NCL Star

[luvdsny]

Need some advice, we are sailing the Star out of Seattle. I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on tours in Seattle. We would like to see the space needle and the fish market but have limited time. Are they in the same area? Would catching a cab from port be the best option?

Any help would be great!

[SeattleCruiselover]

Need some advice, we are sailing the Star out of Seattle. I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on tours in Seattle. We would like to see the space needle and the fish market but have limited time. Are they in the same area? Would catching a cab from port be the best option?

Any help would be great!

 

Pre-cruise or post-cruise? Pre you may not have enough time.

[Cruise_More_Often]

They're not in the same area. The fish market is pretty close to downtown, and you can easily walk there from the ship. Unless you have lots of time and energy, you don't want to walk to the Space Needle, but you could catch a cab. We took a bus, but we were in Seattle for a whole day when we did it.

[Leafpeeper]

Space Needle is a short cab ride. Book a reservation for the restaurant and get your elevator ride free. We had a martini and loved it because the restaurant slowly revolves around so you see all around the area.

 

We took Star a year ago and loved it. Checkout the movie theater onboard. Don't miss LeBistro or the Asian restaurant for only $15 and see if there are any earlybird special 2 for 1 venues.

[swedish weave]

Space Needle is a short cab ride. Book a reservation for the restaurant and get your elevator ride free. We had a martini and loved it because the restaurant slowly revolves around so you see all around the area.

 

We took Star a year ago and loved it. Checkout the movie theater onboard. Don't miss LeBistro or the Asian restaurant for only $15 and see if there are any earlybird special 2 for 1 venues.

 

I believe they eliminated the movie theater when they renovated deck 12 and added the new cabins.

[jwoap]

Need some advice, we are sailing the Star out of Seattle. I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on tours in Seattle. We would like to see the space needle and the fish market but have limited time. Are they in the same area? Would catching a cab from port be the best option?

Any help would be great!

 

Hi there - Seattle is my stomping grounds (grew up there and go there still lots because the folks live there)

 

How much time are you going to have at each end?

 

Touring Seattle takes a good day, sometimes a day and a half. Maybe you could tour the day before and the cruise and then tour the day you get back and then go home?

 

Regardless things not to miss:

 

Pikes Place Farmer's Market (Fish Market) -- You have to catch a fish, or at least watch them toss fish around. You must touch the brass pig, (everyone does) and get your photo taken with it.

 

Ivars Fish and Chowder Bar, on the waterfront, it's a stainless steel bar. Best.Clam.Chowder.Ever!

 

You must visit Ye Olde Curiosity Shop on Pier 54 on the waterfront. It's full of weird creepy things that just plain fun to see. Growing up my mother would tell us we were going to go down and see Sylvester and his girlfriend Sylvia (two mummies) -- it is a place full of fond memories.

 

There's also the Seattle Aquarium right on the waterfront as well. You can take the Seattle Ducks Tour.

 

I would also of course not miss seeing the Seattle Space Needle. Dinner is spendy but worth it. It's a short cab ride away, like everything. You could actually hoof it to the The Farmers Market but I don't, no way.

 

You could hop on one of the Seattle Ferries and take a Ferry ride across the sound which is very cool and inexpensive, it's about an hour crossing either way. It's relaxing and very casual. I rode the ferry for years when I commuted between Bremerton and Seattle for work daily.

 

Bill Speidel's Underground Tours are AMAZING. You can tour underground Seattle. Seattle as you might know had a huge fire in 1889. Seattle was buitl up over the top of the ruins. The tour takes you through all of these passages that were once the main roads, and you can see the old storefronts of old downtown Seattle, it's very cool.

 

I have always loved the Seattle Public Library, and the Woodland Park Zoo, both a jaunt and a nice cab ride from downtown.

 

Have a nice time - when are you headed to Seattle? We sail on the Star a week from today!

[flowerchild]

We did the underground tour, it was cool. We also visited Pikes Market, which was awesome...I love farmers markets and visit them as often as possible...this was one of the very best I have ever been to. Pick up some beautiful (inexpensive) locally grown flowers for your cabin.

 

We didn't make it to Ivars since there were some seafood haters in our group but we did visit Salumis, which is owned by Mario Batalli's dad. Artisanal cured italian meats, very very good. Just a little hole in the wall, but expect to wait in line.

 

Maybe our Seattle expert can answer me this question...why so many guys in kilts there? Saw lots of young (cute) men in kilts and tshirts...quite a fashion statement.

[SeattleCruiselover]

We did the underground tour, it was cool. We also visited Pikes Market, which was awesome...I love farmers markets and visit them as often as possible...this was one of the very best I have ever been to. Pick up some beautiful (inexpensive) locally grown flowers for your cabin.

 

We didn't make it to Ivars since there were some seafood haters in our group but we did visit Salumis, which is owned by Mario Batalli's dad. Artisanal cured italian meats, very very good. Just a little hole in the wall, but expect to wait in line.

 

Maybe our Seattle expert can answer me this question...why so many guys in kilts there? Saw lots of young (cute) men in kilts and tshirts...quite a fashion statement.

 

Probably because the Utili-Kilts manufacturers store is practically next door and, yes, Utili-Kilts (but not traditional Scots kilts) are a very popular item around here.

 

And, yep, Pike(no s) Place Market is one must do place, but bear in mind that it is generally very crowded during tourist season, and can take quite some time to navigate through. Don't miss the ship because of it.

[flowerchild]

Probably because the Utili-Kilts manufacturers store is practically next door and, yes, Utili-Kilts (but not traditional Scots kilts) are a very popular item around here.

 

Thanks for the answer! NYC is the only city where I've seen bald women, too, another very strong fashion statement!

[jwoap]

They just like em -- Utili-Kilts is like right there. I have lots of men friends who only wear kilts now.

[luvdsny]

Thanks everyone for the replies. We would do something in Seattle on dis-embarkment day. We port 8am and flight doesn't leave till evening. NCL does offer a 3 hour tour that includes Pike Market, Space Needle and some stadiums. So that might be an option. I'd love to see the fish market and space needle. :)

[gordandmichele]

Thanks everyone for the replies. We would do something in Seattle on dis-embarkment day. We port 8am and flight doesn't leave till evening. NCL does offer a 3 hour tour that includes Pike Market, Space Needle and some stadiums. So that might be an option. I'd love to see the fish market and space needle. :)

 

We were in the same situation as you on July 31. Here's what we did:

 

 

 

 

Got off the ship ASAP.

• Dropped our luggage at the terminal storage ($3 / bag).
  
• Walked to Pike's Market and wandered around the market and the surrounding area for a couple of hours. Folks in Seattle sure get a great deal on some beautiful flowers! Unbelievably cheap. Some things in the market (flower/fruit/fish vendors) are open early, but most stores open at 9:00.
  
• Walked up to the Monorail station near Macy's and took the Monorail to the Space Needle / Experience Music Project / Science Fiction Museum. It drops you right at the door.
  
• Toured the EMP (fantastic) and SFM (good) for a couple of hours. Skipped the Needle as we live in Toronto and have the CN Tower.
  
• Took the Monorail back to Macy's. NOTE: If we were doing this again, we would have just walked back to the pier. It's a shorter walk than from the Monorail. Or take a cab and get him to wait for you at the pier.
  
• Picked up our luggage and took a limo to the airport from the stand right in front of the luggage place. We were at the airport by 4:00.
  
• Costs:
  
  • Monorail return tickets for 2 - $8.00.
    
  • EMP and SFM combo tickets for 2 - $30.00.
    
  • Luggage storage for 4 bags - $12.00.
    
  • Limo to airport - $45.00.
    
  • Maximum use of time and not having to stick to someone else's schedule - priceless.
    

  [*]The NCL cost for the 3.5 tour is $118 for 2 people. It's cheaper to do it yourself and you get to spend much more time at the places you want to see. And you can try out any restaurant you want for lunch. While I think some of the NCL tours make sense, this one doesn't. Do it on your own. Pick up a tourist map at the luggage place and you are good to go.

[Budget Queen]

Not sure if the above really "walked" to Pike Market, but from the ship, go right a block+, cross the street, and get on the elevator. Take it up and get off. you are on Lenora, walk up hill. Turn Right, walk one block to Pike Market. Simple and easy to add a visit in in a short timeframe.

[gordandmichele]

Not sure if the above really "walked" to Pike Market, but from the ship, go right a block+, cross the street, and get on the elevator. Take it up and get off. you are on Lenora, walk up hill. Turn Right, walk one block to Pike Market. Simple and easy to add a visit in in a short timeframe.

 

I don't understand the use of quotes for "walked", BQ. I'm pretty sure that's what we did. One foot in front of the other propelling us forward on the ground until we reached our destination. At least that's what we call walking in Canada.;) If a transporter had been invented and available, we would have beamed ourselves up, but alas...