Has anyone taken a cruise holiday to Alaska?

Question

I am thinking of taking a cruise holiday to Alaska and would like to hear from anyone who has done so and what the experienced.

Answer 1

Well, I have taken a cruise and I used to live in Alaska, if I put the two of them together, does this count?

Anyway, I can tell you about what you can expect to see and such, but I think I'll tell you more about planning a cruise to suit your own tastes.

Wildlife and fishing seem to the the most popular activities among the tourists. There is a beautiful glacier in Juneau. Ketchikan has a pretty cool lumberjack show you can go see. I think most ports of call have "salmon bakes" where it is essentially a huge BBQ with fish.

Here are the most important factors I can think of:

Every major cruise in Alaska travels through SE Alaska, so my answer will be based on that. Here are the factors I can think of:

Weather: The weather in SE Alaska is unpredictable. Though the cruise ships sail through September, I would avoid September if you are looking for the best weather. I have seen it rain every day for months in SE Alaska, so be prepared. June through early August is probably your best bet for nice weather.

Fishing: If you plan on fishing during your cruise on an excursion, timing is very important. Salmon come in “runs”, that is they head to freshwater streams in groups around certain days. King Salmon tend to head toward fresh water from late April through May (King Salmon are the least predictable. They can be caught in the ocean or the streams all summer long). Sockeye (red) Salmon head for the streams roughly from early May to early June, hitting the streams by June (the Sockeye run seems to happen quick. Some places do not allow them to be fished from beaches). Dog (Chum) and Pink (Humpy) Salmon run from roughly the end of June to late August, hitting the streams in late July and early August. Coho (silver) Salmon run from late July to mid September, with mid August usually being the peak of the run. The dates are from my experience in Juneau and will vary slightly from city to city. If you have a big interest in charter fishing, try and contact the charter company in advance to seek their advice.

Bears: Bears tend to be seen with the salmon runs. The salmon runs in the streams tend to be heaviest in August and September. If you are interested in taking a excursion to see bears, that would be the best time (there used to be a charter to Pack Creek on Admiralty Island in the Juneau area that always see lots of bears).

Other Wildlife: Other wildlife is unpredictable. Eagles tend to be everywhere and usually hang out along the coast line and where fisherman hang out (they eat the scraps). Whales are around all summer long, but usually require a special excursion. I have rarely seen one close to land, at least in the Juneau area. Sea lions tend to hang out around boats and around islands away from the mainland (you would probably see them if you go see the whales). If you are lucky (or unlucky), you may see deer and bears while hiking trails, but this is very rare. If you are hiking by yourselfs, bears tend to avoid humans, but talk loudly, clap your hands, sing, or wear bells on your clothes so bears know you are in the area. They may attack if surprised (I’ve hiked more miles of trails and more mountains than I can remember, and I have yet to have a bear bother me).

Shopping: A large majority of the tourist shops in all the ports close down for the winter. Because of this, the month of September tends to boast many sales in these shops as they are trying to get rid of their inventory for the year. This is just something to keep in mind.

I wish you happy sailing. There really is not bad time to visit Alaska, as long as you are prepared. Be prepared for cool weather (mid 60’s to low 70’s) and fine, misty rain. I’d recommend carrying a rain coat (or a waterproof wind breaker or waterproof coat of some kind) and dressing in layers. The weather can warm up quickly when the sun comes out and cool off quickly when it is cloudy. If you go fishing on the open water, it can get cold in a hurry. It seems that the smaller the boat, the colder the fishing trip (when I would go out on a 16 ft open Aluminum boat, I dress like it was winter. Once you get out in the wind, rain, and water spray, there is no way to warm back up). Large boats tend to be warmer (not sure if it is because they usually have an area out of the wind or there is enough room to walk around and move).

There is a good website on cruising at http://www.cruisecritic.com that also has message boards and articles about what to expect if this is your first cruise.

Answer 2

For the most part, Alaska cruises start in Seattle and Vancouver. On occasion you will find one from San Francisco. Most cruises from So Cal are to Mexico, with the occasional one to Hawaii or thru the Panama Canal to Florida. I'm not sure what you mean by "later this year", but Alaska cruises are only offered from May to September. You can't get both "bang for buck" and a small ship cruise. These are mutually exclusive. Small ship cruises are quite expensive. However, the mass-market cruise lines do not send their megaships to Alaska, so the ships will be the smaller ones in their fleet. These will have the rock climbing wall, but not the flowrider for surfing. We had a balcony for our Alaska cruise. It was especially great on the day the ship went down a fjord to the base of a glacier. It was quite cold up on the public deck, so we retreated back to our balcony and ducked in and out of the cabin when we got cold. Some cruise lines permit cigarette smoking on the balconies, others do not. If you toke on the ship, you will get caught, and you will be handed over to the authorities at the next port. Generally, you arrive at a port around 8 am and leave around 5 pm, but these hours vary based on the port you're in. There is no additional cost to be in the port. You can walk around as you please. Planned excursions, however, are another story. Dog sledding and helicopter rides are VERY expensive.

Answer 3

We have been on two cruises to Alaska and I find its one of the best cruise destinations try a helicopter trip onto the glaziers or a plane over the misty fords and the train from skagway following the old miners trail all these things are good fun and the scenery is awe inspiring go for it you wont regret it

Answer 4

My parents took a crusie to Alaska about 2 years ago and from the looks of it they L-O-V-E-D it! My mom still "brags" to anyone about it to this very day. They were gone for 7 days. They flew from Atlanta to Seattle and then they boarded their ship. They rode on the Star Princess from the Princess cruise line. They boat was beautiful. They went on the cruise in about mid May so they weather was just perfect. The pictures I saw were very pretty. There was still ice on things but it veiw was pretty. They learned alot about the history of Alaska and the weather and the people living there. My mom says she wants to go back so hopefully one day I will be able to grant her that wish. I recommend you go and experience it for yourself and just relax as my parents did. -JML

Answer 5

ya... ive been. the boat was great but ill never do it again. i would rather drive around. that way your free to get out and do what you want. when your on a boat there isnt much to do. i was 14 when i went and i wasnt allowed in the casino and that was all anybody did there. i was bored on the ship but when we got on land... much better. alaska is beautiful. however... on the ship we saw quite a few dolpins which was pretty neat. on land.... we say a few seals, otters, and a some bald eagles. scenery is obvioulsy amazing. it really just depends on what you like... this i just my opinion.

Answer 6

my parents went a few years ago, to southern alaska mainly. they are talking about going again to the northern part.

Answer 7

A good friend of mine did last year.She said it was absolutely breathtaking!The photos that she showed me proved the point.

Answer 8

I did 5 years ago and it was real nice, but cold.

Answer 9

No. But my wife has. Alaska...

Answer 10

My parents did, and they loved it. The scenery is quite breathtaking.