The Best Alaska Cruise Ship Tours

The Inside Passage of Alaska and British Columbia is the main attraction for cruisegoers coming to Alaska. The Inside Passage cruise hugs the coast of Alaska and British Columbia for hundreds of miles, creating a protected area between the more rugged open Pacific and the wilderness of Canada and Alaska.

With over 1,000 islands and 500 miles in length north to south, this massive area of Alaska is best seen by boat. From the road, you cannot get a close-up view of these spectacular glaciers, nor are there enough roads to offer views of the scenery. The Inside Passage is also a popular kayakers destination, with many paddling the fjords of Glacier Bay and B.C.

Alaska is cold. Very cold. That's why this usually frozen region near the Arctic can only be visited a few months out of the year, and that's it. The snow, rough seas, and frigid temperatures quickly return just as summer ends, and only halt once summer is in full swing.

One thing you'll run into problems with when booking your vacation to Alaska is availability. The small window time offered fills up quickly, especially in late June, July, and August, when people are on vacation (and so are kids). To avoid some of the crowds, try late May or mid September, when the temperatures will still be comfortable, but the crowds will be thinned out. You'll also be able to witness some of the incredible spring blooms if taking an offshore Alaska excursion, or see the dramatic change in foliage during the early weeks of fall.

Can you see the Northern Lights on your cruise through Alaska? This phenomenon known as Aurora Borealis, is best seen from further north in Alaska. Locations north near Fairbanks and Denali are the perfect viewing spots to see the Northern Lights. The peak times to see the Northern Lights also are on the equinoxes, around September 22 and March 22. This means if you're planning a September Alaska cruise trip, you will have a great chance to see Aurora Borealis.

Besides all of your essentials like your luggage, cruise ship itinerary, passport, picture ID, and credit cards, you'll need some other items for your cruise. You probably don't need to be told that it could be quite chilly in Alaska, so you'll need a sweatshirt, but did you remember bug spray? The inland offshore excursions can become buggy in the peak summer months. A good pair of sunglasses, an extra battery for your camera, an extra memory card, will just about top off the list.

If you're planning on doing some hiking, bring hiking boots. A good pair of hiking boots will make your hike much more enjoyable as you traverse the rugged terrain of Alaska. A waterproof jacket is another good idea, since weather changes without notice here.

Book a cruise through any of these companies:

Royal Caribbean Alaska Cruises. Answer the call of the wild with Royal Caribbean's Alaskan cruises.

Princess Cruise Tours. Experience the thrill of an Alaska vacation with Princess.

Holland America Alaska Cruises. Find cruises, do a virtual tour, and book your cruise to Alaska with Holland America's website.

Celebrity Alaska Cruise. Rustic and romantic, a Celebrity cruise to Alaska will be one you'll never forget.

Cruises are offered in 10 or 14 day packages with most companies, with land-sea travel package combinations. Each day, you'll see something new, and be stopping most days to dock in one Alaska's beautiful shoreside stops, or along the pine-lined shores of British Columbia.

With most 14 day packages, you'll have the option to see other destinations in Alaska like Denali National Park, the Gates of the Arctic, the Alaska Pipeline, and other National Parks to the west like Kenai Fjords National Park, and Wrangall St. Elias Preserve. If you want to visit more destinations within Alaska besides the Inside Passage, a 14 day trip might be the right length. This will afford more parks, a better view of the heart of Alaska, and longer period of time on land than the 10 day trips. If you'd like to save more time on your trip, you can fly directly into Vancouver or Seattle, the closest starting points to the Inside Passage. If departing from San Francisco, expect to add some additional days onto your cruise.

Denali National Park. Denali, also known as Mount Mckinley, is located in central Alaska. The trip to Denali National Park from the shore of Alaska will take approximately 8 hours (if travelling from Anchorage to Fairbanks). A stay in the park will allow viewing of Grizzly Bears, colorful alpine meadows, winding streams, and best of all, a view of the summit of Denali itself. Weather in the park is cloudy around 75% of the time near the summit, so expect to stay and enjoy this massive park for several days to guarantee a great photo opportunity.

Kenai Fjords National Park. Puffins, mountain goats, sea lions, humpback whales, glaciers, lakes, and 1760 square miles of pristine nature make up the amazing area known as Kenai Fjoras National Park. From most Alaska cruises, Kenai Fjords won't be far from your Anchorage stop. Try adding on an excursion to your trip if available to view this National Parks must-see.

Glacier Bay National Park. While most people never set foot off the boat to see Glacier Bay National Park, that's actually the beauty of it. The area is only accessibly by plane or by boat, so a cruise ship goer, you'll have a front row seat to one of America's most inaccessible (by land) National Parks that boasts some of the most incredible glacial views.

One of the first stops on many cruises is the town of Ketchikan. Located near the Queen Charlotte Islands, Ketchican has a charming 19th century appeal. Some houses are on stilts in this small town on the creeks. The town also is home to salmon, which swim up river when laying their eggs seasonally. In fact, it's known as the "Salmon Capital of the World"! Ketchikan is the 5th largest city in Alaska, and has some amazing views both down on the ground and high above, as evidenced by the photo below.

You can't see Russia from any house in Sitka, but you can see Czarist style dancers in this Russian heritage town. This beautiful area has calm inlets with the contrasting mountains, the Sisters. This port is usually the 2nd stop on your Alaska cruise, and roughly the halfway point between Prince William Sound and Ketchikan.

Alaska Cruise Ship Reviews. This page has been set up to feature some of the best personal reviews of Alaska cruises by people who have actually done it.

Fodor's Cruise Reviews. Fodor's has some more great reviews of each cruise company, with an overview that isn't biased, but informative.

• Alaska Cruise Photo

Alaska Cruise photo by gokubi.

• Norwegian Star. Juneau, Alaska

Norwegian Star leaves Juneau, Alaska.

• Iceberg Floating

Iceberg floating down the Endicott Arm Fjord a Richard Martin photograph

• Dawes Glacier

Dawes Glacier at the head of Endicott Arm Fjord 30 miles into the coastal mountains a Richard Martin photograph

• Docked Cruise Ship in Alaska

Norwegian Sun docked at the ore dock in Skagway, Alaska a Richard Martin photograph

• Alaska Gateway to the Klondike Sign

Welcome to Alaska a Richard Martin photograph

• Cruising Around Alaska

This picture was taken by my uncle Dean while on a cruise in Alaska.

• Alaska Cruise Boat Photo

Cruise to Alaska on the Legend of the Sea by Royal Caribbean stopping at Glacier Bay National Park and traveling thru the In-Side Passage.

• Alaskan Shore Photo

Shot from the window of my room at the Gilmore Hotel

• Glacier Splendor

Alaska's inner passage

• Northern Lights

Photo of the Aurora visible in Alaska.