Help needed for Alaska

I'm hoping that some of you who pack lightly can direct me in preparing for a cruisetour in late August. We are going with dear friends on the HAL 12 day Alaska Yukon trip. We have only 3 nights on the ship (boohoo) before disembarking in Skagway, where we take a train to Fraser, bus to Whitehorse. Next is bus to Dawson City, where we fly to Fairbanks and luggage weight is limited to 50 lbs total weight per passenger. Then bus to Denali, train to Anchorage. We have 3 days in Vancouver before we board the ship, so total travel of 15 days. 50 lbs just because of the small plane on one section of the trip!I like variety in my clothing, not happy wearing same thing every day. I enjoy being dressy on the ship. I want to be comfortable outdoors. These wants/needs seem conflicting with the darned weight limit. What will work?

How can the men bring suits for formal night and stay under limit? Electronics and toiletries probably weigh half of this! Sorry but I'm frustrated....please help?!

For warmth, look at layering pieces, I love anything Merino wool. It's thin and warm and breathable. I also like long sleeve undershirts (brand is called 32 degrees, I believe.) They weigh nothing!

It's better to take 3 or 4 Merino and layer them, than take 1 thicker, less versatile item.

Also, when you fly, wear your heaviest items. :)

Good luck!

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...where we fly to Fairbanks and luggage weight is limited to 50 lbs total weight per passenger... How can the men bring suits for formal night and stay under limit? Electronics and toiletries probably weigh half of this!

Hi Seagazer, I'm going to be doing a very similar itinerary in August through Holland America. They provided at Tour Tips PDF which gave some great advice for packing. You can find it here:

https://www.hollandamerica.com/assets/cruise-destinations/Tour_Tips.pdf

Knowing about the weight limit, HAL suggests you pack 2 bags--one will contain the items you will use onboard ship and the other the items you need for the land portion. The bag for onboard will be taken directly to Anchorage (or wherever your tour is ending) and be waiting for you when you get there. You will take one suitcase for the rest of the trip and one carry-on bag (purse, backpack, etc.--nothing too big because it has to fit under the seat in front of you).

As for electronics and toiletries, get the 3 oz travel size that will fit in a quart-size bag (or get the small, refillable travel bottles that are 3 ozs, which is what I do). Onboard ship you can probably just use whatever they provide, then use what you bring for the land portion. I bring those 3 oz bottles, and they easily last me 3 weeks, even with 2 people using them. For electronics, bring only what you know absolutely you will be using and/or need. I suggest just your phone and maybe a tablet or IPad. They will fit in a small backpack and are very light-weight, plus if they are only a few years old, chances are the cameras on them will suit your needs unless you are an avid picture taker.

Look into mixing and matching outfits--that will give you versatility, but save on packing. Shoes will be the most difficult part because they are bulky and heavy in nature. My suggestion is to wear one pair of good walking shoes, pack another pair of walking shoes and one pair of dress shoes which you will only need onboard ship.

Don't bring a heavy jacket because you probably won't need it. Think layers, which will also help with the mixing and matching.

Hope some of this helps. ;)

We cruised in Alaska twice. The first time was a 7 night round trip cruise from Vancouver. The second was a 12 night cruise tour (5 nights on land followed by a 7 night southbound cruise). Both were very casual. As others have posted, layers are a must. Don't worry about formal night, on a 3 day cruise there probably won't be one.

Thanks for layering tips. I live in the country of Panama, so no merino wool products here. I'll check Amazon.But hbgroadends, the HAL tips say that because of the international flight from Yukon to Fairbanks, we will have all our luggage with us, not separated into ship and land bags. Also, the cruise is 7 nights with two formal nights..we just get off after only one. Will travel size bottles last 15 nights? I've had no experience with this to know for sure. Will I need a bathing suit for the land portion? Are HAL dining rooms more strict about dressing up? I know, so many questions. My head is in Caribbean planning mode, not Alaskan. I just want to be prepared.

The ship has passenger laundry and/or you can send stuff out. Only send sturdy clothes out to be washed.

Don't pack for two weeks, pack for a 5-7 days and repeat. Everyone else is also in the same boat. (pun intended)

About toiletries-- there's enough time for you to do trial runs to see how much product you need.

ladylighttravel.com has some good posts about toiletries and stuff

theviviennefiles.com has very good suggestions about mixing and matching colors.

I'm doing a 19 day vacation next month. 7 days of it is an Alaskan cruise and part is Seward, Vancouver, Moab Utah, and start/end in Orlando FL. The airlines charge extra for more than 50 lbs. I'm coordinating a collection based on colors. Basically, all tops will go with all bottoms and all shoes go with everything to include hikers, sneakers, espadrilles, sandals. Consider sending out some wash on the ship. I'm re-wearing and hand-washing some items. I'm brining one removable liner coat, one fleece, silky long underwear, a sweater wrap, one pair gloves, one warm hat, pants variety, skirts, capris, shorts, top variety, bathing suit, lounging/sleeping clothes, you get the idea. If I were a guy (I'm not) I would try to find very lightweight shoes and a variety of pants and ties and shirts for dinners. I'd do cargo and zip off pants, a jacket, and only about 3 pairs of shoes.

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Thanks for layering tips. I live in the country of Panama, so no merino wool products here. I'll check Amazon.But hbgroadends, the HAL tips say that because of the international flight from Yukon to Fairbanks, we will have all our luggage with us, not separated into ship and land bags. Also, the cruise is 7 nights with two formal nights..we just get off after only one. Will travel size bottles last 15 nights? I've had no experience with this to know for sure. Will I need a bathing suit for the land portion? Are HAL dining rooms more strict about dressing up? I know, so many questions. My head is in Caribbean planning mode, not Alaskan. I just want to be prepared.

Seagazer, I'm from Houston, so I do understand how overwhelming it can be to try to pack for a climate you are not used to. While it obviously (and thankfully) will not be nearly as hot as you and I are used to dealing with in late August, it won't be freezing either. It can get cool at night in the mountains (expect in the 40s-50s), but that is where the layering becomes your friend.

Look into one or two fleece pullovers or jackets (the ones from Land's End are wonderful and extra light). Fleece is great because it packs so easily, doesn't wrinkle, is light-weight, and warm. You'll only need one or two--you'll be wearing layers under them. Also, they are washable and durable, unlike the merino wool which might be dry clean only (not sure on that one).

For rain gear, either get a light-weight rain jacket or bring disposable ponchos. Don't worry about bringing an umbrella.

If you generally use about a nickle to quarter size of shampoo and conditioner (or 2 pumps if you have pump bottles), then the 3 oz travel size will definitely last you 15 days. Also, most hotels and onboard ship will provide some kind of soap, shampoo and/or conditioner. If, for some strange reason, you did run out, you could always purchase additional travel size soap and/or shampoo at a drug store in any of the stops along the way.

I don't think the "Join me in Anchorage" baggage counts counts towards the 50 lb total because I don't think it even travels with us. I think it heads straight to Anchorage and is stored. However, I'll pose the question in the HAL forum and see what answer I get.

According to the HAL board, the dining rooms are Smart Casual (except for Formal night), meaning you can wear nice jeans but not shorts. There will be 1 formal night, but from everything I've read, the rules are pretty relaxed for the Alaska. I plan on taking some black slacks and a nice blouse and sandles--definitely not formal wear. I've been told this is adequate for the Formal night. I'll be able to wear the slacks the rest of the trip, and the nice blouse I'll pack in my "Join me in Anchorage" bag.

You'll need a bathing suit for the cruise portion, but I don't know about the land portion. Cruise News, another CC member, is currently reporting back on his Triple Denali cruise tour, and he mentioned that there are a couple of meetings prior to beginning the land portion where you can ask questions. Ask there, then you'll know whether to pack the bathing suit in the baggage for the land trip or in your Anchorage bag. If nothing else, bathing suits are light-weight and pack small.

Just out of curiosity, when is your cruise tour? My sister and I are leaving from Vancouver on the Volendam on August 30th. I haven't met anyone on CC yet who is also on the same itinerary.

Anyway, biggest thing to remember is to not stress too much about it. If you are a planner like I am, that can be hard to do, but at the end of the day, as long as you have several pairs of pants and several shirts, you'll be good to go. If nothing else, a trip like this teaches you how to pack efficiently. :D BTW, HAL offers laundry service onboard that is $20/bag, and from what I've heard, the bag is pretty large. At the hotels on land, there are self-service laundry rooms. I haven't heard about a laundry service available on land yet.

We sail on Aug 26 from Vancouver on Niew Amsterdam and start the land tour on the 29 th in Skagway, ending in Anchorage on 9/5.

I can do the sparkly blouse and dress pants for the one "formal" night, but do the men take suits? We don't want to spend $100 to rent a tux, which we have done on transatlantic cruises. Will the maitre de let them into dining room with shirt and tie? I don't want to skip the dining room with only three nights onboard..

Also, you mentioned again the join me in Anchorage bag. If that is truly available to us, no problem! But the Tips packet I read said this does not apply due to international flight and customs, that all luggage will be with us for the land portion of the trip. I have searched this board with no results, so may have to call HAL for clarification.

I have an Eddie Bauer rain jacket, a Columbia fleece, and several button shirts I can wear a tee underneath. Jeans, khakis, and knit slacks, waterproof tennis shoes. I have mostly " outfits" as in one top goes with its coordinating bottom, and don't usually like to put just any two solids together. I can see I will have to get past my discomfort with this!

I'm reassured that I'm on track, just wish I could take more variety..thanks for all the help!

I've submitted a question about the luggage to the HAL board, but no one has responded yet. If I don't hear anything, I'm going to email HAL directly and ask them.

It looks like you are doing the same (over very similar) itinerary that I am except on a different ship and you leave 4 days earlier than I do. Still, we will have to go through Customs when we disembark in Skagway since we start the cruise in Vancouver. From there, the "Join Me in Anchorage" luggage will never leave the states again (my guess is that they ship it to Anchorage and store it until we arrive there at the end of the tour--this is what I am trying to confirm); therefore there is no need for it to go through Customs. The "Join Me" program is designed so that people don't have to lug their stuff around and take it through Customs every time, and it doesn't affect the Dawson City to Fairbanks flight because the luggage is shipped to Anchorage. If all of our luggage went with us on the entire tour just so that it can clear Customs again in Fairbanks, that would defeat the purpose of the program.

In any case, I'll find out for sure and let you know.

With regard to what your husband can wear, from what I've read, he can wear slacks, shirt and tie, and a blazer or jacket. He won't need a tux or formal suit. Be sure to check out the Alaska thread for more information on this. Also, although it is a year old, here is an excellent review of the Y2C tour (which is the one I'm doing and is very similar to what you are doing) that Rajkr74 did last year:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2380606

It sounds like you are on the right track. The rain jacket and fleece is perfect. Remember, we'll all be rotating stuff out and wearing the same thing several times. No one is going to notice, and if they do, then they're not looking at enough wildlife. ;p

Reminder: HAL no longer has Formal nights. They have what is called "Gala" night. No tuxes/suits/gowns/cocktail wear required. For men, a pair of trousers and a shirt with a collar (either button-down or polo is OK) is all that is needed, and no tie is required. For women, pants, shirts, or casual dresses are fine. If someone wants to bring the "formal" night-type wear, they are welcome to do so, but not needed. Alaska, by it's nature, is a casual cruise. None of us wear the same thing every day. But, we pack smartly with things that all coordinate to make it easy to mix. And, we take things that we can wash and dry quickly in the room when we can.

I prefer down or synthetic down products to fleece - less bulky and less "static". Very lightweight and very small packing footprint. Layers, layers, layers. For rainwear - what do you use (besides an umbrella) for rainy days in Panama? That would be fine, I imagine.

I'm doing a 19 day vacation next month. 7 days of it is an Alaskan cruise and part is Seward, Vancouver, Moab Utah, and start/end in Orlando FL. The airlines charge extra for more than 50 lbs. I'm coordinating a collection based on colors. Basically, all tops will go with all bottoms and all shoes go with everything to include hikers, sneakers, espadrilles, sandals. Consider sending out some wash on the ship. I'm re-wearing and hand-washing some items. I'm brining one removable liner coat, one fleece, silky long underwear, a sweater wrap, one pair gloves, one warm hat, pants variety, skirts, capris, shorts, top variety, bathing suit, lounging/sleeping clothes, you get the idea. If I were a guy (I'm not) I would try to find very lightweight shoes and a variety of pants and ties and shirts for dinners. I'd do cargo and zip off pants, a jacket, and only about 3 pairs of shoes.

 

 

 

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Taking slightly OT here:

Moab - one of my favorite places ever! 2 amazing National Parks, a wonderful State Park, miles and miles of hiking and mountain biking trails, and a river to day-raft on. Be prepared for HOT, but dry humidity. Be prepared to get dirty - the dirt from the red rock jumps on you faster than any other dirt!!! Have a pair of closed-toe shoes to wear there - sandals will yield you red feet! And, takes socks that you may not need to wear again or you can get commercially washed - that red dirt is HARD to get out! It's such a bad dirt that you will see people at the car wash washing off their bikes there - you don't want that stuff to build up. Take plastic bags to put your shoes and socks in after wearing so they don't get the dirt all over the rest of your stuff in your luggage. You don't need skirts and capris there - even for a woman, a pair of cargo zip off pants are a good item to have down there as they are made from lightweight material and the pant actually keeps you cooler than shorts. If you must do shorts, just zip them off. You'll look like a definite fish out of water in Moab if you do more than T-shirts and shorts (or the zip-offs). Be sure you have a BIG water bottle as you will definitely need plenty of water with you when you go out into the National Parks or on the river road. Once you leave town, places to get water are very few.

Man, I need another 3 days off in a row so I can go back down there!!!

Thanks, slidergirl, for the info about Gala night. I'd been told that HAL was still the most formal and enforced dining room attire. We don't mind dressing up, but it would be a challenge if we don't get that second suitcase exempt from the weight limit from. Dawson City to Fairbanks.

I'd been told that HAL was still the most formal and enforced dining room attire.

Don't rely on "being told" - check with the source! I've yet to see a cruise company without dress code information on their site.

https://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Cruise%20Preparation&contentMenu=Baggage,%20Packing%20%26%20Dress%20Code&contentSubMenu=Is%20There%20A%20Dress%20Code%3F

Q: Did HAL change their dress code?

A: Yes, some refinements were made to improve consistency and the policy now reads:

• Most evenings smart casual attire is appropriate. Shorts, pool/beachwear, distressed jeans and men’s tank tops are best left to the daytime and are not permitted in fine dining restaurants.
  
• Gala Nights evoke the grand traditions of cruising as guests dress to impress for special events on board, including our five-course gourmet dinner in the Dining Room. For gentlemen, collared shirts and slacks are required in all fine dining restaurants.
  

Q: Why the change from “Formal” To “Gala” night?

A: To many, the “Formal” term was misleading as it implies a specific type of dress (black tie or tuxedo) that has never been a requirement. “Gala” still implies festive or dressy without misleading guests to bring attire the majority of guests don’t wear.

Q: What about ladies’ gala attire?

A: Dressy attire is appropriate. Dresses, skirts, and slacks are all acceptable.

Q: Are a jacket and tie required for men?

A: Jacket and tie is the preferred attire in all fine dining restaurants on Gala Nights, though it is not required. Guests without a jacket and tie were allowed in the fine dining restaurants before the new wording so this is not a policy change.

Q: Are jeans allowed?

A: Jeans without holes, tears or embroidery are welcome on most evenings in all restaurants, but on Gala Nights jeans are only allowed in the casual dining restaurants.

Q: Can I wear shorts in the main dining room?

A: Not at dinner. The dining room is considered a fine dining restaurant and shorts are not permitted.

Q: Is the dress code the same on Grand Voyages?

A: Yes. The policy applies to all Holland America Line voyages.

My experience, from non-cruise travel, is that my 3 oz containers are rarely empty after a 2 week vacation. If you are able to use the shampoo, lotion and bath gel provided by hotels, you can get away with packing even less.

Agreeing with the recommendation to do a "trial run": put your products into the small bottles, and see how long they last. I was completely surprised, during my test runs. Remember to label the bottle with the start date! You can do the same with wardrobe items.

50 lbs seems like a lot. I can't even lift that much, so would seriously reconsider packing a case (or cases) of that total weight. After all, I need to be able to get the stuff out of my home…

p.s., re: concerns about washing merino wool: I put mine in the washing machine. Cold water, delicate cycle. When purchasing, I usually "size up", for a slightly generous fit, to allow for shrinkage.

One more tip: pack the stuff you think you need for your trip, and weigh it.

At this point, you could even pack your stuff, and then use only those items, for three weeks. Then you will know which items are not necessary to pack at all! :)

Seagazer, I sent an email to HAL regarding the 50 lb. weight limit, and this is their response:

"Thank you for your recent correspondence with Holland America Line concerning your upcoming voyage. You are correct that "Join me in Anchorage" luggage is shipped directly from Skagway, and will meet you in your hotel room there. Additionally, the weight limits apply to the "join me tonight" luggage as you have stated because of intra-tour travel limitations. Holland America Line is delighted to welcome you as one of our valued guests on board!"

So, as long as your bag for the "Join Me Tonight" is under 50 lbs, you'll be fine.

For people living in warm climates:

The really good itch free merino wool is fantastic and looks great, but I wouldn't buy it for just one trip. Merino wool doesn't pick up odors like synthetics do. It can be aired and worn again without washing on the trip.

Bring lightweight scarves for color variety and warmth around the neck and your head underneath the rain coat hood. I don't own long silk underwear any more and will wear my yoga pants under the slacks if necessary.

Whatever warm clothes I own were bought in New Zealand and taken out for trips to colder than Florida climes. My favorite is a sleeveless wool vest.:D

Hbgroadends thank you! That is good news. I know what I was originally planning will meet the limits. All the other great ideas I can incorporate to make my life easier on the road. I will share them with the friends we're travelling with who have not cruised before. It's going to be a great adventure! Thanks to all...

Could always do the buffet on the formal night. That'll eliminate one time only clothing.

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I don't want to skip the dining room with only three nights onboard..

Could always do the buffet on the formal night. That'll eliminate one time only clothing.

OP has already stated she WANTS to eat in the dining room.....

So with 3 days on board, you can pack in a backpack. Roll up your suit in a little roll. Wear black sneakers and wear them on formal night.

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Personally, I hate buffets and I really look forward to dinners in the dining room. After everything I've read in the other forums on the Gala night for Alaska, I'm not going to sweat it.

I've also heard that you can order dinner from the dining room to be delivered in your stateroom as well if you want to avoid dressing up.

I think, in the end, that as long as you don't arrive in jeans and running shoes, you'll be fine for an Alaskan Gala Night.

Personally, I hate buffets and I really look forward to dinners in the dining room. After everything I've read in the other forums on the Gala night for Alaska, I'm not going to sweat it.

 

I've also heard that you can order dinner from the dining room to be delivered in your stateroom as well if you want to avoid dressing up.

 

I think, in the end, that as long as you don't arrive in jeans and running shoes, you'll be fine for an Alaskan Gala Night.

Just a correction: there is no rule about running shoes in the MDR on any night ;)

This is how I packed clothing for a 9 night trip with just a carry on (I'm high maintenance too if that matters lol):

- 3 dresses to wear at night

- 1 jacket

- 1 sweatshirt

- a mix of t shirts/flannels

-3 tank tops

-4 pairs of pants

- underwear

- socks

- 4 pairs shoes (heels, sneaker, hiking boots, flip flops)

- 2 sweat pants

-3 bras

- 2 long tank tops for exercising