Seward

If your cruise touches a Canadian port — and almost every Gulf of Alaska sailing does, since they start or end in Vancouver — yes, you need a passport. U.S. citizens cannot use a passport card for a one-way Vancouver-Seward sailing; the cruise line will refuse boarding without a passport book. Build in 4–6 weeks of routine processing time, longer if it's peak season. This catches at least one family on every Vancouver embarkation day.

A Kenai Fjords National Park boat tour. The 6-hour Major Marine cruise at $239 per adult is the standard pick — it goes deep enough into the park to see a tidewater glacier calve, includes a deli lunch, and reliably puts wildlife in front of you (orcas, humpbacks, Steller sea lions, puffins). The 4-hour Resurrection Bay tour at $149 is cheaper and a fine wildlife trip, but it doesn't reach the glaciers, which is the whole point of being in Seward. If you have time for the 7.5-hour or 8.5-hour Northwestern Fjord trip, take it.

The new Dale R. Lindsey Alaska Railroad Intermodal Facility — a 65,000 sq ft terminal with a 750 ft floating pier and two berths — was scheduled to open for the 2026 season, with a phased commissioning through Q1. Confirm with your cruise line which berth you're using; some early-2026 sailings still used the legacy dock while shore-power and final fit-out work wrapped up. Either way, it's the same harbor: a short walk or shuttle to the train depot and downtown.

Effectively no. Rideshare apps occasionally show drivers in Seward but coverage is unreliable and it is not a town to bet a flight on. Use the local taxi companies — Seward Taxi (907-224-5678), PJ's Taxi (907-224-5555), or Independent Taxi (907-224-3958) — or pre-book a hotel shuttle. For Seward-Anchorage, book the train, the cruise-line bus, or a scheduled shuttle in advance; do not assume you'll summon a ride at the dock.

Three good moves. First, a longer Kenai Fjords cruise (7.5 or 8.5 hours into Northwestern Fjord). Second, drive or shuttle out to Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park — the Edge of the Glacier trail is about a mile round-trip with a paved section, the Harding Icefield trail is a serious 8-mile day hike with 3,500 ft of elevation gain. Third, the Alaska SeaLife Center on the waterfront, which is a working marine-mammal rescue and rehab facility, not a generic aquarium — about two hours, well worth it on a rainy day.

Sometimes, sometimes not. Some cruise-line packages bundle the Coastal Classic rail transfer (often as a 'cruise-tour' add-on); most basic Vancouver-Seward fares do not. Check your booking — if rail isn't included and you want it, book directly with Alaska Railroad rather than through the cruise line, which marks it up. The train sells out for cruise-day departures in July and August, so book before you sail.