Packing Guide: What to Pack for an Alaskan Cruise

Glaciers, rain forests and one of the rainiest U.S cities, are a few of the environments you may encounter on an Alaskan Cruise.

When visiting Alaska, it’s all about layers: being comfortable and staying warm. With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of the necessities - what I actually wore (because we all over-pack sometimes), and what I found to be very useful while aboard the ship. Here are the must-pack items for your Alaskan cruise.

What to pack

Layers. Alaska weather, especially on a cruise ship, is unpredictable. While it’s typically rainy and cooler, I found myself bundled up half of the day, and removing layers later on. Each day I typically wore a long sleeve shirt with a flannel over the top, and if it was chillier out, I would top it off with either a vest or rain jacket.

Fleece Vest. I wore this Columbia Fleece Vest most days. It was nice for the ship when I didn’t want to bulk up.
Flannels. I packed three and found that was plenty for layering.
Wool socks. These were nice to wear with boots and while lounging in the room.
Gloves. A pair of gloves will keep your hands toasty warm when hiking, or out on the cruise ship deck.
Hats. Pack a baseball cap and a cozy, wool beanie.
Sunglasses. You’ll be out on the deck looking at glaciers, and the ocean is very bright.

Rain Gear. It actually didn’t rain during our cruise (in July), but everyone said this was a very rare week for them, so I would still recommend buying some type of water resistant clothes.

North Face Rain Jacket. I wore this everyday, though it didn’t rain. This was perfect to throw on over my outfits, plus it’s lightweight and takes up little space in your suitcase. This is the one I bought: North Face Resolve . *I have two of these jackets that I’m selling on Poshmark (@kendalll16) if you’re interested - I only packed one of them, and haven’t used them since.*

Waterproof shoes. You can go for regular hiking boots from any outdoor brand (my parents got these from Columbia). My brother and I went with the Xratuf Boots (these are native to Alaska, and though it wasn’t my intention, everyone assumed I was a local when I wore them). It’s typically rainy, chilly and muddy in Alaska, so I purchased these just in case. They were great for walking around each port and wading through tide pools.

Rain Pants. I didn’t end up needing these, but several people were wearing them (I’d imagine they were probably more comfortable to wear than jeans). I would suggest packing these if you plan to do a water-based excursion, like whale watching, kayaking or glacier hiking.

Don’t forget these necessities.

Swimsuit. There were several hot tubs scattered throughout the ship I was on.

Wool flats. If you know me, you know I’m obsessed with Allbirds Wool Runners - the perfect travel shoe. They’re sustainable, machine washable, and temperature regulating so that your feet remain at a comfortable temperature at all times (they feel like you’re wearing slippers). They’re great for the airport and lounging on the ship - my feet never get cold with these.

Yeti Mug: This was the best purchase I made in preparation for the cruise. The mugs on board are small and don’t have lids. I used my Yeti mug every morning and evening for coffee and hot chocolate runs - it holds a lot of liquid and keeps your drink hot for hours.

Binoculars. These are a must. When you’re cruising through glacier parks and coves, you’ll see wildlife on-land and in the distance. If I hadn’t packed them, I would’ve missed bears, goats, seals and eagles. I went with these binoculars from amazon - they’re cheap, compact and worked perfectly.

Camera or GoPro. I took so many photos, definitely don’t forget this. If you’re doing action excursions, a GoPro is great for capturing it (and waterproof) - it’s a little pricey, but it’s proven to be a good investment that I use on all my vacations.

Other important things to know.

Most cruises have a formal night or two at dinner. The cruise to Alaska is much more laid-back - you won’t find many people straying from jeans. If you want, pack a casual dress or nice pants for formal dinners. Remember, it’s chilly on-board in the evenings.

There was only one outlet in our room, so I bought this power strip. This charged several phones, cameras and apple watches all at once.