Somewhere cool to chill out?

Alaska. Even the baked version has a frozen interior.

Is it seriously cold?

It can be 80 degrees in the summer - 40 in the morning, 40 in the afternoon.

What's the best way to tackle it?

A coastal cruise of the inland waterways from Seward to Vancouver is just the job.

What will I see besides the sea?

Virtually non-stop scenery, port side and often also starboard.

Grizzlies and glaciers?

And waterfalls and wilderness unlike anything you've ever encountered, the kind of drama that runs permanent binocular rings around your eyes.

An odd choice for a summer holiday?

No, May to September is prime time according to P&O (0171-800 2468), whose luxurious Sea, Dawn, Sun, Crown, Regal, Sky and Royal Princesses are parading there right now.

But it's not your average deckchair cruise?

There are plenty of Conran-style plantation chairs on the immaculate bleached wooden decks to merit lounging. But more often with a blanket than without.

BYO rug?

No, but your entire wardrobe. From T-shirts, jeans and trainers to fleeces, cagoules, woolly hats and gloves.

Why the layers?

For counting the icebergs in Glacier Bay. Jogging a mile around the deck. Sitting on your state room balcony. And taking trips ashore.

To be eaten by a bear? No way.

This is America, where shore excursions are packaged up safely and tightly and tied with the prettiest of ribbons.

Without a hint of adventure?

I'm not so sure. The whitewater rafting, for instance, involves plenty of fearsome froth.

Can I take my glad rags?

DJs and long dresses are as 'compulsory' as on any cruise.

Not much call for a swimming costume though?

The sunshine is as spontaneous as the whales, so the hot tubs and deck pools get plenty of use.

It's a long way to go?

That's what the Klondike gold diggers thought. So stay awhile. A variety of land extensions can be added to P&O's cruises, which start at £1,645.