Ovation to Alaska

[fla gang]

So we are looking at Alaska for July 2019 out of Seattle. How far is the airport from the cruise terminal. Trying to figure out return flight times and wondering if a 1:30 pm departure is easy to do?

[NeedsVitaminSea]

It looks like the airport is not too far, maybe 45 minutes or so EXCEPT I'm reading that one of the main highways through the city has been shut down and is being converted to a tunnel.  I have no idea what that is doing to traffic.

 

It would still seem like you could disembark by 9am and make a 1:30pm flight.

[vistapat]

This information was posted by Pierless Cruisers about the highway changes:

 

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Posted December 9, 2018

This message is just to let people who are planning on going on a cruise to Alaska or down the California coast out of Seattle this coming season, there has been a major change in the downtown Seattle traffic that may increase the travel time from SeaTac to Pier 91 and from Pier 91 back to SeaTac and thus increase your travel time between those locations. The viaduct that led along the downtown waterfront will no longer be present and will be replaced by a tunnel. The buses that provide a large percentage of the transportation between those two locations are currently planning to be using I-5 route.  Whether this changes or not, the time to travel between the pier and the airport may very likely increase. Where the travel time to/from the airport used to be about 45 minutes to an hour, this time may be another 30 to 45 minutes, or even more. This is especially true on weekends depending on activities in the downtown area such as Hempfest. While the increase in time travel will probably affect bus travel, it will probably also affect taxi travel, although not to the same extent as the buses.

I'm providing this information primarily for those of you who are planning on arriving on your day of embarkation or departing on your day of disembarkation although those of you who will be arriving earlier or leaving later might like to be aware of it also.

As of today, 9 Dec. 2018, the plan for the closing down the viaduct is in early January, 2019 and the completion is expected to be completed by the end of July, 2019.

Additionally, I will provide weather info for Alaska at each port on your cruise and for Seattle for the weekend of your departure as well as a list of current activities in the Seattle are as well as some links to other items of interest in the area a week prior to your departure so watch for that.

Tom

 

We have cruised from Seattle before, and the drive to the airport, especially on a Friday, is about 45 minutes IIRC.  That said, we have made flights at 9:30, though not with much comfort level.

 

Pat

[TonRin]

We booked a car to go from the port to the airport in September. We have a 12:30pm flight and I booked the car for 7:30am but the car company has come back to me an said we dont need to leave till about 9am so rebooked us for 8:30 - 9am.. 

 

Hope this helps! 

Tony

[pdr997]

Opinion please.  Sailing Ovation in Alaska this August 2019 and will be booking for Juneau a whale watching tour w/Mendenhall glacier and want the best for whale watching experience of course.  Thoughts please on booking through the cruise lines available excursions or finding one on our own?  Cruise line makes it easy but I do want to make sure we get a good group/boat to go out with.  

Thanks all!

Patty (& Darrell)

[kelbell]

Tincoll would you mind telling me what car service you are using?

This will be are first time, trying to decide on Uber(have never done that)

or a car service.  Not to concerned about price, but reliability.

Thank you.

[TonRin]

7 hours ago, kelbell said:

Tincoll would you mind telling me what car service you are using?

This will be are first time, trying to decide on Uber(have never done that)

or a car service.  Not to concerned about price, but reliability.

Thank you.

 

The company is called KJ Limousine Services

http://kjlimousine.com

 

I read a lot of reviews about them and they are reliable and honest. Not the cheapest but I like to travel in comfort when I am on holidays. If I wanted rough and ready, I would have backpacked to the destination! It is costing about CAD$130 for the trip from cruise terminal to airport. 

 

Just make sure if you book them you say 'Canada Place Cruise Terminal' and not just 'Canada Place' as they are different places and different costs. The cruise terminal is more expensive as they have to park and wait.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Cheers

Tony

[2ManyCruises]

20 hours ago, pdr997 said:

Opinion please.  Sailing Ovation in Alaska this August 2019 and will be booking for Juneau a whale watching tour w/Mendenhall glacier and want the best for whale watching experience of course.  Thoughts please on booking through the cruise lines available excursions or finding one on our own?  Cruise line makes it easy but I do want to make sure we get a good group/boat to go out with.  

Thanks all!

Patty (& Darrell)

We have sailed to Alaska 3 times and have done the whale watching/Mendenhall on each cruise. We typically use outside vendors for excursions. But for whale watching we found it easier as you say to use the cruise line. If anything went wrong (delays, something mechanical etc.) we were under the care of the cruise line.

 

Bye the way this is an excellent excursion. You WILL see plenty of whales.

Enjoy

Up Next Allure of the Seas - April 2019

                Ovation of the Seas - Alaska June 2019

[NeedsVitaminSea]

1 hour ago, tincoll said:

 

The company is called KJ Limousine Services

http://kjlimousine.com

 

I read a lot of reviews about them and they are reliable and honest. Not the cheapest but I like to travel in comfort when I am on holidays. If I wanted rough and ready, I would have backpacked to the destination! It is costing about CAD$130 for the trip from cruise terminal to airport. 

 

Just make sure if you book them you say 'Canada Place Cruise Terminal' and not just 'Canada Place' as they are different places and different costs. The cruise terminal is more expensive as they have to park and wait.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Cheers

Tony

Ovation is in Seattle, at least earlier in the summer, but Canada Place is Vancouver.  Is Ovation moving to Vancouver in September?

[TonRin]

46 minutes ago, NeedsVitaminSea said:

Ovation is in Seattle, at least earlier in the summer, but Canada Place is Vancouver.  Is Ovation moving to Vancouver in September?

 

Sorry my bad. My trip finishes in Vancouver. I did quote my Vancouver cruise terminal to airport car. I have booked a Carmel car in Seattle to go from the airport to the hotel (Marqueen) but haven't booked a car from the hotel to the pier yet. I have asked them if they have that service and am still waiting for their response. Its not that far apparently so I will keep looking but may just use a cab on the day.

 

Cheers

[kelbell]

Thank you for that, we are going out of seattle. Staying one night before cruise

Cruise is in Aug.  Our flight home is at 3pm so we dont have to rush.

[pdr997]

16 hours ago, 2ManyCruises said:

We have sailed to Alaska 3 times and have done the whale watching/Mendenhall on each cruise. We typically use outside vendors for excursions. But for whale watching we found it easier as you say to use the cruise line. If anything went wrong (delays, something mechanical etc.) we were under the care of the cruise line.

 

Bye the way this is an excellent excursion. You WILL see plenty of whales.

Enjoy

Up Next Allure of the Seas - April 2019

                Ovation of the Seas - Alaska June 2019

I do like the idea of being under the care of the cruise line so that was a big factor to consider while making our choice.  In the end I left it up to my husband and he felt he would prefer the smaller boat/less people so we are going with Harv & Marv.   

BTW...I see you will be on Allure in April.  We sailed on her last March and loved every minute of it!!  Enjoy!!

 

Patty (& Darrell)

Edited February 19, 2019 by pdr997
signed

[Clarea]

19 minutes ago, pdr997 said:

 ... In the end I left it up to my husband and he felt he would prefer the smaller boat/less people ...

 

We would have done the same.