By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
Alaskan Dream Cruises, based in Sitka, has entered the rankings of the best small-ship cruise lines in the world, as voted by the readership of a popular travel magazine.
Travel+Leisure, with some 4.8 million readers, announced Alaskan Dream Cruises as one of the Top 10 Small-ship Cruise Lines, from a survey conducted between Jan. 11 and May 10. Alaskan Dream Cruises placed 10th.
The list was published by the magazine in September and Alaskan Dream Cruises shared the news in late October on Facebook.
It’s the first time the company has achieved this recognition among the many multinational companies that operate small boat cruises, said company spokesman Zak Kirkpatrick. He said the company was thrilled to have made the list.
The company is an offshoot of Allen Marine Inc., which was founded in 1967 by Bob and Betty Allen of Sitka, and the Allen family continues to operate the business.
“As an Alaska Native-owned company operating in a remote corner of the world, like Sitka, we recognize we’re unique in the cruise industry,” Kirkpatrick said. “This honor is testament to the type of authentic adventures many people are seeking: the Allens have drawn upon their extensive knowledge of the region and personal cultural connections to offer exactly that.”
Allen Marine’s Admiralty Dream is tied to the company dock today. Sitka-based Alaska Dream Cruises was recently recognized by Travel+Leisure magazine as one of the world’s Top 10 Small Cruise Lines according to a survey. (Sentinel Photo)
Readers in the survey were asked to evaluate individual cruise ships with 249 passengers or fewer on their cabins and facilities, food, service, itineraries and destinations, excursions and activities and value. Alaskan Dream Cruises vessels carry between 10 and 76 passengers.
The companies in the rankings were 1. Quasar, 2. Ponant, 3. Crystal Cruises, 4. Lindblad Expeditions, 5. Windstar Cruises, 6. Silversea 7. SeaDream Yacht Club, 8. Australis, 9. Celebrity (small cruises), 10. Alaskan Dream Cruises.
Alaskan Dream Cruises LLC was founded in 2011 by the Allen family. Allen Marine started a Sitka shipyard in 1967 and branched out into day cruises in 1970 with Allen Marine Tours. The company expanded its day cruise business throughout Southeast, operating sightseeing boats from Yakutat, Glacier Bay. Sitka, Ketchikan and Juneau as well as Sitka.
The company builds most of its own vessels for the high-speed day tours, and did extensive retrofitting on a few older cruise vessels to establish Alaskan Dream Cruises, with passenger accommodations for longer cruises in Alaskan waters. Cruises are offered to major Southeast ports and off-the-beaten-path destinations, such as Metlakatla and Kasaan.
As to why Travel+Leisure readers selected the Sitka company for its top 10 operators worldwide, Kirkpatrick cited the Allen family’s connections to the communities it visits, the highlighting of Native culture, interesting itineraries and “onboard atmosphere.” Alaskan Dream passengers either start or end their cruises in Sitka.
“We hope this award brings further national and even international attention to our community, which has so much to offer in terms of culture, dramatic scenery and history,” Kirkpatrick said.
The company was not directly affected by Canada ban on cruise ships, since its six vessels are U.S. flagged and already based in Sitka, but Kirkpatrick said the company chose to stop its cruise business during the pandemic, as did most other small operators. Like the major cruise lines, Alaskan Dream is seeing “strong demand” for its services nest year, he said.
