Alaska - May or September - Recommendations

[SkiCruiser]

We are planning a Princess Cruisetour to Alaska in May or September 2007 and want pros and cons from those that have gone before us. Hopefully, we'll find someone thats done both and be able to give us their recommendations. May seems to be the least expensive cruise with September just a little more. We hope to do the Prudhoe Cruisetour and I have read the threads here extensively, but chime in if you have any thoughts. I've also noticed the the northbound is slightly less than the southbound. Does anyone know why?????

 

Thanks for any comments!

 

SkiCruiser

[Nancyquilts]

Either. If you're talking Prudhoe Bay, that would make a difference - we were there the last weekend in May, and it was still under snow - everything was white - the earth, the sky, and the owls.

[Hikini]

We have cruised to AK twice in September and once in early June. A good reason to go in September (especially the middle of the month) is that there are tons of specials in the stores since this is the end of their season.

 

Also, if you're looking to avoid sailings with larger numbers of school kids - since September is the beginning of the year for many of them, their parents don't want to take them out of school yet.

 

Advantage to early June is that there is still a lot more snow in the mountains and the beauty is even more breathtaking.

 

I don't know this from personal experience but have heard that there is more wildlife in May than in September. We did see more wildlife on our June cruise than we did in the 2 September cruises. Part of that may be that the June cruise took us into Glacier Bay where we saw LOTS of wildlife.

 

Have fun!

Hikini:D

[Budget Queen]

I have traveled both times. In May you are too early for Denali Park, you also would be best to verify the Prudhoe tour dates. And be especially aware of what the tour is, it is long with a great deal of "so so" scenery on the Dalton in my opinion.

[greatam]

We are planning a Princess Cruisetour to Alaska in May or September 2007 and want pros and cons from those that have gone before us. Hopefully, we'll find someone thats done both and be able to give us their recommendations. May seems to be the least expensive cruise with September just a little more. We hope to do the Prudhoe Cruisetour and I have read the threads here extensively, but chime in if you have any thoughts. I've also noticed the the northbound is slightly less than the southbound. Does anyone know why?????

 

Thanks for any comments!

 

SkiCruiser

 

Please rethink your Prudhoe Cruisetour with Princess. I have been to Prudhoe twice-once I used the company below and once I booked everything independently, including a flight to ANWR. You are spending a lot of money on Princess for not a very good experience, IMHO. There are far superior ways to get to Prudhoe. It is truly fascinating, but only if you like industrial stuff.

http://www.northernalaska.com/arctic-ocean.htm

 

Both times I was in Prudhoe, I saw the Princess bus arrive. The people getting off the bus looked "shell-shocked". And most women weren't very happy with the accommodations on the trip. In Prudhoe and Coldfoot, you will stay in old construction camp accommodations. Very, very plain-less than Motel 6. 13" TV, small shower and two twin beds. It is very clean, but not even close to a budget (Days Inn, Comfort Inn or similar) hotel.

 

Since Princess uses a large bus and the other tour companies use 8 passenger vans, the bus driver is NOT going to stop every place you want or that is interesting. Our first trip, it was just DH and me with the van driver. We stopped and watched a grizzly for 1/2 hour, we stopped and got out amongst the musk oxen for well over an hour, we stopped and watched the sheep cross the road and go up the mountain for an hour. You will not get those experiences on the bus. Too many people to load and unload.

 

And I can't imagine trying to get a whole bus load of people through Weisman (old gold mining town). Jack, the tour guide through Weisman, lets you go in the houses and museum. The museum is not much larger than a good sized living room. And Jack's own house, where the kids stayed (separate cabin) is pretty small. It would just be too crowded with a bus load of people to even enjoy it. I really think you would miss the "personal" basis of the tour.

 

You can easily get a flight into Fairbanks from anyplace in the USA. And you can take the train to Anchorage (nice ride) or even to the ship.

 

Let us all help you plan your trip. You will have a MUCH better time and save

some money. Go in September. The weather is just too iffy in May. And lots of stuff is still closed.

 

Here is another company which books the SAME tour as Princess and they are less expensive than Northern Alaska.

 

http://fairbanks-alaska.com/northern-alaska-tours.htm

[SLOduck]

Hi--I understand that the waters are choppier going North than they are going South, so that MIGHT be why the Northern itinerarys are less expensive??

[JohnQ]

Hi Nancy in Sonoma,

We have cruised in late May and in early Sept. We had a week for our own land tour first and cruised southbound both times. We sailed southbound so we could land tour first, then rest (ha) on way back to Vanc. While the prices may be less in early May and late Sept, and several on here will testify about the great weather they had on their trip, the averages dictate that your chances of bad weather are higher then. But for that last week of May, we mostly had gray skies and very little rain or sunshine. In late Aug-early Sept, we had more sun and rain, less gray skies.

 

And as BQ stated, you can only go into denali on shuttle bus to Toklat River, mile 53 until June 1st, when it opens up to FishCreek, mile 66.

[momeason]

We are going on a May 22 southbound this year and doing a land tour around Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula. From all the averages the weather is drier in May than any other month. It will still be chilly though. I am looking forward to the snow-capped mountains. We do plan to go back in a few years in September. Fall colors start in mid-late August in Denali. We plan to

go deep into Denali on our September trip. We are not visiting Denali this trip because a friend of my son works there and said not to bother in May. (Funny, the cruiselines still push the tours then) I agree with tose who have told you to research and book independently. You will save money and have a trip customized to your interests. You will also not be cattle-herded.As far as your original question, there are pros and cons to early and late season. We do like avoiding the crowds though and we plan to hit May and September in different years.