Weather

• Alaska can be extremely cold during certain months, and this is particularly true at some ports of call. It is important to consider how much cold you can deal with; if off-boat excursions are in the itinerary, bring boots and heavy jackets. In many Alaskan cities, the average January temperature is around 20 degrees. However, in June, many areas average around 53 degrees. Denali is slightly warmer, and January in Fairbanks can be extremely cold.
  
  

Departure Locations

• There are several different departure areas, but most cruise lines leave from only the West Coast. As of August 2010, Carnival Cruise Lines offered Alaskan Cruises leaving primarily out of Seattle, Washington. Princess Cruise Lines also depart from Seattle, in addition to Vancouver, B.C., and San Francisco, California.
  
  

Length

• Alaskan cruises tend to be a bit on the longer side. Princess Cruise Lines offers Alaskan cruises that are up to 22 days in length. The 22-day cruise also goes to Beijing, China. Most of Carnival's Alaskan cruises are a week long. It may be difficult to find three- to five-day Alaskan cruises.