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The benefits of cruising in April include less expensive pricing, fewer tourists, and less crowded ports. Here is a breakdown of other important considerations for an April Alaskan cruise. Holland America Princess, and Royal Caribbean have Alaskan Inside Passage cruises departing from Vancouver at the end of April. Carnival has 14-day Alaskan cruises departing from Seattle and Long Beach in late April. At AAA, we offer a wide selection of cruise itineraries to those explorers who want to get up close and personal with Alaskan wildlife, landscape, and culture.
The Best Time to Cruise Alaska: Crowds, Weather and Cost Are All Factors
Salmon have a fascinating, beautiful life cycle well worth viewing. When they’re fully mature, millions take a harrowing upstream journey from the ocean to the rivers where they were born. Salmon runs in Alaska start in early May until September, with different species of salmon running at different times of year. About 30,000 eagles call the Great Land home and they’re more abundant in Alaska than anywhere else in the United States. There’s a good chance you’ll see eagles perched high near the shoreline, in town scavenging garbage dumps, or even feasting off a salmon run.
Final Thoughts on the Best Time of Year for an Alaskan Cruise
Cruise week report: Couple left behind by cruise ship, cruising essentials you need, the best time to cruise to Alaska ... - Cruise Blog
Cruise week report: Couple left behind by cruise ship, cruising essentials you need, the best time to cruise to Alaska ....
Posted: Fri, 05 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Then we’ll wrap up by answering some frequently asked questions about Alaskan cruises — the best time to see whales and northern lights, the best time for salmon fishing and similar queries. Most cruise passengers will head to Alaska between Memorial Day in late May and Labor Day in early September when temperatures range from slightly chilly to warm during the long daylight hours. Tourist attractions are in full swing, salmon swim upriver and bears (and humans) have access to fishing. Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Edge sets sail for the first time in Alaska this year and has four six- and seven-night itineraries in September, starting at $599 per person. For a cruise-tour option, Princess’ 12-day Denali Explorer itinerary blends five days on land with a weeklong cruise with mini-suite rates from $4,008 per person. It does get dark enough at night to see them by the second week of September, but it's still not as brilliant as what you’ll see on a winter, land-based Alaska aurora viewing vacation.
Advantages of Visiting Alaska in July
And in addition to the glaciers outside, you can stay entertained with phenomenal live music performances featuring musicians from The Juilliard School, B.B. King’s Blues Club Memphis, and other institutions. A downside to visiting Alaska in May is that the interior National Parks are still closed, along with many of the land-based attractions and shops that later cruisers will get to enjoy. National park facilities and some tourist businesses will switch to winter hours. September is also a great time to get deals on souvenirs, as merchants sell off this year's goods at the end of Alaska's tourist season. Unless you booked early, cabin choice could be limited — especially if you are looking for a fancy suite or cheap inside cabin, which tend to be the first categories to sell out. That's especially true of large ships, so consider a small ship for cruising to Alaska, like UnCruise or Silversea, if those glaciers are high on your must-see list.
Best Time To Cruise To Alaska For Wildlife
July and August are considered peak seasons to cruise to Alaska for good reason. These are the months when all good things combine to create the optimal Alaskan experience. June is a smart choice for cruisers who don’t want to travel during peak season but want more opportunities. While it is possible to see humpbacks during the entire cruise season (April-October), your best bet for whale watching will be the months of June, July, and August. They are quite an awe-inspiring sight to see as they travel in pods, breech, and feed.
Alaska Northern Lights Cruises: When to Go and What to Consider
But as the destination has grown in popularity, the season has extended, and there’s a definite sweet spot to target. In May and June, the days will be at their longest, the weather (although still unpredictable) will generally be its sunniest and driest, and the range of excursions and options at their most plentiful. Wildlife tours, for example, popularly sell out of their early morning slots early, as this is an ideal time to see the wildlife before it gets exasperated with the streams of tourist buses and boats.
Best Months To Cruise Alaska For Midnight Sun
Cheaper fares can be usually found on mainstream lines like Royal Caribbean and NCL, while Cunard, Disney and Seabourn will be more expensive. Even if you're a seasoned fisherman, we recommend using a local guide to help find you the best fishing spot. Late May and early June are the best possible times to view a momma moose and her calves in Alaska.
6 best Alaska cruises for families - The Points Guy
6 best Alaska cruises for families.
Posted: Thu, 19 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
If you're happy with a couple of historic tours and a guided hike, you could likely budget $500 or less per person for shore excursions in Alaska. But if once-in-a-lifetime Alaska experiences like helicopter rides and flightseeing in Ketchikan are more your speed, you'll need to triple that amount -- or more. If you are cruising in Alaska during the Northern Lights season, note that the Gulf of Alaska is choppiest in September and not recommended for travelers who get seasick.
Sailings departing earlier in the season will less frequently be sharing berth space in port with numerous other ships, meaning that crowds in the ports will be somewhat lighter. The cruise season beefs up in June, with the number of ships growing and the season in full swing by the end of the month. The midnight sun means many hours of daylight, especially on June 20, the longest day of the year — when you'll have to stay up late to see any darkness at all. The Alaska cruise season is a little over six months long, but choosing the best time to cruise Alaska is surprisingly not that simple.
Bald eagles hatch and rear young in April and you can see their mottled fledglings from May through June. The most temperate Alaska weather is in July, then June and August when it’s warmer (though again, not near tropical) and drier. When it comes to May vs. September, May is slightly cooler, but gets significantly less rainfall. Although the weather will likely include more rain, you have a better chance of viewing the Northern Lights, which might outweigh this drawback.
It's known for calm waters and excellent scenery (often including Glacier Bay). In other words, Alaska can be one of the more affordable bucket-list destinations to reach by ship, especially when compared to other remote cruise destinations like Antarctica and the Galapagos. May is one of the driest months in the Inside Passage, but you may still find snow on the ground (which is great for scenic photos, but less ideal for hiking).
Summer workers (typically college students) begin to arrive for the peak tourist season, and shops and restaurants open for the summer. Expect less activity and fewer shop openings in some smaller port towns in May since most summer workers are in college and won’t arrive until June. A hat, gloves, and a winter coat would be a good idea to pack for an Alaskan cruise, especially if you depart in April, May, or September. If you purchase a balcony cabin, you can take advantage of the long days in the Land of the Midnight Sun. As your ship reaches the Inside Passage, the early morning views outside of your room are breathtaking.
The Yukon, Ketchikan, Glacier Bay National Park — Alaskan cruises offer direct access to the last American frontier. If you’re a first-time visitor, the vast tundra and glaciers of Alaska can feel intimidating. After all, in addition to figuring out how to respond if you encounter a moose, you’re also worried about the weather and which month would be best to plan your trip. Alaska is a thrilling cruise destination no matter which month you sail. Look to the early and late sailings of the season if you are a bargain seeker.
Saturday and Sunday cruise departures tend to be busiest during the summer months, particularly for families with children. April and May are also the driest months in Alaska, so the chances of rain are slim. The best time to cruise Alaska isn't obvious—until you're quietly sailing along its calm waters under a cloudless, late-spring sky. It was on one such day that someone on board spotted a whale breaching.
Though it’s species-dependent, the best time to go whale watching in Alaska is in high summer, when the days are long and the feeding is plentiful. And it all depends on what species you intend to see—humpbacks are in the area year-round, while others like gray whales migrate to Alaska in summer. For both cruising and land-based tours, May and September are the “shoulder” seasons in Alaska, with better deals and fewer crowds. Cruise prices during those times may be lower, perhaps by a couple hundred dollars per person. There are days throughout the year when there can be a temperature swing of a hundred degrees on opposite ends of the state—50 degrees Fahrenheit in Sitka and 50 degrees below zero in Fairbanks, for example.
The abbreviated Alaskan cruising season goes from May to September. This month brings cooler weather and more rain but fails to dampen the high spirits on cruise ships. A limited number of cruises in October (predominantly on Norwegian Cruise Line) make it possible for cruisers to experience a taste of Alaska in winter without sub-zero temperatures. You will want to bundle up; the average temperature in Juneau in October is 39 degrees. To minimize joining the masses during high season, consider a shoulder-season sailing (in late April, May or September), or select a ship that embarks midweek.
