14
JAN/FEB 2015
TRAVEL
Oregon Bound
Cruising the Columbia and
Snake rivers in style
by Jan Ross,
Staff Writer
You may think
you know all about
Oregon, but until
you experience this destination
from the luxurious S.S. Legacy with
Un-Cruise Adventures, you don’t
know much at all.
Our impression, like many others, was that Oregon is composed
of lush, green, Pacific Northwest
rain forest. This is true, but when
you cruise the Columbia and Snake
rivers, you learn the eastern section
of the state is mostly high desert
composed of soaring gold and tan
rocky shores.
The 88-guest Legacy, a replica
of a turn-of-the-century coastal
steamer, comes complete with
period décor, carved wooden
cabinetry, a lounge with a full bar,
a lovely dining room with a wine
bar, a saloon, two hot tubs, fitness
equipment and a massage suite. It
departs from Portland. Not your
typical small-ship cruise, this is a
luxury experience that includes
an open bar with an experienced
bartender, yoga classes and a
complimentary massage for every
guest. When was the last time you
had an open bar, free yoga classes
and a free massage on a cruise? Try
never.
With four expansive decks,
the Legacy has plenty of space
for viewing the ever-changing
landscape and even offers elevator
access to three of its decks. Our
cabin was roomy and comfortable
with plenty of storage space, and
we appreciated the outside door,
which created the illusion of even
more space.
Don’t plan to budget any money
for shore excursions as you must
on those large-ship cruises because
with Un-Cruise Adventures, they
are all included. Visits to museums,
forts and waterfalls
are all part of the
package. We had
the most fun on our
jet-boat trip up into
Hells Canyon. The deepest river
gorge in North America, Hells
Canyon was carved out by the
Snake River and is full of history,
geology, breathtaking scenery and
wildlife. We were amazed to see
mule deer and Rocky Mountain
bighorn sheep grazing peacefully
on the banks, bald eagles soaring
overhead and great blue herons
fishing from rocks. Fascinating
Nez Perce petroglyphs cover one
canyon wall and remind us these
Native inhabitants were here long
before the area was discovered by
white men. This canyon is actually
deeper in spots than the Grand
Canyon and is so remote residents
of the cabins that dot the shore
must manage with no electricity or
plumbing.
After
every day of adventure, we looked
forward to a wonderful gourmet
meal. Each meal and snack was
prepared onboard by the talented
kitchen staff and we enjoyed every
bite. There was nothing like coming back to our cozy cabin on the
Legacy, enjoying another gorgeous
sunset on the river and gearing
up for another day of even more
fabulous adventures.
The deepest river
gorge in North
America, Hells Canyon
was carved out by the
Snake River.