flight leaves seattle at 2:30. Is it worth renting a car?

[ginger123snaps]

We get off at Pier 91 in Seattle. Wondering if we have enough time or is it worth renting a car or should we just take a shuttle back to the airport and wait? We will have 3 children with us. We haven't disembarked a ship in Seattle in a while so not sure how long it might take. Usually they want everyone off by 10 on carribean cruises...so wondering if we would have time to see anything in seattle.

[Gardyloo]

It might be worth it, but some logistics issues: a couple of car rental companies (Alamo/National and Enterprise) have kiosks at the two cruise terminals but no cars there. They'll shuttle you and your bags to a downtown office where you'll actually collect the car. This slows things down a little and adds a little time to the kid/baggage wrangling; however you end up downtown and not at the terminals. (Don't know which cruise line you're using; if NCL or Oceania you'll be at Pier 66 right downtown, others will use Pier 91, a couple of miles north from downtown.)

 

If you're using NCL/Oceana another alternative is to leave your bags with the concierge service at the pier, then you can simply go uphill (stairs or elevators) to the Pike Place market and walk around until it's time to fetch the bags and head for the airport. But again, with little kids that might be a bit hectic as the Pike Place market is jammed with people during cruise season.

 

At the airport the rental car companies all use a combined garage on the fringe of the airport, then there's a shuttle bus to the terminal. So with a 2:30 flight you'd definitely want to have the car returned by 12 or 12:30 at the latest, so you're talking about three or four hours' use for the car at best. That would be enough time to drive around a little - maybe out to Alki Beach or even up to Snoqualmie Falls and back to the airport.

 

If you do head to the airport straightaway, once you're through security it's quite a good airport to hang out, with lots of food options and a fun play area for little kids - http://www.portseattle.org/Sea-Tac/Passenger-Services/Pages/Traveling-with-Kids.aspx

[HawksFan74]

I wouldn't think it would be worth it to go through the hassle of picking up and then returning the rental car for just 3-4 hours. Have you priced it out for your specific date? With 5 of you plus luggage, you would probably need a minivan or SUV.

[mapleleaves]

SeaTac is very busy on summer weekends, especially if there are a few ships in port adding another 10,000 people to the mix. For a 2:30 flight you would need to leave downtown by 11:30am in order to get the car returned off-site and catch a shuttle to the airport.

 

There are a couple of options to price.

 

1. Seattle Express is $12pp from pier to airport. The ship will be nudging you off by 9am which leaves you with almost 5 hrs to spend at SeaTac. Call Seattle Express for their last departure to the airport. Or use a car service for about $65.

 

2. price a rental car. http://www.portseattle.org/Cruise/Services/Pages/default.aspx

If you're off the ship at 8am, you could be at the rental office, and ready to explore by 9 at the latest. I'd stash the luggage in the car and leave it at their lot until 11:30. The office is probably on Third Ave, so an easy walk of 3 blocks to Pike Place Market for an hour, and/or walk to Westlake Center on Fifth and take the monorail to the Seattle Center/ Space Needle for an hour.

 

3. if there's a ship at Pier 66, take a taxi from pier 91 to pier 66 for about $20 and use their Left Luggage Desk. Walk across the street to the elevator next to Marriott and it takes you up the hill to within 3 blocks of the Market. Wander around for an hour then walk to the Monorail station on 5th if you want to visit the Seattle Center/Space Needle. Return to Pier 66 by noon to collect your luggage and have a pre-arranged car service or taxi take you the airport for about $50-$65.

 

Option 3 will cost you probably $6 per bag at left luggage, $20 taxi, and another $50-65 to the airport. Might be a few bucks cheaper than a rental car but gives you an extra 45-60 minutes since you're not dealing with the rental car company at both ends.

[Keith1010]

If it was me I would be ask to be in the last group to leave the ship. And then I would proceed to the airport.

 

Keith

[Genessa]

I had the same dilemma with my granddaughter a couple of weeks ago. But, since we had done Seattle pre cruise, we just went to the airport. We ended up walking around and eating an early lunch, wait wasn't too horrible for us, but as someone said there is a kids play area if your children are small enough. Granddaughter is 11, and too tall for the play area.

[bwaz]

We are in a bit of the same situation. We disembark next week at 7 am and our plane leaves at 4. Our hotel recommended Northwest Tours, because we are looking for a tour company or car service to pick us up at the pier, give us some kind of tour, then drop us off at the airport.

 

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[Dan G]

Tours NW does a great post cruise tour. I'd recommend it, and they will drop you and luggage off at the airport. Better than the cruise shuttle.

 

I would not rent a car. Seatac is very busy and you will need every bit of 2 hrs to get thru security and check in luggage. Just get off late and get to Seatac. If you have extra time they have Pacific Mktplace with lots of shops and food at 'street' pricing.