Seattle Q&A/FAQ

[lindanick]

Hi Karen, its me again loaded with questions.

1. What about the Warwick?

2. I saw that on the airporter it would cost $11 for a one way fare?

3. Is is a long walk to all attractions?

4. Does the trolly work for us?

5. We are leaving on a Princess ship and was wondering how to get to the ship from the Warwick.

 

Thanks for your help. WE ALL appreciate it. If I can ever help you with Ft. Lauderdale, just let me know.

 

Linda

[SeattleCruiselover]

Hi Karen, its me again loaded with questions.

1. What about the Warwick?

2. I saw that on the airporter it would cost $11 for a one way fare?

3. Is is a long walk to all attractions?

4. Does the trolly work for us?

5. We are leaving on a Princess ship and was wondering how to get to the ship from the Warwick.

 

Thanks for your help. WE ALL appreciate it. If I can ever help you with Ft. Lauderdale, just let me know.

 

Linda

 

The Warwick is a nice hotel. Walking distance to the Market (about four blocks west and three blocks south); the Space Needle (about 1.25 miles); within the free ride zone for Pioneer Square (catch a 15, 18, 21, 22, 56 local, or 57 on 1st Av by the Market and get off at 1st and Yesler).

 

Yes, $11.00 per person one way for the Airporter, and it stops right at the Warwick.

 

The streetcar is about four blocks east on Westlake Av. It only runs between Lake Union and downtown, so unlikely that you would need it unless you are going to the lake or one of the restaurants up here by the lake.

 

Taxi from the hotel to Terminal 30. Should be about $10-15 for two pax, including fuel surcharge ($2.00 today, who knows how much tomorrow), excluding gratuity.

 

I tend to avoid FL like the plague, unless it is late fall to early spring. I'm not much of a 90 degree, 90% humidity type person any more. Though I might break down and come back for a visit sometime (or a cruise) and, if I do, you might just hear from me.....:p

[Coconet]

Sunday the 27th? No, should not be a problem at all.

 

Sunday the 3rd? Traffic will be affected mostly coming INTO town, so should not be a problem then, either.

 

Opps...would help to know which Sunday! :rolleyes: Yes, the 3rd...thanks for the info and all the advice on this thread! We leave in a week and a half and can't wait!

 

Kathy

[dorijo]

Hi Karen,

Thanks so much for your help and taking the worries away about visiting downtown..If you ever get to floridas west coast (naples) I'd be glad to help you out too. As for the Blue Angels we have them here in Fl also..Great show!

Kathy, we have 1 1/2 weeks to go too. All packed and ready to go on the Golden Princess.

We are getting so much rain here in Fl the last few days (never stops) I am just hoping to get all the rain over here and in two weeks while in Alaska trade for some Fl sunshine up there.

 

Doris

[lindanick]

Thanks Karen, I appreciate the feed back. We finally made up our minds and we are staying at the Warwick.

I fully understand about our humitiy. Thats why I relish in air conditioned houses.

The best time to cruise is Nov thru Apr. Usually no hurricanes out there at that time. We are watching a wave of them coming in off the African coast.:eek: :eek:

Linda

[SeattleCruiselover]

Thanks Karen, I appreciate the feed back. We finally made up our minds and we are staying at the Warwick.

 

I fully understand about our humitiy. Thats why I relish in air conditioned houses.

 

The best time to cruise is Nov thru Apr. Usually no hurricanes out there at that time. We are watching a wave of them coming in off the African coast.:eek: :eek:

 

Linda

 

Yep. Did way too many of the hurricanes and tornadoes in my youth. Why I avoid that part of the country in the late spring, summer and early fall.

[Hogladyrider]

Karen I am sure you have covered this earlier but I am too lazy to go thru 60 pages of posts and when I did a thread search I did not find what I was looking for!

 

We are sailing Carnival Spirit May 2009 out of Vancouver but we are spending Tues night before the cruise in Seattle - we are taking the Carnival transfer bus onto Vancouver Wed morning which departs the airport at 11 am.

 

With all that being said, I would like to stay at the airport and travel downtown for Tuesday sightseeing, can your recommend a mid priced hotel at the airport?

 

I have the Seattle Visitors Guide and the two that caught my eye were Best Western Airport Executive and Comfort Inn & Suites @ Sea Trac.

 

I will be traveling with m 80 year old mom and I am your age.

 

Other than the Space Needle what do you recommend as "MUST SEE" for first time Seattle visitors.

 

Feel free to e-mail me directly if you prefer susanand@gmail.com

 

Thanks!

Susan

[SeattleCruiselover]

Karen I am sure you have covered this earlier but I am too lazy to go thru 60 pages of posts and when I did a thread search I did not find what I was looking for!

 

We are sailing Carnival Spirit May 2009 out of Vancouver but we are spending Tues night before the cruise in Seattle - we are taking the Carnival transfer bus onto Vancouver Wed morning which departs the airport at 11 am.

 

With all that being said, I would like to stay at the airport and travel downtown for Tuesday sightseeing, can your recommend a mid priced hotel at the airport?

 

I have the Seattle Visitors Guide and the two that caught my eye were Best Western Airport Executive and Comfort Inn & Suites @ Sea Trac.

 

I will be traveling with m 80 year old mom and I am your age.

 

Other than the Space Needle what do you recommend as "MUST SEE" for first time Seattle visitors.

 

Feel free to e-mail me directly if you prefer susanand@gmail.com

 

Thanks!

Susan

 

Susan: My mid-price may be different than yours, but let's just say that I am talking in the $100-150 range for mid-price in season, and know that prices may change by May of 09:

 

Fairfield Inn SEA-Tac, Holiday Inn Express (which is right across the street from the airport), Courtyard by Marriott SEA-Tac are in that price range.

 

Since you are only going to have part of that one day, sightseeing is going to be a pick your priority type of "deal." I, personally, don't recommend the Space Needle to anyone, but that is just me, because I find it totally unimpressive. If you need to see Seattle from up high, go up to the observation level of the Columbia Tower. It is higher than the Needle and the ladies room on the top floor is not to be missed (great views out the windows).

 

The Market is a "need to see," but they are only open from 10 in the morning to 5 in the evening during the week, so you need to keep that in mind when planning.

 

If you have the time, the Underground Tour is interesting and informative. But, if mom is in her 80's and has bad knees or any other kind of difficulties with sustained walking and standing, it might be better to give it a miss. I've got a bad knee and all of the stair climbing and descending can be a little trying for those with that problem.

 

LIke marine mammals and fish? Visit the newly renovated Aquarium.

 

Like aircraft and history? Visit the Boeing Museum of Flight, which is about 7 miles north of the airport.

[regnurtz]

Thanks again Karen. We seem to have alot in common. I am also an RN in my 50's, love to cruise, and my maiden names was Day! Anyway, I booked Mr Singh and he charges $65 for an SUV from the airport to the Westin. We will take the grayline back to the airport since our flight leaves @ 4:15pm. I have another question for you....I am used to cruising from Florida or NJ where there really are relatively short lines when boarding. We usually arrive at the terminals around 11:00 and are on the ship by noon. From what I've read, it sounds like Seattle is a bit of a nightmare. We are cruising Celebrity from Pier 66. What are your recommendations for boarding?

[SeattleCruiselover]

Thanks again Karen. We seem to have alot in common. I am also an RN in my 50's, love to cruise, and my maiden names was Day! Anyway, I booked Mr Singh and he charges $65 for an SUV from the airport to the Westin. We will take the grayline back to the airport since our flight leaves @ 4:15pm. I have another question for you....I am used to cruising from Florida or NJ where there really are relatively short lines when boarding. We usually arrive at the terminals around 11:00 and are on the ship by noon. From what I've read, it sounds like Seattle is a bit of a nightmare. We are cruising Celebrity from Pier 66. What are your recommendations for boarding?

 

Wow...maybe we are related. While my branch of the Day family originated in OK/MO, there are quite a few of them in the northeast corridor.

 

It's rather better to embark at Pier 66 than it is at Terminal 30. Pier 66 services only one ship per day, and the crew that runs the embarkation/disembarkation for X is a LOT better than the ones that run things down at Terminal 30 (and I don't just say that because I was one of them last year, it's really true). They generally start check in about 10:30 and boarding at about 11:15 to 11:30. The lines start backing up at about 12:00 at the latest, and about 11:00 at the earliest. If you are there a bit earlier than 11:00 it should be relatively painless.

[ManhattanCruiser]

What a great thread! Nice to have all this info in one place!

 

Here's MY question:

 

I'll be staying at Sleep Inn Seatac on a Friday night (Sept. 5) and will need to get to the Golden Princess' pier Saturday morning.

 

I called sleep in and they said there's a shuttle for $12 per person... but would a cab to the pier (for two) be less than $24? Here in NY cabs don't charge per person, so sometimes it can end up cheaper, and without other stops along the way.

 

So...

 

1. how much would you estimate a cab would be from Sleep Inn Seatac to the pier?

 

2. Is there another shuttle service you would recommend?

 

3. Does one really need to make reservations for the shuttle?

 

Thanks for all the great info!

[SeattleCruiselover]

What a great thread! Nice to have all this info in one place!

 

Here's MY question:

 

I'll be staying at Sleep Inn Seatac on a Friday night (Sept. 5) and will need to get to the Golden Princess' pier Saturday morning.

 

I called sleep in and they said there's a shuttle for $12 per person... but would a cab to the pier (for two) be less than $24? Here in NY cabs don't charge per person, so sometimes it can end up cheaper, and without other stops along the way.

 

So...

 

1. how much would you estimate a cab would be from Sleep Inn Seatac to the pier?

 

2. Is there another shuttle service you would recommend?

 

3. Does one really need to make reservations for the shuttle?

 

Thanks for all the great info!

 

$35-40 for two pax, including fuel surcharge, excluding gratuity.

 

I would go with the cruise express, which you can do for $18.00 per person one way. You certainly don't HAVE to pre-reserve, but those who walk up pax stand the chance of waiting around for quite a while if a particular bus is filled with pre-reserved pax.

 

http://www.graylineseattle.com/cruiseexpress1.cfm

 

You can also use Shuttle Express, but they will be more expensive.

 

http://www.shuttleexpress.com

[ManhattanCruiser]

Thanks cruiselover... so I assume the $12 shuttle the sleep inn employee mentioned is a myth, huh? Come to think of it, it may have been the Skyway Inn. I was deciding between those two.

 

Nevertheless, the prices you mentioned sound fine too. I just try to save as much on both ends of the cruise so I can spend onboard. :)

[SeattleCruiselover]

Thanks cruiselover... so I assume the $12 shuttle the sleep inn employee mentioned is a myth, huh? Come to think of it, it may have been the Skyway Inn. I was deciding between those two.

 

Nevertheless, the prices you mentioned sound fine too. I just try to save as much on both ends of the cruise so I can spend onboard. :)

 

There IS a shuttle service that charges $12 per person from some of the airport hotels. Problem is, it is so new that I can't remember its name off the top of my head (though know that it is in this thread somewhere), and it is so new that I wouldn't feel comfortable commenting on it more than to say that it exists, because I have no experience of it as I do the others....

[elzapato]

Karen, do the taxis in Seattle charge a flat fee for the first two pax and then extra for each person after that? Do you know how much they would charge for four people from SEATAC to Pioneer Square? Thanks! I hope you discover VERY short lines if you go check out Terminal 30 this weekend:p

[Hogladyrider]

Susan: My mid-price may be different than yours, but let's just say that I am talking in the $100-150 range for mid-price in season, and know that prices may change by May of 09:

 

Fairfield Inn SEA-Tac, Holiday Inn Express (which is right across the street from the airport), Courtyard by Marriott SEA-Tac are in that price range.

 

Since you are only going to have part of that one day, sightseeing is going to be a pick your priority type of "deal." I, personally, don't recommend the Space Needle to anyone, but that is just me, because I find it totally unimpressive. If you need to see Seattle from up high, go up to the observation level of the Columbia Tower. It is higher than the Needle and the ladies room on the top floor is not to be missed (great views out the windows).

 

The Market is a "need to see," but they are only open from 10 in the morning to 5 in the evening during the week, so you need to keep that in mind when planning.

 

If you have the time, the Underground Tour is interesting and informative. But, if mom is in her 80's and has bad knees or any other kind of difficulties with sustained walking and standing, it might be better to give it a miss. I've got a bad knee and all of the stair climbing and descending can be a little trying for those with that problem.

 

LIke marine mammals and fish? Visit the newly renovated Aquarium.

 

Like aircraft and history? Visit the Boeing Museum of Flight, which is about 7 miles north of the airport.

 

Thanks Karen, for the great information, just what I was looking for.

 

Believe it or not mom has no problems walking, she walks 18 holes of golf, works out at the gym 3x a week, its dear daughter (56) who has the bad knees!

 

I really appreciate the info on the Space Needle, I was looking at their web site and thought it would be neat to eat at the top until I looked at the menu and prices, even if the food does have to be brought up via elevator!

 

I am sure we will find something to do. GOOD coffee will be a must as we are BOTH avid coffee drinkers.

 

We both prefer outside activities, my mom is really into walking tours etc.

 

I got my Seattle Visitors Guide and I was really disappointed in the information and quality of the guide.

 

What would you suggest as the best mode of transportation to and from the airport to downtown, is there a bus line that runs or any other form of public transportation, like and on and off trolley etc.

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Susan

[SeattleCruiselover]

Karen, do the taxis in Seattle charge a flat fee for the first two pax and then extra for each person after that? Do you know how much they would charge for four people from SEATAC to Pioneer Square? Thanks! I hope you discover VERY short lines if you go check out Terminal 30 this weekend:p

 

About $35 for two pax, with additional $2.50 for each additional. Including fuel surcharge, but excluding gratuities.

 

Me, too....I'm going to stay and watch for a few hours to see the ebb and flow if I can.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Thanks Karen, for the great information, just what I was looking for.

 

Believe it or not mom has no problems walking, she walks 18 holes of golf, works out at the gym 3x a week, its dear daughter (56) who has the bad knees!

 

I really appreciate the info on the Space Needle, I was looking at their web site and thought it would be neat to eat at the top until I looked at the menu and prices, even if the food does have to be brought up via elevator!

 

I am sure we will find something to do. GOOD coffee will be a must as we are BOTH avid coffee drinkers.

 

We both prefer outside activities, my mom is really into walking tours etc.

 

I got my Seattle Visitors Guide and I was really disappointed in the information and quality of the guide.

 

What would you suggest as the best mode of transportation to and from the airport to downtown, is there a bus line that runs or any other form of public transportation, like and on and off trolley etc.

 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Susan

 

There is plenty of good coffee in Seattle, though I recommend avoiding Charbucks unless you particularly like the flavor of burned coffee.

 

The bus is the most economical way to get from the airport to downtown. Catch the 194 Express (make sure that it says Seattle/Downtown on the front, not Federal Way). Cost $2 to $2.50 per person one way, depending on time of day and day of week. Takes about 30-45 minutes to get downtown. The 174 does the same trip, but is local, so takes about twice as long. Once downtown, you can transfer to another bus PRN to get you where ever you want to go.

 

For some reason, some of the local tourist guides aren't all that great with details, I will admit. I'm still working on my book. I'll send you a copy when it is finished.....*smiles*

[Sea Fan]

 

For some reason, some of the local tourist guides aren't all that great with details, I will admit. I'm still working on my book. I'll send you a copy when it is finished.....*smiles*

 

 

Karen, you can add me to that list for your book when you finish it! You are just a wealth of information.

Dianne

[enymarsh]

 

Me, too....I'm going to stay and watch for a few hours to see the ebb and flow if I can.

 

Also a fan here... what a wonderful source you are!! Thank you! Many thanks for taking the time to report back to us about what you find at pier 30. I will wait to hear about when exactly the lines get long.

[CatServants]

SeattleCruiseLover - Long time no read. I miss our old PVSA thread. It was the most informed thread ever! You rock!!!!

 

 

My DH and I (and my nephew, brother, and sil) have all booked an RCCL (our first on RCCL) Alaska cruise, RT Vancouver, for June 2009. We're undecided as to whether we should fly into Seattle and drive/find transport to Vancouver, or fly into Vancouver.

 

What do you guys think? I appreciate all opinions!

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

[tam308]

I, personally, don't recommend the Space Needle to anyone, but that is just me, because I find it totally unimpressive. If you need to see Seattle from up high, go up to the observation level of the Columbia Tower. It is higher than the Needle and the ladies room on the top floor is not to be missed (great views out the windows).

 

 

Karen,

Can you compare the Columbia Tower and the Smith Tower? In your opinion which one has better views? I think I read somewhere that Smith has panoramic views and that Columbia is not panoramic, but is much higher. I found a coupon for a discount to the Smith Tower on visitseattle dot org. Do you know if both places are open on the weekend?

Thanks,

Tamara

[crimmper]

Hi Karen,

Thinking about a bite to eat at the Gordon Biersch Brewing Co before the Torchlight parade. Any comments regarding this establishment? How far is it from the Sheraton downtown?

 

Should be a hectic day. Get into Seattle at 3pm. BIL picking us up at airport, then driving us to Sheraton downtown. Check-in. Change clothes. Go eat. Attend parade. All this while functioning on East coast time.

[SeattleCruiselover]

SeattleCruiseLover - Long time no read. I miss our old PVSA thread. It was the most informed thread ever! You rock!!!!

 

 

My DH and I (and my nephew, brother, and sil) have all booked an RCCL (our first on RCCL) Alaska cruise, RT Vancouver, for June 2009. We're undecided as to whether we should fly into Seattle and drive/find transport to Vancouver, or fly into Vancouver.

 

What do you guys think? I appreciate all opinions!

 

Happy cruising!

 

Denise

 

You will find it considerably cheaper to fly into SEA and then take the train to YVR (if you come in a day early, of course), must more relaxing and not at all expensive. Perhaps the only advantage to flying into YVR is the US Direct program, but, if you take the train, you won't be greatly inconvenienced by Customs anyway.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Karen,

Can you compare the Columbia Tower and the Smith Tower? In your opinion which one has better views? I think I read somewhere that Smith has panoramic views and that Columbia is not panoramic, but is much higher. I found a coupon for a discount to the Smith Tower on visitseattle dot org. Do you know if both places are open on the weekend?

Thanks,

Tamara

 

Columbia Tower is NOT open on the weekend. It is 72 stories, compared to Smith's 52 (though it is not as tall as a contemporary 50 story building, more like 35-40 by today's standards). Columbia's views are more westwardly directed, but you can get more of a view from Smith.