What to do in/after Seward

[DesertPesce7751]

We're taking a transpacific in May that ends up in Vancouver and thought we might make it a B2B and take the Vancouver to Seward cruise afterwards. We've done several round trip Seattle Alaska cruises and one Seattle to Vancouver but we've never had a cruise end in Alaska before.

 

What does everyone suggest we do after we get off the ship if we choose to add on this leg? Should we stay in Seward? Can we see other wilderness? Is there a train that anyone suggests?

 

Thanks for your help!

[Budget Queen]

There is plenty to see and do in Seward. Depends on your interests. http://www.seward.com

 

You can take the Alaska RR to Anchorage- where flights leave from.

 

Your "wilderness" comment is excellent for a Kenai Fjords boat tour. I recommend at least 6 hours on the water. Nice close up glacier viewing and plenty of varied wildlife.

Edited December 22, 2013 by Budget Queen

[DesertPesce7751]

There is plenty to see and do in Seward. Depends on your interests. http://www.seward.com

 

You can take the Alaska RR to Anchorage- where flights leave from.

 

Your "wilderness" comment is excellent for a Kenai Fjords boat tour. I recommend at least 6 hours on the water. Nice close up glacier viewing and plenty of varied wildlife.

 

Boat fjords tour sounds lovely! Thank you!

[olemissreb]

We were only in Seward for 1 night. We arrived via the Alaska Railroad from Anchorage and got on a Kenai Fjords boat tour. As BudgetQueen said, it was rich with wildlife. We had barely cleared the dock area when we saw otters. We were on the water for 6 hours and in addition to the otters saw: humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, seals, puffins, kitty wakes, and I think a couple eagles. We also got up pretty close to a glacier and got to hear it calving which was great since we didn't get close enough to Hubbard Glacier on our cruise to hear the calving.

 

The next day, we toured the Alaska SeaLife Center. If you don't do a "Behind the Scenes" tour, it only takes a couple of hours. I highly recommend a behind the scenes tour though. We did the Mammal Encounter and got to meet a couple of sea lions (even got our hands kissed by one) and some harbor seals.

 

You'll be coming in via cruise ship, so double check and see if the tour company will meet you at the dock and take you to the tour if you want to do that upon arrival. They met us at the train station. As for your bags, check with any hotel you might choose to stay at. They may have a service that picks up your bags from the cruise dock and takes them to the hotel for you - ours (Holiday Inn Express) did if you came in via train.

 

There were also things near Seward that we didn't do because we didn't rent a car in Seward - Exit Glacier, Wildlife Conservation Center to name a couple.

[pchen0]

There is plenty to see and do in Seward. Depends on your interests. http://www.seward.com

 

You can take the Alaska RR to Anchorage- where flights leave from.

 

Your "wilderness" comment is excellent for a Kenai Fjords boat tour. I recommend at least 6 hours on the water. Nice close up glacier viewing and plenty of varied wildlife.

 

Hi Budget Queen,

 

Quick question regarding ISP and Seward. I have planned on Whale-watching at ISP and 6-hr Kenai boat tour at Seward but now knowing I will see wildlife at Kenai, should I still do whale-watching at ISP? If I don't do whale-watching there, I am not sure what else is there to do at ISP. I am also doing the bus tour at Denali so I am hoping to see bears there so I will not do bear search tour at ISP.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Thanks!

[Budget Queen]

Hi Budget Queen,

 

Quick question regarding ISP and Seward. I have planned on Whale-watching at ISP and 6-hr Kenai boat tour at Seward but now knowing I will see wildlife at Kenai, should I still do whale-watching at ISP? If I don't do whale-watching there, I am not sure what else is there to do at ISP. I am also doing the bus tour at Denali so I am hoping to see bears there so I will not do bear search tour at ISP.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Thanks!

 

Frankly, the more you expose yourself to potential wildlife sightings the more you will see, and the more restrictive, the more disappointed you may be. Your "bear" options aren't the right thinking if a priority to see. They are also different diet bears, with the potential to see some salmon feeding out of Hoonah. Up to you?

 

The Kenai Fjords (not referred to as Kenai, which is a city on the Cook Inlet) boat tour, is VARIED wildlife, you may or may NOT see any whales. Out of Hoonah and Juneau it is 100% you will have extended time viewing humpbacks.

 

I do make my decisions based on maxing the touring I want.

Edited December 27, 2013 by Budget Queen

[joecichlid]

Your "wilderness" comment is excellent for a Kenai Fjords boat tour. I recommend at least 6 hours on the water. Nice close up glacier viewing and plenty of varied wildlife.

 

I second that. I have done the Kenai Fjords tour twice and had an amazing time on both trips. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I would suggest doing the sealife center as well, although there is a lot of shopping to be had around town, not to mention the most amazing looking library ever. You have to try and find time to visit it if possible.

There are photos of my Alaskan cruises linked in my signature, feel free to take a look. :)

 

Joe W.