Seattle Hotel to Port Shuttle, help...please!

Hello! Search isn't working for me, so I need some quick advice. We are staying at the Hampton Inn at SEATAC the night before our Carnival Alaskan cruise. They have a shuttle service to the port that we can sign up for at $25 per person. I've recently found SEATTLE EXPRESS shuttle service that will pick up from that hotel, also. It's only $15 per person. Im just wondering if it's a legitimate service and looking for recent recommendations. Thanks so much!

Not to be confused with Shuttle Express but Seattle Express does seem to have good reviews and have been around 18+ years and started to service the cruise transfer business. They have partner arrangements with many hotels in the SeaTac airport area so are legitimate. Reading between the lines though I would expect many stops at the various hotels for pickups so it might not be real quick and they probably have a set schedule for runs to Pier 91. To the port might be OK but post-cruise to the airport might be better with taxi or Uber - especially if a tight flight. If later flight or staying over post-cruise then getting a round-trip ticket (no discount) would work and is required for drop at airport. They can't pickup at SeaTac so are mostly hotel based heading to the ship.

We have used Seattle Express and will use them again in July. We are also staying at the Hampton and have a 10 AM pick up. This shuttle company is excellent and reliable. Matt is the owner and very responsive to his customers. We will also take his shuttle to SeaTac at disembarkation just as we did last year. He has a shuttle running every 15 minutes, whether full or not, going to SeaTac. The fare is $15 per trip pp and you pay at the time of service. I can't recommend this shuttle company highly enough....excellent service!

Thank you! I so appreciate first hand knowledge and recommendations. The Seattle Express website requires a credit card. Is it possible to pay at the time of service rather than put it on our card now (6 months in advance?)

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First of all, you're very welcome. Secondly, I went in and looked at their (new) website. You are right about the credit card. The price has also gone up and there are now taxes and fees attached. It looks like we reserved at the right time (2-9-2017.) My guess is that Matt was making reservations for a lot of no shows and had to refine the system. I would still use their services as it is such a reliable company and their prices are competitive.

What I would want to know is when do they bill your credit card and what is the cancellation policy.

Just checked website again and the prices have not gone up, but there is a $2 charge added for taxes.

Seattle Express is a legit business - we used them last May to pick us up at the SeaTac Doubletree and take us to Pier 91. Good service, I would use them again.

Roz

To each their own, but we would book a town car.:)

To each their own, but we would book a town car.:)

The OP specifically asked about "SEATTLE EXPRESS shuttle service."

Not everyone has a town car budget.

Roz

Seattle Express is a legit business - we used them last May to pick us up at the SeaTac Doubletree and take us to Pier 91. Good service, I would use them again.

 

Roz

Hi Roz, We are staying at the DoubleTree by Hilton-Seattle Airport and looks like you also stayed here. Would you stay again? Thanks also for your advice on Seattle Express.

I've stayed at the Doubletree 3-4 times. They have an airport shuttle that runs every 20 minutes, except for a few hours during the night. Even then, if you call they'll pick you up. The hotel has a nice breakfast buffet (not included) as well as a restaurant and bar - decent food. There's also a Starbuck's and a nightclub on the top floor. There are a couple of places to eat within walking distance. For breakfast I usually walk a block to Dave's Diner, and there's a good Thai restaurant and bbq place across the street. Also a liquor store with a limited but adequate selection, if you don't need high end liquors and wines.

There are a lot of flight crews that stay at the Doubletree. I've met several when I've taken the 4:20 am :eek: or 4:40 am shuttle back over to SeaTac.

Roz

Thanks Roz. This is some great information to add to my EOS cruising notes.

There is a nice restaurant across the street from the DT called Sharp's Roasthouse. Very good food, ambiance and a nice Happy hour. We always stay at the Hampton Inn and walk over to Sharp's.

https://www.sharpsroasthouse.com/

shuttle express also does town cars

Hi Roz, We are staying at the DoubleTree by Hilton-Seattle Airport and looks like you also stayed here. Would you stay again? Thanks also for your advice on Seattle Express.

I'm not Roz, but we stayed there last year after our Alaskan cruise. We were very happy with the hotel. There was a problem with our original room, and they reacted quickly and upgraded our room as a result. It's a very large hotel so it's a long walk to the lobby, but the room was large, clean and well decorated. We ate in the restaurant which has a very limited menu, but the food and service were both very good. We'd definitely stay there again.

Not to be confused with Shuttle Express but Seattle Express does seem to have good reviews and have been around 18+ years and started to service the cruise transfer business. They have partner arrangements with many hotels in the SeaTac airport area so are legitimate. Reading between the lines though I would expect many stops at the various hotels for pickups so it might not be real quick and they probably have a set schedule for runs to Pier 91. To the port might be OK but post-cruise to the airport might be better with taxi or Uber - especially if a tight flight. If later flight or staying over post-cruise then getting a round-trip ticket (no discount) would work and is required for drop at airport. They can't pickup at SeaTac so are mostly hotel based heading to the ship.

I saw this and decided it was time to book my shuttle from hotel to Pier 91, it's the last thing I need to book. I went to Seattle Express and saw they have an agreement with the hotel I booked (unlike Shuttle Express). Take off $5 with Early Bird discount, it's $13.99pp, so I was ready to confirm it. But, you have to check that you agree with not only their 'Terms & Conditions' but ZOZI 'Terms & Conditions' as well - all 9 pages. Has anyone else had difficulty just saying 'OK, sure' Seattle Express/ZOZI, or did you have 2nd thoughts like me?

I'm not Roz, but we stayed there last year after our Alaskan cruise. We were very happy with the hotel. There was a problem with our original room, and they reacted quickly and upgraded our room as a result. It's a very large hotel so it's a long walk to the lobby, but the room was large, clean and well decorated. We ate in the restaurant which has a very limited menu, but the food and service were both very good. We'd definitely stay there again.

I concur with everything Fritz said.

Roz

I saw this and decided it was time to book my shuttle from hotel to Pier 91, it's the last thing I need to book. I went to Seattle Express and saw they have an agreement with the hotel I booked (unlike Shuttle Express). Take off $5 with Early Bird discount, it's $13.99pp, so I was ready to confirm it. But, you have to check that you agree with not only their 'Terms & Conditions' but ZOZI 'Terms & Conditions' as well - all 9 pages. Has anyone else had difficulty just saying 'OK, sure' Seattle Express/ZOZI, or did you have 2nd thoughts like me?

It's a shuttle service, don't worry about it. It's not like you're committing to mortgaging a house for 30 years. ;p

Roz

I concur with everything Fritz said.

 

Roz

One other thing that is nice about the DoubleTree is that Princess uses that hotel for some of their pre-cruise lodging. That means that if you have signed up for the Princess Shuttle from the airport to the pier, that you may be able to save going from the hotel back to the airport to catch the shuttle to the pier. It depends on how many people are being lodged at the DoubleTree on that particular day. The Princess people usually show up at the hotel about 7am and you can check in with them to see if they can accommodate you. Saves toting your bags onto a shuttle to the a/p and then off again if they can.

Tom

It's a shuttle service, don't worry about it. It's not like you're committing to mortgaging a house for 30 years. ;p

 

Roz

I was referring to their 9 pages of terms and conditions, where it read like they were not only going to own my personal info, but share it. Now that you mention it, it read like my last mortgage...however, I did book it.