If you're like many people, you've always longed to visit the great state of Alaska -- and perhaps you've finally given in to that urge to explore the Last Frontier and booked an Alaska cruise. You probably already know that you're in for the experience of a lifetime, but you undoubtedly also have a lot of questions about how to get the most from your cruise.
Even though Alaska cruises are only available during the summer tourism season, the weather is often far from what you'd expect from summer. Alaska cruises go through the middle of a temperate rain forest, and this means that the weather is unpredictable. Temperatures rarely get over 70 degrees in this part of the world, and rain is common even during the middle of summer — in fact, the weather can change dramatically over the course of a single day. The morning may start out sunny and bright, and by noon it could be drizzling, only to switch back to sunny several hours later. This can make dressing for an Alaska cruise problematic, but if you pack the following four items in your luggage, you'll be prepared for anything an Alaska summer can dish out:
Shoes With Nonslip Soles
Alaska port cities feature boardwalks in the blocks around the cruise ship docks, and because of the rain, this often means slippery surfaces. Packing a sturdy pair of walking shoes with nonslip soles lets you enjoy your time in Alaska's port cities in safety and comfort.
Layerable Separates
Keeping up with Alaska summer weather means packing layerable separates that can be easily removed and put on as the weather fluctuates. Start with base layers of long-sleeved pants and shirts — it's rarely warm enough on the ship or in the port cities for tank tops and shorts — and add lightweight jackets, fleece tops, and sweaters.
A Warm Hat
Summer mornings and evenings on the Alaska coast almost always involve a small chill in the air, so pack a warm hat to help take the edge off. It can also do double duty by keeping your hair from blowing around in the wind.
Warm Socks
Warm socks are never a mistake in Alaska no matter what the season. Summer temperatures are rarely high enough to make wearing warm socks uncomfortable. Make sure that you pack light-colored socks, though, because mosquitos are attracted to dark colors, and mosquito bites on the thin skin of the ankle area are more annoying than bites in fleshier areas.
