how cold does it get in alaska in may.. need to know what o bring..going on a cruise..?

Answer 1

In May it will still be very chilly. I wouldn't bring any summer type cloths and I would make very sure I had my warm winter woolys. A warm coat would be good. Unless your ship has an indoor pool you can leave the swimsuit home, too. But be sure to bring binoculars and your camera. You will need an extra memory card. Glaciers are beautiful and in May you might see some whales on the move. How lucky you are. One of my fondest vacation dreams is a cruise to Alaska.

Answer 2

May is the stepping stone to the rest of our summer. Depending on where in Alaska aside from southeast which is where your cruise will go, you will find a wide variety of temperature ranges.

Temperatures outside on deck will be brisk especially near the glaciers of Tracy Arm, Glacier Bay, and Hubbard Glacier (to name only a few areas).

Figure in the 60's maybe down in the 50's if the weather sets in. You may want to include some very good sun glasses along with the binoculars, and camera recommendation. Alaska is getting 18-19 hours of daylight in May and will obviously be displaying "The Land of the Midnight Sun".

Check some of my other answers for cruising tips for Alaska is what I do. I live just north of Anchorage, and am a travel professional.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to contact me.

Enjoy the attached pictures fo Glacier Bay!

Camai!

Answer 3

I have been to Alaska twice, once on business in June and the last time on a cruise through the inside passage in May on a Princess Cruise line ship.

The weather is generally warmer in June, July and Aug, but it can also be pleasant in May. When we went a few years ago in May it was shirt sleeve weather (70's) in Anchorage and Fairbanks. The odd thing was, it was cooler further south in Juneau and Skegway than it was up north. It is generally rainy and cloudy in Ketchkan and Juneau. The only place that it will be really cold, like coat, hat and gloves weather, is when you get close to the Glaciers. In May the temperatures in the port cities will probably be in the 60 to 70 range during the day.

When you pack, think layering of your clothes. A couple long sleeve shirts/tops, a sweater/sweatshirt, a light jacket, maybe with a hood.

I don't know what cruise ship you are going on but many of the newer ones have an indoor pool and hot tub area so that you are sheltered from the weather while cruising. Some ships call this a Solarium. I know that they have these on Princess, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships; been on them.

While the air temperature may be chilly, when the ship is moving there will be a breeze that will have a cold bite. So be sure to have that jacket handy for that. Even if the ship does not have a Solarium, it may have the pool area on a deck that is sheltered from the wind, and many ships also have plexi-glass windbreakers around their open decks on top. I suggest taking a sweat suit or warm up suit to wear if you want to be on decks to walk or the balcony while the ship is moving.

Here are some other tip I suggest from my cruises:

The dress on ship is casual all day until 6:00PM. So take swim wear, sun glasses and sun screen, lotions, a book if you are a reader, your music player, sneakers, shorts and other clothes to workout in if you like to use the gym, your camera, and other personal toiletries.

After 6:00 PM they request that you wear "sports casual" attire. That's attire that you would expect a person to wear in a business office, shirt with a collar, slacks, skirt, blouse, etc. You can still wear shorts and swim wear in the pools and spas but not in public areas like dining rooms and restaurants, show rooms, bars, casino, etc.

Most 7-day cruises have two formal nights when you can wear your best stuff and get pictures taken, and maybe meet the ship’s Captain. The formal nights are REQUESTED not required attire. But most people do dress up in a tux for men and a long dress (any color) for women. Some men just wear a suit and tie and some women wear a nice dress but not a gown. You will not be denied access to the dining room or anything else if you choose not to dress up.

Its best to pack using soft-sided luggage because with space limited in your cabin it fits under the beds better if its not hard sided luggage. Take a small carry-on bag for the last night of the cruise. On the last evening you will be required to put your luggage outside your cabin by about 2:00 AM so that they can start taking it down to the lower deck for offloading the next morning. So you will need a small bag for your toiletries and and your clothes that you sleep in.

If you have access to a grocery or convenience store prior to boarding the ship, or if you drive to the port, take a 6-pack of bottled water and a 6-pack of your favorite soft drink in 16 oz bottles. Soft drinks are not included in the price of your tour and I find that its nice to have my own soft drink in my cabin, same with bottle water which they also sell on ship.

- Cruise lines charge a lot for the photos they take so take your own photos around the ship when you get the chance, especially on the formal nights. Ask other passengers to take photos for you, they generally are very willing.

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