A major transformation has taken place on Seward’s waterfront. The new cruise ship terminal and floating double-berth pier welcomed their first passengers this summer, replacing infrastructure that had served the community and Alaska’s visitor industry for decades.
Completed on an accelerated schedule, the Seward Cruise Ship Terminal Replacement included demolition of the aging fixed dock and terminal building and construction of a new passenger terminal and 748’ floating pier. Marine work included new trestles, transfer spans, two large floating docks, mooring and restraint dolphins, pile driving and dredging. The new facility significantly expands the port’s capacity, while providing modern infrastructure designed to accommodate larger cruise ships well into the future.
Behind the construction, R&M’s team was on site helping ensure the work met the project’s quality requirements.
Providing Quality Assurance from the Owner’s Perspective
R&M served as the owner’s representative and provided comprehensive quality assurance (QA) services throughout construction.
Our role was to independently observe and document construction and verify that the contractor’s quality control processes and completed work complied with project requirements. R&M’s team provided daily construction observations, special inspections, verification of contractor quality control efforts and acceptance of materials testing.
The team also prepared monthly construction monitoring reports, providing project stakeholders with consistent documentation of construction progress and quality throughout the fast-paced project.
With work spanning the terminal, waterfront and marine facilities, R&M staff provided inspection and construction administration services across a broad spectrum of construction activities as the project progressed toward completion.
Delivering on an Accelerated Schedule
Timing was one of the project’s biggest challenges. Construction had to advance around Seward’s cruise season while minimizing impacts to ongoing cruise and Alaska Railroad operations. Much of the marine construction also took place during an Alaska winter, bringing high winds, cold temperatures and frozen ground into an already demanding schedule.
The project team began demolition of the original dock immediately following the 2025 cruise season, with the new facility scheduled to begin welcoming passengers in 2026.
For R&M, the accelerated schedule made consistent field presence, communication and documentation especially important. Our QA team worked alongside the owner, contractors and other project partners as construction progressed, helping identify and document issues and verify completed work throughout the process.
A New Gateway to Seward
The completed terminal represents a significant investment in Seward and Alaska’s visitor infrastructure. The new floating pier can accommodate two Royal Caribbean Quantum Class cruise ships, each with capacity for more than 4,600 passengers, and rises and falls with Resurrection Bay’s tides. The larger passenger terminal provides more space and protection from the elements for travelers moving between ships, trains and other transportation.
The project also demonstrates what can be accomplished through close coordination among owners, designers, contractors, specialty firms and construction professionals working toward an ambitious deadline.
Alaska Contractor recently featured the Seward Cruise Ship Terminal Replacement in its Summer 2026 issue, taking readers behind the scenes of the accelerated construction effort and the many companies involved in bringing the new facility to life.
Read “Timely Terminal” in Alaska Contractor
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