Pre cruise day in Seattle..so little time

[sparlkes]

Have never been to Seattle, but we are flying in a day early, and hope to be at a downtown hotel (not sure which one yet) by 2:30 or so, in time to check in. Then would like to try to go up the Space Needle, and take quick tour through Pikes Market. I am wondering if this is expecting too much of ourselves since we will be flying from the east coast early that day. The next morning about 11 we will have to board the ship. Does anyone have any recommendations the one or 2 things we must see in Seattle?

 

Also, there are so many shuttles etc to downtown, and then back to the airport after the cruise…I just want a dependable one that will be easy to find when we arrive into SeaTac, and will be easy to find when we get off the ship for our return trip to the airport. Who is most reliable?

 

Thank You!

[Gardyloo]

You can certainly see the Space Needle in the evening. You might actually consider having dinner there - the elevator charge is waived for diners (although there's a $35 pp minimum).

 

If you're staying downtown, I'd capitalize on your east-coast body clocks and get to the Pike Place Market (no "s") early in the morning for breakfast. It's the best time to see the market as the merchants set up for the day, there are several excellent places for breakfast, some with great views of the waterfront (ferries etc.) and you can avoid the mid-day crowds. Buy some flowers for your cabin on the ship.

 

I would take a flat-rate towncar from the airport to your downtown hotel, and if you find the service okay, book them for the return after the cruise.

 

What cruise line and terminal will you be using? (There are two cruise terminals, a couple of miles apart.)

[sparlkes]

We will be on the Explorer out of Pier 91. So you think we should do the market on the morning before our cruise? Then head back to the hotel for our luggage? and hopefully a cab to the pier?

[Gardyloo]

We will be on the Explorer out of Pier 91. So you think we should do the market on the morning before our cruise? Then head back to the hotel for our luggage? and hopefully a cab to the pier?

Yep.

[Sequim88]

Evening before cruise you will be seriously time warped. We ran into this a lot when we flew to Las Vegas every year from MN. We would get to hotel with brain fog, unable to decide what to do. Space Needle will be plenty. Monorail to Seattle Center leave from Westlake Center mall. Have a plan in mind in advance so decisions are not an issue.

 

Gordyloo's suggestion of breakfast at Pike Place Market is a great idea. Although the listed opening time is 9 am some restaurants and food places may open earlier. Market Directory includes list of food places. Weather note - typically early morning's in Seattle are cool and overcast - sweater or light jacket is good. If time permits taking the elevator down to the waterfront level and strolling some of the shops there might be bonus sightseeing.

 

If you arrive and go to the Seattle Center earlier enough and plan to eat at Space Needle (expensive but pretty decent Pac NW menu) time it for sunset (I know that's really late EDT body clock). On the menu link note the reservations button - highly advised. If time permits and there is any interest in either Guitars or Science Fiction the Experience Music Project (in the funny looking building) is great.

[Gardyloo]

Although the listed opening time is 9 am some restaurants and food places may open earlier.

My recommendation is Lowells - http://eatatlowells.com/ - or the Athenian - http://athenianinn.com/ - which open at 7 AM and 8 AM respectively.

[mondello]

We were in Seattle for our July 5-12th cruise and had downtown hotels both pre- and post-cruise. Westin let us check-in around 11:00am if you can arrive a little earlier.

 

We were headed back to Pike Place Market last Weds. and most vendors were closing shop for the day. The breakfast suggestion makes more sense now.

 

Taxis to downtown hotels are expensive (around $45) from SeaTac. Much shorter and cheaper to Pier 91 ($15) from downtown hotel.

 

We rode light rail in to save money and gladly paid the taxi to return us to SeaTac. If you've never used Uber, you can download their phone app and save $20 off your first ride.

[cpl100]

You can certainly see the Space Needle in the evening. You might actually consider having dinner there - the elevator charge is waived for diners (although there's a $35 pp minimum).

 

If you're staying downtown, I'd capitalize on your east-coast body clocks and get to the Pike Place Market (no "s") early in the morning for breakfast. It's the best time to see the market as the merchants set up for the day, there are several excellent places for breakfast, some with great views of the waterfront (ferries etc.) and you can avoid the mid-day crowds. Buy some flowers for your cabin on the ship.

 

I would take a flat-rate towncar from the airport to your downtown hotel, and if you find the service okay, book them for the return after the cruise.

 

What cruise line and terminal will you be using? (There are two cruise terminals, a couple of miles apart.)

 

Is the elevator charge waived for lunch also, or just dinner? Thanks!

[Glaciers]

Most ships don’t depart until late afternoon. Maybe the Explorer is earlier? You could add several hours to sightseeing in Seattle by boarding later in the day. The hotel will most certainly hold your bags even though you may have to check out.

[Gardyloo]

Is the elevator charge waived for lunch also, or just dinner? Thanks!

Both. The per person minimum at lunch is $25 ($35 for dinner.) http://www.spaceneedle.com/lunch/

[morleystanwood]

We are also flying in a day early next month, but get in at 10:30 am. Planning to drop off luggage at hotel near airport and will take the light rail back at the airport into town. We are buying the Seattle City Pass (citypass.com) for $74 pp which gets us access to five attractions - Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass or Pacific Science Center, Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour, Seattle Aquarium, EMP Museum or Woodland Park Zoo.

 

The following morning we are going to do an early access vip tour of Pike Place through (savorseattletours.com) for $52pp. Headed back to the hotel (with a couple boquets of flowers for the trip) to grab our luggage and head to pier 91 -boarding a little later to avoid the lines. Seattle is as big of a deal for my wife as any of the other ports we will visit in Alaska so we want to get as much of it in as we can in a day and a half.

 

Enjoy your trip!

[disneygirl10]

We are also flying in a day early next month, but get in at 10:30 am. Planning to drop off luggage at hotel near airport and will take the light rail back at the airport into town. We are buying the Seattle City Pass (citypass.com) for $74 pp which gets us access to five attractions - Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass or Pacific Science Center, Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour, Seattle Aquarium, EMP Museum or Woodland Park Zoo.

 

The following morning we are going to do an early access vip tour of Pike Place through (savorseattletours.com) for $52pp. Headed back to the hotel (with a couple boquets of flowers for the trip) to grab our luggage and head to pier 91 -boarding a little later to avoid the lines. Seattle is as big of a deal for my wife as any of the other ports we will visit in Alaska so we want to get as much of it in as we can in a day and a half.

 

 

 

Enjoy your trip!

 

I am so glad that I read this!! The Pike Place tour sounds great! I just looked it up and there is an early access one that would be perfect for us.

[kctwinmommy]

We are also flying in a day early next month, but get in at 10:30 am. Planning to drop off luggage at hotel near airport and will take the light rail back at the airport into town. We are buying the Seattle City Pass (citypass.com) for $74 pp which gets us access to five attractions - Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass or Pacific Science Center, Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour, Seattle Aquarium, EMP Museum or Woodland Park Zoo.

Enjoy your trip!

 

It's going to be tough getting all those things in during just one day. We spent about 2 hours at Chihuly, and another 2+ hours at EMP. Now, I highly recommend the Chihuly though!! It was beautiful! And we went early in the morning, when they opened, so it wasn't very crowded. When we left, it was very busy. Plus, they close early on some days for special events. The line at the Space Needle was also long every time we went by there. So just be prepared in case you run into that. Now, granted you're not there in summer, so it may be a bit less crowded, but you're still going to want to spend time in each place. We'd had enough science museums and aquariums in our lifetime, so we skipped those. We spent 4 days in town before our cruise and saw a ton!!

[EndersFoul]

We have a similar schedule for our 2017 cruise. We plan to drop our bags at the hotel around noon, flight gets in at 1030. Take the ~$9 ferry to Bainbridge Island and enjoy a late lunch and ice cream and the views of the skyline on the return trip. Followed by dinner at the Space Needle and an early bed time for us east coasters. We will probably eat breakfast at the hotel but plan to uber to Pike Place Market and get coffee at the first Starbucks and get my collector mug, head back to the hotel and probably Uber again to the pier.

[kctwinmommy]

We will probably eat breakfast at the hotel but plan to uber to Pike Place Market and get coffee at the first Starbucks and get my collector mug, head back to the hotel and probably Uber again to the pier.

 

Give yourself enough time at the Starbucks. Every time we went by it, there was a very long line. ;) My son had to settle for getting his Starbucks up high, on the 40th (I think, somewhere around there) in Columbia Center. We went up there instead of the Space Needle. Better views, much cheaper, and no lines. Plus, you get 2 for 1, when you go up, they stamp your hand so you can come back again that night, which we did.

[disneygirl10]

Give yourself enough time at the Starbucks. Every time we went by it, there was a very long line. ;) My son had to settle for getting his Starbucks up high, on the 40th (I think, somewhere around there) in Columbia Center. We went up there instead of the Space Needle. Better views, much cheaper, and no lines. Plus, you get 2 for 1, when you go up, they stamp your hand so you can come back again that night, which we did.

 

Can we order ahead of time on the app?

[kctwinmommy]

Can we order ahead of time on the app?

 

No idea! I've never drank Starbucks in my life! LOL! My teenage son had some frappuccino thing once and wanted to get it in Seattle. So we let him. I would imagine being how busy they are, they may not, but who knows.

[Gardyloo]

We have a similar schedule for our 2017 cruise. We plan to drop our bags at the hotel around noon, flight gets in at 1030. Take the ~$9 ferry to Bainbridge Island and enjoy a late lunch and ice cream and the views of the skyline on the return trip. Followed by dinner at the Space Needle and an early bed time for us east coasters. We will probably eat breakfast at the hotel but plan to uber to Pike Place Market and get coffee at the first Starbucks and get my collector mug, head back to the hotel and probably Uber again to the pier.

Use the time change in your favor (6 AM for us is 9 AM for you) and have breakfast at the Pike Place market instead of the hotel. During cruise season the market becomes impossibly mobbed by 10:30 or so, and the line for the original Starbucks can be a hundred feet long. (Hint, it's not really the original location and it isn't all that special - visit DeLaurenti's market or Market Spice [Tea] for an authentic Pike Place experience.) Have breakfast at Lowell's or the Athenian right in the main arcade.

[EndersFoul]

Use the time change in your favor (6 AM for us is 9 AM for you) and have breakfast at the Pike Place market instead of the hotel. During cruise season the market becomes impossibly mobbed by 10:30 or so, and the line for the original Starbucks can be a hundred feet long. (Hint, it's not really the original location and it isn't all that special - visit DeLaurenti's market or Market Spice [Tea] for an authentic Pike Place experience.) Have breakfast at Lowell's or the Athenian right in the main arcade.

 

thank you! I planned to get to Pike Place Market no later than 8-830, will anything be open? I really wanted to see the fish tossing, or is 8am too late for that? Maybe we will do an early breakfast at the hotel and then a brunch at the Market- usually on embarkation days we don't eat lunch until mid-afternoon

[Gardyloo]

thank you! I planned to get to Pike Place Market no later than 8-830, will anything be open? I really wanted to see the fish tossing, or is 8am too late for that? Maybe we will do an early breakfast at the hotel and then a brunch at the Market- usually on embarkation days we don't eat lunch until mid-afternoon

The fish flingers will probably start around 9, or as soon as they have an audience. At 8 or 8:30 the restaurants will be open, and the "low stall" merchants (i.e. the actual farmers) will still be setting up, as will the fish merchants. In my view it's the best time to visit the market. The actual shops and "high stalls" including the fishmongers will all be open by 9.