A quick tour of Whittier, named after poet John Greenlief Whittier, sees all dynamic sites within a few minutes. The local bards proclaim fishing port: "Nothing Is Prettier Than Whittier." There are three deep-water ports in Alaska: Whittier, Anchorage, and Seward. Most adventure cruisers joined in for bison burgers at one of local restaurants as Spirit of Glacier Bay was outfitted for our arrival.

There are eight adventure cruise ships in CruiseWest fleet, with Spirit of Glacier Bay smallest. Built in 1971, it cruises Prince William Sound in summer, moving to Columbia River for seven weeks of Fall river cruising, including a jetboat ride up Snake River, before dry-docked for winter. (Read The Jetsetters Magazine feature on that adventure entitled: "Cruising Historic River Roads.")

I got a great bunk on main starboard deck, close to lounge and small restaurant at stern. Our bags had arrived by earlier motorcoach transport. If you take this cruise, get berths 201, 202, 203 or 204. Some people paid more for below water and third deck (300 series) cabins that were not as convenient. The third deck cabin windows do not look over water directly, and gangway makes traffic by those cabins at all hours unnerving. The below deck cabins get engine noise complaints. My cabin, 202, allowed me to watch scenery glide by while in bed.

Cabins are equipped with spartan amenities, toiletries, shower (pull water spigot out of wash basin and snag it on a hook), and a loo. The bunks are narrow. There is an in-cabin intercom system with wildlife alerts at all hours. When in your cabin before dinner is served or special events on board switch intercom to 'B' for wildlife reports and 'A' for piped in music. This was a nice nature feature. I never missed sightings of whales, sea otters, or harbor seal colonies.

After mandatory life jacket use and safety lesson by Tahitian Captain Patrick Marere and then crew introductions, there is a free champagne and cheese and wine party before dinner. There is no open bar on boat, with an Alaska beer going for about US$4.50, so US$1.50 for a root beer looked pretty good. The 5:30 p.m. daily happy hour offers free coffee, tea, and hot chocolate and snacks.

To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link: http://jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/cruise02/akfjords/akfjords.html

Kriss Hammond, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com

On technical side, QM2 powerplant includes two gas turbines and four diesel engines. More than two-thirds of this energy will be used to power a state-of-the-art Mermaid Pod Propulsion System, comprised of two fixed and two azimuthing pod units. The first four-pod installation to date, powerful new system provides a speed of nearly 30 knots with low noise and vibration levels and maximum maneuverability.

World Class Itineraries

Four Inaugural Voyages & A Tandem QE2 Sail

The itineraries for QM2 will include traditional six-day transatlantic crossing, Caribbean voyages from New York, Rio de Janeiro sailings at Carnival time, as well as Europe and Americas.

It is only fitting that maiden voyage of QM2 be a transatlantic crossing, for which she was designed. Inaugural festivities to be held in Southampton, her U.K. homeport, promise to be fit for a Queen complete with pomp and circumstance befitting launch of first new ocean liner in more than 30 years. On January 12, 2004, Cunard's new flagship will set out for North America calling at Madeira, Tenerife, and Las Palmas in Canary Islands, Barbados, and St. Thomas USVI, en route to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for her inaugural voyage from U.S.

QM2 will use both Fort Lauderdale and New York as her U.S. bases for a series of warm-weather sailings to some of most desirable islands in Caribbean. Due to her capability of cruising at a speed of nearly 30 knots, QM2 is able to sail a deep Caribbean route out of New York, unlike most other ships. Itineraries from eight to 14 days - offered in March, November and December - will visit San Juan, St. Kitts, Martinique, Barbados, St. Lucia, Dominica, Aruba, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten.

Come February, travelers on two voyages will have opportunity to celebrate Carnival in Rio with QM2 as their five-star floating hotel. The southbound cruise leaves Fort Lauderdale February 11, calling at St. Thomas and Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, before arriving in Rio for an overnight aboard ship. Northbound guests overnight on board February 23 before sailing to Fort Lauderdale via Barbados, Martinique, St. Maarten and St. Thomas.

Commemorative Crossings - New York & Southampton

To read this entire feature FREE with photos cut and paste this link: http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/cruise02/mary2/mary2.html

Kriss Hammond, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com