questions for cruising Quantum for our first trip to Alaska

[mathmomof3]

We are going on our first Alaskan cruise on Quantum in August and I have a few questions:

1) how formal the  formal nights are in MDR as well as the dress for the rest of the nights.  Are jeans ok with a nice shirt - button down/polo?

2) are the pools heated?

3) what is the temperature for the indoor spaces?  I'm used to Caribbean cruises where we dress for the warm weather and bring a sweater.  Do they heat the indoor spaces?  

4) is it really as rainy as I'm reading?  do we really need rainpants?

Thank you for any suggestions you can offer - trying to pack only 1 suitcase and one backpack per person.

[WALKER1313]

Formal nights (night 2and 6) are called dress your best. If jeans and a polo are you best then that’s it. We pack only a carry on and I always have a suit. 
 

pools on Quantum- IDK

 

indoor spaces are heated, but you still my need a sweater. Like everything in Alaska - dress in layers

 

check the weather forecast before you leave, it can change a lot but…. Also it depends on the excursion you might be taking. Rain pants - I would never take them, but I can handle rain and a bit of cold. 

[WALKER1313]

Suggestion: turn in a bag of laundry day 2 or 3 for a refreshment of clothing. Not a terrible price and allows you to bring less items. 
 

(remember: don’t put you mink stole or leather pants into the bag) 

[bonsai3s]

3 hours ago, mathmomof3 said:

We are going on our first Alaskan cruise on Quantum in August and I have a few questions:

1) how formal the  formal nights are in MDR as well as the dress for the rest of the nights.  Are jeans ok with a nice shirt - button down/polo?

2) are the pools heated?

3) what is the temperature for the indoor spaces?  I'm used to Caribbean cruises where we dress for the warm weather and bring a sweater.  Do they heat the indoor spaces?  

4) is it really as rainy as I'm reading?  do we really need rainpants?

Thank you for any suggestions you can offer - trying to pack only 1 suitcase and one backpack per person.

Agree with walker1313...good advice.

 

1. Casual is the norm.

2. No.

3. Indoor spaces are heated but...bring a sweater.

4. Simply google what the weather forecast will be for your cruise and plan accordingly.  * We've been to Alaska when it was snowing (yes, in the summer)...when it rained every single day...and when it was hot and wished we had brought shorts. Google is your friend.

 

Happy sailing!

[welshrich]

9 hours ago, mathmomof3 said:

We are going on our first Alaskan cruise on Quantum in August and I have a few questions:

1) how formal the  formal nights are in MDR as well as the dress for the rest of the nights.  Are jeans ok with a nice shirt - button down/polo?

2) are the pools heated?

3) what is the temperature for the indoor spaces?  I'm used to Caribbean cruises where we dress for the warm weather and bring a sweater.  Do they heat the indoor spaces?  

4) is it really as rainy as I'm reading?  do we really need rainpants?

Thank you for any suggestions you can offer - trying to pack only 1 suitcase and one backpack per person.

Hi

We just did Radiance last month for Alaska and have done Quantum on another itinerary.

 

Formal night was just dress your best, some people made the effort but the majority seemed to just wear jeans.  In the Dining room there seemed to be no dress code enforced, we saw jeans, shorts, tank tops and baseball caps.

 

When we were on Quantum, the indoor spaces all seemed pleasant, we are from the UK so it was never cold for us, the solarium pools seemed warm and the whole solarium a nice temp, we did not use the indoor or outdoor pool.

 

The weather in Alaska in June was changeable, we did a b2b, the first week in Juneau it was raining, the second week it was sunny and in the high 70's.

 

Hope this helps.

[Joseph2017China]

9 hours ago, mathmomof3 said:

We are going on our first Alaskan cruise on Quantum in August and I have a few questions:

1) how formal the  formal nights are in MDR as well as the dress for the rest of the nights.  Are jeans ok with a nice shirt - button down/polo?

2) are the pools heated?

3) what is the temperature for the indoor spaces?  I'm used to Caribbean cruises where we dress for the warm weather and bring a sweater.  Do they heat the indoor spaces?  

4) is it really as rainy as I'm reading?  do we really need rainpants?

Thank you for any suggestions you can offer - trying to pack only 1 suitcase and one backpack per person.

all your questions were answered.  But why would you have rain pants?  Do you wear rain pants at home, when it rains?  Yes, it rains a lot in AK, but rain pants are definitely something you don't need

 

[Italy52]

2 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

all your questions were answered.  But why would you have rain pants?  Do you wear rain pants at home, when it rains?  Yes, it rains a lot in AK, but rain pants are definitely something you don't need

 

We have done numerous cruises to Alaska and ALWAYS pack our rain pants --- they easily fold up into a pouch and work well especially when taking excursions on boats (whale watching) or glacier viewing days for added warmth.  Would not leave home without them.

[celoplyr]

I don't know why I have rain pants, but for some bizarre reason I do, so I pack them to Alaska, but have never needed them.

 

This may be why I overpacked this year, but oh well.  

 

I also lived in a hoodie, but I'm from a place where it is really really hot, and so the deck was very cold (even though it was a good temp for Alaska, 65 as a high).

[CruiseWendy]

We’re from Seattle and will be on Quantum in a few weeks. We are packing rain pants because no matter the weather if it’s torrential downpours we will still be outside 🙂 Also, we have a few excursions that are exposed to the elements so they might come in handy. They take up little space. Pack in layers, have waterproof jackets and you’ll be ready! 

[BirdTravels]

19 hours ago, mathmomof3 said:

We are going on our first Alaskan cruise on Quantum in August and I have a few questions:

1) how formal the  formal nights are in MDR as well as the dress for the rest of the nights.  Are jeans ok with a nice shirt - button down/polo?

2) are the pools heated?

3) what is the temperature for the indoor spaces?  I'm used to Caribbean cruises where we dress for the warm weather and bring a sweater.  Do they heat the indoor spaces?  

4) is it really as rainy as I'm reading?  do we really need rainpants?

Thank you for any suggestions you can offer - trying to pack only 1 suitcase and one backpack per person.

At most, we carry an umbrella. Indoor is the same temp as when you are in the Caribbean. For the most part, the heat load from people and equipment means the AC is running. Never ever carried rain pants (and we cruise Alaska every year). 

 

[Ourusualbeach]

19 hours ago, mathmomof3 said:

3) what is the temperature for the indoor spaces?  I'm used to Caribbean cruises where we dress for the warm weather and bring a sweater.  Do they heat the indoor spaces?  

Don't worry, they will adjust the heat of the indoor spaces according to the temperature that it is outside.  We were on Ovation last week and it was typical Alaska weather which meant the day started off at 50 degrees.  The indoor heaters were going and you felt the blasts of warm air from the vents as you were walking through the hallways

[Tlbecker1]

9 hours ago, Italy52 said:

We have done numerous cruises to Alaska and ALWAYS pack our rain pants --- they easily fold up into a pouch and work well especially when taking excursions on boats (whale watching) or glacier viewing days for added warmth.  Would not leave home without them.

We have done 8 cruises in Alaska and have never thought about bringing rain pants.  It must be that we are Oregonians and rain is normal all of the time for us.

[Italy52]

22 hours ago, Tlbecker1 said:

We have done 8 cruises in Alaska and have never thought about bringing rain pants.  It must be that we are Oregonians and rain is normal all of the time for us.

I would believe that.  We are from and have returned back to California after living in several states.  When we lived in Renton, WA, we were amazed at all the locals out in shorts and flip flops when it was raining.  Me, I had my trusty umbrella.  We have done 32 trips to Alaska during various months and have encountered different weather.  So, packing light weight, folding rain pants is just second nature to us.  We like the water and glacier excursions and tend to be outside a lot during that time.  The pants have helped us when it is raining and also protected us from the wind.  Not necessary for everyone, but a convenience for us.

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

On 7/22/2022 at 9:14 AM, Italy52 said:

We have done numerous cruises to Alaska and ALWAYS pack our rain pants --- they  work well especially when taking excursions on boats (whale watching) 

Agreed. I have been very grateful to have waterproof pants for a couple of water excursions. I don't think I've ever needed them for actual rain purposes, but then again I've only done that itinerary three times. You never know when an absolute deluge will happen! 

[broadwaybaby123]

Formal nights really aren't that formal.

[Tlbecker1]

2 hours ago, Italy52 said:

I would believe that.  We are from and have returned back to California after living in several states.  When we lived in Renton, WA, we were amazed at all the locals out in shorts and flip flops when it was raining.  Me, I had my trusty umbrella.  We have done 32 trips to Alaska during various months and have encountered different weather.  So, packing light weight, folding rain pants is just second nature to us.  We like the water and glacier excursions and tend to be outside a lot during that time.  The pants have helped us when it is raining and also protected us from the wind.  Not necessary for everyone, but a convenience for us.

We definitely are going to be wearing shorts when it is 60!  Rain has never bothered us and getting wet is all part of our daily lives, except this week it will be 100 degrees totally not normal for Oregon.