Weather is a fickle thing.

It’s also the thing that has the biggest impact on our packing lists.

The last time we did a summer cruise to Alaska, in August 2023, I packed for chilly weather (Episode 423), and we definitely needed our 3-season Viking jackets and raincoats. It rained. A lot.

This year, Alaska has been unusually warm.

That’s not a good thing for the glaciers, but it has the potential to save us some suitcase space.

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Last time, cruising on Holland America, we packed a full-size suitcase, since we took Ted’s suit along for formal nights. He never ended up wearing it though, opting simply for dress pants and a nice shirt to coordinate with whichever dressy thing I wore.

This time, as long as we don’t need really heavy clothes, we should be fine with a carry-on each. Not counting embarkation day, when we’ll already be dressed, or disembarkation when we have to be off the ship before 9:00 a.m., we’re really only packing for 3 sea days and 3 shore excursion days – and 7 dinners.

Princess Cruises, on their family-oriented Alaska summer cruises, only requires dress pants for men and boys on the 2 designated formal nights, and we can simply choose to eat in the pizzeria or the buffet on those nights if the guys don’t want to dress up. Any other night, tidy new jeans with a collared shirt are allowed in the dining room. Nonetheless, both Ted and grandson #1 will pack one pair of nice pants “just in case”.

Both my guys – Ted and our grandson – will pack similarly:

• 2 pair of jeans/sweatpants, 1 or 2 pair of dressy pants
• 6 or 7 tees, plus 2 or 3 long-sleeved tops (merino for Ted, hoodies for our grandson)
• 3 collared shirts, each of which can be worn to dinner twice
• bathing suit plus rubber sandals for the pool deck
• 3-season jacket
• Raincoat
• Hat or toque for the cold goldmine excursion (and because weather is fickle!)
• 2 pair of shoes, one pair nice enough to wear to dinner
• 7 changes of socks and underthings
• Pyjama pants
• Kitbag of toiletries not supplied on the ship

My suitcase will hold:

• 1 pair black windproof travel pants, 1 pair jeans, plus 1 pair leggings (to layer if needed)
• 3 long-sleeved athletic tops for excursions; 3 pretty shirts for sea days
• 1 pair black dress pants + 3 coordinating dressy tops
• 2 black & white print maxi dresses
• bathing suit, rubber thongs, kaftan cover-up
• 3-season jacket, plus gloves and a headband
• Raincoat
• 2 pairs footwear: black evening sandals, runners for excursions
• 7 changes of underthings
• Pyjamas or nightie
• Kitbag of anti-seasickness medications, toiletries, and makeup

And just like thar we’re packed and ready to go!