American West's Alaska program - Cruise News

Cruise Travel, Jan-Feb, 2004

Beginning in May, American West Steamboat Company's new 235-passenger stern-wheeler, the Empress of the North, offers eight- and 11-night cruises that feature Alaska's Inside Passage. The vessel's new homeport will be Sitka, once the Russian capital of America and now a bustling seaport rich in history.

The eight-night voyages, roundtrip from Sitka, include calls in Petersburg, Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, and Skagway, and feature scenic cruising of Le Conte Bay, Wrangell Narrows, Tracy Arm, and Glacier Bay. The 11-night itineraries, between Sitka and Seattle, add stops in Victoria and Vancouver plus cruising through Canada's Inside Passage, Lake Washington, and the San Juan Island archipelago. Per-person/double-occupancy fares for the eight-night cruises range from $3,399 to $5,779; $4,399-$7,819 for the 11-night sailings.

For more information contact your travel agent or American West Steamboat Company (Cruise Travel Magazine), 2101 Fourth Ave./Suite 1150, Seattle, WA 98121; or log on to www.americanweststeamboat.com.