Alaska Cruise - Best dates for adults interested in scenery and wildlife

[webbtj]

We are planning to take the DCL Alaska cruise in 2017 or 2018. What are usually the best cruise dates for good weather, glacier scenery and sea wildlife viewing? We would like a balcony room. Any suggestions for best views? Best excursions for adults? Thanks in advance for your advice.

 

[Aby]

We have taken three cruises to Alaska with DCL, all in mid August, and we thought the weather was overall fabulous. Of course, we had some rain and bad days, but I'd go again that time of year in a heartbeat. If you are looking for an excursion to see bears, I highly recommmend the Neets Bay Bear Watch By Floatplane - we got some great up close and personal photos of black bears. Alternatively, if you are looking for something very unique, Ketchikan also has the Mountain Point Snorkeling which was amazingly fun!

As far as cabins go, we love the Navigators Verandah category 7a - the balconies are enclosed so you have some extra protection on the sides from the chilly air. Port or starboard doesn't really matter, but I prefer aft because it's a quick hop up to the drink station.

I have a trip report from our last cruise, adults only if you are interested in reading:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/to...-wonder-with-four-adults-august-2016.3560012/

Hope this helps!

Aby

 

[jdb in AZ]

We also like August. A lot of schools are back in session, so fewer kids cruising. The salmon will be swimming upstream to spawn, so more bears will be fishing for them. The Alaskan Fireweed with its bright pink flowers will be in bloom, signaling the end of summer.

 

[webbtj]

We have taken three cruises to Alaska with DCL, all in mid August, and we thought the weather was overall fabulous. Of course, we had some rain and bad days, but I'd go again that time of year in a heartbeat. If you are looking for an excursion to see bears, I highly recommmend the Neets Bay Bear Watch By Floatplane - we got some great up close and personal photos of black bears. Alternatively, if you are looking for something very unique, Ketchikan also has the Mountain Point Snorkeling which was amazingly fun!

As far as cabins go, we love the Navigators Verandah category 7a - the balconies are enclosed so you have some extra protection on the sides from the chilly air. Port or starboard doesn't really matter, but I prefer aft because it's a quick hop up to the drink station.

I have a trip report from our last cruise, adults only if you are interested in reading:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/to...-wonder-with-four-adults-august-2016.3560012/

Hope this helps!

Aby

Great trip report Aby. You gave me some good ideas for excursions and a better feel for what the cruise will be like for a couple.

Thanks,

Jamie

 

[webbtj]

We also like August. A lot of schools are back in session, so fewer kids cruising. The salmon will be swimming upstream to spawn, so more bears will be fishing for them. The Alaskan Fireweed with its bright pink flowers will be in bloom, signaling the end of summer.

August sounds great. I didn't think of flowers in bloom on an Alaskan cruise. That would be a nice bonus.

Thanks,

Jamie

 

[xlxo]

Cold vs warm vs wet vs dry vs wildlife vs fireworks

• May and September is cheaper, but colder and some excursions are not running. Some like these months as you can do back 2 back cruise getting to/from Alaska.
• May can mean ice congestion to some glacier viewing sites like Tracy Arm/Sawyer. Ice in some years can go into July! In 2016.... it was mid-August before ships went to Tracy Arm.
• May to July is dryer in Alaska, August will see more rain and September will be wettest. If too stormy to dock.... cruise ships will skip the port.
• July to August will be dryer in Cascadia
• May to August will give you more day light
• August and September offer better wildlife opportunities with bears and salmon
• August starts to get statistically wet.... with storms more likely in September to fill the Ketchikan rain gauge
• I like late-July for weather compromise and wildlife. It's also priced higher. Check out the climate chart on this page... http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/juneau/alaska/united-states/usak0116
• some ports offer seasonal opportunities like fireworks and pride celebrations, but can also mean congestion on those popular days.
• http://www.alaska.org/advice/best-time-to-visit-alaska => it recommends mid-June to mid-July!

What type of wildlife encounters are you after? The mosquito's are Zika free, The salmon are jumping in early August. Otherwise the Red Onion offers some action.

After 2 trips to Alaska on the second week hitting rain..... my future trips will be late July. I prefer dry weather for my excursions.

 

[NancyIL]

I think you will find prices for DCL's 2017 Alaska cruises to be quite high, with limited balcony availability. If it were me, I'd book Alaska for 2018 as soon as it is available to be booked.

I've cruised to Alaska in May (Princess), June (Princess), July (HAL), and August (HAL), and I'll return in May this year (RCI). Our June 4-11 cruise had the best weather. There will be more snow on the mountains earlier in the season. I doubt there is much difference in sea wildlife viewing during the May-September cruising season.

 

[anricat]

The weather is a total luck of the draw. We sailed last year on August 8 and for the most part it was overcast, foggy and drizzly. The cruises on either side of us had sunny weather. I read trip reports of people in June with great weather and also crummy weather.

I will say that we hardly noticed it. We went into it prepared with proper garments and the knowledge that the weather in Alaska is extremely changeable and has the potential to be overcast and wet. It didn't diminish our vacation in the slightest. It was still amazing. We mostly went in August because DH is miserable in central Texas in August and wanted the ideal time for the break from t he 100+ heat.

 

[mrp4352]

We like going early in the season - the waterfalls are more plentiful and bigger because of the snow melts. (At least when I compare my pictures to pictures my brother took on a late June cruise.)

 

[DizMagic]

We went last sailing of the year (1st week of September). Got extremely lucky with the weather and only had one partially misty rain day (in Ketchikan). I loved that time frame for the wildlife btw. I think we will do first sailing of the season next time, just to get a different perspective.