Uncwrn93 Posted October 17, 2015 #1 Share Posted October 17, 2015 Trying to see if we can put together a cruise next year (2016) and was wondering what to expect at the end of year cruises? We went to Alaska previously in June and it was cold (50's) and wet most of the trip and we loved every minute. So cold and wet don't worry me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserBruce Posted October 17, 2015 #2 Share Posted October 17, 2015 Cruise fares are usually cheaper in September for a reason. While the weather is not predictable, the days are shorter, the weather is typically cooler. Many reports down the board documenting experiences in this time frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamloops50 Posted October 17, 2015 #3 Share Posted October 17, 2015 Trying to see if we can put together a cruise next year (2016) and was wondering what to expect at the end of year cruises? We went to Alaska previously in June and it was cold (50's) and wet most of the trip and we loved every minute. So cold and wet don't worry me. Where do want to cruise ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncwrn93 Posted October 17, 2015 Author #4 Share Posted October 17, 2015 Mostlikely will do the inland passage round trip from Seattle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putterdude Posted October 18, 2015 #5 Share Posted October 18, 2015 If the price is right and it often is with those late season fares, yes, I have done it and would do it again. Just be prepared for shorter days and often cooler, rainier days. Incidentally, while the cruise lines enter cruises out of Seattle as "Inside Passage Routes, the ships sail both north and south to the west of Vancouver Island and therefore are only in the Inside Passage while north of Vancouver Is. You will not see much in the way of scenery a day in either direction while on the west side of Vancouver Is. There is more in the way of scenery with sailings out of Vancouver which sail on the east side of Vancouver Is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizzalady1 Posted October 18, 2015 #6 Share Posted October 18, 2015 (edited) NCL has a sweet 10-day cruise out of Seattle and disembarking in Vancouver, embarking on 9/17/16. It goes to Glacier Bay and Icy Straight Point and Sitka, plus the usual 3 ports. Edited October 18, 2015 by pizzalady1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kamloops50 Posted October 18, 2015 #7 Share Posted October 18, 2015 Did a Seattle to Vancouver last September. Except for the first and last two days , the weather except for 1 day was the worst we've had in 8 Alaska cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted October 18, 2015 #8 Share Posted October 18, 2015 When it comes to weather it is anyone's guess. Cold be sunny, cloudy, windy, rainy, warm, cold or a combination of all of this. There is a higher chance of bad weather late in the season with less daylight but you just never know when it comes to weather what it will be like during your stay. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marshhawk Posted October 18, 2015 #9 Share Posted October 18, 2015 we are cruising next year 2016 with a cruise starting on the 6th of September. when you are talking shorter days=what do you mean by short. when does it get dark at that time of year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserBruce Posted October 18, 2015 #10 Share Posted October 18, 2015 (edited) we are cruising next year 2016 with a cruise starting on the 6th of September. when you are talking shorter days=what do you mean by short. when does it get dark at that time of year? A quick internet search reveals on Sept 6, 2016, the sunrise at Juneau is 5:10am, sunset is 6:45pm. Edited October 18, 2015 by CruiserBruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruisin'Christine Posted October 19, 2015 #11 Share Posted October 19, 2015 I did an Alaska cruise last month, leaving Seattle Sept 11/15 and returning to Vancouver on Sept 22/13, with Celebrity cruiselines. I was pleasantly surprised by our good luck with weather. The weather was beautiful in both Seattle and Vancouver (sunny, clear, warmish). At the different ports, the weather was cool, but it only rained twice (lignt misty rain in Icy Strait point and heavier rain in Juneau). The weather did not deter me in anyway and I still did fishing and whale watching on those days. I wore a warm jacket, a knitted head wrap around my ears, and gloves. I wore running shoes. The sun usually set around 7pm and rose around 6am. I absolutely loved this cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEtue Posted October 19, 2015 #12 Share Posted October 19, 2015 I cruised from August 29 - September 5 from Whittier and was pleasantly surprised at how nice the weather was. From what I have read this was not a typical year though. All of my previous cruises have been late May into early June and this was the best weather cruise so far. So, who knows from year to year :confused: I didn't mind that it got dark at a normal time for me. After a long day on deck or in port I was ready for some down time by 9 pm so it was no big deal. August 29: sunrise 6:45 am - sunset 9:12 pm September 5: sunrise 7:02 am - sunset 8:50 pm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barwick Cruiser Posted October 19, 2015 #13 Share Posted October 19, 2015 I did an Alaska cruise last month' date=' leaving Seattle Sept 11/15 and returning to Vancouver on Sept 22/13, with Celebrity cruiselines. I was pleasantly surprised by our good luck with weather. The weather was beautiful in both Seattle and Vancouver (sunny, clear, warmish). At the different ports, the weather was cool, but it only rained twice (lignt misty rain in Icy Strait point and heavier rain in Juneau). The weather did not deter me in anyway and I still did fishing and whale watching on those days. I wore a warm jacket, a knitted head wrap around my ears, and gloves. I wore running shoes. The sun usually set around 7pm and rose around 6am. I absolutely loved this cruise![/quote'] We were on this cruise as well and agree that it was a fabulous itinerary and we were also pleasantly surprised with the good weather....def not what we'd expected and read about on here. In ISP, we did a morning whale watch and the weather was overcast but dry...even had some sunny breaks although it did start to lightly drizzle once we got back to the ship in the early afternoon. In Juneau, we took the town bus to Mendenhall in the morning and it started raining once we were there but we'd worn our waterproof jackets and shoes and it was fine. Could actually appreciate the glacier without the summer crowds! We got so lucky with Tracy Arm and the weather...amazing sail in with perfectly calm seas...can def see why some people go back time and again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted October 20, 2015 #14 Share Posted October 20, 2015 On the inside passage, by the second week of Sept- it is dark by 7pm. the above reference for the first week being around 9pm is not correct. There is a wide range depending on where you are, but from a cruise and the southeast Alaska plan on 7pm by the second week, maybe 7:30p the first week with twilight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEtue Posted October 20, 2015 #15 Share Posted October 20, 2015 On the inside passage, by the second week of Sept- it is dark by 7pm. the above reference for the first week being around 9pm is not correct. There is a wide range depending on where you are, but from a cruise and the southeast Alaska plan on 7pm by the second week, maybe 7:30p the first week with twilight. According to the Patters and the website I use it is correct for Anchorage/Whittier but sailing south - the last port of Ketchikan was 7:26 pm with twilight ending by 8:07 pm. A good time to head in to dinner :) Anyway, I was concerned about all of the post that I read about shorter days too before I sailed in late August. So, I think it is important to note that if it gets dark at 7:30 pm - it might not be considered a short day for everyone and it felt "normal' to me. Just more information for the OP to make a decision around :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted October 20, 2015 #16 Share Posted October 20, 2015 According to the Patters and the website I use it is correct for Anchorage/Whittier but sailing south - the last port of Ketchikan was 7:26 pm with twilight ending by 8:07 pm. A good time to head in to dinner :) Anyway, I was concerned about all of the post that I read about shorter days too before I sailed in late August. So, I think it is important to note that if it gets dark at 7:30 pm - it might not be considered a short day for everyone and it felt "normal' to me. Just more information for the OP to make a decision around :) Yes good information- but in my experience some of the "official" times have been too general for the area you are in. It is darn dark outside and gets colder before the "sunset" time in my experience sailing inside passage. (which I've done numerous times :) ) The daylight time drops off very quickly after August. I sailed for 5 weeks starting the last week in August, last year, and noticed that significantly every week. Also was very apparent with the Yukon foliage- vast color changes, went up to Carcross, 3 weeks in a row. As someone- who does give my priority to scenic sailing- this timeframe is lacking for me. I absolutely realize- it is a significant minority who would care to take advantage. I simply point it out. You are correct, most people are going to be elsewhere- confirmed, with me being out by myself. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey12 Posted October 20, 2015 #17 Share Posted October 20, 2015 I would not go in late August or September. The lack of daylight is a negative. More chances of it being rainy during this time. September can have really bad weather in Alaska. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putterdude Posted October 20, 2015 #18 Share Posted October 20, 2015 Unless you are an ardent scenery watcher I think most will find the 12 to 13 hours of daylight plus twilight quite adequate. Most people cruisers enjoy the whole cruise experience of dining, going to the theatre, visiting a lounge and get ready for the next day's adventure. As for weather, rain and cool weather can occur at anytime, yes we have experienced rain in late August and September but that has been the case in any month during the cruise season but we have also experienced temps in the early to mid 70* where the day before there was howling gale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted October 20, 2015 #19 Share Posted October 20, 2015 Unless you are an ardent scenery watcher I think most will find the 12 to 13 hours of daylight plus twilight quite adequate. Most people cruisers enjoy the whole cruise experience of dining, going to the theatre, visiting a lounge and get ready for the next day's adventure. As for weather, rain and cool weather can occur at anytime, yes we have experienced rain in late August and September but that has been the case in any month during the cruise season but we have also experienced temps in the early to mid 70* where the day before there was howling gale. I've had remarkably better weather on my May and June trips, compared to my August and Sept trips. My experience is about 20 years- every year. I rarely go in July- less than 5 trips out of over 50 cruises. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putterdude Posted October 20, 2015 #20 Share Posted October 20, 2015 I've had remarkably better weather on my May and June trips, compared to my August and Sept trips. My experience is about 20 years- every year. I rarely go in July- less than 5 trips out of over 50 cruises. :) As you very well know, statistically June is the driest month in Alaska. However, in over 50 years of going to Alasksa and crewing up and down the coast to the AB line I have yet to find a statistic that keeps me dry. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncwrn93 Posted October 21, 2015 Author #21 Share Posted October 21, 2015 THank you everyone for the input. We went in June (week of Father's day) previously and had 50's and rain almost every day, actually poured two days. Saying that the 3 weeks prior to our cruise were 70's and sunshine and the guide at one point stated they were in a drought. Shame we broke it. Not too worried about the rain and cold, but maybe we won't try so late in the year maybe middle to end of August instead of end of September Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougH Posted October 21, 2015 #22 Share Posted October 21, 2015 I've had remarkably better weather on my May and June trips, compared to my August and Sept trips. My experience is about 20 years- every year. I rarely go in July- less than 5 trips out of over 50 cruises. :) I totally agree with BQ. For me the sweet spot is late May to end of June with my last choice anything after mid Aug. With the end of season cruising almost any chance of scenic viewing after you leave port is gone and the chance of poor weather greatly increases. If this is your first/only Alaska trip I'd choose an earlier time frame but if you get a good price and have been before I'd consider end of season. Like BQ I've been up almost every year since 1995 in multiple time frames. May 13 June 4 July 1 Aug 4 Sept 2 Worst weather was 2 of the 4 Aug and the 2 Sept Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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