First Alaska cruise - What to pack for August ?

[pearl12970]

We are taking a cruise to Alaska on Aug 9 and wondering what to pack for port days & excursions ? We will cruise the Inside passage, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm & Victoria .

Do I absolutely need to pack Rain gear ? Would I be ok with those cheap ponchos that you get for $ 1 ? Do I need to have waterproof pants as well ?

What else do I absolutely need to pack ?

I am from CA and dont have rain gear or heavy coats so I would have to buy them anyways . My parents are from a tropical weather and they are sometimes cold in California during summer :) Our 6 year old will be travelling with us.While we don't want to freeze , we dont want to pack things that are not neccessary, specially with limited space in the cabins.

This is our first cruise to Alaska and any help will be appreciated.

[Shmoo here]

We are taking a cruise to Alaska on Aug 9 and wondering what to pack for port days & excursions ? We will cruise the Inside passage, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm & Victoria .

Do I absolutely need to pack Rain gear ? Would I be ok with those cheap ponchos that you get for $ 1 ? Do I need to have waterproof pants as well ?

What else do I absolutely need to pack ?

I am from CA and dont have rain gear or heavy coats so I would have to buy them anyways . My parents are from a tropical weather and they are sometimes cold in California during summer :) Our 6 year old will be travelling with us.While we don't want to freeze , we dont want to pack things that are not neccessary, specially with limited space in the cabins.

This is our first cruise to Alaska and any help will be appreciated.

 

The packing for any month in Alaska would be similar. The weather varies daily (almost hourly in some cases).

 

The ports you are traveling to are located in a rain forest. This takes some people by surprise. Yes, it rains there. Sometimes when you least expect it. I used water repellant spray on all our jacket/hoodies/shoes. We also had rain jackets (waterPROOF not water REPELLANT), and rain pants. Those rain pants did double duty as a 3rd layer on my legs for the really chilly days (like Glacier Bay day). We got the rain pants from Land's End.

 

The "secret" for packing is think layers. Typically we would wear an under garment (long johns, turtleneck, longsleeved tshirt, etc) shirt, fleece or jacket, long pants. Personally, I took my down jacket, but it's really not necessary for most, I just don't do cold (I wear it in CA for football games;)).

 

Also, remember we aren't going to remember (or maybe even see) what you are wearing as your under/middle layers, so things can be worn more than once.

[Keith1010]

Even in August it can be cool, rainy and windy or it could be warm and sunny or a combination of both. You really need to layer.

 

You should bring a jacket (ideally waterproof), pants, waterproof shoes and another pair, a sweater, fleece or sweatshirt and the key is that you layer these as you need them.

 

You can also bring some clothes should it be warm too.

 

Keith

[sherryf]

Yes, you do need rain gear of some sort. You might be able to get by with a cheap rain poncho. They tend to blow around in the wind, and they don't often last for more than one use. If you choose to use them, bring extras just in case. You do not need rain pant IMO.

 

You don't need heavy coats, but you do need layers, as described above. More layers for those that are not used to cold. It's a matter of perception. You say that your parents are cold in CA in summer. I was just at Disneyland with a bunch of Seattle teens, and they complained that it was "too hot". It was in the low-mid 70s. :D My kids survived Alaska with jeans, t-shirts and hoodies. CA folks will probably want more/warmer layers.

[Mary Ellen1]

Layers. As others have said.

 

We cruised there in late August a couple of years ago. I had one of those 3-in-1 jackets and wore it in each of the 3 ways. I was very glad I had it. The weather ranged mostly from the upper 50's to low 60's, with a combination of cloudy/drizzly/sunny/rainy in each port.

 

Your outer layer should at least be rain-repellent, if not actually waterproof. We took a couple of excursions that offered rain ponchos and rain pants, so see if that's an option for the excursions you're considering.

 

We had baseball caps, and were very glad to have that extended visor, which kept the rain & drizzle out of our eyes. Much better than just the hood of our jackets...

 

We packed ear-muffs and gloves, and were very glad to have them while sitting out on the balcony (even in August!).

 

We wore jeans every day. I packed, but didn't wear, a couple of pairs of capris. It was too chilly for that...

 

Footwear: we wore sneakers everywhere. Didn't need waterproof hiking boots.

 

Good luck, and have fun with your planning!!

[tangerinebunny]

Our pictures from August cruises show us in raincoats but with big smiles.

 

It's easy to layer under them as need be. Just add long johns/CuddleDuds and warm socks. Fleece vests are also a nice addition.

[Appygirl]

Pearl I last cruised in August to Alaska last summer. The warmest days of your cruise will be the day you leave Vancouver and the day you arrive back. We also had a very nice sunny day the last sea day cruising alongside north and central Vancouver Island.

 

You definitely need a rain jacket with a hood and preferably fleece lined so if its not raining but cold you will be warm wearing it. I packed 2 fleece sweaters for wearing around the ship. I also packed a fleece hat but didn't need it. I had gloves inside my jacket pockets but I didn't need them. You definitely need waterproof footwear. I wore sneakers that sprung a leak in Skagway. Not fun!

 

Don't bring rain pants unless you're planning to do some extreme activity where if its raining you will get drenched. If you're doing a sightseeing tour or walking around town while its raining you might get wet but not to the extent that you'd need rain pants. If you're wearing jeans or whatever pants you prefer and they get wet, just hang them in your cabin overnight, and make sure you have a second pair to wear while the other one is drying. Likewise nix the long johns unless you think you're going to be really cold.

 

Most cruise lines have a sale on fleece and other outerwear the first day at sea. You can also buy extra warmer clothes if needed while in port.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have cruised Alaska all months.

 

You will still need to bring clothes to dress in layers.

 

Water proof jackets, water proof shoes, small portable umbrellas. We have never taken water proof pants.

 

We do take one pair of bermudas -- just in case we do get a warm day.

 

if you are planning on a glacier landing -- hat and gloves are needed. They will provide the boots to go over your shoes.

 

It can be cold one day and warm the next.

 

Go prepared.

[gator582]

What type of waterproof shoes do you bring? We are also cruising at the end of August.

[pdmlynek]

We are taking a cruise to Alaska on Aug 9 and wondering what to pack for port days & excursions ? We will cruise the Inside passage, Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm & Victoria .

Do I absolutely need to pack Rain gear ? Would I be ok with those cheap ponchos that you get for $ 1 ? Do I need to have waterproof pants as well ?

What else do I absolutely need to pack ?

I am from CA and dont have rain gear or heavy coats so I would have to buy them anyways . My parents are from a tropical weather and they are sometimes cold in California during summer :) Our 6 year old will be travelling with us.While we don't want to freeze , we dont want to pack things that are not neccessary, specially with limited space in the cabins.

This is our first cruise to Alaska and any help will be appreciated.

 

Pearl12970, you should get yourself good rain gear. The reason is that for while to people who are used to rain, the $1 poncho would suffice, you, and anyone else who is not used to sightseeing in rain, are going to be miserable in a $1 poncho.

Yes you should also get good waterproof shoes.

As far as rainpants go, I don’t think that you’d get much use out of rainpants, because since you are not used to sightseeing in the rain, you are going to shy away from rain. However, if you plan on doing hikes or stand on the deck regardless of the weather, then yes, you should get rainpants.

Aside from a good rain jacket, take a sweatshirt or a sweater, all of which you’ll layer atop short sleeve shirts, as needed, plus long pants. That should be sufficient for pretty much all that you need. Also bring a warm hat for Tracy Arm -- it might get chilly.

[gator582]

What type of waterproof shoes do you recommend for men and women?

[sherryf]

Whether you really need "waterproof shoes" depends somewhat on what activities you have planned. If you will mostly be taking bus tours, shopping, etc. then waterproof shoes aren't really necessary. If you are doing any hiking, then they would be more important. Some excursions supply necessary gear; when we went on the Eagle Preserve Float trip, they supplied rubber boots for everyone.

 

Many people just spray their sneakers with waterproof spray. I don't even bother with that. I live in the Seattle area, so I know which of my sneakers do well in rain and which don't, and pack accordingly. If I plan to hike at all, I take a water-resistant pair of hiking shoes. I've never ended up with wet enough feet to bother me.

 

Now, this past weekend at Disneyland/California Adventure, my shoes got wetter than any of my trips to Alaska, but I do love that Grizzly River Run! :D

[poolwife]

Definitely layer, layer. I agree you do not need waterproof hiking BOOTS, but I sure have used my waterproof low cut hikers on every trip I have been to Alaska. I wore them even when it was not raining because the hikers being "Gore-Tex" also keep your feet warm without having to wear super heavy socks. SmartWool socks are just perfect. Tennis shoes tend to be cold/

 

I live in California and still have coats. I guess I am a cold Californian. I go out to the desert a lot and it gets chilly out there in the winter so can't imagine where you live in California that you don't have some type of coat. If you do have to go buy one, do listen to all of the advice here on the boards and get a waterproof parka with a hood. If it does rain, just pull your hood over and keep going. A waterproof parka with a fleece under it works great but if someone is a colder person like me, I always wore my down vest. Lands End and Eddie Bauer might have some left from the winter season. They are great for keeping the upper body warm without having a lot of bulk on your arms. Lots of times, I wore a long sleeve mock turtleneck under my down vest with my parka on top of them. The parka is great for helping to cut the wind also.