Alaska Cruise

[artfuldodger]

We are going on an Alaska Cruise next week as a replacement for an RV trip to Alaska/ Yukon. We are unsure of the temperatures around the glaciers, icebergs and coastal stops. Has anyone got recommendations as to what clothes to pack for such a trip? I know this is not strictly an RV question, but just thought the MOC members would be a good source of info since many have rv'd in Alaska and some members live there.

[Thorsell]

Hi Gayle and John,
As an born and raised Alaskan from Alaska, I highly recommend good walking or hiking boots that are water proof. Definitely some rain gear and umbrella for just in case. Hats are nice too with the off and on rain mist. I grew up learning to layer living in Anchorage and Fairbanks Alaska.

Weather can change from one moment to the next especially within the pan handle of Alaska. I often wore shorts in the summer of Alaska but many times had to have a long sleeve shirt, sweater or light jacket on for the upper body. Around the glaciers we usually wore long pants and wore layers on top.

You also want a great quality mosquito repellent. In August the weather is usually really nice days and cooler to cold evenings.

Camera, camera, camera! The amount of pictures you could take are thousands.

If you hear someone call a person a sourdough, that's ok. A sourdough is a person born/raised or a longtime resident of Alaska. I'm a sourdough and proud of it. Cheechako is the word for outsider or someone who has never lived through an Alaskan winter.

If your cruise makes it into Anchorage, visit the Ulu knife factory. I use my Ulu knives for most everything when prepping food, filleting fish and cutting up meat.

If the huckleberries are out, try anything huckleberry.

Enjoy the trip, enjoy the food, enjoy the sights and meeting the great peoples of Alaska.

Respectfully yours,
Laura Thorsell
MOC # 19945

[scottz]

We went in Sept, but I packed a large coat so I could spend as much time as possible outside on deck.

[BB_TX]

We didn’t cruise TO Alaska (flew to Fairbanks, train to Denali NP, train to anchorage, then rent car to drive to Seward), but we did take a glacier cruise on Prince William Sound and needed a light jacket. But we hiked up to a glacier near Seward comfortable in short sleeves. This was 2nd week of August. Ran the rent car A/C one day while in Fairbanks. We saw none of the famous mosquitos. A local said mosquito season was already over.

Take clothes you can layer for anything from warm to cool, maybe very cool, so you can easily add or remove layers as needed.

[Joint Venture II]

I have done 3 cruises on Holland America and 5 years ago took my own boat to Ketchikan and back. Cruises were two 7 day and one 10 day, my own boat was 13 weeks up the Inside Passage and back. As already stated, weather can be rainy one minute and sunny the next. I always wore a light weight wind breaker and a wide brimmed hat to shed rain and sun. There is no prettier country in this world then the Inside Passage and the sea food was beyond belief. I caught many salmon, halibut, various cods, sea bass, crab and shrimp. Sun glasses are good to have as is sun tan lotion. I wore sandals on all 3 cruises as well as my own boat. Temperatures will be in the 50's to low 70's and a breeze is pretty common too.

[GregN]

Pack like the others have recommended. You never know what the weather will be like. First time to Alaska, tendering in at Juneau. It was raining pretty good. I talked to a dock worker, mentioning about the rain. He said, " Oh this is just a sprinkle". In Glacier Bay, it was cold. The shutter in my camera would freeze up. Pre digital days. But I had a great time. Went again 2015 and will going again in 11 days.