Warm weather forecasted

[hb mom]

I read all the boards about what to pack for Alaska. Being a family from a California beach town I had to go out and buy a whole cold/cool weather cruise wardrobe. Our ship sails this Sunday 6/8 and I see that the forecast for Juneau/Skagway is 70 to 74 degrees through 6/11. Should I go ahead and pack our rain clothes and down jackets or leave them at home and just pack cotton clothes and shorts? Does the weather change frequently?

[Donna]

Hi HB mom,
Unless you have some excursions planned for a glacier, I'd leave the real warm jackets at home and pack lighter ones, plenty of t-shirts and sweat shirts and still include that rain gear, you can almost always expect that at some point during the cruise. I threw in 2 pairs of shorts and believe it or not, I did wear them a few afternoons and we were up there the first week in Sept.

Have Fun!

[Peter]

Regardless of the forecast expect rain. Juneau and Ketchikan are in rain forests.

We've been twice in August and it never got cold enough to require down jackets. But certainly lighter weight jackets were needed at times. If you have a balcony cabin it can get chilly out there. My ears were always cold on our balconies too.

Of the two trips we were lucky and it only rained hard once (in Juneau). We had some drizzle in Ketchikan but light and on the 2nd trip sunny in Ketchikan!

If it were me I'd leave the shorts home. We had a couple of days on shore in the high 70's so shorts would have been ok, but not needed.

Enjoy the cruise....I envy you

Peter

[Mich]

Wow, yo'll have a great time! I'm in southern Calif alos and I dreaded the thought of cold damp weather, but I was on Donna's cruise and we had great weather...except in Juneau. It was cool & rainy. I did wear my down jacket when we went thru the Glacier area, it was windy and cold but worth the view! I could'nt believe that I was actually laying by the pool while cruising Alaska! Hope you have a great time no matter what weather you encounter.........I would bring the jacket :o)

[Karen16]

You'll need more than shorts and Tshirts, layers are the key. I would leave home heavy jackets and go with a lightweight lined nylon jacket and rain gear. The weather changes very rapidly and forecasts are a guess at best. Hoping for great Alaska weather!!!!