Is Alaska on your bucket list? Judging by the number inquiries we’re getting about the 49th State, many of you do.
Normally, we see interest for Alaska start to ramp up in the autumn months for the following summer. It appears the pandemic has accelerated this cycle, so today I thought I’d provide some general information about visiting this unique part of the world.
Here is my suggested hierarchy of decisions when choosing an Alaskan Cruise and/or Land Tour:
WHEN? The tourist season runs from late April through to early October, and there is no “best” time to visit, just a series of trade-offs:
April, May and early June have lots of daylight hours, are usually light on rain, and fewer crowds. If you are going to Denali, it is also possible you won’t be able to get all the way into the depths of the park until the middle of June.
June, July, and August have reliable weather (although the further north you go, the more subject to rain you are starting in July). There are also more crowds, and you’ll find it to be a bit more expensive in these months.
September and October things get a bit quieter, but the later in the season you go, the fewer daylight hours you get, and you are more subject to rain.
CRUISE, LAND, or BOTH? You can do round-trip cruises out of Seattle or Vancouver, but those trips really only go halfway up the coast. This might be fine if you’re just looking for a taste of Alaska, but many people who do these cruises vow to return to see the rest of the state so they can get into Denali. Land tours are great for those that have already done one of these round-trip cruises. If you’re going to go to the time and expense of visiting Alaska, I would suggest doing a cruise with a land extension to Denali National Park (and other points if you have time).
NORTHBOUND or SOUTHBOUND? If you’re not doing one of the round-trip cruises, the endpoints of your trip will be in Anchorage/Fairbanks in the north, and Seattle/Vancouver in the south. It’s a matter of personal opinion as to which is preferable but remember that the northern end of the trip is a much longer flight. Vancouver is actually closer to Mexico than it is to Anchorage, and if you fly from Seattle to Fairbanks or Anchorage it is about 4 hours. You’ll want to consider whether that longer day of air travel should be pre-vacation or on your way home.
LENGTH OF TRIP? There really aren’t any Alaskan cruises shorter than 7 nights because of the huge distance you are covering. The land extensions are an additional 3 days to 8 days. If you’re going to Denali, keep in mind it is about 8 hours by train or motor coach from the port, and the park itself is larger than Massachusetts. If you choose a 3-day land extension, plan on spending most of that time on a bus just getting to and from the park. The most common land extension is 5 nights, which makes for a more comfortable pace.
SEATTLE or VANCOUVER? Both these cities are spectacular in their own way, but logistically, they are very similar. Vancouver has a larger cruise ship port and airport, but Seattle is better served for domestic flights. In both cases you need a passport. These two cities are only about 100 miles apart, and if not for the international boundary between them, they would be one continuous city by this point. This should be your last criteria, after you’ve decided on all the ones above.
There are two factors people tend to overlook when planning a trip to Alaska. First is how far away it is. For more than half the population of the United States, Europe is closer and easier to get to than Alaska. I had a client from Chicago who wanted to drive from Vancouver to Anchorage…. until I pointed out that the driving distance was greater than that from Chicago to Vancouver. The second factor is Alaska’s sheer size. Texas fits three times into Alaska, so once you’re in Alaska, keep in mind how long it might take you to get between destinations there.
Here’s a few travel opportunities for this week:
Alaska in 2021
If you want to go this season, there are one-week round trips from Seattle on Celebrity, Holland America, and Princess.
- Celebrity departing September 3rd, 2021. Balcony cabins start at $1699 per person.
- Holland America departing September 25th, 2021. Balcony cabins start at $1599 per person
- Princess departing September 5th, 2021 (visits Glacier Bay National Park). Balcony cabins start at $1069 per person
American Queen’s “Autumn on the River” Promotion
If you’re ready to cruise this fall, American Queen is offering up to $1000 off for some cruises departing in October. Here’s one example:
- Memphis to Chattanooga departing October 24 for 9 days. Prices from $2299 (inside), verandas from $4199. Includes pre-cruise hotel night, all beverages specialty dining, a shore excursion in every port, and wifi on the ship.
Alaska in 2022
SilverSea: departing Anchorage on June 23, 2022 for 7 nights, bound for Vancouver: $5310 per person (includes flights, transfers, gratuities, all beverages, specialty dining, a shore excursion in each port, and wifi on the ship)
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I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
