Duck season? Wabbit season? Alaska season! How are the seas so far?

[SwimCarrie]

Hi cruise lovers! Has anyone been to Alaska this season yet? How were the seas and what ship were you on? Looking forward to our trip back to Alaska in 20 days!

Edited May 1, 2017 by SwimCarrie
updates

[Old As Dirt Mom]

The Alaska cruise season just started. The first HAL ships to reach Alaska are Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam (today). You'll have to wait until the first group returns this weekend to post your questions:D

[donaldsc]

The Alaska cruise season just started. The first HAL ships to reach Alaska are Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam (today). You'll have to wait until the first group returns this weekend to post your questions:D

 

And any data about the seas will be meaningless for when the OP will be traveling.

 

DON

[SwimCarrie]

Guess I'm so excited, I'm a week early!!!

 

About it not being the same when I go, I just wanted to get an idea. You can keep your negativity out of my daydreams. ;)

[Old As Dirt Mom]

And any data about the seas will be meaningless for when the OP will be traveling.

 

DON

 

You are correct:)

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Guess I'm so excited, I'm a week early!!!

 

About it not being the same when I go, I just wanted to get an idea. You can keep your negativity out of my daydreams. ;)

 

Ok, then, it'll be smooth, sunny, and warm. :DWill that work for your day dreams?;)

 

Have a great time!

[SwimCarrie]

Now THAT's what I'm talking about!!! Thanks. :D

[styles27]

Hi, We will be sailing on Eurodam this coming Saturday and I'll try to post updates when we're in port if I can get a cell signal.

 

There's a cool app called Windytv that a cc member told me about. You can enter in the Seattle/Alaska route and it shows what the seas, wind and weather are like today and the forecast for 7 days out. (When you first enter the location you want it automatically shows winds...just touch on the word winds and a drop down menu will appear and you can choose "waves". Then wherever you click on the route it will show you how many feet the waves are.

 

I've been watching it the last couple of weeks and the seas have calmed down quite a bit. A few weeks ago they were holding steady at anywhere from 10-15' on our outbound route but the last few days they're much calmer at 5-7'. Hoping it stays that way.

 

Our first sea day may be a little choppy because we are sailing the open waters but once we get close to Juneau and the rest of the week it will be much more calm.

 

But, if you get a chance download the app and see what you think. :)

[styles27]

Here's a link to Windytv...you don't have to download the app you can just go to Windytv.com

 

https://www.windy.com/?waves,48.384,-124.387,8,m:e0FacFL

[Sequim88]

Windytv.tv tips...

 

Use scroll wheel on mouse (if you have one) to zoom in and out.

 

Tools bar at right to view different things and some have a smaller tool bar at bottom for selecting data options like filtering for wave heights. Beware on wend and temperature because bottom scroll bar select altitude for the data and often is not Surface.

 

 

Clicking on a spot will show conditions at that spot

 

There is a timeline at the bottom with a "Play" button to see future times period forecasts.

 

Most of the data seems to be from the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) models but you can also select Global Forecast System (GFS) or North American Mesoscale (NAM) models.

 

The scale guide at the bottom for temps and speed can be clicked on to change to/from metric. For pressure the default is hPa (HectoPascals) which is about the same as millibars but if you want inches that's there too.

 

Right now a HUGE low pressure center in the Gulf of Alaska is stirring things up good out there with 40 mph wind and 17 ft waves. Cruises starting and ending in Seward are in for rough trip across the Gulf at the moment.

[1of4]

Another vote for windytv.com. You can see all water bodies and monitor the waves. But nothing is a guarantee for what the conditions will be when you sail so just enjoy whatever the sea condition.

[styles27]

Windytv.tv tips...

 

Use scroll wheel on mouse (if you have one) to zoom in and out.

 

Tools bar at right to view different things and some have a smaller tool bar at bottom for selecting data options like filtering for wave heights. Beware on wend and temperature because bottom scroll bar select altitude for the data and often is not Surface.

 

 

Clicking on a spot will show conditions at that spot

 

There is a timeline at the bottom with a "Play" button to see future times period forecasts.

 

Most of the data seems to be from the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) models but you can also select Global Forecast System (GFS) or North American Mesoscale (NAM) models.

 

The scale guide at the bottom for temps and speed can be clicked on to change to/from metric. For pressure the default is hPa (HectoPascals) which is about the same as millibars but if you want inches that's there too.

 

Right now a HUGE low pressure center in the Gulf of Alaska is stirring things up good out there with 40 mph wind and 17 ft waves. Cruises starting and ending in Seward are in for rough trip across the Gulf at the moment.

 

 

Thank you Sequim88 you explain it much better than I! You were the cc member that turned me on to Windytv and I'm hooked now! :)

 

 

A CC member that is on Eurodam right now posted on my thread (Is Eurodam to Alaska a new itinerary) and she said they had very rough seas the first night and first sea day this past Sunday...a lot of passengers were sick and the ship sold out of all motion sickness meds. I hope things settle down by this weekend.

[JVilleGal]

Too early to tell anything about what's going on with Alaska sailings!

 

 

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[Sequim88]

For the more technically inclined the NOAA Ocean Prediction Center has some nice maps that go three days out. Consulting just before leaving gives an idea of the first part of a cruise anyway.

 

NOAA OPC Charts

 

That bad boy south of Prince William Sound is pretty easy to see. :eek: Wave predictions also are there at the bottom.

[vicd1969]

For the more technically inclined the NOAA Ocean Prediction Center has some nice maps that go three days out. Consulting just before leaving gives an idea of the first part of a cruise anyway.

 

NOAA OPC Charts

 

That bad boy south of Prince William Sound is pretty easy to see. :eek: Wave predictions also are there at the bottom.

 

Great link. The 96-hour chart does show a lot of blue (I'm guessing blue means more frequent waves) off SE Alaska. The Atlantic version shows a lot of blue off FLL as well.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

The Eurodam had to cancel Sitka today (May 3), due to stormy weather and 23 foot seas, according to this post:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=52983686&postcount=23

[styles27]

The Eurodam had to cancel Sitka today (May 3), due to stormy weather and 23 foot seas, according to this post:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=52983686&postcount=23

 

 

Wow not good. I'm a little nervous now...I thought this would be a pretty calm itinerary once we got to Juneau.:(

[JVilleGal]

Wow not good. I'm a little nervous now...I thought this would be a pretty calm itinerary once we got to Juneau.:(

Normally is but this is very very early in the season and conditions will be (and can be) a crap shoot!

[styles27]

Normally is but this is very very early in the season and conditions will be (and can be) a crap shoot!

 

Ugh....and here I was thinking May was a dry month in Alaska. Actually that's what the reps at the travel show told us and they lived in Alaska. Now I'm thinking they just wanted us to book the cruise. lol

[Old As Dirt Mom]

It's been a long, gloomy winter and spring this year on the West coast (make that wet coast, haha). And cruising to Alaska departing late April, as JVilleGal says, is VERY early in the season. May typically is one of the dryer months, and I'm hopeful for next week's travelers that the weather and seas will have calmed by then.

[styles27]

It's been a long, gloomy winter and spring this year on the West coast (make that wet coast, haha). And cruising to Alaska departing late April, as JVilleGal says, is VERY early in the season. May typically is one of the dryer months, and I'm hopeful for next week's travelers that the weather and seas will have calmed by then.

 

Same here as far as wet and gloomy on the East coast...last week we had almost 3" of rain in a 48 hour period and we're just starting to see the buds turn to leaves. It's a couple weeks behind for sure.

 

I remember my mom used to tell us to hang our rosary beads out our bedroom window so it wouldn't rain on our wedding day...I wonder if that works for cruises as well.;p

 

The Windytv site isn't really showing this storm that JHDub is telling us about. It's saying 4-8' waves, unless I'm looking at the wrong thing which is entirely possible. lol

[JVilleGal]

Ugh....and here I was thinking May was a dry month in Alaska. Actually that's what the reps at the travel show told us and they lived in Alaska. Now I'm thinking they just wanted us to book the cruise. lol

 

 

Well I am from Alaska and am cruising June 10 to visit family and attend my HS Reunion. May can be good and May can be a mushy mess. But wait 5 min and it's sure to change! Bring your Fleece Jacket a knit hat, sunglasses & sunscreen. Bring all that and you'll be set!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Old As Dirt Mom]

And bring your rosary, just in case:D

[JVilleGal]

And bring your rosary, just in case:D

LOL! I'd go dunk them in Holy Water for good measure :)

[styles27]

LOL I'm definitely packing them...I'm not above hanging them on the chair of my balcony. (My mom is now rolling in her grave):')

 

Thank you for all of your great input! It's especially nice to hear from people who live on the west coast or Alaska.