The small ship cruise line offers group travel organizers a variety of voyages geared to active travelers eager to venture where the big ships don’t
For those who revel in communing with nature and connecting with local cultures, the intimate ships of Seattle-based UnCruise Adventures offer the ultimate dream vacation.
Instead of lounging by the pool with hundreds of others on a mega-ship, these travelers prefer to take wilderness hikes, kayak in pristine waters and snorkel with sea turtles and manta rays, all with like-minded people who share their passion for discovery.
UnCruise Adventures’ nine expedition boats accommodate anywhere from 22 to 86 passengers. Because of the limited capacity, it doesn’t take long for guests and crew to get to know each other. The smallest ships are ideal for group charter.
The line is offering these specials for groups in 2025:
- One complimentary berth (1 guest) for every 13 guests booked
- $250 per person savings for groups of minimum 12 guests
Further reading: For additional information on UnCruise group opportunities, Read More.
Following are four popular UnCruise itineraries that group tour planners will want to consider:
UnCruise passengers hike along the coast of Mexico’s Baja peninsula.
In Steinbeck’s Wake: An Epic Journey Through the Sea of Cortez
Inspired by John Steinbeck’s novel The Log from the Sea of Cortez, this 10-night sailing in Mexico’s Northern Gulf of California appeals to groups seeking active days, balmy weather and stunning scenery. Activities in the islands off the Baja peninsula include kayaking, hiking and snorkeling.
In 2024, the 66-guest Safari Voyager departs La Paz on Nov. 27, Dec. 8 and 18. Dates for 2025: April 5, 15 and 25; Nov. 26; Dec. 7 and 17.
On Day 2, passengers go ashore at Punta Marcial, a historic Steinbeck site, and search the intertidal zone for critters of all kinds. This is the chance to learn safe practices while kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling and skiffing. Nearby Isla Catalina, home to the world’s largest barrel cactus, offers an opportunity to snorkel at Elephant Rock. The next day features a morning of searching for the blue and fin whales that frequent the navigational corridor between Isla Catalina and Santa Rosalia, followed by an exploration of the historic French mining town of Santa Rosalia.
In the rarely visited area around Punta Trinidad and Bahia San Carlos, UnCruise adventurers enjoy great snorkeling, beach walks, bird encounters and hikes in the interior. They also visit locations where Steinbeck logged the marine and terrestrial life he found.
On Day 5, the Safari Voyager calls at Bahia de los Angeles, a little town considered the “Marine Oasis of Baja California” due to the abundant aquatic life. The area is perfect for kayaking, small boat excursions and hiking, and is one of the few places in Baja where the huge leatherback turtle may be spotted. There are even possible swims with whale sharks.
At Isla San Esteban, sea lions, pelicans, boobies, terns, cormorants, gulls and osprey abound along the island’s rugged coast. Blue, fin, sperm, orca and pilot whales frequent the area.
Cayo-Amatortajda, a large interior lagoon on the desert island of San Jose, is perfect for bird watching and perhaps a kayak trip. Outside the lagoon are long beaches ideal for beachcombing. After dark there’s a chance to experience an unforgettable night of star-gazing in the pristine skies.
The last full day is spent at Isla Espiritu Santo and Punta Lobos or Bonanza Beach, with all activities available along with a final Steinbeck site at Punta Lobos. The area is part of Biosphere National Park.
For details on UnCruise Adventures’ 10-night “In Steinbeck’s Wake: An Epic Journey Through the Sea of Cortez,” click here.
Group travel organizers wishing more information on UnCruise Adventures may contact Aline Burchfield, Groups and Charter Accounts Manager, at groups@uncruise or call 206-737-5703.
UnCruise guests in Hawaii can snorkel among turtles and manta rays.
Hawaiian Seascapes
Departing from the Big Island for Moloka’i (or reverse), this 7-night expedition aboard the 36-passenger Safari Explorer is offered every Saturday. Guests enjoy water sports, volcano hikes, wildlife searches, meeting with locals and visiting historic locations. Also visited are Lana’i and Maui. “Hawaiian Seascapes” is great for groups or a full charter.
Highlights on the Big Island include Kealakekua Cove, a premier snorkeling and kayaking destination, and the site of the Cook Monument, which marks where Captain Cook met his end in 1779. The picturesque bay abounds with tropical fish and sea turtles; dolphins can be spotted as well.
High above the Big Island’s Kona Coast, UnCruise guests hike up the cool and misty slopes of Hualalai Volcano with a naturalist guide, crossing surreal scenes of black lava flows. They discover a lava tube and learn how lava flows from the early 19th century reshaped the coastline below. Anchoring at an offshore location, the group snorkels with Giant Pacific manta rays.
The next day includes snorkeling among coral gardens and “Turtle Town” sea turtle habitat in Humpback National Marine Sanctuary, located between Lana’i, Molokai and Maui. Passengers cruising through this productive breeding ground will be on the lookout for dolphins, whales and other marine life.
The day in Lana’i offers opportunities to snorkel along the coastline, explore Lana’i village, or go biking or hiking. The next day could involve a kayaking adventure along Maui’s hidden coves, paddling to remote areas of Lana’i or cruising along Molokai’s dramatic northern cliffs.
The last full day is spent in Moloka’i, where the slower pace and absence of high- rises give a sense of Hawaii long ago. Guests have a chance to “talk story” with locals and experience their land and traditions as few visitors do. They can attend a poi making session or hike to a towering waterfall in Halawa’s Cathedral Valley, one of the island’s most historic places. An evening pa‘ina (feast) is complete with a home-style Hawaiian jam session. For details on UnCruise Adventures’ 7-night “Hawaiian Seascapes,” click here.
Group travel organizers wishing more information on UnCruise Adventures may contact Aline Burchfield, Groups and Charter Accounts Manager, at groups@uncruise or call 206-737-5703.
Further reading: For additional information on UnCruise group opportunities, Read More.
The crew greets UnCruise guests returning from a kayak outing along the coast of Southeast Alaska.
Northern Passages with Glacier Bay and Sitka
This week-long Alaska journey from Juneau to Sitka (or reverse) on the 42-cabin Safari Endeavour, an ideal ship for larger groups, offers unforgettable wildlife encounters and many opportunities for kayaking, paddle boarding and hiking. It is the only UnCruise itinerary that explores breathtaking Sitka Sound and Peril Strait.
In 2025, Saturday departures are scheduled from April 26 to September 20.
On the first full day in the vast wilderness of Southeast Alaska, the captain and expedition leader make the call on where the ship is headed, with decisions based on the seasons and movement of critters. The guides lead adventures into the woods or on gentler terrain in back meadows and along shorelines. Bald eagles dot the treetops, harbor seals bob up for air and slip under the water, and spouts from the humpback whale pepper the horizon line. By kayak or paddle board, this is the day to get familiar with the water.
The next day is in Glacier National Park, a massive UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve covering 3.3 million acres. In the calm of the night, the crew has taken the ship deep into the park and hot coffee and pastries are out in the lounge. Directly off the bow is Margerie Glacier, or Johns Hopkins Glacier, depending on the time of year and ice access. UnCruise guests have opportunities that 99 percent of Glacier Bay visitors do not have—they can get on land with, or kayak in front of, a deep blue, mile-wide chunk of ice. Wildlife sightings may include birds like tufted puffins, pigeon guillemots and marbled murrelets. Sea lions, mountain goats, bears or harbor seals also may be spotted.
Icy Strait, where the Pacific Ocean flows into northern Southeast Alaska, is rich in marine life, including whales. Birds hover over the water’s surface in search of fish. Porpoises and dolphins hitch a ride on the bow as the boat moves from cove to cove. There are chances to hike through old-growth forest and paddle along kelp-threaded channels inhabited by Stellar sea lions.
One day is devoted to Chichagof Island, home to the coastal brown bear, a species supported by the lush meadows, rich berries and prolific salmon runs. Each cove and bay holds its very own microcosm of the greater ecosystem. The time of year dictates the destination. Spring meadows are filled with wildflowers, summer salmon runs attract bears and fall colors in the alders beckon the return of the Aurora Borealis.
On Baranof Island, with its glacially carved fjords, UnCruisers continue their search for the coastal brown bear. Whales transit the coastline in search of schools of herring and salmon that gather there in numbers beyond comprehension. Following the spouts west, the ship enters Peril Strait, a stretch of water rich in Indigenous and Russian history. Tight channels and swirling eddies bring marine mammals to the area, here to take their chances at salmon returning to their natal streams. The area offers endless opportunities for kayaking and paddle boarding.
The cruise ends (or begins) in Sitka, a quaint fishing village where passengers may have a chance to visit the Raptor Center or Sitka National Historical Park. For details on UnCruise Adventures’ 7-night “Northern Passages with Glacier Bay and Sitka,” click here.
Group travel organizers wishing more information on UnCruise Adventures may contact Aline Burchfield, Groups and Charter Accounts Manager, at groups@uncruise or call 206-737-5703.
Sightings of orca and other whale species excite travelers in Southeast Alaska.
Alaska’s Glacier Wilderness with Glacier Bay
This 7-night expedition, roundtrip from Juneau, visits the most wilderness areas of any of UnCruise’s Alaska itineraries, providing exclusive access to highly restricted locations. The small size of the 22-guest Safari Quest, a uniquely agile yacht ideal for group charter, allows it to navigate nooks even the line’s other vessels can’t reach.
In 2025, Friday departures are scheduled from May 23 to September 5.
One of the most memorable days is devoted to Glacier Bay National Park. Aline Burchfield, Groups and Charter Accounts Manager, points out that the itinerary in 2025 will feature Glacier Bay Outback, “which will give us the opportunity to be more active and do more exploration, on foot and via kayaks. The benefits of the Outback are its wilderness and unique wildlife hotspots, as fewer boats go there. We have more flexibility compared to Glacier Bay proper, which is more regulated.”
The Safari Quest is the only UnCruise ship that goes to Admiralty Island National Monument. By kayak or skiff, guests weave in and out of the bays and islets, keeping their eyes open for Alaska brown bears and nesting bald eagles. Tlingit call the island Kootznoowoo, meaning “Fortress of the Bear,” as this national monument has the highest population of brown bears per mile of anywhere on earth. Admiralty Island, moreover, has a higher density of bald eagles than all the other states combined.
The itinerary also includes a day in Icy Strait, where guests go kayaking in remote bays through giant bullwhip kelp that can grow to over 100 feet long. They can join the gang in a skiff to a rocky outcropping to watch sea lions play or step into mud boots for a forest hike with naturalist guides who share their knowledge of marine biology, plants and geology.
Humpback whale sightings wow travelers cruising through Icy Strait—and on the days spent in Frederick Sound, Windham Bay and Stephens Passage.
A full-day exploration at Endicott Arm Wilderness Area features glacier-carved valleys, harbor seals lazing around on icebergs and the blue ice of towering Dawes Glacier, where the white thunder of a calving slice makes a mega-splash. If the tides are right, the ship slips into Fords Terror Wilderness Area, a narrow opening where the steep walls are streaked with waterfalls.
For details on UnCruise Adventures’ 7-night “Alaska’s Glacier Wilderness with Glacier Bay,” click here.
Group travel organizers wishing more information on UnCruise Adventures may contact Aline Burchfield, Groups and Charter Accounts Manager, at groups@uncruise or call 206-737-5703.
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By Randy Mink, Senior Editor
Photos courtesy of UnCruise Adventures
