Table Of Content
Summer workers (typically college students) begin to arrive for the peak tourist season, and shops and restaurants open for the summer. May is an excellent cruising month for birdwatchers as migratory songbirds start to arrive in Alaska and seabirds gather in their nesting spots or rookeries. Keep an eye out for my favorite, the ever-adorable puffins, Arctic terns, cormorants, and bald eagles.
Alaska Cruise Highlights By Month
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. America’s Last Frontier is a land of endless new discoveries, breathtaking landscapes, and off-the-beaten-path trails that lead to bucket list adventures.
When is the best time to visit Alaska to see the Northern Lights?
Embarking and disembarking in Seattle or Vancouver can make air travel easier and cheaper than one-way Alaska cruises, which require flights to smaller, more expensive airports in Alaska. You’ll want to carefully consider Alaska cruise packages and itineraries as the scenery, price and length of time all vary considerably. The best Alaska cruises manage to combine epic nature with local flavor, and the following options all offer that mix with some variation. Luxury cruises to Alaska on smaller ships can be a great option for those looking to pair remote wilderness with a bit of pampering. Your best high-end bets are Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, Silversea and Windstar.
Expedition Cruises: Get Up-Close-and-Personal With Nature
Floatplane and helicopter tours take you around scenic areas like Misty Fjords or land you on a glacier, perhaps for a dog-sledding or hiking adventure on the ice. If you prefer to stay grounded, you can find informative trolley tours of ports like Skagway. Active travelers can explore Alaska by sea kayak or canoe, hike on glaciers and through rainforests, zip line, bike, ride an ATV and even snorkel (you'll need a dry suit). If you want to cruise Alaska but also see some of the interior and enjoy a stay in a lodge or hotel, go for a cruisetour package from either Holland America or Princess Cruises.
Such a large price difference allows you to enhance your Alaska cruise experience in other ways, whether booking a once-in-a-lifetime helicopter tour or kayaking through fjords. Ultimately, there is no perfect time to sail to Alaska, as each month offers its own advantages and disadvantages, and choosing when to cruise to Alaska comes down to your preferences. The weather in Alaska can, and will, change multiple times per day, but you will find the warmest months to be June, July and August. There are definite ebbs and flows to demand and crowds in the ports you will visit depending on which month you sail. The loss of daylight does mean you could see the Aurora Borealis while cruising to Alaska in late August.
June
Venture into the off-season and you’ll find an Alaska that’s raw, untamed, and wrapped in a blanket of pristine silence. While most cruisers have bid their farewells, there are those who seek the rugged charm of Alaska’s colder months. Ah, the allure of the shoulder season—a time when Alaska begins to show a different side of its beauty, and savvy travelers might just discover their own slice of paradise.
The worst months to cruise to Alaska - Royal Caribbean Blog
The worst months to cruise to Alaska.
Posted: Mon, 18 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
You can spot whales on Alaska shore excursions like a safari vessel whale-sighting tour in Stephens Passage, Juneau, to evening whale-quest cocktail cruises where sighting a whale is guaranteed. The good news is that no matter when you visit, you’ll experience the best way to see Alaska aboard a luxury cruise ship. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about choosing the best time to cruise to Alaska.
As you sail through Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier, relax on your private veranda and admire the stunning landscapes. Celebrity Cruises has roundtrip Alaska cruise itineraries that depart from Seattle, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia, and one-way cruises (northbound and southbound) to and from Seward, Alaska. Many of Alaska’s most popular activities can be done anytime from May through September, depending on the port of call. Fishing is good during any month—there are just different species of salmon that peak as the weeks go by. Ships in all price ranges sail a variety of itineraries, so don't let budget stop you from visiting. If luxury is what you're after, you can find lines that will go overboard pampering you on your journey north.
What to Expect on an Alaskan Cruise in April
A cruise to Alaska is an unforgettable summer family vacation experience your kids will cherish forever. 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. Depending on which itinerary you sail and when you choose to cruise, you can increase your chances of seeing certain species, including humpbacks, orcas, and Minke whales.
The best Alaska cruise for every type of traveler - The Points Guy
The best Alaska cruise for every type of traveler.
Posted: Mon, 05 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
If you’re opting for an early- or late-season cruise to Alaska, ports of call are likely to be on the quieter side. The Alaska summer cruise season is quick, but each month offers something unique. If you’re wondering when is the best time to cruise Alaska, you’ve come to the right place. At Alaska Tours, we’ve been helping travelers explore the Last Frontier for over 30 years, and we can confidently say that summer is the prime season for an Alaska cruise. Get to Alaska right when the cruise season begins on an Alaska Northbound Glacier Cruise that departs in May from Vancouver, British Columbia.
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. With the school year coming to a close, many families take advantage of the opportunity to travel together during the summer months. Alaska offers something for everyone, with activities and experiences that appeal to all ages. Whether you want to hike in the wilderness, go whale watching, or learn about Alaska's history and culture, there is something for everyone. By cruising in May, you can beat the rush and enjoy a more relaxed and peaceful experience. You can also take advantage of the lower rates offered by the cruise lines during the shoulder season, which can help you save money.
In other words, Alaska can be one of the more affordable bucket-list destinations to reach by ship, especially when compared to other remote cruise destinations like Antarctica and the Galapagos. May is one of the driest months in the Inside Passage, but you may still find snow on the ground (which is great for scenic photos, but less ideal for hiking). On top of that, you can anticipate significantly less rain and fog, which helps with comfort and visibility.
Offered by Princess Cruises and Holland America Line, fishing excursions that allow guests to have their catch prepared and served to them onboard the ship also sell quickly. There are days throughout the year when there can be a temperature swing of a hundred degrees on opposite ends of the state—50 degrees Fahrenheit in Sitka and 50 degrees below zero in Fairbanks, for example. May can be one of the finest months across Alaska, as daylight reaches near-summer heights, while June is even nicer, with the last chill of the arctic winter departing for the season. With that in mind, Alaska is still a dynamic destination—no one snapshot of time during the year is guaranteed to encompass all this state has to offer. In Alaska, the great beauty of nature doesn’t disappear when the sun goes down – lucky passengers might witness the spectacular natural phenomenon of the Northern Lights.
This may seem like a reason to skip an Alaska cruise in August, but it's still a great time to take in lots of activities around the state. One downside to July is the price of your cruise will be higher than other months of the year. It's the very peak of the Alaska cruise season, which makes July expensive.
Norwegian Cruise Lines has the first departures of the season in early April from Seattle. For major cruise lines, the Alaska cruise season runs between May and late September, including Viking and Disney. You're in luck if you're hoping to see whales on your Alaska cruise, as the majority of the cruise season coincides with whale season. Humpback whales can be found in the waters of the Gulf of Alaska and are some of the most frequently spotted, though you may also see orcas and gray whales as well. Keep an eye out for seabirds and songbirds, seals, Steller sea lions and humpback whales. Marine life is so prolific that some small-boat shore excursions guarantee you will see animals.
No comments:
Post a Comment