Packing for August

[floridafish]

I detest checking bags at airports or cruise ships for that matter. I just completed a 16night TA with just a carry on and side bag with minimal laundry cleaned on board and managed fine.

Are there less temp swings in Alaska during August. Am I nuts not taking larger suitcase?

 

[CruiserBruce]

As frequently discussed here, weather in Alaska can vary frequently, even several times in a day. Its all about layers, with the outer layer needs to be wind and waterproof.

 

It would seem very difficult not to have a checked bag. 

[jsn55]

11 hours ago, floridafish said:

I detest checking bags at airports or cruise ships for that matter. I just completed a 16night TA with just a carry on and side bag with minimal laundry cleaned on board and managed fine.

Are there less temp swings in Alaska during August. Am I nuts not taking larger suitcase?

 

Other than outerwear, I wouldn't wear anything more than twice without washing it.  Checking a bag for a cruise is so simple ... you arrive at the port, someone takes your bag away and it appears in your cabin.  With the incredibly variable Alaska weather, I'd definitely check a bag.  

[SbbquilterUT]

I agree, hate messing with luggage.  We have done this trip and others in carry on.  I do use vacuum bags for the fleece jackets, wool hats and gloves - they pack down really well.  I take advantage of a bag of laundry to refresh my clothes.  I wear hiking fabric pants which wipe clean easily or dry overnight if they get wet.  I am also happy dressing very plain and limit shoes to flats, sneakers and flip flops.  While not everyone's cup of tea we are good to go this way.  Next week we depart for 14 days and will pack the same.  In August we often wore a tee with a long sleeve shirt over and that was plenty, even down to a tee shirt hiking in Skagway.  Be sure to have a ball cap as it helps keep rain off your face.  

[karatemom2]

There can be massive temperature swings in Alaska in all of the summer months. August can have days that are quite cool and rainy. You could definitely do it with a carryon if you are content to limit your wardrobe choices and stick to very basic layers.

 

If I were to try this, I would wear jeans, boots/walking shoes, a turtleneck, pullover and warmer waterproof or water resistant over jacket of some type on the plane to make sure I had a good basic starter wardrobe on my back.

 

Then I would pack in a hard sided rolling carryon meeting the size requirements: (I think you could make all of the following fit)

 

One additional pair of jeans

A couple pairs of warm leggings that pack tightly

Maybe one more pullover

Two turtlenecks

One to two pair of lightweight dress pants for dining room evenings (my choice is black)

A couple of nicer lightweight blouses, maybe one dressy enough for formal night 

Lightweight sweater to wear over blouses and turtlenecks to mix it up

A few pairs of warm socks

Black flats to wear on the ship to dinner/other onboard activities

Undergarments

 

Over the shoulder carryon to take place of purse (you can put purse inside)

Makeup

Hair tools

Medications

Hat/Gloves/Scarf

Disposable plastic rain ponchos

Hand warming packets

 

This would probably provide a good basic wardrobe, with some regular repeats and at least one load of laundry during your cruise.

 

 

 

 

[cruisetonowhere10]

DH and I typically only do carryons but for our Alaskan cruise this summer I don’t think we can make it work so we will check one bag plus the carryons.  Men’s stuff just seems to take up more room, such as jeans, khakis, dress shoes. I could probably do it as a woman who is only 5 ft (my stuff is only so big lol.)

[slhealea]

My husband and I have been on several cruises to Alaska. We never bring more than a carryon size suitcase each, with a backpack each that we place over the handlebars our carryon suitcase, It works great for us

[CutieKakes]

1 hour ago, slhealea said:

My husband and I have been on several cruises to Alaska. We never bring more than a carryon size suitcase each, with a backpack each that we place over the handlebars our carryon suitcase, It works great for us

Same here.  Everyone is different obviously (and it depends on your excursions as well), but we've done several Alaskan cruises (all in May) with only carryons.  It just depends on your travel personality - there is no right or wrong way.  We typically only do carryons for travel in general...even for longer 3 or 4 week trips.  We are just "less is more" personalities - so we are fine re-wearing items, doing sink laundry etc

[BadgerRedux]

On 5/21/2024 at 10:11 PM, CutieKakes said:

Same here.  Everyone is different obviously (and it depends on your excursions as well), but we've done several Alaskan cruises (all in May) with only carryons.  It just depends on your travel personality - there is no right or wrong way.  We typically only do carryons for travel in general...even for longer 3 or 4 week trips.  We are just "less is more" personalities - so we are fine re-wearing items, doing sink laundry etc

So glad to hear of people who make this work.  We're working on learning to travel without checking a bag; we also don't mind sink laundry and some re-wearing; and we aren't really interested in the dressy dinner nights so expect to need fewer types of clothes/shoes than some people.  We're aiming for just carryons and personal items for our (first) Alaska cruise in July; we'll see how it goes!

[kochleffel]

It's possible if you really want to. I haven't tried it in Alaska, but several years ago I spent some time in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in weather that was sometimes very wet (Germany was having record rain) for part of the time and sometimes cold (at 11,300 feet in Switzerland), with only a carry-on bag.

 

Gear for the weather: an unlined packable rain parka from Patagonia, and a packable down-alternative vest (gilet if you're British) from LL Bean. I've used the same things in Alaska and the Faroes, specifically when on the water.

 

Downside: washing some clothing in a bathroom sink almost every night. And for a cruise (none of the trips mentioned above was a cruise), it means re-wearing the same clothes while being around the same people. That doesn't bother me. For the Europe trip, I carried a blazer over my arm because it made my softsided bag slightly too thick for the plane.

 

[cruisetonowhere10]

10 minutes ago, kochleffel said:

It's possible if you really want to. I haven't tried it in Alaska, but several years ago I spent some time in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in weather that was sometimes very wet (Germany was having record rain) for part of the time and sometimes cold (at 11,300 feet in Switzerland), with only a carry-on bag.

 

Gear for the weather: an unlined packable rain parka from Patagonia, and a packable down-alternative vest (gilet if you're British) from LL Bean. I've used the same things in Alaska and the Faroes, specifically when on the water.

 

Downside: washing some clothing in a bathroom sink almost every night. And for a cruise (none of the trips mentioned above was a cruise), it means re-wearing the same clothes while being around the same people. That doesn't bother me. For the Europe trip, I carried a blazer over my arm because it made my softsided bag slightly too thick for the plane.

 

DH thinks we can do it.  So now it’s a challenge. 🙂 I’ll have to report back if I manage it.

[BadgerRedux]

On 6/8/2024 at 4:27 PM, kochleffel said:

It's possible if you really want to. I haven't tried it in Alaska, but several years ago I spent some time in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in weather that was sometimes very wet (Germany was having record rain) for part of the time and sometimes cold (at 11,300 feet in Switzerland), with only a carry-on bag.

 

Gear for the weather: an unlined packable rain parka from Patagonia, and a packable down-alternative vest (gilet if you're British) from LL Bean. I've used the same things in Alaska and the Faroes, specifically when on the water.

 

Downside: washing some clothing in a bathroom sink almost every night. And for a cruise (none of the trips mentioned above was a cruise), it means re-wearing the same clothes while being around the same people. That doesn't bother me. For the Europe trip, I carried a blazer over my arm because it made my softsided bag slightly too thick for the plane.

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I’m also not bothered by being seen in the same clothes multiple days so long as they’re clean.  I’m actually considering splurging on the unlimited laundry package, as that would allow me to send some items at least every other day; I hear that HAL laundry does a good job with cool drying items on request.

[BadgerRedux]

On 6/8/2024 at 4:38 PM, cruisetonowhere10 said:

DH thinks we can do it.  So now it’s a challenge. 🙂 I’ll have to report back if I manage it.

Anxiously waiting to hear how it goes 🙂

[UGACamper]

Trying to do this too! We are plus size and trying to get it all in a carryon and backpack each. I've watched a lot of youtube videos on what i packed vs what i wore - those seem more helpful than standard packing videos.

[BadgerRedux]

2 hours ago, UGACamper said:

Trying to do this too! We are plus size and trying to get it all in a carryon and backpack each. I've watched a lot of youtube videos on what i packed vs what i wore - those seem more helpful than standard packing videos.

Plus size here too; whenever my tinier grown kids tell me how they never check a bag, I'm thinking "well, it probably helps that your clothes are pretty small!" 😏  Interesting point of view on those videos - seeing what people thought they'd need vs the reality.

[jsn55]

"What you think you need vs reality" ... oh how true!  I'm a definite clothes horse and I'll never aspire to travelling with a carryon.  But I've cut my checked bag weight by about 65% over the years.   I have also discovered something as I get older and my strength diminishes.  Non-spinner bags are now much easier to use.  The spinners need a steady hand to stay rolling true.  With a 2-wheeler, you just pull it easily along over all kinds of terrain.

Edited Monday at 10:51 PM by jsn55

[cruisetonowhere10]

1 hour ago, jsn55 said:

"What you think you need vs reality" ... oh how true!  I'm a definite clothes horse and I'll never aspire to travelling with a carryon.  But I've cut my checked bag weight by about 65% over the years.   I have also discovered something as I get older and my strength diminishes.  Non-spinner bags are now much easier to use.  The spinners need a steady hand to stay rolling true.  With a 2-wheeler, you just pull it easily along over all kinds of terrain.

Okay we aren’t plus size but DHs clothes are just bigger…this stuff takes up space. 😂 And shoes….bulky, bulky, bulky…

[SpringsPalm]

I'm determined to make it through Alaska with a carry-on. My smaller bag will have a change of clothes, basic toiletries, my chargers, and my kindle.  I'll probably have room for a few other things.

 

I bought two compression packing cubes from Eagle Creek for my carry-on, and their medium sized one reduces the size of my super-thick, zip-up sweater and my lightweight hooded raincoat by half.

 

I imagine I'll want to do a load of laundry, but I'm hoping it's because I want to, not because I absolutely need to.  Fortunately, Princess has laundromats. But I'm curious if anyone here knows how much Princess currently charges for laundry service, and if they ever run a special during the cruise? 

[SoloAlaska]

Avoid brining big bulky items that won’t compress down. Jeans take up a lot of room. I recently started using the Thule compression packing cubes and wow I fit so much more in my suitcase now. On a recent trip I had almost half my clothing in my personal item with enough room for my electronics, water bottle, snacks, and knitting still thanks to the compression cube.

 

If you’re trying to go carry on only I recommend packing a down sweater over a cotton hoodie for example. Also wear your bulky shoes on the plane so you don’t have to pack them. I just got a new pair of cute shoes which are a knit type fabric and they pack so small, feel like slippers, and look very cute. Those are going to make packing small so much easier. I’ll wear my hiking boots, pack my cute shoes and a pair of cute flip flops and I’m set.