This was my second straight year I went on the Columbia Glacier cruise. Basically I wanted to check on how far the glacier has retreated and whether the trip was worthy enough for some of my friends from the lower 48 should travel up and see. Overall, I enjoyed the cruise very much. I enjoyed photographing the wild critters all over and we had a perfect cruising weather that made everything just right. The lunch they served was an improvement from last year. My friend really enjoyed the clam chowder and I thought their veggie chili was pretty good with bagel. The captain of the boat, Valdez Spirit, proves to be an excellent helmsman and even a better guide. Without a doubt, he was the heart and soul of the entire cruise and he made all other crew members better. They had a open door policy on the bridge and I for one, really appreciated that since I enjoyed standing there taking photos without getting cold. To be honest, Columbia Glacier is now divided into three parts. West, Main and East branches. There is almost nothing left at the East Brach and Main Branch usually got a lot of ice. The captain took us to the West Branch and got up pretty close. Still, it hard to believe that this was once, one of the largest glaciers on Planet Earth. Once this branch is gone, the cruise company will have NO chocie but to fight the ice to get close to the main branch. Otherwise, no one will spend good money looking at a shrinking glacier five miles away. And without the glacier, this will be nothing more than a waterdown version of the Kenai Fjord cruise. But time is running out. Whoever may read this, may want to act now and go or forever hold your peace when it is gone. Oh yeah, one more thing.....Valdez Spirit is remarkably a very clean, spotless boat.....really....windows are clean, the heads are clean, its a great example of being "ship shape ready" for inspection.