Discovery VoyagesReviews of discoveryvoyages.com

I loved every minute of our adventure. The weather was less than desirable, but I don’t think we missed a thing. Our chef, Meg, was creative and patient. There were eleven of us, and she pleased everyone. The adventures, included kayaking, photographing amazing wildlife, walking among the glaciers, and learning do much about Prince William Sound. The nature aspect of this trip was beyond beautiful. As a side note, the group we were with was terrific. We all got along great, chatted the entire time, and played a memorable game. Would I do this again? In a minute.

Great job by the entire crew, in all kinds of weather. Such a highlight for our trip!

My twin sister and I, with our husbands, celebrated our 60th birthday in Alaska and this was the anchor of the trip. Every single moment on The Discovery was so unique and special! Dean and Meg, the owners, and Ashley and Erin, the young women who were their assistants and our guides, were EVERYTHING. They bent over backwards to accommodate our needs and wants! You don’t care for onions? Meg made sure to have a dish without. You like a certain Chardonnay? They made sure it was in front of you. The guides made our excursions so fun, too, full of tidbits of info, and their enthusiasm for all that Alaska offers was so contagious! We learned tasty vs poisonous berries, how to catch a fish by hand, what absorbent moss to use if you need to wipe…well, you get the picture……. And every single time there were animals or fish to see in the water, they were quick to call us all to the side of the boat for the view. The best example of over-and-beyond was the night we were told the Northern Lights were possibly going to make a show in the early early AM. I set my alarm for 1:30 and headed outside, and a few minutes later, I saw Meg peering through the window. Turns out she had been getting up every 30 minutes to check, so none of us would miss it if we were interested. The boat was boat comfy and intimate and everywhere was an awe-inspiring view. The mountains, glaciers, whales, otters, sea lions, harbor seals, bears, salmon, puffins, eagles, glaciers calving…… Meg is a such a good cook and the meals were divine. So good! I bought her cookbook before we got off the boat, but wished I had had it all week so I could take notes! One night we had a blind taste test of two types of salmon to see which was our favorite. Lots of fun. Our meals were gourmet yet felt like we at home eating with the family. Dean is a more behind-the-scenes character, but is worth spending time talking to, which my husband did. Dean has spent decades working in Alaska and seems to know every nook and cranny of the part of the Sound we were in. He is handy, too, doing much of the renovations on the boat. As him how he feels about heart shaped rocks! Obviously, we had an unforgettable experience. We felt like our joy was their joy. Thank you, thank you, thank you to the owners and crew of The Discovery!

The captains and crew are top notch, with vast experience and polished professionalism. Rooms were comfortable, views stunning. We enjoyed kayaking, hiking, stories, and plentiful wildlife. We particularly enjoyed the time and patience that was given at the glaciers to observe how they move and change. We could have done without the stay at the Historic Anchorage Hotel. It wasn’t worth the expense to us on an already expensive trip. (Consider offering this as a courtesy instead.) The only negative I can give was the food. While every fish based dish was fresh and dynamic, breakfasts fell far short of expectations. “Cloud eggs” and Hawaiian roll casserole were not appealing. The lime soup we had was just as stomach turning as it sounds, making for a very car sick ride back to anchorage. We understood space and time limits offering so we took what we were given, of course, but with how amazing our salmon and cod dishes were, we wished we had brought snacks to make up for shortcomings of the other meals. Every vegetable dish was brimming.with freshness and flavor… no easy task on a ship!! We LOVED the glacier ice cocktail/mock tails. Sail with Discovery Voyages. You will never regret the time you spend with these dynamic and experienced people. They love what they do and their passion for their business shines.

This cruise was definitely a highlight of our trip to Alaska. Captain Dean has been working in Prince William Sound for more than 30 years, and knows where to go to see specific wildlife, offer interesting walks, stop at lovely anchorages, and get up close to spectacular glaciers. Our extended, perfectly-quiet float in front of the broad Harvard Glacier was thrilling, as the quiet was broken only by the lightening-like sounds of the glacier cracking, and the thunder of ice falling off its face. The boat is beautifully kept up and comfortable, the food prepared by Dean's wife and co-captain Megan was great, the crew was knowledgeable about the wildlife and sights we were seeing, and there were many little touches during the cruise, like the special Discovery cocktail cooled by glacier ice scooped out of the sea, that made the trip so memorable. Everybody associated with the operation, from the drivers to the crew, were wonderful, engaging people who it was a pleasure to spend time with. And because it's a small group of passengers, we were also fortunate to travel along with others who were personable, interested in each other, and similarly respectful and awed by the amazing country we were visiting.

It was Aesop that said "Adventure is worthwhile" and while he may have died over 2,500 years ago--he could have just as easily been talking about my family's recent trip with Discovery Voyages. From tip to toe, I could not have asked for a better experience. The views and opportunities were unmatched. Whether our group was holding our breath to wait for the calving of a glacier, or crying tears at the beauty of watching a family of bears play together a mere 100 yards away from our kayak, these are the stories I will tell for a lifetime. I think the term "foodie," gets thrown around a bit much, so let me just say: I like to eat. If you are like me, someone who enjoys a fantastic meal, you will love Meg. In fact, you will want to pack her up in your suitcase and take her home with you. Every meal was like a dance, with the perfect combination of flavors between sides and entree. In fact, I ate so much that, despite the fairly active off-boat lifestyle we were living with Dean, and guides Tori & Ashley--I still managed to gain pounds on this vacation. Zero regrets. On another food related note, we traveled with our two children, and although they are not picky, I expected at least a few PB&Js would be necessary during our time on board. To my surprise, only a single PB&J was requested (by one child) throughout the entirety of our 5 day trip. The rockfish Megnuggets were a particular hit with them. As for the off-boat experiences, these shined equally. Our off boat hikes with Dean and crew were amazing. As part of the younger crowd, we often chose to do the more extensive hikes--and while I'm sure these were only middle of the road hikes for Dean (who might actually be part mountain goat) - they were sweat inducing for us. Inevitably our land excursions were a fantastic workout in an unmatched setting, followed by a supreme sense of of accomplishment--and usually a meal by Meg afterwards. I'm not sure it can get any better than that. I should also add that it rained for pretty much the entirety of our trip. We did not see the sun much during out time on the Discovery. However, this NEVER slowed us down. It is a testament to the skill and passion that Dean, Meg and the crew put into this experience for their guests. Not for a single moment did I feel as though I was missing out because of the rain. If anything, I developed a love for being out in it! There are no bugs! It cools you down when you are sweating from a rigorous hike! The bursting waterfalls are shockingly gorgeous! And when we were back on the boat, we were kept warm, dry and so well cared for. If you are reading this review because you are on the fence about whether the price is worth the experience, just DO it. There is no price tag that you can place on these memories. It is worth every penny. My family has traveled internationally and spent time living abroad and yet we are all in agreement; the Alaskan memories we made with Discovery Voyages absolutely tops them all. If you've already made your decision to do this--then take my advice: do ALL of the things offered to you. Kayak. Hike. Swim. Put yourself into uncomfortable situations. Be brave. There was never a single choice on board the Discovery that I regretted. This adventure was so very worthwhile.

The best review for Discovery Voyages is to share that we cannot stay away and keep coming back year after year, bringing more friends and family to share it with. This is such an intimate, special experience with amazing crew! We are so honored to be coming on our 4th trip next year. Thank you for making it so special Discovery Voyages!

Great Boat and Crew. Loved the cruise a joyful week. The food was outstanding!! Would give 5 stars, but the expert nature/photographer Hugh, who they speak highly of, was unable to go on the trip last minute do to catching Covid. Disappointing to say the least, should have been credited back something for this loss to all participants.