When is the Best Time to Cruise Alaska?

Cruising Alaska

Alaska is world-class cruising destination with striking landscapes, lush green forests and abundant wildlife. But when is the best time to visit?

It depends on what you want to see. Find out more in my guide to cruising Alaska.

Top Months to Cruise Alaska and Why

• May & September: Ideal for cheap travel deals & fewer mosquitos

• Spring: Snow-capped mountains and fresh green foliage

• September: Immerse in vivid Fall colours

• Mid-summer: The best time for warmth

• May & June: Good for wildlife watching ashore

• June & July: Best for bear watching

Alaska cruising

When Is the Best Time for Alaskan Fishing

You can go Alaskan fishing during any month of Alaska's cruise season.

Prince of Wales Island has sport salmon fishing during summer.

Don't miss Ketchikan, the salmon capital of the world!

Alaska cruise

The Inside Passage is ideal for photography

Top Alaska Cruise Destinations

There is an almost-endless list of Alaska cruise destinations to visit. Highlights include the following:

Alaska glacier

The impressive Hubbard Glacier

Glacier Bay National Park

The Glacier Bay National Park is not to be missed. Unsurprisingly, it's full of glaciers and offers dramatic landscapes.

It's a great place to cruise to enjoy sea kayaking, visiting remote villages and admiring every shape of glacier imaginable.

April to June are the best months to cruise the Glacier Bay National Park for low rainfall.

Alaska cruise Tracy Arm

Tracy Arm is ideal for whale watching in summer

Tracy Arm

Another popular Alaska cruise choice, Tracy Arm is a narrow fjord over 30 miles long.

It's home to some of Alaska's largest glaciers and offers waterfalls, eagles, whales and seals.

Visit Tracy Arm during summer to spot humpback whales and orcas.

Alaska cruise orca

Alaska Islands

With over 2600 islands to explore, you'll be spoilt for choice during your Alaska cruise.

Join an Alaska Islands cruise and you'll visit some of the best-known islands.

It's a great destination for photographing plunging fjords, porpoises, whales and numerous birds.

Make sure you visit Baranof Island to bathe in the blissfully-warm hot springs.

Visit the Alaska Islands in April and May to spot grey whales or June to September to see minke whales.

Alaska cruise Juneau

Make time to explore Juneau

Need More alaska cruise Inspiration?

Read my full article for Cruise Hive about the best time to cruise Alaska to discover these other top Alaska cruising highlights:

• The salmon capital of the world.

• The world's largest collection of standing totem poles.

• Why you need to visit Juneau.

No Damage recognised in international book award

Reader's Favorite recognises "No Damage" in its annual international book award contest.The Readers' Favorite 2017 International Book Award Contest featured thousands of contestants from over a dozen countries, ranging from new independent authors to New York Times best-sellers and celebrities.Readers' Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the "Best Websites for Authors" and "Honoring Excellence" awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.We receive thousands of entries from all over the world. Because of these large submission numbers, we are able to break down our contest into 140+ genres, and each genre is judged separately, ensuring that books only compete against books of their same genre for a fairer and more accurate competition. We receive submissions from independent authors, small publishers, and publishing giants such as Random House, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, with contestants that range from the first-time, self-published author to New York Times bestsellers like J.A. Jance, James Rollins, and #1 best-selling author Daniel Silva, as well as celebrity authors like Jim Carrey (Bruce Almighty), Henry Winkler (Happy Days), and Eriq La Salle (E.R., Coming to America)."When the right books are picked as winners we pay attention. We will be spreading the word about Readers' Favorite."--Karen A., Editor for Penguin Random HouseReaders' Favorite is proud to announce that "No Damage" by Kathryn Curzon (nee Hodgson) won the Bronze Medal in the Non-Fiction - Inspirational category.You can learn more about Kathryn and "No Damage" at https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/no-damage where you can read reviews and the author’s biography, as well as connect with the author directly or through their website and social media pages.     

The Changing Face of Marine Conservation

With the advent of social media, it is easier now more than ever to experience marine conservation and make a difference to the health of the ocean. In my article for Dive New Zealand magazine I explore the options available for people to get involved in conservation initiatives without necessarily leaving home. We can all make a difference! 

Today I won a travel writing award

I am absolutely delighted to share that I have won a travel writing award. I placed second in the We Said Go Travel 2017 Inspiration Travel Writing Award. The We Said Go Travel (WSGT) website is in the top 12% of websites in the United States of America, where there are over 80 million websites at present, and their travel writing awards are highly regarded. This contest was judged by Richard Bangs, the father of modern adventure travel, Amanda Castleman, a freelance journalist who features in the Guardian and the BBC amongst others, and WSGT's own travel expert Lisa Niver.The theme for the 2017 Inspiration award was “How travel has changed your Life”. Writers were asked to write about a place in their life or a place they visited where they took a risk and fought against fear and were willing to grow forward.You can read my entry below, which is about a huge turning point in my life that occurred in the bustling city of Hong Kong. Working my way through tears and fears in crowded streets, I found my way forwards to an incredible chapter of my life:http://wesaidgotravel.com/award/choosing-hope-a-migrants-crossroad-in-hong-kong/ 

Ronald McDonald House is Awesome

I have had the privilege of supporting the work of  Ronald McDonald House New Zealand recently by donating some copies of No Damage to a #ComCastCaresDay, hosted by NBCUniversal and Bravo.The books were given to the staff at RMDH and I hear they're already enjoying them. People who work for charities are not often rewarded for their hard work and I'm delighted to have raised a smile.Receiving these photographs and a thank you email has made my day!

Right Whale Sightings at an All-Time Low

Scientists and volunteers conducting surveys of North Atlantic right whales off the Florida coast have seen a significant decline in right whale numbers this winter. They have seen only four adults and three calves so far. With a whale population of over 500, these sightings are the lowest since surveys began. A meeting in Massachusetts later this month will discuss the possible reasons for the lack of sightings. Climate change and a lack of food are likely causes leading to dwindling numbers of right whales.The North Atlantic right whale has a long history of human exploitation. Current threats include entanglement in fishing gear and collisions with ships. This species of whale had a population of just 50 individuals until the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration passed rules to protect them. The population has grown to over 500 in recent years.Annual surveys of the right whale population provide population size estimates. Photo identifications of individuals are also used tell ships where whales are located to prevent collisions. A network of committed volunteers and organizations, including the Marineland Right Whale Project, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, conduct both aerial and shore-based surveys each season. This consistent and large-scale effort resulted in sightings of up to 200 whales off the coast of Georgia and northeastern Florida in winter of 2011.Jim Hain, program director of the Marineland Right Whale Project, confirmed that the low number of whales during the 2017 season has occurred despite good weather and survey conditions. While the winter season has not yet ended, surveyors do not expect an increase in whale numbers.

Migrating Right Whales

These sightings are part of an annual right whale migration. Found off the coast of New England and Nova Scotia in the summer, pregnant females, juveniles and some males migrate to the southeast Atlantic coast in winter. The whales may not have not migrated as far south in 2017. But surveys carried out further north at Cape Hatteras have also confirmed an absence of whales.Philip Hamilton, a research scientist at Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at New England Aquarium, confirmed a significant decline in the distribution of right whales in other habitats, such as their summer feeding grounds in the Bay of Fundy and the Great South Channel. Cape Cod is the only place where more whales are present at their feeding habitat.Scientists are unsure what’s causing the decline, but it may be due to climate change and warmer ocean temperatures. Hamilton’s concern is that female whales are not getting enough food and so are experiencing a longer calving interval. Calving usually occurs every three or four years, and the females lose one third of their body weight while pregnant and nursing. A lack of food sources may result in a longer recovery time for the females. This may in turn delay calving to every six to seven years. 

Wellingtonian Sets New Zealand Freediving Record at 105m

Wellingtonian Dave Mullins has set the New Zealand freediving record at the Cressi New Zealand Depth Nationals, Lake Taupo, on 18th March 2017. Diving to a depth of 105m, using a single mono-fin, he has beat the previous record of 93m set by Austrian Herbert Nitsch.Well done New Zealand!Read more here: http://nz.thescubanews.com/2017/03/29/wellingtonian-sets-new-zealand-freediving-record-at-105m/

Top Shark Diving Tips

Diving with sharks is at the top of many, if not all, divers’ bucket lists. Here are 10 tips to help you have a safe, and fun, encounter with the ocean’s apex predator.http://scubadiverlife.com/top-shark-diving-tips/

Calling All Writers & Ocean Fans

CALLING ALL WRITERS & OCEAN FANS!I'm looking for new/experienced writers to write about their scuba adventures, marine life profiles, kit reviews, diving tips and ocean conservation initiatives for The Scuba News. With our growing network of regional editions around the globe, this is a great time to get involved and gain some online exposure.If you're interested in sharing your stories* and/or being pitched ideas to help improve your writing skills and share your passion for the oceans, get in touch! 

Kathryn@thescubanews.com*Just like this awesome little nudibranch, no story is too small for consideration.

Mangroves: The Roots of the Ocean

Mangroves may not be as sexy as coral reefs but they’re just as important to the overall health of the ocean. Read on to find out why.http://scubadiverlife.com/mangroves-roots-ocean/