What?! Don't bring an umbrella?

[ship2sher]

:confused: It never rains in California. I've read comments from people who say

they don't use an umbrella because it's too difficult to hold a camera &

an umbrella at the same time, plus the wind can render the umbrella useless anyway. I've always used an umbrella, so the last time I was outside in a decent rain, I tried not using one. My face got soaked and

my make-up ran. It was hard for me to see. I kept closing my eyes.

What's the trick? A baseball cap or what?

[greatdanemom]

It really doesn't rain in California? :eek: I thought that was just a song. Okay, I admit to being an ignorant East coaster...

 

I'd get a good rain hat with a wide brim. I bet Totes puts a decent one out. Hmmm, maybe get one of those bright yellow rain slicker hats. Aren't they called sou'westers? All of those fishermen must use them for a reason. Just a thought...

 

Cheryl

[kingsgirl]

I'm taking an umbrella cause there is no way my digital camera is going to get wet.

 

If it's raining really hard, or it's windy I've got disposable cameras in case.

 

It's not difficult to hold the umbrella and camera at the time, but you could always have your friend hold the umbrella while you shoot.

[qiangf2]

yes, bring one. Umbrella is so much better than $5 rain poncho (my personal exprience only :) )

[RSWBADGER]

You don't want to have umbrella's blocking another cruisers views while on a tour. Wear decent rain gear on excursions and tours if there is a need.;)

 

[gg3]

You will know the locals in Alaska, they are the ones without umbrellas. An umbrella is a pain in the backside when you are trying to enjoy the tours, walking, taking pictures, eating, you get the picture. Get you a good, lightweight WATERPROOF (not water resistant) rain jacket with good hood (with a little brim, so rain does not run down your face) and make sure it has good pockets to put your camera, etc. in if need be. I carry a fanny pack for my necessaries and husband carries a small waterproof backpack for camera, bottled water, etc. gg

[ladysheri]

You will know the locals in Alaska, they are the ones without umbrellas. An umbrella is a pain in the backside when you are trying to enjoy the tours, walking, taking pictures, eating, you get the picture. Get you a good, lightweight WATERPROOF (not water resistant) rain jacket with good hood (with a little brim, so rain does not run down your face) and make sure it has good pockets to put your camera, etc. in if need be. I carry a fanny pack for my necessaries and husband carries a small waterproof backpack for camera, bottled water, etc.

 

I heartily agree. Natives in Seattle don't bother with umbrellas either....not sure I own one. :D :) :D

[MilliesMom]

:confused: It never rains in California. I've read comments from people who say

they don't use an umbrella because it's too difficult to hold a camera &

an umbrella at the same time, plus the wind can render the umbrella useless anyway. I've always used an umbrella, so the last time I was outside in a decent rain, I tried not using one. My face got soaked and

my make-up ran. It was hard for me to see. I kept closing my eyes.

What's the trick? A baseball cap or what?

 

I always take a jacket with a hood that can be tighten around the face. A baseball hat underneath it works too if you want.

 

Also since it is so crowded in most ports, an umbrella could be a hazard.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

 

I heartily agree. Natives in Seattle don't bother with umbrellas either....not sure I own one.

 

LOL. Same here--I'm from Portland and don't have an umbrella to my name! ;):D

 

Cheers!

Jayne

[kingsgirl]

What if I own an umbrella but never use it? LOL Does that count?

 

It makes sense to do without, but a wide rimmed hat? HA HA...never would I wear that. Guess I better bring a baseball cap or something lmao...

[mytime53]

When I was helping my MIL pack to move to Alaska (from Florida) last spring, she handed me 3 umbrellas to pack. I laughed and said she wouldn't need one, much less 3. She insisted, and now they sit collecting dust on a shelf. Haven't been touched, and won't likely be until they get donated to Salvation Army, where someone might pick them up as props in a play.

You might be comfortable using one, but as above poster mentioned, they get in the way of those not using them. Kind of like someone wearing a big hat to the movies and sitting right in front of you.

[dmlee1990]

The last time we went to Alaska, I took an umbrella. Guess what?! It didn't rain. That happens to me a lot. So, maybe pack a small collapsable umbrella to bring you good weather.

[plantlady095]

On our trip to the northern part of Scotland and the North Sea, I used an anorak with a hood that has a smallish visor in front. I wear glasses and it makes me grumpy for my lenses to get rained upon. The hood takes care of that issue. For Alaska, I am bringing my anorak and a large brimmed canvas hat which I have sprayed with water-proofing spray. That way I can wear it rain or shine. Because we are from Houston, we are accustomed to lots of rain, but our rain is warm. I doubt that the rain in Alaska is very warm. I rarely bother with an umbrella while at home. I will put one in from Dollar Tree and only use it in a pinch. And, at the end, I will leave it somewhere for someone else to use.:D

[agabbymama]

This thread is so funny. I live in Southern California (where it never rains) ha ha ha. And I have approximately 20 umbrellas, and I do use them. I have a huge golfer's umbrella that I use to get from the car into the office building where I work, and to cross the campus at lunch time to the cafeteria if it's raining. On my recent cruise to New England/Canada, Celebrity had umbrellas in our cabins for us to use, and I'm glad they did. It rained in Halifax and Quebec. Real rip snortin, pouring rain. Nothing was keeping anyone dry. Not ponchos, not umbrellas, not raincoats, not even Sou'wester suits. So if it's raining cats and dogs, just plan on getting soaked.

 

I plan to take a travel size umbrella, not a golfers umbrella to Alaska. My husband will usually hold the umbrella if I want to take a picture. Then the camera goes back in my pocket or the case. I ruined a great Canon camera in Australia. Rain does get inside the camera and once they are rusted, they can't be repaired to ever work the same. Which I discovered $100 later when the camera kept jamming.

 

On our Inside Passage cruise in May '99, it was more of a misty rain, not the downpours we hit on the East Coast, though I'm sure Alaska can get some pretty good storms too.

[mbisson]

Umbrella? What's that?

 

I wonder what causes those annual mudslides in California if it doesn't rain there. ;)

[digitalgirl]

Umbrella? What's that?

 

I wonder what causes those annual mudslides in California if it doesn't rain there. ;)

 

Those seasonal fires clear all the plants from the hillsides so the sprinklers cause mudslides

[little miss s]

Gosh, now I'm so confused. To umbrella or not to umbrella? I guess I'll make my DH happy and skip the umbrella. Anything to make our suitcase lighter makes him happy. I just bought a new umbrella just for the cruise though. I wonder if I still have the receipt?

[mbisson]

Those seasonal fires clear all the plants from the hillsides so the sprinklers cause mudslides

 

 

Arnold should ban sprinklers! ;)

[gambit57]

Arnold should ban sprinklers! ;)

 

OFten times, they can be. We can get droughts where they restrict watering your lawn.

 

Of course, out in Malibu, they're so rich that many ignore all rules of law.

[gg3]

On my recent cruise to New England/Canada, Celebrity had umbrellas in our cabins for us to use, and I'm glad they did. It rained in Halifax and Quebec. Real rip snortin, pouring rain. Nothing was keeping anyone dry. Not ponchos, not umbrellas, not raincoats, not even Sou'wester suits. So if it's raining cats and dogs, just plan on getting soaked.

 

I plan to take a travel size umbrella, not a golfers umbrella to Alaska. My husband will usually hold the umbrella if I want to take a picture. Then the camera goes back in my pocket or the case. I ruined a great Canon camera in Australia. Rain does get inside the camera and once they are rusted, they can't be repaired to ever work the same. Which I discovered $100 later when the camera kept jamming.

 

On our Inside Passage cruise in May '99, it was more of a misty rain, not the downpours we hit on the East Coast, though I'm sure Alaska can get some pretty good storms too.

 

I have found that the locals pretty much know what they need for their area, and you just don't see them carrying umbrellas. This will be our third trip to Alaska this summer. On previous trips, it poured, a real gulley washer in Juneau and rained in Skagway. We wore the WATERPROOF rainwear that you can find at all the good sporting good stores (not the cheap stuff that is water resistant) with the hoods, and we were bone dry. Yes, the bottoms of our pants got wet, but an umbrella would not help that. If we had worn waterproof bottoms, they would have been dry to. I'm telling you, an umbrella is just a nuisance for yourself and others. Often the areas you are in will be pretty crowded with visitors, so the umbrella hampers you, plus takes up one of your hands. As I mentioned previously, we have an expensive camera that can't get wet, so husband carries a WATERPROOF backpack for or we carry it around our neck under the rainwear. Trust me.......;) gg in East Texas where we get a heck of a lot of BAD storms and the rainwear works for us perfectly.

[JuneauWhatIMean]

Waterproof pants are a great idea. DH and I took them along for the rain in Alaska last year. We didn't get any rain in September but they came in handy and warm when wearing them over longjohns and jeans while viewing Hubbard Glacier. Mine are just lightweight vinyl pants that pack easily. Add a hooded jacket and an Angels cap and you're all set for a downpour. :cool:

[ACruise4us]

Umbrella? What's that?

 

I wonder what causes those annual mudslides in California if it doesn't rain there. ;)

Oh it does rain here in So. Cal. I would say about 90% of the time it is sunny and boring (Am from the midwest and miss the four seasons) but when it does rain it causes so many problems. There is not enough drainage here. The roads become very slippery and the drivers, well they cannot drive here in the rain (not saying they can drive in the nice weather either. LOL) What I found the funniest thing when I first moved here 15 years ago, on the news they had the news lady near the freeway with an umbrella saying something about the big strom of 1991. The news goes nuts with the storms here even having breaking news when the rain falls hard. They just do not know what to do here when it does rain. LOL