Alaska disembarkation advice?

[elycelynne]

I'm asking on behalf of someone else, and I already posted this question on the "Alaska" board, but I thought I'd also get some HAL-specific feedback since this person will be sailing on the Oosterdam.

 

Could you give me your opinions on what you think is a reasonable time for a return flight from Seattle if the ship arrives at 7:00 a.m.? There's a stop in Victoria, BC the night before, which is the only "foreign port". Do passengers have to go through customs in Seattle?

 

Would you advise "not before noon", or could an earlier flight be a reasonable ("reasonable" as in "not having to count on all things going perfectly on schedule") option?

[GmaPajama]

I think sticking with the "never before noon" advice is good. The Seattle airport is not so close to the cruise port, like in Ft. Lauderdale and San Diego. And you always have to remember that 7:00 am arrival does not mean 7:00 am feet on land.

[sail7seas]

Sea Tac Airport can be VERY slow to work your way through.

There is no curb side luggage check in and it can be monstrous dragging one's luggage inside and long line to get it checked.

 

We then had a horridly long security line followed by tram we had to take to far out gate.........

 

Leave a lot of time.

You may be lucky and breeze through but you might not be so lucky, as we were not.

 

It is a large reason I may never return to again cruise Alaska. Our Sea Tac experience both arriving and departing was unpleasant for us.

[RonJoan]

We agree with GmaPajama, "Never before Noon" or thereabouts is a good idea! And, if you want to use the very popular and convenient "Luggage Direct" system for your luggage you are not permitted a flight departure before 11:30. We used that system this past summer and thought it was wonderful.

 

RonJoan

[jayisgerman]

We were on the Oosterdam to Alaska last year, in and out of Seattle. We assembled in the Queen's Lounge at about 7:45 AM to catch our tour. There was a line of people with their own bags lined up to exit the ship and they all seemed pretty antsy. If I recall accurately, it was just about 8:00 AM when they started racing off the ship.

 

After leaving, yes - you need to clear immigration and customs. There was about 4 lines open for that and some did not move very fast, but for us it took all of about 10 minutes or so.

 

We chose a flight with a 2:00 PM departure. As such, we took the guided Seattle tour (about 3 hours long) and that bus took us back to Seattle airport. We got there with lots of time to clear security, etc. It worked out well that way for us.

[geoherb]

We made an 11:30 a.m. flight once. It was not my choice, but the airline changed the flight time on us after booking. When I bought the tickets, we were supposed to fly back to North Carolina with a change in planes in Dallas. We ended up flying back through New York instead. It all worked out, but I wouldn't recommend a flight before noon.

[PathfinderEss]

Not before noon. You never know if the ship comes in late, or it does not get clearances.

[Linda&Vern]

Sea Tac Airport can be VERY slow to work your way through.

There is no curb side luggage check in and it can be monstrous dragging one's luggage inside and long line to get it checked.

 

We then had a horridly long security line followed by tram we had to take to far out gate.........

 

Leave a lot of time.

You may be lucky and breeze through but you might not be so lucky, as we were not.

 

It is a large reason I may never return to again cruise Alaska. Our Sea Tac experience both arriving and departing was unpleasant for us.

Sail ... May I ask - did you use taxi or car service each way?

[elycelynne]

I will definitely pass along the "not before noon" recommendation.

[sail7seas]

Sail ... May I ask - did you use taxi or car service each way?

 

 

We used taxi one way and car service the other.

 

One of each. :rolleyes:

 

[Linda&Vern]

We used taxi one way and car service the other. One of each. :rolleyes:

The reason I asked is that when we cruised Alaska in 2011 I discovered that only a car service could pick you up at the baggage claim area. A taxi required a long walk from baggage.

 

We used a car service both ways and had no trouble at all. Our car called us as we were getting our bags and pulled up at the door seconds later. A few steps to the car and we were on our way to our hotel. It was the same for our return. I do not remember if there was curbside baggage check - but if there was not we were dropped extremely close to check-in. We had tons of luggage and had no problem.

 

That said, our exerience at the Port was the worst one we have had. NO porters to help with luggage on embarkation. DH had to go inside the terminal and beg for someone to come to the curb and help us. Disembarkation was awful. Took way too long to finally find our luggage and again, no porters to help. DH finally went outside and again had to plead with someone to come inside to help us. You would be hard pressed to ever get DH to cruise out of Seattle again - although for different reasons than you.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We always use a limo service in Seattle -- from the airport to the hotel -- from the hotel to the pier -- from the pier to a hotel near the airport.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I'm asking on behalf of someone else, and I already posted this question on the "Alaska" board, but I thought I'd also get some HAL-specific feedback since this person will be sailing on the Oosterdam.

 

Could you give me your opinions on what you think is a reasonable time for a return flight from Seattle if the ship arrives at 7:00 a.m.? There's a stop in Victoria, BC the night before, which is the only "foreign port". Do passengers have to go through customs in Seattle?

 

Would you advise "not before noon", or could an earlier flight be a reasonable ("reasonable" as in "not having to count on all things going perfectly on schedule") option?

 

Definitely tell your friends not to book a flight until after Noon.

A couple of times our ship did not clear until nearly 9 AM.

Depending on traffic, it could take 30 - 45 minutes to get from the pier to the airport. SeaTac is NOT an easy airport to get around.

If your friends could do Luggage Direct that will save some time at the airport. But the security lines can be a real hassle.

And yes -- everyone has to go through immigration and customs at the cruise terminal.