Jump to content

3 days pre cruise help


Recommended Posts

We are doing an Alaska cruise going out of Vancouver. We have about 3-5 days pre cruise and I'm having a hard time deciding whether to fly to Seattle, do some sight seeing and take the train to Vancouver, or go straight to Vancouver and spend out time there. We have never been to either place and there is a minimal cost difference either way. Any suggestions are welcomed, also reconditions on things to do. TIA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are doing an Alaska cruise going out of Vancouver. We have about 3-5 days pre cruise and I'm having a hard time deciding whether to fly to Seattle, do some sight seeing and take the train to Vancouver, or go straight to Vancouver and spend out time there. We have never been to either place and there is a minimal cost difference either way. Any suggestions are welcomed, also reconditions on things to do. TIA

 

You are flying quite a distance if from Florida.

Have you considered spending about 3 days in advance in one city, and 3 days after in the other city?

Or are you doing a one-way and ending in Alaska?

 

GC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have 3 - 5 days, you can certainly spend time in both beautiful, amazing cities. Yes, the train is wonderful, very scenic.

 

There are countless threads on what to do in both cities further down this board, or you can use the Search function.:) There is also lots of info on the West Coast Departure board.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=413 <--click here

 

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmmmm - if you are correct about the price difference being minimal, there's absolutely zero debate about this. Vancouver is better than Seattle by every single remotely-verifiable and not-locally-biased-to-the-USA standard. Google the best city to live in or visit by any remotely-well-known-international organization - it will turn up Vancouver, Vancouver, or Vancouver every single time as the winner on the continent! Even many US-based organizations acknowledge we are nicer to stay in than any US city, so don't waste your time south of the border, hie thee to Vancouver ASAP - even if Seattle were just as good, you can go visit there in future without customs & immigration to worry about;-)

 

Of course just because Vancouver is the best does not mean that Seattle or other cities are not worth visiting - there's plenty of good museums, sights, restos to see in Seattle, even if it ain't as good as New York or Chicago or San Diego or any large Canadian city - for the OPs question, it just sucks relatively, in comparison to Vancouver (speaking as someone familiar with the entire PNW). So if you can get here without spending much more cash, you'll have a nicer time sticking to just Vancouver on your 3-5 day stay; - though I'd say that if you can swing flights into SEA at similar cost you can probably manage to do the best of Seattle for a day or so before heading up to Van and more 'good stuff' overall...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I currently live in Seattle (well the suburbs) and previously lived in Vancouver, and yes, definitely, Vancouver is the more scenic city. Seattle is a perfectly fine place but Vancouver is one of the most beautiful you'll find anywhere in the world. For Americans it also provides that international feeling, in a very safe and convenient, same language sort of way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We've never been to either Seattle or Vancouver and we're also flying from FL. We're Southwest fliers so it is much cheaper to fly into Seattle - and we figured we may as well get over any jet lag in Seattle. So we're going to spend a few nights in Seattle just to see it and then train to Vancouver and spend time there before the cruise. Based on all the things there are to do, I could imagine us some day returning to Vancouver to spend a longer amount of time, but see Seattle as more of a one and done visit. I know we won't be able to see everything, but imagine that everything that we do have time to do will be lots of fun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am doing a Vancouver to Alaska to Seattle next year. I am thinking of parking in Seattle, taking the ferry to Victoria and staying at the empress, touring Victoria, then ferry to Vancouver either the day of the cruise or the day before and visit Vancouver. I won't know until I know how much free time I have before the cruise. Otherwise I am flying to Vancouver and touring Vancouver for a few days.

 

 

 

I think I would rather see Vancouver than Seattle although there are a few things I would want to see in Seattle I will do it another time. The train ride sounds like a great trip.

Edited by AlanF65
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am doing a Vancouver to Alaska to Seattle next year. I am thinking of parking in Seattle, taking the ferry to Victoria and staying at the empress, touring Victoria, then ferry to Vancouver either the day of the cruise or the day before and visit Vancouver. I won't know until I know how much free time I have before the cruise. Otherwise I am flying to Vancouver and touring Vancouver for a few days.

 

I think I would rather see Vancouver than Seattle although there are a few things I would want to see in Seattle I will do it another time. The train ride sounds like a great trip.

The ferry the day of the cruise can be risky at times. We had a few cancellations this summer due to mechanical issues. Wind can affect the running of them too, is there is a storm. The ferry ride is about 1 1/2 hr and add travel time to and from the ferry terminals and being there early to buy your walk on ticket etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am doing a Vancouver to Alaska to Seattle next year. I am thinking of parking in Seattle, taking the ferry to Victoria and staying at the empress, touring Victoria, then ferry to Vancouver either the day of the cruise or the day before and visit Vancouver. I won't know until I know how much free time I have before the cruise. Otherwise I am flying to Vancouver and touring Vancouver for a few days.

 

 

I think I would rather see Vancouver than Seattle although there are a few things I would want to see in Seattle I will do it another time. The train ride sounds like a great trip.

 

We are planning to do this in reverse this coming spring, after a conference in Vancouver.

 

We'll fly to Vancouver, "do" the conference, and then we plan to take the ferry to Victoria and stay at the Empress (something long on our list!), and then take the other ferry to Seattle.

 

It will be extra nice, given that this trip otherwise wouldn't include any cruise at all :eek:

 

GC

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are planning to do this in reverse this coming spring, after a conference in Vancouver.

 

We'll fly to Vancouver, "do" the conference, and then we plan to take the ferry to Victoria and stay at the Empress (something long on our list!), and then take the other ferry to Seattle.

 

It will be extra nice, given that this trip otherwise wouldn't include any cruise at all :eek:

 

GC

 

Is your cruise Seattle to Alaska with a stop in Victoria on the way back or Vancouver to Alaska returning to Seattle or one way to Alaska?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our first trip to Alaska, we had a northbound cruise out of Vancouver, but we flew to Seattle first and took the Clipper ferry to Victoria (because Southwest to Seattle was less costly for us). We spent a couple nights at the Magnolia in Victoria and loved our visit. Then we flew Harbour Air from Victoria to Vancouver. We paid for an extra seat since we were over the luggage limit. However, they were kind enough to refund the extra seat and send our suitcases on earlier flights that morning. The luggage was waiting for us when we arrived. Harbour Air transferred us to the ship with their free shuttle.

 

 

 

However, if I had it all to do over again, I'm not sure I'd do the ferry. It was very choppy and a few were sick on the ride. We are planning our third trip. We stayed at the Pan Pacific in Vancouver our last trip and are planning to stay there again. You could do a day trip to Victoria, or take the free shuttle to Capilano Suspension Bridge, take the horse drawn trolley through Stanley Park, etc. There's so much to do in Vancouver.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi, I have been giving tours of Vancouver and area Including Victoria to friends I have met on my own cruises. I would be more than happy to show you around. I have lived and worked in Vancouver since the seventies.

Please feel free to contact me to answer any questions and help to plan your visit.

Sir John. 604-856-1000

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You need three or more days in Vancouver...

  • Day 1: Land and hotel check-in.... adjust to new time zone
  • Day 2: Grouse and Capilano. Fly over Canada in the evening
  • Day 3: Hop on Shuttle with Gastown, Stanley Park, and Granville Island
  • Day 4: if you have time.... Victoria day trip
  • Day 5: if you have time.... Whistler day trip
  • Day 6: if you have time.... Vanduzen, Queen Elizabeth

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Hi, I have been giving tours of Vancouver and area Including Victoria to friends I have met on my own cruises. I would be more than happy to show you around. I have lived and worked in Vancouver since the seventies.

Please feel free to contact me to answer any questions and help to plan your visit.

Sir John. 604-856-1000

 

 

 

Hi, Sir John. We’re visiting in June 19 and have 2/3 days to fill before we embark the QE.

It’ll be our first visit to Canada and we’ve been told there are so many things in Vancouver that we “have” to see we fear not making the most of the time we have.

If your available and willing to help out 2 middle age Brits could you mail me on.....martin18363@hotmail.com

Hoping we can sort something out.

All the best.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...