I have had the pleasure of enjoying over one hundred cruises, and to this day my all-time favorite destination to sail to is Alaska.

There's just something wonderful about a voyage through such a pristine landscape and seascape. After all, it's one of the few places left in the world where you can wake up in the morning, head out on your balcony and take a clean deep breath of fresh crisp air. Now's the perfect time to start thinking about it as the sailing season, from May to September, is fast approaching.

American Convenience

You've no doubt heard that Alaska is similar to Norway, and cruises head there too. To be sure, the Norwegian fjords are breathtaking in their own right, but they are not as convenient for U.S. citizens to get to. As the 49th state in our Union, Alaska is right up the coast from Washington-albeit not contiguously-but that's not a problem when on a cruise ship. Most roundtrip sailings depart from either Seattle, Washington or Vancouver, British Columbia and easily connect to the Last Frontier through the Inside Passage for 7-day or longer itineraries.

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Sheer Beauty

Whether a first-timer or veteran visitor, the beauty of Alaska is unmistakable. The aforementioned Inside Passage is usually the initial sight to behold with tree-lined mountains reaching for the sky in close proximity to either side of the vessel. Low cloud cover only adds to the atmospheric quality of the view as waterfalls cascade to the coastline and bald eagles fly overhead.

Once to ports-of-call, the likes of Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway are nestled within the dramatic topography and call for adventurers to explore even deeper into the territory. Shore excursions include anything from ATV riding and lake canoeing to salmon fishing and a lumberjack show. Of course, for those less inclined to high activity, a stroll from the dock to the nearby shops and restaurants is a more relaxed means of taking it all in because everywhere you look, the scenery is stunning.

Gold Rush Time Travel

Sure Alaskan cities have been somewhat commercialized over the years, but they still retain much of their Gold Rush era charm. Skagway, in particular, is a throwback to another time. Wooden boardwalks line establishments that have been in place for decades, and the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad still steams through the valleys above. Quite literally, on select days of the week, an old-school steam locomotive halls historic passengers cars up the once treacherous path of now narrow-gauge tracks and back again.

[READMORE]READ MORE: The Most Convenient Roundtrip Cruises to Alaska Ever[/READMORE]

Calving Glaciers

Alaska is one of those few cruise destinations that can be enjoyed onboard as much as ashore. Most itineraries feature several hours at Hubbard Glacier or in Glacier Bay or Tracy Arm Fjord, where the ship takes passengers as close as safely possible to the face of calving ice flows. From a balcony, promenade deck or more warmly inside an observation lounge, guests can witness the majesty that is glaciers within earshot of their crackling as massive chunks the size of buildings naturally fall into the silky waters below.

Land Extensions

The cruise need not end there. In fact, there are lots of land packages that extend vacations from the sea well inland for additional tastes of Denali National Park & Preserve and more via modern dome-car train rides and overnight lodge stays. Such land extensions can be enjoyed before or after a sailing, but my recommendation is to do it ahead of a voyage as the cruise portion is a more relaxing end to shoreside adventures.

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