Alaska advice/suggestions welcome

[Kesohio63]

DH and I are scheduled to take the Alaska cruise that leaves on Labor Day. We already have 2 nights pre-cruise booked at the Hampton Inn on Robson (wanted to make sure those were booked early due to holiday weekend!), but we haven't booked flights yet. Originally thought we might go to Seattle first to visit family and then take the train to Vancouver, but that is looking too complicated, so now thinking we will just fly round-trip to and from Vancouver. We live in SW Ohio, so non-stop flights do not seem to be available; we could fly out of Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati, or even Indianapolis, but Chicago is too far to drive! Any recommendations on airlines (we usually fly on Southwest, but they don't fly to Vancouver, apparently)? Is it feasible to fly home on disembarkation day or should we plan to stay over and leave the next day? What are transportation options to and from the cruise terminal? For a week-long cruise + 2 days of sightseeing, we will have a fair amount of luggage to drag around. Any advice or suggestions are welcome! Thanks!

 

[JenPinks]

DH and I are scheduled to take the Alaska cruise that leaves on Labor Day. We already have 2 nights pre-cruise booked at the Hampton Inn on Robson (wanted to make sure those were booked early due to holiday weekend!), but we haven't booked flights yet. Originally thought we might go to Seattle first to visit family and then take the train to Vancouver, but that is looking too complicated, so now thinking we will just fly round-trip to and from Vancouver. We live in SW Ohio, so non-stop flights do not seem to be available; we could fly out of Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati, or even Indianapolis, but Chicago is too far to drive! Any recommendations on airlines (we usually fly on Southwest, but they don't fly to Vancouver, apparently)? Is it feasible to fly home on disembarkation day or should we plan to stay over and leave the next day? What are transportation options to and from the cruise terminal? For a week-long cruise + 2 days of sightseeing, we will have a fair amount of luggage to drag around. Any advice or suggestions are welcome! Thanks!

Following....I am in the same dilemma. I have the same issues.

 

[Kesohio63]

Follow-up questions - is there any advantage to booking flights through DCL vs. separately? Does DCL offer ground transportation to the airport after the cruise?

 

[JenPinks]

DH and I are scheduled to take the Alaska cruise that leaves on Labor Day. We already have 2 nights pre-cruise booked at the Hampton Inn on Robson (wanted to make sure those were booked early due to holiday weekend!), but we haven't booked flights yet. Originally thought we might go to Seattle first to visit family and then take the train to Vancouver, but that is looking too complicated, so now thinking we will just fly round-trip to and from Vancouver. We live in SW Ohio, so non-stop flights do not seem to be available; we could fly out of Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati, or even Indianapolis, but Chicago is too far to drive! Any recommendations on airlines (we usually fly on Southwest, but they don't fly to Vancouver, apparently)? Is it feasible to fly home on disembarkation day or should we plan to stay over and leave the next day? What are transportation options to and from the cruise terminal? For a week-long cruise + 2 days of sightseeing, we will have a fair amount of luggage to drag around. Any advice or suggestions are welcome! Thanks!

I keep going back and forth like you do. I am hesitant to do flying into Seattle and catching a train just because of all the extra time and travel, although southwest does have free baggage. There isn't a direct from Vancouver to Houston without a layover. I don't know what to do!! I just hope I end up making the right decision.

 

[MUN]

DH and I are scheduled to take the Alaska cruise that leaves on Labor Day. We already have 2 nights pre-cruise booked at the Hampton Inn on Robson (wanted to make sure those were booked early due to holiday weekend!), but we haven't booked flights yet. Originally thought we might go to Seattle first to visit family and then take the train to Vancouver, but that is looking too complicated, so now thinking we will just fly round-trip to and from Vancouver. We live in SW Ohio, so non-stop flights do not seem to be available; we could fly out of Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati, or even Indianapolis, but Chicago is too far to drive! Any recommendations on airlines (we usually fly on Southwest, but they don't fly to Vancouver, apparently)? Is it feasible to fly home on disembarkation day or should we plan to stay over and leave the next day? What are transportation options to and from the cruise terminal? For a week-long cruise + 2 days of sightseeing, we will have a fair amount of luggage to drag around. Any advice or suggestions are welcome! Thanks!

Have you thought about flying Southwest into and out of Seattle and doing 2 one-way car rentals?

MUN

 

[Geomom]

Not sure what airlines are available from Ohio. We always fly Southwest as well, so it was hard for us to go with someone else...but the flights to Seattle cost just as much, if not more for us, and we just didn't want to have to deal with getting from Seattle to Vancouver--felt like a waste of time for us when you're already talking a full day of air travel. So, last August, we flew out of Boston, took AirCanada to Vancouver, with a change of planes in Toronto; and a red-eye flight home after the cruise (leaving at 10:30PM the day we disembarked and getting home by 11AM the next day.)

We stayed at the Westin Bayshore for 3 nights pre-cruise (with the 'pay your birth year' deal--1st night rack rate, next 2 pay the last 2 digits of your birth year).

We took a taxi from the airport to the hotel--they have a good setup for it at the Vancouver airport--it's well organized and there are set rates for the taxis to/from the airport. It cost us $35CAD for a taxi for the 4 of us. We also took a taxi from our hotel to the port the day we embarked--cost less than $10 CAD.

As we had so much time after disembarking until our red-eye flight, we did a full day excursion with Landsea tours (www.vancouvertours.com). They picked us and our luggage up at port, we did the full day Sea to Sky tour, then they dropped us and our luggage off at the airport by 6PM.

 

[Kesohio63]

Thanks! I am debating the red-eye flight home vs. staying overnight and flying home early the next day. I think for us it will work better to fly home the next day so we won't be too exhausted to drive home from the airport. So that gives us some time in Vancouver on debarkation day .

 

[Kesohio63]

Have you thought about flying Southwest into and out of Seattle and doing 2 one-way car rentals?

MUN

I hadn't thought of that, mostly because we wanted to avoid driving in unfamiliar cities. We were in Seattle last year with a rental car, and it was not fun!

 

[MUN]

I hadn't thought of that, mostly because we wanted to avoid driving in unfamiliar cities. We were in Seattle last year with a rental car, and it was not fun!

No, I understand. We did 2 one-way rentals 3 years ago and it went ok for us. The hardest part I had was finding the rental car agency in downtown Seattle. I found it, but it wasn't easy.

For our family of 5, flying into and out of Seattle on Southwest was less expensive, plus we wanted to spend some time in Seattle after the cruise and Vancouver before the cruise. We loved both cities.

In your case, I would recommend flying into and out of Vancouver, that seems to the easiest. I will leave it others for their recommendations on Vancouver air travel. I will add that I think your Vancouver hotel is in a nice location.

Have a great trip!

MUN

 

[amberwc]

We flew United last year and everything went great. I agree with PP that getting a cab at the airport is really the easiest, and pretty cheap too. We got off the boat in plenty of time to have gotten a flight, but we stayed the night. I think it was unnecessary. But, look at DCL Ground transfer to the airport to make it easier. There was another ship in port the day we got off and we waited in the taxi line for an hour and a half!

 

[yesmylove]

We questioned our TA about taking DCL transportation from the port to the airport and she said it was $35.00 cd per person and that taxi would be cheaper. We live in Toronto so we are flying non stop to Vancouver, have you priced flying to a Canadian city and then onto Vancouver?

 

[Donna3271]

We flew from NYC direct. We did US customs Direct with DCL transfers. It was the BEST!!! They took us right to the port - no customs. Our Port arrival did not matter. We got directly into the terminal.

Sorry there is no direct flights from Ohio! I highly recommend Disney Transfers! Renting a car in Seattle, customs at the border, etc... would have been too much for us with 3 kids. Good luck! It was the best trip ever, and I have been all over the world!

 

[MargaretJ]

Have you looked at Delta? I know they have flights from CVG to YVR via MSP & I bet SLC too. There is a 1pm flight out of YVR on the 11th of Sept which connects in MSP to get you back home late that Monday night. I don't know about Transfers when you arrive but we have Disney transfers on the day the Cruise returns to the Airport.

 

[JenPinks]

We flew United last year and everything went great. I agree with PP that getting a cab at the airport is really the easiest, and pretty cheap too. We got off the boat in plenty of time to have gotten a flight, but we stayed the night. I think it was unnecessary. But, look at DCL Ground transfer to the airport to make it easier. There was another ship in port the day we got off and we waited in the taxi line for an hour and a half!

Wow, did not even think of that!

 

[anricat]

Have you searched on the WestJet website? They use partners for the US legs, but for the legs into Vancouver, you would fly through them. We booked with them from Austin, TX and on the way out we flew through LAX and on the way back Minneapolis. They were fantastic.

 

[Kesohio63]

This all good info, thanks! Part of the problem is too many choices, none of which stands out as being better than the others, but all are doable.

 

[Shanti]

Follow-up questions - is there any advantage to booking flights through DCL vs. separately? Does DCL offer ground transportation to the airport after the cruise?

The main advantage to question 1 is that if DCL is flying you in, they'll do everything they can to get you on the ship if your flights run late. On our December Fantasy cruise, the ship left Port Canaveral a few hours behind schedule for this reason (it was during a winter storm that had gummed up travel throughout the northern states).

In response to question 2, yes, they provide ground transfers to anyone who wants them (you don't have to book flights via DCL to book their transfers). You can also book a pre or post cruise hotel stay via DCL.

 

[mcd2745]

My question for those familiar with all the travel logistics involved is...what is the earliest time you would book a flight out of Seattle after getting off the cruise? Are mid-afternoon flights (say...2pm) cutting it too close?

 

[beckicnm]

My question for those familiar with all the travel logistics involved is...what is the earliest time you would book a flight out of Seattle after getting off the cruise? Are mid-afternoon flights (say...2pm) cutting it too close?

You mean get off in Vancouver and then catch a flight in Seattle? Renting a car to drive? I personally would be very nervous about anything before 4pm, and probably would look for something after 6pm. Between picking up a rental, crossing the border, bathroom stops, a stop for lunch, Seattle's ever fun traffic, returning the rental at SeaTac (involves a shuttle to the terminal) and security wait times there.....Yeah, 2pm would terrify me. And the last time we took Amtrak, we were 6 hours late. Good thing our cruise was the next day...

 

[Kesohio63]

I would only consider flying out of Seattle the next day, not the same day we got off the ship - too many places where an unexpected delay could happen. I would be a nervous wreck!