Before our Alaska cruise, we spent way too much time wondering what to pack.
Would it be freezing?
Would it rain nonstop?
Did we need heavy winter coats?
Would we regret not bringing something important?
After sailing to Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Glacier Bay National Park aboard the Discovery Princess, we quickly learned that packing for Alaska is very different from packing for a Caribbean cruise.
The biggest lesson?
👉 Layers are your best friend.
Here’s what we were glad we packed — and a few things we probably could have left at home.
🌧️ Waterproof Layers Are Essential
If there’s one thing we would recommend to everyone, it’s this:
👉 Bring waterproof layers.
It rained during most of our trip. Not usually heavy rain, but light steady rain and mist were pretty common.
A lightweight waterproof jacket made a HUGE difference, especially when walking around towns or during excursions.
We’d recommend:
- Waterproof rain jacket
- Waterproof shoes or sneakers
- Lightweight layers underneath
- Compact umbrella if you prefer one
You definitely do NOT need giant heavy winter coats in early May, but dressing in layers is key because temperatures changed throughout the day.
The good news? Even rainy Alaska is absolutely stunning.
👟 Comfortable Walking Shoes Matter
One thing we loved most about Alaska was simply walking around the small towns.
Between:
- coffee shops
- local stores
- waterfront areas
- scenic streets
…we spent a lot more time walking than we expected.
Comfortable walking shoes were absolutely worth bringing — especially in rainy weather.
We would also highly recommend bringing:
- heavier socks
- waterproof footwear if possible
Before our trip, we actually sprayed our sneakers with Scotchgard, and it helped tremendously. Our shoes still got exposed to rain constantly, but they didn’t become completely soaked, which made walking around much more comfortable throughout the trip.
We also bought waterproof boots before the trip, but honestly, we didn’t end up using them very much. That said, they absolutely would have been essential if we had done more hiking or snow-based excursions.
Little things like that ended up making a big difference in how comfortable we stayed throughout the trip.
🛳️ Cozy Layers for Time Onboard
One thing we didn’t fully expect was how cool it could feel while onboard the ship, especially out on the open decks or while sailing through areas like Glacier Bay National Park.
Even when we weren’t off the ship exploring ports, we found ourselves constantly reaching for:
- hoodies
- pullovers
- lightweight jackets
- comfortable layered clothing
There’s nothing quite like sitting on deck with coffee, watching glaciers and mountains pass by — but it definitely feels cooler than a typical warm-weather cruise.
Having comfortable layers we could wear both onboard and in port ended up being one of the smartest things we packed.
🦺 A Down Vest Was One of Our Best Packing Decisions
One item that ended up being surprisingly useful was a lightweight down vest.
It added extra warmth when we needed it without the bulk of a heavy winter coat, which made it perfect for Alaska cruising.
What we really liked was how easy it was to layer:
- over hoodies
- under a waterproof jacket
- or by itself during cooler mornings onboard
It also packed down easily in luggage and didn’t take up much space, which is always a win when trying not to overpack for a cruise.
For us, it turned out to be one of those small packing choices that made a big difference throughout the trip.
☕ Cozy Clothes for Coffee Shops and Cruise Mornings
Tara quickly discovered one of the best parts of Alaska cruising:
👉 cozy little coffee shops.
There’s something about rainy Alaska mornings and warm coffee that just works perfectly together.
Some of our favorite moments were actually the quieter ones:
- grabbing coffee
- watching the scenery
- relaxing onboard
- enjoying Glacier Bay from inside the ship
Soft hoodies, pullovers, and comfortable layers ended up being some of our most-used items.
🚂 Excursion Gear We Were Glad We Had
For excursions like the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad and whale watching in Juneau, these items really helped:
- Waterproof jacket
- Gloves for colder mornings
- Portable phone charger
- Small backpack
- Sunglasses (yes, you still need them sometimes!)
And if whale watching is on your list:
👉 book early.
The popular excursions fill up quickly.
🔭 Binoculars and Cameras Are Absolutely Worth Bringing
One thing we were really glad we packed was a good pair of binoculars.
Before the trip, we bought a reasonably priced pair on Amazon, and they ended up being incredibly useful throughout the cruise — especially for spotting wildlife and taking in scenery farther off in the distance.
Between:
- whales
- mountain scenery
- glaciers
- waterfalls
- wildlife along the shoreline
…there’s constantly something to look at in Alaska.
If you already own a camera with a telephoto lens, definitely consider bringing it as well. Alaska provides some incredible photo opportunities, and sometimes the most amazing wildlife sightings happen farther away from the ship. We didn’t have one so I took most of the pictures on my I phone. I did not want to invest in camera equipment, but consider borrowing from a friend or renting.
Even from our balcony and open deck areas, the binoculars added a lot to the experience and helped us appreciate details we otherwise would have missed.
📸 Don’t Forget Your Camera (or Extra Phone Storage)
You’ll take WAY more pictures than you expect.
Between:
- glaciers
- mountains
- waterfalls
- wildlife
- scenic ports
- Northern Lights (if you get lucky like we did)
…Alaska is basically nonstop photo opportunities.
Make sure you:
- clear phone storage beforehand
- bring extra charging cables
- consider a portable battery pack
🧳 Typical Cruise Packing Tips Still Apply
Even though Alaska cruises are very different from tropical cruises, we found that many of the usual cruise packing recommendations still worked really well.
One of the best things you can do is:
👉 avoid overpacking.
We tried to bring outfits that we could easily mix and match, which helped a lot and kept us from bringing unnecessary extra clothes.
A few cruise essentials we were glad we packed included:
- wrinkle-release spray
- magnetic hooks for the cabin walls
- packing cubes
- portable chargers
Magnetic hooks are especially helpful in cruise cabins because they give you extra places to hang jackets, backpacks, hats, and wet rain gear after a long day in port.
And wrinkle-release spray is one of those small things that somehow becomes incredibly useful once you’re living out of a suitcase for a week.
The biggest takeaway for us?
👉 Pack smarter, not heavier.
Comfortable, flexible clothing and useful small accessories made a much bigger difference than packing tons of extra outfits we never ended up wearing.
🛳️ What We Probably Didn’t Need
Honestly, we overpacked a little.
Things we probably could have packed less of:
- Dress clothes
- Heavy winter gear
- Too many shoes
Alaska cruises are generally much more relaxed than we expected.
Comfort over fashion wins pretty quickly when it’s cool and rainy outside.
💡 Final Thoughts
Packing for Alaska ended up being much easier once we realized:
👉 comfort and layers matter most.
You don’t need extreme winter gear, but you DO want to be prepared for changing weather and rain.
And honestly?
The cozy rainy atmosphere became part of what we loved about the trip.
Warm coffee, misty mountains, Glacier Bay views, and relaxing onboard the ship created one of the most memorable vacations we’ve ever taken.
If Alaska is on your bucket list, start planning early — and definitely leave room in your suitcase for a few souvenirs along the way.
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