Seattle Terminal

[tx2cruiser]

Can anyone tell me if Embarkatioon & Debarkation got any better last summer at the Seattle Terminal?We were on the Diamond in May, and things were a complete mess. I thought it may be due to the fact that Seattle was a New Embarkation Point for Princess and hoped they worked out the kinks.

 

We are going back on the Diamond ion early May and wondered if anyone had any tips about what time to arrive, etc. Thanks!:)

[calikak]

We sailed out of there on the Diamond last May as well, and thought the delays at embarkation and debarkation were pretty awful too. So I asked my friend who worked at the Seattle terminal last summer about the delays, and she said a lot of the delays were related to Homeland Security. The first few sailings of the year were particularly bad because of them taking way longer than expected to clear the ship through customs, which means nobody gets of the ship on time, which means the next sailing's embarkation process can't get started, leading to horrendous lines.

 

When my parents sailed out of there in late June, my friend suggested that we drop them off at about 10:45, when they usually open up check-in, or pretty late, after 2:30. They chose early and there was no line at that time, and despite being on a lower deck (Emerald, I think) they were off the ship and at our car with their luggage by 9:30. Noontime was still very crowded even after Homeland Security added more border agents to get things moving faster. She said that's when most people arrive, so it's almost always a zoo right about then.

 

I would imagine the first sailings of the season, there will be kinks in the system because most of the pier staff will be new (they don't do this year-round like they do in Florida), and they may start the season short-staffed until all the college kids finish school for the year and can start their summer jobs, and because Homeland Security is still a variable. But arriving either really early or relatively late would probably ensure that you won't be stuck in the melee like last year.

[lssg]

We cruised out of Seattle at the end of May last year and it was great...but we also cruised on Holland's Oosterdam....The passangers getting off the Diamond Princess didn't seem very happy....Holland passangers got off one side and Diamond the other

[tx2cruiser]

Thanks so much , Calikak...your response was helpful. Our flight lands at SeaTac at 9:45, but we will take a cab to the terminal to try to beat the Shuttle Buses. We were upgraded to a Premium Suite...does that mean we have a separate check-in line?

 

 

Just glad to be getting on that ship!

[prarie cruiser]

We sailed on the Sapphire last June from Seattle. Embarkation line was not unusually long. It took maybe half an hour from the time we arrived. Those that arrived midafternoon had no wait at all.

 

Disembarkation was the smoothest I have ever experienced. There virtually was no line to get off the ship, we just walked off when we wanted.

 

Older travellers though should be prepared for a longer than usual trip up the ramps to get onto the ship.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Just about the only negative thing about our cruise last August was disembarking from the Sapphire. We found ourselves in a long mass (not exactly a line) to catch a cab. It was pouring rain so everyone tried to huddle under a canopy. I wrote to Princess and suggested a "take a number" system akin to bakery shops. When you are leaving the luggage area, a rep asks if you need to catch land transportation. If so, you are given a number. Taxis are given in order. My hubby suggested the only complaint would come from porters who are probably getting their customers to the front of the line.