Every summer, the Kansas-based Mediation Training Institute offers a cruise on Holland America's Rotterdam ship; beginning in 2010, the Institute is scheduling Alaska Inside Passage cruises from Seattle. Attendees can receive their certification in workplace conflict mediation as either a mediator or a trainer. Travel begins in Seattle; at the first stop, in Juneau, there are meetings with local mediators. Workshops and conferences continue throughout the seven-day cruise, and there is some pre-work and pre-testing required. Guests have access to all the usual big cruise amenities, including food and entertainment. After Juneau, the ship proceeds to Hubbard Glacier, Sitka, Ketchikan and Victoria, B.C., before heading back to Seattle. As of 2010, all-inclusive rates begin at $1,375 per person for an inside cabin.
Mediation Training Institute International
5700 West 79th Street
Prairie Village, KS 66208-4604
888-222-3271
mediationworks.com
Cruise West is a fleet of small ships with crews that include educators, naturalists, biologists, anthropologists and wilderness guides. You will be traveling with a small group of about 100 guests who are interested in learning and exploration; there are even single cabins available. Instead of traveling through the usual shipping lanes, Cruise West detours into narrow channels in search of wildlife and spectacular scenery. There are lots of guided ancillary trips available, from kayak to helicopter. Cruises from Seattle to Juneau are regularly scheduled, and as of 2010, prices begin at $3,799 for 11 days and 10 nights.
Cruise West
2301 5th Avenue #401
Seattle, WA 98121
206-441-8687
www.cruisewest.com
One of the smallest ships to leave from Seattle bound for Alaska, the 62-passenger Sea Bird is not fancy. There is no entertainment, no bar (you can bring your own alcohol), and the food is plain but hearty. What makes it special is the natural history experts that serve as guides, shipmates, deckhands and wildlife spotters. On board such an expedition ship, you are guaranteed to spot sea lions basking on the rocks or large schools of killer and humpback whales, with your on-board expert filling you in on the significance of the mammals' tail-slapping and other behaviors. You sail through the Inside Passage, with stops at the Misty Fjords and Sitka, and Zodiac boat landings on tiny Alaskan islands. The cruise ends in Juneau, where you catch a plane home. As of 2010, passage rates beg-n at $7,690 for a 12-day cruise.
Expedition Trips
6553 California Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98136
206-547-0700
expeditiontrips.com
