Alaska has some of the most amazing scenery on earth with its emerald forests, snow capped mountains, glistening glaciers and fjords.
With more than 1,400 miles north to south and 2,400 miles east to west it is a perfect destination for nature lovers with national parks covering approximately 54 million acres. Wildlife is abundant and there are humpback whales, orcas and soaring bald headed eagles. Spotting a bear may be a little more tricky but it's definitely a possibility.
The best time to visit Alaska is from mid May through to September and one of the best places to be to view the amazing scenery is on an Alaskan cruise. From the ship's deck you can sit back, relax and look out in awe as the beautiful snow capped mountain and glaciers pass by.
There are a range of ships visiting Alaska from small expedition ships to large luxury liners. The smaller ships are able to get up closer with nature however on the larger ships you can still get the experience as there are a great range of shore excursions offered. Shore excursions will also allow you to see Alaska in a completely different light and include options such as sightseeing by helicopter or float plane, dog sledding, gold panning or a scenic rail trip. A number of the cruise lines bring onboard guest speakers to give lectures on the region and wildlife.
A number of cruises depart from Vancouver which means you can tie it in with Air New Zealand's direct flight between Auckland and Vancouver.