Going to Alaska - Vancouver airport question/opinions

[Sleepyluke]

We are booked for 2013 and I know it is a long way off, but I need some advice from anyone who has or is planning to do the flights to Vancouver or Seattle.

Details - planning to go 2-3 days early to see Vancouver/and or Seattle (open to any or all)

I have been to Seattle, wife has not. neither been to Vancouver. Plan to walk as much as possible for different places, not planning to rent a vehicle, but may if needed for a day or so.

The port is Vancouver, but my VERY preferred airline is Southwest which flies to Sea/Tac. Seattle flights are several hundred dollars cheaper. Vancouver is more expensive but where we will need to be at port time. Other problem or issue, inlaws are coming from another city that does not have Southwest, so we would meet them somewhere. They have pretty much said they want to do what we are doing. Not sure if that is a problem or a difference maker for anyone.

Question, I read about the Quick Express and Amtrack and it does seem pretty easy to get from Seattle to Vancouver, but we will have 4-6 of us. How big of a hassle is getting luggage back and forth to multiple places and transportation methods? I am a huge fan of easy, but for several hundred dollars, I am a fan of dollars. I also know there is a huge fee for renting a car and turning it in into another country (so may rule this out)

Anybody done this/plan to do this, or is everyone considering the same question for those of us cruising out of Vancouver?

Thanks for any info you may pass my way

 

[Sleepyluke]

Forgot to add - price for similar week this year

Southwest to Seattle then still need to get to Vancouver - $1,370

Continental -fly to Vancouver $1,506 plus any baggage fees, so figure $1,700 total (4 bags 2 ways)

 

[tink1963]

We went this past August. Flight into seattle, spent Friday and Saturday in Seattle, (visited with friends), Amtrak to Vancouver on Sunday. (loved this part of the trip). Toured Vancouver Sunday afternoon and Monday, sailed on Tuesday. After cruise we took the quickshuttle back to seattle, spent the night by the airport and flew home the next day

 

[jel0511]

What we did, is we flew out 10 days early and spent 5 days in Vancouver (TOTALLY not enough time) 4 days in Seattle and drove to Mt Rainier for another day. I'd just go to Vancouver personally. It's such a beautiful city and you will enjoy your time there. We fly into Vancouver and started there, even though that looks on the surface to not make sense. It was actually cheaper for us to rent the car and return it in Vancouver than rent it in Seattle and return it in Vancouver. We drove back to Vancouver the day before sailing as the border can get backed up and didn't want to have to deal with that and rush for a ship.....

 

[mellers]

We are booked for 2013 and I know it is a long way off, but I need some advice from anyone who has or is planning to do the flights to Vancouver or Seattle.

Details - planning to go 2-3 days early to see Vancouver/and or Seattle (open to any or all)

I have been to Seattle, wife has not. neither been to Vancouver. Plan to walk as much as possible for different places, not planning to rent a vehicle, but may if needed for a day or so.

The port is Vancouver, but my VERY preferred airline is Southwest which flies to Sea/Tac. Seattle flights are several hundred dollars cheaper. Vancouver is more expensive but where we will need to be at port time. Other problem or issue, inlaws are coming from another city that does not have Southwest, so we would meet them somewhere. They have pretty much said they want to do what we are doing. Not sure if that is a problem or a difference maker for anyone.

Question, I read about the Quick Express and Amtrack and it does seem pretty easy to get from Seattle to Vancouver, but we will have 4-6 of us. How big of a hassle is getting luggage back and forth to multiple places and transportation methods? I am a huge fan of easy, but for several hundred dollars, I am a fan of dollars. I also know there is a huge fee for renting a car and turning it in into another country (so may rule this out)

Anybody done this/plan to do this, or is everyone considering the same question for those of us cruising out of Vancouver?

Thanks for any info you may pass my way

Save your money.

My mom, dad, husband, daughter and self (along with my mobility scooter and three CPAP machines) have all taken the QuickShuttle from SeaTac--it's not difficult at all, and SeaTac's not a bad place to wait if somebody needs to come in a little bit later than someone else. You will have no problems getting to Vancouver from SeaTac, and, if you book a hotel that the QuickShuttle goes to in Vancouver (for example, the Westin Bayshore or the Pan Pacific), your only hassle will be running your luggage through customs, and you'd have to do that at the Vancouver airport if you flew there. The bus will take you directly to your hotel and take your luggage right off--it won't really be any more difficult than if you flew into the Vancouver airport, just longer. The busses are actually pretty comfortable, too.

Another thing that will make your life easier, if you plan to stay a couple of days before or afterwards in Seattle, is to stay at the Best Western Executive Inn near the Space Needle. The QuickShuttle picks up and drops off at the hotel, and again, you won't have to transfer your bags more than once--they'll drop you off at most of the popular Vancouver hotels. Technically, they will also drop you off at the Canada Place cruise terminal in time for your cruise, but I don't recommend making a border crossing the same day as your cruise, just on general principle. I'd spend the day before in Vancouver.

 

[mellers]

Save your money.

My mom, dad, husband, daughter and self (along with my mobility scooter and three CPAP machines) have all taken the QuickShuttle from SeaTac--it's not difficult at all, and SeaTac's not a bad place to wait if somebody needs to come in a little bit later than someone else. You will have no problems getting to Vancouver from SeaTac, and, if you book a hotel that the QuickShuttle goes to in Vancouver (for example, the Westin Bayshore or the Pan Pacific), your only hassle will be running your luggage through customs, and you'd have to do that at the Vancouver airport if you flew there. The bus will take you directly to your hotel and take your luggage right off--it won't really be any more difficult than if you flew into the Vancouver airport, just longer. The busses are actually pretty comfortable, too.

Another thing that will make your life easier, if you plan to stay a couple of days before or afterwards in Seattle, is to stay at the Best Western Executive Inn near the Space Needle. The QuickShuttle picks up and drops off at the hotel, and again, you won't have to transfer your bags more than once--they'll drop you off at most of the popular Vancouver hotels. Technically, they will also drop you off at the Canada Place cruise terminal in time for your cruise, but I don't recommend making a border crossing the same day as your cruise, just on general principle. I'd spend the day before in Vancouver.

One thing I should add--before catching the QuickShuttle, you should get some snacks or take-out meals and bottled drinks from the airport, cruise terminal or hotel--the one bad thing is that it is a long ride and there are no meal or snack breaks.

 

[mmouse37]

We flew to Vancouver from NY on Cathay Pacific.....we spent 4 days pre cruise in Vancouver. Absolutely LOVED Vancouver. We stayed in Burnby which is outside of Vancouver so next time I would stay a bit closer (even though the train was very easy).

We traveled all over via public transportation and it was so easy....train, bus, ferry....so easy to get everywhere.

MJ

 

[taaren]

We flew into Seattle for the Vancouver-LA repo last fall. Seattle was only slightly cheaper transportation-wise by a hundred per person, but we were really glad we did.

I love Vancouver and have fond memories of going there years ago, but with the Canadian dollar so strong it was _incredibly_ expensive (even though both the hotels we stayed at in Vancouver and Seattle were on points).

We flew into Seattle Saturday, stayed Sat-Sun, had a ball. Their transit system is incredibly easy to use, stayed at the Springhill Suites downtown for a very reasonable rate, they had a shuttle that drops people off near the Wharf, we wandered around there, snacking and absorbing the atmosphere. Skipped the Space Needle but had a bunch of museums/attractions we wanted to see and never made it to since DS5 was already tired. After that trip DH said that Seattle rivals his native SF in places to visit/live, which is quite a concession for him ... next time we go on a similar cruise (hopefully Fall 2013), we'll probably plan on spending 3+ days in Seattle instead, then just go up to Vancouver the evening before embarkation to save cash if the exchange rate doesn't budge.

Monday morning we headed up to Vancouver, went to the Aquarium, had dinner, then boarded the ship the next day. There were more things we would have liked to have done but everything from the car to parking to attractions and food were all so pricey because of the exchange rate that we were glad we only had one day. Sometime in the future when the dollar is more like what it was when I was in college we'll go spend more time there.

 

[deanimal]

Just a quick note that my cousin looked at flying to Seattle and taking a rental car to Vancouver a few years ago but quickly gave up. It was very expensive and complicated insurance wise. I've taken the Amtrak before and found it to be a beautiful and relaxing trip. The shuttles are pretty convenient too.

 

[squirrel]

Just wanted to say that Vancouver has a lot of things to see and do. I grew up on the North Shore.

The train is actually called the Skytrain (Monorail). You can also take the ferry called the Seabus over to Lonsdale Quay.

There are many things you can do that cost nothing or very little.

 

[Sleepyluke]

No offense, but none of you are helping me! All are very valid points and we want to do it all, and I think that is our problem. I would love to stay in Seattle for several days, take the train to Vancouver for several days, go on the cruise and return the same!

Thanks for all the ideas and thoughts and seriously, keep them coming. it is along way away, but I want to maximze our trip as best i can.

 

[Donna3271]

We flew to Vancouver from NY on Cathay Pacific.....we spent 4 days pre cruise in Vancouver. Absolutely LOVED Vancouver. We stayed in Burnby which is outside of Vancouver so next time I would stay a bit closer (even though the train was very easy).

We traveled all over via public transportation and it was so easy....train, bus, ferry....so easy to get everywhere.

MJ

MJ,

I noticed That Cathay Pacific was the cheapest to fly out of NYC Metro area, but I know nothing about the airline. Can you share your experience with me? If you feel this is not the forum, I would greatly appreciate if you could PM me. TU in advanced!!!

Donna

 

[nzdisneymom]

We flew into Vancouver from ATL last summer with a connection through Dallas. We flew home the same route. We would've preferred a direct flight which is possible from ATL but because we opted to fly home the same day that we got off the ship and we booked through DCL, we weren't able to get the direct flight because it left too early in the morning for DCL to book us. I'm telling you this because the lesson we learned was to check all possible flights both going out and coming back to help decide what to do for arriving and departing the port city.

Another thing to consider is how much of your trip do you want to spend getting to your destination vs. being at your destination? In other words, is it worth it to you to spend x-amount of time plus logistics of getting from Seattle to Vancouver when you consider the $$ you'll save? For us, our time off is often limited, so we'd rather spend some more money for a more direct route to our destination. However, if we could save enough money AND the route from Seattle to Vancouver would be new territory for us AND we'd be able to see more than just looking out a shuttle window AND we had the time to do it, we'd be inclined to consider it.

DH did not like us flying home directly from Vancouver because of the hassle with Customs at the airport - however, when we returned to ATL, we didn't have to deal with Customs so that was a bonus (especially since it was 3AM by the time we had a delay in Dallas). I didn't find Customs to be a hassle - just had to factor in the extra 30 - 45 minutes necessary pre-flight to arrive at the airport. The Vancouver airport would not let you into the terminal area if your flight was more than 3 hours out - they had a holding place you could go to wait. Also if you get your customs forms done ahead of time, then that makes it easier regardless of where you go through US Customs / Canadian customs.

Vancouver is a beautiful city, very easy to get around by foot or public transportation. I have to second the comment about taking the SeaBus over to Lonsdale Quay - we met a friend over there and were so glad we ventured out! We were in Vancouver for two full days and a half day before boarding the Wonder - it was long enough to get a feel for the city, but short enough to leave us wishing we'd had an extra day.

So as for what to do - I'd price it out in a variety of possibilities and see what the totals come up to. SW to Seattle (plus whatever those meeting you would have to spend to get to Seattle) plus transportatino to Vancouver vs. another airline to Vancouver (and the others' cost of going to Vancouver). Consider the time it takes, and the more "connection points" in a travel plan introduces more opportunity for delays.

Good luck!