Seven Days in Alaska, five days pre and post cruise

[sail7seas]

REALLY interested if some of you would comment about packing for this trip.

 

DH will be wearing dark suit for formal nights.

We are dining in very nice restaurants in Seattle so DH needs jackets. How many sports jackets would you bring in addition to his suit so he's dressed for both the ship and Seattle evenings.

 

He's doing a fishing/small boat excursion one day so needs warm clothes to stay warm/dry. We are more apt to dress more than less.

 

How many trousers would you pack for the 12 days for during the day wear? I have planned to dockers, one jean, one warm pant he wears for walking on cold winter days in New England.

 

How many long sleeve jerseys? I have planned three and will send out for laundering.

 

Long sleeve dress shirts, I have planned four. Some nights on the ship, he will wear a nice shirt with either dress pants or dockers. I have two shirts to wear with his suit and sports jacket(s). If it's a warmer day in Alaska, he can wear the long sleeve shirts with no jacket/roll up the sleeves to elbow. (I like that look on a man. :))

 

One wind breaker jacket and a warmer with fleeze liner and hood.

 

Should this work for him?

Would you take less?

 

Though we have over 80 cruises, this is our first to Alaska and I'm struggling with this whole warm/cold weather/very casual/nice city combination of clothing needs.

 

Thanks for help.

[SadieN]

I'll try to help. DH and I pack lightly.

Coldest we've encountered Alaska was 40F and rainy. Warmest was 80F. Same week a year apart the end of June. Check the weather report.

 

one Suit & Pants

One shirt

two ties

dress shoes

 

One Sports Coat

Try to have all shirts go with the coat

No more than 6 shirts

 

two pair of Dockers

 

A pair of silk long johns, if cold enough.

 

A 3-n-1 jacket. A water resistant/proof wind breaker that has a fleece lining that can be worn on it's own. (Or your own combinition of this.)

When worn with an Undershirt, Long Johns and a shirt he should be warm enough under his jacket.

 

One or two pair walking shoes with good traction. DH almost rolled down Mt Roberts wearing his Rockports.

[sail7seas]

Thanks, Sadie. That's sounds fine for Alaska and I think he'd do fine but we have five days in Seattle as well. I think that is what is giving me trouble...... city clothes in addition to Alaska touring clothes.

 

The sport jackets and suit work okay for dinners in Seattle but he needs day clothes he'll look decent walking around the city.

 

[Hoyaheel]

I don't think Seattle is a dressy city like NYC might be. And even if it were..... My friends from the pacific NW are far more casual than my friends from the NE. I would think that khakis and a button down + fleece and/or windbreaker would be fine for exploring Seattle. (My husband and I don't travel with jeans - too heavy and they take too long to dry if they get wet) And I agree that one suit plus one sports coat would be fine. Are you going to be with the same people at the same restaurants every night in Seattle? Wearing the same jacket with a couple different shirt/pant combos would be fine.

[SadieN]

Sail, Seattle is the land of the Birkenstock!:p

Dockers and a shirt are fine for walking around.

Throw the sportcoat over that and he's done.

[sail7seas]

Thanks for the good info re: Seattle. That is making my life easier.

 

We will be having dinner with same people twice but there will be others who we are only seeing one night. Frankly, if they mind seeing him in the same jacket, they'll just have to 'deal with it'. I'm on a mission to travel as lean as we can. That probably means two 28" suitcases and two rollaboards instead of three checked bags. :o

 

Is that really too, too much for two people, 12 days and considering we're staying in a great hotel and going to really nice restaurants? They'll be the usual two formal nights on the ship with five smart casual.

 

 

[5326jan]

2 24" suitcases and 2 roll aboards sound like a reasonable amount of luggage for that many days, especially when you consider how many layers you will have to bring for weather contingencies. It's what we took on our 12 day + land cruise. Although some space was taken up with wine!:D

 

Another item of clothing we found invaluable for Alaska was a fleece vest. It was a great layer with long sleeves on average days, but worked well under our coats for Glacier Bay day.

 

Be sure to find room for a pair of binoculars each! Have a great trip!

[Hoyaheel]

We didn't bring a fleece vest but my husband and I each brought a fleece jacket and a goretex rain coat and made our own 3-in-1 coats depending on needs - could wear each alone, or both together if the weather necessitated. We did 5 days pre-cruise in central Alaska visiting family and exploring - so very casual, no sports coats for us! Hiking boots, etc. But it was quite warm - we were there over Labor Day and it was in the upper 70s. Some years it's already snowed there in Delta Junction by that time:p

 

We did bring tuxedo/formals for the cruise itself, but still managed to pack somewhat lightly - I think a 25" checked bag each and a 20" carry-on plus backpack (for hubby) and small tote (for me) We did all our laundry before we left my brother's house so started the cruise with fresh clothing, which was a nice bonus. I would have done laundry at a hotel or on the ship, if necessary, to avoid packing for 13 days. Just didn't want to carry that much stuff, wouldn't have been able to fit it all in the rental car trunk ;-)

 

And I totally agree with Janet - binoculars for everyone!!! My husband and I don't share well ;-)

[ElsieToo]

Yes, Seattle tends to be pretty casual, so no need for more than the suit for the cruise and one additional sport jacket. I agree with the previous poster who said that a fleece vest is invaluable. Between the two dress-type jackets, and the vest, I think if he takes one, possibly two other pieces of outerwear (1 being waterproof) you'll be fine. The coldest our July cruise got was upper 50s (and rainy), but it was just the one day. Our pre-cruise stay in Seattle was a heat wave in the 90s, so none of us wore jackets until we were on board.

[sail7seas]

 

<snip>

 

 

We did bring tuxedo/formals for the cruise itself, but still managed to pack somewhat lightly - I think a 25" checked bag each and a 20" carry-on plus backpack (for hubby) and small tote (for me) We did all our laundry before we left my brother's house so started the cruise with fresh clothing, which was a nice bonus. I would have done laundry at a hotel or on the ship, if necessary, to avoid packing for 13 days. Just didn't want to carry that much stuff, wouldn't have been able to fit it all in the rental car trunk ;-)

 

And I totally agree with Janet - binoculars for everyone!!! My husband and I don't share well ;-)

 

 

 

:D I need a 25" suitcase to go to lunch. :o

I so admire those of you who can manage with a small bag like that. I just can't seem to keep eliminating down to so little.

 

I need the same amount of 'stuff' for a 12 day vacation as I do for a 30 day.

 

And, yes..... I have binoculars for each! I don't want to give them up at just the moment I'm seeing something special. ;)

 

Thanks for all the help.

I'll let you know how much I pack when the time comes.