Alaska Small Ship Expeditions
Offering Unrivaled Access To The Last Frontier
Fewer than 1,000 guests each year.
Some cruise ships move that many people through a dock in a single afternoon.
We host 20–24 guests at a time — navigating the protected waterways of the Tongass National Forest with intention, flexibility, and access that large vessels simply don’t have.
Scale changes everything.
Narrow Fjords
Small vessels. No traffic.
Wildlife at Eye Level
Not from ten stories up.
Expedition Days
Kayaks. Skiffs. Shore landings.
Dinner with a View
Plated. Panoramic. Unhurried.
Access Changes the Experience
Because we operate at small scale, the expedition unfolds differently.
We anchor where docks don’t exist.
We step ashore from skiffs instead of queuing at ports.
We shut off engines when whales surface and linger when bears appear.
Skiff Landings
We step ashore where docks don’t exist — exploring coves, tidal flats, and forest edges inaccessible to larger vessels.
Wildlife-Led Routes
When whales surface or bears appear along the shoreline, we slow down. The day adapts to the moment.
Fishing & Naturalist Guidance
Fish for salmon, halibut, trout, shrimp, and crab where regulations allow — with onboard naturalists connecting each encounter to the larger ecosystem.
Kayak & Shore Exploration
Paddle quiet inlets, trace glacial outflows at safe distances, and walk remote trails with experienced expedition guides.
You are not watching Alaska.
You are in it.
Travel That Protects
What It Depends On
The Boat Company is the world’s only nonprofit cruise line.
Every dollar beyond operating expenses supports conservation and legal advocacy in Southeast Alaska — including the defense of roadless protections, opposition to industrial logging, and long-term stewardship of the Tongass.
Exploration here does more than observe wild places.
It helps protect them.
