This expedition cruise was a gift for my graduation with a degree in Marine Science and it could not have been a more apropos adventure. Being that it is such a small ship, it truly felt that the crew did everything in their power to provide the trip that you wanted. The excursions were created with the local culture, history, and nature in mind. All the excursions that we went on were relaxed, but truly made you feel that you got the most out of your visit to each port. While the ports were fantastic, what made this trip so unique and, dare I say, magical, was the expedition days. There were three days where we would anchor in a bay somewhere along the route through the Alaskan Passage, and just explore the area. Each of those days included four activities, a kayak trip, a zodiac trip, a nature lecture, and a hands-on science activity. I have not kayaked since the one time when I was little, but I absolutely loved kayaking in Alaska. Being right on the water amongst marine life, glacial ice, and amazing tree covered cliffs is an experience I will never forget. The zodiac trip was equally amazing in that we were able to go much farther than the kayaks and spend time bonding with the expedition crew and our fellow guests.

Overall, I have done quite a few other cruises and this one is certainly like none other. The goal of this cruise is to immerse you in the beauty of Alaska's nature and culture, and it did just that.