Alaska Cruise Packing List: What To Bring by Month

Oct 4

An Alaska cruise packing list comes down to three things: layers you can add and remove all day, a rain shell that is actually waterproof, and shoes that can handle a wet dock and a gravel trail. Summer in Southeast Alaska is mild, with average highs in the high 50s to mid 60s at the main ports, and it rains a lot more often than first-timers expect.

The month you sail changes the details. May is the coolest month and the driest one in Juneau and Skagway, July is the warmest, and September brings the heaviest rain of the summer. Below, I break down what the published climate numbers say for Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway, then turn that into a packing table and a month-by-month list.

Alaska Cruise Weather at a Glance: Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway by Month

These are NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for the three ports almost every Inside Passage itinerary visits. Highs and lows are average daily temperatures in Fahrenheit, and rainy days are the average number of days in the month with measurable precipitation.

Month	Juneau (high / low, rain)	Ketchikan (high / low, rain)	Skagway (high / low, rain)
May	58 / 40, 3.5 in over 16 days	57 / 43, 8.7 in over 16 days	61 / 40, 1.1 in over 9 days
June	62 / 47, 3.8 in over 17 days	61 / 49, 7.0 in over 16 days	66 / 48, 1.4 in over 11 days
July	64 / 50, 5.1 in over 19 days	65 / 53, 7.3 in over 16 days	67 / 51, 1.6 in over 12 days
August	63 / 49, 6.4 in over 19 days	65 / 53, 11.3 in over 17 days	65 / 50, 2.7 in over 15 days
September	56 / 44, 9.2 in over 22 days	59 / 48, 14.3 in over 20 days	57 / 44, 4.5 in over 17 days

Two patterns jump out. Ketchikan is the wettest stop on the route by a wide margin, and Skagway sits in a drier pocket at the top of Lynn Canal, so the same week can feel very different from one port to the next. If you are still choosing a sailing date, my guide to the best time to cruise Alaska weighs the weather against prices, crowds, and wildlife.

Alaska Cruise Packing List: The Core Items for Every Month

This table covers what I would put in the suitcase for any sailing from May through September.

Item	Why it is on the Alaska list	How many
Waterproof rain jacket with a hood	Juneau and Ketchikan average rain on about half the days or more	1 per person
Fleece or light insulated jacket	Your warm middle layer under the shell on deck and on excursions	1
Base layers (long-sleeve tops)	Lows in the 40s, even in summer	2 to 3
Quick-dry pants or jeans plus rain pants	Wet cotton stays wet; rain pants matter on boat and hiking tours	2 to 3 pants, 1 rain pants
Waterproof walking shoes or light boots	Wet docks, gravel trails, and muddy paths	1 pair, plus one dry backup pair
Beanie, gloves, and a neck gaiter	Glacier viewing on the open deck gets cold and windy	1 set
Binoculars	Whales, eagles, and mountain goats are often far from the ship	1 pair per cabin, ideally per person
Small dry bag or waterproof backpack	Keeps a phone, camera, and spare layer dry on shore	1
Sunglasses and sunscreen	Glare off ice and water on the clear days	1 each
Sleep mask	Very long summer daylight, especially in June	1 per person
One dressier outfit	Formal or dressy nights on most 7-night sailings	1 to 2

Pro Tip: Test your rain jacket in the shower before you leave home. A lot of jackets sold as "water resistant" soak through in an hour of steady Ketchikan rain, and that is a miserable way to spend a float plane or lumberjack show morning.

Packing for an Alaska Cruise in May

May is the coolest month of the season, with average lows around 40 degrees in Juneau and Skagway. It is also the driest month in Juneau and Skagway, which surprises people. Ketchikan is still wet in May, averaging close to 9 inches of rain.

Pack a warmer mid layer, such as a light down jacket that packs into its own pocket, in addition to the fleece.
Bring real gloves and a warm hat for scenic cruising days. Glacier days in May can feel like winter on the bow.
Add thermal leggings if you plan on a whale watch or a boat tour, where you sit still in the wind.

Packing for an Alaska Cruise in June

June warms up into the low to mid 60s for highs and stays relatively dry compared with late summer. It also has the longest days of the year, so expect bright skies well past dinner and very early sunrise.

A sleep mask goes from optional to essential, especially if you booked a balcony and like the curtain open.
Pack one or two short-sleeve shirts for layering. Skagway averages a 66-degree high in June, and a sunny afternoon on a hike can feel warm.
Bug spray earns its spot for hiking and rainforest walks from June onward.

Packing for an Alaska Cruise in July

July is the warmest month in all three ports, with average highs from 64 to 67 degrees and lows around 50. It is also peak season, so expect busy docks and full excursions. Rain picks up in Juneau, which averages about 19 rainy days in July.

You can trade the heavy mid layer for a fleece, but keep the rain shell and rain pants.
Pack a refillable water bottle for long excursion days like the White Pass railway out of Skagway.

Packing for an Alaska Cruise in August

August stays mild, with highs in the mid 60s, but the rain ramps up. Ketchikan averages more than 11 inches in August, and Juneau averages over 6 inches. This is the month where waterproof shoes stop being a nice-to-have.

Pack a second pair of shoes so one pair can dry in the cabin while you wear the other.
Bring rain pants even if you never wear them at home. They make a wet boat tour comfortable.

Packing for an Alaska Cruise in September

September is the wettest month of the cruise season in every port in the table. Ketchikan averages more than 14 inches of rain, Juneau averages about 22 rainy days, and lows drop back into the mid 40s.

Treat September like May for warmth and like August for rain: warm mid layer, full rain gear, waterproof boots.
Pack a compact travel umbrella for walking around town, in addition to the hooded jacket.

For the longer view of how the season shifts, my Alaska cruise guide covers routes, ports, and how to pick the right week.

Alaska Cruise Glacier Days: What To Wear on Deck

Scenic cruising days at places like Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier, or Endicott Arm are the coldest hours of the whole trip, because you are standing still on an open deck near ice with wind coming off it. Wear every layer you packed: base layer, fleece, rain shell, hat, gloves, and a neck gaiter. My Alaska glaciers compared guide explains which itineraries reach which glaciers.

The route you choose affects your packing too. A one-way Gulf of Alaska sailing ends farther north, and if you add time on land, you need clothes for interior Alaska as well. My comparison of the Inside Passage vs. Gulf of Alaska routes lays out the differences.

Alaska Cruise Formal Nights and Dinner Clothes

Alaska cruises tend to be more relaxed than Caribbean sailings in the evening, but most 7-night itineraries on the big lines still schedule dressier nights. Princess and Holland America, the two lines with the deepest Alaska programs, both publish dress guidance for these evenings, and a dark suit or sport coat for men and a dress or dressy separates for women covers it. You do not need a tuxedo or a gown unless you want one. My guide on what to wear on cruise formal night goes line by line.

If you are leaning toward Princess, check the current Princess Cruises offers to see which Alaska sailings are on promotion.

What the Ship Supplies on an Alaska Cruise

You do not need to pack towels, a hair dryer, or basic toiletries, because cruise cabins come with them. Beach or pool towels are handed out on board as well. What the ship typically does not supply is outerwear, binoculars, or rain gear, and buying those in port is expensive and limited to whatever the shops near the pier stock that day.

A few other items people forget:

Passport. Every Alaska cruise from Seattle or Vancouver touches Canada, and some Skagway excursions cross into British Columbia or the Yukon. Bring a passport rather than relying on a birth certificate.
Motion sickness remedies. Open-water stretches like the Gulf of Alaska and the crossing past Vancouver Island can get rough. My seasickness guide covers what works.
A power strip without surge protection or a cruise-approved USB charger, since cabin outlets are limited.

My general cruise packing list covers the rest of the basics.

Packing for Alaska Shore Excursions

Your excursion plans should shape the day bag. A float plane or helicopter tour needs warm layers and very little else, since space is tight. A whale watch or kayak trip needs full rain gear. A rainforest hike in Ketchikan needs waterproof shoes and bug spray. My port guides for Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway list what each popular tour involves.

If you want to compare independent tours against the cruise line's list, you can book this on Viator, starting with Juneau, where whale watching and Mendenhall Glacier tours are the most popular day trips.

Pro Tip: Wear your bulkiest items, the boots and the warm jacket, on the flight to Seattle or Vancouver. It frees up a surprising amount of suitcase space.

Alaska Cruise Packing List: Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a winter coat for an Alaska cruise? No. Summer highs in Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway average from the high 50s to the mid 60s. A fleece or light insulated jacket under a waterproof shell works better than a heavy coat because you can adjust it through the day.

Should I pack rain boots for Alaska? Waterproof hiking shoes or light boots are more useful than tall rubber boots for most travelers. They work on wet docks, in town, and on trails, and they take less space.

What is the rainiest month for an Alaska cruise? September, based on NOAA's climate normals. Ketchikan averages more than 14 inches of rain in September, and Juneau averages about 22 rainy days. May and June are the driest months in Juneau and Skagway.

Do I need binoculars on an Alaska cruise? Yes. Wildlife is often too far away to see well with the naked eye, and ships do not usually hand them out. A compact pair per person saves arguments on the balcony.

Can I wear jeans to dinner on an Alaska cruise? On most nights in the main dining room, yes. On formal or dressy nights you will want something a step up, and specialty restaurants may expect smart casual.

Book Your Alaska Cruise With Jackson Jetsetting

My pricing is the same as booking direct with the cruise line. On top of that, I can often add group rates or promotions that are not on the line's website, and you have a real person to call when a flight to Seattle cancels or an excursion changes. Send me your dates, and I will price out the ship, the pre-cruise hotel, and any land tour as one trip.