Travel Agent - March 31, 2008 - (Page 50) DESTINATIONS MEXICO CRUISE WEST Sea of Cortez THE NEWLY REFURBISHED SPIRIT OF YORKTOWN, Cruise West’s Sea of Cortez vessel, targets nature-lovers who want a small ship experience. There are no nightclubs, fancy restaurants or Vegasstyle shows aboard the 257-foot ship; instead, the destination is the highlight. Holding just 138 passengers, the ship is able to navigate into areas that larger vessels can’t. Thus we were able to explore the nooks and crannies of the Sea of Cortez and the Baja Peninsula. Highlights of the ship are the naturalist guides, guest speakers and the camaraderie among the passengers (by the end of the cruise, we had eaten with or at least conversed with just about every guest). THE WOW FACTOR: Since this is a small ship with the emphasis on natural surroundings, the “Wow Factor” is really the scenery. At each port, the naturalist guide narrates what is happening around us (there were sea lions at Los Islotes, blue-footed boobies at Isla Partida and the pod of dolphins swimming alongside the ship while at sea). Many guests prefer to stand on the sundeck for the views, but the lounge was Cabins on the Spirit of Yorktown offer lots of closet space for storage, which allows for extra floor space and convenience for passengers 50 | TravelAgent March 31, 2008 BY J. BERNHARDT Explore the grand natural beauty of the sea in the intimate setting of a small ship quite popular for older guests who did not want to be exposed to the elements (mainly wind and cool breezes). The lounge was also the setting for lectures, slide shows and our cruise’s daily book club meetings. TOP TABLE: Unlike larger ships, there was only one dining room aboard the Spirit of Yorktown and only one seating time for meals. All dining was open seating, with tables of six and eight, which gave guests the opportunity to mingle with different passengers at each meal. This is definitely a ship for people who like to socialize with others, as there are no tables for two. There is a buffet lunch and breakfast served in the lounge daily for those who prefer lighter fare, while the á la carte menu is offered in the dining room. Sample dishes included seared tuna with mango, red snapper crepes and sirloin steak with lime and cilantro. RATING THE DIGS: We stayed in the AAA class category, below balcony. There was plenty of closet space for storage, and to allow for more floor space, the twin beds were positioned against perpendicular walls (the one con is that the beds could not be pushed together to CONTINUED ON PAGE 52
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