Cruises to & from Seward, Alaska

Seward has plenty of interesting places to eat and drink, clustered mainly around the Small Boat Harbor and in the downtown area. Local specialties include salmon, which is delicious grilled, baked, cooked over an open fire, smoked, and marinated. You’ll also find king crab on most menus, and fish and chips made with halibut in a light batter and chunky fries.

Berries thrive in Alaska all summer long and are widely used in local cuisine, particularly berry cobbler, which is perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The Harbor Street Creamery is the place for homemade ice cream, sundaes, brownies, and smoothies. There are three craft breweries in town, so there’s no shortage of original Alaskan beers to try. 

Indigenous Alutiiq and Sugpiaq people have lived in the area now known as Seward for some 7,500 years, but the town of Seward itself was founded in 1903 as the ocean terminus of the Alaska Railroad. Named after William Seward, President Lincoln’s Secretary of State, who engineered the purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867, the town is Alaska’s deep-water port that remains ice-free in winter, making it an important trading hub.

Seward is located along the historic Iditarod National Historic Trail, a 2,300-mile network of trails serviced traditionally by teams of sled dogs, delivering mail to rural Native villages, year-round. The trail system is an iconic symbol of Alaska's history and pioneering spirit.

Today, Seward is a bustling port and a thriving community. It serves as the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park and is a popular destination for tourists. Connected by road to Anchorage, Seward is also a common destination for Alaska cruises. The community here is happy, welcoming, and outdoorsy, with locals taking great pride in their beautiful surroundings.

Seward is well-equipped with interesting shopping, from local arts and crafts to outdoor gear. You’ll find shops selling handmade jewelry, ornaments, mugs, herbal soaps, and body products, as well as Alaskan coffee and chocolate, Alaska-branded clothing, reindeer jerky and sausage, birch syrup toffee, herbal teas, and jams made from local fruit, such as cloudberries. Be sure to look for the Made in Alaska guarantee to make sure you support local producers.

Seward is compact, flat, and easy to navigate on foot, with most attractions within a mile’s walk of the cruise ship dock. A free local shuttle bus runs around town every 30 minutes, with five drop-off points. You could also take a taxi, but this is a small community, so it’s best to pre-book. Ride-sharing services are not available.

The currency in Alaska is the U.S. Dollar. Tipping in Seward is not mandatory, but it is customary and part of the local culture, just as it is throughout Alaska and all of the United States. Plan on leaving up to 20% in restaurants for good service, 10 to 15% in bars, and around 10% of the cost of the tour, per person, for a good guide.