What's the best month to cruise Alaska?

[bubbles1209]

We're thinking of taking an Alaska cruise in 2010, but are curious as to what month is the best to go? Which (in your opinion if you've been) is better, the inside passage, or the one with all of the port stops? My dd wants me to ask will everything be capped with snow even in Sept.? Thanks for any help :)

[tedjazz]

I like early June, SE Alaska is usually drier then and the weather is warming very nicely (for Alaska).

[Kace]

We sailed in early September. The weather was gorgeous. Juneau was drizzly, but that was the end of precipitation for us. We were told by both the cruise staff and the national park ranger that it was the best Glacier Bay weather they had seen all season.

 

But I wouldn't count on that at all. May and September are the shoulders of the Alaska cruise season; you are much more likely to hit bad weather during those months than you are during mid-summer.

[woodey]

Mid June through The end of August If you go to early or too late you will miss part of the experience...

We went last week on May first week of June and missed the Bears and Salmon by about two weeks ....

[TV Dad]

I have been to Alaska several times and I enjoy the late May early June sailings. Several reasons:

 

FIRST I believe the locals are more friendly at the beginning of the tour season. They are eager to please after a winter of cabin fever :o

 

SECOND Alaska seems more pristine before the summer melt is in full swing. You will always have white capped mountains in Alaska. You'll have more of them in early June than in September.

 

THIRD Rates are cheaper the first couple of sailings so you can save money:D

[docs wife]

We have sailed in mid-June and mid-Sept. When we go again, it would definetly be June. In Sept, there was so much ice floe that we could not get very close to the glaciers (2-3 miles)....you could see it, but it wasn't like being 3/4 of a mile away in June, when you could see and hear the calving and to us, it was just nicer. Also, it was warmer and the only rain we got in June was overnight, in Sept, it was foggy and drizzly almost every morning and a couple days, well into the day. But you can't guarantee that any given time.

[firefly333]

peak times are when the days are longest, June and July. May and September is heavily discounted. Shorter days so you can see the scenery less hours a day and it will be colder.

[trolltoes]

My husband and I went on Holland America the first week of June, 2006. It was perfect! The temperature was excellent and it was not as crowded as in peak times. I also agree that the locals were amazingly friendly and helpful as it was the start of the season rather than the end! We did the Inside Passage, but stopped in several ports as well as cruising Glacier Bay. We will DEFINITELY return during that time again someday!

[halos]

It was perfect! The temperature was excellent and it was not as crowded as in peak times.

 

what was the perfect temperature?

I'm assuming no bathing suits are required for an Alaskan cruise????

[arpie05]

We went last year the second sailing in May on NCL because Carnival didn't start sailing until the end of May and with my job I needed to travel mid-May. the weather was great. I took way too many warm clothes. A jacket or sweatshirt would have been plenty. My son went swimming on the way back to Seattle. I sat in the sun. You'll need your suit for hot tubs or the inside spa. (worth the money) When you go too early you risk not being able to get close to the glaciers due to all of the ice but I think most of last years NCL Star cruises had the same problem so I don't think it was just limited to the early trips. So look at which Glaciers you want to see and where you want to sail from. For me it is very difficult to get to Vancouver.

[toledo]

They asked this question of cruise experts on the Frommers board and most said mid-June to mid-July. They felt the animals were more active during that time.

[tnt091605]

We're thinking of taking an Alaska cruise in 2010, but are curious as to what month is the best to go? Which (in your opinion if you've been) is better, the inside passage, or the one with all of the port stops? My dd wants me to ask will everything be capped with snow even in Sept.? Thanks for any help :)

 

We were told if you want to see a lot of wildlife go before July.