Jump to content

Alaska in May?


tammymacb
 Share

Recommended Posts

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?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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

20170516_095104.jpg.558d54bae5a4d42c7215797409bd85dc.jpg

20170516_095109.jpg.aaf7a30cfe28c67849894c528f69e184.jpg

20170516_095117.jpg.2bd1f40c76157c4ba42d6ac0f7b639c5.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • 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...