What to do between hotel checkout and embarkation?

[Jaxweb]

I'm thinking about arriving at the Seattle port late to avoid ultra-long lines, but hotel checkout time is 12PM.  I can take my time getting to the port by taking public transit instead of a taxi, but I would still probably still arrive before 1PM even by bus.

If I took a cab, I'd be there before 12:30.

 

I could leave the hotel early and get to the terminal at 11:00 AM so I'll be closer to the front of the line, but then I would still end up waiting around for the line to start moving.

 

What's the best use of time between hotel checkout and boarding to minimize time standing in lines?

[Alakegirl]

Leave your bags at the front desk and spend the morning walking around Seattle

[keithm]

1 minute ago, Jaxweb said:

I'm thinking about arriving at the Seattle port late to avoid ultra-long lines, but hotel checkout time is 12PM.  I can take my time getting to the port by taking public transit instead of a taxi, but I would still probably still arrive before 1PM even by bus.

If I took a cab, I'd be there before 12:30.

 

I could leave the hotel early and get to the terminal at 11:00 AM so I'll be closer to the front of the line, but then I would still end up waiting around for the line to start moving.

 

What's the best use of time between hotel checkout and boarding to minimize time standing in lines?

though the lines try to set an arrival time, we still get there early, so we're near the front of the line. the last few years we've been excusive to Oceania(tired of the Celebrity cutbacks)Takes us 30 min. or frequently less to get on board. 1250 pax v/s 3000+ on the Eclipse.

[mom says]

Agree with Alakegirl. Have the hotel store your bags and explore a bit of Seattle.

[Jaxweb]

6 minutes ago, Alakegirl said:

Leave your bags at the front desk and spend the morning walking around Seattle

 

I just realized that hotel has a shuttle that can take me to the cruise terminal so I won't need a taxi or a public transportation. 

Unfortunately, it isn't downtown. 

So, maybe I can check out around 9am leaving the bags at the desk, take a shuttle to downtown for a few hours, take a shuttle back to the hotel to pick up the bags and then take another shuttle than gets to the cruise terminal around 3 PM;

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

We took a cab from Inn at the Market around 11:30 in May.  No problem with lines.

[Ferry_Watcher]

Solstice check-in starts around 10:15 am.  Ship boarding is around noon first by suites, then loyalty status (a recent change).  Open boarding generally begins after 12:30 pm  Longest lines are 11:30 - 1:30 pm (on good days, and some days lines go on until 2:30).  If you are not at the Pier by 3 PM, Pier staff will be calling your cell phone to ask where you are.

[Jaxweb]

2 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Solstice check-in starts around 10:15 am.  Ship boarding is around noon first by suites, then loyalty status (a recent change).  Open boarding generally begins after 12:30 pm  Longest lines are 11:30 - 1:30 pm (on good days, and some days lines go on until 2:30).  If you are not at the Pier by 3 PM, Pier staff will be calling your cell phone to ask where you are.

 

So, arriving between 2:30-3:00 sounds like a good time.

I can check with the hotel to see if I can get a late checkout.  I was reading reviews on Yelp stating some people have gotten their room checkout time extended to 2PM, but others couldn't get anything later than a 1PM checkout.

 

I'll still see if I can get a shuttle to downtown in the morning to do a some sightseeing, return to the hotel to pick up the bags and then get another shuttle to the cruise port instead of just sitting in the room until 1 or 2.

 

 

[Ferry_Watcher]

No reason to hang out at the hotel.  Once you are on board you can head up to the buffet on Deck 14 and explore the common/public areas of the ship.  Staterooms will be ready by 1:30 pm.  Muster drill (safety drill) starts around 3:15, and you shouldn't miss that.  The gangway is pulled away after 3:30 (unless there is a late airport transfer bus) and the ship sails just after 4PM.

Whatever you do, just don't cut your arrival time too close.

Edited July 25, 2019 by Ferry_Watcher
repeat word

[Hypo]

IIRC, It is required that you be onboard at least 90 minutes before scheduled departure time.  If you are not, you will miss the cruise.  This is a government requirement for sailings from the US, not sure if the same rule applies when leaving from a Canadian port.

 

[tkline]

We had a similar issue for our Alaska cruise. We arrived in Seattle the night before and booked a hotel. We checked out a little early and were able to leave our bags at the front desk while we did stuff around town. We went to a place downtown that made homemade waffles, then took and uber to the space needle and hung out there, then ubered back to the hotel for our bags, and got another uber to the port. We gave the hotel porter guy a tip for keeping our bags safe for us.

 

If leaving bags at the hotel isn't an option for some reason, you can also check out bagbnb.com

[dkjretired]

The lines are not a big deal early, I would go directly to the ship after checkout from the hotel.  Don't understand why you would waste several hours being on the ship.   Would certainly NEVER intend to get to the ship around 3, that's just leaving too little time in case of traffic problems.   

Edited July 26, 2019 by dkjretired

[bEwAbG]

Couldn't OP check out of the hotel whenever, go directly to the port, check just his bags in with the porters for delivery to the ship, and then leave to explore downtown?  I've never sailed from Seattle, but every other port I've been to would allow this with some sort of curbside drop-off.  Many also have concierge services that would allow you to store your bags even if the porters are not accepting luggage yet.  OP could take the hotel shuttle to the port and then grab a cab to get back downtown.  I would certainly not want to double-back to the hotel at some point, especially if it's further out.

 

This is probably a better question for OP to ask on the ports of call board for West Coast departures.

[keesar]

Lines were really bad  after check-in  in Seattle.  We arrived early and it was a huge cattle call.  We shared a waiting area with another ship and it was wall to wall people.  Arrive later and you can get right on the ship.  I would suggest arriving after 1:30 pm and enjoy the city beforehand.  We have done that and it was very relaxing.  

 

The porters at the Seattle pier for tops in my book.  Friendly and respectful.  Not like we have run into in Florida.  

 

Have a great cruise.

Edited July 26, 2019 by keesar