Whittier (Alaska)

Port Whittier (locode USWQF) was established during the WW2 (1939-45) as a military supply seaport. As a 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 a 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 the Alaska Marine Highway System with headquarters in Ketchikan). 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, 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 August 2021.

Chugach Glacier Gateway Cruise Terminal fire (2026)

A major fire severely damaged Whittier's 2024-opened Chugach Glacier Gateway Cruise Terminal on September 14th, 2026. The fire disrupted Whittier's cruise shipping operations, damaged a local tour boat (Klondike Express), and forced NCL's Alaska-based ship Norwegian Jade to leave the affected berth.

No injuries or fatalities were reported.

The fire that damaged the 2-berth dock was reported to the USCG on Sep 14th at ~11 AM (~7 PM UTC). Multiple agencies responded, including firefighters from Whittier, Girdwood, and Anchorage, along with the US Coast Guard.

At the time, the high-speed catamaran Klondike Express (owned by Phillips Cruises & Tours) was moored at the dock, without tourists aboard. The vessel sustained fire damage and was moved away from the pier to prevent further damage.

NCL's ship Norwegian Jade was also berthed but was safely moved away from the fire and didn't sustain damage.

The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel was temporarily closed to facilitate the emergency response and was subsequently reopened.

The response presented a particular logistical challenge because firefighters didn't have a functioning fire hydrant immediately available at the cruise terminal. The Anchorage Fire Department crews established a water supply from a hydrant farther inside Whittier. Three water tenders repeatedly made 10-minute trips between the hydrant and the dock to maintain the water supply/ Reportedly, 112,000+ gallons (~424,000 liters) of water were ultimately used.

The terminal's surrounding heavy security fencing restricted direct access to the seawater for firefighting equipment.

On September 15th, at ~12:30 AM (~9:30 PM UTC), after 12+ hours of firefighting, local authorities confirmed that the fire was extinguished. The USCG began assessing potential marine pollution. Damage to the dock's inflatable fenders produced a small sheen on the water, which subsequently dissipated. No additional pollution was reported at that stage.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

By September 18th, the State Fire Marshal's Office considered the dock a “total loss.”  This doesn't necessarily mean the entire terminal complex has been permanently abandoned. Huna Totem said it was still assessing the extent of the damage and had not yet determined repairs or future operations. The company said its goal is to have the facility operational for the 2027 season.

The immediate impact on cruises was relatively contained because Whittier has another cruise terminal. Norwegian Jade's operations were transferred to the old terminal (used by Holland America/Princess). NCL remained Whittier calls using an alternative pier.

Whittier cruise terminal