Page 14 - AAA Central Penn – AAA Now! – September/October 2017

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Let’s Talk Travel
Experience the Ultimate Alaska Cruise with Seabourn
Everything you hear about the “Great Land of Alaska” is true.
It is truly the “last frontier” and the stunning and rugged scenery is simply breathtaking. Alaska has been described as Mother Nature on steroids, and
I agree. Everything is so big, so vast and so different from what we are used to in central Pennsylvania, it must be seen to be believed.
Alaska is one of the world’s top cruise destinations and is enjoyed by passengers of all ages, tastes and incomes. Most Southeast/Inside Passage cruises begin in Seattle or Vancouver, last 7 to 14 days, and sail mid-May through mid-September.
Scattered along Alaska’s southern coastline are the various ports of call, including Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Wrangell, Haines and Seward. The length of your cruise and size/style of your ship will determine what port towns you visit.
If you’re traveling with young children or a large multi-generational family, bigger is probably a better fit for you. Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and NCL all offer terrific cruise vacations with many dates (especially May and September) on sale.
However, if you want a more intimate (smaller ships and few or no kids), experience combining luxury, up-close and personal scenic cruising and off-the-beaten-path adventure excursions, I’ve got the cruise line for you – it’s Seabourn.
Seabourn is an award-winning ultra-luxury cruise line featuring all-suite, small ship sailing to the world’s most desirable locations in complete comfort. And after a 15-year hiatus, Seabourn
has returned to Alaska, bringing their highly acclaimed Ventures By Seabourn excursions program (headed by a veteran expedition team of naturalists and scientists) to Alaska and other regions of the world.
I’ve just returned from my third cruise to Alaska, this time aboard Seabourn Sojourn, and it was fantastic in every way possible. Our 11-night sailing began in charming Vancouver and ended in Seward (a small fishing town) where we boarded a luxury motor coach and headed to Anchorage.
From the moment you wake up and walk onto your verandah you are surrounded by soaring snowcapped mountains, enormous ice-blue glaciers, beautiful fjords and waterfalls, abundant wildlife and alpine mountain meadows. It’s so much to take in, and to fully appreciate Alaska
you must unplug, relax and take the time to be still and watch the magnificent scenery go by.
If a cruise to Alaska is in your future (and I hope it is), it’s so important to get on the right ship
that caters to your personal style and interests. In 2018 Seabourn will offer a series of 11- to 14-day voyages to Alaska, June through September. All ships in Alaska (including Seabourn) have special promotions, added value, or go on sale. Your AAA travel expert will have the information you need to make the best decision for you and your family.
During my sailing, I had the opportunity to participate in two Ventures programs and interview Robin West, the Director of Expedition Operations for Seabourn.
Q: How would you describe Seabourn’s new Ventures program in Alaska?
A: This is the first time Seabourn returns to Alaska in 15 years. This itinerary has been two years in
the making. This has allowed us to offer some
very unique opportunities for Seabourn guests to enhance and extend the way they will experience Alaska. We have a team of 12 Ventures staff on board, specializing in photography, videography, geology, bears, forestry, fisheries, marine biologists and wildlife conservation, who will enhance the Seabourn Conversation program.
Q: How does Seabourn’s Ventures program differ from the other luxury lines cruising Alaska?
A: There are no other true luxury lines offering
this type of program. The Alaska itinerary was specifically designed with Ventures in mind. We choose the best of a typical cruise itinerary and coupled it with some smaller, out-of-the-way destinations that larger cruise ships cannot access, allowing Seabourn to truly develop an “Ultimate Alaska” experience.
Q: What can a first-time Ventures guest expect?
A: The opportunity to be educated about the natural history around them and to experience destinations up-close and personal alongside qualified geologists, ornithologists, marine biologists and historians – all made possible through zodiac, kayak, catamaran, and hiking tours.
Q: Other than Alaska, what destinations are Ventures tours offered, and is it fleet-wide?
A: By the end of 2018, Ventures by Seabourn will
be on all five Seabourn vessels operating is Alaska, British Columbia, Antarctica, South Georgia, Amazon, Pacific, Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Caribbean, Northern Europe, British Isles, Iceland and Greenland.
By Sandy Fenton
Let’s Talk Travel with AAA,” hosted by Sandy Fenton, is broadcast Saturdays 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on iHeartMedia’s WHP580. For more information, go to whp580.com and click on the link to “Let’s Talk Travel.
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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017
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