Alaska Inside Passage — Cruise & Trip Planning
Glaciers. Wildlife. Silence so large it changes the scale of things.
Alaska’s Inside Passage is one of the most extraordinary places I have ever been. It is also one of the most misunderstood. This is not a trip for hikers or extreme adventurers. It is a trip for anyone who wants to feel genuinely small — in the best possible way.
WHY THIS DESTINATION
Alaska isn't what you think it is. It's better.
People assume Alaska is for a certain type of traveller. Outdoorsy. Adventurous. Comfortable sleeping in tents. I understand why — that’s how it gets marketed. But the Alaska I’d send you to requires none of that.
The Inside Passage is a sheltered stretch of coastline running from Washington State up through British Columbia into Southeast Alaska — and it is one of the most dramatic, most layered, most quietly overwhelming places on earth. Glacier Bay. Tracy Arm Fjord. Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway.
Orcas surfacing beside the ship at breakfast. A glacier calving into the water with a sound like a cannon. Bald eagles as common as pigeons. None of that requires a tent. I’d put my name on it every time.
WHAT I BUILD
What I Build For Alaska
The Itinerary
ROUND TRIP OR ONE WAY?
Juneau and the Mendenhall Glacier. Ketchikan’s totem poles and Creek Street. Skagway’s Gold Rush streets. Glacier Bay, where you stand on deck and watch one of the last great glaciers on earth. I’ll tell you exactly what to do in each.
The Ports
WHAT YOU ACTUALLY DO ONSHORE
Juneau and the Mendenhall Glacier. Ketchikan’s totem poles and Creek Street. Skagway’s Gold Rush streets. Glacier Bay, where you stand on deck and watch one of the last great glaciers on earth. I’ll tell you exactly what to do in each.
Shore Excursions
WHICH EXCURSIONS ARE WORTH IT?
Some ship-sold excursions are genuinely excellent. Others are overpriced and forgettable. I’ll tell you exactly which ones to book, which to skip, and what to do instead — whether that’s whale watching in Juneau or simply walking the town yourself.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
What A Week Might Look Like
Juneau and the Mendenhall Glacier. Ketchikan’s totem poles and Creek Street. Skagway’s Gold Rush streets. Glacier Bay, where you stand on deck and watch one of the last great glaciers on earth. I’ll tell you exactly what to do in each.
Day 1
Embarkation -- Seattle or Vancouver
Arrive, recover, walk the Uffizi if you want it — but not on day one. Day one is for espresso at a bar where they don’t speak English, dinner at a trattoria in the Oltrarno, and sleep. Day two is Florence proper — the Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, the market at Sant’Ambrogio.
Day 2
At Sea -- Inside Passage
iA full day of sailing through the passage itself. This is not a wasted day — it’s often the one people describe first. Stand on the deck. Watch the coastline. The water here is a color that doesn’t have a proper name.
Day 3
Ketchikan
Alaska’s First City. Creek Street, the totem poles at Saxman, the slightly chaotic waterfront. Morning is best — before the other ships arrive. I’ll tell you what to do in what order.
Day 4
Juneau
Alaska’s capital, accessible only by sea or air. Mendenhall Glacier is the headline. If you’re considering a flightseeing excursion over the glaciers: yes. Do it. It will be one of the best things you’ve ever done.
Day 5
Skagway
A Gold Rush town that has survived almost entirely intact. The White Pass & Yukon Route railway is extraordinary — a narrow-gauge train that climbs from sea level to nearly 3,000 feet through scenery that makes you understand why people risked everything to get here.
Day 6
Glacier Bay
No going ashore. You won’t want to. Stand on deck, in the cold, with your hands on the railing, and watch one of the last great glaciers on earth. When it calves, you will feel it in your chest.
Day 7
Disembarkation
Get the Train to Anchorage if you are doing a one way an Uber to SeaTac for the roundtrip.
IS THIS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Is Alaska Right For You?
Alaska surprises people. They expect to find it rough and inaccessible. They find it breathtaking and — on a well-chosen ship — genuinely comfortable.
It’s excellent for couples. It’s excellent for solo travellers — the social rhythm of a ship makes solo travel easier than almost any other format. It’s ideal for groups, and I’ve built group Alaska itineraries that clients still talk about years later.
My clients in their 60s and 70s come home from Alaska on fire. The cruise format means you’re never far from your cabin. Shore excursions range from gentle town walks to active hikes — you choose the level.
STILL WONDERING?
The one question I get most: “Is it cold?” Yes, some days. Pack layers. The moments that take your breath away are worth a light jacket.
FROM MY CLIENTS
What my clients say about Alaska
“The Fishing Excursion was everything I'd ever hoped for” — John, Alaska 2018
“This was such a perfect trip for our annivesary” — Maria, Alaska 2021
The Practical Bit
BEST TIME TO GO
Alaska cruise season runs May through September. June and July offer the longest daylight hours. August brings calmer weather and excellent wildlife viewing. May and September are less crowded — weather is less predictable but can be stunning.
CRUISE LINES I RECOMMEND
Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruise Line are both excellent options I work with regularly. The ship you choose shapes the experience almost as much as the destination. I’ll match you to the right one.
HOW MUCH TIME TO SPEND
A standard Inside Passage cruise runs 7 nights — exactly right for a first visit. Some itineraries extend to 10–14 nights and reach further into the Gulf of Alaska, including Hubbard Glacier.
ONBOARD CREDIT
When you book through me, you receive exclusive onboard credit that no booking platform can match. For groups, that credit increases further — I’ll explain exactly what it means for your budget when we talk.
Ready to talk about Alaska?
Tell me roughly what you’re imagining — timing, group size, how active you want to be, what your budget looks like. Even “I think I might want to do Alaska sometime next year” is enough to start a good conversation..
