Who will hate it: Wildlife lovers who want to get closer to shore than half a mile, backpackers, ultra-budget travelers (the ones who knit their own socks out of dryer lint at the coin laundry), and almost anyone who worships Lonely Planet guidebooks.

Cost: Big ships can run from less than $100 per night (per person, double occupancy, including government fees) to $1,200 per night, depending on cabin size, view, length of the itinerary and the level of luxury, service and amenities.

-- SPUD HILTON

It's the difference between Metropolis and Mayberry, between a coliseum and a classroom, between live grizzlies and pictures of them in a brochure. Floating-resort megaships are the most popular way to see Alaska's coastline, but small cruise ships provide a closer, deeper and more natural view of the glaciers, geography and wildlife that are the state's trademark attractions.

Ships that carry fewer than 150 passengers (some with room for as few as eight) tend to focus more on the view than the vessel, and often harbor a summer-camp vibe that encourages getting to know your neighbor, whether crossing in the narrow halls or crossing camera lenses on the observation deck while shooting orcas and eagles. Part of the laid-back atmosphere means never having to worry about what to wear to formal night (except, possibly, on the higher-end ultra-luxury ships).

The intimacy and exclusivity come with a price (both financial and in comfort), but a little flexibility in your budget -- and your definition of ''spacious cabin'' -- can pay off in experiencing Alaska instead of merely watching it float by.

Cabins: There's a reason it's called a small ship and, in most cases, the cabin is probably the best illustration. But the idea is almost always to get you out of the cabin, anyway, and most ships have some sort of lounge for reading and relaxing. Warning: On standard small boats, the bathroom and shower stall are the same space and are about the size of two phone booths.

Food: Recognizing that prices tend to be more upscale, some small-boat dining rooms offer Michelin-worthy cuisine (if for no other reason that because cooking for 70 is different from cooking for 3,000). Most of it leans toward French and Italian, with nods to the local salmon.

On-board entertainment: Because the focus is on what's happening off the ship -- and because there's no climbing wall, bowling alley or surfing machine -- entertainment leans toward nightly educational lectures, most about the flora, fauna, environment and geology of the region. And after that, it's cocktails, a movie or returning to the observation deck for the universal light show -- without the light pollution of a 3,000-passenger ship.

Excursions/activities: Based on the kind of passenger that small ships attract, excursions tend to lean toward nature, learning and light adventure: kayaking, fishing and hiking, and visits by rubber boat to deserted inlets and islands. In the larger ports, the same excursions offered by the big ships typically are available, either through the ship or on your own.

Itineraries: By their very nature, small ships can sneak into narrows, shallows and inlets that are off-limits to the floating resorts, and can stop at a wider variety of ports, from tourist-choked Juneau to the tiny fishing village of Cordova. Most small-ship captains build in flexibility to go off the path once in a while in search of wildlife.