For those of you cruising out of Seattle during the period Apr-Sept, 2019

[Pierlesscruisers]

NOTE: There is already a message to this effect already posted on any of the Roll Calls that were started on or before about 6 Dec 2018 for a cruise out of Seattle during the May-Aug, 2019 time frame on this cruise line. I've come over here to post a copy of the following message to save me the time and effort of starting a separate Roll Call for the other cruises on this cruise line that did not have Roll Calls started when I made the original posting. The information is the exact same as what I had posted on the other Roll Calls.

This message is just to let people who are planning on going on a cruise to Alaska or down the California coast out of Seattle this coming season, there has been a major change in the downtown Seattle traffic that may increase the travel time from SeaTac to Pier 91 and from Pier 91 back to SeaTac and thus increase your travel time between those locations. The viaduct that led along the downtown waterfront will no longer be present and will be replaced by a tunnel. The buses that provide a large percentage of the transportation between those two locations are currently planning to be using I-5 route.  Whether this changes or not, the time to travel between the pier and the airport may very likely increase. Where the travel time to/from the airport used to be about 45 minutes to an hour, this time may be another 30 to 45 minutes, or even more. This is especially true on weekends depending on activities in the downtown area such as Hempfest. While the increase in time travel will probably affect bus travel, it will probably also affect taxi travel, although not to the same extent as the buses.

I'm providing this information primarily for those of you who are planning on arriving on your day of embarkation or departing on your day of disembarkation although those of you who will be arriving earlier or leaving later might like to be aware of it also.

As of today, 9 Dec. 2018, the plan for the closing down the viaduct is in early January, 2019 and the completion is expected to be completed by the end of July, 2019.

Additionally, I will provide weather info for Alaska at each port on your cruise and for Seattle for the weekend of your departure as well as a list of current activities in the Seattle are as well as some links to other items of interest in the area a week prior to your departure so watch for that.

Tom

 

[lax19]

Thanks Tom

Would this impact those heading to Pier 66 (NCL) more than those going to Pier 91 (all others)?

[Pierlesscruisers]

1 hour ago, lax19 said:

Thanks Tom

Would this impact those heading to Pier 66 (NCL) more than those going to Pier 91 (all others)?

 

Lax, I'd say that yes, it probably will impact those sailing out of Pier 66 about as much as it would those going out of Pier 91. The reason I say that is that there is probably only about 15 minutes or so difference between the Pier 66 area and the Pier 91 area and travel from SeaTac to either one of the two piers both are about the same. Pier 66 is located very close to the end of the viaduct so in one manner that pier will be affected even more by the tearing down of the viaduct and the hauling away of the demolition residue. That said,l I'll be the first to admit that I have no idea as to which end, the south end or the north end (which is the end closest to Pier 66) is going to be done first or how big an area around the viaduct itself is going to be affected by the demolition. I'll know more around Jan. or Feb. and may be able to provide more info around that time.

 

Tom

[Glaciers]

There is a map at this site that indicates when the sections of the viaduct will be removed. Alaskan Way will be down to a single lane in those areas.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/Viaduct/demolition

Seems access to Pier 91 will be a breeze compared to getting to Pier 66 during the demolition.

 

[apcci2]

Thanks for the info Tom. 

[Pierlesscruisers]

47 minutes ago, apcci2 said:

Thanks for the info Tom. 

  
You're quite welcome. Glad you found it useful. If there are any updates or changes, I'll post them. Hope you also find the info in the information posting the week before your cruise useful also. Hope you have a safe trip to/from Seattle and a great cruise!

 

Tom

[TXRed]

Tom, My son has suggested taking the train from our airport hotel to DT Seattle (Westlake) and taking a taxi from there to the pier.....any opinion? suggestions? Thanks

[Pierlesscruisers]

38 minutes ago, TXRed said:

Tom, My son has suggested taking the train from our airport hotel to DT Seattle (Westlake) and taking a taxi from there to the pier.....any opinion? suggestions? Thanks

 

Well, as one Texan to another, that's certainly an option. There is also the option of Seattle Express or Shuttle Express or even taxi. In fact, I'll attach an info file of data on these various modes to this message so you can see the diff. costs, etc. One thing that would seem to me to be a downside of going via train would be having to handle luggage and that would be very dependent on the number of pieces and weight of the luggage.

 

In any event, I hope that you have a safe and easy trip to/from SeaTac and a great cruise.  See you at the pier!

 

Tom

Transportation from SeaTac to Pier 91.txt

[Gardyloo]

The passenger "face" of Pier 66, i.e. where the terminal hits the street, is some distance from the Viaduct; there are numerous buildings including the big parking garage, office buildings and the Marriott Hotel, to name a few, between Alaskan Way and the Viaduct.  Here's a Google Maps "street view" of the terminal area; use your mouse or pointing device to pan around or move up and down the street to get a feel.  https://goo.gl/maps/o8nbqxSmrQk

 

I imagine the cabs and shuttles (probably by arrangement with the Port of Seattle) will approach the cruise terminal as they do now - from the north, some distance from the Viaduct demolition zone, and exiting to the south.  Undoubtedly the cops will manage traffic on Alaskan Way they do now - officers at intersections directing traffic.  Seattle cops are very good at this, managing huge crowds from sports events almost daily.  There might be very rare, and very brief delays due to the Viaduct demolition, but honestly I'd be surprised if anybody really gets impacted.  I'd imagine the suppliers to the ships - provisioners etc. - are going to have more changes to their routines.  But access to Pier 66 from the north will probably be unimpeded, and in fact I wouldn't be surprised if some U-turn options aren't made available, allowing cars and cabs to head north along Alaskan Way (the opposite direction from the construction zone) where they can connect to I-5 or the southbound tunnel entrance (which will replace the Viaduct starting in February) making the whole thing a non-issue.

 

Passengers from Pier 91 will avoid the whole thing; they'll go to the tunnel or the freeway long before they get close to the Viaduct demolition zone.

[TXRed]

On 12/27/2018 at 5:52 PM, Pierlesscruisers said:

 

Well, as one Texan to another, that's certainly an option. There is also the option of Seattle Express or Shuttle Express or even taxi. In fact, I'll attach an info file of data on these various modes to this message so you can see the diff. costs, etc. One thing that would seem to me to be a downside of going via train would be having to handle luggage and that would be very dependent on the number of pieces and weight of the luggage.

 

In any event, I hope that you have a safe and easy trip to/from SeaTac and a great cruise.  See you at the pier!

 

Tom

Transportation from SeaTac to Pier 91.txt

Thank you so much for all the information. He was thinking about the time factor. Thinking the train would be less time and no chance of getting caught up in the traffic with the  construction work. I will check all these options...again thank you

[Gardyloo]

14 hours ago, TXRed said:

Thank you so much for all the information. He was thinking about the time factor. Thinking the train would be less time and no chance of getting caught up in the traffic with the  construction work. I will check all these options...again thank you

The train takes roughly twice as long to cover the same distance as a cab or Uber, even in traffic.  In addition, getting to the airport train station from the terminal involves a 10-min walk (or so) through the main parking garage, and of course the train might not be waiting for you when you get to the station.  There are no dedicated luggage areas on the trains and you're not supposed to put your luggage on seats or in the aisles.  You will also have  to get your luggage up to the street level at the Westlake train station, and then walk to a pick-up point for cabs or Ubers.  Depending on the time and the day, there may or may not be cabs waiting.  All things considered, the train is not a time saving choice, and not all that great a cost-saving one either if you're combining it with a cab ride for the "last mile."

[JudithLynne]

"Passengers from Pier 91 will avoid the whole thing; they'll go to the tunnel or the freeway long before they get close to the Viaduct demolition zone."

 

Tom…the above was posted by "Garyloo."  In your opinion is this statement (hopefully) correct?  We will be traveling from a Seatac hotel to pier 91 on Monday July 17th and returning Monday July 1 for shuttle service to Seatac.  Should we allow extra time both ways?  We will use Seattle Express as they are our go to shuttle company in Seattle.

Thank you for posting this here and on our roll call...….Judith

Edited January 13, 2019 by JudithLynne

[Pierlesscruisers]

2 hours ago, JudithLynne said:

"Passengers from Pier 91 will avoid the whole thing; they'll go to the tunnel or the freeway long before they get close to the Viaduct demolition zone."

 

Tom…the above was posted by "Garyloo."  In your opinion is this statement (hopefully) correct?  We will be traveling from a Seatac hotel to pier 91 on Monday July 17th and returning Monday July 1 for shuttle service to Seatac.  Should we allow extra time both ways?  We will use Seattle Express as they are our go to shuttle company in Seattle.

Thank you for posting this here and on our roll call...….Judith

 

He lives somewhere in the Seattle area so I'm sure that he's much more knowledgeable about the traffic in that area than I am. Also, by the time you'll be in Seattle, the traffic will probably be pretty well straightened out because the tunnel will have been in use by 5 months and everything will almost surely be all settled down and Seattle Express, taxis, and every other mode of transportation will have everything under control. I wouldn't worry about any traffic problems in regards to getting from the SeaTac area to Pier 91 and vice versa. I doubt that I'll even be mentioning traffic on the info posting that I'll be putting up the week before your cruise unless there is something specific that will be occurring that week.

 

So, my recommendation is to now worry about anything at all. Unless the government shutdown is still going on then.  Hopefully, that will be a long gone situation.   Hope you have a safe trip to/from Seattle and a great cruise!

 

Tom

[Gardyloo]

It's Gardyloo with a "d" and I live in the city.  

 

I think the big unknown factor right now is how the tunnel and the absence of the viaduct will affect traffic in general.  Until the viaduct was closed this weekend, roughly 250,000 cars per day (higher on weekdays) used that route for their north-south transit of downtown Seattle.  Seattle's geography doesn't allow for easy north-south travel through the city (hills and lakes get in the way) and the viaduct and Interstate 5 provided the only easy - if trafficky - routes.

 

The viaduct is being replaced by a tunnel which will be tolled, so the big question is how many of those 250K vehicles will divert to I-5 to save a couple of bucks, how many people will simply adjust their work hours, or ride the bus instead... ?  There are various projections, but traffic planners aren't known for hall of fame batting averages.  

 

Regardless, I can't imagine a scenario where even the worst miss on the projections would add more than a few minutes to a cruise-terminal-to-airport or vice versa drive this summer.  I think for most cruisers it's going to be a non-event.  If the additional time risk poses a problem for making a flight, you probably should plan a different flight.

Edited January 14, 2019 by Gardyloo

[JudithLynne]

Gardyloo & Tom.....thank you so much for your prompt and helpful responses.