Clothing for Alaska Cruise
 

Hello All,
I am booked on Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas cruise to Alaska beginning 6/11/2010 from Seattle. Can anyone tell me clothing I should bring with me. I understand the weather is chilly and coming from New England this means hooded sweat shirts, jeans, sneekers etc. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance

The key to dressing for Alaska is layering. Have a short or long sleeved t-shirt, sweat shirt/hooded sweatshirt and a waterproof jacket/coat and you will be good to go. You can take off or add layers as the weather dictates. The chances of rain are good so the waterproof coat is almost a necessity. Sneakers are fine for normal activities but a pair of good walking shoes or heavier footwear may be needed if you are going to do some hiking or heavier walking on rough surfaces.

If you are from New England you should have all of these things so you won't have much trouble with Alaska.

Take care and enjoy Alaska. It is beautiful.
Mike

ok. thanks for the info.

sqllady,

Alaska's "inside passage" has very mild summers, with high temperatures ranging from the 60's to the 80's and nighttime lows generally in the 50's or 60's. Obviously, it's best to dress in layers so you can shed what you don't need. I recommend bringing both slacks and shorts (or skirts for ladies) to wear ashore, as you probably will want both during the cruise.

The southern end of the "inside passage" is a temperate rain forest. In particular, Ketchikan is the rainiest city in North America, so be sure to bring a waterproof jacket and a rain hat or an umbrella. Rain is also somewhat likely around Juneau, and Skagway gets an occasional rainy day.

That said, the glacier areas tend to be quite cold. The "calving" of the glaciers provides a steady supply of ice into the bays that have them, ensuring that the bays remain full of ice water (temp. 32 F). The air above those bays, and the air above the glaciers, is not much warmer -- typically in the upper 30's. Thus, in these areas, you will want a winter (or heavy fall) jacket, hat, and gloves. Also, you may want suitable boots if you plan to take any of the helicopter excursions that actually land on a glacier.

Finally, if you plan to do a hike through the wilderness, zip lining, a fishing excursion, etc., be sure to bring suitable attire for that activity.

Norm.

The short answer is to wear layered clothing and be sure and have proper rain gear. The temperatures near the glacier will be cooler but nowhere near 32 degrees. Now, if you decide to jump into the water near the glacier, then yes it will be very cold! LOL

Debra