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Whittier (Alaska)

Cruise Port schedule, live map, terminals, news

Rating:
Whittier cruise port

Region
Alaska

Local Time
2026-09-06 00:13

min: 39 °F (4 °C) / max: 51 °F (11 °C) 48°F
8.7°C
Wind: 126°/ 1.3 m/s Gust: 1.3 m/sWind: 126°/ 1.3 m/s Gust: 1.3 m/sVery Light
1.3 m/s
Min / Max Temperature51 °F / 11 °C
39 °F / 4 °C
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Port Whittier cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Whittier, Alaska. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

DayShipArrivalDeparture
14 June, 2028
Wednesday
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Cruises cruise lineSeven Seas Splendor06:0018:00
20 June, 2028
Tuesday
Seabourn Cruises Cruises cruise lineSeabourn Encore07:0021:00
28 June, 2028
Wednesday
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Cruises cruise lineSeven Seas Splendor06:0018:00

Port Whittier (locode USWQF) was established during the WW2 (1939-45) as a military supply seaport. As cruise port, Whittier is the gateway to Prince William Sound and Chugach National Forest (south-central Alaska). Whittier is a deepwater port and also the only ice-free Alaskan port.

The port has a small boat harbor but it is popular as homeport (cruise departure port) due to the wide range of shore excursions and tours starting from here. Most itineraries are 7-day one-ways between Whittier and Vancouver (BC Canada). The most popular "cruising destinations" visited from Whittier are Portage Glacier (Kenai Peninsula), College Fjord (Prince William Sound) and the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel (aka Whittier Tunnel - North America's longest highway tunnel/dual-use/motorway and railway tunnel, with length 4,1 km / 2,52 mi) that is part of the Portage Glacier Highway. Whittier Tunnel runs through Maynard Mountain linking Whittier with Anchorage (via Seward Highway). This combined railway-highway tunnel is the only land access to Whittier.

Whittier Harbor is used by both cruise ships and AMH ferries (serving Alaska Marine Highway System with headquarters in Ketchikan AK). The town is served by Whittier Airport (an airfield with one runway/not maintained during winter). Around 3% of the air traffic is taxis. There is also a seaplane dock.

On March 31, 2022, was announced that Huna Totem Corporation has signed an MoA (Memorandum of Agreement) with NCLH-Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings for building a new cruise dock/second berthing facility in Whittier. The port development project was privately funded (by NCLH/USD 80 million) and consists of the construction of a cruise docking facility at the head of the bay (2-berth/double-sided pier with capacity to accommodate ships from all NCLH's brands/NCL-Norwegian, Oceania, RSSC-Regent Seven Seas), as well as a cruise terminal, dining venues and retail shops, a cultural center, plus additional facilities for train and bus access. The project's construction works started with the groundbreaking ceremony held on October 10, 2022. The new Whittier cruise ship dock and the terminal project is a joint venture between NCL-Norwegian, Whittier City and Huna Totem Development Corporation.

The new facility occupies 20 acres/8 hectares of private land and was completed and opened in September 2024. NCLH holds the primary scheduling rights but the new pier is also available for other cruise companies. It complements Port Whittier's old dock, which is exclusively used by Princess Cruises and Holland America Line.

Note: The Hoonah-based Huna Totem Corporation and NCLH also jointly developed Icy Strait Point's second cruise ship pier (Wilderness Landing Pier) that was inaugurated in 2021 August.

Whittier cruise terminal

Whittier is located at Passage Canal's entrance in Prince William Sound.

Port Whittier is approx 100 km (60 mi) southeast from Anchorage AK.

Whittier cruise terminal is an alternative to Seward, which is more crowded. It is also closer to Anchorage's airport (TSAIA). You can reach Whittier from Anchorage using the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system or along the scenic Turnagain Arm (Chugach Mountains) by car (Whittier Access Road and Seward Highway). The drive distance is 1,5 hours (by car).

If the transfer is not included in your cruise package, you can use the Whittier Shuttle bus or Avis car rentals from the airport.