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Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Some research on the portion of Cruise Critic devoted to Alaska, located here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

 

will get you lots of info. You will see that question asked almost daily. You will see that Alaska weather is quite changaable, and not easy to predict.

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Hi

 

We were on the first sailing with Carnival last year in May and the weather was great. We had rain gear and it never rained. We were able to wear shorts at a few of the ports. The only time we really needed and cold weather clothing was when we were going to be staying out on deck for long periods. That's when gloves, hats, sweater, and a warm jacket were appreciated. So you do have to be prepared for anything and hope for the best. Nobody can tell you what the weather will be like next year. It is still spring and can get very cold.

 

hope this helps

have a great cruise

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May is one of the driest months in Alaska, lots of baby animals are seeing life, prices are cheaper for airfare and cruises, snow is still on the higher peaks, few kids, and its easier to book popular excursions.

 

The mornings will be crisp in May with the days filled with warm sunshine.

 

In my 12 Alaskan cruises, nine have been in May. My next Alaska cruise will be May 2018 for all of the above reasons.

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I'd agree with Crew News re: likely weather, but whether cooler-but-drier is 'good' for you or not OP I have no idea! Any month of cruise season up here has it's pros & cons re: statistical temps, rainfall, wind but these are averages over many years. Any given day in any given month could be a record Low or High for any of these factors - but IMO there's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong outfit;-)

 

Pack appropriate layers to handle any potential weather and then worry about the dates based on controllable/definite factors like how much daylight, how busy, what there is to see, your own available vacation slots, price etc. If someone in your party demands bears be seen in the wild - check schedules for bear tours from your ports. Whales are easy - humpbacks come before the cruise ships and stay after they leave, and Orcas are around all the time although they're harder to find.

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My Alaska ones have all been in June or July, and the weather varies quite a bit; we've seen sunny skies and 80 degree temps in Skagway and snow on Mt. Roberts in Juneau. If you're cruising an area like Glacier Bay, be prepared for it to be cold on deck. But despite the weather I've never regretted an Alaska trip. Best tip I've seen here for dressing in Alaska is a common one: dress in layers.

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We prefer May or early June. I wore shorts everyday with no problem. Later in the Summer you can be greeted by mosquitos and other treacherous flying insects. Late Summer you get to experience the rainy season.

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