Port guides / Alaska & Pacific NW
Seattle
The gateway to the Last Frontier, framed by Mount Rainier and Puget Sound, blending Pike Place culinary heritage with effortless Alaska departures.
Seattle is the premier departure port for 7-night round-trip cruises up the Alaska Inside Passage. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains and evergreen forests, the Emerald City makes an unforgettable starting point for northern wilderness voyages.
The cruise terminals
Seattle operates two distinct cruise terminals:
- Pier 66 (Bell Street Pier): Located directly along the downtown waterfront. You can walk or take a brief elevator ride straight to Pike Place Market, the Seattle Aquarium, and waterfront restaurants. Primarily serves Norwegian Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises.
- Pier 91 (Smith Cove): Located about three miles north of downtown in Magnolia. Primarily serves Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, and Royal Caribbean. Taxis and airport shuttles drop cruisers at the terminal entrance.
- Port Valet Program: Seattle offers a complimentary luggage valet service on disembarkation day. Your bags are transferred directly from the ship to your airline flight at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), freeing you to explore the city luggage-free!
A day in Seattle before you sail
- Pike Place Market: One of the oldest continuously operated public markets in the U.S. Watch fishmongers toss fresh salmon, browse artisan stalls, and sample artisanal clam chowder.
- Space Needle & Chihuly Garden and Glass: Located at Seattle Center, an iconic 605-foot observation tower with rotating glass floors and stunning 360-degree views of Puget Sound and Mount Rainier. Right next door, Chihuly showcases mind-bending blown glass sculptures integrated into botanical gardens.
- Pioneer Square & Underground Tour: Seattle's historic brick birthplace, where guided tours take visitors beneath current street levels to walk among the preserved storefronts from before the Great Seattle Fire of 1889.
- Waterfront Ferry Ride to Bainbridge Island: Catch the Washington State Ferry from Colman Dock for a 35-minute crossing across Elliott Bay with the most spectacular view of the Seattle skyline.
The Canadian passenger vessel act requirement
Nearly all round-trip cruises from Seattle call at Victoria, British Columbia, to satisfy the U.S. Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA). Because of this Canadian stop, carrying a valid passport book is strongly advised even for U.S. citizens.