SEAAirport Guide

Seattle cruise season: plan your SEA and pier travel days

Check your ship's pier, SEA checkpoint hours, cruise transfers, bag storage and parking before you travel.

The Seattle skyline and Space Needle across Elliott Bay with a cruise ship small in the distance.
Seattle skyline from Elliott Bay

Seattle’s Alaska cruise season is the largest in Port history, with 330 vessel calls and 2.1 million revenue passengers.

Check the ships, then check your flight

Find your sailing or return date on the Port of Seattle’s cruise schedule. It warns that the schedule can change. Confirm your ship and pier with your cruise line before you book a ride or parking. Pier 66 is the Bell Street Cruise Terminal at 2225 Alaskan Way. Pier 91 is the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at 2001 West Garfield Street. Give your driver the pier as well as the ship’s name.

Sailing days are not limited to weekends: the Port lists MSC Poesia sailing from Pier 91 on Mondays. Norwegian and Oceania sail from Pier 66. Carnival, Celebrity, Cunard, Holland America, MSC, Princess, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages use Pier 91.

Any of SEA’s six public checkpoints reaches every gate. The table shows which concourses each one sits nearest.

Checkpoint Nearest concourses Listed hours
1, on the baggage claim level A and S 4 a.m. to 8 p.m.
2 A and S 4 a.m. to 4 p.m.
3 A and S 4 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. TSA PreCheck closes at 8 p.m.
4 Central Terminal, B and C Open 24 hours
5 C, D and N 4 a.m. to 8 p.m.
6 C, D and N 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Checkpoint 4 is the overnight option.

SEA says more than a third of the day’s travelers arrive before 9 a.m. Security has two more busy spells, from 2 to 5 p.m. and 9 to 11 p.m. Our security wait times guide covers when each checkpoint peaks.

Getting off a ship and flying home

Disembarking and collecting your bags come first. Then the Port of Seattle lists a direct ride between SEA and the cruise terminals. That estimate leaves out disembarkation and security, so add time for airline check-in and the checkpoint.

Virgin Voyages advises its own passengers to book a flight after noon.

Port Valet takes bags from the ship to flights on Alaska, American, Delta, Horizon, JetBlue, Southwest and United. Your flight must leave before 1:30 a.m. the next day. Delta accepts domestic flights only. The other listed airlines accept domestic and international flights. The transfer is free, though airline bag fees still apply. Check your sailing and flight with Port Valet before relying on it.

Both piers also offer same-day bag storage if you’ll return to collect it. At Pier 66, the desk is in the Crew Center at the south end of the terminal building. At Pier 91, it’s in the Crew Center north of the Ground Transportation Center. Pick up by 3 p.m. to avoid a late fee.

If you need to keep a bag at SEA, Smarte Carte Baggage Storage is on the baggage claim level, between Carousels 9 and 10. It lists daily hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with closures from 11:30 a.m. to noon and 6 to 6:30 p.m. Bag prices by size are below. The price list doesn’t say whether those amounts cover a day or the whole stay.

Bag size Price
Under 22 inches $20
23 to 27 inches $25
28 to 30 inches $30
31 to 33 inches $35
Over 34 inches $40

Before security, on the baggage claim level, 7-Eleven at Baggage Claim 15 lists 24-hour daily service, and Starbucks at Bag Claim 6 lists 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Our food directory shows the rest of what sits before security.

Arrange the pier pickup with your driver or transfer operator around your cruise line’s disembarkation instructions. Pier drop-off is busiest from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Flying in for a cruise: choose the last mile

Some cruise lines and travel planners offer a motor coach straight to the pier. Cruise and charter coaches board at SEA’s North East Charter Bus Lot, garage Floor 1. From Baggage Claim 16, go up to the parking level, cross the skybridge, take the blue and white striped elevator to Floor 1, then follow the Cruise and Charter Buses signs. Seattle Express runs seasonal shared transfers between SEA, SeaTac area hotels and both piers. It lists about 45 minutes. Check in with its airport agent inside Door 4 on the baggage claim level. For another shuttle you arrange yourself, Premier Airport Shuttle offers seasonal Seattle cruise transfers. Its kiosk is on garage Level 3, reached across Skybridge 4. Premier lists shared and private vans, with fares based on distance, passenger count and service.

Virgin Voyages advises flying in at least a day before your cruise, or one to two days before during the busiest part of the season. If you fly in on sailing day, it suggests a two to three hour cushion from landing to reaching the terminal. At Pier 66, passengers boarding Norwegian Bliss, Joy or Encore can leave checked bags from 8 a.m. and return by 2 p.m. for boarding.

SEA’s scheduled airporters board on the Arrivals Drive near Doors 00 and 02, past Carousel 1. Two use garage Level 3 instead: Premier in the Door to Door Vans area and Bellevue Airport and Cruise Shuttle at Island 2A between Skybridges 3 and 4. Our shared shuttle guide covers the boarding spots.

A taxi or rideshare takes you straight to the correct pier. Virgin Voyages estimates $45 to $60 for a cruise-port taxi or rideshare trip. The Port of Seattle’s taxi page lists a $20 minimum for taxis leaving the airport. Taxis use the north and south curbs of garage Level 3. For accessible taxi pickup on the baggage claim level, use the spot by Skybridge 2 near Door 10 or Skybridge 5 near Door 22. Standard Uber and Lyft rides use Ground Transportation Plaza stalls 1–34 in the middle of Level 3. Uber Black and premium rides meet you at your chosen baggage claim door.

At Pier 66, the ground transportation lot is directly in front of the terminal for buses, taxis, shuttles and private drop-off. At Pier 91, taxis drop you at the terminal entrance. Rideshares use a separate lot, about a 10-minute walk from the terminal. A free shuttle covers that stretch. Pier 91 also has a cell phone waiting lot for drivers collecting passengers.

Link light rail costs $3 one way for adults. ORCA LIFT and senior or disabled riders pay $1, and youth 18 and under ride free. From Baggage Claim 16, go up one floor, cross Skybridge 6, turn left and walk through the north end of garage Level 4 to SeaTac/Airport Station. The free Train-to-Plane cart runs between the garage and station daily from 5 a.m. to midnight, with space for bags on the back. From Westlake, walk or take a car to Pier 66. Take a taxi or rideshare to Pier 91. The Port says there is no public transit to that terminal. Our Link guide covers the station walk, timetable and fares.

One family reported reaching Pier 91 easily, then carrying bags inside to the drop-off area. Another cruiser said that at a Seattle cruise terminal you might wait for a porter or take your bag to a shared area for loading onto a cart. The Port of Seattle’s Pier 91 page also warns that the former Magnolia Bridge bus stop and its pedestrian stair access are closed.

Downtown, the Mayflower Park Hotel runs scheduled shuttles to Pier 66 and Pier 91 at $15 per guest, and its bellman confirms availability and reserves seats. For hotels beside SEA with free airport shuttles, see our hotels page.

Parking depends on whether you’re flying or sailing

Park at SEA’s garage if you’re flying and at the pier lots if you’re sailing. Their listed rates differ:

Your trip Parking the Port lists What to check before booking
Flying from SEA General Parking on garage Floors 1–3 and 5–8: $8 hourly, $37 daily or $222 weekly. Reserved Parking on Floor 4: $47 per 24-hour period. Our SEA parking guide compares garage access and rates.
Sailing from Pier 91 On-site cruise parking has 800 spaces, starting at $27 per day, with a free shuttle to the terminal. RV and overheight parking starts at $47 per day, including taxes and service fees. Reserve regular parking with USP Parking. Use the RV and overheight reservation option for taller vehicles and trailers.
Sailing from Pier 66 Bell Street Pier garage has 1,500 covered spaces across from the terminal: Reserve online. Reserve with Republic Parking. The garage has a 6-foot-6-inch vehicle height limit, and rates can change.

Driving a vehicle over 6 feet 10 inches to SEA? Use the outdoor Over-height Vehicle Parking lot, not the garage. It charges General Parking rates: $8 hourly, $37 daily or $222 weekly. The lot is first come, first served.

If you’re meeting someone at SEA instead of parking, the airport’s cell phone lot at 2623 S. 170th Street has 200 spaces and is free for up to 20 minutes. The arrivals drive is busiest from 8 p.m. to midnight, and the departures drive from 6 to 8 a.m. Wait until your passenger has their bags before driving to the arrivals curb.

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