What is the Best Time To Cruise to Alaska?

Table Of Content

• The Best Time for Whale Watching
• Tourist Attraction Availability
• What to Expect on an Alaskan Cruise in April
• The Best Time to Cruise Alaska to Avoid Crowds: Late Summer (early September)
• Gulf of Alaska Cruises: Denali National Park, Kenai Peninsula and More Beautiful Scenery
• Alaskan Wildlife You Could See While Cruising

In the earliest and latest days of the cruise season, distant mountain peaks are capped with snow. Early cruises offer the chance to see meadows blanketed with blooming wildflowers in a gorgeous display of color, whereas September visits coincide with the appearance of brilliant fall foliage. Early June is the peak time to witness the breathtaking spectacle of calving glaciers.

The Best Time for Whale Watching

We understand that time is the greatest luxury, which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal, a drink, or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world. While the weather in Alaska in June brings out the flowers and even greener scenery, expect mosquitoes to be biting. Alaska temperatures can be unpredictable, so come prepared with the proper wardrobe. Temperatures are relatively mild, with daytime highs in the upper 40s and into the 50s depending on where you're visiting and cloud cover. However, it’s not necessarily a good idea to pick a cruise based solely on price.

Tourist Attraction Availability

Most Alaska itineraries include some "scenic cruising," where your ship sails past incredible natural sights. Alaska cruises offer a wide range of activities in port, with options for active travelers, wildlife lovers, history buffs and shoppers. Whether you're traveling with young kids or require more sedentary recreation, the Alaska cruise ports won't disappoint. These cruise lines, especially on their newer ships, offer something for everyone — as well as a higher caliber of onboard dining than on the cheapest cruises. Some activities are included in the cost of the cruisetour; other outings can be booked like shore excursions, depending on your interest and budget.

What to Expect on an Alaskan Cruise in April

With the warmer weather, it is not unusual to see an increase in the number of people looking to enjoy Alaska’s untamed wilderness. This is when bears have emerged from hibernation and tend to be fairly active. If you hope to spot a grizzly, you might just have your opportunity if you cruise Alaska during this period, along with viewing moose and even a chance to see more calves or cubs running around. 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. July and August are also spawning season for salmon, so you might spot grizzlies and brown bears near rivers and streams.

The captain of the ship nimbly repositioned us, giving both the port and starboard sides prime viewing, at a safe and respectful distance from the animals. With binoculars, cameras, and phones at the ready, the passengers and crew aboard UnCruise Adventures' 86-guest S.S. Legacy settled in for what turned out to be an hour-long private show by a juvenile humpback who had migrated from Hawaii to spend the summer in the nutrient-rich Alaskan waters. The Alaska cruise season is a little over six months long, but choosing the best time to cruise Alaska is surprisingly not that simple. If spotting wildlife is a priority for you on an Alaska cruise, pick your sailing date carefully.

Gulf of Alaska Cruises: Denali National Park, Kenai Peninsula and More Beautiful Scenery

Alaskan Cruise Costs: What You Can Expect to Pay - NerdWallet

Alaskan Cruise Costs: What You Can Expect to Pay.

Posted: Sat, 09 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

In addition to airfare, you’ll also want to figure out transportation logistics on land, which can vary from one embarkation city to another. Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of the best free and low-cost activities to do in each Alaska cruise port, which should help give you some ideas. Walk to Skagway’s historic downtown from the cruise dock and tour the town’s infamous saloons, including the Red Onion. Then, tip back a genuine Southeast Alaska specialty, a spruce tip ale at the Skagway Brewing Company; this unusual ale uses spruce tips instead of hops in its brew.

What’s the Best Time to See Whales on an Alaska Cruise?

You're also quite likely to see many bald eagles that are also interested in salmon. Few places allow for viewing of the aurora borealis, and the best time see the Northern Lights is in September. In fact, the end of May and early June offers some of the best weather in the region throughout the year. While it is impossible to see and do it all over the course of a one week cruise, Alaska has the power to enchant even brief visitors. So while you are stuck at home, this may be the perfect time to start planning a cruise to The Last Frontier.

Browse a local outdoor consignment shop or search for used clothing on websites like Facebook Marketplace or eBay to find the best deals. If you’re unsure what to pack for an Alaska cruise, check out our comprehensive packing list. Because of this, take a look at the main attractions in your embarkation city. You might enjoy shopping at Pike’s Place Market and visiting the Space Needle in Seattle, or enjoying a relaxing stroll through Stanley Park in Vancouver. When scheduling your return flights, don’t book a flight too early on disembarkation day.

This period marks the end of the cruising season, offering a unique opportunity to witness these ethereal swirls of light dancing across the sky. The best time to spot bears in Alaska, particularly grizzly bears, is during the summer months, with June and July being the peak. The best time to cruise Alaska really depends on what you’re hoping to see and do! If you’re eager to spot whales, aim for mid-June through mid-August, when these majestic creatures are most active. The Alaskan cruise season runs from May to September, encompassing a period of rapid change in wildlife, weather, pricing, and crowds.

We’ll also discuss factors you may not have considered, such as visibility of the Northern Lights, financial costs, and more. And especially as Alaska is so different compared to your typical warmer cruise destination. On clear nights, you could have a chance to spot the northern lights — though they won't shine as brightly as they do in winter.

Price-conscious travelers will generally find price breaks before Memorial Day or after mid-August, when schools in many parts of the country will be in session. The Official Visitors Guide for Juneau playfully uses a raindrop graphic for every month in the calendar (in Southeast Alaska it’s never a question of whether it will rain, but how much it will rain). Wetter weather often sets in during the month of July, getting progressively wetter going into autumn.

You’d be surprised by how many activities you can fit into a pre-cruise stay in Seattle or Vancouver. Even if you arrive at 3PM the day before your cruise, you will have around twenty hours in either city before embarkation begins. Regardless of where your cruise starts and ends, it’s always better to plan transportation logistics ahead of time to avoid any surprises and confusion upon arrival. In Seattle, for instance, you’ll want to research the best way to get from the airport to your hotel, and from your hotel to the cruise port. In most instances, a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft is the most convenient option. However, your hotel may also provide a shuttle, or you could even take the light rail from the airport to downtown.

Though summer is the most popular time to cruise Alaska, springtime may be ideal for travelers who prefer fewer tourists, slightly cooler temperatures, and more regular daylight hours, with no midnight sun to contend with. Now that it has a couple of seasons in Alaska under its belt, HX (formerly Hurtigruten Expeditions) is not holding back. In 2024, the company is offering a 19-day sailing that starts in Vancouver, Canada, before working its way past the fjords, glacier-filled straits, and Indigenous villages of the Inside Passage. Unlike most other sailings that stay within the southeast, from here, the ship hangs a hard left and chugs along to Kodiak, an island community known for humongous brown bears and prolific crab fishing. Though it’s the second-largest island in the entire United States, it’s rare that cruise ships visit, mainly because it lacks the infrastructure for big ships.

Royal Caribbean also sails to Alaska in early May and into late September or even October, where you can find some great deals. There is a chance you will see some snow, so a winter coat, gloves, and a hat are a smart addition to your packing list. You also might see fuzzy harbor seal pups and sea lion pups (born in June and July) warming themselves on rocks with their mothers.