In All Kinds of Weather

STAY SENSIBLY STYLISH NO MATTER WHERE YOUR NEXT CRUISE TAKES YOU — EVEN INTO THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.

Stay sensibly stylish no matter where your next cruise takes you — even into the Arctic Circle.

Not too long ago, it seemed cruising was synonymous with sun-drenched islands, sweltering heat, and turquoise seas. A few pairs of shorts, sleeveless tops, sandals, and swimsuits were all we’d need for daytime sightseeing, beach going, and lazing beside the pool.

Fast forward to 2019: So many of us now realize that some of the most beautiful, charming, or fascinating places on earth that our favorite cruise ships transport us to — Alaska, the Norwegian fjords, Europe’s Christmas markets, Iceland and Greenland, Antarctica — can often be rainy, windy, and downright frigid.

If you’d like to give the tropical cruise the cold shoulder this year, take our suggestions and bundle up!

Pick Your Layers

THE NON-NEGOTIABLE BASICS: You don’t want to be distracted by chattering teeth and body shakes when the northern lights are putting on their dazzling show across the night sky, so remember what Mom told you and layer! Experts suggest four layers for the coldest environments, with a snug base of thermal underwear in merino wool (silk or synthetic if your skin doesn’t tolerate wool well) to wick away perspiration and keep you dry. A well-fitted sweater or shirt, and pants in a synthetic fabric or wool come next and act to preserve your body heat. The third layer should be a hooded jacket or thigh-length coat thick with down or synthetic insulation (note that synthetics are preferable to down in potentially rainy environments). Top your layers off with a hooded wind shell — waterproof or not, depending upon conditions.

The best thing about layering is the ability to remove one or more layers if temperatures increase through the day, so be sure to take along a waterproof backpack to tuck them into! FOOTLOOSE: Nothing will ruin your enjoyment of the otherworldly beauty of Iceland’s black pebble–covered Djúpalónssandur beach or the majesty of the massive glaciers on Greenland’s Disko Bay quicker than cold, wet feet squishing in inadequate footwear. Enter: waterproof socks. The best are a merino wool and Artex combo to keep feet both dry and warm. Place your waterproof sock–clad tootsies into waterproof, rugged hiking boots lined with fleece or flannel — or apply waterproofing spray liberally to sheepskin boots — and your feet will be toasty. Now’s not the time for your canvas sneakers and, ladies, don’t even think of a heel!

ON HAND: It is generally believed that mittens are warmer than gloves since the fingers encased in the mittens work together to share warmth. For those who refuse to sacrifice dexterity, a pair of down-filled, water-resistant gloves (with some grips at the fingers and palm) that completely cover chill-prone wrists provide the best of both worlds. Wear them at Christmas markets along the Danube and you’ll be able to eat your sausage sandwich and sip your gluhwein without even removing them!

HEAD START: A cruise to Antarctica is not the time to concern yourself with mussed hair. While a jacket hood provides some protection, nothing beats a snug-fitting, double-layered merino wool cap to prevent loss of body heat — bonus points if it has a fold-up edge to provide twice the ear warmth. And while that old wives’ tale about losing 70 percent of our body heat through an uncovered head has been completely disproven, if the rest of our body is covered up then our head is the only place where heat can escape. That’s a good enough reason for me to wear a hat. And the mussed hair? Don’t worry, despite their ever-formal disposition, the penguins won’t mind.

SCARFING IT DOWN: These days it seems most of us think of scarves as fashion, not function, but in frigid climates, a thick woolen scarf is a sensible addition. Tucked around the neck, a scarf protects from the wind and the cold and allows us to enjoy seeing the sights without having to zip our coats all the way up — something that can be downright uncomfortable. We can lift our scarf to warm our cheeks and nose, which looks a heck of a lot better than wearing a ski mask and looking as though we’re about to rob a bank. If that’s not enough, according to a 2015 study, the cold virus thrives in the nose particularly when exposed to cold temperatures for an extended period. A nose covered by a scarf prevents that cold air from being directly inhaled and, therefore, might help to fight off a cold virus — something nobody wants on vacation.

So far, we’ve looked at low- tech methods of keeping cozy while you travel ashore at cold- weather destinations. But before you step up the gangway, why not investigate some of the other options that ingenuity and technology have given us: HEATED GARMENTS: If you don’t mind a battery pack with your cold-weather wear, look into heated jackets, gloves, socks, and pants: Carbon fiber– heating elements generate heat at the press of a button. Rechargeable battery included.

FLANNEL OR FLEECE- LINED PANTS:

Extra- warm jeans or cargo styles keep us comfy while strolling the icy surface of Alaska’s Mendenhall Glacier.

HAND WARMERS: Forget your gloves? Portable, air- activated warmers provide up to 10 hours of heat. HANDS- FREE UMBRELLA: Originally designed for fishing, this hat- like covering can protect from rain but isn’t practical in windy conditions.

THE WARMEST COAT ON EARTH: Developed for industrial and commercial workers in the coldest regions on the planet, Canada Goose’s Snow Mantra Parka is reputed to be the warmest of the warm. (However, priced at $ 1,550, I’d expect it to come with a space heater in one pocket and a cup of hot cocoa in the other.)

Pack Your Bags

Packing for cold-weather destinations need not be any more challenging than a 7- day jaunt to the Caribbean. Online vendors offer the gear you’ll need year-round (something I learned before my first cruise to Iceland, when I discovered that my local boutique didn’t carry woolen scarves and gloves during an August heat wave) and the expedition nature of these sailings is decidedly casual, meaning there’s no need for fancy dress.

Expedition ships, too, often provide parkas and sometimes boots, either as a gift or for a guest’s use during the sailing. That’s your third layer right there, waiting for you in your cabin.

Whether I’m packing for a cold-weather cruise or a tropical one, I use a “stacking” approach. For cold weather, I stack the sweaters, the shirts, the sweatshirts, the thermal underwear in one pile and do the same with pants, jeans, and leggings. I fold each stack over once or twice to make a bundle and tuck them side-by-side in my suitcase (and, believe me, the fold- over method keeps wrinkled garments to an absolute minimum). Socks are tucked into shoes, and underwear, hats, scarves, and gloves are nestled around the bundles. It’s such an effective and space-saving method that if my ship is not providing a parka, I could lay my own atop the case’s contents and zip it up with ease.

If you’re hot to try a cold-weather destination on your next cruise, don’t hesitate. Bundle up and take your first step onto a glacier. Or enjoy an invigorating dogsled ride. Stroll through a European Christmas market in the height of winter. Be charmed by giant penguins or hypnotized by the northern lights. Marvel at the dizzying beauty of waterfalls, ancient rock formations, or craggy snow- covered cliffs.

But dress for it. Because, as they say: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.”