Bus/Walk to Pier 91 Seattle

[runnerodb83]

I know this topic has been touched on but I've never seen a legit answer. Going on a 1 nighter in Sept and taking Amtrak back from Vancouver. I live in the Seattle area and try to use excellent mass transit. Well today I drove over there and there is a bus stop on the magnolia bridge...but the sidewalk ends right before going down the ramp to the cruise area. I don't mind walking in traffic, but some of the cabbies are crazy drivers so it worries me a bit. I looked across the magnolia bridge and there was a stairway going down to the port but no way to tell if it ends at a barricade since its probably a "secure" area. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone has experience either taking Metro to the pier/cruise ship or taking the bike path along 16th ave and then entering at the checkpoint at the bottom of the east end of the bridge by foot? Anyone?

[SeattleCruiselover]

I know this topic has been touched on but I've never seen a legit answer. Going on a 1 nighter in Sept and taking Amtrak back from Vancouver. I live in the Seattle area and try to use excellent mass transit. Well today I drove over there and there is a bus stop on the magnolia bridge...but the sidewalk ends right before going down the ramp to the cruise area. I don't mind walking in traffic, but some of the cabbies are crazy drivers so it worries me a bit. I looked across the magnolia bridge and there was a stairway going down to the port but no way to tell if it ends at a barricade since its probably a "secure" area. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone has experience either taking Metro to the pier/cruise ship or taking the bike path along 16th ave and then entering at the checkpoint at the bottom of the east end of the bridge by foot? Anyone?

 

You have to climb down "three flights" of stairs from the bridge to get into the Terminal area. They are rather steep and narrow, and I didn't like them a bit WITHOUT luggage. They wouldn't be much fun with bag(s), I'm sure. They were not barricaded the time I tried it, but that was not during cruise ship operations. You should probably call Cruise Terminals America, who manage the terminal area, I'm sure they will be happy to tell you.

[runnerodb83]

Thanks for the info SeattleCruiselover. Upon further viewing (thanks google streetview) it looks like there is a sidewalk that goes down the Eastbound onramp. I'll call CTA to be sure, but I'll probably give it a shot so I can report back to anyone whos wondering the same thing.

[runnerodb83]

Thanks for the info SeattleCruiselover. Upon further viewing (thanks google streetview) it looks like there is a sidewalk that goes down the Eastbound onramp. I'll call CTA to be sure, but I'll probably give it a shot so I can report back to anyone whos wondering the same thing.

 

Well for anyone who is curious it is possible to bus to your cruise. For our 1 nighter to vancouver we took 545 from the eastside and transferred to 24 downtown and alighted on the Magnolia Bridge. From there we turned back toward queen anne to a old metal stairway and followed it down and under the bridge. Eventually it dropped us at a guard shack and from here out there was an obvious route to the ships that was well marked at street crossings. It was suprisingly easy.

 

I'll echo the comment above however, doing this with any sort of luggage more than something you coul easily put in an overhead bin on an airplane would be a struggle. If you are still hell bent on going this route, you could dash across the magnolia bridge after alighting the bus and walk down the sidewalk on the onramp from the cruise terminal althought I'm not sure where to go from the bottom. Alternatively it looks like it would be possible to enter from the security gate off elliot/galer street.

 

All things considered, if you live in Seattle, are taking a short cruise, hate the thought of paying $20+ for a cab, in decent physical condition, and don't mind heights (the stairs are metal grate quality and you are 40'+ off the ground) I'd recommend this route.

 

Funny thing was, almost half the bus got off at this stop (8-10 people).

[everbruin]

FYI another cruiser and I posted recent good experiences taking bus 24 to pier 91/smith cove terminal:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=34037733&postcount=18

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=34486172&postcount=19

[trinaM]

Thanks for sharing. I have wondered about this exact route and those stairs. If you had more luggage sounds like it would be a struggle. Did you say its possible to go to a sidewalk if you couldn,'t do the stairs?

 

Well for anyone who is curious it is possible to bus to your cruise. For our 1 nighter to vancouver we took 545 from the eastside and transferred to 24 downtown and alighted on the Magnolia Bridge. From there we turned back toward queen anne to a old metal stairway and followed it down and under the bridge. Eventually it dropped us at a guard shack and from here out there was an obvious route to the ships that was well marked at street crossings. It was suprisingly easy.

 

I'll echo the comment above however, doing this with any sort of luggage more than something you coul easily put in an overhead bin on an airplane would be a struggle. If you are still hell bent on going this route, you could dash across the magnolia bridge after alighting the bus and walk down the sidewalk on the onramp from the cruise terminal althought I'm not sure where to go from the bottom. Alternatively it looks like it would be possible to enter from the security gate off elliot/galer street.

 

All things considered, if you live in Seattle, are taking a short cruise, hate the thought of paying $20+ for a cab, in decent physical condition, and don't mind heights (the stairs are metal grate quality and you are 40'+ off the ground) I'd recommend this route.

 

Funny thing was, almost half the bus got off at this stop (8-10 people).

[waASPCrusier]

Thanks for sharing. I have wondered about this exact route and those stairs. If you had more luggage sounds like it would be a struggle. Did you say its possible to go to a sidewalk if you couldn,'t do the stairs?

 

On my cruise at the end of June I did this but without luggage. For departure I used the stop on Magnolia Bridge and found the stairs no issue. For the return I walked up the stairs and then down Magnolia to 15th Ave. where the buses are more frequent. I believe there is path from 15th Ave. but it looks like it still requires stairs and then a long walk.

 

Hope that helps.