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The Alaska cruise season begins in mid-May, but it doesn’t reach full swing until after Memorial Day. 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.
6 best Alaska cruises for families - The Points Guy
6 best Alaska cruises for families.
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Alaska’s tourism season is short, starting in mid-to-late May and typically buttoning up by the end of September. Volume peaks in June and July, with most destinations seeing the fewest crowds before Memorial Day or later in August. Temperatures will be in the 60s, sometimes higher — you might even see 80s in Juneau in July. During long days of light, you'll find hearty Alaskans swimming in the sea and enjoying water sports. While early May often carries a chill in the air, by the end of the month, you might encounter temperatures in the 60s.
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At the lodges, guests can continue booking excursions and activities, similarly to how they would during their cruise. The one major difference is that unlike the more all-inclusive pricing onboard the ship, the land portion of most cruisetours generally doesn't include meals (although some “deluxe” or “fully escorted” itineraries do). Keep an eye out for seabirds and songbirds, seals, Steller sea lions and humpback whales. Marine life is so prolific that some small-boat shore excursions guarantee you will see animals. Bears will be fishing; in late August, they will be looking for blueberries, which also become a featured item on restaurant menus. Temperatures are pleasant — in the 60s and sometimes higher, with wildflowers in bloom and glaciers calving.
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Your views will likely include snowy mountains, but they are gorgeous nonetheless. As the month progresses, temperatures rise slightly, and daylight hours increase. Arguably, the biggest draw is the marine animals, with opportunities to see pods of humpback whales, gray whales, orcas, sea lions, sea otters, and more. We sailed roundtrip from Juneau, and while I’ve visited the capital city during the busy summer months, I found the restaurants, bars, and shops much less crowded, reliably filled with locals for the most part. On the water, we rarely passed any other ships or boats, aside from fishermen out for their catches.
The warmer weather means glaciers begin shedding ice more frequently, so you have a better chance of experiencing the sight and sound of a house-size chunk of ice calving into the sea. There's also the bonus that Alaska's large mosquito population has yet to emerge. If you're intent on a Gulf of Alaska cruise, book a northbound route so you'll cruise the Gulf at the end of the trip when you have your sea legs.
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. October is one of the wettest months in Alaska, so prepare for low clouds and rain. Alaska weather in October is manageable if you pack the right gear and protective clothing.
The enchanting colors invite you to marvel at the miracles of Mother Nature that so often act as the inspiration for treasured postcards. With only 12 hours of sunlight, temperatures range from around 43 degrees to the mid-50s. These new, cooler climates encourage Alaska’s famed wildlife to begin preparing for hibernation.
The best time to cruise Alaska is in May or June, at the beginning of the cruise season. Alaska’s cruise season has always been short, peaking quickly at the height of the summer months and then done by early fall. 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.
But you'll also see Alaska itineraries from Carnival, Disney, Norwegian (NCL) and Royal Caribbean, which gives you an array of price points to consider. 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. 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!
If you are in port, you’ll get to see how Alaskans take advantage of the Midnight Sun with locals out biking, hiking, and fishing at all hours of the night. Packing-wise, you’ll still want to bring a raincoat, but you can probably leave your winter coat home if you are cruising in June. While temperatures are warmer and the snow is typically gone at lower elevations, the highs in Juneau average in the low 60s, with lows in the upper 40s.
An Alaska cruise from Seattle will visit the Inside Passage but tends to favor the open (and frequently bumpier) Pacific Ocean. Sailings from Vancouver tend to traverse more of the Inside Passage and spend a full day sailing this scenic region. Luxury cruises to Alaska on smaller ships can be a great option for those looking to pair remote wilderness with a bit of pampering. Your best high-end bets are Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, Silversea and Windstar. An Alaska cruise costs anywhere from $500 to $8,000 or more during high season. Cheaper fares can be usually found on mainstream lines like Royal Caribbean and NCL, while Cunard, Disney and Seabourn will be more expensive.
A few big ships, such as the 4,000-passenger Norwegian Bliss out of Seattle, begin their season this month with discounted early season pricing. The peak season to view the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis is between late August and late April, which unfortunately doesn’t overlap much with the Alaskan cruise season. If the Northern Lights experience is high on your Alaska bucket list, consider a September cruise with more dark nighttime hours and increased solar activity. You’ll enjoy wildlife viewing, warmer temperatures, and daylight returns to more typical hours.
On dry land, bears are more common in May, though not as frequently spotted as they are in peak summer. Alternatively, birders might want to time their cruise with the Copper River Shorebird Festival, which takes place early in May in Cordova. Check ahead to make sure your itinerary will stop here, as it's usually only featured on longer 14-day cruises to Alaska. We have the answers so your first time will be nothing but smooth sailing. It might surprise many, but July and especially August are rainy, so don't expect endless sunshine.
Balcony cabins are still available on the season’s inaugural sailing at a discounted fare of $1,029 per person. Cruisers can typically enjoy Alaska in October at lower rates than the Alaska summer cruise season prices. Other adventurous activities, such as hiking trails, open up in the summer months.
Hotel rooms in Anchorage are expensive in the summer, but cruisers with more than a few hours to kill may appreciate overnighting in Anchorage (which has much to see and do) and departing at their preferred time the next day. Outside of cruisetour packages designed to funnel cruise ship passengers directly to top attractions, most individual touring in Alaska will begin and end in Anchorage—not in the smaller cruise ports. Round-trip itineraries are also geographically limited to the Inside Passage, while one-way itineraries cross the Gulf of Alaska and offer additional scenic cruising in College Fjord or Hubbard Glacier. Travelers who are interested in touring Southcentral and Interior Alaska by land before or after their cruise should book a one-way itinerary. July and August are also spawning season for salmon, so you might spot grizzlies and brown bears near rivers and streams. 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.
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