Q's for Alaskan cruise

[jerseyjill]

We just booked our first cruise to Alaska after vacationing many, many times in warm climate locales. We are due to sail at the end of August on NCL's Jewel. Might be a silly question but here goes. It'll be in the mid 60's outside while we're cruising, but do people still wear summer attire inside the ship since it will be August after all? Seattle's weather in August says mid 70's so maybe we should wear summer attire until we see icebergs and change into mid 60's appropriate clothes? Any help gratefully appreciated from pervious cruisers!!!!

[www3traveler]

We just booked our first cruise to Alaska after vacationing many, many times in warm climate locales. We are due to sail at the end of August on NCL's Jewel. Might be a silly question but here goes. It'll be in the mid 60's outside while we're cruising, but do people still wear summer attire inside the ship since it will be August after all? Seattle's weather in August says mid 70's so maybe we should wear summer attire until we see icebergs and change into mid 60's appropriate clothes? Any help gratefully appreciated from pervious cruisers!!!!

I would bring clothes that can be layered. Seattle in mid August should be in the low 80's,however this has been very strange year for Seattle weather. What cruise for August did you book? There is probably a Roll Call for your cruise, to get all your questions answered. If you can add a day or two before or after your cruise to visit Seattle. One of my very favorite cities.

[time2cruise1]

Inside the ship the temperatures are the same as if you are cruising in a tropical climate. Your regular cruise clothes will be fine at night onboard.

[jerseyjill]

We booked the Alaskan cruise on NCL Jewel leaving Aug.30 and plan to fly into Seattle 2 days before to take in some sightseeing. Also plan to stay at Marriott Harborside in Seattle, at a friend's recommendation. Hopefully we can get around town by walking or public transportation to see sights esp. the Space Needle and Pikes market. Any suggestions greatly appreciated as to where else is fun!

I started the roll call for my sailing yesterday but no one has posted onto it. It seems like the Alaskan roll calls for NCL are sparse! so far, at least!

Packing will be interesting...warm clothes for sightseeing, I guess capris and sweaters/jackets at night on the ship. Jackets for during the day outside the ship take up a lot of room so I'll have to really plan this out. Usually it's all light weight things so no big deal... Better start now! lol

[sdmike]

layers layers layers. There was a thread recently about dressing for Alaska but I can't find it.

 

you will have heat, cold, rain and sun. Take a couple pairs of sneakers because one will get wet. Take a hooded sweatshirt/fleece and a good rain jacket. Leave the umbrella at home. Take a couple pairs of jeans (one will get wet). Also take warm weather stuff, like 1-2 pairs of shorts.

 

When it got cold I would wear a long sleeve t-shirt, a fleece sweatshirt and a gore tex rain jacket. If it was cool and raining I'd take off the sweatshirt. The ship has fleece jackets in the gift shop for under $20 if you end up needing one. It was great for sitting on the balcony in the afternoons

 

Alaska is casual because of the types of excursions during the day and the weather in general. The most dressed up I got was dockers and a polo (took one pair of slacks and a couple polos) when I ate at a specialty restaurant. The rest of the time I fit in perfectly in jeans, sneakers and a sweat shirt.

[jerseyjill]

you are a wealth of knowledge! I can always depend on fellow cruisers for the best answers!!!! Many thanks!!!!

[suzequ]

Yep, layers is the way to go. We've done two Alaska cruises and both times (early June and mid-August) the weather was unpredictable. It varied from cool (50s) and drizzily/foggy to hot (80s one day). But the mornings and nights were all cool, so layers is the way to go.

 

I also think you should have a good water repellant shell or jacket. That part of Alaska is a rain forest and gets tons of rainy or misty or pouring days. You may want a back-up pair of sneakers too.

[Hyedee]

I would bring clothes that can be layered. Seattle in mid August should be in the low 80's,however this has been very strange year for Seattle weather. What cruise for August did you book? There is probably a Roll Call for your cruise, to get all your questions answered. If you can add a day or two before or after your cruise to visit Seattle. One of my very favorite cities.

 

Yes, layering attire. Been 14 yrs. since our Alaskan cruise in late Aug/early Sept, but one day was able to sunbathe on the balcony in a swimsuit on the Inner Passage...two days later in Glacier Bay I was scooting down to the ship's shop to buy gloves, which I'd forgotten.:D

 

Re: Jackets. We took some hooded, light-weight, waterproof parkas (think Lands' End or LL Bean style), which were invaluable for warm, rainy days or layered for cooler, rainy days. (Did I mention we had intermittent rain?) :D We stuffed them into a small carry-on size luggage that we checked, leaving room for all the "souvenir" sweaters, sweatshirts, cardigans purchased along the way. Especially appreciated the hooded jackets, leaving our hands free from umbrellas to take all the amazing pictures.

 

Have a wonderful time!

[Out to sea!]

Do they heat the pools onboard (and possible close the overhead covers)?? I'm wondering if I should take any swimming attire on our Jun/Jul 2015 Alaska cruise on the Sun?

Edited February 25, 2014 by Out to sea!

[sdmike]

Do they heat the pools onboard (and possible close the overhead covers)?? I'm wondering if I should take any swimming attire on our Jun/Jul 2015 Alaska cruise on the Sun?

 

The pools on the Jewel seemed warm, but I didn't get in. My daughter went for a swim though. Mostly for us it was cold and rainy in AK, but there's no reason to NOT take a swimsuit (hot tub)

 

Here's a busy pool day

 

[meatball_nyc]

I found the post sdmike was looking for.

Lots of good info in it.

 

Here you go:

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1987046

 

Hope this helps and have a great cruise!

 

 

 

Robin

Norwegian Breakaway July 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

[Out to sea!]

The pools on the Jewel seemed warm, but I didn't get in. My daughter went for a swim though. Mostly for us it was cold and rainy in AK, but there's no reason to NOT take a swimsuit (hot tub)

 

Here's a busy pool day

 

 

OMG that was hilarious!!! :D No need to worry about Chogs I guess! ;) Thank you.

[mousey]

I found the post sdmike was looking for.

Lots of good info in it.

 

Here you go:

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1987046

 

Hope this helps and have a great cruise!

 

 

 

Robin

Norwegian Breakaway July 2014

Carnival Miracle 2010

Carnival Legend 2006

Every Day at Sea is a Great Day

 

Yep! That looks about right! LOL!

 

There are so many tips about Alaskan cruises on the Alaska "Port of Call" board. Go there for lots of great info. If I were going to give you just a few tips that I think are important, I would say:

 

Take the best camera and binoculars you can afford!

 

Take a waterproof jacket and small umbrella.

 

Take waterproof or water resistant shoes.

 

Our Alaskan cruise was one of our all-time favorites and we've cruised a lot!: I hope yours is also! :)

[jerseyjill]

great tips! Thanks for your posts!!!!

[sdmike]

OMG that was hilarious!!! :D No need to worry about Chogs I guess! ;) Thank you.

 

nope! No chair hogs :)

[Markanddonna]

A lot depends on the features of your ship and what you plan on doing. Your ship may have a covered roof for the pool so that would make the pool usable for even the least hardy of us. You also will have lots of kids in the pool, so....

 

If you are going to Glacier Bay, I highly recommend bringing a knit hat, gloves, warm/smartwool socks and lots of layers so that you can be outside a lot to enjoy the calving and sites. See if blankets are available and get one early! That would be the type of clothing to bring if you plan some glacier viewing like at Mendenhall.

 

Waterproof jackets are highly recommended. On the other hand, we went to the Yukon through Skagway and it was close to 80 degrees.

[mya603]

I have been looking at Global Travel clothing at their jacket. Anyone know this site, have this jacket? Ideas?

[garycarla]

Inside the ship the temperatures are the same as if you are cruising in a tropical climate. Your regular cruise clothes will be fine at night onboard.

 

Pretty much the same no matter where the ship is.

 

Not speaking to the original question... but I always wonder why people wear shorts to dinner in the tropics when the inside temperature is the same as in New England in the fall. Just a quirky question.

[cruiserninja1]

Dress for comfort and in layers and you will be fine :)

[garycarla]

Dress for comfort and in layers and you will be fine :)

 

We never do layers inside the ship.....though that is good recommendation when out and about in Alaska.

[mikaula]

I've done Alaska 3 times & every time the weather was different. Plan on a few outfits you can layer for outside.

[Saving Up To Be Eccentric]

The Alaska board will have a lot of info about how the weather is in various ports. Ketchikan and Juneau have a lot of rain. And once you get into the temperate rain forest, under the trees in Ketchikan, the temperature drops; also, when you get close to glaciers - glacier bay, Hubbard, Mendenhall (should you choose to hike out to Nugget Falls), the temp will also drop.

[OurDogCisco]

If you have a balcony room, sleeping bags worked great during Glacier Bay. We just got off the pearl ship. It was sunny the whole week and we got very little rain. But it was not warm enough for shorts on shore excursions. I loved the Tracy arm excursion through NCL. You dock on the smaller boat from the ship. You never set foot in Juneau. The glacier was amazing.

 

 

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