Packing for Alaska Cruise Tour question

This is not so much about WHAT to pack, but rather HOW to pack.

We're going on a cruise tour in the beginning of August 2016.

Land first. We'll have 7 nights on land before getting to the ship for another 7 nights.

That's 14 days of clothes. (that's besides the CPAP machine, wife's makeup stuff, cameras and electronic junk we normally haul around)

Starting in Fairbanks, I know they'll want us to have bags marked Meet Me at the Ship and then another one that goes to our next land stop, PLUS we're supposed to have a tote or smaller bag of some kind for the daily traveling around.

So I think my first question would be.... what is the availability of a place to do some laundry? Is there a laundromat in Talkeetna? Because we're planning on spending a day stomping around there.

Availability of laundry on board the ship? I know there's a laundry, but does everyone board the ship and make a bee-line for the laundry?

14 days of underwear and socks is not a big deal. Pants and shirts and then add in the stuff we should have for layering if it's cool.... sounds like a lot of stuff.

Kinda thinking like...

Large-ish checked bag

Small carry-on (trying to avoid having to gate-check a carry-on if we're on an Embraer of similar small aircraft on the way there)

And my "personal bag" would have my CPAP machine, camera, iPad (maybe... might travel without it and just use my phone) and whatever else I can fit in a bag that will fit under an aircraft seat and which could possibly double as my "tote for daily traveling" later.

Anyone who's done this that can help me wrap my brain around it?

:)

Thanks

This is not so much about WHAT to pack, but rather HOW to pack.

 

We're going on a cruise tour in the beginning of August 2016.

Land first. We'll have 7 nights on land before getting to the ship for another 7 nights.

 

That's 14 days of clothes. (that's besides the CPAP machine, wife's makeup stuff, cameras and electronic junk we normally haul around)

 

Starting in Fairbanks, I know they'll want us to have bags marked Meet Me at the Ship and then another one that goes to our next land stop, PLUS we're supposed to have a tote or smaller bag of some kind for the daily traveling around.

 

So I think my first question would be.... what is the availability of a place to do some laundry? Is there a laundromat in Talkeetna? Because we're planning on spending a day stomping around there.

 

Availability of laundry on board the ship? I know there's a laundry, but does everyone board the ship and make a bee-line for the laundry?

 

14 days of underwear and socks is not a big deal. Pants and shirts and then add in the stuff we should have for layering if it's cool.... sounds like a lot of stuff.

 

Kinda thinking like...

Large-ish checked bag

Small carry-on (trying to avoid having to gate-check a carry-on if we're on an Embraer of similar small aircraft on the way there)

And my "personal bag" would have my CPAP machine, camera, iPad (maybe... might travel without it and just use my phone) and whatever else I can fit in a bag that will fit under an aircraft seat and which could possibly double as my "tote for daily traveling" later.

 

Anyone who's done this that can help me wrap my brain around it?

 

:)

 

Thanks

Well, we used HAL for our cruise/tour, not Princess, but all our hotels had self-serve laundries. And the ship we were on had one, also (not all HAL ships do).

I'd suggest checking with Princess (or maybe the Princess board here) as to whether your ship has self serve laundry onboard. I know the Crown Princess does.

Where are you staying in Talkeetna? You can google the hotel and see if they have laundry facilities (that's what I did).

We typically pack for 7 days, and do laundry. We took two large suitcases (one each) and a backpack (carry on) for our 19 night cruise/tour.

When we left Fairbanks (for Denali) each person in the group was allowed one (checked) bag and one carry-on for the train. All other bags had to be tagged "Meet me Onboard" and were trucked ahead to the port. You should have heard the wailing about "not being able to pack 3 days worth of clothes in one suitcase!"

Can't speak for the land portion but on our cruise (on Princess) we had no problem finding time without lines to get laundry done.

We packed one carry on, backpack and 2 medium sized suitcases. Didn't pack coats, purchased those for cheap in Alaska and then donated them at our last port so we didn't have to haul them home.

have a blast