Late May vs. Early July

[Gatordad815]

Hi all! We are in the early phases of planning an Alaska cruise for 2021 (round trip Seattle) and we are considering itineraries that either go over Memorial Day weekend (which is late in 2021) or 4th of July weekend. I’ve real a LOT on here about Alaska cruises.  It seems to me that generally speaking, May has a higher likelihood of being cooler and drier, while July has a higher likelihood of being warmer and rainier. Is that correct?  Of course I realize weather is unpredictable....

 

Would you experienced Alaska cruisers recommend one of these holiday weekends over the other?  We are a family of 4 and our kids will be 6 and 8 at the time, if it makes a difference. Any input appreciated!

[martincath]

RT cruise means issues like not being able to get far into Denali on a tour in May are irrelevant; July does mean you could take a bear tour flightseeing trip which you couldn't in May (bears are awake in May, but until the big salmon runs they're not so easily found - but if you are visiting ISP you could take a much-cheaper land-based bear tour on either date). Otherwise your wildlife experiences on both would be comparable. You'd have slightly more daylight in July, but late May still offers very long days so unless you planned to be out at close to 11pm that's pretty much a wash.

 

So for me, May is better because a) less busy in the ports; b) looks more stereotypically Alaskan (pretty much guaranteed to have snow on mountains all over the place); c) generally cheaper, so better value; d) better chance of snow-requiring tours like dogsleds being operational. Dryer vs Warmer - meh, you need to pack layers regardless of when you go, and as Floridians I'm sure you must already have at least one decently-waterproof thin jacket unless you're all totally indoor people 😉

 

Unless a floatplane and bear viewing is on your bucket list, in which case obviously July.

 

Go Gators!

 

[Coral]

I have gone over Memorial day several times and 4th of July 2x.

 

I have always had good luck in May/first of June. The worst weather we had was highs of 40's in May.

 

My (2) 4th of July's were night and day from each other. First one was super cold, super foggy, rainy and sometimes the rain had ice pellets and it hurt when it hit my face. We couldn't see anything on the ship or train due to fog. It was miserable. Several years later I went and it was super hot and I wore shorts the entire time.

 

I still like May because I love to see the snow on the mountains. I would choose Memorial Day (and have many times.

 

Alaska - expect anything.

 

If you want bears - I would go after mid-July. Both times, I was there over the 4th, the salmon were not running yet. Luckily I have seen bears on each trip to Alaska - you just have to keep a look out for them.

Edited January 7, 2020 by Coral

[hrslvr142]

Coral:

Thanks for your experiences...we were thinking about July 4, 2021 due to it being our anniversary (actually 7/5)...we would love to see bears for sure, love the snow as well.  

 

More to think about...thanks again. 

 

Char

[Gatordad815]

Thanks for the feedback-very helpful! Given the lower crowds/lower cost, I’m leaning towards Memorial Day. There’s no way to know when booking what the weather will be like, and we don’t have our hearts set on any specific wildlife experiences, so the bear season won’t be a determining factor for us. I appreciate the help!