Here are my top 10 packing tips for an Alaskan cruise as whilst I have been cruising Alaska, I have noticed that a lot of passengers arrive unprepared for the Alaskan weather!
So, I thought these top 10 packing tips for an Alaskan cruise would be good suggestions and help if you are going on a cruise to Alaska this summer or in the future.
In Alaska, you can have many types of weather in one week. You are lucky if you do not see rain!
The temperature can range from 8C to 20C. When you go scenic cruising around a fjord to see a glacier it is always cold.
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Top 10 Packing Tips for an Alaskan Cruise
- Bring a jacket that is warm and waterproof.
- Hat, gloves and scarf. These are essential for cold days and when it is raining and scenic cruising a glacier.
- Waterproof walking shoes or boots. When it rains it pours! Sports shoes are great when it is dry but, rain goes through a lot the mesh styles! So be careful of the style you pack. There is a lot of walking in Alaska so a comfortable waterproof pair will make your life easier.
- Bring an umbrella.
- A backpack is better than a handbag as then you can be hands-free to take photos or hold your umbrella! Also, if it warms up you can but your jacket, etc inside.
- You always need a camera or a smartphone to take lots of photos of Alaska. It is such a beautiful place scenically and for the wild animals, you may see. Good idea to take a waterproof camera if you can. Also, if you like spotting animals, binoculars are another great item to bring.
- Water bottle so you can refill it, better for the environment and there are places to fill up your bottles onboard and ashore. A foldable one is good so it takes less space in your luggage.
- Sunglasses for if it is sunny unless it is raining! But there is always a glare even if cloudy, so protect your eyes from squinting.
- Tissues or a soft cloth to wipe your camera/phone down when it rains!
- Hand Sanitizer this is a must anywhere, but you need it in nature.
- Bonus tip! Pack a portable phone charger as you will find quickly your battery will go down after using your camera, apps, 4G/WIFI on your phone.
CRUISE ESSENTIALS
Here are some cruising products from Amazon you may find useful on your next cruise. To see more, have look at my Amazon shop page click here.
YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY READING:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU BOOK AN ALASKAN CRUISE
TOP 23 PACKING TIPS FOR A COLDER CRUISE
WHAT YOU MUST SEE IN KETCHIKAN ALASKA
HOW TO GET UP CLOSE TO THE SAWYER GLACIER IN ALASKA
TOUR OF A LIFETIME LANDING ON A GLACIER BY HELICOPTER IN JUNEAU ALASKA
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR DAY IN SKAGWAY ALASKA
I hope you find these packing tips for an Alaskan cruise helpful. If you have any questions or have your own suggestion please comment below.
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Happy Cruising!
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Great list of must-haves for Alaska. I was particularly intrigued with your choices of outerwear and plan to check them out for a trip I have coming up in Northern Canada. š
Author
I love the North Face clothing as it lasts!
Some great ideas. I know I wish I had some of these for my last trip to Alaska. It’s all about layers!
Author
It is! You just never know in Alaska!
I could see a lot of people forgetting sunglasses. Perhaps they are obsessed with the rain, but ice and snow reflections can be very bright. I would make sure that they are polarized so it keeps the glare from the reflections down.
Author
Great tip!
These are great tips. I’ve always wanted to take a cruise to Alaska. I would have never thought Alaska got that warm. I’d probably want to bring some shorts and tshirts along too just in case.
Author
You can, but my shorts never made being worn! ššš
Never been to Alaska but I really want to go. If it’s only 8 deg C, it’s not so bad, then, is it? Even for a tropical girl like me, it’s still bearable. When’s your suggested best time to go on a cruise there?
Author
It’s bearable! The best time to go is in May or June š
Never been to Alaska, but its on my list . One should definitely keep your list in mind whenever planning a trip to the colder areas, as a lot of these are required even when I just used to take a weekend trip to the Himalayas in the winters.
Author
It’s good list for any where cold!
Great list! +1 on the jacket. When I went on a cruise in the middle of summer it was still so chilly!
Author
Amazing how cold it can be in Alaska, even in summer!
Something that I have always wanted to do. I have a feeling that it will be extremely cold. SO, yes, that jacket will be needed, along with some woolens. Will take a good camera with a strong zoom lens too.
Author
Definitely!
That is a superb checklist and will be super helpful to the ones planing for an Alaskan cruise. We still have no plans for taking up this cruise, but I liked that jacket and going to check it out.
Author
Thank you! Glad you liked the jacket suggestion!
An Alaskan cruise is my dream! I will do it sooner or later and I will make good use of your list! The North Face hiking waterproof shoes are already in my basket for my trip to Iceland!
Thanks for such a helpful site.
Can you explain why wifi is so expensive on a cruise?
Author
Thank you very much! The wifi is all via satellites which makes it expensive to run.