A must pack item for AK cruise tour???

Package tape.. they have it front desk but they got upset when I went back for more. They were upset I had mailed a package home. I sailed Hal Seattle and back. They were upset wanting to know who gave me the tape from package I sent from Juneau. I had another package ready but girl at desk wanted a custom agent to go with me to post office. I just said forget it and did not mail anything else home. No one can tell me why I have to talked to lots of people about it. I never set foot in Canada the ship did not either

Mary

Package tape.. they have it front desk but they got upset when I went back for more. They were upset I had mailed a package home. I sailed Hal Seattle and back. They were upset wanting to know who gave me the tape from package I sent from Juneau. I had another package ready but girl at desk wanted a custom agent to go with me to post office. I just said forget it and did not mail anything else home. No one can tell me why I have to talked to lots of people about it. I never set foot in Canada the ship did not either

 

Mary

We have mailed packages out of three different ports when we were on our two Alaskan cruises. Mailed one out of Juneau and two out of Sitka. If you go into the post office in both of those towns and use the one price (if it fits' date=' it ships,the biggest is $14.95), the boxes will probably be home before you are.

The Sitka post office was easy to get to, it is about a block away from the St. Michael's Church going towards the ship. Can't remember where the Juneau one was. A friend mailed from Ketchikan and she said it was easy.

When you pack a "if it fits, it ships" box, you can purchase a roll of tape right there. You don't need to get a roll from the front desk. There were several other people in there doing the same thing and we all shared the roll of tape, so that way there wasn't a half empty roll to carry around.

Also - several of the stores will mail items home for you, granted they do charge for it, but it was worth it, because they do all of the packing etc. Also mailing from Alaska is mailing from any where else in the US. There are no customs. Wonder what got the desk people so upset, you mailed from state to state.

Any way - we will continue to mail from Alaska when on a cruise. It is a whole lot easier than trying to pack it into suitcases that were already bulging at the seams.:)

[b']Previous Cruises:[/b]

Alaska - Westerdam - September 2009

Alaska- Rotterdam - September 2010

Mexican Riveria - Oosterdam - April 2011

Future Cruises:

2012 - Alaska - 14 day cruise

2013 - Eastern Med - 28 day (includes cruising Black Sea)

I would say a "must pack" is spare batteries for your camera and a spare memory card (just in case)

A plug adapter if your appliances/battery charger doesn't have a US plug

A hat (specially if you are follicly challenged like me)

Low demonination currency(i.e one dollar bills) for tips -mainly applies to visitors from outside us/canada

Binoculars

Decent camera

A daysack for carrying all your bits

and yes, a decent waterproof jacket/coat with a detachable fleece liner

hope that helps.....

The second you walk off the ship in port you see the exact coats you need for a small fraction of what you would see pre-trip. Makes a great souvenir!

The second you walk off the ship in port you see the exact coats you need for a small fraction of what you would see pre-trip. Makes a great souvenir!

I disagree -- as all the ones we saw in th stores were "water-resistant" not "water- proof". Trust me--- there isca HUGE difference and if it is pouring rain and you are fishing or whale watching-- you will wish you had the latter! If it is just a light rain you would be OK -- we needed the rain proof! I hope you do not, but you will be miserable if you do!

 

 

and yes, a decent waterproof jacket/coat with a detachable fleece liner

 

hope that helps.....

If you have a jacket that is the nylon/windbreaker type that also has a detachable fleece liner BUT is not waterproof, my mother suggested that we purchase a can of SCOTCHGARD and really spray the outer jacket really well. Did it and it worked better (and was cheaper) having to purchase a new jacket. Will be taking the same jacket with me but will add a couple of sweatshirts as we are going farther north than the last two cruises.

Previous Cruises:

Alaska - Westerdam - September 2009

Alaska- Rotterdam - September 2010

Mexican Riveria - Oosterdam - April 2011

Future Cruises – in planning stage:

2012 - Alaska - 14 day cruise

2013 - Eastern Med - 28 day (includes cruising Black Sea)

Sorry to seem like a pest

I just remembered something that we planned on packing and totally forgot.

If you are traveling with a large group and get separated or can't find each other on board ship - DO NOT USE THE CELL PHONES. The ships charges are killers.

Instead, invest in some small Walkie Talkies. Set them on a channel that won't interfere with the ship's function and you can stay in touch quite easily. Also can use them on shore if you are within range and won't have to use up your time and minutes on your cells.

Enjoy.

Previous Cruises:

Alaska - Westerdam - September 2009

Alaska- Rotterdam - September 2010

Mexican Riveria - Oosterdam - April 2011

Future Cruises – in planning stage:

2012 - Alaska – Amsterdam – September - 14 day cruise - getting closer to booking

2013 - Eastern Med - 28 day (includes cruising Black Sea)

1) Waterproof rain jacket - my trip was very wet and cool, but I was nice and dry.

2) A 3-plug power bar from the dollar store. Just right for laptop, camera and phone and not too large for the ship to complain.

3) Lots of memory cards for my camera - the scenery is amazing and I don't wan't to risk losing everything if my card self destructs or my camera does.

4) Lightweight gloves - thin so I can still use my camera when I spent almost the whole day on deck when we were cruising Tracy Arm Fjord.

Thanks for the ideas I will be making a list we go in May next year, so no shorts?:o

I have been twice, both times in September. The first time we wore shorts everyday and got sunburnt. The second time it rained almost everyday. It just depends on the weather gods :)

Hal has its its own power stips. I asked and they said no to my power strip. I used thiers.

Had inside cabin I would have loved to have a clock.

make sure you bring a lot of batteries and cards for camera.

depends wheen you go. I di not have that much rain only a day or 2 and it was not much usually when I was done and heading back to ship.

packing tape if you want to send stuff home. I looked every where for it

long story I borrowed some from front desk. then I went back and there was a problem. Long story

Mary

A light sweater.

Just returned from AK and there were 2 things that I noticed. 1) the ponchos were pretty much ineffective. We saw lots of ponchos while on rainy tours that the ponchos were just blowing all over and didn't cover what it should have. Rain jacket needed, I had mine and stayed dry the whole time. 2) one person almost lost their camera overboard because they were stretching for a photo and the strap was not around neck or wrist, be sure to secure your camera. We had a wonderful time even in the misty rain.

I love the Osprey "Daylite" daypack that I bought at REI specifically for the cruise and excursions. It is small and handy, yet capacious enough for camera, binocs, and folded rain jacket when it got too hot. I took it everywhere.

Very glad we bought the ultrazoom camera with 30x optical zoom. In Alaska you need lots of zoom!

A good SLR camera with both wide angle and telephoto zoom lenses

A pair of waterproof binoculars

rain gears

gloves

One of the best hints I got here before our cruise was to buy a pair of inexpensive gloves that will keep your hands warm, and cut out the shutter finger for taking pictures. It worked like a charm! (I only had one tip of a finger cold :D)

Really appreciate all these great tips! THANK YOU!!!

can't find that LL Bean Storm Jacket that is waterPROOF.

this one is water resistant and has three layers:

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/65688?feat=58537-ppxs&dds=y

that looks awesome (and it's on sale) because of the layering effect but it is not water proof which sounds like a big deal.

someone got a layered waterPROOF jacket they recommend?

someone got a layered waterPROOF jacket they recommend?

Can't help with recommending a layered jacket, but DH and I both had Eddie Bauer rain jackets that were very rain and wind proof.

We just layered tees and lightweight fleece underneath on our very rainy Alaskan cruise last June/July. DH is warmer blooded then I and would sometimes just have a tee or long-sleeved tee underneath.

Mine was very similar to this jacket. I loved it and also wear it in spring, summer and fall here in Canada.

http://www.eddiebauer.com/catalog/product.jsp?ensembleId=38951&&categoryId=23269&categoryName=WATER-RESISTANT-OUTERWEAR--JACKETS&pCategoryId=27301&pCategoryName=WOMENS-OUTERWEAR&gpCategoryId=1&gpCategoryName=EB&catPath=~~categoryId=23269~~categoryName=WATER-RESISTANT-OUTERWEAR--JACKETS~~pCategoryId=27301~~pCategoryName=WOMENS-OUTERWEAR~~gpCategoryId=1~~gpCategoryName=EB&viewAll=y&pg=1

Lands end says rain proof, rain resistant or highly rain resistant, but I have been out in downpours and stayed dry in my squall parka. They have all sorts of styles including zip out liners and shells for layering. Clearance sale right now I just saw.

http://www.landsend.com/ix/overstock-liquidations/Women/Outerwear/index.html?seq=1~2~3&catNumbers=83~141&visible=1~1~1&store=ov&sort=Recommended&pageSize=72&tab=8

The only thing I had to buy was a clock-there was none in our cabin on the ship & I didn't want to miss our excursions! The only other thing (that hasn't been mentioned-lots of good advice so far!) is any books, local reference material-there was nothing about Alaska in the ship's library. I was later told that the library is stocked with what passengers donate. I wish I'd have known that before, I could have brought the books left at home & left them for the next group!

I noticed that you are going on a cruisetour rather than a cruise-only. I HIGHLY recommend that you bring bug spray with the highest percentage of Deet you can find.

You absolutely need a rain jacket and a lightweight jacket. You don't need the rain pants.

I spent 2 weeks in Alaska in 2010 and 5 months in 2011.

We got the rainproof Trail raincoats (the longer ones) from LL Bean and will layer over a fleece or sweat jacket. They fit well and take up little space.

I noticed that you are going on a cruisetour rather than a cruise-only. I HIGHLY recommend that you bring bug spray with the highest percentage of Deet you can find.

Moonbear appears to be from Alabama. I scanned all the posts and may have missed something, but it appears to me Moonbear gets my golden Alaskan survivor award.

Having lived in Alaska all my life, mostly in the aviation and commercial fish industries, this post caught my attention. I wondered what the advice would be. Since the OP appears to be traveling throughout the state, perhaps into remote hinterlands and away from the plush accommodations of the fine ships, I would expect the list to include at least one of my priorities.

For a dozen years I commercially flew for an Alaskan carrier's bush division, then started my own outfit. Chances of being forced down were a real concern. Since we had flight following I was never worried that I might need weeks of grub but there were other more important considerations. Besides, we were required by Alaskan law to have certain items of emergency equipment on board anyway. Usually these were stored behind the rear bulkhead in a durable container.

What I personally found most important were, 1. Bug dope, preferably 100% deet. 2. A sleeping bag. 3. A gun.

Now the law required a gun and sleeping gear for 50% of the max. passenger capacity but I believed that due to the potential of fire or a water related accident, where the aircraft sinks, I might not be able to get to the emergency gear in the tail. Perhaps in OP's circumstances here he/she can forgo the sleeping bag and gun. But not the bug dope.

My first boss was forced down once. He survived the crash, but the mosquitoes almost killed him.

It only rained on one At Sea day on my cruise last yr... So I will say my most appreciated item was the long johns I put under my jeans during the Tracy Arm cruising. All other days I was fine with jeans and a sweatshirt.

Would a light weight Down parka be overkill?