Seattle Q&A/FAQ (Part 2)

[Gardyloo]

We're going to be arriving back at Pier 91 in the morning, but don't fly out of SEATAC until close to 6pm. Our plan is to rent a car for the day, the. Drive to Bremerton and tour the USS Turner Joy, and whatever else is nearby. We'll then return our car at SEATAC and head on home. My question is which car rental facility do I request the car pick up from? I understand we will have to shuttle from the port to the car. From what I can tell we have a choice between Alamo and National.

Alamo and National are the same company; go on price.

[Glaciers]

We're going to be arriving back at Pier 91 in the morning, but don't fly out of SEATAC until close to 6pm. Our plan is to rent a car for the day, the. Drive to Bremerton and tour the USS Turner Joy, and whatever else is nearby. We'll then return our car at SEATAC and head on home. My question is which car rental facility do I request the car pick up from? I understand we will have to shuttle from the port to the car. From what I can tell we have a choice between Alamo and National.

 

You’ll need to watch your time carefully. Most say that you should be at the airport 2 hours prior to departure and it takes over an hour each way to get from Seattle to the USS Turner in Bremerton. The rental car facility at the airport is now offsite and requires a bus to get back to the airport.

[mapleleaves]

Thanks for your reply...much appreciated.

We are just trying to find a somewhat decent priced hotel for one night close to pier 66.

 

Don't be overly concerned about being close to pier 66. Any hotel in the downtown core will only be a $10 taxi ride to the pier. Even if you stay out by the Space Needle/Seattle Center a taxi will only be about $15.

[mapleleaves]

We're going to be arriving back at Pier 91 in the morning, but don't fly out of SEATAC until close to 6pm. Our plan is to rent a car for the day, the. Drive to Bremerton and tour the USS Turner Joy, and whatever else is nearby. We'll then return our car at SEATAC and head on home. My question is which car rental facility do I request the car pick up from? I understand we will have to shuttle from the port to the car. From what I can tell we have a choice between Alamo and National.

 

Car vendors at the pier:

http://www.portseattle.org/Cruise/Services/Pages/default.aspx

[NancyL2]

OK...one more post about Seattle hotels. :confused:

Right now I'm looking at the Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Seattle. Price sounds about right and it includes a breakfast.

Anyone stay there?

[mapleleaves]

OK...one more post about Seattle hotels. :confused:

Right now I'm looking at the Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Seattle. Price sounds about right and it includes a breakfast.

Anyone stay there?

 

is that the one on 5th, near the Seattle Center? I've read quite a few positive remarks in this forum. Use the SEARCH button to pull up past comments. Or look at tripadvisor.

Nice location. Fairly new. You can walk to the Center and catch the monorail, which only a 3 minute ride to downtown. It lets you off at Westlake Center which is about 2-3 blocks from Pike Place Market.

[NancyL2]

is that the one on 5th, near the Seattle Center? I've read quite a few positive remarks in this forum. Use the SEARCH button to pull up past comments. Or look at tripadvisor.

Nice location. Fairly new. You can walk to the Center and catch the monorail, which only a 3 minute ride to downtown. It lets you off at Westlake Center which is about 2-3 blocks from Pike Place Market.

 

Yes it is on 5th ave. Thank you so much for all your very helpful information.

Now I just need book this hotel and sit back and wait for this cruise to happen. :)

[mapleleaves]

Yes it is on 5th ave. Thank you so much for all your very helpful information.

Now I just need book this hotel and sit back and wait for this cruise to happen. :)

 

I've driven by it a number of times.... nice looking place.

Another advantage to this location is a big grocery store next door.

[AlohaPride]

I've driven by it a number of times.... nice looking place.

Another advantage to this location is a big grocery store next door.

 

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!! Thank you!

[NancyL2]

I've driven by it a number of times.... nice looking place.

Another advantage to this location is a big grocery store next door.

 

Like, like, like! :D

[duchess720]

Good evening,

Totally appreciate all the information I have been reading. My question is we are thinking it will be more economical to fly roundtrip to Seatlle, but want to go to Portland area to visit son. Thinking about renting a car and driving there and back. I know we can rent a car from the airport and return it there.

Can we get a free shuttle to a hotel from airport and then a free shuttle from that hotel to the port?

We are planning on coming in the day before, just to be safe.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

[Pierlesscruisers]

Can we get a free shuttle to a hotel from airport and then a free shuttle from that hotel to the port?

We are planning on coming in the day before, just to be safe.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

Yes, you can get a free shuttle from the airport to a hotel and no there are no free shuttles from the hotel to the port. That said, I'll provide some info here about transportation from the airport area to the pier areas. Note the plural when talking about the piers!

 

First of all, let me say that there are 2 pier areas, Pier 66 and Pier 91. These piers (as you can guess from the numbers) are not colocated and which one you're going to want to go to depends on which cruise line you will be using. If you're cruising on Princess, Holland-America, Carnival, Royal Carribean or Celebrity, you will be going to Pier 91. If you're cruising on Oceania or Norwegian, you will be going to Pier 66.

 

The information below is for transportation to Pier 91. Note that the first blurb is for someone going on Princess. For someone going on one of the other lines mentioned above, similar info would be appropriate. The info for Seattle Express, Shuttle Express and taxi's would be applicable to any of the cruise lines.

 

That said, this will hopefully provide the info that you are looking for. If not, ask and I'll try and provide you an accurate answer.

 

Tom

---------------------------------------------------------------------

 

There are 3-4 ways to get from SeaTac to Pier 91. I'll go briefly through them here.

 

1. Princess shuttle motor coach. There will be personnel at the baggage carousels to meet you and they will make sure that your bags have ship's luggage tags on them and the bags will be loaded on trucks and taken directly to the pier where they will be processed through security, loaded on the ship and delivered to your room. You will be given health forms to fill out and those will be collected when you go through check-in. You will then be loaded on motor coaches and taken to the pier where you will go inside and processed onto the ship. First bus will depart the airport for the pier around 9:30 or 10:00. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOUR TRAVEL DOCUMENTS ARE IN YOUR POSSESSION AND NOT IN THE BAGS THAT ARE PUT ON THE TRUCK!

 

2. Seattle Express or Shuttle Express. These are smaller motor coaches that can provide transportation from the airport to the pier. Your luggage will be loaded onto the coach and you will take the bags into the luggage hall or you can get a porter at the pier to take them in for you. If your ship's luggage tags are not attached to your bags, you will need to stop at the clerk's table outside Door #1 to either have tags made or your already printed tags stapled to your bags. Cost for Seattle Express is $12/person and cost for Shuttle Express is $17/person with one free person under 17 for each person over 17. (Website says $22 for Shuttle Express, I was told $17 in an email from them.)

 

Shuttle Express Info: http://shuttleexpress.com/seattle/cruise-transfers/

 

Seattle Express Info: http://www.seattleexpress.com/21501.html or

EMAIL: mattseattleexpress@yahoo.com

CALL: (206) 793-8430 or Make a Reservation

 

3. Taxicab. Yellow Cab is, I believe $42-45 to pier (flat rate) other cabs, I don't know prices. Make sure that you inform the cab driver that you want to go to Pier 91 and not Pier 66 or you may end up at the wrong place. (Not a good way to start our a cruise!! )

[mapleleaves]

Thinking about renting a car and driving there and back. I know we can rent a car from the airport and return it there.

Can we get a free shuttle to a hotel from airport and then a free shuttle from that hotel to the port?

QUOTE]

 

FYI ...the car rental facility is no longer at SeaTac it moved to a location a couple of miles away. They will shuttle you back/forth.

 

If you stay at an airport area hotel, they will provide a free shuttle to/from the airport. However downtown Seattle is about 30 minutes away, so you won't get a free shuttle if you choose to stay downtown.

Airport lodging varies from the large chains (if you have points to use) to the budget friendly Sleep Inn or the lovely Cedarbrook Lodge.

 

p.s. the Seattle forum of tripadvisor has lots of info on hotels and transportation

 

Both piers are about 30 minutes away also. Pier 66 is downtown and pier 91 is about 5 miles further north. So cab fare will vary depending on which pier you need.

 

If you stay at a hotel that partners with Seattle Express they will pick you up at the hotel and take you to either pier for $15pp, each way.

http://www.seattleexpress.com/2901.html

 

Shuttle Express is more expensive. $44 RT for SeaTac-pier-SeaTac.

Or $52 if you want service to include a downtown hotel plus pier and SeaTac.

http://shuttleexpress.com/seattle/cruise-transfers/

 

If you want to leave on your own schedule, not the shuttle's schedule, use the flatrate cab company. $29 to downtown/pier 66 or $35 to pier 91.

http://www.flatrateforhire.com

 

p.s. the Seattle forum on tripadvisor has info on hotel, transportation under Top Questions

Edited February 12, 2016 by mapleleaves
ps

[SetU2]

Does Alamo still have a kiosk at Pier 91? If so, can I rent a car at Alamo Sea-Tac for pre-cruise use and then return it at Seattle downtown location and take shuttle to Pier?

[mapleleaves]

Does Alamo still have a kiosk at Pier 91? If so, can I rent a car at Alamo Sea-Tac for pre-cruise use and then return it at Seattle downtown location and take shuttle to Pier?

 

Alamo has had a kiosk at pier 91 in the past. The Port web site still indicates so, but the cruise season hasn't started yet so impossible to know for sure.

http://www.portseattle.org/Cruise/Services/Pages/default.aspx

 

You can rent at SeaTac and return to downtown but they might charge extra. The only way to know if there's an extra fee is to call and ask.

[SetU2]

Thanks mapleleaves. Ive already rented the car with pickup at Sea-Tac and drop off downtown. I don't know if there was an upcharge but it would be worth it if there is a free shuttle to the pier. I guess that was really my question and I just didn't write my post real well.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited February 13, 2016 by SetU2

[mapleleaves]

There's only a kiosk at the pier, no cars, so yes, you drop off the car downtown and they'll give you a free shuttle to the pier.

[SetU2]

Thanks again for the quick response and help.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[maddog1967]

Years ago I belonged to Cruise Critic but got away from it after I retired. I have sailed multiple times out of Florida but have never sailed out of Seattle. I am driving into Seattle to cruise out of Pier 91 in June. My question is this: There will be two of us in a rental car. Can I drive straight to the parking area and have the shuttle take both of us and our luggage (one suitcase and two carry-on's) to the terminal or should I drop off my wife first and then go park and take the shuttle? I would prefer to park first and then take the shuttle with our luggage. Any help would be appreciated.

[mapleleaves]

I am driving into Seattle to cruise out of Pier 91 in June. My question is this: There will be two of us in a rental car. Can I drive straight to the parking area and have the shuttle take both of us and our luggage (one suitcase and two carry-on's) to the terminal or should I drop off my wife first and then go park and take the shuttle? I would prefer to park first and then take the shuttle with our luggage. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Alamo,National and Enterprise have kiosks at the pier and provide a shuttle from their downtown offices to/from the pier. If you're renting from one of those vendors, yes, they will take both of you and your luggage to the pier. That's how it worked in the past. Their downtown numbers are on the web site so you can call to verify.

 

http://www.portseattle.org/Cruise/Services/Pages/default.aspx

[Pierlesscruisers]

Years ago I belonged to Cruise Critic but got away from it after I retired. I have sailed multiple times out of Florida but have never sailed out of Seattle. I am driving into Seattle to cruise out of Pier 91 in June. My question is this: There will be two of us in a rental car. Can I drive straight to the parking area and have the shuttle take both of us and our luggage (one suitcase and two carry-on's) to the terminal or should I drop off my wife first and then go park and take the shuttle? I would prefer to park first and then take the shuttle with our luggage. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Your handle reminds me of the radio callsign of an Army aviation unit in South Korea but I don't know if they were there in 1967. Interesting anyway.

 

Tom

[maddog1967]

My wife and I are driving across the country to Seattle. Doing some sight-seeing, that sort of thing. My question is concerning the parking lot at Pier 91. Do I have to drop everything at the terminal or can I park first and then take the shuttle with my luggage to the terminal? Also, how far of a walk is it from the parking lot to the terminal? In answer to the maddog question; that is something I picked up in Vietnam in 1967. Everyone had nicknames in my unit and I was tagged with this one by my buddies. I'll let you use your imagination as to how I got this moniker.

[Gardyloo]

My wife and I are driving across the country to Seattle. Doing some sight-seeing, that sort of thing. My question is concerning the parking lot at Pier 91. Do I have to drop everything at the terminal or can I park first and then take the shuttle with my luggage to the terminal?

Here's the page with the Pier 91 parking FAQ - https://www.cruiseseattleparking.com/pages/pier91

 

You drop pax and bags at the turnaround, then there's a shuttle bus from the actual parking lot. It's probably between 1/4 and 1/2 mile on foot, depending on where you end up in the parking lot - it's enormous.

 

You might also look at a third party parking operation, https://www.seattlecruiseparking.com/ - who have a lot a mile or so from the terminal but will shuttle both pax and bags to the drop-off. A little cheaper per day, too.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Gardyloo

[PNW Traveler]

We are local and have used the Pier 91 parking lot many times. Yes, it's a large lot, but the shuttle works efficiently and flawlessly. The lot is very secure. After choosing a parking spot, the shuttle meets us at our car and the driver loads our luggage onto the shuttle bus. Easy.

For us the convenience and security offsets a bit of extra cost.

[maddog1967]

I appreciate the post. You have been most helpful. I had read the FAQ's about the parking lot but had also read somewhere that you and your passenger (along with your luggage) could take the shuttle to the terminal. I appreciate your help in clearing this up.