weather plans for packing

[woof359]

Awwwwwwwwwwwww, finally a week end with nothing to do except for some closet exploring, trying to figure out what clothes to bring for at sea Alaska weather, I'm thinking June is still chilly at night

[cookiersmom]

We did Alaska late last June. We started in Fairbanks and it was HOT, we were wearing short sleeve shirts. In the evening, maybe longer sleeve. But, other days there was rain and we needed Rain jackets, not COLD but cool enough for me to need a jacket. AND on the cruise, if you are going by a glacier, you will need a rain jacket. It turns out that at most stops in Alaska there are souvinere stores that have great rain jackets (waterproof on one side, fleece on the other and reversible) that are warm enough, and are very reasonable (like $30), very unexpected.

Take layers,. some days it will be cool in the morning and then gets warm. I wore a lot of t-shirts with long sleeve shirt over that could be removed. And, jacket, on, off, etc.

[kawagama]

You can get huge variations in weather--everything from hot to super cold. Be prepared for it all. Near the glaciers you will need a fleece, toque, and possibly mitts. Have rain gear too. And layers. Alaska will be light for a long time in June (especially towards the end of the month) and July and into August. Nights are almost non-existent. Therefore, if the sun comes out and it's warm, that warmth hangs around for a long time! We were in the Yukon at the end of July/early August and the sun was still shining at 10:30 PM! High in the sky too! It's a truly extraordinary experience.

 

Depending on your shore excursions, stick to the more casual side of things. Alaska is not formal or dressy. We found that needing to bring dressier clothing for the ship was problematic for our packing. We ended up with far too many things (this being our first cruise). Next time I will leave the dress, accessories, and shoes at home and opt for nicer casual attire for the ship. Have fun!