Booking choice: The post-cruise tour with luggage, from $175 per person. Check dates Tour details
Seattle is the home port for many Alaska cruises, and many travelers have a few hours between the ship and a flight, or between a hotel checkout and boarding. A regular city tour starts at a hotel and ends at a hotel, which does not help when you are carrying suitcases.
Here is how the post-cruise and pre-cruise tours work, what the flagship 3 Hour Seattle City Tour can and cannot do on cruise day, and the 2026 season dates.
The quick answer
After your cruise, the $175 post-cruise tour picks you up at Pier 66 or Pier 91, handles one large bag per person plus carry-ons, tours the city and drops you at the airport or your hotel; it is listed at 5 hours and confirms within 48 hours. Before your cruise, the $131 pre-cruise tour picks you up at most downtown hotels with your luggage and typically reaches Pier 66 or Pier 91 between 1:15 and 1:30 PM.
Can you tour Seattle on the day your cruise ends?
Yes: the post-cruise tour by Show Me Seattle picks you up at the cruise pier, carries your luggage, tours the city and ends at the airport or your hotel.
Pickup is at Pier 91 (Lane R, 8:20 AM) or next door to Pier 66 at the benches in front of the Edgewater Hotel (8:40 AM), and the tour departs at 9 AM. The operator says pickup times can change and asks you to keep your phone on when the ship docks. The tour is listed at 5 hours door to door, with stops at the Amazon Spheres, Kerry Park, the Ballard Locks and the Fremont Troll.
Flying home after your cruise? The post-cruise tour starts at the pier and ends at the airport.
Check dates for the post-cruise tour with luggageWhat does the post-cruise tour include?
Pickup at the cruise pier, coach transport, a local guide with live commentary, luggage handling and drop-off at the airport or your hotel, with all taxes.
Luggage is limited to one large bag per person plus carry-ons. The guide's gratuity is not included. The tour is $175 per person, takes up to 14 travelers, and confirms within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability, so book well ahead. The listing also points to the Port of Seattle's free Port Valet service, which takes checked luggage to the airport and checks it in for you: ask your cruise director about signing up.
Can you take a city tour before you board?
Yes: the pre-cruise tour by Tours Northwest picks you up at most downtown hotels, stows your luggage on the bus and drops you at Pier 66 or Pier 91.
It starts at 10:00 AM, is listed at 3 hours, and typically reaches the cruise port between 1:15 and 1:30 PM. Pickups are not available from airport-area hotels or at the cruise ports. The listing says the operator will ensure your timely return to the port, and that in the rare event your ship has left, it will arrange transport to the next port of call; see its terms for the details. It is $131 per person and confirms at booking: see the pre-cruise tour.
Sailing this afternoon? The pre-cruise tour takes your luggage from the hotel to the pier.
Check dates for the pre-cruise tour to the pierHow do the cruise-day options compare?
Post-cruise for ship to airport, pre-cruise for hotel to ship, and the flagship only if you arrange its paid port drop-off in advance.
| Post-cruise tour | Pre-cruise tour | 3 Hour Seattle City Tour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| From (per person) | $175 | $131 | $111 |
| Starts | Pier 91 or Pier 66, departs 9 AM | Most downtown hotels, 10 AM | Select downtown and airport hotels |
| Ends | Airport or your hotel | Pier 66 or Pier 91, typically 1:15 to 1:30 PM | Back at pickup; port drop-off extra if arranged |
| Luggage | 1 large bag per person + carry-ons | Stored on the bus | Agree it with Customized Tours |
| Listed length | 5 hours | 3 hours | About 4 hours, can run longer |
| Confirmation | Within 48 hours | At booking | Within 48 hours |
| Rating | 4.8 (221) | 4.5 (71) | 4.8 (843) |
What do guests say about the cruise-day tours?
Mostly good: guests praise the pier pickup and the on-time drop-offs, with a few complaints about rushed or skipped stops.
The post-cruise tour has 196 five-star reviews out of 221. One guest wished it had stopped at the Space Needle instead of driving past, and another found Pike Place Market too crowded to enjoy. The pre-cruise tour is rated 4.5 from 71 reviews, 50 of them five-star; older reviews include a guide arriving 30 minutes late and too little time at some stops, while recent guests describe being dropped at the pier in good time.
Can the 3 Hour Seattle City Tour drop you at the port?
Yes, for an extra fee, if you arrange it in advance, but it starts from select hotels and is listed at about 4 hours, so it suits a late sailing better than a tight one.
The flagship also confirms within 48 hours, and guests report overruns of up to an hour. Contact Customized Tours before you book to agree the drop-off. See how long the 3 Hour tour really is.
In Seattle the day before you sail? Take the full loop with hotel pickup and arrive at the port relaxed the next day.
Explore the 3 Hour Seattle City Tour Tour detailsWhen is the 2026 Seattle cruise season?
The 2026 Seattle cruise season opened on 17 April and runs into October.
According to the Port of Seattle 2026 fact sheet, the port expects about 330 sailings in 2026 from its two terminals: Pier 66 (Bell Street) downtown and Pier 91 (Smith Cove) to the north. Check which pier your ship uses before you book, because the pickup point and time differ.
How should you plan a cruise-day tour?
Book the tour built for your direction of travel, and leave a margin for traffic and luggage.
- After the cruise: allow for the listed 5 hours from the 9 AM departure before your flight check-in.
- Before the cruise: the pre-cruise tour typically reaches the pier between 1:15 and 1:30 PM; check your boarding time against that.
- Luggage: the post-cruise tour takes one large bag per person plus carry-ons, so use Port Valet for anything more.
- Children: on the post-cruise tour adults are 14 and over, children 3 to 13 and infants 0 to 2, and children must be with an adult.
- Spare day: stay a night and take a regular city tour; see Seattle city tour prices.
Ready to plan your last day? The post-cruise tour has free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check dates for the post-cruise tour with luggageFrequently asked questions
Can I bring my luggage on a Seattle post-cruise tour?
Yes: the post-cruise tour handles one large bag per person plus carry-ons. The pre-cruise tour stores your luggage on the bus until it drops you at the pier.
Which piers do the cruise-day tours use?
Pier 66 (Bell Street) and Pier 91 (Smith Cove), Seattle's two cruise terminals.
What time does the pre-cruise tour reach the ship?
The listing says it typically gets to the cruise port between 1:15 and 1:30 PM.
Can I cancel a cruise-day tour?
Yes. Both cruise-day tours cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Small-Group Post-Cruise Seattle Tour with Luggage
3 Hour Seattle City Tour with Hotel Pickup
- Local guide and fully narrated tour in English
- Pickup and drop-off at select downtown Seattle and airport hotels
- Air-conditioned vehicle; groups of 4 to 24
