My DH & I did the Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska and we loved it. They stop in several ports and you can leave the ship but only for a period of time...they tell you how long. They offer various things to do while there...helicoptor trips to glaziers...train ride up a Mt. logger shows where they carve things with saws. You can go whale watching...lots of choices, but they all cost extra. You can just walk around on your own too. The ship was nice, good food, gambling, theater for entertainment, etc. If you want to see wild life then...this probably won't be the best choice. We saw eagles and whales, but that was about it.