Earliest Flight from SeaTac possible

[MarkE]

We will be on the Bliss next June wondering if it would be possible to make a 11:25 am flight from SeaTac. Do they issue numbers for leaving the ship. What is the eaeliest a person can get.

[Laszlo]

We will be on the Bliss next June wondering if it would be possible to make a 11:25 am flight from SeaTac. Do they issue numbers for leaving the ship. What is the eaeliest a person can get.

 

My wife and I easily made our 10.30am flight out on the Jewel. We docked about 5:30, got in line about 6:30am (easy walk off) and were thru customs and in a cab at 7:45. With that being said the bliss will have twice the amount of people of the Jewel. I'm not sure how that will effect things

[poohdreaming]

The earliest way to leave the cruise ship is to do the easy walk off. You would need to be in line early before the start time for the easy walk off. If the easy walk off with carrying your own luggage starts at 8 am, some cruisers might already be in a line like at 7am or earlier. With this easy walk off, it can takes a long time too if everyone decided to do this thinking they would leave the cruise ship right away. It is best to make any flights to get home at least 3 hours after docking. There's customs, security as well as who knows if the cruise ship get delayed in having people to get off board..

[jwatford]

We will be on the Bliss next June wondering if it would be possible to make a 11:25 am flight from SeaTac. Do they issue numbers for leaving the ship. What is the eaeliest a person can get.

 

 

 

Just my experience: for the last 5 years we have taken an Alaska cruise and each time we have had that 11:25 flight. We have done the easy walk off and have always made to the airport by 9:00 am at the latest. I really think you will be just fine!

 

 

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[don't-use-real-name]

Other factors to consider after clearing the disembarking gauntlet:

Take a cab limo uber lyft or shuttle bus with very few people.

A large bus motor coach will just slow things down loading and

then at the airport unloading at each airline. If your airline is not

one of the first to off load time is wasted.

Take advantage of loyalty privileges flying with an airline.

In common coach there will be lines at check in.

Allow adequate time for the TSA Security check - NOTE - Seattle

is a real thorn if you do not have TSA Pre-Ck or a Premium ticket.

Alaska and Delta Airlines are the main users of SEA-TAC airport.

Expect crowds if using either of these.

Once past TSA you are not scot free - both of the aforementioned

airlines use multiple terminals and you have to take an underground

tram rail to get to some of them.

Make sure you arrive at your departure gate within the airlines

check-in requirements especially if you have carry-on baggage.

Arrive late and there often is no room in the overhead bins for

your carry-on and must be checked and stowed in the cargo hold.

 

For the most part you will make your flight - how hectic and frazzled

you will be I can't say - but I will alert you to the above hazards in your

quest to beat the system fully relaxed up to the last minute of your respite

 

GOOD LUCK with that !

[BirdTravels]

Another consideration is that the Bliss is 2+ times the size of the Jewel. NCL has invested to improve the terminal, but anyone who was sailed out of Seattle knows that the teminal and the street in front of the terminal are stressed with a small ship. Also, CBP would have to double+ their staff and facilities to provide similar service than what they do now.

 

In June, you will still be one of the first to see what congestion really looks like. We decided to delay our Bliss adventure to September and study the early reviews.

[don't-use-real-name]

Good move BirdTravels !

 

To emphasize the problem the NCL BLISS passenger capacity is upwards of 3500.

If everyone of the pax were to leave from SEA by airplane that would be the equivalent

of 15 or so 747 aircraft or 12 Airbus 380 - on a smaller scale 25 737's or similar A320's.

To go from port to airport by motor coach it would take a fleet of over 70 buses to

accommodate this mad movement.

Thus if NCL has trouble with small ships at the existing Pier at Seattle - the problem

will not get any easier at the airport even if just half the folks fly home.

 

OK that is the issue big deal about disembarking of the NCL BLISS - what about the

boarding of this massive floating amusement park !?!

[shadowmeboy]

We fly out of Seatac regularly and tend to arrive 3 hours early. We never know how bad security will be on a given day. Add cruisers trying to make early flights and a big ship like the Bliss, I would recommend something later.

 

Imho

[www3traveler]

Keep in mind also that there will be at least three and maybe four OTHER cruise ships in Seattle at the same time as The Bliss disembarking passengers. SeaTac can and probably will be a zoo with everyone trying to go through the check-in process and through Security. A nightmare in the making. I would also strongly recommend a later flight.

[deliver42]

I' personally, wouldn't schedule anything before 12:30. The terminal is awful, as is the traffic in front of it. I had a 1:00 flight out off the Jewel in May, and wound up with about a 1/2 hour free time at the gate before boarding. That was with a pre arranged pick up who was on time.

[Peachypooh]

We did self disembark a couple of years ago on The Pearl and was at SeaTac somewhere around 9:30. I had booked a flight for 2:30. With my luck if I had booked a flight earlier in the day there would have been delays getting to the airport and through security. You just never know. As annoying it is to have to wait around I prefer it to worrying about making a flight.

[MarkE]

Thanks your advice has made us change to a flight that will leave at 1:00 pm not the 11:25 am we thought about. Your information was appreciated as I will have the family 6 of us two children and if we missed the flight I know I would catch holy hell because I should have known we could not make an early flight. Also this is a much bigger ship with many more people so it will add additional stress to an already crowded airport. Thanks to all for your input and experience with flights.

[deliver42]

Good call for you. You will have a lot less stress now.