With so much to do and see in Alaska, you'll want to be prepared with everything from the proper clothing to the all-important camera gear. here are some tips for making the most of you Alaska cruise vacation:
Weather: You may think that Alaska is simply cold, but there is a lot more to the story than that. Depending upon where you are going in Alaska (remember, it is the largest state in the USA in square miles!), you may have a very different climate during your stay. In southeastern Alaska, which includes the panhandle ports of Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway and Haines, the Gulf of Alaska drives in huge amounts of precipitation, and along with beautiful glaciers, the coast is made up of rain forests. The rainfall amounts here are some of the highest in the United States, so in addition to packing some layers (temperatures in the summer are generally in the 50s to low 60s), be sure to bring along waterproof outerwear. Rainfall is less in May and June, but it picks up progressively through July, August and September. It is generally a bit warmer and drier in the area near Anchorage, including Prince William Sound, and you are sure to experience more clear days. Of course, if you happen to stay into the winter – after the cruise ships have gone south – this area receives a lot more snowfall than the panhandle, which is great for snow skiers but not great for snow plowers. If you are traveling to central Alaska to visit Fairbanks or Denali, the weather is often much warmer in the summer – temperatures could hit 90 degrees! – but much colder and windier in the winter. Even so, snow showers in the summer aren’t unheard of in this part of Alaska.
Photography: You surely want to bring home plenty of photographs of your adventures in Alaska, so there are some things to keep in mind to get the best pictures. When you first go outdoors, your lens is sure to fog up. Be patient, and don’t wipe the fog off the lens – it will dissipate in just a few minutes. If you have problems with your camera (especially digital cameras), your batteries may be cold. You can simply warm, them up in your hands, or carry spare batteries in an insulated pocket. While in Alaska, you are sure to take plenty of pictures of snow, but unfortunately, snow is one of the more difficult sights to get right in a photo. White snow tends to looks grey in photos, because the camera’s exposure meter tends to give off the wrong readings. If you can adjust your camera, you may want to overexpose it by one step, or else focus on something grey (the sky, or perhaps a special grey card available at camera shops), and set your adjustments based upon that reading. Also, composing your photos well will help the color and contrast, so play around with the composition of your pictures in the viewfinder – not just on the computer screen – to make them more interesting.
Pack well, and enjoy your trip to our 49th state!