7 hours
Duration

Whittier to Anchorage All Day Bus Tour – Cruise Ship Days

2024 SUMMER END SALE

All prices are going up September 1

SPECIAL THIS WEEK: Groups of 6 or more get 10% off if booked before this Sunday.
FAMOUS ALYESKA MOUNTAIN TRAM TICKETS, LUNCH AND MUCH MORE INCLUDED IN THE PRICE!

Whittier to Anchorage Bus Tour – Full Day includes all popular attractions and lunch to keep you entertained for the day.

Pick up directly at the Whittier cruise ship terminal. Go through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel. Stop at the Portage Glacier Visitor Center with amazing glaciers surrounding a beautiful lake. Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center visit to see Bears, Moose, Caribou, Bison, Musk-Oxen. Turnagain Arm with Beluga Whales and Dall Sheep (drive by). Majestic Mt. Alyeska with aerial tram and a view of seven glaciers. Viewing of wild salmon, sheep, birds, and beluga whales (drive by). Tour of Alaska’s metropolis in the middle of wilderness – Anchorage with a visit to Lake Hood, Ship Creek, and drop off at any location in town. Basic lunch is included in the price.

Whittier to Anchorage All Day Bus Tour will pick you up directly at the ship, inside the terminal where you pick up your luggage. We will drop you off anywhere in Anchorage (hotels, car rentals or airport).

PRICE

Adults: $172

 LOCATION

Bus Tour Departs: Whittier cruise ship terminal

Bus Tour Arrives: Anchorage Airport or hotels

BUS DEPARTURE TIME

Please arrive by 8:30 AM for a prompt departure at 8:45 am.

This tour operates on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays when a cruise ship is in port.

Will I be able to get off the ship on time to make your departure? Please check our Frequently Asked Questions for answer to this question.

BUS ARRIVAL TIME

Bus arrives Anchorage airport 4:30PM

Bus drops off at Anchorage hotels till about 5:30PM

WEAR

Comfortable layered clothing, walking shoes.

INCLUDED

During this wonderful Whittier to Anchorage Full Day Bus Tour you will see all of the following:
  • Fully narrated bus tour allows you to learn the history and scenery that surrounds you while traveling on one of the most scenic highways in Alaska with a knowledgeable Alaskan guide; Our driver Tim is a full time dog musher during the winter months (check out his information below).

  • North America’s largest tunnel;
  • Portage Glacier, Begich Boggs Visitor Center, and a serene lake with icebergs;

  • Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center – Bear, Moose, Caribou, Bison. See www.alaskawildlife.org

  • Majestic Alyeska Mountain Aerial Tram with a view of seven Glaciers www.alyeskaresort.com

  • Basic lunch included (sandwiches and water);

  • Turnagain Arm with Beluga Whales and Dall Sheep (drive by)
  • Tour of Anchorage – Lake Hood, Ship Creek (salmon viewing), downtown;
  • All entrance fees to above sites included;

  • Mild activity level;

  • Each tour stop allows plenty of time at each location.

Whittier to Anchorage Bus Tour – Full Day Detailed Description 

Disembark your cruise ship and board the bus. Start your adventure with a short glance at World War II relic which is what Whittier looks like with abandoned war buildings. Then pass through the 2.5-mile-long Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel to leave Whittier, which is the largest highway tunnel in North America. Continue on the Whittier/Portage Glacier Access Road that connects Seward Highway with Whittier. Glaciers from an earlier period carved the steep mountain slopes in this magnificent valley. Explorer Glacier can be seen high on the mountain. A stop will be made at the Begich Boggs Visitor Center to see the glaciology exhibits. You will also have the opportunity to take pictures of glacial ice that has calved into Portage Lake.

Next visit the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, where you can view bison, elk, eagles, moose, caribou, and musk oxen in a natural setting. Continue on the highway, view the remains of Portage, a small town ravaged in the 1964 earthquake.

Next stop is at Girdwood at Alyeska Ski Resort. Take a tram up the Alyeska Mountain 2,300 feet to enjoy the spectacular views of seven glaciers, majestic mountains and Turnagain Arm (if weather permits) Eat your lunch (variety of sandwiches, water) on top of the mountain with a breathtaking views. Continuing North on the Seward, Turnagain Arm stretches on the left side of the road, where often you can see Dall sheep at Windy point or beluga whales at Beluga point (drive by). Check out the progress of salmon fisherman below the bridges along the highway. Just south of Anchorage, the road borders Potter Marsh, a portion of the Anchorage Coastal Waterfowl Refuge.

Arrive to Anchorage – largest city in Alaska. Most visitors that come to Alaska to experience the “true wilderness” tend to overlook Anchorage, but it’s well worth spending some time here experiencing the only big-city taste that the state has to offer. Take a glance of the original tent city that started in the Ship Creek area and now also occupied by Alaska Railroad Depot. Take a quick look at the salmon waters and watch the fish running up the stream. Watch the locals trying to catch the salmon. Next drive by the Earthquake Park, which now stands on the land liquefied – swallowing the coast line when the “Good Friday” earthquake rocked Anchorage in March of 1964. The park carries monuments and reader boards with information on the great quake.

Continue on to the stop at Point Woronzof, is a great opportunity to see Cook Inlet and the whole city from the distance. Next you will get to see Lake Hood, which is the largest and busiest floatplane base in the world. Lake Hood is a great place to relax and watch the many landings and takeoffs of floatplanes. Then back to downtown where you get to see a whole downtown area. While enjoying the ride make sure to notice Anchorage’s famous flowers and great shopping areas! We will drop off anywhere in Anchorage after the tour ends.

This Whittier to Anchorage All Day Bus Tour is a shared transfer service in our most comfortable coaches with tinted windows, easy step up (unlike full-size vans that other transfer companies use, you don’t have to bend over or hit your head climbing in and out), air conditioner/heater, large picture-view windows, full size individual bus seats (unlike vans that other transfer companies use, you will have a private seat for yourself and will not be holding somebody else’s bag), DVD player, full narration.Tim dog mushing

This tour is fully narrated by our wonderful driver Tim, who is also a full time dog musher in the winter time. He and his wife have a dog team that they personally train and support year around. Visit his Facebook page to learn more. Our company is a proud supporter of his team and hope he is able to run in the Iditarod Sled Dog Race some day!

About Whittier, Alaska

If one one the Whittier cruises your final destination you might find following facts interesting. Whittier is Anchorage’s portal to Prince William Sound. Although Anchorage itself in on Upper Cook Inlet, the highest tides in the Northern America, muddy, fast-moving water offers no use for boating. Whittier, on the other hand, stands on the edge of a long fjord, whose clear waters are full of salmon orcas, and otters. Surrounded by mountains dripping with glaciers which are beautiful when the sun is shining, they also trap storms over the town and as a result 15 feet of rain and 20 feet of snow a year is average. Most of town’s 250 residents live in one 14-story structure, which certainly cuts down on snow-shoveling time.

In the past, the only way to get to from Anchorage to Whittier cruises was by riding through the mountain by train. Now the railway tunnel is paved creating North America’s longest highway tunnel and providing opportunities for buses, shuttles, and motorcoaches to take you to Anchorage. Whittier to Anchorage All Day Bus Tour offers shuttles and tours.

There are lots of exciting things to do in Whittier or Seward transportation such as hiking, fishing for salmon, trout, red snapper, photography, hunting for bear and birds, wildlife viewing, and much more right here in Whittier, Alaska!

This service is available only on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Any other days only private transfers, call directly for rates.

Our tour/transfer is directly coordinated with the cruise line schedule and place. We will meet you when you are able to get off the ship, will take care of your luggage, and drop off at most locations in Anchorage.

Departing Cruise ship terminal at 8:45AM

Arriving Anchorage Airport 4:30PM

Dropping off at Anchorage hotels till about 5:30PM

All ships dock at Whittier port overnight 12:00AM and start disembarkation at 7:00AM the same morning.

Whittier to Anchorage All Day Bus Tour

Tour Reviews

4.96 based on 28 reviews
May 21, 2017

Transfer from Whittier to Anchorage Full day tour
To make good use of time we decided to do a tour on disembarking from the cruise ship in Whittier on our way to Anchorage. If you have time this was a great way to see some sights given you are on the way to Anchorage anyway.
We stopped at Portage which was beautiful seeing a ice covered lake. Onto the wildlife park where you could see Alaskan animals and then to a lunch stop at Alaeska Resort with a tram ride included in the price. The views were lovely and we even had snow falling at the top. Lunch was simple sandwiches and after a cruise of over eating it was just right.
Our driver Tim had good information about the areas mixed in with some average jokes. There are a few Anchorage City highlights (Lake Hood, Ship creek, Ulu factory and earthquake park area) on the way to your drop off.
Easy to find sign in the cruise terminal and organized check in, with plenty of room for your luggage.
We enjoyed the tour.

Via Tripadvisor

June 12, 2017

Great day trip if you have a late flight out of Anchorage from Whittier
Sherry, the tour guide did a good job of giving us insights into Alaska and Anchorage history. The bus driver was very friendly and personable. I highly recommend the service.

Via Tripadvisor

June 25, 2017

Family
Meeting at the cruise terminal was friending …day tour was very interesting and thank you for bringing our left luggage on the bus to our hotel..will use your service again next time …..

Via Tripadvisor

July 12, 2017

Great full day tour on the way to the airport
Rather than taking the direct bus to the airport (9 hours prior to my flight time) I chose to get the full day tour from Whittier to Anchorage. My driver was Alan and tour guide was Sherry. Sherry was hilarious to listen to (I’m a sucker for the lame punch-liners) and she was full of them. Together, her and Alan really knew a lot of cool information about the sights. When we stopped to take pictures, I definitely felt like I had enough time to soak in the beauty and take 100000 pictures, definitely did not feel rushed in any way. I had one disappointment only and that was the weather. When we stopped at the Alyeska resort and up the tram, all I saw was clouds. I was unable to appreciate the true beauty of the “seven glaciers” from the top. But of course, ATC and Sherry literally had no say in the weather. If anything, she actually tried very hard for us to enjoy it as much as we possibly could.

Via Tripadvisor

July 22, 2017

Great way to end an Alaskan Northbound Cruise from Whittier to Anchorage
We finished our cruise on July 1st at 8:00am in Whittier, AK. Our flight was not until 11:30 pm in Anchorage, AK. There are no taxis from Whittier to Anchorage.

I did some research and found a great tour from 8:45am until 4:00pm with ACT. This ended up being the best tour of the Cruise because of the guide Levi. He was awesome!

We started with a quick tour of Whittier. Then we waited for a 9:00am tunnel time. We stopped at several scenic vistas. The wildlife refuge with black/brown bears, elk, bison, foxes, moose, porcupine, wolves, eagle, owls, and many other animals. After we went to the Alyeska ski resort for lunch and a hike. We had an extensive tour of Anchorage.

Levi was great! He is very knowledgeable, kind, funny, and personable. He made the tour a great time. Lastly, he recommended the Glacier Brew House for dinner, the food was incredible.

August 11, 2017

Nice bus, great driver/guide.
Took this bus from our ship terminal to our hotel. Made some stops for scenery, animal watching and a box lunch. Allan, the driver/guide was entertaining and courteous and helpful. The scenery was marred by a constant light rain. The bus dropped us directly at our hotel.

Via Tripadvisor

August 12, 2017

Wonderful All-Day Bus Tour
Our disembarkation was 7am and our flight departure was at 9pm so we had time to take the all-day bus tour. It was a very enlightening experience. We had unhurried stops at Portage Glacier viewpoint. Alyeska Aerial tram ride was also included. The wildlife conservation center was fun for the kids. Our driver was friendly and knowledgable and very accommodating. ACT is one provider that is allowed to meet the passengers inside the Princess Cruises Terminal so we were very comfortable while waiting. Others had to walk out to the parking lot to meet up with their transfers. I can’t imagine doing that if it rains.

Via Tripadvisor

August 18, 2017

Exceptional Value
Trip was excellent. Alan, our driver/guide was exceptional. Particularly pleased with the choice of events and quality of the lunch. Recommend w/o any reservations.

August 20, 2017

Fun Full Day Transfer
Great way to spend the day before an evening flight out of Anchorage. Picked us up right at the port after our cruise. Allen, our tour guide, was packed full of info about the area. We stopped at Alyeska Ski Resort for lunch (included) and rode the tram up the mtn. (Also included). We were promptly dropped off at the airport at 4:30pm. Fun day!

Via Tripadvisor

August 27, 2017

“Spectacular Bus Tour”
Thank you Alan & A.C.T. For making our final day in Alaska exciting & informative. You made our exit off ship and meeting us in the cruise terminal in Whittier very easy. I have nothing but compliments for the tour company and our very knowledgeable tour guide/ driver Alan. A.C.T. Don’t ever let Alan go, he’s worth his weight in GOLD! I learned more about Alaska during the tour then I did all week on the cruise. My advise to anyone considering booking this tour GO FOR IT! You will not be disappointed. Seats were very comfortable & lunch was delicious. We made it to the Airport in plenty of time to make our flight. I will be back to Alaska and definitely going to book with A.C.T- Big Bus. Hopefully Alan will be available to guide us. Thank you so much for A very pleasant experience.

Via Tripadvisor

August 29, 2017

A Great Final Day in Alaska
We had a day to kill after departing from our Princess Cruise in Anchorage, and I booked ourselves and our friends on the Whittier to Anchorage Airport bus tour with A.C.T. We had a wonderful day! The buses were easy to find at the cruise terminal. Our guide, Alan, was entertaining and informative. We loved all the stops. The wildlife conservatory was fantastic, with rescued big game up close and personal, including wolves, bears, and moose. We had a very good outdoor boxed lunch at the beautiful Alyeska Ski Resort Hotel (and saw a wedding), then took the tram to the top of the mountain. On the way to downtown Anchorage, we pulled over for a rare sighting of wild Dall Sheep right by the highway. Anchorage was surprisingly warm and sunny, and we had a short stop to watch the salmon fishermen. We were dropped off on time at the airport. This ACT tour is a wonderful way to spent a final day in Alaska before your flight home.

Via Tripadvisor

August 31, 2017

Compliments to Alan the tour guide
On August 23, 2017 we got off of the island princess in Alaska. Alan our tour director and driver with a CT tors greeted us with a warm welcoming. He had given us so much information about Alaska That we were just amazed. I own a travel agency and I was so impressed by his knowledge. I will be sure to spread the word to my travel agent about the super of service that a CT tours represents . And they are very experienced tour guide/driver Alan .thank you very much Di @ Let’s go trav

Via Tripadvisor

September 11, 2017

Whittier to Anchorage – great day out!
Our cruise ship arrived in Whittier early on Saturday, so we took the ACT to Anchorage. If you have the time its a great way to spend the day – all of the stops were well worth making (the Alaska Wildlife Conservation place was a special favourite) and the tour of Anchorage itself at the end very informative. Our guide – Alan – was great. We were dropped at our hotel at 5pm as promised at the end of a relaxed but rewarding day of sightseeing. Very good value.

Via Tripadvisor

September 5, 2018

Perfect ending to our wonderful trip

We did the all day transport from Whittier to Anchorage. Our driver Alan was very knowledgeable and entertaining as he took us to the nature conservation and the aerial tram ride at Mt. Alyeska. His love for Alaska really showed in the stories and information he shared. We had a very enjoyable day on a comfortable bus. We all made it to our destination on time. Highly recommend this as a final excursion at the end of your journey.

Via Tripadvisor

September 6, 2018

Tour from Whittier to Anchorage

This was a great way to end our Alaskan Cruise. The bus picked us up in Whittier, took us around the tiny town of Whittier, then through the tunnel to the Alaska Wildlife Preserve. Following that we went to the ski resort of Alyaska, where we were served lunch then were able to ride the tram to the top. The tour finished up in Anchorage, where we were shown the local sights then transported to the airport for our flight home. Allen was an excellent tour guide!

Via Tripadvisor

September 10, 2018

All day tour

Perfect way to get from Whittier to anchorage. Comfortable bus. Easy checkin at cruise terminal. I originally booked the shorter excursion but sent an email requesting the full day. They did it and balance billed the cost of the longer excursion over shorter one. Booked online, cheaper than cruise ship.

Via Tripadvisor

September 17, 2018

Great Option to Transfer from Anchorage Cruise Terminal to Airport!
This narrated bus tour was the perfect way for us to fill our day while being transported from the cruise terminal to the airport. The whole process from booking, boarding, touring and arrival at the airport was well organized and low stress. The motorcoach was clean and comfortable. Our driver/tour guide Alan was the best we have ever had. He was very knowledgeable and personable, provided a lot of interesting information, and had perfect enunciation/voice. We made several stops, all really nice. The highlights were the wildlife center, which showcased a large number of local animals and was excellent, and Alyeska ski resort, where we had enough time to ride the tram, and do some hiking. A very nice lunch was included. Alan made sure to check what the earliest departure time was for the group and tailored the day accordingly. This was a great experience and we highly recommend it.

Via Tripadvisor

September 26, 2018

Full Day Tour was nice!

Did the full day tour from Whittier to our hotel in Anchorage. This was a great way to end our cruise and start our Alaskan land tour. The Alaska Wildlife Center stop was way better than I was expecting. The Mt. Alyeska tram was nice, but I live in Colorado, so I wasn’t as impressed as others. The box lunch was fine. We also stopped at the Anchorage Market and Festival, which was a bonus stop. My dad has a hard time getting around, and the driver kindly reserved the front seat for him. This helped make his ride much more comfortable.

Via Tripadvisor

June 15, 2019

Great transfer from Whittier to Anchorage
We had a group of 14. Alan was our driver and he was great! We saw so much on our all day tour. Went to Wildlife Center. Enjoyed seeing all the animals up close. Had a nice lunch and a wonderful time at Alyeska resort and tram ride.
Great photo ops along the way. Driver Alan was excellent and very knowledgeable! Couldn’t have asked for a better transfer. This is a great tour for the price as well!
via Tripadvisor

July 10, 2019

Great overview of Anchorage, Alaska
We did the 1 day Anchorage tour with airport/hotel transfer costing $136. The entire excursion experience was great. Getting off our ship, we immediately spotted the tour rep who directed us to our bus which was just a 5min walk to it. Our driver, Alan, was extremely friendly. He did a great job of explaining the history/wildlife/giving us a local’s view of Anchorage. While driving on our tour, I saw an eagle flying probably about 50-100 ft away from us. The included lunch consisted of a ham sandwich generously stuffed with meat, bottle of water, apple, cookie, chips). We got 2hrs to eat lunch,check out Alyeska resort and go up the Alyeska Tram which took us up to the top of mountain for great views. The 2 things I would improve/suggest is to give us an extra 30min at the Wildlife sanctuary and an extra 30 min at the Portage Glacier (we were only given 15min to take pictures of the Glacier/lake, not enough time to visit the Visitor centre). I would definitely recommend this tour to others.
via Tripadvisor

August 21, 2019

Coach transfer with wildlife, glacier and city tours
Our coach transfer was fantastic! Alan was an excellent tour guide and storyteller, he even told some great corny dad jokes. The tours along the way made our experience of Alaska complete. The wildlife park enabled us to tick off all the Alaskan wildlife we wanted to see. We will recommend this coach trip to everyone. Great work ACT and Alan!
via Tripadvisor

September 6, 2019

Trip to Remember
Taking the tour from Whittier to Anchorage became an attraction that my wife and I will always remember. Alan, our tour guide (luggage handler, food server-LOL) was witty, extremely pleasant and outrageously informative. The tour consisted of all stops as promised as Alan explained all information as we proceeded on our journey.
You must find transportation to go from Whittier to Anchorage so we highly recommend no better way than this scenic tour through ACT to get to your destination
via Tripadvisor

September 15, 2019

Entertaining and educational experience
We took the all-day tour from Whittier to Anchorage. Our driver, Alan, was so well-informed. He gave us so much information about the land and the people and the culture that added such depth to our experience. The scenery is awesome but this tour was so much more than that. We visited the wildlife center where we spent ample time walking around seeing many types of animals up close. The Alyeska Resort where we had picnic style lunch offered so many lovely spots to eat and enjoy the surroundings. The tram ride to the top was a bonus we all enjoyed. We also were able to stop often for photo ops, which is always important to us photo buffs! There were 16 family members in group and ages from 10-73 and each person said it was the best way to end our vacation. Highly recommend it to everyone!
via Tripadvisor

May 26, 2022

Fun after the Cruise
We were a group of 8 adults getting off a cruise ship. All of us were very pleased with the tour. Our driver Mike was excellent as was our guide Brenna. They both were so enthusiastic, friendly and informative. The tour provided a boxed lunch that was much much better then we anticipated. There was more than enough to eat and it was good. We made numerous stops with ample time for each. The bus itself was a nice motor coach with comfortable seating and lots of room. It was so very easy to find them as we exited the ship. I would definitely recommend this tour.
via Tripadvisor

July 18, 2022

Best way to get from Whittier to Anchorage
Best way to get from Wittier to Anchorage. Our guide/driver was funny and informative. Packages lunch was nice/adequate. Wonderful bus with plugins for phones. Wonderful stop offs along the way.
via Tripadvisor

September 6, 2022

Excellent transfer and 7-hour tour
Excellent transfer and 7 hour tour from Whittier to Anchorage after our cruise. Very efficient. Very nice bus. Allen was an excellent driver and tour guide. Very informative and funny. Highly recommend!
via Tripadvisor

July 12, 2023

A Fabulous Tour for your last day in Alaska
I am reviewing the full day tour from Whittier to Anchorage. Instead of going straight to the airport, we decided to make a day of it. Boy did we make the right decision. I wish I could remember our driver’s name because he was spectacular in every way. The bus was roomy and comfy and our driver kept us entertained and well informed.
First we went to the Visitor Center. Complete with a movie theater and
several hands-on activities. Plenty to do and see.
Next stop was a wildlife conservation center, which was probably my favorite. Elk, reindeer, bison, moose, brown bears, a black bear, caribou, musk oxenA and wolves. It was very interesting to see them in this unique environment.
Then we went to the Alyeska Tram and took it up to the top for a lunch stop. Lunch was provided: choice of sandwiches, chips, beef stick, fruit by the foot, cookie and water. Our driver/guide gave us interesting info all the way to Anchorage. He made one more extra stop where we could watch some of the locals fishing for salmon. He then dropped some passengers off at hotels and the last stop was the airport. A great way to spend our last day.
via Tripadvisor

August 28, 2023

A wonderful full-day tour from Whittier to Anchorage with hotel drop off
The tour was very good organized from start too the end. Our driver on Whittier to Anchorage full day tour Alan, was amazing. He gave us a lot of information about Alaska and the places we saw. All praise to his efforts and the knowledge he passed on to us. We got a lot of information and saw a lot of interesting things including a lot of wild animals. We would highly recommend ACT transportations espectally his driver and guide ALAN to anyone who wants to learn as much as possible about Alaska.
via Tripadvisor

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