Island-Sity

The new line will operate two ships that have been out of commission for several years, the 80-passenger Wilderness Discoverer and the 66-passenger Wilderness Adventurer. The company finalized the purchase of the vessels in August from a bank that has held them since the bankruptcy of Glacier Bay Cruise Lines in 2006.

American Safari executive vice president Tim Jacox tells USA TODAY the vessels will undergo a top-to-bottom renovation before setting sail for the new line.

Jacox says InnerSea will offer seven-night voyages between two of Southeast Alaska's iconic towns, Ketchikan and Juneau, but in an unusual twist, the sailings won't include a single port call. Instead, the ships will spend the entire week exploring the tree-lined fjords and inlets of the mountainous Southeast region in search of wildlife and natural beauty.

Jacox says nature guides stationed on the vessels will take passengers on frequent off-ship excursions on inflatable boats and kayaks to explore glaciers and icebergs, look for wildlife such as whales, bears and sea lions, and make landings for hikes through remote forests.

Other adventure activities will include paddle boarding, snorkeling, "polar bear club swims," fishing, birding and glacier walks. The line even plans optional overnight backpacking and kayaking outings from the ships.

"There really aren't small ships in Alaska offering this kind of adventure," says Jacox, noting that the two other major small ship lines in the state, Cruise West and Lindblad Expeditions, build a lot of time in port towns into itineraries. Jacox and several other top America Safari executives are Cruise West veterans.

By foregoing calls in Southeast Alaskan towns such as Skagway, Haines and Wrangell, InnerSea's ships will have more time to explore rarely visited and sparsely populated parts of Southeast Alaska such as the West side of Prince of Wales Island, says Jacox.

"If we go into ports, it steals away from that time," he says.

Jacox says InnerSea ships won't be as all-inclusive as America Safari ships (on American Safari, just about everything from alcoholic drinks to tips is included in the price). The InnerSea ships also are bigger than American Safari's yacht-like, 12- to 36-passenger vessels, but they're still smaller and more intimate than just about any other cruise vessel sailing in Alaska.

Calling the InnerSea experience an "un-cruise," Jacox says voyages on the small ships will exhibit none of the hassles associated with typical cruises such as crowds of people and long lines. There will be no herd mentality, he says. The idea, he says, is to let passengers interact with the landscape in a meaningful way.

Jacox says the company conducted a number of focus groups with prospective customers and travel agents while developing the concept. He says the voyages should appeal to adventurers who thrive on new experiences and want to push themselves physically, mentally and emotionally.

Still, the cruises will be designed so passengers who don't want to participate in the most active adventure activities won't be left out. Onboard diversions include yoga and massage. InnerSea Discoveries will offer occasional departures designed specifically for families with kids, and there will be discounted rates for children 11 and under.