Helping deciding between two cruises, first time doing Alaska

[tonijmccann]

Okay, I need help picking between cruises. Would you rather take a cruise at the end of April that goes through Glacier Bay and Inside Passage or one in mid-May that doesn't go through Glacier Bay but goes through Cruise Tracy Arm Fjord? Is the weather that big of a difference between the couple of weeks to where we should take the mid-May one? Is Glacier Bay that big of a difference from Cruise Tracy Arm Fjord? This is our first Alaskan cruise so anything we see will be amazing to us, haha. All of the ports are the same. It will be a 24, 23, and 3 year old.

[CruiserBruce]

Glacier Bay is, in most people's opinion I have seen, and in our opinion, the superior location. April cruise, eh? Very early, so cold. But don't think that will limit your access.

 

Tracy Arm is nice, but has had some issues getting in early in the season. So in Mid May, you may not get in, or go far in.

[Kamloops50]

Okay, I need help picking between cruises. Would you rather take a cruise at the end of April that goes through Glacier Bay and Inside Passage or one in mid-May that doesn't go through Glacier Bay but goes through Cruise Tracy Arm Fjord? Is the weather that big of a difference between the couple of weeks to where we should take the mid-May one? Is Glacier Bay that big of a difference from Cruise Tracy Arm Fjord? This is our first Alaskan cruise so anything we see will be amazing to us, haha. All of the ports are the same. It will be a 24, 23, and 3 year old.

 

First of all I wouldn't take a cruise to Alaska in April. Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier and maybe Tracy Arm will still could ice bound. I would look at cruises to Alaska in mid May to early June. Most years the different glaciers have opened up properly. I would take Glacier bay over Tracy Arm any day. You'll spend a full day in Glacier Bay and only about 4 hours in Tracy Arm before you go to Juneau or Ketchikan . Some spend a day and some only an hour.

You should also comment on which port you are leaving from. Seattle departures spend 1 day leaving and returning in the open Pacific west of Vancouver Island.

Vancouver departures go between Vancouver Island and the Mainland. Many cruises from Vancouver actually spend more time in the Alaskan ports.

[tonijmccann]

Okay, I'm thinking our best bet would be May 28th then. Still a great price but it's end of May/beginning of June so would that be more comfortable weather wise than the end of April/beginning of May? However, no Glacier Bay in it, but we can always go on another cruise to see it in the future.

[tonijmccann]

The itinerary for the one we're looking at goes Seattle, day at sea, Tracy Arm Fjord, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Victoria BC, Seattle.

[Chloe1500]

I cruised the Inside Passage in May. The weather is probably much better in May than April, but May is still quite cold. Oddly enough, I was told by the guides that it doesn't rain as much in May as it does later in the summer. We were fortunate to have beautiful clear, sunny days every day but one, but it was cold day and night. My DH and I are going on the same itinerary that you are considering later this month, and we are packing all our rain gear!

[Budget Queen]

I would never recommend an April Alaska cruise. Likely cold rainy weather and too early.

 

Mid May is significantly improved and an excellent time to consider.

[vbmom87]

Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier and maybe Tracy Arm will still could ice bound.

 

I have never read of Glacier Bay being ice bound. Hubbard Glacier and Tracy Arm yes, but not Glacier Bay.

[vbmom87]

Okay, I need help picking between cruises. Would you rather take a cruise at the end of April that goes through Glacier Bay and Inside Passage or one in mid-May that doesn't go through Glacier Bay but goes through Cruise Tracy Arm Fjord? Is the weather that big of a difference between the couple of weeks to where we should take the mid-May one? Is Glacier Bay that big of a difference from Cruise Tracy Arm Fjord? This is our first Alaskan cruise so anything we see will be amazing to us, haha. All of the ports are the same. It will be a 24, 23, and 3 year old.

 

There is a report somewhere on this forum by someone who cruised the end of April this year and for them it worked out well. However, as already mentioned, you are taking a gamble going that early in year. There is a reason the pricing is lower at this time of the year. The problem with cruising the inside passage is that it is a rain forest. You can have great weather anytime and pretty miserable weather anytime. You just have to decide how much of a gambler you are. We went mid-June in 2008 and we hit record low temperatures. I got tired of being cold all the time and I had all the proper layers of clothing. You just never know what you will get when it comes to weather.

 

Glacier Bay and Tracy Arm are both beautiful scenic cruising days and well worth seeing. The problem with Tracy Arm is you may or may not be able to make the transit due to icing. Some cruiselines substitute Endicott Arm if they cannot get into Tracy Arm. There is just no way anyone can predict the weather conditions and what your ship captain will decide to do the day you are there. If you really want to see a glacier from the cruiseship find an itinerary with Glacier Bay. If Tracy Arm is too icy, the ship may have to shorten the transit and you may never get to see the glacier at the end.

 

Since it is so difficult to see/do everything you want on one trip to Alaska, it is all about making choices. Choose what works best for you this time and then plan another trip to see what you missed the first time.

 

Have a great cruise, whichever one you choose.

[Keith1010]

I want to give another view of visiting Alaska in April. In fact, were there from April 8 thru April 17 if you count Victoria and Vancouver that followed last port in April. I am not sure how many people who have posted on this thread have been there in April. I was and that was just a few months ago and I can contrast this to being there at other times of the season. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

 

I have been fortunate to have sailed Alaska several times at various times of the season. I highly recommend going in April. We were just there this past April and it was far better than our most recent visit before then which was only eight months prior to that in August 2011.

 

For anyone who says there is too much ice in Glacier Bay in April they are mistaken. In fact, as the Park Rangers noted the Captains are allowed to sail further in during April than in any other part of the season and they can sail areas of Glacier Bay that are not permitted starting May 1.

 

We had by far the most beautiful sailing of Glacier Bay on any of our prior visits. It was a remarkable day.

 

The others places were visited were superb. In Ketchikan we were the only ship in port. If you go in April you may also be the only ship. Now contrast that to August where there were about six ships in port and some had to tender. In April we could tour and then walk the town without the distraction of thousands of tourists. It was amazing.

 

The same was true of all the ports we visited.

 

Will it possibly be colder in April? Yes. Will there be more snow in April? Yes. Will there be far less tourists? Yes. Will you feel that you are visiting Alaska rather than being with so many tourists that the ports start to feel like you are in the Caribbean? Yes.

 

I highly recommend April. No one can predict weather so you take a chance whenever you go. Our weather last August was terrible with rainy days and winds.

 

We were also welcomed in each town in the best possible way. After all the season was only beginning which added to the excitement and we were the only ship in town.

 

I will let some of the photos speak for themselves.

 

I can post some photos from Glacier Bay from August of last year but they will pall in comparison to what we saw in April.

 

You will likely see some wild life in Glacier Bay in April and as the Rangers told us that is because it is still April and you will likely not see this later in the season.

 

 

Glacier Bay

 

 

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CwKfZ5pxEI8/T4idk07txMI/AAAAAAAAQrc/XH7ckvP-m-E/s1600/DSC_4215.jpg

 

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http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6SmSbcsSSBg/T4ieZN5u8HI/AAAAAAAAQsw/2Cnk9KhuC1g/s1600/DSC_4249.jpg

 

A moose that we easily spotted from the ship as part of our day in Glaicer Bay

 

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vpfxX6JSKwA/T4id6kaL1LI/AAAAAAAAQr8/aUClkJFndzg/s1600/DSC_4220.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kettchikan

 

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Seward

 

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We love Alaska but Alaska is not what it was when we first visited there almost 20 years ago. At that time we would either be the only ship in port or there would be one other ship in some ports. Today, there are times during the season where the towns start to feel like the Caribbean. If you want to experience more what Alaska was like before so many ships started to sail the waters I would recommend April. Like any other time you visit there you just come prepared with the right clothing. All I can say is that it was a wow!

 

Keith

[Kamloops50]

I have never read of Glacier Bay being ice bound. Hubbard Glacier and Tracy Arm yes, but not Glacier Bay.

 

Early May cruises had a hard time getting to some glaciers due to ice.

[Budget Queen]

I want to give another view of visiting Alaska in April. In fact, were there from April 8 thru April 17 if you count Victoria and Vancouver that followed last port in April. I am not sure how many people who have posted on this thread have been there in April. I was and that was just a few months ago and I can contrast this to being there at other times of the season. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

 

I have been fortunate to have sailed Alaska several times at various times of the season. I highly recommend going in April. We were just there this past April and it was far better than our most recent visit before then which was only eight months prior to that in August 2011.

 

For anyone who says there is too much ice in Glacier Bay in April they are mistaken. In fact, as the Park Rangers noted the Captains are allowed to sail further in during April than in any other part of the season and they can sail areas of Glacier Bay that are not permitted starting May 1.

 

We had by far the most beautiful sailing of Glacier Bay on any of our prior visits. It was a remarkable day.

 

The others places were visited were superb. In Ketchikan we were the only ship in port. If you go in April you may also be the only ship. Now contrast that to August where there were about six ships in port and some had to tender. In April we could tour and then walk the town without the distraction of thousands of tourists. It was amazing.

 

The same was true of all the ports we visited.

 

Will it possibly be colder in April? Yes. Will there be more snow in April? Yes. Will there be far less tourists? Yes. Will you feel that you are visiting Alaska rather than being with so many tourists that the ports start to feel like you are in the Caribbean? Yes.

 

I highly recommend April. No one can predict weather so you take a chance whenever you go. Our weather last August was terrible with rainy days and winds.

 

We were also welcomed in each town in the best possible way. After all the season was only beginning which added to the excitement and we were the only ship in town.

 

I will let some of the photos speak for themselves.

 

I can post some photos from Glacier Bay from August of last year but they will pall in comparison to what we saw in April.

 

You will likely see some wild life in Glacier Bay in April and as the Rangers told us that is because it is still April and you will likely not see this later in the season.

 

 

Glacier Bay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keith

 

I only post from first hand experience, so your comments relating to such, don't apply to me. :) I have two end of April sailings= both were horrific weather, worse was 6 out of 7 days of rain, other was 5. I didn't care, those were extra trips those years, and they were $199 crusies. :) I've been updated over many years, what the trends have been. Overall they are unfavorable. Your single trip worked out very well, (you don't mention, if this was a repeater?) but this may not be the new "norm" in this timeframe.

 

Many people aren't repeative Alaska cruisers and may be attracted to these sailings because they are cheaper (although not the give aways they were). Some tours are not running in April, so I would recommend verifying any priories.

 

If you wish to tour the immediate port areas and downtowns, the lack of other cruiseships is a big bonus, but if your plans take you out of these areas- then it wouldn't make as much difference.

[Keith1010]

I only post from first hand experience, so your comments relating to such, don't apply to me. :) I have two end of April sailings= both were horrific weather, worse was 6 out of 7 days of rain, other was 5. I didn't care, those were extra trips those years, and they were $199 crusies. :) I've been updated over many years, what the trends have been. Overall they are unfavorable. Your single trip worked out very well, (you don't mention, if this was a repeater?) but this may not be the new "norm" in this timeframe.

 

Many people aren't repeative Alaska cruisers and may be attracted to these sailings because they are cheaper (although not the give aways they were). Some tours are not running in April, so I would recommend verifying any priories.

 

If you wish to tour the immediate port areas and downtowns, the lack of other cruiseships is a big bonus, but if your plans take you out of these areas- then it wouldn't make as much difference.

 

I too post from my own experiences.

 

The bottom line is no one can guarantee Alaska weather and I have come to the conclusion that in this current age we live in there is no solid weather pattern and even history isn't a big factor anymore.

 

Just look at weather patterns for the past few years.

 

Personally, think the benefits of sailing into port where you are the only cruise ship or maybe there is one other one there versus being with throngs of cruise ships outweigh the downside.

 

At the same time, I was in Alaska last August and we had poor weather and on top of that we were in port with all those ships.

 

Similarly I was in Beijing this past March and the weather was far cooler than normal.

 

Weather patterns are changing at least for the short term whether that is snow/ice in the Northeast in October or flooding in some other area or abnormally hot weather in another area when it should be cool.

 

Keith

[JaniceB]

I did the May 1st sailing which was the first Carnival cruise of the season. I have never been to Alaska before. I chose this one because of Glacier Bay and leaving from Vancouver. We were the only ship in all three ports and that was really nice. Glacier Bay was not ice bound. The weather really wasn't that bad except for rain in Ketchikan with wind. I would book this cruise again in a heartbeat!

[CocaCola19]

You will have an extra hour+ of daylight if you go in May instead of April.

 

 

 

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=112&month=5&year=2013&obj=sun&afl=-11&day=1

[edmusic]

I've cruised Alaska twice in the past 22 months. First time - end of July: warm, short sleeve weather almost the whole time. Got all the way through Tracy Arm with incredible viewing of the Sawyer Glacier. Ports crowded, felt like we could be in any mainland/Caribbean port. Second time - early June. Colder with on/off rain, mostly off. Felt more like Alaska should feel. Could not navigate all the way through Tracy Arm (disappointing). Went to Sitka instead of Skagway. Loved every port. Can't choose between Sitka or Skagway - enjoyed both tremendously (more things to do in Skagway).

 

Have heard Glacier Bay is far more spectacular than Tracy Arm and I believe it to be so.

 

Cruised with Princess and Holland America. Both fine ships and crew. Alaska cruising is for the scenery and ports so your itinerary should dictate which cruise to take. Have also heard that the Vancouver RT has more scenery to it so that's a plus.