Public trust in government is fragile. Regardless of political affiliation, many Americans have grown skeptical of the institutions that serve them. The reasons are numerous and complex, but the consequences are clear: when trust declines, our ability to solve problems together declines as well.
As our nation prepares to elect new leaders, there is an important lesson worth remembering: leadership is not primarily about authority, power or winning. It is about serving.
Servant leadership turns the traditional view of leadership upside down. Rather than asking, “How can others help me succeed?” servant leaders ask, “How can I help others succeed?” They measure success not by personal recognition or power, but by whether the people and institutions they lead become stronger, more capable and more trusted.
I learned this lesson during one of Minnesota’s darkest moments.
In August 2007, the Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed, taking 13 lives and injuring 145 people. As commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation after the collapse, I witnessed firsthand the grief, anger and uncertainty that followed. Beyond the physical devastation, public confidence in our transportation system had been shaken.
Rebuilding a bridge was a significant engineering challenge. Rebuilding trust was an even greater one.
We quickly recognized that no single individual could accomplish this task alone. Success required a team of servant leaders — people who placed the needs of citizens above personal recognition or political advantage. Engineers, project managers, construction workers, public information officers and countless others embraced a simple but powerful question: “What do the people of Minnesota need from us right now?”
The answer was clear. They needed competence. They needed transparency. They needed honesty. And they needed leaders who served others through everyday actions — listening, showing compassion, being present and consistently putting others first.
Throughout the recovery and reconstruction effort, we committed ourselves to open communication. We shared what we knew, acknowledged what we did not know and focused relentlessly on serving the public. Decisions were made not for personal or political gain, but for the benefit of the people we served.
The result was not only the successful completion of a new bridge in record time. It was the restoration of public confidence.
Today, our political environment often rewards a different model of leadership — one centered on division, self-promotion and ideological combat. Public officials are frequently encouraged to speak first, listen second and view opponents as enemies rather than fellow citizens with differing perspectives.
This approach may generate headlines, but it rarely builds trust.
Servant leaders understand that leadership begins with humility. They listen before they speak. They seek to empower others rather than dominate them. They recognize that public office is a temporary stewardship, not a personal possession, and they place the common good ahead of partisan interests.
Most importantly, servant leaders understand that trust is earned through consistent actions over time. Citizens do not expect perfection from their leaders. They do expect integrity, compassion, accountability and a genuine commitment to serving others.
Our elected officials face enormous challenges. No single philosophy or political party has a monopoly on wisdom. But leaders from every political persuasion can benefit from embracing the principles of servant leadership.
If we hope to restore confidence in our public institutions, we must first restore confidence in those who lead them.
The work of rebuilding trust is not unlike rebuilding a bridge. It requires vision, collaboration, competence and patience. Above all, it requires leaders who understand that their highest calling is not to be served, but to serve.
That lesson helped Minnesota recover from tragedy. It can help strengthen our democracy today.
Tom Sorel served as commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation from 2008 to 2012, leading the agency during the reconstruction of the Interstate 35W bridge. He is the author of “Biscuit the Dog: Finding the Heart of Servant Leadership.”
Alaska doesn’t reward rushing. It rewards curiosity, patience, and a willingness to follow the wild where it leads. That’s why an Alaska UnCruise feels less like a vacation and more like an immersion. These small-ship journeys trade crowds and fixed itineraries for quiet coves, misty fjords, and days shaped by tides, weather, and wildlife instead of a clock.
We recently sailed with UnCruise from Juneau on one of their most iconic itineraries, and we can’t wait to share our firsthand experience. One morning we were kayaking beneath hanging glaciers; the next we were bushwhacking through old-growth forest or skiffing toward a shoreline that rarely sees footprints. With Uncruise we discovered Alaska at human scale: intimate, flexible, and deeply connected to the place itself.
Read on to see whether an Alaska UnCruise belongs on your bucket list.
Wild, Woolly, and Wow: The Glacier Bay Loop
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
UnCruise operates trips in four of Alaska’s five regions, Southeast, Southcentral, Interior, and Southwest, but Juneau is the heart of the operation. It’s their most popular port, offering round-trip voyages through the Inside Passage as well as one-way itineraries connecting to Sitka, Ketchikan, Seattle, and Seward.
We sailed the Wild, Woolly, and Wow with Glacier Bay itinerary: a week-long, round-trip voyage from Juneau that includes one full day in Glacier Bay. Some sailings offer two days in the park, but for us, one was plenty. We woke at the base of a tidewater glacier deep in the bay and sailed out at sunset—hard to imagine a better bookend.
What really surprised us was how much we enjoyed the glaciers outside Glacier Bay. Many UnCruise itineraries explore additional tidewater glaciers that mega-ships can’t access. These areas came with fewer people, more time ashore, fewer restrictions, and, often, better weather. Glacier Bay’s massive icefields can generate their own conditions, which means sunshine elsewhere while the park sits under clouds.
Because UnCruise captains have the freedom to choose anchorages based on real-time conditions, no two trips are identical. Still, the geography naturally creates a rhythm: a loose loop around Admiralty Island, Glacier Bay to the northwest, quieter glacier systems to the southeast, and countless bays and backwaters in between for kayaking, bushwhacking, and skiff exploration.
UnCruising vs. Traditional Cruising
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
Traditional cruising runs on a dual-revenue model. Competitive ticket prices, often low-margin or even loss leaders, are offset by onboard spending like drinks, specialty dining, spa treatments, internet, and retail. Scale is the strategy: 3,000 to 6,000+ passengers spread operational costs thin.
UnCruise flips that model on its head. With all-inclusive pricing and fewer than 90 passengers, the experience feels more like an adult summer camp than a floating resort. Instead of pulling into ports for pre-packaged shore excursions, the ships anchor in remote bays and rely on an in-house guide team. You’re not herded; you’re invited.
The payoff is connection, both to the place and the people. With such a small guest count, you quickly learn names, swap stories, and share the day’s highlights over genuinely excellent food and drinks that reflect the region you’re sailing through.
Alaska UnCruise vs. Other UnCruises
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
This was our third UnCruise, following trips to the Sea of Cortez and Hawaii. Alaska felt different, a good way. UnCruise started here, and it shows. The Alaska program leans heavily into wilderness exploration led by the onboard team, rather than outsourced excursions.
In Hawaii and Mexico, proximity to towns meant more third-party activities, bike rides, cultural tours, and the like. Alaska, by contrast, felt raw and remote, with days shaped almost entirely by weather, wildlife, and opportunity.
It was also colder. Hawaii and Mexico invited snorkeling and free swimming; Alaska required more gear, better tides, and a stronger sense of humor to enter the water. We did the polar plunge more for the bragging rights than the pleasure, and we’d do it again.
Life Aboard the Wilderness Legacy
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
The Wilderness Legacy is UnCruise’s largest ship, carrying up to 90 guests. Interestingly, similar Glacier Bay itineraries are also offered on much smaller vessels, down to just 22 passengers, depending on how intimate you want the experience to be.
We appreciated the comforts onboard: reliable Wi-Fi and hot tubs, which make glacier watching from bubbling water feel downright legendary. Cabins were compact but comfortable, no Instagram-perfect balconies here, but if your goal is to spend the day outdoors, that’s a fair trade.
Two spacious common areas brought everyone together for meals, happy hour, and nightly programming. From naturalist talks to talent shows and the always-anticipated end-of-voyage slideshow, every evening felt communal and relaxed.
The Real Reason You UnCruise: Activities
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
You don’t UnCruise to stay onboard. You UnCruise to get out into it.
Most days offered three core options, bushwhacking, kayaking, and skiff tours, both morning and afternoon. Plans shifted with weather and conditions, which is part of the magic. Southeast Alaska is a temperate rainforest, after all.
Our loose strategy: kayak on clear days, bushwhack in the rain, and choose skiff tours when there was something extraordinary to see, like bears feeding at Pavlov Creek. It wasn’t scientific, but it worked.
Some moments were non-negotiable: skiffing up to tidewater glaciers, the mandatory kayak orientation, or simply staying aboard when wildlife appeared unexpectedly, like the pod of roughly 30 orcas that surfaced as we exited Glacier Bay.
One of the biggest advantages of small-ship cruising is how well the guides get to know you. By midweek, excursions were subtly tailored to guests’ interests and abilities, making everyone feel both supported and challenged.
Food Worth Planning Your Day Around
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
Forget buffet lines. Every meal onboard was cooked to order, with meat, seafood, and vegetarian options. Everything was so good that ordering a “partial of all three” became a habit. Ordering ahead also helped reduce food waste, which we appreciated.
Dietary restrictions were handled seamlessly, and the menus reflected a strong sense of place like crab boils, butter-poached halibut, and other Alaska-forward dishes. Morning meal announcements became a highlight, and we learned to choose our breakfast seat strategically so we’d have time to contemplate dinner choices before they took our order.
An onboard pastry chef kept desserts dialed in, while talented bartenders handled everything from classics to the cocktail of the day. Happy hour quickly became a ritual: swapping stories, snacking on charcuterie and baked brie, and trying not to ruin our appetite for dinner.
Cabins: Functional, Thoughtful, and Surprisingly Cozy
Photo Credit: UnCruise Adventures.
Cabins aren’t luxurious, but they are smartly designed. Full bathrooms, potable tap water, comfortable beds, and enough storage, assuming you don’t overpack.
Our favorite feature? Hooks. Lots of them. Perfect for drying wet gear after a day outside. By the end of the voyage, the hallways looked like an REI sidewalk sale caught in a rainstorm, but our cabin always felt clean, dry, and warm.
It’s also worth noting how skilled our captain was at selecting sheltered anchorages. Even when a strong storm rolled through, we slept soundly each night, tucked behind towering cliffs that blocked the wind. Every morning delivered a new view, complete with freshly fed waterfalls spilling down the rock walls.
What to Pack (and What Not To)
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
UnCruise provides excellent packing lists, but the guiding principles are simple: dress in layers and expect to get wet. Waterproof pants and a solid rain jacket are non-negotiable.
Footwear is more forgiving. You’re issued gum boots, the unofficial uniform of Alaska, and we wore them every time we left the ship, including for kayaking.
One pro tip: bring soft luggage. We packed everything into soft-sided bags that folded away easily during the voyage. It kept us from overpacking and made cabin life much simpler.
Bonus Time in Juneau
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
As immersive as the UnCruise experience is, we would’ve felt shortchanged if we hadn’t added time in Juneau for classic Alaska adventures.
The good news: Juneau makes it easy. Seaplane tours depart right from the dock, and Mendenhall Glacier is just 20 miles away. Depending on your budget and appetite for adventure, you can reach it by bus, helicopter, or something in between and choose from ice climbing, paddling, dog sledding, or a simple walkabout.
And since you missed-out on onboard shopping during the cruise, Juneau Harbor has you covered.
The Takeaway: Who Alaska UnCruise Is (and Isn’t) For
Photo Credit: Jenn Coleman.
An Alaska UnCruise isn’t about checking boxes or lounging poolside. It’s about slowing down, leaning into uncertainty, and letting the landscape set the agenda. You trade predictability for possibility, and that’s exactly the point.
If you’re curious, flexible, and happiest when your days are shaped by weather reports and wildlife sightings instead of reservations and alarms, this style of travel will feel like coming home. Alaska is vast and wild, but UnCruise has a way of making it feel personal.
For us, it wasn’t just a trip, it was a reminder of how powerful travel can be when you let a place lead.
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OurPacking Favs:
We LOVE Matador Equipment for their innovative products and sustainability focus. Their SEG45 is a game changer when you need large capacity while packing light.
Travel in style with a suitcase, carry-on, backpack, or handbag from Knack Bags
Packing cubes make organized packing a breeze! We love these from Eagle Creek
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Hi! We are Jenn and Ed Coleman aka Coleman Concierge. In a nutshell, we are a Huntsville-based Gen X couple sharing our stories of amazing adventures through activity-driven transformational and experiential travel.
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