Boarding day
Where do cruise ships dock in Whittier (Anchorage)?
The Whittier (Anchorage) terminal guides cover Whittier Cruise Ship Terminal and Glacier Gateway Terminal. Confirm your terminal for your ship and sailing date in your cruise documents, then use its guide for the address and arrival instructions.
Which cruise lines sail from the Whittier Cruise Terminal?
Our Whittier Cruise Terminal guide directory includes Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Norwegian Cruise Line. Sailings vary by season; check the dated sailing calendar and your cruise documents to confirm departures and terminal assignments.
How much is parking at Whittier Cruise Terminal?
Whittier Parking publishes $90 for seven days for a standard vehicle at its Whittier Street lot. Glacier Gateway has a separate terminal lot at $27 per night for passenger vehicles and SUVs. Confirm your assigned terminal, current access and the full parking period with the operator. For a one-way cruise, arrange how to recover the vehicle before paying.
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How we build these guides: picks are researched from public reviews and official sources — venues re-verified September 28, 2026. See every partner and what it pays us.
Where to Stay
Hotels near Whittier Cruise Terminal for the night before
Why: Compare the location and room options with your group's needs.
More details
A waterfront inn inside Whittier.
Pro tip: Check room details, availability and services with the hotel.
Parking: Confirm overnight and cruise parking terms with the hotel.
Sources for reviewed details
- innatwhittier.comdescription · checked 2026-09-28
Where to Eat
Every restaurant worth eating at near Whittier Cruise Terminal
Why: A seasonal seafood café in Whittier. Order: Ask about the current fish selection.
More details
Pro tip: Check seasonal dates and the weekly closure day before relying on this as your only meal stop.
Parking: Check parking or drop-off with the venue.
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Waterfront dining at the inn overlooking Prince William Sound.
What to order: Look at the current Alaskan cuisine menu.
Pro tip: Reserve dinner when staying locally; ask separately about restaurant hours and room availability.
Parking: Check parking or drop-off with the venue.
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A small harbor-side café associated with Lazy Otter Charters.
What to order: Check the café’s current drinks and light-food selection.
Pro tip: Find the green roof by the east boat ramp, and confirm seasonal service before making a special trip.
Parking: Check parking or drop-off with the venue.
Things to Do
Things to do near Whittier Cruise Terminal before you board
Why: A local museum covering Whittier and the surrounding sound. Best for: Consider your group's interests and available time.
More details
Pro tip: Confirm opening hours and entry requirements with the operator.
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Day cruises on Prince William Sound from Whittier.
Best for: Consider your group's interests and available time
Pro tip: Confirm opening hours and entry requirements with the operator.
Official information - ———
Small-group boat outings on Prince William Sound.
Best for: Consider your group's interests and available time
Pro tip: Confirm opening hours and entry requirements with the operator.
Official information
Getting to Your Ship
Which terminal is yours? Terminals here are assigned by ship and sail date, so this page shows all 2 terminals until you set your sailing.
Drop-off
Whittier and Seward are different ports. Road access to Whittier uses the timed, one-lane Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. Check Alaska DOT’s current schedule and select a crossing that leaves room for delays before your assigned check-in time.
Parking
Whittier Parking on Whittier Street publishes $90 for seven days for a standard vehicle, with first-come, first-served parking and no reservation required. This independent lot is separate from Glacier Gateway parking. Confirm the full stay and how to recover the vehicle after a one-way cruise.
Check-in Tips
- Use the arrival window on your cruise documents.
- Keep identification, cruise documents and essential medication in your hand luggage.
Last-Minute Needs
Collect supplies before reaching the terminal; do not count on shops after check-in.
Glacier Gateway Terminal
Getting here: 1313 Prince William Sound Drive
Drop-off
Glacier Gateway is at 1313 Prince William Sound Drive. It is a separate facility from the West Camp Road terminal. Use the terminal and arrival window on your final cruise documents; arrange transportation in advance.
Parking
Glacier Gateway publishes passenger vehicle and SUV parking at $27 per night, payable on arrival by credit card. Confirm your assigned terminal and current access with your cruise line before driving.
Check-in Tips
- Confirm the assigned terminal and current arrival instructions with your cruise line.
- Plan your Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel crossing before setting out.
Last-Minute Needs
Bring essential supplies with you; terminal retail is not a substitute for packing medication and documents.
Passport & Documents
Bring a valid passport.
A closed-loop cruise leaves from and returns to the same U.S. port. U.S. citizens on a closed-loop sailing can technically re-enter with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID. If the names on those two differ, bring the marriage certificate or court order that links them, or you can be refused boarding. Bring the physical ID card; a phone or digital license is not accepted. Round trips that call in Colombia, Panama or Martinique need a passport book. Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian want a passport valid for six months after the cruise ends. Not a U.S. citizen? Green-card holders need the original card plus a passport from their home country. Other nationalities need a passport and any U.S. visa or ESTA. Sailing with a child who is not yours? Royal Caribbean requires a notarized form signed by the child's guardian. Carnival recommends a signed letter from any parent who is not sailing. Your cruise line sets its own document rules, so check yours before you travel. Only a passport gets you home if you miss the ship at a foreign port. See the full document list in the first-time cruise tips.
Last-Minute Stops
Pick up anything you forgot before heading to the port.
Getting There & Parking
Compare parking and the other practical ways to reach Whittier Cruise Terminal.
Parking for your cruise
Driving and parkingPassengers arriving by road
CostWhittier Parking advertises vehicle and trailer parking on Whittier Street near the cruise dock. Obtain a quote and confirm the full parking period directly. On a one-way cruise, arrange how to recover the vehicle at the end of the trip before paying.
Road access to Whittier runs through the timed Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. Getting to Your Ship has the crossing advice.
Pro tip: Check the official parking instructions for your sailing before leaving home.
Other ways to reach the ship
Airport or hotel transferPassengers arriving without a car
CostConfirm a current fare with your chosen operator.
Arrange transport from Ted Stevens Anchorage International (ANC) or your hotel to the terminal named on your cruise documents. Travel time varies with traffic and the distance is route-dependent; check a current route to your assigned pier.
Pro tip: Include time to collect bags and check the pickup location; a flight landing time is not a terminal arrival time.
What to Pack
The essentials you'll actually need — plus a few things most people forget
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Carry-On Day Bag
Pack these in a bag you keep with you at boarding — your checked luggage won't arrive until 3-4pm
Boarding Tips
Keep your ID, boarding documents, and medication in your carry-on
Checked bags may not reach your cabin until later in the day.
Use the arrival time printed in your boarding documents
Your cruise line's current documents are the source of truth for check-in.
Keep one small day bag with anything you need before your cabin is ready
You may board before cabins and checked luggage are available.
Arrive at the time shown in your cruise line's boarding documents.
First cruise? Embarkation day in the order it happens walks through the whole day, and the muster drill, explained covers the one thing you cannot skip.
All Whittier Cruise Terminal guides
Ships sailing from Whittier Cruise Terminal
- Coral Princess terminal & parkingPrincess Cruises
- Crown Princess terminal & parkingPrincess Cruises
- Discovery Princess terminal & parkingPrincess Cruises
- Island Princess terminal & parkingPrincess Cruises
- Nieuw Amsterdam terminal & parkingHolland America Line
- Norwegian Jade terminal & parkingNorwegian Cruise Line
- Westerdam terminal & parkingHolland America Line