Cruising, as most of us will readily admit, is hardly green in nature.  Yet amid the fleet of behemoth ships, there are smaller, more intimate cruising experiences that offer up an educational, environmentally considerate itineraries, floating through a number of biodiverse regions.  Alaska is just one example. Recently chosen as the world’s greatest cruise destination, the 49th state is a rugged space teeming with wildlife and natural wonders (hello, glaciers!).

Some parts of it, oddly enough, aren’t even accessible by road–making cruise or flight the only method of entry.  But however you must arrive, find a way. Alaska, I can say from experience, is simply a must-do when it comes to lifetime goals.

When I traveled the southeast tip of the state, trekking Tongass National Rainforest, I’d often find myself face-to-face with Cruise West’s small ships when we ambled into port cities.  Carting roughly 100 people aboard their small ships, the cruise operator hosts naturalist guides, glides into ports too small for larger cruise ships, and typically features a slightly less political array of day trip opportunities, having maintained relationships with local tour operators.  (They’re also the largest American-owned cruise line and a second gen family business, and committed to environmental stewardship too.)

From whale-watching and kayaking glacial lakes, to eagle spotting and rainforest trekking, Alaska is a destination that’s just as beautiful from the vantage point of a sea deck or the floor of a forest.  No matter where you look, it’s a pulsing, breathing land that’s very much alive.