Struggling: Packing for kids for Alaska!?

[NurseNash]

Help! Really struggling with what kind of clothes to pack for the kids (ages 7 and 9) for the June 14th Alaska cruise?! Shorts? Sweats? Jeans? Short sleeves? Long sleeves? Between packing for the excursions we are taking (adventurous, outdoors, potentially in the rain) and the dinner dress requirements, I am FAST running out of room in the suitcases. Do we need to pack hats and gloves and long underwear? Any advice will be greatly appreciated so please accept my "thank you" to any responders!!!

 

[Beauty & the Best]

In Alaska, the summers are pretty mild so you will only need hats and gloves and long underwear IF:

You are taking an excursion where you actually walk on a glacier.
You are planning extended periods out on the decks of the ship viewing glaciers.

For regular Alaska touring, you will probably be wearing jeans and t-shirts with sneakers most days and maybe layering a sweatshirt on cloudy days and you may want to bring one pair of shorts and capris. Bring a sweater/sweatshirt and a coat for viewing glaciers on the deck of the ship.

More important than cold weather gear is rain gear - make sure you have rain jackets or ponchos and umbrellas.

 

[tearem]

We just got back and I regretted taking the tops, gloves, and long underwear. We did not need them although I did see others wearing them. It was 50 to 60 degrees every day.

 

[Meskamooska]

Hi!

While I can't advise on specific items as I haven't taken my Alaska cruise yet (July 19, 2011 Woo Hoo!) I can make a packing suggestion.

I am doing this for my DH and myself but it is especially helpful for kids... Consider packing their oldest, rattiest play clothes (you know, those items that still fit - barely, and that are wearable but not good enough to donate) then, particularly if you are going to do something which will get you wet, smelly/dirty or both and after wearing them throw them away.

You won't have to worry about carrying dirty things home and facing a mountain of laundry (just a small hill and you will leave room in your luggage for the things you may purchase either on the ship or in ports.

With weight limits for flying, (and if you are like I am, you probably come pretty close to hitting or exceeding them) it doesn't make sense to pay extra to potentially carry your dirty things home.

Alternatively, if you don't have any items in your closet that fill that bill you can consider either hitting a thrift or consignment store for their "play" clothes and then proceeding with the plan.

Or, if you don't want to discard the items and are willing to do a load of laundry on the ship, then use things, wash them after Juneau and donate them at one of the local thrift stores in Ketichikan (I just checked and there are at least 6 that come up on a Google search including Salvation Army and Easter Seals). You will get a tax write off and the items might be able to do someone else some good.

Take care, help lots of people and have a "Wonder"ful time!

Tisza

 

[Diannah]

One word: Layers.

We never used any of our hats, gloves or down vests. (Just got off the Wonder Tuesday) I appreciated my fleece pants on at sea days when walking around the ship. I did see people wearing parkas and hats on Tracy Arm day. They were mostly from the southern US. We're from Minnesota, and I spent almost all of my time inside on the ship in short sleeves. Even on Tracy Arm day I didn't need much more than a fleece top. I did wear wool socks, and that helped quite a bit.

For formal/semi-formal night, I wore the same velvet skirt. On formal night I wore a sequined top and on semi a vest and blouse. The kids could probably double up in a similar way.

Like a pp said, if you're going to be on a glacier, you'll need extra warm stuff because you're standing on ice. Otherwise, be more prepared for rain than cold. On our Juneau day it was foggy, and I found that a fleece top with my rain jacket over it was plenty warm.

 

[KimmySue]

We are also on the same cruise with you and I am struggling with the same issues. My kids are dd12 & ds10. Thanks for the advice; it's all a little overwhelming.

 

[mellers]

Help! Really struggling with what kind of clothes to pack for the kids (ages 7 and 9) for the June 14th Alaska cruise?! Shorts? Sweats? Jeans? Short sleeves? Long sleeves? Between packing for the excursions we are taking (adventurous, outdoors, potentially in the rain) and the dinner dress requirements, I am FAST running out of room in the suitcases. Do we need to pack hats and gloves and long underwear? Any advice will be greatly appreciated so please accept my "thank you" to any responders!!!

From a Pacific Northwesterner--for kids I would pack:

1 nice outfit (for the semi-formal and formal nights)
3 pairs fairly heavy-duty slacks, preferably dark colored and easily washed
1 pair warm gloves, and a hat, if you don't think the hood will do
1 pair shorts
3 short sleeved polo shirts
6 pairs socks
1 fleece pullover, or warm washable sweater
1 pair flannel pajamas
1 pair light pajamas
1 3-in-1 jacket (a jacket with a heavy inner liner, and a light, rainproof outer shell with a hood)
1 swimsuit
1 pair nice shoes to go with the nice outfit
Spray their walking shoes with rainguard, or get waterproof walking shoes
A pirate costume, if you really want to go crazy.

Assuming you don't mind doing laundry twice during the cruise.

If it's 90 degrees: You kids can wear the shorts or the slacks with the polo shirts, and be reasonably comfortable.

If it's 70 degrees and raining: They can wear the 90 degree clothes with the outer shell of the 3-in-1 jacket.

If it's 30 degrees: Double the socks, put their pajamas on under their clothes, and pull the fleece pullover or warm sweater over the whole lot, and top it off with both layers of the 3-in-1 jacket and the gloves. Put up the hood to keep their heads warm.

This will do your kids for any weather, and rain. Rain pants are rarely necessary around here, and if you do need them, chances are your excursion will provide them, or they'll be available for purchase when you get there--I wouldn't buy them in advance.

Keep in mind, it isn't the middle of winter--there may even be some fairly warm days in Alaska.

 

[NurseNash]

thank you and... thank you! I sincerely appreciate all the great advice- my stress level has been drastically decreased!

 

[woody73]

. . . after wearing them throw them away.

On the Magic, I've thrown away old t-shirts, only to find them later on the bed neatly folded by our cabin steward.

So now, when I leave clothes behind at the end of a cruise, I fold them and leave a note for the cabin steward:

We are not taking these clothes with us. Please give them to a crew member or charity, or discard them. Thanks.
. . . . . . Woody [name]
. . . . . . XXXX [cabin number]
​

I leave the note so the cabin steward does not get accused of either taking the items or failing to turn in "left items" to lost and found.

Woody

 

[disneyochem]

Help! Really struggling with what kind of clothes to pack for the kids (ages 7 and 9) for the June 14th Alaska cruise?! Shorts? Sweats? Jeans? Short sleeves? Long sleeves? Between packing for the excursions we are taking (adventurous, outdoors, potentially in the rain) and the dinner dress requirements, I am FAST running out of room in the suitcases. Do we need to pack hats and gloves and long underwear? Any advice will be greatly appreciated so please accept my "thank you" to any responders!!!

Hey, we're on the same cruise! My kids are a bit older, 12 and 14, but based upon everyone's advise, I think we're good to go. I did buy the waterproof spray. I've used it in the past and it works wonderfully on jeans!

And, NurseNash, you should come by our DIS meet. It doesn't look like you are doing the FE but we'd love to see you on the 14th!

 

[HarborBlvd]

In Alaska, the summers are pretty mild so you will only need hats and gloves and long underwear IF:

You are taking an excursion where you actually walk on a glacier.
You are planning extended periods out on the decks of the ship viewing glaciers.

For regular Alaska touring, you will probably be wearing jeans and t-shirts with sneakers most days and maybe layering a sweatshirt on cloudy days and you may want to bring one pair of shorts and capris. Bring a sweater/sweatshirt and a coat for viewing glaciers on the deck of the ship.

More important than cold weather gear is rain gear - make sure you have rain jackets or ponchos and umbrellas.

This sums it up perfectly!

No need for long underwear, but you will needs layers and a light jacket. Our weather is very fickle. Last week, it was in the high 70's pretty much all week. Yesterday, when the Wonder came in, it was grey and windy and rather chilly in the morning, but had cleared up and the sun came out in the afternoon. You just never know. Plan for fall-type weather. One pair of shorts/capris should do you fine. I'd bring mostly long pants/jeans, layering shirts, sweaters and sweatshirts. So if it gets warm, you can take things off. It's a rare day when you'll wish you were in shorts and flip flops.

Have fun!

 

[lbgraves]

OK, so for the July 26 cruise should we leave the warm jacket at home and just pack the raincoats? That would help out quite a bit since the kids think they will get strange looks when they wear their jackets onto the plane here in NC with the temp at 100 in July.

 

[Diannah]

OK, so for the July 26 cruise should we leave the warm jacket at home and just pack the raincoats? That would help out quite a bit since the kids think they will get strange looks when they wear their jackets onto the plane here in NC with the temp at 100 in July.

If you're going to be physically in contact with a glacier, you might want them. Otherwise, raincoats/windbreakers over fleeces worked great for us!

 

[lbgraves]

We might go see the glacier at I think it is Mendenhal but no excursions to actually set foot on a glacier. Thank you!

 

[woody73]

We might go see the glacier at I think it is Mendenhal but no excursions to actually set foot on a glacier.

Lisa, we had a terrific time at Mendenhall Glacier. It has an excellent interpretive center, with park rangers happy to explain things, especially to kids. There are also some easy trails, for a closer view of the glacier, though it's still off in the distance.

I would bring bottled water and some granola bars.

Woody