NboroGirl

I would guess the length of the hike to be just about a mile..maybe a little over. It is a very easy hike. You can definitely see the glacier from the falls

I read that it takes approximately 45 minutes to hike there and back, so a mile sounds about right.

Which dining room is used for set-time dining, and which is any-time?

Are the pools covered and warm? Which one(s)?

My answers seem to differ a bit from others, but perhaps that's due to where I'm from. I am used to sunny California where the expected high today is 95F, and I just got back from my first Alaska cruise two days ago where the temperature was certainly quite different. Also, I tend to run on the cold side a lot of the time.

 

Some info about the weather on our cruise...the first few days were very cold and windy (high in the 50s). The last half of the trip was much more sunny and warm (high in the mid 70s). Thankfully there was no rain.

 

I definitely used my warm hat, gloves, and scarf often. I didn't need them by afternoon, but in the mornings (before about noon) I was quite chilly, on and off the ship. I don't think I used them much on the warmer days. On the sunny days I was wearing sun hats to shade myself.

 

In the beginning of the trip, when it was much colder, I wore long underwear under jeans, a short or long sleeved shirt, a fleece zip-up, and a larger coat over that. People told me to leave the winter coat at home, but boy was I glad I decided to bring it! The temperatures weren't what got to me, it was the wind! I couldn't spend more than a couple of minutes out on deck without my big coat and warm hat to cover my ears.

 

On land, I was wearing pretty much the same thing in the beginning (it seemed especially cold at Mendenhall Glacier), but on the warmer days at the end of the trip I was no longer using the big coat and long underwear. So, jeans, a t-shirt, and my fleece jacket were adequate. The only time I wore short sleeves with no jacket was when I was walking around Ketchikan on an exceptionally warm and sunny day (for them).

 

If you are used to colder temperatures where you live, you can probably do without the larger coat. Most people I saw weren't wearing them, but I was very glad to have mine as the wind seemed to whip right through everything else I had on.

Thanks, tree.star, that's exactly the kind of information I was looking for. I live in the northeast, but that doesn't mean I like the cold. I really don't do well when cool/cold is coupled with wind - it goes right through me. At least now I have a better idea of what I should bring. I think I'm going to leave my winter coat at home, though, and just make sure I have enough fleece, along thermal tops/underwear, so that I can stand the cold wind on deck. And I'm adding "scarf" to my packing list. Hopefully mid-June will be a tad warmer for us than mid-May was for you.

Hi jmcmo

Looks like we're on the same cruise in June! Thanks for drawing our attention to the FAQ section. The luggage situation is clearly outlined there...

See you in June!

Looks like I'm on this cruise as well!

My husband and I will share one large suitcase for our clothes, and a garment bag for our formal wear. So since we're allowed one luggage item each, we'll probably just bring both with us.

As for the carry-ons, we're allowed once each. My question is regarding this. I plan to bring a small carry-on with my essentials, but will my purse also count as a carry on, so I can only bring one or the other?? I want to bring both! My husband carries his c-pap machine in his carry-on, but I'm not sure he'll have room for my purse.

I've never been to Alaska before. In four weeks we'll be taking a weeklong cruise from Vancouver to Whittier in a balcony stateroom and I'm having trouble trying to figure out what to bring to wear. My in-laws took an Alaskan cruise years ago in July and m-i-l kept telling me how COLD it was and they froze. I asked what kinds of clothes/outerwear she packed/wore but she couldn't remember so I'm guessing (based on past experience) they were just unprepared and probably wore summer clothes. I read the Top Ten Things to Pack on an Alaskan Cruise, which was somewhat helpful, but not specific enough, and have searched through this thread. I'm looking for better wardrobe guidance than "Dress in layers". The only thing I'm sure of is what dressy/dinner outfits I'm going to bring.

Some info:

My cruise stops in Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. We signed up for a couple of excursions in Skagway: Mushers camp, and the White Pass railway. In Juneau we're thinking of going to Mendenhall Glacier on our own. In Anchorage we will be taking a post-cruise "glacier cruise" on a catamaran. Lastly we'll be spending a couple of days in Denali.

Here's what I would like to know...

Do I need to bring my winter jacket? Or would a spring jacket paired with a fleece hoodie (i.e. "layers") be sufficient? Do I really need hat and gloves? Is this ONLY for when you're on deck looking at glaciers (I know it can be windy on deck, especially when the ship is moving), or also for other parts of the cruise? Should I pack both a winter coat AND a spring jacket?

Do I need rain gear? We're not planning anything outdoorsy, such as hiking or kayaking, but I'm thinking my rain pancho might be a good idea. Waterproof shoes? That was in the Top Ten list article I mentioned above.

On land, what should I expect? Will it to be warm enough for jeans, short sleeves, and light jacket or fleece? Is it possible it will be warm enough for shorts? Do I need long-sleeved shirts? I understand one can never really predict the weather, and I will check the weather in the ports before I pack, but just to get a general idea of what to expect would be helpful.

Is it chilly inside the ship (Coral Princess)? Will I need sweaters to wear in the theaters and dining room? Winter, spring, or summer pajamas? I assume we can control the temperature in our stateroom.

Is there an enclosed pool on deck?

I like to pack light so I don't want to bring a lot of unnecessary clothing. Any (specific) help you can provide will be much appreciated. Thanks.

Thank you everyone for the responses and great advice!

We're taking our first Princess cruise next month - to Alaska on Coral Princess. No where can I find what time boarding begins. I've checked the website and all our docs but it only shows the sail time. We'll be in Vancouver a couple of days early so we'll be able to board as soon as it's allowed.