Charles ‘Chuck’ West, 90; Alaska Tourism Pioneer, Cruise Line Founder

Charles “Chuck” West, 90, an Alaska tourism pioneer who founded the Seattle-based cruise line Cruise West, died Tuesday of natural causes at his cabin in Haines, Alaska.

West, a World War II veteran who had earned a Distinguished Flying Cross in the Army Air Forces, began flying to remote areas of Alaska in 1946. As a pilot for Fairbanks-based Wien Airlines, he organized, sold and flew air excursions to Nome on the Bering Sea. He later launched a tour company, Arctic Alaska Tours, and marketed North Country package tours through travel agencies.

To provide facilities for Alaska tourists, West founded a hotel chain, motor coach network and Inside Passage cruise line. In 1957, he assembled the three components under the umbrella company Westours.

After selling his controlling interest in the firm to the Holland America Line in 1973, West founded another Alaska travel company that became the present-day Cruise West.