NEW Smith Cove Terminal 91 in Seattle: a disaster waiting to happen?

[mscg2000]

I've read that beginning on April 24th, the new Smith Cove Cruise Terminal (Terminal 91) in Seattle will open. My RCI cruise on Rhapsody will arrive there on May 15 following an Alaska repositioning cruise from Vancouver. I've also read that the terminal is not entirely ready to receive ships or passengers, and that it is anticipated that there will be MANY long lines and difficulties to iron out. Anyone have some knowledge about this? :confused:

[Atomica]

There has been some rumblings about this on the Princess board.

 

I'm sure the terminal will be done by May, but I would expect there to be some long lines and difficulties to iron out, particularly in the first few days. Holland America, Princess, and RCI will use this terminal.

 

If you're passing through there on May 15th, they'll have a week and a half of experience behind them, so I would hope the more serious issues and learning curves would be worked out by then.

[wrp96]

Go to the West Coast departures board and there are several threads on this issue. The general gist of it is that the people that manage the terminal expect to have some issues for at least the first few weeks the new terminal is open as they deal with logistical issues caused by the setup of the pier buildings AND the limited roadway access into the pier and the parking lot. They hope to get the issues straightened out quickly but in the meantime they ask people to plan extra time for embarkation and debarkation and to be prepared for the possibility of long waits to enter/exit the area of the pier.

 

For your May 15th arrival, the best advice I can have is try to plan extra time into your schedule for disembarkment and be prepared that you may encounter extra waits to get off the ship and then again out of the pier building.

[Blizzard54]

I believe that most of the early problems will be for those embarking rather that disembarking. As Wrona said, be sure to allow a little extra time getting off.

 

One of the biggest problems will be for the bus and cab drivers to learn how to get there from the hotels and the airport.... it is a little off the beaten path.

(it is also a little closer to my house that the other piers :) )