Getting to the Seattle Cruise Terminals
Before you figure out how to get to your ship, you need to know exactly which pier you are sailing from. Seattle has two distinct cruise terminals: Pier 66 (Bell Street Cruise Terminal) and Pier 91 (Smith Cove Cruise Terminal).
Pier 66 is located squarely on the downtown waterfront and is primarily used by Norwegian Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises. Pier 91 sits about 2 miles northwest of the downtown core and handles the bulk of Alaska traffic, serving Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Carnival.
Sea-Tac Airport to the Port
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA-TAC) is located about 15 miles south of the cruise terminals. If you fly in on the morning of your cruise, you have a few ways to reach the ships.
If you are sailing from Pier 91, do not attempt to use public transit. There is no direct light rail connection to Smith Cove, and wrestling luggage onto multiple city buses is a miserable way to start a vacation. Grab a rideshare like Uber or Lyft from the airport’s designated rideshare garage. The drive takes 30 to 45 minutes depending on I-5 traffic, and the cost typically ranges from $50 to $65.
If your ship departs from Pier 66, you have a fantastic public transit option. The Sound Transit Link Light Rail runs directly from the airport to Westlake Station in downtown Seattle for a flat fare of just $3. The ride takes about 40 minutes. From Westlake Station, you can either walk the remaining 0.7 miles down to the waterfront (note: Seattle is very hilly) or catch a quick $10 Uber for the final stretch.
Downtown Hotels to the Port
If you spent the night before your cruise in a downtown hotel, getting to Pier 66 is remarkably easy. Guests staying at the Seattle Marriott Waterfront or The Edgewater Hotel can literally roll their suitcases out the front door and walk to the Pier 66 drop-off zone in under five minutes.
Getting from downtown hotels to Pier 91 requires a vehicle. Expect to pay between $15 and $25 for an Uber or Lyft. The drive only takes about 10 minutes along the Elliott Bay waterfront, but be aware that thousands of other cruisers are trying to do the exact same thing on weekend mornings.
Seattle Cruise Parking Options & Costs
If you are driving to Seattle for your Alaska cruise, you will quickly discover that parking in the Emerald City comes at a premium.
On-Site Terminal Parking
For pure convenience, nothing beats parking right at the cruise terminal. At Pier 91, on-site parking ranges from $25 to $35 per day. For a standard 7-night Alaska cruise, expect to pay between $175 and $245 total. The lot is secure, and complimentary shuttle carts will run you and your luggage from your parking space directly to the check-in tents.
At Pier 66, parking is managed by the Bell Street Pier Garage directly across Alaskan Way from the terminal. Rates here run roughly $33 per day. You simply park, take the elevator to the 5th floor, and cross a pedestrian skybridge straight into the cruise terminal.
Cheaper Off-Site Parking
If you want to save money for shore excursions in Juneau or Skagway, look into off-site park-and-ride lots. Several independent lots in the SODO district or near Sea-Tac Airport cater to cruisers, charging a more reasonable $15 to $20 per day. The trade-off is time: you will need to rely on off-site park-and-ride shuttles, which adds an extra 30 to 45 minutes to your transit time on both embarkation and disembarkation days.
Navigating Seattle: Distances to Top Attractions
If you have a few hours to kill before boarding your ship, you might want to squeeze in some sightseeing. Knowing the actual walking distances will save you from getting stranded far from your terminal.
Pike Place Market
Pike Place Market is the beating heart of Seattle’s culinary and tourist scene. If you are docked at Pier 66, the market is an easy 15-minute walk (about 0.6 miles). Just be prepared to climb the steep hill up from the waterfront, or use the public elevator located near the Seattle Aquarium.
If you are docked at Pier 91, Pike Place Market is a full 2 miles from the terminal. Do not attempt to walk this with luggage. Instead, take a 10-minute Uber ride (around $15). You can grab a coffee at the original Starbucks or stop by Ivar’s Acres of Clams on nearby Pier 54 for a bowl of legendary Pacific Northwest chowder before heading to the ship.
The Space Needle & Seattle Center
The Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass are located together at the Seattle Center. From Pier 91, the Space Needle is about 1.5 miles away. It is a quick $15 rideshare trip. From Pier 66, it is about a 1-mile walk north along Broad Street, which takes 20 to 25 minutes at a leisurely pace.
Embarkation Day Logistics
Timing Your Arrival
The days of showing up at the cruise port whenever you feel like it are over. Today, cruise lines strictly enforce embarkation check-in windows, which typically run between 10:30 AM and 2:00 PM.
Do your best to arrive exactly at your assigned check-in window. If you arrive at 10:00 AM for a 1:00 PM slot, you will likely be turned away or forced to stand outside in the Seattle drizzle until your group is called. Traffic along Alaskan Way and the Magnolia Bridge (leading to Pier 91) tends to bottleneck badly after 11:30 AM. Give yourself a reasonable buffer to deal with waterfront congestion, drop off your checked bags with the porters, and begin your Alaska adventure.