What to Pack for an Alaska Cruise in 2026 (What You Actually Need)

Added: 2026-05-20

[00:00:00]Packing for Alaska is not like packing for any other cruise. And honestly, if you get it wrong, you're going to feel it. Like cold, wet, maybe not even wanting to be out on deck when you should be. But you do not need to buy an entirely new wardrobe for your Alaska cruise. Most of what you need, you guys, is probably already in your closet. And we can add just a few little additions to get you all set and ready to have an amazing cruise to Alaska. So, we've done Alaska more than a few times now, and I've definitely learned a lot of Alaska packing tips the hard way over the years. I have made so many mistakes. So, today, I'm going to walk you through exactly what clothing and like gear you actually need to pack while I'm preparing for my Alaska cruise that's actually coming up next week. We're also going to cover what you do not need to pack, stuff you can leave at home to save space in your suitcase, and a couple things that made a way bigger difference than I expected on my cruises last season. And really quick, there's one thing on this list that's completely changed glacier days for me, and it's not what you think. So, stick around for that. By the way, if we haven't met yet, hi, I'm Sher with Cruise Tips TV, and our family's been cruising and creating cruise travel content for many years. We started our YouTube channel back in 2013. We've sailed Alaska multiple times on different cruise lines at different times of year. If you like practical cruise tips, packing advice, and honest reviews, make sure you subscribe. And if you have any questions while you're planning your Alaska cruise, go ahead and drop them down in the comments because I always love hearing what people are wondering about. All right, let's get started for your Alaska cruise with something really important and it's outerwear. When it comes to outerw wear for Alaska, you really only need two main things. The first is a good like rain layer with a hood. And I do mean an actual rain layer, not just a hoodie or a lightweight sweatshirt. You need something that's going to repel water because Alaska weather is often more misty and wet than like freezing cold.

[00:02:05]Think drizzly. Having something waterproof that you can easily throw on over those layers though makes a really big difference, especially on port days and glacier viewing days when you're outside and you're out and about and the weather is changing all the time. Now, the second thing you need though is a warm layer like a puffable jacket of some sort. You could get a heavier one.

[00:02:25]You could get a lightweight insulated jacket. Or if you wanted to just go with a rain layer, you could even just get a nice warm fleece or really nice insulated hoodie to put underneath your rain layer. And that would probably be enough for most cruisers. The key with Alaska is layering. In fact, most people find that they just don't need a giant parka or a super bulky winter jacket unless a you tend to run very cold. And I get it, some people do. Or b, you're cruising during the very cold season for Alaska. The cruise ships are going up there now in months they never did before. So like April and early May, pretty chilly and wet. Late September, definitely chilly and wet. October, really windy. So you might need a heavier coat during those months. But for most summer Alaska cruises, a rain layer plus a warm insulated something to put underneath is going to be the perfect combo. Now, we're going to talk more about clothing and layers in a bit, but I want to back up a bit and talk about your flight to Alaska really quick. If you do it right, you can leverage your flight carry-on bag to hold a lot of the essentials that you will need for your trip. And that is what I'm going to be doing with my next cruise to Alaska that's coming up. And I want to thank Nomad Lane for sponsoring this video cuz I'm actually going to be bringing their brand new, you guys, and I mean brand new, bento backpack with me for all of my flight essentials on the trip. So, they've been designing this backpack for years and I cannot believe how much it holds. What I'm going to do with it for this trip is kind of unique.

[00:04:04]I'm actually going to pack my pre cruise items. So, the stuff I'm going to need for my hotel night in Seattle in the backpack using the compression packing cubes. So, even my first day of the cruise outfit is in here in these cubes.

[00:04:19]And what I love about the backpack is that it opens up like a suitcase, you know, like kind of like those clamshell suitcases that are trending right now.

[00:04:26]So, everything is easy to see and easy to access. So, instead of like digging around endlessly in your carry-on bag for your headphones on your flight or your toiletries, when you get to that pre- cruise hotel, you're going to know where everything is cuz all the pockets and the compartments in the Bento backpack have a really clear purpose.

[00:04:46]So, if you've used the Bento bag before, which I have and I absolutely love, it has the same design and organization and it holds a laptop and in that laptop area, lots of padding and protection.

[00:04:57]also comes with those cool dedicated tech and toiletry bags that are part of the original Nomad Lane bento bag, which I really appreciate for long travel days cuz I can keep chargers and cables and skin care and all of those little essentials organized and easy to just grab. So, I'm excited to be using this as my personal item for the flight. I'm a really big backpack user. Sometimes I like having it on my back when I can't have it on my suitcase. and I'm gonna be able to strategically pack all that stuff I need early in my trip without having to unzip my main suitcase in the hotel. You guys getting it now? It's such a good strategy to do it that way.

[00:05:33]So, the backpack's super lightweight and if you're interested in snagging one, they were just released and I'm going to link to it along with the traditional bento bag and these great packing cubes below. Oh, and one more flight tip for you before we move deeper into the Alaska packing list. If you can wear your bulkiest shoes you're taking to Alaska and your bulkiest jacket on the flight on the airplane, you will save so much space in your suitcase. Okay, let's get into what clothing to pack for your Alaska cruise. Starting with the biggest mistake I think that people make. A lot of people think Alaska is cold cold like freezing freezing cold. So they pack really heavy heavy stuff, heavy pants like ski pants. But Alaska is really all about those layers we were talking about earlier. So you're going to have moments where you're freezing out on deck, it's 40°, there's ice all around you, it might even be raining or sleeping, and then the same day you could be totally fine walking around in a port of call.

[00:06:33]It could even be 75° and sunny in Juno or Ketchacan. So instead of thinking about those bulky outfits, think about flexible layers that you can adjust throughout the day. I have a question for you guys to drop a little answer for me down in the comments. Now, do you prefer to stay cozy and layered up on cruises or are you the person who's in shorts no matter the weather? I think my dad is like the kind of person who wears shorts like no matter what, probably even in Alaska. How about you? For clothing, here is what I actually pack for a seven night cruise. This is kind of a mini clothing packing list in case you like quantities. I usually pack two to three sweaters, five to seven t-shirts, kind of a mix of short and long sleeved, a warmer jacket, a solid rain layer, a warm hat, a scarf, and then I take some dresses with sleeves or longer dresses for evenings instead of sundresses. And a couple of those dresses can be worn on the formal nights on the cruise. Most cruise lines have two formal nights in a 7day cruise. Now, if there's a theme night on board, something for that. For example, like Princess Cruises has a white night.

[00:07:40]Holland America has their signature orange party. You might want to pack something for that. And I have Amazon lists of both of those things. I also really like a few nicer pants outfits for dinner. Dressier pants and sweaters cuz Alaska tends to be a little bit more casual on board. And you don't have to wear a dress ladies every single evening. A lot of ladies will actually just wear their jeans and sweaters they wore on shore straight to dinner if it's not formal night. I also take three to four pairs of jeans or warmer pants.

[00:08:09]Some people like leggings or even fleece line leggings, but I like jeans. I also take a swimsuit. And you definitely want a swimsuit for Alaska. You might use it more than you think in those amazing hot tubs. I usually take a very light swim cover up with me just in case I don't want to wear my robe out, but honestly, if you have a robe in your cabin, you'll probably just wear that out over your swimsuit. Uh pair of shorts in the event that there's a heat wave. I was in Seattle once when it was 99 degrees. It can happen. And then here is where you guys are going to probably second guess what I'm saying. I take 14 pairs of socks and 14 underwear. Yep, you guys, that's two per day because you might be changing clothes. Now, with the socks, you need to know that moisture wicking socks that are not cotton are very important for Alaska. Your feet will get cold if you wear the wrong types of socks. So yeah, two per day underwear, two per day socks, especially if you do not plan on doing laundry. And I'll say this, too. Having a mix of casual and like slightly nicer options for evenings is very important. I'm going to say it twice because you don't need to overdo it. You don't have to wear a dress every night. Gentlemen, you don't have to wear a sport coat every night. Wear something that makes you feel comfortable, warm, and put together at night, but it doesn't have to be all that dressy. I also like a small cross body purse for ports. that's very casual and sometimes I'll even take an additional very small purse for evenings on board that's lightweight enough to just take my cruise card, my phone, maybe a few essentials. Now, let's talk about shoes cuz this is where people totally overpack and you don't need a ton.

[00:09:44]Here's what I bring. I bring waterproof sneakers. These are my two current favorites right now. They're available on Amazon. They're great prices and there's lots of colors available. And these are also going to double as my comfortable walking shoes for the trip.

[00:09:58]And then one or two nicer pairs of shoes for evenings and formal nights. It's probably all you need. Maybe even a pair of flip-flops or sandals to wear on deck if you're going to go for a swim, jump in the hot tub, or walk around outside.

[00:10:11]But for shoes, guys, what I typically skip are bulky hiking boots. Unless you have a very specific excursion planned, bulky hiking boots are just too heavy and they take up space and a lot of people just end up not using them.

[00:10:25]Instead, focus on waterproof or water resistant sneakers or light hiking boots like these. My husband and I actually have a couple of pair we got on Amazon and these I would consider lightweight.

[00:10:37]They are waterresistant, but they're not super bulky and they're very comfortable and you can easily wear them on your flight to save that space in your suitcase. Now, another thing you should skip for Alaska, and this is controversial, it's an umbrella. Alaska is often windy and really a good rain layer along with a baseball cap just works better. And you know how I know this? I never see Alaska locals wearing umbrellas. They're wearing their rain layer and a baseball hat cuz it's drizzly rain and sometimes very windy.

[00:11:13]Okay, let's talk about gear. Most of these are really like little small things that can make a big difference.

[00:11:19]And you just pick and choose what you think you need. You may not need all of this stuff, but number one, one of my absolute favorite things that's come about in the last few years is rechargeable hand warmers. This is the one thing I almost didn't pack last year, and now I would never do Alaska without these. They're like hot stones for your hands. You charge them up, and you can even just put them in your pocket on glacier days to stay warm.

[00:11:43]Now, you can also buy disposable ones.

[00:11:46]This is actually a multiack that has hand warmers, jumbo warmers, and even toe warmers that adhere to your socks.

[00:11:55]They're amazing, you guys. They're so cool. But I really like the ones that recharge in your cabin. They last for hours. And on a glacier day, let me tell you, they are everything. Everyone in your party is going to be fighting over them. All right, speaking of glacier day, this is where you're really going to want to be prepared because this is one of the best parts of the cruise. And you don't want to cut it short. You don't want to have to go inside cuz you're too cold and you're too uncomfortable. So, here's where you're going to need that nice warm cozy hat, a nice warm scarf, and a warm jacket like one of the ones that's insulated that we mentioned earlier cuz this is going to be the coldest day of your cruise. So, bundle up on Glacier Day and get out there. Don't miss it. Binoculars are also a big one. These are easy to forget, but we use ours way more than expected for wildlife, scenery, everything. You can choose travel size or you can get some big fancy ones. I will link to both. It is up to you.

[00:12:48]Also, sunglasses. This surprises people, but the glare off the water and the glaciers. Super intense. Pack high quality sunglasses. Couple other things.

[00:12:58]I always pack a portable charger for shore days for my phone. A European adapter to use in the stateateroom to get more charging space cuz usually there's one US outlet, one European outlet. You put an adapter in that European one and you've got more USB and AC coming your way to charge your cameras, your phones, your stuff. I also recommend a light blocking sleep mask and a very high quality lip balm. You don't want chapstick. You want like a barrier balm, something that's going to stay on your lips. Your skin and hair and your lips get very dry in Alaska. I also recommend taking some motion sickness remedies. These are my favorite. They are non drowsy. They're chewable. They're great. Also, face moisturizer. So good. Right along with that lip balm, body moisturizer. Think about the fact that the air up in Alaska is really dry. I also like to take a lightweight backpack with me. Something about this size or even smaller. And recently, I have added a waterproof backpack cover for those rainy days.

[00:13:57]It's little teeny tiny package and it goes right over your backpack. And if you're carrying a camera with you out to capture wildlife photos, this is really important. I also pack compression packing cubes, especially for bulkier items like jackets. Like, can you imagine how much space this is going to take up in my suitcase if I don't put that thing in a compression packing cube? Yeah, trust me. So, a laundry hamper is smart, too. Helps your cabin not get too chaotic. And maybe pack some travel size detergent sheets in case you have self-s served laundry on board.

[00:14:28]Some days in Alaska, you might get kind of dirty walking around out in the puddles and mud and rain. You might want to wash your jeans and t-shirts. So, I have a question for you. Would you rather pack lighter and do laundry or bring every possible outfit option and never have repeats? I also bring my own slippers. It just makes the cabin feel more comfortable and I don't really like the cheap ones that hotels and cruise ships provide these days. And a quick reminder, there is a thing that we used every single day that I almost didn't pack. And I just want you guys, if you get one thing from today, if you run cold, I want you to try these hand warmers. They are truly the coolest thing ever. But if you don't want to get that, be smart and focus on your layers.

[00:15:10]Layering is what's going to make the biggest difference for you. Make sure you have plenty of t-shirts, hoodies, light jackets, things like that. And a lot of people tell me that if they forget something, they just buy it on the ship, which is true. You can totally do that. At the end of the day, packing for Alaska, it's not about bringing more stuff. It's about bringing the right stuff so you can stay warm, stay dry, and actually enjoy everything that you're seeing outside. I'm going to link to everything we talked about down below along with a few of my go-to options if you want to check them out. And if you've done an Alaska cruise before, I'd love to hear from you. What is one thing seasoned cruisers that you packed that you were really, really glad that you brought or maybe something you wish you had? Drop it down in the comments. It really helps everybody else planning their trip. And if you're in that planning phase right now, I've got more Alaska tips and packing guides right down in the description. Have a great time in Alaska. And until next time, I'll see you on the high seas.