Seattle, Washington 

Use this link to research what excursions and tours you can book in Seattle 

Located in the northwest corner of the continental United States, Seattle is Washington's largest city and not surprisingly one of the most popular embarkation ports for Alaskan cruises.  Divided between Pier 66 (Bell Street Terminal) and Pier 91 (Smith Cove Terminal) at least six major cruise lines operate round-trip itineraries to Alaska from Seattle.  Since you leave from and return to the same US city, you won't need a passport despite the requisite law mandating a short stop in a foreign country (generally Vancouver, Canada).  

We always encourage our clients to arrive a day or two at the port city before your sail date, so let's talk about some fun things to do while visiting before boarding your ship.  I will mention "walking distance" below.  For me, walking distance is 1-3 miles (one way).  Seattle is built on the side of a hill so depending on where you stay and where you want to walk, there is a good chance at some point, you'll be headed up hill.  If you have mobility issues or aren't comfortable walking, consider downtown hotel locations or plan to use rideshare or taxi services to navigate the city.

There are lots of options for hotels but let's first take a look at a map (expertly colored by me).  The yellow area is "downtown".  The further you go from the harbor and ports, the more suburban.  The hotels on the edges will be less expensive but you need to account for the distance walking or cost for transportation when you explore.  Hotels closer to the harbor will have a steeper price but you'll be within walking distance of a lot.  Also, most of these hotels, unless you're within a few miles of SEA-TAC (Seattle Tacoma International Airport) will not offer airport shuttles.  

The area in green is located near the Space Needle, Museum of Pop Culture, and Chihuly Garden and Glass.  Fun fact - if you've ever get a chance to visit the Indianapolis Children's Museum, there is a 43 foot glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly.  Anyway, back to the green.  There are lots of hotels here that offer a good location and price.  Brands such as Four Seasons by Sheraton, Hyatt Place, Hampton Inn, and Homewood Suites are found here.  

The area in orange (and actually, below that area) is where you'll find the SEA-TAC and its airport hotels.  Most of these offer a free airport shuttle but again, you're on the outskirts of town.  There's no walking to the city so rideshare and taxi as well as the Sound Transit, Seattle's light rail.  You can take this from the airport to a number of stations including the Westlake station, from here, there is a Monorail that runs between here and the Museum of Pop Culture / Seattle Children's Museum.  

When we help with your pre-cruise hotel stay, I'll make sure you know the easiest, most cost-effective route from the airport to the hotel.  We'll also plan from the hotel the cruise port and cruise port back to the airport (or post-cruise hotel).  A lot of the hotels offer a shuttle service that will take you to the port on the morning of your cruise.  You sign up once you check in to the hotel and the cost is about $15-20/per person plus optional gratuity.

Pike Place Market is one of Seattle’s most iconic destinations, blending history, flavor, and local charm into an unforgettable experience. Opened in 1907, the market stretches across bustling, multi-level corridors filled with vibrant produce stands, artisan crafts, fresh flowers, and the famous fishmongers who put on a show with every flying salmon. 

Visitors can sip small-batch coffee, sample handmade pastries, explore quirky specialty shops, and meet the farmers and makers who give the market its heartbeat. Overlooking Elliott Bay, Pike Place offers a perfect mix of sensory excitement and Pacific Northwest character—making it a must-visit stop for anyone wanting to experience the true spirit of Seattle. 

The availability of fresh fruit, flowers, and fish is unmatched and while you can't take advantage of some offerings available, some of the best fruits I've ever had were eaten while taking in the market.

We happened upon Ludi's (not at the Market) for breakfast and then ended up at O-Mart for lunch on the same day.  Both are Filipino restaurants and both were excellent.  For breakfast, we ordered a plate of ube pancakes to share because they looked so cool and I got a variety platter that had several different types of sausage.  It was all terrific!  At O-Mart we had a 

Not pictured was the salmon cheek soup, a very popular dish at O-Mart.  It was interesting, but to me, the whole fish and platter pictured above were superior to the soup.  

Seattle has an underground city because the original streets of downtown were raised after a devastating fire in 1889. When the Great Seattle Fire destroyed much of the business district, city leaders decided to rebuild using brick and stone instead of wood—and to solve a persistent flooding and sanitation problem, they elevated the street level by 10 to 30 feet. As new, higher streets and sidewalks were constructed, the old first floors of buildings became basements, creating a network of passageways that still exists beneath Pioneer Square. Today, these tunnels form Seattle’s famous “underground city,” a fascinating reminder of how the city rebuilt, adapted, and quite literally rose above disaster.  

We have taken two underground tours in Seattle.  Bill Speidel's World Famous Underground Tour and Beneath the Streets both offer these tours.  The experiences were uniquely different and worth the price of admission.  If I had to rate them, the tour was better with Bill Speidel's but the tour guide was superior on the BTS experience.  Either way you go, I don't think you'll be disappointed and you'll come away with a unique and unusual perspective of the area below Pioneer Square.

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