Seattle Kreuzfahrten

Gain an enlightening overview of Seattle by driving around town, browsing a sprawling farmers market and enjoying a bird’s-eye view of the city from atop the Space Needle. The iconic observation tower soars above the Seattle Center, a campus of cultural attractions with roots dating back more than 100 years. For the ultimate views, the Space Needle’s windows are floor-to-ceiling and the glass floor rotates. Founded in 1907, Pike Place Market is Seattle’s oldest and largest farmers market, and as you will discover it is chock full of garden-fresh local produce and other goods. Be sure to stop by the fish market, where the employees famously toss fish to each other with great fanfare, a spectacle that began to simply save time and steps. For an even broader look at Seattle, you will drive through characteristic neighborhoods and past landmarks such as the Seattle Seahawks’ home stadium and Pioneer Square, the historical heart of old town.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Enjoy the ultimate view of Seattle and beyond from atop the soaring Space Needle.
• Spend free time browsing the seemingly endless stalls in Pike Place Market.
• Drive through historical neighborhoods, as the guide describes landmark after landmark.

OVERVIEW

Past and present thrive side by side in Seattle, and on this tour you'll see the best that Seattle has to offer. Begin with a brief scenic drive of Seattle as you head directly to the best view in the Pacific Northwest, the Sky View Observatory, the tallest building is Seattle! You'll then be elevated 902 feet above street level for unmatched 360-degree panoramic views of the Emerald City (Seattle), the Great Wheel, the Space Needle, the majestic Mt. Rainier and Mt. Baker plus beautiful islands, bays, and mountain ranges beyond. All time spent at the Sky View Observatory before 10am is exclusive for guests participating on this excursion.Continue your scenic drive as you pass by the Seattle Mariners and Seattle Seahawks sports stadiums, the historic Pioneer Square (Seattle's birthplace dating back to 1852), the International District, Seattle’s downtown core and shopping district before circling the Seattle Center Campus and arriving at the Space Needle for a photo stop.From here, you'll head over through newly renovated Belltown to the Pike Place Market, America’s largest and oldest open-air farmer’s market. Here you’ll have the opportunity to browse the hundreds of curio shops and local artisan stalls. Don't forget to check out the Pike Place Fish Market, home of the 'Flying Fish', one of the more famous vendors at the Market.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Enjoy the ultimate view of Seattle and beyond from the soaring Sky View Observatory.
• Drive through historical neighborhoods as the guide describes landmark after landmark.
• Spend free time browsing the seemingly endless stalls in Pike Place Market.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy a tour of the Boeing Future of Flight Aviation Center, the only commercial jet assembly plant in North America that is open to the public. The plant is the world’s largest building by volume, a necessity to accommodate Boeing’s signature planes such as the 747, 767, 777 and 787 Dreamliners as they progress through the assembly line. As you proceed through the massive building on catwalks above the assembly floor, you will have a unique perspective of the commercial airplanes in various stages of manufacturing. You will also have the opportunity to experience the Boeing Gallery and Sky Deck which is all part of the tour. The focus is on how aviation innovations are incorporated into the designs. The scale of the operation is so huge and the information so fascinating that aviation buffs won’t be the only ones to enjoy this eye-opening factory tour.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Watch huge Boeing aircraft being assembled on the factory floor.
• Marvel at the size of the building, which is the world’s largest by volume.
• Discover how technological innovations are incorporated into the planes’ designs.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW
Discover the panoramic beauty and must-see highlights of Seattle in just a few hours, leaving time to explore the destinations you find most intriguing later on your own. Your introduction to the city will begin with a photo stop at the Space Needle, an icon since being built for the 1962 World’s Fair. You will also see CenturyLink Field, the sports stadium for Seattle’s professional football and soccer teams, and Pioneer Square, the city’s oldest neighborhood. The term “skid row” was coined in this now-elegant district, a reference to the logged trees that were once slid down greased skids to the sawmill. There will be plenty more to explore in Pike Place Market, the city’s oldest and largest farmers market. Don’t miss the “flying fish,” a spectacle in which the fishmongers toss even large fish to each other to save steps and entertain the onlookers. The original Starbucks is also in the market.

HIGHLIGHTS
• See Seattle’s highlights in just a few hours, leaving you with a great overview of the city.
• Pause for photos at the Space Needle and pass by Seattle’s modern sports stadium.
• Gain a historical perspective at Pioneer Square and the city’s oldest farmers market.

OVERVIEW
Enjoy two unique perspectives of Seattle: from high above the city on the Space Needle and from sea level while cruising Elliott Bay. After riding an elevator up the exterior of the Space Needle, you will arrive at the observation deck, 520 feet above the ground. The views will be spectacular, as you look out over Seattle, Mount Rainer, Puget Sound and the Cascades and Olympic mountain ranges. For the ultimate view straight down, walk along the Loupe, the tower’s rotating glass floor, the only one in the world. The Space Needle is so iconic that Seattle designated it an official landmark. The sights of the city from Elliott Bay will be just as remarkable, but from an entirely different perspective. As you cruise along, you will see lush coastal parks, the edge of historical Pioneer Square and the Seattle Great Wheel, once the tallest Ferris wheel on the west coast. Your cruise ship will also be in sight.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Enjoy the ultimate view of Seattle and beyond from atop the soaring Space Needle.
• Look straight down 500 feet through the Space Needle’s rotating glass floor.
• Cruise through Elliott Bay, admiring the sights along the western shore of Seattle.

OVERVIEW
Enjoy a 360° view of Seattle from the top of the Space Needle and see the city’s artistic side at Chihuly Garden and Glass. Built for the 1962 World’s Fair to symbolize humanity’s Space Age aspirations, the saucer-shaped Space Needle soars above the city. Its observation tower offers sweeping views of Seattle’s urban sprawl, Mount Rainer, Puget Sound and the Cascades and Olympic mountain ranges. You can also look straight down to the ground 500 feet below by standing on the tower’s rotating glass floor, the only one in the world. Chihuly Garden and Glass lies at the foot of the Space Needle. As you stroll through its indoor and outdoor galleries, you will behold a collection of artist Dale Chihuly’s visually stunning blown-glass artwork. Highlights include a massive suspended glass sculpture, thousands of colorful glass flowers and plants, and all sorts of whimsical pieces that showcase the artist’s prodigious talents.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Enjoy the ultimate view of Seattle and beyond from atop the soaring Space Needle.
• Look straight down 500 feet through the Space Needle’s rotating glass floor.
• Be awed by the whimsical, visually stunning glass art in Chihuly Garden and Glass.

OVERVIEW
Sample a selection of wines at two celebrated wineries around Woodinville, an idyllic river valley setting on the outskirts of Seattle. You will first stop at Chateau Ste. Michelle, a winery established more than 50 years ago on the early 20th-century estate of a lumber baron. It eventually branched into two wineries—one for reds, the other for whites, which you will visit. Following an enlightening tour of the vineyards, you will taste several wines that may include a Chardonnay with ripe pineapple and butterscotch flavors and perhaps a Sauvignon Blanc that offers the bright fruit character of melons. The second winery will be chosen the day of the excursion from the hundreds in the Columbia Valley wine country. As the valley encompasses more than a third of the state, the terroir varies considerably from winery to winery. Even so, the Merlots are typically redolent of flavors such as sweet cherries, raspberries and chocolate.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Enjoy wine tastings at two esteemed wineries in the river valley around Woodinville.
• Discover why certain varietals were planted while touring the vineyards.
• Learn about the various terroirs that produce the valley’s award-winning wines.