Be prepared for a quarter-mile walk if you arrive at the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal via Lyft or Uber.
Our family took an Inside Passage cruise to Alaska aboard the MS Eurodam.
Holland America's online check-in process is more frustrating than it should be, but our embarkation at the Port of Seattle went smoothly.
Booking
Holland America uses two different websites: HollandAmerica.com and Book2.HollandAmerica.com.
We purchased our cruise on the main website, yet it took a full day before the Book2 website recognized our booking number. Book2 is a slow, buggy website that emphasizes add-ons (like shore excursions and beverage packages) at the expense of basic cruise information. For example, we couldn't find the embarkation schedule or the address of the cruise terminal at the Port of Seattle.
A month before our sail date, we received an e-mail asking us to check-in via the Book2 site. It took 20 minutes to complete the online forms. When we hit "submit," the forms cleared out without indicating whether or not the submission was successful.
We were able to print our boarding passes and luggage tags, but each time we visited the Book2 site, it asked us to check in. Were we really checked in? We didn't know.
Online Check-In
Holland America strongly encourages passengers to check-in online, not at the cruise terminal. For example, this paragraph is taken from a pre-cruise checklist:
Please complete the Online Check-In process at hollandamerica.com 72 hours prior to your sail date. Guests who wait to check in at the terminal risk being unable to sail even if they arrive at the terminal before the vessel leaves. You will be responsible for all costs you incur to join the vessel at the next port.
We completed the online check-in process weeks in advance of our cruise, but we didn't receive a confirmation e-mail. Holland America didn't respond to either of our requests for that confirmation.
Printable Luggage Tags
Holland America’s print-at-home luggage tags aren’t durable, so we purchased waterproof luggage tag holders from Amazon.
We printed our luggage tags at home via the Book2 website. These tags came with folding and stapling instructions, but we don't trust paper luggage tags. (One of our suitcases went missing on a Princess Cruise because the paper tagged ripped off.)
To make sure our tags were secure, we purchased waterproof luggage-tag holders from Amazon.
We also kept photocopies of our cruise information inside of our bags (just in case).
Pier Location at the Port of Seattle
The Port of Seattle has multiple cruise terminals, however, the Eurodam was docked at:
Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91
2001 W Garfield Way, Seattle, WA 98199
Buses, taxis and private vehicles are allowed to drop off passengers at the terminal entrance, however, app-based car services like Uber and Lyft are required to drop off passengers further from the terminal. We arrived via Lyft: The walk to the terminal was approximately four minutes.
Baggage Handling
Port of Seattle workers load bags aboard the Eurodam, not Holland America employees.
A porter with a rolling cart loaded our bags from outside the terminal. (We tipped him $2 per bag.) Passengers can also drop-off their bags inside of the terminal if they prefer.
Embarkation (and When to Arrive)
Embarking the Eurodam was a smoother process than checking-in online.
We arrived at the terminal at 11:30 a.m. (a sweet spot to beat the crowds). Security officers told us to have our passports in hand throughout the entire embarkation process.
The security lines at the terminal are similar to what you'd find in an airport. Additionally, bags are screened for compliance with Holland America's alcohol policy.
Once we cleared security, a ticketing agent took our photos and gave us room keys. She told us to keep our keys in hand until we boarded the ship. We entered our stateroom by 12:05 p.m and a valet arrived with our bags at 3 p.m.
The ship's buffet, the Lido Market, serves lunch throughout the boarding process.
Mandatory Muster Drill
This is the face of mandatory mustering.
At 3:15 p.m., the Eurodam held a mandatory muster drill that tested the ship's 3-Stage emergency protocol. During Stage 2, all passengers were instructed to return to their cabins. During Stage 3, all passengers were called to their muster stations (i.e. where to meet in the event of an emergency).
The entire drill took around 30 minutes; passengers must stand in place on deck during this time.
All children under the age of 13 are required to wear a muster-station wristband for the duration of the cruise. This band helps the crew unite children and parents if they are separated during an emergency.
