Best time to visit Alaska?

[fudge]

Hi Everyone,

Can someone please tell me when is the best time to visit Alaska please?  My TA has sent me details of cruises on the Silver Muse May or August 2023. 

 

Thank you in anticipation.

[fudgbug]

We've been to Alaska 4 times.  July 1996 when there was a lot of snow on the mountains and burgy bits in the water around the zodiacs.  Our next trip was June 2004 with less snow on the mountains and no burgy bits.  June 2005 there was even less snow on the mountains.  Our last rip to Alaska was July 2008....

 

IMHO I'd go in May.

[Capri73]

I work out with a gal who lives in Alaska during the summer.She recommends end of June.Not sure that helps.

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

If you want to see bears, July would be better.  [We went in June and the salmon hadn't started running in the streams yet, so the bears were still dispersed in the woods.]

 

If you want lots of advice, post this question in the Alaska forum:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/33-alaska/

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

If you want to see bears, July would be better.  [We went in June and the salmon hadn't started running in the streams yet, so the bears were still dispersed in the woods.]

 

I agree.  Being able to see the salmon running and jumping in person was an interesting experience for me.  

[fudgbug]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

If you want to see bears, July would be better.  [We went in June and the salmon hadn't started running in the streams yet, so the bears were still dispersed in the woods.]

 

If you want lots of advice, post this question in the Alaska forum:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/33-alaska/

You are right!  I forgot about the bears and salmon.  

[RetiredandTravel]

My concern with July/August in Alaska has always been that there are many children.  Am I mistaken?

[Fortunate2]

 

2 hours ago, RetiredandTravel said:

My concern with July/August in Alaska has always been that there are many children.  Am I mistaken?

 

I believe you're likely correct.  We were on the Silver Muse, 10 days, 17 June 2019 and there were a dozen or so very well behaved grandchildren however, the crew was bracing for close to 70 kids the following cruise and the general feeling was it was going to be challenging.  Extra event crew were being brought on board to help with daily activities.  

 

[fudgbug]

4 hours ago, RetiredandTravel said:

My concern with July/August in Alaska has always been that there are many children.  Am I mistaken?

No, you are not mistaken.

[fudge]

Thanks to everybody who replied, very much appreciated.

[rosepark]

May I make a case for early September? We went on the last Alaska cruise of the season which didn't go as far up as Juneau but we had the most wonderful black bear encounters at a salmon hatchery. Otters, orcas, whales, eagles,  one or two brown bear ( at a safe distance) and no mozzies. As we sailed away from Wrangell, the shore crew called to the ship's crew " Bye , see you next year" which struck me as a rather poignant sign that a long, dark, cold winter was about to set in.

The weather was  reasonable,  the light was good and the crowds were bearable.

RP

[Unibok]

Hi fudge,

I've been twice: August 2009 and May 2019. As others have mentioned, there are pros and cons to any one time, as the weather and wildlife have rhythms that shift throughout the season. 

 

For me, the weather was better in May -- more sunny days, higher visibility from everywhere, smaller crowds, fewer kids (love 'em, but not in large numbers on my cruises). BUT we were too early for the salmon run. Bears are possible throughout the season if your guide knows where to look, so the lack of salmon doesn't necessarily mean no bear sightings; you just have to work a little harder. Our pilot knew right where to go, and we got sooooooo close for some beautiful photographs and a breathless experience.

 

In August, salmon were still running (flying, leaping, hurling) and even though it was past peak, it was a spectacular sight. BUT our floatplane excursion was cancelled due to safety concerns with the low visibility so we missed out on that. 

 

If I had to choose now, I'd return in May again.

 

No matter when you go, though, Alaska is a magical and marvelous place. 

 

 

[RachelG]

We have been to Alaska 12 + times in May, June, July, August and Sept.  We have actually seen at least one bear each trip.  Weather will be variable any time you go.  We have had warm, almost hot sunny days in both May and Sept, but we have been snowed on in July.  Lots of mosquitos in early summer--they seem to calm down in September.   More kids in summer of course. But just go.  Alaska is wonderful. 

[fudge]

Thank you everyone for your very informative replies. I can always rely on Cruise Critic to come up with all the answers.

[DCPIV]

We've been in early/mid June and also in late July/early August.  There really isn't a bad time during the Summer.  Weather will be what it will be--that's Alaska for you.  June is more likely to be a little cooler and it might be a little drier, but the July/August visit also turned out to be more like one would expect in Hawaii than Alaska!

 

The bottom line is that all three trips we've had to Alaska during the Summer have been magical.  Wildlife is around all the time.  Some are more present earlier in the Summer due to cooler weather, and others are more present later (such as the bears when the salmon are running).  Whales and orca will be around all Summer.  As interesting as it is to see the salmon run and bears going after them, there's plenty to do and see beyond that.

 

That said, the best time to go see salmon run is late July.  That's typically when all 5 species are running.

 

You have a better chance of avoiding kids and large crowds if you go in May or September, but you may very well be trading off other goodies for that.