Frequently Asked Questions

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Alaska:   Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Q.  Will I be required to have a passport when visiting Alaska?
A.  It is the policy of many of the cruise lines that are featured in Experts2Alaska to require passports for ALL travelers for all voyages, regardless of guests' nationality and ports of call and countries visited. For more information on passport requirements, please visit http://www.travel.state.gov.

Q.  When is the best time to see Alaska?
A.  Alaska cruises are only offered between May and September.  If you want longer, warmer days, the best time to visit is mid June through mid August.  This period also has the longest hours of daylight.  Don’t expect to see fireworks on the 4th of July!  This is also the busiest time to visit Alaska because school is on summer break and many families are traveling in Alaska.  If your schedule is flexible, you may enjoy the spring flowers of May or the fall foliage of September.

Q.  What is the summer solstice and when is it?
A.  Summer solstice is the longest day of the year and is on June 21st.

Q.  When is the best time to see wildlife?
A.  The best time to see wildlife will be in May or September as this is the coolest time and the animals are more active.  Also, spring is when the babies are born and fall is mating season.

Q. How many hours of daylight does Alaska average each day between May and August?
A.  See chart below for the average number of daylight hours each month.

	May	June	July	August	September
Anchorage	18	19	18	16	13
Fairbanks	20	21	20	16	14
Juneau	17	18	17	16	14
Arctic	20	24	22	18	11

Q.  What is the average daytime temperature in Alaska?
A.   See chart below for the average high temperatures in °F.

	May	June	July	August	September
Anchorage	54	62	65	63	55
Fairbanks	68	70	73	70	54
Juneau	58	61	64	62	56
Arctic	39	50	59	57	47

Q.  What type of clothing do I need for my Alaska cruise?
A.  Onboard, you will need the same clothes you would expect to take on any cruise.  Most ships still offer two formal nights.  During the day, casual sportswear is appropriate.  You may want to include a sweater or light jacket.  For touring, take clothes that you can layer.  Alaska can be quite cold in the mornings and warm up later in the day. Most people will wear jeans on tour.  You also should take a rain slicker, hat, and gloves.

Q.  What things, other than clothes, should I pack for Alaska?
A.  You definitely want to take binoculars and a panorama camera!  Also, on sunny days the light can be very bright so take sunglasses and sunscreen.   Take an umbrella.  Don’t forget your bathing suit for the Jacuzzi!

Q.  Will I see any glaciers?
A.  Yes. Most cruise ships will visit Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier, or College Fjord. One of the glaciers to visit is Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau!