Royal Caribbean cruises in August 2023: What to expect

Table Of Content

• Should I Visit Denali National Park?
• Check out our new Summer 2026 holiday collection here.
• Portugal
• Night Alaska Roundtrip Collectors' VoyageDetails
• See the 2026 solar eclipse with P&O Cruises
• August weather on a cruise
• Royal Caribbean Blog is your ultimate source for Royal Caribbean coverage.
• South Africa

Spain is first up, with stops in cities such as Santander, the capital of the coastal Cantabria region and a bustling port with seafaring culture at its heart. El Ferrol, on the north-western coast, is where Ventura will be docked for the solar eclipse. It’s a radiant destination in itself, with ochre-tiled roofs cascading towards golden beaches and sparkling blue waters filling the harbour. You’ll want to have your head turned to the heavens all evening – the eclipse will begin at 7.30pm with the total eclipse occurring about an hour later, followed soon after by sunset.

Should I Visit Denali National Park?

It goes without saying that packing for a trip to Alaska is easier in August than in the off-season. While  glacier viewing day requires an extra layer, it should be balmy in the ports. Cape Town and Durban are the main cruise ports in South Africa, with cruise lines such as MSC, NCL, Silversea and Azamara sailing here. Alaska cruises in August is when you'll not only find warm weather, but also rain.

Check out our new Summer 2026 holiday collection here.

Arcadia is exclusively for adults, so relaxation, restoration and exploration are paramount on board. On sea days, find a moment of zen in the spa, or sip Champagne on deck in the late summer sun as your ship sails along. Guests taking a cruise and land tour to Denali are away from the light pollution of Alaskan cities. Good viewing locations are also available in Anchorage and Fairbanks.

Portugal

As summer begins its slow fade into fall, August means it will still be plenty warm almost anywhere you sail. On some of these cruises you have the option to book just the cruise only. The Northern Lights are unpredictable, so check the aurora borealis forecast to establish your chances of seeing them during your August visit to Alaska. Alaska lies in the aurora oval and has increased chances of seeing the spectacular light show. I have seen them in trees, on poles near harbors, or trying to catch dinner during salmon runs.

Night Alaska Roundtrip Collectors' VoyageDetails

Various major cruise lines – for instance, P&O, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Marella – operate itineraries to Croatia as well as many small ship brands. If you do select an August cruise in the Caribbean, keep in mind this is the month hurricane season starts to kick up in intensity. July and August are the most popular months to travel by cruise ship in Europe because of the warmth you'll find around the continent. If you can’t get enough of totality, or missed out this time, you’ll have three more chances in the next four years in destinations like Iceland, Spain, Egypt and Australia. After departing El Ferrol, Ventura heads to Portugal with stops in the lush Atlantic island of Madeira and in lovely Lisbon, where you can enjoy an overnight stay. Also, adding on a land tour to visit Denali, could allow for other animal sightings.

See the 2026 solar eclipse with P&O Cruises

At the end of the month, many businesses in Alaska start having their end-of-season sales. It’s good news because visitors can shop for Alaska souvenirs at lower prices. In August, the cruise season is in full swing, and multiple ships may be in port.

If you have a cruise in August, here's what to expect on your sailing. Last week, as Victoria Sahami, the owner of Sirius Travel, was preparing to guide a group of tourists in Mazatlán, Mexico, for Monday’s big event, she was also planning for these other upcoming eclipses. Ms. Sahami joined the ranks of the eclipse-obsessed when she witnessed one in Venezuela in the 1990s. Just outside of Fairbanks, the Chena Hot Springs features an ice museum. While they appear year-round, viewing them during the midnight sun is hard. Expect it to be crowded in town, and the popular excursions could sell out months in advance.

Cruise passengers stopping in Icy Strait Point may see humpbacks from the shoreline. I saw one breach multiple times during my visit as if performing for us tourists. Consider a whale watching tour in Juneau or Icy Strait Point for an unforgettable adventure. Whale sightings are guaranteed, and you could witness the phenomena of bubble-net feeding. Alaska cruises are less formal than Caribbean cruises, so guests don’t need to dress u for dinner. Having comfy cruise attire is a good idea unless you’re sailing on the Queen Elizabeth owned by Cunard, which is more formal.

South Africa

So, pack mostly summer clothes; lightweight pants or shorts, t-shirts, and good walking shoes. Bring a bathing suit because most ships have indoor pools if it isn’t warm enough to use the outdoor one. If hiking to higher elevations or take a helicopter excursion to a glacier, extra layers may be necessary to compensate for various types of Alaska weather. Cruising in early August can also experience vastly different temperatures than the end of August.

Bear tours are available to Admiralty Island from Juneau, Icy Strait Point, and the Kenia Peninsula. With binoculars, you could spot a bear walking the shoreline in Glacier Bay National Park. Alaska’s wildlife is plentiful, and what visitors see may depend on where they go. Sitka has a large population of sea otters, enjoyed on a bear, eagle, and otter excursion.

It’s important to work with a tour operator that has excellent local contacts in the country, to ensure that any trip to Peru will be as profound, as it is exciting and fun. If you dislike large numbers of children, avoid sailing in August because of the fact school is on break for most kids. A Mediterranean cruise in August means you could encounter a heatwave, especially in places like Greece. You can expect normal temperatures to be in the 80 degree range, with overnight lows in the 60's.

We spoke to the travel experts at luxury travel agency Black Tomato to find out where in the world the pros think is best in the summer. Matt started Royal Caribbean Blog in 2010 as a place to share his passion for all things Royal Caribbean with readers. He oversees all the writers at Royal Caribbean Blog, and writes a great deal of content on a daily basis.

While some time inland is structured, there’s plenty of free time, too. So, you can take a hiking excursion with an experienced guide in Denali, do a flight-seeing tour, or visit the Denali National Park dog sled kennels. During a glacier viewing day, harbor seals often grace the icebergs near a glacier terminus. So, whether cruising to Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, or Tracy Arm Fjord, look for those black dots in the bergy bits. What looks like a dark piece of ice might actually be a harbor seal.

Denali Park cruise tours are gaining popularity and allow travelers to venture inland, which contrasts significantly with the Alaskan coastal towns. However, since the wilderness lodges come with high pricing, these itineraries may not suit those traveling to Alaska on a budget. Lisbon and Porto are the main cruise ports in Portugal, frequented by such big cruise lines as Celebrity, MSC, Marella, Royal Caribbean, P&O and Fred. River cruises are also hugely popular in Portugal along the Douro, with such lines as Emerald Cruise and Riviera Travel sailing the famous river. August holidays are a popular time to take a cruise holiday when the weather is at its best and the school holidays make travelling with kids super easy. So, if like Mr. Rao, you’ve developed a raging case of umbraphilia — the love of eclipses — you’ll have three chances over the next four years to see the moon blot out the sun.

August in California is the perfect time to explore beneath the shade of Yosemite’s redwoods, bask in the sunny climate and enjoy plentiful access to incredible wine tastings in Napa and Sonoma. Alternatively, explore along the coastline – with Carmel being one of the best destinations in the world to see the abundance of wildlife that swims these shores. CruiseBooking.com will help you in finding your perfect August cruise so that you can secure your spot at sea with the best availability, top itineraries, and more.