Benefits of small cruises for travellers who avoid large cruise ships

By Simon & Susan Veness

NZ Herald·

1 Apr, 2025 04:00 AM6 mins to read

UnCruise’s Wilderness Legacy carries just 86 passengers, compared to 4,000 on mega-ships. Photo / Simon & Susan Veness

Cruise ships are getting bigger and bigger all the time, but there is one cruise company that believes smaller is always better, write Simon and Susan Veness

Icy Strait was living up to its reputation. This stretch of Alaska’s famed Inside Passage typically draws the biggest concentration of humpback whales in the Pacific Northwest in summer, and the spectacle just beginning in front of us was the ultimate proof.

First, there were two, then four and, finally, eight of these leviathans all gathering in a roiling mass of cetacean energy barely 100 metres off the bow of our ship, the Wilderness Legacy. The ship’s captain had spotted the tell-tale spouts as we cruised along Chichagof Island and slowly brought us alongside one of the many serene bays on this rugged coast. Ever so gently, we came to a halt to witness the Holy Grail of whale-watching – bubble-net feeding.

In a choreographed synchronisation of herculean effort, the humpbacks swirled around their prey in ever-decreasing spirals, blowing bubbles to herd the hapless shoal into an ever-tighter ball of massed confusion. Again and again, the gaping maws broke the surface to gulp down this fishy feast, providing a grandstand view of an astonishing occurrence.

Three hours passed, and the epic spectacle maintained its grip over our breathless band of riveted viewers, with even the crew taking it in turns to marvel at this up-close nature fest.

Bubble-net feeding, a rare and complex hunting technique used by humpback whales, was witnessed up close on this cruise. Photo / Simon & Susan Veness

Happily, it was all made possible by our unique travel, a cruise ship that isn’t, actually, a cruise ship by modern standards. The distinctive Wilderness Legacy belongs to small-ship specialist UnCruise Adventures, and it provides the anti-cruise experience alongside the vast vessels now crowding the main shipping lanes of Alaska.

In contrast to the 4000-plus passengers aboard the mega-ships, the diminutive Legacy carries a scant 86 souls, and yet is still the most capacious of UnCruise’s nine boutique bateaux, each one an individual explorer able to investigate the enticing shorelines of Alaska, Mexico, Hawaii, Costa Rica and the Galapagos.

Unlike large cruise ships, Wilderness Legacy can freely adjust its route to follow wildlife sightings. Photo / Simon & Susan Veness

We had opted for the Legacy for her true one-off nature, a replica 1890s steamer designed for coastal voyaging and therefore ideal for America’s Last Frontier and 49th state. While the hordes descended on Juneau, Sitka, Skagway and Ketchikan, our happy gaggle of un-cruisers delighted in the backwaters of Pavlof Harbor, Hobart Bay, Red Bluff Bay and LeConte Glacier, mere pinpricks on this awesome territory, but more realistic representations of Alaska’s immense nature.

And, while those on the maritime monoliths stood in long queues to reboard after packing the identikit gift shops of the handful of ports able to accommodate their bulk, we wandered ashore at our leisure and returned enriched by sightings of brown bears, sea otters and bald eagles. The Legacy also had free rein to follow the possibility of something special – like the humpbacks – while its bigger brethren were tied to rigid port-to-port schedules.

Guests can kayak, paddleboard, and hike in some of Alaska’s most untouched landscapes. Photo / Simon & Susan Veness

True, there were no fancy water parks, elaborate stage shows or multiple dining venues, but then, Alaska is not made for gimmickry. This is the place to indulge your thirst for grand vistas, stunning scenery and extravagant wildlife. In addition to the humpbacks, we were treated to pods of orcas, dolphins and porpoises, as well as the occasional harbour seal.

On another day, while anchored in a lesser-visited bay of Chichagof Island, two humpbacks came up close and personal to check out our idiosyncratic sea-going style, drifting along both sides in an awe-inspiring display of nautical nonchalance.

The ship is a replica of a 19th-century steamer, combining vintage charm with modern comforts. Photo / Simon & Susan Veness

If all that sounds just a little, well, passive, there was also the Sea Dragon. No, not another denizen of the deep but a special launch platform on the stern of the ship, from which we could go kayaking and paddle-boarding. The latter seemed a touch risky for two older hands (something about elderly canines and new activities), but we were happy to kayak around Hobart Bay with only a handful of fellow paddlers for company.

And there were hikes. Oh, how we adored the hikes. In both Thomas Bay and Chichagof Island, we took guided walks into the Tongass National Forest and enjoyed the profound silence of America’s largest wooded area, almost seven million hectares of cedar, spruce and hemlock, with 19 designated wilderness areas. It was certainly wild enough for us, especially when we were reminded to be noisy hikers in areas of low visibility, in order to alert any wandering bears of our presence and dissuade them from coming closer.

The Wilderness Legacy carries just 86 passengers—compared to over 4,000 on mega cruise ships. Photo / Simon & Susan Veness

On one occasion, we came across an isolated stream dotted with the bodies of salmon that had not made it back to their spawning ground, a silent testament to the rigorous nature of that fish’s hard-scrabble life cycle.

Back on board, we had the choice of two hot tubs on the Sun Deck, the elegant lounge, a petite wine bar and the dining room. The 43 cabins (and, yes, they were definitely cabins as opposed to the modern idiom of “staterooms”) were more cosy than cosseting but still offered basic creature comforts like mini-fridge, DVD player, hair dryer and the essential item of binoculars.

Our perfectly comfy Trailblazer Cabin on the Upper Deck had the benefit of opening straight onto the wraparound viewing deck and, while the bathroom was definitely a one-person-at-a-time kind of size, it still fulfilled all the basic functions of the 21st century despite the ship’s 19th-century appearance.

And, for all its lack of size, the galley produced the kind of meals that go with the breathtaking sights. Fresh salads were always on the menu, with even fresher seafood (we suspected some clever crew member did some valuable fishing in their time off), while there was always a vegetarian option for lunch or dinner. As it turned out, even the menus were dedicated to the idea of Alaska’s healthy outdoors, with all the fish sourced from local family-operated businesses committed to sustainable and ethical practices.

To accompany each meal, we were offered a seemingly endless supply of Kim Crawford varietals (a nod to regular visitors from Down Under), while the small free bar stocked an impressive range of bourbons and whiskies, the perfect way to sign off each day in this idyllic natural wonderland. If this was un-cruising, you can un-sign us up any day.