Seattle is what’s sometimes called a “split port.” Unlike a lot of cruise cities with one central terminal, Seattle runs two, several miles apart, serving different cruise lines. Show up at the wrong one with your bags and a departure time closing in, and you have a real problem. Here’s how to know which pier is yours, and what actually differs between the two.
Step One: Check Your Cruise Documents
Before anything else, confirm your terminal directly from your boarding pass or the pre-cruise email from your cruise line. Don’t guess based on which one sounds more familiar. Ships occasionally shift terminals due to scheduling, so even if you sailed from Seattle before, it’s worth double-checking for this trip.
Pier 66, Bell Street Cruise Terminal
Pier 66 sits right on the downtown Seattle waterfront, within walking distance of Pike Place Market and the central waterfront attractions. It’s the smaller and more central of the two terminals, generally hosting mid-sized ships.
Cruise lines sailing from Pier 66 typically include Norwegian Cruise Line and Oceania Cruises.
Because it sits downtown, Pier 66 is also reachable by Seattle’s Link light rail, which makes it the more transit-friendly option if you’re staying in a downtown hotel the night before your cruise.
Pier 91, Smith Cove Cruise Terminal
Pier 91 is located in the Magnolia and Interbay area, a few miles north of downtown. It’s the larger terminal and handles most of Seattle’s cruise traffic, particularly Alaska sailings on bigger ships.
Cruise lines sailing from Pier 91 typically include Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean.
Unlike Pier 66, Pier 91 is not served by light rail or convenient public transit, and there isn’t much within walking distance of the terminal itself. If you’re sailing from here, plan on a taxi, rideshare, or private transfer rather than counting on transit.
Quick Comparison
| Pier 66 (Bell Street) | Pier 91 (Smith Cove) | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Downtown waterfront | Magnolia / Interbay |
| Typical lines | Norwegian, Oceania | Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, Princess, Royal Caribbean |
| Walkable to downtown | Yes | No |
| Transit access | Yes, Link light rail nearby | No direct transit |
Getting There from SeaTac
Both terminals sit roughly 25 to 40 minutes from SeaTac Airport depending on traffic, similar to the range we cover in our post on SeaTac to downtown Seattle drive times. The two piers themselves are only a few miles apart, but if your plans involve moving between them, or between a hotel and either terminal, that’s a separate short drive, not a walk.
How We Handle It
We’re familiar with both terminals and build your pickup around your specific cruise schedule and terminal traffic rather than a generic estimate. Whether you’re flying in the same day your ship departs or need a transfer from downtown to the dock, we treat Pier 66 and Pier 91 as two different destinations with two different sets of logistics, because that’s what they are.
Our SeaTac to Pier 66 and SeaTac to Pier 91 pages cover each route in more detail, or you can see the full picture on ourcruise port transportation page.
Ready to book your cruise transfer? Get a quote or call us at +1 (407) 437-7799.