacology

Tanzania
“Explorers Safari, Tanzania”
Thomson Safaris

Tanzania and Kenya
“Four Volcanoes: Mount Kenya, Kilimanjaro, Mount Meru, Ol Doinyo Lengai”
Adventures Within Reach

“The Family to Family Safari, Kenya and Tanzania”
Micato Safaris

Thailand
“Family Adventure, Thailand”
Absolute Travel

Tibet
“Tibet: Journey to the Highest Himalaya”
National Geographic Expeditions

Tunisia
“Tunisia’s Sahara and Oasis Trail”
Cross Country International Equestrian Vacations

United States
“San Francisco to the Wine Country”
Wine Country Trekking

“Southwest Safari Camp: The Other Chaco Canyon”
Southwest Ed-ventures

“Superlative Idaho”
ROW Adventures

Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan
“The Chaktal River, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan”
Mountain Travel Sobek

View Tours from the past

Those of you headed to Alaska this season, especially those of you who enjoy cooking, should consider the following souvenir. It’s the Alaska ULU (pronounced OO-loo) knife.

The Alaskan ULU is an extremely versatile cutting tool crafted by the Native Alaskan people over five thousand years ago. The knife was primarily used by Eskimo women for skinning and cleaning fish and has played an important role in the survival of the Arctic people. Blades were originally made of polished slate and given a bone, ivory or wood handle. The handles were often inscribed with distinctive designs or markings exclusive to the maker of the knife.

Today, Eskimos and people from all walks of life continue to use the versatile ULU as their primary cutting tool, despite the wide availability of other knife designs. Because the center of force is concentrated directly over the middle of the blade, it creates twice the direct downward force compared to that of conventional cutlery (where the force is behind the center of the blade). Anyone, including those experiencing hand or wrist problems, can perform cutting and chopping tasks effortlessly with an ULU. The Alaskan ULU is a wonderful tool for cutting pizza, cheese and vegetables of all kinds!

Care & Maintenance is a snap. Simply wash your ULU by hand in warm, soapy water using a downward motion to avoid the sharp edge of the blade. DO NOT SOAK IN WATER. Rinse and dry thoroughly. Apply natural mineral oil to the wood handle and stand every 4-6 weeks or when wood seems dull and dry. DO NOT put in dishwasher. The ULU blade maintains an extremely sharp edge for a long period of time. The hollow ground edge on one side of the blade can be sharpened the same as conventional cutlery. As with any knife, use extreme caution when handling.

Two styles of Alaskan ULU knives are generally available; the ORIGINAL ULU and the INUPIAT ULU. Each Alaskan ULU knife has a handsome handle hand-crafted from choice wood selections of either light Maple or dark Walnut. Also included is an attractive matching wood stand.

The ORIGINAL ULU has a solid curved blade (Type 1) and is patterned after the original ulu design used by Alaska Natives.

The INUPIAT ULU has a slightly larger handle. Its U-shaped blade (Type 2) design allows the user to wrap fingers completely around the handle when cutting.

As rumored/announced on the blog Pole to Pole,

“Quark Expeditions is teaming up with another travel provider based in Punta Arenas, Chile, that also operates tours in the Antarctic. It seems they plan to offer trips to the continent that bypass a sea-transit of the Drake Passage by flying instead to King George Island in the South Shetlands, where they will then board an expedition ship for a week-long cruise of the inter coastal waters of the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands.”

If this rumor becomes reality, this would mean avoiding a portion of the Antarctic cruise that many passengers remarkas being the roughest part of the trip.

View the original blog post.

Adventure. Mystery. Mighty river. Wildlife. Deep jungle. If you have never enjoyed the thrill of an Amazon adventure, now you can explore the pristine reaches of the rainforest with Sunstone Tours & Cruises and International Expeditions, and SAVE on summer departures!

Save $500 per person on select Amazon Voyage departures:

• August 1
• August 15

A limited number of cabins are available, so call Sunstone Tours & Cruises today toll-free at 888-815-5428

Pack your sense of adventure and discover an exhilarating summer experience! You’ll savor privileged access to the pristine Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, knowledgeable naturalist guides and delicious cuisine — all while sailing aboard a beautiful riverboat on this storied river.

Don’t forget, you’ll experience the most fun on the river all while enjoying some of the best birding and wildlife sightings in the Amazon!

Summer is almost here, and space on Amazon Voyages departing August 1 and August 15 is limited! Call Sunstone Tours & Cruises today at 888-815-5428 to reserve your cabin and take advantage of this special $500 savings.

If you’d been thinking about experiencing Antarctica, now’s the time to visit Sunstone Tours & Cruises. These savings are only available for a limited time.

Antarctica - The While Continent
This journey to the White Continent offers six days of exploration on the incomparably beautiful Antarctic Peninsula and the surrounding islands and waterways. The sights, sounds and emotions will stay in your mind forever — enormous tabular icebergs, hillsides covered with thousands of penguins and the excitement on deck as someone shouts, “Whales!” View Itinerary…
Complimentary round-trip group airfare on select 2008 sailings when you book by May 30

Antarctica, South Shetlands and The Falklands
Few experiences in life compare to the sheer amazement of looking upon Antarctica’s coast for the very first time. This is a land almost completely free of the touch of humankind; an untouched wilderness that seems frozen in time. Your expedition cruise takes you right into the center of it, where you’ll encounter the serenity and grandeur of one of the planet’s most inspiring landscapes. View itinerary…
Save 25% plus FREE Airfare

Antarctica, South Shetlands, The Falklands and South Georgia
In the nearly 100 years since the South Pole Continent was first reached by the most intrepid explorers of the day, little has changed. Antarctica is still seen as an exciting voyage and a rare achievement few can claim. Here, you’ll feel the same thrill of setting foot on snowy, ice-packed shores as did Sir Ernest Shackleton when he took the first ofmany steps on the first land crossing of the continent. You’ll also gaze in wonder at the mountain ranges and glacial peaks first seen by Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen as they raced in wooden ships to see these lands by sea. View itinerary…
Save 25% plus FREE Airfare

Antarctica & Sub-Antarctic Islands Quest
This has to be described as a grand expedition. In addition to the Antarctic Peninsula, in this program the ship first sails to the Falklands and South Georgia. Delve into the history of the Falklands and look for the several species of penguins as well as nesting albatross. In South Georgia the stunning landscapes of glaciers, snow capped mountains, tussock grass and beaches feature large numbers of seals and incredibly large King penguin colonies. The voyage continues to the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands where history and wildlife abound – penguins, seals, whales and seabirds. This is a program that awakens the senses. View itinerary…
Save 25%

Other Antarctic Expedition cruises can be found at Sunstonetours.com.

SEATTLE, WA, May 5, 2008 – Small-ship cruise line Cruise West held a renaming/rechristening ceremony for the 102-guest Spirit of Glacier Bay in Seattle on Friday, May 2, 2008. Chairman & Managing Director Dick West, President & CEO Dietmar Wertanzl and special guest President & CEO Don Welsh of Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau all presented. West appointed 12-year company veteran and celebrated employee Karen Clark as Godmother of the ship. Guests in attendance included Cruise West employee, friends, family and local media.

Formerly named the Spirit of Nantucket and based on the East Coast, the Spirit of Glacier Bay repositioned to Seattle to join the Cruise West Alaska fleet. This vessel will sail 3-and 4-night Glacier Bay Highlights cruises that will feature two days in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, cruising roundtrip from Juneau. The 4-night cruise also makes a port call at Haines with an optional excursion to Skagway. The ship repositions to Juneau for the Alaska cruise season on May 6 with its first cruise departing on May 20, 2008. The Spirit of Glacier will reside in Seattle pre- and post- Alaska cruise season.

With the addition of the Spirit of Glacier Bay, Cruise West will offer eight ships, eight itineraries and 160 departures in Alaska in 2008.

There’s no better way to experience the beauty of exotic destinations like the China, Hong Kong, Japan or Vietnam, than in an up-close, casual and personal style. Pause to enjoy the wonders around you and experience life-changing moments in the company of naturalist-guides and a small number of like-minded travelers who share your passion for exploration and discovery. See coastal ports, castle towns and UNESCO World Heritage Sites during the days and return each evening to the comfort of your elegant ship. And until May 9th, save $800 per cabin. So don’t delay, contact Sunstone Tours & Cruises today and book the trip of a lifetime!

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Japan
Day 2 Kobe
Day 3 Miyajima / Hiroshima
Day 4 Nagasaki
Day 5 Jeju Island, South Korea
Days 6 & 7 Shanghai / Suzhou, China
Days 8 & 9 At Sea
Day 10 Xiamen
Day 11 Hong Kong
Day 12 At Sea
Day 13 Danang / Ho An, Vietnam
Day 14 Chan May / Hue
Day 15 At Sea
Day 16 Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Day 17 Haiphong / Hanoi
Day 18 & 19 Hanoi

View detailed itinerary…

Overview

The Spirit of Yorktown is a boutique small ship currently owned & operated by Cruise West. The ship, built in 1988, is designed to sail coastal and inland waterways. Due to the ship’s short draft (the depth the ship’s bow sits in the water), the ship can easily maneuver where larger ships only dream; cozy coves, inland rivers and closer to glaciers and wildlife.

Recent Refurbishments

The Spirit of Yorktown was last refurbished in December 2007. Four Balcony-category cabins were created that include private teak-floored balconies with enough room for a café table and chairs for two. Numerous additional upgrades include redecoration and renovation of public corridors, lobby areas, and the panoramic Observation Lounge, the ship’s Living Room. The combined cost of all renovations is more than $2 million.

The four Balcony cabins located on the sun deck underwent an extensive remodel that includes a new layout and the addition of queen beds, mini refrigerators and private balconies. New cabinetry, fixtures, carpet, and lighting were also installed in the cabins. Discerning guests will enjoy the added comfort and privacy.

Additional upgrades in the lounge, where guests enjoy lectures and congregating with fellow travelers, were completed in conjunction with the Balcony cabin remodel. The Lounge received new and reupholstered furniture, new carpeting, bookcase, ceiling and lighting. All cabins also received new bedspreads and window treatments, and the beautiful original watercolor paintings by renowned artist Marilynne Bradley was reframed to better display each piece. Bradley’s work has been recognized in museum exhibitions, accepted in major national juried competitions, and included in many major corporate collections.

The refurbishment also included the introduction of a new art program that includes cherished memories from the West family, who owns the cruise line, and whose roots in Alaska extend back more than seven decades. One such piece is the beautifully hand-embroidered fur coat worn by Managing Director Dick West’s mother during her coronation as the first “Miss Alaska” in 1936. In addition, there are commissioned pieces from local Alaskan communities that Cruise West visits.

Observation Lounge

On Board

Lifestyle on board the Spirit of Yorktown is casual, meaning no need for specific dress codes. As most of your time spent on the ship will be spent watching wildlife up-close or kayaking amongst “bergies,” most passengers gladly trade resort and formal wear for layered knit tops, durable khakis pants and rubber-soled shoes.

Public areas include a glass-walled observation lounge, perfect for viewing the scenery while socializing with new-found friends. The dining room offers wonderful meals in a warm, inviting atmosphere, highlighted with large picture windows, so you never have to take your eyes off the beautiful scenery that passes by.

The exterior of the ship features teakwood decks for relaxing and a platform that allows guests to swim right off the side of the ship.

Like many small ship cruises, itineraries are flexible based on the destination and what’s happening. Many passengers have been awakened or had their meals interrupted by a breaching whale or a bear sighting. If experiences are more important than routine, then a small ship cruise is right for you.

Activities / Entertainment

Like most small ship experiences, activities and entertainment on-board the Spirit of Yorktown are focused on the outdoors, nature & wildlife. Those looking for casinos, art auctions, bingo and belly flop contests should look to the larger ships. The focus on a small ship is the destination and it’s attributes, scenery, wildlife and the unique experiences. Inflatable zodiac excursion craft are launched to get even closer to the wildlife, or to explore rarely experienced locations to mankind. To support the daily outdoor activities, an onboard naturalist and historian explain and recap each day’s events in informal talks.

Category AA Cabin

Accommodations

The Spirit of Yorktown offers modest yet comfortable accommodations. Like most small ships, cabins are on the small side, but this is less of an issue, as most people spend little time in their cabins. Every stateroom features a wide picture window or porthole, private facilities, writing desk and ample storage.

Category A	Staterooms feature two twin beds, in-room controlled air conditioning, radio, locking drawer, hairdryer and portholes.
Category AA	AA staterooms feature two twin beds, in-room controlled air conditioning, writing desk, radio, locking drawer, hairdryer and picture window.
Category AAA	AAA staterooms feature two twin beds, in-room controlled air conditioning, writing desk, radio, locking drawer, hairdryer and picture window or portholes. Cabins 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 35 and 36 can accommodate triples.
Category Deluxe	Deluxe staterooms feature two twin beds, in-room controlled air conditioning, writing desk, radio, locking drawer, hairdryer and one or two picture windows. Cabins 27, 28, 59 and 60 can accommodate triples.
Category Balcony	Four Balcony-category cabins were created as part of the recent renovations that include private teak-floored balconies with enough room for a café table and chairs for two.

Dining

The inviting dining room offers gourmet meals, with menus that emphasize fresh, regional delicacies. Expect salmon, halibut and crab in Alaska, meals paired with excellent wines in the inland waters of California’s wine country, and south-of-the-border specialties in Mexico’s Sea of Cortes. There are always alternative selections to choose from. Meals are served in casual, open-seating comfort.

Related Reviews

• Spirit of Yorktown - Alaska June 2007