Anchorage Whittier AK

Cruise ships berth at the tiny hamlet of Whittier, and most passengers take a cruise-organised excursion to Anchorage. Some ships use Seward instead. Only Holland America Line ships dock in Anchorage itself.

Anchorage lies 60 miles from the cruise terminal, with bus and train connections in both directions. Each route passes through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, shared by rail and road traffic; one uses it at a time, alternating every half hour.

When a ship calls at Anchorage, it usually berths at the Port of Anchorage. At 3.2km from downtown, the port offers convenient access to the city.

At the Port of Anchorage, shuttles, taxis and charter vehicles link passengers with downtown Anchorage. Shore excursions also leave by train and motor coach for activities across Southcentral Alaska.

Further maps of Anchorage and surrounding areas.

Information about hotels in Anchorage.

Anchorage cruise schedule information.

Whittier cruise schedule information.

Just 60 miles from Anchorage, Whittier offers all the beauty of Prince William Sound. Its many deep fjords, tidewater glaciers calving before your eyes and islands around every turn demonstrate the true meaning of the word "fjord".

Whittier is surrounded by Chugach National Forest, the United States’ second largest and a vast wilderness.

In Whittier, look for wildlife, beachcomb and pick berries along the harbour, or hike the Portage Pass, Salmon Run or Horse Tail Falls trails.

Whittier is an unusual little port town, built by the military during World War II and accessible only by boat or a one-lane tunnel almost 3 miles long.

Whittier has about 180 residents, almost all living in the same apartment complex.

Anchorage combines modern conveniences with a rugged natural setting that has largely vanished from populated regions elsewhere. It is possible to see moose in the morning and ballet in the afternoon, take a short flight for mountain scenery, then return for fresh seafood at a five-star restaurant.

This urban enclave is surrounded by wilderness. A few miles from downtown are scenes wilder than many national parks: wolf packs in a park, rushing mountain streams and city parks large enough to lose track of the century. The world’s second-highest tides meet its shores, while North America’s highest peak shines in the distance.

Anchorage is above all a gateway to adventure. Without leaving your hotel, you can experience much of what the USA offers: flightsee over Mt. McKinley, fish a wilderness river or visit grizzly bears by air taxi. Take a day cruise to calving glaciers and huge whales, hike to a glacier, climb a summit or drive some of the world’s most spectacular highways.

The Alaska Native Heritage Center explores the history and culture of Alaska’s indigenous peoples through exhibits, live performances and traditional crafts.

The official U.S. currency is the United States dollar (symbol: $). ATMs are widely available.

Major credit cards, including Visa and MasterCard, are widely accepted, even for purchases of only a few dollars; in some cases they may be the only way to pay. Overseas visitors should remember that prices can look lower than they are because taxes and gratuities are seldom included.

Most states charge sales tax, from 2.9% to nearly 10% of the retail price, with 4-6% typical. It is almost never included in displayed prices, except for gasoline and, in most states, alcoholic drinks consumed on the premises; it is calculated and added at payment.

There are currently no cybercafés.

Emergency number: 911.

In major metropolitan areas such as New York and Los Angeles, many drugstores and supermarkets open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Department stores, shopping centres and most other large retailers are typically open 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday to Saturday, often with shorter Sunday hours of 11 a.m. or noon–5 or 6 p.m. They tend to remain open on holidays, except major holidays such as Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, when stores generally close.