What to pack for alaska cruise, rain jackets and more

I see a lot of people ask what to pack for a cruise to Alaska. I thought I would start a thread that maybe people can contribute to with suggestions and ideas. I compiled a list of things that are important to me, but it is far from inclusive.

Please realize that I pack light and am able to pack everything listed here in a carry-on.

CARRY ON BAG:

Going on a cruise I do not like to take the risk of my suitcase not making it. As such I always just take a carry on bag.

This is my all-time favorite carry-on bag. Perfect to take as a carry on for on the way there, but expands 2 extra inches for your return trip to allow space for souvenirs. You can check the bag in on the way back if you use the extra space. I even take this bag as my only bag on a 4 week trip to Europe.

https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/carry-on-backpack

JACKET

I am a firm believer in layering. Alaska can be hot, warm or downright cold. I always pack a good waterproof rain jacket that is roomy enough to allow for sweaters underneath. I never pack a heavy winter coat as it is just not needed. A jacket that is truly water proof is all you need. Here are some suggestions:

FOR MEN:

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Rain-Jacket-Reviews

FOR WOMEN

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Rain-Jacket-Womens-Reviews

I personally have the Marmot Precip and it is fantastic. I also bought a Northface Resolve that I love as well. Both jackets I bought 1 size up to allow for a sweater underneath.

PRECIP:

Women’s

https://www.amazon.com/Marmot-Womens-Precip-Jacket-Black/dp/B004J1LTUG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1468427597&sr=8-2&keywords=precip

Men’s:

https://www.amazon.com/Marmot-Mens-Precip-Jacket-Medium/dp/B000FDY8RS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468427720&sr=8-1&keywords=precip+men

NORTHFACE RESOLVE

Women’s

https://www.amazon.com/NORTH-WOMENS-RESOLVE-JACKET-STYLE/dp/B0052SCIGO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468427621&sr=8-1&keywords=resolve+north+face

Men’s:

https://www.amazon.com/North-Face-Resolve-Jacket-X-Large/dp/B0052X4O4I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468427673&sr=8-1&keywords=resolve+north+face+men

SHOES

I would not invest in new hiking shoes for a cruise unless you have time to break them in and plan on using them after the cruise as well. Here are some suggestions for various types of footwear:

KEEN whisper sandal.

Perfect for any type of hiking and outdoor activities, it provides perfect traction and comfort.

Women’s:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LG82WIS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Men’s:

https://www.amazon.com/KEEN-Mens-Newport-H2-Sandal/dp/B0001MQ60A/ref=pd_sim_309_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41Z6tgeTaTL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=CVWPAP3G2VNG3309G4R2

TEVA

With multiple adjustments they assure a perfect fit. Great sandal around water and perfect for hikes where your feet may get wet. Great traction and excellent arch support. Great for people with plantar fasciitis. .

Women’s:

https://www.amazon.com/Teva-Womens-Tirra-Sandal-Bering/dp/B00H45T424/ref=sr_1_1?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1468426984&sr=1-1&nodeID=7141123011&keywords=teva+tirra

Men’s:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055ATVV4/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_7?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-9&pf_rd_r=76D8VJZG94FNGMDCF91N&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1865630162&pf_rd_i=2601980011

HIKING BOOTS

You are better off just wearing your old sneakers than hiking boots that have not been broken in yet. My favorite hiking boots are light weight and require minimal breaking in. These are a great option if you want hiking boots that are comfortable and light weight.

My favorite hiking boot:

AHNU women’s Sugarpine Hiking Boot

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LZUNEHA

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SGQDUTS

Other choices for women’s hiking boots:

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Hiking-Boots-Womens-Reviews

Other choices for men’s hiking boots:

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Hiking-Boots-Reviews

PANTS

You will see people wear anything on an Alaskan cruise, from shorts to capris to jeans to work out pants. All is fine. I usually take a 3 pair of capris that are easy to dry and that are light weight, one pair of fleece stretch pants, a pair of work out pants and maybe a pair of sweats.

MY FAVORITE CAPRIS FOR ALASKA

http://www.cabelas.com/product/TNF-WOMENS-APHRODITE-CAPRIS/2208162.uts?searchPath=%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FcategoryId%3D734095080%26CQ_search%3Daphrodite%26CQ_st%3Db

FAVORITE LONG PANTS FOR ALASKA

https://www.thenorthface.com/shop/womens-aphrodite-pants-ce4w

For stretch fleece pants or work out pants any brand will do. I chose the Marmot stretch fleece pants and am happy with them. Convertible pants are a great choice too, and some suggestions of those are listed below.

MEN’S HIKING PANTS

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Hiking-Pants-Reviews

WOMEN’S HIKING PANTS

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Hiking-Pants-Women-Reviews

COMPLETE LIST OF HIKING GEAR SUGGESTIONS (includes binoculars, etc):

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/a/11167/Dream-Hiking-Gear-List

THIS IS WHAT I PACKED FOR MY 7 DAY ALASKA CRUISE, all in a carry-on:

1 Precip rain jacket

4 zip-up hoodies

7 t-shirts (2 long sleeved, 5 short sleeved)

1 sweater

3 pair of Northface Aphrodite capris

1 pair of Marmot stretch fleece pants

1 pair of Aphrodite long pants

1 pair of black work out pants

1 down filled vest

1 long packable black dress for formal night (cotton). Will wear my Teva sandals with this.

1 pair of Ahnu Sugarpine hiking boots (wore these on the plane to reduce packing weight)

1 pair of Teva Tirra sandals

1 pair of Keen Whisper sandals

1 packable backpack for hikes (https://www.amazon.com/Kalusi%C2%AE-Lightweight-Waterproof-Foldable-Backpack/dp/B01G30DNTA?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_cr-mr-title)

1 pair of binoculars

And then of course a jamie, underwear, socks, make-up, shampoo and conditioner.

thanks for sharing.

Warm leather gloves were greatly appreciated on our recent visit to Alaska, especially near or on the glaciers. Did not see them on your list.

Warm leather gloves were greatly appreciated on our recent visit to Alaska, especially near or on the glaciers. Did not see them on your list.

Yeah, they are probably a good idea to take along "just in case". Thank you for the suggestion. :)

Warm leather gloves were greatly appreciated on our recent visit to Alaska, especially near or on the glaciers. Did not see them on your list.

Personally I'd recommend runners gloves instead. Windblocking and warm yet also thin enough to let you still operate your camera. Mine are like this: http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/products/TGU1309/asics-liteshow-gloves/

The windblocking part I found more important, especially when on the Kenai Fjords Tour and standing on the foredeck as we were moving up the bay.

Hats - a knit stocking cap that comes down below ears is really good to have. Also a waterproof boonie hat (below) with wide brim is useful not only for rain but sun - make sure it has a good chin strap because on-deck can be windy. Also make sure it fits over stocking cap.

In addition to waterproof jacket rain pants are good and also provide wind protection.

If just taking tennis shoes for outdoors then some rubber overshoes are handy for out on rainy deck or in town and don't weigh much.

Swimsuit for hot tubs.

I posted these before but will mention again.

There's much to be said for a small umbrella.

Rather than separate rain pants, I took one of my pairs of convertible hiking pants (REI Sahara) and treated them with a wash-in DWR product. I wore them on rainy days and they served the role of rainproof pants quite well.

For footwear look at trail-running shoes. I use them as my backpacking shoes so I already had them. Coupled with thin wool hiking socks (Thorlo or SmartWool are good), my feet stayed warm and breathed well in all conditions. They have a good tread that gripped everything well, including damp whale watching boat decks. Even after a baby rogue wave soaked one foot at Fox Island. Unlike typical boots, trail runners dry quickly.

YES, swimsuit for hot tubs. Very nice on sea day or when leaving port.

Just back from Carnival Legend July 5-12,2016 cruise. We had pretty dry weather for the most part; however, the small boat excursion for Tracy Arm/Endicott was super windy. So glad we had our knit hats and good rain jackets over our fleece. The hooded rain jackets were perfect against the strong wind and allowed us to stay on the outside decks to see the glacier and all the beautiful scenery.

I think there is a wide range of what people need/want.

The boots in the photo would be serious overkill for most cruisers, and only needed if you are doing real hiking.

I wouldn't choose Keen type open shoes unless the weather was warm and dry, and that's hard to predict in Alaska. I'd rather have good sneakers.

I despise umbrellas - they get blown inside out in the wind, and are very annoying in crowded ports.

I live in the Seattle area and don't own rain pants. I have never felt that I needed them in all of my 8 previous trips to Alaska.

I wish I could find zip-off pants in my size (I'm really short), but I can't, so I take some long pants, some shorts, and some capris as a compromise.

I also think people shouldn't spend a lot of money on expensive brand names for clothes/shoes that they may never wear again.

I think there is a wide range of what people need/want.

 

The boots in the photo would be serious overkill for most cruisers, and only needed if you are doing real hiking.

 

I wouldn't choose Keen type open shoes unless the weather was warm and dry, and that's hard to predict in Alaska. I'd rather have good sneakers.

 

I despise umbrellas - they get blown inside out in the wind, and are very annoying in crowded ports.

 

I live in the Seattle area and don't own rain pants. I have never felt that I needed them in all of my 8 previous trips to Alaska.

 

I wish I could find zip-off pants in my size (I'm really short), but I can't, so I take some long pants, some shorts, and some capris as a compromise.

 

I also think people shouldn't spend a lot of money on expensive brand names for clothes/shoes that they may never wear again.

About the boots, that is exactly what my point was in my post. Take your old sneakers if you don't plan on hiking a lot on and after the cruise (and don't take new boots that are not broken in). Personally I take both a closed toe shoe (a hiking boot or sneakers) and sandals, such as the Keens or Tevas.

Not everyone can afford brand name products, and much of these suggestions can be had for cheaper if you buy off-brand. Personally I only buy brand name stuff and keep my eyes open for sales. I bought the Ahnu hiking boots for $48 this week (normally $150), the Keen sandals for $17 and the Tevas for $21. As cheap as any off-brand. It just takes some googling and willingness to be flexible on colors etc. (I wanted the teal Ahnu boots for example but those were not on sale, so I bought the grey ones that were). I also got the Marmot precip rain jacket for $32 and the North Face Resolve jacket for $21 (again, google is your best friend).

About the boots, that is exactly what my point was in my post. Take your old sneakers if you don't plan on hiking a lot on and after the cruise (and don't take new boots that are not broken in). Personally I take both a closed toe shoe (a hiking boot or sneakers) and sandals, such as the Keens or Tevas.

On my 2009 cruise, it was HOT every day, and you could have worn Keens/Tevas every day. Last year, it rained the whole time, and you wouldn't have wanted to wear them at all. Most of my cruises have been in between.

I take sneakers and sometimes low cut hiking shoes, not boots, if I plan to hike. I take a pair of flip-flop for going to the pool, but otherwise don't bother with sandals.

On my 2009 cruise, it was HOT every day, and you could have worn Keens/Tevas every day. Last year, it rained the whole time, and you wouldn't have wanted to wear them at all. Most of my cruises have been in between.

 

I take sneakers and sometimes low cut hiking shoes, not boots, if I plan to hike. I take a pair of flip-flop for going to the pool, but otherwise don't bother with sandals.

Two years ago on my cruise to Alaska we had it all. Rain, cold AND hot weather. I made good use of all of my shoes and sandals (but then I hike on uneven terrain and not just on trails). :)

Note that this is a good list for someone who plans to be quite active at the ports.

On my last trip, a good pair of tennis shoes worked for me. In Ketchikan, we walked to the totem heritage museum and then down to a salmon fish hatchery. In Juneau, we did the helicopter tour with the Mendenhall glacier landing - hat and gloves were a must with that. In Skagway, we did the White Pass train and walked around town.

I would hate to have someone make special purchases if they will never use the equipment again.

Yeah, they are probably a good idea to take along "just in case". Thank you for the suggestion. :)

What a great review, thanks for all your help with providing web sites and all. we will be on or around Glaciers 4 days of our 17 night trip, land and sea. I did lots of research on gloves and found these for both of us. reviews said you can get your hands in and out of your pockets and work your camera or cell phone to take pictures.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018BGEDW/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Our trip/adventure does not begin until Aug. 2nd, but have both DH and I have tried on these gloves and like them.

I have bought, or thought out, most of our clothes for our trip and this post just confirmed what we are taking, thanks again for taking the time to post!

Hat, gloves, and a scarf.

I see a lot of people ask what to pack for a cruise to Alaska. I thought I would start a thread that maybe people can contribute to with suggestions and ideas. I compiled a list of things that are important to me, but it is far from inclusive.

 

Please realize that I pack light and am able to pack everything listed here in a carry-on.

Amazingly well thought out & very helpful.

TU!

I'm glad you think it will work for you. I can assure you that it would never work in our house and other than the boots and T shirts my wife would not take any of those items.

I think there is a wide range of what people need/want.

 

The boots in the photo would be serious overkill for most cruisers, and only needed if you are doing real hiking.

 

I wouldn't choose Keen type open shoes unless the weather was warm and dry, and that's hard to predict in Alaska. I'd rather have good sneakers.

 

I despise umbrellas - they get blown inside out in the wind, and are very annoying in crowded ports.

 

I live in the Seattle area and don't own rain pants. I have never felt that I needed them in all of my 8 previous trips to Alaska.

 

I wish I could find zip-off pants in my size (I'm really short), but I can't, so I take some long pants, some shorts, and some capris as a compromise.

 

I also think people shouldn't spend a lot of money on expensive brand names for clothes/shoes that they may never wear again.

On our first trip to Alaska, for the three of us, we purchased hiking boots and waterproof spray, long underwear, waterproof jackets and gloves.

It was a little overkill.

For most, purchasing different clothing for an Alaska trip is unnecessary. What do you wear when it rains in your home town? Why wouldn’t you wear the same thing in Alaska when it rains? If you’re not an avid hiker at home, are you expecting to become one when visiting Alaska?

Alaska isn’t on a different planet. The summer weather in Alaska is probably very similar to where you live during a different season. If you need a light weight rain coat, why spend $200 when you can go to Costco and get one for $30? Light gloves are 10 bucks.

For most, purchasing different clothing for an Alaska trip is unnecessary. What do you wear when it rains in your home town? Why wouldn’t you wear the same thing in Alaska when it rains? If you’re not an avid hiker at home, are you expecting to become one when visiting Alaska?

 

Alaska isn’t on a different planet. The summer weather in Alaska is probably very similar to where you live during a different season. If you need a light weight rain coat, why spend $200 when you can go to Costco and get one for $30? Light gloves are 10 bucks.

You are right. I forget a lot of people go on a cruise to Alaska just to sight see and not to be active. I should probably have been more specific and said this is for the active cruiser who plans to do some hiking, kayaking etc.

A lot of the suggestions are for less active cruisers as well though. The suggestion to layer (take a water proof jacket and sweaters for underneath) and sneakers that are comfortable.

I hoped my post was helpful. I can tell many of you do not think it is. My apologies. :(

I hoped my post was helpful. I can tell many of you do not think it is. My apologies. :(

No need to apologize. You provided a well thought out comprehensive list of possible clothing options. It will certainly help those who don’t have appropriate clothing, particularly if they have excursions planned that require it.

I hoped my post was helpful. I can tell many of you do not think it is. My apologies. :(

Don't beat yourself up. You posted some good suggestions and ought to be able to expect readers are intelligent enough to figure out for themselves what is right for their needs and budget, making appropriate substitutions where needed.

Just for fun, my family lives in Anchorage but a friend took this last night at 7:30pm in Fairbanks :)

Edit: guess she took it last week!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I was going to respond and say "thank you." I loved your post--very organized, practical, and always nice to have photos! I will be traveling to Alaska in just over a week!

I have a Marmot jacket, a primaloft layer for underneath for cold, gloves, a warm hat, low waterproof hiking shoes for wet weather, a pair of comfy sneaks for dry weather, a small hiking backpack (mine is a simple LL Bean pack that can be folded up into its own pocket). I think we'll bring small, travel umbrellas--could be useful in Seattle even if too crowded in port for them. I think all your suggestions are quite helpful! I can't believe you got all you did in that small suitcase. You should see the size case I have out and ready to pack. LOL. It's kind of ridiculous. But I will be spending a few days in Seattle before my cruise and a few days in Portland after. I brought a few dressier things to change into for dinner--will maybe use in Portland--who knows. And I have a lot of "make it easier on the cruise ship" accessories like an over the door shoe organizer, a plug extender, etc., since I will be sharing a stateroom with both of my boys.

Thank you for being being so thoughtful to post your packing list and recs!

Lisichka, I appreciate your post. I'm cruising for the first time to Alaska in August and am taking what everyone says here and will plan accordingly. Thank you for posting.