In 2013, My Mother-in-Law called me and said we are taking the entire family to Alaska for their 50th Wedding Anniversary but they wanted me to research the cruiseline options because they didn't want a big ship and you we had gone on a small cruise line before. I was thrilled and terrified as my husbands family (His sister and her husband their two kids and our two kids plus our in-laws all have very different interests and I wasn't sure how this was going to work. The small cruise line we had sailed before was Star Clipper but they don't sail in Alaska.

A bit of Internet reach turned up Un-Cruise adventures and specifically their Kids in Nature cruise. It was perfect!!! My husband, 11-year old twin nieces, and my 12 year old son love challenging hikes. My 15 year old daughter hates anything too physically challenging but loves to find a quiet inspiring spot to curl up and work on the novel she has been writing since she was 13. I just love Nature. My Mother-in-law loves anthropology, shopping, and any awe inspiring site. My father-in law loves photography. My brother-in-law loves to find a quiet spot to read and my sister in law just goes with it all.

Needless to say Un-Cruise had something for everyone. Choose your level of difficulty for hikes and physical activities. A terrific Child Wrangler (not a baby sitter!) but a head camp counselor who helped arrange social activities for the kids and made the activities interesting and fun. Amazing scenery for those that preferred to just hang out. Polar bear plunges for my action adventure junkies. Plenty of great photography! The crew is warm and approachable. The owner of the line met us at the end and genuinely wanted to know if we had a good time. The sites we saw where amazing. The guides phenomenal. Compared with Star Clipper the ship isn't as elegant. Think floating wilderness lodge vs. elegant but the action adventure was awesome! And every shore excursion is included. The craft beer was lovely. The food isn't gourmet but its plentiful and wholesome and hits the spot after a day of adventure. No one goes hungry. Read more