Seattle is a prime spot for Pacific Northwest and Alaska cruises. Many voyages begin and end in one of the city’s two cruise ports. Norwegian and Oceania cruise lines use Bell Street Terminal at Pier 66. Smith Cove Terminal at Pier 91 houses Princess, Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, and Royal Caribbean cruise lines.
I’ve visited Seattle on its own and gone on cruises through there too. I’ve somehow managed to miss the major attractions each time. I decided I wanted to change that when I found out my recent Alaska cruise was going roundtrip from Seattle. The city is very accessible for my scooter. I was able to plan all the sightseeing I wanted to do-without ever feeling rushed.
Allow Enough Time
If you really want to see the highlights of Seattle one day is not enough. You can plan to come in a few days before your cruise to enjoy the Emerald City. The other option is to do what I did and plan a day before and a day after. By doing this I was able to divide up what I wanted to see so I wasn’t stressed out and exhausted.
The city of Seattle makes it quite easy to enjoy your time there around your cruise with their Port Valet program. You can arrange for your luggage to be taken directly from your ship to the airport. You won’t have to worry about where to put it or waiting in line at the airline to check it. I used Port Valet, and it was seamless. Best of all, it’s free! You just sign up online before your cruise, and you will receive your boarding passes and a receipt to track your luggage.
Pick Your Flights
In order to get the most out of your Seattle visit, choose your hotels and flights carefully. It’s never a good idea to fly the same day your cruise departs. Flight delays happen often, and you don’t want to miss the boat. I flew the evening before my voyage. We were able to get up early in the morning and have plenty of time to do what we wanted before embarkation.
Cruises typically arrive back early in the morning. There are two options if you want to see Seattle after your cruise. You could get a hotel for overnight, drop your luggage there, and head out for the day. The other option is to use Port Valet and take a late flight back home.
I actually did a combination. I used Port Valet so I wouldn’t have to worry about all my luggage, booked an 11:30 pm flight so there would be time to explore, and got a hotel in which we could rest.
Choose the Right Hotel(s)
Seattle is filled with accommodations in a variety of price ranges and locations. When you pick one keep in mind where it is in comparison to both the port and what you want to see. Some offer shuttles to and from the cruise terminal. That will make things easier, save you money, and give you extra time since you won’t have to wait for a cab or Uber.
I picked two different hotels. Before we took off, we stayed at the Homewood Suites Downtown Seattle. They include breakfast, have a shuttle to the pier available for a small fee, and were within walking distance of The Space Needle, Chihuly Garden & Glass, and the Museum of Pop Culture, which has become one of my favorite museums. We went to all of these before heading to the cruise port.
After the cruise, we stayed at Hotel Motif where we also enjoyed breakfast and a rooftop dinner at Frolik Kitchen & Cocktails. That property is just a few blocks from Pike Place Market, the Seattle Aquarium, harbor cruises, and Miner’s Landing, where the Great Wheel, shops, and restaurants are located.
Divide and Conquer
One way to make things easier and save money is through a CityPass. My CityPass covered admission at every place we went. We didn’t have to stop and purchase tickets, which eliminated waiting in lines. At places that needed advanced reservations, we could do it online with the CityPass.
Seattle is filled with so many things to do and see. You won’t be able to do it all, so sit down with your fellow travelers and decide what you want to make a priority. Also keep in mind that it can be rainy in Seattle more often than not. You have a better chance of sunshine in the summer but be prepared for some raindrops and you will have a wonderful time.