Alaska Cruise -- fly to Seattle or Vancouver?

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

Which airline?

For 2016 it's American Airlines.

Heather

 

[bcwife76]

We sail August 15.

We're on the same cruise!! We live in Vancouver though so yeah....my opinion on flights doesn't really count for much ;-)

 

[Pooh2]

For 2016, we booked a direct flight from Boston to Seattle on Jet Blue, $333/RT. We are doing Amtrak to Vancouver. We are looking forward to visiting both cities for the first time.

 

[bcwife76]

in case you do not have one or did not know, you need a passport to fly into canada.

You'd need a passport or enhanced drivers licence if travelling by car or train into Canada, too:
http://www.amtrak.com/crossing-the-us-canadian-border

 

[labdogs42]

You'd need a passport or enhanced drivers licence if travelling by car or train into Canada, too:
http://www.amtrak.com/crossing-the-us-canadian-border

have them both! passport and cards.

 

[xlxo]

In general, you don't need both. However if you lose one.... it's backup to get back home!

 

[poison ivy]

We flew out of PHL for our Disney Alaskan cruise this past May. We looked at every possible scenario and originally were planning to fly southwest to seattle which involved 2 one-way car rentals, overnight accommodations and a bit of a drive to cross the border.

We wound up booking thru Air Canada which connected thru Toronto. They released a decent discount code on Black Friday last year and we jumped on it.
Very convenient and very reasonable. Eliminated all stress flying in and out of Vancouver.

 

[lnllarson]

This past summer we flew from BWI to Seattle for $300/person on Southwest and it was a direct flight. There are five of us, so $1500 round-trip was a really great price. We got in Seattle around 11am, saw some of the sights and then stayed in a hotel near the train station. Took the train to Vancouver the next morning and have to agree - that was one of the highlights of the trip. We took a taxi to our hotel in Vancouver and then just used public transportation in Vancouver or walked everywhere. Vancouver is a beautiful city and our kids would like to go back because we didn't get a chance to see everything we wanted to. I definitely recommend spending a few days there if you have the time. Seattle wasn't as exciting for us, so we're glad we didn't spend much time there. After getting off the cruise, we got a rental car and drove back down to Seattle. We loved the train ride, but if we were to do it again, I might spend the little extra for tickets to Vancouver.

 

[labdogs42]

We flew out of PHL for our Disney Alaskan cruise this past May. We looked at every possible scenario and originally were planning to fly southwest to seattle which involved 2 one-way car rentals, overnight accommodations and a bit of a drive to cross the border.

We wound up booking thru Air Canada which connected thru Toronto. They released a decent discount code on Black Friday last year and we jumped on it.
Very convenient and very reasonable. Eliminated all stress flying in and out of Vancouver.

Gah! Didn't think of Black Friday sales! I actually booked Air Canada out of PHL through Toronto yesterday afternoon. I was happy with the price I got, though, and I just wanted to get it DONE, so it is! I went with the Vancouver option. We fly in the day before the cruise, one night at the Pan Pacific, and fly back on the red eye.

 

[poison ivy]

Gah! Didn't think of Black Friday sales! I actually booked Air Canada out of PHL through Toronto yesterday afternoon. I was happy with the price I got, though, and I just wanted to get it DONE, so it is! I went with the Vancouver option. We fly in the day before the cruise, one night at the Pan Pacific, and fly back on the red eye.

Well who knows if the price will increase before next Friday anyway. We arrived the day before and stayed at the Pan for 1 nt. precruise. You won't regret it.
If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to help. Alaska was a big trip for us and we did a ton of planning.

 

[labdogs42]

Well who knows if the price will increase before next Friday anyway. We arrived the day before and stayed at the Pan for 1 nt. precruise. You won't regret it.
If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to help. Alaska was a big trip for us and we did a ton of planning.

Awsome -- thank you! This is a huge trip for us, too. Do you have a trip report from your Alaska cruise? And, part of why I don't want to wait until black friday to book is because we leave for WDW that day! Gotta get that trip under my belt, then focus on Alaska planning!

 

[poison ivy]

Awsome -- thank you! This is a huge trip for us, too. Do you have a trip report from your Alaska cruise? And, part of why I don't want to wait until black friday to book is because we leave for WDW that day! Gotta get that trip under my belt, then focus on Alaska planning!

I debated doing a trip report. Just haven't gotten around to it. I did post a lot of pics and information on this thread.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/anyone-back-from-alaska-yet.3414870/

 

[bobbiwoz]

We flew into Vancouver from Philly, taxied to our hotel, and did a hop on hop off tour of Vancouver which was wonderful! In Canada Place there a film over Canada, similar to Soarin!

 

[ajo]

We're doing an Alaska cruise next summer with extended family with 18 people on the trip. It looks like flying to Seattle is much cheaper than Vancouver for us. We will fly in on Saturday morning for the Monday cruise departure. Any suggestions for whether we should spend a night in Seattle and a night in Vancouver or two nights in Vancouver? No one has been to Seattle in years and only some of us have ever been to Vancouver (and that was 20 years ago). Also, any hotels in Vancouver that have suites? We have two families of 6 that won't fit in a single standard hotel room and would prefer a suites hotel over two standard rooms. TIA!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

flying to Seattle is much cheaper than Vancouver for us

Be sure to take into account the train fare.

If it were me, I'd probably try to get to Vancouver and stay there, just to ensure that I made it in time for the cruise.

There's lots to see in Vancouver, so you won't be bored.

 

[poison ivy]

We're doing an Alaska cruise next summer with extended family with 18 people on the trip. It looks like flying to Seattle is much cheaper than Vancouver for us. We will fly in on Saturday morning for the Monday cruise departure. Any suggestions for whether we should spend a night in Seattle and a night in Vancouver or two nights in Vancouver? No one has been to Seattle in years and only some of us have ever been to Vancouver (and that was 20 years ago). Also, any hotels in Vancouver that have suites? We have two families of 6 that won't fit in a single standard hotel room and would prefer a suites hotel over two standard rooms. TIA!

wow. great trip planned. We tend to travel in packs but lately it's been about half the size of your group. I guess a lot would depend on logistics and family dynamics. How old everyone is always determines what we decide. For example, if I'm travelling with my parents, I'd settle into Seattle for the night because it's a long flight from PHL and we'd drive or take the train to Vancouver early am. If I have my preschool grandkids in tow with my adult kids it's a different story. They're coming up from the West Coast which is a much easier flight so we'd be able to decide based on what everyone wanted to do.
I'd love a day in Seattle to do the tasting tours but my grandkids need more fun than that.

 

[poison ivy]

Also, any hotels in Vancouver that have suites? We have two families of 6 that won't fit in a single standard hotel room and would prefer a suites hotel over two standard rooms. TIA!

You have to search "Canada place" for hotels in and around that area and look at their proximity to that landmark as that's where the cruise terminal is.

Here's one I found, which is part of the Marriott chain, but I have not stayed there.
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/yvrdv-delta-vancouver-suites/

 

[bumbershoot]

It looks like flying to Seattle is much cheaper than Vancouver for us.

Please look at ALL costs. Airfares are just one part of the puzzle.

 

[ajo]

Thanks everyone - it sounds like I need a spreadsheet to really make the best decision! Our group includes 8 kids aged 3-12 and 4 grandparents (all very active), so we're happy to be on the go.

 

[bumbershoot]

I like a notebook, personally. No spreadsheet needed.