Yeah, that’s about what it costs for a commercial, inclusive U.S. tour with a major company. Some people don’t like or aren’t good at all the logistical planning, but have money to pay somebody else to take care of it. Good thing you 1) live there and 2) have other options for seeing stuff.
I very much enjoyed the Maritime Museum.
Nina
When I drove through the gorge yesterday I saw a large ship docked in The Dalles. It looked like a "tiny" cruise ship. All I could read on it as I passed it was National Geographic. I looked it up today and found this link. People are paying thousands of dollars to see what we have in our backyard. I had no idea.
http://www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/expeditions/columbia-snake-river-cruise/detail