While Chuck West’s vision laid the foundation for the modern Alaska cruise, the market continued to be dominated by a variety of small ships. They were comfortable ships, but the focus of the trips remained on the natural beauty. Typical of the ships in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Canadian National’s 5,800 gross tons Prince George was actually the largest cruise ship sailing to Alaska. Her 1960 brochure highlights the experience: “Your journey reveals, scenic close-ups of mountains, waterfalls, glaciers, channels and capes. The ship is part of a panorama of land, water and sky.” Aboard passengers would find “clubrooms, cocktail lounge and sitting room …. wide picture windows in the ship’s public rooms allow a panoramic view and all …show more content…
Pacific Far East Lines took over Matson’s cruises while P&O continued with the Arcadia and later the Oronsay sailing from California to Alaska. The entrepreneur Chuck West, who had led the way with the modern Alaska cruise-tour, also added a small new ship to his fleet, but combined with union troubles, he needed more capital for his operations. Facing a looming financial deadline, the path West took unknowingly set in motion the final pieces to build today’s Alaska market. At the beginning of 1971, he sold controlling interest in Westours to Holland America Line, which was looking to increase its presence in the North American cruise …show more content…
The Princess Patricia, which directly and indirectly had influenced the development of the Alaska and West Coast cruise markets, continued to sail on as a bit of an anachronism with her wood-paneling and low-key Canadian style. She was retired after the 1981 season followed a year later by the former Canadian National Prince George, which had also been operating as a small cruise ship. Chuck West who had been forced out by Holland America, returned to the Alaska scene and in the 1990s launched a new small ship firm called Cruise West that continued till 2010, but the era of the small ships taking tourist close to nature was coming to an end in