Best Time to Take an Alaska Cruise Best Months to Cruise Alaska

Table Of Content

• Help me choose: which Alaska Cruise is right for me?
• What to Do in Alaska: Top Things to Do in April
• The Best Time for Whale Watching
• What is the best time of year to see the northern lights on an Alaska cruise?
• Alaska cruise in August: Rain and high temperatures
• October
• Must Pack Items For Any Cruise
• Alaska Cruises In June

If your goal is to see the Northern lights, consider a different vacation. Or try to select the earliest sailing date or the latest sailing date (even then it is still extremely rare). Plus, the stunning scenery and wildlife sightings provide a captivating backdrop that can both entertain and educate kids. It’s a comfortable and convenient way to experience the vast wilderness of Alaska together as a family. The town’s waterfront promenade is lined with shops, galleries, and restaurants, providing a picturesque setting to enjoy local seafood and crafts. Additionally, adventure lovers can enjoy activities like zip-lining through the lush forests or kayaking among icebergs.

Help me choose: which Alaska Cruise is right for me?

Hiking trails and tours also offer a deeper look into the scenic landscapes and historic sites around the area. On an Alaskan cruise, you will have the opportunity to marvel at the grandeur of these massive glaciers. Ship captains expertly maneuver the vessels to perform full 360-degree turns, ensuring that passengers from all sides can fully appreciate the breathtaking scenery. This period is especially spectacular at the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, which hosts the world’s largest gathering of bald eagles.

What to Do in Alaska: Top Things to Do in April

Princess Cruises is one of the main operators, with seven ships sailing the northern region. Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity Cruises also offer sailings. Not only is the weather better, you get more hours in the day in the late summer.

The Best Time for Whale Watching

Smaller boutique cruises strive to immerse their guests in the wild Alaska they've researched and desire to experience. The communities they visit are usually smaller, like Petersburg, Wrangell or Haines. Explore Alaska’s most remote coastal areasConsider a luxury midsize (or smaller) cruise to places like Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands or to the northwestern city of Nome. Both combine a look at the rugged, raw coastlines with time spent on shore in towns with few frills. Weather can often be cold, rainy and windy, but if you want a unique adventure in Alaska, check out the itineraries from Hurtigruten.

Cruise bookings can be difficult to come by in July, but with some careful planning ahead, you can secure cabins on either large or small ships. Stephanie Yrungaray grew up in gorgeous Eagle River, Alaska and now calls Utah her beUtahful home. She enjoys traveling and exploring with her husband and five kids any way she can, from cruising to RV camping and everything in-between! When she’s not out exploring, you’ll find her writing about travel, finances and parenting as well as gift ideas on her website, Not only is the cracking sound shocking, but the calving also produces a giant wave of water and captivating icebergs.

Additionally, May is an ideal time to take advantage of the extended daylight hours and enjoy some outdoor activities. Alaska is known for its outdoor adventure opportunities, and the springtime weather is perfect for hiking, fishing, and kayaking. You can take a guided hike through the wilderness or try your hand at fishing in one of Alaska's many rivers.

Birds also haven’t started their migration, so you can spot both songbirds and seabirds as you cruise along the coast. 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. Warmer weather in Alaska also has an unexpected bonus for cruisers in the form of glacial calving. Juneau gets about 17 days of rain in August, so a high-quality raincoat is essential.

Or, look for lively humpback whales making a splash off the coast of Juneau. As you embark on your summer adventure, bring light jackets for hiking through shady regions as well as plenty of sunscreen for basking in 18 hours of glorious sunlight each day this month. The spring and summer months are when nearly all cruise ships visit each year. This is but one of the incredible experiences that may be had when visiting Alaska in the “secret season”—springtime.

The Best Time to Cruise Alaska 2024: A Month-by-Month Guide - Condé Nast Traveler

The Best Time to Cruise Alaska 2024: A Month-by-Month Guide.

Posted: Thu, 29 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Another time to book is during the “Wave Season” during the first two months of the year, when cruise deals abound for all destinations. Last-minute deals are also most common on large-ship lines, including Cunard, Celebrity, Carnival, and Royal Caribbean. If spotting wildlife is a priority for you on an Alaska cruise, pick your sailing date carefully.

Less travelers might sound appealing, but many port towns aren’t fully “tourist operational” until late June when summer workers start to arrive. Orca whales (which are actually members of the dolphin family) are a fairly common site on an Alaskan cruise. “Resident” orcas (who stay near shore and feed on fish) are easy to spot and fun to watch from the cruise ship or on a whale-watching excursion. Since the skies do still get dark during this month, there is a slight chance that you’ll be able to view the Northern Lights on an Alaskan cruise in April.

You're also quite likely to see many bald eagles that are also interested in salmon. A mythic journey along the scenic St. Lawrence River and out to the Atlantic, this Concierge Cruise is a cultural immersion into Québec, Newfoundland and the Maritimes. Call your travel agent directly or your nearest AAA store to get pro tips, TripTik maps, and more. Call your travel agent directly or your nearest AAA store to get pro tips, travel guides, and more. September also increases your wildlife sighting opportunities, as animals across the state begin migrating, foraging for hibernation and engaging in courtship rituals. Fortunately, you don’t need to sweat too hard about that last one as there’s no bad month to do an Alaska cruise.

One of the major drawbacks of spending time in Alaska during the late summer is the significant increase in mosquito activity. Mosquitos, along with other biting insects, tend to be at their peak during these late summer months. July and August can be extremely busy months for the Alaska cruise industry. With the warmer weather, it is not unusual to see an increase in the number of people looking to enjoy Alaska’s untamed wilderness.

By the end of August, the sunrise and sunset times in Alaska are pretty close to “normal” times for most states in the USA. You might feel like you aren’t getting the true Alaskan “Midnight Sun” experience this month. If you cruise to Alaska this month, you can enjoy more shop and restaurant options in port towns but expect things to be slightly more crowded. That being said, the weather and wildlife in Alaska are notoriously unpredictable. You might take a float plane to see bears and, sadly, not see a single one.