In this article we’ll guide you through the essentials of dressing appropriately for your Alaskan cruise adventure in July and August. From layering techniques to tackling chilly nights and glacier encounters, we’ve got you covered.
Do not make the mistake of underestimating the unpredictability of Alaska’s weather during both summer months!
We’ll also let you know if you need dinner attire.
If you are planning a cruise during a another month, please read our complete guide:
Alaska Cruise Outfit Guide for May, June, July, August, and September.
This guide has two sections:
Personal Guidebook Tip
- Fodor's Travel Guides (Author)
Whether you have already picked out your cruise or haven’t booked so yet, this book is a must-buy! It provides awesome tips, the differences between the ships, highlights in each port, and so much more.
JULY OUTFITS AND PACKING GUIDE
Prepare for Alaska’s unique climate and outdoor activities before taking an Alaskan cruise in July. The right clothes and accessories are essential to keep you comfortable. Do not make the mistake of underestimating the unpredictability of Alaska’s weather during this month.
Many first-time passengers underestimate how cold Alaska can be on a cruise during certain times, even in July.
💡 Make sure to check out our complete packing list table for July in the middle of this article.
If you are planning a cruise during a different month, read our Alaska Cruise Outfit Guide for May, June, July, August, and September.
Outfits | Packing List Overview
On an Alaska cruise in July, layered outfits are required. You wear warm waterproof outer layers, middle layers like a sweater or a hoodie, additional light layers like long-sleeved or short-sleeved shirts, and long underwear. Additionally, pack jeans, comfortable shoes, a hat, sunglasses, and an umbrella.
Essential Outfits
First, let’s give you an overview of what you should bring on your cruise in July, as well as other summer months.
You wear layers and waterproof or water-resistant clothing items. Outfits like fleece jackets, sweaters, hoodies, and thermal layers keep you warm on colder days, for example, when approaching a glacier or in the morning. On warm summer days, t-shirts and pants or jeans are appropriate.
Layers
You’ve probably heard the saying, “if you don’t like the weather here, just wait five minutes.” Well, they were talking about Alaska!
Alaska’s weather can change quickly, so be prepared. As the temperature fluctuates, layering lets you adjust your comfort.
Most first-time passengers make the mistake of not packing enough layers. Even in July layering is crucial as it can get chilly.
Wear lightweight long underwear or leggings. Depending on the time, insulate with a fleece or sweater, then cover with a rain jacket. This combination will keep you warm and dry.
Women’s Outer Layer
- Waterproof & Windproof & Breathable: Outer fabric is treated to resist water while maintain breathability....
- 【3 - Layered Professional Fabric】The outer soft shell of womens fleece lined jacket is made of 96% Polyester,...
Good to know: Every port sells fleece-lined, waterproof jackets in case you didn’t bring warm enough outer layers. These also make great souvenirs as they are usually reasonably priced.
Every time we went on a cruise, we were glad to have layers of clothing, as we could easily remove or add layers as needed when temps changed.
Women’s Outer Layer Lightweight Alternative Tips
- MATERIAL: 100% Polyester Waterproof Material With Striped Cotton Lined, Breathable, Soft Touch, Windproof, Easy To...
- ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY: Columbia Women's Arcadia II Jacket features our signature, air-permeable protection that’s...
💡 If you pack warm enough middle layers (fleece jacket/hoodies) and base layers (t-shirts, long sleeves), you may use a more lightweight outer layer, like a raincoat, instead of a warm jacket (see above).
Especially during a warm July, you can skip the heavy winter jacket.
Women’s Middle Layer Tips
- SOFT FABRIC: This Columbia Women's Benton Springs Full Zip fleece is crafted of soft 100% polyester MTR filament...
- CLASSIC FIT: Close-but-comfortable fit with easy movement
Fleece layers are essential for us, we love them on Alaska cruises. We always bring a fleece zip-up jacket and a zip-up hoodie.
Layering Example 1
- Light Raincoat (Amazon Link)
- Zip-up fleece jacket (Amazon Link)
- Light Sweatshirt
- T-shirt
Layering Example 2: Summer Months
- Fleece-Lined Hooded Rain Jacket (Amazon Link)
- Light Sweatshirt
- T-shirt
This is our favorite layering method for any Alaska cruise. The fleece-lined rain jacket keeps you warm and dry. The two base layers provide additional warmth and are often sufficient when the outer layer is removed.
Men’s Outer Layer/Jacket
On cooler days, we were thankful for our warm base layers and/or warm waterproof/water-resistant jackets, and on warmer days, we were able to shed layers and feel comfortable.
We also found that comfortable and sturdy walking shoes were a must for the many excursions we participated in, from hiking to sightseeing.
Glacier Viewing
Keep in mind that it gets particularly cold when the ship gets close to a glacier. The viewing experience from the deck is just amazing, but the winds off the ice make the outside temp wintry cold sometimes. A warmer outer layer is a good idea for this experience.
Rain Gear
Regardless of the month, it’s essential that you pack rain gear for your Alaska cruise. One of the mistakes many passengers make is not being prepared for rain during the cruise season. You will likely encounter rain in at least one of your ports or on a cruising day.
- REGULAR FIT: Fitted through the chest, waist, and hips - comfortable without feeling too snug
While you might experience heat waves during the summer, and no to little rain, you may also get rain on most days during the summertime.
It’s even better to bring a jacket which is waterproof and not only water-resistant.
- WARMING FEATURES: Features our Ultra Loft Faux Down insulation providing for extra warmth and to block out cold...
However, a very good water-resistant jacket can do its job as well! Usually, we bring a water-resistant puffer jacket. Additionally, pack water-resistant or waterproof boots and a compact travel umbrella.
Comfortable and Sturdy Shoes
- Lightweight 9.7oz Women's Hiking Shoes: Weighing just 9.7 ounces, these shoes dramatically reduce fatigue during...
- Waterproof, breathable athletic mesh upper
- Fresh Foam X midsole foam with approximately 3% bio-based content delivers our most cushioned Fresh Foam experience...
Many Alaska cruise excursions involve uneven terrain, so comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots are important. However, we never needed hiking shoes.
Sneakers/trainers, sandals, boat shoes, and other casual footwear are appropriate for onboard activities.
💡 Tip: The best thing you can do is bring comfortable, waterproof sneakers that are sturdy enough (see our tips above from Amazon). You can use these onboard and during excursions, saving you packing space!
Water-Resistant Pants?
Most of the time, you are fine with a good waterproof jacket. Up until last year, we have never felt the need for any special type of waterproof pants or shoes. If it was mild or moderate rain, I typically still wore my jeans unless I felt I was going to get drenched.
That’s why we didn’t add special pants to the packing lists in this article.
However, we bought these, and now we love them on every cruise:
- Waterproof windproof womens insulated pants are designed for waterproof fabric,allows for easy stain...
They are super awesome and keep you warm and dry all the time. So, instead of a second pair of standard pants, we pack a pair of these water-resistant ones for cooler days with heavier rain.
Leggings?
- THREE SIZES AVAILABLE – SINOPHANT leggings feature a super-elastic design with stretchy, supportive fabric that...
- Designed for yoga or lounge
We sometimes wear leggings under jeans, rain pants, and hiking pants, so in case it gets hot, we can take the pants off and just wear leggings. The extra layer is great when it’s cold.
However, many visitors say they just wear jeans and have never needed more while some passengers bring silk underwear (men and women) or cuddle duds.
Dress for Dinner
Most cruise lines do not require dinner attire and you can wear jeans and a t-shirt. However, some cruise lines have formal nights in the main dining room, so, pack cocktail dresses or slacks and a jacket.
That said, guests on Alaskan cruises typically don’t care too much about what they wear to dinner. Thus, we usually pack a nice outfit for dinner and shows. If you’re not a formal night person, don’t sweat it. Just head to the buffet or another restaurant on board.
For dinner, ladies can bring nice blouses and skirts or pants, dresses, or jumpsuits. Jumpsuits are warm, comfortable, and easy to style for dinner.
Swimsuit and Cover-up
Alaska’s waters are cold and not known for their beach breaks, but some cruise ships have heated pools and hot tubs. For swimming, pack your favorite swimsuit, flip flops, of course, and cover-up. You can check out big fluffy pool towels in the same area as the pool.
Good to know: Towels are being provided!
Accessories
Bring a hat, gloves, and scarf along with warm layered clothing. Even on cloudy days, sunglasses and sunscreen are necessary. And don’t forget the umbrella – rain can pop up anytime.
Backpack
Bring a backpack to carry all your layers on excursions as you take them off and put them back on.
Packing List Table for July
Our friend Jessica Vannasdall just came back from her seven-day Alaska cruise. She was so kind and provided us with her awesome packing list. She said, that she wore everything from the list, some things more than once!
| Pants | |
| 2 jeans | Only needed 1 dark wash jeans – can use on days at sea, excursions, or with a nice top and shoes for dinner |
| 1 black Jeans | Yes – Perfect for dinners |
| Waterproof pants | Probably didn’t need these, but was nice when we went on excursions. |
| 3 leggings (one lined) | Probably only needed two – the fleece lined were great. |
| Long Underwear | I used these almost every day, but I’m from LA so I get cold easily! |
| Shorts | It was fun to wear them on the deck on a sunny day. |
| Shirts | |
| 3 Short-sleeved T-shirts | Needed only two – can layer under a chambray shirt or under sweaters, etc. |
| 2 thin sweaters for dinner or ship | Used these for dinners |
| 2 long sleeved Ts(layering) | Used these as layers – cheap – Old Navy – solid |
| 1 Zip-up fleece | Didn’t wear this – used a vest or my hoodie instead |
| 1 long-sleeved tunic | Used for days at sea/dinner or excursions |
| 1 chambray button up | Used as a layering piece |
| 1 hoodie | YES! Wore it a lot. Tip: Fleece Full-Zip Hoodie on Amazon |
| Dress | |
| Black | Hardly anyone got super dressed up. A lot wore mid-length A-line dresses – most wore slacks and a nice shirt for dinners. For the formal nights, many wore shirts with sparkles or details like lace, etc. I loved getting dressed up and got a beautiful long black dress from Amazon that I paired with sparkly flip-flops. |
| Black jumpsuit | It was great for a formal night. |
| Black/white scarf | Didn’t wear it. |
| Shoes | |
| Sneakers | A must – could be your only shoes. |
| Hiking Shoes | We did short easy hikes. I could have probably used my sneakers, but if they got wet I would have been out of luck. So if you have them, bring them. If you can, wear them on the plane to save room in your luggage. |
| Black dress shoes | I brought black sandals that I could wear with my formal dress but also with my jeans. |
| Fancy flip flops | Yes – multipurpose. |
| Outdoor | |
| Puffy jacket | Thin – but with a hood. Wore this on all excursions. This was a must. It was water resistant, which helped.
💡 Our tip: Amazon Water-Resistant Puffer Jacket |
| Puffy vest | I loved having a vest and I wore it both as a layer under my jacket and as part of an outfit on days at sea, walking the deck, etc.
💡 Puffy Vest Tip: Quilted Gilet | Amazon |
| 1 hat – beanie/outdoor | I had a winter hat and a beanie. I’m always cold so I wore the beanie inside on the ship often. |
| Gloves | I only needed/used thin gloves. No one else in my family used gloves. |
| Baseball cap | Yes!!! Helped with hair control in windy conditions. |
| Other | |
| PJs | Just one to lounge in. |
| Underwear | Of course. |
| Socks | I wish I had more regular socks and less wool socks. |
| Wool socks | The wool socks were hot and bulky. Only needed them for one excursion. |
| Bras | Yes. |
| Swimsuit | It was nice to have the option. |
More Packing Tips and July Weather
On an Alaska cruise, you’ll visit ports in Alaska’s inside passage, which is dense with rainforests. It has a different and more temperate climate than mainland Alaska.
But no matter where you go, Alaska’s weather can be unpredictable. If you take a cruise that includes a land tour to Anchorage, Denali, or Fairbanks, you may find it’s warmer and drier than on the ship, as high as 85°F. So, don’t forget the t-shirt and tank top layer.
July is one of the warmest months in Alaska, so the weather is quite pleasant. Daytime temperatures can range from the 60s to the low 70s Fahrenheit (16-22 degrees Celsius), but they can reach into the 80s Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) in some areas.
Nights still have brisk temperatures in the 40s Fahrenheit (4-9 degrees Celsius). The weather is typically dry and sunny in July, but there can be occasional rain or fog. Even during this warmer summer month, a waterproof jacket and warm layers are important.
Outfit and packing tips for July:
- Waterproof insulated outer layer like a medium puffer coat
- Middle layer like a sweater, hoodie, fleece/waterproof jacket/vest
- Light layers like long-sleeved or short-sleeved shirts, long underwear or leggings
- Slacks or jeans, optional shorts
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
- Hat, scarf, gloves if you get cold easily
- Swimsuit (for pool and hot tub)
- Binoculars (for nature watching)
- Umbrella
Basic Packing List
Clothing
- Waterproof insulated outer layer like a light or medium puffer coat
- Middle layer like a sweater, hoodie, fleece/waterproof jacket/vest
- Light layers like long-sleeved or short-sleeved shirts, long underwear or leggings
- Dressier outfits for dinner (optional)
- Sturdy walking shoes or hiking boots; mud boots for wetter months
- Comfortable shoes for onboard activities
- Swimsuit, cover-up, and sandals or flip flops to use on board
- Hat, gloves, and scarf for May or September cruises
- Brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
- Shorts (optional) for warm days
- Single-use handwarmers if you get cold easily
Toiletries
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Body wash or soap
- Moisturizer and sunscreen
- Razor and shaving cream
- Deodorant
- Makeup and skincare products
- Prescription medication
- Over-the-counter medications (expensive to buy on board)
Electronics
- Camera or smartphone with a good camera
- Chargers for all electronics
- Portable charger or power bank
- Travel adapter
- Cruise-compliant power strip (not surge protector)
Other Items:
- Passport
- Travel-sized laundry detergent
- Travel-sized first aid kit
- Binoculars
- Travel umbrella
- Pre-booked port excursions
- Bathroom scent spray
- Travel clock (many ships don’t have phone chargers near the bed)
- Nightlight for bathroom
- Magnetic hooks for the wall to hold items and papers
One of our favorite activities on the cruises is always whale watching. We were able to see humpback whales breaching and splashing in the water, and it was an unforgettable experience. Orcas are also common in the Pacific Northwest, so you have a good chance to see them nearby.
We were glad we brought binoculars to get a closer look at the wildlife and scenery. Many people think they don’t need binoculars. That’s a big mistake!
Overall, our Alaskan cruises were a fantastic experience every time, and we felt well-prepared with our packing list and outfit choices. By following these tips and bringing the right items, you can enjoy your Alaskan cruise to the fullest and create lasting memories.
In conclusion, packing for an Alaskan cruise requires careful consideration of the weather, activities, and dress codes. By packing layers of warm and waterproof clothing, sturdy walking shoes, and dressier outfits for special events, you can be prepared for any situation.
Don’t forget to bring important accessories, such as a swimsuit, hat, gloves, and sunscreen, and other necessary items like toiletries and electronics.
AUGUST OUTFITS AND PACKING GUIDE
First, let’s give you an overview of what you should bring on your cruise in August, as well as other summer months.
You wear layers and waterproof or water-resistant clothing items. Outfits like fleece jackets, sweaters, hoodies, and thermal layers keep you warm on colder days, for example, when approaching a glacier or in the morning. On warm summer days, t-shirts and pants or jeans are appropriate.
Layers
You’ve probably heard the saying, “if you don’t like the weather here, just wait five minutes.” Well, they were talking about Alaska!
Alaska’s weather can change quickly, so be prepared. As the temperature fluctuates, layering lets you adjust your comfort.
Most first-time passengers make the mistake of not packing enough layers. Even in August layering is crucial as it can get chilly, depending on the location and the time of day.
Wear lightweight long underwear or leggings. Depending on the time of day, insulate with a fleece or sweater, then cover with a rain jacket. This combination will keep you warm and dry.
Women’s Outer Layer
- Waterproof & Windproof & Breathable: Outer fabric is treated to resist water while maintain breathability....
- 【3 - Layered Professional Fabric】The outer soft shell of womens fleece lined jacket is made of 96% Polyester,...
Good to know: Every port sells fleece-lined, waterproof jackets in case you didn’t bring warm enough outer layers. These also make great souvenirs as they are usually reasonably priced.
Every time we went on a cruise, we were glad to have layers of clothing, as we could easily remove or add layers as needed when temps changed.
Women’s Outer Layer Lightweight Alternative Tips
- MATERIAL: 100% Polyester Waterproof Material With Striped Cotton Lined, Breathable, Soft Touch, Windproof, Easy To...
- ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY: Columbia Women's Arcadia II Jacket features our signature, air-permeable protection that’s...
💡 If you pack warm enough middle layers (fleece jacket/hoodies) and base layers (t-shirts, long sleeves), you may use a more lightweight outer layer, like a raincoat, instead of a warm jacket (see above).
Especially during a typically warm month, you can skip a heavy winter jacket. In other words, you don’t need a huge, puffy winter coat in August.
Women’s Middle Layer Tips
- SOFT FABRIC: This Columbia Women's Benton Springs Full Zip fleece is crafted of soft 100% polyester MTR filament...
- CLASSIC FIT: Close-but-comfortable fit with easy movement
Fleece layers are essential for us, we love them on Alaska cruises. We always bring a fleece zip-up jacket and a zip-up hoodie.
Layering Example 1
- Light Raincoat (Amazon Link)
- Zip-up fleece jacket (Amazon Link)
- Light Sweatshirt
- T-shirt
Layering Example 2: Summer Months
- Fleece-Lined Hooded Rain Jacket (Amazon Link)
- Light Sweatshirt
- T-shirt
This is our favorite layering method for any Alaska cruise. The fleece-lined rain jacket keeps you warm and dry. The two base layers provide additional warmth and are often sufficient when the outer layer is removed.
Men’s Outer Layer/Jacket
On cooler days, we were thankful for our warm base layers and/or warm waterproof/water-resistant jackets, and on warmer days, we were able to shed layers and feel comfortable.
We also found that comfortable and sturdy walking shoes were a must for the many excursions we participated in, from hiking to sightseeing.
Glacier Viewing
Keep in mind that it gets particularly cold when the ship gets close to a glacier. The viewing experience from the deck is just amazing, but the winds off the ice make the outside temp wintry cold sometimes. A warmer outer layer is a good idea for this experience.
Rain Gear
Regardless of the month, it’s essential that you pack rain gear for your Alaska cruise. One of the mistakes many passengers make is not being prepared for rain during the cruise season. You will likely encounter rain in at least one of your ports or on a cruising day.
While you might experience heat waves during the summer, or even in May, and no to little rain, you may also get rain on most days during the summertime.
It’s better to bring a jacket which is waterproof and not only water-resistant. However, a very good water-resistant jacket can do its job as well. Additionally, pack water-resistant or waterproof boots and a compact travel umbrella.
Comfortable and Sturdy Shoes
- Lightweight 9.7oz Women's Hiking Shoes: Weighing just 9.7 ounces, these shoes dramatically reduce fatigue during...
- Waterproof, breathable athletic mesh upper
- Fresh Foam X midsole foam with approximately 3% bio-based content delivers our most cushioned Fresh Foam experience...
Many Alaska cruise excursions involve uneven terrain, so comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots are important. However, we never needed hiking shoes.
Sneakers/trainers, sandals, boat shoes, and other casual footwear are appropriate for onboard activities.
💡 Tip: The best thing you can do is bring comfortable, waterproof sneakers that are sturdy enough (see our tips above from Amazon). You can use these onboard and during excursions, saving you packing space!
Water-Resistant Pants?
Most of the time, you are fine with a good waterproof jacket. Up until last year, we have never felt the need for any special type of waterproof pants or shoes. If it was mild or moderate rain, I typically still wore my jeans unless I felt I was going to get drenched.
That’s why we didn’t add special pants to the packing lists in this article.
However, we just bought these, and now we love them on every cruise:
- Waterproof windproof womens insulated pants are designed for waterproof fabric,allows for easy stain...
They are super awesome and keep you warm and dry all the time. So, instead of a second pair of standard pants, we pack a pair of these water-resistant ones for cooler days with heavier rain.
Leggings?
- THREE SIZES AVAILABLE – SINOPHANT leggings feature a super-elastic design with stretchy, supportive fabric that...
- Designed for yoga or lounge
We sometimes wear leggings under jeans, rain pants, and hiking pants, so in case it gets hot, we can take the pants off and just wear leggings. The extra layer is great when it’s cold.
However, many visitors say they just wear jeans and have never needed more while some passengers bring silk underwear (men and women) or cuddle duds.
Dress for Dinner
Most cruise lines do not require dinner attire and you can wear jeans and a t-shirt. However, some cruise lines have formal nights in the main dining room, so, pack cocktail dresses or slacks and a jacket.
That said, guests on Alaskan cruises typically don’t care too much about what they wear to dinner. Thus, we usually pack a nice outfit for dinner and shows. If you’re not a formal night person, don’t sweat it. Just head to the buffet or another restaurant on board.
For dinner, ladies can bring nice blouses and skirts or pants, dresses, or jumpsuits. Jumpsuits are warm, comfortable, and easy to style for dinner.
From our recent cruise with Princess, we can tell you in detail about the two different types of clothes that they expect people to wear when they eat in the Main Dining Rooms.
Dressy and Dressy Casual:
- First, “smart casual nights” and “formal nights” refer to what you should wear to dinner each night in the main dining rooms only. Smart casual can include jeans that aren’t ripped or torn, as well as khakis or slacks. It’s just nicer clothing than ripped jeans and a T-shirt. No swimsuits, cover-ups, shorts, or other similar items (shorts may be worn on the first night and sometimes on the last night of the cruise).
- Formal nightwear can include anything from tuxedos and suits to slacks and a button-down shirt with or without a tie and a jacket for men. For women, there are full-length gowns, cocktail dresses, nice pant suits, and slacks with a sparkly top. On a formal night, you can’t wear jeans in the main dining rooms at all.
Again, these two wardrobes are only for the main dining rooms. If you don’t want to dress that way, there are plenty of other places to eat on the ship, like the Buffet, the Specialty restaurants, the pizza place or the burger and fries place on the pool deck, and on some ships, Alfredos.
Even if you don’t eat in the main dining room, you won’t feel hungry. Check out the deck plans of your ship to find out where you can eat.
Swimsuit and Cover-up
Alaska’s waters are cold and not known for their beach breaks, but some cruise ships have heated pools and hot tubs. For swimming, pack your favorite swimsuit, flip flops, of course, and cover-up. You can check out big fluffy pool towels in the same area as the pool.
💡 Good to know: Please do not bring towels, as they are being provided!
Accessories
Bring a hat, gloves, and scarf along with warm layered clothing. Even on cloudy days, sunglasses and sunscreen are necessary. And don’t forget the umbrella – rain can pop up anytime.
Backpack
Bring a backpack to carry all your layers on excursions as you take them off and put them back on.
More Packing Tips
On an Alaska cruise, you’ll visit ports in Alaska’s inside passage, which is dense with rainforests. It has a different and more temperate climate than mainland Alaska.
But no matter where you go, Alaska’s weather can be unpredictable. If you take a cruise that includes a land tour to Anchorage, Denali, or Fairbanks, you may find it’s warmer and drier than on the ship. So, don’t forget the t-shirt and tank top layer.
Weather and Packing Guide
August is a popular month for Alaska cruises before school starts. Daytime temperatures can range from the mid-60s to the low 70s Fahrenheit (18-22 degrees Celsius), but they can reach into the 80s Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius).
Keep your jacket out because night temperatures are crispy with temperatures in the 40s Fahrenheit (4-9 degrees Celsius). August weather is a toss-up between dry and sunny and rain and fog. So, be prepared with a waterproof jacket and layers.
Please keep in mind that even throughout a warm summer month like August it can rain more than you might think in Alaska.
For August, bring anything and everything except a heavy winter coat! We’ve been twice around that time of year; one time, it was short-sleeved beautiful weather, and the next time, we needed sweatshirts and raincoats. There was nonstop rain while we were there. It can vary wildly
Experiences from fellow travelers who went in August:
When we went in August last year, the weather was perfect. We only needed a light, lined windbreaker jacket that we layered with long-sleeve shirts or nothing at all. There was not a drop of rain. However, we know that we were just lucky at that time in August.
We went at the end of August recently. I packed a puffer and wore it unfastened on the land portion. Wore it zipped up with a hat and gloves when we went on the Hubbard Glacier tour. At all ports, I wore shorts/capris and short-sleeved t-shirts.
We went the last week of August/first week of September, and I pretty much lived in jeans and a long-sleeved tee shirt on the land portion and twill pants and a light sweater while on the cruise ship. Layers are your friend, and also a waterproof jacket. It was fantastic weather for our 12 days, but we packed for pretty much anything.
During our August cruise, we wore jeans and long-sleeved shirts or light jumpers. I still made sure I had a beanie/toque and gloves. The only really cold day we had was in Ketchikan, a normal rainy day. I needed a waterproof/windproof jacket that day, as well as our gloves and beanie.
Jacket Tips:
- REGULAR FIT: Fitted through the chest, waist, and hips - comfortable without feeling too snug
- REGULAR FIT: Close but comfortable fit through the chest, waist, and hips.
- Keep Warm:100% nylon fabric,filled with 90% White duck down,give the womens warm down jacket a durable and warm...
A lightweight down jacket is perfect. The insulation provided is more than enough to keep you warm. A waterproof shell that fits over your down jacket is a must. You don’t need a huge puffy winter coat in August.
Outfit and packing tips for August:
- Waterproof insulated outer layer like a medium puffer coat
- Middle layer like a sweater, hoodie, fleece/waterproof jacket/vest
- Light layers like long-sleeved or short-sleeved shirts, long underwear or leggings
- Slacks or jeans, optional shorts
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
- Hat, scarf, gloves if you get cold easily
- Swimsuit (for pool and hot tub)
- Binoculars (for nature watching)
- Umbrella
Basic Packing List
Clothing
- Waterproof insulated outer layer like a light or medium puffer coat, or winter ski jacket if you get cold easily
- Middle layer like a sweater, hoodie, fleece/waterproof jacket/vest
- Light layers like long-sleeved or short-sleeved shirts, long underwear or leggings
- Dressier outfits for dinner (optional)
- Sturdy walking shoes or hiking boots; mud boots for wetter months
- Comfortable shoes for onboard activities
- Swimsuit, cover-up, and sandals or flip flops to use on board
- Hat, gloves, and scarf for May or September cruises
- Brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
- Shorts (optional) for warm days
- Single-use handwarmers if you get cold easily
Toiletries
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Body wash or soap
- Moisturizer and sunscreen
- Razor and shaving cream
- Deodorant
- Makeup and skincare products
- Prescription medication
- Over-the-counter medications (expensive to buy on board)
Electronics
- Camera or smartphone with a good camera
- Chargers for all electronics
- Portable charger or power bank
- Travel adapter
- Cruise-compliant power strip (not surge protector)
Other Items:
- Passport
- Travel-sized laundry detergent
- Travel-sized first aid kit
- Binoculars
- Travel umbrella
- Pre-booked port excursions
- Bathroom scent spray
- Travel clock (many ships don’t have phone chargers near the bed)
- Nightlight for bathroom
- Magnetic hooks for the wall to hold items and papers
One of our favorite activities on the cruises is always whale watching. We were able to see humpback whales breaching and splashing in the water, and it was an unforgettable experience. Orcas are also common in the Pacific Northwest, so you have a good chance to see them nearby.
We were glad we brought binoculars to get a closer look at the wildlife and scenery. Many people think they don’t need binoculars. That’s a big mistake!
Overall, our Alaskan cruises were a fantastic experience every time, and we felt well-prepared with our packing list and outfit choices. By following these tips and bringing the right items, you can enjoy your Alaskan cruise to the fullest and create lasting memories.
In conclusion, packing for an Alaskan cruise requires careful consideration of the weather, activities, and dress codes. By packing layers of warm and waterproof clothing, sturdy walking shoes, and dressier outfits for special events, you can be prepared for any situation.
Don’t forget to bring important accessories, such as a swimsuit, hat, gloves, and sunscreen, and other necessary items like toiletries and electronics.