Seattle Pier 91 rental cars

[smmountaingal]

Can anyone comment on what rental cars may be available at Pier 91 or other information to get to a rental location?  We are planning on a one day rental at disembarkation to use for a drive to the Boeing facility.

 

[Ferry_Watcher]

There are no rentals car at Pier 91.  There is a kiosk just outside Pier 91 during the morning disembarking hour which provides a shuttle van to the rental car lot located in DT Seattle.

[smmountaingal]

43 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

There are no rentals car at Pier 91.  There is a kiosk just outside Pier 91 during the morning disembarking hour which provides a shuttle van to the rental car lot located in DT Seattle.

Thank you, Ferry_Watcher.  I will make arrangements.

 

[mom4mom]

2 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

There are no rentals car at Pier 91.  There is a kiosk just outside Pier 91 during the morning disembarking hour which provides a shuttle van to the rental car lot located in DT Seattle.

Do you know which rental company this is affiliated with?

[Ferry_Watcher]

13 minutes ago, mom4mom said:

Do you know which rental company this is affiliated with?

 

It looks like Alamo, National and Enterprise.  The kiosk tent has a sign that lists the various rental car companies, I can look it up next time I am at 91 and let you know if there are more rental possibilities.  They all use the same DT Seattle car pick-up location.  If you plan a one day rental, be sure to ask what time the car has to be returned (as the downtown location closes early for the evening).

[Gardyloo]

National,  Alamo and Enterprise (same company.)  They'll shuttle you to their downtown location, in a parking structure across the street from Macy's.  If you're dropping at the airport, do some price comparisons with other rental companies, even though it might require you to take a taxi or Uber from Pier 91 to their rental location.  The all-in price (taxi plus car) might be cheaper than the Alamo/National/Enterprise vehicle.  

[NeedsVitaminSea]

Can anyone comment on the National shuttle and wait times?  I have a car reserved at the downtown office since we will be staying in Seattle for the week.  I'm wondering if it would be faster to pay for a Lyft downtown or use the shuttle?  What time do we need to be off the ship to avoid the huge crowds?  We are in a junior suite so I think that helps us with disembarkation?

 

Thanks for any advice you can provide!  We leave next week!!!!! I'm just a little excited.

[Ferry_Watcher]

The folks from the rental car company arrive early morning (before 7 am) and set up their kiosk tent.  I imagine they know how many folks have rented cars and need to be shuttled to the DT Seattle location.  I don't know for certain, but I would guess that they would wait a bit to fill up the van before making the trip into DT Seattle.  I also don't know if they use two vans to shuttle passengers, or just one.  They are usually done by 10 am and have packed up their kiosk tent and left the Pier 91 area.  Not sure where you are planning to drive to on that first day in Seattle, but best to avoid our crazy commute traffic.

 

As for taking Uber/Lyft to the rental car location, unless you are in a great hurry, I would just use the free shuttle van.

[NeedsVitaminSea]

Thank you Ferry_Watcher.  That's very helpful.

 

I'm not sure where we are planning to drive that first day.  Our rental is downtown but we can't check in until the afternoon.  I need to figure out something kinda low key.  I know my kids will be zonked from too much fun on the ship.

[Gardyloo]

15 hours ago, NeedsVitaminSea said:

Thank you Ferry_Watcher.  That's very helpful.

 

I'm not sure where we are planning to drive that first day.  Our rental is downtown but we can't check in until the afternoon.  I need to figure out something kinda low key.  I know my kids will be zonked from too much fun on the ship.

 

Here's a possible suggestion for a day with a car - 

 

Start with Fishermen's Terminal.  This is the base of Seattle's and a big part of Alaska's fishing fleet, including some of the Bering Sea crabbers.  There are a couple of terrific restaurants (my favorite is the Bay Cafe) where you could get a late breakfast or early lunch, then walk off the carbs along the piers and jetties past all the boats.  Just up the road from Fishermen's Terminal are the Ballard locks.  You can watch the boats transitioning from Lake Union (fresh) to Puget Sound (salt) and there's a cool underwater viewing room where you can watch salmon heading home to spawn (through the fish ladders.) 

 

From there, you could head up to the zoo; Seattle's is very good and easily visited.  Leave the zoo and visit the Fremont Troll, then get some fresh air at Gas Works Park.  If you still have time and energy, drive past the University campus and over the Montlake Bridge to the University of Washington arboretum, with it's fabulous Japanese park.  Then maybe a beach break at Madison Park on the Lake Washington waterfront, then back to your accommodations.  This is a terrific outing.  Map - https://goo.gl/maps/AYsPcGPint81fFvy9

[smmountaingal]

I am trying to figure out a timeline on disembarkation day to get a rental car, drive to Everett for the Boeing tour and get to SEATAC by 3:30 for a 4:50 flight out.  Does this seem like enough time?  I assume picking up a car downtown would be faster than getting an airport rental, but we would have to keep our luggage with us.  (2 couples cannot use port valet service).

 

 

[Gardyloo]

30 minutes ago, smmountaingal said:

I am trying to figure out a timeline on disembarkation day to get a rental car, drive to Everett for the Boeing tour and get to SEATAC by 3:30 for a 4:50 flight out.  Does this seem like enough time?  I assume picking up a car downtown would be faster than getting an airport rental, but we would have to keep our luggage with us.  (2 couples cannot use port valet service).

 

 

Let's assume you can be gone from the pier by 9:30 (should be easily doable) and at the rental car office by 10.

 

Drive time to Future of Flight/Boeing tour center - 40 minutes (could be less.)

Wait time before plant tour, say 30 min.

Tour, 90 min.

Total elapsed time from car pickup, 160 min (say 2 1/2 hours)

 

Lunch in Mukilteo, 10 minutes from Boeing plant, 1 hr.

Drive to airport from Mukilteo, say 1 hour 

Gas up and car return, 20 min.

Shuttle to terminal from rental car facility, 10 min.

 

Total elapsed time from Boeing tour, 2 1/2 hours.

 

So five hours all in, which means if you start at 10 you'd be back at the airport by 3.  I'd definitely give the airport more than 1h 20m; the security lines on cruise days can be hellish.

 

If you feel pressured, you could skip lunch in Mukilteo and just head back to the airport area after the Boeing tour.  Maybe head down to Salty's at Redondo for a late lunch or decompression drinkies before heading back to the airport.

 

Map, showing the various places:  https://goo.gl/maps/57zHxuzme5KwNfji7

 

Mukilteo lighthouse

 

 

Mukilteo lunch:  https://www.ivars.com/locations/mukilteo-landing or https://diamondknot.com/brewery-and-alehouse

 

Salty's:  https://www.saltys.com/south-seattle/

 

 

 

 

[smmountaingal]

1 minute ago, Gardyloo said:

Let's assume you can be gone from the pier by 9:30 (should be easily doable) and at the rental car office by 10.

 

Drive time to Future of Flight/Boeing tour center - 40 minutes (could be less.)

Wait time before plant tour, say 30 min.

Tour, 90 min.

Total elapsed time from car pickup, 160 min (say 2 1/2 hours)

 

Lunch in Mukilteo, 10 minutes from Boeing plant, 1 hr.

Drive to airport from Mukilteo, say 1 hour 

Gas up and car return, 20 min.

Shuttle to terminal from rental car facility, 10 min.

 

Total elapsed time from Boeing tour, 2 1/2 hours.

 

So five hours all in, which means if you start at 10 you'd be back at the airport by 3.  I'd definitely give the airport more than 1h 20m; the security lines on cruise days can be hellish.

 

If you feel pressured, you could skip lunch in Mukilteo and just head back to the airport area after the Boeing tour.  Maybe head down to Salty's at Redondo for a late lunch or decompression drinkies before heading back to the airport.

 

Map, showing the various places:  https://goo.gl/maps/57zHxuzme5KwNfji7

 

Mukilteo lighthouse

 

 

Mukilteo lunch:  https://www.ivars.com/locations/mukilteo-landing or https://diamondknot.com/brewery-and-alehouse

 

Salty's:  https://www.saltys.com/south-seattle/

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much for this example.  I believe we can be off the ship around 8am if we all request that early departure.  So that would give us time at Boeing and lunch.  Now I need to ask if there is a drop off charge to return the car to SEATAC instead of the downtown location.

 

 

[Gardyloo]

Drop-off charge?  You bet, but shop carefully.  You'll find quotes all over the map.  The easiest (National/Alamo/Enterprise) is not necessarily the cheapest, nor even the quickest.  Be sure to add the cost of getting to the airport from the cruise terminal (AM) or from downtown (PM) when doing the math, and remember you're dividing by two couples.

[smmountaingal]

2 minutes ago, Gardyloo said:

Drop-off charge?  You bet, but shop carefully.  You'll find quotes all over the map.  The easiest (National/Alamo/Enterprise) is not necessarily the cheapest, nor even the quickest.  Be sure to add the cost of getting to the airport from the cruise terminal (AM) or from downtown (PM) when doing the math, and remember you're dividing by two couples.

If we go to SEATAC for the car rental instead of the downtown rental location and make the drive to Boeing start from there, how much time should I add to the equation?

[Gardyloo]

Time to the airport from Pier 91 - around half an hour.  Additional drive time from airport to Boeing plant (compared to from downtown) also around half an hour.  So maybe an hour all in.  If you can get away from the pier quickly, it should still be quite doable.  It's all in the numbers.

[smmountaingal]

28 minutes ago, Gardyloo said:

Time to the airport from Pier 91 - around half an hour.  Additional drive time from airport to Boeing plant (compared to from downtown) also around half an hour.  So maybe an hour all in.  If you can get away from the pier quickly, it should still be quite doable.  It's all in the numbers.

Thank you, Gardyloo, for this information.  I can explore my options just knowing I can make it happen in our timeline.

 

[NeedsVitaminSea]

2 hours ago, Gardyloo said:

 

Here's a possible suggestion for a day with a car - 

 

Start with Fishermen's Terminal.  This is the base of Seattle's and a big part of Alaska's fishing fleet, including some of the Bering Sea crabbers.  There are a couple of terrific restaurants (my favorite is the Bay Cafe) where you could get a late breakfast or early lunch, then walk off the carbs along the piers and jetties past all the boats.  Just up the road from Fishermen's Terminal are the Ballard locks.  You can watch the boats transitioning from Lake Union (fresh) to Puget Sound (salt) and there's a cool underwater viewing room where you can watch salmon heading home to spawn (through the fish ladders.) 

 

From there, you could head up to the zoo; Seattle's is very good and easily visited.  Leave the zoo and visit the Fremont Troll, then get some fresh air at Gas Works Park.  If you still have time and energy, drive past the University campus and over the Montlake Bridge to the University of Washington arboretum, with it's fabulous Japanese park.  Then maybe a beach break at Madison Park on the Lake Washington waterfront, then back to your accommodations.  This is a terrific outing.  Map - https://goo.gl/maps/AYsPcGPint81fFvy9

You rock - thanks!  Definitely going to make note of this (and the awesome map).  We may not hit everything in one day but we will be in Seattle for a week so I need these ideas.

 

Thanks again!

[Ferry_Watcher]

Gardyloo gave some wonderful suggestions.  The Woodland Park Zoo is amazing - a must see. 

 

If you do end up at the Boeing tour, the lovely town of Mukilteo is right down the road (follow the signs for the ferry).  There you could have a nice sit down lunch (Ivar's) and watch from your window seat a Washington State ferry load & unload cars and passengers.  If a sit down meal is not what you want, Ivar's has its famous fish n' chips bar outside the restaurant, so you could grab a fish n' chips meal and head over to the beach/lighthouse area and enjoy the scenery.  The fish bar also serves soft-serve ice cream!  (Tip -ask for a kid's cone if you don't want too much ice cream).  There is even a brewery/restaurant Diamondknot if you want to try a local beer with your meal.

Edmonds is another amazing picturesque waterfront town filled with beautiful hanging flower baskets, stroll-able streets, great restaurants and waterfront trails. 

You could also walk on to the Kingston ferry (from Edmonds) and grab lunch in one of the many small restaurants in Kingston.  A stop at Mora's ice cream is a must.

Edited June 13, 2019 by Ferry_Watcher
typo

[smmountaingal]

1 hour ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Gardyloo gave some wonderful suggestions.  The Woodland Park Zoo is amazing - a must see. 

 

If you do end up at the Boeing tour, the lovely town of Mukilteo is right down the road (follow the signs for the ferry).  There you could have a nice sit down lunch (Ivar's) and watch from your window seat a Washington State ferry load & unload cars and passengers.  If a sit down meal is not what you want, Ivar's has its famous fish n' chips bar outside the restaurant, so you could grab a fish n' chips meal and head over to the beach/lighthouse area and enjoy the scenery.  The fish bar also serves soft-serve ice cream!  (Tip -ask for a kid's cone if you don't want too much ice cream).  There is even a brewery/restaurant Diamondknot if you want to try a local beer with your meal.

Edmonds is another amazing picturesque waterfront town filled with beautiful hanging flower baskets, stroll-able streets, great restaurants and waterfront trails. 

You could also walk on to the Kingston ferry (from Edmonds) and grab lunch in one of the many small restaurants in Kingston.  A stop at Mora's ice cream is a must. 

More great suggestions.  Thanks to all.

 

 

[Ferry_Watcher]

Photo of the Car Rental Kiosk at Pier 91.  It is only there during the morning disembarkation to provide a shuttle for folks renting from the DT Seattle location of these three companies.

[smmountaingal]

1 hour ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Photo of the Car Rental Kiosk at Pier 91.  It is only there during the morning disembarkation to provide a shuttle for folks renting from the DT Seattle location of these three companies.

 

Very helpful.  Thanks

[altheimeer]

Do they also run a shuttle to the pier at embarkation time?

[Ferry_Watcher]

7 hours ago, altheimeer said:

Do they also run a shuttle to the pier at embarkation time?

 

If you are asking if you rented a car prior to your cruise and then you returned it to the DT Seattle rental location on the the day of your cruise, would they transport you to Pier 91? 

I would suggest that you ask the rental company directly.   If not, an Uber/Lyft from DT Seattle to Pier 91 would be reasonably priced.

[kctwinmommy]

9 hours ago, altheimeer said:

Do they also run a shuttle to the pier at embarkation time?

 

Yes, we rented a car from Enterprise and returned it the morning of our cruise. They have a shuttle to take people to the pier from their location downtown. Nice and easy!