Seattle hotels are booking fast and getting more expensive...

Just a heads up, especially for new cruisers (like me). We are leaving June 13 for Alaska and decided to add a couple days in Seattle on either side of the cruise.

We started researching activities and accommodations almost 2 weeks ago and decided to book last night. Prices have been steadily increasing and took a good jump yesterday - the hotel I thought was nearly perfect went from $98 to $270+ per night in less than 24 hours. Availability of choice hotels (in terms of location, cost, and amenities) is going down. There are still plenty but I would not waste time finalizing your plans. When I made my final booking, the local customer service rep said that not only was it peak cruise season but there is some sort of big golf event in town (I am not a golfer; please don't hate me. :D )

I would never wait this late to look for a hotel. When did you book the cruise? I always book the hotel as soon as I book the cruise. Generally they do not require that you pay in advance

Yes just a little thing called the U.S. open! My husband and son-in law are flying down from Anchorage for the week. We ended up doing a VRBO home as hotel prices were unreal even back in October!

I feel your pain. I wanted one night in Seattle on July 24th. Egads! The same room I booked last year at the Grand Hyatt ($142) is now $358 and that includes a discount. And $432 for the Sheraton? Seriously?

:(

I would never wait this late to look for a hotel. When did you book the cruise? I always book the hotel as soon as I book the cruise. Generally they do not require that you pay in advance

Well, the whole cruise thing is kinda cobbled up. My husband actually listened to a sales call one Sunday afternoon about 3 years ago. For a set amount we could get a cruise for 2 and a separate week long resort vacation. We could have gone sooner but we wanted to save up. We booked the cruise last October, I think. We did not really enjoy the high pressure to book all the other things so we dug in our heels and said we would get the rest as needed. Time flies and suddenly the snow is melting and we realize we have some work to do... :eek:

I think if the U.S. Open wasn't in town, it would not have been such a big deal to finish up the details a month out. Ah well, live and learn.

Thank goodness for CC because I have learned far more about the nitty-gritty of cruising here than on the Princess site. We might actually pull it off.

As for the resort vacation - New Orleans in late winter will be heavenly compared to Minnesota!:D

lWhen I made my final booking, the local customer service rep said that not only was it peak cruise season but there is some sort of big golf event in town :D )

The US Open golf tournament is scheduled to start 9 June in Tacoma about 45 minutes south of Seattle. That's a big reason for the higher prices!

Tom

I feel your pain. I wanted one night in Seattle on July 24th. Egads! The same room I booked last year at the Grand Hyatt ($142) is now $358 and that includes a discount. And $432 for the Sheraton? Seriously?

:(

You don't want to know what I paid for a suite at the Warwick for our September cruise. ;)

The US open runs June 15 - June 21. http://www.usopen.com/pdfs/2015USOSpectatorGuide.pdf It's going to be absolutely crazy around Tacoma, we are leaving town that week. I know people who have rented out there homes for obscene prices and I mean obscene. You could look for a hotel in Tukwila.

Prices are crazy expensive for cruise departing on May 30th, prices have been steadily going up.

I was hoping to stay in downtown Seattle and ended up booking Raddison at the airport (through Priceline). I just could not stomach spending $400 a night to stay in Seattle.

I have stayed at Radisson at the airport---I really liked that hotel

look at airport hotels (or a suburb like Tukwila or Renton if they provide shuttle service to/from the airport. Their shuttle will drop you off at SeaTac and you can catch the Light Rail into Seattle for $3, a 40 minute trip.

Instead of a downtown hotel, you might look at Seattle Center/Space Needle area (Quality Inn, HI Express, Hampton), Lower Queen Anne (Maxwell).

Look at the Priceline STICKY above.

Whats going on July 31....Again $400 plus a night hotel stays then for us too.

Whats going on July 31....Again $400 plus a night hotel stays then for us too.

Seafair Week! the pirates, torchlight parade downtown, hydroplane races. Fleetweek, Blue Angels flyover......

You'll probably need to settle for one of the chain hotels at SeaTac at this late date.

It is the same for our cruise for the second week of September. Prices around $350-$400 a night in downtown. We thought to fly a couple of days earlier from Germany to Seattle and discover the city, but not for these ridiculous prices. :eek:

I actually didn't have issues with availibility at all...just mega high. I ended up booking the Crown Plaza through NCL as it was over $100 cheaper and includes transfers to the port from the hotel. I really wanted to be downtown and even staying near SeaTac wasn't that much cheaper. I just bit the bullet and decided it's probably the only time I will ever be in Seattle. Now air..ugh that is super high too and I haven't booked it yet, but it went up about $100 a person since April when I first glanced at it while we were still thinking about going.

It is the same for our cruise for the second week of September. Prices around $350-$400 a night in downtown. We thought to fly a couple of days earlier from Germany to Seattle and discover the city, but not for these ridiculous prices. :eek:

That's most likely because of Bumbershoot--big music and arts festival on Labor Day weekend (9/5 - 7). It always draws a lot of visitors.

Seattle doesn't get summer for all that long, so we know how to work it while we have it! :D

UGH, now the Southwest flight I wanted is gone for our return. I wanted to avoid using Delta, but it might have to be done now.

With southwest or any airline clear your cache then check prices. I will often call saying im having issues with the site. I hope it helps you get a better price.

It is the same for our cruise for the second week of September. Prices around $350-$400 a night in downtown. We thought to fly a couple of days earlier from Germany to Seattle and discover the city, but not for these ridiculous prices. :eek:

Today I booked at Pensione Nichol for mid Sept-it's a few blocks from Pike Place; it's bed and breakfast, and I was able to get a room for $130 a night. I've read some good reviews of the place. The prices are about $30 cheaper if you book directly with them (just add .com); I think the prices are more in high season-they do have larger rooms with windows (mine is an interior) for a little extra money. Since it's a pension, it's European style-the bathrooms are down the hall!:D Fine with me!:cool:

I believe cheap tickets still has a promotion going on with 25% off thru the end of the year. Just type in "Memorial" as the promo code.

Today I booked at Pensione Nichol for mid Sept-it's a few blocks from Pike Place; it's bed and breakfast, and I was able to get a room for $130 a night. I've read some good reviews of the place. The prices are about $30 cheaper if you book directly with them (just add .com); I think the prices are more in high season-they do have larger rooms with windows (mine is an interior) for a little extra money. Since it's a pension, it's European style-the bathrooms are down the hall!:D Fine with me!:cool:

I've heard great things about them, as long as you're okay with the shared bathrooms and some of the rooms having no windows. You sure can't beat the location, especially at that price! It's not a few blocks from Pike Place Market--it's right THERE.

I just got a hotwire deal for the Fairmont Olympic, 280 per night for two days before the cruise..went with another hotwire deal for the Best Western near the airport for the return flight home. We are going at the end of August so prices are definitely high season rates!

I just got the Warwick Seattle, Sept 11 for $255 inclusive of tax and breakfast. I wanted to stay at the Marriott Waterfront, which is where I stayed last year, but they wanted $300 before taxes and there is no breakfast. From what I can tell the Warwick is in a good location within downtown Seattle. It's only for one night so I'm sure it will be fine.

I saw someone post here months ago saying book now if you're coming in June. I'm so happy I did. I got delta comfort from Tampa RT for 2 under $700 and booked the SeaTac Laquinta for 3 nights under $400. The next week the same flights were $1200 and hotel over $600. I stopped looking because I know the price wasn't going to come down. I'm flying in on June 20th with a cruise that leaves the 23rd. I thought about staying in Seattle when I got back from the cruise, but there was going to be the Pride Festival which was going to drive up cost a lot then too.