redleader74

Excellent info everyone! Sounds like Seattle Express is the way to go. And also thank you for allaying my child/carseat etc. fears. She's like 45+ pounds now and I think 45" or so, and will be more by the time July rolls around so, the MiFold or similar shoudl be well more than enough. I just briefly checked Cedarbrook and my what a nice place. Seeing as we're flying in in the afternoon for the predeparture night, we'll probably stay near the airport as it's not enough time to have a meaningful stay in downtown Seattle and do the tourist thing (that'll need to be a completely separate trip). Once this segment of the trip is planned I can get down to the joy of picking which packages I want to order for the cruise (laundry? internet? drinks? etc. etc.)

Thanks! I just posted there as well. And yes, I checked out the HAL website and they do offer transfers on their coaches for a fee and that looks like a good bet.

We are first time cruisers and will be departing on 7/21 from Seattle on the Westderdam for an Alaska cruise. We are flying into Seattle from Oakland, CA, the day before departure and I’m trying to figure out logistics. Mainly, which hotel is best for the night before, in terms of proximity to cruise port, cruise port transportation, etc. In particular, we have a 5-year old that requires a car seat so transport like shuttle buses/coaches, would be preferred over private passenger vehicle/van since the later requires car seats. Thanks in advance for any suggestions/tips.

We are first time cruisers and will be departing on 7/21 from Seattle on the Westderdam for an Alaska cruise. We are flying into Seattle from Oakland, CA, the day before departure and I’m trying to figure out logistics. Mainly, which hotel is best for the night before, in terms of proximity to cruise port, cruise port transportation, etc. In particular, we have a 5-year old that requires a car seat so transport like shuttle buses/coaches, would be preferred over private passenger vehicle/van since the later requires car seats. Thanks in advance for any suggestions/tips.

Ok that sounds good too. Thanks!

Great! Thanks for the info. They're seniors so i need to help them with their luggage so maybe I park across the street or some other place and meet them at disembarcation on foot.

Greetings! My post isn't really about SF shore excursions etc., rather, my folks are returning from a Hawaii cruise this coming Monday and I will be picking them up from the SF cruise port (Pier 27). I dropped them off their as well but my guess is there's a bigger window for drop off than arrival/pickup. Does anyone here have experience with picking up, whether the pick up area is really packed or if we are allowed to wait in the parking lot for them? I'm not to sure at one time they will be coming off the ship. Thanks!

Ok great! thanks for the tip.

Everything sounds great! For these hotel shuttles, is it like a mini bus, or is it an actual car (sedan, SUV, minivan, etc.)? We have a 5 year old who is currently still using a car seat. So if it turns out that the shuttle service is using a car, then we'd need to bring along a car seat or booster (she's borderline booster territory now). But if it's more like a bus, where there are no seatbelts anyway, then we won't need to bring it. Thanks.

I have a question regarding HAL's Kids Club. I know the age range go from toddlers up to teens. For the smaller kids, is a parent required to stay with them or be allowed to stay with them? We're going to be on the Westerdam but my guess it might be same for all the ships. Thanks!

Great! Thanks for your fast and helpful response. I've got a few months here to do my research. I also need to figure out hotel in Seattle for the night before departure as well as transport to/from airport-hotel-cruise port.....

Greetings. So this will be our first time on Holland America and first time cruising ever. It'll be an Alaska cruise, departing on 7/21 from Seattle. The cruise is a gift from my folks and its going to be me, wife, 5-year old daughter and both sets of grandparents and my brother in law. My dad's the one doing all the booking since he's an experienced cruiser and he's booked us in room 4155 on the Westerdam. I have no idea where in the ship this is, is there a map or something that's available online that I can look this up? THANKS!

GREAT! thanks for all the helpful tips. Coincidentally, last, last Saturday I had to drop off my parents for their SF to Hawaii cruise at the San Francisco Cruise Port and just being amid all the cruisers and next to the ship I could feel the excitement. I have been watching a bunch of Youtube videos on HAL's Alaska cruises and on the ship we're going to be on at least to get an idea of what to expect.

Thanks everyone! I'm excited and daunted as I'm one of these super over the top preparers...to a fault 😕.

Nearly everyone I know has been on a cruise or multiple cruises. Finally my wife and I and our 5 year old daughter are going! We've talked about it countless times over many years but other trips always won out. This time, my parents (who've been to a number of cruises and love is treating all of us to a cruise. My dad has picked Holland America, 7-day cruise, departing out of Seattle on July 21st. It's so ironic that I've always been curious about cruises and very much attracted to "not having to packing up and move out of a hotel every 1-2 nights and food/drink around the clock" yet can't seem to prioritize it and now it's being "forced on us" ha ha ha. So I'm excited but also clueless as I have no idea what to pack, what to expect, etc.!