The City of Whittier and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings collaborated with Huna Totem Corp. on a new $80 million, double berth facility, which sits on 20 privately held acres between serene waters and the rugged mountains in Whittier, Alaska. By Paul Szydelko, Travel Weekly
Huna Totem Corp.’s new cruise terminal in Whittier, Alaska, provides expanded access to recreational and cultural opportunities in the south central part of the state.
The double-berth pier at the $80 million facility in the rainy, remote Prince William Sound community, about 60 miles southeast of Anchorage, greeted its first ship last September.
The City of Whittier and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings collaborated with Huna Totem Corp. on the project, which sits on 20 privately held acres between serene waters and the rugged mountains. Norwegian has the first right of scheduling, but the terminal is open to all cruise lines to use.
It joins Whittier’s other dock, which is used only by Princess Cruises and Holland America Line and comes at a time that cruise lines are searching for new ports amid Juneau’s decision to impose a five-ship cap on visits.
I was able to get a glimpse of the new 30,000-square-foot terminal just after a call by Regent ‘s Seven Seas Explorer in the fall. What stood out was the flexibility of the place: there were moveable walls, partitions, to divide the space any which way, even for community events and buyouts. And there were things like kiosks and counters that can easily be moved about depending on the needs of the particular cruise line that was in port.
“It’s a blank slate. Everything is movable, which appeals to the cruise lines we’ve brought in. They say, ‘Wow, we can do whatever we want in this place,’ which really makes it awesome,” said Tor Wallen, manager of the new Whittier terminal during a tour of the facility.
Wallen said he is most proud of that versatility, as well as the technology. The terminal includes a dedicated lounge for crews, generous storage space for cruise lines, a large-capacity water tank, backup generators for ships and WiFi. A tsunami warning system for the community is installed on the terminal’s grounds.
Distinctive features
With portable partitions throughout the facility, alcoves can be created to make spaces for hospitality services and to enable guests to book regional adventures. Photos of Whittier’s history and other art for the terminal are among the ideas being discussed to give guests an even stronger impression of their surroundings.
In addition to accommodations for bus service and soon rail service to Anchorage (about 60 miles northwest of Whittier), Huna Totem has ample land to eventually build retail, dining, a cultural center and other amenities.
But expected sooner are fire pits and picnic areas. Planning is also underway for tour options in Whittier and the surrounding area. Among the possible options are kayak rentals, Jet Ski rentals, charter fishing and wildlife watching, Wallen said.
He said boats available to rent in the area could lead to some other “cool” excursions. “We could go out on a crabbing tour or shrimp tour, set the [trap], go wild-lifing and come back and pull [the trap],” then cook the day’s catch on the beach, Wallen said.
Huna Totem Corp is owned by about 1,600 shareholders whose Indigenous ties are to Hoonah, a largely Tlingit community along the Alaska panhandle. Huna Totem Corp. co-owns Port Klawock , which opened in 2024 on the west coast of Prince of Wales Island. Huna Totem Corp.’s flagship port, Icy Strait Point , opened in 2004.
