Seattle is the undisputed gateway for Alaska cruises — a city where you can start the day with fresh Dungeness crab at a century-old market, gaze down at your ship from the Space Needle, and still make sailaway with time to spare.
⚓ Docked (Pier 91 or Pier 66)🕒 Homeport — embark/debark day💵 USD🗣️ English🌧️ Pack a compact rain layer
Docking
Pier 91 (Smith Cove) for most ships; Pier 66 (Bell Street) for Norwegian, Oceania, and select others — both docked, no tendering
Walk to center
Pier 66 is steps from downtown; Pier 91 is 3–4 miles away — take the free shuttle to Seattle Center then the $4 monorail
Both terminals are modern and efficient — Pier 66 is famously walkable to downtown, while Pier 91 is a quick rideshare or free shuttle ride away.
Getting from Ship to City
1
Pier 91 (Smith Cove) — most cruise linesLocated in Magnolia, about 3–4 miles from downtown. A free complimentary shuttle runs to Seattle Center; from there the monorail ($4 each way) drops you at Westlake Center in under 2 minutes. Rideshare to downtown is $15–30, taxis are plentiful curbside. Not walkable to city center.
2
Pier 66 (Bell Street) — Norwegian, Oceania, some CunardRight on the downtown waterfront — walk out the terminal and you're 8 minutes from Pike Place Market, 5 minutes from the Seattle Aquarium, and steps from the Great Wheel. No transit needed.
3
Getting around the cityThe Seattle Center Monorail, rideshare apps, Seattle Streetcar, and King County Metro buses cover the city well. For the waterfront, walk or rent a bike/scooter. Parking near both terminals can be expensive — plan ahead if you're driving.
💡 Pro move: Port Valet — Seattle's complimentary luggage service — transfers checked bags directly from the ship to SeaTac Airport, freeing you to explore city-bags-free on debarkation day. Handled 200,000+ bags in 2025.
Piers & Tendering by Cruise Line
Seattle operates two dedicated cruise terminals; check your booking confirmation for which pier your ship uses.
Cruise Line
Typical Berth / Arrival
Dock or Tender
Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, MSC, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Virgin Voyages, Cunard (select sailings)
Whether embark day, debark day, or a rare in-port call, Seattle fits a world-class itinerary into a compact, very walkable area.
Iconic
Space Needle & Seattle Center
Ride to the revolving glass floor at 605 feet for panoramic views of Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, and the city skyline. Pair it with the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum next door — one of the best glass art installations anywhere.
America's oldest continuously operating public market is a sensory feast — flying fish, fresh flower bouquets, artisan cheese, and the original Starbucks. Arrive before 10am for breathing room; the fish toss happens daily around noon.
⏱ 1–2 hrs🚶 Easy (walkable from Pier 66)🐟 Fish toss at noon
Walk the buried city beneath Pioneer Square — original 1889 storefronts preserved one level below modern streets after the Great Seattle Fire. A quirky, genuinely fascinating 75-minute guided tour that runs year-round.
Frank Gehry's wild titanium building houses hands-on exhibits on rock 'n' roll history, Nirvana, Jimi Hendrix, sci-fi film, and horror. Located at Seattle Center, right next to the Space Needle — easy to combine into one visit.
Orcas, minke whales, and harbor porpoise are regularly spotted in Puget Sound. Boats depart from the downtown waterfront — a perfect excursion for a pre-cruise day when you have more time.
Seattle's waterfront is lined with Pacific Northwest seafood. Try Dungeness crab, clam chowder in sourdough, and smoked salmon. Ivar's Acres of Clams on the waterfront has been serving fish & chips since 1938. Pair with a Capitol Hill craft beer.
Seattle's waterfront and downtown are very walkable — two easy routes cover the best highlights on foot from either pier.
Waterfront to Pike Place Loop
1.5 miles · 45 min · Easy
Start at the Seattle Aquarium, walk north along Alaskan Way, climb the Pike Place Market hillclimb escalators, wander the market stalls and Post Alley, then loop back via First Avenue past Ye Olde Curiosity Shop.
Explore cobblestone Pioneer Square, duck into the hidden Waterfall Garden Park (built on the birthplace of UPS), check out the totem poles at Occidental Square, and peek at the ornate Victorian Pioneer Building.
Climate normals for Seattle, Washington, USA (2014–2023 averages). Pack for the month you sail — highs, lows, and how many rainy days to expect.
Month
Avg High
Avg Low
Rainy Days
Sunrise
Sunset
Jan
47°F / 8°C
37°F / 3°C
17
7:52 AM
4:45 PM
Feb
46°F / 8°C
36°F / 2°C
16
7:14 AM
5:33 PM
Mar
52°F / 11°C
39°F / 4°C
16
7:21 AM
7:15 PM
Apr
57°F / 14°C
42°F / 6°C
15
6:19 AM
7:59 PM
May
64°F / 18°C
49°F / 9°C
10
5:31 AM
8:40 PM
Jun
70°F / 21°C
54°F / 12°C
9
5:11 AM
9:08 PM
Jul
76°F / 24°C
58°F / 14°C
4
5:27 AM
9:02 PM
Aug
77°F / 25°C
59°F / 15°C
5
6:06 AM
8:20 PM
Sep
69°F / 21°C
55°F / 13°C
11
6:47 AM
7:20 PM
Oct
59°F / 15°C
48°F / 9°C
14
7:29 AM
6:20 PM
Nov
50°F / 10°C
41°F / 5°C
17
7:15 AM
4:32 PM
Dec
45°F / 7°C
37°F / 3°C
19
7:51 AM
4:17 PM
Source: Open-Meteo ERA5 (10-yr daily averages)
Insider Tips
🧳
Port Valet — use it: Seattle's free Port Valet service transfers checked bags directly from the cruise ship to SeaTac Airport. You explore the city hands-free and check bags at 35+ airlines. Sign up through your cruise line before debarkation.
🏪
Luggage storage options: Several shops near both terminals offer paid luggage storage (try Bounce or LuggageHero). The Purple Store near Pier 66 is open until 6pm — handy for a late afternoon flight.
🌧️
Rain is real: Seattle averages 150+ rainy days a year. A compact packable rain jacket is essential — not just a travel cliché. The good news: rain here is usually light drizzle, not monsoon.
🐟
Pike Place timing: Arrive before 10am for elbow room at the fish market and first-Starbucks coffee without the 30-minute queue. Fish toss is best around noon on weekdays.
🚝
Pier 91 transit: The free cruise line shuttle drops at Seattle Center. The monorail ($4 each way, 2 min) connects Seattle Center to Westlake Center in downtown. It's faster than traffic — take it.
💳
Nearly cashless city: Seattle is one of America's most cashless cities — credit/debit cards accepted almost everywhere, including street vendors and market stalls. Keep a $20 for a tip here and there.
Getting Around
Transport options from the pier — taxis, shuttles, transit passes, and whether ride-share apps work here.
🚗 Ride-share: ✅ Uber, LyftBoth Uber and Lyft operate at Seattle cruise terminals (Pier 66 and Pier 91). Note: Seattle regulations have pushed rideshare fares ~50-60% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
🚍 City Sightseeing Seattle
Pier 91 passengers can get a VIP City Sightseeing ticket with included transfer to the downtown HOHO route via Port Valet program.
🚕 Taxi
$20–55
Taxis available curbside at both Pier 66 (downtown waterfront) and Pier 91 (Interbay). Pier 66 fares to downtown run $20–45; Pier 91 fares are slightly higher at $25–55.
📱 Rideshare (Uber/Lyft)
$20–50+
Both Uber and Lyft are confirmed available at Seattle cruise terminals. Prices are higher than most U.S. cities due to local regulations; expect surge pricing on embarkation days.
🚐 Shared Shuttle
$27–40/person
Shared shuttle services like Seattle Shuttle and Premier Airport Shuttle connect the cruise terminals to downtown and Sea-Tac Airport. Best booked in advance.
🚶 Walk (Pier 66 only)
Free
Pier 66 sits right on the downtown Seattle waterfront — Pike Place Market, the waterfront, and downtown attractions are walkable within 5–15 minutes.
Cruises Calling Here
Upcoming cruises that call at Seattle, Washington, USA. Dates, prices, and ports of call change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking.
Itineraries and prices change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking. Some links are affiliate links that may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
