14 Night Alaska Cruise on Silversea Luxury Cruises

Boasting mountains, sea, culture, art and so much more, many cities claim to have it all, but few can back it up like Vancouver. Famously livable, just visiting this high-rise city - surrounded by staggering natural beauty - is a thrill. Offering all of the creature comforts of an ultra-modern, worldly metropolis - even downtown has a hint of mountain-freshness to its air - and part of Vancouver's appeal is how easily you can swap the skyscrapers for whale-filled oceans and mountain-punctured skies. Head up to the Vancouver Lookout Tower for the ultimate 360-degree views of the city glistening, amid the beautiful embrace of the beckoning wilderness beyond.

A legendary stretch - this portion of the Inside Passage is a rite of passage for any cruiser with adventure at heart. From islands of spirit bears to soaring snow-dusted mountains and breaching whales, Canada’s Inside Passage is a remarkable journey through the immense wilderness of the North American Pacific fjordland. Sheltered from the open Pacific’s whims by scattered islands, settle in for smooth cruising beside rainforest-covered shores. Cruise 500 miles through pristine, awe-inspiring scenery, breathing in the crisp, clean air of vast temperate rainforests. This coastal stretch of British Columbia lies between the glass towers of Vancouver and the towering totem poles of Ketchikan.

A thrilling introduction to wild and wonderful Alaska, sitting at the southern gateway to the Inside Passage's famed route of larger-than-life scenery. Cruise through the waters, or soar just above in a sightseeing plane, to take in the full majesty of the magnificent Misty Fjords National Monument. Home to grizzly and black bears - as well as cruising whales and swimming seals - the wildlife spotting opportunities in this majestic corner of the world are nothing short of spectacular. Towered over by steep banks and valley walls, Ketchikan's ocean inlet is peppered with granite stacks, looming from the waters.

If there is one word that sums up Alaska it is nature. Mile and miles of it. And Icy Strait Point - one of Alaska's most unspoiled destinations has - nature in spades. To begin with, Icy Strait Point is stunningly beautiful. It is the Alaska of your imagination: eagles soaring overhead, whales breaching before your eyes. Moody, low-hanging clouds set the scene while velvety green mountains provide the backdrop. Sparklingly clear waters lap at pebbly shores. These are beaches of the adventure kind, you won't find sun loungers and sombreros here, more like kayaks and canoes, ready for those who want to take their discovery offshore.

Feel the same rush of excitement as the gold rush chasers did, when they first arrived in Skagway, intent on finding their fortune. While the gold may now be gone, a treasure trove of natural glory waits to be discovered here. The adrenaline of America's legendary gold rush still pulses along Skagway's streets, especially in Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park and the historic downtown area - which sprang up during the heady heights of the 1890s gold rush. The jagged mountain ridges - with peaks of white snow above a tree line of soaring pine forests - provide a reward for the ages.

Formed by the retreat of the Guyot, Yahtse, and Tyndall Glaciers, Icy Bay lives up to its frigid name. Sapphire blue waters are strewn with blocks of ice and the whole feeling is one of eerie, silent solitude. Yet, despite Icy Bay's timelessness, it is a relative newcomer to the planet. Icy Bay as we know it is just 100 years old, although the area is of course much older. The Vancouver Expedition passed through the area on 4th June 1794 and noted that the bay was blocked by “the giant tidewater Malaspina Glacier that calved icebergs directly into the Gulf of Alaska”. Described as “an indentation of the glacier face” by Captain Vancouver, the 30-mile strait was named but not recorded on any maps. Geographically located 66 miles off northwest of Yakutat, Icy Bay lies within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.

Valdez is a spectacular coastal city tucked into the deep shores of Prince William Sound. The open scenery is one of unspoiled wildness, majestic mountains, tidewater glaciers, and deep green rainforests. Take the chance to admire this landscape and become a part of it. Colombia Glacier is one of the fastest-moving glaciers in the world, renowned for its dramatic carving, leaving colossal chunks of ice in the water. Get up close to this icy phenomenon by boat or by helicopter. Flightseeing tours having the advantage of offering exceptional aerial views of the glacier and the surrounding Chugach mountains.

Monumental scenery surrounds you in this remote corner of the world, where glaciers calve and whales cruise through inky waters, before an immense mountain backdrop. Almost totally submerged by the colossal landscapes around it, Seward - and the wonders of Kenai Fjords National Park - offer some of astonishing Alaska's most thrilling scenery. Located in a deep gash in the Kenai Peninsula, Seward is a place to immerse yourself in nature's majesty. Fjords carve into the landscape, while the Harding Icefield - which caps Kenai Fjords National Park - reaches out its icy fingers, with glaciers spilling down between mountain peaks.

Hubbard Glacier, off the coast of Yakutat, Alaska, is the largest glacier in North America, with a calving front that is more than six miles wide. One of the main sources for Hubbard Glacier originates 76 miles inland. It has been a very active glacier, experiencing two major surges in the past 30 years. This glacier was named after Gardiner Greene Hubbard, a U.S. lawyer, financier, and philanthropist. He was the first president of the National Geographic Society.

Extraordinary adventures amid nature's wildest staging await at Juneau. The majestic Mendenhall Glacier sprawls down from Juneau Icefield, which provides an icy cap to the area's rip-roaring scenery. State capitals simply don't get more dramatic than this isolated, remote city lost amid the Alaskan wilds. Even the roads eventually peter out, absorbed by forests and viewpoints, firmly underlining the isolated location, hidden behind an impenetrable wall of rigid mountains. Rise up to Mount Roberts Tramway's viewpoint, to see the city swallowed by this most colossal backdrop. This is glacier country, and no fewer than 38 ice flows branch off from the main Juneau Icefield, slowly carving out valleys in their wakes.

Wild, raw, and unrestrained, Haines is Alaska at its most intoxicating. Crisp white snow crowns charcoal-colored mountains, while seas of impenetrable pine forest flow down to swathes of scenic coastline in this magical setting. Explore a rejuvenating Alaskan escape of temperate rainforests and glaciers, as you dig into Chilkat Tlingit culture, and explore a landscape of frayed waterways, alive with Alaska's renowned wildlife. Sat at the head of the lengthy Lynn Canal - deep within the Inside Passage - Haines is a place where whale tales flick, bald eagles call, and juicy trout leap onto fishing rods.

A distant land of bears, wild landscapes, and icy adventures, sail between glorious islands and witness the diverse wildlife of the Inside Passage. Eagles watch over the scenery overhead, while whales and sea lions add glorious weight to the animal life that thrives and thrashes in these icy seas. With a quintet of Pacific salmon species filling the rich rivers and waterways with life, settle back to enjoy the show, as Sitka's immense set pieces play out before you. You might notice the onion-shaped dome atop St. Michael's Church - a relic of the area's Russian history. Sitka formed a part of the Russian Empire until a deal was struck in 1867, and the territory was sold to the United States, with the handover ceremony taking place here in Sitka.

Alaska's majestic natural spectacles play out before you in Wrangell. The pure, gushing water is one of Alaska's most prized shows, and there are few better places to witness it than Wrangell - a town set amid the fractured lands of the legendary Inside Passage. Having experienced three gold rushes in its history, the immense scenery and thrilling wildlife are an enduring treasure for visitors. The mighty Stikine River has been the lifeblood of this region for centuries, cutting through pine-cloaked valleys for 400 miles before unloading into the frigid ocean.

Keep your cameras ready for action throughout the journey, looking out for wildlife and dramatic encounters as vast hordes of seabirds gather and bald eagles circle above. Along the way, encounter the Johnstone Strait, a waterway where pods of orcas hunt plump salmon. Closer to Alaska, learn more of the First Nations heritage, as Princess Royal Island and Pitt Island rise alongside you.

Art lovers might choose the Vancouver Art Gallery or the Contemporary Art Gallery. Nature lovers might rush for the ferry to visit Vancouver Island - where they can encounter grizzly bears, whales, and orcas. Culture vultures, on the other hand, will probably head for the sights and sounds of Canada's biggest Chinatown. From steaming dim sum for lunch to Chinese apothecaries offering herbs to soothe any illness, it’s all here thanks to the migrant workers of the 19th century. The one-of-a-kind treasure of Stanley Park brings wild wonder and natural beauty to this cosmopolitan city's doorstep, and the pine-tree-clad park offers isolated trails and amazing views. Wander the Seawall that encircles it - a 20-mile coastal path, full of joggers, whizzing skaters, and wandering couples. Grab a bike and cycle between Coal Harbour and Kitsilano Beach. You can top up your tan on the shore, as you soak in the glorious views of the mountains and cityscape from the sands.