Port Seattle is Cruising’s Gateway to Alaska

Late in the summer of 2021, well over a year after the last cruise ship call on Alaska, the Last Frontier began welcoming cruisers back to its shores through the Port of Seattle. Seattle is the gateway to Alaska for cruisers thanks to its vibrant downtown and amenities like Port Valet which make getting to your cruise ship even easier. 

If an Alaska cruise is on your bucket list for 2022, Port of Seattle and the rest of the Emerald City are ready to welcome you back and help you get the most out of your Alaska cruise vacation! 

Space needle with Ovation of the Seas anchored in Elliott Bay, and Celebrity Millennium at Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal, 22 July 2021 | Photo: Port of Seattle

Cruising’s Return to Seattle

July 2021 saw the return of cruise embarkations from Port of Seattle and through the rest of the summer, ships from some of the most notable lines in cruising set sail with course to Alaska. Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and more made the most of a shortened 2021 season and all are ready to make 2022 one of the best ever for Pacific Northwest cruising. 

The port’s Cruise Healthy campaign helped reopen the port with a community-first approach to health and safety. Masks are required inside the cruise terminals as well as on public transportation. The port installed new safety features like a new air filtration system, protective barriers, and touchless fixtures in bathrooms. 

Space needle with Ovation of the Seas anchored in Elliott Bay, and Celebrity Millennium at Bell Street Pier Cruise Terminal, 22 July 2021 | Photo: Port of Seattle

What to do in Downtown Seattle 

What makes Seattle one of the best embarkation cities for cruise ships is the cruise terminal’s location along Puget Sound in the heart of Seattle’s lively downtown area. From the Space Needle to Pike Place Market and everything in between, Seattle is well on its way to being one of the most underrated vacation cities in the country and cruisers are seeing that firsthand when they embark from Port of Seattle. 

Cruising in the summer means you can get into vacation mode before your cruise with a hike through Discovery Park or catch a Seattle Mariners game before dinner at one of Downtown Seattle’s premier restaurants. 

Port Valet Luggage Service 

Now that cruising is back in the Emerald City, Port of Seattle is encouraging cruisers to take advantage of their free airport Port Valet service. The service means cruisers don’t have to carry their luggage all over the city while they wait for their flight and instead, their bag arrives conveniently at the baggage carousel after the flight home. On the last night of your cruise, you’ll receive your airline boarding passes and special luggage tags from the cruise line. Set your bags outside and your luggage will be securely transferred directly from the cruise ship and checked in with your airline all the way to your destination airport. 

It’s easy to enroll in the Port Valet service online and makes for a much easier debarkation day after your cruise from Seattle!