Alaska in October?

[donaldsc]

On 7/16/2020 at 10:28 PM, MidwesternCruiser2 said:

Cruise?  January-March?  Don't think this is a helpful response.

 

There was a point to my response.  It was that given a choice of cruising in late October or going to AK in March, you get a much better experience in March.  You get the World of Ice Art Carving  Championships (https://www.icealaska.org/) in Fairbanks and your chances of Aurora are pretty good.  I spent 1 1/2 weeks up there a few years back and if you ignore the cold (think -20F w/o the wind chill), it was really great.  I would do it again in a heart beat.

 

You don't have to cruise to do everything that AK has to offer.  On balance having done both a number of times,  I really think that a land trip provides a better overall AK experience.  Cruising is great and you can get to places that are hard or impossible to get to by land unless you do a lot of expensive airplane flights but there are a lot of really great places that you can't get to on a cruise that you can get to on a land trip.

 

DON

[Midwestern Cruiser]

28 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

 

There was a point to my response.  It was that given a choice of cruising in late October or going to AK in March, you get a much better experience in March.  You get the World of Ice Art Carving  Championships (https://www.icealaska.org/) in Fairbanks and your chances of Aurora are pretty good.  I spent 1 1/2 weeks up there a few years back and if you ignore the cold (think -20F w/o the wind chill), it was really great.  I would do it again in a heart beat.

 

You don't have to cruise to do everything that AK has to offer.  On balance having done both a number of times,  I really think that a land trip provides a better overall AK experience.  Cruising is great and you can get to places that are hard or impossible to get to by land unless you do a lot of expensive airplane flights but there are a lot of really great places that you can't get to on a cruise that you can get to on a land trip.

 

DON

 

Thank you, Don!  Very helpful in understanding your thoughts.
Personally, I could not take -20°F, but appreciate people who like something so much they prepare for what it takes to enjoy it.
I rarely vacation without cruising.  For me, whether the weather's good or the port stops are all made, it's my happy place...just being on the water.  Then, if something good happens off ship, so much the better.

Have a great day!

[Budget Queen]

54 minutes ago, MidwesternCruiser2 said:

 

Thank you, Don!  Very helpful in understanding your thoughts.
Personally, I could not take -20°F, but appreciate people who like something so much they prepare for what it takes to enjoy it.
I rarely vacation without cruising.  For me, whether the weather's good or the port stops are all made, it's my happy place...just being on the water.  Then, if something good happens off ship, so much the better.

Have a great day!

I like March in Fairbanks,  as well  🙂    What's wonderful is the equinox,   so,  I've seen aurora and sunset at the same time    I've had down to -25 f at night-  which,  I'm extremely picky where I stay-  so of no issue.   But during the day,  I've had up to 40 f.     As Don mentions the Ice Sculpting Championships are superb.   (there has been changes)    

 

Alaska does work out superbly with cruises/mainland combo.    Time is your friend,  and unfortunately,   distances are vast-  and frequently underestimating,     This site-  can be counted on for accurate-  up to date information.   🙂     

[diesel1973]

I come up here from June to Aug. or in March. Am up here right now for 6 weeks and the weather is great  High 60's to mid 70's. Better than back in Illinois. In March I come up here for the snowmobiling(snowmachining?) and ice fishing. Been up here at -50F. and is great as there are no mosquitoes!!LOL

[Midwestern Cruiser]

2 hours ago, diesel1973 said:

I come up here from June to Aug. or in March. Am up here right now for 6 weeks and the weather is great  High 60's to mid 70's. Better than back in Illinois. In March I come up here for the snowmobiling(snowmachining?) and ice fishing. Been up here at -50F. and is great as there are no mosquitoes!!LOL

If I didn't have kids and grands, I'd move to Alaska -- still not sure I'd spend much time out of its southeast area, close to the water....but you're near enough to Chicago, you can probably handle their winters better than me.

[Budget Queen]

1 hour ago, MidwesternCruiser2 said:

If I didn't have kids and grands, I'd move to Alaska -- still not sure I'd spend much time out of its southeast area, close to the water....but you're near enough to Chicago, you can probably handle their winters better than me.

I've visited multiple times,   but would never move there.   🙂    In the past,  I really liked being on the move and  continuously  traveling, which I've been doing for over 15 years. 

 

This is  A new era-  indeed.       I'm hoping the current Alaska admission perimeters remain in place until I go there about the middle of August.      

[Midwestern Cruiser]

On 7/18/2020 at 9:03 PM, Budget Queen said:

I've visited multiple times,   but would never move there.   🙂    In the past,  I really liked being on the move and  continuously  traveling, which I've been doing for over 15 years. 

 

This is  A new era-  indeed.       I'm hoping the current Alaska admission perimeters remain in place until I go there about the middle of August.      

Spring 2021 (if it happens) will be my 8th visit in 12 years and I'm never there long enough.
Would I stay there permanently?  Who knows.  But if I didn't have these kids I adore, I'd love to try.

Husband and I cruised on our honeymoon...first for both of us...hilarious how little we knew, how cheaply we sailed and how it kicked off our love of travel.  Was afraid I'd lose that when I lost him, but I may go even more now.
Good luck with your August plans.

[cheone]

On 6/6/2020 at 7:34 AM, H8mundays said:

A friend wants to do a cruise out of Seattle to Alaska in October of 2021.  Has anyone does an Alaskan cruise in October? Trying to figure out what the weather would be like and if most excursions would be available.  I didn't think they cruised in October but she said it is on their website.  Any info you have would be greatly appreciated.

If you are leaving Seattle today.   Seas are 18 ft off the Washington Coast and Vancouver Island.  Winds are 40mph with guests up to 80MPH now at 10AM.  The forecast is that winds  and Seas will rise thru the afternoon.  

[Midwestern Cruiser]

7 hours ago, cheone said:

If you are leaving Seattle today.   Seas are 18 ft off the Washington Coast and Vancouver Island.  Winds are 40mph with guests up to 80MPH now at 10AM.  The forecast is that winds  and Seas will rise thru the afternoon.  

 

In 2017, today was departure day for a 10-night sailing from Seattle to Vancouver.  Was a great sailing with decent weather and fabulous end of season sales.  That's the thing: you just never know  :-}

[BruceMuzz]

My ship sails in Alaska every summer - except this one. We previously had October sailings, but no longer. We had so many weather problems, cancelled port calls, cancelled tours, and guest complaints about closed shops, bad weather, lack of tours, no whales, no bears, etc, etc.

[Midwestern Cruiser]

On 9/25/2020 at 7:40 PM, BruceMuzz said:

My ship sails in Alaska every summer - except this one. We previously had October sailings, but no longer. We had so many weather problems, cancelled port calls, cancelled tours, and guest complaints about closed shops, bad weather, lack of tours, no whales, no bears, etc, etc.

 

A bit confused by "My ship" -- just whatever cruise line you're on or do you own an excursion company?

[Budget Queen]

1 hour ago, MidwesternCruiser2 said:

 

A bit confused by "My ship" -- just whatever cruise line you're on or do you own an excursion company?

His own boat???    Private sailing Alaska.   

[Coral]

9 hours ago, MidwesternCruiser2 said:

 

A bit confused by "My ship" -- just whatever cruise line you're on or do you own an excursion company?

He works for a cruise line. So it is the cruise ship he is working on at the time.

Edited September 27, 2020 by Coral

[Budget Queen]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

He works for a cruise line. So it is the cruise ship he is working on at the time.

Do you know what company?   On one of the small specialty ships?   

[Coral]

41 minutes ago, Budget Queen said:

Do you know what company?   On one of the small specialty ships?   

No. He has posted for years with ship knowledge. He recently posted that his ship (in March) has less than 500 souls. He also mentioned "smaller more upscale cruise ships".

 

Just from his posts and knowledge of large ships - I think he has worked for multiple lines (small and large). 

 

I wonder if he works for Windstar or something similar. Purely guessing.  He has a lot of knowledge of Carnival Corp and they used to be a part of them.

Edited September 27, 2020 by Coral