What shoes to take?

[takemeaway2008]

I'm obsessing over foot wear. I don't generally wear sneakers.  I wear flips flops most of the summer and work shoes and boots most of the year. I have a very light pair of sneakers, not water proof at all. I do have a pair of low cut hiking sneakers that I was going to take. I think they are water proof. I don't love them but they will work. 

 

I also ordered boots. They are waterproof. Not hiking boots but something I can wear to work too. They get a pretty good review as a walking shoe.  I thought at least they will be warmer outside during Hubbard Bay day. 

 

I don't suppose I can get away with flip flops while touring? I'll probably bring them for boat wear. 

 

Any advice? Thanks. 

[quilty964]

Hi, we were on a cruise/land tour in June.  I wore my tennis shoes for everything.  We did some hikes, nothing extremely strenuous, but they were fine for everything.  I wore my crocs while on the ship.  Have a great trip!  

[karatemom2]

I have a good pair of what I call walking boots that sound similar to the ones you describe. They are ankle boots, cute but sturdy and look nice with jeans or slacks. They are my go to shoe for trekking ports in Alaska. The have nice sturdy non slip waffle bottoms so even though they aren’t hiking boots they work great for walking on trails, they are super warm and comfortable for walking around town and they look nice. I have gone on many Alaska cruises and usually take those boots for port days and a one pair of flats and one pair of heels for shipboard activities and that’s all I need. 

[Herfnerd]

If you do decide to go with the new boots, make sure they are well broken in before your cruise

[takemeaway2008]

14 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

I have a good pair of what I call walking boots that sound similar to the ones you describe. They are ankle boots, cute but sturdy and look nice with jeans or slacks. They are my go to shoe for trekking ports in Alaska. The have nice sturdy non slip waffle bottoms so even though they aren’t hiking boots they work great for walking on trails, they are super warm and comfortable for walking around town and they look nice. I have gone on many Alaska cruises and usually take those boots for port days and a one pair of flats and one pair of heels for shipboard activities and that’s all I need. 

 

 

Yes, that sounds similar to what I have. I think they will work best and something I'll wear a lot during the year too. I'm afraid that one pair of shoes won't be enough if they get wet because I know how hard it is to dry things on a ship. The problem is that it's so bloody hot here to wear them and break them in but I'll put on some socks and wear them around the house for awhile. I'll probably wear them on the plane too so they don't take up luggage space. 

 

 

 

[zelker]

Don't overthink shoes.  Probably best to save the flipflops for the ship unless you're just going to walk around on paved sidewalks around town but suggest wearing tennies for the most part.  I always spray our shoes (even tennies with mesh tops/sides) with Campdry or Scotchguard to help waterproof our shoes.  We're leaving on trip #6 at the end of the month and have never taken, nor needed, boots of any kind.  

[karatemom2]

I actually think it is just a matter of personal preference. I don't think my preferring boots is overthinking it - in fact I don't take a ton of shoes on our cruises, as I pointed out, usually just three or four pairs. At home I generally just wear tennis shoes for the gym or sports related activities - they aren't my preferred shoe for walking around town or hiking. I just don't find them all that comfortable for those activities. I wear ankle boots a lot in the winter here, especially on rainy days. They are warm and comfortable to me and look nice as well. They suit me perfectly in Alaska as we like to get out of town and walk in some areas that can at times be a little slippery or muddy and they have good grip and keep my feet dry, they are great in the rain and we have seen a lot of rainy days in Alaska, I like how they support my ankles and I just like them in general. I didn't choose them just for Alaska - they are something I would wear and do wear all the time at home. Many people find that same comfort and practicality in wearing tennis shoes in Alaska and as long as they are water proof and slip resistant they are also perfectly fine as well. For me, boots are just a more comfortable choice. 

[geoherb]

I took three pairs last month for my back-to-back cruises: sneakers, Timberland waterproof Oxfords, and cloth Crocs. I wore the sneakers in all the ports. I had the Timberlands as a backup in case it rained. It didn't rain very much in any of the ports. The Timberlands are nice enough to wear to dinner.

[vwgolf]

This one has been bugging me. I have a good pair of sturdy walking boots that fit over my ankle but these are quite heavy and will eat into my luggage allowance. My lighter suede walking shoes would be better but are not totally waterproof. I'll probably take these as we don't plan any heavy walking, just strolls around the ports plus a trip to see some bears (hopefully!).

[zelker]

3 hours ago, vwgolf said:

This one has been bugging me. I have a good pair of sturdy walking boots that fit over my ankle but these are quite heavy and will eat into my luggage allowance. My lighter suede walking shoes would be better but are not totally waterproof. I'll probably take these as we don't plan any heavy walking, just strolls around the ports plus a trip to see some bears (hopefully!).

 

As I'm sure you know, suede and water do not mix.  If it were me, I'd either (a) wear the walking boots on the plane to avoid that extra weight in a suitcase or (b) spray protectant (something like Scotchguard) on the suede ones.  It's Alaska and it's almost a guarantee you will encounter moisture somewhere along the way in your travels.

[joepeka]

Last year, someone on this board who lives in Seattle and has cruised to Alaska recommended Brooks Ghost GTX running shoes as very good for what to expect on excursions. Those shoes are made with GoreTex which is pretty much water proof and are very comfortable for walking. I subsequently got a pair that I will be using on our Alaska excursions later this month and I'm expecting they will work just great no matter the weather. We'll see! 

[Melinda Brasher]

If you plan on doing a lot of hiking, I recommend 2 walking shoes (though  ankle-cut hiking shoes or even good sneakers will work, especially if one can double as a wear-to-dinner shoe).  Unless you have top-of-the-line totally waterproof Goretex shoes, they will likely get wet even if they're "waterproof."  My "waterproof" boots stopped being waterproof one year about a mile up Deer Mountain trail on a very wet day.  It made it easier not to care about the river rushing down the trail.  🙂  But putting on wet shoes the next morning isn't fun.  However, if you're not planning on doing a ton of hiking, one good pair of walking shoes will be good.

 

I do a lot of hiking and will probably take my hiking boots plus maybe my black sneakers that I can hike in or wear with slacks for dinner (though the fashion police might not like it).  🙂

 

More packing advice:

https://www.melindabrasher.com/2019/03/packing-for-alaska-cruise.html