COACH AND CRUISE ADVENTURES
Leave the driving to us! Phillips Cruises and Tours partners with daily transportation providers to create seamless travel itineraries by coach along the scenic Seward Highway, designated a National Scenic Byway by the U.S. Forest Service. The Seward Highway has towering mountains on one side and the spectacular Turnagain Arm, providing dramatic panoramic views on the opposite side of the road. Your driver will point out the sights and make a photo stop as time allows.
A brief stop in Girdwood to pick up additional guests allows time for a restroom break. Continue to the Portage Valley, where glaciers begin to come into view, including Portage Glacier, a piedmont glacier that feeds Portage Lake. The journey’s final leg takes you through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, the longest shared rail and vehicle tunnel in North America. Once through the tunnel, the quaint town of Whittier will appear.
Your journey by coach will connect easily to your cruise adventure.
Tips for traveling by coach to Whittier
Where do I meet the coach?
Meet your driver-guide in Anchorage outside the 5th Avenue entrance of the Hotel Captain Cook to begin your Coach and Cruise Adventure. Please arrive 15-minutes before departure. To board the coach, present your confirmation and photo I.D. to the driver. If you are boarding in Girdwood, meet the coach at the Hotel Alyeska. In Whittier, the coach will arrive and leave from the Cliffside Marina where our cruises depart.
How long is the ride?
We leave Anchorage at 9:15 AM and arrive Whittier at 12:00 noon.
Is there a bathroom or restroom stop?
Yes, if the coach is not equipped with a restroom we make a comfort stop at 10:30 AM at Alyeska Resort or in Girdwood.
Does the coach go through the tunnel?
Yes. The coach arrives to Whittier via the 11:30 AM tunnel and will be at the boarding area for the cruise by 12:00 PM.
Is food or drink allowed on the coach?
The coach service does not provide meal service. Guests may bring food and non-alcoholic beverages in containers with a lid. Please dispose of all waste items before leaving the coach in the bin provided by the driver.
How does the coach connect to the cruise?
The coach will stop in the Cliffside Marina in front of Phillips Cruises and Tours. Our Whittier ticket office has a big yellow triangle sign on the red roof at the far end of the Cliffside Marina parking lot. Proceed to Express Check-in on the left which leads to the observation deck behind the ticket office. Present your cruise confirmation and Photo ID to receive your boarding cards.
Explore Whittier
Be sure to reconfirm your cruise or coach departure times before heading out to explore Whittier.
Learn more about Whittier:
- Watch the daily catch arrive in the small boat harbor
- Seeking some fresh fish or shrimp? Check out Fee’s Custom Seafood.
- Learn about WWII at the museum next to the Anchor Inn
- Hike a trail, walk the harbor, or sit and relax or read a book
Grab a coffee or food to go:
- Drop by Lazy Otter for a coffee, or their world-famous salmon spread bagel.
- Satisfy your sweet tooth at the Whittier Fudge Company
- Have lunch or dinner at China Sea or Swiftwater Cafe
- Stay or dine at the Inn at Whittier
- Stop by Wild Catch Cafe for Kaladi Coffee, breakfast, or lunch
- Check out kayaking options with Alaska Sea Kayakers
- Buy a gift for friends and family back home from Log Cabin Gifts
Thank you for visiting WHITTIER – the Gateway to Prince William Sound!
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