There really isn’t one “best” month because it depends on what you want out of the trip. June through August are the most popular months because of the long daylight hours, warmer temperatures and availability of tours and activities.
May and September can sometimes mean better pricing and fewer crowds.
I’d rather help you choose the timing based on what you want to see and do than tell everyone to go in the same month. For a month-by-month comparison, see my guide to the best time to cruise Alaska.
I don’t think there’s one cruise line that is automatically best for everyone. In Alaska, I look at the itinerary first, including the ports, glacier viewing, time in port and where the cruise starts and ends. Then I look at the ship, onboard experience, cabin options and pricing. The cruise line that is perfect for one traveler may not be the one I’d recommend for someone else.
Glacier Bay is incredible, but I don’t like telling people they have to choose an itinerary just because the internet says it’s a “must.” There are only three cruise lines that have permits to enter the National Park so if those cruise lines aren’t a great fit for you then it may not be worth it.
Glacier Bay gives you a full day of scenic cruising with multiple glaciers, wildlife and National Park Service rangers onboard. Hubbard Glacier is a completely different experience and is enormous. I look at the entire itinerary before deciding which one makes the most sense for your trip.
No, you don’t have to have a balcony to have a great Alaska cruise. I love balconies in Alaska because there is so much scenery, but I don’t want you spending money on one just because someone online told you it’s required.
If the choice is between a balcony and a better itinerary or an excursion you really want to do, I’d look at the whole trip before deciding where that money is best spent.
An interior cabin can be a good option too, especially if you sleep better in a darker room during Alaska’s long summer daylight hours.
Seattle is incredibly convenient, especially if you’re coming from the Pacific Northwest, but I wouldn’t automatically choose it just because it’s easier. Vancouver can offer different routes, more one-way cruise options and itineraries that spend more time sailing through the Inside Passage.
Seattle cruises are usually roundtrip, which makes the travel logistics really simple. Vancouver can make more sense if you want to combine your cruise with time on land in Alaska before or after the sailing.
I’ll compare the whole trip, including the itinerary, ports, glacier viewing, flights and anything you want to add on land, so you know what you’re gaining or giving up with each option.
As someone who chases the Northern Lights myself, I would never book a summer Alaska cruise expecting to see them. There are so many factors involved, and during much of Alaska’s cruise season the nights simply don’t get clear or dark enough. Late August and September give you a better chance, but I still wouldn’t count on it.
The ship itself can make a difference too. Large cruise ships put off a lot of light, which can make faint aurora much harder to see with your eyes. Sometimes people post photos of the Northern Lights from a ship when their phone or camera was able to pick up color and detail that wasn’t nearly as visible to the naked eye.
Smaller ships can sometimes have an advantage simply because there is less light around you.
If seeing the Northern Lights is really important to you, I’d rather build the trip around giving you a better chance, usually with several nights farther inland in a darker area. Seeing them from the cruise ship can absolutely happen, especially later in the season, but I’d treat it as an amazing bonus rather than the reason you book the cruise.
If you have the time, it can be absolutely worth it. A cruise is a great way to see Alaska’s coastline, glaciers and port towns, but you’re still only seeing one small part of the state.
Adding time on land can give you a completely different experience in places like Denali, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Seward and other areas before or after the cruise.
Cruise lines offer cruisetours that combine the cruise with hotels, rail transportation and sightseeing, which can make planning really easy. Depending on what you want to see, I can also help put together the land portion separately if you want more flexibility.
I’ll help you decide whether adding land actually makes the trip better for you instead of just making it longer and more expensive.
Alaska excursions can get expensive fast, and I don’t think you need to book an expensive tour in every port. It really depends on what you’re most excited about. Whale watching, glacier experiences, wildlife tours, scenic rail trips and smaller boat excursions can all be incredible, but I’d rather help you spend the money on the experiences that matter most to you and keep other ports more relaxed when that makes sense.
I’d give Alaska more time than you think you need. It’s our largest state. The distances can be much bigger than they look on a map, and trying to fit Denali, Seward, Anchorage, Fairbanks and every other stop into one week can turn into a lot of time in the car.
For most land trips, I’d rather choose a few areas that fit what you really want to experience and give you enough time to actually enjoy them instead of racing around trying to see everything.
It really depends on where you want to go and how you like to travel. A rental car gives you the freedom to stop when you want, take your time and explore places that aren’t convenient by train.
That said, Alaska driving can be very different from a typical road trip. Some roads are unpaved or restricted by rental car companies, some routes have long stretches with limited services or cell coverage, and certain remote areas aren’t accessible by road at all. In those cases, you may need a train, tour, boat or even a small plane to get there.
The Alaska Railroad is a great experience too, but it only serves certain parts of Southcentral and Interior Alaska, including Anchorage, Seward, Denali, Fairbanks, Whittier and a handful of other stops. The GoldStar cars have glass-dome ceilings and an outdoor viewing platform, so you can actually relax and enjoy the scenery instead of watching the road.
I actually like a combination for a lot of trips. Take the train where the route and scenery make sense, rent a car where having the flexibility is worth it, and use tours or other transportation for places that are harder to reach on your own.
I’ll look at what you want to see and help figure out the combination that makes the most sense instead of automatically telling you to do one or the other.
