Seward vs. Whittier in 2027: Anchorage's Cruise Ports Compared by Cruise Line
Four cruise lines tracked by CabinSaver start 63 Alaska cruises from Anchorage's two cruise ports in 2027: Princess Cruises (35 sailings) and Norwegian Cruise Line (10) from Whittier, and Royal Caribbean (9) and Celebrity Cruises (9) from Seward. Every one of them is a one-way, 7-night southbound cruise to Vancouver between May 14 and September 20, 2027, and 17 of the 18 Seward departures are sold as Cruisetours that begin with land days in Denali and Fairbanks. Interior fares for solo travelers from Whittier typically ran approximately $250-350 per night on Princess and $188-221 on Norwegian at single occupancy (as of October 2026, subject to change).
Table of Contents
- Quick Facts
- Which Cruise Lines Sail from Whittier and Seward in 2027?
- Seward or Whittier: Which Port Is Right for You?
- What Do Anchorage-Area Cruises Cost in 2027?
- Where Do Cruises from Whittier and Seward Go?
- When Do Cruises Leave Anchorage's Ports in 2027?
- How to Choose a Line from Anchorage
- Planning Tips
- Related Guides
- Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Departures | 63 tracked 2027 departures from Whittier and Seward across four cruise lines |
| Whittier | Princess Cruises (35 sailings), Norwegian Cruise Line (10) |
| Seward | Royal Caribbean (9 Cruisetours), Celebrity Cruises (8 Cruisetours and 1 cruise-only sailing) |
| Ships | Discovery Princess, Island Princess, Crown Princess, Coral Princess, Norwegian Jade, Anthem of the Seas, Celebrity Solstice |
| Route | One-way, 7-night southbound cruise to Vancouver on all 63 departures |
| Season | May 14 to September 20, 2027 (busiest month: July, 16 departures) |
| Glacier Bay National Park | Princess only, on all 35 of its Whittier departures |
| Nearest Airport | Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (Whittier about 60 miles away, Seward about 125 miles) |
| Typical Solo Interior Fare (Whittier) | Approximately $250-350 per night on Princess and $188-221 on Norwegian, at single occupancy (subject to change, as of October 2026) |
How we source these figures: CabinSaver tracks published cruise fares daily. The figures on this page come from the most recent tracking window for each line as of October 9, 2026: 365 snapshots for Norwegian Cruise Line (since October 2025), 90 each for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises (since July 12, 2026) and 77 for Princess Cruises (since July 25, 2026). Fares are priced for solo travelers at single occupancy, which includes the single supplement, and are subject to change. Verify current fares directly with your cruise line before booking.
Which Cruise Lines Sail from Whittier and Seward in 2027?
Four cruise lines tracked by CabinSaver start Alaska cruises near Anchorage in 2027, and they split cleanly by port: Princess and Norwegian use Whittier, while Royal Caribbean and Celebrity use Seward.
| Cruise line | Port | 2027 departures | Ship(s) | What you book | Typical interior fare per night, solo (approx., as of October 2026, subject to change) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princess Cruises | Whittier | 35 | Discovery Princess, Island Princess, Crown Princess, Coral Princess | 7-night Voyage of the Glaciers cruise | Approx. $250-350 |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Whittier | 10 | Norwegian Jade | 7-night cruise | Approx. $188-221 |
| Royal Caribbean | Seward | 9 | Anthem of the Seas | Cruisetour (land days, then 7-night cruise) | Not comparable (includes land tour) |
| Celebrity Cruises | Seward | 9 | Celebrity Solstice | 8 Cruisetours, 1 cruise-only (May 14) | Not comparable (mostly land-tour packages) |
The same routes also run in reverse. Princess sails 35 northbound Voyage of the Glaciers cruises from Vancouver to Whittier and Norwegian Jade sails 10, while Royal Caribbean (9) and Celebrity Cruises (9) sell northbound Cruisetours from Vancouver that finish inland in Fairbanks or Anchorage. Those sailings start in Vancouver and are not counted in the 63 departures on this page.
Seward or Whittier: Which Port Is Right for You?
Your cruise line usually decides the port for you. Among the four lines CabinSaver tracks, no line uses both Seward and Whittier in 2027, so choosing Princess or Norwegian means Whittier, and choosing Royal Caribbean or Celebrity means Seward.
- Whittier is the closer port, about 60 miles from Anchorage, typically around 1.5 hours by road. The only road in passes through the single-lane Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, which opens to each direction on a set schedule, so transfers are timed to it. Princess and Norwegian Cruise Line both sell plain 7-night cruises from here, so you can fly in, transfer and board on the same day.
- Seward is about 125 miles south of Anchorage, typically around 2.5 hours by road or longer by the Alaska Railroad, depending on conditions. In 2027, 17 of the 18 tracked Seward departures are Cruisetours: Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas and Celebrity Solstice packages start with land days in Fairbanks, Denali and, on most departures, Talkeetna or Anchorage, and the cruise portion begins once the land tour reaches Seward. The exception is Celebrity Solstice's May 14, 2027 "Alaska Southbound Glacier" sailing, a plain 7-night cruise from Seward.
Port operations can change at short notice. In May 2026, for example, a problem with Seward's cruise dock rerouted some ships to Whittier. Always confirm your embarkation port with your cruise line close to departure.
What Do Anchorage-Area Cruises Cost in 2027?
For a plain cruise from Anchorage's ports, Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Jade had the lower typical interior range for solo travelers in CabinSaver's tracking, approximately $188-221 per night at single occupancy, against approximately $250-350 on Princess Cruises (as of October 2026, subject to change).
| Cruise line | Port | Priced 2027 departures | Typical interior fare per night, solo (approx., as of October 2026, subject to change) | Lowest single observation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Whittier | 10 | Approx. $188-221 | Approx. $166 |
| Princess Cruises | Whittier | 35 | Approx. $250-350 | Approx. $178 |
The comparison is not like for like. All 35 Princess departures include Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier, and Norwegian Jade's do not list Glacier Bay. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises Cruisetour fares from Seward bundle hotel nights and land touring into the price, so dividing them by the 7 cruise nights overstates the cruise cost, and they are left out of this comparison. Based on CabinSaver's own fare tracking as of October 2026, Princess's lowest solo fare from Whittier was approximately $178 per night, close to Norwegian's typical range (subject to change).
Where Do Cruises from Whittier and Seward Go?
All 63 tracked 2027 departures from Anchorage's ports end in Vancouver after 7 nights, but the stops along the way differ by line.
| Cruise line | Departures | Glacier Bay | Hubbard Glacier | Juneau | Skagway | Ketchikan | Icy Strait Point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Princess Cruises (Whittier) | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 26 | 35 | 9 |
| Norwegian Cruise Line (Whittier) | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Royal Caribbean (Seward) | 9 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 9 |
| Celebrity Cruises (Seward) | 9 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
Princess's "Voyage of the Glaciers with Glacier Bay (Southbound)" pairs two glacier days, which is the main reason to choose it. Norwegian Jade swaps the glaciers for an extra port, with Icy Strait Point, Skagway and Ketchikan on every departure, and one sailing names Hubbard Glacier in its title. The Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruisetours both reach Hubbard Glacier after the land days. Compare the full picture across every Alaska departure port in the Alaska cruise guide.
When Do Cruises Leave Anchorage's Ports in 2027?
The 2027 season at Seward and Whittier runs from May 14, when Celebrity Solstice departs Seward on a cruise-only sailing, to September 20, when Norwegian Jade makes the last tracked departure from Whittier.
| Month (2027) | Departures (four tracked lines) |
|---|---|
| May | 10 |
| June | 15 |
| July | 16 |
| August | 14 |
| September | 8 |
Princess runs four ships on the route, so it has a Whittier departure about twice a week from mid-May to mid-September. Norwegian Jade sails every other week, twice a month from May to September. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises each have one or two Seward departures a month, with Royal Caribbean's peak in July (three).
How to Choose a Line from Anchorage
Based on CabinSaver's 2027 itinerary tracking:
- Princess Cruises is the pick if Glacier Bay matters: all 35 of its Whittier departures include it, plus Hubbard Glacier, and it has the most dates.
- Norwegian Cruise Line had the lowest typical solo range from Whittier and the most port stops, with Norwegian Jade calling at Icy Strait Point, Skagway and Ketchikan on every departure.
- Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises suit travelers who want Denali and Fairbanks organized for them before the cruise. Both sell Seward departures almost entirely as Cruisetours in 2027.
Planning Tips
- Book flights after you know the port and direction. Southbound sailings start near Anchorage and end in Vancouver, so you need an open-jaw ticket. Verify embarkation times with your cruise line before booking.
- Plan the Whittier tunnel. Road access to Whittier is through a tunnel that alternates direction on a schedule, so allow extra time and verify the current schedule before you travel.
- Add Anchorage time on a cruise-only fare. Princess and Norwegian sell plain cruises from Whittier, so a pre-cruise night in Anchorage is up to you. Royal Caribbean and Celebrity build the land days into their Seward Cruisetours, apart from Celebrity's single cruise-only sailing on May 14.
- Check documentation. Every sailing on this page ends in Canada, so a valid passport book is typically required or strongly recommended. Requirements vary by citizenship, so always verify current documentation requirements with your cruise line and official government sources before your trip.
- Track specific dates. With 63 departures across a five-month season, deal alerts on the dates you want are more useful than waiting for a general sale.
Data current as of October 2026, derived from CabinSaver's own cruise fare tracking. Always verify availability and details directly with the cruise line.
Related Guides
- Alaska Cruises in 2027: Six Cruise Lines Compared by Ships, Ports and Fares - Every tracked 2027 Alaska departure port and line, side by side.
- Princess Alaska Cruises 2027-2028: Glacier Bay, Voyage of the Glaciers and the Full Calendar - Princess's full Alaska calendar, including Voyage of the Glaciers.
- 2027 Norwegian Cruise Line Alaska Cruises: Bliss, Encore, Jade and Joy - Norwegian Jade's Whittier route and Norwegian's Seattle round trips.
- 2027 Royal Caribbean Alaska Cruises: Four Ships, Three Departure Ports - Royal Caribbean's Seattle, Vancouver and Seward departures.
- 2027 Celebrity Alaska Cruises: Edge, Solstice and Summit Head North - Celebrity's 2027 Alaska ships and Cruisetours.
- 2027 Vancouver Cruises: A Focused Alaska Season from Canada Place - Where every southbound sailing on this page ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cruise lines sail from Whittier and Seward in 2027?
Four cruise lines tracked by CabinSaver start 2027 Alaska sailings from Anchorage's two cruise ports. Princess Cruises (35 sailings) and Norwegian Cruise Line (10 sailings on Norwegian Jade) depart from Whittier, while Royal Caribbean (9 departures on Anthem of the Seas) and Celebrity Cruises (9 on Celebrity Solstice) depart from Seward, mostly as Cruisetours, for 63 tracked 2027 departures as of October 2026.
Should I fly into Anchorage for a cruise from Whittier or Seward?
Usually yes. Anchorage's Ted Stevens International Airport is the typical gateway for both ports. Whittier is about 60 miles from Anchorage and Seward about 125 miles, typically around 1.5 and 2.5 hours by road, depending on conditions and, for Whittier, the tunnel schedule. Verify transfer options with your cruise line before booking flights.
Do cruises from Whittier go to Glacier Bay in 2027?
Yes, on Princess Cruises. All 35 of Princess's 2027 southbound Voyage of the Glaciers sailings from Whittier include Glacier Bay National Park and Hubbard Glacier scenic cruising, based on CabinSaver tracking as of October 2026. Norwegian Cruise Line's 10 Norwegian Jade sailings from Whittier do not list Glacier Bay. Scenic cruising stops can change, so verify with your cruise line.
How much does a cruise from Whittier cost per night in 2027?
For solo travelers at single occupancy, interior fares on 2027 sailings from Whittier typically ran approximately $250-350 per night on Princess Cruises and $188-221 per night on Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Jade, based on CabinSaver fare tracking as of October 2026 (subject to change).
When do cruises leave from Whittier and Seward in 2027?
The 2027 season at Anchorage's cruise ports runs from May 14, 2027, when Celebrity Solstice departs Seward, to September 20, 2027, when Norwegian Jade makes its last tracked departure from Whittier. July is the busiest month, with 16 departures across Princess, Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, based on CabinSaver tracking as of October 2026.