Planning an Alaska Cruise? Here's Why May–September Is Prime Time

The 49th state of Alaska is the largest and most northerly in the United States, and consists of a vast 570,000 square miles of snowcapped mountains, icy tundras and plentiful wildlife in its millions of acres of lush national parkland.

One of the best ways to see America's last unspoiled frontier is on an Alaskan Cruise, where you'll be guaranteed to see some spectacular sites and vast natural beauty.

When is the best time to visit Alaska?

The cruise season runs from May to September, with the peak season in the middle of that, June to August. This is because these are the warmest months, but it can also be when you experience the highest rainfall. If you are particularly interested in spotting wildlife when you are there, then it's best to leave it a little later in the summer.

Cruising in May or September will be cheaper and there will be less ships and tourists, but the weather can be unforgiving and some shore excursions get cancelled, particularly boat and helicopter excursions - so make sure you're prepared for that.

What type of cruise is right?

The biggest cruise operators are Princess and Holland America and due to their size, you'll actually find some very competitive deals on their websites - but they are huge ships and cater very much for the mass market.

If you want something a little more specialized, then do a bit more research and you'll find myriad companies offering itineraries in luxury ships or tailored to a specific specialized theme, such as wildlife watching or astronomy for example.