Juneau is almost always included as a port of call on Alaska Inside Passage cruises. Juneau is the only state capital in the USA that is inaccessible by car. The city of about 31,000 residents is perched on the southeast coast of Alaska, and you need a ship or a plane to get there. Since the mountains come down almost to the sea, Juneau hugs the coastline for several miles.

Juneau offers many good opportunities for excursions and activities, and its airport makes the city a good one for small cruise ship embarkation or disembarkation. I was in Juneau at the conclusion of my small ship cruise on the Wilderness Discoverer, stayed at the delightful Silverbow Inn, and managed to cram in as many activities as possible in just two days.

With several cruise ships visiting the city each day during the busy summer cruise season, the small town seems to burst at the seams, with tourists roaming from shop to shop, buying all sorts of souvenirs and Alaskan crafts.

Juneau, Alaska Photo Gallery

Juneau Photo (c) Linda Garrison

Isn't this small ship gorgeous? It's Le Boreal, a 264-passenger ship owned by the only French cruise line--Compagnie du Ponant. Le Boreal's itineraries span the globe from north to south, with the small ship sailing expedition cruises in the Arctic and Antarctic and visiting many fascinating ports along the way.

I cruised on the sleek, contemporary Le Boreal on a 10-day cruise from Boston to Montreal that stopped over in several places inaccessible to large cruise ships. In addition to enticing itineraries and wonderful onboard ambiance and furnishings, the ship provides a "French-style" cruise experience on its bilingual cruises that can't be found on any other cruise line.

More on Le Boreal and Compagnie du Ponant

• Le Boreal Cabins and Suites
• Le Boreal Photo Gallery
• Le Boreal Cruise Ship Tour
• Le Boreal Atlantic Canada Cruise Travel Journal
• Compagnie du Ponant Cruise Line Profile

Le Boreal (c) Linda Garrison

Madagascar is the only country in the world where lemurs are found in the wild. The island nation in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa has over 35 different types of lemurs. I visited Madagascar on the Silversea Silver Wind and was lucky enough to see dozens of the furry creatures on the island of Nosy Komba.
Madagascar Lemur (c) Linda Garrison

More Photos of the Lemurs of Madagascar

Cobh (pronounced "Cove") is a picturesque harbor town just a few miles from Cork, Ireland. Cruise ships dock in downtown Cobh and run shore excursions to Cork, the Blarney Castle, Waterford, Killarney, or the Irish countryside.

However, Cobh is a nice place to spend the day if you want to just relax and just enjoy strolling around this pretty little village on Cork Harbor. It's also filled with maritime history, having been the last port of call for the Titanic in 1912 and near the site where the Lusitania was sunk during World War I.

Cobh (c) Linda Garrison