Planning an Alaska cruise but not sure what to wear? I spent a lot of time researching packing for an Alaska cruise prior to our trip and paid special attention to other cruisers attire while onboard and in port. I probably looked like a crazy stalker, staring at people and making notes on my phone 🙂
Weather in Alaska can change drastically during the day and even hour by the hour. Our driver from Anchorage to Seward told us that in Alaska you can wait 10 minutes or drive 10 miles and the weather will change – and not necessarily for the better! We definitely discovered this on our trip. One minute it was sunny, and we were wearing short sleeves & getting a little warm while the next the wind started to blow, and we added layers and pulled our hoods up.
The month you travel will also affect your packing, to a degree. The Alaska cruise season is May-September. If traveling during the first or last month, expect cooler temperatures. August will be nice and warm, but it is what’s considered the start of the rainy season. We traveled the first week of June. The weather was lovely with only a little rain. We were told the week prior was cold and rainy while the week before that saw snow!
The key to dressing in Alaska is layers. I’ll start our Alaska cruise packing list discussing what to wear at port/on excursions. You’ll also want to consider your plans for pre and post cruise as this can affect your outdoor clothing as well. You may need to pack a little differently for land tours. For example, Fairbanks can get hotter than you’d expect in the summer, so you’ll want those tanks and shorts.
