Alaska Sept 2023 help

[Tigg77]

Looking into doing cruise to Alaska, have only done a couple of cruises to warm water all with Disney. Don’t have any experience with any other cruise line, this will probably be our any trip to Alaska. We are older, blue jean people that doesn’t like gambling or bar scenes. We enjoyed the rotating dinners and being able to get something to drink (sodas and coffee), ice cream and fresh fruit at most any time. So not sure if we are a fit with other cruise lines. Our big thing is wanting to see the northern lights, is this possible from the ship? We want to tour the glaciers and would like to do dog sled. Have thought about trying to do land and sea from another cruise line but not sure if we would enjoy the cruise itself. Plus worried about the temp, we from MS and I don’t like cold. Husband loves to sit on the veranda watching the sights (even just open water) and reading, l’m having a hard time grasping this in 50 degree weather. Help please, not sure of what to do.
Thank you for any and all suggestions.

 

[auntlynne]

 

[Tigg77]

Thank you for all the info, allot to think about. Your info is allot to consider. Northern lights is high on my list.

 

[auntlynne]

 

[auntlynne]

 

[auntlynne]

 

[holula]

You may want to look at Norway or Iceland. I would love to see the Lights, too.

Even in those places they aren’t guaranteed. I went to Iceland for 5 nights in February and didn’t see any lights.

We did see them on the Norwegian Fjords cruise last year but really you need to be much further north.

 

[Tenkawa]

For Alaska (and Vancouver), have layers. It isn't about being warm, it is being able to adapt to conditions.

So have a shirt, then a light jacket / sweater, then a fleece vest/jacket, then a rain jacket. Do not use a puffer jacket (they suck in the wet).

Days can swing between the high 40s in the morning into the 70s or even 80s mid-day. Especially if you get out and active, being able to take layers off is important.

I didn't find I needed shorts in Alaska, but you may need them for Vancouver depending on the weather. It can get until the 90s sometimes in the summer.

 

[Marc D]

Thank you for all the info, allot to think about. Your info is allot to consider. Northern lights is high on my list.

Forget any mass travel in the summer months if you want to see them. You either don’t get far enough north, or the sky doesn’t get dark enough. We were on a Norwegian fjord cruise in 2016 and we ate ice cream on deck at 11PM and it was sunny like it was 4PM. You would need to go to Scandinavia or Iceland in the late autumn or winter months to have a chance.

 

[Tigg77]

Thanks for more input allot to think about. Looking into going in Sept, heard this is a good month to go.

 

[wendlle]

I am doing the Sept 11 sailing.
Northern lights have the best chance in September. It's actually pretty common to see them this time of year, our cruise group has had many people do Sept sailings and seen them - so I'm hopeful.