Is noon too early to fly home from Seattle?

[farjar]

We have the option of flying home from Seattle at either noon or 1:45.  The plan is to use Port Valet so we won't have to deal with our main luggage.  We also have TSA pre-check to reduce time at the airport.  Will booking the earlier flight give us enough time to get from the cruise terminal and make our flight?  Also what is the best way to get travel between SEATAC and the pier?  Thanks. 

[Crew News]

Noon would be possible if all goes perfectly.  If you are off the ship by 8:00 AM, wait in the taxi line (15 minutes) + taxi to the airport 45 minutes with good traffic) + ticket counter wait (15 minutes) +TSA PreCheck (20 minutes) = 9:34 AM.  Caveats taxi availability, traffic on long drive to airport, # of cruise passengers leaving ship early, TSA efficiency in processing, etc.

 

I would opt for 1:45 PM and sleep late on Disembarkation day and avoid the stress.

 

The port is located in an industrial area so taxi or limo are the options.

[Cruising-along]

Seattle traffic has been absolutely terrible, I wouldn't chance it. There is no "rush hour" now, just all day every day.   Just an accident on the freeway could slow you down a lot, not to mention the traffic.

[RuthC]

What day is the ship arriving in Seattle? If it's a weekend, traffic could be much lighter than on a work day; it always used to be. You do have to go right through downtown, though, so keep that in mind. 
If you hire a limo service, instead of waiting for a cab, that should also buy you time. 

[DaveOKC]

While you might make a Noon flight, I would go with the later one - not worth the stress.

 

[zgscl]

This would be too tight for me. Even with TSA precheck/clear SEA can be absurdly awful on cruise ship days plus as others have mentioned getting through downtown and the airport is a good 20 minute drive with no traffic after you leave the city. I think a 2 PM flight would be much better and more relaxed. Nothing undoes a week of relaxation like racing to the airport only to miss your flight. 

Could you make a noon flight? It is possible if you are among the first off the ship, etc. but if anything goes wrong along the way you are done for. 

[Cruising-along]

16 minutes ago, RuthC said:

What day is the ship arriving in Seattle? If it's a weekend, traffic could be much lighter than on a work day; it always used to be.

Not true anymore.  

[zgscl]

4 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

Not true anymore.  

Exactly right, traffic can be terrible both weekdays and weekends. 

[flyrobinfly]

Also, SeaTac airport has been insanely busy of late, with lines stretching out the terminal and into the parking garage at times. I would definitely opt for the later flight.

 

For those without PreCheck, there is a new program called Spot Saver that runs through the end of August, where you can make an appointment and go in a special line at the security checkpoint, however it is only for 4 AM- 12 PM departures. 

[Sir PMP]

3 hours ago, farjar said:

We have the option of flying home from Seattle at either noon or 1:45.  The plan is to use Port Valet so we won't have to deal with our main luggage.  We also have TSA pre-check to reduce time at the airport.  Will booking the earlier flight give us enough time to get from the cruise terminal and make our flight?  Also what is the best way to get travel between SEATAC and the pier?  Thanks. 

Ship will start disembark at 8:00am, you should be at Seatac by 10:00am, so no problem..

[dockman]

3 hours ago, Crew News said:

I would opt for 1:45 PM and sleep late on Disembarkation day and avoid the stress.

good advice

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

It is tight

[AncientWanderer]

Ours is at 11:50.  We want the nonstop, so that's what was offered.  Getting to the ship on time is imperative; getting home notsomuch.   If we have to change a flight or stay a night in Seattle, that wouldn't be too terrible.   We are taking a HAL transfer to the airport, so we are first off the ship and on the road.   Usually we do Uber.  Just us.

[Vict0riann]

I wonder if airports, including SeaTac, will have additional Covid screening?

[Cajuntraveler]

Does anyone in the Seattle area have info about the best way to get to the cruise ship from the SEATAC area?  We are flying in the night before and staying at an airport hotel that offers free transportation to and from the airport.  The last time we cruised out of Seattle we rented a car at the airport and dropped it off downtown and the rental car company took us to the ship.  A rental car doesn't look like an option this trip. Should we try to get a taxi from the hotel or return to the airport where taxis are more available or is there a shuttle to the port?

[kevingastreich]

3 hours ago, zgscl said:

Exactly right, traffic can be terrible both weekdays and weekends. 

Week ends seem to be even worse than work days lately.

[kevingastreich]

38 minutes ago, Cajuntraveler said:

Does anyone in the Seattle area have info about the best way to get to the cruise ship from the SEATAC area?  We are flying in the night before and staying at an airport hotel that offers free transportation to and from the airport.  The last time we cruised out of Seattle we rented a car at the airport and dropped it off downtown and the rental car company took us to the ship.  A rental car doesn't look like an option this trip. Should we try to get a taxi from the hotel or return to the airport where taxis are more available or is there a shuttle to the port?

Uber?

[Crew News]

42 minutes ago, Cajuntraveler said:

Does anyone in the Seattle area have info about the best way to get to the cruise ship from the SEATAC area?  We are flying in the night before and staying at an airport hotel that offers free transportation to and from the airport.  The last time we cruised out of Seattle we rented a car at the airport and dropped it off downtown and the rental car company took us to the ship.  A rental car doesn't look like an option this trip. Should we try to get a taxi from the hotel or return to the airport where taxis are more available or is there a shuttle to the port?

i just call a taxi from my SEATAC airport hotel.  Never waited more than 15 minutes,  Lots of competition for taxis at the airport.  My last taxi ride was $45 before tip.  I have taken a limo for $72 when group had a lot of luggage.

 

There used to be a HAL shuttle for those booking HAL hotels and it will be making a number of stops.  Not sure if you stay at the airport, you would be eligible to have them stop for you.

[Cajuntraveler]

52 minutes ago, Crew News said:

i just call a taxi from my SEATAC airport hotel. 

Thank you!  I was worried that getting a taxi to come to the hotel would be a problem on cruise day, but that may be a better option than returning to the airport for a cab.

[SusieO]

4 hours ago, AncientWanderer said:

Ours is at 11:50.  We want the nonstop, so that's what was offered.  Getting to the ship on time is imperative; getting home notsomuch.   If we have to change a flight or stay a night in Seattle, that wouldn't be too terrible.   We are taking a HAL transfer to the airport, so we are first off the ship and on the road.   Usually we do Uber.  Just us.

We also have an 11:50 flight and booked HAL transportation to SEA. 

[maryandmarge]

4 hours ago, Cajuntraveler said:

Does anyone in the Seattle area have info about the best way to get to the cruise ship from the SEATAC area?  We are flying in the night before and staying at an airport hotel that offers free transportation to and from the airport.  The last time we cruised out of Seattle we rented a car at the airport and dropped it off downtown and the rental car company took us to the ship.  A rental car doesn't look like an option this trip. Should we try to get a taxi from the hotel or return to the airport where taxis are more available or is there a shuttle to the port?

We are flying in the day before and staying at the Hampton on 28th Ave near airport.   Free airport shuttle and they offer a shuttle to pier the next morning for $15 that you can sign up for when you check in.   

[Red Haired Lady]

5 hours ago, Cajuntraveler said:

Does anyone in the Seattle area have info about the best way to get to the cruise ship from the SEATAC area?  We are flying in the night before and staying at an airport hotel that offers free transportation to and from the airport.  The last time we cruised out of Seattle we rented a car at the airport and dropped it off downtown and the rental car company took us to the ship.  A rental car doesn't look like an option this trip. Should we try to get a taxi from the hotel or return to the airport where taxis are more available or is there a shuttle to the port?

That is what I am doing....I am flying in the day before and taking the free hotel shuttle from the airport to the hotel.  Then I have booked "Seattle Express" for both the shuttle from the hotel to the port AND the shuttle from the port to the airport at the end of the cruise. It is $37.20 for round trip.  They pick up at a specified list of hotels (see website).  And the shuttle from the port to the airport for departure leaves every 15 minutes from 7 AM to 11 AM.  See link below.

 

Cruise Ship Transfers | Seattle Express

 

 

[kochleffel]

For a non-cruise trip this summer (but I'll have three nights on AMHS ships), I'm flying to Seattle the afternoon before. I can manage my luggage on public transportation, so I plan to take the LINK light rail from the airport to the International District station and stay at the Embassy Suites, which is also near King Street Station for the Amtrak bus (!!) to Bellingham. 

 

If I get my senior-citizen registration in time the fare will be $1, otherwise $3. I've used the light rail before with more luggage than I'll have this time. The light rail is not very convenient for the cruise docks, so if you're staying downtown the night before you would need another way to get from your hotel to the ship.

[zgscl]

8 hours ago, Cajuntraveler said:

Does anyone in the Seattle area have info about the best way to get to the cruise ship from the SEATAC area?  We are flying in the night before and staying at an airport hotel that offers free transportation to and from the airport.  The last time we cruised out of Seattle we rented a car at the airport and dropped it off downtown and the rental car company took us to the ship.  A rental car doesn't look like an option this trip. Should we try to get a taxi from the hotel or return to the airport where taxis are more available or is there a shuttle to the port?

So from the airport itself you can take light rail. It leaves from the parking garage and there are a few other stops down there. Also Amtrak or the Sounder trains are an option from Tukwila (the embassy suites at the airport is right next to the Tukwila station and easily walkable). Either would take you to the King St Station (International District/China town) up a big staircase and you can transfer to the 24 bus which will get you pretty close to the pier. 
 

To be honest this wouldn’t be a fun trip particularly with much luggage. I’d recommend a taxi or Uber/Lyft both of which are readily available anywhere. You can check with the front desk they may be able to get you a car service. We did this on a cruise out of Seattle before we moved up here and was really perfect. 

[zgscl]

7 hours ago, Cajuntraveler said:

Thank you!  I was worried that getting a taxi to come to the hotel would be a problem on cruise day, but that may be a better option than returning to the airport for a cab.

Hotel should be able to find a cab with a bit of warning. Uber/Lyft very easily available from anywhere in the area including the airport. Absolutely no reason to schlep your stuff back to the airport!