Ron, not an expert at all having only taken one Alaska trip, but did research it a fair amount.

We took the cruise first from Vancouver to Seward . As someone in our group said..by taking the one way cruise northbound it just gets better and better as you go". That we found to be true.

There is something magical to be on the ship on the narrow inside passage with mountains going up from the water with snow capped peaks on each side.

We did a whale watching trip at Icy strait point and Juneau ..lucky on the latter to observe a group of humpbacks "bubble feeding for more than an hour, but saw lots of whales on each trip.

Skagway we took the bus to white pass and train down. It was very foggy and rainy and was not a highlight.

We spent two days in Seward that were great. Went fishing on a charter one day...got a bunch of huge halibut and some rockfish..a lot of fun.
The other day we went on a tour boat that was an all day trip to a couple glaciers ..fantastic day. Saw several orcas and all kinds of sea life. The boat was such that you could get pretty close to these glaciers and hear them "calving".as big sheets would break off into the sea.

We took the park connection bus from Seward to Denali...a loong bus ride. At Denali we took the bus to wonder lake..the first day and Eleison the second. Amazing scenery ..Kodachrome pass is perhaps the most awesome landscape I've ever see. We saw several grizzly and everything else except a wolf one normally wants to see. We got a glimpse of mt McKinley (Denali) the second day. Don't count on a clear view of mountain unless going to be there for weeks..or are lucky,

We took the Alaskan railroad back to anchorage from Denali and flew home.