[The Travel Slut]

It would take weeks & lots of money to see & do Alaska's Inside Passage on land or air instead of a cruiseship so having a floating, mobile accommodation is best for this type of journey in my opinion.

I've cruised Alaska both north to south and south to north and I did not see a major difference although most people recommend starting the from the south and cruising north as the scenery gets more spectacular each day.

I've also cruised Holland America's Ryndam and Regent Cruise Line's Mariner of the Seas. Without a doubt, Regent's cruise was superior and I would recommend it without question.The cruiseline touts itself as six star and it is backed up by many other experts and critics in the industry.

My Alaskan adventure this past summer began when I boarded Seven Seas Mariner cruiseship for my northbound Inside Passage trip to Whittier/Anchorage, Alaska via Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka and the Hubbard Glacier Bay.

My embarkation was effortless and I was delighted to find champagne and strawberries awaiting me in my verandah suite, #1064. The Mariner has a maximum capacity of 700 guests and all cabins have walk-in closets, marble-tiled bathrooms, a dedicated make-up desk, spacious verandahs and a choice of complimentary liquors for your personal in-room use. The refrigerator is stocked daily with water, beer, soda and ice.

Regent surpassed my expectations in every category. The crew were both gracious and helpful, the cabins were very large (356 sq. feet) and appointed lavishly, and the food was no less than magnificent with open seating for dining or in-cabin dining that included table linens and place settings just as if you were seated in a restaurant. The room service menu is 4 pages long and contains more options than I have ever seen on a cruiseship.

The ship is easy to navigate and has all the standard amenities of other cruiseship plus some extras including soft background music with no loud public address announcements, complimentary wine poured with meals, no formal nights, and pre-paid gratuities.

The four main restaurants--Compass Rose (main dining room) , Latitudes (Asian-Fusion), La Verandah (buffet breakfast and lunch but reservation seating at night), and Signatures (French-European cuisine) were equally wonderful in atmosphere, presentation and taste. My favorite was Signatures.

I would not hesitate to book a cruise to Alaska and it is not too early to start planning for 2007 as the ships cabins are booked early and often.

I hope this helps.