Whittier AK Cruise Ship Destination Port

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Whittier, Alaska

The Gulf of Alaska is an arm of the Pacific Ocean defined by the curve of the southern coast of Alaska, stretching from the Alaska Peninsula and Kodiak Island in the west to the Alexander Archipelago in the east.

Whittier is a popular port of call for cruise ships, as it has connections to Anchorage and the interior of Alaska by both highway and rail. It is the embarkation/debarkation point of the Denali Express nonstop rail service to and from Denali National Park operated by Princess Tours. Whittier is also popular with tourists, sport fishermen and hunters.

Situated at the head of the Passage Canal on the western edge of Prince William Sound, the community of Whittier is approximately 60 miles southeast of Anchorage and is included in the Valdez-Cordova census.

Source: City of Whittier, Alaska

The City of Whittier was incorporated in 1969. Today, less than 300 people reside in the town supporting the Alaska State Ferry, the Alaska Railroad, freight barge, commercial fishing, the Small Boat Harbor, recreation and tourism with an annual visiting population of over 700,000

Learn about natural hazards common to Alaska

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Port of Entry

Whittier is a popular port of call for cruise ships, as it has connections to Anchorage and the interior of Alaska by both highway and rail.  It is the embarkation/debarkation point of the Denali Express nonstop rail service to and from Denali National Park operated by Princess Tours. Whittier is also popular with tourists, sport fishermen and hunters.

Time Zone

Alaska Standard Time (-4 EST)

Map Coordinates

60.46 N 148.40 W

Climate

Whittier has a mild maritime climate, but be prepared for cool wet weather. Rain jackets are essential and casual comfortable clothing is the rule.

Things to do and see

Whittier businesses are the starting point for your Prince William Sound adventure offering a variety of water-related recreation including day cruises, fishing charters, kayak tours and scuba diving. Winter activities include snow shoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.

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Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel

The longest combined vehicle-railroad tunnel in North America.

The Buckner Building

A large abandoned government building in Whittier. Two factors combine to make safe demolition of the building cost-prohibitive: First, there is a fair amount of asbestos in the building. Second, the only land-route in and out of Whittier is through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, so debris would either have to go through the tunnel or be moved on ships. The building is a local hang out for kids, and is often explored by tourists. The safety of the building is marginal, due to the asbestos and questionable structural integrity. Bears are often found inside the building in the spring, and it is full of ice and precariously dangling pipes, wires, and substructure. The floor is almost completely flooded, with at least one inch or more of water on each level. 

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