Photo credit: Kelsa Mae Photography, Petersburg.
“I’ve always wanted to see Alaska, but I’m not a cruise ship person.” I hear some version of that line more than any other. The good news is that there is another way, and most people have no idea it exists. A private yacht charter in Southeast Alaska means one boat, one group and a week planned around you.
Cruise ships do some things well, and plenty of our guests have enjoyed one. So here is an honest look at both, from someone who lives here.
What a Cruise Ship Does Well
A cruise covers a lot of coastline in a week. There is plenty to do on board, the planning is done for you and a cabin costs far less than chartering a whole boat. If you want a first look at Alaska with lots of company, it can be a good fit.
What a big ship can’t do is slow down for you. It has a schedule to keep and a lot of people to move.
One Group, One Boat
Aboard the Dauntless it’s just your group, up to six guests in three staterooms, with the whole boat to yourselves. Captain Jim and I run her with two crew.
Want to spend the morning in your pajamas, sipping coffee and watching the shoreline for bears? Perfect. Does the water look too inviting to pass up? The kayaks are ready. Every day can be an expedition, or you can soak in the hot tub up top and watch the scenery go by. Most weeks are a bit of both.
It works especially well for families. As one guest, Jennifer U., told us, “All ages from kids ages 9 & 11, parents 40’s and grandparents 70’s had fun.”
Jim Reads the Water, Not the Calendar
Jim was born and raised in Petersburg and has 40+ years of commercial fishing behind him. He plans each day around the weather, the tides and what the wildlife is doing. As he puts it, “People think being a captain is about steering the boat. That part’s easy. The real job is reading—weather, water, tides, and people.”
So when a humpback surfaces beside the boat in the middle of dinner, dinner can wait. When bears turn up on a beach, we can stay and watch for as long as they let us. We never promise a sighting, because the animals don’t check anyone’s itinerary. But when something good is happening, we don’t have to leave.
Local knowledge helps too. My cookies have been known to go to the Fish and Game research crew in exchange for a tip on where the humpbacks are bubble-net feeding.
From the Water to the Galley
Our charters are all-inclusive. You tell me what you love, what you don’t and any dietary needs, and then you trust me with the rest.
Much of it comes from right where we are. We drop crab and shrimp pots and fish for salmon and rockfish along the way. Jim sums up our arrangement like this: “I get the food. She cooks it. That’s how it works.”
Places the Big Ships Pass By
Big cruise ships can’t make it into Petersburg, our home port, so the waters around it stay quiet. A boat our size can slip into small bays and anchorages. Jim even has a name for easing the boat back into a bay right up to a waterfall. He calls it “Koozie Bugging.”
One recent guest, Ryan G., described his trip as “Authentic Alaska, led by locals, taking you to places you simply cannot experience from a cruise ship.”
Which One Is Right for You
A private charter is not for everyone. It costs more than a cruise cabin, and with one boat we only run so many trips each season. We are not a superyacht either. Think rugged luxury: great food and real comfort with no white gloves.
But if you want Alaska at your own pace, with your own people, it is hard to beat. Another guest, Amber O., put it this way: “We always knew we wanted to visit Alaska, but were never sure ‘how’ to do it.”
Most groups book about a year ahead, and each year a few more book even further out. There are almost always a few last-minute openings too, so it’s worth asking. Tell us who is coming and what you hope to see, and we’ll take it from there.
Wondering if a private yacht charter fits your group? Send me a note. I’m always happy to talk it through.
Quick answers
How is a private yacht charter different from a cruise?
It’s one boat for one group, up to six guests. Each day is planned around the weather, the tides and the wildlife, not a fixed schedule.
Is the food included?
Yes. Our charters are all-inclusive. You share your likes, dislikes and dietary needs, and I take it from there.
Does a private charter cost more than a cruise?
Yes, it costs more than a cruise cabin. Your group has the whole boat and crew to yourselves.
Chef Alisa Jestel is the chef and co-owner of M/Y Dauntless, with over 20 years of culinary experience. She and Captain Jim, a lifelong Alaskan, run Alaska Bound Charters from Petersburg, Alaska.
