Booking Next Steps
Traveling Overview
We highly recommend travel insurance to help safeguard the loss of the value of your trip due to circumstances beyond your control. To make purchasing a policy easier, we offer travel insurance through Travel Guard. The cost of a policy is based on your age, the coverage, and the total cost of your trip. We recommend the Cruise, Tour, and Travel policy, but there are others available with different coverages. One coverage we highly recommend is medevac. An airlift from Petersburg to Seattle costs about $35,000, and this is included in the policies we offer.
You can purchase a policy any time after you make your deposit, but the time between your purchase and your trip will affect the level of protection you have available. We recommend asking for a quote before you book your cruise, then purchase at the time of booking.
You can get to Petersburg or Juneau by air or by sea using the Alaska Marine Highway System. There are no roads to Petersburg or Juneau. We recommend arriving the day before your cruise departure to make sure you don’t miss the boat.
We greet our guests at noon on the day of departure. Because travel options into Petersburg are limited, we suggest you arrive the day before to make sure you’re in town by noon. Taxis are available to take you from the airport or ferry dock to your lodging. The Sikumi and Golden Eagle are often moored at the crane dock in Petersburg. Feel free to call us at 907.723.4455 to find out exactly where the ship is the morning of your departure. The local taxi drivers are familiar with both our ships and will likely know where the ships are moored as well. If you happen to miss the boat, all is not lost. There are air taxis available that can take you to our location. Viking Travel Agency at Nordic Drive and Sing Lee Alley can help you with the arrangements. On your final cruise day, we will get to port mid-morning to allow you to make departure connections or continue your Alaska vacation.
You will meet the boat at noon on the day of your departure. The location for where to catch the boat in Juneau varies depending on where the harbor master wants it to be docked. We will notify you 1-2 days before your departure of the exact meeting location. If you happen to miss the boat, contact our office at 907-723-4455 or call 970-217-6359.
Packing For Cruise
Expect weather that is sunny, rainy, hot, cold, and everything in between. Layers work well so you can add and subtract to stay comfortable as the weather changes. We suggest you bring: Clothing Long and short-sleeved shirts Fleece jackets or sweaters Sweats or lounge pants Sleepwear Long underwear Long pants Shorts Bathing suit for the hot springs Warm socks Lightweight, warm jacket Rain gear (pants and jacket) Lightweight, quick-drying gloves or mittens Warm hat Sun hat or visor Sturdy shoes or hiking boots for beachcombing and hiking Rubber boots (you can purchase these in port if you don’t have a pair) Personal Items Toiletries and medications Sunglasses Soft day pack Binoculars Headlamp or flashlight Ear plugs if you are a light sleeper Sunscreen or sunblock Bug spray Reading material Camera/batteries or charger + extra SD cards or thumb drives Phone/charger for alarm or camera use – cell service is limited in the Inside Passage
We suggest soft-sided luggage such as a duffel bag that will store easily in the closet in your stateroom. If you bring a bag that won’t fit in your closet, we are happy to store on the lower deck for you after you have unpacked.
You are more than welcome to bring your laptop or tablet. We have 110v power outlets in your stateroom to charge your devices. We also have a computer available for you to use to view photos you have taken if you prefer.
Onboard LIfe
Cell phone reception is very limited as we cruise the Inside Passage, but you will have reception in Petersburg and Juneau. We don’t have Wi-Fi or Internet on board the ships. The captain has a cell phone as well as a satellite phone that can be used to contact you in case of an emergency. We will provide you with those numbers once your booking is confirmed. If you need to be in regular contact with the outside world during your cruise, we suggest you rent a satellite phone from a third-party company. Ask if you need information about this service.
Our cruises take place in protected waters, so seasickness is usually not a problem, but we do keep a variety of remedies on board just in case. If you are particularly sensitive to seasickness, we recommend three-day prescription patches over tablets.
We do have laundry facilities, although we try to minimize the use of the washing machine to save our fresh water. Our crew is happy to help you with laundry while you are on board.
There will be five crew members: the captain, a naturalist/guide who will lead off-ship excursion activities, a gourmet chef, and two stewards who will take care of your needs to ensure you are comfortable. Their quarters are on the lower deck of each ship.
If someone had a medical emergency on board, our naturalist/guide is certified in Basic Life Support, Anaphylaxis First Aid, and CPR for adults and children. We have an AED on board and a small tank of oxygen. The captain would contact the marine operator via satellite phone or VHF radio. If necessary, the Coast Guard would send a medevac helicopter to airlift the patient to the nearest hospital. Our Zodiac skiff is also available to transport a patient by water and could reach a hospital in a few hours.
It’s hard to predict the bugs like it’s hard to predict the weather. While we’re on the ship, you don’t have anything to worry about, as they don’t come out over the water. But you may encounter mosquitoes and other bugs during land excursions, especially during the warmer months of June, July, and August. We recommend bringing a good bug repellant with you. If you are sensitive to bugs, wear long sleeves and pants during excursions and consider a bringing a face screen to keep them at bay.
Before your cruise, we will send you a client profile to complete. It will ask for your food and beverage preferences, plus any special needs that we need to be aware of. Let us know about allergies, sensitivities, diet, or likes/dislikes so we can accommodate you as best we can.
Yes, you do need a valid Alaska fishing license. Licenses are available at most supermarkets, convenience stores, and gas stations in Alaska, or you can purchase a fishing license online.
Unlike large cruise ships that stop at multiple ports, the only port we plan on stopping at during your seven-day cruise is Baranof Warm Springs a remote spot where you will have the opportunity to soak in the hot springs. During the rest of the cruise, we will stop at a different remote location each night.
