Seattle Q&A/FAQ

[Tenn4ever]

Two weeks to go and you aren't packed yet? I'm not going for three months and I've got some stuff packed already......:rolleyes:

 

 

Maybe we're not on the same cruise as wrp96. Our cruise is the 30th. I've got things piled all over the bedroom and the luggage standing ready. Dh keeps asking why we have to keep the luggage sitting out. :D

[neecee23]

I apologized if these questions have been asked before:

 

- what pier will the NCL be dock at ? we will be on the Pearl on 6/29

- we will be flying in a day in advance, where do you suggest that we stay at ? how do we get to the pier ? do you suggest we rent a car ? we will be travelling with our 12 yo son.

 

Thank you so much for your help.

We booked a room at the Radisson SeaTac through their website with a AAA discount for about $110 plus tax. We are two adults and 11Yo. We are arriving late and won't be able to sight see, so it seemed easier (and cheaper), to stay near the airport. We also took the advice of others on this thread and booked J&S Towncar to take us to the pier. There are 5 of us total so we are using their SUV to get to the pier for about $65. They have a towncar that is about $45.You could also take a taxi or there is a shuttle service from south Seattle called Seattle Express that has regularly scheduled trips from certain Seatac hotels to the pier for $10 per passenger.

[Lois R]

We booked a room at the Radisson SeaTac through their website with a AAA discount for about $110 plus tax. We are two adults and 11Yo. We are arriving late and won't be able to sight see, so it seemed easier (and cheaper), to stay near the airport. We also took the advice of others on this thread and booked J&S Towncar to take us to the pier. There are 5 of us total so we are using their SUV to get to the pier for about $65. They have a towncar that is about $45.You could also take a taxi or there is a shuttle service from south Seattle called Seattle Express that has regularly scheduled trips from certain Seatac hotels to the pier for $10 per passenger.

 

Hi:) I stayed at the Radisson Seatac back in October.

It was quite nice and they had a complimentary shuttle to

the hotel:)

[wrp96]

Maybe we're not on the same cruise as wrp96. Our cruise is the 30th. I've got things piled all over the bedroom and the luggage standing ready. Dh keeps asking why we have to keep the luggage sitting out. :D

 

Nope, I'm on the 23rd. And some people will never understand the importance of pre-packing.:p

[Preciousppw]

OK, I am very last minute as we are flying into Seattle tomorrow a.m., but just found your forum.

I would like to take your rec on springhill suites/priceline, is there a way to bid on a specific hotel, not just 2 star/3 star? We are booked at Courtyard at $170 & would like to save $. We don't need anything specific except convenient walking while in Seattle for 2 1/2 days before celebrity/infinity leaving on friday.

 

Also, we'd like to go to the gardens in Victoria-easiest/best way to do that?

thank you!

[mypleasure]

This is a most amazing thread. I just read all 34 pages (took me 2 days LOL) and would like to thank Karen for the valuable information she has provided.

 

I hope it is OK for me to ask some stuff that I just need to confirm and to get a recommendation or two.

 

My husband and I will be arriving in Seattle on 19th June at around 8PM from London Heathrow. We will probably be very tired as due to time differences it will be 4AM to us!

 

We have booked a room at the Crowne Plaza for two nights until our cruise leaves on 21st June. We plan to use either greyline or taxi depending on how we feel to get to the hotel where we will probably crash out.

 

Next day I have sightseeing thoughts. Firstly we would like to get some breakfast. Anywhere near the hotel or our first place of the day Pikes Place? Can we walk to Pikes Place from the hotel?

 

After Pikes we plan to do Space Needle and the Duck Tour. These are quite close to each other? What else in the vicinity?

 

Nest we want to do the Underground. Anything else we should do? or go back to hotel? Best way to get back?

 

Good restaurants in the $40-$50 price range near the Crowne Plaza for dinner? We eat anything but maybe would like seafood or steak.

 

Many thanks,

 

Jean

[more cruises]

Hi Preciousppw, I don't have any hotel advice for you but here's a link to an easy way to see the Butchart Gardens:

 

http://www.clippervacations.com/packages/victoriadaytripcombo. We've been to the gardens several times in the spring and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[lovingretirement]

I would like to know what you are paying for gas in Seattle at the present time. We are also spending some time in Vancouver, and would like to know the prices there. We plan to be in your area in two weeks. This will be our fourth trip, and we are anxiously awaiting!!! Many Thanks!!!

Ruby

[more cruises]

Hi Jean/mypleasure,

 

I did a google search for seattle breakfast and found Café Campagne at Pike Place Market. I'm pretty sure there's a nice bakery across the street from the market too.

 

I think yahoo.com maps is a good way to see how far everything is. I did the search from your hotel to pioneer square (underground tour) and it came up with .47 miles. While you're in Pioneer square notice the iron Pergola on the corner. It's a historic icon in Seattle. About 7 years ago a truck knocked it down. Big to-do in Seattle when it happened. My brother-in-law is the welder responsible for rebuilding it. He had to develop new ways to weld to get it back together. There should be some info on the rebuild there at the site. There are also some amazing art galleries in the area. My favorite is Katherine Person but Greg Kucera has some big name artists. Also Elliott Bay Books is in Pioneer Square. The coffee shop scenes in Frazier were modeled after this store.

 

Two ways to get around in the downtown area that you'll enjoy: there's a north/south bus tunnel running near 3rd ave. You can get on it I think at 3rd and yesler (if you're at Pioneer Square) and take it to Westlake Plaza. Go up inside the Plaza and take the monorail to the Seattle Center for the Space Needle. You can take any bus in the tunnel going in your direction and they're free. There's an exit for Pioneer square. The University exit is the closest to the Seattle Art Museum, Westlake exit is Macy's and Nordstroms.

 

See if any of these restaurants are in your price range: tomdouglas.com He's the most famous chef in Seattle. Your hotel will have suggestions for you as well.

[SeattleCruiselover]

OK, I am very last minute as we are flying into Seattle tomorrow a.m., but just found your forum.

I would like to take your rec on springhill suites/priceline, is there a way to bid on a specific hotel, not just 2 star/3 star? We are booked at Courtyard at $170 & would like to save $. We don't need anything specific except convenient walking while in Seattle for 2 1/2 days before celebrity/infinity leaving on friday.

 

Also, we'd like to go to the gardens in Victoria-easiest/best way to do that?

thank you!

 

To my knowledge, it is not possible to bid on a specific hotel. You have to bid the area and the number of stars and "take what you get" more or less from the way I understand it.

 

To get to Victoria from here, you take the Clipper (Victoria Clipper)

 

http://www.victoriaclipper.com

 

They have day trips to the Gardens. You will leave between 6 and 7 am usually and get back between 10-11 at night.

[SeattleCruiselover]

This is a most amazing thread. I just read all 34 pages (took me 2 days LOL) and would like to thank Karen for the valuable information she has provided.

 

I hope it is OK for me to ask some stuff that I just need to confirm and to get a recommendation or two.

 

My husband and I will be arriving in Seattle on 19th June at around 8PM from London Heathrow. We will probably be very tired as due to time differences it will be 4AM to us!

 

We have booked a room at the Crowne Plaza for two nights until our cruise leaves on 21st June. We plan to use either greyline or taxi depending on how we feel to get to the hotel where we will probably crash out.

 

Next day I have sightseeing thoughts. Firstly we would like to get some breakfast. Anywhere near the hotel or our first place of the day Pikes Place? Can we walk to Pikes Place from the hotel?

 

After Pikes we plan to do Space Needle and the Duck Tour. These are quite close to each other? What else in the vicinity?

 

Nest we want to do the Underground. Anything else we should do? or go back to hotel? Best way to get back?

 

Good restaurants in the $40-$50 price range near the Crowne Plaza for dinner? We eat anything but maybe would like seafood or steak.

 

Many thanks,

 

Jean

 

Crowne Plaza is up at 6th and Seneca. I recommend Lowell's at Pike Place Market for breakfast. You CAN walk, as it is downhill all the way. Go five blocks west to 1st Av, then about 4-5 blocks north to the Market at 1st and Pike.

 

When done at the Market, walk to Westlake Center at 5th & Pine (four blocks east and one block north), and take the monorail to Seattle Center. Space Needle is there, and the Duck Tour is across the street cater corner (directly across from McDonalds). Not much else touristy around there.

 

The underground Tour is in Pioneer Square. You are planning to make quite a day of it. From the area of Seattle Center, take the 3, 4, 16 or 66 bus down to 3rd Av and Pine or Pike, where you can again walk down (west) to 1st Av and catch any of the 15, 18, 21, 22, 56 or 57 buses and ask the driver to let you off at 1st and Yesler. The Underground Tour is on the Northeast corner of the intersection.

 

The best steakhouse in town is the Metropolitan Grill at 2nd and Seneca, which is about four blocks from your hotel. You will need to taxi back, though, because it is a VERY steep uphill from there.

[SeattleCruiselover]

I would like to know what you are paying for gas in Seattle at the present time. We are also spending some time in Vancouver, and would like to know the prices there. We plan to be in your area in two weeks. This will be our fourth trip, and we are anxiously awaiting!!! Many Thanks!!!

Ruby

 

About $3.50 for the low grade and up to $4.00 per gallon for the super high test here in Seattle. The gas in Vancouver is sold by the liter (i.e. you have about four liters per gallon) and is high, but I don't know the current cost.

[sunneesmile]

Two weeks to go and you aren't packed yet? I'm not going for three months and I've got some stuff packed already......:rolleyes:

 

:) Oh right Karen, if I had stuff packed already, I would not be able to concentrate. If that suitcase is packed, I sure as heck better be boarding a plane, train or bus to somewhere in the next 48 hours. 3 months and 29 days to go. So the suitcase will see some action in about 16 weeks. Of course, the closet in my back bedroom has already started receiving some of the "staging" items!

[mypleasure]

Thank You both for your input. Some great info for us to chew on.

 

I cannot say how much we are looking forward to this trip.

Neither of us has ever been stateside as we mostly travel in Asia and it will be our first time cruising.

 

we did do a cruise in the Galapagos Islands two years ago but that was very different!

 

warmest

 

Jean

[sunneesmile]

Karen,

 

Does Princess always depart and arrive from the same pier?

[sunneesmile]

OK, I am very last minute as we are flying into Seattle tomorrow a.m., but just found your forum.

I would like to take your rec on springhill suites/priceline, is there a way to bid on a specific hotel, not just 2 star/3 star? We are booked at Courtyard at $170 & would like to save $. We don't need anything specific except convenient walking while in Seattle for 2 1/2 days before celebrity/infinity leaving on friday.

 

Also, we'd like to go to the gardens in Victoria-easiest/best way to do that?

thank you!

 

We will be staying in Seattle On 9/11 and 9/12. Two weeks ago we bid through HOTWIRE for downtown 4 star and got the big Sheraton downtown for $110 per night. I have been told that these rooms go for more than $200 rack rate.

[RSWBADGER]

Karen,

 

Does Princess always depart and arrive from the same pier?

 

 

[sunneesmile]

I would like to know what you are paying for gas in Seattle at the present time. We are also spending some time in Vancouver, and would like to know the prices there. We plan to be in your area in two weeks. This will be our fourth trip, and we are anxiously awaiting!!! Many Thanks!!!

Ruby

 

This website will give you info on gas prices in most areas of Vancouver

http://www.vancouvergasprices.com/

 

This search will work will work for most major US and Canadian cities. Just type the city name and gas prices ex: seattlegasprices.com

[sunneesmile]

 

thanks Karen

[SeattleCruiselover]

:) Oh right Karen, if I had stuff packed already, I would not be able to concentrate. If that suitcase is packed, I sure as heck better be boarding a plane, train or bus to somewhere in the next 48 hours. 3 months and 29 days to go. So the suitcase will see some action in about 16 weeks. Of course, the closet in my back bedroom has already started receiving some of the "staging" items!

 

But you see, Teresa dear, I am a compulsive early packer. if I am not going to need or use it before the cruise, it goes in starting about three months or so early....before I forget that I was going to take it. If I waited until 48 hours before we get ready to go, I would be going either with the entire house or a totally empty bag....you'll see soon enough.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Thank You both for your input. Some great info for us to chew on.

 

I cannot say how much we are looking forward to this trip.

Neither of us has ever been stateside as we mostly travel in Asia and it will be our first time cruising.

 

we did do a cruise in the Galapagos Islands two years ago but that was very different!

 

warmest

 

Jean

 

Jean....this is my fifth to Alaska. You will love it.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Karen,

 

Does Princess always depart and arrive from the same pier?

 

Yes, always Terminal 30.

[lovingretirement]

Thanks Karen and Teresa!!! We were paying the same price in our area this morning. However, it went up to $3.75.9 this afternoon.

Ruby

[SeattleCruiselover]

Thanks Karen and Teresa!!! We were paying the same price in our area this morning. However, it went up to $3.75.9 this afternoon.

Ruby

 

Another thing that you need to know is that filling stations are very scarce on the ground anywhere near to downtown. You have to go out a ways from the core to find them, so don't be downtown and near to empty on gas.

[mypleasure]

We are on Norwegian Star June 21st from Pier 66. Staying at the Crowne Plaza.

 

What time should we plan to check-out and I assume a taxi, sorry I meant cab, will be the best way forwards from there.

 

There seems to be some debate over the best time to arrive at check-in and being an impatient soul I want to be on the ship as soon as is possible.

 

Jean the Brit