Cruise West
Fast Facts
Vessel: Spirit of 98
Star rating: 2+
Tonnage: 96 GRT
Max passenger capacity: 96
Total crew: 26
Entered service: 1984 originally, 1993 with Cruise West
Facilities: One lounge with bar, one dining room and one disabled cabin. No onboard hospital or medical centre, and no doctor carried (due to continual proximity to shore). No casino. Two singles cabins.
Spirit of '98
Cruise onboard the Spirit of 98 as it navigates the Columbia River, in the Pacific Northwest of the USA.
Swerving and skipping up the river, we seemed to pass perilously close to immobile boulders and sped over churning eddies. Above me, sharp bluffs capped jagged layers of exposed basalt, while long ravines cut down to the water through towering canyon walls spotted with longhorn mountain sheep. There could be no mistaking it: I was not cruising the Caribbean or the Mediterranean. Instead, I was on a jet boat in the stubbornly landlocked American state of Idaho.
Of all the destinations in the world, the rural state of Idaho (perhaps best known for its abundance of potatoes) seems one of the least likely for cruise ships to visit. Yet here I was, 800 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean, having travelled inland onboard Cruise West's 96-passenger, 58-metre-long Spirit of 98.
While not as famous as the Mississippi or Ohio rivers further east in the States, the Columbia River's mixture of geography, history and stunning natural beauty make it worth the trip from Australia. Starting in the Rocky mountains, the Columbia winds its way to the Pacific through an astounding variety of climates.
Today, it serves as a maritime highway for goods and an economic base for the region. In the 1800s, it was the route that two American explorers, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, took to become the first to cross the American continent and opened up a wave of American expansion.
We, however, were able to cruise this same river in a comfort Lewis and Clark could never imagine. With its stovepipe black funnel and plumb bow, the traditionally modeled Spirit of 98 complimented the scenery in a way that a megaship overwhelming a Caribbean beach could never match. Her diminutive 96 tons was the perfect size to explore the river and allowed us to berth at small docks where signs reminded us "Loading of Livestock is not Permitted on this Pier".
Billing itself as the "Small Ship Cruise Line", Cruise West's ships are distinctive for being, naturally enough, small. All three Cruise West ships that sail in the spring and fall on the Columbia are American-flagged ships under 60 metres long and mere lifeboats to the gargantuan ships sailing the deep ocean. Forget casinos or show lounges; lectures, talking to your fellow passengers or bus excursions to museums or historical sites fill your day instead.
With two "Exploration Leaders" and one guest lecturer narrating and leading presentations, Cruise West aimed to paint a broad picture of the river while introducing us to its past and showing us how life still intermingles on the river. Visiting one of several dams and hydro-electric power plants along the river, we saw how a balance is maintained between the need for electric power and protecting the abundant salmon population that local fishermen depend on. Today, Lewis and Clark campsites are remarkably close to Google's sprawling satellite offices which were under construction. From windsurfers to grain barges and rumblings trains that stretched around the river bends, commerce and recreation managed to coexist on the Columbia.
With all excursions for the week included in the fare, however, the opportunity for independent exploring was very limited. A typical day started with a wake-up call broadcast through the ship around 7am. By 8.30 we were on a bus towards a local attraction such as a pioneer village and museum in Walla Walla, Washington or the excellent maritime museum in Astoria, Oregon. Back onboard for lunch, we would spend the afternoon either cruising on the river or off on another excursion until 5pm. Dinner was at 8pm followed by a short presentation, and by 10pm, everyone was in bed.
While some activities I found a bit tame - the hour-long stop at the nature reserve that was bisected by a major road was just one example - most were well chosen and interesting. Amongst the most popular (and undoubtedly the most active and adventurous) was the day spent on jet boats in the Hells Canyon wildlife protected area, where we marveled at the deepest river gorge on earth. Another popular stop was the Maryhill Museum, featuring an eclectic collection of art displayed in a stunning setting overlooking the Columbia River Gorge.
Many people signed up for the trip to experience the eight sets of locks and dams along the route. During daylight hours, passengers lined the decks to see the ship enter the massive chambers while the lock doors closed purposefully behind. Within minutes, we had risen over 30 metres and could now peer over the lock walls to see the river again stretched out before us.
Unlike most other small ship companies whose passengers fervently shun the big cruise lines, my fellow American passengers had sailed several times on ships both large and small, with many repeating on Cruise West. Lacking anything as distinctive as competitor Lindblad Expedition's stellar enrichment program, the company's defining characteristic really was that it was, simply, a small ship that was comfortable and familiar. The basic principles of big ship cruising - relaxing and seeing new areas - were the same on Spirit, but instead of St. Thomas or Rome, you visited Clarkston, Washington.
What Spirit of 98 lacked in amenities compared to the big ships, she made up for in ambiance. One of the most comfortable and attractive of the small US-flagged ships, she has gained an enviable reputation as a happy vessel that attracts repeat passengers. Her young American crew delivered service that was eager and friendly, if not always polished, and dress was always casual.
Four main course options, including a seafood choice and a usually limited vegetarian option, were available each night, with the food being fine but occasionally bland. (Those who book the Spirit of 98 for gourmet dining or flawless service are missing the point entirely.) For a small, basic ship, most cabins were especially comfortable, and unlike some competitors, had bathrooms sizeable enough to actually turn around in. Perhaps the Spirit of 98's most popular feature, however, was its elevator - a rarity among such ships and a good indicator of the advanced age typically found on this ship's river itineraries.
For me, however, nothing could match being on the river and seeing the scenery unfold. The further inland we ventured, the more remote it became, and the hills and wildlife silently slipped by. As the lush, damp forests and tumbling waterfalls gave way to barren, craggy sagebrush and plateaus, I gained a tangible sense of distance travelled that is lacking on a larger ship and a blurred ocean.
Before going to bed every night, I would step outside my cabin door and to look for passing river traffic. Listening to the ship's wake whispering gently, it was easy to imagine Lewis and Clark struggling the final few miles, tantalizingly close to the sea, or see Native Americans fishing for salmon on the bank. Like every good journey, I had been transported both in time and place and had managed to find an area that seemed impossibly remote from my New York City apartment without even having to leave the country.
Highs: Watching the Columbia River go past, with its variety of climates, topography and beautiful scenery. Going through the large locks where the ship is lifted 30 metres at a time.
Lows: A full program of shore excursions included in the price means most days are spent on buses with basically non-existent time for active, independent exploring. Activities are geared almost exclusively to elderly passengers, meaning children won't find a lot to do.
Written by Ben Lyons - Issue 26 Summer 2006-2007
Cruise West Ships