Alaska-Pros/Cons on Sailing in May - Also Which Ship?

[Wannaknow]

It'll be our 1st trip to Alaska & thinking about an early May Alaskan cruise. What are the pros & cons of sailing this early in the season?

Also, do you have any recommendation on which of the ships that sail to Alaska are in the best condition etc.?

Have read tons of Alaskan reviews & they mostly recount the dining, cabin, excursion opinions rather than weather.

What are your Not to Miss sights? Will appreciate your opinions.

[Cruz'n Couple]

We have sailed to Alaska twice in quite early May--been on the ship both times on Mother's Day. First time, weather was glorious all the way!!! Second time, this past May, encountered rain (and cold wind) in Juneau, especially at Mendenhall Glacier, and very windy and biting cold in Skagway. Neither port deterred us from enjoying the port, because we were prepared with warm coats, and clothing that could be layered! Glacier Bay was clear on first visit, and somewhat overcast on second visit. College Fjord (on second visit) also overcast. Still didn't detract from incomparable beauty and majesty of Alaska!

Hope this answers your question (in a small way) and hope that you will ENJOY your trip to Alaska! (I know we are looking forward to our third visit in May to two entirely new ports for us).

[CowPrincess]

Cons: Some tours will not be running in early May. Many of the tour guides will be using you and your bus full of passengers as their practice run :) (Many go to Alaska for the cruise season, and are still learning things the 1st few days on the job.) It can be colder than other months.

Pros: Looooooooooong daylight hours. We've experienced great weather in early May. The shops, tour guides, etc in the ports are not yet burned out from the whole summer of tourists. The locals are usually happier towards the start of the cruise season -- they are not burned out from a whole summer of tourists. You will see snow on mountain peaks nearly everywhere.

[kjw869]

We've sailed to Alaska the past two years in mid-May, and for the 14 days, only 1/2 day of rain. Both trips were out of Seattle. On May 17, 2009, we sailed on the Westerdam and the temperatures were in the mid 50s- to high 60s and mostly sunny. I had to buy some short short sleeve shirts along the way, as it was 78 degrees when we got to Seattle three days earlier.

This year on May 16th, we sailed on the Oosterdam and the temps were probably 10 degrees cooler and more overcast.

Never had to use the hats, gloves or the layers of clothing we brought on these trips.

We were told to go in May from a friend from Anchorage who said we have a better chance of missing the rainy season. He was right, because every time after our cruise that I looked at the Juneau webcam it was overcast or raining.

[arlodog]

Pro: If you go to Glacier Bay I understand that the snow pack hasn't melted yet and it is easier to see the animals. When we were there in late July it was hard to spot the grizzlies!

[Bill S]

We've been to Alaska 7, maybe 8 times, and all but two were in May. In all those May cruises, we have had maybe a total of 2 rain days. Cloudy days, a few more, for sure. May is our favorite month to do Alaska.

However, the one time we set out during the first week in May, we saw no whales whatsoever, except on the return leg to Vancouver and then, only from the ship. I'd recommend setting sail during the 2nd or 3rd week in May if only to see the whales.

Ditto, Ditto, Ditto on the amount of snow you will see in May versus during the summer or in September. Our most glorious days have been brilliantly sunny May days in Glacier Bay--just spectacular.

I'd recommend that you pick the ship that has Glacier Bay in it's itinerary. Focus on the itinerary versus which ship is doing it. While Hubbard Glacier can be spectacular when it is calving, nothing beats a sunny day in Glacier Bay during May. Lots of snow on the mountains.

It will be cool most days, although one year we had temps in the high-60s, low 70s.

I also agree about the merchants still being happy to see you, and the cruise fares themselves tend to be lower in May than during the summer months. The only "con" I can think of is that the salmon are not "running" in May, but the majestic bald eagles are abundant.

Hope this helps and that youhave a wonderful cruise, whenever you take it. :)

[Alberta Quilter]

Make sure you go to Glacier Bay! If your itinerary allows, also go to College Fjord.

Do the whale watching in Juneau. In May/09, we had wonderful weather, in May/10 I got soaked in the rain but the whales were breaching like they were performing. It was the best excursion I've been on.

In Skagway, make sure to do the train ride, at least one way. If time permits, I also recommend the glass blowing. You get a nice souvenir to remind you of your cruise.

As for weather, I can pretty much repeat what has already been said. We had incredible weather in May/09 and not so great weather (a bit of rain, and low cloud) in May/10. Both times, I saw the Margerie Glacier calving. But, it didn't rain in Ketchikan, either time.

May and June are the driest months in Alaska.

As long as you are prepared for any kind of weather, with layers and waterproof jackets, you'll have a great time.

I would go back in a heartbeat!

[SilvertoGold]

If you wnat to see lots of snow on the mountains, May is the time to go. Glacier Bay will be spectacular, but Margerie Glacier likley won't be calving very much: too cold yet.

[Alberta Quilter]

If you can, go in the interior of Alaska before or after your cruise. The first time I went, we did a three day cruise from Vancouver to Skagway and then an eight day land tour into the Yukon and Alaska. It was fabulous! The only thing I would do differently is to do the land tour first and then the cruise. You are much more spoiled on the cruise than on the land tour!!!

There are shorter land excursions than eight days. I believe you can do a couple of nights in Denali and then on to Fairbanks. Do what you can afford to do but it will be worth it.

[mikjr]

We went the last week in May... the following week, fairs went up $1,000 for the cabin.

In Juneau, it was 75 degrees and I was in a T-shirt! good thing I dressed in layers.

[RuthC]

Also, do you have any recommendation on which of the ships that sail to Alaska are in the best condition etc.?


I concur with Bill S that ship is secondary to itinerary. Maybe third.
There are round trips out of both Vanvouver and Seattle, and one-way cruises across the Gulf of Alaska between Vancouver and Seward. Choose the itinerary you want, first and foremost. Then take a look at which ships are doing that route.
Once you have that decision made, look at day of the week the ships are sailing. Some days will have fewer ships sharing the various ports with you---meaning fewer people to compete with for tour space. And space on the sidewalks, for that matter!

I have done five cruises to Alaska, including two that were two weeks each, as well as a HAL land tour of nine days on the second cruise, and two weeks on land on my own on my third trip.
I hope to go back again. Alaska is that good.

Have a great time in The Great Land.

[cruisinjudy]

nothing beats a sunny day in Glacier Bay during May. :)

I'll ditto that!

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done quite a few Alaskan cruises. One year we opted to add an Alaskan cruise to our repositioning cruise. That meant that the Alaskan cruise was the second week of May. We would never do that again. The weather was cold and rainy.

[Wannaknow]

Thanks for all your comments. So much to think about & so much research to do. I have my work cut out for me:). Please be forewarned, I'll be back with lots of questions.

[LindaKE]

You will gets lots of good advice on the Alaska boards under Ports of Call. On the HAL board, info pretty much relates to HAL. On the Alaska boards, Alaska is the topic.

[Wannaknow]

I am shocked & overwhelmed! We planned on going with another couple. The men got together & planned the trip already.

They have booked us on Oceania! I am so flabbergasted I don't know what to say. No one has really done what I call research.

I don't know what will happen, but I'm going over to the Oceania board. I sincerely thank all of you for your thoughts and suggestions.

[RuthC]

I'm sure you'll all have a wonderful time. Why not just turn over all the reins for planning, and just go along for the ride, You might even be able to start the cruise all relaxed! ;)

[Himself]

I am going to answer another part of your question, that is which ship? If you have the time I would recommend the m.s. Amsterdam which does a two week cruise out of Seattle.
This cruise goes inside Passage, Ketchikan, TRacy Arm, Juneau, Icy Strait, Skagway, Ankorage,Kokeak, Homer, Hubbard Glacier, Sitka and Victoria BC.

[SwissMyst]

We sailed the Zuiderdam Inside Passage last May and it was very cold (40-50's), but sunny with no rain but with some rough sea patches. Apparently the week before was gloriously warm. So Alaska I think with its very short official "summer" is always a gamble, but also always awesome on so many other levels.

One advantage of the Zuiderdam for us was the special prices for the lower category of "suite" cabins (SZ etc) because this got you a larger room with more window viewing area so you could be inside your toasty room looking out across the balcony (which you may never use in this weather) but having a front row seat to all the passing scenery in the privacy of your own cabin.

Our favorite port was Skagway because of its Yukon Gold Rush history and the White Pass railway excursion. Glacier Bay cruising was silently powerful in all aspects.

So as long as you dress for the variable weather and take care of any potential mal de mer issues with ginger or bonine or whatever works for you, then May can be beautiful - there were so many flowers out and snow on the nearby hills and it was a sobering first hand experience of what "summer" is like for all Alaska residents. Ketcikan looked almost tropical with its deep greens, flowers and ferns.

The "white nights" on this trip heading into the longest day of the year in June made MDR dinners with full views even more spectacular. I love this part of mid year cruising in the upper northern latitudes.

[Sailkeywest]

Hey Wannaknow? Hope that you are still checking this thread.

I watch the Oceania and Regent reviews on this and other forums and noticed that someone from Oceania threads mentioned that Oceania might be using Regent's 'experience' on how the booking of the tours will happen. You might want to check this out because I have read far and wide that the tours book up the moment they open, especially the 'free' ones on Regent. A lot of people seem to complain about not being able to get the tours that they want. (I have no experience on this, I am merely going by what I have read on the net)

Just FYI, so you can stay ahead of the game. :)

P.S. Both Oceania and Regent look as though they have beautiful ships :)

[chipmaster]

May is early, prices cheap, brrr....

June-August really have better weather. I always love how people talk about "their" great experience, its the weather and it goes by larger trends. Sure there will be warm sunny in dry but the seasons are the seasons.



It'll be our 1st trip to Alaska & thinking about an early May Alaskan cruise. What are the pros & cons of sailing this early in the season?

Also, do you have any recommendation on which of the ships that sail to Alaska are in the best condition etc.?

Have read tons of Alaskan reviews & they mostly recount the dining, cabin, excursion opinions rather than weather.

What are your Not to Miss sights? Will appreciate your opinions.