Few places nourish the soul quite like Alaska. Looming as a biggie on my bucket-list for quite some time, the most northerly of American states is a foray with nature’s unbridled power, its capacity to produce and plunder dramatic landscapes, in equal measure. The staggering glaciers of Alaska, forever advancing or retreating, are emblematic of nature’s untamed sense of majesty.

If you’re looking for a soft-adventure encounter with Alaska, there is no better way to savour the sights than from the charmed comforts of a cruise ship. Seattle and Vancouver are the major staging posts, and I experienced Holland America’s 7 day cruise up the Inside Passage. This is the classic touring route for newbies to Alaska, serving up a sightseeing cocktail of pristine wilderness and wildlife, historic coastal communities, indigenous culture and ample time communing with nature. 

Holland America, one of the world’s oldest cruise lines, has been plying the Alaskan waters for decades.  I joined the MS Volendam, a beautifully designed mid-sized ship, for the week-long cruise, which operates between May and September.  First port of call is gritty, but lively, Juneau. The compact shopping centre is home to an outstanding historic pub, the Red Dog Saloon. For over the century, the saloon has been at the nerve-centre of Juneau’s social life. It still has a sawdust-covered floor, with great local ale and live folk music, to boot.

The top draw in Juneau is the Mendenhall Glacier, which spills out into the salmon spawning mecca of Mendenhall Lake. A spectacular visitor centre, complete with viewing decks, interactive exhibits and passionate wildife experts, will enrich your visit immeasurably.  Rising directly above Juneau, take a ride up the tramway to Mount Roberts and experience the wide panorama across the Inside Passage from 1,800 feet above the city. An added thrill is the chance to get up close with some bald American eagles, who are cared for in a refuge at the top of the tramway.

A full-day stop in Skagway will give you time to explore the welter of sights, including the cheerfully painted clapboard buildings and shops on Broadway St, the colourful, storied watering holes and the panoramic views on the White Pass & Yukon railway excursion, steeped in Gold Rush heritage.

The third port of call is Ketchikan, home to the local American Indian tribe, Tlingits. This stunning fishing village is liberally adorned with Tlingit totem poles. But the top attraction is a totter through the gold-rush era trading hub of Creek St, a towering tumble of colourful wooden buildings clustered around the creek, which are now populated by a hotbed of local artisans. 

The undisputed prize draw of the Inside Passage cruise is to immerse yourself in the wrap-around, ice and snow-encrusted glory of Glacier Bay National Park. Monstrous glaciers dip their tongues into the polar waters, within metres of the ship’s stern.  There’s nothing quite like the sound of cracking ice and “calving”, as the face of the glacier breaks apart. Wildlife abounds in Glacier Bay, with whales, dolphins, puffins and bears giving your camera the workout of a lifetime. Welcome to Planet Earth unplugged.

 I traversed Alaska’s Inside Passage on Holland America’s MS Volendam, a classic cruise ship, built in 1999, which is more a throwback to timeless cruising, compared to the mega-ships.  History-buffs will love the ship’s memorabilia, art and antiques from her fabled seafaring past, which festoons the public areas. The Dutch officers are only too happy to share their anecdotes and history notes with passengers. You'll see spectacular floral displays throughout the ship, testifying to Holland's stature in the flower trade and the artwork is a match for those vintage ocean sunsets. I adored the  Renaissance-era fountains imported from Italy, gracing the hallway galleries.

Captain Hans Mateboer told me how he how loves Holland America, because it’s such a legendary company in maritime history, and mid-size ships exude a strong personality, rather than the machine-like mega-liners.  The supremely attentive and charismatic international staff uphold the grand Holland America tradition of sparkling clean ships and white-gloved service.  Holland America successfully straddles that sometimes fine line between elegant and contemporary, with innovative touches always being added.

All staterooms have DVD players and flat-screen TVs, cable channels, extra-fluffy towels, terry-cloth bathrobes, massage shower heads, Sealy Posturepedic dream beds and 100% Egyptian cotton bed linens. Cruisers swoon on the interactive demonstration kitchen in the Culinary Arts centre; the Explorers Lounge is a gorgeous space to linger with a cocktail over live classical music; Explorations Café delivers that cosy library and freshly roasted coffee experience, plus the glitzy entertainment productions in the Showroom at Sea were top-notch. 

With the Rio Olympics shuffling on to the horizon, you can always strive for gold-medal gluttony on-board the ship, with a wealth of dining offerings, spanning the spectrum from buffet and fuss-free to fine-dining and speciality restaurants. www.hollandamerica.com

Mike Yardley is Newstalk ZB’s Travel Correspondent on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame.