Seattle Q&A/FAQ

[jn99]

A few questions about parking at pier 30...

 

Is it relatively safe, i.e. are there many incinences of vandalism or theft in the lots?

Is it filthy? I know a car parked outside is going to get dirty but in such an industrial area I worry about serious dirt and contaminents sitting on my car for a week :eek: .

Lastly, are there other options nearby that are safer, cheaper, and/or covered?

 

We live in Redmond and are trying to decide if we should drive and park or book some kind of shuttle. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[CoolChile]

SCL/Karen, hi from kinda near by . . . I've been intermittantly looky-loo'ing at this incredibly valuable thread you started. DH and I adore visiting Seattle but most often it's by car. I have a couple of qx'ns that I'd rather ask you privately and I don't know if you have given out your e-address here (no idea how I'd search that). You're so darn bizzy answering just the qx'ns posed here; I could understand if you don't want to do the email thing, but I'll hope for the best.

 

Oh, and if you're ever in Victoria, Karen, I make the goshdarnest best Emerald City (that would be Seattle, for those who don't know) Martinis ever. And where did I learn how? Seattle, of course. :D

[SwimMom919396]

Karen,

my daughters and I will arrive in Seattle around noon, on the saturday before our cruise. We are staying at an airport hotel. We want to visit Pike's Market and don't know if it is better to just get a taxi (there and hope to find one back) or to find a bus stop (how good is the public transport system)? Any suggestions are appreciated.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Hi Karen-

I will be coming off the Amtrak train from Seattle at 10pm and heading to the Grand Hyatt. The next day we depart for home at 6:30pm. Some questions for you:

 

1. Should I pre-arrange a private transfer from the Amtrak station to the hotel?

 

2. We would like to take a small city tour in the morning to get a nice overview of the city. I am looking at two things, the Duck Tour (90 minutes) and Seattle Tour's three hour city tour. Which do you think is the better idea? Also, we would like to check out Pike Market and the Space Needle. Any suggestions including some lunch in between would be greatly appreciated.

 

3. What time should we leave to get to the airport?

 

Thanks in advance!

-Maren:D

 

There are plenty of taxis at the King Street Station when the Cascades train arrives. I wouldn't worry about a shuttle. They will not leave until everyone gets a cab.

 

The Duck Tour is a barrel of laughs, if you are into sit down comedy along with your sightseeing. The city tour pretty much just breezes by the highlights (well, so does the Duck, but at least you get some entertainment with it....:D )

 

Lunch.....across the street (directly) from the Space Needle is Sport Restaurant and Bar. A good blend of fusion and Northwest cuisine, moderatley priced. A couple of blocks from there between 4th & 5th Avs on Cedar is my favorite "biker bar"...the 5 Points Cafe. Looks divy both inside and out (with lots of characters inside), but their food is great and very moderately priced. At 1st & Cedar (between the Needle and the Market) is CJ's Cafe. Always crowded, but well worth the wait. JJ Putz (the closer for the Mariners) and some of his buds hang out there quite a bit.

 

 

If you need to be there at 4:30 for check in, and you do, I would gauge my leaving on several things: Leave no later than 2:30 no matter what you do, but push it up earlier than that if there is a Mariners home evening game on the date that you will be leaving (check the schedule at http://www.seattlemariners.com )

[SeattleCruiselover]

A few questions about parking at pier 30...

 

Is it relatively safe, i.e. are there many incinences of vandalism or theft in the lots?

Is it filthy? I know a car parked outside is going to get dirty but in such an industrial area I worry about serious dirt and contaminents sitting on my car for a week :eek: .

Lastly, are there other options nearby that are safer, cheaper, and/or covered?

 

We live in Redmond and are trying to decide if we should drive and park or book some kind of shuttle. Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

 

It's patrolled 24/7 (how much does that mean??? I haven't heard of a lot of theft/vandalism problems down there). Dirty? There are a lot of cargo ships in when the cruise ships are not in town, with the attendant trains and intermodal trucks going through, so you can pretty much assume that there will be dirt for sure.

 

If it was me, I'd leave the car on the other side of the lake and take a shuttle and you won't have to worry about whatever might land on it while you are gone.

[SeattleCruiselover]

SCL/Karen, hi from kinda near by . . . I've been intermittantly looky-loo'ing at this incredibly valuable thread you started. DH and I adore visiting Seattle but most often it's by car. I have a couple of qx'ns that I'd rather ask you privately and I don't know if you have given out your e-address here (no idea how I'd search that). You're so darn bizzy answering just the qx'ns posed here; I could understand if you don't want to do the email thing, but I'll hope for the best.

 

Oh, and if you're ever in Victoria, Karen, I make the goshdarnest best Emerald City (that would be Seattle, for those who don't know) Martinis ever. And where did I learn how? Seattle, of course. :D

 

My personal e-mail is kdaylyon1@msn.com (this has nothing to do with my business, moderators, it is for personal use only, OK???). Feel free to contact me at any time.

 

Chile, we will be in Victoria on the evening of 19 Sep 08, though neither of us drink).

[SeattleCruiselover]

Karen,

my daughters and I will arrive in Seattle around noon, on the saturday before our cruise. We are staying at an airport hotel. We want to visit Pike's Market and don't know if it is better to just get a taxi (there and hope to find one back) or to find a bus stop (how good is the public transport system)? Any suggestions are appreciated.

\

 

Again, if it is me, I would take the bus up from the airport. The 194 Express bus leaves from the baggage claim area (of course, this doesn't work if you are staying anywhere other than VERY close to the airport) and goes straight downtown on the freeway. There are buses that run close to a good many of the airport hotels. You can plan schedules/trips here (assuming you can get the address of your hotel. For the end point, all you need to put is 1st and Pike).

 

http://transit.metrokc.gov

[SwimMom919396]

Karen, thanks for info and the link!

[SeattleCruiselover]

Karen, thanks for info and the link!

 

You're welcome. Let me know if there is anything else that you need.

[swimmer722]

Seattlecruiselover-

I have been trying to get a downtown 2 1/2 star holiday through priceline for my parents for July 10 and am not having much luck. I am considering getting something near the airport, since they do not arrive until 6:00 p.m or so. My concern is that there will not be a place for them to eat, except in the hotel restaurant. Do you have any advice on that? Since they are going to need transportation from the airport to the hotel, and then from the hotel to the pier, I'm wondering if there might be another area of town that would work for them (based on pricelines area map.)

 

Any advice you can provide would be so great. Thanks so much for taking time to answer all these questions.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Seattlecruiselover-

I have been trying to get a downtown 2 1/2 star holiday through priceline for my parents for July 10 and am not having much luck. I am considering getting something near the airport, since they do not arrive until 6:00 p.m or so. My concern is that there will not be a place for them to eat, except in the hotel restaurant. Do you have any advice on that? Since they are going to need transportation from the airport to the hotel, and then from the hotel to the pier, I'm wondering if there might be another area of town that would work for them (based on pricelines area map.)

 

Any advice you can provide would be so great. Thanks so much for taking time to answer all these questions.

 

 

A few questions first:

What cruise line will they be sailing on (so I know which terminal they will be leaving from)

Are they coming alone, or will you be with them

Do they have any special needs (i.e. wheelchair, hearing impaired, et cetera)

[clearlakecruisers]

SeattleCruiselover,

Just reserved the downtown Seattle Sheraton for a one-night stay in June pre-cruise. There are four of us arriving about noon on a Friday and I'm wondering what the best options are for transportation from SeaTac to the hotel.

 

Thanks.

 

P.S. How is the Sheraton?

[Lois R]

SeattleCruiselover,

Just reserved the downtown Seattle Sheraton for a one-night stay in June pre-cruise. There are four of us arriving about noon on a Friday and I'm wondering what the best options are for transportation from SeaTac to the hotel.

 

Thanks.

 

P.S. How is the Sheraton?

 

Hi, Sheraton is nice and I believe Karen mentioned on another

thread somewhere it has been recently refurbished too:) :D

I have been to Seattle twice.....there are cabs all around

after you get your baggage. I used a Limo service the first

time....50.00 door to door and they had a sign with my last

name on it too:) nice being greeted in a new city!!!

I stayed near the Sheraton at the Renassiance so its probably

on or around the same price if you choose the limo route.

A cab would be near the same price but of course the

limo was much nicer;)

[wrp96]

Lois, what limo company did you use?

[Lois R]

Hi,:) I actually called the City Concierge of Seattle. They were

absolutely fabulous in helping me out:)

If you want, this evening I can find the information and post

it here. Or you can go online and they are listed on there too.

The gals who work in that office are outstanding:D. They have

companies they use and I think it might have been

"Executive Car" or something like that...its been 2 years

so I cannot remember exactly. It was worth every penney though.

I arrived at 11:00pm:eek: and it was sooooo nice having someone

waiting for me!:)

Kudos to them!!!!!:)

[Lois R]

Hi, click on this link:

http://www.visitseattle.org/visitors/ccc.asp

 

There is a phone number to the City Conceirge Desk.

I spoke with 2 different gals and BOTH were friendly, helpful

and I felt very welcomed:)

They are the ones who called the Limo service and actually

set it up for me.:D

[SeattleCruiselover]

Probably Executive Town Car. They are one of the most popular.

[Lois R]

Probably Executive Town Car. They are one of the most popular.

 

Hi Karen, that sounds right:)

 

I have to give you and your city Kudos for some wonderful

hospitality:)

[nanner1]

would like suggestions for hotels in Seattle.

First time to Seattle. We arrive late Fri. nite (7/25) and our ship departs on Sunday.

We arrive back to Seattle on Sat. and our flight leaves around 8am on Monday.

We would like to sightsee; but have no idea where to stay. I would imagine we'd want to be fairly close or have easy access to the airport for our return tip home.

Do you have hotel suggestions? (mid-level or lower range...3* rating out of 5)

Places to see?

thanks

n

[oceanbreeze50]

In checking out hotels, I have found two very close to the waterfront. Inn at Harbor Steps and The Alexis. Anyone have any ideas on which is the best??!!

[SeattleCruiselover]

would like suggestions for hotels in Seattle.

First time to Seattle. We arrive late Fri. nite (7/25) and our ship departs on Sunday.

We arrive back to Seattle on Sat. and our flight leaves around 8am on Monday.

We would like to sightsee; but have no idea where to stay. I would imagine we'd want to be fairly close or have easy access to the airport for our return tip home.

Do you have hotel suggestions? (mid-level or lower range...3* rating out of 5)

Places to see?

thanks

n

 

nanner: price range and number of people?

[SeattleCruiselover]

In checking out hotels, I have found two very close to the waterfront. Inn at Harbor Steps and The Alexis. Anyone have any ideas on which is the best??!!

 

The Inn at Harbor Steps is actually part of an apartment complex, and the Alexis is a boutique hotel. I believe price-wise the Inn at Harbor Steps might be a bit more reasonable. Other than that, they are fairly close together and fairly comparable in quality.

[kk-l]

Thank you Karen for all your insights and information about Seattle. I've heard there are tours of Pikes Market, do you know anything about them and do you have any recommendations?

[swimmer722]

A few questions first:

What cruise line will they be sailing on (so I know which terminal they will be leaving from)

Are they coming alone, or will you be with them

Do they have any special needs (i.e. wheelchair, hearing impaired, et cetera)

 

Seattlecruiselover-

They are going on Celebrity, so i think that is pier 66. They are traveling with another couple, but we are not going. I just want all the details to be worked out ahead and for it to be NO TROUBLE at all to get to the hotel, eat and leave for the ship the next day. They tend to get a little anxious with details and they don't travel a whole lot. They really don't have any special needs and are able to get around walking fairly well. Since I'm having such a hard time finding something downtown, I thought I would just try a different area. It would also be great to have a hotel with breakfast included. I was thinking like a Homewood Suites, Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn, etc. I would like to use priceline if possible.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Thank you Karen for all your insights and information about Seattle. I've heard there are tours of Pikes Market, do you know anything about them and do you have any recommendations?

 

Here's the info on the tours:

 

http://www.pikeplacemarket.org/frameset.asp?flash=true

 

Reserve early, they fill up very quickly.

 

There is also a private tour vendor that offers a lunch tour, but I don't have their name with me here at work. If you are interested, let me know and I will dig it up for you this evening.