Transportation from Sea-Tac to Downtown Hotels

[Bigbluegal]

For anyone who has cruised from Seattle.  What is the best transportation mode w/cost from the airport to downtown hotels?  We have a party of 15 but are willing to split up.  I called one taxi service and was quoted $25 pp.  Surely there is cheaper transportation.

Edited May 12, 2019 by Bigbluegal
add content

[mapleleaves]

I travel light and usually solo so I take the Light Rail from Seatac to downtown ( Westlake Center) .  $3 for a 40 minute ride.

 

For a group of 15 here are a few options to price:

- STILA Limo has the airport contract, so their vehicles are staged at the garage and they make it very easy.  When you've collected your luggage, you call them from the courtesy phone and the car will meet you at the curb.  Last time I checked it was $50 for a towncar to downtown.  You'd need at least 4 due to the luggage.  I've seen larger cars at their kiosk .... like an Escalade or Excursion for 6 pax but the luggage will be the issue.  Call them and see what they suggest.

 https://www.portseattle.org/sea-tac/ground-transportation/limo

 

- Shuttle Express has the contract for shared service .  They have various shared services and private vans.  Not as convenient to get to as Stila if anyone in your party has limited mobility since you have to meet them in the parking garage.   https://shuttleexpress.com/

 

-  Seattle Express has shared cruise service and has been well reviewed here, but I believe they can only pick up from the hotels.  Ask if their private service can pick up at the airport . 

 https://seattleexpress.com/tour/private-cruise-transfers/

 

Good luck !

 

- 

Edited May 12, 2019 by mapleleaves

[Son of a son of a ...]

$25 pp does not seem expensive to me.  Seattle is an expensive city.

[tallnthensome]

Have you tried the west coast departures forum for this type of question as it has nothing to do with Norwegian Cruise line? 

[Son of a son of a ...]

13 minutes ago, tallnthensome said:

Have you tried the west coast departures forum for this type of question as it has nothing to do with Norwegian Cruise line? 

 

This the second time you are trying to mod the board.  Go to church and call your mom.

[mapleleaves]

2 minutes ago, Son of a son of a ... said:

 

This the second time you are trying to mod the board.  Go to church and call your mom.

 

What's wrong with directing a traveler to the best forum to get their question answered ?? 

 

[Son of a son of a ...]

2 minutes ago, mapleleaves said:

 

What's wrong with directing a traveler to the best forum to get their question answered ?? 

 

The user is being unduly harsh to new users

[Newleno]

1 hour ago, mapleleaves said:

I travel light and usually solo so I take the Light Rail from Seatac to downtown ( Westlake Center) .  $3 for a 40 minute ride.

 

For a group of 15 here are a few options to price:

- STILA Limo has the airport contract, so their vehicles are staged at the garage and they make it very easy.  When you've collected your luggage, you call them from the courtesy phone and the car will meet you at the curb.  Last time I checked it was $50 for a towncar to downtown.  You'd need at least 4 due to the luggage.  I've seen larger cars at their kiosk .... like an Escalade or Excursion for 6 pax but the luggage will be the issue.  Call them and see what they suggest.

 https://www.portseattle.org/sea-tac/ground-transportation/limo

 

- Shuttle Express has the contract for shared service .  They have various shared services and private vans.  Not as convenient to get to as Stila if anyone in your party has limited mobility since you have to meet them in the parking garage.   https://shuttleexpress.com/

 

-  Seattle Express has shared cruise service and has been well reviewed here, but I believe they can only pick up from the hotels.  Ask if their private service can pick up at the airport . 

 https://seattleexpress.com/tour/private-cruise-transfers/

 

Good luck !

 

- 

I did not know about the light rail, thank you, now is there a cheap way to get from downtown to the cruise ship (public transportation)  $25 per person is an absurd amount to pay!

[mapleleaves]

1 minute ago, Newleno said:

I did not know about the light rail, thank you, now is there a cheap way to get from downtown to the cruise ship (public transportation)  $25 per person is an absurd amount to pay!

Downtown Seattle is a good 30 minute drive from the airport, so for the average couple, $25pp isn't absurd at all. Steep for a group of 15 though.  

 

NCL docks downtown at pier 66 so if you travel light, you can walk to the pier from Westlake Center.  About 15 -20 minutes.  There's an elevator that will take you down the hill to within a block of pier 66.

Use google maps for directions .... enter WESTLAKE CENTER then directions to LENORA STREET ELEVATOR. If I remember correctly it's just off Western near the Crabhouse.

 

(My only concern would be that the Alaskan Way Viaduct is currently being torn down.  This may hamper some of the access points to the pier on foot.  But if the elevator is open, it's a good shortcut. You could call the Seattle Waterfront Marriott to see if its working since the elevator is next door)

[dexddd]

We've used light rail, cheap and easy unless someone with walking issues.

[Newleno]

1 hour ago, mapleleaves said:

Downtown Seattle is a good 30 minute drive from the airport, so for the average couple, $25pp isn't absurd at all. Steep for a group of 15 though.  

 

NCL docks downtown at pier 66 so if you travel light, you can walk to the pier from Westlake Center.  About 15 -20 minutes.  There's an elevator that will take you down the hill to within a block of pier 66.

Use google maps for directions .... enter WESTLAKE CENTER then directions to LENORA STREET ELEVATOR. If I remember correctly it's just off Western near the Crabhouse.

 

(My only concern would be that the Alaskan Way Viaduct is currently being torn down.  This may hamper some of the access points to the pier on foot.  But if the elevator is open, it's a good shortcut. You could call the Seattle Waterfront Marriott to see if its working since the elevator is next door)

This really helps thanks, I did not know it was so cheap to get from the airport to downtown and then you can just walk to the pier.  Economically it could really add up taking a Seattle  round trip, or at least ending in Seattle vs ending up at one of the Alaska ports, or a canadian port, (cost you like $55 extra in taxes to fly out of their country)

[Bigbluegal]

Thanks for all of the responses.  Apologies if the question took up a slot on the forum.  For us it does apply to NCL as that is the ship we will be sailing.  Just thought other cruisers albeit NCL or otherwise could advise.  There is a transfer option with the ship but we will not be going straight to the port as we are coming in a couple days in advance.  Can you transport luggage on the light rail ?

[mapleleaves]

31 minutes ago, Bigbluegal said:

 

 Can you transport luggage on the light rail ?

 

Yes, I always travel with mine.  But there is no specific place to put your luggage.  Overhead racks are too small. The aisles are pretty wide tho so I just keep my suitcase at my feet. Sometimes the bike storage area will be open but you'll need to sit closeby in case someone boards with a bike and needs the space.

 

NOTE:   the Light Rail station isn't INSIDE the airport; it's about a 7-8 minute walk thru the parking garage structures.  So it's flat, covered, well lighted, well travelled. 

https://www.soundtransit.org/ride-with-us/popular-destinations/sea-tac-airport

 

p.s.  I just read that the bike area is now considered bike/luggage storage so it's first come first served.  If it's available at Seatac, grab it.

Edited May 12, 2019 by mapleleaves

[bonvoyagie]

25.00 is not bad for Seattle - NCL wants that for their bus transfer. As for downtown to the port, some hotels have a free transfer or at most 10.00/person. Inside the city core taxis have a flat rate of something like 15 or 20.00 / ride.

 

We usually ride Amtrak so from the train station to the hotel or the pier is the same flat rate.

 

I also would suggest looking at the west coast departures board here on CC.

Edited May 12, 2019 by bonvoyagie

[mapleleaves]

the only flat rate I'm aware of in Seattle is the DOWNTOWN to SEATAC rate of $40.

 

And there is a flat rate taxi service that doesn't charge by the meter, but zip code to zip code.

www.flatrateforhire.com

[dacsmom]

I like Seattle Shuttle. Very reasonable rates and responsive to emails.

[WurdGurlWA]

We live in the Seattle area and we use Flat Rate for Hire all the time, to and from the airport. We also used it when we went from our suburb to the pier in 2015 for our NCL Alaska cruise and they were great! We happened to sail the day of the Seattle Pride festival and the poor driver had to go all over the place to find a way across the parade route, but it was still a very reasonable rate because of the zones as opposed to metered fare.

 

I checked and their current quote for a cab from SEATAC airport to the pier is $39. NOTE: When you get to the cab stand, they have both metered and Flat Rate for Hire cabs. Even if the metered one is next in line, you can tell the cab stand attendant you want a flat rate cab and they have to give it to you. The metered rates are usually much mor expensive! 

 

We even prefer FRfH to ubering home from the airport because they are just right there at the cab stand, no waiting and looking for a license plate, and the fare is usually pretty close to the Uber rates I've seen - or much better if there's surge pricing going on! 

[jemz1949]

In the summer of 2018, extended family of 13 used ShuttleExpress to take us from SeaTac to our downtown hotel and then from the pier back to SeaTac after the cruise.  I've done the Alaskan cruise a few times in the past and knew what to expect.  I did not want to split up our family into various taxis or shuttles instead choosing to "charter" a private 14 passenger shuttle thru their sales department.  They picked us up at their SeaTac location and dropped us off at the Westin....no stopping at other hotels along the way.  Cost back then was $265 plus driver gratuity each way.  I felt it was worth every cent of it.  Getting to the cruise terminal from the Westin was an easy metered taxi ride assuming that you can flag down the appropriate number and size of vehicles to handle your group and your luggage.  Cost somewhere around $10 per taxi if I remember correctly.  My group consisted of 8 adults and kids ranging in age from 13 to 3.  Without hesitation I will tell you that there is no way that that we would have ever considered making that walk with the kids and pulling luggage.  No way!   From our hotel, it was probably no more than a mile or so but what a mile.  Steep downhill most of the way then navigating up and over the interstate to get down to the pier.  In my opinion, a needless exhausting potentially dangerous trek to start a vacation in order to save a few bucks.  Not knowing your specifics  to include your departure flight times back home but the area outside of the cruise terminal can be quite busy.  Knowing that I had a confirmed private shuttle at a confirmed time back to the airport for my group was comforting.   IF you do choose to use taxis, be aware that their are many that will approach you as soon as you walk out of the terminal offering their services that are not licensed....