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Complete Packing Guide for Your Hawaii Expedition Cruise

6/27/2019

UnCruise Adventures' Safari Explorer sails with up to 36 passengers on voyages around the Hawaiian islands.

By John Roberts
We're heading out on an expedition sailing with UnCruise Adventures in Hawaii. This is a summer sailing with a weeklong roundtrip itinerary from the remote island of Molokai.

The voyage on 36-passenger Safari Explorer will take us to the small island of Lanai, the "Big Islandâ€ Hawaii and transcendent Maui, as well as offering "Captain's Choice" days during which we'll find an intimate off-the-map spot for a day of adventures.

Hawaii is a marvelous spot for adventure (d'uh!), and we'll being trying night snorkeling with Giant Pacific manta rays, spying whales in dolphins in marine sanctuaries and taking part in feasts, dancing and music with resident islanders.

Of course, there will also be numerous opportunities to swim, hike, snorkel, kayak and paddleboard in paradise.

To get ready, UnCruise Adventures has provided a recommended packing list for Hawaii. I'll share it with you here so you'll be ready when you go.

HAWAII EXPEDITION CRUISE PACKING GUIDE

Wick It Good
Always expect humidity and rain in Hawaii's lush, tropical climate. Clothes made of quick-drying, wicking materials, as opposed to cotton, are your friend. And because it can be sunny one moment -- or on one side of an island -- and raining the next, we suggest being prepared with a waterproof rain jacket.

Layer It On
You'll love the layers. Temperatures in Hawaii hover around 80 to 85 degrees, dropping only about 10 degrees at night. Think shorts or convertible hiking pants paired with tank tops, T-shirts, and breathable long-sleeve shirts. Light, long-sleeve shirts are also excellent for providing sun protection. Don't forget a brimmed sun hat and sunscreen. For cool nights on the ship, we recommend a jacket, fleece or sweater. For snorkeling, consider a wear long-sleeve shirt, a rash guard or dive skin.

Sensible Footwear
Bring casual shoes and footwear appropriate for plenty of hiking, kayaking, snorkeling and relaxing in comfort. For these activities, it's best to pack hiking boots or your favorite sturdy walking shoes with a good tread, water socks for snorkeling, water sandals for the hiking in wet conditions and comfortable shoes for relaxing onboard. Don't forget lots of quick-drying socks.

Keep It Casual
You can plan to pack lightly. Cabins are equipped with an umbrella, hair dryer, towels, eco-friendly shampoo/conditioner and body wash. Refillable water bottles are available onboard for your use, too. So, you can choose to leave these items (and your formal wear) at home. UnCruise Adventures is unfussy and easygoing.

Also, be sure to pack your sense of adventure, and you'll be good to go.

Thanks for reading,
JR

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Despite U.S. Ban on Cruises, You Can Still Travel to Cuba

6/26/2019

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U.S. travelers can still visit Cuba with companies that hold special licenses.

By John Roberts
The U.S. government in early June 2019 implemented a ban on cruise travel to Cuba, thus halting a three-year run that started during a hopeful period of warming of relations between the two countries.

Over these recent years, cruise lines rushed to add itineraries to the largest Caribbean island, and U.S. travelers eagerly booked cruises to finally visit a destination just off the tip of Florida. For decades up until 2016, the United States and Cuba had put in place restrictive regulations that made it virtually impossible to explore on a leisure trip. The cruise offerings were a wonderful way to finally see the island and a chance to connect with the warm and friendly people.

We were lucky enough to go on a cruise to Cuba and had an amazing time (check out our video of the experience). We are also hopeful that U.S. travelers will eventually be able to go back on a cruise.

You can still take immersive tours in Cuba. These trips connect you with young music artists among other citizens in the Caribbean island nation.

But with relations again strained, cruise ships won't be going to Cuba any time soon, so U.S. travelers again are left longing for a way to visit a place that has long held a certain aura of romanticism and intrigue.

There is a way to go, though. If you're still interested in how to travel to Cuba, I thought I'd let you know one way that that you can consider.

Look for a "Support for the Cuban People" license (SCP).

Global tour operator Friendly Planet Travel still brings travelers to Cuba through a Support for the Cuban People license. While the new U.S. regulations eliminated the "people-to-people" travel license on which Friendly Planet used to operate, the company's Cuba programs were already compliant with several other licenses, allowing Friendly Planet to continue bringing travelers to Cuba.

In 2011, Friendly Planet Travel was among the first U.S. tour companies to be awarded a license for educational tours to Cuba and since then has brought thousands of Americans to Cuba on small, intimate and immersive group trips. Friendly Planet Travel has the knowledge, experience and relationships to ensure that these trips conform to the law. The best part: You get unique and inspiring encounters with the people of Cuba that will give you memorable experiences.

Friendly Planet's various Cuba packages include meeting up-and-coming Cuban artists in their private studios; visiting the fascinating Afro-Cuban neighborhood of Regla; meeting talented fashion designers and woodcraft experts in their home workshops; joining Cubans for a neighborhood block party; and watching a rehearsal by one of Havana's well-known dance companies.

Check out Friendly Planet's three Cuba travel packages, which include round-trip flights, Cuban health insurance, Cuba entrance visa, departure tax, and a U.S. Treasury Department License Certification and Authorization letter - all mandatory for Cuba -- as well as accommodations in a traditional Cuban casa particular, daily excursions and multiple meals.

To help you learn more about what the U.S travel ban to Cuba means and how you can still travel to Cuba, we offer a Q&A with Peggy Goldman, president and founder of Friendly Planet Travel. Goldman is also an expert on American travel to Cuba.

Q: What exactly does the new government restriction on travels to Cuba mean for Americans interested in visiting the island?
A: In 2011, the People to People travel license became the most popular license for Americans wishing to visit Cuba. We were permitted to stay in certain hotels (those not part of the Cuban Military, which controls a part of the tourism sector) and we were able to travel around the country as long as we complied with the rules of the license. Every tour had to be accompanied by a tour manager, who was responsible for making sure that our passengers participated fully in the program. On June 5, 2019, that license was eliminated, but travelers can still visit Cuba with certified tour operators under many other licenses, including a Support for the Cuban People license.

Q: What alternatives do travelers have now?
A: Fortunately, the programs Friendly Planet offers are already compliant with several other licenses, so our travelers can continue to visit Cuba with our 100 percent compliant programs. As long as we continue providing the experiences that comply with available licenses, there's no reason why travelers can't continue visiting Cuba. Going forward, we will make small adjustments to our itineraries to be completely sure that every activity we schedule is according to the rules of the license. We have a lot of experience in this regard, as we've been operating legal tours to Cuba since 2011, and in those years, we've built many relationships among Cuban community groups, artists, architects, farmers and many, many others who provide us with plenty of valuable experiences for our travelers. In every case, these experiences are arranged with, and benefit directly, the individuals, not the government. There are many alternatives that exist, so happily, travel to Cuba will continue.

Q: Why is travel to Cuba so important to you and Friendly Planet?
A: Consider an entire country where the people are the living example of the glass half full, where being poor and having very little in the way of material things doesn't stop the locals from creating amazing art, music, dance and in general, enjoying life despite the disadvantages they live with. When you visit Cuba on a legal, authorized program, you get to meet the Cuban people where they live, work and play. It is an incredibly immersive experience that gives you a chance to get to know what it's like for the Cuban people -- and where you can admire them for the way they choose to live. And it is completely 100 percent legal to have this wonderful travel experience, if you do it according to the rules that our government has set up for us.

Do you plan to visit Cuba? How will you be getting there?

Thanks for reading,
JR

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UnCruise Adventures Adds Trips to Belize, Colombia, Guatemala

6/20/2019

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By John Roberts
UnCruise Adventures is set to explore exciting new destinations. The adventure cruise line has long made its mark in Alaska.

In recent years, UnCruise Adventures has also offered amazing journeys in Panama and Costa Rica, Mexico's Sea of Cortez, the Pacific Northwest, the Galapagos, Hawaii and the Columbia and Snake Rivers.

Now, UnCruise Adventures is adding new regions, with itineraries for its fleet of nine ships that include the countries of Colombia, Guatemala and Belize.

"Coral reefs, tropical islands, historical sites and jungles to explore -- that's what's drawing us to Belize, Guatemala and Colombia," UnCruise Adventures CEO Dan Blanchard said. "Developing new destinations is important for our returning guests who fall in love with the UnCruise spirit of friendship and adventure."

UnCruise Adventures features small ships that carry between 22 and 90 passengers.
We have sailed with this line several times, and it's easily our favorite way to travel. (Check out some of our experiences in the links below.)

Wild Alaska Awakens on UnCruise Adventures' Springtime Expedition
UnCruise Cranks Up the Fun on "Rivers of Adventure" Voyages
Back to Nature: Exploring Costa Rica and Panama with UnCruise Adventures
Thrills and Beauty on an UnCruise Adventures Journey through Pacific Northwest

An UnCruise Adventures voyage takes travelers deeper into each destination. You get to explore on hiking, biking, kayaking and zodiac excursions. You also can try snorkeling, bush whacking, paddle boarding and nature walks. The trips often include cultural interaction with indigenous people.

UnCruise Adventures' voyages in Latin America bring you to exotic locations such as this tiny island in Panama.

Check out the wide array of trips UnCruise Adventures is offering:

Colombia and Panama
The 66-passenger Safari Voyager sails three departures on a new weeklong "Colombia and Panama: Coral, Jungles, Canal" itinerary between Cartagena and Panama City (or reverse) in October. Transit the Panama Canal, meet native Guna and Embera people and visit two UNESCO World Heritage sites -- the Darien Jungle and the colonial walled city of Cartagena. Explore the Pearl Islands, Isla Taboga, Capurgana, Sapzurro and the Archipelago of San Bernardo.

Belize and Guatemala
UnCruise Adventures offers six departures on a weeklong adventure to explore the beaches and jungles of Belize and Guatemala. Voyages are from October to December aboard Safari Voyager. Snorkel Belize's Mesoamerican barrier reef, search for marine life, venture up the Monkey River and explore Mayan historical sites.

Costa Rica and Panama
Safari Voyager sails eleven times on its 10-night "Costa Rica & Panama: Canal, Culture, Adventure" itinerary between San Jose and Panama City (or reverse). Costa Rica highlights include Golfo Dulce, Osa Conservation Area and Curu National Wildlife Refuge. In Panama, you will visit an Embera Village in the Darien Jungle, Coiba National Park and take a late afternoon/evening transit of the Panama Canal.

Also, four departures on a seven-night "Unveiled Wonders" itinerary bring you on a journey between San Jose and Panama City (or reverse) with a full canal transit, jungle and beach exploration and wildlife and snorkeling adventures.

Southeast Alaska
From April through September, six ships sail 117 departures on adventure cruises lasting one to two weeks from homeports of Seattle and Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka, Alaska.
Choose from seven itineraries in Southeast Alaska. Five cruises visit Glacier Bay National Park, and all itineraries include multiple daily adventures. UnCruise begins spring sailings in April (the earliest of any cruise line), offering prime access to Alaska's awakening landscapes and wildlife.

Hawaiian Islands
UnCruise Adventures has begun with year-round operations in Hawaii and now offers additional summer departures on the intimate 36-passenger Safari Explorer. Thirty-nine "Hawaiian Seascapes" sailings between Molokai and Hawaii (or reverse) visit four islands -- Maui, Lana'i, Molokai and Hawaii. Snorkel with manta rays at night and watch for whales and other marine life in the Humpback National Marine Sanctuary. An overnight and full day on Molokai explores traditional Hawaiian culture with residents in Halawa Valley, culminated with a Pa'ina feast in the evening.

Mexico's Sea of Cortes
The 88-passenger Safari Endeavour explores the marine life rich waters of Baja, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on 16 "Baja's Bounty" voyages from January through April and December. Weeklong roundtrip cruises from San Jose del Cabo feature snorkeling with sea lions at Los Islotes, whale and marine life searches, desert hikes, remote beach explorations, a mule ride into the arroyo with rancheros and close-up encounters with gray whales and calves at Magdalena Bay during calving season.

Columbia and Snake Rivers
The 90-passenger S.S. Legacy sails six weeklong "Rivers of Adventure" cruises between Portland, Oregon and Clarkston, Washington, (or reverse) from late August through October. Bike, hike, kayak and marvle at the views along the river while transiting eight sets of locks.
You also will visit Multnomah Falls, Palouse Falls State Park and Fort Clatsop for a series of hiking, biking and kayaking excursions. A highlight in a jet boat ride deep into Hells Canyon on the Snake River. You also can go wine tasting in Hood River Valley and rafting on the Deschutes River.

A "Rivers of Wine and Culinary" itinerary sails roundtrip from Portland from September through November on seven departures. A sommelier and a guest wine or culinary expert join the ship for a week of farm-to-table culinary demos and tastings on and off the ship. Visit wineries in four regions: Columbia Gorge, Walla Walla, Red Mountain and Willamette Valley.

Galapagos Islands
The 48-passenger La Pinta ship sails seven weeklong "Darwin's Discoveries" expeditions roundtrip from Guayaquil, Ecuador. The six-night cruise visits Islas Baltra, Seymour Norte, Isabela, Fernandina, Rabida, Santa Cruz and Floreana. A one-night pre-cruise hotel stay is included at Wyndham Guayaquil.

Pacific Northwest
The 22-passenger Safari Quest explores Washington State's Puget Sound and Salish Sea on 16 weeklong "Explore! Olympic Wilderness and San Juan Islands" cruises sailing roundtrip from Seattle. Hike Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and visit Deception Pass. Further explore the region in active ways by kayak, paddleboard or on hikes and zodiac tours as you travel around the San Juan Islands and take in the view from the top of Mount Constitution on Orcas Island.

Cruise fares include locally sourced cuisine, all beverages including alcohol, adventure activities and transfers on the day of your cruise. The ships are purpose built for adventure with sports marinas and adventure equipment. Other amenities include daily yoga or stretch classes, hot tubs and fitness equipment.

I see so many incredible adventures here that it's hard to pick just one.

Which of these interests you?

Thanks for reading, and happy travels,
JR

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Complete Packing Guide for Your Hawaii Expedition Cruise

Despite U.S. Ban on Cruises, You Can Still Travel to Cuba

UnCruise Adventures Adds Trips to Belize, Colombia, Guatemala

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