Best Time to Cruise Alaska to See Whales

Cruises to Alaska operate year in round. To see the whales, you have to go through the Inside Passage.

Keep in mind that you won't find any of these creatures during winter. Whales tend to migrate to warm waters to avoid breeding in the cold.

They travel thousands of miles to Mexican waters to give birth to their offspring. During winter, whale watching is the best thing to do in Cozumel.

Summer does not last much in Alaska, and cruise seasons run from May to September. You have to book vacations one year before; no last-minute deals exist.

Best Time of Year to See Whales on Alaska Cruise

Ideally speaking, the best time of year to see whales on an Alaska cruise is July. It is the hottest month of the year.

During July, the region's average temperature is around 67 °F (19.4 °C). This makes a perfect climate for whales to rejoice in the open waters.

Furthermore, the cruise companies maximize their tours during this month. They have cheap packages from several ports like Los Angeles, Seattle, Vancouver, Miami & more.

One of the best tours is Princess Cruise to Alaska from San Francisco is an inside passage journey. The vacation explores the Alaskan region with 10 and 11 days itineraries on Ruby Princess & Sky Princess.

These are the whale-watching tours available in Anchorage, Seward, Juneau, and Ketchikan regions:

- Phillips Cruises & Tours - 26 Glacier Cruise

• Season: May 6 - October 1
• Price: $189 per person
• Allotted Time: 5.5 Hrs
• Address: 519 W. 4th Ave. Anchorage, AK 99501

- Lazy Otter Charters Custom Sightseeing Tours

• Season: Year Round
• Price: $200+ per person
• Allotted Time: 3.5 to 9 hrs
• Address: East Boat Ramp Whittier, AK 99693

- Glacier Wind Charters Whale Watching

• Season: May-Sept
• Price: $190 per person
• Allotted Time: 3.5 hrs
• Address: 4H44+MGJ Hoonah, Alaska, AK 99829

- Seacor Tours Small-Group Wildlife & Glacier Tours

• Season: Mid-May through mid-Sept
• Price: $289 per person
• Allotted Time: 6.5-7 hrs
• Address: 1300 4th Ave., Seward, AK 99664

There are more tours available on Alaska's official website. Find it via this link.

Alaska whale-watching packages are the top things to do in Juneau Alaska from Cruise Ship. It costs hardly around $150 per person.

During September, the place is heavily packed for Whale Watching. Travel companies, including Viator and Expedia, have 4 hours of roundtrip tours from the cruise port.

Before proceeding to the journey, they welcome you with a shuttle that takes you to Auke Bay's boat harbor. After that, it is on board a whale-watching vessel.

There is a sure-shot chance to see these lovely creatures in Alaskan waters, but also you have to look for other marine animals like sea lions, seals, and Tunas.

You will get plenty of time on the vessel as the boat captain slows down in the area where whales are frequently spotted splashing seawater. Make sure to carry cameras and take selfies with the animals through the deck or private-cabins.

• Distance from Juneau Port: 0.5 mile
• Optional Meeting Point: Baranof Downtown, BW Signature Collection, 127 N Franklin St, Juneau, AK 99801
• Contact Number: +65 6670 9750
• Cost: $149 per person

Alaska cruises package and cost per person is $988 in the autumn season for inside cabins. Passengers can purchase luxury suites that costs up to $3000.

These vessels are loaded with world-class facilities, including Spa, Massage, Outdoor playgrounds, casinos, and others. 

Carnival Cruise

Carnival's Spirit ship is scheduled to travel on Tue, May 7, 2024 - Tue, May 14, 2024, starting from $749 per person. The journey is a mixture of land and sea travel.

The journey has shore excursions such as Ketchikan, Juneau and Seward. They have also included whale watching in their itinerary.

Spirit is a Spirit-class ship with 2,124 passengers capacity. It has onboard activities like Watersports, kids' activities, Adults only retreats, bars, Foodcourt, a large deck and so on.

Royal Caribbean Cruise

One of the Royal Caribbean Cruise to Alaska itineraries is a 7-Night Alaska Adventure onboard Quantum of the Seas. Royal Caribbean has 66 tours with four cruise ships. They have put initial price of $613 per person.

Some ships are scheduled from Seattle, and some are from Vancouver. Shore excursions like kayaking, hiking, railway journey are must-try things in Royal Caribbean tours.

Passengers witness whale watching in the Alaskan wilderness of Icy Strait Point while sailing through Dawes Glacier - a 600 feet tall large ice mass.

Norwegian Cruise

Norwegian Cruise to Alaska itineraries include 7-Day Alaska Glacier Bay, Skagway & Juneau tour. The vacation costs around $484 per person for an inside cabin.

It is scheduled from October 22, 2023 - October 29, 2023. Norwegian Cruises are rated as one of the less expensive vacations, their ships have facilities for cold sailings in a budget.

Besides whale watching they have shore excursions like Gold Panning in Klondike, White Pass Railway tour, Tundra Wilderness Hiking, and more.