May or September?

[Budget Queen]

What about mid to late August? This is a very slow time for me at work, and in September, things start to pick up with events, and the same in May, quite busy with events until we get to the heavy summer tourist season.

 

Is there a big difference between doing northbound and southbound inside passage? I'm thinking, based on reading these boards, that a Princess cruise to or from Vancouver, visiting Glacier Bay, would suit us best, just not sure if there is any difference at all in which direction you go.

 

I've gone numerous times in this time frame and always enjoy it. Especially on a northbound cruise, then adding mainland touring, since I greatly enjoy the fall there. Still decent daylight compared to past the first week of Sept. (which I only do, last minute at rock bottom price dump rates. :) $279 in 2014 each )

[Cruise Raider]

You've picked my two favorite months to visit Alaska - May and Sept. We also had fabulous weather in Alaska on a May 7th cruise but overall, we prefer September. While we've hit one cruise in September with rainy windy weather, all of our other September cruises in that region have been absolutely wonderful. We were even starting to question whether it truly did rain up there or if that was a myth to keep tourists away. Well, that one cruise confirmed it ... it really does rain up there but I have to say, it was still one of the absolute best cruises I have even done. What I noticed about May, though, we got to see the fish ladder in Ketchikan completely filled with salmon ... not so in September. That is really a sight to see.

 

We've seen whales on every single cruise up in Alaska but nothing is guaranteed ... unless of course, you choose an itinerary that includes Icy Strait Point. They absolutely guarantee that you will see whales on this tour (kind of pricey at about $150 pp) or your money back. How can they do this? It is because you will absolutely, positively see whales! We were lucky enough to also see a Grizzly on the shore during this tour....that was a plus, not a regular sighting. This tour does usually fill early in the cruise so it is not like you can wait to book it based on seeing whales elsewhere. They do have some whale watching in Juneau but you might only end up seeing the plume of water. The Icy Strait Point tour had terminal dives with tails up in the air and some minor breaching, a little fin slapping ... up close and personal whale encounters. Again, this is not guaranteed but you will absolutely see whales. There is also some nice hiking in the forested area near the dock in Icy Strait Point. I used to only see Celebrity in this port and now I see Princess is also calling here.

 

So, I recommend early September and pray for the best. Last time there, we used an entire tube of sunblock and didn't put my jacket on once. We were even in our bathing suits by the pool when sailing up to the glacier on that cruise. Luck of the draw but we've beat the odds for visiting Alaska.

 

PS -- all good bargains in the stores at the end of the season -- they are almost giving stuff away.

[mlbcruiser]

While the park road isn't open all the way (90 something miles into the park, I think), the road will open for the first 53 miles on May 20. On that date the shuttles and tours will go to Toklat, but not to the Just mentioning this in case there is a reason you end up wanting to do your cruise tour before the very end of May. However, it's true you can't go to Eileson Visitor Center (which is supposed to be very interesting) or Wonder Lake that early in the season.

[Casey12]

We did September once and will not go again. It was wet, windy and cold the entire cruise. My vote is May.

[Budget Queen]

You've picked my two favorite months to visit Alaska - May and Sept. We also had fabulous weather in Alaska on a May 7th cruise but overall, we prefer September. While we've hit one cruise in September with rainy windy weather, all of our other September cruises in that region have been absolutely wonderful. We were even starting to question whether it truly did rain up there or if that was a myth to keep tourists away. Well, that one cruise confirmed it ... it really does rain up there but I have to say, it was still one of the absolute best cruises I have even done. What I noticed about May, though, we got to see the fish ladder in Ketchikan completely filled with salmon ... not so in September. That is really a sight to see.

 

We've seen whales on every single cruise up in Alaska but nothing is guaranteed ... unless of course, you choose an itinerary that includes Icy Strait Point. They absolutely guarantee that you will see whales on this tour (kind of pricey at about $150 pp) or your money back. How can they do this? It is because you will absolutely, positively see whales! We were lucky enough to also see a Grizzly on the shore during this tour....that was a plus, not a regular sighting. This tour does usually fill early in the cruise so it is not like you can wait to book it based on seeing whales elsewhere. They do have some whale watching in Juneau but you might only end up seeing the plume of water. The Icy Strait Point tour had terminal dives with tails up in the air and some minor breaching, a little fin slapping ... up close and personal whale encounters. Again, this is not guaranteed but you will absolutely see whales. There is also some nice hiking in the forested area near the dock in Icy Strait Point. I used to only see Celebrity in this port and now I see Princess is also calling here.

 

So, I recommend early September and pray for the best. Last time there, we used an entire tube of sunblock and didn't put my jacket on once. We were even in our bathing suits by the pool when sailing up to the glacier on that cruise. Luck of the draw but we've beat the odds for visiting Alaska.

 

PS -- all good bargains in the stores at the end of the season -- they are almost giving stuff away.

 

This is a very inaccurate post. Incredible "claims" seem to think, it's a special performance area for humpbacks in Hoonah? and claiming, it's different behaviors in Juneau?? Totally untrue. Equal 100% chances of seeing humpbacks in both Hoonah and Juneau.

 

They also, mixed up their salmon story. There isn't any fish at the fish ladder in Ketchikan in May- yes, it would be Sept.

[Coral]

There is also some nice hiking in the forested area near the dock in Icy Strait Point. I used to only see Celebrity in this port and now I see Princess is also calling here.

.

 

Princess has been doing this port for years, just not on a weekly basis. They did it when they had a 14 night cruise out of Seattle and Vancouver and they periodically do it on their ship out of SFO.

[CowPrincess]

Princess has been doing this port for years, just not on a weekly basis. They did it when they had a 14 night cruise out of Seattle and Vancouver and they periodically do it on their ship out of SFO.

 

Holland America still does it on their 14 day RT Seattle.

[Cruise_More_Often]

We were there with Royal Caribbean.

[Cruise Raider]

This is a very inaccurate post. Incredible "claims" seem to think, it's a special performance area for humpbacks in Hoonah? and claiming, it's different behaviors in Juneau?? Totally untrue. Equal 100% chances of seeing humpbacks in both Hoonah and Juneau.

 

They also, mixed up their salmon story. There isn't any fish at the fish ladder in Ketchikan in May- yes, it would be Sept.

 

 

Yep....take this advice instead. Go whale watching in Juneau ... equal chance of seeing whales ... geez!! I have pictures from my May cruise in Ketchikan -- fish so thick you couldn't see the water. My SIL was with me on my Sept cruise -- disappointed that she didn't see but a few salmon in Ketchikan. Take this advice too and go in May. again ... geez!!

[lynncarol]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned how gorgeous Alaskan fall colors can be in September. We rented a car for a week on our own after our cruise. In some places I felt we were engulfed in gold. If I could figure out how to post one of my photos, I could prove it.

Edited March 12, 2016 by lynncarol