Disadvantages to September?

[warmwinds]

The prices are lower, I'm sure there's a reason why. Before I speculate, can someone experienced tell me the pros and cons?

 

This will be a Seattle round trip, what I'm most interested in knowing about are the weather and cruising conditions at Tracy Arm and the Inside Passage.

 

Would May be a better choice?

[trophy_23]

Having only been 2x (once May and once Sept) and only going from my personal experience with weather, we have booked again for May. September was foggy and rainy, May was Sunny and warm. Again, the weather changes daily and this is only based upon two trips. I would imagine the exact opposite could happen weatherwise by chance. Either way for now I will go in May before I would go in Sept.

[zelker]

Much less daylight in September, too.

[negc]

Fewer hours of daylight and a chance that the weather conditions will be less hospitable. No guarantees about the weather but you can readily determine how many hours of daylight you will experience in September as opposed to earlier in the season. Lower prices are usually a good indicator that a particular cruise or date is less popular and you need to read the boards carefully to determine the reasons.:)

[Budget Queen]

These Sept. trips used to be give aways, when I picked them up several times- after going in the same year, in season. This timeframe is the worse potential weather of the cruise season. These are AVERAGES, so you are going to get those "I had a perfect week" reports of single trips.

 

Expect, average of 3 days of rain, temps 40-50, dusk by 7pm, after the first week.

 

The ships do not, usually, make the full transit of Tracy Arm so no glacier viewing- usually, is the key word.

 

For me, the discounts are not enough for me to consider this timeframe. IF going with a one way, I only recommend a northbound trip. It is way less than ideal to do interior Alaska travel first then leave the Inside Passage last.

[warmwinds]

So would you say in general that May 27 - June 3 would be a better alternative weather-wise? Same price as the other.

[paylady]

So would you say in general that May 27 - June 3 would be a better alternative weather-wise? Same price as the other.

 

You will have better luck weather-wise and plenty of daylight. Remember, it's just that --- luck. No one can predict the exact weather conditions you will have on any given Alaska cruise. We're all going by our own experiences. I definitely prefer late May/early June to September. I too haven't taken a September cruise in a Alaska since out first one.

[travelbug11]

Having taken several Alaska cruises in May and September, the weather in September is toss up. A couple of years ago it was very warm and we were told that we had the best weather of the whole season. And, last year we made the full transit of Tracy Arm. Both of these cruises were last of the season.

[CowPrincess]

I'm going in Sept this year (at least I'm booked to go), and am expecting it to be chilly, rainy, and possibly foggy. And it will get dark earlier. Haven't been in Sept before, and I expect it to be a significantly different trip than earlier in the season. I don't care :) -- I'm going to Alaska :)

[Budget Queen]

So would you say in general that May 27 - June 3 would be a better alternative weather-wise? Same price as the other.

 

Yes, it is definately a superior time, all the way around to go.

[Putterdude]

We are doing it again for the second year in a row in late August early September but we do it just as a break and this year we want to try HAL for the first time. Are we expecting anything other than wet cool weather...no; if we get the odd good day that will just be a bonus.

[Budget Queen]

We are doing it again for the second year in a row in late August early September but we do it just as a break and this year we want to try HAL for the first time. Are we expecting anything other than wet cool weather...no; if we get the odd good day that will just be a bonus.

 

This timeframe is also significantly different than the last sailing in Sept. I have sailed this time the most, mid late August.

 

The differences and potential muliplies by the week for the weather differences.

[mr green]

We did a B2B last Sept. It rained every day but one!!!:eek:

 

john

[Yukon]

This is what a typical late-September cruise day looks like at Skagway - http://explorenorth.com/wordpress/?p=383

[2278]

We did the last southbound in September a few years ago. The couple of days in Anchorage were mixed, partly sunny, highs in the low 60's. Once on the ship, it rained the entire cruise, did not see the sun until arriving in Vancouver.

 

We were not miserable and enjoyed the cruise enough to go back. Last summner we did a northbound and guess what! Saw the sun in Vancouver and it rained the entire cruise.

 

I can not say what is the best time, would go in September again at some time. What I do remember is using the ships features much more the second time. Being better prepared for the weather, therefore it not being a challenge.