When you reconnect with nature on an Alaskan journey with UnCruise Adventures, you immerse yourself in the wildlife and wilderness of the Last Frontier. Small “floating basecamps” grant travelers intimate views of Southeast Alaska’s iconic animals—including whales, bears, salmon, and eagles—and the cruise line often adjusts routes to maximize time with these charismatic creatures. The award-winning expeditions also reach places that mega-ships can’t and set the standard for immersive, responsible, and transformative travel.
Visit Alaska’s wilderness areas
UnCruise itineraries focus on lesser-traveled ports, showcasing remote inlets and rarer immersive experiences than the mega-ships can. The company’s small vessels weave among islands and narrow fjords, reaching destinations like LeConte, a dramatic tidewater glacier flanked by towering icebergs that can glow sapphire in sunlight. Small wonder this was once a place of profound wonder and reverence for the native Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples.
A whale breaches in Alaska
Courtesy of UnCruise Adventures
Flexible routes allow detours to observe unusual animal behavior, such as orcas and humpbacks bubble-net feeding, where a lead whale dives below a school of fish and blasts bubbles from their blowhole. Stunned fish funnel upward while fellow hunters swim in spiral patterns to trap prey inside the airy “net.” This rare and thrilling action peaks during the spring and summer herring runs, especially from June to August.
Late summer and early fall bring other iconic animal encounters. Bears—black and coastal browns (think “XL grizzlies”)—gorge on berries, fruit, sedges, and insects, stocking up before winter. They also capture salmon returning from the sea and chuck fish leftovers into the forest, helping the plants and animals of the dramatic rainforests of Alaska’s panhandle.
Sunset over Sitka
Courtesy of UnCruise Adventures
An Alaska trip with UnCruise Adventures also includes stunning views from its ships of moose, tufted puffins, sea otters, dolphins, sea lions, and seals and their pups sunning on icebergs. Fancy a close-up? Hop in a kayak or on a skiff ride for more intimate portraits of the state’s incredible wildlife.
Kayaking in Neka Bay
Courtesy of UnCruise Adventures
Go off the beaten path in Tongass National Forest and Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
UnCruise Adventures embodies the “can-do” spirit of the Indigenous people and early settlers in this rugged northern region. Travelers do more than drift by the state’s beauty; they immerse themselves in it by kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, and even snorkeling. The ships provide thick wetsuits, hoods, booties, and gloves for exploring the vivid marine life, including the world’s most diverse population of sea stars.
Guests can also hike in Tongass National Forest, called “North America’s Amazon” for its high levels of biodiversity. Spring brings wildflowers and roaring waterfalls; in fall, you can expect the blazing autumn colors of alder trees.
Rest easy if you’re concerned about your fitness level. These sailings allow you to choose your own adventure, whether that’s joining a group to explore wildflower-speckled meadows, mellow shorelines, and busy tidepools or tackling gonzo hikes, often bushwhacking through muskeg bogs and old-growth rainforest groves. Don’t pass on the excursions to visit glacial outwash plains laced with braided streams and speckled with stones ground smooth by ice, wind, and water.
UnCruise Adventures also has special permits and access to enhance visits to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve. This 3.3-million-acre park—slightly smaller than Connecticut—allows less than one percent of visitors close-up views of the Margerie and Johns Hopkins glaciers.
Learn about Southeast Alaska from experts
A skiff ride to view the Columbia Glacier
Courtesy of UnCruise Adventures/Julie Quarry
UnCruise Adventures enriches travelers with thoughtful discussions and downtime to reflect. Naturalists and expedition leaders layer on a deeper understanding and sense of discovery. Guests also have opportunities to meet Alaska natives, hear locals spin yarns, and appreciate a more authentic view of Southeast Alaska than mega-ships carrying thousands of people can provide.
The customized experiences continue with dedicated sailings for families and those preferring child-free travel. Adults-only “summer camps” mix fun with plenty of serenity to reflect and recharge. Kids in Nature itineraries include Junior Ranger books, kayak races, scavenger hunts, and more.
Protecting Alaska’s nature and wildlife
UnCruise Adventures is a leader in sustainability, conservation, and stewardship—and follows local laws that some cruise lines defy. The company remains dedicated to preserving the ecosystems celebrated by its low-impact small-ship journeys. Among other efforts, it practices “leave no trace” principles and supplies passengers with reusable water bottles and refillable, eco-friendly bath amenities. That dedication extends to infrastructure, too, such as replacing engines with more efficient models and partnering with locals for tours.
The combination of exceptional access and ethical adventures has repeatedly won this family-owned, locally run company “Best in Alaska” status from Cruise Critic and USA Today, among others. Don’t miss the chance to discover why its mix of comfort and adventure makes these floating basecamps the ideal way to enjoy the state’s wildlife and wilderness!
