Boarding time for the Ruby Princess Alaska

[jormot]

What time are we required to board the ship for a 4pm departure? I know many people board early but we want to explore Seattle before we depart and would like some time to do so. Just curious what time we should make sure to arrive at the port by.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I would be careful about traffic. Seattle is a good city to arrive a day or two before your cruise to really get in good tourist time. My family actually stayed a few days post-cruise (and at least a day and a half pre) as I was the only one who's been there before.

[reedprincess]

What time are we required to board the ship for a 4pm departure? I know many people board early but we want to explore Seattle before we depart and would like some time to do so. Just curious what time we should make sure to arrive at the port by.

 

You must board the ship no later than 60 minutes before sailing, and they arw strict on it as manifests have to be turned in, etc... So absolute latest at 3pm.

I would personally leave leeway and plan to be at port to board no later than 2 so you have time for unexpected delayed, paperwork, check-in and so on... Cut it too close and you can be denied boarding.

Enjoy

[damiross]

I'd board as early as I can and visit Seattle either by coming a couple of days early or post-cruise.

 

I figure if I'm spending a lot of money on a cruise I want to get on board as early as possible and check out my digs for the next few days.

[jormot]

We are probably the odd men out that we want to spend as much time off the ship as possible. We are just using it as an economical way to see Glacier Bay and some of the Alaskan ports. We are coming in early but want to visit Vancouver for a couple days prior to sailing so we want to see Seattle in the morning prior to sailing. Which is why I'm looking at the latest time we can board.

[VibeGuy]

As a local who sails from Seattle a couple of times a year, I would say that rolling up to the entry door of the terminal by 2:45 is really not an issue. The crowds have essentially boarded both ships by that point, and the security lines will no longer exist - there's likely to be just one or two x-ray machines staffed. You'll be done with paperwork and stuff in five minutes assuming you have everything in order. It's an efficient terminal and they want you onboard and out of their hair for the day, so they hustle.

 

Where I might advise a little caution is in getting to the terminal itself. Pier 91 Is not a long distance from the city center or touristic areas, but a couple of the major thoroughfares you'd use to get there have traffic incidents. The best route from, say, the Ballard neighborhood, has a drawbridge. The driveable routes from the waterfront have a major rail line with no vehicle overpasses. Traffic in Seattle is unpredictable as a whole, but tends towards "bad" on surface streets.

 

If I were near the Space Needle, I would not want to be stepping into the car any later than 2:20, and I would take off five minutes from that for every half mile or so beyond that, so if you were, say, in Pioneer Square, the top of the hour.

 

Enjoy your visit.