2026 Sample Itinerary

Saturday, June 17: I arrive in quiet and completely quaint Sitka, a remote fishing community located on Baranof Island. After taking a walk slowly enough to imbibe the colorful tones of dwellings and natural landscape, I check into the Westmark Sitka Hotel. Shortly after, my feet were craving to get back out to the town to leisurely pace my way through the sweet streets and shops, then return to the Westmark to rest. (The hotel stay is included in the cruise).

Sunday, June 18: Today, we stepped aboard the magnificent M/V Mist Cove and left the intricacy of small town Sitka. We embarked towards vast expanses of open waters and what must have been millions of trees. I meandered through the charming corridors of our ship and noticed its classic refinements. At night, I was able to share moments of conversation with all of my 20 fellow explorers, and was delighted to meet a wonderful couple from my hometown in Palm Beach, Florida. We laughed over an elegant citrus pork tenderloin complimented with vibrant vegetables. Then the Mist Cove and all her companions found the night’s respite set in a silent cove we had to ourselves.

Monday, June 19: I woke up to a white canvas: white boat… white mist permeating each inch of the cove our boat had to ourselves overnight… white light streaking as the sun began to burn through. I hopped into a kayak early morning and watched the sky turn completely blue and clear slowly but surely before my eyes. After a warming, healthy breakfast began the selected activities for the day: hikes in a meadow, stream fishing, onboard respite and others were chosen by different groups of the passengers. I am surprised at how long the days are lasting—usually on vacation I’m acutely aware of how little time I have left—but thus must be summer light in the higher latitudes and thank goodness for it.

Tuesday, June 20: The respite is really setting in now. I wake up with a sense of peace I didn’t know I was missing. Quiche and coffee aromas called us all to breakfast and prepared us for the day ahead. I’ve never fly-fished before, but I wanted to go with the group so I could walk through water and photograph a short but wide waterfall unlike any photograph I’ve ever seen. I laughed as I watched some of my fellow passengers sit in the water or lay on grass like children, eating their bagged, gourmet lunches. The night ended with that feeling you have when you’ve spent the whole day outside doing what you love, and a new sense of friendship amongst passengers sharing this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Wednesday, June 21: The forest around us was especially beautiful today. After breakfast I found new friends doing a puzzle together and others reading in solitude. We’ve come accustomed to running to the balconies if we hear the engine shut off, as Captain Jim stops at sightings of eagles, bear and whales. I realize how we are really visitors here and that there are no other humans around—until we sight a rare crossing with The Boat Company’s other vessel, M/V Liseron! As the two boats travel in opposite directions each week, on rare occasions, they end up being the only two boats in a cove for short overlap. I must be lucky because my dates match up with owner Hunter McIntosh’s M/V Liseron trip, and he hops on board to tell us about his father founding The Boat Company and more.

Thursday, June 22: Parsley parmesan eggs over roasted asparagus for breakfast, a fresh sesame steak salad for lunch, and a macadamia nut crusted halibut for dinner are all topped by the kitchen letting me in to watch them make creme brulee from scratch. Or perhaps the Sauvignon Blanc brought from one of the passenger’s vineyards. What a wonderfully tough call to make of the highlight of my day. As far as off-board, we had otter, brown bear and eagle sightings today. The evening was capped with a naturalist discussion, with added insight from our fellow passenger, a geology professor. After the experiences we’ve had in the Tongass so far, including learning about The Boat Company’s mission, and the naturalist discussions about the state of our planet’s ecology, it is hard not to feel the impetus to be a part of this cause—although I already am simply by choosing an exploration on this company’s boat.

Friday, June 23:

I’ll make sure to include a photograph because words alone might not do the Dawes Glacier justice. Today, the sun was fighting with the clouds in one of those days you may notice having around Spring or Fall when the seasons are fighting each other to change. As a photographer, I am amazed at our luck to have some moments of overcast, as I know this perfectly neutral light is the best for glacial-viewing. We all hop on skiffs and meander our way through iceberg pieces and close to the master glacier herself. Chef Amber sent us off with freshly baked chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa to keep us warm near the ice. It is so rare in most parts of my home country, at least, to be surrounded by white, grey and turquoise-glowing light. I allow it all to permeate my eyes and then close them, hoping to have made a biological imprint of this place in my body.

Now the little inklings of the trip being over soon are present. I push them away and am relievingly distracted by turquoise water, tinted this color by the glacial silt of the nearby glaciers. We take skiff rides to explore waterfalls, rainbow-colored rocks and other glacial settings. The crew invited us for a tour of their quarters and other mechanical areas of the boat such as the engine room. It was special to tie together all of the experiences we’ve had with the effort behind the company’s pristine engines, living quarters and more.

Saturday, June 24: What a bittersweet feeling. The kitchen team prepared the most wonderful goodbye breakfast. We all had quiet time with each other to say how much we enjoyed each other’s company - whether often or just as passers-by on the ship. As we disembark, the crew waves us off and we may either walk to be transferred to the hotel, or head straight to the airport depending on flights. Some even chose to stay an extra night to take in the sights of Juneau (or Sitka if you started in Juneau).