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Ever wanted to go on an Alaska glacier tour to experience hiking in its open nature? Here is your travel guide for planning the best adventure vacation. As you plan your Alaska vacation, you might be torn between traveling by cruise ship, plane or even car. Enjoy an insider’s guide to discovering the best family cruises for your next vacation onboard Brilliance of the Seas. Sail into the Last Frontier from Seward or Vancouver onboard Radiance of the Seas®.
Fewer opportunities for wildlife viewing
Ships in Port for the Week of Oct. 1 - Juneau Empire
Ships in Port for the Week of Oct. 1.
Posted: Sat, 30 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Depending on the tour itinerary you choose, you might visit Seward and the Kenai Peninsula, Alyeska, Talkeetna, Anchorage and Fairbanks — as well as spend one to three nights in Denali National Park. The waters before you enter the Inside Passage can be calm, rough or anything in between, depending on when you go. For these itineraries, you'll need to fly into or out of Anchorage and take a train or bus to/from the cruise departure ports, which can take an hour or two.
Alaska Cruise Experience
Located riverside next to some of the most renowned national parks, these warm and welcoming lodges are the perfect spot to bask in Alaska’s best attractions. As a part of your Alaska cruisetour, explore and unwind with comforting amenities and breathtaking scenery. Cast your line into the marvels of an Alaska summer by cruising in August. As you sail into each port of call, delight your taste buds in the delicacies of Alaska’s waters. Donning subtle notes of the sea, the silver salmon is one of the most sought-after fish and just so happens to be most fruitful this time of year.
Canadian Rockies cruisetours
Alaska's capital city is interesting because no road leads from here to the rest of the state. It's located at the base of Mount Juneau, and you can only get there via boat or small plane — even residents have to bring their cars to Juneau via ferry. Home to Mendenhall Glacier, this is a popular port for hikes by, kayak tours to and helicopter landings on the glacier. If you want a more active trip in less touristed areas, a great choice would be a small-ship expedition line, including Alaska specialists such as Alaskan Dream Cruises and UnCruise Adventures. If you book a Gulf of Alaska voyage, you'll also enjoy exploring parts of the Inside Passage and its ports that could include a mix of Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Ketchikan, Haines and Icy Strait Point.
This diversity means you need to be prepared for a lot of change while traveling. In the center of the state, Denali National Park is blanketed in wildflowers punctuated with mountains, raging rivers and serene lakes. Denali, "The Great One," formerly known as Mt. McKinley, rises to the tallest peak in North America and can be seen from as far away as Anchorage on a clear day. An up-close view is more than worth the expedition during your vacation. In Alaska, ancient rivers of ice wind between mountains and grind out of valleys.
The best time to cruise Alaska
And this was Juneau from the top of the tram with only ONE ship in port (normally there are at least five). September weather in Alaska may be unpredictable but with the right preparation you can enjoy all the exciting events. That's especially true in Skagway, where snow can keep the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad only traveling a few miles due to snowed-in tracks. Juneau is an exception, as it's the state capital and always buzzes.
Final Thoughts on the Best Time of Year for an Alaskan Cruise
The worst months to cruise to Alaska - Royal Caribbean Blog
The worst months to cruise to Alaska.
Posted: Mon, 18 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Dive into The Points Guy's Alaska cruise guide for all the planning tips you need for your dream cruise up north. Alaska may be one of the most beautiful places in the world, but it's rugged and can be tricky to get around. Explore the Last Frontier by cruise ship, and you can travel to Gold Rush towns, glaciers, Alaska Native heritage sites and natural areas brimming with wildlife in comfort, even luxury. Like everything else in Alaska, the Great Land’s national parks far exceed expectations. Read about Glacier Bay’s seven tidewater glaciers, Denali’s 6-million acres of undisturbed wilderness, Kenai Fjords' astonishing Exit Glacier and other national parks. We’ve been sharing the wonders of Alaska longer than any other cruise line.
Day Alaska Round-Trip Seattle: Glacier Bay, Skagway & Juneau
On the plus side, you will experience southeast Alaska towns as they are most of the year, sans tourist crowds. Sit in a bar and talk to the locals as they prepare for the long winter ahead. 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. Rather than stay up all night, see if your ship or pre- or post-cruise hotel has a sign-up sheet for people who want a wake-up call should the lights appear. 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. Temperatures will be in the 60s, sometimes higher — you might even see 80s in Juneau in July.
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. When traveling from Vancouver in the Inside Passage of Southeast Alaska, the waters are mostly protected and provide smooth sailing. If ports include Anchorage, Seward, or Whittier, cruise ships must cross the Gulf of Alaska, which has notoriously rougher waters.
If you prefer to stay grounded, you can find informative trolley tours of ports like Skagway. Hop a bus, kayak, boat or plane to look for bears, eagles, whales, sea otters and other wildlife. Note that moose don't regularly show up in the Inside Passage; you'll need to head farther north to find them.
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're eager to spot bald eagles in the wild, ride a dogsled atop an ice field or pan for gold after a hearty salmon feast, an Alaska cruise is calling your name.
Charter a helicopter or fixed-wing flightseeing tour at Juneau and get an unforgettable perspective of the mountains and glaciers of this vast landscape. In some parts of the state, dog sledding is still the primary mode of transportation through the winter months. Visit Alaska and get the experience for yourself at the Skagway Yukon Discovery and Dog Sled Tour. The Siberian Huskies are sweet and energetic, and the ride is a thrill. Not only is the cracking sound shocking, but the calving also produces a giant wave of water and captivating icebergs. July and August are prime time for viewing glacier calving on an Alaskan cruise.
Attractions and shops will switch to peak-season hours at the end of the month; Denali National Park & Preserve switches into summer mode in May. You'll find those who work in tourism excited to be back in business, considering that many people in southeast Alaska earn their income from out-of-state visitors. Cruise lines will offer the opportunity to extend your cruise with land tours, which include accommodations, transportation and some meals.
These are the months when all good things combine to create the optimal Alaskan experience. June is a smart choice for cruisers who don’t want to travel during peak season but want more opportunities. Cruising to Alaska in May is still considered early in the season. As the month progresses, temperatures rise slightly, and daylight hours increase. An April sail date is one way to save money on your Alaskan cruise.
During long days of light, you'll find hearty Alaskans swimming in the sea and enjoying water sports. At the beginning of the month, you might still be able to find some early season pricing; the peak season for Alaska cruising begins in late June. Big-ship cruise lines such as Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean ramp up their operations in May, as do Disney Cruise Line and small-ship and luxury lines. For cruise itineraries in Alaska, August high temperatures will be somewhere in the upper 50s and low 60s.
The abundant cloud cover and frequent rain make the landscape all the more beautiful, but visitors should dress properly for a better overall experience. September is one of the last months of the cruise season in Alaska and it is also one of the coldest, with temperatures staying in the low to high forties on average. As the month advances, the temperatures drop lower and lower, and the nights and early mornings can be bitterly cold. There's a reason why the best way to cruise Alaska is with Norwegian – we've got something for every type of traveler. The newly revitalized Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Spirit bring that and more with beautifully renovated spaces and staterooms.
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