Sailing from Seattle: Your Virgin Voyages Alaska Homeport Guide
Alaska is one of the great cruises of a lifetime — glaciers calving into the sea, orcas off the bow, forested fjords in every direction — and for the 2026 season, Virgin Voyages brings it to a whole new kind of ship. Brilliant Lady, the newest Lady in the fleet, sails an adults-only Alaska season round-trip from Seattle. It's Virgin's grown-up spin on the classic Inside Passage: no buffet lines, no crowds of kids on the sun deck — just the wilderness, done the Virgin way.
Where you sail from
Virgin's Seattle sailings depart from the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91, in the Interbay area just north of downtown. It's Seattle's larger cruise facility — well-organized, with straightforward drop-off and on-site parking — and only a short drive from the city center and the airport.
Smith Cove Cruise Terminal — the essentials
• Address: Pier 91, 2001 West Garfield Street, Seattle, WA 98119
• Neighborhood: Interbay / Magnolia, just north of downtown Seattle
• Parking: paid on-site parking is available through the Port of Seattle at the terminal
• Arrival: come at the Terminal Arrival Time in your Virgin Voyages app; check-in generally closes about an hour before departure
Getting to Pier 91
From Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA) it's roughly 25–40 minutes to Pier 91 by taxi or rideshare, depending on traffic. A car straight to the terminal is the simplest option, and we can pre-arrange a private transfer so a driver is waiting when you land.
If you'd rather use transit, the Link light rail runs from the airport into the city, but it doesn't reach Pier 91 directly — you'll finish the trip with a short taxi or rideshare from downtown. Many Sailors spend a night in Seattle first and simply cab over on sailing day. If you're driving yourself, the terminal has paid parking on site.
Where Brilliant Lady sails in 2026
Virgin's Alaska season runs roughly May through September 2026, with round-trip voyages of about seven to nine nights from Seattle. The classic route threads the Inside Passage — the sheltered, island-lined channel that makes for calm, scenic cruising — with calls and scenic days that typically include:
Ketchikan — the "Salmon Capital of the World," tucked into the Tongass National Forest, with totem poles and Creek Street's boardwalk.
Sitka — the storybook seaside town of Russian-American history and rich wildlife.
Tracy Arm (or Endicott Arm) — a dramatic glacier fjord day, cruising toward the Dawes or Sawyer glaciers past waterfalls and drifting ice.
Prince Rupert, British Columbia — a friendly Canadian port on the way back south.
Longer nine-night sailings can add stops such as Icy Strait Point, the Hubbard Glacier, and Victoria, BC. Itineraries vary by departure date, so we'll confirm your exact port list when we book — worth checking before you plan any shore excursions.
Alaska tip: pack for layers, not just cold. Mornings can be crisp and afternoons mild, and a rain shell is your best friend in the Inside Passage. If you're deciding between Alaska and the Caribbean, it's a genuinely different kind of packing job — we've a separate guide on exactly that.
Make a trip of it
Fly in at least a day early — it's cheap insurance against a delayed flight, and Seattle is a wonderful pre-cruise city. Pike Place Market, the waterfront, a coffee that lives up to the reputation; then cross to Pier 91 on sailing day. Arrive at your Terminal Arrival Time (not before — earlier won't get you aboard sooner), bring a physical credit card for check-in, and keep day-one essentials and a light jacket in your carry-on.
Sailing to Alaska from Seattle? We'll arrange your pre-cruise hotel, flights and transfer to Pier 91 — and match you to the Brilliant Lady itinerary with the glaciers and ports you most want to see. Ask The Cruise Boys®.