Alaska 7 day Seattle round trip September 13, 2020

[Sail & Rail Fan]

Has anyone sailed in September to Alaska?  Any pros and cons would be greatly appreciated.  

[mapleleaves]

 

Weather in the Pacific Northwest/ Alaska  is always a crapshoot. but after mid August you run the risk of a Fall storm and they can be brutal .... heavy rain, strong wind, cold temperatures.  My trips (land) are always in August and I only  get a couple of dry days.  Not to say you could have sunny, warm weather BUT be aware of the risk.  That weather is also why flightseeing trips are frequently cancelled.  And after mid Aug some of the heli dog sled camps close down due to lack of snow on the lower elevations. 

 

There are many trip reports posted above.  This particular one is a late season. Read the synopsis on page 2.

 

[Crew News]

3 hours ago, Sail & Rail Fan said:

Has anyone sailed in September to Alaska?  Any pros and cons would be greatly appreciated.  

 

Pros:  Cheaper prices for cruises when kids are in school.  Good first cruise to learn what you missed and can experience the next time you go to Alaska.  Might see bears near salmon creeks.

 

Cons:  Early sunset makes daylight short which translates to shorter excursion time.  Rain.  Rain.  Rain.

[coastcat]

On 12/5/2019 at 11:46 AM, Sail & Rail Fan said:

Has anyone sailed in September to Alaska?  Any pros and cons would be greatly appreciated.  

Be prepared for the weather - don't pack until as late as possible so you can check the forecast. Always assume drizzle in the Pacific Northwest, although it's usually just drizzle/mist (aka "Seattle sunshine") rather than real rain.

 

I sailed out of Seattle on September 22 (NCL Bliss), hit very rough seas on day 1, and then little bad weather of note afterward. It was beautiful in Ketchikan when we arrived, but if I recall correctly, the prior week's sailing had to skip the port due to high winds. Morning in Skagway was pleasant and sunny (I wore a light hoodie), but I had to head back to the ship for a heavier coat for the afternoon. So yes, it's a crap shoot every single day. You'll need the big suitcase.

 

If you're booking excursions which may be weather dependent (like helicopter sightseeing), keep alternatives in mind if the weather causes cancellations.

 

The pro is the price, of course, plus there smaller crowds at the ports. Less competition for the outdoor pools and hot tubs, too! If you're lucky, higher elevations may already have snow and that makes the scenery just a bit more gorgeous.

[LadyMac72]

I booked ours in September 2020 (Seattle to Vancouver, starting the 17th) because the price was great, there would be fewer kids on board and the weather cool (BF is a bit heat intolerant).  What I am seeing is that I've been booking private excursions and a couple stop running their tours the week or so before we go.  Couldn't book Jayleen's so went with Harv and Marv in Juneau.  But I am confident we will have a great time - we'll bundle up, bring rain gear and pack our flexibility.  

[katrina915]

I have done 2 mid Septembers.  One was sunny and the other had quite a bit of rain.  Nothing we did was cancelled but we didn't do helicopter excursions.  Ports are still busy- just as many ships in September as July nowadays.

 

Sales on merchandise- I got a great price on rain pants, hats, etc.