For most people when they think of a cruise they imagine sailing around the Caribbean in the beautiful sunshine and bright blue seas. These cruises are a reality and offer a truly unique vacation experience to those on-board. However, if you like the idea of a cruise but fancy seeing something a little different, why not choose an Alaskan cruise? Although you don't have the advantages of the weather to look forward to, you can be sure that this part of the world will offer you a holiday experience unlike any other.

Alaska is a largely unpopulated area of the world; a place where animals outnumber humans and boundaries are marked by natural landscaping such as streams and mountains, not by fences or walls.

The defining images for most of Alaska are the ice glaciers which are found there. This striking scenery is part of what makes this destination so perfect for cruising. Sailing around the majestic coastline allows you to witness these sights first hand and gives you a sense of how impressive this planet really is. If you choose a cruise which takes in Glacier Bay or College Fjord you may be lucky enough to see the glaciers ?calving?. This is the process by which the rivers of ice drop chunks off the edge of the cliff into the sea below. The larger glaciers may do this several times an hour. This natural phenomenon is something which most people are not lucky enough to see first hand in their lifetime and this is part of what makes an Alaskan cruise so breathtaking.

Tracy Arm Fjord is a stretch of water which ventures inland and away from the coastline. Cruises are available through this waterway and they allow you to feel the awesome power of the granite walls, mountain peaks and beautiful waterfalls from an unusual vantage point.

While seeing the glaciers is an amazing experience, touching them goes that one step further. On offer are tours combining helicopter rides and hiking which allow you to actually set foot on one of these ice sheets, flights around them, kayaking between them or riding a sled pulled by dogs across one. It is these little touches which make an Alaskan cruise something which is truly different to any other cruise destination in the world.

Alaska also offers more than its breathtaking scenery. Back in 1898 Skagway, Alaska was thought to be home to North America's largest gang of criminals, thanks to the Gold Rush. Tours are now available to this destination where you can see the town as it was back then, with the swing door saloons,

Can-Can girls and shoot outs. You will be told many stories of life as it was at this time and then you can visit the Trail of ?98 Museum to see artefacts and relics proving that the stories are true. Finally, you will have the opportunity to take in Alaska's longest running show, The Days of ?98. This show is a musical extravaganza with singing, dancing, comedy and drama and is a treat for the whole family. The Skagway excursion is just one of many shore trips you can take whilst sailing around the magnificent Alaskan coastline.