Table Of Content
- Cruise to Alaska from April to October for an Incomparable Life Experience
- Booking Your Cruise: The Early Bird Gets The Worm
- Bear Viewing in Alaska – Best Places, Tours & Tips
- Alaska Cruise in July: Alaska in July Is the Best Month to Spot Wildlife
- Advantages of Visiting Alaska in September
- When Is Whale Watching Season In Alaska?
For those seeking an intimate and unforgettable whale-watching tour in Alaska, the Hoonah Whale-Watching Cruise is a top pick. Your adventure begins at the Icy Strait Point Excursions Hub, where you’ll be transported to Hoonah to board your specialized whale-watching vessel. Our Captain, Paul, was a guide and a storyteller who shared fascinating insights into life in this remote Alaskan town. His anecdotes about the challenges and joys of living in a place cut off from mainstream civilization added a unique dimension to our trip.
Cruise to Alaska from April to October for an Incomparable Life Experience
That being said, the weather and wildlife in Alaska are notoriously unpredictable. You might take a float plane to see bears and, sadly, not see a single one. They begin migrating from Hawaiian waters in the springtime to feed in the nutrient-rich Alaskan waters. As the month progresses, temperatures rise slightly, and daylight hours increase. Because of its latitude, Alaska experiences extremes in daylight in the summer and darkness in the winter.
Booking Your Cruise: The Early Bird Gets The Worm
No trip to Alaska is complete without setting off on at least one whale watching tour. It’s an essential part of any Alaska itinerary, and it’s an activity I think every traveler here should experience. But before you book that cruise, here are my tips to consider when whale watching in Alaska. If you wish to detour far from the Inside Passage, Kodiak Island may be the best place to go. Across the Gulf of Alaska, Kodiak Island is Alaska’s largest island and a vital fishing hub.
Bear Viewing in Alaska – Best Places, Tours & Tips
Their closest relative is a narwhal and just like minke whales, orcas are a predator. These are the smallest whales on this list, coming in at feet long and weighing about 1-2,000 pounds. Belugas travel in herds of up to 1,000 and are best known as being incredibly vocal.
Alaska Cruise in July: Alaska in July Is the Best Month to Spot Wildlife
This website is here to help you find the right destination for your family vacation whilst also offering tips and advice we have acquired from our travels around the world. However, some breeds of whale aren’t as social, so may be better experienced on an excursion. Following the timeframes that we have provided, along with the likeliest location, will help up your chance to see these beauties of the deep straight from your ship. Enjoying your cruise as its own valuable and wonderful experience is important. The grey whales travel the furthest in general with each migration journey being between 5,000 and 7,000 miles long.
Advantages of Visiting Alaska in September
In May, there are fewer visitors too, which means you can get closer to the whales. You’ll also find it easier and cheaper to get on a whale watching cruise. Balcony cabins are still available on the season’s inaugural sailing at a discounted fare of $1,029 per person. Minke whales can be found in Alaska’s waters throughout the year, but they are most seen from May to September.
The Best Time to Cruise Alaska 2024: A Month-by-Month Guide - Condé Nast Traveler
The Best Time to Cruise Alaska 2024: A Month-by-Month Guide.
Posted: Thu, 29 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Proper planning can also enhance the cruising experience for families or multigenerational groups by ensuring there are activities suitable for all ages. Despite their name, Orcas are known to be friendly towards humans but recommendations from onboard naturalists should always be followed when viewing them. Minke Whales are the smallest baleen whales and are all over the world. Orcas are a predator to these smaller whales, and can be seen in the Inside Passage and Gulf of Alaska out of Seward. Southeast Alaska is a large area comprised of islands and a long strip of land extending southeast along the Canadian border.
If you are an angler, there is nothing like hooking and reeling in a King. With an average size of 24 to 36 inches and weighing pounds, you’ll finally have a true fishing story worth telling. You’ll also have more hours to look for wildlife from your room window or veranda. Rainfall slows down a bit in June, with about 13 days of the month having some precipitation.
Many of the humpback whales you’ll see in Alaska’s waters during the summer make an epic migration to the warmer waters of Hawaii during the winter months. The state’s waters are teeming with a variety of marine species, from plankton and krill to salmon, all of which serve as food for whales. This abundance of marine life makes Alaska a prime feeding ground, especially during the summer months when the waters are rich in nutrients.
Mid-July to September – This is the time to specifically see beluga whales. Last year, it was late August when I first spotted beluga whales as I was driving along Turnagain Arm. The beluga whales will follow the salmon and hooligan runs and your best chances to see them are around high tide. One really good location to spot beluga whales along Turnagain Arm is actually a place called Beluga Point. The most common whales to see in Alaska are humpback whales, killer whales, gray whales, and beluga whales.
“Resident” orcas (who stay near shore and feed on fish) are easy to spot and fun to watch from the cruise ship or on a whale-watching excursion. You can identify these cunning carnivores by their black-and-white markings. Based on our own journey, this tour offered us a thrilling experience, complete with sightings of whales, sea lions, and even bald eagles. It’s a must-do for anyone looking to immerse themselves in Alaska’s wild beauty fully.
September is also an excellent time to witness a towering Alaskan moose. With shoulder heights at 6 foot 9 inches and over 1,400 pounds, these massive animals are as dangerous as impressive, so you’ll want to view them from a distance. Juneau gets about 17 days of rain in August, so a high-quality raincoat is essential. If you have an exterior room and are sensitive to light while sleeping, a sleeping mask will help you rest during these long days.
Check out our Alaska Cruise Packing List if you’re setting sail or our general Alaska Packing List for summer activities and Alaska road trips. Always Good Idea – You may choose to contact travel companies within Alaska itself to find some great whale watching tour experts. Many cruise ship companies offer excursions directly through them and we encourage you to find out what your cruise may offer. A favorite of the grey whale are crustaceans, while beluga whales eat fish, squid, and octopus.
The best time to cruise Alaska - The Points Guy
The best time to cruise Alaska.
Posted: Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
In April, mountains will still be snowy, and high temperatures will max out in the upper 40s for most cruise ports. For major cruise lines, the Alaska cruise season runs between May and late September, including Viking and Disney. Learn how luxury makes a difference on the All-Inclusive Luxury Whale Watch. Climb aboard the only luxury whale-watching day-yacht in Alaska, and keep your eye out for orcas, and humpback whales. Resident belugas are commonly seen in Alaska mid-July to August, snacking on the hooligan and salmon in the silty waters of Turnagain Arm.
Tourists can witness humpback whales, orcas, and other marine wildlife in their natural habitat at Icy Strait Point. Glacier Bay is a top whale watching location in Alaska, with humpback whales being the most commonly sighted species. If you visit Glacier Bay from June to August, your chances of spotting these majestic creatures increase significantly. As summer comes to an end, September marks the start of fall and a great time to go whale watching in Alaska. This is when prices begin to drop, and wildlife sightings increase, providing visitors with memorable experiences. As the summer season reaches its peak in August, it is also the best time for whale watching during an Alaska cruise.
From humpbacks to orcas and even elusive blue whales, an Alaska whale-watching cruise offers a once-in-a-lifetime experience for nature enthusiasts and wildlife lovers alike. With its deep-blue fjords and retreating glaciers, Kenai Fjords makes an excellent stop for an Alaska whale watching tour. Boat tours into the Kenai Fjords reveal a breathtaking convergence of land, sea, and ice.
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