Meet the Woman Helping Steer Some of Alaska’s Most Adventurous Cruises | Condé Nast Traveler

"Serving as second-in-command aboard the Native-owned, family-run Alaskan Dream Cruises’ Admiralty Dream, I navigate some of North America’s trickiest passages while running a tight, small-ship operation that carries just 44 to 49 passengers and 20 to 23 crew. My team covers deck and bridge, galley, stewards, hotel, and engineering, so safety inspections, rounds, plotting navigation, and incident reports fill the day; on a vessel this size everyone pitches in—deck crew might wash dishes one day and help the engineers the next—so we live in close quarters, become like family, and morale is huge. I value quiet time below the water line in my rack to write or read, we sometimes unwind in the mess hall we share with guests, and I take pride that the company closed a pay gap in my first season. Ships have a spirit, and I learn something new every day." - Ashlea Halpern