Alaska Cruise

[Merchant43]

I am thinking about an Alaskan Cruise next year in May for my 25 year wedding anniversary. It would be end of the month.

If anyone has cruised during this time....can you tell me how the weather is and if May is a good month for Alaska.

Thanks!:):)

[nwcruiselover]

The weather in Alaska is very unpredictible. It can be warm and sunny or cold and rainy on any given day during the cruise season. Late May would be as good a time as any. Happy 25th anniversary in advance, and I KNOW you'll enjoy your Alaska cruise. I have been on 5 of them and will undoubtedly do some more.

[TexasGal#35]

We did an Alaskan cruise roundtrip out of Seattle May 12-19 2012. It rained every day except one which was beautiful.

 

We just got back from one we went on from May 21st to the 29th which was southbound only from Seward and ended in Vancouver. Every day was gorgeous, sunny and about 65 degrees.

 

I've been told July is the best time to go, but it's also much more expensive than in May. Alaska is like no other and IMHO is a fantastic trip any time during cruise season.

 

Gloria

[goduckies05]

This was May 21st of this year... so Amazing... if you get the chance to do both Tracy Arm Fjord and Glacier Bay do it!

[Merchant43]

Thanks for the replies....sounds like a wonderful cruise.

[pklein9747]

As other's have said, the weather in Alaska is unpredictable. We were just there from May 24 through June 6. We had mostly beautiful weather with clear blue skies and temps in the mid 70s, with little rain. But there were days that stand out: May 24 is was 91 degrees in Fairbanks and we were glad we had packed shorts! When we visited Hubbard, Glacier Bay and Juneau, we were sure glad that we had brought those warmer layers, hats, and gloves as it was windy and chilly on the water. It poured in Juneau and rained at the end of our day in Ketchikan with temps in the upper 50s and low 60s and those waterproof jackets and even rain pants came in handy. The motto: be prepared for any type of weather in Alaska at any time.

[winddawn]

I am thinking about an Alaskan Cruise next year in May for my 25 year wedding anniversary. It would be end of the month.

If anyone has cruised during this time....can you tell me how the weather is and if May is a good month for Alaska.

Thanks!:):)

I cruised Alaska twice--once the last week of May and once the first week in September. I much preferred May. Pack clothes for any situation and layering is a great idea. I highly recommend that you take a few of those disposable ponchos like you can buy in a sporting goods store. They are so small they pack easily and you can keep them handy in a pocket or purse in case you need them.

 

Cruising Alaska is all about being outside and doing excursions. One thing about Alaska is there are micro climates where the weather can vary widely from port to port. One example of that is Ketchikan which gets much more rain.

 

IMO the big advantage to cruising in May is that you get to experience lots of waterfalls from the snowmelt while cruising the Inside Passage. You won't see that later in the season. I got lucky and had sunny weather in the 70's much of my May Alaska cruise.

 

Have a great cruise.

[Coral]

Historically, the end of May and first of June has the least amount of rain.

 

I have cruised frequently at the end of May and first of June and for the most part, have had incredible weather with very little rain. Of course, Alaska's weather can change in a moment's notice but the odds are good in your favor.

[Tapi]

We went the first week in June. Sunny skies and temps in the 60's the majority of the time. Glacier Bay was breathtaking, so I highly recommend an itinerary and cruise line that offers that

[barbeyg]

We are booked southbound on Radiance OTS, 5/27. If you decide to join our group, we have an active Roll Call going. Happy anniversary! We will be celebrating our 30th. [emoji4]

[chilidog11]

We booked R\T out of Vancouver May 23-30, 2016. First Time to Alaska to celebrate our 15yr anniversary.

[Budget Queen]

Any time you go to Alaska by cruiseship, you will still need to be prepared for a wide range of weather. IF you wish to experience your glacier sailing, you are going to have to pack a lined jacket, hat and gloves. During the same week you can be in shorts.

 

A negative of May- is if considering a one way cruise and planning on Denali touring. Only option I recommend is cruising ONLY northbound so as to have Denali June 1 or later. It's ALL about getting INTO the park, and not enough to just have it "listed".

 

Overall- the key is to know ALL your details. Finding out about the specifics of each port and area- will be a significant advantage to you. Activities are important in my opinion, don't skimp on the choices. Unlike the Caribbean- each port is very worthwhile having it's own unique activities.

 

Plenty is written, which is suggested you spend some time reading. :)

[RescueDontBuy]

We cruised north this May 30th to June 6 and we learned that the weather the week before was even warmer than when we went. It had been in the high 70s for some days and even 80s in Fairbanks the prior week. When we went it was awesome weather, around mid to high sixties and into the low seventies some late afternoons. The key is not the temperature but the rain. if you are lucky and you get little to no rain, you lucked out like we did. However since you cant predict the weather, just bring the right clothes and you will still have an amazing time. The key is light weight clothes and I suggest a mini compact umbrella and a water resistant windbreaker with a hood and some isotoner gloves along with a number of t shirts, long sleeve shirts or fleece but not heavy fleece. A good pair of runners or hiking shoes that you can waterproof before you leave is also a good idea. Waterproof shoes are usually very heavy and frankly I don't think they are worth bringing.