An Alaskan cruise can really be the most memorable vacation you ever take. It certainly was for me.
Take a virtual Alaska cruise with me and discover some of the towns, parks, and incredible natural wonders that make Alaska so special and unforgettable.
Most Alaska cruise vacations follow a one-way northbound or southbound itinerary, starting in either Anchorage, to the north, or Vancouver, to the south.
Other cruises sail to or from either Seattle or San Francisco, rather than Vancouver.
Finally, some ships follow round trip itineraries out of either Vancouver, Seattle, or San Francisco.
For this virtual cruise, we will be sailing aboard Princess Cruise Lines' Diamond Princess from Vancouver to Anchorage.
[Click on the port or destination names to explore that place in more detail.]
Our ship leaves port at 4:30 PM on a perfect Saturday afternoon in the beautiful city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Before the cruise, you have time to take a tour of the city, which is surrounded by the beautiful waters of the Strait of Georgia and the majestic peaks of the North Shore Mountains.
As the ship leaves the dock, you are treated to a panoramic view of the city and mountains. Vancouver really has one of the most breathtaking locations of any city in the world.
Saturday night and Sunday, we sail up the beautiful Inside Passage, first in the narrow straight between Vancouver Island and the mainland of Canada.
Sometime late Sunday, we leave Vancouver Island behind and into the Queen Charlotte Sound.
While at sea, the Diamond Princess has an amazing variety of facilities and activities, so when you're not taking in the beautiful scenery or watching for orcas on deck, you'll always have plenty to do.
On Monday morning, you awake to find the ship docked in the beautiful Alaska island community of Ketchikan.
Ketchikan will be your first port of call in Alaska. Located at the beginning of the Alaskan Inside Passage, Ketchikan is situated in a lush temperate rainforest.
There are many great opportunities for shore excursions here, but you will be going on my pick for the best excursion of all, the Misty Fjords float plane trip.
After returning from an incredible day touring mystical, breathtaking Misty Fjords, you stop off to buy some souvenirs on Ketchikan’s quaint, historic Creek Street, before returning to the ship for an incredible dinner of fresh Alaska sockeye salmon.
Not a bad way to end your first day at port on your Alaskan cruise.
