Packing For Your Alaska Cruise Vacation

So you've got your reservations, you've got your cruise tickets and you are ready to go!  But what do you need to pack to go on your Alaska cruise?

Title: Packing for Your Alaska Cruise Vacation

Author: Marleny

Article:
The sometimes extreme and always unpredictable Alaska weather
will be a big factor in the success of your vacation. During
your Alaska cruise vacation you may experience temperature
differences from the 40s to the 80s (single digits to 20s
Celsius). The days will be long, with the sun all but refusing
to set, and people will be energized by the extra daylight hours.

You'll likely encounter some rain, but there could also be weeks
of sunny skies with no rain at all. You're less likely to
encounter snow, but it is a remote possibility, especially in
the spring. Weather plays a factor in what you need to pack,
with the must-haves on an Alaska cruise including a raincoat, an
umbrella, and comfortable walking shoes that you don't mind
getting wet or muddy.

A swimsuit is also a must if your ship has a pool (sometimes
covered, sometimes heated) or hot tubs. Even in the summer,
temperatures in Alaska may not go much higher than the 50s or
60s (low or high teens Celsius), although they also may go into
the 70s or 80s (low to high 20s Celsius). Having layers of
clothing that you can peel off if the weather is hot and add if
the weather is cold is the most convenient approach.

Important to Pack Items

What you choose to pack obviously involves a lot of personal
choice, but here's a suggested list of some items that everyone
should bring along for their Alaska Cruise

- A lightweight, waterproof coat or jacket - Two sweaters or
fleece pullovers, or substitute a warm vest for one - A warm hat
and gloves - Two to four pairs of pants or jeans - Two pairs
walking shoes (preferably waterproof) - Sunscreen (SPF 15 or
higher) - Bug spray (Alaska has 55 different kinds of
mosquitoes) - Sunglasses - Binoculars (some small ships stock
them for guest use, but none of the big ships do)v - A camera,
preferably with a telephoto or zoom lens - Film (bring more than
you think you'll need) - Formal wear (with accessories) if your
ship has formal nights (not all do) - Semis dressy wear for
informal nights

Some people suffer over what to pack for cruise vacations, but
there's no reason to worry. Except for the addition of a formal
night or two, an Alaska cruise vacation is really no different
from any resort vacation. And in some cases, it's much more
casual. Don't feel you have to go out and buy "cruise wear".
Sweatshirts, jeans, and jogging outfits are what is must used
during the day.

Dinner is dress up time on most ships, although several have
begun to offer more casual alternatives. And the small adventure
type ships are all casual all the time. Generally, ships
describe proper dinner attire as formal, informal or semiformal
(the two terms mean the same thing in this case), or casual.
There are usually 2 formal nights and 2 informal (or semiformal)
nights during a weeklong cruise, with the rest casual; check
with your Alaska cruise line for specifics.

Formal, although the term has gotten somewhat more relaxed
recently, generally means a tux or dark suit with tie for men,
and a nice cocktail dress, long dress, gown, or dressy pantsuit
for women. Informal (or semiformal) is a jacket, tie, and dress
slacks, or a light suit, for men (jeans are frowned upon), and a
dress, skirt and blouse, or pants outfit for women (the
ubiquitous little black dress is appropriate here).

Casual at dinner means a sports shirt or open-collar dress shirt
with slacks for men (some will also wear a jacket), and a casual
dress, pants outfit, or skirt and blouse for women. Recently, a
new term (country-club casual) has developed. This is pretty
much the same as informal without the tie. For country club
casual nights, dress as you would to go out to dinner at a
midrange restaurant.

Many ships offer dry cleaning and laundry services (for a fee,
of course), and some offer coin operated laundry facilities.
Check your Alaska cruise line's brochures for details. Using
these services can save you a lot of packing. Lastly, don't
worry! Packing should be a simple task. Pack before hand, around
a 1-2 weeks before your Alaska cruise and make a checklist to
make sure you have all your necessities to have a relaxing and
amazing Alaska cruise vacation.

About the author:
Marleny is dedicated to writing about Alaska cruises. Find the
best information and tips for your trip at Alaska Cruise Vacation.

With all these great tips to help you pack properly for your cruise vacation, packing should be as easy as 1, 2, 3!  Happy Cruising.