Transportation in Seattle: To rent or not to rent

[shellgoodman]

We are leaving on NCL Pearl June 7th and returning June 14th to the port. We are 2 adults with 2 girls ages 11 & 9. Being that this is an Alaska cruise, I have a feeling that we'll have lots of luggage to contend with.

 

I haven't booked a room yet post-cruise for June 14th as I am so confused as to what to do about the whole transportation issue. We would have stayed at the Embassy Suites by the airport for the 2 extra days post cruise but are not sure about renting a car due to parking limitations in Seattle. If we stayed downtown with a rental then we have to pay to park not only at the hotel but wherever else we go. Is there a car rental company at Pier 66 or would we have to taxi over to a car rental facility? Should we just stay downtown and taxi around the 2 days that we are there? We really don't want to pay an arm and a leg staying downtown as we will be swiping the credit card lots of times on the cruise.

 

Not sure what to do and this post-cruise planning is a whole lot more difficult than picking a cruiseship to go on!

[SeattleCruiselover]

We are leaving on NCL Pearl June 7th and returning June 14th to the port. We are 2 adults with 2 girls ages 11 & 9. Being that this is an Alaska cruise, I have a feeling that we'll have lots of luggage to contend with.

 

I haven't booked a room yet post-cruise for June 14th as I am so confused as to what to do about the whole transportation issue. We would have stayed at the Embassy Suites by the airport for the 2 extra days post cruise but are not sure about renting a car due to parking limitations in Seattle. If we stayed downtown with a rental then we have to pay to park not only at the hotel but wherever else we go. Is there a car rental company at Pier 66 or would we have to taxi over to a car rental facility? Should we just stay downtown and taxi around the 2 days that we are there? We really don't want to pay an arm and a leg staying downtown as we will be swiping the credit card lots of times on the cruise.

 

Not sure what to do and this post-cruise planning is a whole lot more difficult than picking a cruiseship to go on!

 

I definitely wouldn't have a car downtown, the parking is just prohibitive (I live downtown and I don't have a car because the building I live in charges over $250.00 a month to park). The airport hotels charge for parking as well, but not as much as downtown.

 

Where you should stay depends on your likes and dislikes, and what you plan on or want to see while you are here. Give me some ideas, and I will give you some in return.

[shellgoodman]

I ended up e-mailing a friend of mine who travels to Seattle frequently. This is what he said:

 

"Parking is a trick in downtown, but to really see the city I would

HIGHLY encourage renting a car and the truth is, the cost is only

$10-15 to park in open lots and they are all over downtown. You MUST

drive over to Mercer Island, The Space Needle, Bellevue and around

downtown, so you'll need a car. As for hotel stays, I actually stay in

Bellevue (across the bridge) at an all suite hotel (Hotel Sierra) but

it would not be access ready for you guys to be tourist. There are

several downtown Seatlle hotels (Hyatt is great) (Marriott) and some

boutique hotels....DO NOT stay by Pikes Market (it is filled with

whores and strip clubs) But you MUST go walk around Pikes Market (it

is where they throw the fish across the shopping areas-very

famous)...There are 2 great museums next to the Space Needle (music

museum is AWESOME) and not too expensive."

 

Any thoughts on this is much appreciated.

 

We will be going to Pike Place Market, Space Needle, Music Museum and Science Fiction Museum. Don't know anything about Mercer Island or if we will have the time.

[SeattleCruiselover]

I ended up e-mailing a friend of mine who travels to Seattle frequently. This is what he said:

 

"Parking is a trick in downtown, but to really see the city I would

HIGHLY encourage renting a car and the truth is, the cost is only

$10-15 to park in open lots and they are all over downtown. You MUST

drive over to Mercer Island, The Space Needle, Bellevue and around

downtown, so you'll need a car. As for hotel stays, I actually stay in

Bellevue (across the bridge) at an all suite hotel (Hotel Sierra) but

it would not be access ready for you guys to be tourist. There are

several downtown Seatlle hotels (Hyatt is great) (Marriott) and some

boutique hotels....DO NOT stay by Pikes Market (it is filled with

whores and strip clubs) But you MUST go walk around Pikes Market (it

is where they throw the fish across the shopping areas-very

famous)...There are 2 great museums next to the Space Needle (music

museum is AWESOME) and not too expensive."

 

Any thoughts on this is much appreciated.

 

We will be going to Pike Place Market, Space Needle, Music Museum and Science Fiction Museum. Don't know anything about Mercer Island or if we will have the time.

 

The open lots are generally more than $10-15 for the daylight hours (they are about that much for overnight), unless you go outside of downtown to park, then you have the hassle of going back and forth to a parking lot.

 

I'm not sure why he thinks you should drive over to Mercer Island, there is nothing there but high end residential and the normal commercial, unless it is because he thinks you need to take a trip across the floating bridge just for the heck of it.

 

There is one more or less X rated club by the Market, and the working girls don't hang out down there during the day (they have better places to hide out and do their "jobs"). The area by the market is becoming increasingly gentrified with multimillion dollar hotels and condos....several in the last year alone.

 

That said, you should not miss the market. The Space Needle is far from worth what it costs, IMHO. The hotels he mentions are fine, as are many others in the area....just depends on what you are looking for price and amenity wise. The two museums at Seattle Center are well worth the visit, assuming you like Science Fiction and Rock Music.

 

I would still advise against the car, but that is my personal prejudice. We have an excellent public transportation system (so long as there is not a foot of snow on the ground, that is), and a good portion of downtown is fare free during the busy hours of the day.

[shellgoodman]

Thanks for your help! I am going to try to find something downtown which is reasonable (is that even possible?) and we'll walk or take taxis. Hopefully the hotel will have a shuttle to the airport.

[SeattleCruiselover]

Thanks for your help! I am going to try to find something downtown which is reasonable (is that even possible?) and we'll walk or take taxis. Hopefully the hotel will have a shuttle to the airport.

 

Downtown hotels do not have shyttles to the airport, but, if you stay at or near one of the majors, you can go on the aiporter for cheap:

 

http://www.graylineseattle.com/airportexpress1.cfm

 

Guess it depends on your definition of reasonable. I've heard of some people getting some pretty good deals just by cruising the hotel websites, since some are running specials.

[judyf]

Thanks for your help! I am going to try to find something downtown which is reasonable (is that even possible?) and we'll walk or take taxis. Hopefully the hotel will have a shuttle to the airport.

 

Try a 3-4 star with priceline or hotwire. Some of us got fairly great deals.