Flight nightmare - can I get from Vancouver to Seattle easily?

[vwlady]

Our dream Alaska cruise (August 2010, departing from Seattle) has turned into something of a nightmare. The cruise co are suggesting very inconvenient flights or asking for over £1000 for more convenient flights. I am tempted to ask them to take all travel arrangements off our booking and sort it out myself.

I can get good flights into and out of Vancouver but would appreciate any advice on transferring from Vancouver airport to a Seattle hotel, then from downtown Seattle to a Vancouver hotel on the return leg. Is it an awkward journey, is customs a nightmare, where can I find a reputable company to book with?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[YXU AC*SE]

It is 400km between YVR and SEA (or about the same distance between London and Liverpool). You can fly it - Alaska Airlines, Air Canada Jazz, and Horizon Air (regional for Alaska Airlines) fly the route. I am seeing return prices in the $315 all-in range for August.

 

Alternately, you can take the train -- the Amtrak Cascades service runs between the two cities - downtown to downtown. http://amtrakcascades.com/

 

Or alternately, you can take coach service http://www.quickcoach.com/schedule.htm between the two cities. The bus service takes the longest, is the cheapest and hits the hotels and airports en route either way, so is likely the most convenient.

 

As a UK national, you will need to register for ESTA, Electronic System for Travel Authorisation, if you haven't already done so. https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html?_flowExecutionKey=_c54815E6F-2C27-D7BF-138C-05EADDDCCC79_kF64A82C7-6606-45DF-A025-7A088FBE1F49

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Scott.

[Gardyloo]

It is 400km between YVR and SEA (or about the same distance between London and Liverpool).

Say what?

 

209 KM, a 40 min. flight, 4 hour drive in a rental car (including border lineups), a 4 hr. train ride (plus time to/from the two train stations/airports/docks) or a 4 1/2 hour coach ride - use the links provided by YXU AC*SE.

 

I would strongly advise you to book your own air arrangements.

[vwlady]

Thank you both, still unsure what to do but certainly have some food for thought. If I did this my itinerary would be as follows:

 

Day 1 - Fly into Vancouver. Night at hotel.

Day 2 - travel by pm coach to Seattle. Night at hotel.

Day 3-10 - cruising

Day 10 - disembark, take cruise line tour of Seattle. PM Coach back to Vanc.

Day 11 - fly back pm from Vancouver.

 

Too ambitious, do you think? We're first timers but don't mind being a little independent. It may be better than accepting the cruise co's awful flights with stopovers and ending up at an inconvenient airport anyway.

[maryann2]

Thank you both, still unsure what to do but certainly have some food for thought. If I did this my itinerary would be as follows:

 

Day 1 - Fly into Vancouver. Night at hotel.

Day 2 - travel by pm coach to Seattle. Night at hotel.

Day 3-10 - cruising

Day 10 - disembark, take cruise line tour of Seattle. PM Coach back to Vanc.

Day 11 - fly back pm from Vancouver.

 

Too ambitious, do you think? We're first timers but don't mind being a little independent. It may be better than accepting the cruise co's awful flights with stopovers and ending up at an inconvenient airport anyway.

 

Sounds like a good plan.

 

The train runs just once a day in each direction, leaves Vancouver 5.45pm arrives Seattle 10.10pm.

Leaves Seattle 7.40am arrives Vancouver 11.40am.

 

The quick shuttle (coach) has several trips each way.

 

There is a lot of information on the West Coast board with people who have done this. Usually people can find cheaper flights into Seattle but coming from the UK as you are there are more selection of flights into Vancouver.

 

Good luck with your planning.

[Budget Queen]

Why aren't you looking for round trip flights out of Seattle?? They certainly are international, and have some exceptional rates and routings available.

 

As an alternative, round trip Vancouver sailings, are grossly superior for scenic sailing, compared to Seattle cruises, which have 2 open ocean sea days. HAL with Glacier Bay, Sitka is a highlight- if you happen to be on one of those cruises and certainly worth the compromise, IF you have some good port touring also planned.

 

 

You do need to allow at least 4 hours for any Seattle/Vancouver travel. I have done them all, independent bus, Amtrak, but have done rental cars the most.

[YXU AC*SE]

Say what?

 

Oops -- my bad, I quote roundtrip mileage :-) Scott.

[scottbee]

Why aren't you looking for round trip flights out of Seattle?? They certainly are international, and have some exceptional rates and routings available.

 

As an alternative, round trip Vancouver sailings, are grossly superior for scenic sailing, compared to Seattle cruises, which have 2 open ocean sea days. HAL with Glacier Bay, Sitka is a highlight- if you happen to be on one of those cruises and certainly worth the compromise, IF you have some good port touring also planned.

 

 

You do need to allow at least 4 hours for any Seattle/Vancouver travel. I have done them all, independent bus, Amtrak, but have done rental cars the most.

 

As the OP has discovered, YVR has a much greater range of international flights than SEA, especially into Europe and Asia. In fact more flights [pre]clear US Customs and Immigration in YVR than they clear in SEA to give you an idea...

 

That being said, there are a few European options into SEA

BA LHR-SEA

DL/NW AMS-SEA

AF CDG-SEA

LH FRA-SEA

FI KEF-SEA (Icelandair from Keflavik).

 

All of the above European gateway cities have extensive networks for connections from just about anywhere in the UK.

 

Into Vancouver, your options expand a little bit

BA/LHR-YVR

AC/LHR-YVR

TS/LGW-YVR (Air Transat)

MT/LGW-YVR (Thomas Cook)

MT/MAN-YVR

MT/GLA-YVR

 

KL/AMS-YVR

TS/AMS-YVR

 

AB/DUS-YVR (Air Berlin)

DE/FRA-YVR (Condor)

LH/FRA-YVR

 

WK/ZRH-YVR (Edelweiss)

 

TS/ATH-YVR

TS/BCN-YVR

TS/MAD-YVR

TS/CDG-YVR

[KC Gorilla]

I just checked on r/t flights from London to Vancouver to Seattle and return for less than $1000 pp for August 2010. Check out Air Canada.