Seattle cruise port transportation starts with one question: which pier? Bell Street Cruise Terminal at Pier 66 sits on the downtown waterfront, an easy walk from Pike Place Market, while Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91 is at the north end of Elliott Bay, about 10 minutes from the retail core by car and with no public transit to the terminal. The way you get to the ship, and how long it takes, follows from that.
For travelers staying in Seattle or Bellevue the night before, an Elly8.net car is a fixed, all-in price per vehicle quoted in the web booker, with the vehicle chosen by luggage and the chauffeur dropping you at the terminal's passenger drop-off. For reference, hourly service runs from US$100 per hour and the published Sea-Tac to downtown fare from US$170. This guide covers the city side of embarkation and the pickup after the cruise; if you are flying in on sailing day, start with our Seattle airport cruise transfer guide.
How do you get to the Seattle cruise terminals?
By car, taxi, app ride or cruise line coach to either pier, or on foot to Pier 66 from many downtown hotels. Link light rail reaches downtown but not the piers, and public transit does not serve Pier 91. Elly8.net cars are priced per vehicle in the web booker and drop you at the terminal.
| Bell Street Cruise Terminal, Pier 66 | Smith Cove Cruise Terminal, Pier 91 | |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 2225 Alaskan Way, Seattle | 2001 W Garfield Street, Seattle |
| Location | Downtown waterfront, near Pike Place Market, the Seattle Aquarium and the Great Wheel | North end of Elliott Bay at Smith Cove, about 10 minutes from the retail core and the Space Needle |
| Cruise lines listed by the Port | Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises | Carnival, Celebrity, Cunard, Holland America, MSC, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Virgin Voyages |
| Car drop-off | Curb lane on Alaskan Way in front of the terminal, with a security officer directing traffic | Ground transportation lot near the terminal entrance |
| App rides | Ground transportation lot in front of the terminal | Dedicated rideshare lot |
| Public transit | Link to downtown, then walk or a short ride | None to the terminal |
| Parking | Bell Street Pier garage, 1,500 spaces, US$30 per day | On-site lot, 800 spaces, from US$27 per day, free shuttle |
All details above come from the Port of Seattle's terminal pages for Pier 66 and Pier 91; parking rates are subject to change. Lines can switch terminals for individual sailings, so confirm the pier on your cruise documents.
See Seattle prices and reserve
Pier 66: the downtown terminal
Getting there
Pier 66 anchors an 11-acre complex on the downtown waterfront. Many travelers staying near Pike Place Market can walk, if they are willing to roll luggage down the hill toward Alaskan Way. With a week of Alaska luggage, most take a car.
The Port's driving directions from I-5 use the Mercer Street exit, then 5th Avenue North and Broad Street under the Monorail to Alaskan Way, heading south to the terminal. On embarkation days a security officer on Alaskan Way directs traffic, and cars drop passengers in the curb lane in front of the terminal. A ground transportation lot directly in front of the entrance handles buses, taxis, airport shuttles and private drop-offs.
Before boarding
Same-day luggage storage is available at Pier 66 for US$6 per bag, collected by 3 p.m., in the Crew Center at the south end of the terminal building. On some Norwegian sailings, the Port describes an early luggage drop-off from 8 a.m., with guests returning by 2 p.m. to continue boarding. Either option lets you spend the morning at the market without your cases.
Parking
The Bell Street Pier garage across from the terminal has 1,500 covered spaces at US$30 per day, before taxes, booked through the operator. The Port lists a maximum vehicle height of 6 feet 6 inches. For a seven-night cruise that is about US$210 in parking alone, a useful figure to compare with two transfers.
Pier 91: the Smith Cove terminal
Getting there
Pier 91 is home port for eight of the cruise lines the Port lists for Seattle. The Port's directions from I-5 use the same Mercer Street exit, then Elliott Avenue West and the West Galer Street Flyover, the Magnolia Bridge, following signs to Smith Cove Park and the cruise terminal.
There is no public transit to the terminal. The Port notes that the bus stop at the Magnolia Bridge and Pier 91 has been permanently closed and that the pedestrian staircase from the north side of the bridge is unavailable, and it recommends rideshare, taxi or other transport. So for Pier 91, everyone arrives by road.
On-site services
The terminal has a ground transportation lot near the entrance for buses, taxis, airport shuttles and private drop-offs, a dedicated app-based rideshare lot, and a free cell phone waiting lot for people collecting passengers. Same-day luggage storage is US$6 per bag, collected by 3 p.m., at the Crew Center north of the Ground Transportation Center.
Parking
The on-site lot has 800 secure spaces from US$27 per day, with a complimentary shuttle to the terminal, and RV and over-height parking from US$47 per day, according to the Port.
Timing the morning from a hotel
Your cruise line sets the boarding window; it is on your documents. Work back from it, allowing for three Seattle realities.
Busy days. The Port's 2027 preliminary cruise schedule shows Saturdays and Sundays as the busiest days, often with three ships in port across the two terminals, and Fridays and Mondays close behind. On those mornings, the waterfront and the approaches to both piers fill with coaches, taxis and cars.
Steep streets. Downtown hotels sit on slopes and one-way grids. Loading five cases into a car at a hotel with curbside-only loading takes longer than people expect. The chauffeur confirms the hotel entrance in advance.
Game days and events. When a home game is on at Lumen Field or a big event fills Seattle Center, routes through SoDo and lower Queen Anne slow. The desk checks the calendar when the booking is set.
For downtown hotels to Pier 66 the drive is short; for Pier 91, plan for the roughly 10-minute run from the retail core plus terminal traffic. From Bellevue, which Visit Bellevue places about 12 miles east of the cruise terminals, add the Lake Washington crossing: I-90 or the tolled SR 520 bridge, with tolls billed at cost.
Choosing the vehicle
| Party and luggage | Vehicle | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Couple, one large case each | Business Sedan or First Class Sedan | up to 3 passengers, 2 bags |
| Couple with three or four cases, or a family of four | Business SUV or First Class SUV | up to 6 passengers, 6 bags |
| Several couples or a family group | Executive Sprinter | up to 12 passengers, 12 bags |
Child seats are available on request and fitted before pickup. For groups, one Sprinter usually beats two cars, because everyone arrives at the terminal together with all the luggage. See our Seattle Sprinter van rental guide.
Making a day of it before the ship
A transfer does not have to be a straight line. Three common plans, all with the luggage staying in the car:
- Hourly sightseeing, then the pier. From US$100 per hour in a Business Sedan or US$125 in a Business SUV, 3-hour minimum, via the hourly chauffeur service. Pike Place Market in the morning, the Space Needle, lunch, then the terminal.
- The private city highlights tour, from US$400 in a Business Sedan to US$800 in an Executive Sprinter, ending at your pier. See private city tours.
- Hotel checkout, a museum, then the ship. The Museum of Flight at Boeing Field or the Museum of History and Industry on Lake Union make good late-morning stops for families with a mid-afternoon boarding time.
After the cruise: getting picked up at the pier
Disembarkation is a rush: a whole ship's passengers leave within a few hours, and the taxi line, rideshare lot and coaches fill together. A pre-booked chauffeur is the calmest exit.
Where the car meets you. At Pier 66, pickups are made in the ground transportation area in front of the terminal; at Pier 91, at the ground transportation lot near the entrance. The desk confirms the meeting point with the booking, and the chauffeur's name and mobile number reach you before pickup.
Friends and family collecting you. The Port encourages people picking up passengers to use the Bell Street Pier garage at Pier 66, or the Pier 91 lot or its free cell phone lot.
Flying home the same day. The Port's complimentary Port Valet service checks your bags from the ship to a participating airline, so you can leave the terminal without luggage. With Port Valet, a smaller car will do, or you can spend the day in the city before your flight.
Staying on in Seattle. A post-cruise day out is a good way to end the trip: the Snoqualmie Falls and Woodinville wineries day, eight hours from US$740 in a Business Sedan to US$1,475 in an Executive Sprinter, can start at the pier and finish at your hotel or the airport. The chauffeur follows local rules on alcohol, and there is no drinking in the vehicle.
Transit, taxis and app rides: the fair view
For two travelers with light bags at a downtown hotel near Pier 66, walking or a short taxi ride is perfectly sensible, and nothing here argues otherwise. Link light rail at US$3.00 per adult, per Sound Transit, is the cheapest way from the airport to downtown the day before. App rides work well to both terminals, with a dedicated lot at Pier 91, though prices follow demand on busy mornings. A pre-booked car makes the most sense for families, groups, heavy luggage, mobility needs and tight timings. The costs are compared in Seattle airport to the cruise port by Uber, taxi or chauffeur.
Rides in Seattle are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk.
A pre-cruise checklist
The night before sailing, check four things. Confirm the pier on your cruise documents, since lines occasionally use the other terminal. Note the boarding window your line has given you and set the pickup time back from it with room for a busy waterfront. Count the bags, including carry-ons, and make sure the booked vehicle has space for them. Keep passports, cruise documents and medication in a carry-on rather than a checked case, because checked luggage goes to the porters at the terminal. With those settled, the morning is a short drive and a drop-off at the curb.
How to book cruise port transportation
- Enter the hotel or address and your pier, with the sailing time, or the ship and date for a pickup after the cruise.
- Choose the vehicle by luggage, or an hourly or tour option if you want to sightsee first; the fleet guide shows each class.
- Get the fixed price in the web booker and reserve. Confirmation arrives by email.
Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup. At 72 hours or less the charge is 10%, at 48 hours or less 50%, and at 24 hours or less or a no-show 100%, refunded to the original card. The cruise port transfers page explains the service across the network, and every Seattle price is on the Seattle car service page. Starting or ending in Canada? See Vancouver and Victoria. Elly8.net is a member of VacationsWorldwide.Directory and HotelsWorldwide.Directory.
Frequently asked questions
Which Seattle cruise terminal does my ship use?
The Port lists Norwegian Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises at Pier 66, and Carnival, Celebrity, Cunard, Holland America, MSC, Princess, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages at Pier 91. Lines occasionally use the other terminal, so confirm the pier on your cruise documents before booking a transfer.
Is there public transport to the Seattle cruise terminals?
Not directly. Link light rail runs from the airport to downtown, from where Pier 66 is a walk or a short ride. Public transit does not serve Pier 91, and the Port says the nearby bus stop at the Magnolia Bridge has been permanently closed.
Can we walk to Pier 66 from a downtown hotel?
Many downtown hotels near Pike Place Market are within walking distance of Pier 66, which the Port describes as an easy walk from the market. With large cruise luggage and steep streets, most travelers prefer a short car ride.
How much is parking at the Seattle cruise terminals?
The Port lists the Bell Street Pier garage at Pier 66 at US$30 per day before taxes, and the Pier 91 lot from US$27 per day with a free shuttle to the terminal. RV and over-height parking at Pier 91 starts at US$47 per day. Rates are subject to change.
Where do drivers drop off at Pier 91?
At the ground transportation lot near the terminal entrance, which handles taxis, buses, airport shuttles and private vehicle drop-offs. App rides use a dedicated rideshare lot, and a free cell phone lot is available for people collecting passengers.
Can the chauffeur hold our luggage while we sightsee before boarding?
Yes, on an hourly booking or a city tour. The bags stay in the vehicle while you visit the city, and the car finishes at your terminal. Alternatively, both piers offer same-day luggage storage at US$6 per bag, collected by 3 p.m.
