Evening flight
Off the ship, an evening flight home
Lunch at the Market, an afternoon at the Museum of Flight, and a short last drive to Seatac.
Disembarkation day
- Lunch
Pike Place Chowder · Chowder
Chowder at the Market. Sort the bags out first (see below) rather than carrying them in.
- Afternoon
The Museum of Flight · 3 hours
South of downtown and close to Seatac, so the last ride of the trip is short.
- Evening
Ride to Seatac
Two hours before a domestic flight, three before an international one.
One more night
One more night in Seattle
Drop the bags at a hotel and take a full day, then fly the next morning.
Disembarkation day
- Lunch
Ride to the hotel and drop the bags
Most hotels will hold bags until check-in.
- Afternoon
Space Needle and Chihuly Garden · 1–2 hours
The Space Needle and Chihuly Garden at Seattle Center.
- Dinner
Elliott's Oyster House · Seafood
Oysters on the waterfront for a last dinner.
Flight day
- Morning
Ride to Seatac
Timed from your flight.
How much of the day you really have
Ships come in early and passengers leave in groups, so your time off the ship depends on your disembarkation group. Work back from your flight: the airport buffer, the drive from wherever you finish, and whatever is left is your day in Seattle.
With a morning flight there is nothing to plan but the ride to Seatac. With a flight after lunch, a meal near the pier is plenty. From late afternoon on, you can fit one real stop.
What to do with your bags
Bags are the hard part of a disembarkation day. Store them near the pier for a few hours and pick them up on the way to the airport, or book a car by the hour for the pier, a stop or two and the airport (ask when you book about leaving bags in the car between stops). If you are staying one more night, go to the hotel first and leave them there.
Head toward the airport
Plan the day so each stop is closer to Seatac than the last. The Museum of Flight, south of downtown, makes a good final stop. A fixed-time tour or ticket is risky on a flight day; choose something you can leave early.
Questions
- What can I do in Seattle after my cruise before my flight?
- With an evening flight, have lunch at Pike Place Market and spend the afternoon at the Museum of Flight, which is near Seatac, then ride to the airport. With an earlier flight, go straight to the airport or have one meal near the pier.
- How early should I leave for Seatac after a cruise?
- Be at the airport two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international one, then add the drive from where you are. Put your flight in the cruise trip planner and it times the ride from the pier or your last stop.
- What do I do with my luggage after the cruise?
- Store it near the pier for a few hours, book a car by the hour for the pier, your stops and the airport, or leave it at your hotel if you are staying one more night. Carrying cruise luggage between sights is the thing to avoid.
- Should I stay one more night in Seattle after my cruise?
- If your only flights home leave early, or you want a full day in the city, yes. The cruise trip planner has an option for one more night after the ship is back, with the hotel and the ride to Seatac the next day.
Plan it
Your whole cruise trip, day by day
Free, no account. Flights, the hotel, each day's stops with the travel time between them, and a ride for every leg. Each step books in one tap and nothing is assumed booked.
Last reviewed October 30, 2026. Travel times are typical drives, not live traffic. Check ticket times and your cruise line's boarding window before you book.