Do I really need a light down jacket for July?

You can always buy one there if you find you need one. They sell them at all the shops, usually for about $20.

Buying one if needed is my decision (we're cruising in Sept). I'm in the market for a new one, anyway. A friend who cruised a few years ago said she bought the best coat she's ever had at one of the stops on her cruise. DH didn't think that was a great idea, but if $20 is accurate, that might change his mind!

countingmomma: I've bought a jacket on all three of my Alaskan cruises. The first one was on a clearance rack and I think I paid $15. The other two were $19.95. It's been a couple of years, so hopefully that hasn't changed.

A couple of caveats though; First there will be a logo of some kind. Usually the name of the town you are in, i.e. Juneau, Ketchikan, etc. Second, if you buy it in the first shop you see because it is raining harder then you thought it would, be prepared to see your jacket all over town. My sister had a great time all day long pointing at people and saying "Look, there's your jacket".

Buying one if needed is my decision (we're cruising in Sept). I'm in the market for a new one, anyway. A friend who cruised a few years ago said she bought the best coat she's ever had at one of the stops on her cruise. DH didn't think that was a great idea, but if $20 is accurate, that might change his mind!

The $20 jackets are generally water-resistant with a fleece lining. They are jackets, not coats typically going to mid-thigh.

Don't expect a down jacket (or even synthetic equivalent), water-proof breathable or a winter coat for that price.

Generally most find them adequate for an Alaska summer though I prefer to have something that is water-proof, breathable rather than water-resistant. I also prefer to have the shell and fleece as two separate pieces so I can wear the water-proof layer with insulation when it is rainy but not that cold or wear just the fleece when it isn't rainy or windy and I just want a little insulation.

We cruised July 1-8. We took packable down jackets and only wore them in Tracy Arm (scenic cruising) and on our helicopter ride and glacier walk in Skagway. We appreciated having them, but we also probably would have been fine without them as long as we had a couple good layers and a hat.