Ncl pearl Seattle disembark

[DixielouGroo]

Having awful time getting a decent return flight home - is a noon (11:55am) southwest flight going to be a problem? Ncl says 8am in port..... We can self- disembark with own luggage and take the link rail if that helps..... Don't want to be anxious the whole cruise about missing flight but it's that one or a red eye--- with kids in tow......really don't want spend another night as we have a commitment on monday at home. Any thoughts appreciated!

[calmpets]

Assuming you arrive back in Seattle on time, you should be able to make that flight with very little difficulty.

[www3traveler]

Having awful time getting a decent return flight home - is a noon (11:55am) southwest flight going to be a problem? Ncl says 8am in port..... We can self- disembark with own luggage and take the link rail if that helps..... Don't want to be anxious the whole cruise about missing flight but it's that one or a red eye--- with kids in tow......really don't want spend another night as we have a commitment on monday at home. Any thoughts appreciated!

Your flight is TOO early. SeaTac Airport is south of the city and a long ways from the Cruise Terminal. The Rail Link is not a good option either. It is a long walk up hill from the Cruise Terminal to the Rail Link Terminal. My guess would be that you will dock somewhere around 6:30 A.M. Disembarkation should start around 8:00 or 8:30. If you did the "Walk Off", grab a cab you might make to the airport by 9:30, depending on how many construction projects are going (weekends are prime time), the traffic and whether or not there is a major event going on downtown.

[lostone65]

Your flight is TOO early. SeaTac Airport is south of the city and a long ways from the Cruise Terminal. The Rail Link is not a good option either. It is a long walk up hill from the Cruise Terminal to the Rail Link Terminal. My guess would be that you will dock somewhere around 6:30 A.M. Disembarkation should start around 8:00 or 8:30. If you did the "Walk Off", grab a cab you might make to the airport by 9:30, depending on how many construction projects are going (weekends are prime time), the traffic and whether or not there is a major event going on downtown.

 

SeaTac airport is not a long ways from the cruise terminal. It is about a 15-20 minute drive. I take the ferry from Kitsap county to Seattle on a week day morning during rush hour and I still make it to the airport in about 20 minutes. A taxi would cost about $40.00. If the ship ports on time and is cleared you can use self disembarkation & you should have no problem making the flight. If there are events that day it would be unusual for them to start that early. Construction is always a problem in that area but again given the time and a weekend it shouldn't be a problem. I say as long as the ship arrives on time you will be fine.

[bonvoyagie]

On the Pearl last summer and they started self disembarkment at 7:30 AM

There are usually a stream of Taxis waiting and the airport is about 30 min with no traffic - but could be as long as an hour with traffic or a wreck. You need to allow the usual two hours for check-in and security. So if all goes well, you would make it. I also suspect that you could bribe the taxi driver to get you to the airport toot sweet :D

[modfanmike]

Your flight is TOO early. SeaTac Airport is south of the city and a long ways from the Cruise Terminal. The Rail Link is not a good option either. It is a long walk up hill from the Cruise Terminal to the Rail Link Terminal. My guess would be that you will dock somewhere around 6:30 A.M. Disembarkation should start around 8:00 or 8:30. If you did the "Walk Off", grab a cab you might make to the airport by 9:30, depending on how many construction projects are going (weekends are prime time), the traffic and whether or not there is a major event going on downtown.

How is the flight too early if they are getting to the airport 2.5 hours before the flight ?

[www3traveler]

I have disembarked 3 times in Seattle with a 1:45 P.M. flight and have MISSED it twice of traffic tie-ups in Seattle. It is going to be worse as the Alaskan Way Viaduct is dismantled. I-5 construction is always done on weekends during the summer with the except of Seafair weekend.

[Love my butler]

Taken many cruises out of Seattle. If the ship is on time, as it usually is, you will have no problems making your flight.

[dexddd]

We had a noonish flight and was at airport before ten when leaving ship at 9. While we took link rail to the city, opted for taxi back to airport as said above you either have to walk a ways to get to the station or a combo of buses to station. Security line was a bit long at the airport but still plenty of time.

[DixielouGroo]

thanks so much-- well is a 5 to 1 vote yes--- ncl does say give it 6 hours but it seemed to me if I can be off ship and in a taxi by 10 I SHOULD be ok...... decisions decisions...... so the vote is NO on the link rail? too far to walk? I do have 7 in my party with one child.....:confused:

[KweezyCruiser]

Related question:

Are taxis readily available at the cruise terminal in Seattle or is it better to make arrangements for pick up?

[deschoolie]

light rail, IMO is to far with luggage and a child up hill. Taxi's will be right there... As I recall, rail was about 40 minutes to the airport.

[rjm11]

I can only speak of my own experience, but we one of the last ones off the ship at about 9:30- walked straight off and got a town car who was waiting right there (not reserved in advance, just there with the taxis which were plentiful) and hopped in- we were at the airport before 10:15. And there was a baseball game in town that day starting early.

[tel2]

We did it last summer, and didnt walk off Pearl until just after 9:30. Had an 11:30 flight. Made it with plenty of time to spare, but we each had one carry-on bag and a tote bag (intentionally -- I HATE paying 25. a bag....) so we were able to skip lugguage check-in.

 

Terry

[One Eye Open]

Given Sunday disembarkment, ship ports on time and is cleared custom, and you reserve a van shuttle. I see no issues to make your Noon flight. As others had said Sea-Tac Airport is 40 mins away from the port. Sailed on the Pearl last month....nice ship w/ a fun crew.

[bonvoyagie]

Something that makes Seattle different from other ports is that at that pier there will be only the one ship so there are only around 4000 people to worry about (2000 off and another 2000 getting on). Plus the two groups are handled in seperate areas of the terminal. Last summer we had no problem with getting a taxi - there was a long line of them - no town cars however as they quickly shoo them away and the are not allowed in the line. If you are staying in a suite you can ask the concergie to set up transportation for your entire party - probably a taxi van.

[roger001]

The two times we've sailed out of Seattle, Seattle has been the easiest and quickest debarkation we've ever done. But.....that assumes no unusual events that are always possible.

[Sequim88]

Even if I-5 construction on a weekend most of the cabs know to avoid it anyway to the airport and will take 1st Ave out of downtown and connect farther south with SR-99 to SR-509 (Burien Freeway) and then SR-518 to get around to the airport entrance. Very fast, especially on a Sunday morning. When I lived in Puyallup (way south of Seattle) and had meetings downtown I would take that route just to avoid I-5 in late afternoon and it was a breeze. It's only about 12 miles that way to the airport and Sunday morning should not be more than 20 minutes. I would do it.

 

Downside is security at SeaTac can be very long so allow for that too.

[DixielouGroo]

Update.......We were off the ship by 8:00 am- super speedy walk off with our bags around 7:45 ---cabin to a waiting line of cabs was seriously 10 minutes. We were at airport sitting at gate with 3 hours to spare - yikes- but better safe than sorry. Plenty of time to upload all those Alaska pics ! Awesome ncl pearl to Alaska - wonderful smooth and easy cruise - thanks for the advice

[garycarla]

Should be fine based on the majority of reports.

 

As to reports you have to be at airport 2 hours ahead. Nope! Just a suggestion by folks trying to "cover their a$$".

 

Your biggest problem is that you have 7 people in your party. It only takes ONE person to mess things up. Something little can become a big delay:

 

- not fully packed and ready to go

- did not get up in time to eat

- bought some sort of item needing extra attention

- did cash for onboard account and has to stand in line to clear (credit cards are best way to avoid this)

- did not fill out customs form correctly

- can not find their ID

 

etc etc

[esp13]

I can only speak of my own experience, but we one of the last ones off the ship at about 9:30- walked straight off and got a town car who was waiting right there (not reserved in advance, just there with the taxis which were plentiful) and hopped in- we were at the airport before 10:15. And there was a baseball game in town that day starting early.

 

This was our exact experience. I think we had a 1:00pm flight and we were at the airport almost 2.5 hours early despite waiting until like 9:30 to leave the ship and have a short delay for our town car to find us. I was wishing we had booked the 11:45 flight as we could have definitely made it.