Alaska cruise - seattle questions

[babywewe]

I'm thinking about taking a (NCL Jewel) cruise to alaska from seattle.

I was wondering a few things. When I fly into seattle a day before where should I stay? Is there a shuttle I can take to the dock? Or do I need to take a cab? How far away is the port?

[Don Haynes]

The Jewel will be in the Mediterrean this coming summer, you will have a choice of two sister ships, the Star and the Pearl. Seattle's airport is about 30 minutes from downtown Seattle. NCL sails of Pier 66 on the north side of downtown. There are a lot of hotels in downtown Seattle to choose from. The NCL shuttle runs on the weekends for those who fly with NCL buying the tickets. Otherwise its a cab.

 

I highly recommend you visit the departure ports forum at this webiste. You'll receive wonderful hotel suggestions. And it wouldn't hurt to visit the roll calls forum either. Everytime I visit Seattle I like to spend some time riding one of the Washington state ferries to either Bainbridge Island of Vashon Island.

[babywewe]

My bad, it is the Pearl.

[vjblk]

Here is some info for the Port of Seattle. It should show you where the cruise terminals are. As Don said NCL leaves from Pier 66. Downtown is about 30 minutes from the airport and the pier should be a short taxi ride from most downtown hotels. The link also gives some info on SeaTac Airport.

 

http://www.portseattle.org/seaport/cruise/

[Daycare Provider]

I was wondering about the same info. I am taking DD DDF to Alaska on the Vision of the Seas. Does anybody know which pier?

[Blizzard54]

I was wondering about the same info. I am taking DD DDF to Alaska on the Vision of the Seas. Does anybody know which pier?

 

The 2007 port information is not out yet for the Vision. It says that the Vision will be here but it does not say where. All other ships say where they will be. It may be that RCL is still negociating with the port on it's location.

 

Last year the Vision sailed from Terminal 30 on Fridays while the Mercury was at Pier 66.

 

This year the Mercury will be sailing out of Vancouver so I suspect the Vision will be using Pier 66.

[Knickerbocker]

Let me know if I can help at all. I live in Seattle. Most of the cruise ships dock South of the Waterfront in the industrial area. Some dock in front of the city but only one can fit at a time. It's all pretty walkable but a taxi wouldn't be too much from a downtown hotel to the ship. Hotels on the waterfront are as follows:

 

Marriott Waterfront www.seattlewaterfrontmarriott.com

Edgewater Hotel www.edgewaterhotel.com

 

Close to the Waterfront:

 

Inn at the Market www.innatthemarket.com

Alexis Hotel www.alexishotel.com

 

These are all 3-4 star hotels. Very nice.

 

A must eat at restaurant is the Flying Fish, www.flyingfishseattle.com. It's a couple blocks walk up to 2nd Ave. Wonderful fresh local seafood and a great oyster bar. It's also fun to go to Chinatown and go to Uwajimaya if you really want to get the local seafood, http://www.uwajimaya.com/sea/.

I'm there every Saturday buying dinner. They have the freshest fish and huge tanks with goeduck, crab, oysters, and lots of other wonderful live fish. It's better than Pike Place as far as buying seafood. Pike Place is fun to walk through but it's so crowded.

 

If you want to take a fun side trip I think they still do bus tours out to my neighborhood which is Snoqualmie Falls, www.salishlodge.com. It's very popular and just beautiful. It's a drive out to the mountains, maybe 40 minutes or so. This is the lodge and little town where they filmed the tv show Twin Peaks.

 

Let me know if you have any other questions.

[Blizzard54]

Snoqualmie Falls is a nice side trip.

A cruising friend of ours in coming to town in May and we are planning to go to the Falls.

[debwebwall]

We are coming into Seattle two days before our cruise and rented a mini van for $35 a day pick up at the airport and drop off at the pier -