Seattle Debarkation Aug ‘24

[cruisetonowhere10]

We are on the  Edge sailing into Seattle this August.  We HAD a flight departure time I was comfortable with (TSA precheck, one checked bag, carryons.) SWA has now changed our flights and it’s going to be tight at best.  No other flights to our location on that day and going home the next day is somewhat problematic with DHs work schedule (can be adjusted if absolutely necessary.) We booked with points so if we have to cancel/reschedule up to right before the flight we can and are potentially willing to try to make it and adapt if it looks like we aren’t going to.  SWA allows cancellations up until a few minutes before the flight. We are two able bodied individuals and would take our own luggage off the ship anyway. What is the earliest we could get off the ship (assuming port arrival etc happens as scheduled?) And, if we upgraded to concierge or retreat does that help at all?  Understandably, customs and other factors are always an unknown and I understand that.  Thank you for any input/experience.

[SbbquilterUT]

Lots of things can occur but I can say we have walked off at Pier 91 (using a US passport so we just walked through facial recognition lines), walked to taxi line, were at the airport in 45" to comfortably make flights at 10:20 and then at 10:15.  As always issues can crop up but we have been okay on our last three cruises from Pier 91.

[cruisetonowhere10]

1 minute ago, SbbquilterUT said:

Lots of things can occur but I can say we have walked off at Pier 91 (using a US passport so we just walked through facial recognition lines), walked to taxi line, were at the airport in 45" to comfortably make flights at 10:20 and then at 10:15.  As always issues can crop up but we have been okay on our last three cruises from Pier 91.

Thank you.  Our flight time was moved to 10:45 so this is good info.

[Arizona Wildcat]

The rest of the questions are what day of the week?

 

Will you dock downtown at pier 91?

[cruisetonowhere10]

1 minute ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

The rest of the questions are what day of the week?

 

Will you dock downtown at pier 91?

Friday and yes, I checked the port schedule and it is pier 91.

[Ferry_Watcher]

Fridays are the busiest day at Pier 91.  We have RCI Quantum disembarking 4,900+ passengers, and the Edge with about 3,000.  Traditionally, the Quantum starts their disembarkation between 6:30 - 6:45 AM, and the Celebrity ship (it had been the Solstice for a number of years, this year, the Edge), starts their disembark 7 - 7:15 am.  Once in the luggage hall, you still have to stand in line along with the mix of Quantum and Edge passengers to go thru passport control.  It's a fairly fast process, but it depends how many people are in front of you.

 

Taxis are outside the terminal, and passengers are lined up with usually a 'taxi wrangler' outside to help facilitate getting folks into cabs.  The Uber/Lyft pick-up area is about a 7-10 minute walk from the terminal building.  There is a shuttle, but sometimes walking is faster.

 

Part of the problem is that SeaTac is so busy that even the approach to the airport gets so backed up that you could be stuck in a long line of cars stretching back to the highway.  There is also long lines to drop off bags, and the TSA lines can be very long.

 

As someone who knows SeaTac, and knows Pier 91 very well, I would not recommend a 10:45 AM flight.

Edited February 18 by Ferry_Watcher

[cruisetonowhere10]

13 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Fridays are the busiest day at Pier 91.  We have RCI Quantum disembarking 4,900+ passengers, and the Edge with about 3,000.  Traditionally, the Quantum starts their disembarkation between 6:30 - 6:45 AM, and the Celebrity ship (it had been the Solstice for a number of years, this year, the Edge), starts their disembark 7 - 7:15 am.  Once in the luggage hall, you still have to stand in line along with the mix of Quantum and Edge passengers to go thru passport control.  It's a fairly fast process, but it depends how many people are in front of you.

 

Taxis are outside the terminal, and passengers are lined up with usually a 'taxi wrangler' outside to help facilitate getting folks into cabs.  The Uber/Lyft pick-up area is about a 7-10 minute walk from the terminal building.  There is a shuttle, but sometimes walking is faster.

 

Part of the problem is that SeaTac is so busy that even the approach to the airport gets so backed up that you could be stuck in a long line of cars stretching back to the highway.  There is also long lines to drop off bags, and the TSA lines can be very long.

 

As someone who knows SeaTac, and knows Pier 91 very well, I would not recommend a 10:45 AM flight.

Thank you so much.  I am going to have to do some thinking as we can’t get out that day to our home airport other than that flight.  So, that means I either change to the following day (not ideal) risk it (and rebook if it doesn’t work) or….I am not really sure what other options I have and knowing SWA, as soon as I switch it they will adjust it again lol.