Packing for Alaska

[gourt]

For all you experienced Alaska cruisers, I'd love to get thoughts on packing. We're from the NW and we're used to dressing in layers, and we also don't want to overpack. For our upcoming Alaska cruise, including 2 days in Vancouver pre-cruise, I was thinking:

- 2 pairs of shorts
- 3 pairs of jeans
- 2 pairs of capri pants
- Tees/tops for each day
- 2 to 3 fleece/hoodies to layer over tees
- 1 packable down coat with hood
- 1 lightweight raincoat
- gloves/hat/scarf

Plus the usual evening wear, undies, PJs, swimsuit, etc.

Does that sound about right?

 

[sharksfinatic17]

For all you experienced Alaska cruisers, I'd love to get thoughts on packing. We're from the NW and we're used to dressing in layers, and we also don't want to overpack. For our upcoming Alaska cruise, including 2 days in Vancouver pre-cruise, I was thinking:

- 2 pairs of shorts
- 3 pairs of jeans
- 2 pairs of capri pants
- Tees/tops for each day
- 2 to 3 fleece/hoodies to layer over tees
- 1 packable down coat with hood
- 1 lightweight raincoat
- gloves/hat/scarf

Plus the usual evening wear, undies, PJs, swimsuit, etc.

Does that sound about right?

Yes, that sounds right to me. Layering is key. The level of dress on the Alaska cruise we were on was very different that the Caribbean. There were days where I just wore what I had on for dinner. And I wasn't the only one. On our other cruises, we changed every night for dinner, this one I changed just a few of the nights.

 

[xavier2001]

If you are going this year it has been unseasonably warm. That said I only wore shorts on travel days to and from the ship, the rest of the time I was comfy in capris/jeans and short sleeve shirts. I don't know that you need the down coat persay unless you are doing one of the helicopter to a glacier tours but if its small can't hurt to bring it. Also if you have any interest in the hot tub or pool, bring a suit, it was definitely warm enough to swim on a few days in June.

 

[saxmangeoff]

Sounds good. In general, SE Alaksa summer = PNW spring.

 

[sdjen]

I don't get cold easily - which is good since I live in South Dakota! That said, I really doubt you will need a down coat unless you are doing a glacier tour. We went last August to Alaska and were fine with sweatshirts and a rain coat. Didn't need gloves, hats etc.. at all. Have fun!

 

[DisMommyTX]

That sounds like more than enough. I agree that other than 'formal' nights, day wear is fine most evenings. I also wore more pants than capris and a light jacket or sweater onboard most of the time. I never wore shorts, even during travel, but I am usually cool in airports. My husband is always warm and wore shorts most days onboard. We never had a need for a heavy coat, but that would depend on your planned excursions.

 

[cruisehopeful]

- 1 packable down coat with hood
- 1 lightweight raincoat

I didn't need these on the cruise I took a few weeks ago. I wore the big puffy warm coat for about 30 minutes and never used my raincoat. If I didn't take those 2 items, I wouldn't have needed my giant suitcase and would have had an easier time lugging my stuff around before and after the cruise.

 

[gourt]

Thanks everyone for your replies! We are packing this week. I swear it's the part of cruising I like the least.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I didn't need these on the cruise I took a few weeks ago. I wore the big puffy warm coat for about 30 minutes and never used my raincoat. If I didn't take those 2 items, I wouldn't have needed my giant suitcase and would have had an easier time lugging my stuff around before and after the cruise.

I'll just toss in that the weather in Alaska is wildly variable. The general thought is "if you don't like the weather, wait 10 minutes". It's a good idea to have rain gear, as it can rain at anytime. Remember SE Alaska is considered a rain forest.

I take my down parka, mostly because I don't do cold well. And there have been trips (in Alaska) that I had it on every day. I also find the parka useful onboard airplanes, as the blankets just don't cut the air conditioning onboard for me.

If there's room for those items, I'd suggest taking them.

But I'd probably, also leave the shorts home. However, if you're a person who likes to wear shorts, take one pair.

 

[Ljbadfan]

We have gone 3 times. The best way to pack for me is take what u want to wear. The first time I took a windbreaker. Wore it cause it was like 37 degrees at Tracy arm. Second and third time didn't even take a coat. Last time there ift was in the 70's even at Tracy arm. Only rained I. Juneau so take an umbrella if you are gonna walk through town. We really don't do excursions.

 

[Bethanie1]

Are there warm blankets in the rooms that can be taken onto veranda?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Are there warm blankets in the rooms that can be taken onto veranda?

You can ask your room host for an extra blanket, if you need one.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

We just returned and the weather was pretty warm. We did not take or wish we had shorts. Short sleeves were good at times. I did use cold weather things several times (gloves, beanie, scarf and my uggs) but I tend to be cold.

 

[gourt]

take an umbrella if you are gonna walk through town

Ljbadfan - I had to giggle at this. We live in Portland, where no one with any self-respect uses an umbrella. I'm not even sure that we own one. If we do, it's buried somewhere. Every coat we own has a hood - and we are so used to the rain that it's fine. I can always tell the tourists (or recent transplants to Oregon) because they are running around with an umbrella.

I'm going to bring shorts IF Vancouver is warm when we arrive, since we'll be there a few days prior to the cruise. We're now in the mid-80's so I'll keep an eye on the weather up there and decide. I'm sure we won't need them on the ship. We are also doing the new Tracy Arm excursion, and since I run cold, I'll bring my packable down jacket. It's a great jacket (got it at Costco for a steal!) because it folds down to a small little roll. So if it's warm enough it can just stash away in my suitcase.

Thanks again for everyone's feedback!

 

[phinz]

I was just in Alaska on a cruise three weeks ago. I brought a heavier coat. My wife didn't. Guess who got really cold and stole the other one's heavier coat...

 

[Ljbadfan]

Ljbadfan - I had to giggle at this. We live in Portland, where no one with any self-respect uses an umbrella. I'm not even sure that we own one. If we do, it's buried somewhere. Every coat we own has a hood - and we are so used to the rain that it's fine. I can always tell the tourists (or recent transplants to Oregon) because they are running around with an umbrella.

I'm going to bring shorts IF Vancouver is warm when we arrive, since we'll be there a few days prior to the cruise. We're now in the mid-80's so I'll keep an eye on the weather up there and decide. I'm sure we won't need them on the ship. We are also doing the new Tracy Arm excursion, and since I run cold, I'll bring my packable down jacket. It's a great jacket (got it at Costco for a steal!) because it folds down to a small little roll. So if it's warm enough it can just stash away in my suitcase.

Thanks again for everyone's feedback!

I live in Yakima Washington. So we do get some rain but not like Portland and Seattle. There is some times I take an umbrella. But I don't usually do

 

[uncw89]

Ljbadfan - I had to giggle at this. We live in Portland, where no one with any self-respect uses an umbrella. I'm not even sure that we own one. If we do, it's buried somewhere. Every coat we own has a hood - and we are so used to the rain that it's fine. I can always tell the tourists (or recent transplants to Oregon) because they are running around with an umbrella.

I'm going to bring shorts IF Vancouver is warm when we arrive, since we'll be there a few days prior to the cruise. We're now in the mid-80's so I'll keep an eye on the weather up there and decide. I'm sure we won't need them on the ship. We are also doing the new Tracy Arm excursion, and since I run cold, I'll bring my packable down jacket. It's a great jacket (got it at Costco for a steal!) because it folds down to a small little roll. So if it's warm enough it can just stash away in my suitcase.

Thanks again for everyone's feedback!

We went to Seattle a few days before a cruise and heard the same thing about umbrella's.....only tourists use umbrella's. LOL!! It did rain some while we were there...I wore my raincoat!!
I was on the Alaska cruise last week. The weather was great, except for Ketchikan (it rained and was really foggy!! They canceled my Misty Fjord float plane excursion!! ). It was probably 50's-60's some days. I took and wore a North Face tri-climate jacket. I really only used the outer shell when it rained. It also rained on our Juneau day in the afternoon which wasn't bad. (light rain). The fleece layer was fine most days. Most dinners I just wore what I had on that day and didn't change. It seemed more casual than the Carribbean cruises. Mon. in Vancouver the temp hit 80 and I wished I had short sleeves, but other than that I wore long sleeve t-shirts, nothing heavy. They don't have humidity their, like I do where I live. I brought shorts but didn't end up wearing them.

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

So from what I'm reading, a thermal, hoodie and rain jacket won't be enough for the sled dog excursion in Juneau? What about bottoms? Are thermal bottoms under jeans not enough? Too much? We're still 5 weeks out ourselves but need to start making sure we have everything we need as we don't have many cold weather clothes.

 

[browerjs]

Got back from Alaska on Monday, and we way overpacked. Our biggest mistake was bringing a collared shirt, etc. for dinner each night. What I found is that I typically just wore whatever I had on all day to dinner (unless it was formal/semi-formal night). Typically on Caribbean cruises I was always at the pool/in the sun all day, so I would shower before dinner each night, and then I would just change into a collared shirt/nicer shorts/etc.. I didn't find this necessary in Alaska, and just wore what I had on all day.