Alaska & Japan Cruise: Seward, Kodiak & Tokyo

Seward is one of Alaska’s oldest communities. Lying at the foot of Mount Marathon on Resurrection Bay, this scenic city offers unlimited ways to explore its natural splendor. Founded in the early 20th century as settlers plotted the construction of the northbound rail line, Seward’s ice-free port and crowning Harding Icefield quickly established the city as an important shipping terminal on the Kenai Peninsula and the southern terminus of the Iditarod National Historic trail. Temperate rainforest climate and active glaciers combine to offer countless tidewaters, marine-rich waters, lush forest trails, and a variety of wildlife.

Referred to by locals as the Emerald Isle for its rolling green mountains, Kodiak is a verdant paradise. Nearly leveled by the Good Friday Earthquake, today Kodiak has fully recovered as one of the top fishing ports in the US for salmon, halibut, crab, and more. Originally inhabited by the Alutiiq natives, Kodiak has been both a site for Russian fur trading and a naval base during World Word II. Remnants of each of these influences can still be seen today as you walk the streets of Kodiak. From the blue cupolas of the Holy Resurrection Orthodox Cathedral to the Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park, Kodiak is a history buff’s dream. Step into the Alutiiq Museum and Archeological Repository to explore the largest collection of Alutiiq artifacts in the state, or stroll along the docks at St. Paul Boat Harbor and explore the Kodiak Maritime Museum.

Nestled between the Pacific Ocean to the South and the Bering Sea to the North, Dutch Harbor’s position between Alaska’s mainland and Russia has endowed the port with a unique heritage and history as the only American port besides Pearl Harbor to be bombed during World War II. Today Dutch Harbor is one of the richest fishing ports in the US, bringing in huge harvests of pollock, cod, and most famously, Alaskan king crab, as documented on the hit series Deadliest Catch. The vast marine life of this area attracts more than 40 million seabirds to the region, making Dutch Harbor a birder’s paradise. Bald eagles, short-tailed albatross, and horned puffins—all share the bounty of these waters with sea lions, sea otters, harbor porpoises, and humpback whales. Take a charter boat to see these majestic creatures for yourself, or take to the water in a sea-kayak for an up-close look.

It’s hard to imagine Tokyo as a tiny fishing village named Edo. Tokyo is now the largest metropolitan area in the world, an exciting city with a seemingly unlimited choice of shopping, restaurants, museums, temples, and gardens to visit.