Two-Year-Old Whittier Cruise Dock Declared “Total Loss” after Fire

A two-year-old, $80 million cruise ship terminal in Whittier, Alaska, has been declared a “total loss” by officials with the Alaska State Fire Marshal’s office.

As reported by Anchorage Daily News, a hard-to-fight fire left significant damage, enough to put the terminal out of commission.

The fire, which was first reported around 11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, was not fully extinguished until 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

No injuries were reported and Norwegian Jade, which was docked at the terminal at the time was able to depart without incident. A vacant day-cruise high-speed catamaran operated by Phillips Cruises & Tours was damaged.

The Glacier Gateway Terminal is located about 1.5 miles from Whittier’s other cruise ship terminal. It was built in 2024 through a partnership between Norwegian Cruise Line and Huna Totem Corp. The pier was capable of accommodating two vessels. Ship visits to the facility began in September 2024; last year marked its first full season of operations.

The cause of the fire remains unknown.

“We are still assessing the full extent of the damage to the dock, and we do not yet have enough information to make determinations about repairs and future operations. However, our goal is to be operational for the 2027 season,” Chris Da Silva, chief marketing and communications officer for Huna Totem Corporation, told TMR.

While the season in Alaska is winding down, Norwegian Jade is scheduled to return to Whittier on Sept. 26. Sister cruise brand Regent Seven Seas also has a stop at Whittier scheduled with Seven Seas Explorer on Oct. 5. After that, nothing is scheduled until May 2027.

TMR has reached out to Norwegian Cruise Line for details regarding ship visits scheduled for the remainder of this year, as well as the future of the pier.