Ultimate_alsaka_cruise_packing_list




Happy Thursday everyone!


If you have been reading my blog for a while you know that last summer I had gone on a cruise to Alaska (you can check out my highlight video and my recap post on my experience!). I have been on a tropical cruise before and had sort of an idea what to pack, but there were definitely a lot of things that I wish I would have known to bring before heading out to the cruise. Today I'm sharing with you all the ultimate Alaska cruise packing list and giving you all suggestions on what to items that would be a great idea to bring. Grab a notepad, because I'm covering everything you need to bring with you!

Clothing
Layering tops
When I did research on what to bring everyone kept saying how important it was to pack layers, and they are so right! The weather isn't as cold as you would expect it to be. In June, July, and August weather ranges from 40/50ish degrees to 70ish on some days and you have to take account of staying inside the ship, on the deck and walking around off the ship.

For most of the trip, I got by wearing the outfits shown below and threw on a jacket when it got cold. As for shoes I mainly lived in my Vans during the whole trip because I hate it when my feet get wet/cold when I wear my flats. 

Rain Jacket
It rains in Alaska, a lot. I'm pretty sure I wore my rain jacket at some point every day during our trip. Even if it wasn't raining it was nice to have something on that was wind resistant that will keep you warm when the boat is moving. The rain jacket I ended up taking was super thin, so I recommend packing a medium weight rain jacket like this one. 

Fleece Jacket
Staying on the topic of jackets. When you're out exploring the ports or when the boat isn't moving the temperature really isn't that bad, but when the boat starts moving it gets pretty windy and cold, especially at night. Quick shout out to my dad for letting me steal his fleece jacket during the trip! I recommend bringing some type of medium weight jacket with you and you could always layer up clothes underneath if needed. My mom wore this jacket the whole trip and kept her warm the whole time!

Rain boots
Since we had to take multiple flights to get to the port where the cruise ship was docked at, our family decided to pack on the light route and bring a carry on suitcases. Since my suitcase was so small I couldn't fit any rain boots in my bag but I would HIGHLY recommend packing them (did I mention that it rains a lot in Alaska?). If you can't fit a pair of rain boots in your suitcase like me, be sure to pack some shoes that are water-resistant. I also saw a lot of people wear duck boots on the trip as well, personally they're not my style, but if you have a pair I would recommend bringing those! I have this pair of Hunters and wish I had taken them, here is the packable version.

Dinner attire + "Cruise Elegant" 
You will need to pack one to two formal wear outfits depending on how long your cruise is. Typically for a week-long cruise, there will be two formal nights. For formal nights you'll see people dressed anywhere from prom wear to a casual church dress in heels. It's really whatever you are comfortable with! I wore a simple nautical-esk shift dress (check out the post here) on one of the formal nights. Inside the boat is warm enough so you'll be able to get away with wearing your cute sleeveless dresses. As for what I wore on nights that were elegant cruise attire, I just wore either a pair of skinny jeans and a cute blouse or a casual dress.


Clothing items:
  • Layering tops - Tank tops, long sleeve shirts, light sweaters, cardigans 
  • Pants - jeans, leggings
  • Pullover (I basically lived in a pullover like this one the whole trip)
  • Jackets - rain jacket, medium weight jacket
  • Shoes - Rainboots, running shoes, flip flops, flats, heels
  • Formal wear + shoes
  • Workout Clothes
  • Pajamas
  • Bathing suits + Coverup
  • Belt
  • Hat
  • Gloves (my fingers were freezing from standing out trying to get pictures of the glaciers!)
  • Scarf
  • Waterproof socks (who likes soggy feet?)
  • Undergarments
  • Jewelry

Technology
Power strip
This really came in handy during our trip. In the rooms on the ship, there is probably a total of 2 outlets and with everyone needing an outlet for their phone, camera charger and hair tools 2 outlets just weren't going to cut it. 

Alarm Clock
Also, in the rooms, there aren't any clocks. It would have been helpful to have an alarm clock handy to wake us up for mornings we wanted to get up early and workout or just simply know what time it was. We used our phones most of the time, but it was a struggle when they did die. 

Ipod (or download music on your phone beforehand)

Maybe it's just because I'm #TeamNoIphone, but I don't have music downloaded onto my phone. I usually listen to my music on Spotify or Pandora when I go workout. If you're like me cannot workout without music I suggest either downloading a playlist on your phone so you can have it with you or bring an iPod with your music on there. There is wifi on the boat, but it is pretty pricey.

Technology items:
  • Power Strip
  • Alarm clock
  • Cell Phone + Charger
  • Camera + Charger
  • SD Cards
  • Selfie stick (really comes in handy when you're short like me and you want to get a shot)
  • Ipad / Laptop + Charger
  • Headphones

Miscellaneous
Umbrella
Again, it rains a lot. Sometimes it would be a light sprinkle, other times it would be a pretty heavy downpour. It's just nice to be prepared! You can make rainy days a little brighter with this fun Lilly Pulitzer umbrella

Reusable water bottle
Water bottles on the ship are pretty pricey so save some cash and pack a reusable water bottle with you. You can fill them up when you're in the dining areas and you can have water in your bag when you're off the ship exploring the ports! This Kate Spade water bottle is just adorable and I love the color of this water bottle.

Scissors
These always come in handy, and every trip I've ever been on I always needed a pair of scissors.

Small Backpack
When you're off the ship exploring the port it's great to have a small backpack to throw all of your things in so you can have both of your hands-frees to take pictures of the gorgeous scenery! Also, they're great if you decide to go hiking for your excursions. If backpacks aren't your style, my aunt brought her Longchamp tote and it worked great! This backpack version would be super cute to bring as well!

Small purse
Along with the small backpack, it's nice to carry a small purse around with you while you're on the ship. Most of the clothes I wore on the ship didn't have pockets so it was nice to have a small purse where I could throw my phone, camera, room key, whatever in. I carried a purse similar to this one the whole time on the ship!

Ziplock bags
These came in handy whether it was to put our electronics in it so they wouldn't get wet or to store extra snacks in them so we can eat them in our rooms. You could also use them to store wet bathing suits! Bottom line, super handy to have a few in your bag.

Playing cards/sketchbook/reading material 

Although there are a lot of things to do on the ship, there were times I wish I had brought a set of playing cards or something to pass the time in between events. Also, it's a great way to make new friends if people walk by and want to join in on your game!

Other miscellaneous items:
  • Umbrella
  • Reusable water bottle
  • Scissors
  • Small backpack
  • Small Purse
  • Ziplock bags
  • Passport + ID
  • Travel documents
  • Bandaids
  • Medication
  • Wallet + Cash
  • Sunglasses
  • Lint roller
  • Mosquito spray
  • Binoculars

Toiletries
  • Toothbrush + Toothpaste
  • Floss
  • Mouthwash
  • Contacts + Solution 
  • Deodorant
  • Hairbrush
  • Shampoo + Conditioner
  • Body Wash
  • Shower cap
  • Body lotion 
  • Face lotion
  • Razor + Shaving cream
  • Hair tools
  • Make-up + Make-up wipes
  • Hair ties + Bobby pins

I hope this helped those of you who are planning/going on an Alaskan cruise! Let me know down below if I missed anything and if you like these types of posts and if you want me to do more of these packing lists for trips.

Have a wonderful Thursday everyone!!

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