Has anyone noticed the tiny cruises to Alaska docked next to Golden Gardens? Are they worth it?

I was on a walk the other day and noticed a tiny cruise ship docking at the southern end of Shilshole Marina. They eventually rolled out a small polyester pop-up canopy/pavilion at the entrance that had their name on it – American Cruise Lines.

https://www.americancruiselines.com/cruises/alaska-cruises

First of all, I was quite surprised and impressed that they had the space to dock a cruise ship at Shilshole Marina, even if it was just a small one.

But more importantly, I was left wondering, who is actually booking trips on these cruises?

The cruise looked quite dated, even if it looked clean. It also seemed to lack any of the crazy amenities that you see on other cruise ships, like go-kart tracks or slides or a stage. In fact, after looking at their website, it seems that their cruise lacks even basic amenities like a pool.

When I first saw it, I was thinking, “ok, it’s a budget option for Alaskan cruises. But how much cheaper can it actually be?” Normal cruise ships like Norwegian/Carnival already offer quite a bit of bang for their buck IMO, and the reason I don’t go on them is because I don’t like the idea of being stuck on a cruise, not because I think they’re too expensive or not a good value.

But after looking at the prices for these cruises, it seems like they’re significantly more expensive than comparable trips with the standard cruise lines with modern ships and all of the frills and crazy amenities. Their cheapest cruise, a 9 day / 8 night cruise, is currently listed at a “discount price” of $6225. How do they justify this price when you can book a 7 day cruise by Norwegian for $1100?

I can understand that some people may want a quieter experience on the boat, and these boats only hold a few hundred people compared to several thousand. I can also see an argument that when you are on a larger cruise, you are stuck in large crowds with your fellow passengers even when you stop at a port. But does that justify such a large difference in price? I think if I were stuck on a cruise ship, I would want those attractions to make the down-time palatable. Are these cruises just marketed to vulnerable, clueless people who don’t know better?

FTR, although I don’t normally travel on cruises, I DO want to take a cruise to Alaska at some point in the next few years, since it seems like cruises may be the best way to access parts of Alaska which are only accessible by boat. So I am asking out of my own self-interest as well, not just personal curiosity.