Alaska is where I have spent the vast majority of my time onboard a cruise ship, so it makes sense to be my first destination focus piece. I spent a week onboard the Diamond Princess, visiting the likes of Glacier Bay, before embarking on a season onboard the Sun Princess cruising along the inside passage.
As someone who has spent four winters living in the Alps, I feel qualified to say that the Alaskan coastline is one of the most stunning and awe-inspiring pieces of Mother Nature's jigsaw. The rugged coastline is filled with fur trees, moving glaciers and snow-capped mountains, that extends up to 2,000m high. If you are looking for a cruise that offers the serenity of nature, charming gold rush towns, warm and often a little eccentric locals, from the comfort of a luxurious cruise ship, then an Alaska cruise is where to go.
Apart from the combination of amazing fjords, such as Tracy's Arm, and the glaciers, like the Hubbard glacier, there is also a vast selection of wildlife to see each day. During my Alaskan summer in 2006, the wildlife expert onboard Sun Princess, would claim that the ship would see an average of 90 whales a week, from Humpback and Bowhead whales to Orcas — though commonly known as the killer whale, they are technically members of the dolphin family. My over riding memory of whales in Alaska is being stood at the aft of the ship, with no one else in sight, watching an Orca follow us for several miles as we sailed out of a misty Skagway.
As well as the marine life on offer there is often a wide variety of wildlife on show, from brown and black bears — especially when cruising alone the Inside Passage and Tracy's Arm — to eagles and of course, the noisy, excitable but ultimately charming, huskies. As well as the wildlife the region's capital, Juneau, is filled with charming characters (such as the bar staff in the Red Dog Saloon). Ketchikan is filled with the saloon-style gold rush buildings, and the fish restaurant opposite the port serves an awesome fish and chips!
As you can see I loved my time in Alaska and would highly recommend the trip, but why not also add in one of North America's most stunning trips, with a journey through the Rocky Mountains onboard the Rocky Mountaineer train?
Whether you go for the First Passage West itinerary, or the full blown, Rockies Highlights tour, the train journey from Banff, Alberta, through to Vancouver, British Columbia, takes you through the heart of Canada's stunning landscape. From the stunning plains, the thick, forest-filled mountains, the train lets you take in so much of the wildlife and beautiful scenery.
Now, getting on a train for two days may not sound like a whole lot of fun to some people, but fear not, we're not talking about heading along the Trans-Siberian train, with a lack of space or comfort. Depending on your tier, as there are three, you can choose from an elegant, traditional style carriage, with picture windows and meals served at your seat, to luxury carriages, with their panoramic, glass-domed roofs, table service dining room — with à la carte menu — and covered vestibule. You also spend the night in Kamloops, staying in a hotel, as opposed to a sleeper carriage.
Though the RedLeaf service is more than adequate, the GoldLeaf tier is something else. Hot meals, rotatable seats — so you can be as sociable as you wish — and complimentary drink — read as on-tap wine — mean you'll forget you are on a train, the way cruise ships bar minimal resemblance to ferries.
For those looking to splash the cash, the Highlight of the Rockies tour includes nights in Lake Louise (in the iconic Fairmont Chateaux Lake Louise) and Banff, where you will go on helicopter rides to see the nearby glaciers and mountain ranges in their full glory. So, you can start your holiday seeing the tops of glaciers, and finish it watching the Hubbard glacier make its way into the ocean.
A Rocky Mountaineer Tour & Alaska Cruise combination is the ideal way of seeing some of Mother Nature's most rugged, mountainous scenery, wonderful wildlife and amazing marine life, all from the comfort of a luxurious cruise ship. This may be a part of the world I have been to, but it's on my list of places to go back, though this time with my Misses and taking advantage of the food, wine and scenery, without having to work!