Limo to Seatac after cruise

[seamac29]

Hi. Any suggestions on private ( for 2 ) Limo or car service companies out to Seattle airport. We plan on carrying our luggage off ourselves so what would be a good time to have the company arrive for a "scheduled" 7AM arrival in July off the Star. Thanks ;)

[fozzyfoz]

We have used A&A Limo (www.a-alimo.com) for car service to/from the airport. Their website shows a rate of $38 from downtown (we live further away so it's more for us) for their town car service. We will also be using Eastside Executive car service for our trip later this month.

[seamac29]

:) Thanks a lot. I will definitely look them up to use in arriving and leaving. Is Eastside Executive a more local outfit or should I even bother with looking into them. Again,Thanks

[seamac29]

Thought I'd let you know-I called A-Alimo and found them not to be helpful and I was very uncomfortable with them. I had inquired as to what we do upon arrival at the airport and he said "why are you to be a no show we have your card and will charge you" I was amazed and said I never even hinted at that . I was not certain if the driver met you in the baggage area or did we call once bags collected or whatever. I then asked about departure from the ship and he stated they would not be there any earlier than 9 AM and I asked what if we get off earlier ( which probally won't happen ) but the overall feeling was that they were not trying to work with us and I felt like we were asking for out of normal services. Anyway we booked with Metropolitan Town Car who were extremely helpful ...On another note any ideas on when the first passengers disembark off the Star if it arrives in Seattle when stated ( 7AM ) We plan on handling our own luggage and showing our morning flight tickets. ( I previously heard that we probally won't make it but have no choice ) Thanks

[fozzyfoz]

Sorry to hear that - we've had nothing but good service from them. We use them for to/from the airport not for cruises so maybe they dont really handle car service for cruise travel (which would be weird but you never know). That airport sentence didnt make sense to me - we just tell them when our flight arrives and they monitor it to see if it's on time or delayed and arrive accordingly. There is a holding area where cars wait for pick-ups (a satellite temporary parking lot). They tell us to call when we are at baggage claim and they meet us right outside and grab our bags, etc. But I have no idea how things work at the cruise terminals.

 

The important thing is finding a company you are comfortable with. No sense to worry when you're on vacation.

 

As for getting off the ship earlier than expected, we have not cruised locally (we've been on the Star but that was in CA on a Mexican cruise) so dont know when the first get off the ship. We had an early evening flight so our goal was to have a leisurely breakfast and wander the ship one last time and get off closer to 10/10:30. They were calling before 9am but dont remember when specifically and of course time can change if the ship gets in early or late and if there's any issues with immigration (I;ve heard there are quarterly inspections that delay things but have not encountered them so dont know specifics.)

[Happy ks]

What time is your flight? There is a reason why cruise lines advise you not to book flights before 12 noon. There are times when debarkation is delayed, sometimes for several hours. But, every cruise is different, most times it is accomplished in a timely manner, there is just no way to predict.

 

It's not unusual at all for the ship to not be disembarking for an hour or more after they dock at port. If your flight is early, all you have to do is show your tickets to the desk and they will put you on the first off list of pax. So, you do have to give yourself a cushion of time for that.

 

Our last disembarkation was in Vancouver on May 7th, we were on the express self-help list and told to be ready by 8:10 am. I knew we would not get off nearly on time, as the ship didn't even get to port until 8am, even with a 7am arrival time posted. The first pax (early flights) ended up not being called until about 8:30 am. The port was a disaster, 3 ships disembarking at the same time, a marathon in front of the terminal and no buses or taxis could get in. We disembarked at around 9:15 and then waited in the taxi line for 45 minutes. We were probably another 45 minutes from the front of the line when we decided to hoof it. It was raining a bit, but we only had about 3-4 blocks to walk, so it wasn't so bad. We arrived at our hotel at 10:30 am and were allowed to check in right away, a relief after walking in the rain, we got out of our damp clothes.

 

I only tell this as a story of what "could" happen, not that it does every time. You are wise to book a private car, just be aware that you could be setting yourself up for a very stressful return, although I do wish you a smooth travel experience.

[SeaGal]

We live in Seattle and have used Evergreen Town Car Service multiple times. They are always on time and very professional. We warn them that we have LOTS of luggage (family of four on a 12-night cruise does not travel lightly) and they bring one of the cars with the largest trunk space.

 

Cost from the downtown area is $50. Here is a link to their site.

http://www.evergreencar.com/index.htm

[SeattleJ]

We've had good luck with Shuttle Express' Town Car service at http://www.shuttleexpress.com/index.html They have always been on time and very polite. You can also pre-pay on line if you want, which makes the process faster.

[fozzyfoz]

We just used Eastside Executive for our last cruise and had wonderful service and a very good price. Drop off at the airport then pick up from Amtrak for return trip. Train was going to be about 30 minutes late so I called them once I knew and they adjusted without any problems or additional charges. http://www.eastsideexecutive.com/