Our experience at Pier 91

[denisey]

Last week I as accused of fooling people into thinking the new Pier 91 will be easy, so I wanted to start this post with the caveat that I can only report on my experience, yours may be different.

 

A couple of notes:

 

1. We were on Holland America

2. We carried all our luggage on and off the ship.

 

This was, without a doubt, the quickest, least painful embarkation in the 14 cruises we've taken. I left my office in Bellevue (a suburb of Seattle) at 11 and took a city bus to my DH's office, chatted with the staff, went to the car and got the luggage, took a cab to the pier, checked in and was sitting in a seat by 12:15. It took 15 minutes from the time the cab dropped us off until we were in the waiting room, and the only reason it took that long was some name confusion (We're Denise and Dennis, it happens all the time)

 

When we got in the cab, the driver was surprised the pier was open, but took us right there. The fare from the downtown Hilton (also nearby, the Sheraton and Four Seasons) cost $14 without tip. There were lots of signs and traffic personnel on the pier.

 

We did have to wait in the waiting room until 2. They were sanitizing the ship from the Norovirus the week before. They had chairs set up, but they were full by 1pm. There were nice large restrooms. There is a little latte/hot dog stand on the Seattle side of the building, but they were really slow.

 

When they opened the ramp, there was some crowding, but that was because people weren't listening. We were to board by group number, and everyone tried to rush the doors when the opened. They have a PA system, but were not using it. Announcements that everyone can hear would help.

 

The check in area divides in two for when there are 2 ships, so that would cut down on the seating area and general room.

 

For disembarkation, I felt there was a lack of information on the ship from the HAL staff, and there was a delay in clearing the ship, but we were off using self assist by about 8:10. There were cabs waiting and the fare back to the Hilton was $13.50. I was back sitting at my desk in Bellevue by 9 AM.

 

Over all, if I didn't know this was a brand new pier, I would have never guessed it (except by the shiney paint!) Embarkation and Debarkation is never the most fun part of a trip (evil necessity), but I really didn't have any issues with the process.

 

I hope everyone has a great cruise and smooth sailing!

[Coolcruise02]

Thanks for the info!

[wrp96]

Thanks for the update from our guinea pig!:D

[SeattleCruiselover]

Last week I as accused of fooling people into thinking the new Pier 91 will be easy, so I wanted to start this post with the caveat that I can only report on my experience, yours may be different.

 

A couple of notes:

 

1. We were on Holland America

2. We carried all our luggage on and off the ship.

 

This was, without a doubt, the quickest, least painful embarkation in the 14 cruises we've taken. I left my office in Bellevue (a suburb of Seattle) at 11 and took a city bus to my DH's office, chatted with the staff, went to the car and got the luggage, took a cab to the pier, checked in and was sitting in a seat by 12:15. It took 15 minutes from the time the cab dropped us off until we were in the waiting room, and the only reason it took that long was some name confusion (We're Denise and Dennis, it happens all the time)

 

When we got in the cab, the driver was surprised the pier was open, but took us right there. The fare from the downtown Hilton (also nearby, the Sheraton and Four Seasons) cost $14 without tip. There were lots of signs and traffic personnel on the pier.

 

We did have to wait in the waiting room until 2. They were sanitizing the ship from the Norovirus the week before. They had chairs set up, but they were full by 1pm. There were nice large restrooms. There is a little latte/hot dog stand on the Seattle side of the building, but they were really slow.

 

When they opened the ramp, there was some crowding, but that was because people weren't listening. We were to board by group number, and everyone tried to rush the doors when the opened. They have a PA system, but were not using it. Announcements that everyone can hear would help.

 

The check in area divides in two for when there are 2 ships, so that would cut down on the seating area and general room.

 

For disembarkation, I felt there was a lack of information on the ship from the HAL staff, and there was a delay in clearing the ship, but we were off using self assist by about 8:10. There were cabs waiting and the fare back to the Hilton was $13.50. I was back sitting at my desk in Bellevue by 9 AM.

 

Over all, if I didn't know this was a brand new pier, I would have never guessed it (except by the shiney paint!) Embarkation and Debarkation is never the most fun part of a trip (evil necessity), but I really didn't have any issues with the process.

 

I hope everyone has a great cruise and smooth sailing!

 

If I had known it was a TA only sailing, I'd have tried to go along but didn't find out til too late (besides I'm too busy dealing with the paranoid well about their "swine flu" today......). It will be more telling in two weeks when they are trying to handle two ships at a time, and double the traffic, but good to know that it went well for the first trial run.

[denisey]

Thanks for the update from our guinea pig!:D

 

And they even served extra carrots for Guinea Pig cruise!

[redjoan]

Do you know if HA is offering Luggage Valet service at all on the Amsterdam from this port?

[naplesam]

Last week I as accused of fooling people into thinking the new Pier 91 will be easy, so I wanted to start this post with the caveat that I can only report on my experience, yours may be different.

 

quote]

 

I didn't doubt you one bit last week and even posted on another thread for people to check out your post! Facts are so much better than opinions! I doubt things will be perfect, but let's assume the glass is half full, not half empty!

[Sauvignon]

Last week I as accused of fooling people into thinking the new Pier 91 will be easy, so I wanted to start this post with the caveat that I can only report on my experience, yours may be different.

 

quote]

 

I didn't doubt you one bit last week and even posted on another thread for people to check out your post! Facts are so much better than opinions! I doubt things will be perfect, but let's assume the glass is half full, not half empty!

 

 

You are absolutely correct in your fact vs. opinion assertion. This whole Pier 91 debate played out on these boards over the last few months - whipping up a frenzy of confusion and worry has been an example of CC at its worst.

[sammamishcruiser]

My DH and I drove into Seattle last Tuesday to get pictures of the new pier. Guess What? My camera was not charged:eek::eek::mad:. So I will give my verbal impressions. It was a BEAUTIFUL day in Seattle and I would have got some nice pics too. We were at Smith Cove Park and in the parking lot of the Palisades, where I did manage to take ONE picture before things went terribly wrong:(. No need to post it, because someone posted the news link - from KING 5 news and they do a much better job than me LOL

 

It was very,very easy to find, lots of signs, actually a gobzillion of them. People should have NO problem finding there way to the pier. As you take the exit off the Magnoila bridge, down the ramp, to your right is a HUGE parking lot. They seem to have plenty of handicap spaces and spaces for what look like large vehicles, buses or maybe for people with RV's ?? Don't know, just a thought.

 

We could not really get close to the pier, they had the streets blocked off, for whatever reason.

 

Another note. We actually have 5 seasons here in the Seattle area. With the 5th one being construction season (now through September) so if you are renting a car ,please give yourself plenty of time EVERYWHERE and pack you patience. We thank you in advance;)

 

Happy cruising

Melody:D

[redjoan]

Would you know how long of a taxi ride that PIer would be from the Sheraton Downtown or the Fairmont?

[SeattleCruiselover]

Would you know how long of a taxi ride that PIer would be from the Sheraton Downtown or the Fairmont?

 

If you don't hit a lot of traffic (but you might because they have a bunch of streets between the two closed off at least partially for construction for the next several months) 15-20 minutes max. But, right now, could be 2-3 times that or more if you have to wait for heavy equipment and flag persons.

[Eaglecw]

Mapquest says it's about 3.07 miles and should take about 9 minutes to get there. I'd say more like 20 minutes. You never know what your going to run into in Seattle.

 

On a side note one of my employees was on the Amsterdam this weekend. He showed up at 9:30 this morning and I had to send him right out on a job so I didn't get to talk to him other than how was it, He said it was great, no problem at Pier 91. I'll find out more later.

[dunbawn]

Kind of off topic but it does have to do with traffic. Years a go on our Diamond Princess cruise whatever could go wrong did. Late leaving and late getting back to port. Long stories not needed here. When we were able to finally get off the ship the traffic around the port was unbelievable. People getting off the ship and people getting on at the same time. To top it of there were two games being played at the fields so all the traffic for that also. I remember it took us about 3 hours just to get to the highway from the port. I was just thankful we didn't have a flight to catch. Hopefully by September any confusion will be smoothed out. If not I don't mind just watching everyone going crazy.:D

Eileen

[SeattleCruiselover]

Kind of off topic but it does have to do with traffic. Years a go on our Diamond Princess cruise whatever could go wrong did. Late leaving and late getting back to port. Long stories not needed here. When we were able to finally get off the ship the traffic around the port was unbelievable. People getting off the ship and people getting on at the same time. To top it of there were two games being played at the fields so all the traffic for that also. I remember it took us about 3 hours just to get to the highway from the port. I was just thankful we didn't have a flight to catch. Hopefully by September any confusion will be smoothed out. If not I don't mind just watching everyone going crazy.:D

 

Eileen

 

Add to that both the street and freeway construction that's going on all summer.......then there will be the boring for the new tunnel to replace the Alaska Way viaduct (though I'm not exactly sure when that will be starting).

[FloridaAdGuy]

Thanks for reporting your Pier 91 experiences, Denisey! We'll be there in a couple of weeks, when both the Zaandam and Rhapsody of the Seas will be at Pier 91. This will jam over 4,000 folks into that area on a Friday afternoon. Any tips to ensure a less-than-chaotic experience?

[denisey]

Would you know how long of a taxi ride that PIer would be from the Sheraton Downtown or the Fairmont?

 

We caught our cab at the Downtown Hilton, which is just a couple of blocks from the Sheraton and it took us 10-15 minutes to get to the pier. It sure felt like we hit every single traffic light! Because it is all surface streets, it wouldn't take much to tangle things up.

[denisey]

Thanks for reporting your Pier 91 experiences, Denisey! We'll be there in a couple of weeks, when both the Zaandam and Rhapsody of the Seas will be at Pier 91. This will jam over 4,000 folks into that area on a Friday afternoon. Any tips to ensure a less-than-chaotic experience?

 

I think your best bet will be to pack some extra patience! It looks like the drop off point for both ships will be the same, so pay attention to where your ship is.

 

They did have tons of people directing both vehicle and foot traffic, so that should help.

 

I think it will be a similar experience to any embarkation (think Port Everglades) so plan on some standing in line.

[SeattleCruiselover]

We caught our cab at the Downtown Hilton, which is just a couple of blocks from the Sheraton and it took us 10-15 minutes to get to the pier. It sure felt like we hit every single traffic light! Because it is all surface streets, it wouldn't take much to tangle things up.

 

With Denney being down for roadwork for the next several weeks to months (probably the latter), that has thrown quite a wrench into the works for traffic in the Belltown, Seattle Center and into lower Queen Anne area, so keep that in mind.

[QuilterGirl]

My husband and I were also on the first cruise out of Pier 91 last weekend, on the Amsterdam. We didn't find it to be quite as smooth as previously described. We had been warned that due to the "super-sanitization" of the ship that would be occuring after it docked, we should arrive no earlier than 2 PM (instead of 1 PM as our cruise documents said). With that in mind, we arrived at the parking area about 2:30. That went very smoothly; there were lots of folks to help direct you and your car, and a van took us to the pier. Once dropped off at the terminal, there was some confusion, probably due to the lines already snaking out the terminal door; also probably because this cruise was filled with newbies (as it was a 3-night party cruise for many).

 

Because folks weren't allowed to board the ship in a timely manner, there was quite a stack-up of passengers in many lines. The WorldWide Shore Services folks working at the terminal kept having to ask passengers to curve their lines around so as to fit more people in, move closer together, etc. One line was to get into the building and through the embarkation photo; the next line was to get up the escalator and to the luggage/metal detector area; another line was for waiting to get to a desk and receive your cruise card and other paperwork. (An interesting feature was that your photo for ID purposes was taken at the check-in desk, not on the ship as you boarded for the first time.) After that was a line to board the ship. There weren't adequate chairs; there was nothing to eat or drink, and many had presumed they would be eating lunch on the ship ("we'll keep the buffet open for you") so were getting hungry and thirsty and testy. Some folks boarded, but there was no ongoing information about what the holdup was for the rest of us, or how long the wait might be. A representative finally called for "group 13" but none of us who were left had been given group numbers. We left the waiting room anyway and got in line to board the ship. Once we finally got on, it was already time for the lifeboat drill, so we had to go immediately to that. When that was over, the lunch buffet was closed. They did open the poolside grill; however, it was quickly overwhelmed with hungry people. The line moved at a snail's pace because the grill crew had to fix your hamburger or salad etc. for you - no self-serve of anything on this cruise due to health concerns. They did not seem to have this worked out in advance, as if this situation had never occurred before....there was only one dude to fix your hamburger etc. to your liking, and he couldn't begin to keep up with the demand.

 

So all in all, many passengers did not have a positive initial experience at Pier 91, but one must factor in the delays caused by the super-sanitization. My guess is that without that issue, it would have run amazingly smoothly for a first-time operation.

 

When the Amsterdam returned to Pier 91 on Monday morning, a large number of passengers had "expedited disembarkation" due to the fact that it was a short cruise and many folks lived in the local area and had little luggage. However, it didn't seem to occur to HAL that these cruisers would likely have parked in the nearby parking area. It took forever for a bus to appear to take us over there; meanwhile, the line for this shuttle was queuing up and having to be snaked around so others could exit the terminal. Once at the parking area, the departure went smoothly and quickly - I recommend doing the prepay option if possible.

 

Maybe HAL didn't have its bus fleet up to typical quantities due to the fact that the Amsterdam was next headed to the docks for a couple weeks of repair, and those buses were not going to be needed to shuttle passengers to a departing cruise later in the day??

[FloridaAdGuy]

My husband and I were also on the first cruise out of Pier 91 last weekend, on the Amsterdam. We didn't find it to be quite as smooth as previously described.

 

Thanks for your detailed perspective, QuilterGirl. I'd love to be optimistic about our upcoming Pier 91 experience but feel it will likely be closer to what you witnessed...even without a Code Red as there will be an additional ship boarding at the same time. :( We've only cruised out of well-established Florida and New York home ports before...I'm fearful leaving from a port that "is still working the kinks out" will be a complete train wreck.

[denisey]

Thanks for your detailed perspective, QuilterGirl. I'd love to be optimistic about our upcoming Pier 91 experience but feel it will likely be closer to what you witnessed...even without a Code Red as there will be an additional ship boarding at the same time. :( We've only cruised out of well-established Florida and New York home ports before...I'm fearful leaving from a port that "is still working the kinks out" will be a complete train wreck.

 

I dunno, I've embarked and debarked in Fort Lauderdale twice now (and how long have they been doing this?) and they were the most painful experiences of my cruising life.

 

Getting on and off the ship is never great fun!

[TwitchOR]

I'm driving up from Portland in June and will park at the terminal. Does anyone know the name of the parking lot? The Port of Seattle website recommends booking parking but the parking vendor has 25+ parking lots in Seattle and I have no way of knowing which one to book for.

 

Thanks for any help you can give.

[FloridaAdGuy]

I dunno, I've embarked and debarked in Fort Lauderdale twice now (and how long have they been doing this?) and they were the most painful experiences of my cruising life.

 

Getting on and off the ship is never great fun!

 

 

I've never gone out of Fort Lauderdale...just Miami and Jacksonville as far as Florida ports. You're right though...the "getting on" never goes fast enough and the "getting off" is just miserable. :(

[SeattleCruiselover]

I'm driving up from Portland in June and will park at the terminal. Does anyone know the name of the parking lot? The Port of Seattle website recommends booking parking but the parking vendor has 25+ parking lots in Seattle and I have no way of knowing which one to book for.

 

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

http://www.rpnw.com/seattle/cruise/default.asp

 

Terminal 91

[SeattleCruiselover]

I'm driving up from Portland in June and will park at the terminal. Does anyone know the name of the parking lot? The Port of Seattle website recommends booking parking but the parking vendor has 25+ parking lots in Seattle and I have no way of knowing which one to book for.

 

Thanks for any help you can give.

 

 

 

http://www.rpnw.com/seattle/cruise/default.asp

 

Terminal 91