Anchorage cruise port guide

Why go?

Anchorage is often listed as the point of embarkation or disembarkation for numerous Alaskan cruises, but this is for convenience only. Cruise ships do not operate from the city’s port but from one of two smaller terminals at Seward or Whittier (see below). Cruise passengers visit Anchorage as part of a cruise-tour, as an add-on before or after their cruise, or because they are flying to the city to start their cruise.

Cruise port locations

Seward is 125 miles (201km) south of Anchorage, Whittier, 60 miles (96km) to the southeast. Many cruise lines offer free shuttles from Anchorage hotels or Anchorage’s airport. If not, several companies offer scheduled bus transfers, (including ACT Big Bus; $58/￡46 for Seward, $43/￡34 to Whittier). Journey time to Seward is two and a half to three hours.

Or take the Alaska Railroad train: the 'Coastal Classic' train ride from Anchorage to Seward takes six hours one way and costs from $110/￡87; Anchorage to Whittier is aboard the Glacier Discovery service (two hours, 30 minutes; from $89/￡70).

Can I walk to places of interest?

Orientation and getting to or from your ship on foot in Seward or Whittier is straightforward. Anchorage, however, is a large, dispersed city beyond its ten-by-seven block downtown core, so it is not possible to walk to places of interest except the museum (see below), and only then if you are staying in downtown.

Getting around

Use taxis, Uber or Lyft, or rely on Anchorage’s public transport system, and in particular its People Mover bus network. You’ll need the right money ($2) if you are paying by cash. Bus service #40 runs from the airport to downtown.

What to see and do

If you want to explore Anchorage independently, concentrate on museums, hiking, bike rentals, eating, drinking and shopping. Most other activities require a paid-for excursion out of the city. Visit alaska.org or the official visitor site for further information. 

What can I do in four hours or less?

The central Anchorage Museum, which explores many aspects of the state, is worth a visit, as is the Alaska Native Heritage Center, though the latter is out of downtown and requires a taxi or use of the Heritage Center shuttle (see Center website) from the museum of other downtown stops.

Rent a bike at alaska-bike-rentals.com and consider the Campbell, Chester or Ship Creek trails if you want a decent ride. Visit alaskatrailguides.com to book half- or full-day guided bike rides. Or try the fun half-day gold-panning tours at Crow Creek near town.

If you want something out of the ordinary as a dining option while you’re exploring, Anchorage has several craft breweries, including two in downtown: the Glacier Brewhouse – popular with locals for food and beer – and the 49th State Brewing Co. 

What can I do in eight hours or less?

A day in Anchorage offers the chance for numerous wildlife, adventure, activity and flightseeing excursions – at a price. Anchorage Helicopter Tours offers a wide range of tours, from simple flights to flights combined with activities such glacier dog sledding. Several companies also offer bear-watching tours with air transfers. Rust’s full-day tour to the famous Brook Falls site is typical, and costs around $700/￡553 per person. Rust’s and several other operators such as Regal also offer one-day fly-in fishing packages for about $600/￡474.

Rafting excursions suitable for families are manageable in a day or half-day, with Spencer Glacier and the Potage Scenic Float the two most popular excursions offered by Chugach Adventures. For a good, full-day hike, the obvious choice is Flattop, reputedly Alaska’s most-climbed peak. Its Glen Alps Trailhead is 20 minutes from downtown and is served by shuttle. Contact Chugach Guides for guided day hikes.

Eat and drink

Anchorage’s size and population mean there is a wider choice, and higher quality of places to eat and drink than anywhere in Alaska. As ever in the state, fish and seafood predominate, but you’ll find a wide range of cuisines and options. Competition means prices, while still high by US standards, are keener than elsewhere.

Don’t leave without…

Anchorage is full of souvenir stores, but also a wide range of galleries selling indigenous art and crafts. Because of its size it is a focus for artists in more remote parts of the state who wish to sell their work, so while you will often pay more here, the variety and quality are often superior to what you will find in smaller Alaskan cruise ports.

Need to know

Flight times

Longer cruises and less time at sea mean you can see more of Alaska by cruising one way and flying the other between Anchorage and Seattle (or vice-versa): flight time is three hours and 40 minutes. Year-round flights are available from eight other US airports. Seasonal summer flights also operate from port cities offering Alaskan cruises such as Vancouver (aircanada.com; three hours and 20 minutes) and San Francisco (united.com; four hours and 55 minutes).

Safety

Alaska is a major city, so take the usual precautions against pickpockets and other petty crime.

Best time to go

May to September is the main Alaskan cruise season. The warmest months in Anchorage are June, July and August (59–62.5F/15–17C), but these are also some of the wettest months. August has 11 days of rain on average, June and July five and seven. May and September have similar average temperatures (55F/13C) but September averages 10 days of rain to May’s three.

Closures

Most sights and stores in central Anchorage remain open year-round, but trains and shuttles to Seward and Whittier usually cease operations outside the main May to September Alaskan cruise season.