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When to cruise to Alaska

Month	Cruise season indicator		Month	Cruise seacon indicator
January	No		July
February	No		August
March	No		September
April	No		October	No
May			November	No
June			December	No

Alaska Cruise Season Guide »

All you Need to Know

by Travel Journalist Phil Davies

It was the best Bloody Mary I had ever tasted, and it certainly took away the chill from outside. I was in the Red Dog Saloon in Juneau, a tourist’s bar maybe, but still, one of the many highlights of the trip so far.

There was a frighteningly real-looking bear in the middle of the bar, looking down over my fellow drinkers and the charming staff behind the bar made me feel as welcome as a local.

Juneau was the Gold Rush capital of Alaska and its one time wealth was obvious in the statuesque houses perched high on the mountains.

A cruise to Alaska is one of those must-do trips and really is the only way to see this spectacular landscape. The striking glaciers, the clear, icy blue skies and the extraordinary night skies with more stars than I had ever seen - it seemed far away from reality.

Eagles circled overhead and humpback whales dived into the navy blue sea alongside the ship. An Alaska cruise goes through mountains and ice fields, glaciers, fjords and forests.

In Ketchikan I had the best clam chowder in a sidewalk café and salmon which had been caught that very morning.

In Skagway we took a helicopter flight to the top of a glacier, which was quite a contrast to the calm, peaceful days spent at sea by the Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay and Prince William Sound’s Columbia Glacier.

Seeing the Misty Fjords by seaplane is a memory which will live on long after your cruise has ended. For a more gentle experience try your hand at gold-panning, star gazing or just go back in time and wander through quiet streets in the small fishing towns.

Alaska cruises run from May to October, for the best weather go mid-season, when it will be considerably warmer.

DOS and DON’TS of Alaskan Cruising

DO try some of the new shore excursions. If you are looking for thrills then try helicopter flights, sea plane rides or white water rafting.

DO combine your cruise with a holiday ashore. Some cruise lines have trains from Vancouver to the peaks of the Canadian Rockies, some offer a stay near Denali National Park.

DO take lots of layers. It’s not as cold as some people imagine but the wind chill can make it very breezy. Layers, a waterproof or anorak and a hat are essentials, especially if you intend spending time on the balcony of your cabin taking in the spectacular views.

DON’T miss the opportunity to enjoy the delights of Vancouver or Seattle before or after your cruise, as both are fantastic cities in their own right.

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