Boarding in Whittier on Princess

[Luv2cruz1000]

Couldn't find a thread for Whittier on Homeports. 

Will we be allowed to board the ship, drop our luggage and leave the ship again. Cruise doesn't leave until 8:30 and wanted to explore Whittier a bit before we leave. (spending the night before in Whittier).

[Coral]

Yes. 

 

Many people do 26 Glaicer in Whittier. Otherwise, there is not much to do in Whittier.

 

I would not spend the night in Whittier the night before. I would spend the night in Anchorage but that is just me. If it was Seward or Anchorage - I would say Seward but Whittier is so small.

[cw2go]

When I last sailed out of Whittier on Princess, they took our bags and we then did the 26 Glacier Cruise that @Coral mentioned above, amazing!

Kept all of our important documents/electronic with us and did the embarkation process after our tour. 

 

https://phillipscruises.com/26-glacier-cruise/

 

I'll second staying in Anchorage, enjoy a nice dinner at Glacier Brewhouse or grab a slice of the best pizza ever at Moose's Tooth. 

 

Patty 

[DougH]

There is a nice little museum in the hotel/store in Whittier. Not much else to see

[Coral]

3 hours ago, cw2go said:

When I last sailed out of Whittier on Princess, they took our bags and we then did the 26 Glacier Cruise that @Coral mentioned above, amazing!

Kept all of our important documents/electronic with us and did the embarkation process after our tour. 

 

https://phillipscruises.com/26-glacier-cruise/

 

I'll second staying in Anchorage, enjoy a nice dinner at Glacier Brewhouse or grab a slice of the best pizza ever at Moose's Tooth. 

 

Patty 

I second Glacier Brewhouse!

[AKJonesy]

The only way I would stay in Whittier the day before is if you are going on the 26 glacier cruise which I highly recommend.  Whittier takes about 5 minutes to walk around.  Then what are you going to do day of cruise unless you want to just have a day on the ship to lounge around.  If you do decide to stay in Whittier, wake up late, have a late breakfast and request a late check out.  By then, it might be time to start boarding.  

[Coral]

22 minutes ago, AKJonesy said:

The only way I would stay in Whittier the day before is if you are going on the 26 glacier cruise which I highly recommend.  Whittier takes about 5 minutes to walk around.  Then what are you going to do day of cruise unless you want to just have a day on the ship to lounge around.  If you do decide to stay in Whittier, wake up late, have a late breakfast and request a late check out.  By then, it might be time to start boarding.  

I agree about the 26 Glacier tour but I would just take the bus in in the morning for it.

 

I wonder how the hotel is doing in Whittier. It was in bankruptcy for awhile several years back.  Hopefully it is owned by a solid company now.

[Luv2cruz1000]

Thanks for your input. We are flying into Anchorage a few days earlier and our plan was to take the train the day before the cruise, stopping in Portage and then do the round trip back to Whittier to spend the night. I know we can do that the day of the cruise but are afraid we would have no time to see Whittier. We thought we would do the 5 minute tour of the town, hang out at the water and maybe do one of the hikes the day the cruise leaves. I wonder how different the 26 glacier cruise would be from Whale watching in Juneau (on my bucket list to see humpback whales)  or a small boat to the glacier ( previously did Dawes Glacier)? 

[wolfie11]

Swiftwater Cafe has some of the best seafood in Alaska.

[AKStafford]

2 hours ago, Luv2cruz1000 said:

stopping in Portage

The train stop at Portage is just a large gravel pad. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is within walking distance, but the walk is along a very busy highway.

If you looking for a relaxing down day in a scenic location, Whittier is a good spot.

[GTJ]

5 hours ago, Luv2cruz1000 said:

We are flying into Anchorage a few days earlier and our plan was to take the train the day before the cruise, stopping in Portage and then do the round trip back to Whittier to spend the night.

I am very confused as to your planned travel. What do you mean by "stopping in Portage and then do the round trip back to Whittier"? Are you referring to the fact that the train, itself, stops in Portage, or are you intended for yourself to stop in Portage for some extended period of time? And taking a round-trip "back to Whittier" suggests that you're starting out on the train from Whittier. I struggle to make any sense of your plan.

 

If only for the record, let me give the complete list of passenger stops made by the "Glacier Discovery" train. Maybe this will help with understanding the plan.

 

0945 AM Depart Anchorage

1055 AM Arrive Girdwood

1100 AM Depart Girdwood

1130 AM Arrive Portage

1135 AM Depart Portage

1205 PM Arrive Whittier

1245 PM Depart Whitter

0115 PM Arrive Portage

0125 PM Depart Portage

0145 PM Arrive Spencer

0155 PM Depart Spencer

0320 PM Arrive Grandview

0330 PM Depart Grandview

0430 PM Arrive Spencer

0440 PM Depart Spencer

0515 PM Arrive Portage

0525 PM Depart Portage

0605 PM Arrive Whittier

0645 PM Depart Whittier

0715 PM Arrive Portage

0720 PM Depart Portage

0740 PM Arrive Girdwood

0745 PM Depart Girdwood

0900 PM Arrive Anchorage

 

There is also a chartered bus service available at no extra charge for those persons seeking to return to Anchorage earlier. Its schedule is as follows.

 

0520 PM Depart Portage

0545 PM Arrive Alyeska resort

0550 PM Depart Alyeska resort

0600 PM Arrive Girdwood

0600 PM Depart Girdwood

0645 PM Arrive Anchorage

 

The Anchorage station is in downtown Anchorage. The Girdwood station is near the Seward Highway and the Girdwood Station Mall, and a short distance from the Alyeska resort (there a local bus service connecting to and from the resort). The Portage station is alongside the Seward Highway, and is nothing more than a wye in the railroad tracks and a parking lot for persons traveling by railroad. The Portage station is 1-1/2 miles from the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (summer hours, 0900 AM to 0700 PM), the only activity nearby, but be prepared to walk along the highway shoulder. The Whittier station is adjacent to the Princess Cruises and Holland America Line passenger terminal, and a short walk from the ferry terminal and the single building where virtually Whittier residents live. The Spencer station is isolated in the wilderness, and is a place from which one might engage in hiking or other recreational activity. The Grandview station is isolated in the wilderness, and is a place where the train turns back after having afforded its passengers a scenic journey.

Edited June 19, 2023 by GTJ

[Luv2cruz1000]

6 hours ago, AKStafford said:

The train stop at Portage is just a large gravel pad. The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is within walking distance, but the walk is along a very busy highway.

If you looking for a relaxing down day in a scenic location, Whittier is a good spot.

Yes that was the plan. Anyone done it from the train? Am I correct in thinking they provide transportation to the Conservation Center? 

I am rethinking our stay in Whittier but will have to miss seeing any of Whittier and enjoying the cruise ship a bit before departure. 

[Luv2cruz1000]

9 hours ago, Coral said:

I agree about the 26 Glacier tour but I would just take the bus in in the morning for it.

 

I wonder how the hotel is doing in Whittier. It was in bankruptcy for awhile several years back.  Hopefully it is owned by a solid company now.

Regarding the hotel. I am not sure if you are referring to the "Inn at Whittier". I am hoping they reopen by next year. Their webpage says they have water damage and have been having to cancel some reservations for this year. So unfortunate as this is their busy time. Anyone been in Whittier with any further insight? ( I have called to see when I can reserve and nothing was mentioned about not being open this year or next, so I am hopeful!)

[Coral]

39 minutes ago, Luv2cruz1000 said:

Regarding the hotel. I am not sure if you are referring to the "Inn at Whittier". I am hoping they reopen by next year. Their webpage says they have water damage and have been having to cancel some reservations for this year. So unfortunate as this is their busy time. Anyone been in Whittier with any further insight? ( I have called to see when I can reserve and nothing was mentioned about not being open this year or next, so I am hopeful!)

Yes - at one time that was the only place to stay. Not sure where you are planning on staying. I see now there are a few smaller places. The Inn has had a very strange history and has been closed many years.

 

I am all about spending more time in Seward before the cruise there but am not for it in Whittier.

Edited June 19, 2023 by Coral

[cw2go]

10 hours ago, Luv2cruz1000 said:

 I wonder how different the 26 glacier cruise would be from Whale watching in Juneau (on my bucket list to see humpback whales)  or a small boat to the glacier ( previously did Dawes Glacier)? 

 

I've done both. loved both and they're completely different!

The weather, wildlife and scenery will change the experience of the exact same tour, between other tour times, on the exact same day, with the exact same tour company. For me this is why Alaska is so special, never the same trip twice. 

 

 

Patty 

[Coral]

11 hours ago, Luv2cruz1000 said:

I wonder how different the 26 glacier cruise would be from Whale watching in Juneau (on my bucket list to see humpback whales)  or a small boat to the glacier ( previously did Dawes Glacier)? 

I missed this question. 

 

I agree with @cw2go . I have gone whale watching a ton and also the boat ride in Whittier. They are entirely different and both worth while. The boat ride on 26 glacier is all glacier based and you get close to the glaciers. Whale watching in Juneau - you can sort of see Mendenhall glacier in the background from a very far distance in certain locations but that focus is on whales. 26 glacier is on glaciers.

 

Both worthy!! I would recommend both. And there really is not much other things to do in Whittier.

[AKStafford]

5 hours ago, Luv2cruz1000 said:

Am I correct in thinking they provide transportation to the Conservation Center? 

Not that I am aware of. And there's no mention of it on their website. You could always contact them and ask: https://alaskawildlife.org/visit/

[GTJ]

3 hours ago, AKStafford said:

Not that I am aware of. And there's no mention of it on their website.

Apparently there is, or was, such a transportation service that was provided, at least for participants in a Chugach Adventures tour, as sold by the Alaska Railroad. See http://www.alaskarailroad.com/travel-planning/day-trips/alaska-wildlife-conservation-center. Whether that transportation between the railroad station and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center was actually provided by Chugach Adventures, by the conservation center itself pursuant to a contract with Chugach Adventures, or simply provided by the conservation center to any persons who might be arriving by railroad (perhaps informally as a courtesy), I do not know. There is also the issue of what to do with baggage. If traveling by train, and alighting at Portage only to re-board the same train later in the day, then one might just leave the baggage on the train. Or baggage might be left unattended at the station itself. The risk of theft in either case is likely not great. Dragging it around to and from the conservation center, especially if walking along the highway, would not be especially convenient.