Vancouver to Seattle after Alaska Cruise

[Shanti]

I can only go by the schedule.... I recommend.....

• calling Quick Shuttle and ask them how often they get behind schedule.
• getting one of the earlier Quick Shuttles on the schedule to give yourself some contingency for problems/delays

Yes, I know to do that, just thought you might be knowledgable about some Vancouver/Canadian holiday or event around that time. We're from Texas & really have no clue about Vancouver holidays or traffic...I know the Honda light event will be on Aug 2nd- didn't know if anyone has experience with it- if it's a big enough event to gum all travel up in the city and at the border?

 

[Ware Bears]

Do you think Tuesday, August 2nd would be doable from the pier to Seattle airport using Quick Shuttle? We'd want to arrive at the airport by 4pm, to catch a 6pm flight.

Yes I do, but I would aim to catch the 9am bus to give yourself peace of mind. We walked our luggage off before 7:30am and were first ones in the queue for the 9am bus.

 

[xlxo]

Do you think Tuesday, August 2nd would be doable from the pier to Seattle airport using Quick Shuttle? We'd want to arrive at the airport by 4pm, to catch a 6pm flight.

Yes, I know to do that, just thought you might be knowledgable about some Vancouver/Canadian holiday or event around that time. We're from Texas & really have no clue about Vancouver holidays or traffic...I know the Honda light event will be on Aug 2nd- didn't know if anyone has experience with it- if it's a big enough event to gum all travel up in the city and at the border?

Hmmm...

• August 2 is a Wednesday.... not a Tuesday.
• The week of August 2 is not a busy morning... but a big long weekend is planned following for fireworks and Pride celebrations
• August 2nd will be busy in the evening after you depart for the annual fireworks competition. http://hondacelebrationoflight.com/
• In summary... a busy week, not much better than the coming weekend afterwards
• I recommend touring Vancouver pre-cruise with less crowds.

 

[Shanti]

• The week of August 2 is not a busy morning... but a big long weekend is planned following for fireworks and Pride celebrations
• August 2nd will be busy in the evening after you depart for the annual fireworks competition. http://hondacelebrationoflight.com/
• In summary... a busy week, not much better than the coming weekend afterwards
• I recommend touring Vancouver pre-cruise with less crowds.

Agreed. I was only talking about getting out of town via bus, not touring. Thanks for the helpful info.

 

[xlxo]

I'm not expecting any problems for a Quick Shuttle Exfil on that weekday morning.

However.... some may choose to enjoy their last breakfast with the Wonder crew. If you are on late dining.... I think that starts at 8:15am and you'll finish at 9am.

In general... everyone is ordered off the ship by 10am.

 

[Pooh2]

We ran into the same thing last May after our cruise with the late Amtrak train. I dreaded the bus and always enjoy the train so we decided to stick with Amtrak.
There is an excursion that you can book for debarkation day onboard the Wonder (cannot prebook for some reason). It costs $99/person. We were told where to meet our excursion guide, she walked us through customs and to the bus. Our luggage was loaded onto the bus and we got a narrated tour of the downtown area and STanley Park (got off to view the totem pole area), then were brought to the Capilano Suspension Bridge.

Most of the passengers were being taken directly to the airport at the conclusion of the tour, a few of us who were taking Amtrak were dropped back at the cruise terminal. We walked over to a restaurant on the harbor for lunch then walked to the Amtrak Station. We had planned to take the light rail from downtown to Amtrak but it was a beatiful day so we walked (maybe a couple of miles?)

 

[GTRARNP]

For those of you who did one way rental from Vancouver post-cruise down to Seattle, which rental company did you use? (I know I saw Alamo with one post.) How far out did you book the car? We are planning to cruise early August 2018, and some calendars go out that far but won't let me book. Thanks!!

 

[MUN]

For those of you who did one way rental from Vancouver post-cruise down to Seattle, which rental company did you use? (I know I saw Alamo with one post.) How far out did you book the car? We are planning to cruise early August 2018, and some calendars go out that far but won't let me book. Thanks!!

I don't remember who we booked with, but I doubt you can book a car that far in advance.

 

[GTRARNP]

I don't remember who we booked with, but I doubt you can book a car that far in advance.

HA! I figured it was a long shot. LOL Not many places support my OCD planning. Haha! I found Alamo in several posts and National in another one. I will put it on the list for next spring.

 

[disneyholic family]

We are flying in and out of Seattle for our Alaska Cruise in June. When we arrive in Seattle, we are going to take the Amtrak train to Vancouver. We will spend a couple of days in Vancouver before our cruise. After the cruise, we want to get back to Seattle as soon as possible to sightsee there before flying home the next day.
The train leaves Vancouver much later than we want. Our options are to rent a car or take a Quickshuttle bus, which leaves at 10:45 am. Disney tells me this is too early & we might not be through customs to catch that bus. The Quickshuttle bus people say we will be fine.
Has anyone done this? What about renting a car? Any issues crossing the border back into the US?

we did a one way rental from alamo....no problem at all..
we picked up the minivan right at the alamo desk in the cruise terminal....
the only issue was a long line at alamo...(the desk in the cruise terminal is open just when there are ships going in and out)..
we drove down to seatac (the airport in seattle) and dropped it off there....

there was no problem at all renting the car, no problem at the border (other than about a half hour wait in the line to get through) and no problem at the drop off at seatac (very organized)..

we rented because we wanted to stop at the boeing factory on the way down - to do the factory tour (highly recommended!!)..

.

 

[xlxo]

we rented because we wanted to stop at the boeing factory on the way down - to do the factory tour (highly recommended!!)..

If you want to do the Future of Flight/factory tour.... buy your tickets online after you cross the unpredictable border. By lunch, the popular factory tour tickets are typically sold out for the day!
https://www.futureofflight.org/

Google Maps states it will take you 90 minutes to 2 hours to get from the border to Paine field.

 

[lunaland]

If you want to do the Future of Flight/factory tour.... buy your tickets online after you cross the unpredictable border. By lunch, the popular factory tour tickets are typically sold out for the day!
https://www.futureofflight.org/

Google Maps states it will take you 90 minutes to 2 hours to get from the border to Paine field.

As someone who works 5 minutes from Paine Field, keep in mind our traffic is pretty crazy!

 

[disneyholic family]

If you want to do the Future of Flight/factory tour.... buy your tickets online after you cross the unpredictable border. By lunch, the popular factory tour tickets are typically sold out for the day!
https://www.futureofflight.org/

Google Maps states it will take you 90 minutes to 2 hours to get from the border to Paine field.

we bought our tickets online in advance..
we stayed overnight across the street from boeing in everett and only did the tour the next day (so we wouldn't be rushed driving down from vancouver)..
we stayed at the hilton garden inn (which is directly across the street from where you go on the tour)..
we thought it was a very nice place to stay and very convenient to boeing..
we overnighted there, ate breakfast at the hotel, checked out, then drove across the street to do the fantastic boeing tour..
after the tour we ate lunch at a great restaurant just a few minutes away on the water...
maybe it was called Ivers? something like that...fantastic fish restaurant..

and then we drove on to seatac for our redeye flight out of seattle..
so we rented the car in vancouver on friday and dropped it off at seattle airport on saturday night..(2 day rental)..

that way we could have a leisurely drive down to everett on friday and not worry about getting there in time for the tour since we only booked the tour for saturday....

a really lovely addition to our alaska trip...

and because we had so much time to get from vancouver to our hotel across from boeing..
and then so much time to get to seattle airport, we were very relaxed about our journey...
took scenic routes during the drive down from vancouver etc..

very enjoyable and worth the cost of the two day rental!!

As someone who works 5 minutes from Paine Field, keep in mind our traffic is pretty crazy!

.
yes, the traffic to get to seatac from boeing was INSANE!!!
and it was saturday....
where were all those people going????????????????????????
we kept asking that!!!
that's why it was great we took two days....so we were totally relaxed even in the crazy traffic jam!!!!