Packing For Your Alaska Cruise Vacation_4878

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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,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], 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 a cruise vacation,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], 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,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], 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 week-long 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,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], 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 mid-range 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.