Cathy is taking an Alaskan cruise and would like to know what she should pack. Our cruise expert Jo Hall helps with the essentials required.
Q. Cathy
I’ve been trying to find out for a while now what clothes are essential on land on a 10-day cruise of Alaska – inner and outer passages – mid-May this year. Our ship is the Oceania Regatta. Can you advise me?
A. Oceania has a more relaxed dress policy than some other ships, requiring ‘country club casual’ at night, and no formal wear. So if you don’t want to pack ties and gowns for your holiday, there’s no need. Men will only need a sports jacket for the Grand Dining Room in the evening, but if you prefer to stay in dressy shorts and a polo, you can dine at the Terrace Cafe.
In May the weather can be changeable, so when on land in Alaska while cruising, I would definitely recommend plenty of layers, including light sweaters and something for wet weather. Also, don’t forget an umbrella and comfortable flat shoes for walking, that can also take getting wet if need be.
If you have the time and are keen to get active, there are some great shore excursions where a pair of trainers or hiking shoes would be good as well. For any shore excursions that require walking on glaciers and dog sledding, specialty footwear is usually provided. But if you are particularly susceptible to the cold, it wouldn’t hurt to include a scarf, gloves and a hat.
For general essentials to take on any cruise, you may wish to read CruiseGuide’s ‘Packing 101 – essentials for every cruise’.
Also, consider taking a look at the Oceania cruise website and blog, which may be able to give you more specific day-to-day options.
