July Princess Cruises Alaska with Inside Passage from Vancouver - what clothing to take?

[XFrenchieX]

Hi all, travelling from the UK 4th July, first time to Alaska and I'm wondering what clothes to pack.  Have a few tours booked so I'm guessing warm clothing for those but onboard ship in the day what would the weather likely be like, do I take summer clothes?  Previous Med cruises with Princess have been smart casual at night and even formal nights were less formal than I envisaged so is this the same for Alaska?  Thanks in advance.

Edited May 16, 2023 by XFrenchieX

[Kathscof]

Alaska is apparently less formal than Caribbean cruises, but on my ship we have two "dress your best" nights where there is a more spectacular show in the theater, so I am treating it as a casual theater night, wearing casual dresses.  It could very well be warm in July in Alaska, most of the suggestions will be to wear layers as it could be very cold one hour and then sunny and hot a few hours later.  Check the forecast with the trending temps (and probably historical data) before you leave and you can have a better idea.  

[martincath]

From what I recall of the weather in Lancashire, you'll almost certainly have the right clothes already @XFrenchieX from your Spring/Autumn wear - layers are king here. It's often plenty hot in the parts of Alaska any cruise visits, so you will definitely need light summery clothing, but rain is also common as is wind (even if not actually windy, sailing at 15 knots drops perceived temp by  at least 5C on deck!)

 

A thin, uninsulated waterproof shell that doesn't really make you warmer but keeps you dry is the best top layer - a heavy coat simply doesn't work if it is warm but rainy! Between that and summer clothes you want some other fairly thin layers you can wear as needed - then you should be good even on an unusually chilly July day. Near or on glaciers you'll likely also find thin gloves (even pound shop 'one size fits none' stretchy pairs that weigh next to nothing, but will help you stay out on deck when glacier viewing) handy; if you are doing a glacier sled dog ride or chopper walk the tour will provide big boots and puffy coats etc. if they are needed, but for things like whale-watching that top windbreaker layer and thin gloves will be a godsend even on fairly warm days while you zoom around on the water!

 

Hats are a necessity - a big brim likely more useful in July to keep sun/rain off your face than a woolly hat for extra warmth, but a pound shop acrylic beanie can be easily rolled up and stuffed in a pocket along with the gloves just in case of dry cold. Even a baseball cap works - combined with the hood on a thin kagoule stops it flapping around your face, making it easier to take photos in the rain or wind.

 

Other stuff: sun block! A high factor (even when cloudy, AK has lots of water and ice to reflect sun back at you, you'll see a lot of pink ears and noses after the first few days on folks who didn't know this in advance!) will be just as handy here as on a beach holiday to the Med, you might just need it on hands/face most days rather than all over. Bug Spray - maybe; yes if you are going inland, but likely not needed if you're only doing coastal ports rather than some Pre/Post time away from the ocean.

 

Edit - whoops, forgot you did say it was a Princess cruise! So no actual Formal Night, just a couple of 'dressy if you want to' nights - a nice collared shirt and tie is sufficient on Princess!

 

I usually take a tweed jacket that works for practical daywear when traveling but I can then deploy over an open collar or shirt & tie for dinner. If you're in Seattle or Vancouver pre/post, then you'll be fine to visit even the fanciest of restos with that ensemble too.

Edited May 16, 2023 by martincath