Alaska is huge — 365 million acres, twice the size of Texas — and with only 17,000 miles of public roads, much of it is reachable only by ship or plane. That's why cruising dominates here. But there's a second option that gets you deep into the interior: the cruisetour, a sea-and-land package that adds Denali, Fairbanks or the Kenai Peninsula to a sailing. Which one suits you depends on time, budget and how far off the beaten track you want to go.

A cruise-only week is the simplest and cheapest route. Most sailings run seven nights, often round-trip from Seattle or Vancouver, which keeps flights easy and transfers cheap. Fares can dip as low as $500–600 per person, double occupancy, and you only unpack once. Typical routes call at Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, plus Glacier Bay or Endicott Arm. Norwegian, Princess, Holland America, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Disney, MSC and Virgin Voyages all sail these waters. One-way itineraries between Vancouver and Seward or Whittier let you pair the cruise with your own inland plans, and Regent Seven Seas runs luxury small-ship versions of the same route.

Longer voyages unlock quieter places. Silversea's 14-day round-trip from Vancouver adds Valdez, Haines and Klawock; UnCruise Adventures runs 36-to-86-guest wilderness sailings with kayaks and skiffs; Lindblad-National Geographic visits spots like Baranof and Chichagof Islands; and American Cruise Lines' small ships call at Petersburg and Metlakatla, home to Alaska's only Indian Reserve. Some 10-night fares on bigger lines start under $1,000 per person.

Cruisetours are the full-immersion option. Sold as one package by lines like Princess, Holland America, Norwegian, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, they combine a seven-night cruise with several days inland — usually by motorcoach and the glass-domed Alaska Railroad. Expect hotels and transport included, but pay extra for meals and certain excursions like northern lights tours from Fairbanks. Trips can stretch to 19 days, though off-peak deals start under $1,500 per person.

Princess' 13-day Denali Explorer is a good template: a night in Anchorage, two nights each at wilderness lodges near Denali, then Fairbanks with a sternwheeler ride and gold panning at Gold Dredge 8. You'll hunt for the park's "Big Five" — grizzlies, moose, wolves, Dall sheep and caribou. Norwegian's 12-day version adds Girdwood and the Alyeska Resort; Azamara's 14-night option includes Talkeetna and the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Holland America even sells a 28-day Arctic Circle loop from Seattle reaching Nome, Kodiak and Dutch Harbor.

In short: book a cruise-only week if time and budget are tight; pick a cruisetour if Denali and the interior are the point of the trip.