Frequently Asked Questions

Columbia & Snake River Cruises

General	Alaska	British Columbia	Columbia & Snake Rivers	California Wine Country
Grand Asia	Japan	Panama Canal & Costa Rica	Mexico's Sea of Cortes	Ring of Fire	South Pacific

Activity Level
Q. How active are the tours?
A. There is some walking involved on all tours, and a lot of sitting, jostling and bouncing on the jet boat excursion into Hells Canyon, but the overall activity level and pace is kept easy on these cruises.

Arrival
Q. How do I check in for the cruise?
A. We recommend that all guests meet us at either the airport or the Portland Paramount Hotel where we have a hospitality area. We will have uniformed Cruise West representatives at the airport in the baggage claim area starting at 9:30 a.m. on the day your cruise departs. If your flight arrives prior to 9:30 a.m., we will still meet you provided you have given us your flight arrival information. We recommend arriving in Portland no later than 2:00 p.m. on the day your ship departs. Our representative will meet you at your baggage carousel and assist you to our downtown shuttle.

If we miss you at the baggage carousel, we will meet you at the seating area by the information booth next to baggage carousels #4 and #5. The downtown shuttle will drop you at the Paramount Hotel. Please make sure you have provided us with your flight number, city of origin, and flight departure and arrival times.

Please wear your blue and white Polar Bear button on your lapel so that we can easily identify you. Note: If you have booked our Portland Stopover Package and are arriving a day or more prior to the cruise departure date, you will find the “Tee to Green” transportation shuttle to the hotel at the Ground Transportation Kiosk. Our personnel are at the airport on the cruise departure day only. The Paramount Hotel is located at 808 SW Taylor.

Q. What are the driving directions to the hospitality area?
A.  The Paramount Hotel is located at 808 SW Taylor.

From Portland International Airport
Take Airport Way to Interstate 205 south.
Follow Interstate 205 south to Interstate 84 west.
Follow Interstate 84 west until you see Interstate 5 south signs.
Get in center lane, take next exit City Center/Morrison Street.
Go over Morrison Bridge, which turns into Washington Street.
From Washington Street turn left onto Broadway Avenue.
Follow Broadway Avenue four blocks to Taylor Street and turn right.
Follow Taylor Street two blocks to The Paramount Hotel on the left.

From the North
Follow Interstate 5 south.
Take exit 302A - Rose Quarter.
Stay right and turn right at the stop sign.
Follow Broadway Avenue over Broadway Bridge.
Follow Broadway Avenue approximately one mile to Taylor Street.
Turn right onto Taylor Street.
Follow Taylor Street two blocks to the Paramount Hotel on the left.

From the South
Follow Interstate 5 north to Interstate 405 north.
Stay to the right.
Take Sixth Avenue exit.
Follow Sixth Avenue one half a mile to Taylor Street and take a left.
Follow Taylor Street three blocks to the Paramount Hotel on the left.

Q. Where can I park near the dock?
A. Due to the limited amount of parking available in downtown Portland, we recommend parking near the airport and taking our complimentary transfer to the Paramount Hotel.

Dams
Q. I have an interest in engineering.  Will we be visiting inside any of the hydroelectric dams along the river?
A. We stop at Bonneville Dam for a guided tour of the Visitor's Center as well as the hydroelectric plant. Our visit here will be of interest to everyone but in particular to those who enjoy and study engineering. The construction and operation of the lock systems along the Columbia, several of the largest in the world, will also be of great interest.

Lewis & Clark
Q. Will we learn about the Lewis & Clark Expedition?
A. Yes these cruises cover some of the same territory Lewis & Clark traversed and your Exploration Leader will address the subject on both itineraries. The River Voyage of Discovery will cover the Lewis & Clark Expedition in detail with special presentations, plus many of the excursions are to places that the Corps of Discovery described in their journals over 2 centuries ago.

Packing
Q. You say casual, but just how casual are we talking?
A. We believe in traveling in comfort. Come as you are - you'll feel at home in jeans and sweaters during the day and the evening.  Even at dinner time no jackets, ties or formal dress are required.

Q. What clothes should I pack?
A. We suggest casual clothes worn in layers such as short sleeve and long sleeve shirts, a heavier layer (fleece, sweatshirt, etc.) and a lightweight waterproof jacket.  Wear comfortable closed-toe shoes.  You will receive a more comprehensive packing list prior to receiving your final documents.

Shore Excursions
Q. Are the shore excursions included?
A. All shore excursions are included on the Columbia & Snake Rivers itinerary.

Timing of Travel
Q. When is best time to cruise the Columbia River?
A. The Columbia River is a beautiful place to cruise in both the spring and fall. Spring has more green and lots of wildflowers, but fall has golden hillsides and colorful fruit trees.

Weather
Q. What’s the weather going to be like?
A. You will experience a range of climates from temperate, misty coastal to inland arid, so you will have to plan for a full range of weather possibilities, cool to hot, rainy to dry. Both in the spring and fall it is wetter/cooler west of Hood River, Oregon, drier/warmer east of Hood River.

Wheelchairs
Q. Are your vessels wheelchair accessible?
A. Cruise West appreciates the differences in accommodation needs of our guests wishing to travel with us. However, our vessels do not meet all applicable standards of the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for buildings and facilities. Furthermore, guests should be aware that ships and operating conditions can always present challenges to wheelchairs or those with limited mobility and participation may not be possible for some activities and events. Ship interiors often have raised door thresholds, steep stairs and narrow passageways that can prevent wheelchair passage. Gangways between the ship and docks can be steep due to variable tide conditions. Inflatable excursion craft that do not accommodate wheelchairs are sometimes used for shore visits where no docks exist.

Land tours present a variety of physical environments including high altitude, uneven terrain, rocky trails, museums and buildings without elevators and stairways without handrails.

These conditions and guest expectations should be discussed in detail at the time of booking and confirmed in writing to ensure travelers will get the most out of their Cruise West experience.

Why Cruise
Q. Some of the places on these itineraries are accessible by car.  Why cruise?
A. The experience of actually traveling on the Columbia River is unparalleled. First, one better understands the power and influence that this huge river basin has had throughout history - and today. Secondly, the hassle-free travel experience, good company, Exploration Leaders and well-planned excursions all come together to make this easy, fun and intellectually rewarding.  It would be almost impossible to get all this from either independent or group land travel.

Q. How do these cruises compare with your itineraries in other regions?
A. Many of our trips have a focus on wilderness, wildlife and culture.  These journeys are a truly unique combination of ancient and modern American history, technology, geology, beautifully varied Western landscapes plus an emerging food and wine culture.  There is truly something here for everyone to experience and enjoy.