American Safari Cruises: Food & Wine Review

If you've been reading my posts from Alaska, you know Leonard and I just returned from a seven-night itinerary aboard American Safari Cruises' Safari Spirit. Due to the intimate size of the yacht, accommodating just 12 passengers, we hoped the chef would create some extraordinary meals.

We spend most of our time in New York City and are lucky enough to dine at excellent restaurants on a weekly basis. We're not picky, but we are discerning and several luxury cruise lines have disappointed us in the past when it came to food and wine. I'm pleased to report that the Safari Spirit and Chef Dave Gipson exceeded our expectations.

As I previously mentioned, there is one sitting for each meal and guests gather in the Dining Room on the Main Deck. Chef Dave provides an early risers breakfast from 6:30–8 a.m. in the Salon and the full cooked-to-order breakfast starts at 8.

The early risers buffet consisted of muffins (a different homemade flavor each day), toast and English muffins, yogurt, three kinds of cereal, and fruit.





The main breakfast was usually either an egg scramble of some sort with potatoes, bacon and/or sausage or pancakes. Chef Dave prepared a scrumptious eggs benedict with salmon one morning. You could also order toast, oatmeal, eggs cooked to order, etc. Several types of juice are offered, as is coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.

At about 12:30 p.m., a light lunch was generally served: a soup and salad combo, a sandwich, or something like seafood gumbo. Dessert was always served but if you wanted something more healthful, you could request a plate of fruit or a dish of sorbet.

Above: seared tuna salad

Above: corn chowder and spinach salad

Above: grilled chicken breast and salad with a spicy dressing

Above: seafood gumbo and biscuit

In the afternoon when returning from whale watching or hiking, Kim and Kim often had freshly baked cookies waiting for us.

Appetizers and cocktails were served nightly at 6 p.m. Some of the items Chef Dave served included salmon cakes, quesadillas, vegetable dumplings with spicy peanut sauce, and smoked pink and white salmon with cheese and crackers.

Wine and champagne were available each evening, as were select liquors and spirits.









Dinners were hearty and often focused on fish and seafood. The starter was always either salad or soup and then there were two entrees to choose from (or you could have a bit of each). The chef was careful to accommodate everyone's allergies and preferences. For example, on the first day one guest casually mentioned his dislike of cilantro. After that, any dish with cilantro was personalized for that guest. Again, dessert was served nightly: a delectable peanut butter pie, berry cobbler with ice cream, a lemon/blueberry pudding, and more.

Above: rack of lamb

Above: rockfish with rice, asparagus, and mango salsa

Above: scallops with cous cous and snap peas

Above: Alaskan king crab with spaghetti squash and risotto

Above: shrimp scampi with mashed sweet potato

If you visit American Safari Cruises' website, you'll read that these cruises are all-inclusive. The line serves premium wine, champagne, and spirits. The wines rotate but here's a list of what was served during our sailing:

L'Ecole N 41 cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, and chenin blanc
Hedges Family Estate cabernet/merlot
Apex merlot
Lava Cap petit syrah
Robert Mondavi pinot noir
Elk Cove pinot noir
Maryhill syrah
Napa Cellars zinfandel
Edna Valley chardonnay
Chateau St. Jean fume blanc
Santa Margherita pino grigio
Adelsheim pinot gris
St. Supery sauvignon blanc
Alexandria Nicole viogner

We really enjoyed our journey with American Safari Cruises and the excellent food and wine only enhanced our voyage. Bravo to Chef Dave Gipson!

Photos © Leonard Hospidor and may not be used without permission

Safari Spirit, Day 7: Pavlov Harbor & Tenakee Springs

It's our last day aboard the Safari Spirit and we're all quite sad. Viewing the Alaskan wildnerness in such an intimate way has touched us all. We've also grown quite fond of each other and it will be strange when we part ways tomorrow. Some of us are returning home while a few couples are continuing their journeys in Alaska and Canada.

This has been our rainiest day yet, but it didn't stop us from enjoying a full schedule. We began with kayaking and skiffing around Pavlow Harbor at Chichagof Island. One guest even did some fishing and caught a salmon!

Then, we spotted a mother bear and three cubs on the beach! We ran to the skiff and got so close. Further down the beach we also saw some deer. What a special way to start our last day with the Safari Spirit!



We then headed to the metropolis of Tenakee Springs with its 75 residents. There's a charming old-fashioned general store and a bakery that also sells some Alaskan art.

After exploring the town, we went for a nature walk along Indian River Trail. This was my favorite hike since a local dog "adopted" us and led us along the path. A bear had been sighted in the area, so I was doubly glad for the dog's presence. As the hike came to an end, the rain picked up and we hurried down to the dock to reboard the skiff and head back to the Safari Spirit for our farewell dinner.


After dinner we enjoyed a slide show and shared many laughs! Expedition leader Nitakuwa took photos throughout the trip, as did several guests. At the end of the evening we were presented with a CD that included a map of our itinerary, all the photos from the week, contact information for each other and the crew, and some recipes from Chef Dave. It was a thoughtful touch.

The champagne had flowed all week, but tonight we toasted newfound friendships, conservation, and adventure. Sailing with American Safari Cruises was an exceptional experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Throughout the week, I was reminded of the words of Mark Twain:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Thank you, Dan Blanchard, Captain Tate, Nitakuwa Barrett, Kim Killingsworth, Danny Blanchard, Kim Dahm, and Dave Gipson for taking such good care of us and showing such deep respect for Alaska's wildlife. It truly was the trip of a lifetime! —Andrea

Photos © Leonard Hospidor and may not be used without permission

Safari Spirit, Day 6: Takatz Cove & Basket Bay's Marble Grotto

There are just two more days of this itinerary and everyone has commented how fantastic it's been. We keep joking that our group has good karma since we've lucked out and have seen just about all the animals on our "must see" list: eagles, bears, humpback and orca whales, seals, and sea lions. The weather has been gorgeous too with fair skys and some sun. Though it's rained, it hasn't been heavy.

This morning was spent kayaking and skiffing around Takatz Cove. The waterfalls here are so stunning; it's hard to believe that don't all have names. But, the topography continually changes in Alaska and a powerful waterfall this season may just be a trickle next year. While skiffing today I focused my attention on the water line and saw sea stars, Harbor seals, Harlequin ducks, and so much more. It was drizzling and a bit cold, but that didn't stop us from getting close to the waterfall to feel its power. What a rush!

Around 4 p.m. we took off in the skiff for Basket Bay and the Marble Grotto. You can only visit this location at certain tide levels and it was just about right when we arrived. Just as we entered the grotto, a large eagle soared overhead. It couldn't have been scripted better if it was the opening scene of a movie! We couldn't go very far into the grotto due to some rock outcroppings, but it was beautiful.

As we settled down to dinner, we thought we were done for the day, but nature had other ideas. A large brown bear was spotted on shore so we ditched dessert, got in the skiff, and slowly made our way over. We got within feet of this bear—so close that I could hear him munching on the grass! I can't tell you how this made me feel. I was in awe but also somewhat sad. Years ago, brown bears could be found all over the United States. Their range now is quite small. I hope Alaska safeguards these very special animals.


Our normally gregarious group was unusually quiet as we boated back to the Safari Spirit. The encounter with this bear affected each of us and left us all, literally, speechless. We had previously joked that Captain Tate would have to dress up as a bear for a photo op if we didn't get close enough to the real thing. Well, Tate was off the hook on that count. Again, an experience none of us expected, but we wouldn't trade it for anything else.

After we all returned to the boat, a few passengers went back out with Danny to set some crab pots. Then, after a few drinks in the Salon, everyone drifting back to their staterooms and I'm pretty sure we all dreamed of orcas and bears that night! —Andrea
















Photos © Leonard Hospidor and may not be used without permission