The unmissable cruise vacation with sea lion viewing, gold panning activities and champagne waterfalls on board

It was the TV show Ice Road Truckers that got me interested in Alaska.

Who wouldn’t want to drive a truck frozen lakes?

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But as a must-do trip, I decided that a seven-night cruise to Alaska’s Inside Passage on Discovery Princess was a much more comfortable way to experience the majesty of this incredible destination.

It was, and there was still a lot of ice.

Russia sold this northwestern corner of North America to the US for a pittance in 1867. Twice the size of Texas, Alaska is a remote, mountainous wilderness carved by glaciers over thousands of years.

From Seattle we sailed to the ports of Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway, with a stopover on the way back in Victoria, Canada.

And we were definitely sailing in style. Princess Cruises is known to specialize in Alaska cruises and the new Discovery Princess can accommodate 3,660 passengers on its 19 decks.

Built in Italy, the two-year-old vessel has a luxurious spa, theater, swimming pools, jacuzzis and themed bars.

While it’s family-friendly with a dedicated kids’ club, there are no waterslides or ziplines and it feels like a playground for adults. The popular casino even allows those feeling lucky to smoke.

I wondered how we would all manage to carry our luggage through the walkways and find our cabins, but it’s well organized with the MedallionClass app. You reserve a boarding time and leave your suitcase at the pier.

There is also a medallion tied on a lanyard to collect at check-in. It works like a digital passport on board, opening doors, recording orders and sending your name to crew members.

You feel like a celebrity when the bartender says, “Hello, Miss Beverley, here’s your mimosa cocktail.”

Yes, I had my binoculars ready to spot humpback whales and giant moose, but sailing is also definitely about enjoying the ship. My balcony cabin was elegantly decorated in light tones and had a queen-size bed.

To put it simply, the Princess Plus package I added to my booking includes extras like wifi, drinks up to $15 (£12) each, and crew tips.

There are many excursions in all ports – with varying prices – but you can simply disembark and do whatever you want. It’s only risky if you go alone, get beaten up in a bar and miss the return deadline. The ship will sail without you. . .

Ketchikan, our first stop, is an important salmon breeding ground and has a strong Alaska Native culture, with colorful totem poles scattered throughout the city.

The lumberjack show on slippery logs is a lot of fun. I ate a pile of long-legged king crabs at a seaside crab feast and watched a bald eagle named Harold forage for food on my nature boat trip.

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Back on board Discovery, activities are organized throughout the day and nightly entertainment, with live bands, musical theater shows, magicians, comedians and fun quizzes.

The Piazza is the main meeting point and the captain’s welcome party begins with a cascade of champagne. If you’ve always wanted to try salsa or line dancing, this is your chance.

For my favorite excursion, we anchored offshore southeast of Juneau and were taken to sail to Endicott Arm, a narrow, 30-mile-long fjord.

Its forested slopes are home to bears and wolves and at the top sits Dawes Glacier. Slices of ice regularly break off the edge and turn into icebergs, glowing blue in the water. On the cloudless day we floated, sea lions sunning themselves on the rocks.

Princess chefs source their seafood in Alaska, and all of the ship’s restaurants have tempting menus (some at an additional cost).

Crazy Betty

I loved Sabatini’s Trattoria and Gigi’s Pizzeria, but the buffet at World Fresh Marketplace was so wonderful that, aside from the chance to dress up, I would have happily dined there.

Room service is free, but I prefer to hang out with other travelers and socialize.

In Skagway, everything revolves around gold. During the Klondike Gold Rush in the 1890s, there was a stampede to Yukon from this deep-water port. I tried a little gold panning (sifting isn’t easy!) and learned about the grueling journey up what was called the Dead Horse Trail.

Prospectors also used dogs to pull their sleds and sledding is still important in Alaska today. The lively teams begin training as puppies and, with their thick double-fur coats, can run through blizzards. They use little boots to protect your paws.

In 1900, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway was built to replace the treacherous mountain path and now operates as a historic scenic railway route.

Our guide Batty Betty, dressed in period costume, regaled us with stories about enterprising Klondike characters like Betty Pullen, who turned empty cans into pie pans.

Traveling to interior Alaska by train made me want to see more national parks. If that’s your thing too, a Princess cruisetour from Vancouver is a cruise option with a train ride straight into nature and an overnight stay on land.

We didn’t dock in the Canadian city of Victoria until early evening, so a guided walk at dusk was quite atmospheric, with the Parliament buildings and Empress Hotel all lit up.

Then I returned to Pier 91 in Seattle to visit the Space Needle and historic Pike Place Market before my flight home.

I may not have had it rough in Alaska like the Ice Road truckers, but my cruise ship odyssey was the trip of a lifetime.