What item did you wish you had in Alaska?

[Jane2357]

If you've cruised Alaska and did a pre/post cruise tour what item did you wish you had brought with you?

 

We set sail late May and will then travel post cruise tour for 6 nights ending in Fairbanks - then the red eye home. I don't normally take the following but wonder if they would be of use;

 

thermal coffee cup

neck pillow for sleeping on the plane, bus or train

travel sized blanket which could also be used on the balcony

 

What item(s) did you wish you had thought to bring? Or what item did you take that you were so happy you had?

Edited April 7, 2016 by Jane2357

[Clarea]

Warmer shoes. Our shoes were too light for some of the weather we encountered.

[Shmoo here]

If you've cruised Alaska and did a pre/post cruise tour what item did you wish you had brought with you?

 

We set sail late May and will then travel post cruise tour for 6 nights ending in Fairbanks - then the red eye home. I don't normally take the following but wonder if they would be of use;

 

thermal coffee cup

neck pillow for sleeping on the plane, bus or train

travel sized blanket which could also be used on the balcony

 

What item(s) did you wish you had thought to bring? Or what item did you take that you were so happy you had?

 

Can't think of anything I didn't bring that I wish I had.

 

Other thoughts:

Thermal coffee cup - I brought mine. It was great for the cruising days out on deck, and it fit in my pocket, when I needed hands free.

Neck pillow - I wouldn't bring mine unless it was a really long flight that I was certain that I would be trying to sleep on (like over 5 hours, or overnight).

Travel blanket - don't really want to be doing any more laundry than necessary..you can get extra blankets from your room host, if you want them.

 

Happiest that I had my knee-length down parka (Yes, I don't do cold well).

Oh, also glad I had the toe warmers/hand warmers for keeping my feet/hands warm on the cold days.

Edited April 7, 2016 by Shmoo here

[puppycanducruise]

Don't forget your bathing suit!

It's wonderful sitting in the hot tub watching the scenery.

And sometimes it's warm enough to use the pool (especially if it's covered).

And besides, it doesn't take up much space in your suitcase.

[goneclear]

Binoculars for the cruise are a must have.

[Li'lImp]

A longer coat for Glacier Bay. My coat was warm enough, where it covered; it stopped at my hips. My jeans alone were not enough to keep my upper legs warm while out on the viewing decks.

[Treven]

I really wished I'd brought my ski jacket - solely for our day spent at Tracy Arm Fjord. I had on long silk undies, jeans, T shirt, long sleeved T shirt, sweater and insulated jacket & wool beanie cap. That was fine everywhere else I roamed, but that one day I thought I'd freeze my family jewels. It would have been worth the extra room in my duffle for that experience.

[marco]

Insect repellant and folding umbrella.

[Keith1010]

I've done Alaska many times so let me just suggest items you want.

 

Waterproof Jacket with hood; fleece, sweater or sweatshirt, waterproof outdoor shoes and sports shoes; waterproof pants;hat, scarf gloves, plenty of suntan lotion, sun glasses, camera, binocular if your room doesn't come with one, insect repellant (never had to use it while cruising but on an overland possibly),

 

The key is to layer clothing.

 

Keith

[donaldsc]

I've done Alaska many times so let me just suggest items you want.

 

Waterproof Jacket with hood; fleece, sweater or sweatshirt, waterproof outdoor shoes and sports shoes; waterproof pants;hat, scarf gloves, plenty of suntan lotion, sun glasses, camera, binocular if your room doesn't come with one, insect repellant (never had to use it while cruising but on an overland possibly),

 

The key is to layer clothing.

 

Keith

 

I also have done AK many times including a 3 month driving trip in Alaska so I will comment on your list -

 

waterproof pants - unnecessary

waterproof jacket - necessary

binoculars - necessary even if they come w the room. The room ones are $20 crap binocs.

Bug repellent - necessary. Mosquitoes in AK come in 3 sizes - large, very large and immense. The state bird of AK is the mosquito.

 

DON

[CHEZMARYLOU]

I second the water/wind proof jacket and pants. Just make sure that the pants have a zipper or Velcro opening at the bottom of the legs so that you can slip them on or off as needed.

 

Never needed a winter coat, even at Hubbard Glacier but it was raining so the waterproof was a life saver.

[Keith1010]

I also have done AK many times including a 3 month driving trip in Alaska so I will comment on your list -

 

waterproof pants - unnecessary

waterproof jacket - necessary

binoculars - necessary even if they come w the room. The room ones are $20 crap binocs.

Bug repellent - necessary. Mosquitoes in AK come in 3 sizes - large, very large and immense. The state bird of AK is the mosquito.

 

DON

 

LOL, Don.

 

Waterproof Pants unnecessary. Have you been there when it was raining cats and dogs? I would rather have the waterproof pants.

 

I don't know what ship you sail but our binoculars on three different cruise lines we have sailed were perfectly fine.

 

Oh well.

 

Keith

[Langley Cruisers]

LOL, Don.

 

Waterproof Pants unnecessary. Have you been there when it was raining cats and dogs? I would rather have the waterproof pants.

 

Right? :D Our first time to Alaska, we got off the ship in Ketchikan and thought we were going to drown in the streets, it was raining so torrentially. The only other place we have encountered that much rain was in St. Maarten (but it was a warm rain - you knew I had to say it!). We had waterproof coats and our jeans on. Now we might have looked quite a sight if we HAD worn the matching waterproof pants - but we left them in the cabin and took a chance. haha

[Shmoo here]

I second the water/wind proof jacket and pants. Just make sure that the pants have a zipper or Velcro opening at the bottom of the legs so that you can slip them on or off as needed.

 

Never needed a winter coat, even at Hubbard Glacier but it was raining so the waterproof was a life saver.

 

Me, too. Besides the benefit of having it when it sleeting rain, I wore the pants as an additional layer (over my regular pants) on really cold days (like Glacier Bay day) so my legs would stay warm.

[donaldsc]

LOL, Don.

 

Waterproof Pants unnecessary. Have you been there when it was raining cats and dogs? I would rather have the waterproof pants.

 

I don't know what ship you sail but our binoculars on three different cruise lines we have sailed were perfectly fine.

 

Oh well.

 

Keith

 

Re the pants - on my AK driving trip. it rained the 3 days we were in Juneau; it rained the 3 days we were in Ketchikan; it rained the 1 of the 2 days we were in Prince Rupert. That makes it 7 days of continuous rain and we did not bring rain pants.

 

Re the binoculars - you can buy binoculars for less than $100 that will do and and you can buy binoculars that cost much more than $2000 and may be wonderful and worth the money but my wife would leave me if I came home with $2000 binoculars. The ones I own are in the $500 - $700 range. I am very fussy about my optical equipment.

 

One of the reviewers of camera equipment said that you can buy cheap photo equipment and by the time you have gotten through several upgrades, you will end of spending more than if you bought the good equipment in the beginning. I feel the same about all my optical equipment.

 

Just an honest difference of opinion.

 

DON

[wwcruisers]

Binoculars for the cruise are a must have.

 

Yes! And, if you're going on Celebrity -- still bring your own good binocs from home. The ones they provide in some of the cabins do NOT work very well.

 

Also, dressing in layers is a good idea (leave the Nanook-of-the-North heavy parka at home). Layers, plus a warm hat, good socks, gloves, and -- of course -- a rain poncho, should get you through the cruise. :cool:

Edited April 7, 2016 by wwcruisers

[luvlabs]

I lost my eyeglasses, long story. There are no places to replace eyeglasses in Alaska on the weekend, which were the days we were in port. Take an extra pair, and save yourself a lot of aggravation, just my opinion. :)

[Jane2357]

Thanks everyone! Just the kind of info that I needed. We do have waterproof rain jackets - large enough to go over fleece jackets, sweaters, etc. We have waterproof pants to go over jeans or warm leggings. We have Columbia waterproof shoes. I will take the winter, hats, gloves and scarves.

 

I'm in the market right now for a better pair of binoculars - but I will not be spending the big $$$$. The travel blanket will stay home, but the pillow and the coffee cups will come with!

 

We leave May 25th for Vancouver for 2 nights and cruise on the 27th - very excited!!!!!

Edited April 8, 2016 by Jane2357

[tonyweir]

Zoom lens for your decent camera!

[SPacificbound]

Waterproof shoes.

 

We did buy some waterproofing spray at one of the ports.

[trystran72]

A warm hoodie and a zoom lens!

[Napagirl]

We had nice binoculars that also were a little smaller so they fit in a zipper coat pocket or my bag. All I can add is: KEEP THE BINOCULARS WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES! All four of us had our own.

 

We used them a lot! And sometimes you suddenly get a viewing opportunity in the water (we saw a whale) or as you're passing land (bear, eagle) while you're on the ship and you'll want to have them handy!

[dgh203]

An eye mask for the red eye flight. I bought them for my family and we all used them. A guy in the row in front of me used paper towels under his regular glasses. I guess it worked, he was snoring.

[PixiTrix]

I am also going to Alaska in July. Anyone know where to get plus-size waterproof pants? I have a jacket, but cannot come up with a place to purchase pants.

[zqvol]

If you've cruised Alaska and did a pre/post cruise tour what item did you wish you had brought with you?

 

We set sail late May and will then travel post cruise tour for 6 nights ending in Fairbanks - then the red eye home. I don't normally take the following but wonder if they would be of use;

 

thermal coffee cup

neck pillow for sleeping on the plane, bus or train

travel sized blanket which could also be used on the balcony

 

What item(s) did you wish you had thought to bring? Or what item did you take that you were so happy you had?

 

Most, if not all of your return flight will be in daylight so sleeping may be problematic so your neck pillow and blanket may be a good idea unless you are in first class.

 

I can't imagine a need for a thermal coffee cup, but if that is your thing then by all means take it. I suspect that over half of what you take you will decide after the fact was a waste of time. Most people tend to over pack.

 

I really can't think of anything that we needed that we didn't bring or couldn't get when we were there.