How Early is Too Early?

[GradUT]

I've done a lot of reading here and in tour books and we have decided that May 2017 would've a good time for us to cruise to Alaska. The main reasons are: 1) Fewer children and families, 2) good prices and, perhaps most importantly, 3) there's a good amount of sunshine but less rain than in later months.

 

We have found a couple of itineraries and ships that interest us. One is the newly-refurbished Coral Princess that departs Vancouver on May 6, 2016.

 

Is this date TOO EARLY in May? Have you ever cruised to Alaska that early in the season? Will we be a couple of Popsicles during the entire cruise? 😬

 

Thanks for any insights or advice.

[guy999]

I've done a lot of reading here and in tour books and we have decided that May 2017 would've a good time for us to cruise to Alaska. The main reasons are: 1) Fewer children and families, 2) good prices and, perhaps most importantly, 3) there's a good amount of sunshine but less rain than in later months.

 

We have found a couple of itineraries and ships that interest us. One is the newly-refurbished Coral Princess that departs Vancouver on May 6, 2016.

 

Is this date TOO EARLY in May? Have you ever cruised to Alaska that early in the season? Will we be a couple of Popsicles during the entire cruise?

 

Thanks for any insights or advice.

 

well i'm going on celebrity in about 3 weeks on that date, so i guess we'll both find out.

Edited April 10, 2016 by guy999

[Potstech]

We will be leaving May 21 from Vancouver. 2nd trip in May. First one was fantastic all around.

[CowPrincess]

>SNIP<

One is the newly-refurbished Coral Princess that departs Vancouver on May 6, 2016.

 

Is this date TOO EARLY in May? Have you ever cruised to Alaska that early in the season? Will we be a couple of Popsicles during the entire cruise? 😬

 

Thanks for any insights or advice.

 

I've done two first-of-the-season cruises. Had decent to really decent weather (only one day of rain). Past performance does NOT guarantee future performance though ;)

[xlxo]

Here's some projected temperatures and weather for May this year....

• Vancouver http://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v5y/may-weather/53286
  
• Seattle http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/seattle-wa/98104/may-weather/351409
  
• Ketchikan http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/ketchikan-ak/99901/may-weather/331730
  
• Juneau http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/juneau-ak/99801/may-weather/331728
  
• Skagway http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/skagway-ak/99840/may-weather/336751
  

 

Don't forget to add in the windchilll from a moving boat...

Edited April 10, 2016 by xlxo

[skrapngal]

We did an Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver May 14-21 2014 and the weather was FABULOUS!!! Capris out of Vancouver (including on our balcony) and light pants everywhere else!!

[LEtue]

And I have cruised twice in May (3rd or 4th weeks) and had bad weather both times. Never warm enough for shorts and it rained some each day. We did manage to take the coats off one day and were fine in short sleeves though.

 

From year to year - you just never know. Last year we sailed south from Whittier to Vancouver on August 29 and had the best weather of any Alaska cruise yet. That trip I could have used my shorts!

[Lizzie68]

We did an Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver May 14-21 2014 and the weather was FABULOUS!!! Capris out of Vancouver (including on our balcony) and light pants everywhere else!!

 

Yes, 2014 was amazing weather here and in Alaska! It was something like 28 celcius in Anchorage in early May. Weather forecasts and projections in the Pacific Northwest mean absolutely nothing, LOL.

[Budget Queen]

Early May, can indeed be too "early" depending on what YOU want to do? So I suggest you take a strong look at that and figure that out first. I, overall, don't consider prior to mid May. I go every year starting around that time. BUT- for my mainland touring I am always there in June with a May cruise that only goes northbound. :)

 

I just don't find the kids "thinking" valid. Alaska is not overrun with kids and it's an irrelevant reason to avoid other dates.

[CowPrincess]

Budget Queen! Welcome back, nice to "see" you :)

[K.T.B.]

I've sailed the first sailing of the year in early May and I've sailed late July/early August. Temps and weather were essentially the same for me on both cruises. On both cruises it rained on the "sea day" and in the morning when we were in Skagway (3rd day of cruise for both). The temps were slightly higher on land (upper 60's) than on water (mid to upper 40's).

 

You just never know when it comes to the weather in Alaska. Overall though, we really had very decent weather.

[Budget Queen]

Budget Queen! Welcome back, nice to "see" you :)

 

Who, nice of you to say. :) Thank you.

 

I was on the NCL Sun for 4 weeks.

[LEtue]

Who, nice of you to say. :) Thank you.

 

I was on the NCL Sun for 4 weeks.

 

Wow! I knew you had to be on a cruise and yes, welcome home!

 

Time to get ready for Alaska :D

[GradUT]

Thanks to all who replied. The links from Xlxo were particularly enlightening.

[rvorcruise]

I've done a lot of reading here and in tour books and we have decided that May 2017 would've a good time for us to cruise to Alaska. The main reasons are: 1) Fewer children and families, 2) good prices and, perhaps most importantly, 3) there's a good amount of sunshine but less rain than in later months.

 

The weather this Spring is breaking all-time records for warmth regularly, so "normal" temperatures for early May are pretty much meaningless. Daily highs in Skagway are already into the mid-50s, with little rain.

 

While Alaska as a whole doesn't get inundated with kids, certain ships do, and the Coral Princess was one of those when I did back-to-backs on her. There were few families on the June 12 northbound, but my journal for the June 19 southbound notes that "This sailing is completely sold out, as was the northbound - the ship holds 1,970 people with double occupancy but there are many families with triples and quads on this sailing." and "This is by far the youngest crowd I've seen on a cruise. There are lots of young families, hundreds of kids and hundreds of people in their 20s."

Edited April 12, 2016 by rvorcruise

[xlxo]

The links from Xlxo were particularly enlightening.

Those links are not historic temperatures.... but what's forecasted for the upcoming month...

 

Keep checking those links as you get closer to your cruise date. Accuweather is one of few services willing to give a 6 week forecast.... but continues to refine for accuracy closer to your important dates.

 

Just because you see rain.... does not mean rain for 24hours... there will be breaks. As others have stated.... there's still some guesswork.

Edited April 12, 2016 by xlxo

[adj4545]

 

While Alaska as a whole doesn't get inundated with kids, certain ships do, and the Coral Princess was one of those when I did back-to-backs on her. There were few families on the June 12 northbound, but my journal for the June 19 southbound notes that "This sailing is completely sold out, as was the northbound - the ship holds 1,970 people with double occupancy but there are many families with triples and quads on this sailing." and "This is by far the youngest crowd I've seen on a cruise. There are lots of young families, hundreds of kids and hundreds of people in their 20s."

 

Interesting...we will be on the Coral Princess northbound leaving June 11th this year and were worried that there wouldn't be any kids (ours are 11 and 15). Weird that there was such a difference between the NB and SB.