I think they are. I got mine at an REI store. So I was able to try them on. Mine are a little older so don’t look exactly like these!
This is all personal preference. Some folks swear by Smartwool while I only wear a Thorlo (synthetic). You have to figure out what works for you.
This isn’t that different from traveling anywhere else–at least it wasn’t for H and me. With a ship, you can even send things to be laundered if you like (for extra $$). As always, you can wash in your own sink, squeeze to dry on your towel and then hand to finish drying. It it takes too long, use the blow dryer.
I know. Every time I travel I feel like a beginner. Yet H and I have traveled a lot over the last few years. Several times a year. We’ve been across the US and traveled to Europe and the Caribbean.
I still over pack. I never seem to learn. Even when we go to the same place twice.
I seem to think I need new clothes every night and day. As if anyone would notice. I need a new mind set.
Of course, it totally makes a difference what you’re used to. This spring, people were breaking out the shorts and sandals in Anchorage before we even hit 50F, because temperatures like that mean summer’s near (and that we’re heading toward painfully hot temperatures like 70F in midsummer, when we’ll be running for any air conditioned businesses we can find).
So yeah, if you’re coming from someplace like Northern Michigan, you can totally do the sleeveless dress and shorts and completely light fabrics thing. On the other hand, if you’re coming from Miami, well, then the suggestions of thermal underwear might not be too far off the mark.
Yes, there are lots of ultra-light and very comfortable thermals which add warmth without bulk. Our kids like Uniqlo. I like that as well as Icebreakers.
My S is a pro at packing light. I’m working to improve and am thrilled when I wear everything I’ve packed at least once & preferably more often. My biggest challenge is i get cold very easily, so tend to have to pack and wear more layers than I’d prefer. I’m just thrilled to have found the featherweight thermal tank and wool tank tops. They can be worn under many of my outfits and help me stay warm without overheating or being bulky.
Each of is so different in what is comfortable and how many times we can wear variations of the same outfit or garment. Accessorizing makes a huge difference. Rick Steves and many others have recommended packing lists for traveling lightly.
I went in mid-September. We were fortunate and only had rain in Juneau. Thumper I forgot I packed my Patagonia down sweater too. I like the Smartwool lightweight hiking socks.
Am going in July. Any recommendations for excursions in Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Victoria? We are signed up for a dogsled thing in Skagway and looking at a whale watching and mendenhall glacier thing in Juneau. Thoughts?
We did this in Skagway and it was awesome!
https://skagwayshoretours.com/tour/glacier-point-wilderness-safari/
We took the train from Skagway up the Gold Rush trail to Canada and then a bus tour to the Yukon border, stopping at the Yukon River gorge suspension bridge.
Thanks! I think we are doing the dog sledding in Skagway. Any suggestions for Juneau (bike and beer at mendenhall glacier or whale watching and mendenhall) or Ketchikan?
If I recall Ketchikan is pretty small place. We had planned to go to a state park and see some totem poles but as it was torrential rain we only went into some galleries and shops and had already seen and learned a good deal about totem poles while in Vancouver and Victoria at the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver and the one in Victoria. In Juneau we went on a regular school bus to the Mendenhall glacier and toured that. There is a good visitor center there. I don’t recall any place to eat or drink. Juneau is bigger and as it was also raining we did a free tour of the state capital. There is a gondola up to a mountain but it was raining and we had been to Grouse Mt in Vancouver so not essential to do that. The best trip we did was in Skagway we took the train and a van combination, the White Pass Railway up into the Yukon.
For clothing on an Alaska cruise in June or August, consider the following situations:
- On shore (excursion or just walking around town): 40-70F, any of rain, cloudy, or sunny. If you do something active on shore (fast walk, hike, run, kayak, canoe, bicycle, etc.), consider how you may dress for that activity, in the various possible weather conditions.
- On ship, in enclosed part: will be room temperature. If you use the gym (or use the stairs as exercise or otherwise do something active on the ship), consider how you may dress for that activity. If you do sit down meals (versus buffet or cafe type meals), there may be dress codes (probably a bit dressier than T-shirt with jeans or shorts, with some "formal nights").
- On ship, on outside deck (where the best views are): will be outside temperature like on shore, with considerable wind when the ship is moving (some deck areas may be partially shielded from the wind. But you can quickly go into the enclosed part of the ship. The ship may have heated pool and hot tub on deck (but when you get out, you may want to quickly towel off and run inside).
Dressing in layers (with an outer rain shell available) makes sense on shore. Jeans are probably not a great idea due to bulk and not being good if they get wet due to rain (or splashed when going near a waterfall or doing kayaking or canoeing). “Hiking trousers” may be made of material that has some water repellency against light rain and/or is quick drying. Shorts may be suitable for warmer and sunnier days, particular if doing something active.
Perhaps of relevance to these forums is that many of the Alaska tourist industry jobs are seasonal, and some of them are filled with college students on summer break. For example, the guides on many of the outdoorsy activities are college students on summer break.
For anyone who will be stopping in Seward:
The Alaska SeaLife Center has a baby walrus in their rehab program. I think it has been about 5 years since they had a walrus calf. Some gold miners near Nome found it and alerted the stranding network.
It can be viewed through windows into the special rehab housing for it.
See the facebook page for more details.
We visited the ASL and enjoyed it. Additionally we paid for a marine mammals encounter to meet the seal and seal lion team and learn about what caring for them entails. That is just one of the encounters offered. Even without the encounter the center was very interesting. There is a massive glass window into the swimming area for the Stellar Sea Lions. They are soooo much larger than the California sea lions!
In Ketchikan we visited the Saxman Village and learned about their community and the fabulous totem poles. Our tour included visiting the work shop of a totem craftsman.
In Juneau we went to the Mendenhall glacier. If you are good walkers you can go around to where a huge waterfall enters the water. After that our tour took us to whale watching boat. We enjoyed that very much and saw whales bubble net feeding (using bubbles to encircle and confuse the herring, making them easier to catch.)
In Victoria we visited the Butchart Gardens which were fantastic if you like gardens. The downtown looked really nice too.
It definitely rained and misted. The forests looked so interesting with moss growing over everything.
Just got back from our Alaska cruise and thought I’d share my experience. Like I usually do, I overpacked. What I wore: Outer wear - rain shell, earmuffs or hat, fleece jacket, down vest. ( We had some windy days that combined with the ship moving resulted in near gale force wind on the upper open decks, but our balcony was sheltered and comfortable.) shoes: athletic shoes, keen sandals, one pair nice flats for dressier dinners. The younger ladies in our group brought spectacular heels, but I don’t wear high heels. Wool socks, underarmor socks (both dried overnight equally well) Tops: t-shirts, smartwool underlayer shirt for coldest days, flannel shirt, wool sweater. Pants: jeans, hiking pants. For dinners: one knee length dress over black leggings, one long knit skirt.
Lugged along and never wore: bathing suit (too cold on pool deck - hot tubs were jam packed with bodies), nice ponte trousers, two pairs cropped pants, four extra tops, heavy warm pjs (stateroom was cozy), several pairs running socks, slippers, robe, hoodie. Like I said, I overpacked!
Excursions - we have previously enjoyed some of the best ones - like Yukon rail trip and dog-sledding so we didn’t repeat those. In Ketchikan we toured the town on a trolley and visited the Saxman village totem poles. In Juneau we took the tram up Mt Roberts and watched some free shows about historical life in Alaska at the visitor center there. Walked around the nature loop trail and took some fabulous photos of the twisted trees and misty views. Walked around Creek-town (historic red-light district). In Skagway we just explored on our own. The NPS has a store-front information center (jointly with Canadian Park Service) and gives free guided tours. The one I took was about the role of women during the gold rush. Of course we had lunch at Skagway Brewing Co for locally caught and smoked sockeye salmon washed down with Spruce Tip Ale! In Victoria we went out to the Butchart gardens. I hadn’t been there since grade school and last trip to Victoria we had seen the downtown museums and such (which are great). Gardens were spectacular but very very crowded.
Shopping: I wanted to avoid shops owned by the cruise lines and filled with jewelry and “art” or souvineers made in China and stamped with “Alaska”. Before we left I went to Alaska.org and made lists of locally owned shops and galleries. Found some pretty things at reasonable prices.
Hope you have a wonderful trip!
Thank you dragonmom. That was very helpful. I’ll probably be ssking you questions.
First i, what criise line did you take go on?
@dragonmom- It sounds like we have the same itinerary! I have base layer stuff from skiing and a fleece jacket I hope will fit under the waterproof jacket I just bought. I was planning to not bring a ski jacket but instead the costco thermal jacket that stuffs into a pouch and puffs up when you take it out. Will that be good enough? I have a boonie hat, a wool hat, gloves, a scarf, etc. Will that be enough?
I have not been to Alaska -but just back from a Fjords cruise and I wore the heck out of these pantshttps://www.rei.com/product/885652/rei-co-op-northway-slim-pants-womens
On colder days I wore these underneath
https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/women-heattech-leggings-172177.html?dwvar_172177_color=COL69&cgid=women-innerwear#start=25&cgid=women-innerwear
Are you doing anything with a wetsuit? (kayaking, rafting?) I didn’t know what to wear underneath those until this trip
I can share what I wrote in my journal re the Temsco - Pilots Choice tour - Glacier Helicopter in Juneau: From the ship we made our way to the pick-up point. Driver and we arrived at the same time. Hopped in the van for the 15 minute ride to the airport. Our driver pointed out his high school and a few other places. Then we arrived. Checked in and watched a safety video. At first we were told that no one else booked our time and we would fly solo, but after the video, 4 more people joined us. Fitted with ice boots we boarded the helicopter. It was amazing. For take-off you actually lift up and backwards…a different sensation for sure. Off we went with Nate the pilot. Up and over and through outrageous snow covered granite mountains. After about a 30 minute flight we landed on the Gasteneau glacier. ON the glacier! Blue glacial ice, small but very active running “streams” babbling “brooks", black and gray granite, and pristine white snow. We drank from the running water and besides it being the coldest water, it was unbelievably refreshing. And pretty to look at with the spectrum of aqua blues. Spent about 30 minutes, and took a tons of pictures. Back in the helicopter for more sky adventures, for about another 30 minutes, and landed on ANOTHER glacier (Taku). This one had a climb for us (on foot) and at the top was a huge blue ice pond. Surreal to look at. Took more pictures and after a good 30 minutes it was time to head back. On the way back we flew between glaciers and other mountains, and saw dog sleds, and a couple of campsites.
All in all I think it was the best experience and definitely the best money spent of this trip. Well worth the money -
@morrismm , we were on NCL. This particular cruise was picked by a family member, we just joined the fun.
@veruca , we didn’t do anything in wetsuits this time, but in Iceland I wore a long sleeved underarmor shirt and leggings like you posted. It was perfect, and the wetsuit slid on easily.
@jym626 , I think you will be fine.
That glacier tour sounds wonderful, "just"a mom. I’m envious. We were kind of limited in our choices because my husband is having mobility problems right now. Glad you got such a great tour.