Is there an easier way? Rental car return before cruise drop off at pier 91 Seattle

[gloobella]

My family of 4 will be arriving in Seattle several days before our cruise departs.  We are renting a car so that we can visit friends around the Puget Sound area.  We are staying in a Hotel near the Space Needle.

 

Our current plan for cruise departure day is for DH to drop myself, kids, and luggage at the Cruise Port 91 and then drive to SeaTac to return the rental car.  Then take some kind of shuttle/uber back to the cruise port.   

 

Is there some kind of easier way?  This way means kids and I are just loitering around with our luggage waiting for his return for an hour or two.    I have thought about changing just his boarding time, but my daughter is officially in his room and I am not sure if they would let her board with me (not the adult in her room).

[lax19]

How about dropping the car off the night before? One less source of stress on embarkation day.

[CruiserBruce]

Have you looked to see what car rental places there are in downtown Seattle. There were several pre-Covid, not sure of the current status.

 

Otherwise I agree...return the day before and take the light rail into town. Perhaps stay at a hotel close to the light rail.

[Eileen G]

I don't know what company you are renting from but some of them have a downtown office that you might be able to return it too. It's a long way from the port to Sectac and back.

[Dan G]

Enterprise, National and Alamo are in the Macy's downtown parking garage on 3rd and Union.  Easy to get to via Link and the Westlake Station exit.  Budget and Avis are on 5th avenue near the Westin Hotel and only a block or two from Westlake Center.  Hertz has a location at the Grand Hyatt near 8th and Pine so also easy to get to.  Some firms will allow you to drop at Seatac with no fees and others charge, however the cost is normally less than a cab so its an easy option.

Better yet, rent downtown and save the airport fees

[TMLAalum]

Agree with dropping the car the evening prior. We recently did that in Santa Fe since we had the opposite dilemma- had to rent our car from a downtown office because there were none available at the airport. Rather than hustle in from Taos the morning of our flight home, we decided leave there for Santa Fe a day early, book a hotel with airport shuttle, drop our luggage, return the rental car, take the public bus back to the hotel and have drinks, dinner and a leisurely breakfast before heading to the airport for a 9:30am flight.

 

Your whole family might enjoy going with dad and taking the light rail from the airport to Westlake Center and then walking together to your hotel or even take the monorail, depending on exactly where your hotel is.

[Dan G]

I might add that in yrs past National, Alamo and others had pier pickup which was really a 'shuttle' to the downtown location, so you might try that

[gloobella]

Thank you everyone for the info.  We will investigate all the city center drop offs.  And definitely consider the drop off the night before.

[Ferry_Watcher]

I agree that dropping off the car the night before is the best option.  If you are not ready to start the boarding process, then you and the kids will have to wait outside the terminal, and there is no outside seating, or other amenities.  It would not be the most comfortable 45-60+minute wait for your husband to return.

Edited August 8, 2021 by Ferry_Watcher

[FauxNom]

A recent visitor did the downtown dropoff because it was actually cheaper than airport dropoff. While your husband takes care of that, you can wait in the line to board, I imagine. 

[Ferry_Watcher]

On 8/8/2021 at 9:31 AM, FauxNom said:

A recent visitor did the downtown dropoff because it was actually cheaper than airport dropoff. While your husband takes care of that, you can wait in the line to board, I imagine. 

If OP does decide to board with the kids early, just make sure whoever is dropping off the car has his/her own documents (passport, boarding pass, vaccine card and the negative Covid test result)

[nwcruiselover]

On 8/10/2021 at 4:55 PM, Ferry_Watcher said:

If OP does decide to board with the kids early, just make sure whoever is dropping off the car has his/her own documents (passport, boarding pass, vaccine card and the negative Covid test result)

Some cruise lines (Carnival for sure) require all passengers on a particular booking need to be present for check-in at this time.

[JoyMouse]

On 8/3/2021 at 8:06 AM, Dan G said:

I might add that in yrs past National, Alamo and others had pier pickup which was really a 'shuttle' to the downtown location, so you might try that

It’s not available this year (although the manager hasn’t been able to get them to take it off the website as an offering as of August 30). He told me the notice that cruising would occur came too late for them to have it in place. 

Edited September 10, 2021 by JoyMouse