This Is the Best Time to Cruise to Alaska
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If you get seasick easily, also think twice about round-trip cruises from Seattle that spend days cruising in the open ocean. If you're happy with a couple of historic tours and a guided hike, you could likely budget $500 or less per person for shore excursions in Alaska. But if once-in-a-lifetime Alaska experiences like helicopter rides and flightseeing in Ketchikan are more your speed, you'll need to triple that amount -- or more.
Royal Caribbean vs Princess to Alaska: which cruise line is better? - Royal Caribbean Blog
Royal Caribbean vs Princess to Alaska: which cruise line is better?.
Posted: Thu, 13 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
The Best Time to Cruise Alaska for Good Weather: Summer (mid-June through August)
In July, the whales are usually in full migration, making it an ideal time for whale watching. Visitors can take a whale watching excursion to see humpback whales, orcas, and other marine life up close. The salmon are also in full run during this time, which attracts bears and eagles, making it an excellent time to spot these animals in their natural habitat.
What to Expect on an Alaskan Cruise in September
You'll find those who work in tourism excited to be back in business, considering that many people in southeast Alaska earn their income from out-of-state visitors. Cruise lines will offer the opportunity to extend your cruise with land tours, which include accommodations, transportation and some meals. To help you find the best time to cruise to Alaska, Cruise Critic is breaking down the Alaska cruise season month by month to help you plan your bucket-list trip.
Advantages of Visiting Alaska in May
Don’t forget to throw in a good pair of binoculars when planning your Alaska cruise packing list. Smaller boutique cruises strive to immerse their guests in the wild Alaska they've researched and desire to experience. Trips to shore rarely involve large port cities except for embarking and disembarking – instead, they drop kayaks in the water from the ship or use a rubber skiff to reach a deserted shoreline for a hike.
When’s the Best Time to Cruise to Alaska for Salmon Fishing?
Whether you cruise multiple times per year or you're new to cruising, the goal of Royal Caribbean Blog is for it to be a useful resource for keeping up to date with what's new and exciting with Royal Caribbean. Started in 2010, Royal Caribbean Blog offers daily coverage of news and information related to the Royal Caribbean cruise line along with other relevant topics of cruising, such as entertainment, news, photo updates and more. The average temperature for an Alaska cruise in September is in the mid-50s and lows in the low-40s. It's also very likely to encounter rain, as September is an even rainier month than August. Of course, temperatures during September will be lower than other times of the year, but the opportunity to see the Northern Lights is a real treat.
An Expert's Guide to Booking the Perfect Alaska Cruise in 2023
You’ll also have more hours to look for wildlife from your room window or veranda. While temperatures are warmer and the snow is typically gone at lower elevations, the highs in Juneau average in the low 60s, with lows in the upper 40s. A hat, gloves, and a winter coat would be a good idea to pack for an Alaskan cruise, especially if you depart in April, May, or September.
First Time Cruisers
Wildlife lovers have plenty of opportunities to search for whales and eagles here; adventure-seekers won't want to miss the ZipRider, with its course of six zip lines. Alaska cruises offer a wide range of activities in port, with options for active travelers, wildlife lovers, history buffs and shoppers. Whether you're traveling with young kids or require more sedentary recreation, the Alaska cruise ports won't disappoint. Generally, these one-way sailings travel from Seward or Whittier (the cruise ports closest to Anchorage) to Vancouver (or vice versa). Most itineraries are seven nights, but you'll find a handful that are longer.
What to Do in Alaska: Top Things to Do in August
You might have to wait hours for a table at Tracy's King Crab Shack in Juneau. As someone who has cruised Alaska many times, I love cruising in May when the weather is dry and locals are emerging from their winter cocoons, embracing the sunshine. The wildlife is doing the same, and you might spot bears with their cubs, moose with their calves and humpback whales returning from their winter home in Hawaii.
Keep an eye out for my favorite, the ever-adorable puffins, Arctic terns, cormorants, and bald eagles. Alaska is still gaining sunlight as the Summer Solstice approaches, so you’ll experience longer days during your May cruise. Because of its latitude, Alaska experiences extremes in daylight in the summer and darkness in the winter.
Smaller boats have access to quieter coastlines, like the Wrangell Narrows, that larger cruise ships don’t have access to. Whatever month you choose for your Alaska cruise, though, is sure to bring the opportunity to visit charming towns, explore phenomenal nature, and make memories with family and friends. There’s no right or wrong time to cruise to Alaska, but having an idea of the pros and cons of each season should help decide which time of year works best for you. Likewise, while weather should be colder during the shoulder seasons of May and September, Alaska’s weather is quite unpredictable. You might be surprised with warm days in September or chilly, rainy days in July!
Tell a sun-worshiper that you’re taking an Alaska cruise and they’ll raise an eyebrow. On average in July, Alaska boasts high temps in the mid-60s, but occasionally climbs into the 70s and 80s. However, if you prepare for Alaska’s chill and damp weather, no matter what time of year you visit, you’ll have a great time. Bring a jacket, gloves, and scarves, along with waterproof gear, and sunscreen.
If humpbacks are your favorite, book an Inside Passage cruise during late June, July, or August. Taking a deep dive into Alaska’s coastal regions Book a small ship cruise between Sitka, Ketchikan, and Juneau for a week or longer in the nooks and crannies of southeast Alaska. You’ll hike where there are no trails, paddle without another human in sight, and get to know the traditional lands of Alaska’s Coastal Native tribes. We like Alaskan Dream Cruises, UnCruise Adventures and Lindblad Expeditions for smaller, more sustainable cruises.
Fall is also mating season for wildlife, so expect to see some friskiness. Each summer, scads of ships cruise Alaska’s coastal waterways, ranging from 12-person expedition-style sailings to mega-ships with passenger numbers into the thousands. Some stick to a manageable six-day itinerary within the popular and more easily accessible southeast region, while others head out on epic three-week sailings that cross multiple time zones. If you prefer warmer temperatures, ranging from 50° to 70° Fahrenheit, and longer days with up to 22 hours of sunlight, a summer Alaskan cruise might be the perfect choice. For the most midnight sun, travel 3 weeks before or after June 21, the summer solstice. Whittier is closer to Anchorage, and some itineraries even take disembarking passengers directly to Denali or Talkeetna the same day.
The waters before you enter the Inside Passage can be calm, rough or anything in between, depending on when you go. One nice thing about the Inside Passage is how calm the water is because you're sailing between land masses. If you worry about seasickness, an Inside Passage trip is the best Alaska cruise itinerary versus a sailing where your ship transits rougher, open waters. Get to Alaska right when the cruise season begins on an Alaska Northbound Glacier Cruise that departs in May from Vancouver, British Columbia. Some of the shore excursions you can experience when going on an Alaska cruise with kids include hiking the Tongass forest, whale-watching tours, kayaking, and learning about Tlingit culture. Schools are still in session in May and September, so fewer families are traveling.
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