Whittier cruise port tips before or after your Alaska cruise

Hi there!

There are 7-day one-way cruises between Vancouver (Canada) and Whittier (Alaska).

These are one of the best types of Alaska cruises because they usually include 2 glacier sea days. There is a Glacier Bay National Park sea day and one more glacier sea day (Hubbard Glacier or College Fjord).

If I must choose, I would do a cruise with Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier, book the small boat Hubbard Glacier wilderness excursion through the cruise line if available, and then do a Whittier excursion to see the College Fjord glaciers. Look at the cruise lines of Princess, Holland America, and NCL.

Travel planning for Whittier cruise port

If your cruise is starting in Whittier, you’ll fly into Anchorage airport.

It’s always a good idea to arrive a day before your cruise starts because of potential flight delays.

Whittier is a very small town with very few accommodation options, so most people stay in Anchorage before their cruise.

So you can stay in Anchorage the night before, and then the morning of your cruise you can go to Whittier.

Also consider that if you’re flying from East Coast USA to Alaska, you have a 4-hour time difference. By arriving a day or 2 early, you can start to get used to the new time zone sooner and feel refreshed before your cruise!

I arrived 2 days early when I had my cruise from Whittier, so I stayed 2 nights in Anchorage. (Although I was coming from Europe so I wanted extra buffer time for sure!)

If your cruise ends in Whittier, you’ll go to Anchorage after your cruise to fly out of Anchorage airport.

I flew out of Anchorage a day after my cruise ended when I had my cruise to Whittier, so I stayed a night in Anchorage.

You must consider traveling Alaska by train as an extension of your cruise to or from Whittier! See more about the best Alaska train trips.

When searching for Anchorage hotels, look for the “view map” option!

Take a look at the Lakefront Anchorage hotel or Ingra House Hotel.

For flights, I like to compare prices at kayak.com and then book direct.

I’ve started a cruise in Whittier, ended a cruise in Whittier, and I’ve also had it as a turnaround day! This blog is here to help you plan your time in Whittier and Anchorage to start or end your Alaska cruise!

• Whittier cruise port map
  • with where cruise ships dock + how to get to/from Anchorage
• Traveling between Whittier and Anchorage
  • Alaska by train
  • Ending a cruise in Whittier: How to get from Whittier cruise port to Anchorage
  • Starting a cruise in Whittier: How to get from Anchorage to Whittier cruise port
  • Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center
• Things to do in Anchorage without a car
• Best Whittier excursions
• Choosing a cruise
  • Northbound or southbound cruise between Vancouver and Whittier?

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