Cruising to Alaska

Hi All,

My husband and I are trying to decide what is the better time of year to do an Alaskan cruise..... May or late August/early Sept, based on weather, wildlife sightings etc.

What are your thoughts? Thank you.

A little reading on the board will get you tons of info. May will be drier than late August, into September.

Hi All,

My husband and I are trying to decide what is the better time of year to do an Alaskan cruise..... May or late August/early Sept, based on weather, wildlife sightings etc.

What are your thoughts? Thank you.

I have only ever been to Alaska in late May so I can not compare or contrast the two. I can say, however, the experience during that cruise was wonderful. Lots of wildlife abound throughout our journey. If I was booking a cruise to Alaska again I would choose late May again.

Happy sailing!

May is typically drier and sunnier. More snow in the mountains. If you're doing land travel as well, it should start after June 1. This is esp true if you plan to visit Denali .... the park road doesn't open to Eielson Visitor Center until June 1 and to Wonder Lake June 8. Also, many activities and park visitor centers don't open until Memorial Day weekend.

Bear watching trips generally coincide with salmon runs which don't occur until later in summer.

I would encourage you to read thru past trip reports posted in STICKYs above. Many are detailed photojournals which provide info on sights, activities, vendors, etc

Thoughts....

• May and September is cheaper, but colder and some excursions are not running
  
• May can mean ice congestion to some glacier viewing sites like Tracy Arm/Sawyer
  
• May to July is dryer in Alaska, August will see more rain and September will be wettest. If too stormy to dock.... cruise ships will skip the port.
  
• July to August will be dryer in Cascadia
  
• May to August will give you more day light
  
• August and September offer better wildlife opportunities
  
• I like late-July for weather compromise and wildlife. It's also priced higher.
  
• some ports offer season opportunities like fireworks and pride celebrations, but can also mean congestion.
  
• http://www.alaska.org/advice/best-time-to-visit-alaska => it recommends mid-June to mid-July!
  

I just came back from an early May trip and I was happy with the choice to go so early in the season. What you aren't likely to see in May is a lot of bears, though we did see four of them on the side of the road while in a bus on the Yukon Highway near Skagway.

But what I really loved about going at this time was all of the snow that was still on the mountains. It really looked so majestic and beautiful, and so different from what I get to see at home.

I just came back from an early May trip and I was happy with the choice to go so early in the season. What you aren't likely to see in May is a lot of bears, though we did see four of them on the side of the road while in a bus on the Yukon Highway near Skagway.

 

But what I really loved about going at this time was all of the snow that was still on the mountains. It really looked so majestic and beautiful, and so different from what I get to see at home.

I agree, it's the snow on the mountains that made you think "I'm In Alaska" May was a wonderful time, we went at the end of May and there was still snow

I've done May and September. Prices were pretty similar (slightly lower in September), way lower than the middle of summer. We couldn't consider the June/July/August prices, and kinda absently picked September the first time around since its our anniversary. So glad we did May this time around. There was more snow on the mountains in May, which I love. Much much longer days in May. Less chance of rain in May. Both won't have too many kids on the ship. For both you miss salmon/bear season. My pick hands down between the two is May. The main thing with May is to ensure you aren't too early in the season that you miss something you want to do (I've heard of Denali not opening until later for example). Also agreed if you want Tracy Arm May isn't the time to go (although Glacier Bay is no problem), as its pretty guaranteed they will divert to Endicott Arm.