Seattle cruise port guide: Pier 66 vs Pier 91 and transfers

Quick answer: Seattle has two cruise terminals a few miles apart, so check your ship's pier before you book any transfer. Bell Street (Pier 66) is about a mile from downtown and you can walk there; Smith Cove (Pier 91) is about 3 miles out, has no public transit, and needs a taxi, rideshare or transfer of 15–25 minutes. Be at the right terminal 90 minutes before all-aboard.

Seattle is a homeport for Alaska cruises, so this guide covers a day in the city before or after the ship and how to reach the terminal. The main risk here is the wrong pier. Bell Street Cruise Terminal (Pier 66) sits on the downtown waterfront, close to Pike Place Market. Smith Cove Cruise Terminal (Pier 91) is at the north end of Elliott Bay, and you cannot sensibly walk there. Go by the ship and the terminal named in your documents, not by the cruise line alone.

When to leave Seattle

Times include the way back

All aboard (ship time) Ship’s clock Extra margin

Pike Place Market (ship at Pier 66)On foot or taxi, allow 20 min, then 90 min at the terminal 13:40
Pike Place Market (ship at Pier 91)Taxi or rideshare only, allow 30 min, then 90 min at the terminal 13:30
Space Needle (ship at Pier 66)Taxi or rideshare, allow 20 min, then 90 min at the terminal 13:40
Space Needle (ship at Pier 91)Taxi or rideshare, 15–25 min, then 90 min at the terminal 13:35
Sea-Tac airport area (ship at Pier 66)Taxi or rideshare, 30–40 min, then 90 min at the terminal 13:20
Sea-Tac airport area (ship at Pier 91)Taxi or rideshare, allow 60 min with traffic, then 90 min at the terminal 13:00

Times are port time, the time your phone shows ashore.

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Where the ship docks

Bell Street Cruise Terminal, Pier 66, 2225 Alaskan Way · 1.6 km to the centre
One berth, on the downtown waterfront. Norwegian and Oceania normally use it. A 2026 list also showed Holland America Volendam, Coral Princess and Discovery Princess here, so check your ship. Same-day luggage storage is $5 per bag, in the Crew Center at the south end of the building. Collect by 15:00 to avoid a late fee.
Smith Cove Cruise Terminal, Pier 91, 2001 W Garfield Street · 4.8 km to the centre
Two berths, at the north end of the waterfront near Magnolia. Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, MSC, Princess, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages normally use it. Public transit does not serve this terminal. Same-day luggage storage is $6 per bag, in the Crew Center north of the Ground Transportation Center. Collect by 15:00 to avoid a late fee.

Can you walk? Partly, about 25 min. Pier 66 only: about a mile to downtown, 15–25 minutes on foot, and an easy walk to Pike Place Market, the Seattle Aquarium and the Great Wheel. Pier 91 is not walkable: downtown is about 3 miles away, the Aquarium is about an hour on foot, and the roads are poor for pedestrians.

Getting to town

Link light rail from Sea-Tac airport to Westlake

$3 adult (2026)37–40 min, trains every 8–15 min

Runs Monday to Saturday 05:00–01:00 and Sundays and holidays 06:00–24:00. It does not reach either terminal. From Westlake, Pier 66 is a 20-minute walk or about a 6-minute taxi. Pier 91 needs a drive of about 15 minutes. It is the cheap choice with light bags and a poor one with heavy luggage.

Taxi from Sea-Tac airport

$50–65 metered, either terminal (2026)30–40 min to Pier 66; 30–35 min to Pier 91, more in traffic

Taxis load on the third floor of the airport garage, at the north and south curbs. Friday and Sunday afternoon traffic is worse, so add time.

Uber or Lyft from Sea-Tac airport

2026 estimates run from about $45 to $100 depending on demand; check the app30–40 min

Pick-up is on the third floor of the airport garage, rows G–J. Both terminals have a separate rideshare lot for pick-ups after the cruise.

Pre-booked shuttle from the airport area

From about $30–35 per person (2026)About 45 min

Seattle Express and Premier Airport Shuttle serve both terminals. Reservations are required. Cruise lines also sell coach transfers, so check your booking.

Taxi or rideshare, Pier 91 to the city

App fare or meter15–25 min to the Space Needle

This is the only practical way off Pier 91 without a booked transfer. Metro bus stop 20860, near the pier, is closed.

On foot from Pier 66

Free15–25 min to downtown

Walk along the waterfront. For the Space Needle, walk or ride to Westlake Center and take the Monorail.

Seattle Center Monorail

$4 one way, $8 return (2026)2–3 min, Westlake Center to Seattle Center

Opens 07:30 Monday to Friday and 08:30 at weekends. Closes 21:00 Sunday to Thursday and 23:00 on Friday and Saturday. Machines take cards and contactless. The yellow ORCA readers take ORCA cards only, not contactless bank cards.

Driving and parking

Pier 66 $33 a day ($1 less prepaid); Pier 91 from $27 a day (2026)From I-5 use Exit 167, Mercer Street

Pier 66: Bell Street garage, 9 Wall Street, across from the terminal, height limit 6 ft 6 in. Pier 91: on-site lot with a free shuttle to the terminal, booked at seattleportparking.com. For Pier 91 turn from Elliott Ave West onto the West Galer Street Flyover (Magnolia Bridge) and follow the signs.

When to head back

Be at the terminal named in your documents 90 minutes before all-aboard. If your cruise line gives an earlier arrival time, use that one.

All-aboard differs by line. Virgin Voyages set 15:30 for its Seattle sailings from 30 July 2026, and it is often 60–90 minutes before departure. Add your travel time to the 90 minutes: 20 minutes from Pike Place Market to Pier 66, 30 to Pier 91, 20 from the Space Needle to Pier 66, 25 to Pier 91, 40 from the airport area to Pier 66 and 60 to Pier 91. The port's FAQ tells you to confirm your arrival window with the line.

If you are running late: Take a taxi or rideshare, and give the driver the pier number and street address. The terminals are a few miles apart, so going to the wrong one costs you real time. Call the cruise line or port agent number in your documents straight away if you will be late.

Where people go wrong: Passengers go to the wrong terminal because they assume Pier 66 and Pier 91 are the same place or next to each other.

Seattle is one day. Time the whole cruise.

Ships do not wait.

In March 2024, eight Norwegian Dawn passengers on a private tour came back to the pier in São Tomé more than an hour after all-aboard. Getting back on board took six days, seven countries and over $5,000. The details
The ship charges for the easy part.

Carnival sells a coach to Rome for US$129.99 a person. The train is from €9.20 return. PortTrip tells you which train, and the last one that gets you back. The details
On the day, it watches the clock.

Google Maps travel time from where you stand back to the pier, with alerts at 30, 15 and 0 minutes. The details

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A day in Seattle

Assumes sailing day after a night downtown and an all-aboard of 15:30, the time Virgin Voyages set for its Seattle sailings in 2026. Replace it with the time in your own documents.

08:30Leave your bags at the hotel. Confirm your terminal: Pier 66 or Pier 91.
09:00Pike Place Market. Fresh produce and seafood stalls are open from 07:00, and Piroshky Piroshky from 08:00.
10:15Take the Overlook Walk down to the waterfront, then visit the Seattle Aquarium at Pier 59 or walk Waterfront Park.
12:00Lunch: chowder at Pike Place Chowder or mac and cheese at Beecher's.
12:45Collect your bags from the hotel.
13:15Taxi or rideshare to your terminal. Give the driver the pier number.
14:00Arrive at the terminal, 90 minutes before all-aboard. Check in and pass security.
14:30On board, 60 minutes before all-aboard.

Re-time this day to your ship

Tours in Seattle

10 top-rated on Viator, from €29

Each tour is checked against your time ashore (5 h 10 min on a 15:30 all-aboard). If a tour you booked yourself runs late, the ship does not wait.

Prices are Viator’s “from” prices in euros, checked 27 October 2026. You book and pay on Viator. If you book through these links we may earn a commission; it never changes the price or what we recommend.

What to see

Pike Place Market

A nine-acre historic market with fish stalls, bakeries and crafts, and Rachel the bronze pig at First and Pike.

1.5–2 hoursFree to enter

Most of the market is active 10:00–17:00, and produce and seafood start at 07:00. Closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Arrive before 11:00.

Waterfront Park and Overlook Walk

A new elevated walkway from the market down to the piers, with views across Elliott Bay.

45 minutesFree

Open daily 07:00–22:00. Some projects are still under construction, so follow the signs.

Seattle Aquarium

Three sites on the waterfront: Pier 59, Pier 60 and the Ocean Pavilion.

1.5–2 hoursCheck the official site

Open daily 09:30–18:00, with last entry at 17:00. The Ocean Pavilion has some early closures in November and December.

Seattle Great Wheel

A Ferris wheel on Pier 57. Each ride is three full turns over the bay.

12–20 minutes in summer, plus the queueCheck the official site

Usually 11:00–21:00, though it can close early when quiet. Gondolas take wheelchairs by lift and ramp.

Space Needle

Two observation levels above the city, with views of the bay and mountains on a clear day.

1–1.5 hours$35–55 general admission (2026)

Book a timed ticket, as 15-minute windows sell out on busy mornings. Opens at 11:00 Monday to Thursday, so check your day. Allow 30 minutes from entrance to top.

Chihuly Garden and Glass

Large glass sculpture in galleries and a garden, next to the Space Needle.

1–2 hours$40–45 general admission; $74 combined with the Space Needle (2026)

Opens at 11:00 on weekdays and 10:00 at weekends. A combo ticket must be used on one day.

Olympic Sculpture Park

A nine-acre outdoor park of sculpture on a former industrial site, with views of Puget Sound.

45 minutesFree

About 10 minutes from Pier 66, and a good use of time if you leave the ship early with bags already sent on.

What to eat

Clam or smoked salmon chowder · Pike Place Chowder, 1530 Post Alley
Mac and cheese or grilled cheese · Beecher's Handmade Cheese, 1600 Pike Place
Baked hand pies, savoury and sweet · Piroshky Piroshky, 1908 Pike Place
Mini fried doughnuts in a paper bag · Daily Dozen Doughnuts, Pike Place Market

On your own or a ship excursion?

You rarely need a ship's tour in Seattle. Pike Place Market and the waterfront are easy alone, and the Space Needle sells cruise tickets directly. The case for a line's coach transfer is Pier 91 with heavy bags on sailing day, or a disembarkation tour that ends at the airport if your flight is in the afternoon.

Common mistakes

Going to the wrong terminal.
Check your documents the night before and give the driver the pier number and street address. Pier 66 is 2225 Alaskan Way. Pier 91 is 2001 W Garfield Street.
Assuming your cruise line always uses the same pier.
Most lines keep to one terminal, but a 2026 list showed some Holland America and Princess ships at Pier 66. Go by ship and date.
Planning to reach Pier 91 by light rail or bus.
Link stops downtown and no public transit serves Pier 91. Take a taxi or rideshare from Westlake, or book a transfer.
Trying to walk to or from Pier 91.
It is about 3 miles on roads not built for walking. Use a car.
Booking a morning flight after the cruise.
Book after noon. Port Valet also needs a flight leaving after 12:00, and you should be at Sea-Tac 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international one.
Forgetting that Port Valet needs signing up.
Sign up online before you sail, or on board at least two days before docking. Ask guest services whether your airline and flight qualify.

Safety, access and bad weather

Safety: Seattle is generally safe for visitors, and property crime is the main problem. The waterfront and Pike Place Market are busy in the daytime. Take care on 3rd Avenue, particularly between Pike and Pine and between James and Yesler, and in Pioneer Square at night. Walk on lit, busy streets after dark. Leave nothing in sight in a parked car. Emergency number: 911.
Scams to know: Fake drivers at the Sea-Tac third-floor pick-up zone who approach Uber and Lyft riders. Match the plate in the app before you get in.
Downtown charity collectors with a handheld card reader: a small donation can post as a much larger charge.
People dressed as monks at Pike Place and downtown who put a bracelet on your wrist and then demand a donation.
Accessibility: Pier 91 has a Wheelchair Transport Zone among its parking options, and the Bell Street garage has 25 accessible stalls. Tell your line about mobility needs before you travel, as the port's pages give little detail on the terminals themselves. The Great Wheel takes wheelchairs through a 30-inch gondola door by lift and ramp. The older viewing platforms at Waterfront Park have ramp access.
If it rains: Seattle is often grey, and most of a good day works in the rain. Use the covered parts of Pike Place Market, the Seattle Aquarium, and Chihuly Garden and Glass. Skip the Space Needle if cloud is low, because the view is the reason to go.
Crowds: The 2026 season ran from May to October, with 330 calls, 15 cruise lines, 26 ships and about 2 million passengers. Pike Place Market is best before 11:00. Friday and Sunday afternoons bring the worst traffic to Sea-Tac, so add about 30 minutes. Check the port's schedule for your date.

Seattle cruise port FAQ

What is the difference between Pier 66 and Pier 91 in Seattle?

Pier 66 is Bell Street Cruise Terminal, on the downtown waterfront, about a mile from the centre. Pier 91 is Smith Cove Cruise Terminal, about 3 miles north, with no public transit. They are a few miles apart.

Which cruise lines use Pier 91 in Seattle?

Normally Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, MSC, Princess, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages. Norwegian and Oceania normally use Pier 66. Some ships differ, so check your documents.

How do I get from Sea-Tac airport to the Seattle cruise port?

A taxi costs about $50–65 and takes 30–40 minutes. Link light rail to Westlake costs $3 and takes about 40 minutes, but you then need a taxi or rideshare, or a 20-minute walk to Pier 66 (2026).

Is Pier 91 walkable to downtown Seattle?

No. It is about 3 miles on roads that are poor for pedestrians. Use a taxi or rideshare.

Can I take public transit to Pier 91?

No. The port says public transit does not serve the terminal, and the nearby bus stop is closed.

How much is parking at the Seattle cruise terminals?

$33 a day at Pier 66 and from $27 a day at Pier 91, subject to change (2026).

What is Port Valet in Seattle?

A free service that sends your bags from the ship to your airline, for flights leaving after 12:00 on participating airlines. Sign up before the cruise or on board.

What can I do in Seattle in one day before a cruise?

Pike Place Market early, then the waterfront or Aquarium, and an early lunch before heading to your pier.

Not yet confirmed

A free cruise-day shuttle between the northern pier and the city: one attraction's page says it runs, and a 2026 port guide says neither terminal has a shuttle to the city. The operator could not be confirmed.
Port's own list of which ship uses which terminal in 2026: that page could not be opened. Ship-to-pier details come from a third-party 2026 list.
Rule on passports for closed-loop Alaska sailings: the CBP page was not opened. Follow your cruise line.
Prices for the Aquarium and the Great Wheel: not shown on the official pages opened.
Whether the port's 28 April traffic change south of Pier 66 still applies: the year is not stated.

Sources

Checked November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@porttrip.com.

More ports in Alaska and British Columbia

Skagway Victoria Haines Vancouver Hoonah Juneau Ketchikan Sitka

When to leave Seattle

Times include the way back

All aboard (ship time) Ship’s clock Extra margin

Pike Place Market (ship at Pier 66)On foot or taxi, allow 20 min, then 90 min at the terminal 13:40
Pike Place Market (ship at Pier 91)Taxi or rideshare only, allow 30 min, then 90 min at the terminal 13:30
Space Needle (ship at Pier 66)Taxi or rideshare, allow 20 min, then 90 min at the terminal 13:40
Space Needle (ship at Pier 91)Taxi or rideshare, 15–25 min, then 90 min at the terminal 13:35
Sea-Tac airport area (ship at Pier 66)Taxi or rideshare, 30–40 min, then 90 min at the terminal 13:20
Sea-Tac airport area (ship at Pier 91)Taxi or rideshare, allow 60 min with traffic, then 90 min at the terminal 13:00

Times are port time, the time your phone shows ashore.

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