Alaska is one of the most dramatic cruise destinations in the world. Towering glaciers descend from mountain valleys into icy fjords. Bald eagles circle above forested shorelines. Humpback whales surface near the ship while passengers line the rails with cameras.

Cruising Alaska feels very different from cruising the Caribbean or Mediterranean. In those destinations, the ship often drives the experience. In Alaska, the landscape itself becomes the centerpiece of the journey.

Because of that, the choice of cruise line matters more in Alaska than in most cruise regions.