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If you're planning an Alaska cruise from Seattle, it’s tempting to arrive the day before your sailing, spend a night near the port and head straight onto your ship. But after spending a week exploring Washington State, I discovered that Seattle is much more than a convenient starting point for an Alaska cruise.
From Seattle’s famous Pike Place Market and waterfront to whale watching, mountains, beaches, temperate rainforest and national parks, there’s an incredible amount to see before or after your cruise.
I visited Seattle as part of a seven-day trip combining city sightseeing, cruise ship visits and adventures across Washington State. If you're considering adding a few days to your Alaska cruise from Seattle, here’s what I discovered.
Seattle is one of the most popular departure points for Alaska cruises, and it makes an excellent starting point for a longer holiday.
The city itself is worth exploring, but its location also makes it easy to discover more of Washington State. In Seattle, you can experience coastline, mountains, wildlife, national parks and rainforest.
That means you can turn a week-long Alaska cruise into a much longer cruise and stay holiday, with time on land before or after your sailing.
For me, that was the biggest surprise of the trip. I originally thought of Seattle as somewhere to spend a night or two before an Alaska cruise. By the end of the week, I realised it could easily be a holiday destination in its own right.
My trip started at Heathrow, where I flew with Delta in Premium Select.
Having never flown Delta before, I was impressed by the additional comfort compared with economy. Premium Select offered priority check-in and boarding, a welcome drink, an amenity kit, memory foam pillow, blanket and noise-cancelling headphones.
The wider seat, additional legroom and adjustable footrest made a noticeable difference on the 12-hour flight to the US. There was also a large entertainment screen with a wide selection of films and TV series.
Food and drinks were served throughout the flight, including an evening meal, snacks and drinks, followed by pizza and dessert before landing.
Another useful benefit when you're combining a land stay with a cruise is the additional checked luggage allowance. When you're packing for an Alaska cruise, having extra space can be particularly useful because you may need everything from warm layers and waterproofs to lighter clothing for exploring Seattle.
My tip: allow time for Seattle immigration
If you're flying from the UK to Seattle, remember to allow plenty of time for arrival formalities.
Eligible travellers may also be able to use the Mobile Passport Control app to submit their passport information in advance and access a dedicated processing queue.
Once we had arrived in Seattle, we headed to our hotel for the next two nights.
The Hyatt Regency was a great base for exploring the city. It was around a 10-minute walk from Pike Place Market and close to public transport, making it easy to get around without relying on a car.
The second day began with a visit to Holland America Line's Eurodam.
Eurodam spends the summer season sailing from Seattle to Alaska, with itineraries visiting destinations including Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka.
Holland America Line has a long history in Alaska, dating back to 1947, and the cruise line's experience in the region is one of the reasons it remains a popular choice for an Alaska cruise from Seattle.
Stepping onboard Eurodam, I immediately noticed how different it felt from some of the
Stepping onboard Eurodam, I immediately noticed how different it felt from some of the larger, newer cruise ships.
The ship has a more classic and traditional feel, with a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of places to eat, listen to music and unwind.
With space for around 2,700 guests, Eurodam felt large enough to offer plenty to do while still being easy to navigate.
We also had lunch at Pinnacle Grill, one of the ship’s speciality restaurants. As a vegetarian, I was particularly pleased with the choice available.
One of the things that stood out about Holland America Line was how much of the onboard experience is designed around the destination, particularly when sailing in Alaska. The cruise line’s Alaska Up Close programme brings the region to life through expert-led talks, cooking demonstrations, local food and opportunities to learn more about the wildlife, landscapes and culture you’ll encounter along the way.
There are also some great opportunities to experience Alaska from the ship, from spotting wildlife and dramatic scenery to sailing past glaciers. Holland America Line’s Alaska itineraries can also include experiences such as Glacier Discovery, giving guests the chance to see some of the region’s spectacular scenery up close.
Food is another part of the experience. Holland America Line’s Port to Plate programme highlights locally sourced seafood, including Alaskan seafood, giving guests the chance to enjoy produce connected to the destination they’re visiting.
For me, that was one of the biggest takeaways from sailing with Holland America Line: Alaska isn’t simply the backdrop to the cruise. The destination is brought into the experience onboard, from the food and entertainment to the expert knowledge and scenery outside your window.
After lunch, we headed into the city.
One of my favourite stops was Olympic Sculpture Park. Located on the Seattle waterfront, it offers views across Puget Sound, Elliott Bay, the Olympic Mountains and downtown Seattle.
From there, we walked to Seattle Aquarium, where we learned about conservation work taking place in the region, including efforts to reduce underwater noise and protect local whale populations.
In the evening, we headed to Smith Tower.
Seattle's oldest skyscraper combines history with panoramic city views, making it a great option if you want to see the city from above while enjoying a drink.
We finished the day at Ivar's Acres of Clams on the waterfront. The restaurant is well known for its seafood and clam chowder, making it a fitting place to end our first full day in Seattle.
We started the morning at one of Seattle's most recognisable attractions: the Original Starbucks.
The store can get busy, so arriving early helped us avoid the queues.
From there, we headed to Pike Place Market, one of Seattle's most famous landmarks.
Established in 1907, the market is one of the oldest continuously operating public markets in the US. We watched the famous fishmongers throwing fish between the stalls before exploring the market ourselves.
If you're visiting Seattle before an Alaska cruise, I'd definitely recommend making time for Pike Place Market. But Seattle is just the beginning of what makes a Princess Alaska holiday interesting.
Princess Cruises offers more than just a cruise through Alaska, with the option to combine your sailing with time in the wilderness through its Princess Wilderness Lodges and CruiseTours. These land-and-sea holidays can take you beyond the coastal ports and into Alaska's interior, with opportunities to experience destinations such as Denali National Park.
The lodges also give you a very different perspective on Alaska compared with simply visiting by ship. Instead of waking up to a view of the ocean, you can spend time surrounded by forests, mountains and Alaska's wildlife before or after your cruise.
For anyone planning an Alaska cruise, it's worth looking at the different cruise-and-land options available. A few extra days in Alaska's interior can turn a cruise into a much bigger holiday experience.
Our next stop was another cruise ship: Princess Cruises' Star Princess.
One of the newest and largest ships in the Princess fleet, Star Princess also sails from Seattle during the summer season, with itineraries visiting destinations such as Juneau, Victoria and Skagway.
We had the opportunity to see some of the Sanctuary suites and visit the adults-only Sanctuary Club.
The area includes a private pool, bar and buffet, along with cabanas available to hire.
The highlight of my visit was lunch at Umai Teppanyaki, one of the ship's speciality restaurants. The food was excellent, but our chef and host Victor made the experience particularly memorable.
If you're looking for an Alaska cruise where the ship is an important part of the holiday, Star Princess is definitely one to consider.
After leaving Seattle, we travelled to Everett to visit Boeing's Future of Flight.
We toured the Boeing assembly building and saw aircraft at different stages of production.
I'm not usually someone who would automatically put an aviation museum on my holiday itinerary, but I found the experience fascinating. If you're interested in aircraft or engineering, it's well worth adding to your Seattle itinerary.
Whale watching was the part of the trip I was looking forward to most.
We travelled to Edmonds, a coastal town around 30 minutes from Seattle, where we boarded the Puget Sound Express.
The boat is designed specifically for wildlife viewing, with outdoor seating, viewing decks and an indoor cabin. There are also naturalist presentations and route tracking throughout the trip.
We were incredibly lucky with the wildlife we saw, including killer whales and grey whales, as well as a variety of birdlife.
Seeing the whales in their natural environment was one of the highlights of my entire week.
Absolutely.
If you're spending several days in Seattle before your cruise, a whale watching excursion is a fantastic way to experience the region's wildlife before heading north to Alaska.
It's also a good reminder that you don't have to wait until your cruise reaches Alaska to experience incredible wildlife.
After whale watching, we took a local ferry to Kingston before continuing towards Port Angeles, the gateway to Olympic National Park.
We stayed at Olympic Lodge, which made a comfortable base for exploring the area.
The hotel had a cosy, rustic feel, with an outdoor heated pool and comfortable spaces to relax after a busy day.
The following morning, we headed into Olympic National Park.
Our first stop was Hurricane Ridge, a mountainous area more than 5,000 feet above sea level.
The journey itself was spectacular, but the views from Hurricane Ridge were even better. From the top, we could see across the Olympic Mountains and surrounding landscape.
We also took a short hike, giving us the chance to experience the alpine scenery at closer range.
For anyone looking to add a national park to a Seattle cruise and stay, Olympic National Park is a fantastic option.
Next, we headed towards Ruby Beach on the Pacific coast.
The landscape couldn't have been more different from Hurricane Ridge. Instead of mountains, we were surrounded by driftwood, tide pools and rugged coastline.
It was one of those places where you can simply stop and take in the scenery.
That contrast is what makes Washington State so impressive. Within a single day, you can experience mountains and Pacific coastline.
We spent the night at Lake Quinault Lodge, where I was lucky enough to have a room overlooking the lake.
Our final morning in the Olympic National Park area took us into the rainforest.
Our local guide showed us around the forest, including an area nicknamed the Valley of Giants because of its huge trees.
What surprised me most was just how dramatically the landscape had changed. In less than 24 hours, we'd experienced mountains, beaches and rainforest.
From there, we headed back towards Seattle, stopping in Tacoma.
One of our stops was LeMay – America's Car Museum, home to a huge collection of cars spanning more than a century.
Even if you're not a dedicated car enthusiast, it's an interesting way to spend a few hours.
We then checked into Hotel Murano, which was unlike anywhere else I'd stayed during the trip.
The hotel combines accommodation with art, with different exhibits throughout the building.
Tacoma also has strong connections to glass artist Dale Chihuly, whose influence can be seen throughout the city.
Our final day was another big one.
We travelled to Mount Rainier National Park, home to Mount Rainier, an active volcano and the highest peak in Washington State.
We headed towards Paradise, one of the most popular areas of the national park, where we met our guide for a short hike.
The goal was to see the snow-capped summit, but I had another item on my wildlife wish list: a bear.
Our guide warned us that sightings weren't guaranteed, but incredibly, we managed to see two.
After an already incredible week exploring Washington State, it felt like the perfect way to finish the trip.
It was then time to head back to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and begin the journey home.
I flew Virgin Atlantic Upper Class and found the experience a great way to finish the trip.
Before boarding, we used the Delta Sky Club at the airport, where we could relax, enjoy food and drinks and make use of the facilities.
Onboard, we were welcomed with drinks and nibbles before enjoying a three-course meal.
One of the features I particularly liked was the choice between being woken for a full breakfast before landing or having a quicker express breakfast closer to arrival.
There was also a self-service snack and drinks area called the Wander Wall, located in the galley for Upper Class passengers.
The seat converted into a fully flat bed, and pyjamas were provided for the overnight flight.
After dinner, I got changed, settled in and managed to get some sleep. I opted for the express breakfast before landing and arrived back at Heathrow feeling much more refreshed than I expected.
After this trip, my answer is definitely yes.
If you're booking an Alaska cruise from Seattle, I'd strongly recommend considering a few extra nights before or after your sailing rather than treating Seattle as simply a place to board your ship.
You could spend a couple of days exploring Seattle itself, visiting Pike Place Market, the waterfront and the city's attractions. If you have longer, you can venture further into Washington State for whale watching, national parks, mountains, beaches and rainforest.
For me, that was the biggest takeaway from the trip.
An Alaska cruise is an incredible holiday in its own right, but adding a Seattle cruise and stay gives you the opportunity to experience even more of the landscapes and wildlife that make the Pacific Northwest so special.
My top things to do before an Alaska cruise from Seattle
If you're short on time, these would be my priorities:
Seattle is one of the best starting points for an Alaska cruise, but there's no reason your holiday has to begin and end at the cruise terminal.
Whether you want a short city break before sailing or a longer Washington State adventure, combining a Seattle stay with an Alaska cruise can turn an already memorable holiday into an even bigger experience.
And after spending a week exploring the area myself, I'd highly recommend giving yourself more time than just one night.
