GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK, AK - The National Park Service has selected the businesses which will provide exclusive tour vessel and related services in Glacier Bay starting next spring. A prospectus soliciting contract proposals was issued in December 2014. A panel of technical experts reviewed each proposal package, and new five-year concession contracts were ultimately awarded to four businesses: Alaska Dream Cruises, American Cruise Lines, Inc., Un-Cruise Adventures, and Lindblad Expeditions, Inc. Contracts will be effective Jan. 1, 2016.
"It is exciting to see such a strong group of experienced tour operators partnering with the NPS to provide exceptional experiences in Glacier Bay," said park superintendent Philip Hooge.
Each summer over 20,000 visitors experience the wonders of Glacier Bay from the decks of tour vessels, often as part of a longer Inside Passage itinerary. A typical day in Glacier Bay provides a spectacular journey through some of Alaska's finest scenery, and offers excellent wildlife viewing as well as a visit to multiple tidewater glaciers.
The new contracts will implement a variety of changes to reduce wilderness impacts for off-vessel activities, and through a cost-recovery program, provide National Park Service interpretive rangers on board each vessel to enhance the passenger experience.
For more information about concessions contracts in the National Park Service visit https://www.concessions.nps.gov/index.htm
Tags: concessions
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
