Cruise the "Inland Passage"; the fantastic ocean route winding through the lush islands and mainland fjords of southeast Alaska can be the dream cruise of a lifetime! The Inland Passage is the cruise that most often comes to mind when tourists think of an "Alaskan Cruise".

Cruise ship passengers are often content to view Alaska’s coastline from comfortable staterooms or deck rails. The Inland Passage is famous for its scenic wonders, offering tide-water glaciers, whale watching and other wildlife viewing as the ships pass close to rocky shores and cliff-side rookeries.

Cruise ships depart regularly from Vancouver, BC and travel north and northwest up the coast to Alaska, stopping at such ports of call as Juneau, Sitka, Ketchikan, Haines and Anchorage. One or two day side trips by bus, train or rental car are commonly advertised features of many cruise lines. Some of these same ports can also be used as jumping off points for extended land-based vacations.

If visiting mainland Alaska is your vacation goal, the option is also open to fly to either Anchorage or Fairbanks at the beginning of a trip and doing things the other way around. Travelers can chose to spend days or weeks exploring Alaska’s National Parks, fishing or rafting local rivers and lakes, hiking, biking, bird watching or just enjoying Nature’s beauty. There are a multitude of tourist destinations in Alaska, easily accessible by car or by taking the famous Alaska Railroad.

What would be better after a few weeks of exciting Alaskan adventure than a relaxing cruise back down the coast to the lower 48 … winding down your trip in leisure and luxury?

As cruises go, there are so many different options for size, type and cost of cruises and ports of calls, I'd be hard pressed to name them all. Visitors who want to look into something a little different should be sure to keep in mind not only the better known places cruise ships might stop but some of the lesser known ones as well.

Some cruise lines offer ports of call as far north/west as Kodiak Island and Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Chain. One day charter fishing trips out of Dutch Harbor out into the fabulous rich fishing grounds of the Bering Sea could be a once in a life-time experience!

Do you want to view whales or glaciers (or both)? Would you rather see the State Capitol and historic sites or go sea kayaking? How about traveling "off the beaten path"? A cruise may be a means to an end (Unalaska Island in the Aleutians or the White Pass & Yukon Railway into the wilderness above Skagway, for example) or it may be a full-filling destination in itself. A little planning can customize your trip to Alaska in ways you haven’t even considered.

The bigger, fancier cruise ship vacations can be a little on the spendy side and aren’t for everyone. If well-appointed state rooms, scheduled deck activities and eating at the Captain’s table isn’t your cup of tea, but you still long for a boat trip up the Inland Passage to Alaska or to some other port of call - there is another option!

The Alaska Marine Highway System is well worth considering. Cruise ships can be expensive - and you can't bring your motor home or dog on board. You CAN bring them along (check restrictions) and see a lot of the same great scenery (without many of the fancy accoutrements, I admit, but also a lot cheaper) by traveling by Alaska Marine Ferry. Reserve a no-frills but private room, or bring a sleeping bag and camp out on deck! Eat at the four star restaurant or buy snacks, box lunches and inexpensive tray meals in the cafeteria. The choice is yours. Check into the rules applying to Ferry travel and see if this is an adventure you’d enjoy.

So, if you are planning a trip to Alaska and want to experience at least part of it by sea, look into all the options. There are more routes to and through Alaska than you may realize … and all of them can be extraordinary!