Seattle - Cab or Private Car to Airport after cruise

[DENNAS]

Hi. We are a party of 5 adults. When we arrive back in Seattle at the end of the cruise- since our flight is at 11:30- are we better off booking a private car service back to Sea-Tac or are cabs that fit 5 readily available. Time management matters. 
If you’re recommending a car service- I’d love recommendations. Thanks!

 

[CruiserBruce]

If you come over to the West Coast Departures board, here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/315-west-coast-departures/

 

where Seattle is covered (as it is not in Alaska), you would find lots of info about Seattle.

 

I would use a car service. Used to recommend AlreadyThere...but they stood us up last June. See if STILA will pick you up at the Terminal. They are great.

[DENNAS]

8 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

If you come over to the West Coast Departures board, here:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/315-west-coast-departures/

 

where Seattle is covered (as it is not in Alaska), you would find lots of info about Seattle.

 

I would use a car service. Used to recommend AlreadyThere...but they stood us up last June. See if STILA will pick you up at the Terminal. They are great.

Ok thanks so much. I’ll check out the West Coast Departure Boards!

 

[mapleleaves]

Most taxis in Seattle are Prius so you would need 2.   If you're using NCL, you'll be at Pier 66 and the taxi fare is fixed at $40.  Metered from Pier 91.

For 5 people and all their luggage I'd suggest taking a car service; Already There is highly recommended on the W Coast forum.   Or use Seattle Express ... their buses leave every 15 minutes at $18pp.   https://seattleexpress.com/tour/cruise-ship-transfers/

 

SeaTac Airport is crazy busy, esp on summer weekends when 10-20,000 passengers descend.  Plan on arriving 2 1/2 hrs prior to departure.  Both piers are about 30-40 minutes from the airport.

[Northern Aurora]

In Seattle when we don't need to stay downtown we stay at the Cedarbrook Lodge which is located near SEATAC.  We were in Seattle last August for a quick cruise and some other "important stuff" (Edgar Martinez had just been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and we had tickets to one of the special Mariner's games honoring him.).  In any event, we e-mailed the Cedarbrook Lodge concierge to ask if they had any car service recommendations.  According to the concierge Cedarbrook always recommends Horizon Airport Services.  We had Horizon transfer us from the hotel to Pier 91, and then at the end of the cruise to pick us up and take us back to Cedarbrook.  We were extremely happy.  I am hesitant to post the phone number as the Cedarbrook concierge actually gave us the personal cell number of the owner!  

[DENNAS]

15 hours ago, mapleleaves said:

Most taxis in Seattle are Prius so you would need 2.   If you're using NCL, you'll be at Pier 66 and the taxi fare is fixed at $40.  Metered from Pier 91.

For 5 people and all their luggage I'd suggest taking a car service; Already There is highly recommended on the W Coast forum.   Or use Seattle Express ... their buses leave every 15 minutes at $18pp.   https://seattleexpress.com/tour/cruise-ship-transfers/

 

SeaTac Airport is crazy busy, esp on summer weekends when 10-20,000 passengers descend.  Plan on arriving 2 1/2 hrs prior to departure.  Both piers are about 30-40 minutes from the airport.

Thanks  I’ll check out Already There.   We are at pier 91 -Princess. Early flight Home so leaning towards private car vs shuttle. 

Edited February 7, 2020 by DENNAS

[DENNAS]

8 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

In Seattle when we don't need to stay downtown we stay at the Cedarbrook Lodge which is located near SEATAC.  We were in Seattle last August for a quick cruise and some other "important stuff" (Edgar Martinez had just been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and we had tickets to one of the special Mariner's games honoring him.).  In any event, we e-mailed the Cedarbrook Lodge concierge to ask if they had any car service recommendations.  According to the concierge Cedarbrook always recommends Horizon Airport Services.  We had Horizon transfer us from the hotel to Pier 91, and then at the end of the cruise to pick us up and take us back to Cedarbrook.  We were extremely happy.  I am hesitant to post the phone number as the Cedarbrook concierge actually gave us the personal cell number of the owner!  

will check out Horizon- thank you!! 

[13cheermom]

5 hours ago, DENNAS said:

Thanks  I’ll check out Already There.   We are at pier 91 -Princess. Early flight Home so leaning towards private car vs shuttle. 

 

So we are also arriving at Pier 91 for Princess cruise in mid May.  We were going to use the Port Valet service to have all luggage sent to Seatac ahead of time, so the 4 adults can ride comfortably with only carry-on bags.  Our flight time is also 11:30 am, from what I have read it should be easy to take a taxi because they are right there at disembarkation ready and waiting vs. for any uber, town car situation you have to walk to meet them.  Sure you will read the same information on west coast boards.

[Suzanne123]

Absolutely send your luggage ahead, but last summer we spent over an hour in the taxi line.   Never again.  Book a private transport.  

[Ferry_Watcher]

2 hours ago, 13cheermom said:

 

So we are also arriving at Pier 91 for Princess cruise in mid May.  We were going to use the Port Valet service to have all luggage sent to Seatac ahead of time, so the 4 adults can ride comfortably with only carry-on bags.  Our flight time is also 11:30 am, from what I have read it should be easy to take a taxi because they are right there at disembarkation ready and waiting vs. for any uber, town car situation you have to walk to meet them.  Sure you will read the same information on west coast boards.

 

I am guessing that you are probably on the Ruby Princess.  If so, you will be waiting in the taxi line with debarking passengers from the Eurodam.  The last two seasons, for whatever reason, the Ruby was very slow getting all their passengers off the ship quickly.  While you do plan on using Port Valet, I would still encourage you and your traveling companions to 'self assist' yourselves off the ship (if at all possible), and to get into the taxi line sooner than later.  It is true that there are lots of taxis early on, but they still need time to drive round trip from the Pier and back to pick up the next round of passengers.

So, just try to get off the ship as early as you are comfortable.  Better to be hanging out in the airport gate area than stressing in a TSA line.

[Northern Aurora]

4 hours ago, 13cheermom said:

 

......Our flight time is also 11:30 am, from what I have read it should be easy to take a taxi because they are right there at disembarkation ready and waiting vs. for any uber, town car situation you have to walk to meet them.  Sure you will read the same information on west coast boards.

 

 

I wonder if you have actually embarked or disembarked at a Pier 91.  I can only report my experience last August, but we did NOT "have to walk to meet our town car...."  When we were being delivered to Pier 91 for embarkation our car service driver pointed out to us the line of folks getting out of their Lyft/Uber ride share cars in front of a rectangular wharehouse.  These folks then had to walk the length of that large wharehouse to reach the area where our private transfer driver dropped us off.  He dropped us off right across from the entrance to the cruise terminal.  

 

When we left the ship we walked across the street to the area where we had been delivered a week before -- a covered pick up area (somewhat similar to a covered bus stop).  There we called the car service and told them that we were waiting the specific area (they are lettered A, B C, and so forth).  Those using Uber/Lyft had to walk through this area and walk again along that length of that warehouse to reach the parking area for ride share cars.

[13cheermom]

1 hour ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

I am guessing that you are probably on the Ruby Princess.  If so, you will be waiting in the taxi line with debarking passengers from the Eurodam.  The last two seasons, for whatever reason, the Ruby was very slow getting all their passengers off the ship quickly.  While you do plan on using Port Valet, I would still encourage you and your traveling companions to 'self assist' yourselves off the ship (if at all possible), and to get into the taxi line sooner than later.  It is true that there are lots of taxis early on, but they still need time to drive round trip from the Pier and back to pick up the next round of passengers.

So, just try to get off the ship as early as you are comfortable.  Better to be hanging out in the airport gate area than stressing in a TSA line.

You are correct, and I had read several reports of slow disembarkation.  This was the main reason we thought Port Valet would be a good option so we wouldn't have to worry about luggage at that point.  Thanks for the suggestion of "self assist" even though we won't have luggage to contend with it other than carry-on items.  Do you know of approx. time of late disembarkation has been running?  Since this is first time at this Pier, and using Port Valet wasn't sure how that affects getting off the ship.  It's also our 1st Princess cruise so we have no priority status with this line and aren't familiar with their disembarkation procedures at all.  Any other tips would be greatly appreciated!

[13cheermom]

17 minutes ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

 

I wonder if you have actually embarked or disembarked at a Pier 91.  I can only report my experience last August, but we did NOT "have to walk to meet our town car...."  When we were being delivered to Pier 91 for embarkation our car service driver pointed out to us the line of folks getting out of their Lyft/Uber ride share cars in front of a rectangular wharehouse.  These folks then had to walk the length of that large wharehouse to reach the area where our private transfer driver dropped us off.  He dropped us off right across from the entrance to the cruise terminal.  

 

When we left the ship we walked across the street to the area where we had been delivered a week before -- a covered pick up area (somewhat similar to a covered bus stop).  There we called the car service and told them that we were waiting the specific area (they are lettered A, B C, and so forth).  Those using Uber/Lyft had to walk through this area and walk again along that length of that warehouse to reach the parking area for ride share cars.

 

Wonder if it will be as slow in middle of May for disembarking?  Walking doesn't bother us, we are pretty fit and won't have to worry about luggage, and won't have to worry about that step at airport.  However with TSA and all of this going on, not sure what kind of hold-up we could encounter with health checks.  I always feel nervous using car services, wondering if they will show up, and have read of some bad experiences with some of those.  We might actually try uber or Lyft instead of taxi.  Thanks for information!

[mapleleaves]

9 minutes ago, 13cheermom said:

 

Wonder if it will be as slow in middle of May for disembarking?  Walking doesn't bother us, we are pretty fit and won't have to worry about luggage, and won't have to worry about that step at airport.  However with TSA and all of this going on, not sure what kind of hold-up we could encounter with health checks.  I always feel nervous using car services, wondering if they will show up, and have read of some bad experiences with some of those.  We might actually try uber or Lyft instead of taxi.  Thanks for information!

You can check your travel date on the Port's cruise calendar to see how many ships will be at pier 91:

http://online.pubhtml5.com/itgp/qcpv/

 

It's pathetic that most airports, hotels, etc give Uber/Lyft a lousy place to park.  

[Ferry_Watcher]

It is not unusual that the Ruby's last passengers are getting off the ship at 9:30 am, and there are some late raisers who will saunter off at 10am walking pass the 100+ embarking passengers who have to wait for these (use your own adjective) disembarking passengers before they are allowed to enter the terminal building.

 

After you disembark and exit the terminal building, you will find the taxi line on the right hand side of the drive.  Once there, you will have a feel of how long you may have to wait.  It you decide to go with Uber/Lyft, it is a 7-10 minute walk from the Pier 91 terminal building.  You could probably call as you walk there.  There is a shuttle which is in parking slot #A & #B (just before the buses), but often times it is faster to walk.

 

There are car services, and the really good ones will have their drivers wait in the 'cell phone' lot waiting to hear from the passengers who they will be picking up.  The difficult part is that in front of the terminal building there is only one lane for cars, and that includes vans, private cars and town-car type services.  There is only so much space so even though your driver is in the entry lane of the driveway, you still have to wait until he/she can pull up in-front of you in the driveway.  (The other two lanes are for Buses and Taxis).  The traffic control staff do encourage drivers to pick up and move on quickly.

 

Once at SeaTac, look up at the monitors which will tell you which lines are TSA Pre-Check only, and the which lines are for everyone else.  There are wait-times listed as well.

 

So again my best advice is to get yourselves off the ship as soon as possible, and enjoy whatever extra wait time you have at in one of the restaurants or coffee shops at the airport!