Princess Transfer from Sea-Tac airport to Pier 91 Seattle

[Eaglecw]

On Sunday June 26th we sailed on the Discovery Princess. We decided to have our DIL drop us off at Sea-Tac and catch the Princess transfer from Sea-Tac to Pier 91. HUGE MISTAKE!!!! Our DIL dropped us off at Sea-Tac at 9:40 am. We found the line to hand off our bags to the Princess rep. That line had about 150 people in it. After we dropped our bags off we got a slip of paper that told us where to go to get a ticket to get on the bus to the Pier. So we meander into the dark recesses of the parking garage. We find the line to get a ticket to get on the bus to the pier, it only had about 250 people in this line. After we got our ticket to get on the bus we got into a large group of people, probably 300 or so and increasing by the minute. There was no directions, no bathrooms, no water, not very many places to sit and it was hotter than hell there. Everyone was getting a little pissed off by now. I asked a staffer where the nearest bathroom was and she looked at me and said “I don’t know I think there is one in the terminal”. Every once and awhile a bus would come and take away 52 people and 75 more would show up. After 2-1/2 hours we got on the bus to Pier 91. When we arrived at Pier 91 at 12:50 pm after getting off the bus there was no direction from anyone from Princess. There was a line from the front of the terminal back out to the end of the covered walk way and back to the terminal. So we walk into the terminal looking for the Elite line and get in a line, I didn’t know if it was the right line, no one said anything. The line moved along rather slowly and we got up to one of the 4 or 5 persons who were checking in people with their medallions. Once we got upstairs and went through security there was another line to check our medallions. By now it’s 1:50 pm and I’m tired and hungry, I tell my wife let’s get a pizza at GiGi’s, nope it’s not open. NEVER AGAIN!! Will I ever catch a Princess shuttle at Sea-Tac airport.  

[Purple Gallinule]

41 minutes ago, Eaglecw said:

On Sunday June 26th we sailed on the Discovery Princess. We decided to have our DIL drop us off at Sea-Tac and catch the Princess transfer from Sea-Tac to Pier 91. HUGE MISTAKE!!!! Our DIL dropped us off at Sea-Tac at 9:40 am. We found the line to hand off our bags to the Princess rep. That line had about 150 people in it. After we dropped our bags off we got a slip of paper that told us where to go to get a ticket to get on the bus to the Pier. So we meander into the dark recesses of the parking garage. We find the line to get a ticket to get on the bus to the pier, it only had about 250 people in this line. After we got our ticket to get on the bus we got into a large group of people, probably 300 or so and increasing by the minute. There was no directions, no bathrooms, no water, not very many places tosit and it was hotter than hell there. Everyone was getting a little pissed off by now. I asked a staffer where the nearest bathroom was and she looked at me and said “I don’t know I think there is one in the terminal”. Every once and awhile a bus would come and take away 52 people and 75 more would show up. After 2-1/2 hours we got on the bus to Pier 91. When we arrived at Pier 91 at 12:50 pm after getting off the bus there was no direction from anyone from Princess. There was a line from the front of the terminal back out to the end of the covered walk way and back to the terminal. So we walk into the terminal looking for the Elite line and get in a line, I didn’t know if it was the right line, no one said anything. The line moved along rather slowly and we got up to one of the 4 or 5 persons who were checking in people with their medallions. Once we got upstairs and went through security there was another line to check our medallions. By now it’s 1:50 pm and I’m tired and hungry, I tell my wife let’s get a pizza at GiGi’s, nope it’s not open. NEVER AGAIN!! Will I ever catch a Princess shuttle at Sea-Tac airport.  

We stayed overnight the night before and then went back to Sea-Tac for the transfer. We saw that it was going to be at least two hours before we would leave the airport, so we grabbed a cab and got to the pier at 8:45am. We had to wait for the previous cruise to finish its disembarkation, but we were in the first five in line and we were processed and on the ship by 11:00am. We agree that you should not use the transfers there. I even went to the purser's desk and got the transfers refunded to OBC. When we got back to Seattle the very same cab driver took us to our hotel and then picked us up the next day to go to the airport for our flight home. Cheaper, faster, more comfortable!

[claudia814]

What about the other way from ship to airport? When to leave ship on bus to airport?

[Ombud]

The shuttle was such a nightmare i canceled the ship -> airport ride. Then a friend on the ship (HQE910) told me about Seattle Express. If you have AAA it turns out to be $18.00. They have multiple mini-buses at the end of the shuttle bus row and leave every 15 minutes. Ours wasn't even full & I was at the airport by 8:15ish

https://seattleexpress.com/

 

Edited July 7, 2022 by Ombud

[Eaglecw]

12 hours ago, claudia814 said:

What about the other way from ship to airport? When to leave ship on bus to airport?

It wasn't bad going from Pier 91 back the Sea-Tac. We got off the ship about 8:15 and we were at the airport by 9am.

[abqmommyof4]

saw  your  comment on facebook,   serious  question here.  Why  didnt you just have your  DIL just  drop you at the  peir?

[Cruise Raider]

17 hours ago, Ombud said:

The shuttle was such a nightmare i canceled the ship -> airport ride. Then a friend on the ship (HQE910) told me about Seattle Express. If you have AAA it turns out to be $18.00. They have multiple mini-buses at the end of the shuttle bus row and leave every 15 minutes. Ours wasn't even full & I was at the airport by 8:15ish

https://seattleexpress.com/

 

 

I also am a huge fan of Seattle Express.  I wouldn't even think of using anything else next time up in Seattle for a cruise.  They can't pick up at SeaTac but will pick you up at specific airport hotels.  On the way back from the pier to the airport, you explained it perfectly.  I love how you don't even need to give them a time for disembarkation ... they are just there at the pier and pick up every 15 minutes.  

I recently booked a ride with them and even though I missed to cutoff to cancel after getting CoVid, they still refunded my money.  Class Act!   They've certainly earned my business and recommendation!  

[Jase0581]

Your experience matches mine from June 19th.  I will never use the transfer from SEA to the pier again.  We waited 2 hours after checking in for the transfer at the airport and then another 2 hours in lines at Pier 91.  The transfer from Pier 91 to SEA went rather smoothly and I would do it in that direction again.

[Ombud]

16 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

I also am a huge fan of Seattle Express.  I wouldn't even think of using anything else next time up in Seattle for a cruise.  They can't pick up at SeaTac but will pick you up at specific airport hotels.

Im thinking of just booking it from a nearby hotel in the future.  Of course I only have 1 carry-on. 

[Italy52]

We used Princess shuttle in Seattle once and thought to ourselves there must be a better way  to get to the port.  After doing a little research, we found Seattle Express.  We will be using them for the Discovery Princess and the Quantum of the Seas cruise in August.  Requested hotel pick up to pier for both trips.  Great shuttle and customer service.

[deliver42]

Seattle Express is terrific.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Really good to read a first-hand experience.  Thanks for the info.  

[Jadn13]

For Seattle Express Discount

 

• Do you offer military, senior, or AAA discounts?

 

• We offer a 10% military and AAA discount. Email us for promo code.

Edited July 7, 2022 by Jadn13

[rj80]

Ditto for us on the June 11 sailing. Totally disorganized and looooong wait, about 2 hours to get on the bus. They yell out the color or number on your ticket  to get on the bus. No one could hear or understand him. Why can't they hold up a sign of the color or number of the next ticket and use a magaphone. I asked them, why don't you have a PA system? They said they weren't allowed to have one. Everyone was wandering and looked lost. Just plain stupid! Never again!

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

Can anybody share the experience if you have pre-booked a hotel w/Princess for the night before and transferring from hotel to ship?  How does this different approach stack up against what is being reported for "day of" transfers?

[Eaglecw]

20 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Can anybody share the experience if you have pre-booked a hotel w/Princess for the night before and transferring from hotel to ship?  How does this different approach stack up against what is being reported for "day of" transfers?

I'll never do a Princess transfer again. I'd go with Seattle Express if I were staying at a hotel. Next time, if there is a next time I'll drive to Pier 91 and park at Seattle Cruise ship parking at the Armory.

[abqmommyof4]

20 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Can anybody share the experience if you have pre-booked a hotel w/Princess for the night before and transferring from hotel to ship?  How does this different approach stack up against what is being reported for "day of" transfers?

we  did  many years ago,  it was very easy,  I was on crutches at the time as well. 

we  found the princess rep at the airport,  they brought us to our  hotel,  brought us  to  ship the  following morning,  had  a chair waiting for me ,  it was seamless

.

[Eaglecw]

On 7/7/2022 at 10:05 AM, abqmommyof4 said:

saw  your  comment on facebook,   serious  question here.  Why  didnt you just have your  DIL just  drop you at the  peir?

Our DIL is a flight attendant and said she could give us a ride up to Sea-Tac as she had a flight on Sunday morning. I was under the impression that the Medallion app was suppose to speed up the boarding process, it was terribly slow. It been a long time since I've seen such a flipp'n mess. 

[abqmommyof4]

7 minutes ago, Eaglecw said:

Our DIL is a flight attendant and said she could give us a ride up to Sea-Tac as she had a flight on Sunday morning. I was under the impression that the Medallion app was suppose to speed up the boarding process, it was terribly slow. It been a long time since I've seen such a flipp'n mess. 

i understand the  ride to  the  airport instead,  I apologize and im  sorry for your  difficult time

[tja273]

We just used Lyft from the airport. It was fast and easy, but it is a longer walk to the cruise terminal (they make them use the furthest parking area). We took a cab back after the cruise, because it was just a shorter walk.

[CatsinShow]

On 7/6/2022 at 9:22 PM, Ombud said:

The shuttle was such a nightmare i canceled the ship -> airport ride. Then a friend on the ship (HQE910) told me about Seattle Express. If you have AAA it turns out to be $18.00. They have multiple mini-buses at the end of the shuttle bus row and leave every 15 minutes. Ours wasn't even full & I was at the airport by 8:15ish

https://seattleexpress.com/

 

Yup. Took Express too. Good experience. No line and maybe a 10 minute wait. Easily could have made a 10:00 am flight with precheck. 

[nenahog]

On 7/6/2022 at 11:22 PM, Ombud said:

The shuttle was such a nightmare i canceled the ship -> airport ride. Then a friend on the ship (HQE910) told me about Seattle Express. If you have AAA it turns out to be $18.00. They have multiple mini-buses at the end of the shuttle bus row and leave every 15 minutes. Ours wasn't even full & I was at the airport by 8:15ish

https://seattleexpress.com/

 

Thank you!  We are staying this Saturday night at a Sea-Tac hotel and I booked 2 round trip shuttle fares for $66!  That's super cheap for 2 people round trip!  I also used AAA and it was $17 each way pp. THANK YOU!

[Pierlesscruisers]

To be completely honest, I would highly recommend that anybody going on a cruise from Seattle is to arrive a day early and stay at a hotel that you arrange through Princess. The reason I say that is for a couple of reasons. First of all, that takes a lot of stress off of you as it reduces the possibility of having a canceled flight, missed connection, weather delay, etc. causing you to have to worry about missing your embarkation on the start of your cruise. It is not worth causing you any unnecessary stress/strain of possibly missing your cruise. Get in, get a good night's sleep and wake up refreshed, relaxed and ready to go on your cruise. By staying at a Princess hotel, you can purchase a transfer from the hotel to the pier with a minimum of effort. As an example of what happens when you do this, let me explain what happens to you when you stay at the DoubleTree hotel at SeaTac airport.

 

I know that the following explanation is true and accurately reflects what occurs at one specific hotel at Seattle because I am one of the 2 people who work there every Sat. & Sun. during the Alaska cruise season. The other person who does that job is my wife, Dianna. Do we promise that there will never be any problems or delays? No, of course not, but we will do everything possible to minimize and problems and their effects on Princess passengers.

 

You arrive at the airport and pick up your luggage at the airport and catch the shuttle bus from the airport to the hotel. The shuttle runs every 30 minutes, and the hotel is right across the street from the airport so you're there very soon. When you check in at the hotel, you get a letter from Princess explaining what will happen the next morning and where to go. The next morning you make sure that your bags are packed & tagged with your Princess bag tags are all packed and left inside your room and go downstairs at 8 AM to meet the Princess representatives. There, you will meet the reps. and get briefed where and when to meet them to catch their bus to Pier 91 to process onto your ship. Starting at 8 AM, the hotel personnel will begin picking up all of your tagged bags from your rooms and taking them downstairs to where they will be taken to be placed on a truck where they will later be taken to the pier where they will be transferred to the ship. The next time you will see your bags will be at your stateroom on your ship. They will not leave the hotel until the bags have been okayed by the Princess reps.

 

After all the Princess passengers who have purchased their transfers from Princess have been checked in by the representatives, they will be briefed as to where and when they will meet to be loaded on the buses to the pier.  At the designated time (normally 10 AM) and place the Princess cruisers will be loaded onto the buses, briefed and then transported to Pier 91 for final processing and departure on their cruise. Normally, the buses leave the hotel at around 10:30 AM, but that may vary due to traffic or other situations. Result? No muss, no fuss, no problems with luggage (they will all probably be at the pier before you will!) 

 

Any questions, feel free to ask and I'll do my best to provide you an accurate answer.

 

Tom

 

[Ombud]

This was my 2nd post covid cruise from Seattle (4th overall) but unfortunately I could not go early. I 2nd staying overnight if possible but flights go almost every hour from here and it's 2 hrs by air. The Seattle Metro is really easy, stops in airport and near multiple hotels, and hotel shuttle -> pier 91 = $10. Or Seattle Express from hotel -> pier -> airport is about the same price as shuttle to pier with AAA discount. So respectfully disagree especially if a solo as the Princess charges a hotel solo supplement too (learned that in Fort Lauderdale)

 

 

Edited July 22, 2022 by Ombud

[Eaglecw]

That's all well and good Tom. I'll NEVER! ever take another Princess shuttle from Sea-Tac to Pier 91 again NEVER!! and I'll never recommend to anyone to take the Princess shuttle. The people who work for SES are some of the stupidest people I've ever met.