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 in 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.

Read the full article at: https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/What-to-know-about-new-Whittier-Alaska-cruise-port