We hope, if you are reviewing web sites in search of an Alaska Vacation Cruise, Yacht Charter, Alaska Tour or Alaska Small Ship Cruise we hope you'll consider the following:

We see the fancy web sites and brochures from the large and small cruise ships promising whales, bears, glaciers and more. We see the four hour day charters from Juneau, that say you'll see whales, bears , sea otters, eagles, sea lions, glaciers and more. We also see our competitors web sites saying they'll deliver Alaska up close and personal. So how do we convince you to travel with us ?

For those select few people who really want to see and experience the best of Alaska, the grandeur of Alaska we do have the cruise vacation for you. We were one of the very first eco tour operators in S.E. Alaska. Many things have changed since then, however, one thing remains constant and that is our desire to do the best possible trip we can. We know the area better than any other tour operator and will endeavor to make this the most memorable vacation experience of your lives.

We love Alaska, it's beauty, it's wildlife, it's raw nature. We care deeply about the impact we have as tour operators on the fragile Eco system. The animals we observe we consider friends rather than objects, we are the uninvited guests, after all. Imagine going into an area to observe bears carrying a high powered rifle, most tour operators do. If I was a bear I would avoid them. Our attitude has allowed us many close encounters with these magnificent creatures. Most tour boats are in constant pursuit of the whales, who are constantly trying to take evasive action. We sit patiently in an area and allow the whales to pursue us. We try to avoid other boats and people so that we can observe these animals without affecting or modifying their behavior. We have a strict leave no trace policy that we feel is a fundamental part of our philosophy. This is after all one of the most  incredible wilderness areas in the world.

I also see several of our competitors talking about their combined years of experience, their philosophies, even their classic boats. Some of them go so far as to almost quote us verbatim. What they fail to tell you is that several of the most select areas in Alaska are limited entry, something our competitors don't seem to mention, and have been since the mid 80s. In many cases I believe we were the original permit holders. Pack Creek and Anan Creek the two designated bear observatories in S. E. Alaska are among these areas and offer a unique bear viewing experience. There are only a couple of boat based guides permitted in these special areas during the peak season. Further we really enjoy leading shore excursions and showing people sights you wont be able to see with any of our competitors and enhancing your knowledge and appreciation of this magnificent wilderness area.

One thing the Alaska Small Ship Cruises, The Alaska Cruise Ships ( with their wildlife brochures ) and many of my competitors neglect to tell their prospective clients is that over 95 % of Southeast, Alaska is comprised of the Tongass National Forest and a designated Wilderness Area limited to groups of no larger than 12 people.  All of us that operate in the area are required to have a Special Use permit issued by the US Forest Service that stipulates specific areas where we can go ashore. Many of these areas are limited in access. As one of the first eco - tour operators in Southeast, Alaska we have one the most comprehensive permits in the area that allow us access to many areas our competitors can't go.

Our itinerary is kept purposely flexible in order to allow for the unexpected events that are often the highlights of traveling. Our days are spent watching whales, hiking , fishing, bear watching, exploring , cruising and sightseeing this incredible area. We've found these trips to be full of a wide variety of opportunities and try to tailor them to the individual desires of our passengers. There is also ample time for you to kayak, relax, read, write, sketch or whatever.

I've also read their menus. We have a fully provisioned galley and our Gourmet Chef and will serve anything you want from Prime Rib or New York Steaks to fresh Salmon and Halibut upon your request and desires in a setting not to be duplicated by any other vessel in Alaska. Please see our sample menu.

While there are many new arrivals in Alaska trying to duplicate our tours please keep in mind it's taken us many years to perfect our trips. When we first starting doing these Alaska wildlife cruises we had the entire area to ourselves. Long before people stopped to watch Humpback whales group feeding or Brown Bears on Admiralty Island we were there. We know a lot about these animals, their feeding habits and their hiding places.

Also keep in mind this is "what" we do. We started before it was the "thing to do" And it's something we believe we do better than anyone else.

I really get upset when I read most of these web sites. Discovery is not the fanciest boat plying the waters of Southeast Alaska. It's as nice as most of them, clean, comfortable, very elegant and a sea kindly vessel built to transit these waters. Don't let her age fool you, she's virtually in Bristol condition with all the modern conveniences. What upsets me is I love Alaska and want people to see and experience everything Alaska has to offer. It is difficult to do by large or even the so-called small Cruise Ships.  All I can say in all sincerity is that we do the best trip in Southeast Alaska and have been doing these trips longer than any of them.

Ask yourself why you want to go to Alaska? I really think we offer what most people think of when they ponder that question because we really do show you Alaska up close and personal. Rather than passing by the beautiful rain forests of Alaska by both large and small Cruise ships we can actually walk through the magical rain forests and watch wildlife up close and personal.

We can give testimonial after testimonial we have hundreds of them. The truth is we have had passengers who have done 8 and 9 trips with us over the years. Many of our passengers have done multiple trips. We've even had passengers do multiple trips in the same year. Here is what a few passengers have said:

"To John & The Crew, I have so many wonderful Memories to bring back from my cruise with you. First of all the comradery of you all and your kindness to me always. The beautiful and awesome things we saw along the way. The glaciers, the whales and porpoises, the bears and bald eagles and salmon. I so enjoyed our leisurely wander of travel, taking each day as it came with new wonders to see each day, and just being on the water with a competent skipper who nurtured God's creatures and respected them. This cruise was all I expected and so so much more. I thank you all again, With all my Love, Thordis"

"Dear Captain John, We can't begin to thank you enough for our amazing trip with you on "Discovery". Although we know you have been on dozens of trips with hundreds of passengers, you can be certain no group ever anticipated or enjoyed the trip more than we did. You gave us all a treasured gift." Randy & Kristi "

" Dear Friends, As I sit here on the deck on our last morning in Alaska, words cannot describe our feelings of awe at this wonderful land. All of you have contributed to our increased understanding of this wonderful land. Never again will I be able to look at a characterization of a growling brown bear and not rebel.  Thank you so much for taking us to the diverse habitats of all the wonderful animals of Alaska on land and on sea. We will remember all of you and your diverse personalities. You are all so much a part of the trip. Captain John, we can't thank you enough. You are the heart of the experience and we love you for it all. Love Susan & Tom"

" Dear John, I've been meaning to write to thank you for the wonderful time we had with you on the Discovery, but I haven't been able to figure out how to thank someone for such a special trip. I don't think there are words to express the effects that adventure had on us, but it certainly changed our perspective. Now when those day to day annoyances pop up, we simply reach into our memory and pull out one of those huge number of precious moments from our trip. It helps us to remember what God meant life to be like, and we're very grateful to have been able to experience that, thanks to you and your crew. Love Terry & Shirley "

We hope that our passengers leave as long term friends rather than customers. We'll be glad to provide any references you request I'd really rather you heard it from them, than from us. I'm sure we have had  someone in your area who has traveled with us in the past. Please call or write and we'll be more than happy to provide names and phone numbers. I'd rather you call them and ask their true opinions.

We've also had numerous articles written about our trips in Alaska. In Yachting Magazine, Anima , Chartering, the Sidney Morning herald  and by The Seattle Times syndicated author Jim Molnar who said, "In all the traveling I've done in all the trips I've taken, I don't think any has affected me the way my trip down the 1000 miles of the inside passage did. I felt truly alive in the embrace of nature, felt that I was a part of it - that it wasn't something outside of me, something for me to use, even something for me to protect the way I'd protect a valued possession. It's never been harder, or seemed more wrong to come home." Jim's been with us 3 times and like all the authors paid for his trip with us so they could be unbiased in their writing. I see "simply the best" and "the Best charter in Alaska" written about our competitors. I don't do "fam trips" free to writers or travel agents who promote or do articles and never have. All I can say is they haven't done our trips as there would be no question about who does the best trip in Alaska.

Our wish is that everyone that comes to Alaska has the opportunity to see it up close and personal. We will do everything we can if you travel with us to make sure your Vacation experience will be the trip of a lifetime.

Captain John Swanson

For More Information please contact Us:

All Aboard Yacht Charters

P.O. Box 436

Union, WA. 98592

U.S. Toll Free # : 1-800-767-1024

Phone: 360-898-7300

Fax #: 360-898-7301

For more Information:

Email us at : allaboard@alaskacharters.com

If you would like more information on Alaska's whales: http://www.alaskacharters.com/whales

If you would like more information on Alaska's bears:  http://www.alaskacharters.com/bears

If you would like more information on Fishing in Alaska:   http://www.alaskacharters.com/fishing

Affiliations and memberships:

The www.lnt.org the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics promoting responsible wilderness ethics.

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