Top Tips when booking an Alaskan Cruise

Ever fancied a Cruise to Alaska?

Do you love spectacular Scenery and amazing Wildlife?

If the answer is yes then this could be the adventure you are looking for.

1. Best time to go!

The season for Alaskan cruising is relatively short for obvious reasons. It runs from May to September with 3 mini seasons.

May – Beginning June is Shoulder Season.

It is fairly dry and the mountains will have a fair amount of snow on them. Its a good season to see the native flora and fauna which is coming out in bloom and it tends to be a bit quieter in terms of tourists at the ports of call.

On the downside it is still fairly cold and the wind chill factor can be high so wrap up warm. Also the ships may not be able to get close to the Glaciers if the ice is carving.

 Rest of June to mid-August is peak season.

  This is the warmest time to go and also has the longest hours of daylight although rainfall also increases.

Its great if you are there for the wildlife as the Salmon run is on which means the bears are out and about and it is also the best time to see Whales.

On the flip side as it is peak season as you can expect the crowds will be greater at the attractions and the cruises themselves are busier.

Rest of August to End of September is also Shoulder season.

Are you a fan of the unusual well this is the best time to see the Northern Lights, the later the better in this season.

The fauna and flora is in full glory with fabulous colours of the fall.

However with this comes the greatest rainfall and the cold starts to creep back in. It also has the least number of daylight hours.

2. When to book?

In a word Early!

You can always decide to wait for a bargain but as flights gets booked early and the best prices are available early you could miss out. The cruises themselves also book up especially in the peak season.  You could book late and find that there are no shore excursions available as well as these sell fast on peak dates.

 

3. A Family Affair

There is no reason why children would not enjoy an Alaskan cruise. My tip is try to choose a ship with plenty on-board for them so that they don’t get fed up but most kids enjoy the scenery and more importantly the Wildlife. Royal Caribbean and carnival are great for families.

4. Wildlife Big 5!

No Not lion, elephant etc… The Alaskan Big 5!

Look out for:

Bald eagle

Bear

Moose

Orca

Whale

Tips to see the wildlife. Choose the right time of year as mentioned above.

Make sure you set your alarm and get out on deck early in the morning for the best chance of spotting some Whales.

5. What to Pack?

My advice is pack warm clothes and I don’t just mean a jumper. I mean coat, jumpers, scarves and hats. The wind on the water can turn very chilly especially across Glacier Bay and it would be a shame not to enjoy the view because you are huddling inside. Lots of layers when you go on excursions too.  Also make sure you pack comfortable shoes or walking boots. Most of the ports of call are within 15 minutes of where the ships dock so easy to walk into.

6. Top Excursions.

Well here is the thing there are just too many superb excursions to choose from.

Denali National Park is a must.

Bear watching

Helicopter Glacier Trekking

Bald Eagle Preserve

Sea otters

Dog Sledding

Kenai Fjords National Park

To name but a few!!!

In truth this vast wilderness has so much to offer and it suits all tastes from the adventurous to the more sedate visitor.

Not forgetting the fact that you can combine your cruise with a fabulous City stay in say Vancouver or continue the adventure and experience the Rocky Mountain Railroad as you wind your way through the spectacular mountains to Calgary…

The truth is this adventure is whatever you want to make it.

So give me a call on 0800 408 6166 and let me make your Dream Adventure come true.