Cruises from Seward - Anchorage

Seward is a very scenic town, located at the head of the Resurrection Bay on the Kenai Peninsula, about 126 miles south of Anchorage, the biggest city in Alaska. Known as the “Gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park”, Seward is placed against the beautiful backdrop of the 3000-ft-tall Mt Marathon. This town was founded on an Easter Sunday by the Russian explorers in 1903. It was destroyed by the tidal wave unleashed by the Good Friday Earthquake of 1964 but the town was rebuilt and today it is home to about 3000 people. Seward is named after William H. Seward, the secretary of state, who advocated the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867.

Seward’s climate is moderated by the Gulf of Alaska. Summer temperatures run from 52-62 degree F and rain is common. Each summer about 300,000 cruise passengers visit Seward.

Unlike many cities and towns in Alaska, Seward is well connected by road, air, water, bus and even railroad. Visitors who enter Alaska in Anchorage can drive up to Seward on the scenic Seward Highway. The route has few markers and alternates between two lanes and one lane on both the sides. Hence the driver is forced to take the eyes off from the surrounding scenery and pay attention to the traffic, which, believe me, is not at all easy. Moose and sheep roam the mountainside and further south salmon and hooligan swim in the streams of the valley. The Seward Highway is vulnerable to avalanches. Remnants of the Good Friday Earthquake of 1964, which killed 115 people, are still visible along this stretch of the highway.

Once in Seward, get around town by foot, taxis or even by trolley cars. If you are into cross country running, you might want to find out more about the race up and down the Mt Marathon on the big summer holiday, July 4th.

Lying to the west and south of Seward, the Kenai Fjords National Park has beautiful glaciers, extensive shoreline for kayakers and the presence of whales for marine life watchers. Exit Glacier is also a part of this park. Though smaller than many other glaciers in Alaska, this glacier’s charm lies in the fact that you can walk up to the face and touch it.

The biggest attraction of Seward is the Alaska Sea Life Centre, the world’s first marine science facility set up with the goals of research, wildlife rehabilitation and public awareness. There is no way that you can skip this educational opportunity to see and understand the marine life of this region. The 150,000 visitors that visit this centre in a year can get close to puffins, octopus, sea lions while getting a glimpse of cutting edge research of the ocean scientists, who study Alaska’s diverse and rich sea life. This Centre also offers educational day programs for kids from kindergarten to the 12th grade for which advance reservation is recommended.