Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Alaska: First Cruise of the Season?

FigmentFan

By FigmentFan,
in Norwegian Cruise Line

 Share

Recommended Posts

FigmentFan

FigmentFan

Posted
Posted

I am planning on booking a cruise to Alaska in the spring/early summer. I am wondering if there would be any problems related to booking the first cruise of the season?

Weather?

Are port related activities up and going such as shops, attractions, shore excursions?

Would there be any problems with ice preventing cruising into Glacier Bay early in the season/mid-May?

TIA to anyone who has cruised the first cruise of the season and can answer my questions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CptSticky

CptSticky

Posted
Posted
I am planning on booking a cruise to Alaska in the spring/early summer. I am wondering if there would be any problems related to booking the first cruise of the season?

Weather?

Are port related activities up and going such as shops, attractions, shore excursions?

Would there be any problems with ice preventing cruising into Glacier Bay early in the season/mid-May?

TIA to anyone who has cruised the first cruise of the season and can answer my questions.

You will need to tell me what the first cruise of the season is on your cruise line. On Royal (the one I always use in Alaska), it's late May. Never had a weather problem in May/June. Have talked to many who cruise later in the year and they seem to have much more rain. Not sure what the actual rainy season is. Also, early means less bugs. Quite a bit less actually. Yes, everything open at that time. Sorry, can't answer for Glacier Bay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
CptSticky

CptSticky

Posted
Posted
The first cruise of the season on the NCL Pearl is May 17-24. This is the one I am looking at.

That's what I thought but wanted to make sure. Last year in that time frame, we ate breakfast every morning on our balcony in shirt sleeves. The one port where you "will" get rain is Ketchikan. usually not all day. Snow level is usually well up on the mountains by then. Where the cruise ships go (inside passage) is on the Japanese current and is actually a tropical rain forest for much of the year. Not to say that it will never be cold so a variety of clothing is appropriate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
www3traveler Holiday Sharing Rare

www3traveler

Posted
Posted

The Norwegian Jewel's first cruise to Alaska in the 2015 is may 7th from Seattle. Other than be cold (maybe) there should not be any problems. Only two ships at a time are allowed into Glacier Bay at a time. I can not wait for this cruise. The ice in Glacier Bay should be pristine and green and blue in color. In all the ports of call, things will be ready for passengers. Some excursions because weather might not go, but other than that, it is a great time to go to Alaska. This will be my 3rd cruise this early in the season. I would NOT go at another time. Because most schools have not let out for summer vacation, the ships should not be overly crowded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
www3traveler Holiday Sharing Rare

www3traveler

Posted
Posted
I have actually been on this cruise before, but it was around Memorial Day/first part of June. I am wondering if going 1-2 weeks earlier would make any difference in the weather or availability of things to do?

Going earlier probably will not make any difference. I have done this cruise twice on The Pearl 24 May-31 May 2009 and 23 May- 30 may 2010. I can not wait to do this cruise because it is a 9 day cruise instead of the usual 7 day cruise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NMLady

NMLady

Posted
Posted (edited)
I am planning on booking a cruise to Alaska in the spring/early summer. I am wondering if there would be any problems related to booking the first cruise of the season?

Weather?

Are port related activities up and going such as shops, attractions, shore excursions?

Would there be any problems with ice preventing cruising into Glacier Bay early in the season/mid-May?

TIA to anyone who has cruised the first cruise of the season and can answer my questions.

 

We cruised first cruise of season in mid-May with no problem, including Glacier Bay. All shops were open, activities and excursions too. Weather was sunny with little rain.

Edited by NMLady
Link to comment
Share on other sites
pokerpro5

pokerpro5

Posted
Posted

Don't book early for price reasons.

 

You can get a great price by waiting until 14-55 days before the cruise, and closely watching the price for drops.

 

I went in "peak" season (early August) and paid just a bit over NCF for my 2nd cabin (inside).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
bonvoyagie

bonvoyagie

Posted
Posted

I have always cruised AK in June - early, mid and late. Weather will always be a hit or miss. The biggest advantage is lots of daylight - June 20 is the peak. Sometimes they get some real nice weather in May - sometimes they don't.

 

The past few years - and including 2015 the first cruise for the Pearl is a 10 day one that goes from Vancouver to Seattle and includes a extra stops in Icy Point Strait and Sitka that are not part of the normal 7 day Seattle RT.

 

Last year the final Jewel cruise did this same route.

 

Pricing is usually better for these sailings.

 

Someone on the AK board was on the Carnival ship's first cruise of the season in late April - they reported that all of the excursions were running and most of the shops were open. They were also the only ship in port a most every stop.

 

I think I would do this cruise in a heartbeat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
G-DawgMN "Live from...." Rare

G-DawgMN

Posted
Posted

We did the first cruise of the season in May 2011 on NCL Star. The weather was not bad, a little rainy.....I only needed a fleece jacket and windbreaker tobsray warm.

We had a kayaking at a glacier tour set and as we were flying to LA to board the cruise ship, the tour company called and said that due to ice not breaking we would most likely have the excursion canceled in Juneau. But as we stepped off the ship and checked email we saw that ice broke the day before and our excursion was open :) AMAZING!

We are going on the NCL Pearl's first cruise of the season again this year.....a 10 day cruise out of Vancouver. Great cruise price and lots of amazing ports!

 

 

Sent from my XT1028 using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cruiser Bruiser

Cruiser Bruiser

Posted
Posted

I cruised to Alaska aboard Norwegian Pearl May 2012 and we had sun every day. That was the second sailing of the season. We were told May is the least rainy month of the year in Alaska. However, we were also told the prior week saw rain every day of the cruise. So it's a crap shoot, but the odds favor you in May. Have fun.

 

Sent from my HTC One using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites
April7901

April7901

Posted
Posted
The first cruise of the season on the NCL Pearl is May 17-24. This is the one I am looking at.

 

That's the second, actually - there's a May 7-17, 10-day option as well.

 

Reading what I've read from last year's 10-day cruise, I saw no issues other than the usual Alaska issues (rain, fog).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...