Larger cruise ships typically offer round-trip Inside Passage cruises starting and finishing in Vancouver or Seattle, or one-way Inside Passage-Gulf of Alaska cruises sailing between Vancouver or Seattle and Whittier or Seward, the ports for Anchorage. Both itineraries are usually seven days, though some lines offer longer trips. Small ships typically sail within Alaska, setting out from Juneau or other Alaskan ports, and follow a flexible itinerary, stopping at the popular ports as well as some smaller, less-visited villages. Some expedition vessels focus on remote beaches and fjords, with few, if any, port calls.

Typically a seven-day trip starting and finishing in Vancouver, British Columbia, or Seattle, Washington, this is the way most people cruise Alaska. The first and last days are spent at sea, traveling to and from Alaska along the mountainous coast of British Columbia. Once in Alaska, most ships call at a different port on each of four days, and reserve one day for cruising in or near Glacier Bay National Park, or another glacier-rich fjord such as the Tracey Arm. Ports of call include: Haines; Juneau; Skagway; Ketchikan; and Sitka.

These cruises depart from Vancouver, Seattle or, occasionally, San Francisco or Los Angeles, and finish at Seward or Whittier, the seaports for Anchorage (or vice versa). They're a good choice if you want to explore Alaska by land, either before or after your cruise. For this itinerary, you'll need to fly into and out of different cities (into Vancouver and out of Anchorage, for example) which can be pricier than round-trip airfare.

Most small ships and yachts homeport in Juneau or other Alaskan ports and offer a variety of one-way and round-trip cruises entirely within Alaska. A typical small-ship cruise is a seven-day, one-way or round-trip from Juneau stopping at several Inside Passage ports -- including smaller ports skipped by the mega-sized cruise ships. Other options include Cruise West's three-night, four-day round-trips from Anchorage, or daytime-only cruising on Cruise West's Sheltered Seas.

Although the mainstream lines stick to the popular 7-day Alaskan itineraries, some of the smaller excursion lines are adding more exotic options. Cruise West, for example, offers voyages across the Bering Sea to Russia. You can also create your own itinerary by taking an Alaska Marine Highway System ferry to ports of your choosing. The smaller lines also offer seasonal repositioning cruises from their home ports in Alaska to the Pacific Northwest.