Aluetian Islands

[gottagoacruzn]

Hey guys, got to thinkin, an maybe somebody knows the answer to this or not. Why haven't the cruise lines started cruising the Aluetian Islands? Inquiring minds would like to know. Thanks.

[AKStafford]

No infrastructure to support a ship showing up with a couple of thousand people...

[Glaciers]

Hurtigruten has trips out that way. Also Seabourn, Ponant & Holland. Depends how far out you want to go. Most of these go as far Dutch Harbor on the chain and then up to Nome.

 

[GTJ]

The Alaska Marine Highway regularly sails out to Dutch Harbor and return during the summer season. There are a handful of cruise lines that also serve the Aluetian islands, typically as part of longer itineraries that travel to Nome and the Northwest Passage. Most of these itineraries are classified as "adventure" or "expedition" cruises. Lines to investigate include Hurtigruten, Silversea Cruises, Ponant, Seabourn Cruise Line, Scenic Cruises, and Hapag-Lloyd, all of which periodically schedule cruises through the Northwest Passage, between Alaska and Greenland, and some times passing through the Aluetian islands as part of the voyage through Alaska.

[donaldsc]

13 minutes ago, GTJ said:

The Alaska Marine Highway regularly sails out to Dutch Harbor and return during the summer season. There are a handful of cruise lines that also serve the Aluetian islands, typically as part of longer itineraries that travel to Nome and the Northwest Passage. Most of these itineraries are classified as "adventure" or "expedition" cruises. Lines to investigate include Hurtigruten, Silversea Cruises, Ponant, Seabourn Cruise Line, Scenic Cruises, and Hapag-Lloyd, all of which periodically schedule cruises through the Northwest Passage, between Alaska and Greenland, and some times passing through the Aluetian islands as part of the voyage through Alaska.

 

Pre-Covid we booked a cruise on Hurtigrutin that stopped at several islands along the Aleutians and stopped at several islands in the Bering sea and ended in Nome.  That cruise was stopped by Covid and is now much more expensive.

 

DON

[wolfie11]

In 2016, the Aleutians were declared an ATBA (area to be avoided) for ships.  This means ships can't cruise closer than 50nm to the islands.  Ships headed to Dutch Harbor or Adak, which are the two main harbors, must do so by a direct route.  Dutch Harbor can take ships up to 3000 pax.  I believe both the Norwegian Jewel and the Westerdam dock there on transition cruises from Asia, but there is nothing for passengers to do there other than get drunk in the Grand Aleutian with the local fishermen, or get assaulted by one of the hundreds of bald eagles that hang out there.

[Northern Aurora]

In 2016 we boarded the Alaska state ferry (the Tustamena) in Kodiak and spent three nights on board.  We spent about eight hours at Cold Bay (Izenbeck National Preserve) but most of the stops are brief.  We left the ship in Dutch Harbor to spend three nights at the Grand Aleutian before flying home.  
 

We throughly enjoyed our days in Unalaska.  Not only were we birding (we had a rental car) but we also visited the World War II museum, the Museum of the Aleutians and the various WW II sites.  Fortunately we had spectacular weather and the scenery is incredible.  One of the days we were there a cruise ship was docked.
 

The state ferry route, at least at that time, out to Unalaska differs from the return to Homer.  So if folks stayed on board they would only repeat Kodiak.  We have considered doing it again.

[diesel1973]

Years ago I took the ferry from Homer to Kodiak Island and It continued on to Dutch Harbor. Most of the people got off at Kodiak because of the high seas. I believe there were 16' waves and a lot of people got sick. I guess that is why they called the ship the "vomit comet".

[Gardyloo]

I spent a lot of time on the Aleutian chain and western Alaska Peninsula, and one reason I suspect the cruise lines don't frequent the chain is the lack of "excursion" options that would appeal to a mass tourism market.  This is an important profit center for the cruise lines, one that would be hard to replace in remote areas like the Aleutians, or most of western Alaska for that matter.  

[wolfie11]

14 minutes ago, Gardyloo said:

I spent a lot of time on the Aleutian chain and western Alaska Peninsula, and one reason I suspect the cruise lines don't frequent the chain is the lack of "excursion" options that would appeal to a mass tourism market.  This is an important profit center for the cruise lines, one that would be hard to replace in remote areas like the Aleutians, or most of western Alaska for that matter.  

Plus the weather pretty much sucks most of the time.

[GTJ]

7 hours ago, Gardyloo said:

;O]ne reason I suspect the cruise lines don't frequent the chain is the lack of "excursion" options that would appeal to a mass tourism market. This is an important profit center for the cruise lines, one that would be hard to replace in remote areas like the Aleutians, or most of western Alaska for that matter.  

Related to that thought is that the vast majority of cruise line passengers are carefree, looking to engage in mostly mindless and meaningless activities. The proportion of cruise line passengers seeking to enrich their intellectual curiosity (at least beyond absorption of random factoids tossed out by tour guides reading from a script), to pack a parka instead of a swimsuit, and to otherwise to do things outside mass market activities, is small. But that market having the interest will not be deterred by the lack of commercial excursions on remote islands. That there is no local Diamonds International is irrelevant (but for its absence being a plus). They're going there to have an adventure. Yes, the cruise lines are not going to make their profits from selling those excursions, and have to build-in the costs of Zodiacs launches. But I don't think it is so much that cruise lines refuse to offer such itineraries because of the lack of those excursions, but rather that few passengers are adventurers: Disney World is more appealing to most than a cold and remote island with no permanent population.

[Northern Aurora]

I agree with gardyloo.  But folks interested in the Aleutians should consider the ferry.  We have been to Antarctica, and folks who find that cruise itinerary interesting most likely would also enjoy the Aleutians.  The scenery is not as minimalist and somewhat similar to Iceland (not the same but somewhat similar).  And the views from Ft. Schwatka are incredible.  Just remember that there is no bad weather but just people ill prepared for the weather they encounter.

[wolfie11]

There are also a number of expedition ships that go there.  Yes, they're expensive, but you really would get a more in-depth experience and up close and personal with wildlife and scenery.  I've done the ferry (although not to the Aleutians) a number of times and I find it inconvenient for exploring areas I want to see more of.