September 9, 2025 Seward Folly Staff

The tourism industry in Seward is gearing up for big changes. The Harbor 360 hotel has started a major addition to its harbor location– the hotel will be shut down for 6 weeks beginning September 15. It’s  increasing its footprint by about ⅓, or adding 22, 525 square feet to the original structure, built by Jim Pruit and Bill Lawson in 2005. The three story, 35 foot tall addition will fit up against the original building, filling in the existing hotel’s parking lot. Its northern corner will be adjacent to the existing gangplank going down to the awaiting Major Marine day tour boats, and a canopy will protect pedestrian traffic as it flows in from the train nearby. The new parking lot is already well underway, replacing the old “trainwreck” on the corner of Port Avenue, across from the railroad station. It includes bus drop of spaces, which will decrease bus traffic in the harbor area. The entire project is expected to be operational by next Spring. 

The first floor is primarily designed for Major Marine Tours as a welcome center. That consists of waiting and check in rooms, luggage storage, retail space, a gift shop, and restrooms. The second floor is primarily office space for Major Marine and the hotel, consolidating what was five locations throughout the harbor into one location. The third floor adds 14 rooms to the existing hotel. The new building also adds more efficient, reliable elevators, boilers, and laundry chutes.

Clients can leave the new addition and drop right down to an awaiting vessel

The Folly caught up with the  hotel’s owner, Tom Tougas, recently, walking through the changes. The big change for the community was losing the “trainwreck”, but Tougas defended the change, saying the old cars needed more attention, and the decking inside the structure needed a complete overhaul, and neither of these were likely happening. The Alaska Railroad owns all of the land the hotel sits on, including the new parking lot, and is supportive of the upgrades. The old cars went to good homes–the sleeper car has already been restored and is an active, and novel Bed and Breakfast in Stoney Creek subdivision called Cherrywood Lane Getaway (https://cherrywoodlanegetaway.com/train-1/ ). The car is completely renovated and functioning. Two other cars went to owners in the Seward area, and the third will join the Whistle Stop in Soldotna. 

The railcar at Cherry Wood lane

The other major advantage for the company is the changes increase the efficiency of checking in boarding their day boat vessels. In the past tourists and vessels were held up with late trains or the confusion of checking in different places. The new system allows for a more consistent schedule, increasing the quality of the entire experience.  

The land the hotel sits on and the waterway shown are actually owned by the railroad. Harbor 360 leases it from them.

Seward will be facing changes with the new cruise ship dock operational next May. Most of the passengers are passing through the town on buses or the train, but the total number of tourists in town will definitely rise over the next decade, especially with the large Quantum class ships entering the scene. 

Harbor 360 isn’t overly reliant on cruise ship passengers. Seward has a strong source of independent travelers that add to the mix. But with the hotel’s upgrades decreasing the harbor’s viewshed, and the yearly increase in tourists, some residents of Seward are skeptical of the changes, even if it improves the economy. According to the preliminary data from the city’s comprehensive plan, more than half of the respondents think tourism should remain about the same in terms of numbers. 

But Harbor 360 is capitalizing on opportunities, and making logical changes to improve their client’s visit, and that’s something that isn’t too hard to embrace.