Prior to embarking on Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' splendid Hanseatic one sweltering summer Vancouver afternoon, I wasn't sure how five-star and expedition cruising could be successfully combined. But during the next 10 days, as the 8,378-ton ship navigated a northwesterly course to Seward via Alaska's most scenic and remote ports of call, my doubts quickly melted away.
Germany-based Hapag-Lloyd, one of the world's biggest container shipping companies, boasts a boutique fleet of four- and five-star, luxury cruise ships. Built in 1991 as the Society Adventurer for now-defunct Society Expeditions, the Hanseatic was given its current name in 1993 by upstart Hanseatic Cruises and has been under charter to Hapag-Lloyd since 1997.
Aboard there are 88 237-square-foot standard outside cabins with separate bedrooms and sitting areas. Staterooms on the lowest level, the Amundsen Deck, have twin portholes in lieu of picture windows, and some are equipped with third and/or fourth berths; in addition, two have been modified for wheelchair access.
All have abundant storage space, a minibar (replenished daily with complimentary water and juices), TV with free email access, DVD player with a selection of DVDs, individually controlled air conditioning, travel alarm, hair dryer, marble-appointed bathroom with Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries and shower with massage heads.
Top accommodations onboard include four 473-square-foot suites with living/dining rooms and bedrooms with full bath.
Eating at sea
Full-service breakfast and lunch are available in the Marco Polo Restaurant, while the Columbus Lounge offers delicious buffets at both mealtimes.
Dinner in the Marco Polo is an elegant and artfully conceived, six-course affair with special touches such as a homemade sorbet palate-cleanser before the entree and petit fours after dessert. The atmosphere is enhanced with flickering candlelight, Rosenthal china, tall stemware and silverplate cutlery.
There is a nightly vegetarian selection as well as an "always available" menu, and it would seem no dietary leanings are too finicky for the ship's skilled chefs.
On most evenings, the Columbus Lounge is transformed into the reservations-only, nontariff Ethno Restaurant. We chose the Chinese Duck Night for beautifully prepared duck appetizers capped off with a succulent duck a l'orange main course.
What to do
By day, life onboard is mostly about spotting marine life and watching scenery roll past. Organized diversions include exercise classes and enrichment lectures in German and English.
At night, the pace picks up, but only slightly. In the Observation Lounge before dinner, there might be a recap of the day's sightings. In the Marco Polo Lounge, there is dancing to live music or an occasional party.
On gala nights, the ship seemed a bit more dressy than the "elegant casual" wording in the advance paperwork, so men would be advised to bring a dark suit and tie and women a nice gown or two. Otherwise, evening attire was basic elegant but low-key, as expected. And by day, it was all about layered comfort.
The lay of the ship
In the popular Alaskan hubs of Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway (via Haines), a variety of extra tariff excursions were available. But it was the more remote ports of call, which larger cruise ships cannot visit, that made the itinerary so appealing.
Hanseatic sailed deep into Misty Fjords on a magnificent morning, then dropped anchor before unleashing its fleet of Zodiacs for a buzz past waterfalls, flowering meadows and towering basalt cliffs. Before returning to the ship, our inflatable armada convened in a shaded cove, where we were served champagne sweetened with dollops of orange sorbet.
We had a full morning in the quaint logging town of Wrangell, with plenty of time to walk to mysterious Petroglyph Beach, then back through town to Chief Shakes' Island for its dramatic totem displays before visiting the Natural History Museum.
The ship then meandered through Wrangell Narrows for several hours of spotting bald eagles and bears, emerging into Lynn Canal as whales breached and plunged into the surging seas.
There was an afternoon spent in the onetime Russian settlement of Pelican, a tiny fishing town situated atop timber pilings on the west coast of Chichagof Island.
But perhaps the most spectacular time was spent at Chenega Glacier, on the last full day of the cruise, as the Hanseatic lurked behind scores of pristine blue icebergs. After crunching our way through the ice, we converged for a final time to toast with a warm Jaeger tea in true five-star expedition style.
Visit www.hl-cruises.com.
