Heading to Alaska

[squirreljf]

Please forgive me if this is in the wrong section.  I'm planning on taking a cruise to Alaska this summer.  I'm looking for some feedback, I have searched the internet for top things to see and do but I want to hear from anyone that might have other ideas or unique experiences that might not make other "top 10 lists".  Also, if you want to recommend a cruise line or anything else to help me get started.  I will be flying from the east coast out to west coast then jumping on a boat.  I haven't pick out anything yet but planning on a 6-7 day cruise.  I know I want to see the Northern Lights and have read that its best to go toward the end of summer.  The Yukon Rail looks really cool as does the Inside Passage.  Any feedback is extremely appreciated.  We are getting some nasty weather here today so I have time to spend searching stuff out today and that's pretty much what I'm doing all day.

[Kevin's girl]

1 hour ago, squirreljf said:

Please forgive me if this is in the wrong section.  I'm planning on taking a cruise to Alaska this summer.  I'm looking for some feedback, I have searched the internet for top things to see and do but I want to hear from anyone that might have other ideas or unique experiences that might not make other "top 10 lists".  Also, if you want to recommend a cruise line or anything else to help me get started.  I will be flying from the east coast out to west coast then jumping on a boat.  I haven't pick out anything yet but planning on a 6-7 day cruise.  I know I want to see the Northern Lights and have read that its best to go toward the end of summer.  The Yukon Rail looks really cool as does the Inside Passage.  Any feedback is extremely appreciated.  We are getting some nasty weather here today so I have time to spend searching stuff out today and that's pretty much what I'm doing all day.

Welcome to Cruise Critic and yes you have posted in the right place. There is a wealth of info here for Alaska. You may find it helpful to read through the cruise reviews at the top of the Alaska section. These will help you make a list of things you want to see most and maybe a few things to avoid. 

We did our first Alaska cruise in September of 2018 from Seattle. It was a 7 night Inside Passage cruise on Celebrity Solstice. The ship was wonderful and our weather was great offering fantastic views. Northern lights viewing is hit or miss but waiting up for them to show was a highlight of our cruise.

If you have specific questions, ask away 🙂

[mapleleaves]

Since you're in research mode ..... read thru some of the trip reports posted near the top of this forum.  Many of the reports are quite detailed with info about the ship, the ports, activities, excursions, DIY options and the vendors they used.  Their first hand experiences will be very useful to you. 

I always recommend a cruise that starts in Vancouver.  You'll sail between the BC mainland and Vanc Island which is more scenic and the waters are more sheltered.  Sailings from Seattle go on the west side of Vanc Island so it's basically open sea.  Vanc is only 150 miles north of Seattle with many options to travel there.

 

And here's a long list of helpful resources :

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2639556-2019-resources-for-planning-a-visit-to-alaska/

 

 

Have fun with your research and planning !

[martincath]

The fact you want to see the Northern Lights, but only spend 6-7 days, makes me immediately want to say that maybe you shouldn't cruise at all (no AK cruises <7 days except a very, very small number of odd repos at start/end of season so that ships which are to be based in Seattle can legally get there; the aurora needs dark skies so odds of seeing it are vastly superior in winter than summer - being based on land, in winter, away from big city lights will give you the best chance). There are specific Aurora trips available to the Yukon and Alaska in winter, flying in and getting you to middle-of-nowhere accommodations.

 

If you have more time for cruising, then a one-way in Sep from Vancouver northbound extending your time after in AK seems like the best fit for all your requests - those sail up the full Inside Passage, mostly visit Skagway for the train, and would then have you in AK late in the season with dark skies at night.

 

[Canuker]

"Yukon Rail"? Tick.

"Inside Passage"? Tick (though much of it may be transited in darkness).

"Northern Lights"? No. Please don't go expecting to see them. You may well be disappointed, either that they didn't appear at all or weren't the big show that you expected. And, unless you start the cruise in Anchorage, a 7-day round-trip cruise isn't going to go too far north (Juneau is around the same latitude as Edinburgh). If you see them at all, call it a bonus.

Edited January 19, 2020 by Canuker

[masterdrago]

We are looking to make another trip to Alaska late summer 2021 and the Northern Lights are definitely on our bucket list. Like Canuker says, consider it a bonus. Right now we are at the bottom of the solar cycle so activity that produces them is very low. However, they are being seen. In Fairbanks, in -40 degree weather, on clear nights. https://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=158765

 

There are some tours in March but the weather prospects are very poor in Alaska then.