I knew the moment I arrived in sunny Juneau that my 8-day Alaska cruise, “Glacier Country Adventure” with UnCruise, would be extraordinary.
The S.S. Legacy, UnCruise owner Dan Blanchard welcomed us abroad the 90-passenger cruise by flashing the cruise brochure and had exclaimed:
“These brochures are out of date as soon as they’re printed. Everything on the planned route is subject to change based on the weather, park permits and wildlife sightings — Mother Nature will be in charge.”
While there is no traditional “ports of call” during the 614-nautical-mile cruise, the Legacy would serve as a wildlife and adventure platform and our comfortable home.
The All-Inclusive Experience
The Legacy was a boutique cruising ship that had a ton of excursions that included using adventure equipment such as kayaks, paddleboards and skiffs. For the excursions that required equipment such as walking poles and “Alaskan Tennis Shoes (aka rubber boots),” it was available for us to use.
I loved the learning experiences and knowledge I gained after sitting in with experts and being a part of excursions that I’ve never been on before.
On this all-inclusive trip, there were a ton of different drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and snacks readily available to us. Our bartender, Kyle, was great and always open to any requests.
And every night before dinner, there was a signature cocktail available in the lounge. We really enjoyed the signature cocktail with hors d’oeuvres that were served daily.
About The S.S. Legacy
Built-in 1984 (and renovated in 2018), the 192-foot S.S. Legacy is a beautiful replica of a Victorian-era steamboat. This beautiful boutique boat with Victorian-style decor and furnishing gives the Legacy an exceedingly comfortable and welcoming feeling once you step onboard.
On this ship, it had 4 decks which included a sun deck with two hot tubs, an exercise room and lounge chairs. There was an elevator between decks 1 and 3 that made it easy for those with mobility issues.
On deck one, there was the dining room and Pesky Barnacle Saloon. While deck two was mainly the lounge and bar area, with some cabins. And deck three was for the remaining cabins on the ship.
Deck One: The Klondike Dining Room
The old-fashioned tin ceiling, two-tone wooden pillars and carpeted dining room were bright and warm, with large windows on the first deck. There was a mixture of table seating in the room. There were either large round tables in the centre of the room or booths along the windows.
Since there was no assigned seating, I enjoyed being able to sit with different guests each meal. At every meal, we were able to share and hear each other’s stories of our day. And we were able to talk about the adventures ahead.
The Pesky Barnacle Saloon was located right beside the dining room. It had windows wrapped around and the décor of a poker room vibe. During our time on the ship, we used this room for gathering before excursions, donning life jackets, preparing with sunscreen, and refilling our reusable water bottles.
Deck Two: The Grand Salon Lounge and Bar
The lounge and bar were located on deck two and was the ship’s hub. The welcoming bar area comprised a small library with books and DVDs – which was great since the Legacy did not have internet access.
There were comfortable sofas, marble-topped tables, and large picture windows. It was the gathering area not only for drinks but also for presentations, games, and general relaxation.
Deck Three: The Cozy and Compact Cabins
The cabins were located on the third deck. On this Alaskan Cruise, cabin sizes range from 110 square feet to 600 square foot space. Each room had outside windows that accommodated singles, triplets and quads. The cabin my husband and I had was a 145-square-foot space that was cozy and comforting.
Each room is equipped with:
- A private bathroom with a shower
- Bathrobes
- Alarm clock
- Safe
- A small flat-screen TV with a DVD player
- iPod docking station
The 600 square-foot room is a two-room “Owner’s Suite” on the sun deck, complete with its own wet bar and library.
My Personal Experience: Cabins and Onboard
My cabin (#306) was located on deck 3 and was a 145-square-foot “Commander” category. It had a private bathroom with a shower and a window and door that opened to the outdoor promenade.
The room had fixed wooden beds, storage drawers, a small desk, and a closet with a safe and binoculars (to borrow). We had enough room to move around and unpack all our clothes and gear.
Another great and nice surprise was that we were able to drink water from all sources on the ship. That included our bathroom.
While onboard, my favourite spot on the Legacy was the bow. I loved watching the sunrise from that end of the ship. And the feeling of my hair blowing in the wind, the ship’s flag waving, and all I could hear was the movement of the water and the call of the seabirds.
I found that there was something romantic about being in front of the bow. Whether it was day or night, it was like having a front-row seat to the greatest natural show on earth.
On one particular night, we were awakened by an announcement. We were told to head out to the deck to see the Aurora Borealis on the port side. Everyone had scrambled from their rooms either in their bathrobes. Or they threw on some clothes to catch a glimpse of natural phenomena.
Alas, by the time I made it out of my cabin, the colours remained for a few seconds. Then a large white streak of light appeared in the dark sky. Seeing the Aurora Borealis will have to remain on my wish list for another future Alaska cruise.
On Board With Naturalists & Crew
We had many great opportunities to explore and learn from naturalists and experts on board. They guided us on our expedition and were continuously sharing their knowledge and passion. They often shared about Alaska’s wildlife, plants and history during our voyage on and off the ship.
We were given a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to live, work, and play in Southeast Alaska by Kate Troll and Bill Hanson – two Alaskan residents since the 1970s. They were called the “Alaskan Insiders,” and they never ran short of interesting stories to share in the lounge, dining room, the bow, and during our excursions.
They shared stories about their careers in natural resources and their life as hunters and foragers. The duo spoke about changes in the glaciers, wildlife, local people, the variety of salmon, and the effects of commercial fisheries. For example, I learned that Alaskan salmon is the gold standard due to the stringent sustainability legislation.
The expert guides, Sarah, Andrew, Jessie, Teresa, Bobby, and the expedition leader Megan, along with Captain Tim Voss on the UnCruise team, played a crucial role in making this Alaskan cruise a memorable experience for us. And with no doubt, we can tell that they loved what they were doing. They encouraged us to try everything and go out of our way for first-timers like us.
There were tons of morning and afternoon activity excursions to choose from, including free and guiding:
- Kayaking
- Bushwhacking
- “Yak and whack” – which is a combination of kayaking and bushwhacking
- Skiff tours – these tours were on a 12-passenger inflatable boat
Throughout this cruise, they have generously shared their experiences and knowledge during both our off-the-ship excursions and on board the ship.
On cruising days, the captain would excitedly announce wildlife sightings. That had us pouring out onto the bow or the top deck of the ship!
Meals Onboard the UnCruise
The crew served all our meals on board in courses, as if we were dining in a restaurant. As this Alaskan cruise had many active activities, there were many healthy options for the active and fit guests onboard. While the options were healthy, it was also satisfying to cosmopolitan foodies such as my husband and I.
Breakfast
Depending on the planned activity for the day, breakfast was either served at 7:30 am or 8:00 am. Breakfast always included choices of eggs, yogurt, fruits, bacon, and freshly squeezed orange juice for use to choose from.
There was also a daily omelette made with the choice of caramelized leeks, manchego, artichokes, chorizo, and many other ingredients.
And if that wasn’t enough options, there were:
- Frittatas with roasted peppers and a crispy kale topping
- Blueberry pancakes with whipped cream
- A full English breakfast
- cornflake-crusted french toast with bananas foster topping
Lunch
There were a ton of different meals for lunch. They were always accompanied by delicious freshly-baked bread, pastries and dessert on every meal.
Lunch one day on this trip included a range of meals such as bison chilli, vegetarian chilli, or a mixed salad with hardboiled eggs, shredded chicken and tortilla chips. And on another day, we had the choice of BBQ brisket, pulled jackfruit with coleslaw, mac ‘n cheese, or a salad with sockeye salmon.
Dinner
Dinner was served at 6:30 pm, right after happy hour, in the lounge area. It always starts with homemade bread and an appetizer or antipasti board. It was filled with cheeses such as baked brie, gruyere, or blue cheese custard, along with nuts, poached apples, or other jams and berries.
There were three options for our plated dinner that included: meat, fish and vegetarian option. I personally found it hard to make a decision on one particular dinner since all three options sounded delicious. The options were:
- Beef tenderloin with mushrooms and demi-fried shallots
- Coho salmon with rhubarb marmalade and pickled strawberries
- Vegetarian beet wellington with leek cream and roasted radish
On board the cruise, I had two of my favourite meals. One option featured pepper-crusted lamb popsicles with fenugreek curry, and another included poached ling cod with cilantro basil oil.
One night we had an all-you-can-eat Dungeness crab dinner where Chef Cooper kept bringing large bowls of crabs. We were able to learn and master how to crack the claws and pull the meat out of the shells.
The desserts were always worth saving room for, and they were always beautifully presented. The pastry chef’s creations tasted and looked like they could have come from the finest gourmet bakery, including:
- Pumpkin cake with fresh whipped cream
- Macarons in fruity pebbles, candy floss, and root beer flavour
- Salty toffee brownies
This was a very memorable first Alaskan cruise for my husband and I. We had a ton of fun learning new skills and knowledge about Alaska. It is an experience I believe everyone should have the privilege to explore.