Jetsettersblog

InnerSea Discoveries LLC, parent company of high-end American Safari Cruises, has officially launched a new moderately priced adventure line in Alaska.

Marketed under the same name as the parent company, InnerSea Discoveries, will offer experiences such as kayaking among icebergs and joining the Polar Bear Swim Club.

The line says it will specialize in experiential activities for young-minded travelers who want to push themselves physically and mentally at a lower value-driven per diem cost.

The brand will debut in May 2011 in Alaska’s Inside Passage with two expedition vessels. Other included activities are stand-up paddle boarding, wilderness hiking, snorkeling, inflatable boat and kayak excursions among icebergs and along shorelines, beachcombing and whale watching.

Optional add-ons include spelunking; river rafting; jet boat excursions; fishing with expert guides on a fully outfitted boat; and overnight backpacking and kayaking.

Professional naturalists will provide lectures on the surrounding environment, and yoga and massages will be offered. Both vessels have on-deck hot tubs and saunas with a view.

The weeklong adventures between Ketchikan and Juneau will be aboard the 157-foot, 66-guest Wilderness Adventurer and the 170-foot, 80-guest Wilderness Discoverer, two vessels previously operated by now-defunct Glacier Bay Cruiseline.

Two-week itineraries will also be available; the combined one-way explorations will cover different areas and activities. Both expedition boats were purchased this past summer “to fill a void in Alaska’s Inside Passage,” the company said.

“At present, a moderately priced, highly experiential option does not exist.” The two vessels will undergo extensive refurbishing prior to their inaugural departures.

Fares will be $2,500 to $3,000 per person double occupancy, with some higher-category staterooms for about $5,000 per week.

Solo adventure travelers will be accommodated with single-priced staterooms.

“We think of it as an ‘un-cruise’ because there are none of the hassles of traditional cruising,” said CEO and principal Capt. Dan Blanchard. “No crowds, long lines, herd mentalities, bus trips and tourist-clogged port calls. Instead we’re offering exhilarating activities in the wildlife-rich waters of Southeast Alaska, plus creature comforts aboard the boat.” The fares include all meals, equipment for adventure activities, guides, port charges, taxes and transfers.

Staterooms will feature Tempur-pedic mattresses and iPod docking stations. The parent company will continue to operate American Safari Cruises’ three yachts in Alaska, Mexico’s Sea of Cortés, the Columbia and Snake rivers, and the Pacific Northwest. Inter-island Hawaii yacht cruising is scheduled to debut in 2011.

For more information, call 877-901-1009, email sales@innerseadiscoveries.com or visit www.innerseadiscoveries.com