What to Wear on an Alaska Cruise

A packing list tells you what to bring. This tells you what to put on. Alaska days vary enormously in what they demand, from a wet six hour port day to a formal dinner to a cold morning on deck, and the same suitcase has to cover all of them.

A packing list answers the question of what goes in the case. This answers a different one: on a given morning, standing in a small cabin, what do you actually put on?

The glacier morning

This is the coldest situation on an Alaska cruise, and it happens between roughly 5:30 and 11:00 am depending on your itinerary. You will be standing still on an open deck in wind for an hour or more.

• Merino or synthetic base layer top
• Fleece or mid weight sweater
• Light down or synthetic insulated jacket
• Waterproof, windproof shell with the hood up
• Warm hat covering the ears
• Light gloves, ideally touchscreen compatible
• Comfortable trousers, quick drying rather than jeans

This is the only situation in which you need all four upper layers. If you have packed properly, this is the morning that justifies it. See how cold is an Alaska cruise for why the ice makes so much difference.

A wet port day

Ketchikan averages around 140 inches of rain a year. Plan on being outside in it.

• Base layer top
• Fleece
• Waterproof shell, hood up, zipped
• Waterproof walking shoes, not trainers
• Wool or synthetic socks, never cotton
• Optional waterproof over trousers if you are on a boat or hiking

The two failures here are a jacket that is water resistant rather than waterproof, which soaks through in about forty minutes, and canvas shoes, which soak through faster and then stay wet for the rest of the cruise.

A boat trip

Whale watching and wildlife boats feel much colder than standing on land at the same temperature, because you are stationary, exposed and often damp with spray.

Wear everything you would wear on a glacier morning, plus a buff or scarf. Most operators provide blankets and some provide waterproof outer layers, but do not rely on it.

A warm day in Skagway

Skagway sits in a rain shadow and receives about a fifth of Ketchikan's rainfall, with July highs around 68 degrees Fahrenheit. It is the one port where you may genuinely be too warm.

• Base layer or a simple long sleeved top
• Fleece carried rather than worn
• Shell in the daypack
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Sunglasses, because the light off the water is strong

Evening on the ship

This is where the lines diverge, and it is worth knowing yours before you pack.

For most lines, one jacket or one dress covers the smarter evenings and nothing more is needed. Many passengers skip them entirely and eat at the buffet or a specialty restaurant, which is completely acceptable everywhere except Cunard.

What nobody wears in Alaska

• Anything white. It will not survive a port day.
• Heels. Gangways, boardwalks and wet decks make them a genuinely poor choice.
• A heavy parka. Too warm for port days, too bulky for the case, and less versatile than layers.
• Cotton next to the skin. It absorbs moisture, stops insulating and takes days to dry in Alaska humidity.
• Multiple formal outfits. One is enough on almost every line.

The single most useful item

A waterproof shell with a hood that genuinely works. Test it in a shower before you travel: if water beads and runs off, it is fine. If it soaks in and darkens, it is water resistant rather than waterproof, and it will fail you in Ketchikan. A reproofing wash costs very little and restores an older jacket.

Everything else in your case is negotiable. That is not.

For the complete list including quantities, see the Alaska cruise packing list.