If there is one place that should be on your bucket list – it should be Alaska! Wild and untamed, rugged and beautiful, icy glaciers, the rolling tundra, humpback whales, polar bears, totem poles and people that are warm and welcoming. And the best way to see this vast land is on a cruise ship. Why you may ask? Because it’s comfortable and it’s convenient and in one trip you see a land that otherwise may take you a long, long time!

Start your cruise at Seattle or Vancouver and sail through this wonderland.

Ketchikan

This southernmost Alaskan town is home to the native Tlingit and to the totem pole. Strewn all over the town, the totem poles are works of art and come in all shapes and sizes. While you are here, be sure to sample the salmon. After all Ketchikan is the Salmon capital of the world! And if adventure is your cup of tea, take off to the Misty Fjords National Park to sight a bear, go zip lining or get a bird’s eye view of the fantastic scenery below from a seaplane!

Juneau

The capital of Alaska, Juneau is a bustling waterfront town strewn with history and surrounded by the rugged beauty that Alaska is known for. Jump into a kayak, go whale watching, foray in to the ice caves or simply get onto a bike and explore this lovely place. And if history is more your thing, then view the old building built in the days of the Gold Rush, or take a peek into the art galleries and museums that abound. There’s plenty to see and do in Juneau – that’s for sure!

Skagway

The one thing you do want to do when in Skagway is to take the Scenic Rail ride up to the top of the White Pass . View the panoramic sight of snow clad mountains, go dog-sledding, hop into a canoe to row your way to go fishing and watch the whales at play.

Sitka

Get a lesson on Russian culture in this amazing town with the onion shaped dome of St Michael Cathedral bearing witness. Once a trading outpost, today Sitka is Alaska’s most beautiful town with the majestic mountains on one side, and the spruce forests stretching to the sea on the other. Nature, history and culture abound in this, the home of the native Tlingit people.

Hubbard Glacier

A mind-boggling sight of blue ice rising up to touch the sky greets you when you sail past the longest river of ice in this part of the world. It’s an awesome feeling gliding through and seeing this 1350 square miles of this massive icy glacier!

Inside Passage

As your ship weaves through the Inside Passage, enjoy the incredible views of the green coastal rain forests, watch the playful humpbacks, the puffins and otters sunning themselves and take in the surreal scenic beauty of the fjords and shiny blue glaciers. This is a sight you don’t want to miss!

When: The Alaska cruise season runs from May to September with July and August being very popular months.