Vancouver back to Seattle ?THE OPTIONS?

[bobnsofi]

Ok, ending our 1st Alaska cruise 9/28/14 in Vancouver

Want to fly out of Seattle

a few days later?

or right away?

 

So.

 

Ferry rides with an overnight stopover in Victoria?

 

Bus to Seattle right away?

 

other options?

 

What do we 1st timers opt for? and how?

 

thanks in advance!

[cruiseryyc]

It's really your choice what you want to do; why should complete strangers tell you to stay a few days or go home right away!?

 

1. You can catch a bus straight away to Seattle

2. You can stay overnight in Vancouver and head to Seattle the next day

3. You can get on the bus/ferry to Victoria, spend a couple of nights there, then ferry it to Seattle.

 

Lots of options but only you know what you want to do.

[Kamloops50]

Ok, ending our 1st Alaska cruise 9/28/14 in Vancouver

Want to fly out of Seattle

a few days later?

or right away?

 

So.

 

Ferry rides with an overnight stopover in Victoria?

 

Bus to Seattle right away?

 

other options?

 

What do we 1st timers opt for? and how?

 

thanks in advance!

 

It's really your choice what you want to do; why should complete strangers tell you to stay a few days or go home right away!?

 

1. You can catch a bus straight away to Seattle

2. You can stay overnight in Vancouver and head to Seattle the next day

3. You can get on the bus/ferry to Victoria, spend a couple of nights there, then ferry it to Seattle.

 

Lots of options but only you know what you want to do.

 

4 - you could fly the same day

5 - take the train Amtrak or Rocky Mountaineer

8 - Greyhound or Quick shuttle

9 - rental car

 

Just a few more.

[MoyCoy]

4 - you could fly the same day

5 - take the train Amtrak or Rocky Mountaineer

8 - Greyhound or Quick shuttle

9 - rental car

 

Just a few more.

 

Which car rental would allow someone to pick up in Vancouver and drop off in Seattle?

[martincath]

Which car rental would allow someone to pick up in Vancouver and drop off in Seattle?

Any and all national chains. Since rental cars were allowed to be brought into Canada by Canadians it's opened things up - in an ideal world for every Canadian coming home or American traveling up to join a one-way cruise, there's an opposite person who wants to go the other way.

 

Usually though there's a few more want to go one way than the other for each rental company, so it's blind luck who's offering the best price (i.e. need to get their cars back to the other side of the border) - sometimes there's a hefty one-way fee, other times none at all. I've found prices as low as $90 one-way including all fees & taxes when searching - and be sure to search ALL of the major chains. This is where sites like Expedia, Kayak etc. really come into their own!

[Gardyloo]

Which car rental would allow someone to pick up in Vancouver and drop off in Seattle?

Basically all of them. We've used Hertz, Avis, Dollar, Budget and National (in one or the other direction.) Note that they will either add a one-way drop fee, or else set a high daily rate, so you need to shop competitively.

 

The trains (2 x day in each direction) leave in the early morning and evening, so a same-day connection after disembarking in the morning makes for a long day schlepping luggage around. A rental car will expedite things.

 

Note there are some scenic route alternatives with a car, vs. the train or buses.

 

The Victoria ferry option is possible, but with cruise luggage it can be a bit of a pain - bus, ferry, bus, ferry...

[dalibi]

Rental cars, flying into Seattle is much more reasonable than Vancouver. What rental car Co. is best for renting from Seattle to Vancouver? Thanks.

[martincath]

As both of the replies immediately above your question clearly state, there is no 'best' company for one-way rentals Seattle-Vancouver, or vice versa. Check them all, book the lowest priced.

[Gardyloo]

Rental cars, flying into Seattle is much more reasonable than Vancouver. What rental car Co. is best for renting from Seattle to Vancouver? Thanks.

Check your timing; if returning to Seattle and intending to fly east of the Mississippi, you're almost certain to need an additional hotel night, which can wipe out any savings in air travel. Likewise, traveling to Vancouver via Seattle, you may or may not need an additional hotel night northbound. Border delays can be unpredictable - sometimes up to a couple of hours.

[BruceMuzz]

There are regular airline flights from Vancouver to Seattle.

There are float planes that will take you from Vancouver to Seattle.

There are helicopter flights from Vancouver to Seattle.

[havepassportwilltravel]

Although we seldom book transport through the cruise lines, sometimes it IS the best option. More than once, we have taken the cruise line transport from Vancouver to SEA. Be sure to also check with your cruise line. They know that it's cheaper for US citizens to fly in to Seattle, and they provide for that usually. And, as a previous poster mentioned, be sure to factor in your flight times. (departure time and length of travel)

 

We have also rented cars going both directions. Not including border crossing delays or city traffic, it is an easy 3-hour drive.

 

Cathy

[Alberta Quilter]

What about a repositioning cruise from Vancouver to Seattle (that will then go south to the Canal/Caribbean or Mexico?

 

HAL has a repo cruise leaving Vancouver on the 28th, on the Westerdam, going to San Francisco and Catalina Island before arriving in San Diego on Oct 3rd. If you have the time, you could make your flight arrangements out of San Diego.

 

I just don't know if you'll be allowed to do it due to the PVSA...

[Kamloops50]

What about a repositioning cruise from Vancouver to Seattle (that will then go south to the Canal/Caribbean or Mexico?

 

HAL has a repo cruise leaving Vancouver on the 28th, on the Westerdam, going to San Francisco and Catalina Island before arriving in San Diego on Oct 3rd. If you have the time, you could make your flight arrangements out of San Diego.

 

I just don't know if you'll be allowed to do it due to the PVSA...

 

Probably not . A cruise from Van yo san Diego is OK. Adding the segment from Seattle to Vancouver makes it illegal.

If it continues on to Fort Lauderdale , it becomes legal.

[Alberta Quilter]

Probably not . A cruise from Van yo san Diego is OK. Adding the segment from Seattle to Vancouver makes it illegal.

If it continues on to Fort Lauderdale , it becomes legal.

 

But the OP is wanting to go from Vancouver to Seattle, not the other way around.

 

My concern was that the OP is coming from Alaska first to Vancouver. I don't know if the stop in YVR is long enough to jump to another ship, even on another cruiseline, on the same day, heading south to the US to satisfy the PVSA. But I don't know enough about the PVSA to say for sure.

[Urban trekker]

"My concern was that the OP is coming from Alaska first to Vancouver. I don't know if the stop in YVR is long enough to jump to another ship, even on another cruiseline, on the same day, heading south to the US to satisfy the PVSA"

 

Yes they can do that and will have plenty of time - as long as it is a different ship it satisfies the PVSA - you will arrive in Vancouver by 7AM - disembarkation by 9 - 10 AM at the lastest - if sailing from Canada Place - retrieve you luggage and give to porters for other cruise - enjoy downtown Vancouver - come back around noon - 1PM and board the other ship - even if one of the ships is at Ballantyne pier you are only a 10 minute taxi ride between the ships.

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis