OFF THE BEATEN PATH ON A WINDSTAR ALASKA CRUISE
By Rose Palmer

I have taken a lot of cruises all over the world, but when someone asks me where they should take their first cruise, I always say Alaska without any hesitation. Especially if it's on a small ship cruise like Windstar's newest ship, the Star Seeker.

LISTEN TO ROSE PALMER TALK ABOUT HER WINDSTAR ALASKA CRUISE ON BIG BLEND RADIO’S “QUILTRIPPING TRAVEL” PODCAST:

Why is Southeast Alaska unique?

Southeast Alaska is made up of about 5000 offshore islands, with only about 1000 of them named. Only two towns, Haines and Seward, can be reached by road. The rest of the communities are connected by the Alaska Marine Highway, which is why a cruise is the easiest way to visit this part of America's largest state.

With an area about the size of Indiana, southeast Alaska stretches about 525 miles north to south and 125 miles west to east. It contains roughly 6% of Alaska's total land mass, with 34,000 miles of coastline, or 20% of the total US coastline. Southeast Alaska also has the highest coastal mountains in the world.

In 1907, Teddy Roosevelt established the Tongass National Forest, which covers 77% of the land in southeast Alaska. The coastal rainforest is among the rarest ecosystems on Earth, and the Tongass National Forest is one of the last coastal temperate rainforests left. A temperate rainforest like the Tongass holds more organic matter (biomass) per acre than any other ecosystem on the planet, and has four times greater biomass than what is found in a tropical rainforest. It's a rainforest because it rains here from 28 inches to over 200 inches a year, and it is the rain that keeps these forests alive.

The Tongass National Forest is the nation's largest forest and boasts some of the most extensive old-growth tracts still left on earth. Half a million acres are preserved as a wilderness with the predominant trees being cedar, alder, spruce, and hemlock. The Tongass is also called America's salmon forest. The trees contain a lot of nitrogen-15 isotope, which comes from the ocean via the salmon spawning in nearby rivers and then dying, thus producing lots of nitrogen-rich fertilizer. In fact, Sitka spruce grow three times faster near salmon streams.

With only 35 communities in Southeast Alaska, the ecosystem remains mostly intact. Another unique aspect is that every animal that existed before European colonization still exists in Southeast Alaska today, with one exception. The giant manatee or Steller's sea cow was a very slow-moving, 30-foot-long sea mammal that was mostly gone even before the earliest European explorations of Alaska.

I learned all these interesting facts about Southeast Alaska at one of the onboard lectures given by the Windstar expedition staff. These lectures were just one of the things that made my Windstar Alaska cruise special.

This is what makes a Windstar Star Seeker cruise special

I discovered that a Windstar Alaska cruise combined the best elements of a regular cruise with experiences found on a hard-core expedition ship. I had the typical comforts and luxuries I like when I cruise along with the soft adventure of exploring the scenery up close by Zodiac and kayak.

Windstar ships are more like mega yachts than typical cruise ships. My cruise was on the Star Seeker, Windstar's newest ship. The Star Seeker had her first cruise in the Mediterranean in December 2025, and is now cruising in Alaska for the summer season.
With only 112 suites, or a maximum of 224 passengers, the ship is intimate without skimping on amenities or public spaces. All but a few of the suites offer balconies or infinity verandas where the windows slide down for unobstructed views. 130 crew take wonderful care of the ship and the guests.

My balcony cabin was extremely comfortable with a sitting area, a stocked mini-fridge, and enough storage for my needs. The bathroom felt more like a spa with marble tiles and a shower that combined a rainfall showerhead with body sprays accompanied by L'Occitane bath products. The large screen TV also offered a nice selection of on demand movies and TV programs if I got bored of looking at the scenery (which I didn't).

The public spaces were also plentiful and comfortable. A large lounge on deck four was a gathering spot for drinks, talks, and artistic performances. At the front of the top deck, the glass enclosed Yacht Club was the ideal spot for wraparound views in all directions while enjoying a drink or a snack. The ship also provided plenty of open deck spaces for looking at scenery or laying out in the sun.

I also had a few different choices for my meals. The classy, main dining room offered breakfast, lunch and dinner with a large variety of choices for all dietary needs. In nice weather, there was also the option to sit on the deck outside the main dining room or to eat at the Star Bar and Grill on the top deck. For specialty dining, the Basil and Bamboo restaurant had a tasty selection of Mediterranean-Asian fusion dishes.

Exploring Southeast Alaska off the beaten path with Windstar
With so many ships now cruising in Alaska, it may feel impossible to escape the crowds. But Windstar managed to provide uncrowded and unique experiences despite the popularity of this destination.

Port stops in Wrangell and Haines offered guests the chance to visit small towns that still felt authentically Alaskan rather than being filled with souvenir shops. Since both of these towns can only accommodate one ship per day, our small group excursions felt more like private tours with no competition for prime views.

The highlight for me though were the Zodiac tours I had in Misty Fjords National Monument and in Endicott Arm. The Zodiac tours were very easy to do, especially with the staff helping everyone get on and off.

The standard way to see Misty Fjords is on a very long day-boat tour that only has time to spend a few hours sailing in the fjord. However, because of its small size, the Star Seeker was able to sail deep into the monument. The Zodiac and kayak tours allowed us to explore the flora, fauna, and geology close to shore with a knowledgeable expedition guide.

Our day in Endicott Arm and the Dawes Glacier was even more special. Other ships came and went with just short "drive-by" views, but the Star Seeker stayed for most of the day, offering numerous Zodiac and kayaking excursions that took us to within a few hundred yards of the glacier's face. The expedition crew expertly drove the Zodiacs around icebergs as they maneuvered to get us as close as was safe. From this perspective it was much easier to appreciate just how wide and tall this glacier really was.

I was also impressed that Windstar also offered the crew the opportunity to do the Zodiac tours. I was on the inaugural cruise to Alaska, and the crew were just as excited to be here as the guests and they were thrilled to take part in the Zodiac outings.

I love cruising in Alaska because there are always beautiful views outside the window. This time I was able to combine views with easy, soft adventure. But what I also liked about a Windstar cruise was the quiet and relaxed atmosphere on the ship which reflected the serene scenery outside my window. This was my first Windstar cruise, but it will definitely not be my last.

READ MORE OF ROSE’S ALASKA / WINDSTAR ARTICLES:
🔗 Windstar Star Seeker Review:
https://quiltripping.com/windstar-star-seeker-review/

🔗 Rose's Full Alaska Cruise Article:
https://quiltripping.com/windstar-cruise-to-alaska/

Rose Palmer believes that life is a patchwork of experiences. Traveling the world is one of her deepest passions which continues to add to her ever-growing quilt of life experiences. She likes to focus her traveling lens on art, architecture, history, nature, and soft adventure with a touch of luxury. Rose shares her award-winning stories and photos on her blog www.Quiltripping.com

📰 Check Out the “Quiltripping Travel” Digital Podcast Magazine.