If you ask a person who has never cruised to tell you the one destination they would most like to visit if they could, most of them will tell you it's Alaska. Alaska is not easy to get to and it's not the least expensive vacation you can consider, yet Alaska it remains one of the most popular cruise destinations in the world.

An Alaska Cruise is the holiday of a lifetime - and most of us will be lucky if we ever get to experience the unspoiled beauty of America's last, great frontier. But if you are one of those who are so fortunate, you should consider an Alaska Cruise Tour to take advantage of every opportunity to see the natural wonders of America's largest state.

People generally go to Alaska to see four things: Wilderness, Wildlife, Glaciers and Mountains. A seven night Alaska Inside Passage Cruise will certainly give you a taste of Alaska and a chance to see glaciers and marine wildlife. An  Alaska Land Tour into the interior region gives you an opportunity to experience the wilderness, mountains, and land wildlife aspects of Alaska. Both are great holidays, but neither gives you the whole Alaska holiday package.

Alaska Cruise Tours offer the best of both worlds, combining a 3 day or 7 day relaxing and luxurious cruise holiday along the Alaska coast with a 3 to 12 day adventurous land tour giving you the opportunity to explore the interior of Alaska including Denali National Park and Mt. McKinley.

Like Alaska Glacier Cruises, Alaska Cruise Tours can operate as Northbound or Southbound Vacations. Most Northbound Cruise Tours start with a 7-Night Northbound Alaska Glacier Cruise departing from Vancouver and ending in Seward. Once you disembark in Seward, the land portion of your Alaska vacation begins.

A Southbound Alaska Cruise Tour, on the other hand, begins with the land tour first. You'll fly into Anchorage or Fairbanks, Alaska and see the sights in Alaska's interior, then transfer by motor coach to Seward where your Southbound Glacier Cruise to Vancouver will begin.

Both Cruise Tour options have their advantages. Southbound Alaska Cruise Tours are popular because many cruise passengers like starting their holiday with the most physical activities first and then ending their trip with a relaxing seven night cruise. The Northbound vacations are also popular because they cost less than the Southbound Cruises, often saving a passenger hundreds of pounds.

Alaska Cruise Tour itineraries vary by cruise line, and you can literally choose from hundreds of different tours based on your interests and budget. When planning your holiday, you must ask yourself what you want to do and see and find the tour that best suits those needs. The choices can be overwhelming and you should not hesitate calling to get some help from a TravelDep Cruise Specialist to take you through the specific details of a particular tour.

The options for an Alaska Cruise tour are endless, but here is an example of a very popular Southbound Alaska Cruise Tour itinerary:

• Fly to Alaska

• 1 or 2 Nights in Fairbanks, Alaska and tour the El Dorado Gold Mine and pan for gold; discover native frontier life while cruising down the Chena River aboard the Discovery III Riverboat.

• Take the Alaska Railroad to Denali National Park

• 1 or 2 Nights in the rustic, quaint lodges of Denali National Park. Enjoy the wildlife and grandeur of Mt. McKinley on a guided tour of Denali National Park.

• Take the Alaska Railroad to Anchorage

• 1 Night in Anchorage and enjoy Alaska's most metropolitan city

• Transfer to Seward where you'll board your ship for a 7 Night Alaska Southbound Cruise to Vancouver.

• Disembark in Vancouver and fly home or extend your holiday for a couple of days in Vancouver or Seattle.

Alaska Cruise Tours can be as active or as relaxed as you choose to make them. The cruise lines offer wonderful experiences for all ages making Alaska a perfect family, cruise destination. Naturalists and tour guides provide education and a local flavour that all will enjoy. Additionally, each tour gives you plenty of opportunities to take advantage of high adventure activities like: hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, mountain biking, white-water rafting, fishing and more.

If you are sailing to or from Vancouver, consider spending a few extra days either before or after the cruise to enjoy some of the local sights. Most cruise lines offer affordable pre- and post-cruise hotel programs that give you the opportunity to experience some of the local attractions like the Space Need and the Pike's Market in Seattle or the Butchart Gardens in Vancouver/Victoria. Ask your Alaska Cruise Specialist about this when planning your cruise.

The Alaska Cruise season begins in late April and continues through September. Whether you cruise when the Inside Passage is blanketed with spring wildflowers or ablaze with autumn foliage you'll be awed at Alaska's natural wonders. Spring whale migrations, autumn bald eagle gatherings, winter trumpeter swans - exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities and substantial savings can be found during spring and autumn.