AXW Travels

This wasn't a Box Trip. It started with a conversation right after my mom died, a wish list from my dad, and an itinerary that happened to hit both Bergen and Svalbard. What followed was three weeks of fjords, a glacier hike that cost my husband a crampon, one disappointing tour day, and my dad finally seeing an island he'd wanted to see his whole life.

Packing for a cruise that spans multiple climates — think 90-degree penguin reserves and 40-degree Cape Horn winds in the same trip — requires a completely different mindset than a typical vacation. After 17 days on a Viking Ocean cruise through Chile, the Falkland Islands, Uruguay, and Argentina, I've got the layering strategy, laundry logistics, electronics tips, and hard-won lessons that will help you pack smart, pack light, and actually enjoy your trip.