An Alaskan cruise with all the comforts of home

Cruising in Alaska is not the thing to do if you want balmy nights and a tan - it is the best thing to do if you want to enjoy breathtaking scenery wrapped in a coat and mittens.

Shelley is delighted to visit the state described as the biggest, richest and wildest in America.

Before embarking on her cruise through the Inside Passage to see the last American frontier, Shelley stops off in Ketchakan. The town is famous for its salmon and for being one of the five wettest places on earth. It receives more than five metres of rain annually.

The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show also celebrates the town's long association with all things timber.

On board the cruise ship, the summer fog lifts to reveal the majesty of the fjords with snow capped peaks, waterfalls and large chunks of ice floating in the clear waters.

The sun rises at 4.30am and doesn't set until late at night during the summer, so there are plenty of daylight hours and no excuses for missing Alaska at its best.

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