The Alaska cruise season runs from late April through early October each year, and the weather really has a profound effect on the quality of the overall experience. Most agree July is the best month and from late June through the first week of July in particular, is the absolute best time. Southeast Alaska and British Columbia are more temperate than farther north, but they are nevertheless much colder than we are accustomed to in the lower 48.
Weather
The best weather of the year for an Alaska cruise- with the fewest rainy days and most sunny days. Our experience was unusual, we were told. We did not have rain on any of our shore days beginning on our arrival in Seattle through our departure from SEA-TAC, a week and a half later. As a matter of fact, it was much warmer than we expected, too. Only a couple of times did we need hoodies or light jackets. We never needed gloves, water-resistant boots, or anything else on any shore excursion.
The average temperatures are usually in the seventies this time of year, but it was 91 degrees Fahrenheit the day we were in Ketchikan. I wore long sleeves that day and others were comfortable in their bathing suit. we did, however, get to experience some cold weather on the day we visited
The day our cruise tour sailed through fjords was downright cold! Early that morning I began to see small icebergs in the Alaskan waters and the weather was very comfortable for shorts and a tee shirt, but in a few short hours, we were deep into Glacier Bay National Park. As the icebergs in the water seemed to get larger, the temperature dropped proportionately!
Peak Season
What to Expect
The biggest surprise of our Alaska cruise, for us, anyway, was our shore day on the Fourth of July. The whole town gathered on the street paralleling the port for a parade. What that means to us tourists, is we have to be on the port side of the parade route before the parade begins. The entire town closed for the parade so there wasn’t anything to do, anyway. Those who purchased certain excursions couldn’t go on them since none were over by 10:45 AM when the parade route limited the access to our cruise ship. The good news is this: if you have a port-side balcony cabin, you get to see a parade.
Since the inside passage is far north, there are more hours of daylight from early June through early July. The long days around the summer solstice were awesome! We had a great time staying up late and experiencing the phenomenon of extreme daylight hours. The night we really put it to the test, the horizon never completely darkened. We hoped to see the northern lights but didn’t experience the Aurora Borealis at any time. I don’t know if we were not far enough north or if there weren’t enough hours of darkness.
The peak of summer isn’t the optimal time for wildlife viewing. The Alaska salmon run doesn’t really happen until late summer through autumn. Those show up en masse during the later shoulder season, from early September until November. The late season correlates with increased sightings of brown bears and bald eagles.
One of our excursions was a whale-watching expedition and that was a highlight of the trip. We say a large number of humpback whales breaching and diving- all in the space of about two hours. Later in the cruise, in between Alaska cruise ports, we went through more open water of the Gulf of Alaska and got to view many more whales, dolphins, and other aquatic life blowing and swimming at the surface.
Conclusion
No matter what time of the year you go on an Alaskan Cruise, it can be a fantastic ‘bucket list’ item that you will not regret! The entire trip was one that will always remain one of our absolute favorites!
Thanks for Reading About Taking an Alaskan Cruise
Want to know more about who we are? Check out more info about us HERE.
