Alaska in May?

[tammymacb]

I'm booked up until then..We're doing our first Princess cruise in August in the British Isles. In 2018 we'll be in St John for two weeks. 2019 will be a week on St John and something else. I'm considering an Alaska cruise in May. Will it be too cold or are there any problems sailing in May I should be aware of?

[Colo Cruiser]

I'm booked up until then..We're doing our first Princess cruise in August in the British Isles. In 2018 we'll be in St John for two weeks. 2019 will be a week on St John and something else. I'm considering an Alaska cruise in May. Will it be too cold or are there any problems sailing in May I should be aware of?

 

There is no way to tell what the weather will be.

Alaska and Colorado. Wait 10 minutes and the weather will change.

Be prepared for anything. We have sailed to Alaska in all 5 sailing months and have had snow/freezing rain/rain/hail/75 degrees/sunburn etc etc.

The key to clothing is layers layers layers.

[cruzrbachoua]

I'm booked up until then..We're doing our first Princess cruise in August in the British Isles. In 2018 we'll be in St John for two weeks. 2019 will be a week on St John and something else. I'm considering an Alaska cruise in May. Will it be too cold or are there any problems sailing in May I should be aware of?

 

I have heard that if you are doing a land tour that if you go in early season that part of the Tundra tour or others could either be limited or closed if they haven't cleared the snow off. Have also read that it is sometimes the first time for that team of crew members to be together for the season and service has been off...again that is something I heard and we have only sailed so far in September ...2nd to last of the season we had a fabulous crew with fabulous service and weather....until we got to Vancouver and then it rained.

[tammymacb]

I've considered fall also. I just don't want to do back to back months.

[riclop]

I'm booked up until then..We're doing our first Princess cruise in August in the British Isles. In 2018 we'll be in St John for two weeks. 2019 will be a week on St John and something else. I'm considering an Alaska cruise in May. Will it be too cold or are there any problems sailing in May I should be aware of?

Very chilly.

[Bill B]

I've seen beautiful weather in May and week of solid rain in July. Alaska weather is always a gamble; that's why I like to do BTBs (if one week is bad, the chances are you'll have some good weather during the other).

[DreamingOfWater]

I just got back a few days ago from Alaska (cruise only). There was only one night with horrible fog (which was annoying since we really wanted to see the MUTS that night), but we couldn't hear the fog horn in our room on deck 8. There was another night with choppy water. Land wise, there was some light sprinkles of rain but otherwise it was light jacket weather. Mind you, I'm Canadian so 'light jacket weather' should be taken with a grain of salt, there were tons of Aussies with parka-like coats on every day.

[sfaaa]

Some of the best Alaska cruise deals are in May.

[A&Jfamily]

Very chilly.

 

Not necessarily true. We did our Alaska cruise Memorial day week. They repeatedly told us that we had some of the best weather possible. While we had clouds, it never rained. The highs were into the 60's. By mid to late morning, we were in shirt sleeves and jeans each of the port day, though we had started out with a layer or two on top. The Carcross desert was sunny and quite warm. Walking back to the ship in Skagway I was in a full sweat!

 

Of course, underway and doing Tracy Arm, we were in coats and gloves.

 

OP - I didn't look where you were from, but we are East Coast. I think because Alaska is very moist, the humidity made it feel warmer than the same temperature at home. I am usually not a short sleeves girl in the 60's.

[tammymacb]

I'm from Charleston, SC. So it was 92 and muggy today before the rains started. I know I'll be cold. Norway was cold and it was my favorite trip to date. I just wanted to make sure there wouldn't be big problems with Alaska in May.

[deliver42]

I just came back from Alaska, the inside passage, and we had fabulous weather. Temps inthe upper 50's and lower to mid 60's Juno was 66 egrees. Except for fog one morning, it was partly cloudy every day. The cruise before us had rain everyday.No one can tell.

[Potstech]

Have done two Alaska cruises in May and the weather was mostly nice. There were cold and windy and rainy days to contend with but overall waether was acceptable for us. Be prepared with layers for all sorts of weather. Do bot forget the sunblock and insect repellant. Yes you will need both. Enjoy what ever cruise you decide to take.

[A&Jfamily]

I'm from Charleston, SC. So it was 92 and muggy today before the rains started. I know I'll be cold. Norway was cold and it was my favorite trip to date. I just wanted to make sure there wouldn't be big problems with Alaska in May.

 

As others have said, you could have 40's and rain, or nice 60's as many of us have reported. Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best. Cold or not, this is a fantastic trip. And let me emphasize again - a balcony is a MUST for this trip - and the 9x9 Caribe that is half covered is wonderful. You always have the option to go up top, but to have your own view is priceless.

[tammymacb]

As others have said, you could have 40's and rain, or nice 60's as many of us have reported. Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best. Cold or not, this is a fantastic trip. And let me emphasize again - a balcony is a MUST for this trip - and the 9x9 Caribe that is half covered is wonderful. You always have the option to go up top, but to have your own view is priceless.

 

Absolutely. I paid a small fortune for our balcony in Norway (DCL's first cruise in Norway) but it was worth every penny. I would not do a cruise like that without a balcony.

[towhee]

We've sailed Alaska in May, June, July, and August. May is usually a great time to sail. Usually the weather has turned to "summer" and the weather is in the 50's and 60's. Last week we had sun all but one day and on that day it started sprinkling about an hour before we sailed. As others have said, the weather can be anything, so bring layers. In the past it's been 75 and sunny in Juneau in May and 34 and snowing in Juneau in July. One advantage to May is that the mosquitoes haven't started being pesky if you choose to do a land tour as well as the cruise.

[nini]

We have gone in June, July, August, and September; really all the same. However, we did see the Northern Lights when we did it at the end of August. You never know about the weather in Alaska. It is a fabulous place to cruise!

[easyboy]

We were in Alaska on a month of May 3 years ago. The weather was fine. Just about the same spring time temps here in the northeast.

[cruisincdns]

DW and I returned this past Saturday, May 20th from a 7-night Inside Passage return from Vancouver which included Sitka and Glacier Bay on the Emerald Princess. We had spectacular weather. Sunny in Sitka (13C-55F), spectacular brilliant blue skies in Glacier Bay (18C-65F), sunny in Juneau (16C-61F) and light drizzle in Ketchikan (12C-54F) but cleared up in the afternoon. Have heard that May and June are the best months for weather for the Inside Passage voyages. We chose this itinerary due to the stop in Sitka. Definitely worth visiting. We did the southbound Voyage of the Glaciers on the Sapphire Princess in September 2008 when we had horribly weather. Rain almost every day so this cruise last week was a God send. Here are some pictures of the Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay.

 

Paul

[Bill B]

We have gone in June, July, August, and September; really all the same. However, we did see the Northern Lights when we did it at the end of August.

 

That's nice... but the northern lights have nothing to do with the time of year.

[cruisequeen4ever]

Early to mid May is generally colder but late May can be very nice. That said, weather can be very volatile and hard to predict here. Today we had sun and 55 degrees, and tomorrow it's supposed to be 49 and pouring rain. Our weekly forecast for this week has literally changed every day. Regardless, you can enjoy Alaska!

 

 

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[Green4me]

Awesome glacier pics Cruisincds

 

Thanks!