Alaska Baby!

Image: Royal Caribbean

The best time to cruise Alaska isn’t obvious—until you’re quietly sailing along its calm waters under a cloudless, late-spring sky. It was on one such day that someone on board spotted a whale breaching. And then again. And again. Within minutes it seemed everyone on board had gathered at the railings on deck to watch. The captain of the ship nimbly repositioned us, giving both the port and starboard sides prime viewing, at a safe and respectful distance from the animals. With binoculars, cameras, and phones at the ready, the passengers and crew aboard UnCruise Adventures’ 86-guest S.S. Legacy settled in for what turned out to be an hour-long private show by a juvenile humpback who had migrated from Hawaii to spend the summer in the nutrient-rich Alaskan waters.

This is but one of the incredible experiences that may be had when visiting Alaska in the “secret season”—springtime. Not only are the flowers and plant life awakening from their wintertime slumber, so is its wildlife. Though the state’s more temperate summer season has long attracted its largest numbers of visitors, an increasing number of in-the-know travelers are looking to spring as the best time to cruise to Alaska, when they can count on fewer crowds—and increased savings—without sacrificing their chance to take advantage of the state’s landscape and wildlife sightings

On that same late-April voyage with UnCruise, the Northern Lights danced through the sky on night one, and through the week we spotted grizzly bear mamas and their cubs skirting the coastline; bald eagles soaring overhead; humpback whales and orcas breaking the water’s surface to breathe; puffins, seals, and sea lions bobbing in the water and laying out on rocks—even a wolf on the shoreline, feasting on a fresh kill. (Our captain said he had seen a wolf in Alaska only twice in his 30-year career.)

We sailed roundtrip from Juneau, and while I’ve visited the capital city during the busy summer months, I found the restaurants, bars, and shops much less crowded, reliably filled with locals for the most part. On the water, we rarely passed any other ships or boats, aside from fishermen out for their catches.

According to Travel Alaska, cruising is the most popular way to explore the state, and Cruise Lines International Association Alaska predicts that 1.64 million cruise line passengers will sail to and within Alaska in 2024.

But when is really the best time to sail Alaska? We’ve broken the seasons down for you, including the highlights of each, as well as the best cruise lines and cruise ships to consider so you can make your bucket list dreams come true.

April and May

If your schedule allows, not only does sailing Alaska in April and May afford the possibilities of glimpsing the Northern Lights and seeing wildlife emerge from their winter hibernation, it’s a more affordable and less crowded time to cruise, too. April and May are also the driest months in Alaska, so the chances of rain are slim.

Norwegian Cruise Line kicks off the 2024 Alaska cruise season when Norwegian Bliss sets sail on a weeklong, roundtrip itinerary from Seattle; she will be the only ship sailing in Alaska the first two weeks of spring. Balcony cabins are still available on the season’s inaugural sailing at a discounted fare of $1,029 per person.

Smaller ships like those that comprise UnCruise Adventures’ and Alaska Dream Cruises’ fleets can maneuver closer to the coastline for better views of bears rambling along the beaches and on-land excursions without another soul around. Uncruise’s 12-night “Inside Passage” itinerary departs April 15 with rates starting at $6,300 per person, and Alaska Dream Cruises’ seven-night “Last Frontier Adventure” has starting rates from $3,995 per person.

June to August

Warmer temperatures, an average of 17 hours of daylight, and schools’ summer vacations all make Alaska a popular destination for cruising in June, July, and August. Expect crowded ports and more ships out on the water, but that’s not to say it’s not a good time to set sail: bears are still active, as are whales and native bird life.

Holland America Line, which has sailed in Alaska for 75 years, offers 50 itineraries throughout June, July, and August, including the new 28-day Alaska Arctic Circle Solstice itinerary that departs June 9 from Seattle; verandah staterooms start at $7,259 per person. Family favorite Disney Cruise Line offers 13 itineraries over the summer, including a seven-night itinerary from $3,467 per person.

September

Not only is school back in session in September, which means fewer crowds at ports, but the chances of seeing the Northern Lights return, especially if combining your cruise with a land tour that takes you further north into Alaska. Fall is also mating season for wildlife, so expect to see some friskiness.

Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Edge sets sail for the first time in Alaska this year and has four six- and seven-night itineraries in September, starting at $599 per person. For a cruise-tour option, Princess’ 12-day Denali Explorer itinerary blends five days on land with a weeklong cruise with mini-suite rates from $4,008 per person.

October

The Alaska cruise season winds down in October, with only a few ships setting sail. Just as in April and May, you’ll likely have the water to yourself, and even fewer people in the ports you call upon. Along with cooler weather, you’ll also find lower fares that will please your bank account.

Just as Norwegian Cruise Line kicks off the 2024 Alaska cruise season in April, it’s the last cruise line to set sail in the state, and the only one to sail in October. The seven- and nine-day itineraries sail roundtrip from Seattle, and a recent search found fares more than 80% off published fares, starting at $499 per person.

2024 Luxurious Brands and Ships

The most luxurious brands and ships of 2024!

Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady (Photo: Virgin Voyages)

Cruise Critic has released its highlighting the best in cruising and cruise travel as selected by Cruise Critic’s international editorial team.

Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady claimed top honors this year as Best New Ship. The line’s first vessel, Scarlet Lady, charmed Cruise Critic’s editors enough that the vessel was awarded Best New Ship in 2021. Now, sister-ship Resilient Lady, which has just arrived Down Under for the season, sweeps to victory for the line once again.

Other winners in the Ocean Cruises category included Disney Cruise Line as Best for Families; Celebrity Cruises for Best Cabins; MSC Cruises for Best Nightlife; Holland America Line for Best Service and Carnival Cruise Line for Best Value for Money.

“This was a banner year for the cruise industry,” said Colleen McDaniel, Editor-in-Chief of Cruise Critic. “On Cruise Critic, we saw demand for cruises surpass pre-pandemic times, and a number of lines reported ships sailing at over 100% capacity. Cruising has always been a high-value vacation, but with costs of land- and air-based travel through the roof, the true value of a cruise really hit home this year.

“The value of a cruise doesn’t stop with mainstream sailings. From the fare inclusions on river and luxury sailings, to those on expedition sailings to farther-flung destinations like Antarctica and the Galapagos, you’d be hard-pressed to find a land-based vacation that delivers the experience and value that a cruise offers,” McDaniel said.

Cruise Critic has been releasing its highly anticipated Editors’ Picks Awards for 15 years. This year’s awards are the most thorough to date, naming winners across four key areas – Ocean, River, Luxury and Expedition.

This Year’s Awards Saw the Return of Best Ship Refurbishment

Crew assemble to welcome the first guests onboard Carnival Venezia

Main Atrium on Carnival Venezia (Photo: Adam Coulter)

Cruise Critic also brought back a heralded category in 2023: Best Ship Refurbishment, which went to the gorgeously decorated Carnival Venezia. The former Costa Venezia was refitted prior to entering service with Carnival Cruise Line, leaving it with a fascinating blend of Italian-style interior décor courtesy of the line’s longtime design guru Joe Farcus, along with a blend of Carnival favorites tweaked ever-so slightly.

Port Miami was named best North American Homeport thanks to an abundance of innovation and investment that has come out of the new and improved terminal structure and growing improvements to the passenger experience.

Cruise Critic’s 2023 Editors’ Picks Awards Include New Categories, a Return of Awards for River Cruises

American Serenade docked in Paducah, KY (Photo: Aaron Saunders)

Cruise Critic’s 2023 Editors’ Picks Awards is noteworthy for the return of the River Cruise awards for the first time since the global health pandemic shut down travel three years ago. In that category, river cruising giant Viking took top honors as the Best River Cruise Line, while the Best New River Cruise Ship was awarded, for the first time, to an American river cruise ship – American Cruise Lines’ American Serenade.

Other winners in the River Category included AmaWaterways for Best for Active Cruisers, Avalon for Best Cabins, Riverside for Dining and Tauck for Enrichment.

Silversea Scoops Best Luxury Cruise Line

Silver Nova sails under a blue sky. (Photo: Silversea)

In the Luxury Cruise category, Silversea Cruises was named Best Luxury Cruise Line, thanks to its tireless dedication to service, its modern fleet, and continually innovative offerings. Its Silver Nova was Cruise Critic’s pick for Best New Luxury Ship, while Oceania snapped up Best Dining. The luxury category even held a bit of nostalgia, as restarted (and beloved) brand Crystal took two categories: Best Service and Best for Solo Travelers.

(Credit: Scenic Cruises)

Finally, the Expedition Cruise market continues to expand and mature at a rapid pace. Some of the most hotly deliberated categories were found here, but Cruise Critic’s editors came to consensus: Scenic Eclipse II was named

Best New Expedition Ship, while Quark, Seabourn, Silversea, Viking and UnCruise Adventures, among others, walked away with honors this year.

One thing that was apparent for the entire editorial team in selecting this year’s winners was how close many of these categories were for the ships and lines in the running. Few were easy choices – and that’s good for cruisers. With cruise lines of all shapes and sizes delivering stellar experiences across the oceans and rivers of the world, it’s never been a better time to take a cruise.