flight from Seattle?

[luvncruisn]

I have never done an Alaskan cruise, so I'm hoping someone will be able to help here. I am looking at a flight home from Seattle at 11 am. If I have early debarkation, is this flight manageable?

Thanks for any help you can offer!

[CruiserBruce]

A quick look down the board would reveal the common recommendation for flights at or later than 11am.

[Langley Cruisers]

You will be going through Customs and Immigration in Seattle and it was among the slowest and most disorganized we have ever seen. Also, the line up for a taxi was well over 45 minutes long.

 

You've asked for advice - mine is to book your flight after 12 noon.

[Cruisin' Chick]

and definitely consider that SeaTac isn't in Seattle but farther south (maybe 20 miles or so). So you need to get off the ship (and don't forget not everyone can get off and go through customs/immigration at the same time), get your transportation, get to the airport, and go through security there. What if the disembarkation starts late, there's a traffic jam on the way to the airport, a long security line?

[Sequim88]

Consider also day of week. A Sunday morning can be entirely different from a weekday morning. Even with a predominance of the traffic coming IN to Seattle on weekdays I-5 will be a crawl and Marginal Way to the Burien Freeway will be gridlocked by traffic lights and port traffic. But... Sunday morning could be a breeze. Saturdays better than weekdays but not as good as Sunday. I would go with 11am only on a Sunday.

Edited December 14, 2016 by Sequim88

[Pierlesscruisers]

I have never done an Alaskan cruise, so I'm hoping someone will be able to help here. I am looking at a flight home from Seattle at 11 am. If I have early debarkation, is this flight manageable?

Thanks for any help you can offer!

 

Okay, you will be going out of/coming in to either Pier 66 or Pier 91 depending on your cruise line. Time between the pier and SeaTac will be about 40-45 minutes if you're arriving at Pier 91 (about 5 minutes less from Pier 66.) I will describe what travel from Pier 91 is like.

 

You will probably begin debarkation about 7:30am, possibly as early as 7:15 but I wouldn't count on that. If you ask for an early walk-off time you should be able to get off about that time. That will put you through Customs pretty quickly and outside the building not long after that. If you're on Princess or Holland America, the first transfer bus will probably leave by 8:00am or soon thereafter. (The buses usually leave 20 minutes after the first passenger gets on the bus, maybe a few minutes after that, but not much.) The cabs will be ready and waiting to go that early and you'll be gone by a few minutes after 8. Last season the flat rate to the airport was $40 for a cab. Also available are Shuttle Express and Seattle Express which run smaller buses so fill up quicker than do the regular buses at the pier. Seattle Express was $15/person and Shuttle Express was $18/person last season. (Check https://shuttleexpress.com/ and http://www.seattleexpress.com/ for latest info.) All of this is also based on it being a Saturday or Sunday.

 

All in all, I'd say that you should be able to make an 11am flight, but not anything earlier would be worth attempting.

 

Have a great cruise.

 

Tom

Edited December 15, 2016 by Pierlesscruisers

[JRA1708]

just wondering if taxi's will hold 4 adults, plus luggage?

 

Thanks

[Gardyloo]

just wondering if taxi's will hold 4 adults, plus luggage?

 

Thanks

No, but two taxis will. Or you can book a car service that will get you a bigger vehicle and will cost less per person.