Safari Cruises coming to Hawaii
Seattle-based American Safari Cruises is setting its sights on becoming the first cruise line in Hawaii to offer unstructured inter-island yacht cruising that isn’t tied to conventional ports.
“The relatively small size of American Safari Cruises’ vessels enables them to go where the big ships can’t, and flexible itineraries allow the vessels to follow whales and dolphins or dodge unpleasant weather,” says the Star-Bulletin.
The company is entering the Hawaii market next year with seven-night cruises between the Big Island and Maui abroad its newest yacht, the 39-passenger Safari Explorer.
The 150-foot, 39-passenger yacht Safari Explorer is currently undergoing a multi-million retrofit before it sails to Hawaii, American Safari Cruises’ fifth destination. The yacht’s first sail is slated for December 2008; the company has scheduled 21 departures through May 2009.
Though American Safari Cruises’ vessel is far smaller than the ocean liners operated by NCL America, its entry into the Hawaii market will come in the same year that Hawaii’s first home-ported cruise operator cuts back.
In a bid to improve bookings and strengthen pricing, NCL America will move its Pride of Hawaii to Europe in February 2008,” says the newspaper.
American Safari Cruises, which began offering yacht cruising in Alaska in 1997, recently doubled its fleet capacity. Other destinations include Mexico’s Sea of Cortés, Columbia and Snake rivers and the Pacific Northwest.
“We’ve built our reputation on spontaneity,” said Dan Blanchard, president and chief executive officer of American Safari Cruises. He added:
“Our style makes it possible to explore Hawaii without having to be at a specific port at a specific time. We can stop in out-of-the-way bays and coves, and be ready for whatever experiences may come along.”
On the eight-day, seven-night Hawaii cruises, which are priced around $4,000 per person double occupancy, the Safari Explorer will sail one-way between Kailua-Kona on the Big Island and Kahului on Maui. Cruising will focus on the leeward side of Maui, including Kahoolawe, Lanai and Molokini.
The company, which carries mountain bikes and kayaks as well as snorkel and diving gear on all its cruises, also will customize add-on extensions to Kauai and other Hawaiian islands, pre- or post-cruise.
Report by David Wilkening
David
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