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This month brings the warmest weather of the year, the longest hours of daylight and the largest number of tourists. And for good reason, as July in Alaska is ideal for salmon fishing, culture festivals like the Girdwood Forest Fair, bear viewing and memorable trips into the interior. While the tourism season in Alaska doesn’t really kick in until June, many small cruise ships start running tours in May. If you’re looking for dry weather and lots of wildlife, then May is a great time to join a cruise as it’s one of the state’s driest months and features spring migrations and lots of newborn wildlife.
What to Expect on an Alaskan Cruise in August
Nearly every major cruise line has a presence in Alaska from May through mid-September, with some offering sailings as early as April or as late as October. Cold temperatures, icy waters and a long snowy season are not conducive to early spring and late fall cruises. They want to admire its rugged beauty, seek out wildlife (such as eagles, bears and whales) and learn about its Native cultures and gold rush history.
Guide To Taking The Best Shore Excursions In Sitka In 2024
Weather is a pretty big consideration when it comes to booking an Alaskan cruise. If you have a low tolerance for cold weather, cruising Alaska during the warmest months of July and August is a better choice. Another thing to keep in mind when deciding the best month for your Alaskan cruise is wildlife viewing opportunities. 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. Peak viewing of the Aurora Borealis happens between November and March, but on a clear night with lots of solar activity, you have a shot at this once-in-a-lifetime viewing experience.
Whale Watching In September
Unlike some of the other whales to be seen in the waters of Alaska, the orca loves to travel in pods and are highly social creatures. Here they may be seen vaulting out of the water in a graceful breech or bubble-net feeding, an activity they only do during their summer months. I have a passion for the English countryside and especially anywhere in Yorkshire. I drink far too much Yorkshire tea on my travels and even take it with me when abroad. My passion is to share travel experiences with my readers which may help them plan their holidays and save money.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cut through the noise to bring you the best places to see whale watching in Alaska. We’ll cover the types of whales you can expect to see, the best times to go, and how to choose the perfect tour—all backed by our own experiences and photography. We focus exclusively on the Alaskan whale-watching locations we’ve personally visited. We share our top picks to offer you the most authentic and informed recommendations.
How to Practice Whale Watching Ethics
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, You also might see fuzzy harbor seal pups and sea lion pups (born in June and July) warming themselves on rocks with their mothers. Add high-powered binoculars to your Alaska packing list to ensure that you get to see all of the wildlife possible.
Alaska Cruise Season
Both Seattle and Vancouver offer whale watching opportunities, so this can be a nice way to add another day of excitement to your vacation before or after a cruise. While it’s possible to view whales in any Alaska cruise port, two of the most popular whale watching destinations are Juneau and Icy Strait Point. Both locations are home to feeding grounds for humpback whales, making sightings extremely common. Killer whales, or orcas, can sometimes be spotted on a whale watching excursion as well. Orcas are quick moving animals, though, and have more unpredictable movement patterns than humpback whales, so they are less common to see. Most big-ship and luxury cruise lines send at least one cruise ship to Alaska every summer.
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Juneau can be a good spot to see whales from shore, although you’re much more likely to spot them from a boat. The whales head to Alaska in the warm summer months, mostly between April and September. In the more southern areas of Southeast Alaska, they may even stay until November. You can also look for a last-minute Alaska cruise deal, though keep in mind that with Alaska's cruise season growing longer, interest in Alaska September cruises is rising. Weather in Alaska in August may keep some cruisers away, but there are still many excursions and experiences to enjoy. Other adventurous activities, such as hiking trails, open up in the summer months.
Incredible Winter Activities in Anchorage, Alaska
Although the rain isn’t convenient, it is the reason for the lush vegetation you enjoy. After the tour, you have the flexibility to explore Hoonah further or head back, thanks to convenient shuttles running every 30 minutes. Resurrection Bay delivers every time, whether it’s the thrill of an orca’s dorsal fin breaking the surface or the serene beauty of a humpback’s fluke. WE RECOMMEND KENAI FJORDS AND RESURRECTION BAY HALF-DAY WILDLIFE CRUISE.
Additionally, you'll have one day spent cruising the Inside Passage and one focused on "scenic cruising," where you can enjoy the landscapes but won't go ashore. This is not nearly as boring as you might think since you'll see incredible sights like Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve or Hubbard Glacier. Most sail along the Inside Passage, a maritime route along the state's southern coast (and into British Columbia and Washington state) that weaves around the area's thousand islands. Some venture farther north into the Gulf of Alaska; these are often one-way cruises that begin and end at the ports near Anchorage. 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.
One nice thing about the Inside Passage is how calm the water is because you're sailing between land masses. If you worry about seasickness, an Inside Passage trip is the best Alaska cruise itinerary versus a sailing where your ship transits rougher, open waters. One of the key reasons to cruise Alaska versus taking a land tour is to visit destinations along the Inside Passage that you cannot reach by road. Plus, many of the state's famous glaciers are best viewed from the sea. You’ll never have a clue where whales first appear and binoculars help spot whales far from your vessel.
Alaska’s scenery is so vast that sometimes a closer look through binoculars at mountains, glaciers, and wildlife is helpful. Plus, by booking a whale watching tour in your departure port, more time is opened up while in Alaska to book other types of shore excursions. If you don’t want to book a whale watching tour while in Alaska, consider booking one in your cruise departure port.
However, further into the article, you’ll find many more tips and suggestions. So, if you’re ready to turn your whale-watching dreams into reality, keep reading. Although it’s summer during these peak whale watching times in Alaska, one might assume you still must bundle up for an excursion like whale watching. Minke and humpback whales will feed on schools of small fish and krill. Humpback and blue whales, for instance, have a gestation period that’s between 11 and 12 months. The arctic waters have suitable whale food in abundance during the warmer summer months, but when the weather starts to change they head to warmer waters.
The Best Time to Cruise Alaska Month by Month - Cruise Critic
The Best Time to Cruise Alaska Month by Month.
Posted: Mon, 01 May 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Alaska cruise weather can be chilly (in the 40s to 50s) first thing in the morning and at night. However, if it's a sunny summer day, temperatures can shoot into the 70s and even low 80s. It also rains a lot in Alaska; it's drier in the spring than in the summer. Restaurant prices in Alaska can be high, but a cruise bundles meals, accommodations and transportation into one price that, with sales, can be cheaper than you'd think. It’s arguably the last place in the United States where you can unplug from the modern world and feel at one with Mother Nature. Its isolated wilderness, dramatic landscapes, and diverse wildlife make Alaska one of the...
Best time for Whale Watching in Alaska 2024 - Best Season - Rove.me
Best time for Whale Watching in Alaska 2024 - Best Season.
Posted: Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Multiple waterways converge to create nutrient-rich waters around the headland and attract hungry marine creatures during summer. In other words, whale sightings are guaranteed when you cast away from Icy Strait Point during whale season. May and June are Alaska’s driest months of the year and create more comfortable conditions for whale-watching cruises.
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