ams cruiser

I know this has probably already been stated somewhere in the thread, but I think it bears repeating. If the you are fretting about getting the interview scheduled, be persistent about re-checking the website. Close-in appointments do open up from time to time.

Yes, that seems to be the #1 suggestion in getting a timely appointment. Thanks for the reminder!

I also highly encourage to ALWAYS take your GE ID card with you when you travel. Luckily we had ours coming in from Ecuador into Miami at 3:00 AM when all the ID machines were down and because we physically had our card on us we were able to enter the GE line. Those that did not have their card with them were denied entry into the line and it was UGLY!!!!

Good to know!

My application took 30 minutes to complete, at most. I can that some could take longer. Read flyer talk before filling it out. Especially if you are unsure of anything (forgot about an apple once, was arrested but not charged, etc..).

 

Flyer talk can tell you availability of interviews also (is SFO continuing or maybe they don't need to). I asked about a friend trying to get into Philadelphia before she was approved and had an answer right away.

Haven't had time to go into any depth, but, at first glance, flyer talk looks like it is going to be really helpful.

Honestly, our careers, lifestyles have been so stable (boring?) that I'm not worried about any "surprises" in the interview, but I don't want to get penalized for making a mistake on the form, so I'll definitely go to flyer talk before filling it out online.

Good to know that we don't have to go together, as I suspect it will be easier for us to get cancellation spots individually since I have to schedule around my work hours. It would be great if we could go together - we're hoping to BART over to avoid traffic and parking - but aren't counting on it.

Appreciate the reassurance that you are already pre-approved by the time you get to the interview.

I read that the 24-hr schedule at SFO was a 60 day pilot program that started on June 12th. I can't find any information about whether or not the hours will continue beyond the 60 days, and no one answers the listed phone number. (I'm surprised they don't have a recording with a few basics like hours of operation and walk-in policy.)

We are planning to start the online application this weekend. According to some posts I've read, this can take about an hour? Hopefully, ours will be simpler as my husband has only had one international trip in the past 10 years, and I think mine were before that. (We just got our renewed passports in the mail, and are hoping the old ones are returned soon, so we can double-check the dates on his passport stamps.)

I'll check the flyer talk forums.

Thanks for all of the quick and helpful responses. (I may be back with more questions as I'm filling out my application!)

Just finished reading all 18 pages of this thread and finding the posts very helpful.

My husband and I will be filling out our applications this weekend. When we eventually get approved, we will need to schedule our appointments at SFO, which I understand is quite backlogged.

Using the strategy of checking for cancellations, it would seem better if we could grab earlier appointments, even if they aren't on the same day. Since my husband is retired (and I'm not) he has more flexibility in his schedule than I do.

Is it okay if our appointments aren't on the same day? I'm a little confused by the posts that discuss family members being interviewed together. Do they want to cross-check your stories to make sure you aren't making things up?

The walk to the Light Rail station takes 7-12 minutes depending on which luggage carousel you start from. After collecting your luggage, you take the elevator or escalator upstairs then follow the 'path ' thru the parking garage. It's well marked, level and lighted.

A video of the entire walk is posted on the Port of Seatle web site:

http://www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac/Parking-and-Transportation/Ground-Transportation/Pages/Public-Transit.aspx

 

Have you looked at the Seattle forum of tripadvisor? There are several traveler articles including this one on hotels:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60878-c83685/Seattle:Washington:Where.To.Stay.In.Seattle.html

 

And a bunch of other articles on activities, sights, etc:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g60878-s1/Seattle:Washington:Inside.html

Wow, these links are fantastic! Thank you! I have been using Trip Advisor, but am not very good at negotiating it. I had found the "where to stay" article, but not the page with all of those great articles. (I love "How to talk like a local"!)

The video showing how to get from baggage to Lite Rail is quite helpful (and funny!) I'm glad you told me it is a 7-12" walk, because, based on the video, I would have predicted a much longer trek.

You don't say which ship you will be on so it can vary a bit.

 

Many choices for breakfast:

Room service (especially handy on port days)

Buffet (several across the ships with different food stations)

Main Dining rooms where you can eat a regular sit down breakfast. Also on Carnival Sea Day Brunch and Dr Seuss (Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast.

If on Carnival you have places like Blue Iguana (breakfast burritos!)

If on Princess ships, International Café.

 

 

Lunch:

Carnival (each ship may be different)

Guys Burgers and/or Pig Anchor BBQ, Fat Jimmy's, Bonsai Sushi, Mongolian Wok, Carnival Deli, Burrito Bar, Pasta Bar or Pasta Bella, Chopstixs or JiJi's Asian, Fish and Chips, Tando. Please check Carnival Website for what your ship has. Buffet, room service.

 

Princess

International Café,Alfredo's (my favorite pizza of all time, also available dinner),Pizzeria, Burger and Hot Dog Grill, Horizon Court Buffet, room service. Fish and Chips. Tea service.

 

I probably have missed many and others can add their 2 cents. If you go hungry, it is your choice!

Thanks for all of the ideas! We will be in the Ruby Princess.

Going hungry? Not a chance!

Thanks for all the Seattle info. After the cruise we will move to Vancouver for a few days. Any hotel ideas??

Everyone on this thread has been so helpful, but you might have better luck on this thread which is about Vancouver hotels!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2377037

My spouse and I are both 55; we each had a carry-on with a shoulder strap and a large suitcase with wheels. It is a long circuitous but well marked walk around the SeaTac parking lot to the Light Rail station, but it was no problem for us (we didn't need to rent a cart).

Thank you for sharing your experience. Our spinner wheel suitcases almost transport themselves, so we should be fine.

You can rent a luggage cart at the airport and leave it at the light rail station.

 

Important: I think you'll find a lot more information if you consult the "West Coast Departures" board here on CC - http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=413

Ah, that would help!

Thanks, I have been reading West Coast Departures, as well.

We just got back from a cruise on the NCL Pearl.

We booked our hotel rooms over a year out and couldn't find what I felt a reasonable rate downtown.

 

We stayed 2 nights near Seatac at the Embassy Suites before the cruise. Very Easy to get downtown using the Light Rail. ** This was a really nice hotel for the price**

 

We stayed 2 nights at the Hampton Inn and Suites near Seattle Center (Space Needle) after the cruise. Was a little bit of a walk to get to SC but the monorail was quick and easy to get to Westlake.

** This was a strange hotel layout, the suites were in a separate section and the hallways were a maze, hotel was a mob scene when we arrived from cruise**

 

Both options worked pretty well, if I were to do it again, given the price paid I would probably stay near airport and take the light rail - if you wanted to go to Space Needle the light rail station is next to monorail.

 

We enjoyed the Waterfront, Pike Place, Seattle Center and Westlake areas pretty equally and our time spent in each were pretty proportionate.

Good to hear both perspectives! I stayed in an Embassy Suite many years ago, but remember enjoying their breakfasts! Since this is our first trip to Seattle, to save a little on "commute" time, we're hoping to stay at least close to downtown, cost permitting.

On our May 31 cruise out of Seattle we stayed at Inn at the Market for two days prior to sailing and one day after the cruise.

 

Across the street from Pike Place Market and dozens of restaurants within a few blocks. Great location and place to stay. Solid 5 star.....and prices to match.

 

The reason to stay here is the view from either their deck or your room of the harbor and the constant boat traffic, the Ferris wheel, the market, the mountains. Incredible experience that I will always remember. This place is off the freaking charts.

 

Expensive but worth every penny.

Reservations are required months in advance.

Sounds wonderful. Will put it on my "wish" list!:)

We stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites-Downtown Seattle (corner of 5th & Roy). It's about a 10 minute walk from the Space Needle/Monorail station. Close to everything. Plenty of restaurants around. The hotel includes a continental breakfast (scrambled eggs, waffles, bacon, etc...) if you're looking to save a few dollars. To get to the hotel from Sea-Tac airport, we took the light rail to Westlake and then switched to the Monorail. Then walked the 10 minutes to the hotel. Easy peasy.

Hampton is on of the places I was looking at, but they haven't posted their late July availability yet. I'm going to keep checking over the next several weeks.

Were there any restaurants in the area that you might want to recommend? We are going to be there for 3 dinners pre-cruise, and hope to have at least one good seafood dinner.

We are thinking about taking the light rail from the airport to Westlake and having the hotel shuttle pick us up there. I've read that is it kind of a long haul from baggage claim to the light rail station, however. Would it be manageable if each of us had one suitcase (spinner wheels) and one daypack/carry on? To be clear, we are fairly good walkers (one senior, and one "not there yet"!), but luggage adds another dimension.

Really enjoyed reading your cruise review! Beautiful pictures!

The hotel is like 4 blocks from the Space Needle, where the monorail is located. We would walk to the monorail and take it to Pike Place Market. We did walk to Pier 69. It was around a mile. The one issue we did have was the monorail opened later on the weekends. I think it was 8:30. We had a 9:00 tour at Pike Place, so we ended up getting a taxi, since we had not researched any other public transit ways to get there.

I think that Hyatt Place is a little closer to Pike Place than the Hampton's Inn and Suites, so we'd actually be backtracking a little to go to the monorail station. Nice to know that the option is there, though!

Did you take the Savor Seattle food tour? It got really good reviews. If we decided to do it, I was wondering whether the Early Access morning tour would be preferable to regular Food and Cultural walking tour. I like the idea of going before it gets too crowded, but am not sure how hungry I'll be early in the day!

View from our room at Hyatt Place in Seattle, near Space Needle:

 

Great to see how close the Space Needle is! I think I read on Trip Advisor that the Space Needle view rooms are quieter than the other side of the hotel.

Pike Street to Pike Place is level; it gets steeper as you go north (Pine, Stewart etc.)

 

The really steep hills in Seattle are the E/W streets farther south - University down to Yesler - as they climb from First Avenue ("streets" are E/W, "avenues" are N/S, like in NYC) east toward I-5. The avenues themselves are far less steep.

 

From Pike Place down to the waterfront is basically a bluff - too steep for E/W streets.

Thank you. (I pulled up a map to follow your information.) Very helpful!

Yes, the Light Rail is from the airport to the Westlake station for $3/person. From there, call the Hyatt Place and their shuttle can pick you up:

 

http://m.soundtransit.org/schedules?direction=outbound#40_100479

 

The monorail is from the Worlds Fair that built the Space Needle as well. It originates near the Space Needle and goes to Westlake for $2.25 each way:

 

http://www.seattlemonorail.com/about/#route

 

Hope this helps.

This is very helpful. Thank you!:)

Thank goodness you are okay. Thank you for sharing your experience. It's good to know that the right travel insurance will be there when you need it.

We drive down to the Monterey/Carmel area a few times a year. If you don't mind renting a car, it is an easy area to drive around on your own, with beautiful scenery and great places to eat everywhere you turn.

The 17-mile drive is beautiful, and there are many places to stop, take pictures, and stroll along the beach. There are also some great places to eat along the 17 mile drive. A couple of years ago we had a very nice lunch at the Inn at Spanish Bay, or you could pick up some sandwiches in town and eat at one of your stops. I think the admission fee per car is $10 (cash only?). I think it is best seen when you can take your time and stop along the way.

A place that is overlooked, but is absolutely incredible is Point Lobos natural reserve, which is the "crown jewel" of the California Park system, located near Carmel-By-The-Sea. http://www.pointlobos.org I call it the walkers/hikers version of the 17 mile drive. The beauty of it is that you can drive the entire loop, and park at one of the many vista lots along the way, hike the entire loop, or stroll along just parts of the trail. My favorite is the Cypress Grove. Lots of opportunities to view California sea lions, harbor seals, and sea otters. Depending on the time of year, whales and dolphins can sometimes also be seen. It can get very crowded during the summer or on weekends, so it's recommended to go early during those times, as they limit the number of cars. There is a $10 admission fee per car and trail maps can be purchased for $2.

There is a lot to do in Monterey, whether it is visiting the beautiful Monterey Bay Aquarium or strolling along Cannery Row. Metered spaces tend to go fast, but there are parking lots. Fisherman's Wharf (restaurants and a lot of touristy shops) has large parking lots. We often stop there for lunch for clam chowder on our way to our hotel. Whale watching trips can be booked here.

Carmel is about a 15-20 minute drive south (perhaps longer in traffic). Beautiful beaches, a nice shopping area, and very pet-friendly. Both Monterey and Carmel have great places to eat at a range of prices, although more on the pricey end, especially in Carmel. I would definitely check out Yelp! and Trip Advisor for more ideas.

I can't see what the advantages would be of taking a tour, unless you are going at a very crowded time (in which case the bus would get stuck in the same traffic as a car), and don't want to have to worry about parking.

I just re-read your post. October is a beautiful time of year to go to the Monterey Peninsula, and not nearly as crowded as summer.

Light rail from SeaTac to downtown is $3. Westlake Station is in heart of downtown with many hotels in the area. Pike Place Market is a short walk and the monorail will take you to Seattle Center/Space Needle.

 

We stayed at Sheraton (5th Ave) and Westin (6th Ave) last week. Both close to Westlake Station. Both very nice, give the nod to Westin (Heavenly Beds). Booked a few months in advance when I found sales on their websites.

 

Seems trend is for hotels to offer great rates on their own websites to eliminate commission?

I've noticed that as well! Right now some places aren't booking this far in advance. I did, however, reserve a room at Hyatt Place, which seems to be mid-range in price. They also have a shuttle for a 1-mile radius, and seem to be walking distance to Pike's Market Place and public transit. The price we got through their website (AAA rate) was HALF of what hotels.com is listing the room for, and can be canceled up to 24 hrs before without penalty.

I'll keep checking other hotel websites for specials and sales. (Would love to find a great sale on the Sheraton or Westin!) I guess it's like a cruise price. You have to keep monitoring the prices. A friend of mine was planning a trip to Washington D.C. She said she couldn't sleep one night, and got up at 3 a.m and decided to re-check the hotel they wanted to stay in, that was out of their price range. For some reason the price had dropped significantly so she booked it, and it went up again the next day!

Thanks for the info about public transit! Is light rail different from the monorail?

Book a Hotel at SeaTac, much cheaper, cleaner area and you can take the light rail into Seattle. See the West Coast Departures for more information.

Since we're planning so far in advance (next summer), I'm hoping we can find some decent rates a little closer in. We're hoping to do a little sight-seeing for a few days before our cruise. If we were just spending one night, it would make a lot of sense to stay in a SeaTac hotel.

Is the area around the Space Needle not clean? (We're from the SF Bay Area, so are used to urban areas.)

Appreciate your suggestions!

Not at all. Pike, Pine, and Stewart are very steep hills between 1st Street and Pike Place though. It's just 1 block though. The "major hills" are the streets such as 1st Street. As you head south, the hill goes down.

 

And public transit is an excellent way to get around Seattle.

Thanks for this info! I think between walking and public transit we'll be fine.

We have found that we like to dine on our own ( we do anytime dining) and meet people in at a bar or event. However, when we did have to dine with others, I would sit with 6 people because if you're at a 4 top table, and you get really horribly awkward people, than it's just you and them for 2 hours. However, if there is an extra couple in the mix it's another conversation and a little easier.

 

However, we never minded to have a 20-30 minute wait for a 2 top table.

That's my greatest fear..awkwardness!

A lot of good ideas to consider...

I too thought a table for 6 would be the best size and requested it, but once on board we were seated at a table for 10...their biggest table! Ugh! I know I could have tried to get us switched but we just dealt with it. I would recommend you check out your table location once you get on board the first day. They obviously don't pay that close attention to your requested size!

It sounds like your experience is a common one. Thanks for the advice. I'll check our table assignment as soon as we get on board.

No not medjet assis. It would not have covered the range of situations that we encountered.

My most recent insurance was roam right.

My partner at home in New York, called Oncall who is the service provider for Emergency assistance subcontracted by Roam Right. He called them right after my fall in Bhutan, and they found a doctor and a clinic for me, which our tour guide denied existed. It was thought this doctor that I found how to call an ambulance to bring me to his clinic.

While my tour operator organized the helicopter for me to go to the capital (Thimpu), OnCall authorized it and paid for it. I had emergency surgery there.

We had to stay in contact with Oncall to make all my ongoing flights and medical treatment. It took a lot of doing to get the private airplane to Bangkok, but again, my partner worked with Oncall to get it done and arranged for my admission to hospital and more surgery,

Medjet assist would not have covered my flight home to NY, as I was not being transferred to a fourth hospital.

Wow, it's great to hear that Roam Right came through of you. It's really difficult to evaluate travel insurance until you talk to someone who has actually made a claim.

So glad that you were able to get good medical care, and it must have been reassuring not to have to worry about the expense.

I'm going to bookmark this for future reference for when I travel internationally and/or to a remote location.