Later this week, Jody and I are heading on vacation to Alaska! I can’t believe this trip is already here — it seems just like yesterday we had just returned from Peru and were back in our travel agent’s office booking our cruise to Alaska. We weren’t intentionally trying to do a big trip again this summer since we had two trips of a lifetime last summer, but when my parents told us that they were going on a cruise to Alaska to travel through the inside passage with my grandparents, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Since then, my other grandmother, sister, aunt, uncle, and cousin have also decided to join. There is going to be about 12 of us — it is going to be such a blast!

Deciding what to pack, however, has not been an easy task. After much research, I have finally come up with a list of things to pack for the cruise. While it is still June, the temperatures in Alaska are nowhere near as warm as it is here in the mid-Atlantic, with lows as low as 40 degrees. Jody and I have also added two days onto either end of our cruise so that we will have time to see Seattle, which is the port we are sailing out of. With that being said, we have to be prepared for winter-like temperatures, as well as summer! All I can think of is layers, layers, and more layers.

Obviously, I am planning to take my winter coat! Luckily, mine is pretty lightweight, so it won’t take up too much room in my suitcase. I am also planning to take my raincoat since we will be visiting during the rainy season. On that note, I also plan to bring my rainboots. The only reason I wouldn’t would be if I decided to take my L.L. Bean boots instead, which I’m still torn about!

I heard that it can get warm during the day, so I do plan to bring at least one pair of shorts, in addition to lots of jeans and leggings. Since the pools on the ship are heated, I also plan to bring a bathing suit or two — can you imagine relaxing in the hot tub and looking at glaciers?! How cool!

Back to the layers, I’m planning to bring a few sweaters, long sleeve shirts, tees and maybe one or two tanks that I can layer in different ways, depending on what the weather is each day and depending on which excursions we plan to do. An outfit for sightseeing can be a lot different than hiking or kayaking!

Jody and I will also be bringing a pair of binoculars and our DLSR camera. We’ve read that we will be able to see a lot of wildlife, like whales, bears and more, right from the ship. We want to bring a thermos, so we can enjoy hot coffee and tea on our balcony (hello, room service!). Of course, that also means we will need hats and potentially even my slippers because who wants to sit outside and be cold!

Overall, I am planning to pack a variety of items that can be worn in cool and warm temperatures and that are versatile for intentional packing. I am interested to see what items I’m missing from my list and what items I may not need. Tell me, if you have sailed on an Alaskan cruise, what items would you leave at home or what items are a necessity? Let me know in the comments below!