Best time to embark in Seattle? (Live in town - when should we arrive?)

[SeattleCruiser07]

Since I am not bound by airline, taxi or other considerations (I live in Seattle) what is the best time to arrive at the Port to board the Golden when we go on our Alaska cruise in June? I am sure this varies ... but I have never cruised out of my own home port and am just wondering what the likely best times are? Later in the day, closer to sailing time? It seems like a lot of folks try to get on as early as possible. I am totally flexible - my husband is going to drive the 2.5 miles to drop my mom, daughter and me off. I am more interested in avoiding long lines and standing around (with my 4-year-old) than in getting on the boat early or anything else. So, best time to board?

Thanks!

:)

SeattleCuiser07

[kymburley]

Since I am not bound by airline, taxi or other considerations (I live in Seattle) what is the best time to arrive at the Port to board the Golden when we go on our Alaska cruise in June? I am sure this varies ... but I have never cruised out of my own home port and am just wondering what the likely best times are? Later in the day, closer to sailing time? It seems like a lot of folks try to get on as early as possible. I am totally flexible - my husband is going to drive the 2.5 miles to drop my mom, daughter and me off. I am more interested in avoiding long lines and standing around (with my 4-year-old) than in getting on the boat early or anything else. So, best time to board?

Thanks!

:)

SeattleCuiser07

 

Hi SeattleCruiser... I supposed I'm BremertonCruiser. We're taking one of the Alaska cruises on 9.1 or 9.2. I think we're going to take the 12:30 ferry over and just take the trolley, if it's working yet, otherwise the bus down to the pier. I think getting there around 1:45 or 2 would be good. Don't alot of people get on early because they fly in and they have to check out of hotels by 11 or 12?

[Fuzzzy]

Hi SeattleCruiser... I supposed I'm BremertonCruiser. We're taking one of the Alaska cruises on 9.1 or 9.2. I think we're going to take the 12:30 ferry over and just take the trolley, if it's working yet, otherwise the bus down to the pier. I think getting there around 1:45 or 2 would be good. Don't alot of people get on early because they fly in and they have to check out of hotels by 11 or 12?

TRAVEL ALERT. The trolley is not running. Please read....http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/wfsc/waterfront_streetcar.html

[kymburley]

TRAVEL ALERT. The trolley is not running. Please read....http://transit.metrokc.gov/tops/wfsc/waterfront_streetcar.html

 

Hi Fuzzzy -

 

Thanks for that! I was working at Cisco (across street from Space Needle) 2 summers ago when they said the trolley was going to be refurbished. Last summer when I worked at RealNetworks it was not there, but they have the neat free green busses on the waterfront to take their place. That works for me! Whatever will get me to the boat from the ferry is all I really care about.

 

But the trolley was cool!

 

Kim

[SeattleCruiser07]

So do you think people tend to board as early as possible? Would we expect less standing in line and waiting if we get there around 2-3 do you think?

 

Could someone that has done this trip in the last few weeks chime in?

 

Thanks!

:)

[Joy2Day]

Not recent experience, but I don't think that people's habits will have changed either. :-) Last year, we arrived at Terminal 30 around 2 pm. There was no line. We walked right up, checked in, through security and right to the ship.

[ladysheri]

SeattleCruiser...have not done this trip recently, but can give our experience from '05. Found these boards about a month before our cruise and just soaked up all the advice. The majority of what I read said to get to the pier around 10 or 10:30 and you could start checking in right away and be onboard the ship by 11ish. It was mentioned that the shuttles from the hotels and the airport arrived around 1-2 and that it was a zoo at those times. So, we had our friends drop us off around 10:30 and we only had to wait a very short time to check in and then maybe 10 minutes before they opened the gates to the security area. We were onboard and in our cabin by 11:15 am. Since we were on the ship so early, we had lots of time to eat lunch, explore, make Sabbatini's reservations, take pictures of the ship and watch from our balcony as all the busses arrived. The line snaked around outside the building at this point....which iirc, was around 2pm. Living in town, I was glad we went early....it felt like we got that whole day as a vacation day. I am doing the Sun this year in July and I plan to get there that early again. :D

[kymburley]

Last summer when I was working at RealNetworks I was taking the 9am ferry over to Seattle. So, I was walking the waterfront past the pier about 10:15 or so. It was a zoo at that time...

 

So, my decision is to miss that time frame and shoot for later in the afternoon. Or, maybe I'll give the porter my bags in the morning and then go to work (I work now on 1st & Marion) and save the day of vacation :D.

[landnsea]

Hello, we live in Seattle as well, have sailed out of pier 30 four times now, each time we arrived around 11:00 and were onboard around 11:30.

Enjoy your cruise.

 

John, Laura and Gaby

Seattle Wa.

[kymburley]

that even if there's a big line & lots of traffic that the port authority has a process that actually works so that we don't stand around forever? This is one of the reasons I love it here!

[Colo Cruiser]

Since I am not bound by airline, taxi or other considerations (I live in Seattle) what is the best time to arrive at the Port to board the Golden when we go on our Alaska cruise in June? I am sure this varies ... but I have never cruised out of my own home port and am just wondering what the likely best times are? Later in the day, closer to sailing time? It seems like a lot of folks try to get on as early as possible. I am totally flexible - my husband is going to drive the 2.5 miles to drop my mom, daughter and me off. I am more interested in avoiding long lines and standing around (with my 4-year-old) than in getting on the boat early or anything else. So, best time to board?

Thanks!

:)

SeattleCuiser07

 

 

I like to get there early. :)

[mii]

I am another one that likes to get to the cruiseport around 11 to 11:30a.m. No wait at all.

 

Marilyn