Quickest way to airport from pier?

[paulsen02]

Our flight from SEA-TAC was changed to 10:50 am and I am trying to figure out the best/fastest way to the airport from Pier 91. It will be myself and DH and his elderly parents. We will be using Luggage Direct so should have our boarding passes and only carry-on bags. Would we be better off to just walk off the ship and catch a cab? HAL says customs will not let people start departing until around 8:00 at the earliest – how would we know exactly when we could disembark? Also it appears that cabs will hold 4 people with limited luggage? The other option is to do a HAL transfer. Does anyone have any thoughts on which would be fastest/easiest for us? Thanks so much!

[clueless2]

You might want to call HAL and find out if you can use Luggage Direct with a flight that early. My guess is you cannot.

[DaveOKC]

Our flight from SEA-TAC was changed to 10:50 am and I am trying to figure out the best/fastest way to the airport from Pier 91. It will be myself and DH and his elderly parents. We will be using Luggage Direct so should have our boarding passes and only carry-on bags. Would we be better off to just walk off the ship and catch a cab? HAL says customs will not let people start departing until around 8:00 at the earliest – how would we know exactly when we could disembark? Also it appears that cabs will hold 4 people with limited luggage? The other option is to do a HAL transfer. Does anyone have any thoughts on which would be fastest/easiest for us? Thanks so much!

 

Since you are cutting it a bit close, did you try to get the airline to put you on a later flight? Normally when they change your flight the airline is very flexible in letting you change (for free) or even refund your money.

[midwest 852]

To use Luggage direct in Seattle your flight cannot be before 11:30 am.

But yes a taxi is the fastest way to the airport.

[Krazy Kruizers]

As a rule, HAL's Luggage Direct is for flights after 11:30 AM.

If you use HAL's transfers - you have to wait until the bus is completely filled and the bus drops you off not near any of the terminals.

You might want to consider a limo service. We have used AlreadyThereTownCar many times.

[RuthC]

Good point about the ability to use Luggage Direct under the new flight time.

 

With the flight so early, the fastest way to get to the airport on time would be to take a cab. There are van taxis that can hold four people and luggage.

 

I agree with the thought of seriously considering changing the flight to something later. This is cutting it too close.

[midwest 852]

Some things to think about.

1. You Flight is to early for luggage direct so you could carry off your own luggage proubly not a option with elderly parents.

2. If your in a suite you'll get your choose of departure times. But will then have to collect your luggage.

3. A town car or limo service will be slower because you have to call them when your off the ship. Depending on traffic it could keep you waiting. The taxis are lined up and waiting.

 

Not sure what day your traving but weekends at Sea/TAC TSA is a zoo!

I would check into a later flight.

 

Just a side note: last year we were at the airport gate 9:30am using luggage direct & taxis.

[richwmn]

Some things to think about.

1. You Flight is to early for luggage direct so you could carry off your own luggage proubly not a option with elderly parents.

2. If your in a suite you'll get your choose of departure times. But will then have to collect your luggage.

3. A town car or limo service will be slower because you have to call them when your off the ship. Depending on traffic it could keep you waiting. The taxis are lined up and waiting.

 

Not sure what day your traving but weekends at Sea/TAC TSA is a zoo!

I would check into a later flight.

 

Just a side note: last year we were at the airport gate 9:30am using luggage direct & taxis.

 

I disagree with your #3. While it was quite a bit ago and at the old pier, when I returned to Seattle after an Alaska Cruise I called the limo and he arrived within a minute or two. We had arranged a time, and I was pretty close to the time arranged. The driver told me he had a place to wait nearby.

[midwest 852]

I disagree with your #3. While it was quite a bit ago and at the old pier, when I returned to Seattle after an Alaska Cruise I called the limo and he arrived within a minute or two. We had arranged a time, and I was pretty close to the time arranged. The driver told me he had a place to wait nearby.

 

Yes that has changed. pier 91 is very busy on weekends usually 2 ships HAL & Princess & princess starts to disembark first.

[paulsen02]

I will have to contact the airline and see about a later flight I guess. I didn't know about the 11:30 time with Luggage Direct. That would slow us down a lot not using that! HAL just said they suggest a flight after 11:00 and I'd picked one after that, but once the airline changed the time I started to get concerned. :(

[paulsen02]

I just called Luggage Direct and was told it would be fine to use their service with a flight out at 10:50. Knowing that would not be an issue I think we could make it with a taxi or town car, but am leary to just go on that ladies word. The next flight is not until after 3:00 and we will still have a long drive so I'm torn on whether I should change it anyway. I just want to make sure everything works out okay especially with his parents with us.

[paulsen02]

I did a dummy booking with Luggage Direct and you were all right - it would not take my reservation. Thanks to all of you for this helpful info! I was able to change our flight to 3:00 at no cost. Now to figure out something to do with our extra time!:p

[take us away]

If you do last disembarkation, you should be off and through everything around 10. Pikes Market is always nice and there are some wonderful restaurants for an early lunch overlooking the bay close by the market.

Edited June 6, 2015 by take us away

[WNcruiser]

Our flight from SEA-TAC was changed to 10:50 am and I am trying to figure out the best/fastest way to the airport from Pier 91. It will be myself and DH and his elderly parents. We will be using Luggage Direct so should have our boarding passes and only carry-on bags. Would we be better off to just walk off the ship and catch a cab? HAL says customs will not let people start departing until around 8:00 at the earliest – how would we know exactly when we could disembark? Also it appears that cabs will hold 4 people with limited luggage? The other option is to do a HAL transfer. Does anyone have any thoughts on which would be fastest/easiest for us? Thanks so much!

 

That is absolutely FALSE. We just got off the Westerdam this morning. Express disembarkation began just after 7:00, we walked off the ship, straight thru customs and in to a taxi. There were plenty of taxi's with no wait.

 

Customs took about 30 seconds:). We were at the airport curb before 8:00.

[ScriptOhio]

Our flight from SEA-TAC was changed to 10:50 am and I am trying to figure out the best/fastest way to the airport from Pier 91. It will be myself and DH and his elderly parents. We will be using Luggage Direct so should have our boarding passes and only carry-on bags. Would we be better off to just walk off the ship and catch a cab? HAL says customs will not let people start departing until around 8:00 at the earliest – how would we know exactly when we could disembark? Also it appears that cabs will hold 4 people with limited luggage? The other option is to do a HAL transfer. Does anyone have any thoughts on which would be fastest/easiest for us? Thanks so much!

 

That is absolutely FALSE. We just got off the Westerdam this morning. Express disembarkation began just after 7:00, we walked off the ship, straight thru customs and in to a taxi. There were plenty of taxi's with no wait.

 

Customs took about 30 seconds:). We were at the airport curb before 8:00.

 

I did express disembarkation after an Alaskan cruise on the Amsterdam last year and was off well before 7:30; however, this is "self assist" and you have to carry all your luggage. I'm not sure what exact time the first group of people who had the colored luggage tags were released. Here's a picture of the area (and I believe it is during embarkation):

 

 

When you come out of the terminal (top middle) the taxis will be queued up beside canopy/awnings. There will be porters to assist with the luggage too.

Edited June 7, 2015 by ScriptOhio

[KNOT2L82SAIL]

I did a dummy booking with Luggage Direct and you were all right - it would not take my reservation. Thanks to all of you for this helpful info! I was able to change our flight to 3:00 at no cost. Now to figure out something to do with our extra time!:p

 

We were in the Amsterdam disembark group of 8:15 to 8:30 this past Sunday. The taxis are all lined up right outside of the terminal. We took a full size Ford and it held all of our luggage... three adults.... plus all of the purchases. We took the cab to the Avis rental location in downtown Seattle, renting a Ford for one day.

 

With your extra time....

AND what we did was take that rental out to the Boeing facility in Everett. What a wonderful tour! You can book it online too. Plus you can also do the museum of flight. Afterwards, we just dropped the car off at the airport and took the bus shuttle to our terminal. You have plenty of time for this too. We were back to the airport about 1 PM....including all of the Seattle traffic on the I-5.

 

Good luck.

[RandyinDEN]

I would arrange a town car to pick you up. You can set that up ahead of time online. We did that for an 11 am flight and it worked out great. They are waiting for you and you don't have to fight for a cab.

[mdjohn5]

If you have your bags with you, I have found that, in general, the fastest way into a cab is to use the porters. It costs you a few extra bucks in tips but they tend to know the fastest ways out of the building.

 

They also seem to have their own people helping them with the cabs vs the cab stand. When I use them, they tend to have their own people bringing cabs up for you.

[Hlitner]

We would either pre-arrange for a limo/car service or just message Uber for a car.

 

Hank