Alaska,when to go

We are contemplating Alaska cruise late Aug, Sept. Wife concerned with weather. I look forward to smaller crowds and potential for Northern Lights.

Pros & Cons?

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

If you do some reading on the portion of Cruise Critic devoted to Alaska, located here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

You will find all the info you will ever need about cruising in Alaska. It can definitely be cooler and wetter in those time frames, and the crowds will be smaller. However, the chance of seeing the Northern Lights is very slim.

We are contemplating Alaska cruise late Aug, Sept. Wife concerned with weather. I look forward to smaller crowds and potential for Northern Lights.

Pros & Cons?

We have taken two Alaska cruises, on two different cruise lines, in mid August and had great experiences both times.

As CruiserBruce suggested, the Alaska section of Cruise Critic is a wonderful place to do research and ask questions.

If you're interested in seeing pictures, you might enjoy viewing the slide shows my wife made, with pictures she took on our Alaska cruises, for her website at the links below.

Happy cruising!

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

We have cruised Alaska from May through September. One time we cruise the last week of August and first week of September -- horrible weather -- cold and rainy. Now remember you could go at the same exact time and have beautiful weather. Weather is unpredictable.

Now that the Alaskan season has been extended to nearly the end of the September, you will still have some busy ports. Sales will be great at the end of the season.

As far as seeing the Northern Lights -- your chances are extremely slim -- maybe zero.

If bad weather is a concern i would avoid an Alaskan cruise! Seriously Alaska is amazing but, as others have said, good weather is never guaranteed. We went at the beginning of June and it was grey and drizzly for most of the time. It didn't spoil our enjoyment. It was amazing! The cruising area of Alaska isn't really that far north and the northern lights are more prevalent in winter so I wouldn't factor than in your plans either.

Weather is extremely variable.

We lived in Vancouver for many years. We preferred to do last minute cruises so that we could at least get some indication of the upcoming weather. And even that is sometimes not reliable.

The weather on the coast is a crap shoot at the best of times.

On 3 trips to Alaska, 2 were in September and one in June. Both trips in Sept. had great weather with a touch of rain on our last cruise in 2014. Wife went with granddaughter in June 2 years ago and the temperatures were.........................yes this is correct................in the mid and high 90s......!!!!

Their trip was 10 days on land through Denali, Fairbanks and down through the Yukon...........and everything was HOT! during the day and often at night..................AND, guess what they don't have in Alaska..................yup, AC in hotels.

So yes the weather in AK is extremely variable and no one can tell you what you will encounter............so take layers that vary from light to multiples that would be suitable for cool to cold and wet weather