Alaska Cruise Vacations: the Top 5 Cruisetours

Alaska cruise tours are the best way to combine an Alaskan cruise with a land tour of the vast, untamed interior of the state. Generally, cruisetours are booked separately from cruises, with the cruise and land tour combined into one package.

Therefore, most cruisetours must be booked all at once - don't try to book a cruise first, then add on the land portion later, as most cruise lines will not allow this.

Of course, with so many cruisetours to choose from, it can be a bit confusing. In order to help you select a truly outstanding cruise and land tour, I've compiled the following list of the very best tour packages currently available.

1. Princess Alaska Cruise Tours: Explorer Kenai

This wonderful 13 night Princess tour really has it all - starting with two days in Fairbanks, two days in spectacular Denali National Park and another couple days in the beautiful Kenai Peninsula before heading to Whittier for the start of your cruise. It's a great sampling of the varied and amazing landscape of Alaska's interior.

2. Holland America's Cruise Tour #9: Alyeska, Denali, & Fairbanks

The land portion of this trip starts at the fabulous Alyeska Prince Hotel south of Anchorage, which might just be the best hotel in all of Alaska. It then follows the scenic Seward Highway to Anchorage for one night in Alaska's largest city. Next you head by rail to Denali National Park for two amazing days, before continuing on by rail to Fairbanks.

3. Royal Caribbean's 12 Night Canadian Rockies Cruisetour

For a change of pace, this cruise tour visits the amazing Banff and Lake Louise in the breathtaking Canadian Rockies rather than touring inland Alaska. The cruise portion of this package is actually a round trip out of Vancouver, meaning that no return flight from Anchorage is necessary. It's a great alternative for anyone not wanting to take a one-way cruise, and the locations it visits in the Canadian Rockies are amongst the most beautiful spots on the planet.

4. Celebrity 14 Night Cruisetour: Talkeetna, Denali, & Fairbanks.

Celebrity's most impressive cruisetour offering Stops at Alyeska, Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali, and Fairbanks, providing a wonderful sampling of Alaska's interior. This is an excellent choice for anyone seeking to get a look at a wide range of landscapes and natural environments.

5. Princess Alaska Cruise Tours: Direct to the Wilderness

This wonderful tour bypasses Anchorage and takes you directly to Denali. You hop on a train to the interior directly after getting off your cruise (or before you cruise on southbound itineraries). The train ride is spectacular, and it is followed by two full days in Denali National Park, home of the spectacular Mt. McKinley, before heading on to Fairbanks for a riverboat ride. This cruisetour is a great way to see and experience much of Alaska's incredible coast and interior without breaking the bank. Of all the tours available, this one is my favorite.