First of all – right out of the gate before you start to pack that evening dress or tuxedo – check with your travel agent or cruise line to see if your ship has a Dress Code for your Alaskan cruise! In the spirit of The Last Frontier, many cruise lines have relaxed dress codes in Alaska. If that pertains to you, evening clothes traditionally warranted on a cruise ship will not be necessary. Instead, the look of “Country Club Casual” will be the norm after 6pm in all public areas; which usually means sport coats for men (no tie – yippee!) and sweater and slacks or a skirt for ladies. Please note; jeans and t-shirts after 6pm are still considered a no-no by many ships.

Now, with the fashion end of clothing aside, what should be in your suitcase?� I say:

1. Good walking shoes. You don’t need hiking boots (unless you intend to do some serious hiking – there are places where that is possible in case you are interested.)� Bring comfortable shoes that will allow for wet surfaces (rainy decks and city sidewalks) and long periods of standing (lots to see from the rails of the ship!). Be sure to wear your new cruise shoes before coming onboard to break them in – nothing worse than blisters from new shoes and your cruise!
2. Layered clothing. The old saying in Alaska is if you don’t like the weather wait a few minutes and it will change. Be prepared. It doesn’t have to be fancy but a seasoned traveler to Alaska always has extra socks, a light water-proof/wind-proof jacket or poncho, a hat and a sweater or sweatshirt. I always wear my light-weight down jacket; it is water-proof and warm when it is cold; cool when it is warm. � Standing out on deck watching whales or glaciers – it can get nippy! But remember, it does get warm in Alaska during the summer as well; so layers help you regulate your temperature as well as withstand the elements.
3. Insect repellant? I have to say, I am a mosquito magnet – but unless I am going hiking in deep woods, I do not bring insect repellant with me. That said, if you are going off on trails – do take along some DEET . Mosquitos in Southeast are heaviest in June. Make sure you spray your clothes as well as exposed skin – and don’t forget the top of your head and ears!
4. Binoculars. You will great satisfaction from your cruise by having a good pair of binoculars. They do not need to be super-duper, just good enough for you to see what you want to see. If you are not experienced using binoculars – PRACTICE! Nothing is worse than missing a great moment because you can’t figure out how to use the binoculars (and believe me I have seen it!).
5. Camera. There will be many “Kodak moments” on your Alaska cruise and I am sure you will want to capture them all from eagles in the trees to sunsets at midnight! My only request is once in a while put the camera down; take a minute to record the moment for yourself, in your heart. Breathe. Memories are made of this.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 9th, 2008 at 11:58 am and is filed under alaska cruise tips, General, Fun. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.