These are the best times to visit Alaska

Table Of Content

• Book Your Alaska Cruise Vacation
• Cruises
• Alaska cruise in September: Return to cooler temperatures and lower prices
• What Alaska cruise itineraries are available during each month of the cruise season?
• When is the best time to explore Alaska’s cities and towns?
• Planning a cruise is an exciting experience that offers endless possibilities for adventure and relaxation.

The warmer the weather, the better your chance to view a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence called “calving.” This is when a large chunk of the glacier separates in a giant icy landslide. Small-ship Alaska cruise lines like American Queen Voyages and Uncruise can go further into narrow passages and get closer to shoreline wildlife like Dall sheep and bears. July and August are considered peak seasons to cruise to Alaska for good reason.

Book Your Alaska Cruise Vacation

Your best high-end bets are Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, Silversea and Windstar. September offers the best possibility for cruisers to catch the Northern Lights in Alaska. They are generally visible across the state, so any itinerary will likely do, though you'll have the best show in less populated areas like Denali National Park. You'd also do well to look at the moon cycles, as a full moon can drown out the Aurora Borealis.

Cruises

If you’re looking to explore Alaska without the hustle and bustle of peak tourist season, consider traveling during the shoulder season, which includes the months of May and September. In these months, the weather remains cool, and most schools are either still in session or just starting, resulting in fewer crowds. Increase your chances of seeing fall foliage on an Alaska Southbound Glacier Cruise itinerary that sails from Seward, Alaska down to British Columbia. If spotting wildlife is a priority for you on an Alaska cruise, pick your sailing date carefully. June, July, and August are fantastic times to cruise Alaska to view wildlife, as these months bring the highest chances of spotting whales, bears, and salmon.

Alaska cruise in September: Return to cooler temperatures and lower prices

Many expedition cruises to Alaska also employ Zodiac rafts and offer kayaks and hiking trips to bring passengers closer to glaciers and creatures. If you’d like a small ship cruise to Alaska, but crave a bit more adventure, expedition cruises might be more your speed. Check out lines like Alaskan Dream Cruises, Lindblad and UnCruise Adventures, which focus on immersive nature and wildlife experiences. The vibe onboard these ships is also more personalized due to their limited capacity. Due to unpredictable weather, though, there’s a risk of shore excursions being cancelled -- especially boat and helicopter tours. If you are hoping to travel during peak Alaskan cruise season (July and August), you should plan on booking your Alaskan cruise at least one year in advance.

The 49th state's snowy, cold and dark winters are not conducive to cruising. Alaska is also the only place in North America to see the Pacific walrus, which will be at some of the more remote beaches and islands in the western part of the state. Temperatures are beginning to warm, and vegetation hasn't fully grown in or concealed the best views. Bears, caribou, sheep and mountain goats are all active, and you can find them in easily accessible areas. If you are along the coast of western Alaska, you may also spot a bowhead whale, seal or walrus.

If you're looking to avoid the crowds, choose "a sailing that starts mid-week rather than on a weekend," suggested McDaniel. "The best reason to cruise to Alaska is there are things that you can only truly see from the water. It's why it is a bucket list destination for many, many people," said McDaniel. "When you're out on the water, you can do wildlife viewing as well, and it's built into that cruise experience." 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.

What Alaska cruise itineraries are available during each month of the cruise season?

Weather in Alaska in August may keep some cruisers away, but there are still many excursions and experiences to enjoy. 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.

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. Cruise lines typically lower their prices in September, so if you are traveling on a budget, September is a great time to cruise.

July is the ideal month to cruise Alaska, as it offers the most pleasant weather conditions. With the warmest temperatures of the Alaska cruise season, you’ll enjoy long daylight hours and minimal rainfall during this month. If you’re hoping to see the Northern Lights on your cruise, the best time to cruise Alaska is the last part of the shoulder season, late September.

The median months will see higher temperatures and longer days for touring, and it represents the limited summer that Alaska enjoys. However, July and August tend to also have higher levels of precipitation. For those who crave luxury and personalized experiences, the Northern Passage – Glacier Bay Cruise is tailor-made for you. With smaller ships and fewer passengers, this cruise offers a premium and upscale journey through the wonders of Alaska. 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.

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. You're in luck if you're hoping to see whales on your Alaska cruise, as the majority of the cruise season coincides with whale season.

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When you want to go will depend on which activities you want to do, how you feel about cool weather and rain, and the price. Cruises at the beginning (April and May) and end (September and October) of Alaska's cruise season are generally a bit cheaper than those in June, July and August. If you want to see landlocked areas, such as Denali National Park, you can tack a cruise line-operated tour onto the beginning or end of your sailing for a seamless land and sea vacation. It's easier than fumbling with multiple train, bus, ferry and hotel reservations to cobble together the same trip on your own.

In addition to humpbacks, you might also spot belugas and seals with their pups as you sail. As someone who has cruised Alaska many times, I love cruising in May when the weather is dry and locals are emerging from their winter cocoons, embracing the sunshine. The wildlife is doing the same, and you might spot bears with their cubs, moose with their calves and humpback whales returning from their winter home in Hawaii. With its scenic landscapes, abounding wildlife, and majestic glaciers, Alaska is a beautiful destination any time of year. But if you’re thinking of exploring this vibrant region on an Alaskan cruise, the best time to do so is between May and September. However, within these months there are differences that may impact the time during which you choose to travel.