Dear Cindy-Jack & I returned from our Alaska Cruise last Sun. and we had a wonderful time. The ship was beautiful, the staff was very attentive and we thoroughly enjoyed all the little towns, glaciers, the whales and all the other wildlife. We even saw one bear in the Glacier Gardens Rainforest at Juneau. Thank you so much for alerting us about this great special and arranging our trip!!

Now we’re looking forward to December on the Danube!!

Cynthia-Victoria, Texas

Had a great time as you can see by our pictures!!

Enjoying the Jet boat ride!Relaxing on the Paddle Wheel

William and Barbara-San Diego

Spirit of Peoria

In early August, Timothy’s family of four from California stayed one night prior to their cruise at the Mark Twin Hotel in Peoria, Illinois located just a few blocks from the river.  “The Mark Twain Hotel was lovely. The staff was very friendly. Truly a unique hotel.”

(more…)

Tui Tai

I wanted more than a vacation.  I wanted an adventure and Tui Tai Adventure Cruise provided just that.  I spent 10 nights in Fiji and Tui Tai was the highlight of my trip.  I hiked up the side of a dormant volcano and walked along the craters edge peering into the crater.  What a spectacular view.  The water was a beautiful aqua blue. (more…)

Columbia Queen

Lyndy and Betty, travel partners from Texas, went on the Columbia Queen through the Columbia River Gorge and Snake Rivers in August 2008. “The crew was absolutely exceptional when taking care of Betty. Since she is in a wheel chair, the crew made sure she was on and off the ship first and sat in front on the motor coaches. They brought her a foot stool to help her get into bed and to help her in the shower. The crew couldn’t have been better.”

Dear Patty,

Alaska is without question a beautiful state and the scenery is magnificent!

Having travelled on the Empress of the North before I knew the accommodation would be first class and it’s compactness made the experience of Alaska so much more intimate. Getting really close to the Glaciers and Whales was something this ship could achieve which larger vessels couldn’t. The crew and the guests were all very friendly which created a great atmosphere and just made the whole experience a pleasure.

Would I go to Alaska again, yes!

Would I do it on the Empress of the North, given the opportunity I would do it in a heartbeat!

Mike & Rosemarie Henson

Bill and Anna traveled in July 2008 on the Queen of the West sternwheeler up the Columbia River Gorge.  This is a 7 night, 1,000 mile journey following parts of the Lewis & Clark Expedition.

“Chris, We had a great time on the cruise.  The crew told us it was the most wonderful weather all season.  We were so lucky to have the weather accommodate us like that.  We LOVED the whole idea of a river cruise and really like the small ship.  The service was simply great.  Thank you again for being so nice to us.  Hopefully you can book another river cruise for us some day.”  Anna & Bill, North Carolina

The thought of traveling somewhere unfamiliar can be unsettling to some. People on this earth have their comfort zones and habits. They like to eat at a certain time everyday, watch the news the same time everyday. For my dad, he was used to carrying around his box cutter, paint can opener, huge wads of keys and change. I recently told him we were going to break all his rules, and he was coming with me on a cruise through the Inside Passage of Alaska.

It started with a 3-hour journey from Portland to Seattle (more…)

Dear Cindy
Arriving in beautiful Portland, taking the city tour through its gardens and homes and then boarding The Queen of the West in all its grandeur on the Columbia River was our introduction to river cruising. From that very first day and throughout the entire week on the river, we were filled with the wonder of history along Lewis and Clark country, the thrill of taking a jet boat ride, the awesome view of the devastating power of Mt. St. Helen’s volcanic eruption, the amazing engineering fete of the many locks and dams along the river, and above all the professionalism of the Queen’s staff. They took such good care of us.
Thank you, Cindy, for planning our Columbia River Cruise. We so enjoyed meeting you on the eve of our cruise and appreciate your thoughtful bon voyage gifts both before we sailed and when we returned home. It has been a delight working with you.
Yours Most Sincerely,

Lori, Sally and Frank Graham