More than a million people take an Alaskan cruise every year, making the US state one of the world’s most popular cruise destinations. It’s easy to see why. Virtually all cruises sail via the Inside Passage, the spectacular labyrinth of islands, inlets, fjords and mountains that starts north of Vancouver Island and runs to Juneau, the Alaskan state capital and beyond. With the scenery come countless opportunities for wildlife watching, a wide variety of outdoor activities and the chance to explore the cultures of the many indigenous people that still live within the wilderness known as Alaska.