Majestic America Line Joins Wilderness Best Management Practices Program for Tracy...

Majestic America Line Joins Wilderness Best Management Practices Program for
Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness

Majestic America Line Shows Commitment to Natural Resources and Wilderness
Preservation by Participating in Voluntary Program

SEATTLE, May 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Majestic America Line, one of the
world's premier river cruise lines and the largest river and coastal cruising
company in America, is proud to sign the Wilderness Best Management Practices
Program for Tracy Arm and Ford Terror Wilderness.
Alaska is well-known for being an unforgettable destination for visitors.
Majestic America Line is committed to ensuring that the beauty and natural
resources of the region are preserved for future generations.
With just 112 staterooms and suites, Empress of the North's
intimate, small ship experience provides unique access to the vast
wilderness and waterways of Alaska's Inside Passage while adhering to the
guidelines set in the Wilderness Best Management Practices Program. A perk of
cruising on a small ship with only 223 guests is that it has unique access to
remote locations, like Tracy Arm and Endicott Arm.
All 2008 itineraries allow guests to explore up close the spectacular
glaciers, natural wonders, the majestic grandeur of Alaska's endless forests,
plummeting waterfalls, abundant wildlife, and the rich culture of America's
last frontier.
About the Wilderness Best Management Practices Program:
-- Preserving Quiet: Operators recognize the importance of quiet and
solitude and will minimize vessel announcements and signals while in
Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness. Certain signals and announcements
are
necessary and required by the US Coast Guard for navigational and
safety
reasons.
-- Maintaining Clean Air: All vessels agree to comply with the Marine
Vessel Visible Emissions Standards (18 AAC 50-.070) and will take all
available and reasonable steps to minimize visible stack emissions
while
in Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness.
-- Protecting Wildlife: Operators agree to conduct their business in a
manner which, whenever possible avoids changing the natural behavior
of
wildlife in their vicinity including bears, whales, and nesting birds
such as terns and oystercatchers. Harbor seals are protected by the
Marine Mammal Protection Act that prohibits activities that could
injure
or disturb seals by disrupting behavioral patterns.
-- Preserving Solitude: Operators recognize the importance of an
authentic
Alaskan experience of wilderness and agree to help preserve solitude
through the following measures:
-- Endicott Arm: Vessels with more than 250 passengers agree not to
schedule operations in Endicott Arm or Fords Terror Wilderness.
-- Fords Terror Wilderness: Operators of motorized vessels agree to
minimize their speed and wake around paddlers, maintaining a safe
and respectful distance. Paddlers acknowledge that use of the
marine radio to announce their presence will assist motorized
vessel
operators in achieving these goals.
-- Schedules: Operators agree to share their schedules to help avoid
crowding any particular destination in the Tracy Arm -- Fords
Terror
Wilderness.
-- Keeping it Alive: Vessel operators agree to include these guidelines
in
annual training and respective policies and procedures documentation.

Empress of the North was built expressly for exploring the narrow
passages and coastal inlets of Alaska. She has a shallow draft to allow
exploration of secluded bays and maneuver close to shore. Empress of the
North pays homage to the explorers that have traveled these waterways for
hundreds of years with the ship's impressive three-story paddlewheel.
In the spirit of a boutique hotel, every stateroom features elegant
furnishings including rich mahogany wardrobes and luxurious velvet draperies.
Guests enjoy five-star comfort, luxurious amenities and award-winning service;
including decadent pillow-top mattresses, high thread-count linens and thick
cotton towels. Empress of the North also offers exceptional live
entertainment and elegant fine dining.
In 2007 Majestic America Line was named "Best American Cruise" in the
annual Editor's Choice Awards at CruiseReport.com, Conde Nast Traveler listed
Empress of the
North in the Top 10 for "Best Small Ships" and Travel & Leisure
named Majestic America Line among the "World's Best Small Ship Cruise
Lines" in their 12th Annual Readers' Poll.
For more information, contact a travel agent, call 1-800-434-1232 or visit
www.majesticamericaline.com.
About Majestic America Line
Majestic America Line is the premier river and coastal cruising company in
the United States, offering uniquely American cruise itineraries that provide
an extraordinary travel experience.
With a fleet of six U.S.-flagged and built ships, Majestic America Line
travels America's great rivers and coastal waterways from Alaska and the
Pacific Northwest to the Heartland and the Lower Mississippi. The company's
specially designed ships deliver an unequalled boutique cruise experience that
combines an unmatched attention to quality with deluxe comfort and warm,
attentive service from an American crew.
Based in Seattle, Majestic America Line is a division of Ambassadors
Cruise Group, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ambassadors International,
Inc. (Nasdaq: AMIE).

For Immediate Release:
Amy MacIver
Majestic America Line
206.733.2982

SOURCE Majestic America Line

Amy MacIver of Majestic America Line, +1-206-733-2982