Gears to bring to Alaska Cruise (Page 3): Thank you, Barry! The Princess cruise is what I will go to.

Richard HZ Loc: Indiana, US

bbrowner wrote:

We took an Alaskan cruise just a year ago. I used... (show quote)

Thank you, Barry! The Princess cruise is what I will go to.

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

I went to Alaska on a cruise. Bring all you equipment. You don’t have to take everything with you on an excursion. Among my equipment I brought my Olympus EM-5 which I used with a 70-300 lens which gave a view of up to 600mm. I needed that long a lens or more. If you have a longer lens bring it. Also bring rain jacket for your equipment towels etc. I also took the advice of a person I’ve known a long time from B+H and brought an inexpensive monopod which I used quite a lot. Enjoy your trip

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

You will want the 200-500 for the reach and the 24-120. Skip the rest. Maybe a nifty 50 prime if you have one. You might want to tuck in a monopod but skip a tripod. Ideally, you would want to hand hold most of your shots. Do bring a long sleeve fleece. We went in July and I had to buy a fleece, hat, and fingerless gloves!

Richard HZ Loc: Indiana, US

sueyeisert wrote:

I went to Alaska on a cruise. Bring all you equipment. You don’t have to take everything with you on an excursion. Among my equipment I brought my Olympus EM-5 which I used with a 70-300 lens which gave a view of up to 600mm. I needed that long a lens or more. If you have a longer lens bring it. Also bring rain jacket for your equipment towels etc. I also took the advice of a person I’ve known a long time from B+H and brought an inexpensive monopod which I used quite a lot. Enjoy your trip

Thank you very much for sharing and advice!

Richard HZ Loc: Indiana, US

mizzee wrote:

You will want the 200-500 for the reach and the 24-120. Skip the rest. Maybe a nifty 50 prime if you have one. You might want to tuck in a monopod but skip a tripod. Ideally, you would want to hand hold most of your shots. Do bring a long sleeve fleece. We went in July and I had to buy a fleece, hat, and fingerless gloves!

Thanks for the advice, especially for consideration of other gears!

cameraf4 Loc: Delaware

Richard HZ wrote:

I will go to Alaska via cruise line at the end of ... (show quote)

Ya gotta love it! You tell us your intent and list the equipment you have available, and some folks tell you to, instead, take gear that you don't have (or don't say you have). For landscapes your 24-120mm may be fine. Big scenics up that way. Wildlife may be cool with a 70-200mm, or it may be "more shy". jcboy3 has given you sage advice. If you have extra room, you may find a use for that 14-24.

Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida

cameraf4 wrote:

Ya gotta love it! You tell us your intent and list the equipment you have available, and some folks tell you to, instead, take gear that you don't have (or don't say you have). For landscapes your 24-120mm may be fine. Big scenics up that way. Wildlife may be cool with a 70-200mm, or it may be "more shy". jcboy3 has given you sage advice. If you have extra room, you may find a use for that 14-24.

I would definitely take the 14-24.

ltj123 Loc: NW Wisconsin

We are also doing cruise to Alaska end of month. Inside passage 7 days, then 4 days inland. I'm taking just my Canon 6d2 and two lens, 24-105L II and 70-300 IS. I'd like to bring whole kit, but it's just unrealistic.

TGanner Loc: Haines, Alaska

If you are coming to Haines, I offer private photography tours, and am a Nikon shooter as well. Guests are welcome to take advantage of the 500 f/4 I carry as well as other lenses in the arsenal, and I have tripods and gimbel as well. Your timing is excellent for wildlife in the area. https://timenspace.net/photography-workshop/haines-private-tour/

xt2 Loc: British Columbia, Canada

Richard HZ wrote:

I will go to Alaska via cruise line at the end of ... (show quote)

I suspect, based upon the lenses you list, that you already know what lenses are best for this application. If not, get out and practice with them and then you will know what lenses are appropriate for any trip...

Cheers!

marine73 Loc: Modesto California

I recently returned from an Alaska Cruise with Holland America and a group from the USS Midway (CV-41), I am here took a canon 50D with a 50MM, 28-135MM and 100-400MM. I found that I used the 100-400MM more then the other Lenses. We went to Juneau, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, Sitka and Victoria BC. I am here found that on the Holland America that people were not crowding the rails looking for wildlife. the Stern on the lido deck and the observation deck offers plenty of room.

mikegreenwald Loc: Illinois

JDG3 wrote:

I hate to be a downer but that is a lot of gear to hump around and being on a cruise means you will be competing with a lot of people onboard for photos. My wife and I cruise a good bit and I have modified my camera gear over the years to adapt. Several years ago we went on a cruise through the Panama canal and I thought this would be a great opportunity to get some great shots while transiting the canal and of the jungle during the trip from the Atlantic to the Pacific. I carried my dslr along with several lens, bags, and all the other items I thought I needed. I did get some fair shots but be warned - people line the rails of the ship during the best times, often 3-4 people deep. To think you can set up a tripod or even a monopod is usually out of the question. Many of my shots were with me holding the camera above my head to shoot over the crowds. Then there are the excursions and the buses. Usually these buses are packed to capacity so any equipment you carry with you will be on your lap. There will be quick stops for a few photos and then back on he bus. These excursion tours operate on a strict schedule, so do not expect a lot of time to set up for the perfect shot. Most times, it's off the bus, shoot a few snaps and back on the bus for the next stop. Stopping at small towns or stops for longer times will allow you to set up and take photos, but then again, you are humping all this gear around for an hour or so while you are not taking photos.

I have been to Alaska many times (not on a cruise) and the best photos have been while on my own at my own pace. By flying into Anchorage, you can rent a car and see most of the great places you will see on the cruise and more. I have decided that cruises are for relaxation and now only carry a good point and shoot that does raw and jpgs. These cameras are very good and allow one to travel light and take advantage of opportunities that are unavailable when packing heavy gear. I found that my number of acceptable photos went up when switching over to a point and shoot vs dlsr and extra lens and other gear. You may not have the range in focal length and exposure you would have but the ease of use and quick response times more than make up for it. There are many good models available, I have a Panasonic Lumix which does raw and jpgs, has full manual, aperture and shutter priority along with auto modes. And it slips into a very small bag or jacket pocket.

My advice, take your other gear and try it out. But also buy or rent a really good point and shoot and take it. You may find yourself carrying only the point and shoot by the end of the cruise. I cannot think of a single time I missed not having my heavy gear while carrying my point and shoot. I have many very good shots that I probably would not have been able to get had I had to fiddle with lens and set up.

I hate to be a downer but that is a lot of gear to... (show quote)

This is excellent advice. Cruise ships are poor venues for photography.
I've been to Alaska half a dozen times, and all my best shots have come when I was on my own. I took my time, was patient waiting for the right moment for wildlife, right light for landscapes, and had time to search for the right site for everything.

rtryan

Don’t forget the tripod. Went to Greenland with SonyRX10 IV. Did everything I could ask for, but still hand held to get amazing aurora, wish I’d brought tripod.

SoCal Dave

Kmgw9v wrote:

I would definitely take the 14-24.

Just took that cruise for second time. Totally agree with above comments.

Took D850, 14-24, 24-120, 150-600
Wife took D500 and 18-400 with a second 150-600.

If you want to get shots of eagles, mountain goats, otters swimming with babies you MUST have the 200-500. Many of these will be from onboard the ship where weight is irrelevant.

When going on excursion leave the 14-24 in the cabin and you can get away with the 70-200 with the 2x if you want to be lighter than the 200-500.

I do not think you need two bodies.

I do like to use Sony Rx100 in my pocket for quick grab shots of local color not mission critical wildlife.

Richard HZ Loc: Indiana, US

TGanner wrote:

If you are coming to Haines, I offer private photography tours, and am a Nikon shooter as well. Guests are welcome to take advantage of the 500 f/4 I carry as well as other lenses in the arsenal, and I have tripods and gimbel as well. Your timing is excellent for wildlife in the area. https://timenspace.net/photography-workshop/haines-private-tour/

Thanks for the info! My wife and I will be in the area on Sept 1. However, we have reserved the excursion. It is total 6 hour trip. The info for the excursion is as follows.

The journey begins with a 45-minute scenic cruise aboard a high-speed fast ferry along North America's longest and deepest fjord to Haines. Enjoy spectacular views of waterfalls and ice-sculpted peaks as your onboard guide provides informative commentary and points out marine wildlife in route.

Upon arrival in Haines, join personable naturalists as you board your expedition bus to follow the route of returning salmon along the Chilkoot River. Nestled between rugged glaciers and snowcapped mountains, the fertile Chilkoot Valley is home to generations of brown bears, bald eagles, mountain goats, marine mammals, numerous birds and spawning salmon. Inquisitive visitors, bird watchers and photographers are amazed by the abundance of migratory and resident birds. Several stops along the way allow for a stunning photo opportunity and a fascinating depiction of Tlingit Indian legends and history by your guide.

View a fish counting weir where you may watch a technician count migrating salmon as they return. You'll make your way to Chilkoot Lake and set up powerful spotting scopes, which may be used for close-up views of mountain goats in alpine meadows, bears along the river and nesting eagles. You can actually take photos through the scopes. A refreshing nature walk beneath the canopy of trees in the temperate rainforest leads to you to an ancient muskeg.

Your tour concludes with a narrated drive through historic Fort Seward and downtown Haines, where you'll enjoy a sack lunch before returning to Skagway via ferry.