For the third consecutive year, UnCruise Adventures has been voted Best Adventure Tour Company in Newsweek’s Readers’ Choice Awards — a distinction that reflects what a growing circle of sophisticated travelers already know: true luxury at sea isn’t about scale, it’s about access.
While mega-ships shuttle thousands of passengers between crowded ports, UnCruise takes a different approach entirely. Its intimate vessels carry fewer than 90 guests, small enough to slip into coves, fjords and channels that larger ships will never see. This is expedition travel for those who’ve already done the Caribbean megaship circuit and want something rarer: private glacier bays in Alaska, secluded snorkeling coves off Baja California, and wildlife encounters unfolding in real time rather than on a printed itinerary.
A Different Kind of Exclusivity
The appeal for adventure travelers lies less in thread counts and more in access. Guests kayak beneath calving tidewater glaciers, hike remote Alaskan wilderness with expedition guides, and glide by skiff past pods of whales — all as included excursions, led by crew who already carry the gear onboard. There’s no scrambling to book outside outfitters or compete with hundreds of fellow passengers for a handful of shore-excursion slots. With such a small guest count, itineraries stay flexible enough to change course when a pod of orcas appears or conditions favor a longer hike.
Destinations span Alaska’s Inside Passage, the Aleutians and Prince William Sound, along with Hawaii, Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, Baja Mexico and the Galapagos — each chosen for what can only be experienced by small ship.
Leadership With a Point of View
Captain Dan Blanchard, UnCruise’s owner and CEO, frames the company’s philosophy simply: this is adventure travel built around genuine connection to the natural world, where guests choose their own level of challenge and the experience is shaped by curiosity rather than a fixed schedule.
A Trusted Name, Reaffirmed
The Newsweek honor adds to a growing list of accolades for the Alaska- and Washington-based operator, which has also been recognized by Condé Nast Traveler, USA Today and Travel + Leisure. Newsweek’s Readers’ Choice Awards are determined entirely by public vote, meaning this recognition comes directly from travelers rather than industry insiders — a distinction that carries particular weight for anyone vetting where to spend a significant travel budget.
Operating under the U.S. flag and partnering with local guides and communities at each destination, UnCruise has built its reputation over three decades on a simple premise: fewer guests, deeper access, and a far more personal way to explore some of the planet’s most remarkable coastlines.
