Want to Sail to Alaska for less? Go in September!
September is the very last month that you can cruise to Alaska. It is the tail end of the season, and all of the cruise lines stop sailing up there after that time. Sailings stop during the winter not due to the cold, but instead due to crushingly strong winds that sweep through the region during those cooler months.
I cruised to Alaska this past September, and I found that there are many upsides to sailing at the tail end of the season. I highly recommend making your booking for this time frame.
Benefit #1: Save Money
You will pay less! This is the time for greatly reduced rates. Since kids are starting school the ships do not fill up as easily. More supply and less demand allows the cruise lines to reduce their rates in order to lure you to Alaska. Let them lure you! Now is the time to sail for less!
Benefit #2: Less Crowded
The second benefit that I noticed is that there are fewer people on the ship. Many people will not go on vacations in September. This allows not only for lower prices, but a less crowded experience over all!
Benefit #3: Unique Opportunities
During the month of September there are opportunities for exciting deviations from the chartered course. On my sailing this meant that we sailed right up to Johns Hopkins glacier! This is a glacier that no cruise ships had been allowed to visit during the summer months due to seals being on the ice. However, during the slower season- we were allowed to go!
This is the beautiful Johns Hopkins glacier. The dots of ice in the water are covered with harbor seals that prevented us from getting closer. I won’t complain though, the harbor seals prevented other ships from visiting at all during the summer months!
Take the kids for some learning in the field. Introduce them to a field ranger, and glacial science. Examine the ecosystems that are fed by salmon migrations. September is frequently the least expensive time to cruise this fantastic itinerary. Bring the whole family, it’s worth it!
