Royal Caribbean Group commemorated the opening of the Dale R. and Carol Ann Lindsey Alaska Railroad Terminal with partners Alaska Railroad, The Seward Company and Turnagain Marine Construction at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Alaska's largest cruise terminal

As Alaska's largest cruise terminal, the facility is designed to optimize passenger flows and provide sheltered queuing and efficient passenger processing. Its direct adjacency to the Alaska Railroad station enables convenient onward travel to Anchorage, Fairbanks and broader communities.

The terminal is divided into 41,500 square feet of enclosed space and 27,000 square feet of open, pass-through luggage transfer layout.

The modernization of the pier includes a shore power system, developed through the US Environmental Protection Agency's Clean Ports Grant. With this alternative energy capability, any excess power generated during winter months will be stored in battery systems, serving as a backup power grid for Seward during unpredictable winter weather.

Ribbon-cutting dignitaries

On hand were Alaska dignitaries including Rep. Louise Stutes of Kodiak and Seward, 5th District; Rep. Alyse Galvin of Anchorage, 14th District; Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development Commissioner Julie Sande; and Seward Mayor Sue McClure.

"We're thrilled to celebrate the culmination of nearly a decade of efforts to unlock this world-class travel destination, bringing long-term economic opportunities to Seward and beyond," said Josh Carroll, SVP deployment, destination development and port operations, Royal Caribbean Group. "The journey to open the Dale R. and Carol Ann Lindsey Alaska Railroad Terminal as a portal to premier travel destinations would not have been possible without our supporting partners, government-official stakeholders and the local community."

Wider impact

"We know how important the terminal is not just to Seward, but to communities across South-central and Interior Alaska as these cross-gulf cruise guests take the opportunity to explore Alaska by land as well," said Bill O'Leary, president and CEO of the Alaska Railroad, the longtime owner and operator of the Seward passenger dock and terminal.

"We were delighted to have the Lindsey family join us for the ribbon-cutting to honor Dale and Carol Ann's many contributions to Seward and our state, and to celebrate an important milestone for this project."

Community space

Built for year-round operations, the terminal serves as the community's largest indoor space, enabling ongoing recreational sports, concerts, festivals and community gatherings, amid winter weather conditions in the cruise off-season.

The space was inaugurated for that purpose when Royal Caribbean Group invited the entire Seward community to help celebrate the culmination of their Port Partners small business accelerator program where standout business Exit Glacier Greenhouses received a $20,000 grant to help scale operations, representing the company's longstanding commitment to economic development in coastal communities.

Exit Glacier Greenhouses

Exit Glacier Greenhouses, pioneered by Sydney Singer, aims to provide Seward with year-round produce with premium quality freshness and taste, grown with the lowest environmental impact. In a state where more than 95% of food is imported, the need to develop resilient, eco-friendly infrastructure to ensure community food security is critical.

With the $20,000 grant, Singer plans to begin developing six pre-designed, crop-specific greenhouse modules with solar power. Upgraded infrastructure will expand production from 2026's anticipated 700 pounds of seasonal production to 4,000 pounds of food within a year.