Best month for Alaska cruise?

[EastTexans2]

Since the "search" feature is still unavailable, I will ask my questions here......we have cruised with Royal and with Carnival and are looking ahead to an Alaska cruise in 2010 on the Westerdam.

What is the best month for Alaska?
Would you suggest a balcony for Alaska?

[jtl513]

June, IMO. First half if you're not bringing kids and would prefer fewer of them around, second half if you're bringing kids and want them to have company.

May and Sep are cheaper, but more likely to be chilly.

A balcony can be enjoyable in Jul or Aug, but you probably won't get much use out of it for the other three months.

[DougH]

I agree, late May early to mid June would be my first choice. Lower prices, less crowds, chance for drier weather and snow still on the mountain tops

[Krazy Kruizers]

Have cruised all the months -- JMO -- July is the best month - the sun is higher -- the glaciers calve more.

[dakrewser]

When cruising to Alaska, avoid months with an "R" in them (stay home and eat oysters ;))

[EastTexans2]

Thank you for all the replys! We were thinking either end of May or early June. So I don't need to spend the extra money for a balcony? That sounds good to me.....I just thought it would be warm enough to sit outside. What is the temperature range in early June?

[mauigirlApryl]

:p :confused: Hi, I will be cruising Alaska, south bound, first week of July, will there still be snow and ice caps to see? Will it look like winter? that's what I'm hoping for. Thnx A

[patrickmoran]

You probably don't need a balcony but for the 1st trip to Alaska I would recommend it. We did have a balcony for our 2 previous cruises to Alaska and thought it was worth it. This May we won't have a balcony and will see how that works.

[kaiiak]

While I have never been to Alaska, we did do a Pacific Coastal to Vancouver last April/May and found it too cold to really enjoy relaxing out on our balcony (the way we do in warmer climates). I have also read on previous threads to avoid the extra balcony costs on Alaska trips and just stick to an ocean view (if cost is an issue). I've never had less than a balcony, but vow to get an ocean view when we someday visit Alaska based on what I've read on these boards. Hope this helps!!!

[jtl513]

That sounds good to me.....I just thought it would be warm enough to sit outside.The air temp may be warm enough if you were sitting still, but with a 18 to 20 knot wind while underway you will likely be huddled in the corner up against the forward partition!

When in port most people are off the ship for the day, and when you're "cruising" at a glacier the air is likely to be chilly because you're sitting in a huge bowl of ice water!

It may be nice to be out on your own balcony for a little while in the morning or evening when you're in port ... but for me public outside decks are sufficient.

On our last cruise to AK (Sep) we had a friend with a veranda cabin, and we tried several times to get some use out of it (with her), but in the end she regretted spending the money.

[LindaJ+]

We're going over the summer solstice. If I'm paying for that balcony, I'm going to sit on it ... if I have to sit there in my parka!

[dakrewser]

We'll be taking our 4th and 5th Alaska cruises this coming May/June - and we always spend a lot of time on the verandah - watching wildlife, viewing glaciers, etc.

[PathfinderEss]

I have to agree with the other posters, June is the best month for good weather. Balconies can be nice for viewing.

[Harp Girl]

We cruised to Alaska on the Oosterdam last July. Left Seattle on 07/07/07, I was on the balcony while we cruise out of Seattle, it was beautiful. I was on the balcony again for about 45 minutes in Ketchikan, and the rest of the time it was too cold so, if we decide to cruise to Alaska again, I'm going to save the money and get a outside cabin with a window. We live in the Pacific Northwest and the running joke is that summer starts after the 4th of July, but maybe it starts earlier in Alaska!

[Moriah]

We're going over the summer solstice. If I'm paying for that balcony, I'm going to sit on it ... if I have to sit there in my parka!

Oh, I spent many happy hours on the balcony with my parka, gloves, and hat, sipping hot chocolate and loving every minute of that Alaska scenery floating by. On Glacier day, (Hubbard on Oosterdam, Glacier bay on Noordam and Westerdam) I spend a couple of hours on the bow or on the front deck on deck 4 with everyone, and then as the ship slowly turns, I go to our veranda and lay back (yes, all bundled up - and I always go to Alaska in JULY) and enjoy some more. I would not miss it for the world and to me the veranda cabin is worth it even in Alaska.
That said, of course I always go in July when it's the warmest it gets. Maybe if it was 10 degrees colder I would not spend as much time out on the veranda...

I can't wait to go again! B2B this summer to Alaska! Counting the days!

Moriah

[jtl513]

We live in the Pacific Northwest and the running joke is that summer starts after the 4th of July, but maybe it starts earlier in Alaska!IIRC, last year summer was on a Tuesday, wasn't it? :D As I type this, it's 78 degrees on my back porch. :)

EastTexans2: maybe you should book a C guarantee and let the upgrade fairy decide if you're going to get a balcony or not! :D

[Poconolady]

A balcony is the only way to go in Alaska, even in the coolest weather. The crowds on deck can hamper getting a good view of all of the scenery, especially if you are trying to get good pictures. Whether you are up on deck or on your own balcony, you are going to to have to dress for the weather, and that probably means putting on the parka and gloves. We always sail Alaska in the end of May because the prices are lower, the crowds are smaller and the snow is still on the mountains (and even on the ground in some years).

[JerseyJaguar]

I'm going on my first Alaska cruise and decided to splurge on the balcony. I know it's going to be cold but I will have a hat, gloves, parka and scarf. I don't plan to stay out there for hours at a time, but it'll be nice to just throw the parka over my PJs in the morning without having to get dressed to see the outside world.

[dlbaqua]

I guess I need to buy a parka (what exactly IS a parka? I don't think they sell those in Texas) We're going 07/27/08 and we'll have a balcony, I'm GOING to sit out there, even if I have to take the blankets off the bed to do it!

[JerseyJaguar]

I guess I need to buy a parka (what exactly IS a parka? I don't think they sell those in Texas) We're going 07/27/08 and we'll have a balcony, I'm GOING to sit out there, even if I have to take the blankets off the bed to do it!
Parkas come in all lengths and sizes, here's one example (the one I have has a detachable hood and is pretty light for packing purposes):

http://cdn.llbean.com/products/mens/51590/images/M51590_Royal_Blue.jpg

[mamaofami]

I was in Alaska in June a few years ago. You can see the dates in my signature. We were there during a heat wave and it was over 90 almost every day for two weeks. Unusual weather for Alaska, but none the less, that's what it was.

[jtl513]

I'm GOING to sit out there, even if I have to take the blankets off the bed to do it!You'll probably find spare blankets in the drawer at the foot of the bed. (We had some nice red plaid wool ones.) If not, ask your steward.

[dlbaqua]

thanks, Jersey, I guess I need to be on the lookout for a couple of those!

[JerseyJaguar]

You'll probably find spare blankets in the drawer at the foot of the bed. (We had some nice red plaid wool ones.) If not, ask your steward.
That's good to know, the more bundling up one can do, the more one can enjoy their balcony.

I wasn't going to bring a parka, and was going with the layering and blanket deal, but a friend who also went in May had ended up buying a parka just for the ship and lent it to me and when I saw how light it was, I figure, even if I don't need it, I'd rather have it.

[innlady1]

I guess I need to buy a parka (what exactly IS a parka? I don't think they sell those in Texas) We're going 07/27/08 and we'll have a balcony, I'm GOING to sit out there, even if I have to take the blankets off the bed to do it!

Check the L. L. Bean website (www.llbean.com (http://www.llbean.com)). Lots of choices there. Also, Land's End. (www.landsend.com (http://www.landsend.com)).

[JoKen1]

I went to Alaska last Sept and didn't have a balcony. I figured I could just see the views from the rest of the ships areas.

Well this year, I'm going back the last day of Aug so it's pretty much the same time of year. I got a balcony room!!! I was so sorry I didn't have one last time.

When you cruise the glacier area EVERYONE is out of their rooms and the spaces are crowded. I missed a lot!

I wanted to go back to Alaska in May because that is when the bears are just waking up and you have a good chance of seeing them and all the baby bears. But, if you get there before to late in Sept you still have a great chance of seeing bears.

I'm going to bundle up and sit on my balcony a lot. Even if it rains. To me Alaska should be cold and that is part of the fun. I would hate to be there when it's hot. I get enough hot here in CA. I want cold days and nights.

[legalslave]

We went to Alaska mid May and I thoroughly enjoyed having a balcony. Of course, it wasn't quite like sailing the Caribbean or Mexico, when I sit on the balcony in my jammies for morning coffee. We were lucky and had great weather and the temps were in the sixties. Started on the open decks for Glacier Bay viewing. That did not last long as we found we had the same view from our balcony and we were more comfortable. What some enjoy, others may not. Balcony or not, you'll have a great cruise and see beautiful scenery.

Diane

[Cruisin Kay D]

We took our 1st Alaska cruise last Aug. as a last-minute deal from Prin -- we ALWAYS get a balcony in Caribbean & use it ALOT! For this deal we took INSIDE on high deck & cabin was only 2 away from door to aft open public deck!!! So within a few steps we had our "semi-private" balcony -- aft is less windy & was partially covered from any rain! It was a DELIGHTFUL alternative to Balcony!!

This summer we're doing B2B on Veendam & Island Prin with outside obstructed-view cabins that are close to exits to exterior Promenade decks -- we'll see how we like this type location.....on Veendam cabin is on same walking deck and on Isl Prin just 1 level above the Prom deck but we're close to stairs.
We did not even consider a balcony for this trip -- we did alot of wandering from side to side -- sometimes the view & wildlife/whales were on port & 15 min later on starboard, so if on your balcony you will miss something on other side!