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Yes, cruised to Alaska on the Star Princess several years ago. Actually we did a cruise tour which included a land tour by bus and train after the cruise from Vancouver to Seward, Alaska. The best Alaska cruise for you would be a cruise-tour. The cruise tour allows you to see more of Alaska by land (bus and/or train) either before or after the cruise. The cruise-tours typically afford an opportunity to stay a night or two in/at Denali National Park, Anchorage, Talkeetna, or Fairbanks, Alaska. There are four cruise lines that use the train to transport you from/to the cruise point to/from the park and Fairbanks. The train ride is magnificent and when you do the cruise tour you will have the best opportunity to see wildlife like bears, caribou, moose, fox, wolf, and a few others. These cruise-tours can be from 12 to 15 days or more while normal cruises are 7 days. Cruising the inside passage you will have a very smooth ride and may see a whale only if you get real lucky.

There are several ways to have a cruise to Alaska. You can cruise north from San Francisco, Seattle, or Vancouver, Canada or cruise south from Anchorage (Whittier or Seward). Cruises typically cruise the "inside passage" which is a waterway much like a river where you can in most places see land on both sides of the ship. It provides a very smooth ride on that part of the cruise. Cruises typically go to Juneau (the capitol), and Ketchikan, Skagway, and stop at one or more glaciers like Glacier Bay National Park and College Fjord. Some cruises do other port stops. So you need to pay attention to which itinerary (port stops) the cruises will have.

The 4 cruise lines which offer the cruise-tours and all would be good; Princess Cruise line, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Holland America. All four of these cruise lines use the train for the land tour. But Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Celebrity have special domed train cars that provide great visibility. Not all tour segments are the same so you really have to pay attention to how the land tour is organized and whether it uses the train or buses.

The best time to go on an Alaska cruise is when you can get the best price. The Alaska cruise season is from May to Sept. The best prices will be in May and Sept but you will see the same things as other times. The weather is generally warmer in June, July and Aug, but it can also be pleasant in May and Sept. When we went a few years ago in May it was shirt sleeve weather (70's) in Anchorage and Fairbanks.

It will be pleasant on the ship regardless of when you go and the ship will likely have an indoor pool so you can take swim wear to use the pool, hot tub and clothes for the gym. But it will be cold, and I mean hat, coat and gloves cold, when you get close to the glaciers. So take clothes that you can layer.

Its best to book your cruise early to get the best price and also because cruises do sell out and the best cabins go first. I do recommend a balcony cabin as you'll enjoy your cruise more; be able to see the scenery without leaving your cabin. To pick the best date, go with the dates with the best prices; look on Princess's web site.

We cruised the inside passage on Princess about four years ago. Its very scenic, a smooth voyage sine there are no open ocean waves, and the ship, food and staff were great. It can be a little chilly on deck or your balcony at night so take a light jacket. When you get close to the glaciers it can be downright cold. I mean like coat, gloves, and hat cold. When you pack think layering for the different temperatures. light jacket, sweater, long sleeved shirt. The first couple stops, Juneau, Ketchkan, and Skegway it will probably rain a little. Not enough to stop your tours but light showers. In Ketchkan we did the Totem Poles tour. It was nice, although it rained. We also did a tour in Juneau to a fish Hatchery and Mendenhall Glacier (Ithink that's the right town). That was OK too, picturesque. In Skegway we took the bus tour that went up the mountain to the Yukon on the gold rush trail. There was a train trip that went the same way but it was more expensive. There are some more exciting tours, like dog sledding on a glacier, or a helicopter ride that were way too expensive for us.

i've been to alaska two times with princess and going for my third this year, from the same port. i literally crave to go back on this cruise, it was beyond fun. Princess does such a fantastic job. Here are some tips, get the most done, though relax a lot. When you get off of ship explore, if you never seen the place before. if you go to juneau which you most likely are because like every cruise goes there, you must go to mendenhall glacier, its absolutely stunning and if you get lucky you will see bears. i was like 12 ft away from a mother and her cubs, don't worry we are on a deck but still kind of easy for a bear to get at you, alongs you do nothing to it, it will do nothing to you. you have to buy smoked salamon for yourself, best salamon i ever ate in my life. i would also tip your room cleaner and your waiters extra, and if you have any other fav worker tip them. the people that work there work EXTREMELY hard, they deserve more than what they get. i know they are suppose to be polite to you and everyone else but you have to be polite to them, unless absolutelly necessary. if you have kids, deffinetly bring them to the kids place so you can get some time to yourself, they'll love it and they'll wnat to go back! Also go swimming, or in the beginning of the day while ported go in the jacuzzi and look at the view, its priceless. whatever you pay for a alaskan cruise its more than worth it. do what ever you can, do over do yourself. the stuff at the souveneigr stores are really cheap too. you must bring your camera, if you forget that you're gonna be so lost, don't forget the charger too! this is a trip you will never regret. hope you have fun on it!