🇺🇸 Seattle, United States — Cruise Port Guide
The main American gateway to Alaska, and a city that rewards a spare day — a market that has been trading since 1907, coffee taken seriously to the point of parody, and Mount Rainier floating on the horizon when the cloud lifts.
Updated September 2026
Quick facts
Getting ashore
When to visit Seattle
The Alaska season runs May to September and ships do not sail from here outside it. May and September are cheaper and quieter; June and July give the longest days.
Good to know
Confirm which pier your ship uses before booking a hotel — they are six miles apart and the difference is walking versus a taxi. Sea-Tac traffic is heavy on summer weekends, so allow extra.
Things to do in Seattle
Pike Place Market
Fish throwing, flower stalls, the original Starbucks and a warren of lower levels most visitors never find. Go early — by eleven it is shoulder to shoulder.
Space Needle & Seattle Center
The 1962 World's Fair tower, now with a rotating glass floor. Chihuly Garden and Glass next door is the better of the two if you can only do one.
Ride the ferry to Bainbridge Island
The cheapest boat ride with the best view in Washington. Thirty-five minutes each way, the skyline behind you and the Olympics ahead.
Museum of Pop Culture
In a Frank Gehry building that looks like a dropped guitar. Strong on Hendrix, Nirvana and the city's music history.
Underground tour of Pioneer Square
After the 1889 fire the city rebuilt one storey higher, leaving the old streets beneath. The tour is genuinely funny and slightly grubby.
Mount Rainier day trip
Two hours south and a full day. Worth doing before your cruise, never on embarkation day — the mountain makes its own weather and the drive back is unpredictable.
What to eat
- Dungeness crab
- Wild salmon
- Oysters
- Clam chowder
- Teriyaki
Weather by month
Best time to visit: May–Sep — the Alaska season and the dry half of the year
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48° | 38° | 5.6" |
| Feb | 50° | 38° | 3.5" |
| Mar | 54° | 41° | 3.7" |
| Apr | 59° | 44° | 2.7" |
| May | 65° | 50° | 1.9" |
| Jun | 70° | 54° | 1.6" |
| Jul | 76° | 57° | 0.7" |
| Aug | 76° | 58° | 0.9" |
| Sep | 71° | 54° | 1.5" |
| Oct | 60° | 48° | 3.5" |
| Nov | 51° | 42° | 6.6" |
| Dec | 46° | 37° | 5.4" |
A little history
Most Alaska cruises from Seattle sail through Canadian waters, which is why almost every one calls at Victoria, British Columbia — a US law requires foreign-flagged ships to touch a foreign port.
Pike Place Market opened in 1907 so farmers could sell direct and bypass the middlemen. It is still a working market, not a re-creation.
The Gold Rush of 1897 made the city: Seattle outfitted the prospectors heading north, and made far more money selling shovels than anyone made digging.
Cruise ships use two terminals — Pier 66 downtown, walking distance from the market, and Pier 91 in Magnolia, which needs a taxi. Check which one your ship uses before booking a hotel.
Locals genuinely do not use umbrellas. The rain is persistent rather than heavy, and a hood is considered sufficient.