Table Of Content
- Alaska Cruises: Everything You Need to Know for a Perfect Bucket-List Adventure
- Alaska Cruise Weather By Month
- Alaska Cruise Destinations and Cruisetours
- Alaska cruise in September: Return to cooler temperatures and lower prices
- Advantages of Visiting Alaska in July
- What’s the Best Time to See Whales on an Alaska Cruise?
Some tourist facilities — including those at national parks — may still be shuttered for the winter. Uncruise’s 12-night “Inside Passage” itinerary departs April 15 with rates starting at $6,300 per person, and Alaska Dream Cruises’ seven-night “Last Frontier Adventure” has starting rates from $3,995 per person. We sailed roundtrip from Juneau, and while I’ve visited the capital city during the busy summer months, I found the restaurants, bars, and shops much less crowded, reliably filled with locals for the most part.
Alaska Cruises: Everything You Need to Know for a Perfect Bucket-List Adventure
Not only do they feature the most Glacier Bay itineraries, but they’re also the only way to see the Yukon in combination with a cruise. You’ll get to stay at Holland America’s Westmark Hotels and their beautiful McKinley Chalet Resort at the entrance to Denali National Park, enabling you to get closer to wildlife and explore more of Alaska on land. Yes, you can visit Alaska without spending a fortune, thanks to Carnival.
Alaska Cruise Weather By Month
Sitka hosts a summer music festival each year in June, with formal evening concerts, casual cafe concerts, a three-hour dinner cruise with live music, and a Sunday outdoor crab feed fundraiser. Humpback whales start making their journey from the warm waters of Mexico and Hawaii in March and April, and by June and July they’re happily feeding in the waters of Alaska’s Inside Passage. Alaska is famous all over the world for its outstanding natural beauty, and the Inside Passage is spectacular in any season. The best time to go depends on whether you're aiming for ideal weather or smaller crowds. As the day winds down, be treated to an absolute summer delight—the deep orange glow of the sunset, a brief interlude before the sun rises high in the sky once more.
Alaska Cruise Destinations and Cruisetours
September also increases your wildlife sighting opportunities, as animals across the state begin migrating, foraging for hibernation and engaging in courtship rituals. Cruise bookings can be difficult to come by in July, but with some careful planning ahead, you can secure cabins on either large or small ships. It’s the place where the American flag was first raised in Alaska as the Russian flag was lowered in 1867.
Alaska cruise in September: Return to cooler temperatures and lower prices
What to Pack for An Alaskan Cruise: A Complete Checklist - Travel + Leisure
What to Pack for An Alaskan Cruise: A Complete Checklist.
Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 21:11:15 GMT [source]
The shops, restaurants, and attractions are all open and ready to welcome visitors, offering a wide variety of experiences to choose from. The larger crowds can add to the atmosphere and make for a lively and enjoyable vacation. An Alaska cruise is such a popular bucket-list item because it’s one of the best ways to immerse yourself in some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.
Advantages of Visiting Alaska in July
Volume peaks in June and July, with most destinations seeing the fewest crowds before Memorial Day or later in August. July and August are also spawning season for salmon, so you might spot grizzlies and brown bears near rivers and streams. Unless you booked early, cabin choice could be limited — especially if you are looking for a fancy suite or cheap inside cabin, which tend to be the first categories to sell out.
What’s the Best Time to See Whales on an Alaska Cruise?
Precipitation increases to 19 days of the month, so pack a raincoat with a hood (you’ll be grateful to have it!). You might see bears that are continuing to fatten up before hibernation. Humpback whales have yet to begin their migration to warmer waters, so you will still be able to see them, especially in early August. That being said, the weather and wildlife in Alaska are notoriously unpredictable.
The sunniest months are July and August and the best time for whale watching is May and June. That being said, traveling anytime during cruise season will offer epic views of landscape and wildlife, no matter where you travel. Breathe in the tranquility of the shoulder season when you sail to Alaska in May or September. With fewer crowds in May, take a step inside Alaska’s finest fisheries and taste fresh king salmon — a local delicacy — as they’re plucked from the cool waters.
Alaska Port Cities Worth Exploring
During these months, the Last Frontier comes alive in all its glory, offering an array of options for visitors. The sheer variety of cruise choices, routes, schedules, itineraries, vessel sizes, cruise lines, on-ship amenities, and price points will make you happy and satisfied. Below, we have outlined why summer is the best time of the year for an Alaska cruise. The best time to cruise Alaska is in May or June, at the beginning of the cruise season. Alaska’s cruise season has always been short, peaking quickly at the height of the summer months and then done by early fall. But as the destination has grown in popularity, the season has extended, and there’s a definite sweet spot to target.
While prices in the early season are generally less expensive, your experience during a May cruise will look different from during the high season in July and August. Because of its latitude, Alaska experiences extremes in daylight in the summer and darkness in the winter. The benefits of cruising in April include less expensive pricing, fewer tourists, and less crowded ports. Here is a breakdown of other important considerations for an April Alaskan cruise. You can also look for a last-minute Alaska cruise deal, though keep in mind that with Alaska's cruise season growing longer, interest in Alaska September cruises is rising.
The Best Time to Cruise Alaska 2024: A Month-by-Month Guide - Condé Nast Traveler
The Best Time to Cruise Alaska 2024: A Month-by-Month Guide.
Posted: Thu, 29 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Just remember our earlier reminder that you are visiting the world’s largest temperate rainforest and enjoy the lush greenery. Because they don’t migrate, you have a great chance of viewing these 1000+ pound, 10-foot-long animals on rocks near the shorelines as you cruise. Just expect cooler weather, fewer wildlife viewing opportunities, and less active ports with some shops that are still shuttered. On Winter Solstice (December 21 or 22), the state breaks out of its winter hibernation and begins gaining a few minutes of sunlight each day. By the time Summer Solstice occurs (June 20,21, or 22), travelers to Juneau, Alaska, a common port, will experience a day with 19 hours of sunlight.
Cruise ships arrive in southeast Alaska in spring, stay the summer and linger only into early fall. The 49th state's snowy, cold and dark winters are not conducive to cruising. Peak cruising months, July and August, are the best time of year to cruise to Alaska. During these months you will have the warmest weather and the greatest chance to see wildlife. The warmer the weather, the better your chance to view a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence called “calving.” This is when a large chunk of the glacier separates in a giant icy landslide.
