Trip Recap - Lindblad Expeditions, Wild Alaska -June, 2022

We recently returned from a family Expedition Cruise with Lindblad Expeditions on the NG Sea Lion, on which we had a fantastic five days. The itinerary is one of Lindblad's newer "Wild Escapes" itineraries.

Having experienced other Lindblad cruises, our expectations were high and we were curious to see what these shorter itineraries were all about. Would the voyage be long enough? Would there be enough to do on the smaller ship? Would we enjoy the trip as much as our past Lindblad Expeditions?

Thankfully, the Lindblad team wowed us again. Cabins were spotless. The ship, while older, is very well maintained and comfortable. The crew and naturalists were as engaging, entertaining, and as knowledgeable as the teams we've encountered on other Lindblad adventures. We had an amazing "Wild Escape", accompanied by only 31 other passengers on the 64-passenger ship.

Each day was filled with adventure and provided an opportunity to experience much of what Southeast Alaska offers. The first morning we woke to the captain's voice alerting us to bears on the shore. Later that morning, we observed a group of whales bubble net feeding, something most on board had only read about or seen on TV. We explored various coves and bays by zodiac, spotting sea otters, sea lions, seals, eagles, puffins, and many other birds.

We spent one day in the town of Haines where passengers could pick between various activities – hiking, biking, fly fishing, scenic river float trip, and mountaineering. All then had an option to go flight-seeing over Glacier Bay National Park in a small prop plane in the late afternoon. Our family split up on activity day; Eric & Emily took a guided hike through the woods and along the coast, and the Angelas went for a bike ride and had an exciting encounter with a brown bear.

Nightly, over cocktails, we'd gather in the lounge to recap the day's activity and learn about everything we saw. The girls thoroughly enjoyed the Global Explorers program and the opportunities to spend time with naturalists without parents around.

The five nights flew by, and we were kept busy from morning to night. While we could have easily stayed on board for a few more days, the shorter length of the trip opened up many possibilities for any with a limited time frame or who were looking to combine a cruise with additional time in Alaska. One family planned a backcountry tour after the cruise; another found the cruise the perfect option before a long wedding weekend. One family simply reserved two back-to-back itineraries creating their own 10-night adventure.

The experience is one we all enjoyed and left us wanting more. The girls are already asking when we can return - always sign of a great adventure.