How Early to Fly Into Seattle Before an Alaska Cruise

Arrive in Seattle no later than the day before your Alaska cruise. Virgin Voyages advises this for its Seattle sailings. If your flight or checked bag is late, you still have the night before sailing. Alaska cruise season typically runs May through September, with June to August as the peak, and Virgin Voyages suggests arriving one to two days early in peak season.

Virgin Voyages’ guide and the Port of Seattle’s ship listings give no deadline for every ship. Find your check-in window and final boarding time in your booking or cruise-line app before choosing a flight.

How long is the drive from SEA to the piers?

Virgin Voyages puts SEA about 17 miles from the cruise terminal area. The Port of Seattle’s cruise transport listing lists a direct ride to the terminals, depending on traffic. None of those drive times includes getting off the plane, waiting for a bag or finding your ride.

Consider two nights if your flight has a connection, replacement flights are scarce, or you want time in Seattle.

What does your cruise line require?

Open your sailing documents before booking the flight. If the check-in window or final boarding deadline isn’t clear, ask the cruise line.

Seattle has Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal at Pier 66 and Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91. Norwegian Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises sail from Pier 66, among others. Carnival, Celebrity, Cunard, Holland America, MSC, Princess, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages use Pier 91.

For your driver or parking reservation, use 2001 West Garfield Street for Pier 91. Norwegian guests at Pier 66 may drop checked bags as early as 8 a.m. on sailing day. If you do, return to the terminal by 2 p.m. to continue the boarding process.

Both piers offer same-day bag storage. Pier 66 stores bags at the Crew Center desk at the south end of the terminal. At Pier 91, the Crew Center north of the Ground Transportation Center stores bags. Collect your bags by 3 p.m. at either pier to avoid a late fee. Our cruise luggage storage guide covers the options.

Make the airport arrival easy

If you’re landing late, Coast Gateway Hotel lists an all-night airport shuttle among the SEA-area hotels. Embassy Suites by Hilton Seattle Tacoma International Airport also runs one around the clock but charges per party. These shuttles go to SEA, so arrange your pier transfer separately. At the airport, hotel courtesy shuttles board on garage Level 3 at the courtesy islands, outside security.

If you’re staying downtown, the Link light rail guide covers the station walk and payment. Sound Transit’s timetable gives 39 minutes from SeaTac/Airport Station to Westlake. Its first and last downtown-bound departures are:

From Westlake, Pier 66 is a 20-minute walk or six minutes by car. Pier 91 is 15 minutes by car. Public transit does not reach it.

Mayflower Park Hotel on Olive Way lists scheduled shuttles to both piers at $15 per guest for its published cruise season. Ask the hotel to confirm the fare, availability and a seat.

Staying near SEA? Seattle Express runs a shared shuttle from SeaTac-area hotels to Pier 66 or Pier 91 during its cruise season. It lists a $30 fare per passenger and a ride of about 45 minutes. Ask about pickup at your hotel when you book.

The free Train-to-Plane cart runs between the station and garage Level 4 from 5 a.m. to midnight. If you’ve missed Link, the 597 Night Bus leaves SeaTac Station toward downtown from 12:26 to 4:26 a.m., about every 30 minutes. It runs until 5:26 a.m. after Saturday night and starts at 11:26 p.m. Sunday night. Board at International Boulevard and South 176th Street, Bay 2, near the Link station. The downtown transport guide covers the stops and fare.

Compare the fare with where the ride leaves you:

Taxis board on garage Level 3 at the north and south curbs. Standard app rides board in the middle of that level, at stalls 1 through 34. Children 3 and under ride Seattle Express free on an adult’s lap. Check in with its airport agent inside Door 4 on the baggage claim level.

If you bought a cruise-line motorcoach transfer, follow the cruise bus pick-up signs on SEA’s baggage-claim level. Cruise representatives there will direct you to your bus. The cruise bus guide has the route to the charter lot.

At Pier 66, a security officer directs passenger drop-off into the curb lane on Alaskan Way in front of the terminal. At Pier 91, rideshares drop you about a 10-minute walk from the terminal, and a free shuttle to the terminal is available. Taxis take you right to the entrance. If your check-in window allows it, avoid the 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. drop-off rush at the terminals.

If you are already flying in on sailing day

Allow time between landing and your ship’s final boarding deadline for baggage claim and the ride from SEA to your assigned pier. The ride comes after you get off the plane and collect your bag.

If a changed flight puts you past final boarding, ask your cruise line whether you can still sail. If a bag fails to arrive, our baggage claim guide has airline claim numbers. Tell the airline about the missing bag before leaving SEA.

Sources

• Our hotel directory, hotel courtesy shuttle page, Link light rail guide, downtown transport guide, Link station page and Train-to-Plane cart page
• Our taxi page, rideshare page, shared shuttle guide, Premier shuttle page and scheduled airporters page
• Our baggage claim page, baggage claim guide, luggage storage page and cruise luggage storage guide
• Virgin Voyages’ Seattle flight and port guide
• Port of Seattle ship listings: Voyager of the Seas, Star Princess, Royal Princess, Queen Elizabeth, Seven Seas Explorer and Oceania Riviera
• Sound Transit’s 1 Line timetable