A unique cruise liner offering intimate voyages to remote parts of Alaska has abruptly shut down, according to the company.
Alaska Dream Cruises announced on its website that it is ceasing operations and cancelling all of its planned cruises.
“Effective immediately Alaskan Dream Cruises has ceased business operations and will no longer be operating any future sailings,” the website says.
Because the company primarily sails during Alaska’s cruise season from May through September, Alaska Dream Cruise was not actively running trips at the time of its closure announcement. Guests with already-booked trips for the upcoming cruise season will receive full refunds. Alaska Dream Cruise also said it was working with UnCruise Adventures to help guests find other bookings, according to the Daily Sitka Sentinel.
“This decision was intentional and necessary,” Jamey Cagle, one of the owners, said in a statement. “After careful evaluation of our long-term objectives, we determined that concluding cruise operations allows us to responsibly focus our resources where they will have the greatest impact.”
The Sitka-based cruise company began in 2011 and primarily offered voyages through Alaska’s Inside Passage, a stretch of deep water that sees heavy use from cruise ships as well as cargo and fishing vessels.
Unlike some of the larger cruise vessels, Alaska Dream Cruise used smaller ships that allowed the company to push into more remote areas. The smaller ships offered a more intimate voyage, with many tours only hosting between 40 and 80 passengers.
“We are deeply grateful for the trust our guests have placed in us over the past 15 years,” Cagle said. “We have had the privilege of sharing the wonders of Alaska and the richness of our Alaska Native heritage with incredible passengers from across the globe. It has been an honor to work alongside extraordinary communities, partners and crew throughout this journey.”
Alaska Dream Cruise’s parent company, Allen Marine Tours, will continue its regional day tours. Zak Kirkpatrick, a spokesperson for Allen Marine, said the company would continue to be a present and influential part of the region’s marine and tourism industry, according to the Daily Sitka Sentinel.
“This chapter is closing and that’s always tough, and little nostalgic,” Kirkpatrick told the paper. “But there are many, many more incredible chapters to come in the book of Allen Marine. We’ve been around 50 years and are excited to see what the next 50 bring.”
