Step off a cruise ship in Skagway, Alaska, and one excursion dominates every conversation: the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway. It's easy to see why. The narrow-gauge line climbs from sea level to nearly 3,000 feet in 20 miles, hugging cliff edges past waterfalls, steel bridges and two tunnels on its way to the Canadian border. The writer behind this guide calls the views unrivalled by any other train journey she's taken.

The history is half the appeal. Built starting in 1898 during the Klondike gold rush, the $10 million project employed more than 35,000 workers from the US, Canada and England and was finished in just two years. Before the rails existed, stampeders had to haul a full ton of supplies over the brutal Chilkoot or White Pass trails on foot. After more than 80 years of continuous service, the railway shut down in 1982 when the mines it served closed, then reopened in 1988 as a tourist attraction. It now runs late April to mid-October, matching the Alaska cruise season, and holds status as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark alongside the Eiffel Tower and Statue of Liberty.

The classic White Pass Summit excursion takes two to three hours, turns around at the border and requires no passport. Booked directly online at least 24 hours ahead, it costs $155 per adult and $77.50 per child. A pricier vintage version in limited-capacity parlor cars pulled by a 1947 steam engine runs $249 for adults. If you have a full day in port, the Bennett Scenic Journey covers about 68 miles to Carcross in the Yukon, with a 45-minute stop in Bennett, British Columbia, a boxed lunch and a bus return along the Klondike Highway — $289 per adult, passport required.

Here's the money-saving tip worth the whole read: booking through your cruise line carries a hefty markup. The author paid Norwegian Cruise Line $229 for the same summit ticket that costs $155 when bought directly from the railway — nearly $80 more per adult. If you book independently, just make sure your departure time fits your ship's hours in port, and book early: popular departures sell out well in advance during peak season. Budget travellers have options too, including hiker drop-offs to the Denver Glacier ($60) and Laughton Glacier ($106) trailheads.

Onboard, you get a narrated history lesson, route maps and plenty of photo stops at lookout points, including a donated caboose now rented out as an Airbnb. A few practical caveats: the vintage coaches have no air conditioning, wheelchair-accessible cars are limited so request accommodation when booking, and note your exact meeting spot — the tracks sit roughly halfway between the cruise docks and downtown, and it's easy to take a wrong turn.

For anyone cruising Alaska's Inside Passage, this is the one Skagway excursion that consistently earns its price tag — just book it yourself.