Luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas Cruises, known worldwide for delivering the industry’s most innovative itineraries, will inaugurate Vancouver, Canada’s new Campbell River cruise ship terminal on June 5, 2007 as part of its 2007 Alaska cruise season. Overlooking Discovery Passage on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, this new cruise destination is an initiative of the Campbell River Indian Band, also known as the Wei Wai Kum, and is the first aboriginal cruise ship terminal in the world. The 700-guest all-suite, all-balcony Seven Seas Mariner will be the first and only ship in 2007 to call in Campbell River – the “Salmon Capital of the World” – which offers an intimate opportunity to experience British Columbia’s unspoiled natural beauty and authentic Aboriginal culture.
“On behalf of the Campbell River Indian Band, I look forward to personally welcoming Seven Seas Mariner guests to our new cruise terminal, which will provide not only a valuable revenue stream for the Wei Wai Kum people, but also allow us to showcase our heritage to the world, “said Robert Pollard, Chief of the Campbell River Indian Band.
To celebrate the port’s inaugural call, the Wei Wai Kum Indian Band will host a full day of festivities on June 5 for guests aboard the Seven Seas Mariner, which will be in port from the afternoon until midnight. Notable figures in attendance will include senior representatives for the Government of Canada and the provincial government, as well as executives from Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Cruise guests and other attendees will be treated to a warm “First Nation” welcome including a performance by Wei Wai Kum traditional dancers and opportunities to shop for locally-made delicacies, arts and crafts.
While in Campbell River, Seven Seas Mariner guests can choose from a variety of shore excursions that showcase this beautiful region: hiking the lower reaches of the Campbell River, where five species of Pacific salmon come to spawn; taking a float plane adventure to Read Island, home of Canada’s only floating post office, which boasts some of the area’s most stunning scener or exploring the Campbell River Estuary by kayak, where guests may catch a glimpse of the seals and sea lions that thrive in this wildlife-rich setting.
The inaugural call to the Campbell River cruise terminal occurs during a seven-night cruise from Seward, Alaska to Vancouver that departed on May 30, 2007. Other upcoming Regent sailings featuring calls to Campbell River depart on June 13, June 27 and July 11, as well as select sailings in 2008. Per person prices start from $3,697. Cruise fares include all shipboard gratuities, complimentary beverages, including select wines and spirits served throughout the ship, complimentary 24-hour room service, refrigerator stocked with soft drinks, beer and bottled water replenished daily and an in-suite bar setup in butler suites.
