American Safari Cruises launches new itinerary
into the Washington Wine Country
SEATTLE, WA — Washington Wine Country by luxury yacht? Yes! American Safari Cruises (ASC) announces a new genre of wine tasting for wine lovers: a six-day, five-night cruise on the Columbia River, highlighted by visits to some of Washington’s finest vineyards. ASC recently introduced the new wine-focused charters to complement its existing nine-day, eight-night cruise/tours that operate regularly scheduled departures between Astoria, OR., and Lewiston, ID, in October and November.
Capitalizing on its popular wine country cruises on California’s Napa and Petaluma rivers, the company is moving the cruise venue north to explore one of the world’s emerging wine regions; Washington is second only to California in U.S. wine production. The cruise is available to private charter groups of up to 12 family members or friends traveling together.
Guests cruise aboard the elegant 105-foot Safari Spirit with a full-time wine expert and travel from the yacht into the vineyards in an executive mini-coach with champagne service, visiting a minimum of seven wineries for private tastings and tours. ASC is replicating highly rated experiences from their Napa cruises, including an eclectic art venue and a romantic cave luncheon.
“We hand picked the wineries for this cruise so our guests can sample wines that are commanding attention worldwide and winning prestigious awards,” says Tim Jacox, vice-president of sales and marketing. “And it’s hard to beat the dramatic scenery of the Columbia River – scenery and sipping at its very best.”
The yacht offers six staterooms with DVD players, Tempur-pedic mattresses, luxurious linens and private baths with combination Jacuzzi tubs/showers and heated tile floors; two staterooms have sliding glass doors and step-out French balconies. Other amenities include an oversized cedar sauna, top-deck hot tub, library/observation area, comfortable salon with wide-screen TV, a complimentary bar with premium wines and spirits, exceptional cuisine prepared by an executive chef and an open-bridge policy for guests who want to cruise the river from the Captain’s perspective. The yacht also carries two-person kayaks, a motorized Zodiac shore boat and bicycles. The passenger-crew ratio is two to one.
The cruise/tour begins with arrival at Wenatchee, WA, in the heart of Washington’s wine country. Guests spend the first night in luxury at the remote Cave B Inn and Spa, the only fully integrated resort and winery in the region. Activities include strolling the vineyards, hiking along the cliffs for spectacular views of the Columbia River and a variety of spa treatments – all prior to a special chef’s dinner. Before leaving the resort the next day, guests have a champagne breakfast, barrel tasting in the cave and a gourmet lunch cooking class.
Once aboard the Safari Spirit, guests visit three appellations and six more distinctive wineries, each known for its unique setting as well as fine wines. Among them are L’Ecole No. 41, Northstar, Basel Cellars Estate, Hedges Family Estate, Terra Blanca for tasting and a cave luncheon, and Maryhill. In addition to tastings, guests visit the Maryhill Museum, enjoy an onboard wine and cheese pairing with a guest winemaker and try their hand at blending their own Merlot.
During the cruise, the yacht transits two of the Columbia River dams, and guests tour Bonneville Dam, the last dam on the river. The cruise concludes with a tour of Multnomah Falls, lunch and transfers to the Portland International Airport, or optional hotel.
Cost of the cruise is $43,995 based on a full-yacht charter of 12 guests; price includes taxes and port charges, the pre-cruise resort night, all wine tours and tastings, transportation and transfers. Charters run Monday to Saturday mid-November to December and in March and April; longer itineraries can also be designed.
About American Safari Cruises
American Safari Cruises is celebrating its 10th anniversary of providing a choice of regularly scheduled yacht cruises for couples or single travelers and private charters for families, corporate retreats or other groups. Additional destinations include Alaska’s Inside Passage, Mexico’s Sea of Cortés, and the Pacific Northwest.
For more information and free brochures: 888-862-8881; www.amsafari.com; sales@amsafari.com.
