Inside Passage June 2021 Packing List

[ScottC4746]

This is my first cruise to Alaska and a little nervous being from Southern California I don't have the proper clothes for Alaska.  Any suggestions?

[CruiserBruce]

Very commonly discussed here. Layers. Its all about layers. The outer layer needs to be wind and water proof. For our June 2019 14 day Alaska, we wore every possible combo, from shorts to medium heavy jacket, because we experienced everything but snowfall.

 

We bought medium heavy jackets in our first stop..Ketchikan. It was a planned purchase, not an emergency. The prices were pretty good. And we used them 3 days.

[oaktreerb]

For our first visit to Alaska we went to RCI and they suggested purchasing lightweight rain pants and jacket with a hood that we could roll up and carry with us on outings.  We wear them as an outer layer on rainy days. They also add a layer of warmth and wind protection.  Under that layer your California winter clothes including a fleece jacket.   For Glacier Bay I add a puffy down filled jacket and a scarf.  Don’t forget the gloves and a warm hat to pull down over your ears.  You will need a pair of waterproof walking shoes and whatever normal shoe you wear in winter or tennis shoes.  Take comfy shoes for around the ship.  If you want to hike most people recommend wool socks or some sock that protects you from blisters.  

 

We’ve gone to Alaska many times over the past 15 years and those rain pants are still good.  I have replaced the jacket once because the lining wore out across the shoulder.  

[cruiseryyc]

Sure hope this trip is fully refundable, booking a cruise for June 2021 might be a little premature!

[Crew News]

A few more additions include a lightweight poncho to keep both you and your camera dry in case of sudden rain and a small  backpack to store your removed layers of clothing as the temperature rises during the day.

[cat shepard]

Great suggestions.

 

I am bringing similar items to Iceland & Alaska (September) next year, and found some great items & prices at Sierra.com. 
 

Have a great trip!

[kochleffel]

Anecdote: I've used the same assortment of clothing described in the posts above for a trip to the Faroe Islands. Remember that there can be much more wind on the water than on the shore and it feels colder, so for both outdoor time on the ship and any excursions by boat you may need warmer gear, including gloves, than you would want on shore. On a boat tour of sea caves, I took along a packable down-alternative vest and quickly put it on under my (lined) rain jacket. I also wanted a hat; I had only a rain hat, which helped, but a warm hat would have been better.

 

Anyway, the story -- the Faroes are part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and half or more of summer visitors are from there. The Danes were easy to recognize, because they all wore heavy, black wool coats and hats. I thought that the coats were probably too warm for the conditions. North Americans were equally easy to recognize, because we wore rain jackets, most in bright colors.