Built as a U.S. supply vessel in 1970,
Pacific Explorer became an expedition-style ship in 1995 and was first known as the
Temptress Explorer. The 185-ft ship with a Costa Rican crew of 50 takes 100 passengers along the remote coastline and pristine national parks of Costa Rica and Panama.
Cruise West got its start in 1946 by Chuck West, a WW II pilot who specialized in booking flightseeing, motorcoaches, hotels and small ships. The firm then became known as Westours, and in 1971, was sold to Holland America. In 1973, West returned to the Alaska business in a business that eventually became known as Cruise West. Dick West is now chairman and managing director. In 1986 the company bought its first cruise vessel, the 70-passenger Sheltered Seas, and over the years has assembled a fleet that numbers nine small ships, seven of them flying the U.S. flag and two foreign-registered. Domestic cruising includes Alaska, Pacific Northwest, Columbia-Snake rivers and California Wine Country, while non-U.S. destinations include the Sea of Cortes, Costa Rica and Panama, and the Pacific Rim from Alaska to East Asia, Southeast Asia and the South Pacific.
Passengers are likely to include families, couples of all ages, and singles from Europe and North America. The varied, well-organized expeditions are what they come for, and the cozy, no-fuss Pacific Explorer rarely disappoints.
The 9-day cruises, operating between November and May, embark in Colon, Panama with flights to Panama City; or Los Suenos, Costa Rica with flights to San Jose. The calls are made at a variety of Costa Rican coastal ports and islands (some national parks) and Panama's Darien jungle and through the Panama Canal to the San Blas Islands. The Pacific Explorer offers passengers a chance to explore the natural world while hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, diving and deep-sea fishing. Highly competent local naturalists lead small groups on hikes rated easy to difficult, depending on length and terrain, giving passengers a chance to visit a wide variety of ecosystems full of exotic plants, native birds, four species of monkeys, and tree sloths. All excursions are included, so participation is high, and passengers have lots to share at the end of the day, when a briefing lays out upcoming shore activities.
The forward observation lounge has comfortable chairs and sofas for watching the sights or flipping through the corner library's local reference books and donated paperbacks. Socializing takes place at the Tortuga Bar outside on Upper Deck, where drinks are complimentary. Entertainment may be local musicians or dancing under the stars. Meals are served in a pleasant dining room next to large panoramic windows. A lounge on this same deck serves as the naturalist's lecture hall. Continental breakfast is good, but most passengers choose the buffet for fresh fruit, croissants, pastries, cold cereals, and hot dishes to order, such as huevos rancheros and French toast. Lunch is buffet-style on the Upper Deck or occasionally on the beach at tables with red-checked cloths. The choices may include cold cuts, salads, sea bass, roast turkey, chicken and pizza. For dinner, passengers sign up for one of three main courses, such as tenderloin, mahi mahi or fettuccine. The 50 all-outside attractive double cabins and four suites furnish either twin or queen beds, matching night tables with two drawers, double closets with drawers, shelves, and tables beneath mirrors. Rich Costa Rican woods highlight maroon, dark green, and navy striped spreads. Cabins all open into interior corridors and windows open to bring in the sounds of birds and the sea and appeal to star gazers. The bath facilities are functional, and the shower sees multiple daily use after the high-humidity excursions ashore. One-time laundry service is free—a convenience when traveling in this humid climate.
For a naturalist-style expedition cruise to remote coast lines and islands, plus a Panama Canal passage, this ship's only competition is Lindblad Expedition's slightly smaller Sea Voyager.
