There’s nothing quite like sitting out on the balcony of your cruise ship stateroom with a yummy tropical drink… While wrapped in a blanket looking for whales amongst icebergs. Cruising to Alaska offers a truly unique vacation filled with both adventure and relaxation. Unlike a Caribbean cruise vacation, you can’t get by with a suitcase of swimsuits and sundresses. Here are my top seven packing essentials for an Alaska Cruise, along with a few things you can leave at home.
7 Alaska Cruise Packing Essentials
#1: Light Jacket – This feels like a bit of a no-brainer, but if you’re expecting to see glaciers, you should expect to need a jacket. I wore my Patagonia Nano Puff or my Synchilla most days on the cruise and felt comfortable. Even while walking the outdoor decks on sea days, having a jacket is essential.
#2: Bathing Suit – I ended up getting a Thermal Spa pass on my cruise, so I spent countless hours of downtime enjoying saunas, steam rooms, and hydrotherapy pools. Even if you don’t splurge on a spa pass, many of the ships that sail in Alaska offer indoor swimming pools or hot tubs (Which feel especially great after a chilly excursion during the day).
#3: Binoculars – I bought a pair of Nocs ahead of my cruise and couldn’t recommend them more. They’re super small (They fit in a Lululemon belt bag) and do the job for whale watching and nature spotting from the ship. I’d recommend bringing your own on the ship, since the ones for sale while onboard are marked up significantly.
#4: Extension Cord – The ships sailing Alaska tend to be older and smaller than the mega ships sailing through the Caribbean. On my Alaskan cruise, there was only one (ONE) outlet in the bedroom, and one (again, one) outlet in the bathroom. Yes, a total of TWO outlets for a four-person stateroom. My extension cord genuinely saved lives (and phone batteries). Make sure to bring one, especially if you’re on an older ship.
#5: Sweats – You know I love a good outfit plan, but I gotta be honest: I wore sweatpants or leggings almost every day in Alaska. Why, you may ask? Because I like being cozy. Plus, with plenty of hikes and lots of lounging around the ship, there’s no reason to dress to the 9’s. Most of the other passengers did the same. Be sure to toss some cozy clothes in your suitcase.
#6: Books or Entertainment – I found I had hours and hours of relaxing downtime on my Alaskan cruise, so I opted to fill that time with a good book on my Kindle. Unless you love trivia and bingo, I’d recommend preparing to fill some of your afternoons with a self-sufficient activity like books, card games, or music.
#7: Rain Coat – Yes, every guide to Alaska suggests packing a raincoat. And yes, you will need it. We had one sunny day in port, and the other days were a mix of rain and clouds. You won’t regret being prepared for the elements.
THINGS YOU WON’T NEED ON AN ALASKA CRUISE
Super Formal Attire – Even though our cruise had two “formal” nights, I found the crowd’s interpretation of formal to be a little more casual than a traditional cruise. Pack one or two casual dresses if you plan to dine in the main dining room on a formal night (Here are two options that are similar to what I wore from Abercrombie and Amazon). On regular evenings, I even wore my sweatpants into the dining room. Anything goes in Alaska!
Blankets – Our ship provided blankets upon request, but we only used them on the balcony as our stateroom was nice and cozy. Save some space in your bag and pass on packing your blanket.
(Too Many) Shorts – I wore workout shorts for my visits to the gym, and maybe would’ve worn them on embarkation day. Outside of that, I don’t see any need for shorts, skirts, or dresses for an Alaskan cruise. Use your suitcase space wisely and pack some warmer bottoms (See #5 Sweatpants!)
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