An Alaskan Photo Expedition: Discovering Wildlife & Glaciers 

Embark on an unforgettable 8-day Alaskan adventure aboard your private yacht. Explore the stunning inside passage, discover abundant wildlife in protected waters, and witness the majestic beauty of glaciers, all while enjoying the company of eight to 10 of your closest friends and family. Our all-inclusive cruises are fully customizable, allowing you to check off every highlight on your Alaskan cruise bucket list. 

Award-winning photographer Rick Sammon 

Join Rick on this 8-day cruise focusing on capturing eagles, birds, whales, and wildlife.  A tireless, prolific, and inspirational image-maker, Rick, called by some “The Godfather of Photography,” is one of the most active photographers on the planet. Rick is working on a personal project but will be on hand to help with your photography (camera settings, composition, exposure, etc.) and processing (with Photoshop and Lightroom) in our lounge after the sun goes down. This trip is not a photo workshop.
  

Your Cruise. Your Way. 

Discover the untamed beauty of the Inside Passage on your terms. Our flexible itineraries let you choose your bucket list highlights and explore destinations that ignite your imagination. Experience the wonders of Alaska with the freedom and flexibility only a private yacht cruise can offer. We collaborate with all eight passengers to ensure everyone experiences their Alaskan dreams. Go home with memories beyond your wildest expectations and newfound friendships.

Wildlife Encounters Guaranteed

With a more extended 8-day cruise, we have the time to search for whales, bears, mountain goats, bald eagles, porpoises, sea lions, birds, and so much more! Our comfortable zodiacs and kayaks allow you to get up close and personal with nature.

Go Where Most People Don't. 

While most people sit on their balcony on an Alaskan cruise, you'll have the adventure to explore the fjords and remote islands and take in the wildlife only accessible by boat.

Delicious Alaskan Cuisine 

Enjoy the freshest Alaskan seafood prepared by our chef. Hear captivating stories from your local captain and fisherman about the journey from ocean to plate. You might even catch a Dungeness crab or shrimp for dinner! Come hungry.

No Extra Day Excursion Fees

Most cruises require you to pay for your day excursion separately, but it's all included with us! This means less planning, fewer crowds, and a fun and more intimate experience for you.

Exhilarating, Stable & Fun

Our 85-foot expedition yacht is built for Alaskan waters and has stabilizers for a comfortable, smooth ride. If the weather is rough in one area, we jump to another bay or inlet to have fun and experience those hidden gems. We don't want you to be seasick, so our cruises differ slightly depending on the wildlife and weather. And did we mention that we are a darn FUN group to adventure with?

Fun, Local Captain & Crew 

Beyond the breathtaking scenery, your experienced local captain will share stories, local history, geological features, and his life as a commercial fisherman and adventure seeker!

Glacial Fjords, Giant Icebergs & Old Growth

Experience giant icebergs up to the size of a three-story building, calving glaciers before they are gone, and cruise the pristine wilderness of Tongass National Forest, a 17-million-acre expanse—the largest rainforest in the USA.

Alaskan Fishing. Catch Your Own Feast

Our experienced local captain, a seasoned fisherman himself, will share his expertise and passion for Alaskan waters. He will guide you on unforgettable wildlife encounters and assist with salmon fishing, shrimping, and crabbing. He'll also share stories of his life on the water, adding a personal touch to your Alaskan adventure.

Fun, Local Captain & Crew 

Beyond the breathtaking scenery, your experienced local captain will share stories, local history, geological features, and his life as a commercial fisherman and adventure seeker!

Please remember the animals are always on the move, and whales have tails, so you never know what will be around the next bend. That is the fun of an Alaskan adventure. 

Experience Alaska Like Never Before: Step aboard our 85-foot expedition yacht, designed for comfort and adventure. Our steel-hulled vessel, equipped with NIAD stabilizers, glides effortlessly through Alaskan waters, bringing you closer to glaciers and into remote areas inaccessible to other charters. 

With 50 years of expertise and extensive US Forest Service permits granting access to even more remote and untouched areas, we craft handcrafted itineraries showcasing Alaska's most breathtaking sights. Savor the freshest Alaskan seafood, capture stunning photos of wildlife and landscapes, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Whether you're joining a private cabin cruise or chartering the entire yacht, we work closely with all our guests to create personalized Alaskan adventures. For cabin cruises, we collaborate with each passenger to ensure their interests are included. On custom charters, we work with the group to design a bespoke itinerary for custom charters that fulfills everyone's Alaskan dreams.

The M/V Northern Song is an 85’ x 26’ x 10’ steel world cruiser with a capacity for 8-10 guests in four staterooms. There is a Master Suite with a queen-sized bed on the main deck that includes one queen-sized bed, an ensuite bathroom with a separate bathtub stall and shower. There is the ability to add an extra cot in this stateroom.  There are three guest cabins on the lower deck with a full-size bed and a single upper bed, and an ensuite bathroom with a separate shower stall.   

You will be picked up at your accommodation at 1:45 pm for a 2:00 pm departure. The boat will return to Sitka at 2: 00 pm, from where you will be delivered to your lodging.   

 Please send us a friendly email to let us know you are canceling. If we receive a cancellation notice 150 or more days before the departure date, your deposit will be refunded less a 10% cancellation fee of the total fare cost and any commissions. You may also transfer your reservation to another available date if you choose.    

Travelers will not receive a refund if cancellations are made 149 days or less before departure. Therefore we recommend getting travel insurance to protect your fare in case any unanticipated circumstances require you to cancel your trip.  

This cruise departs and returns to Sitka, Alaska, where we explore the waters of Sitka Sound. Here you can see the milky-colored waters with herring spawn. The eagles, whales, and wildlife are fattening up on herring. The eagles and commercial fishermen wait patiently for the herring to spawn so they can start seining for the herring.  

We will explore the waters of Sitka Sound, experiencing the humpback whales. The whales have made their long journey from Hawaii, where they have spent the winter mating and calving. 

This is an excellent time of the year to potentially experience breaching or bubble-net feeding as the whales are fattening up on the abundance of herring. 

From the pristine Alaskan waters to your plate, our all-inclusive chef will craft a menu featuring the freshest seasonal seafood – halibut, black cod, salmon, crab, shrimp, and more – tailored to your tastes. Enjoy this "from sea to table" experience with your local captain and discover the importance of sustainable fishing. We happily accommodate all dietary preferences. Unless otherwise requested, a delicious seafood dish is featured at one meal daily. 

The rocky shorelines, saltwater marshes, bogs, and woodlands of Southeast Alaska comprise a birder’s paradise.  The diversity of habitats ensures a wide variety of birds can be seen nearby, including large numbers of waterfowl and shorebirds.  Bald eagles are common in the Southeast; their numbers are measured in the thousands. During these Spring trips, you can potentially see the Long-Tailed Duck and the golden eye harlequin ducks. You can not see these again until our December trips.

Birds that are commonly seen.

• American Dipper
• Bald Eagle
• Belted Kingfisher
• Chestnut-Backed Chickadee
• Cormorant
• Black Oystercatcher
• Black Turnstone
• Bonaparte’s Gull
• Common Loon
• Common Merganser
• Common Murre
• Fork-Tailed Storm Petrel
• Fox Sparrow
• Greater Yellowlegs
• Harlequin Duck
• Jaeger
• Long-Tailed Duck
• Marbled Murrelet
• Pigeon Guillemot
• Raven
• Red-Necked Phalarope
• Rufous Hummingbird
• Surfbird
• Surf Scoter
• White-Winged Scoter
• Winter Wren The

You will cruise the Sitka Sound exploring the wildlife. There you may see Steller sea lions, otters, seals, and multiple other bird species.  We can not predict the wildlife and what we will see, but that is part of the adventure! 

 Bring your swimsuit and experience an Alaskan hot spring!

Commercial fishermen gather in Sitka from all over Alaska to harvest herring for their valuable eggs. The eggs are sent to Japan and repacked in small cedar boxes for Christmas gifts.  

Have a glass of wine, play a game, read all the beautiful Alaskan books aboard the boat, edit your incredible photos, or just daydream!  

 The Alaska Raptor Center provides medical treatment to around 200 injured birds each year.  Although they specialize in raptors, they will aid any wild bird in need.  They try to rehabilitate and release all avian patients, however, some are injured too severely to fully recover and survive in the wild.  These non-releasable birds may join their Raptors-in-Residence team, helping teach the public and school children about the wonders of Raptor's natural history and the habitats in which they live!
Raptors-in-Residence, include bald and golden eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls and you will learn about their habitats and how they came to be permanent residents at the Center.

Sitka, Alaska, is located on Baranof Island, part of the Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska. Nestled amidst stunning scenery, it offers a blend of Russian and Tlingit cultures. Travelers will depart from Petersburg via Alaska Airlines or the Alaskan Marine Highway Ferry.