Anyone have experience with September in Alaska?

[Sailkeywest]

I have booked a cruise for late September and really had my heart set on it. I had read that you can get further up Tracy Arm in September because that is the only time that they allow cruise ships to go all the way to the end because of the seal pups? Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

Anyway, we are about to book our plane tickets, and once that is done, the deal is pretty much sealed. I'd read that there usually is some rain in September, but was hoping to luck out. I've also just recently read that some people "wouldn't take an Alaskan cruise in September even if it was free."

 

So, I guess my question is, what are others' experiences with the weather in Alaska in September? I personally love the rain, but would still like to enjoy the scenery. Thank you :)

[Assateague Island Princes]

Sail - don't sweat the small stuff. We sailed the third week of Sept. in 2006. Yeah, we had some rain, and at times, it was a bit chilly, but we also had brilliant sunshine at times and got a tan on the aft pool deck on a sea day. It will be what it will be. The stunning scenery, magnificent wildlife, breathtaking glaciers, and friendly Alaskan folks will make up for any inconvenience the weather might cause. If Sept. is when you've planned for and fits your budget and schedule, so be it. Its a lovely time. And just because its raining doesn't mean that scenery goes away. It was there aplenty! I never wanted to take my eyes off it! The only real downside for me was that it got dark so much earlier. Hence, when we sailed to AK again in 2008, we went on May 31st - light til well after 10:30PM, and sun came up around 4:30AM. Can't beat it! That being said, our first sail to AK was that Sept. trip, and it was truly THE best vacation destination I've ever seen. Would love to live there someday. Hey, I can dream, can't I??? Alaska gets into your heart, captures your imagination, and opens up all kinds of possibilities. Trust me, you'll go back - and when you do, pick another time frame so you can experience the vast greatness in another season! Go, enjoy and happy sailing!:D

[Sailkeywest]

Assateague, thank you for the reassurance, my heart dropped a tad when I read the negative reviews of Sept/Alaska. Being from Florida, I was rather hoping that we would see a change of season. :)

[Yukon]

I've also just recently read that some people "wouldn't take an Alaskan cruise in September even if it was free."

 

I also said that everyone has their own priorities - if you can look at the photos I posted and say "that's what I want to see!" then your chosen date is good.

[PennyAgain]

I have about 29 reasons, but I need the change of seasons and the cooler air.

[Toyz711]

john hopkins glacier, in glacier bay, is where they don't allow ships to get too close...until sept..after the pup season is over. ice is what keeps ships from getting close to sawyer glacier (tracy arms).

we did 3rd week in sept ('06), got heavy rain and sleet (ice) in juneau, sunny and warm for glacier bay, fog (but no rain) for skagway and very heavy rain for ketchikan. sea days were beautiful!

[poolwife]

Although not as late in Sept. as you are planning on, we just sailed on August 28 northbound from Vancouver and arrived in Seward on Sept. 4. The fall colors as we travelled by car north to Denali and back to Anchorage were just gorgeous.

 

Rain was predicted for our whole trip, but it only rained one evening. You just never know about the weather in Alaska. It is always changing. Have a great time! Take a gore-tex parka and gore-tex low-cut hikers and you will be dry no matter what the weather is.

[Sailkeywest]

Thank you all for the input! Especially the 'play by play' on the rain/fog/sun on your cruise, Toyz. --And Poolwife, we really would like to see a 'real' fall for a change, that is what I was hoping for.

 

Don't suppose you would like to post those "29 reasons," Penny? :) We could really use a change of seasons and cooler air also.

[Budget Queen]

You already have the clarification about the harbor seals and them being in Glacier Bay??

 

You need to look at several factors with this late season choice. Depending on your Tracy Arm, timeframe, IF an afternoon access, you will not, always have full access, due to having to be out during daylight. Dusk in your timeframe is going to be by 7pm. This impacts significantly if you have any priority for scenic sailing.

 

I Have personally sailed several times on these late sailings, and ALWAYS they were at significant discounts, and always, were at least the second trip that season. For my priorities, it is way less than ideal and I would hesitate to recommend this time for a first timer and certainly for someone thinking they are going to "luck out".

 

It is a whole different story sailing end of August compared to this timeframe in Sept. The first week of Sept, is available for change of colors, which comparing them to New England, don't even come close. BUT, certainly scenic.

[Sailkeywest]

Thank You, Budget Queen, as always for the insight. :) Your advice always seems spot on. I have been looking at late August sailings also, and they are significantly more expensive, as you have stated (like $500 PP for the suite that I wanted). That might mean giving up our suite, but might be worth it in the long run, not sure. I really fell in love with that wrap-around balcony!

[PennyAgain]

Mosquitos are dead, places are less crowded, some better prices and more active animals.

 

I really need the change of seasons after a Texas summer!

 

I love wearing sweaters and walking on a cool day!

 

Being on deck at sunrise with a cup of coffee in hand! Wonderful!

 

plenty more reasons!

 

No fighting over deck chairs!

[MercedMike]

We have cruised to Alaska at all times of year, and it is always magnificent. Different seasons, of course, have their different attractions. There IS a reason that the shoulder seasons are less expensive, but they can still be great times to travel.

 

Weather in Alaska from May to September is unpredictable, to say the least. You can book a high season trip in mid-August, pay top prices, and have cold rain and fog all week. You can book early May or late September at bargain rates and have a beautiful warm sunny cruise. Are the odds on the weather better in August? Yes, they probably are. But if you book with an expectation of good weather, there is a very good chance you might be disappointed. It is better to plan on taking the weather as it comes, and then you need not worry.

 

We saw the seal pups in Glacier Bay once and it is a lot of fun. Check out our review and pics at http://www.elite.net/~thehalls/alaska.html

But would I book a cruise just for that experience? Not really.

 

One thing to consider is that the dog sledding on the glacier is usually not available in September, so if that is a priority you would have to reconsider.

 

Check out our trip reports at http://www.bully4.us/cruising.html for trips to Alaska in May, July, August, and September. Perhaps you will find it an interesting comparison.

 

Have a GREAT cruise!

[maltoose181]

We went this year September 5 to 20th. It was gorgeous. We live in Texas and wanted a change of seasons. We got it! Our day in Glacier Bay was perfectly clear and sunny but very cold. We went prepared with waterproof jackets and sprayed shoes. It rained in Juneau but we were on a whale cruise and it didn't matter. It was wet at Mendenhall but we stayed dry and loved it. It rained in Ketchikan all day. We were on our own that day walking and taking the city bus. Again we stayed dry and had Totem Bight all to ourselves. Skagway was beautiful and sunny - no jackets. We decided before going that the weather didn't matter, we were going to enjoy ourselves no matter what. And we did! In Valdez the cruise of Prince William Sound was only about a third full so that was great to have all the room. If September works for you - GO - you won't regret it.

[bqkali]

I sailed September 18-28 and had an incredible trip. Did it rain? Yes! It poured in Ketchikan (not all day, but probably 2-3 hours) and it rained a little for a portion of some of the other ports as well. That being said -- I packed my rain coat and had a blast!! The weather didn't really affect my trip very much even though it wasn't perfect.

 

Keep in mind with September that you might not be able to do all the excursions. MOST operators were open through the end of the season, but not all. For example, I wanted to do a whale watch in Icy Strait with Glacier Wind, but they had already closed for the season. I was still able to whale watch with FISHES and of course the ship tour was offered as well. Just do some research ahead of time if there is a specific excursion you are dying to do.

 

The other downside to September...it gets dark at 7 or 7:30. That might not seem like a big deal because all your excursions will be over by then anyway, but you miss the scenic sailaways on any ports with late departure (for example, I left Juneau at 9pm and Skagway at 8:30pm). This was not a deal breaker for me...I was so tired at the end of the day that I probably wouldn't have seen much of sailaway anyway.

 

Okay, now that I've given you some things to consider...remember that the prices are cheaper, the ports are less crowded, there are fewer children, and there are beautiful fall colors in some areas...there are definitely perks to waiting for September!!

 

I have a pretty long review at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1069001 if you are interested. It might give you an impression of a September cruise, or at least Alaska in general ;)

 

Whenever you go, you will love Alaska! Happy cruising!!!

[Sailkeywest]

I like Penny's reasons! I am hoping for that :)

 

Oh, WOW, love the websites, MercedMike :D I never get tired of reading about other people's Alaskan journeys, especially when they have pics. Nicely done and added to my favs. Looks like you had a blast! Thank you for sharing :)

 

Your vaca is exactly what I am hoping for, Maltoose. Change of season, I love the rain, but clear at the glaciers!

[Sailkeywest]

BQKali, it is the excursions that I am most concerned with. We would like to do an aerial tour at one of the ports, and booking it ourselves. If the weather isn't permitting, I am wondering how good these companies are about giving you your money back, because on their sites, they say that they "can reschedule," but I can't :P

 

Going to read your review now, thanks :)

[lcmslady]

We did a cruisetour in September 1999. We had some very specific reasons: We wanted it to be dark in Fairbanks so that we could see the Northern Lights (which we did).

We had beautiful weather and rainy weather.

It was cold (20's) in the morning up around Denali and Fairbanks but it was well worth it.

As other posters have said, it's not as crowded!

Go and have a good time!

[bqkali]

BQKali, it is the excursions that I am most concerned with. We would like to do an aerial tour at one of the ports, and booking it ourselves. If the weather isn't permitting, I am wondering how good these companies are about giving you your money back, because on their sites, they say that they "can reschedule," but I can't :P

 

A few people from my roll call booked flightseeing and/or helicopter excursions. They too were worried about being able to fly with the September weather - general consensus was that if the tour operator could reschedule for later that day while your ship was in port, you would still go up (perhaps at a time less convenient than your original booking, though :rolleyes:) and if they could not fly at all that day, you received a full refund. If YOU decide to cancel (not a weather/safety reason), then you would lose your full deposit.

 

The tour operators fully understand the time restraints on cruise ship passengers and will do their best to provide the tour as booked while you are still in port.

[PennyAgain]

in Alaska in September you have a chance of seeing Termination Dust come down the mountains. That is SNOW!

 

Price reductions are not what they used to be for the early and late season trips, but still a little bit of a discount.

[fleckle]

The other downside to September...it gets dark at 7 or 7:30. That might not seem like a big deal because all your excursions will be over by then anyway, but you miss the scenic sailaways on any ports with late departure (for example, I left Juneau at 9pm and Skagway at 8:30pm). .......

The biggest disappointment of those late September departures out of Juneau and Skagway for us was totally missing the sights of the Lynn Canal, where you are actually cruising through a fjord. There is mile after mile of great scenery surrounding the ship on both sides, but we were unable to see any of it in the darkness.

 

What a difference it made cruising through there earlier in the season when it stayed light out late at night.

[Toyz711]

i agree, we got unto juneau at 2pm...did get to see some of the area as we cruised through, but it was low clouds and dark from the rain.

plus, we had 2 nights of very heavy fog....you could hear our fog horn and the fog horn from other ships. once i went to look out the balcony and you couldn't see past the railing.

we loved our trip, having been to alaska before, we knew that weather can be iffy any time of the year. darkness at 7pm was early, none of the evening tours were running, some of the regular excursions don't run that late (dog sledding on glacier).

[Sailkeywest]

Thanks for the info about the excursions, BQ. I am hesitant to start booking any till I can be sure that they will give refunds in case we are unable to go (weather). Also, I don't want to be sitting around all day at their office waiting for the weater to 'clear up.'

 

Penny --As far as seeing 'termination dust/SNOW!' --that sounds really fun :D Haven't seen snow since I was a child :P

 

In response to ICMLady's post, I would dearly love to see the Northern Lights, I love nothing more than staring up at the stars. Hubby and I watch all those 'Universe' shows on the Science Channel all the time, sometimes several times over. Alas it we won't be seeing them on this trip :(

 

Fleckle, ouch, I chose the balcony I did because I really wanted some 'scenic cruising' from our very own cabin. I didn't want to give up our suite because I really fell in lurve with it, but hm, gives me something to think about!

 

Toyz, thanks for the tip about the dog sledding, but don't think we would get into that too much anyway (Hubby has a bad back). I think the fog horn would scare us lol

[PennyAgain]

I have seen the Northern Lights from the area above Anchorage in September and have had glimpses of them as far south as Juneau, but that is rare. I advise everyone who cruises at times when they have dark skies to at least go outside at night and look! Many people don't even try.

 

As far as Termination Dust is concerned it starts in the highest elevations. Yukon usually reports his first sighting of the year.

 

I do not travel to Alaska in high summer unless it is for work. I need to see the changing of the seasons and to smell winter in the air. It is not the same need for everyone.

[JuneauGal]

I live in Juneau and I wouldn't recommend Sept unless you love constant rain, grey skies and low clouds. The best months are June and July. We always feel sorry for the people who come here in Sept. and walk around in the rain all day. Many of the shops are already closed and it starts to get darker too. Just my $0.02. I've lived in AK for over 30 years and SE for 20 years. JuneauGal

[fleckle]

.... Fleckle, ouch, I chose the balcony I did because I really wanted some 'scenic cruising' from our very own cabin. I didn't want to give up our suite because I really fell in lurve with it, but hm, gives me something to think about!

Sailkeywest, I hope my previous remarks were not misleading. They pertained only to the Lynn Canal, between Juneau and Skagway, in reply to a previous poster's comments about the late departure times at those ports.

 

It is true that the Zuiderdam is scheduled to cruise through the Lynn Canal after dark in both directions (on Sept. 20 and 21), but you would have other opportunities to use your balcony for sightseeing during daylight hours in scenic areas, most notably Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay. The daytime approaches to Juneau and Ketchikan should provide good views too.

 

If the 2 days "At Sea" are through the Canadian Inside Passage on the east side of Vancouver Island, as shown on the map, then you should see some very nice scenery from your balcony on those days as well, as long as the weather cooperates (something nobody can predict).

 

Since the drawbacks of late September cruises have already been pointed out, it seems only fair also to mention the benefits:

some great breaks on cruise prices are often available; children are back in school so few of them will be on the ship; the ships, ports and excursions are less crowded; there are great end-of-season sales on ship merchandise and at the stores in the ports that are still open.