Cruise Alaska This Summer with UnCruise
As the world slowly starts to open up again, we’re focusing this week on group trips in North America. We’re hopeful that Canada will open to Americans by July 1st. Europe might also be safe to travel by summer, but more than likely, that will be a last-minute decision for most of our clients. Many outfitters have expanded their North American itineraries this past year to satisfy the growing demand. First up is UnCruise’s trips in Alaska.
By now you might have read that the cruise season to Alaska is over thanks to Canada closing all ports to cruising until 2022. But what you might not realize is that you can fly directly to Alaska and take a cruise that focuses solely on the exceptional scenery and wildlife of the state, not wasting time cruising up the coastline from Vancouver or Seattle. For folks who like their cruises with a dose of activity, it’s hard to top UnCruise, who will whisk you away on Zodiac rafts to sea kayak and hike in or along protected coves. You’re guaranteed to find whales, sea lions, and otters in the water, grizzlies on land, and eagles flying overhead. Please let ActiveTravels know your dates and we’ll find the best UnCruise Alaskan itinerary during that time.
I spent the early part of last week in Manhattan for Canada Media Marketplace, where I met with media reps from all over Canada to hear about the latest travel developments. In a chat with Amber Sessions from 
Guest Post and Photos by Amy Perry Basseches
Happy to hear that ridership was up on the Portland-Yarmouth Ferry this summer. According to the Portland Press Herald, 
Lisa and I went to an all-day seminar on Monday with Tourism Norway to meet with a dozen travel reps from all over this Scandinavian country. I’ll probably write a longer piece on Norway for the newsletter, but I wanted to report on all the exciting new developments at Norway’s signature cruise line, Hurtigruten. They will debut a new hybrid vessel, the 
On Days 3 and 5, we took early morning rides before seeing the fairytale city of Český Krumlov and bustling Vienna. That’s the beauty of this Danube River itinerary. Sandwiched between the starting point of Prague and the end in Budapest, you can spend time in world-class cities, yet the bulk of the biking is in the countryside, pedaling through farmland or vineyards. It’s a fantastic combination and you cover so much ground, 5 countries in 8 days.
My kids, Jake and Mel, ages 26 and 24 respectively, loved the cruise. The biking was challenging, the rural landscape was stunning, and the sightseeing and dining in the cities exceptional. Unfortunately, there was just one other family with kids their age aboard the ship. There was a younger group of 35 who pulled out at the last minute due to the war in Ukraine, but tourism was thriving in all cities, including Budapest. The only signs of the war were some refugees we met from the Ukraine. That left the average age aboard the cruise in the early 60s, which is not far from the usual demographic aboard a river cruise. My hope is that a younger generation will sample these Backroads itineraries because it’s really a wonderful bike cruise. You’re rarely on the boat, except for cocktail hour, dinner, dance parties, and sleeping. The rest of the time you’re meeting up with the ship after your bike ride. It’s an exciting way to see a good chunk of Europe.
French Polynesia will always hold a special place in my heart. It was here and other South Pacific locales like Fiji and the Cook Islands that I received my start in travel writing, penning stories for Rodale’s Scuba Diving and resort reviews for Bride’s Magazine. In 1994, Lisa and I went on a freighter cruise to the Marquesas Islands that still to this day is one of the highlights of my career in travel. But you don’t have to deliver food to the locals to savor French Polynesia. Go in style aboard the m/s Paul Gauguin, a luxury cruise ship that has been plying these waters for 20 years.