Who’s Up for an “Un-Cruise”?

Who’s Up for an “Un-Cruise”?

Smaller lines join forces to unveil a new strategy, luring guests who normally might not cruise at all.

By Chris Gray Faust

While many cruisers delight in megaships with zip lines, elaborate waterslides, and touristy ports, there’s a certain type of traveler who prefers a simpler vacation on the water — one that focuses on outdoor adventure, offbeat stops, and small-ship intimacy. These people want to “Un-Cruise.”

The “Un-Cruise” has become the newest slogan for American Safari Cruises and InnerSea Discoveries, the two small-ship lines operated by cruise industry veterans Dan Blanchard and Tim Jacox. The Seattle-based companies may have different customers — American Safari Cruises have long been known for their all-inclusive, luxury yacht sailings, while InnerSea Discoveries, launched in 2011, concentrates on expedition-style adventure — but what the two have in common is that they draw people who normally might not cruise at all.

“They tend to be an independent type of traveler,” Blanchard noted on a May 2012 shake-down cruise of the Safari Endeavour. Think city dwellers, post-kids, many of whom actively seek out the kayaking, hiking, and stand-up paddleboarding opportunities offered by InnerSea Discoveries. In its inaugural season, the line sold out the Alaska itineraries on the two ships that it ran at the time, the Wilderness Discoverer and the Wilderness Adventurer.

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