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Like almost any choice one makes when booking a cruise, it all comes down to personal taste. Rita, Holland America and Princess offer the best options for cruise and land tours. You can choose to start or end your land tour in Anchorage or Fairbanks.
Canadian Rockies cruisetours
In August, the cruise season is in full swing, and multiple ships may be in port. With children out of school, cruise ships welcome many families in the month of August. They also see travelers from Australia who are escaping their winter. Although the average daily temperatures throughout Southeast Alaska are in the 60s Fahrenheit in August, extreme highs near 90 and lows below 20 have been reported. Expect the temperature to fluctuate by 30 degrees or more in a single day regardless of when you cruise. Alaska cruises sail along the Inside Passage, most of which lies within the Tongass National Forest.
ALASKA CRUISE TOURS
Remember swimwear for the ship; even if it’s cool outside, the Solarium on board is climate controlled and covered, so you can relax on a lounger in the warmth, and swim in the pool. Sail the Inside Passage, watching for bears foraging on stony beaches, or gaze in wonder at the towering, blue-white wall of the mighty Hubbard Glacier. Sail from Vancouver to North America’s biggest glacier, seven miles wide and the height of a 30-story building.
The Best Alaska Cruises
The best Alaska cruises manage to combine epic nature with local flavor, and the following options all offer that mix with some variation. If you're happy with a couple of historic tours and a guided hike, you could likely budget $500 or less per person for shore excursions in Alaska. But if once-in-a-lifetime Alaska experiences like helicopter rides and flightseeing in Ketchikan are more your speed, you'll need to triple that amount -- or more. If you are cruising in Alaska during the Northern Lights season, note that the Gulf of Alaska is choppiest in September and not recommended for travelers who get seasick.
Get up close to Mother Nature’s masterpieces and listen for the crash of “white thunder”. Between the natural masterpieces and the animate personalities, every part of Alaska tells an extraordinary story. On an Alaska cruisetour with Princess, discover what makes the Great Land so special, and craft your own tales of your time on land and sea. Tour a working Alaska homestead and learn how the Great Land’s residents have become so self-sufficient.
Some shore excursions allow up close interaction with these natural wonders. Let Princess pick you up from the airport and take you directly to your ship or hotel when you arrive, even if you didn't book your airfare through us. If you're on a budget, stick to interior rooms and look for the big cruise ships, which tend to have more inventory.
Explore Alaska by Land and Sea
Enjoy three glacier-viewing experiences on every itinerary — including Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier and College Fjord. To truly enjoy an Alaskan cruise, cruisers can visit from April to October when daylight hours, weather and wildlife are better. Explore Alaskan cruises and learn more about each fun-filled trip to the 49th state.
What to Pack for An Alaskan Cruise: A Complete Checklist - Travel + Leisure
What to Pack for An Alaskan Cruise: A Complete Checklist.
Posted: Thu, 18 Apr 2024 21:11:15 GMT [source]
July is filled with opportunities to see the stunning wildlife of Alaska while enjoying milder temperatures. Although it is getting darker earlier, solar activity is not at its peak in the summer, so your chances of viewing the Northern Lights in July are slim to none. After the Summer Solstice in June, Alaska begins losing daylight with each passing day.
Alaska Cruisetours
Elias and Kenai Fjords, a world of natural wonders awaits on an Alaska cruise or cruisetour. We have a 50-year legacy of sharing the best places and experiences with our guests. On an Alaska cruise, unpack once and explore glaciers, wildlife and national parks. Travel the Inside Passage on 10 or 11-day Alaska cruises from San Francisco and allow the natural landscapes to inspire your day’s adventures.
There are numerous factors you need to consider for a cruise to Alaska, including the best time of year, costs, itineraries, which line to choose and which destinations matter most to you. Celebrity’s Alaskan cruises range from six to seven nights, but if you extend your voyage into a Cruisetour, the duration is nine to 13 nights. You could also consider extending your vacation with a night or two in either Vancouver or Seattle, depending on which itinerary you have chosen. Alaska is all about exploring the Great Outdoors with family and friends, learning about US History and enjoying wildlife. There are hikes, kayaking, mountain biking, ziplining, and dog sledding for more energetic travelers. Pack binoculars for spotting all that incredible wildlife, and camera lens or smartphone.
From the sweeping mountains of Juneau to the fish-bearing seas of Ketchikan, discover our Alaska cruise ports and set sail into the adventures that await you. Travel back in time and pan for gold like a prospector during the Gold Rush. Snuggle sled dog puppies in the ship's Piazza, or see the Northern Lights in the planetarium. At the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, explore our treehouse and enjoy unmatched views of Denali. Dive deeper into what makes the Great Land special on your cruise to Alaska.
Birds also haven’t started their migration, so you can spot both songbirds and seabirds as you cruise along the coast. Gray whales and Humpback whales begin their migration to warmer waters in October and November, so you still have a chance to see them in Alaskan waters in September. In August, the wildlife can sense that winter is on its way, and activity picks up to prepare for the months of cold, snow, and darkness.
If hiking to higher elevations or take a helicopter excursion to a glacier, extra layers may be necessary to compensate for various types of Alaska weather. Cruising in early August can also experience vastly different temperatures than the end of August. Before booking a cruise, compare hours in pork and where the ship docks. If there are more than for ships scheduled to stop in Juneau, some vessels will need to tender. Residents from the south, might not want to cruise to Alaska in May because it may be to cold for them.
These are the months when all good things combine to create the optimal Alaskan experience. June is a smart choice for cruisers who don’t want to travel during peak season but want more opportunities. May is a practical choice for Alaskan cruisers who are on a limited budget but want to have slightly warmer and drier weather and more chances to see wildlife. Your views will likely include snowy mountains, but they are gorgeous nonetheless. You’ve got about a 50/50 chance of getting rained or snowed on during excursions.
That includes warm days, where even being near a glacier or a passing cloud (or socked-in rain) can make things chilly. While you might not be sunning yourself to a stunning shade of bronze on an Alaska cruise, you and everyone on board will want to take in the scenery. That makes having your own balcony a prime piece of real estate, especially near Denali National Park, portions of the Inside Passage or Tracy Arm Fjord. One-way Gulf of Alaska itineraries are the best option for Alaska touring, as they begin or end in Alaska. If you'd like an assist with your outdoor adventures, the Mount Roberts Tramway climbs 1,800 feet above Juneau for gorgeous views.
Summer workers (typically college students) begin to arrive for the peak tourist season, and shops and restaurants open for the summer. May is an excellent cruising month for birdwatchers as migratory songbirds start to arrive in Alaska and seabirds gather in their nesting spots or rookeries. Keep an eye out for my favorite, the ever-adorable puffins, Arctic terns, cormorants, and bald eagles.
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