The Alaska cruise is a breathtaking adventure will never forget. Giant snow-capped mountains sparkling glaciers, thick pine forests rising up from the coast and abundant wildlife vie for your attention in this spectacular landscape. Cities and towns full of history tell a story of the great land that ingratiate Alaska forever. An Alaska cruise out of Seattle usually in the state of Washington or Vancouver in British Columbia. The winters are very harsh in Alaska, so the main cruising season is confined to the summer months, usually between May and September. The most popular route takes passengers Alaska cruise around a weeklong trip to the coast of Alaska and the passage of the Interior.

This route is in the ports of Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Sitka in southeast Alaska. Other cruise routes run to Prince William Sound, near the city of Anchorage, and also along the Alaska Peninsula and the Bering Sea. These cruises are often more than one way, passengers who require to make their return journey by train or plane. Ketchikan is well worth a visit just for the Tongass National Forest – the most northerly rainforest on the continent of North America. This is more than eight times the size of Yellowstone National Park and offers the ultimate in adventure tours where you'll find rich salmon runs and grizzly bears.

Ketchikan is also home to the world's largest collection of totem poles. These can be found at the Totem Heritage Center Museum. Juneau, often known as "Little San Francisco", is the capital of Alaska. Here you can experience life in a city of true north. The Mendenhall Glacier is sure worth visiting, as is the Sawyer Glacier a little further south. Skagway is Alaska's gold rush town of. It is well preserved and offers access to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Disembark at the port and see how the famous White Pass railroad, before panning for gold in this northern outpost. And when you're finished with the gold, why not take time to watch the whales near Sitka – a haven for these beautiful creatures all year. For the more adventurous, an Alaska cruise can take in Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska. Known as the Emerald Isle 'Alaska' Kodiak Island takes visitors to the time when the first inhabitants settled on the island more than 7,500 years ago. You can even locate Alaska's oldest parish here on Kodiak Island … John Metcalfe is the author and web publisher of A to Z Cruises your # 1 source for cruise information, discounts and great deals! Visit now to book your own dream vacation.