One thing to remember when cruising to Alaska, take clothes for every weather condition. Warm, cold and rain. Princess ships offer self serve laundry facilities which is very nice if you wish to pack on the lighter side.

Take advantage of the shore excursions (most especially the small boat tour to the glaciers). Hire a taxi in Ketchikan as the driver will be your best guide. They can take you to the totem pole parks and show you the local wildlife. You may even get to see a bear. The best place to shop for souvenirs is in Ketchikan. It is absolutely awesome in Alaska. Make sure you bring a vast array of clothes, as layering is strongly suggested. This may start off real cool and warm up suddenly. It would also be wise to arrive a day before the cruise departs - just in case. Weather, delays and flight cancellations have caused people many headaches and unnecessary expense. Relax and enjoy!

Just returned 5 days ago from cruise to Alaska aboard Island Princess. Despite what they tell you, you do not need any formal wear. You can choose to eat in the buffet or at the grill if you want. Lots of good food in the buffet. Consider extending the cruise with a visit to Denali. Some really good optional excursions such as whitewater rafting on the Nenana River, a jet boat ride, or visiting the kennels of an Iditarod winner. Princess owns some very nice hotels in Alaska and also owns their own rail cars which they contract with the Alaska railroad to move. Pre-booking excursions is a good idea because if there is a line it moves slowly. Also, be prepared for the possibility of colder, rainy weather. It rained 5 of the 7 days of our cruise and was in the 50's a lot of the time. Despite that, we had a great time.

Alaska by cruise ship is fantastic. We sailed on the Veendam (Holland America Line) 4 years ago. When the weather is fine, spend a lot of time on the bow or outer decks. You may see whales and other wild life (for instance when leaving ketchikan northbound, the ships go through a strait where you have a high chance of spotting humpbacks). Juneau is a good place to take a whale watching trip. I found the books “Alaska by Cruise ship” by Anne Vipond and “Cruiser Friendly Onboard Guide to Alaska’s Inside Passage” by Terry Breen very helpful. If you have the time, also spend a few days after the cruise on land. Denali is a great place to see wildlife.

General notes on cruising; Bring something for motion sickness, be it pills or patches (depending upon how prone you are). With changing weather conditions, even those who do not typically get motion sickness may experience some symptoms at times. Certainly bring clothes for all weather and occasion. The fact that you are out at sea makes the weather even more unpredictable. Do not pack very heavily. Even the large rooms are quite small. Enjoy! You are traveling in a way that people have for thousands of years. :)

Relax and enjoy. Don't feel pressured to try to do everything that they have going on. I went on a 14 day cruise last year and there was enough activities to last 3 months. If you want to do an excursion consider booking it on-line prior to the cruise because there could be long lines to book while on board. Also, we found that it was cheaper and better to take a taxi tour (Caribbean islands) than to book a bus tour through the cruise line. Everyone I know (who's been there) loves Alaska, you should have a great time.

Mandi, I did my first cruise lat May for 10 days our of Civitavecchia... and i loved it. I went with HollandAmerica and did the Greek empire in the mediterenian... love it. it is exhausting though as you are (at least we were) always on the go. I was waking up earlier on the cruise (ie vacation) than when I go to work!!! inssane... but I love it and will definitly do it again... but this time was aiming at the caribean for 14 days to check out loads of islands :D Enjoy. Cheers. Igor.

Wow! Cruise trip it’s amazing. I also wanna go on such trip. If you get some tips then plss forward to me.

Oops! I really am excited... I meant next month! Leave on August 30th.