How to pack for Alaska cruise & land tour - family of 4

Hello

We’re booked on our first ever cruise next June, to Alaska with Royal Caribbean (Radiance of the Seas).

Can someone please help me with what and how much to pack – I’m travelling with my husband and 2 children (age 5 & 7 yrs) and we’ll have 6 nights in Alaska after the 7 night cruise.

From the reading I’ve done so far on this forum, I gather “layers” are the way to go, and that the weather can vary enormously, and it can be very wet. Sounds like a lot of things to pack to me, on a boat that does not have self-service laundries, it’s all a bit overwhelming!

Does anyone know if there are laundromats I could use in any of the ports (Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway)?

Many thanks

Lou

For packing suggestions, read thru the trip reports, especially reports that include children. Offhand I can tell you that in the 2014 reports, replies #33, 50 and 51 have packing tips. Others do as well.

Layers .... start with a long-sleeve tshirt, then a sweatshirt/sweater/pullover, topped with a waterproof jacket. Take a daypack to carry layers during the day (as well as wallets, cameras,etc ). For glacier viewing, take gloves and a hat.

yes, there are laundramats. Google 'Juneau laundramat', or check the town web site, or google the town's Chamber of Commerce.

http://lclavette1.blogspot.com/2014/05/vancouver.html

We did a RCI cruise tour this May. Check out my. Blog. It was only really cold, hats and gloves on Hubbard Glacier day and Rainy days. for us it was only Juneau. although we went on tour to Taku lodge and Sun came out.

The top of Mt Alyeska was warm even though there was snow on ground.

We flew to Mt McKinley from Talkeetna the plane ride was cold, but Mt landing was warm.

We took a Columbia 3 in 1 coat- waterproof outer and Thermal inside, that we took out many times.

I took a baggy of powder laundry soap and washed underwear in the sink. Take some clothes pins and hang in shower.

Key word is waterproof! It rains a lot.

Have a great trip.

Also, you can take all your luggage on the land part or they can store ones that you don't need until the last day or it will meet you on the ship.

But you can have them all if you want. We found it difficult to repack everything so we could store 1-2 bags when we could have used them.

Does anyone know if there are laundromats I could use in any of the ports (Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway)?

 

I can't imagine wasting precious port time doing laundry! :eek:

What about doing some laundry in the evening of your first land day, assuming there are facilities where you will be staying?

Remember, many things can be reworn a few times, like jeans, sweatshirts, and evening attire. When I cruises with young kids (2001!) I let them wear nicer things like polo shirts to dinner once or twice, then let them wear them during the day later in the week, when it didn't matter if it got really dirty.

Hello

 

We’re booked on our first ever cruise next June, to Alaska with Royal Caribbean (Radiance of the Seas).

 

Can someone please help me with what and how much to pack – I’m travelling with my husband and 2 children (age 5 & 7 yrs) and we’ll have 6 nights in Alaska after the 7 night cruise.

 

From the reading I’ve done so far on this forum, I gather “layers” are the way to go, and that the weather can vary enormously, and it can be very wet. Sounds like a lot of things to pack to me, on a boat that does not have self-service laundries, it’s all a bit overwhelming!

 

Does anyone know if there are laundromats I could use in any of the ports (Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway)?

 

Many thanks

Lou

Are you mainland touring independently? some of the large hotels do have laundry, but you would have no problem finding this if you have a rental car. IF you happen to be on a cruisetour- more important is to be well prepared, and have triple the activities and snacks that you think you will need. Expect to be the only kids on the tour. Batteries and ear phones are a must.

The easiest port for laundry is Skagway, located at State and Second. Huge fast propane dryers. Can be done in 1.5 hours.

As mentioned, rewearing some clothes can work. You can also hand wash underwear and socks, use blow dryers, with Zote soap. A wonderful laundry product.

Thank you for the replies.

We are travelling independently after the cruise, with a hire car, so once on land we can do laundry, but by the time we reach Seward, we will have been travelling 9 days, I will really need to do some washing before then - we can pack enough underwear/socks for that length of time, and I do understand about re-wearing clothes, but things like tee-shirts and long-sleeve tee-shirts will need washing as a minimum - none of us have that many clothes and wouldn't want to pack that many either!

I am slowly working my way through 2014 trip reports, looking at the photos to see what people are wearing, making notes!

BUDGET QUEEN - thank you for Skagway laundry tip. What is Zote - I am from Australia!

Many thanks

Lou :)

... but by the time we reach Seward, we will have been travelling 9 days, I will really need to do some washing before then - we can pack enough underwear/socks for that length of time, and I do understand about re-wearing clothes, but things like tee-shirts and long-sleeve tee-shirts will need washing as a minimum -...

Hey Lou the last time we were on Radiance they gave us a bag about half way through the cruise we could stuff with clothes to get washed. It was about $US25 from memory. It was not huge but we managed to get quite a bit into it - especially the kids clothes as they were smaller!

Thank you for the replies.

 

We are travelling independently after the cruise, with a hire car, so once on land we can do laundry, but by the time we reach Seward, we will have been travelling 9 days, I will really need to do some washing before then - we can pack enough underwear/socks for that length of time, and I do understand about re-wearing clothes, but things like tee-shirts and long-sleeve tee-shirts will need washing as a minimum - none of us have that many clothes and wouldn't want to pack that many either!

 

I am slowly working my way through 2014 trip reports, looking at the photos to see what people are wearing, making notes!

 

BUDGET QUEEN - thank you for Skagway laundry tip. What is Zote - I am from Australia!

 

Many thanks

Lou :)

Zote soap is a bar laundry soap. It is available at some Walmarts, as a suggestion. Using regular soap or shampoo for laundry is less than ideal. It seems to never rinse out. Zote cleans exceptionally well and quickly and thoroughly rinses. A wonderful product I have been using for years.