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Northern exposure

On the 50th anniversary of its statehood, Alaska is still one of the most thrilling natural destinations at sea, says Fran Golden

An ice chunk the size of a hotel crashes off into Glacier Bay with a sound so loud I suddenly look up at the sky. But there are no thunderclouds here. This is ‘white thunder’, the name given to the noise a massive glacier makes as enormous pieces of ice calve away from it. The collision of the natural realms here is so intense you can feel the ripples under the ship as the water absorbs the blow. But if you don’t believe me, you can ask the 1,950 other passengers who shared this Princess cruise.

Later on our cruise, there’s an announcement over the public address system: whales have been spotted off the ship’s port side. I grab binoculars and head to my cabin’s balcony and there they are: a hump and a spout, two killer whales, close enough that I can make out their black and white markings.

A trip to Alaska serves up nature in all its magnificent glory – glaciers and whales, snow-capped mountains, miles of deep forest and bald eagles flying overhead, all of which you can see from the comfort of your ship. As you explore its port towns you’ll learn of a history that includes American Indians, Russian fur hunters and Gold Rush miners. And you’ll witness an Old West, frontier spirit that’s alluringly intact even today – Alaskans are well aware of the natural world and vastness that surrounds them. It all adds up to a cruise destination like no other.

The largest state in the US geographically – and fourth least populous – Alaska recently gained attention as home base for Governor Sarah Palin and her failed attempt to be the first female vice president. But this year, Alaska has something else to celebrate – the 50th anniversary of its statehood. And the 49th state is pulling out all the stops, including celebrations all summer long – parades, performances, fireworks displays and more.

I have cruised Alaska 10 times in the last 12 years, on Princess and other lines. And I never tire of the place, which is both stunningly beautiful and full of surprises. If Alaska is not on your must-do cruise list, it should be.

On my first week-long cruise here, on the Dawn Princess, I had the goal of seeing a bald eagle. I saw 14, including one perched on a telephone pole near the pier in the capital city of Juneau. On that trip I also saw David Hasselhoff wearing nothing but a towel – don’t make me pick which was more thrilling. The Hoff, who was filming Baywatch: White Thunder at Glacier Bay, was returning to his suite after an afternoon massage in the ship’s spa.

Princess has eight ships in Alaska this year, cruising between Vancouver and the tiny port town of Whittier (near Anchorage), as well as round trips from Seattle and San Francisco. One-week Alaska itineraries come in two basic types: Inside Passage and Gulf of Alaska (Voyage of the Glaciers). Both visit the main ports – Juneau, the fishing town of Ketchikan and the historic Gold Rush town of Skagway. Princess also offers 9-, 10- and 12-day sailings.

All of them get you to glaciers, though only Gulf itineraries visit vast, permit-restricted Glacier Bay National Park (where Princess takes the most passengers of any line). Some people get concerned if they don’t see Glacier Bay on the itinerary, but the reality is there are magnificent glaciers to view both inside and outside the park – Alaska has some 100,000 in all. Areas including Icy Bay and Tracy Arm also provide remarkable scenery. And Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay is one of my favourites – a place where floating ice chunks the size of houses look like ice cubes in a punch bowl.

Optional land tours get you to inland sights, and Princess Tours has lovely wilderness lodges and railcars with special domes for viewing in an area that encompasses Denali National Park, Mount McKinley (North America’s tallest peak) and Fairbanks, with cruise tours leaving right from Whittier. Tours explore the Canadian Rockies and Yukon Territory too. You can also expand your trip with time in the fascinating cities of Anchorage, Seattle, Vancouver (home of the 2010 Winter Olympics) or San Francisco.

It’s the ports, though, where you can really get into the adventurous spirit of the place. On one cruise, while some passengers took in sedate delights like the fun-but-hokey Alaskan Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan, I hopped on a Harley (both activities are offered by Princess). I imagined clinging to a leather-clad stud. Instead, I got a leather-clad grandfather. But when you’re flying at 55mph down the Tongass Highway, it’s good to be in experienced hands.

Unlike Governor Palin, I am not a huntress, but I like fishing. So on another cruise, I climbed aboard a floatplane on a fly-fishing shore excursion (another Princess option). We soared over forest-covered islands, with snow-capped mountains and glaciers in view, on our way to remote, unpopulated Chichagof Island, in Icy Strait. It wasn’t until after our smooth water landing that I noticed Zack, one of our guides, loading bullets into a rifle. The island has a population of grizzly bears – in fact, the largest concentration on Earth. And you don’t mess with grizzlies. The more experienced fishermen in our group of nine caught plenty of Dolly Varden trout. I became preoccupied with watching the edge of the forest to see if the bears would arrive.

And while I didn’t spot one on that trek, I did see a grizzly on an excursion around Misty Fjords. The giant creature was standing on his hind legs to show off his 10-foot height – making me glad our small tour boat was only within binocular-viewing distance.

For more, call 0800 916 3233, visit cruisethomascook.com, your local Thomas Cook or Going Places store, or see Thomas Cook TV, Sky channel 655

What to spot

WHALES
Humpback, orca (killer), beluga and minke whales feed in the calm waters during summer. Look out for gray whales in May and late September.

BALD EAGLES
Once threatened, bald eagles have made a comeback in a big way. Every Alaska town has them and they even soar through downtown Anchorage.

BLACK BEARS
Black bears live in forests all over Alaska, and visitors are mostly likely to spot them on riverbanks and salmon streams. Locals consider them pests as they pick through garbage when they have a chance.

BROWN BEARS
Also known as grizzly bears, brown bears are the kings of the Alaska forests, and are among the largest and most ferocious of mammals – watch them only from a safe distance.

SEA LIONS
You’ll hear and smell these large creatures before you see them. They tend to hang out by the hundreds on small islands, and make a commotion when boats pass by.

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