When is the best time of year to go on an Alaskan Cruise?

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TINKERTOY ..... the 1 & only

The best time to go is when you can get the best price. The Alaska cruise season is from May to Sept. The weather is generally warmer in June, July and Aug, but it can also be pleasant in May and Sept. When we went a few years ago in May it was shirt sleeve weather (70's) in Anchorage and Fairbanks. The odd thing was, it was cooler further south in Juneau and Skegway than it was up north. It was rainy and cloudy in Ketchkan. It will be cold, like coat, hat and gloves weather, when you get close to the Glaciers. Otherwise they would melt. When you pack, think layering of your clothes. A couple long sleeve shirts/tops, a sweater/sweatshirt, a light jacket, maybe with a hood.

The best prices will be in May and Sept but you will see the same things as other times. The port stops will be the same but may be in a different order. Some cruises ship itineraries are run in reverse order, North to South vs starting in Seattle or Vancouver. Check the cruise line web sites for variations by date, itinerary and price.

The best Alaska cruise experience is the CRUISE-TOUR. Princess, Holland America, and Royal Caribbean all run cruise tours which take you by train all the way to Fairbanks, Alaska. Princess and RC have special domed train cars for this. Your best chance to see wild animals will be if you do a cruise-tour where you go further north after cruising the inside passage. The only animals you are likely to see in the inside passage is seals. On these tours You can arrange to stop for a night or two in Taketna, or Denali National Park. This will be your best opportunity to see Moose, Caribou, eagle, wolf, and bear. But you really need two days at Denali so that you have time to get one of the Park Service's buses that go deep into the park. Regular tour buses , cars and campers can only go about 3 or 4 miles into the park. The Park Service runs buses about 17 miles into the park, but you must get to the visitor center very early to reserve a spot on one of their buses. The train stops going north and south do not get you to Denali in time or allow enough time for the deep back country buses. With Princess, Holland America, and RC you can do the tour part first and then go to Seward or Whittier to get on ship for the inside passage part. I recommend doing the tour part first.

khman9870065

Anytime between May and September is a good time to go to Alaska, but there are better times in the season to travel if you have a specific interest or motivation. For example, if you're interested in saving money, then the shoulder seasons of May and September are the best times to go. If you are traveling with children, you may be limited to mid-June through mid-August. Spring is a great time to see the wildflowers in full bloom and Alaska's Fall foliage is a sight to see as well. Your warmest and longest days will be in June and July and will offer you plenty of opportunities to enjoy active, calving glaciers. Each month has its benefits. You should plan to travel when it best meets your schedule and budget.

Tivogal

cruise season in alaska is generally may thru september. You can still get good deals in early september with most of the cruise lines.
try princess, royal caribbean, holland america,
good luck

BigDog507

We went in May and the weather was very nice. I only wore a jacket once when we spent most of the day sailing near the glaciers. It depends on whether or not you are warm or cold natured. We did have some rain so a light rain jacket may be useful. Did see lots of whales on a whale watch cruise and saw lots of wildlife in Deniali. I think we would like to go back in the fall to see the difference.

curious connie

Between the middle of June and the middle of Sept.

Just Jess

We just went on Holland America's Glacier Explorer cruise August 31-Sept 7. The weather was great in Juneau and Glacier Bay. They said that we had the best weather they've had all season when we were in Glacier Bay--clear, sunny skies, great views of the glaciers. Sitka and Ketichikan were both kinda cold and wet, but we still had a great time. The only times I wore my jacket were in Sitka and Ketichikan.

Generally, cruises during the first and last 3 weeks of the season are less expensive than those in the middle of the season.

September is a great time to go because many of the stores in port are having end of season sales. You can get great deals on souvenirs and jewelry.

A tip--regardless of when you go, make sure to bring bug repellant for your shore excursions! Even though it was September the bugs were still out and we were greatful that we had brought some with us.

Andras F

even within the summer months, experience suggests a 3-week window in July when the probability of rainfall is the slightest. Otherwise, constantly slippery decks can make an otherwise perfect cruise into an abysmal experience....

Cruise season in Alaska spans the summer months. In order to avoid crowds at each port, try to book one of the first or last cruises of the season.

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