Carnival Miracle Guests Told Not to Arrive Early for Final Alaska Cruise
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Carnival is asking guests on Carnival Miracle’s September 17 sailing from Seattle to strictly follow their arrival appointments.
Early arrivals will be asked to leave and return at their scheduled time.
The ship will share Seattle’s Pier 91 with Queen Elizabeth while a routine U.S. Coast Guard inspection also takes place.
Guests booked on an upcoming Carnival Miracle sailing from Seattle are being told not to arrive at Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91 ahead of their assigned arrival appointments. The cruise line is expecting an unusually busy day at the terminal.
The 2,124-passenger ship is set to depart from Seattle on September 17, 2026 on a 9-night Alaska voyage. This sailing is scheduled to call at Ketchikan, Sitka, Skagway, Juneau, and Victoria, with scenic cruising through Endicott Arm before returning to Seattle on September 26.
The sailing was originally scheduled to cruise Tracy Arm as well. However, Carnival removed the fjord from its 2026 Alaska itineraries earlier this year due to unstable geological conditions following an August 2025 landslide and tsunami.
Carnival sent a notice to guests on September 11, 2026, informing them of the high traffic expected at the port on the day of departure. The cruise line advised guests to adhere to their scheduled arrival times.
“To properly manage our embarkation operations, we kindly ask for your full cooperation with adherence to your pre-selected Terminal Arrival Appointment,” the notice said.
Pier 91 will be shared between Carnival Miracle and a ship from another cruise line, leading to an expected higher guest volume than usual at the port. A routine U.S. Coast Guard inspection will also be taking place the same day, adding another complication to the busy embarkation.
The cruise line made clear that the arrival notice is more than just a suggestion. Guests arriving ahead of their assigned appointments should expect to be asked to leave and return later.
“Guests who arrive earlier than their assigned time will be asked to return within their designated timeframe,” the notice said.
Despite the busy embarkation day, the cruise line has not announced any change to the ship’s scheduled departure. Guests are still expected to be on board the 88,500-gross-ton ship by the time indicated on their boarding passes.
Carnival also reminded guests checking luggage to use porters assigned to the cruise line, identifiable by their orange vests. Guests are advised to personally carry important items such as travel documents and medications.
This isn’t the first time Carnival has sent a notice urging guests to stick to their scheduled arrival times on busy embarkation days. The advisory comes just days after Cruise Hive reported on a similar terminal-arrival reminder sent to Carnival Venezia guests in New York.
Two Ships Sharing the Seattle Terminal
The notice sent by Carnival on September 11 does not identify the ship that will be sharing Pier 91 with Carnival Miracle. However, the Port of Seattle’s official schedule identifies the ship as Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth.
The 2,081-guest ship is scheduled to depart Pier 91 at 5:00 p.m. on September 17, one hour after Carnival Miracle’s scheduled 4:00 p.m. departure. She will sail a 7-night Alaska voyage, visiting Ketchikan, Juneau, and Victoria, with scenic Endicott Arm cruising before returning to Seattle on September 24, 2026.
Carnival Miracle’s Final Alaska Cruise Before Repositioning
The September 17 sailing marks the final voyage of Carnival Miracle’s 2026 Alaska season. She will then reposition to Galveston with a 16-night Panama Canal cruise from Seattle departing September 26.
Along with scenic Panama Canal cruising, this sailing will visit Cabo San Lucas, Puntarenas, and Cartagena before arriving in Galveston on October 12, 2026. From Texas, the ship will operate Caribbean voyages through early May 2027 before departing for Europe on a transatlantic sailing on May 6.
Carnival Miracle Guests Told Not to Arrive Early for Final Alaska Cruise