Firm will operate Southeast cruises from Sitka

A spokesman for Allen Marine Tours told the Sitka Sentinel that the company will lease two former Cruise West vessels for the trips.

"What we're excited about is we're showing off the area where we live," Allen Marine Vice President Jamey Cagle said of the new venture, Alaskan Dream Cruises. "Our family and company have a lot of history here. We're good at hosting people three to five hours on tours and we would like to see if we can do more."

The eight-day, seven-night cruises will circumnavigate Admiralty Island with stops that focus on culture, history, wildlife and the environment, Cagle said.

The former Cruise West vessels, Spirit of Columbia and Spirit of Alaska, have been renamed Admiralty Dream and Baranof Dream. Each will carry 70 passengers. Allen Marine Tours earlier this year bought the 40-passenger Executive Explorer and renamed it Alaskan Dream.

Seattle-based Cruise West announced in September that it was restructuring with new ownership and would suspend all new bookings.

News of the new venture was welcomed in Sitka. City Finance Director Dave Wolff said tax revenue has diminished with a 45 percent decline in cruise ship visitors the past two years,

"That's (110) people every week that we otherwise wouldn't be getting," he said. "They'll be stocking up on things here, it'll help local businesses, and us with sales tax receipts. They may have to be kept overnight in a motel. Positive economic benefits all the way around."

Allen Marine will operate tours May 14 through Sept. 3, with stops in Hoonah at Icy Strait Point, Glacier Bay, Juneau, Tracy Arm and Hobart Bay. Cagle said passengers should have time ashore in the various ports.

Allen Marine was founded 41 years ago by Bob Allen as a boat-building business. Allen Marine Tours offers day tours on high-speed catamarans in Sitka, Ketchikan and Juneau.

The company also builds custom vessels, including oceanographic research boats.