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As part of Tongass National Forest,Alexander Archipelago is a collection of about 1,100 islands stretching along Alaska’s southeast coast. A wide selection of cruise lines will sail in Alaskan waters in 2024, including Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Viking Cruises. It is important to be prepared for any kind of condition if you planing your cruise out of Seattle to Alaska in March 2024. Because of the unpredictability of the weather in Alaska, which may quickly change from clear skies to raging storms and back again. Right now, the sun is approaching the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, meaning magnetic activity is very high. As a bonus, auroral activity tends to increase around solar maximum and intensify in the few years after.
What Is The Best Time To See Northern Lights In Alaska?
Juneau will offer one of the best opportunities during the cruise for seeing the northern lights, although chances are dependent on the weather and solar activity. There are several apps and websites with real-time updates for aurora tracking, including My Aurora Forecast & Alerts. If the skies are clear in the evening and the forecast looks promising, ask guest relations if there’s a sign-up sheet to get a call or a knock on the door in the event of aurora activity. Spending three nights at the lodge — located just outside the entrance to the park — in mid-September will offer excellent opportunities for aurora viewing. Throughout your trip, learn photography tips to capture the mesmerizing display through Princess’ North to Alaska Program.
Cruise To Alaska Travel Tips & Articles
Come aboard Norwegian Cruise Line to Alaska and feel what it's like when you let the outside in. Browse through our Alaskan cruises and find the best cruise deals designed to make your cruise experience unforgettable. With 7 cruise ships sailing from 6 departure ports, including land and sea packages on our Alaska Cruisetours, there's something for everyone to enjoy. From action-packed wilderness adventures and extraordinary sightseeing on our shore excursions, to an extended sailing season, there are plenty of opportunities to find the perfect Alaska cruise vacation designed for you.
New to cruising
No cruise can guarantee sightings as the aurora is a natural and unpredictable phenomenon. However, cruises specifically tailored for aurora viewing will optimize the chances by choosing routes and timings with historically higher success rates. Bright moonlight can diminish the contrast of the aurora against the night sky, making them less vivid.
Seabourn Odyssey, Alaska Glacier Bay from Vancouver, September 27, 2024
This diversity means you need to be prepared for a lot of change while traveling. There's nothing like seeing these behemoths hurl themselves out of the water, to splash back into the sea. Don't pass up an opportunity to watch these giants feed and play in the water. In some parts of the state, dog sledding is still the primary mode of transportation through the winter months. Visit Alaska and get the experience for yourself at the Skagway Yukon Discovery and Dog Sled Tour.
If you don't have two or three weeks to take off work to go northern lights watching, consider Oceanwide Expeditions' eight-day aurora borealis sailings from Iceland to Greenland and back. The adventure begins in Akureyri, the unofficial capital of north Iceland, before heading for Greenland's breathtaking Scoresby Sund, the largest fjord system in the world. If you do have a little more time, you can opt for the 13-day Spitsbergen - Northeast Greenland - Aurora Borealis itinerary, which embarks in the Svalbard archipelago before sailing to Greenland and down to Iceland. Both take place in the late summer into early fall, as darkness returns to the skies in the Arctic.
No vacation in the world delivers once-in-a-lifetime adventure like Alaska. Mark this as your year to cross this bucket-busting destination off your list once and for all. Take off by dogsled across thousand-year-old ice as you soak in otherworldly sights. Trek across the majestic Mendenhall Glacier for breathtaking views of the wildest country. Get to know wildlife, big and small, that call this wilderness home, like otters, eagles, bears, and whales.
The company also advises that you’ll be outdoors for about two hours, so you need to dress appropriately for the weather. For the best aurora viewing, the guides usually travel between one to three locations within a 70-mile radius of Anchorage. If you’re in town for an extended stay, Alaska Photo Treks also offers a four-day pass for even more nocturnal viewing of the auroral activity. Alaska Photo Treks offers one of the best ways to see the northern lights in Anchorage — and you’ll even learn how best to photograph the aurora, which can be a challenge to capture digitally or on film.
Seattle, Washington
Best Time to Visit Alaska in 2023 When Is the Best Time to Go to Alaska? Trusted Since 1922 - Reader's Digest
Best Time to Visit Alaska in 2023 When Is the Best Time to Go to Alaska? Trusted Since 1922.
Posted: Mon, 18 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
To see the true glory of the aurora—a sky full of green and red curtains or a glorious auroral corona pulsing above you like an eye in the sky—you must travel north. If you decide to wait for the Northern Lights to come to you, you could be waiting a lifetime. Family favorite Disney Cruise Line offers 13 itineraries over the summer, including a seven-night itinerary from $3,467 per person.
There are also two days of scenic cruising through Hubbard Glacier and the Inside Passage before disembarking in Vancouver. This 12-night cruisetour with Royal Caribbean International begins with an overnight in Anchorage before boarding the Wilderness Express, where you’ll have a glass-domed rail car for the journey to Talkeetna. Norwegian Encore will call on Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay and Ketchikan (Ward Cove) in Alaska.
Your Alaskan adventure can be as diverse and enriching as you choose to make it. Denali National Park is another good option in early spring or fall, as it’s far enough north and free from light pollution. If the stars align and the conditions are ripe for the show, try to find a clear viewing path, free of buildings and forest and face north, as that’s where activity starts.
If that’s not enough adventure, test your skills at dog mushing and curling or take an aerial tram ride. Travelers can also check out the local breweries or just sit back, relax and enjoy the spectacular views. Additional highlights include spending two evenings under the dancing night sky in one of the domed igloos at Borealis Basecamp, as well as aurora borealis photography lessons. Hosted by Alaska Tours, the Bettles Lodge Winter Adventure is available January to March and August to December.
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