Seattle is one of the two main gateways for Alaska cruises, and unlike many ports, it splits its business between two piers that couldn't be more different to reach: Pier 66, a short walk from downtown hotels, and Pier 91, several kilometres north with no direct rail link at all. Check which one your ship uses before you plan your transfer — the difference matters.
Pier 66 vs Pier 91: know which one you need
Both piers sit on Elliott Bay, but that's about where the similarity ends:
- Pier 66 (Bell Street Pier) is right downtown, within easy walking distance of the waterfront, Pike Place Market and most downtown hotels. It's used by smaller and mid-sized ships.
- Pier 91 is in the Interbay/Magnolia area, north-west of downtown — a working port terminal rather than a waterfront attraction, and the larger of the two, used by many of the bigger Alaska ships. It is not within a reasonable walk of downtown.
Your cruise documents will state the pier. Don't assume — the wrong assumption here is the difference between a 15-minute walk and a taxi ride.
Getting to Pier 66
If you're staying downtown, Pier 66 is genuinely walkable for anyone travelling light — it sits right on the waterfront a short distance from the central business district. From SEA-TAC Airport, the Link light rail 1 Line runs directly into downtown in around 35–40 minutes (see our full Seattle airport to the city guide), and from a downtown Link station it's a further 10–15 minute walk or a very short taxi hop down to the pier. Taxis and rideshare can also take you door to door from the airport in one leg, typically 25–45 minutes depending on traffic on I-5.
Getting to Pier 91
Pier 91 is the pier where the light rail's usefulness runs out. There's no Link station anywhere near it, and it isn't within realistic walking distance of downtown — plan on a taxi, rideshare or your cruise line's shuttle for the whole journey, whether you're coming from the airport, downtown, or a hotel. From SEA-TAC, budget around 30–45 minutes by road; from a downtown hotel, more like 15–20 minutes, both varying with traffic.
Many cruise lines run scheduled shuttle buses between downtown hotels and Pier 91 on embarkation morning, which can be worth booking in advance rather than relying on taxi availability during a multi-ship turnaround, when demand for cars near the terminal spikes.
From SEA-TAC Airport: the two-leg journey
Whichever pier you're using, the practical approach for most travellers is the same: take Link light rail from the airport into downtown, then cover the final leg — a walk for Pier 66, a taxi or shuttle for Pier 91 — separately. Trying to do it in one continuous rideshare from the airport works too, and can make sense for Pier 91 specifically, but expect a longer and more traffic-dependent ride than the light rail's consistent timing into downtown.
Parking near the piers
Both piers have dedicated cruise parking available for the length of your voyage, run either by the Port of Seattle or third-party operators nearby. Pier 66's parking sits within the downtown waterfront area; Pier 91 has its own on-site lot given the terminal's more industrial setting. Book ahead in peak Alaska cruise season (broadly May to September), as convenient spaces near the terminal can sell out on popular sailing dates.
Embarkation-day timing
Seattle's Alaska season sees the busiest embarkation days cluster around weekly turnarounds, with several thousand passengers moving through a terminal in a single afternoon. Security and check-in queues build steadily as the boarding window progresses, so arriving earlier rather than later in your line's stated window generally pays off with a shorter wait.
Which option should you choose?
For Pier 66, the Link light rail into downtown followed by a short walk is hard to beat on cost and reliability. For Pier 91, a pre-booked shuttle or a rideshare with some buffer time is the sensible default — don't count on hailing a car easily in the immediate area if you leave it to the last minute on a busy turnaround day.
Extending your trip
Many Alaska cruises are one-way between Seattle and Vancouver, or pair naturally with time in the Pacific Northwest either side of the sailing — see our guides to Seattle to Vancouver and Seattle to Portland if you're extending your trip by rail or road. If your cruise starts or ends in Vancouver instead, our Vancouver cruise port guide covers the Canada Place terminal in the same detail. Onward travellers connecting to Amtrak from King Street Station will find that covered in our USA by train guide.
Frequently asked questions
Which Seattle cruise pier will my ship use, Pier 66 or Pier 91?
Check your cruise documents — Pier 66 is downtown and generally used by smaller ships, while Pier 91 is a working terminal in Interbay used by many larger Alaska ships. The two have very different transit access.
Can I take the light rail to Pier 91?
No. There's no Link station near Pier 91 — plan on a taxi, rideshare or cruise line shuttle for the whole journey to and from that terminal.
Can I walk from downtown Seattle to Pier 66?
Yes, if you're travelling light. Pier 66 sits on the downtown waterfront within easy walking distance of most central hotels.
Is parking available at Seattle's cruise piers?
Yes, both Pier 66 and Pier 91 have dedicated cruise parking for the length of a voyage. Book ahead in the busy Alaska season, roughly May to September.
Sources and further reading:
- Terminal locations and parking: Port of Seattle official cruise information.
- Light rail routes and fares: Sound Transit.