Episode 74: Solo Travel in Alaska: Ultimate Packing Guide and Best Excursions

In Episode 74 of the One Girl Travel podcast, hosted by certified life and travel coach Alessia Tenebruso, listeners are taken on an exciting journey to Alaska. Alessia shares her long-anticipated solo travel experience, which faced multiple setbacks due to C*vid-19, but ultimately became one of her most memorable trips.

She offers detailed advice on how to prepare for an Alaskan cruise, including essential packing tips such as insulated leggings, fleece sweatshirts, and waterproof clothing. Alessia also recommends handy accessories like binoculars, collapsible backpacks, and magnetic hooks to elevate the cruising experience.

She delves into various thrilling excursions like whale watching, a helicopter tour, glacier hiking, snorkeling, and the historic White Pass train ride. Throughout the episode, Alessia emphasizes the importance of planning and booking excursions in advance while providing practical tips to ensure an unforgettable Alaskan adventure.

Finally, she invites listeners to join her on a group trip to Germany’s Christmas markets, promising a festive, adventurous, and magical experience. Tune in for insightful solo travel tips, life coaching insights, and more on the One Girl Travel podcast.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Alaska Solo Travel Packing Tips
• 11:58 Alaska Cruise Packing and Excursions

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to the One Girl Travel Podcast, episode number 74.

Speaker 2: 0:05

Welcome to the One Girl Travel Podcast, your passport to the world of solo travel with certified life and travel coach, alessia Tenebruso. Join Alessia as she shares her own journey of self-discovery through solo travel, while also focusing on topics such as life coaching insights and travel tips along the way. Now here's your host, alessia Tenebruso.

Speaker 1: 0:32

Hello, my friends, and welcome to episode number 74 of the One Girl Travel Podcast. Today, I want to talk to you about a specific solo travel destination that may or may not already be on your bucket list, and it's Alaska. Alaska was something I have wanted to do for a very, very long time and I had booked my first Alaska cruise in 2019. Of course, not knowing what 2020 would bring, I booked it in 2019. So I would cruise in 2020. Obviously, it did not happen. It got canceled and I got to push it back till 2021, 2021. Guess what? It got canceled again and then I rebooked it and I booked it for May of 2022. And I was so excited I'm like it's finally happening. I was so ready to go and two days before I was supposed to go on that cruise, I got COVID. And first of all, side note, make sure you get travel insurance when you have a trip booked, like always, get travel insurance, because if I did not have travel insurance, I would have lost out on thousands of dollars. So thankfully, I had travel insurance. Of course, I was just so distraught that I wasn't going on this trip for a third time and I rebooked it. I rebooked it for July of 2022. And let me tell you something it for July of 2022. And let me tell you something Alaska was worth the wait. It was one of the most special, most interesting, most adventurous solo trips I ever took, and I want to tell you about my experience. So maybe you'll add Alaska to your bucket list, or maybe you already have it planned and you want some tips, so let's get into it. So, as a side note, when I cruise, I have always cruised Norwegian Cruise Line. I have cruised Disney's Cruise Line once and I do have a Virgin Voyage cruise on the books in the future, very excited about that. But for my Alaska cruise, I cruised Norwegian cruise line and I cruised on the Encore.

Speaker 1: 2:52

The first topic I want to talk to you about on today's podcast regarding Alaska cruises is preparing and to prepare. You need to pack and you need to make sure you bring everything that you could possibly need, because you're on a cruise ship. There are limited options available to purchase things that you might have forgotten and even if they do have it available, it's going to be expensive. So you're better off doing your research, planning and making sure you pack everything you need. On that note, here's a few things that I brought that I would definitely recommend to you to bring on your Alaska cruise.

Speaker 1: 3:30

The first thing is insulated leggings or fleece lined leggings. I got mine on Old Navy's website for like 20 bucks a pair. I had two of them and these are just leggings that have a water wicking material and on the inside it's lined with fleece, so they're thicker, they're so warm. You can layer them with another pair of leggings underneath or even a pair of tights, but you want to make sure you're warm. Even if you go in July, it's going to be cold, it's going to be rainy, it's going to be rainy and you want to keep yourself dry and warm as much as possible. So layer up, bring fleece lined leggings, and then I would also recommend getting the fuzzy like I don't know what kind of material that is. I guess it's like a fleece, fleece sweatshirts. Fleece is very warm and I brought all fleece sweatshirts, even though it's not waterproof. You want to use that as a layering piece under your jacket, but get some fleece like half zips or full zip coats or sweatshirts. Again, I got it from Old Navy on clearance and they were so comfortable, they're so warm and cozy. I love them. Definitely recommend getting fleece for your trip.

Speaker 1: 4:53

And, speaking of layers, you want to make sure that you have a waterproof jacket. Now you want to make sure one it's actually waterproof, and also it's ideal to have a waterproof jacket that is insulated, because, again, you're going into a very cold climate. You want to make sure that you are going to be warm and cozy while you're traveling, but it also might warm up or maybe you're going to get hot doing whatever you're going to do. So what I recommend is a three-in-one waterproof jacket, where it has an inner shell, which is a fleece shell, and it's zipped into the coat, and then you have a waterproof shell on the outside, and then together you have basically a winter jacket, but you also have a rain jacket separate and a fleece jacket separate. So it's great, three in one. The one I have is from Columbia, and I will have a Amazon shopping list based on this podcast with all my favorite items. That way, it's easy for you to pick out what you want. But those things are so important and you want to make sure, just clothing wise, you're prepared, you have everything you need, and between those three things like those are must-haves the fleece line leggings, the fleece sweatshirts and a three-in-one waterproof jacket.

Speaker 1: 6:11

The next thing is you want to bring layers for your feet. So you want to make sure that you have thick wool socks and even if they're not thick, you can layer some thinner wool socks, but you want to make sure they're wool because they're going to keep you warm and they can also have water repellent properties. So wool socks definitely a necessity. And then we go to actual footwear and you want to make sure you have waterproof shoes. So there's boots, there's sneakers, whatever you prefer. I wore my like ankle high boots for pretty much the entire trip. They were comfortable. I put an extra sole in them. They're waterproof, they're rugged. I can, you know, hike a glacier in them. They're great. So you want to make sure that you have appropriate footwear. I do recommend boots over sneakers, but always pack sneakers on your trip anyway. But boots are the way to go, especially if you're going to do more adventurous excursions like hiking.

Speaker 1: 7:14

The next thing are your accessories. You want to make sure that you have gloves. Again, you want waterproof gloves. Don't bring cotton gloves that if they get wet then your hands are going to be freezing. You want waterproof gloves. You want a waterproof hat. They do make knit hats with a waterproof lining in it so your head does not get wet.

Speaker 1: 7:36

And a gaiter. I know we're. You know we don't want to wear masks anymore, but a gaiter is basically something that just goes over your nose and mouth, around your face, even covers your ears, and it will keep your face warm in cold climates. It's like a neoprene material and it really comes in handy, especially if you're spending a lot of time out, like on a boat, if you're whale watching or if you're just in a cold climate and the wind is just like whipping in your face. This is going to keep you protected. So, waterproof hat, waterproof gloves, a face gaiter and then, of course, a scarf would come in handy as well. But scarves I don't find as practical because if you are being active, you want something that's going to stay on you. You don't have to worry about if it's going to blow off. So that's why I prefer the gaiter over the scarf.

Speaker 1: 8:30

As far as your other clothing pieces, use your judgment. Bring thin layers that you can wear a few layers if necessary. Bring comfy clothes, bring warm clothes. Leggings were basically what I lived in. I don't think I even brought a pair of jeans on that trip because I didn't want to wear jeans unless it was at night and really just bring some lightweight layers Cashmere is a great option for layers because it is very warm and it's very lightweight.

Speaker 1: 9:04

But use your judgment when it comes to packing and keep in mind that all these items you're going to be bringing are on the bulkier side. So that means you're going to either need an extra luggage or you're going to need to consolidate what you have packed, and one of the ways I did that was using the vacuum seal bags. Where you can buy it on Amazon, they have the bags. You put your like fluffy stuff in there, so the sweatshirts, the sweaters, the bulky items you put in there, and it comes with like a pump to suck the air out and it will flatten all the items. Keep in mind the weight of your luggage. It's still going to be heavy, but you're going to have more room in your luggage. So be sure to weigh your luggage before you go to the airport, but it will save you some room in your suitcase. So use those vacuum seal bags for your bulky items. So use those vacuum seal bags for your bulky items and, of course, wear your bulkiest items on the flight if possible. Definitely do not pack your jacket. Wear it on the flight and then just tuck it in the overhead bin once you're on the flight.

Speaker 1: 10:11

Now that we went over the clothing items, I want to talk to you about some accessories to bring with you to really elevate your experience on an Alaska cruise. The first thing is binoculars. You are not going to want to leave your binoculars at home. Make sure you have a good pair. Binoculars are going to come in handy when you want to just sit out on your balcony, look out in the water and just look at the whales. You're going to see whales breaching and it's going to be such a cool experience, especially if you're not used to seeing whales breaching. But even in the landscape, you might see bears. You're going to see eagles. It is just such a serene experience sitting out in the open water and seeing glaciers and icebergs and whales and eagles and all the things, and it's so beautiful and so peaceful and the binoculars really make it special that you can take in everything and see it up close. So invest in a good pair of binoculars and definitely pack them with you.

Speaker 1: 11:58

I also recommend bringing a collapsible backpack because most likely, if you're doing activities while you're in Alaska, you're going to go from being very cold to very warm because you're going to work up a sweat, you're doing activities, it gets hot and you're going to want to shed some of those layers. So a collapsible backpack that just like folds up into a little pouch is a great way to store all of your extra accessories the hat, the gloves, a sweater, whatever it is and just that way, you're not carrying it all in your hands. You want to make sure that you are going hands-free as possible, because you're going to want to take photos and do things. So get yourself a collapsible backpack. Again, all of this is going to be linked in my Amazon shop to make this very easy for you.

Speaker 1: 12:46

And because we are talking about an Alaskan cruise, there are some cruising hacks that I definitely recommend, especially for an Alaska voyage, an Alaskan cruise. There are some cruising hacks that I definitely recommend, especially for an Alaska voyage, and one of them being magnetic hooks. Again, you can get them on Amazon. The walls of cruise cabins are magnetic and they don't always have a lot of hooks available. When you're cruising to Alaska, you're going to have a lot of stuff. You're going to have a lot of hats and scarves and sweaters and you might run out of places to put them. So these hooks are just these little hooks. They stick right on the wall with magnets and you can use that to put your hat, to put your bag, whatever you need for easy access so your room stays tidy. That's a big thing for me. I love tidy rooms when I travel, so magnetic hooks definitely the way to go.

Speaker 1: 13:36

The next thing is pack some detergent. So you're going to be wearing a lot of layers, right, and you're not going to want to pack a ton of things. You're going to want to re-wear some of your items. So things like lightweight layer pieces or socks, underwear, underwear, whatever you can hand wash in the sink. And what I like to do is I use True Earth laundry detergent sheets. That way I'm not bringing extra liquid. These are just sheets that you can cut to size and it dissolves underwater and you can hand wash your clothes. And then a tip in the showers of cruise cabins you'll see a little silver knob and if you pull it, there is a string attached and there's a little latch for you to attach the knob and it's actually a clothing rack well, a drying rack and what I like to do is I take my items, I use the hangers with the clips, that way I can fit more on the clothesline, and I clip it on there. I put the hanger on the line. That way I can fit more items. You can also bring clothespins if you want, or binder clips or whatever, but utilize that. You don't have to pay for laundry service. You can just do it yourself, dry it in your room, and then you don't have to pack your bag full of duplicate items.

Speaker 1: 15:01

And even though you are going to a very cold climate, I do recommend that you pack a bathing suit, because the ship itself is going to have a pool. If they have an indoor pool, then obviously go for it, but they do have outdoor hot tubs so you can take advantage of the hot tubs. There's also amazing spas on board, so pack a bathing suit for the spa. You can go in the jacuzzis there. You never know what you might end up doing and a bathing suit will always come in handy. And also a pair of flip-flops that you can just pack. I'm telling you, pack it. You never know where you're going to end up or what you're going to be doing, and it's always good if you're somebody like that's similar to me, that loves water pack a bathing suit just in case. So, now that I covered the packing items and I mean, there are so many things that you can bring, but these are just essentials that I don't want you to forget I want to make sure these are things that you absolutely bring with you.

Speaker 1: 16:02

But the next thing is you want to plan your excursions, and there is so much to do in Alaska especially. You know, depending on which ports you're going to stop in, there's so much to do. But the excursions that I personally took part in and I recommend are going whale watching. Whale watching was one of the coolest experience. You go on a boat and you are pretty close to these whales and it is so incredible to see them breach and just get photos and be out on the water. You're going to see other wildlife as well, but to see whales was high on my bucket list and it was amazing. Well worth worth it. Of course, you're not guaranteed to see a whale every time you go I mean, it's nature but it's still worth going out there. I got to see multiple whales on my trip and I loved it and I would definitely recommend it.

Speaker 1: 16:57

The next excursion I did was, mind you, this was not with a cruise line. I booked these privately. So let me give you a side note here If you book a private excursion, the cruise ship does not have to wait for you if you are running late. Let me say that again If you book a private excursion, the cruise ship does not have to wait for you if you are running late. So keep that in mind when you book an excursion with a cruise ship, they will wait for you. You are not going to be left behind. If you book a private excursion, you have the risk of being left behind, so definitely be mindful of that. Be mindful of your times that you book your excursions at, to make sure that you will not be rushing and you have plenty of time to get back on board.

Speaker 1: 17:49

So, with that being said, something I booked on my own was a helicopter tour and a glacier hike. So I went on this helicopter and first of all, again to note that there is a weight limit. If you are over the weight limit, there is an extra charge, and they do put you on a scale with all of your equipment. It's quite a humbling experience. So be prepared for that, because they have to distribute the weight in the helicopter. So that's a thing. And you go in this helicopter and this was my first time in a helicopter and it was so cool. Go in the helicopter and you was my first time in a helicopter and it was so cool. Go in the helicopter and you're just soaring above the most beautiful landscape all these trees and glaciers, mountains, everything. It's so beautiful so the ride maybe took about 10 minutes and then we got to the glacier. We landed on the glacier and then they gave us these cleats to put over our shoes and they gave us walking sticks and we walked around the glacier and it felt like I was on another planet. It was so amazing, so beautiful. Words cannot describe what it looked like and pictures do not do it justice, but I highly recommend you do this experience. It was well worth the money, it was well worth the time. Go and do it. I will try to find the links for all of the excursion companies I used for my trip and I'll post it in the show notes and on the blog. But do your research, make sure that you find a company that you enjoy and definitely look into that excursion.

Speaker 1: 19:29

The next excursion I did was very out of the box and very unexpected, very unique, and I do recommend it for you thrill seekers who aren't afraid of doing something outside the norm and it was snorkeling. I went snorkeling in Alaska in freezing cold waters. I wore a very, very thick wetsuit and I I mean it was really cool, like I wasn't cold at all. You put in, you put on the wetsuit again. It's super thick. You go, they instruct you on what to do. You're with a group, get in the water, you have the fins, you have to snorkel the mask, everything and you're just cruising around the water and taking in all the sea life. And I mean, if you like that stuff, if you like snorkeling, then this is the experience for you, because it was so unique. And now I can say that I have snorkeled in Alaska and I survived and I had a really good time. Unfortunately, my camera broke while I was snorkeling so I didn't really get footage, which stunk. But whatever, I have the memories and that's all that matters and it was amazing. So I do highly recommend you check out snorkeling while you're in Alaska.

Speaker 1: 20:53

My final excursion suggestion for you is the White Pass Trail. It is this train and it's from the gold mining days and it's a trail that they took and it was really cool. I personally stood out on the outside of this train for the duration of the whole train ride, which was a while, because I just wanted to take in everything. And I stood out there and I mean we went above the clouds on this train. It was just the coolest and the most beautiful experience. I absolutely love this train ride Definitely definitely do it. It's just it was breathtaking and there was just so much to take in as you're standing out there or sitting in the warm train carriage also. But if you're like me and you want to be out in nature, you stand outside and you can take it all in and you can get some crazy videos and photos and it's just so beautiful and I really, really enjoyed it. So highly recommend doing the White Pass Trail and really just, there's so many options available.

Speaker 1: 22:10

My biggest tip would be to book them in advance, because they do sell out. There are multiple cruise ships that come in at one time and there are limited spaces on these excursions, so book in advance. Again, the cruise ship has excursions available to you. I only took part in one of them that was in Canada for, like, a whiskey tasting thing, which was fine. I just had credits to use, so I booked it. But all the other excursions I did, I booked on my own. I took the risk of doing it on my own. I did not have any problems with getting back to the ship on time. But again, you just have to be responsible for yourself and your time and make sure that you're booking the correct excursions and sharing all of your cruise information to make sure that they are aware of your callback time, cruise information, to make sure that they are aware of your callback time.

Speaker 1: 23:07

And, honestly, my favorite thing about the Alaska cruise again was sitting on my balcony taking in the sights, relaxing, and this was more of a slow paced cruise. It wasn't a party cruise. I wasn't lounging by the pool having cocktails. I was out, exploring and doing things and just taking in everything that I do not have access to as a New Yorker. And it was all so beautiful and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Speaker 1: 23:35

And if you ever have considered going on Alaska cruise, do it. You will not regret it. From everybody I ever spoke to who has gone on an Alaska cruise. They all said it was one of their favorite trips and I agree with them. It was absolutely incredible. You can get really good prices on Alaska cruises also. I've checked out Norwegian's website recently and the cruises were very, very nicely priced. Take advantage of it, go explore, have fun. If you have any additional questions about my Alaska trip, let me know. I'd be happy to answer it for you. And until next time, my friends, let's go cruising one day and let's go explore the world. Have a great day, bye.

Speaker 1: 24:23

One final thing before I sign off, and speaking of traveling the world together, I have a group trip to Germany that I've put together. It is taking place in December of this year and it is going to be incredible. Germany Christmas markets are they're something that has been on my bucket list for a while. They look like they are the most magical place on earth, and I've personally experienced the Scotland Christmas markets. Germany is the originator of the Christmas market, so it is going to be epic.

Speaker 1: 24:55

If you would like to join, click the link in the show notes or on the blog, wherever I have links all over the place, or go to one girl, travelcom and go check out the itinerary. I would love for you to join myself and other incredible women on this journey. This is going to be something that is festive and fun, adventurous. Plus, you're going to get some really great souvenirs to bring home for Christmas time, so just keep that in mind. I hope you decide to join. I would love to have you travel with me in the future and I will talk to you next week. Bye.

Speaker 2: 25:30

Thanks so much for tuning in to this episode of the One Girl Travel Podcast. If you're enjoying the show, please feel free to rate, subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen to your podcasts. You can find out more about your host on our website, onegirltravelcom, or follow her on Instagram, facebook, pinterest and TikTok. Thanks again for tuning in and we'll catch you in the next episode.