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With more options to choose from, you can typically find a good deal if you are booking for the period that stretches between May and June. To help you decide if it’s the right time for your trip, here are some advantages and disadvantages of cruising during the late spring to mid-summer stretch. The best time to book an Alaskan cruise is the months between April and September. If you think this is a long stretch to be deemed “the best” time to book a cruise in Alaska, you are not wrong, but there is a reason for this. This is also when you’ll be able to find most of the cruise itineraries. It does get dark enough at night to see them by the second week of September, but it's still not as brilliant as what you’ll see on a winter, land-based Alaska aurora viewing vacation.
Alaska cruise in August: Rain and high temperatures
Read on for average Alaska cruise prices, things to do in Alaska and everything else you'll need to decide which is the best month to cruise Alaska for you. The Alaska cruise season is a little over six months long, but choosing the best time to cruise Alaska is surprisingly not that simple. This is but one of the incredible experiences that may be had when visiting Alaska in the “secret season”—springtime.
What to Expect on an Alaskan Cruise in September
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. Additionally, June, July, and August may come with more crowds, but offer several more hours of daylight compared to in the fall. If a cruise with fewer crowds is important to you, it might be a good idea to avoid Alaska cruises in June, July, and August.
What to Expect on an Alaskan Cruise in May
When Is the Best Time to Visit Alaska? It Depends on Your Travel Plans. - AFAR Media
When Is the Best Time to Visit Alaska? It Depends on Your Travel Plans..
Posted: Sun, 24 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
On the water, we rarely passed any other ships or boats, aside from fishermen out for their catches. While early May often carries a chill in the air, by the end of the month, you might encounter temperatures in the 60s. The warmer weather means glaciers begin shedding ice more frequently, so you have a better chance of experiencing the sight and sound of a house-size chunk of ice calving into the sea. There's also the bonus that Alaska's large mosquito population has yet to emerge.
Best Alaska cruise lines
The historic district still has a Wild West feel, though that's been a bit commercialized for the modern era. This port can get crowded in summer when several ships can call on the same day. The best Alaska cruise ports are also the most crowded because no matter which type of itinerary and cruise line you select, you'll likely visit a mix of the same ports.
Look to the early and late sailings of the season if you are a bargain seeker. Choose a May or June sailing for drier weather and fewer mosquitos; summer is the best time to cruise to see abundant marine life and birds. The beginning of September is much like August, but after the kids go back to school and the family crowd departs, it's shoulder season for cruising and pricing drops. Most cruise ships will have repositioned out of the state by the end of the month. You will experience a change of season, with cooler temperatures (in the 50s or lower) and some rain.
This is when you can find grizzly bears fishing along Alaska’s many rivers and streams. The state is home to 15 national parks and 16 state parks, and its federally-protected lands cover an area the size of California. During the month of February, whales begin their migration from the warm waters of Mexico to Alaska. After a long migration along the pacific coast, these magnificent creatures can be first spotted in April – albeit in small numbers. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities to spot these majestic creatures throughout the cruising season.
The best time to cruise to Alaska for good weather
One of the biggest advantages of cruising in May is that you get to avoid the peak season crowds. The summer months are the busiest time for tourists in Alaska, and the ports and attractions can get overcrowded. While the tourism season in Alaska doesn’t really kick in until June, many small cruise ships start running tours in May. If you’re looking for dry weather and lots of wildlife, then May is a great time to join a cruise as it’s one of the state’s driest months and features spring migrations and lots of newborn wildlife.
As a rule of thumb, fewer people will be traveling when school is in session, and therefore, fewer crowds. You can often find great deals on Alaskan cruises that sail during the shoulder season. Fortunately for us, whales are a common sight along Alaska’s coastline from May to September. This just happens to be the same months as the Alaska cruise season. The beauty of the land and its immense history; the thrill of seeing bears, moose and bald eagles; and the mysteries of the surrounding marine life will astound you. It's a trip worth taking the time to plan and doing right — because who knows if or when you'll make it back to the Last Frontier.
The truth is that both of these stretches can allow for an exciting and memorable experience. You must remember that Alaska is a rugged landscape that poses countless challenges for human life, so these cruises will never be as tranquil as a tropical cruise. Alaska is often considered the last American frontier due to its pristine and seemingly endless natural landscapes. This is just part of why Alaskan cruises are skyrocketing in popularity. Fishing is good during any month—there are just different species of salmon that peak as the weeks go by.
Depending on the tour itinerary you choose, you might visit Seward and the Kenai Peninsula, Alyeska, Talkeetna, Anchorage and Fairbanks — as well as spend one to three nights in Denali National Park. For these itineraries, you'll need to fly into or out of Anchorage and take a train or bus to/from the cruise departure ports, which can take an hour or two. You can book the transportation on your own or through your cruise line.
When it comes to May vs. September, May is slightly cooler, but gets significantly less rainfall. Read on for the best time of year to cruise to Alaska, based on your personal preferences and the breathtaking experiences you want to check off your bucket list. While they tend to be less of an issue while you are on a cruise ship on the water, they can be a menace on shore. If you are looking for uncrowded observation decks and a quieter experience, you may want to avoid this peak season or try September, when things tend to wind down. On top of that, some of Alaska’s most iconic wildlife species tend to be at their most active and visible when the weather cools off towards the end of summer.
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. If you cruise to Alaska this month, you can enjoy more shop and restaurant options in port towns but expect things to be slightly more crowded. That being said, the weather and wildlife in Alaska are notoriously unpredictable. You might take a float plane to see bears and, sadly, not see a single one.
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