If at all possible, try to spend some time cruising the Inside Passage, which stretches 1,000 mi/1,600 km north of Vancouver to Alaska. Many visitors board one of the cruise ships that depart from Vancouver throughout the summer. Vessels range from big luxury ships carrying more than 2,000 passengers to smaller (but well-equipped) yachts that hold up to 100 people. The smaller boats command a higher price, but they're capable of getting closer to the glaciers and to the wildlife on shore. No matter which kind of vessel you choose, book at least six months to a year in advance.
A much less expensive alternative is to take the ferries (reservations are a must). They allow you to get off and stay at various ports for as long as you like. Ferries depart Port Hardy on Vancouver Island and head to Prince Rupert (a 15-hour daylight cruise). At Prince Rupert, passengers can transfer to the ferry that continues north to Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway in Alaska. Prince Rupert is the jumping-off point to the Queen Charlotte Islands, the misty archipelago off British Columbia's west coast that is home to the Haida First Nations.
