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Often referred to as the "Little Switzerland", Valdez is known for its breathtaking panorama of snow-capped mountains and glaciers. It is also well-known for its role in the transportation of crude oil from the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, which ends in Valdez. Explore the charming waterfront area and take in the flavors of Valdez through culinary experiences at restaurants such as the Valdez Brewery and the Fat Mermaid. Once the gateway to Alaska's Gold Rush, Skagway strikes a dramatic image nestled between the water's edge and mountains. Follow in the footsteps of miners with a ride on a scenic train along the famous White Pass route through coastal mountains. During your Alaska cruise, explore the Yukon's pristine wilderness, pan for gold with professionals or meet sled dog puppies in training.
Ports will be far less crowded
Whether soaking up the golden sun on a fishing expedition or feeling the crisp breeze as you zipline through picturesque landscapes, you may notice that on an Alaska cruise, weather can vary greatly month-to-month. Princess cruise itineraries travel to the Southeast and Inside Passage regions of Alaska from May through September when wildlife is bustling, greenery is flourishing and salmon are running. Temperatures can reach anywhere from the low 30s to upper 80s depending on your month of travel as well as the port of call. We always recommend that you dress in layers to prepare for whatever weather comes your way.
What to Expect on an Alaskan Cruise in August
Holland America’s Koningsdam Offering Best of Alaska Before Moving to San Diego - Cruise Industry News
Holland America’s Koningsdam Offering Best of Alaska Before Moving to San Diego.
Posted: Fri, 11 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
They groan, creak and shudder on their march to the sea, punctuated by the booms and crashes of "white thunder" — a sound that echoes across the water when ice calves into the ocean below. On an Alaska cruise, let us show you Glacier Bay National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, College Fjord or Hubbard Glacier. The largest tidewater glacier in North America, Hubbard Glacier has been moving its mass towards the ocean at a rate faster than most of its kind. Towering above the water over 30 stories, the glacier often calves 100-foot chunks of ice into the ocean. What lies beneath the waves is almost as impressive, where ice plunges 1,200 feet beneath the surface. This 30-mile waterway is surrounded by cliffs, valleys and dozens of waterfalls.
Top Tips for Planning a Cruise to Alaska
Sourdough is such an important part of Alaskan culture that long-time Alaskans are actually called sourdoughs in local parlance. Try a sourdough bread bowl filled with salmon chowder for a hearty lunch. Discover the top tips for planning a cruise to Alaska and uncover the best times of the year to spot Alaskas wildlife, locate must-see attractions, find Alaskan cruise deals and more. For all the beer lovers planning an Alaskan cruise vacation, we’ve curated the ultimate zythophile guide to visiting 5 of the best craft breweries in Alaska. Find the most Instagrammable places for your next vacation cruise to Alaska.
Glacier Bay National Park
Throughout your journey, your captain will position the ship for best viewing from the top deck or your private balcony. No, I would not book an end of season Alaska cruise nor recommend one for the vast majority of people visiting Alaska. There are too many aspects that make it not a great experience by the standards I have for my readers. While they are cheaper, I don’t believe you’ll really experience the magic of Alaska on an end of season cruise – especially if it’s your first trip. Skagway was an important part of the Gold Rush era, growing in size from a place with only a few small tents to more than 20,000 people arriving in hopes of finding gold. If you are excited to learn more about the Gold Rush era, don't miss visiting the Gold Rush National Historic Park.
Travel, Airfare, & Hotels: Let Princess Get You There
Some of the most desirable cabins might be sold out; being flexible about your sail date or itinerary can help. Nearly every major cruise line has a presence in Alaska from May through mid-September, with some offering sailings as early as April or as late as October. Cold temperatures, icy waters and a long snowy season are not conducive to early spring and late fall cruises. Cruising to Alaska in September has many benefits of the peak season (milder weather and good wildlife viewing) with less expensive prices and fewer tourists.
Glacier Bay
You'll find those who work in tourism excited to be back in business, considering that many people in southeast Alaska earn their income from out-of-state visitors. Cruise lines will offer the opportunity to extend your cruise with land tours, which include accommodations, transportation and some meals. To help you find the best time to cruise to Alaska, Cruise Critic is breaking down the Alaska cruise season month by month to help you plan your bucket-list trip. Read on for average Alaska cruise prices, things to do in Alaska and everything else you'll need to decide which is the best month to cruise Alaska for you. In late June through mid-August, brown bears and moose come out to feed in ponds, lakes, and along rivers. You may see beluga whales, humpback whales, or pods of orcas who frequent Alaskan waters in the summer, as well as seals and dolphins.
The best time to see salmon spawning on an Alaskan cruise is typically between mid-July and mid-September. However, the unusual heat over the past few seasons moved that timeline up some. In October you’ll smell salmon (corpses, rotting along river banks), but the salmon run will be long over.
What to Expect on an Alaskan Cruise in April
Several Norwegian Cruise Line ships feature cozy studio cabins designed and priced for one person, and the 4,004-passenger Norwegian Bliss offers 82 solo rooms on its round-trip Seattle cruises to Alaska. If you're looking for other surefire ways to save, inside and ocean-view cabins are often much cheaper than balcony cabins on Alaska cruises. Those private verandas are highly desirable, with everyone seeking views of the wilderness, snow-capped peaks and glaciers. When cruise lines send a fleet of ships to Alaska for the summer, the older, smaller ships tend to offer more reduced prices than you'll find on the lines' larger and newer ships. The ship offers nine- to 14-night cruise tours that head into the Canadian Yukon, following the route of the Klondike Gold Rush from Alaska to northwestern Canada.
Finally, you'll find some round-trip San Francisco itineraries — usually 10 or 11 nights long — as well as longer sailings between San Francisco and Vancouver. They want to admire its rugged beauty, seek out wildlife (such as eagles, bears and whales) and learn about its Native cultures and gold rush history. It's so far from the rest of the mainland U.S. that it's become a bucket list destination, especially for travelers looking to visit each of the 50 states.
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. While the days are still longer than those in the Lower 48, they are getting slightly shorter throughout July. My advice is to pack plenty of warm (and waterproof) layers, expect the unexpected, and find joy in whatever experience you get. This is also the time of year when King Salmon runs both begin and end.
Founded as a gold mining town and now the state’s capital, Juneau has one foot in history and one in the future. Embark on a whale watching tour, or sail past Mendenhall Glacier on an Alaska cruise. Weather in Alaska in August may keep some cruisers away, but there are still many excursions and experiences to enjoy. Other adventurous activities, such as hiking trails, open up in the summer months.
While it is possible to see humpbacks during the entire cruise season (April-October), your best bet for whale watching will be the months of June, July, and August. They are quite an awe-inspiring sight to see as they travel in pods, breech, and feed. Just expect cooler weather, fewer wildlife viewing opportunities, and less active ports with some shops that are still shuttered. Rush across the snow on a dog sled with a professional musher, fly fish for salmon in fresh rivers and soar over miles of glacial tundra in a helicopter.
Icebergs and harbor seals decorate the water below while Dawes Glacier soars into the sky above. Revel in the beauty of Mother Nature’s masterpiece and listen closely as the scenery whispers secrets of times long ago during your cruise to Alaska. The Harriman Expedition discovered College Fjord in 1899 and named the towering glaciers after the great East Coast universities of the United States, like the Harvard Glacier. With the largest collection of tidewater glaciers in the world, your scenic Alaska cruise through the fjord will make a lasting memory. It might surprise many, but July and especially August are rainy, so don't expect endless sunshine.
Cruises at the beginning (April and May) and end (September and October) of Alaska's cruise season are generally a bit cheaper than those in June, July and August. Alaska cruise weather can be chilly (in the 40s to 50s) first thing in the morning and at night. However, if it's a sunny summer day, temperatures can shoot into the 70s and even low 80s. It also rains a lot in Alaska; it's drier in the spring than in the summer. One of the key reasons to cruise Alaska versus taking a land tour is to visit destinations along the Inside Passage that you cannot reach by road. Plus, many of the state's famous glaciers are best viewed from the sea.
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