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Guides

Getting to the ship in Seattle

The schedule tells you when to sail. These guides cover the rest of the trip to the ship: which terminal, where to park, the ride from Sea-Tac, hotels near the piers and the documents to bring, plus whether to sail from Seattle or Vancouver and which month suits you. Each one lists its sources and the date we last checked them.

A cruise ship in an Alaskan fjord below snow-covered mountains and a glacier, with the northern lights overhead

First Alaska cruise from Seattle: common questions

Find your pier first: Norwegian and Oceania use Pier 66 downtown, most other lines Pier 91. Arrive in the window your line gives you, and fly in the day before if you can.

Updated 2026-10-23
A cruise ship in an Alaskan fjord below snow-covered mountains and a glacier, with the northern lights overhead

Seattle cruise terminals: Pier 66 and Pier 91

Norwegian, Oceania and Silversea sail from the Bell Street Cruise Terminal at Pier 66 downtown. Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, MSC, Princess, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages use the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91.

Updated 2026-10-23
A cruise ship in an Alaskan fjord below snow-covered mountains and a glacier, with the northern lights overhead

Cruise parking in Seattle: Pier 66 and Pier 91

At Pier 66 the Bell Street garage was $30 a day before tax on 23 October 2026. At Pier 91 a week in the on-site lot cost $187 to $329 with taxes and fees, depending on how close you park to the shuttle stop.

Updated 2026-10-23
A cruise ship in an Alaskan fjord below snow-covered mountains and a glacier, with the northern lights overhead

Sea-Tac airport to the Seattle cruise terminals

The port puts both terminals 30 to 40 minutes from Sea-Tac by road. Link light rail stops downtown and reaches neither pier. Carnival's own transfer was $37.99 a person each way on 23 October 2026.

Updated 2026-10-23
A cruise ship in an Alaskan fjord below snow-covered mountains and a glacier, with the northern lights overhead

Hotels near the Seattle cruise terminals

Choose by pier. The Seattle Marriott Waterfront and The Edgewater are a 4 and 5 minute walk from Pier 66. No hotel is within walking distance of Pier 91, so stay in Lower Queen Anne, about 10 minutes away by car, or at a hotel that runs a cruise shuttle.

Updated 2026-10-27

Hotels near Pier 66 in Seattle

The Seattle Marriott Waterfront, across Alaskan Way, is a 4-minute walk from the Pier 66 terminal, and The Edgewater on Pier 67 is 5 minutes. The Belltown Inn, 9 minutes away, also sells a $10 shuttle to the pier.

Updated 2026-10-27

Hotels near Pier 91 in Seattle

No hotel is within walking distance of Pier 91. The nearest, the MarQueen, Homewood Suites and the Mediterranean Inn in Lower Queen Anne, are 9 or 10 minutes away by car, and the Mediterranean Inn runs a $10 shuttle to the pier.

Updated 2026-10-27

Seattle hotels with a cruise shuttle

Seven hotels run or arrange a ride to Seattle's cruise terminals. The Belltown Inn and the Mediterranean Inn charge $10 a person, the Mayflower Park $15, and the Holiday Inn Express & Suites at Sea-Tac $25. None we checked offers a free shuttle.

Updated 2026-10-27

Sea-Tac airport hotels for a Seattle cruise

Sea-Tac hotels are about 25 minutes by car from Pier 66 and 35 from Pier 91, without traffic. Of the nine we checked, only the Holiday Inn Express & Suites lists a cruise shuttle, $25 a person each way. Several sell one night with up to a week of parking.

Updated 2026-10-27
A cruise ship in an Alaskan fjord below snow-covered mountains and a glacier, with the northern lights overhead

Documents for an Alaska cruise from Seattle

Every round trip from Seattle stops in Canada. U.S. citizens on a closed loop can sail with a birth certificate and photo ID, but a passport is mandatory for one-way trips, flights home from Canada and some excursions, and every line recommends one.

Updated 2026-10-23
A cruise ship in an Alaskan fjord below snow-covered mountains and a glacier, with the northern lights overhead

Seattle or Vancouver for an Alaska cruise

Seattle sells round trips. On 23 October 2026, all but 7 of its 298 Alaska sailings in 2027 came back to Seattle. Vancouver's 369 included 144 one-way trips, most of them ending at Seward, Whittier or Anchorage.

Updated 2026-10-23
A cruise ship in an Alaskan fjord below snow-covered mountains and a glacier, with the northern lights overhead

Best time to cruise Alaska from Seattle

Seattle's Alaska season runs from late April to early October. On 23 October 2026 a typical seven-night fare was $949 in May and September against about $1,195 in June and July, and NOAA's normals show rain building through the summer.

Updated 2026-10-23