Seattle Cruise Terminals: Pier 91 vs Pier 66 and Getting There From SEA

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

The Port of Seattle operates both. In its 2026 cruise fact sheet it describes Pier 91 as the terminal with "easy access to bus parking, taxis, airport shuttles, a private vehicle drop-off area and a dedicated app-based rideshare lot." Pier 66 is the compact downtown terminal, within walking distance of Pike Place Market and the new waterfront park, with ground transportation at the entrance and a rideshare zone.

In 2026 the port expected 15 cruise lines, 26 ships and 330 port calls between May and October, more than two million cruise visitors, and two new Alaska itineraries: Virgin Voyages' Brilliant Lady and MSC Cruises' Poesia. With that much traffic over a five-month season, the two terminals are busy every Saturday and Sunday, and a mistaken pier costs real time.

Which cruise lines use which pier?

The honest answer is that the Port of Seattle publishes a ship-by-ship pier finder, and that is the authority. The port's cruise-access page does not list which lines use which pier, and assignments change from one season to the next, so we do not print a line-by-line list here. Treat your booking confirmation and the port's pier finder as the instruction.

Two things are clear from the port itself:

• Pier 91 has two berths, so it can host two ships at once on a busy day.
• Pier 66 has one berth, so only one ship is alongside at a time.

If you are comparing Seattle with Vancouver, our guide to Alaska cruises from Vancouver or Seattle lays out the border and the logistics.

How far is each pier from Sea-Tac?

Sea-Tac Airport (SEA) is about 15 miles (24 km) from downtown Seattle, and the port gives a drive time of about 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic. Our own road calculation puts Pier 66 at about 25 km (16 mi) from the airport, roughly 30 minutes without traffic, and Pier 91 at about 30 km (19 mi), roughly 35 to 40 minutes without traffic. Pier 66 is the nearer of the two, and Pier 91 is further north.

The port's cruise-access page gives these figures from Westlake Station downtown, which is where the light rail from the airport ends:

• To Pier 66: about 6 minutes by car or 20 minutes on foot.
• To Pier 91: about 15 minutes by car.

The port says taxis and rideshare at the airport pick up from the third floor of the airport parking garage. It also lists airport shuttles on the SEA airport site and says you can buy a bus transfer from your cruise line.

Light rail, buses and trains: what works and what doesn't

The Link light rail is the inexpensive way to get from the airport to downtown, and the port says that from Westlake Station you take a rideshare or taxi to the terminal. For Pier 66 that is a short last leg. For Pier 91 it is 15 minutes by car, so the total is long.

Local buses are the weak link. The port says Metro routes 24 and 33 serve Pier 91, but the stop is on the Magnolia Bridge, followed by a steep staircase and a walk of about 10 minutes. Pier 66 has no bus service from the downtown core. The port's wording is plain: use of rideshare, taxi and other transport services is highly recommended.

Amtrak arrives at King Street Station, 1.5 miles from Pier 66 and 4 miles from Pier 91, with no bus linking the station to the terminals. If you are flying out the same day you disembark, our guide to how early to get to the airport explains how to count the hours back from departure.

Parking at the piers

Parking is private at both terminals. The port's cruise-access page lists these figures, which may predate the 2026 season, so confirm them when you book:

• Pier 66 (Bell Street): Republic Parking, USD 30 per day plus taxes.
• Pier 91 (Smith Cove): from USD 27 per day, including service fees and taxes, with a free shuttle to the ship and luggage assistance.

Both have drop-off lanes. The port advises avoiding 11:00 am to 1:00 pm unless it is your scheduled arrival, because that is when the lanes are busiest.

For a week-long Alaska sailing, a rough view of the sums: a car left for seven or eight days at those listed daily rates comes to roughly USD 190 to USD 240. Compare that to the cost of a ride in each direction, and do it before choosing between driving and flying.

Port Valet: sending your bags to the airport

Seattle has a service that is unusual among US ports. Port Valet, a complimentary programme run by the Port of Seattle with the cruise lines and airlines, moves your luggage from the ship directly to the airport so that you can explore the city on disembarkation day without bags.

• Sign up online before your cruise, or on the ship using the form in your stateroom.
• Participating airlines include Alaska, American, Delta, Horizon, JetBlue, Southwest and United, for flights departing after 12:00 pm. Delta accepts domestic flights only.
• The port also says it is exclusive to Seattle.

It works well if your flight leaves in the evening and you want a free day. It does not help if you are in a hurry, because you still need to be at the airport in time for your flight.

Flying in the same day: how much margin?

The port's own fact sheet shows why this matters. It reports that 82 percent of cruise visitors arrived by air, that the average party is 2.3 people, and that 53 percent stay overnight, an average of 1.7 nights. Plenty of travellers are therefore making this connection between a flight and a ship.

Plan the fly-and-sail day this way:

1. Count backwards from your cruise line's check-in window.
2. Allow 45 minutes for baggage and the exit from Sea-Tac.
3. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for the ride to the pier, longer at rush hour.
4. Leave an hour of slack.

If the arithmetic leaves less than two hours of spare time, fly in the night before. A downtown hotel puts Pier 66 within a short ride, and Pier 91 within 15 minutes.

Check your fixed fare

The sequence on boarding day

A typical Seattle embarkation runs like this. You arrive at the pier inside the window your cruise line gave you, step out at the passenger drop-off lane, and hand your bags to the porters if the line offers them. A driver or family member moves on, and you walk into the terminal for security and check-in.

If you are parking, the order changes: bags first at the lane, then the car to the lot, then a free shuttle back to the terminal. The Pier 91 lot's shuttle adds time, and the port's guidance to avoid the late-morning drop-off rush applies to cars and shuttles alike.

The reverse happens on disembarkation. Ships dock in the early morning, groups are called in order, and you collect bags in the terminal hall before finding the car, the shuttle or the Port Valet counter. Do not schedule a flight for the morning of disembarkation unless the cruise line has confirmed an early group.

When a private transfer beats the alternatives

The inexpensive options work for two people with two bags. A private car earns its place in these cases:

1. You are a family or group. A single vehicle serves five or six people with their bags.
2. You have a lot of luggage, which is typical for Alaska trips with cold-weather gear.
3. Your flight lands close to the check-in window. Because the flight is monitored, a delayed landing shifts the pickup and your slot at the pier is not lost to a waiting game.
4. You want certainty about the pier. Tell the booking the pier, and the driver goes to the right terminal.
5. Someone in the party has limited mobility. A door-to-terminal arrival avoids the Pier 91 bus stop, with its staircase, and the walk from downtown.

For US rides within the country, Onroutz.ca works through a vetted, licensed and commercially insured local partner, booked, confirmed, supported and invoiced from Toronto. Child and booster seats can be requested at booking. The booker lists a fixed all-in fare for your precise pickup and drop-off before payment. Our Seattle cruise transfer page and Sea-Tac airport page list the pickup routine.

Mistakes that send passengers to the wrong pier

• Booking a ride from the wrong terminal. Confirm the pier with your cruise line the week before.
• Assuming the pier from last year. Piers change.
• Taking the bus to Pier 91. The stop is on a bridge with a staircase, which is a poor start with luggage.
• Arriving during the 11:00 am to 1:00 pm drop-off rush without a reason.
• Forgetting Port Valet's deadline. Sign up before you sail.

For the same decision in Florida and Texas, see our guides to Port Canaveral parking and Galveston parking. The USA hub and cruise transfers hub list all the ports.