I am a travel agent and have a client who wants to take a cruise to Alaska and he has heard that the mosquitos can be really bad. I have been trying to find out when the best time for him to go would be without a lot of mosquitos and I can't find the answer. Any suggestions?

Ya, I have a suggestion. Send your clients in December-March.

There are a couple of considerations here. Generally cruise ship passengers are not swarmed by mosquitoes. If your client is inclined to get off the beaten path, the earlier in the year the better. Swamps, ponds, rivers and the like can remain frozen well toward the end of May. However, this year has been excessively warm, and I've already seen a few mosquitoes.

Typically, the cruise ship crowd go from the port, to the train, to the car, to the hotel, etc. They tend to stay on the paved surfaces, or over the ocean. Neither of which are overloaded with moquitoes.

Usually, SouthCentral (Anchorage area) has the meaniest and hungriest critters from mid-May through end of July. August is the whitesocks season. September is the best month - rain season has ended, tourist have gone home, and everything is BEAUTIFUL!!

What does "the whitesocks season" mean?

Whitesocks are (a) biting flies, (b) not-likely-to-repeat division champions in the American League. Oh, wait, those are the Whitesox.

Most cruisers won't be bothered by bugs on the salt water. They (the bugs, that is) will be a nuisance in some inland areas, but unless one goes into the deep woods in May-June, or out onto the tundra any time before frost, they shouldn't be a big deal. But Peg is right, the later in the summer the better.

we went in late June...cruised, then drove around Kenai. had no problems, and we HATE mossies.

Hi,
My husband and I have cruised four times to Alaska, twice in June and twice in July. Never experienced mosquitos except at Prudoe Bay when we took the extended tour. Never saw them again from Fairbanks and south of there.