Seattle Q&A/FAQ (Part 2)

Hi There!

You can find the orevious Seattle Q&A thread here (Read Only):

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=720705

Please continue the discussion in this thread.

Thanks!

I guess I am the first to post on this new thread! I am going to try to answer a question by Dickinson that was posted on the old thread just before it was closed with my experience. I hope that person who asked it makes it over here:

Sorry if this question has been asked before but this thread is waaay to long to read through.

Anyways... flying in day before cruise but arriving about 1:30 pm. don't know if we'll be able to do much sightseeing. After cruise we will have disembarkation day to sight see . Have an early morning flight (6 am) home to east coast. With our luggage and all what kind of info can you give me about hotels. I wanted to stay near the airport because of the early morning flight . Logistically we will get off ship, go to hotel to check in and probably have to leave our luggage as room probably not ready that early and then out to sightsee. Is this reasonable? Any suggestions? Or is this short period of time a waste and we should just try to fly home after getting off ship? We have never been to Seattle but have to be home day after cruise ends.

In Seattle we had a later flight (after 6 PM), so we booked the 6 hour post cruise tour of Seattle with airport drop-off through the ship. We did not have to worry about our bags all day as they were loaded in the secure luggage storage area below the bus. It was a very comprehensive tour that included a boat tour of the lake and harbor, Pikes Market, going up in the Space Needle and much more. Upon completion we were dropped right off at the airport. It was very convenient and fun. I usually don't take ship tours, but this one was worth it. Here are my pictures of the tour. To view click on the picture name under the first picture to bring it up and then click on "slideshow" to the right of the picture.

If you are flying out in the morning you could still take the tour and then go to your hotel from the airport, especially if the hotel has a shuttle. It would be very easy to do. Since the airport is quite a distance from the Seattle attractions this would be the way I would do it, rather than hveing to take a cab or car service to the hotel, back to downtown Seattle and then back to the hotel again.

Hello! Hubby & I returned from a long vacation last week. We spent the very first part of our vacation in the Seattle area & downtown Seattle and LOVED it!! I wrote a review on the main Carnival board if anyone is interested.

As a simple recap...

We stayed at the Warwick hotel downtown - PERFECT location for walking to the waterfront, to Pike Place, to the stores & shops, etc... Got a great prepaid rate of $127 online!

Our view from our juliet balcony...

We took a Savour Seattle Tour that was almost the HIGHLIGHT of our entire 19-night vacation! FANTASTIC and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and well worth the few bucks!!

http://www.savorseattletours.com/tours/pikeplacemarket/

We went to the Crab Pot for dinner...

Took an Argosy Harbor Cruise - the little one hour one - I don't think we would do this little short tour again - we didn't see anything but the skyline really. I would check-in to the 3-hour tour if we were to do this in the future, FYI

And then we took the Amtrak Cascades train to Vancouver - FANTASTIC! Better than flying ANY DAY OF THE YEAR!! I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend business class! The seats are comfy leather with arm rests, drink holders, and free wi-fi with beautiful views all the way there!! LUVED IT!

Also, if you are on the 7:40am trip from Seattle to Vancouver... GET TO THE STATION BEFORE 7:00am!! I would say 6:45 AM LATEST!!!

Cupkayke, how far is the Warwick to the train station?

Cupkayke, how far is the Warwick to the train station?

It was a $10 ride from our hotel to the station - the hotel concierge or doorman (not sure which he was) got us the ride. I would say it took 5 or 10 minutes to get there - VERY quick drive!!

Awesome! Warwick looking very good!

Thank you!

I am looking for a hotel for 5 people who need a shuttle in to town and a one night stay at a average price hotel and then shuttle/taxi to pier 91.

Upon return, they need shuttle/taxi to a hotel near Seatac and shuttle/taxi to airport.

This is for May 2012. Any suggestions.

...is finally melting. Maybe it will all be gone by the time the first ship pulls in for the AK season. :D

I was surprised t read that the first response on this thread was for me! thanks. However, since this was started in September our plans changed. We are still arriving at 1:30 pm but are leaving immediately after the cruise.

I have been trying to figure out where to stay when we arrive into Seattle. I would love to be able to go downtown and see Pikes Market and maybe the Space Needle (just see it , not go up). I see that Shuttle Express can take us from the airport to downtown with shared van service which is reasonably priced but when pricing to go from downtown to Pier 91 it is $74 for 2 !!!! That seems high to me although I don't know how far away it is. It is much cheaper from the airport $18/person to pier 91. Is the airport closer to the pier than downtown? Anyone have suggestions on where to stay with my limited time?

I was surprised t read that the first response on this thread was for me! thanks. However, since this was started in September our plans changed. We are still arriving at 1:30 pm but are leaving immediately after the cruise.

 

I have been trying to figure out where to stay when we arrive into Seattle. I would love to be able to go downtown and see Pikes Market and maybe the Space Needle (just see it , not go up). I see that Shuttle Express can take us from the airport to downtown with shared van service which is reasonably priced but when pricing to go from downtown to Pier 91 it is $74 for 2 !!!! That seems high to me although I don't know how far away it is. It is much cheaper from the airport $18/person to pier 91. Is the airport closer to the pier than downtown? Anyone have suggestions on where to stay with my limited time?

How many people ? Since you're arriving in the afternoon and want to sightsee a downtown hotel would be a better option than an airport hotel. Then you can drop your luggage and start sightseeing right away, plus the next morning the desk can hold your luggage while you can sightsee for a few more hours before going to the ship. Pike Place Market gets very crowded so the next morning would be a better time to visit.

Pier #91 is about 2 miles north of downtown so maybe $20 for a taxi.

If there are more than 2 people, take a taxi from SeaTac to downtown for $40 -$45, or a towncar for a few dollars more. Yellow Cab is at the airport. Call for quotes.

http://www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac/Parking-and-Transportation/Ground-Transportation/Pages/Taxis-and-Limos.aspx

Are you looking for least expensive transfer? If you can manage your luggage to walk several blocks, Light Rail from SeaTac to Westlake Center downtown costs $2.75 and takes 40 minutes. http://www.soundtransit.org/Schedules/Central-Link-light-rail.xml

Are you looking for a budget hotel. Hotels are generally pricier downtown but people get great deals on priceline hotwire etc. Look at the Warwick mentioned by the previous poster. If you don't stay in the downtown core you can take a taxi from Westlake to anywhere in town for about $20.

Hotels are generally cheaper by the Seattle Center, like Quality Inn, Holiday Inn Express,Hampton. If you stayed in that area you can walk to the Center and ride the monorail downtown then walk to the Market. Some of the Seattle Center hotels offer a free shuttle around downtown and $10 to the piers.

Look at a site like Expedia to get an idea of prices, where hotels are located and general amenities. If you have a few hotels in mind people can give you feedback. Totally depends on your budget.

A taxi to pier 91 from the Seattle Center will be around $20. Again, you can call Yellow Cab for an estimate.

Much of this info is in the Seattle STICKY above, the one about making a Seattle FAQ.

Thanks mapleleaves! I am not sure why shuttle express wants to charge $74 for 2 people if it is only about 2 miles away.

Thanks mapleleaves! I am not sure why shuttle express wants to charge $74 for 2 people if it is only about 2 miles away.

That sounds like an exclusive rate ... where your group are the only passengers and the vehicle is picking you up at your hotel.

Their Airporter service from SeaTac is a shared ride but only drops at 8 or 9 specific hotels downtown, therefore it's much more affordable. Perhaps they have a similar shared service from those specific hotels to the pier. Call their 800 number and ask. But to be honest I think a taxi is the way to go ... you're not tied to a schedule, so you can run around for awhile in the morning then take a cab when YOU'RE ready to board.

Seattle Shuttle is another transfer service.

Thanks! If we were to stay downtown then how would we get there if shuttle express doesn't go to our hotel? I would think a taxi might be expensive because I understand downtown is nowhere near the airport. I checked out the other transfer service you mentioned but there isn't much info online. I think I will try to google the airport and see what services I find.

So far I am finding this the hardest part in planning because people mention where they stayed but no one mentions how they got there and what it cost them to do it!

I just hung up from a very nice person from shuttle express. She says they service all downtown hotels however their downtowner service services a limited number of hotels for a set fee. The other hotels may cost slightly more depending on where they are. She also said something about how last summer they used to do shared van service to the port from the hotels but they were less expensive than the taxis so their license got pulled. They are trying and hoping to have service again this summer although I would guess it would be a higher rate (I didn't ask). Last summer they were $9 /person but I think some kids were free. Hope this info helps others in their planning.

taxi fare from seatac to downtown is $40-$45. That info was in my earlier post along with a link to the Port's web site so you could find Yellow Cab's phone number. Stila Towncar is also at SeaTac and is only a few bucks more than a taxi.

The Seattle forum of www.tripadvisor has helpful info under the TOP QUESTIONS section, including info on hotels.

We stayed before and after our May cruise at Hyatt Place on 6th Ave. which has king or double queen (both have a full fold out couch). Not sure what sleeping configuration you need. Last year we paid around $130-$150 per night. It included a expanded continental breakfast and free 24 hour shuttle with in a mile radius. We figured the extra cost offset not having to pay a taxi. It's a few short blocks from the Space Needle and with in walking distance to a Whole Food Market.

We used Seattle Shuttle (seattleshuttle dot net) for transportation to the hotel, then to and from port, and to the airport the next day. It was a dedicated van each time. I can't remember exactly, but it was under $40 for the airport to the hotel and $7 per person from the hotel to the pier for the three of us. We did voluntarily offer to share the van to the pier. There was a couple in the hotel lobby struggling to fine transportation when their van didn't show. Since we were in a van by ourselves there was plenty of room for them and their luggage.

I've had friends that stayed at the Quality Inn on John St that said they would stay there again.

We will have 1 afternoon and the following day to sightsee in Seattle. My husband has a walking disability. Can you suggest some places beside the Pike Place Market that we can see.

We will not have a car. We will be visiting the first weekend in May, if that makes a difference.

Thanks for all your help! :D

We will have 1 afternoon and the following day to sightsee in Seattle. My husband has a walking disability. Can you suggest some places beside the Pike Place Market that we can see.

We will not have a car. We will be visiting the first weekend in May, if that makes a difference.

Thanks for all your help! :D

Are you eliminating the Market because .. too much walking to get there? or too much walking around the Market itself? or is it the multi levels? Don't mean to pry, but it's hard to make other suggestions without knowing how much walking is ok.

What kinds of things will you both enjoy? Since you're doing an Alaska Cruise I would recommend the Goldrush Museum but is that an option? A tour to the Museum of Flight or Boeing if you're interested in aviation.

When I have guests, we always take a ferry ride. It's a nice way to spend a few hours regardless of the weather. Great viiews of the Seattle skyline.

Ideas: http://www.visitseattle.org/Visitors/Discover.aspx

Free bus zone covers downtown Seattle.

http://metro.kingcounty.gov/tops/bus/area_maps/m_seattle-rfa.html

Are you eliminating the Market because .. too much walking to get there? or too much walking around the Market itself? or is it the multi levels? Don't mean to pry, but it's hard to make other suggestions without knowing how much walking is ok.

What kinds of things will you both enjoy? Since you're doing an Alaska Cruise I would recommend the Goldrush Museum but is that an option? A tour to the Museum of Flight or Boeing if you're interested in aviation.

When I have guests, we always take a ferry ride. It's a nice way to spend a few hours regardless of the weather. Great viiews of the Seattle skyline.

Ideas: http://www.visitseattle.org/Visitors/Discover.aspx

Free bus zone covers downtown Seattle.

http://metro.kingcounty.gov/tops/bus/area_maps/m_seattle-rfa.html

I'm sorry! I tried to give info but succeeded in confusing things! :o

We will be arriving Sat. by the Amtrak morning train following a cruise that disembarks in Vancouver. We have an early am flight on Monday so I figured it would make more sense to get a hotel at the airport and use the light rail. I figured we could go back downtown by light rail after settling in at the hotel

We are definitely going to Pike Place Market! Figured we would do that on Sunday. Looking for a few other places to go. DH is able to walk but not far distances like others. It really depends on the type of day he is having. :)

Thanks and again, sorry for the confusion!:D

We will have 1 afternoon and the following day to sightsee in Seattle. My husband has a walking disability. Can you suggest some places beside the Pike Place Market that we can see.

 

We will not have a car. We will be visiting the first weekend in May, if that makes a difference.

 

Thanks for all your help! :D

One thing that probably won't work for you, unfortunately, is the Underground Tour at Pioneer Square--fun and interesting, but lots of up-and-down stairs.

How about Ride the Ducks? He'd have to climb a few stairs to get in and out, but once you're seated, you just ride and enjoy. It's silly and touristy, but I'm a local and I enjoyed it!

One thing that probably won't work for you, unfortunately, is the Underground Tour at Pioneer Square--fun and interesting, but lots of up-and-down stairs.

 

How about Ride the Ducks? He'd have to climb a few stairs to get in and out, but once you're seated, you just ride and enjoy. It's silly and touristy, but I'm a local and I enjoyed it!

I will have to check that out, thanks for the suggestion! :D

Have another question....

We have a flight out of Seattle that is scheduled to leave at 7 am on Monday, May 7th.

Can you tell me approximately what time someone would have to leave a downtown hotel to arrive at SEATAC in time to check in? I've heard traffic can be busy even early in the am....

I am trying to make sure our decision to stay at a hotel in the airport area is correct.

Thanks! :)

waf125,

traffic gets bad by 7am so you'll be way ahead of rush hour Plan on a 30 minute ride, but it will probably be 20. You need to be getting into a taxi at 4:30- 4:45am. Yikes! At least there are lots of breakfast choices at the airport.

Which airline? some of the concourses are distant and require a tram ride.

from downtown there is seldom traffic as your going against rush hr and you have a carpool lane the entire way to Seatac. I agree with the 5am approx departure time.

Here is a good estimator of taxi fares. I've asked them to include Pier 66 and Pier 91 and they said they would but using the Pier 66 or waterfront would work as would Discovery park or magnolia for the pier 91 location

http://www.taxifarefinder.com/