If you are planning on going on an Alaskan cruise with young kids, this is a guide that will share all the things you should consider bringing.
As a family of six, with four kids all under the age of 10, we decided to go on a cruise in June. Alaska's weather is known to be rainy and unpredictable at times, so we wanted to be prepared just in case. The concern was around having to overpay for a bunch of ponchos for all four kids or risk having the kids throwing full blown meltdowns during our excursion.
This guide provides you an overview of the best things as a mom of four that I would recommend bringing for your family on an Alaskan cruise.
Before Buying Anything New
Here are a few tips and tricks before you buy anything new for your Alaska cruise.
- At your first excursion, see if there is an Alaska T-Shirt company. If so, you can buy your first hoodie there and wear it throughout the trip.
- Unless you are doing some serious hiking, waterproof rainboots are totally fine, no need for new hiking shoes.
- Bring an extra packable carry-on bag for souvenirs.
Cruise Cabin Travel Essentials
Luggage Tags
Trust me when I say you need these luggage tags. It'll make all the difference and is way better than printing them out. These have lasted us over 3 cruises, and we use them time and time again.
Cruise Lanyard
The cruise line will not provide a lanyard for your cruise card. I would highly recommend getting one that has a clear pocket because most cruise line cards do not have holes in them.
Magnetic Metal Hooks for Wall
Cruise cabin walls are made of metal, so magnetic metal hooks are an amazing organizational tool. These metal hooks came in handy so much during our trip. From holding the lanyards when we came back into the room, holding swimming goggles, hanging jackets up, drying out swimsuits, metal hooks were a lifesaver. I would recommend getting a few heavy duty ones because the smaller ones weighted at 22 lbs couldn't hold heavy things like wet swimsuits or puffer jackets.
Clear Wall Shoe Pocket Organizer
This thing can be held up with the metal magnetic hooks I just mentioned to hold pretty much anything to keep it handy. From the cabin room's remote, LOL dolls, hair tyes, band aids, and so much more!
Makeup Organizer
This is way better than the ones that close up with a clip. It has zippers around it and you can put all of your makeup in it!
Pop-Up Hamper for Each Room
A pop-up hamper will allow you to keep the dirty clothes at bay and from intermingling with your clean clothes. Trust me on this for kids, they'll definitely appreciate having a place to put all their dirty stuff.
Plastic Straws
If you don't like paper straws, bring your own reusable metal ones or plastic ones. Enough said. If you think McDonalds has the best size opening for a straw, you are in luck. See below!
Magnetic Cable Ties
These are magical on a cruise because they can organize your cables as well as be hung up on the wall to store stuff as well.
Binoculars for Everyone
I found some super inexpensive, but good, pair of binoculars that were just as good as my husband's hunting binoculars below.
Kids Apparel for Cruise to Alaska
Waterproof Puffer Jacket
The goal for kids is layering their jackets. Alaska weather is often unpredictable. These are the ones we got for our kids and they were lightweight enough to pack for all of us on our carry-on suitcases. At the time, it was 90+ degrees back home while we were packing, and we were glad we were thinking about the weather in Alaska when packing. I would highly recommend sizing up so that you can layer.
Light Hoodie
I would also recommend a very lightweight hoodie that you already have around the house that they can wear underneath the puffer jacket.
Ball Cap
While a hat is great, I would recommend getting a ball cap to keep any rain out of their little eyes. If you get the puffer jacket, there is already a hood on it as well!
Waterproof Pants
If you can, getting waterproof pants instead of joggers or leggings is a must. While you may be like us and get lucky, I would not want you to have to handle tantrums because kids have super wet pants.
Rain Boots or Waterproof Hiking Shoes
Depending on how much hiking you are planning on doing with your family, making sure they keep their feet dry is super important for your excursions. I would recommend getting high tops because they will allow them to stay dryer and provides ankle support for any hikes.
What Parents Should Pack for Trip to Alaska Cruise
In terms of parents, here are the things I would definitely recommend getting if you are planning on going with kids.
Best Jackets for Alaskan Cruise
I would recommend a light jacket that is big enough to wear over a hoodie.
Waterproof Backpack
Again, the goal is to mitigate against rain, but lightweight enough to carry around during an excursion day.
Ear Muffs
These will keep your ears super warm!
Waterproof Hiking Pants
Similar to the kids, you'll want your own set of hiking pants that are definitely waterproof.
Alaska Cruise Fanatic Tips and Tricks
There are a lot of Facebook groups that are dedicated to the cruise line, the ship, and the actually week of the itinerary. Often, each cruise line has a bunch of fanatics that have "groups" that provide some sort of gift or fun exchange on the ship. These are really fun.
Specific to Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruises often have what's known as "Fish extenders" where you put a storage bag as part of a Facebook group and you give members gifts. These are really fun ways to decorate your door!
Specific to Royal Caribbean Cruises
Facebook groups for Royal Caribbean cruises managed by fans also hide small ducks. We were able to find four on our last cruise. This is a really fun way to engage the kids.
Carry On Luggage Suitcase
We arrived the night before our embarkation to the cruise ship, but also wanted to make the most of our trip to the port city of Seattle. This would made possible by having everyone take on a roller bag and not check it in. Obviously, it's more of a hassle during travel, but well worth it. My tip is for kids, get the hardshell with 4 spinner wheels so they are not having to drag it.
Summary
I hope you find this list of products to bring on a cruise helpful and useful! I know that there is a lot to pack due to the weather, but trust me, it will save you so much time!
