Vancouver Departure...Cutting it to close?

[Desert Rosie]

My hubby and I are doing our 1st cruise out of Vancouver on May 30. We are planning on flying to Seattle on the 28th and taking the train to Vancouver the morning the 30th. The train gets into Vancouver at 11:45 AM and our cruise departs at 5:00 PM. Are we cutting it to close making it to the ship? :eek: We are asking these questions now before we purchase our plane tickets, reserve hotel rooms and such.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I would double check as to how much time it would take to get to Vancouver (hopefully someone will chime in here with that) and then add a lot of padding. Seriously. Here are two reasons from what I glean from CC over the years:

 

1. That if you miss the sailaway, you won't be allowed to board later on in the cruise as that would be a violation of the PVSA (you can't cruise on an Alaskan cruise without a stop in Vancouver or Victoria unless you're on an US-flagged ship -- the mass market lines are all foreign flagged).

 

2. That because of the tidal situation in Vancouver, the sailaway time is pretty much set in stone.

 

So if your train gets delayed or otherwise don't get to the port in time, you're out of luck.

[VTX-AL]

Train station to the cruise ship terminal at Canada Place is a maximum of 1/2 hour by taxi - you will have to pass through Canada customs right at the train station so you should allow about another 1/2 hour for that process. Don't forget your passport(s) or Enhanced Drivers Licence.

 

 

...VTX-Al

[marys350]

For me personally, it's cutting it too close. Any delay with the train or going through customs could be problematic. We're doing a Pacific coastal cruise that leaves from Vancouver in September. We decided to fly to Seattle two days before the cruise and stay overnight in a Seattle hotel. The next morning we will take the train to Vancouver and spend one night in a Vancouver hotel before boarding the next day.

[CptSticky]

I would double check as to how much time it would take to get to Vancouver (hopefully someone will chime in here with that) and then add a lot of padding. Seriously. Here are two reasons from what I glean from CC over the years:

 

1. That if you miss the sailaway' date=' you won't be allowed to board later on in the cruise as that would be a violation of the PVSA (you can't cruise on an Alaskan cruise without a stop in Vancouver or Victoria unless you're on an US-flagged ship -- the mass market lines are all foreign flagged).

 

2. That because of the tidal situation in Vancouver, the sailaway time is pretty much set in stone.

 

So if your train gets delayed or otherwise don't get to the port in time, you're out of luck.

Unless you are doing a B2B that ends up back in Vancouver. PVSA counts the port you start and your final port. It doesn't matter how many "cruises" are in between.

[twindaddy]

Trains are notoriously delayed, I would not do it. Just my humble opinion. You are risking a multi-thousand dollar cruise on a train running on time.

[mapleleaves]

IF everything works perfectly, you have more than enough time to get to your ship. The pier is only a 15 minute cab ride from the train station. But any hiccup that creates a delay of 3 hrs is going to cost you the cruise.

 

It certainly isn't within my comfort zone. I'd catch the evening train on the 29th, overnight in Vancouver, spend the morning exploring Stanley Park and Granville Island, then head to the ship around 2pm.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Unless you are doing a B2B that ends up back in Vancouver. PVSA counts the port you start and your final port. It doesn't matter how many "cruises" are in between.

 

But if you're doing a northbound Alaskan cruise, you have to board the ship in Vancouver. You can't in the Alaskan ports because you won't have a foreign port.

[xlxo]

My hubby and I are doing our 1st cruise out of Vancouver on May 30. We are planning on flying to Seattle on the 28th and taking the train to Vancouver the morning the 30th. The train gets into Vancouver at 11:45 AM and our cruise departs at 5:00 PM. Are we cutting it to close making it to the ship? :eek: We are asking these questions now before we purchase our plane tickets, reserve hotel rooms and such.

 

Hmm.... it's doable.... What's your PAT time?

• 11:45 arrival
  
• 12:15pm latest to clear customs, board taxi
  
• 12:30pm at cruise terminal for security
  
• 1:45pm boarding?
  

Is there a free lunch? Does it close at 2pm? Did you pay for it?

 

I say skip Seattle and go straight to Vancouver. There's lots to do see and do there instead of waiting for the last minute.

[CptSticky]

But if you're doing a northbound Alaskan cruise' date=' you have to board the ship in Vancouver. You can't in the Alaskan ports because you won't have a foreign port.[/quote']

Sorry, hate to tell you but wrong. PVSA does NOT apply to individual cruises but rather to which port you started in and which port you ended in. Thus if you miss Vancouver and fly ahead to catch the ship and you are on a B2B then you will still end up in Vancouver (a foreign port). Thus you will not have been transported from one American port to a different American port and thus not a violation of PVSA. What you are saying is true if you intended to get off in Seward. That would be a violation. PVSA has lots of twists and turns (hey, it was written by US lawmakers so what do you expect?). Did you know that currently San Juan has an exemption? Or that if you are being transported from one US port to a different US port that just a "foreign port will not do (that is why it's a violation to get on in Hawaii and off in Seattle or Seward even if you stop in Vancouver). You will need a "distant" foreign port to satisfy this (over 400 miles). US laws can be so much fun!

[ubarpants]

IF everything works perfectly, you have more than enough time to get to your ship. The pier is only a 15 minute cab ride from the train station. But any hiccup that creates a delay of 3 hrs is going to cost you the cruise.

 

It certainly isn't within my comfort zone. I'd catch the evening train on the 29th, overnight in Vancouver, spend the morning exploring Stanley Park and Granville Island, then head to the ship around 2pm.

 

I think this is the best idea. It gives you time to see a little Seattle and a little Vancouver without being rushed or worried about missing the ship. Amtrak sometimes has delays, plus crossing the border can take longer than expected.

[kenish]

OP- Have you checked airfare into YVR? From Southern California, fares to YVR are about $30-$70 more than SEA. Ground transportation from SEA to YVR will easily cost more money than time. Your situation may be different but it bears investigation.

 

Are you on a one-way or closed-loop cruise from YVR?

 

Alaska Airlines' hub is SEA and there are flights every 1-2 hours up to YVR. Plenty of "backstops" for a missed connection or cancelled flight.

Edited February 6, 2015 by kenish

[Bruin Steve]

OP- Have you checked airfare into YVR? From Southern California, fares to YVR are about $30-$70 more than SEA. Ground transportation from SEA to YVR will easily cost more money than time. Your situation may be different but it bears investigation.

 

Agreed...

We just researched this as we were planning our June Alaska cruise...

sort of did the "matrix" comparing three cruises:

Seattle Round Trip, Vancouver round trip and Seward to Vancouver one way...

 

We ended up choosing the one-way...lower prices on the cruise made up for the small difference on airfare...

But, in the process, I noted that the differenc between LAX to Seattle and LAX to Vancouver were minimal...

 

For our dates, a round trip LAX-Seattle-LAX round trip started at $216 pp...

Round trip LAX-Vancouver started at $231 pp!

 

(Round trip LAX-Anchorage and Vancouver to LAX for our one-way cruise started at $375 pp--but the cruise fare was $300 pp less!)

 

Anyway, the difference between lowest fares comes out to $30 TOTAL for two! Even if you don't get that lowest fare...or like the airline...the next bunch come in at $255...So a $78 TOTAL difference for two...

 

If it were ME, no way I'd hassle with trains and schedules and all the extra things that could go wrong...

 

What does Amtrak cost Seattle to Vancouver? Isn't it $42 per person?

[Desert Rosie]

OP- Have you checked airfare into YVR? From Southern California, fares to YVR are about $30-$70 more than SEA. Ground transportation from SEA to YVR will easily cost more money than time. Your situation may be different but it bears investigation.

 

Are you on a one-way or closed-loop cruise from YVR?

 

Alaska Airlines' hub is SEA and there are flights every 1-2 hours up to YVR. Plenty of "backstops" for a missed connection or cancelled flight.

 

We are in Phoenix, with everything it was about $500 more to fly into Vancouver. We are booked on HAL Noordam it is a closed loop cruise beginning and ending in Vancouver. We are planning on flying Southwest as they allow 2 free checked bags and have direct flights to SEA and in the long run they were cheaper than everyone else when you factor in the luggage charge. Unless someone has a killer deal that is probably our airline of choice, they also give you a $100 credit if you apply and approved for their VISA card. We are trying to coordinate meeting my sister-in-law and her hubby that will be flying in from Iowa.

[Bruin Steve]

We are in Phoenix, with everything it was about $500 more to fly into Vancouver. We are booked on HAL Noordam it is a closed loop cruise beginning and ending in Vancouver. We are planning on flying Southwest as they allow 2 free checked bags and have direct flights to SEA and in the long run they were cheaper than everyone else when you factor in the luggage charge. Unless someone has a killer deal that is probably our airline of choice, they also give you a $100 credit if you apply and approved for their VISA card. We are trying to coordinate meeting my sister-in-law and her hubby that will be flying in from Iowa.

 

Sometimes you just end up "overthinking it"...

Once, I was doing a cruise in Europe and looking for good airfare...

Someone told me they found an airfare that beat the one I was about to book by about $200 per person...

So, I looked it up--the only real problems with that fare was that you arrived at some city where you had to change planes at 4:00am...and then you had a 22 hour layover...So, sure, we could have saved $400...But, OTOH, at least half of that would go to getting a hotel room at some airport...and we'd be miserable waiting around to change planes...

 

Sometimes, it is worth paying a little more just to get ideal flights...

 

In fact, for our Alaska cruise, we din NOT book those cheapest flights for $375 pp...We actually paid $417 pp...Why?

$375 would have forced us to leave LAX 45 minutes earlier, arrive in Anchorage at almost 1:00 am and to have only 51 minutes to change planes in Seattle...For $42 more per person, we got a nonstop flight to Anchorage...We leave LAX later, get into ANC earlier...and, most importantly, we don't have to worry about flight delays and, maybe, missing a connection in Seattle...

 

Sometimes the exact price you pay should be secondary...Most important thing in getting TO a cruise is to have it be stress-free...To have as few changes as you can, to take the shortest tilme...to limit the number of things that can go wrong...

 

The price of peace of mind is often well worth the price...

[Langley Cruisers]

My suggestion would be to take the train a day earlier (not the day of the cruise). OR alternatively, take the evening train which will put you into Vancouver on the night of the 29th - at least you are already there and ready to go to your ship in the morning with less stress.

 

The train is wonderful, and when we did it, it was bang on time, pretty much to the minute. The train does not stop at the border; you go directly into Vancouver where Customs and Immigration officials will meet you at the station. You clear there, with the passengers in Business Class permitted off the train first. IF you did want to go the morning of the cruise, I would advise you to purchase Business Class seats online. Also, the King Street station in Seattle is VERY busy, oh my goodness - we couldn't believe the line up and we thought we got there pretty early. Business Class check-in is separate, like at the airport. Also, you pick your seats at the station, thus the long lines.

 

.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Sorry, hate to tell you but wrong. PVSA does NOT apply to individual cruises but rather to which port you started in and which port you ended in. Thus if you miss Vancouver and fly ahead to catch the ship and you are on a B2B then you will still end up in Vancouver (a foreign port). Thus you will not have been transported from one American port to a different American port and thus not a violation of PVSA. What you are saying is true if you intended to get off in Seward. That would be a violation. PVSA has lots of twists and turns (hey, it was written by US lawmakers so what do you expect?). Did you know that currently San Juan has an exemption? Or that if you are being transported from one US port to a different US port that just a "foreign port will not do (that is why it's a violation to get on in Hawaii and off in Seattle or Seward even if you stop in Vancouver). You will need a "distant" foreign port to satisfy this (over 400 miles). US laws can be so much fun!

 

I was going by the original post which never mentioned anything about a B2B nor did it mention that it was a round trip. If you are on a cruise that starts in Vancouver and will be ending in Anchorage, you can not board the cruise in Ketchikan or another Alaskan port if your cruise isn't returning back to Canada.

 

Since our exchange, the OP came back and added the vital info that it is a RT, which changes things. But again, an one-way northbound from Vancouver has to start in Vancouver. Else, it is a violation of the PVSA.

[CptSticky]

I was going by the original post which never mentioned anything about a B2B nor did it mention that it was a round trip. If you are on a cruise that starts in Vancouver and will be ending in Anchorage' date=' you can not board the cruise in Ketchikan or another Alaskan port if your cruise isn't returning back to Canada.

 

Since our exchange, the OP came back and added the vital info that it is a RT, which changes things. But again, an one-way northbound from Vancouver has to start in Vancouver. Else, it is a violation of the PVSA.[/quote']

Yes, all true. I apologize if I didn't make it clear that a one way would violate.

[kenish]

For our dates, a round trip LAX-Seattle-LAX round trip started at $216 pp...

Round trip LAX-Vancouver started at $231 pp!

 

(Round trip LAX-Anchorage and Vancouver to LAX for our one-way cruise started at $375 pp--but the cruise fare was $300 pp less!)

 

Anyway, the difference between lowest fares comes out to $30 TOTAL for two! Even if you don't get that lowest fare...or like the airline...the next bunch come in at $255...So a $78 TOTAL difference for two...

 

Another tip is that Alaska flies to all 5 airports in the LA metro area and considers them "co terminals" for fare purposes. For a OW Alaska cruise, we flew SNA-SEA-YVR // ANC-SEA-LGB because homeward fares into SNA were more expensive than LGB. It was ticked as a pure open jaw.

Edited February 8, 2015 by kenish

[Desert Rosie]

Another tip is that Alaska flies to all 5 airports in the LA metro area and considers them "co terminals" for fare purposes. For a OW Alaska cruise, we flew SNA-SEA-YVR // ANC-SEA-LGB because homeward fares into SNA were more expensive than LGB. It was ticked as a pure open jaw.

 

We actually thought about flying out of San Diego, as my sister lives in Escondido. We could stay the night at her house and have my niece take us to the airport leaving our car at her house. But the tickets weren't any better than flying from Phoenix. LAX is more than likely a 8 hour drive from our house and we really didn't want to stay in a hotel by such a huge airport and we don't want to deal with the LA traffic....LOL We drove to San Luis Opisbo a few weeks ago to pick up a car we purchased and the traffic in LA was horrible on a Sunday afternoon no less.

[zephyr17]

I ride this train frequently, at least twice a year, often more, and I have taken it to get to a cruise in Vancouver.

 

- The train is almost always on time or close to it. It is not a long distance train with thousands of miles to get delayed in, it originates in Seattle. The very latest I have ever arrived in Vancouver was 1pm and that was very much the exception. I am usually through customs and on the street by 12:15.

 

- You go through customs on arrival at Vancouver station, not at the border. Customs at Vancouver station only handles that train and usually clears everyone within 30-35 minutes of arrival. If you choose Business Class you will be first to customs, as they release you to go to customs car by car, starting with Business Class.

 

-The train is mobbed in the summer time with cruisers making a same day connection.

 

- It is about 7 minutes by Skytrain to Waterfront Station near Canada Place. That is probably faster than a taxi because the Skytrain doesn't have to deal with Vancouver traffic, but I'd be surprised if a cab took more than 15. Cabs are waiting at the station, BTW.

[Desert Rosie]

Thanks for all of the input! We have decided that flying into Vancouver makes the most sense, to many variables to do it any other way. Next step is finding a hotel....LOL

[kenish]

We actually thought about flying out of San Diego, as my sister lives in Escondido. We could stay the night at her house and have my niece take us to the airport leaving our car at her house. But the tickets weren't any better than flying from Phoenix.

 

Driving from PHX, other options are PSP and ONT, about 2 hours and 90 minutes closer, and little or no traffic issues.

[Langley Cruisers]

Thanks for all of the input! We have decided that flying into Vancouver makes the most sense, to many variables to do it any other way. Next step is finding a hotel....LOL

 

Awesome, happy for you! You'll land in our beautiful city and have time to look around before your wonderful cruise. :)