Why Do I Need to See Alaska? Five Trips Later, I Still Want to Go Back

I've been to Alaska five times.

I've sailed there from both Seattle and Vancouver, and I've experienced Alaska as a cruise destination as well as through a Holland America Cruisetour that took me beyond the coast and into the interior.

And I still wouldn't hesitate to go back.

That's probably the best answer I can give to the question:

Why do I need to see Alaska?

Because Alaska isn't simply a place you visit. It's a place you experience.

The scale is different. The scenery is different. And when you're standing on a ship looking at mountains rising directly from the water, watching glaciers stretch down toward the sea, or travelling through the interior by rail, you realize that photographs really don't do Alaska justice.

Alaska is nature on a different scale.

Alaska is one of those destinations where the scenery becomes the experience.

Towering mountains. Deep fjords. Forests that seem to go on forever. Waterways surrounded by wilderness. Snow-covered peaks even in summer.

And then there are the glaciers.

Seeing a glacier from the deck of a cruise ship is one thing. Sitting in front of one, watching the ice change colour as the light moves across it, is something else entirely.

Alaska's Inside Passage is particularly well suited to cruising because the journey itself is part of the destination. You're not simply getting from one port to another. Much of the time, you're watching the landscape unfold around you.

Wildlife can become part of the experience too. Depending on the itinerary and conditions, you may encounter whales, eagles, bears and other wildlife along the way.

This is one of the reasons Alaska remains so popular with cruise travellers. The ship becomes your comfortable base while the scenery keeps changing outside your window.

There isn't just one way to experience Alaska. 

One of the things I like most about Alaska is that you can choose the style of travel that suits you.

You can take a contemporary cruise from Vancouver or Seattle and experience the classic Alaska itinerary.

Or you can make the trip feel completely different by choosing a smaller, more luxurious ship.

Luxury and small-ship options can include lines such as Explora Journeys, Oceania, Seabourn and Silversea, depending on the season and itinerary. Seabourn, for example, emphasizes smaller ships, glacier viewing and expedition-style experiences that can get travellers closer to Alaska's wilderness.

That means Alaska isn't reserved for one particular type of traveller.

You can cruise Alaska on a larger ship with plenty of onboard activity and amenities, or choose a more intimate small-ship experience where the emphasis is much more heavily on the destination.

May and September sailings are budget-friendly, while mid-summer weeks cost peak prices.

The itinerary matters just as much as the ship.

That's something I think is particularly important when choosing an Alaska cruise.

Vancouver or Seattle?

I've sailed Alaska from both.

Both can be excellent starting points, but they can offer a somewhat different experience depending on the itinerary.

Vancouver is a natural gateway to the Inside Passage, and some itineraries provide particularly scenic cruising before reaching Alaska.

Seattle offers the convenience of a U.S. departure and is home to many popular Alaska itineraries as well.

If Alaska is a bucket-list trip, however, I wouldn't choose the departure city simply because the airfare or cruise fare happens to be cheapest.

I'd start with theitinerary.

Where does the ship go?

Which glaciers does it visit?

How much scenic cruising is included?

Does it visit Glacier Bay?

Which ports are included?

Is it roundtrip, or does it travel one way between the coast and the Gulf of Alaska?

Those decisions can make a much bigger difference to your experience than the colour of the ship or how many restaurants it has.

And then there's the Alaska beyond the cruise.

This is where a Cruisetour can completely change the experience.

Instead of simply cruising for a week, you can combine your cruise with several days travelling through the interior of Alaska.

I've done this with Holland America.

My journey took me to Whitehorse and Dawson City in the Yukon, as well as Denali.

It was a completely different side of Alaska.

Holland America is particularly well known for its Alaska Cruisetours, including programs that combine the cruise with Denali and the Yukon. It is one of the only major cruise lines with the permits and logistics to venture deep into the historic Canadian Yukon. Retracing the historic 1897 Klondike Gold Rush trail via motorcoach, riverboat, and train. Stops include the remote, colourful outpost of Dawson City, the Yukon capital of Whitehorse, and a ride on the vintage White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad.

And I thought the experience was very well managed.

That matters.

You're moving between ships, coaches, lodges and trains, and when you're travelling through a destination as vast as Alaska, having the logistics handled properly makes a huge difference.

Denali was a highlight.

Staying at a lodge near Denali gave me a completely different perspective on the destination.

On a cruise, Alaska surrounds you with wilderness from the water.

In the interior, you're surrounded by it on land.

And then came one of my favourite parts of the entire trip:

the train.

I travelled for about nine hours in a domed train car toward Anchorage.

It was spectacular.

The scenery just kept changing outside the windows—mountains, rivers, forests and enormous stretches of wilderness.

There was something almost surreal about being comfortably seated inside the train, watching Alaska pass by through the glass-domed ceiling.

It's one of those travel experiences that stays with you.

Holland America's current Cruisetours continue to incorporate its glass-domed McKinley Explorer railcars into journeys through the interior.

Alaska five times—and I haven't run out of reasons to return. 

I've now experienced Alaska five times, including sailings from both Vancouver and Seattle and a Holland America cruisetour.

And I think that's the real reason I recommend Alaska.

It isn't one trip.

You can return and experience it differently.

You can take a classic seven-day cruise.

You can choose a longer itinerary.

You can sail on a luxury or small ship.

You can combine the cruise with Denali.

You can travel into the Yukon.

You can focus on glaciers and scenery.

Or you can make wildlife, adventure and exploration the priority.

And because Alaska is so popular, there are a lot of different ships and itineraries competing for the same limited cruising season.

That also means I recommend planning early.

The best combination of itinerary, cabin category and price can disappear well before departure—particularly for peak summer dates and popular departures.

So, do you need to see Alaska?

Maybe "need" is a strong word.

But if Alaska has been sitting on your travel list for years, I'd ask yourself a different question:

What are you waiting for?

I've been five times, and I'd happily go again.

That's because Alaska isn't just about checking another destination off your list.

It's about standing on a ship and realizing just how small you are compared with the landscape around you.

It's about seeing a glacier for the first time.

It's about watching mountains rise out of the water.

It's about travelling by rail through the interior.

It's about discovering that the Alaska you imagined from photographs is actually even more impressive in person.

And whether you choose a contemporary cruise, a luxury small ship, or a cruise-and-land journey into the interior, there is an Alaska experience that can fit the way you like to travel.

If Alaska is on your list, I'd be happy to help you figure out which Alaska is right for you.

Travel is one of the ways we create our Life Dividend — the experiences, memories and stories that stay with us long after the trip is over. Alaska is one of those places that can give you plenty of all three.

Let's talk about the experience you're looking for, and I'll help you find the itinerary, ship and style of travel that makes sense for you. Schedule a no-obligation conversation about this incredible destination.

Because the best trips don't just take you somewhere. They become part of your Life Dividend.