I recommend a cruise tour—a combination of both.
May and September are excellent times to visit.
Splurge for the balcony cabin if your budget allows.
Key takeaways
What was your most memorable Alaska moment that made you fall in love with the destination?
It's hard to pinpoint just one moment, but my first day cruising through Alaska's scenic waterways was unforgettable. I've been fortunate to experience beautiful weather on both of my Alaska cruises, which made the landscapes even more spectacular. Think crystal-clear skies reflecting off glassy water with snow-capped mountains in every direction.
What truly made me fall in love with Alaska, though, was the incredible wildlife. Seeing whales breaching, playful otters floating on their backs, and majestic bald eagles soaring overhead—all right from my cruise ship balcony—was something I never expected to experience so consistently. I'd heard Alaska had great wildlife, but I didn't realize I'd be grabbing my camera multiple times a day just from my own balcony. It felt like having front-row seats to the best nature documentary ever made.
Would you recommend a cruise, a land tour, or a combination?
For most travelers, I recommend a cruise tour, a combination of both a cruise and a land tour. Alaska is often a once-in-a-lifetime destination, and this option gives you the best of both worlds. Cruising allows you to access glaciers and coastal scenery you can't see by land. Some of these glaciers are only reachable by water, while the land portion takes you deeper into Alaska's interior to places like Denali National Park, where you might see grizzly bears, moose, and caribou in their natural habitat.
That said, there are also fantastic 7-day roundtrip cruises from Seattle or Vancouver that make Alaska very accessible for travelers with limited time or those who prefer not to fly. These work especially well if you're combining Alaska with a Pacific Northwest road trip or if you simply love the idea of sailing the entire way. The beauty of Alaska is that there's no wrong way to see it. It just depends on your time, budget, and what kind of experience speaks to you.
Alaska's cruise season typically runs from May through October. Personally, I think May and September are excellent times to visit because prices tend to be lower and crowds are lighter. You're not fighting for space at the ship's railing or waiting in long lines at port.
Summer months like June, July, and August generally offer warmer weather (we're talking 60s and low 70s, which feels perfect for exploring) and those famous long daylight hours where it doesn't get dark until 10 or 11 p.m. But they can also be busier and more expensive since that's peak family vacation season.
One thing I always mention: if you're hoping to see the Northern Lights, you'll want to visit in September or later when the nights finally get dark enough. And in late August through September, you also get the bonus of fall colors starting to appear in the forests, which is absolutely stunning against the mountainsides.
What's the best time to visit Alaska?
What wildlife encounters did you have, and where are the best places to see bears, whales, and glaciers?
Wildlife is one of Alaska's biggest highlights, and I was honestly blown away by how much we saw. I saw bears in Ketchikan during a wildlife and nature tour, and whales during almost every cruise stop and on the dedicated whale-watching excursions I booked. We saw humpback whales multiple times. Some even breach completely out of the water, which takes your breath away.
One of my favorite experiences was cruising through Glacier Bay National Park, where I saw sea otters, bald eagles circling overhead, and seals lounging on icebergs. All directly from the ship. The park rangers and naturalists who come on board during that stretch are incredible. They announce over the ship's speakers whenever there's wildlife spotted and share fascinating details about what you're seeing. It made the experience so much richer than just spotting something and not knowing what you're looking at.
Honestly, the wildlife viewing exceeded every expectation I had. You don't need to be a serious nature enthusiast to appreciate it. It's just awe-inspiring, no matter who you are.
What's one thing you wish you'd known before your Alaska trip?
Many cruise ports initially feel very commercial and built around tourism. You step off the ship and you're immediately surrounded by jewelry stores and souvenir shops. But there's so much more beyond the immediate port area, and I wish I'd known that on my first trip.
I always recommend either booking an excursion that takes you away from the port district or simply taking 15-20 minutes to walk past the main shopping streets. Alaska's towns often have beautiful hiking trails, stunning viewpoints, local museums showcasing Native Alaskan culture, and incredible scenery just a short distance away. In some ports, like Juneau, you can walk to a gorgeous waterfront trail in less than 10 minutes and feel like you're in a completely different world.
Don't let the touristy first impression fool you. The real Alaska is right there waiting, just a little bit past the t-shirt shops.
Which Alaska port town left the biggest impression on you?
Each port offered something unique, and honestly, the scenery and wildlife throughout Alaska are what stand out most to me overall. It's all spectacular. But if I had to choose one favorite, I'd say Ketchikan. I loved being able to explore the town on foot without needing to book a pricey excursion.
The salmon ladder at Ketchikan Creek was fascinating to watch. You can see salmon literally jumping up the falls during spawning season, and it's free and right in town. Plus, Ketchikan has this charming historic Creek Street area with colorful buildings on stilts over the water that's just beautiful to walk through. It felt like a real Alaskan town, not just a cruise port, and I appreciated that authentic feel.
What surprised you most about Alaska that you didn't expect from the brochures?
I expected amazing scenery and wildlife, but I didn't realize just how much wildlife you could see directly from the ship itself, without even leaving your room. Especially while cruising through Glacier Bay National Park, there were constant wildlife sightings from the balcony and public decks. I'd be enjoying my morning coffee on the balcony, and suddenly there'd be a whale surfacing 100 yards away, or an eagle soaring past.
It added an entirely unexpected layer to the cruise experience and made even sea days incredibly exciting. On traditional cruises, sea days can feel like downtime, but in Alaska, they're some of the best days because you're cruising through these protected waterways with non-stop scenery and wildlife. I probably spent more time on my balcony in Alaska than I did at any other part of the ship.
My advice? Splurge for the balcony cabin if your budget allows. You'll use it constantly, and some of the best moments happen when you're just relaxing in your room and suddenly spot something incredible outside.
