UnCruise Adventures

Ann P. - Evansville, IN

"A Blissful Contrast to the Touristy Experience"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

5 /5

Meals

5 /5

This was an ideal trip -- so many fun activities in a beautiful variety of Hawaiian locations, and yet without crowds and hustle-bustle. We loved the snorkeling and whale watching most. Both gave us a sense of awe at nature's variety and beauty, and the small groups with expert guides provided a rare atmosphere of intimacy. Everyone in our group of 25 was good-natured and enthusiastic. The night snorkel with manta rays was a disappointment because only one ray appeared that evening, but there were dozens of unruly tourists.

This trip was a blissful contrast to the "touristy" experience one often finds elsewhere in Hawaii. We've always wanted to see Hawaii but didn't want resorts or large cruise ships. This trip was very active, yet relaxed and intimate -- perfect for us.

Accommodations Review

The ship was comfortable and welcoming. Our cabin, while not large, had plenty of storage and was well appointed.

Meals Review

We thought the food was superb. Both the chef and pastry chef offered a wonderful variety of delights at every meal, and we were always given choices. The service was always capable and gracious

Crew & Guides Review

Our leaders (Jill Q. and Jill B) couldn't have been better. They were highly knowledgeable, obviously loved nature and Hawaii, always positive and helpful -- they had that elusive balance of energy and even temper. They went out of their way to give us a beautiful experience!

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

The information provided and Aaron's helpfulness were great.

Traveler Advice

Try to plan some time in Hawaii before and after the cruise. The "before" allowed us to explore another part of the islands -- and gave the airline time to get our luggage to us two days late! The "after" gives a chance to transition from the relaxation of the cruise to the hassle of the flight home.

Robin D. - Altoona, IA

"This Trip is Beyond Words!"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

5 /5

Meals

5 /5

This trip is beyond words! Our experience was amazing! My 21 year old and my 18 year old had the time of their lives and didn't even care that they didn't have phone or wifi access the whole week. Everyone on the ship was so nice and helpful - we made new friends and will remember this trip for years to come! Met a lot of new friends! Everyone was so friendly - no drama. My kids met new kids their age. Best trip!! We have all thought about a large cruise ship - but no longer! My mother and I will for sure do another one and my kids have talked about in the future going on another UnCruise trip with their significant others. No large ship cruises for us!! What a wonderful experience!!

Accommodations Review

The beds were surprisingly comfortable!! Loved having the window cracked and having the fresh air at night. Very clean cabins and we were really only in our rooms at night to sleep :)

Crew & Guides Review

Again - beyond excellent!! Sarah (with an "h") was the BEST!! She was so friendly and fun! My kids and I really enjoyed her. She did a great job planning the activities and offered a good variety of options. She was also so enthusiastic about everything and she was really easy to approach and talk to. She was a blast when she was our guide. She and Julie were quite the combo!!!

Julie - she was my daughters favorite!! She was a great guide and so much fun!! She always made sure Syd was at the front of the boat to get the best pictures!! She knows her stuff and when asked questions - she had an answer for everything!

Ted - I went kayaking with him the first day. He was awesome!! Very helpful and knowledgeable too. He was fun and very easy to approach and ask questions. He did a presentation on loons - and taught us how to call birds. We are still trying to master that! My daughter is the best one out of all of us.

Gray - he was my son's favorite. I had him for the fish hatchery. When I saw the bear - he came right to the front and "read" the bear and allowed us to take pictures and have that experience. Very respectful to the wildlife - I wanted to just stay there and watch the bear and baby - but he had us continue on after a few minutes to leave the bear be.

Andy and Adelia - they drove the skiffs for us a few times. Very nice and fun! We saw orcas with Andy and she got us safely (very fast) lol - to the orcas in time to see carnage with the sea lions. That was a great experience (sad) but awesome.

Dakota - he was our waiter. HE WAS THE BEST!! After one day - he knew our drinks for every meal. He had drinks in place in the morning and then different drinks for lunch and dinner. We and our tablemates adored him. He was a highlight of our day. He asked us about our adventures at night - that was appreciated.

Matt the bartender ...... what a guy!! Any drink we wanted he would make.. My son is 21 - not a drinker but wanted to try some things. Matt was up for it. Now that I am home and I am not sure I can have a margarita - Matt made the best margaritas!!! He made drinks of the day - and was more than happy to tell how he made it. At the end of the trip he wanted to make me a new margarita. He made a jalepeno, orange cinnamon one. It took a while to make it and it was well worth the wait. I am sure I am missing someone - but EVERYONE was great!!!

Transportation Review

It was a smooth transition on and off the boat and with our luggage. No complaints!

Itinerary Review

I think every place we went had it's own unique experience. My son LOVED the bush whacking tours!!!! He loved seeing things that even people on the ship (me) didn't see. They found blueberries every time and stopped and ate them. He raved about how good they were. He also was able to eat salmon berries which he loved also. He would have done that every day for both excursions! My daughter loved the skiff rides because she wants to be a photographer and what a great place to get good pictures!! She was in heaven and 14,000 picture or more later - she found her happy place.

I liked everything I did - going to the fish hatchery I think was my favorite though because that is where we saw a mamma grizzly and her baby!! They were right there and didn't seem to mind us a bit! I think my mom enjoyed the skiff rides and the one day it was open kayak - my son took her out on one for about an hour and she loved that. She has never done that before so she enjoyed that. My kids also loved the polar plunge. What a way to end the trip - and they can say they jumped in glacial waters!!! Everything was so beautiful and wonderful!

There was nothing we didn't enjoy - and I am saying that honestly! I think the only thing is one morning we anchored in a really rocky (back and forth) spot and my mom got sea sick and missed out on the days activities. After the morning excursions - they did move the boat to a calmer area - and Matt the bartender made my mom a drink that settled her stomach so she was able to join us for dinner and the evening activities.

Meals Review

Beyond excellent!! I packed snacks for the kids for in between meals - mistake!! I brought them all back home. There was way more than enough food! The food was excellent! The choices were great with a great variety. My son is soooo picky and he tried new foods and found out that he actually liked them. Breakfast was always exciting because we got to hear what we were having for lunch and dinner! No one can say they went hungry or didn't have anything they wanted. If we didn't like any of the options - they offered other items also - but we all tried something that was offered. I found out my self that I like scallops and my son decided he liked crab with the all you can eat crab night! Amazing!! The desserts were to die for also!!

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Very good!! The packing list was spot on - our fault we didn't listen to all if it - most of it - but a few things we didn't think we would need - but we did need. That was our own fault!!

Traveler Advice

Listen to the packing instructions :) A strap for your phone and a camera and a sense of adventure!!!

Pamela G. - Toronto, ON

"A Well Tuned Adventure"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

5 /5

Meals

5 /5

This is a well tuned adventure. The staff are very experienced with the itinerary, the excursions and activities, the ship, and seemed to really enjoy working with each other. The itinerary is busy if you participate in everything, but allows opting-out choices for people who want to relax. The route is a slow pace, and flexible to allow for sudden changes in weather or whale sightings. The weather was perfect, and we got up close and personal with whales, dolphins, green sea turtles and many fish while snorkeling. We also got insights into life in the less visited islands of Lana'i and Moloka'i.

Accommodations Review

The rooms are pleasant, simple and functional. There was plenty of hot and fresh water. The beds are very comfortable.

Meals Review

The food was excellent - local, varied, and very flexible. The pastry chef was even more amazing. For this particular chef, he seemed to love garlic and salt. I would recommend easing up on both.

Crew & Guides Review

The trip leaders were all excellent. Friendly, accommodating, helpful, fun. No request was ever too much, unless it was unsafe.

Traveler Advice

It's a fabulous adventure.

Frances C. - Cottonwood Heights, UT

"FANTASTIC"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

5 /5

Meals

5 /5

UnCruise did a FANTASTIC job! I loved the trip. And AdventureSmith did a great job setting us up on the right cruise for our family...It was amazing! So beautiful. So active. So much wildlife. The food was delicious. And I loved NOT having cell service or wifi for the entire week. It was so nice to disconnect.

Accommodations Review

The accommodations were perfectly adequate. Not supper fancy, but very much clean and comfortable.

Meals Review

I loved the food! It was perfect how it was family style meals, and I only had 3 choices every meal. I didn't have to make any decisions, do any cooking, or any dishes. The staff were supper accommodating to all of our dietary needs (we had 13 in our group.) I loved all of the fresh seafood. Crab Night was so fun and delicious. And the deserts were so yummy. Portions were not too big and I never went hungry. One small change would be for the gluten-free deserts, please less chocolate and more varieties. The gluten-free raspberry tart thing was my favorite.

Itinerary Review

With 13 people ages 1.5-80, being on a ship with a full staff to make all meal decisions and preparations and do the dishes and accommodate all dietary needs was important to us. Not having to change hotel rooms was also important to us. AdventureSmith set us up on a small ship that was designed for kids with no age restrictions and was very active. And it was perfect for us.

Crew & Guides Review

The entire staff at UnCruise were amazing! They did a fabulous job accommodating all of our needs. I loved that the staff to guest ratio was 3:1. They were all very knowledgeable and friendly and encouraging.

Fellow Passengers Review

It was really nice that the ship only accommodated 86 guests. We really got to know the other guests. Everyone was really nice. Granted we were all having a fabulous time on vacation in Alaska.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Finding an active family trip for all ages to agree on can be hard...there are so many to choose from. AdventureSmith set us up right. We all had a fantastic time. All smiles. No complaints.

Traveler Advice

Go with an open mind and get ready to disconnect and have fun. Be up for anything. Try new things. You wont be disappointed.

Julie M. - Bowie, MD

"We Loved Every Minute of it!"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

5 /5

Meals

5 /5

This was one of the best trips I have ever taken! We loved every minute of it! The UnCruise crew was amazing, very helpful, knowledgeable and made everything fun. The way the days are organized is perfect because you can choose exactly what you want to do and they find a way to accommodate. I thought I would be lucky to kayak one or two times and instead we kayaked every day except one because we choose to do something else! The food was outstanding and we met so many nice people on the ship as we shared meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was so special to be on a small boat that could go into the most beautiful coves and inlets/canyons and glaciers. It was so quiet and peaceful with so much wide open space and fresh air that we had all to ourselves. We saw all types of wildlife and birds including many bald eagles.

Accommodations Review

The room was small but very nice and functional in terms of way everything was laid out. The bed was surprisingly comfortable and everything on the ship was kept very clean.

Meals Review

Everything was really good, with some special meals for dinner such as dungeness crabs one night. They had cookies in the afternoon and happy hour treats every day.

Itinerary Review

There were SO many highlights! I loved going to South Marble Island with sea lions everywhere. We were also on a skiff and watched bears fish in a beautiful waterfall (a mama bear and 2 cubs). And, probably the best part was getting so close to the tidewater glaciers. We were less than 400 yards from Dawes Glacier when a huge section calved off right in front of us! The plume went up over 200 feet, it was a dream come true.

Crew & Guides Review

All of the leaders were outstanding! They were all so energetic and seemed as excited as we were about each new experience. The main activity coordinator was Terra and she was excellent --- we were on two bushwhacking trips with her and were amazed with her knowledge of the forest. Other fantastic guides were Josh, Raven, and McKenzie.

Fellow Passengers Review

Met so many nice people including 2 couples from Switzerland and 1 couple from England. It was fun during the meals because you had a chance to eat with different people and it allowed us to meet almost everyone on the cruise.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

I received clear communications and had all of the information needed prior to the trip. Thank YOU for a great trip!

Eve D. - Battle Crek, MI

"Spectacular"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

4 /5

Meals

5 /5

This trip exceeded our expectations (and that isn't an easy thing). It fit our style and interest. Just the right mix of activity and fun. The scenery in SE Alaska was spectacular and the weather (mostly) cooperated. The ship and crew were exceptional. The guides were knowledgeable and really seemed to enjoy their jobs. So glad that we chose a small ship and especially Uncruise. We liked it so much that we signed up for a future cruise with them. I can't recommend them enough.

Accommodations Review

Cabin was small, but met all our needs. We spent very little time in the room anyway.

Meals Review

The meal choices were varied and always found something that we liked - even if was the optional salad with the fish of the day. Presentation was as amazing as was the taste. The bartender would mix fun drinks of the day, one day it was called a mudslide (after a muddy hike!).

Itinerary Review

The views, wildlife and activities were terrific. There were a few days in quiet bays that were not as exciting as the other days. Enjoyed the kayaking on these days. We saw a large pod of orcas, sea otters, humpback whales, bears, jelly fish, sea lions, eagles, jumping salmon and more. Got to go on a hike on the glacier with incredible views.

Crew & Guides Review

The guides were absolutely incredible. I can't imaging the hiring process to find such knowledgeable and upbeat, fun, happy people. You can't teach the service attitude that they demonstrated. Very impressed with the guides.

Fellow Passengers Review

We found ourselves with a lot of people like us - mostly young retirees just wanting to be active and have fun. Everyone was very easy to get along with.

Traveler Advice

This is not the trip for you if you want casinos, a fancy cabin or entertainment. If you want an active, casual trip with excellent food and service, go with Uncruise.

Kaye L. - Olympia, WA

"Great Snorkeling, Great Food, Great Crew"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

5 /5

Meals

5 /5

Great snorkeling, great food, wonderful beverages, great whale watching, great crew.

Accommodations Review

I thought our cabin was in the perfect location. We had a gorgeous view and no one could walk past our window. We were also close to the lounge and dining room.

Meals Review

Snacks at 4 pm instead of 5 pm or 6 pm would have been nice.

Crew & Guides Review

Jeremy did a terrific job of organizing our activities. Getting small groups into snorkeling, or kayaking, or hiking, or scenic boating was amazing! We felt very safe snorkeling.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

Your packing list was fine but the boat provided binoculars and water bottles so we didn't need to pack them. [Our Adventure Specialist] was very helpful in choosing a cabin.

Kathleen K. Great Falls, MT

"One of the Best Vacations Ever Taken"

Overall

5 /5

Accommodations

5 /5

Meals

5 /5

This trip was one of the best vacations I have ever taken. The scenery, the accommodations, the activities, the staff on the ship all combined for a winner of a week. I have wanted to go to the Baja for years, but didn't think I could ever afford to do it in the way that Uncruise did it. Now I'm finally at a point in my life where I can afford it, but also this particular trip was a good value for all that we received. We met two couples on this trip that we plan to see again. What a great bonus!

Accommodations Review

Our cozy cabin on the ship was all that we needed. The fact that the cabins were cleaned/attended to daily made the small space do-able.

Meals Review

The meals blew me away. Not only were the meals healthful and thoughtfully planned, but special requests were honored with a smile. I enjoyed always having options, and everything I tried was delicious. I feel that the selection of beers and wines could stand to be looked at again. Some were good, and some just didn't add much to the dining experience.

Crew & Guides Review

All of the guides had a great level of enthusiasm, and were ready to help in any way that they could. Lindsey from Montana was exceptionally helpful and caring. Liz gave an excellent massage. Esa brought smoothies after our yoga class one morning. Jeremy had great knowledge to share on our desert hikes.

Itinerary Review

I was really there for the snorkeling, which was great, but I literally had tears streaming down my face when we encountered a blue whale one evening. I had not expected to be lucky enough to see one, and the sound of the whale exhaling as it surfaced in front of our boat is something I will remember for the rest of my life. I enjoyed the experience of being in the midst of an explosion of life. Combined with the remoteness, this was a good combination for me. There were no places that I did not enjoy. On the last night of the trip, we were treated to a slide show of the week's activities, put together by the staff.

Transportation Review

We made airport transfers on our own, so I cannot comment on that part, but all transport during the trip was great. The suggestion to stay at El Encanto the day before we met the group was a good one.

AdventureSmith Explorations Review

The intro materials about the Baja could stand to be bulked up a little.

Traveler Advice

Be prepared for the trip of a lifetime!

Roberto C. - Stratford, CT

"Recommend To Active Travelers Looking For Lots Of Off-Boat Activities"

Overall

4.5 /5

Accommodations

4.5 /5

Meals

5 /5

Great company. Food exceeded expectations. Only would recommend to active travelers looking for lots of off-boat activities. Excellent crew, great attitudes and always accommodating. Everyone was friendly.

Accommodations Review

Our room was 1 of only 2 on the boat that included an outdoor "patio" area. This was a huge plus and would have been a much less enjoyable experience w/o it. Other rooms had no space other than the common areas.

Meals Review

Lots of food at every meal and off-menu options were always available.

Itinerary Review

Every place was excellent. We liked that the itinerary was flexible and changed every day based on where was the best place to go. Saw lots of wildlife. Some of the Kayak tours were too aggressive. This feedback was given to the cruise director.

Traveler Advice

Plan for lots of physical activity on this particular cruise.

UnCruise Adventures