BOUTIQUE CRUISING
Immediately cancelling his duties as Poker-master, he changed course to follow the pod off our starboard bow. Keeping a safe distance from these majestic animals – to comply with international law – our Captain cut the engines and we watched as the pod of some 10 orcas moved hither and thither with purpose, rising and diving repeatedly. More whale signs were spotted half an hour later and we changed course again, this time nosing into a small bay where at least six humpbacks were gathering. Before long, there were eight of these huge mammals circling and diving in tight quarters, and then it started, the Holy Grail of whale-watchers – bubble-net feeding! Amid a huge ring of bubbles, the
humpbacks suddenly erupted from the water in the middle of an extensive ‘ball’ of herring, great mouths agape in an
Autumn 2013 I WORLD OF CRUISING 35
UN-CRUISE BASICS There is no formality aboard an Un- Cruise ship, with no dressing up for lunch or dinner, and your daytime clothes for hiking or touring are perfectly acceptable at all times. The open-bridge policy allows access to the ship’s wheelhouse for most of the voyage and the captain and crew are all part of the social scene (indeed, the Legacy’s Captain Dano Quinn regaled passengers with his own Robert Service-like readings and poetry). Cocktail hour precedes dinner each evening and is another social occasion, while meals are all open seating at a set time each day. Binoculars are provided in all cabins (although you may want to bring an extra pair per couple as the views are often mesmerising and constant), along with water bottles. Lunch is usually a choice of a sandwich, salad or pasta, with the four-course dinner offering either fish, meat or an excellent vegetarian dish for the main course. Allergies, vegan and gluten-free diets can all be catered for. Passengers tend to be 60-plus on Heritage and Luxury voyages, younger on the Active adventures. The majority come from the US but many are Australians and New Zealanders, with a handful from Europe. Gratuities are extra and can add quite a bit to your final bill, with the advised rate being 5-10 per cent of the cruise cost per person, which can be as much as $1,000 on a 12-night voyage.
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