What time do the Sunday cruises leave Seattle's port?

[Crow9]

None of the ships have left Seattle yet, are they still having customs issues?

 

[Crow9]

Looks like the Princess is the first out at 4:30pm, what I think is Holland America (dark blue bottom), and the NCL ship are both still docked.

[CruiserBruce]

If they were having problems,  Immigration would be the issue,  not Customs. But they aren't sailing immediately to a foreign  port, so I seriously doubt that is the problem. 

 

I would more suspect an airline or flight issue that may have delayed a number of pax.

[Crow9]

Looks like the other two just left as well, they were not too far behind.  I heard there were some serious issues yesterday delaying people getting off the ships.

Edited May 8, 2023 by Crow9

[CruiserBruce]

2 minutes ago, Crow9 said:

Looks like the other two just left as well, do they are not too far behind.  I heard there were some serious issues yesterday delaying people getting off the ships.

OK, yesterday wouldn't affect today, unless the same problem arose today. Maybe Immigration, but would need to be a pretty significant delay. Hopefully @Ferry Watcher will tell us.

 

I don't think Seattle has any tidal or similar issues that might have caused some delays.

[Crow9]

More information from Saturday

"Don't dismiss the "horror stories" you weren't a part of. You were one of the very few lucky ones. By 8:00 am they had closed the gangway and were announcing a delay of at least 2 hours. Not much for an explanation other than a shortage of Customs staff and the terminal being over-crowded due to the coincident disembarkation of the Eurodam. We waited as instructed; they allowed people back into the staterooms and the lines (unbelievably long) didn't start moving until after 10:00 am. We made a plea to an officer who directed us out a side way and still missed the cut-off for our international flight back to Calgary, which took off at 12:35 pm. Very upsetting. 

 

 We were booked on Alaska Air and the next available flight they could offer was 6 days hence. We ended up stranded overnight in Seattle and having to pay over $1,000 Canadian for two next-day fares home Air Canada which we caught this morning at 6:00 am. Because Alaska offered to re-book us, my flight insurance (which I booked through them with the purchase) will not reimburse the new tickets or refund the unused ones. All in all, this little snag quadrupled the price of what we happily booked as a quick, cheap getaway and sapped the joy from it."

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2935859-sea-disembarkation-delay-for-royal-princess-and-travel-insurance/?do=findComment&comment=65340411

Edited May 8, 2023 by Crow9

[BarbandDaleT]

I would never book a flight that early to return home after a cruise.  What you described happens too often.  We look for flights after 3pm, or the next day.  We also arrive a day or two prior to cruise departure.  Why put yourself through the torture of trying to meet an early flight?  

 

[CruiserBruce]

Well @Crow9, I assume the same issue must of happened on Sunday as well. Maybe a work slowdown by Immigration personnel. This sort of thing usually generates a strong response by the cruise lines. I bet there is, or will be, some yelling over phone lines at Immigration supervisors.

[CruiserBruce]

53 minutes ago, BarbandDaleT said:

I would never book a flight that early to return home after a cruise.  What you described happens too often.  We look for flights after 3pm, or the next day.  We also arrive a day or two prior to cruise departure.  Why put yourself through the torture of trying to meet an early flight?  

 

Curious if you have any actual stats on this "happens too often".

[BarbandDaleT]

53 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Curious if you have any actual stats on this "happens too often".

Sorry, only anecdotal.  We watch many cruise vloggers on YouTube who always recommend later flights and I am a former travel agent who recommended later flights 20 years ago. It really only needs to happen to you once for it to be too often.  
 

I also want to point out the OP had a 12:35pm international flight.  This means they were expected to be at the airport by 9:35am.  Ship arrival maybe 6 or 7am, then waiting for port authority approval to go ashore, then going through customs and immigration.  Then transportation to the airport of about 30 minutes in Seattle.  Wow.  Tight fit.  One immigration employee not showing up for work leaving them short staffed could eliminate your cushion.  

Edited May 8, 2023 by BarbandDaleT
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[CruiserBruce]

27 minutes ago, BarbandDaleT said:

Sorry, only anecdotal.  We watch many cruise vloggers on YouTube who always recommend later flights and I am a former travel agent who recommended later flights 20 years ago. It really only needs to happen to you once for it to be too often.  
 

I also want to point out the OP had a 12:35pm international flight.  This means they were expected to be at the airport by 9:35am.  Ship arrival maybe 6 or 7am, then waiting for port authority approval to go ashore, then going through customs and immigration.  Then transportation to the airport of about 30 minutes in Seattle.  Wow.  Tight fit.  One immigration employee not showing up for work leaving them short staffed could eliminate your cushion.  

I understand the concepts. I wouldn't say a flight to Canada is an international flight in the same vein that a flight to Europe or Asia is. For example,  a flight to Canada from SFO leaves from the domestic terminals, where flights to Asia or Europe leave from the international terminal. So 2 hours early, as we were for our SFO-YYZ flight last summer was plenty.

[BarbandDaleT]

31 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

I understand the concepts. I wouldn't say a flight to Canada is an international flight in the same vein that a flight to Europe or Asia is. For example,  a flight to Canada from SFO leaves from the domestic terminals, where flights to Asia or Europe leave from the international terminal. So 2 hours early, as we were for our SFO-YYZ flight last summer was plenty.

I am sure most people do understand. But airlines are no longer liable for your flight if you don’t arrive by those times.  If you choose to arrive later and they are over booked, they can bump you without covering a hotel stay, meals, etc. At least this was true when I was a travel agent.   But maybe you know better.