Vancouver to SeaTac

[USCAdventurer]

When a ship arrives in Vancouver, does Princess always or sometimes provide bus transportation (for a fee of course) from the pier to SeaTac?  or should i arrange my own transportation from the pier to SeaTac?
Thanks in advance if you know.

[Colo Cruiser]

42 minutes ago, USC Adventurer said:

When a ship arrives in Vancouver, does Princess always or sometimes provide bus transportation (for a fee of course) from the pier to SeaTac?  or should i arrange my own transportation from the pier to SeaTac?
Thanks in advance if you know.

They usually have a transfer that you can sign up for mid cruise.

Sometimes they only offer it once onboard.

 

If not use these guys. I just used them in June and it was smooth.

We have done both in the past.

Princess was I think $48 and Quick coach was $43

 

https://www.quickcoach.com

[USCAdventurer]

thanks for your information.  i'll be doing a one night cruise from seattle to vancouver and will be flying out of seatac the next day so that's why i need transportation from the cruise port to seatac.

[WisCruiser2]

We did the Princess shuttle to SeaTac. We did not have to go through immigration on Vancouver (had turned in the completed form before end of cruise) and did not have to get our suitcases, they were put right on the bus. There was a short wait to board the bus, and we ran into a wait at the U.S. border due to a van in front of us, but all in all it was a pretty smooth process.

We also had signed up for it before final payment.

Edited October 20, 2018 by WisCruiser2

[USCAdventurer]

Thanks for sharing.

[WAMarathoner]

Try the Bolt Bus.  Usually less expensive, very nice (not like the "dog" one), on time.

https://www.boltbus.com/

[iluvcruzin]

I rented a car the last time my cruise ended in Vancouver.  Super easy as the car rentals were at the port.  I dropped the car off at SEA

[USCAdventurer]

Thanks for the bus and rental car information.  I'll check them out and see if their schedules  are a good match for my flight from seatac.

[thegoaliegirl]

I would go with a rental car. I’ve done the one days from Seattle to Vancouver the past two years. Picked up our car at the cruise terminal, dropped off at SeaTac. Both had a price drop before departure. Paid $80 cad for a compact in 2017, but they downgraded us, so we paid half of that. Last month we paid $61 cad for a full-size. Gave us a lot more flexibility and was very easy. 

[USCAdventurer]

goaliegirl

thanks for the information.  i would prefer to get a rental car but then you have to fill up the tank when you get to seatac, right?  did you get the car right at the pier after the ship docked? or where?  which company would you recommend?   thanks in advance for the information.

[thegoaliegirl]

7 minutes ago, USC Adventurer said:

goaliegirl

thanks for the information.  i would prefer to get a rental car but then you have to fill up the tank when you get to seatac, right?  did you get the car right at the pier after the ship docked? or where?  which company would you recommend?   thanks in advance for the information.

Both times I went with Alamo, as they were cheapest. They have two locations in Canada Place- one is called the Vancouver Cruise Ship, the other Pan Pacific. Even though Pan Pacific has been a few dollars less, I've gone the easy route and done the Vancouver Cruise Ship. In 2017, the rental counter was right after clearing customs in Vancouver. There were two ships arriving, the lines were long, with few people actually working. Last month, the counter had moved to the lower level, where the cars were. The Emerald Princess was the only ship in that day and there were only a few people ahead of us in line. Overall, it was super easy with Alamo.

 

A few suggestions- if you book a car, keep checking prices. Make sure your reservation is fully refundable. Also, pick an early time to pick up your car. In 2017 if you had a time after around 10 or 11 (forget which one), you had to wait until your set time, as they ran out of vehicles. Pick a time around 9 and you should be fine. Alamo gave us the option to pre-pay our gas, but we decided to do it ourselves.They say you save money that way, but not sure, as I haven't actually done it.

 

Both days (a Sunday and a Monday) our border wait was about an hour each time.

[cruisequeen4ever]

I’ve done 3 of the 1 night cruises, and Princess has never offered the transfer back to Seattle, so don’t plan on that. Many people have reported taking the independent company bus back, though. I think it’s called Quick Shuttle but could be wrong. They pull right up inside the cruise terminal parking area, and you board. 

[WisCruiser2]

1 hour ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

I’ve done 3 of the 1 night cruises, and Princess has never offered the transfer back to Seattle, so don’t plan on that. Many people have reported taking the independent company bus back, though. I think it’s called Quick Shuttle but could be wrong. They pull right up inside the cruise terminal parking area, and you board. 

 

Oh, maybe they don't for the 1 night? Ours was a 7-day from Whittier. 

[Colo Cruiser]

5 hours ago, USC Adventurer said:

goaliegirl

thanks for the information.  i would prefer to get a rental car but then you have to fill up the tank when you get to seatac, right?  did you get the car right at the pier after the ship docked? or where?  which company would you recommend?   thanks in advance for the information.

Remember with a car crossing the border you are on your own and could be delayed quite awhile.

The lines can be ginormous.

We have tried a couple of times and it was not fun.

[USCAdventurer]

colo cruiser,

thanks for your advice.

[USCAdventurer]

wiscruiser,

thanks for your information.  i'm not really counting on princess offering a bus back to seattle.  you are right, the cus company is called quick shuttle and they meet up right at the pier.  they might be better than renting a car if they are fast.  if they wait and wait and wait for more passengers, it could be a long wait, but i hope not.   well, i have plenty of time to ponder this issue. my one day cruise isn't until october, 2019!

[USCAdventurer]

goaliegirl,

thanks so much for the rental car information.  i still have quite some time to make a decision since my one day cruise isn't until october, 2019.  your information was extremely helpful.

[Eaglecw]

Last April 2018 we took a repositioning cruise on the Ruby from L.A to Vancouver. Since it was the first ship into Vancouver for the cruise season Princess did not offer a transfer back to Sea-Tac, nor do they with the short overnight cruises out of Seattle. We took the Quick Shuttle back to Sea-Tac. It picks up in front of Canada Place at I think 11:30am, so it was real handy. Just go up the stairs and out to the street. From there It stopped to pick up passengers at the Holiday Inn, a casino and at a gas station on the way to the border. Once we got to the US border everyone had to get off the bus with their baggage, wait in line, it took about an hour to be processed and be on our way. You always get those stupid people who think they can bring fruits and vegetables into the US and then argue with the customs officials, they just don’t seem to get it. First stop across the border was Bellingham airport and then downtown Seattle and then Sea-Tac at about 5:30pm or so. The bus was only about 2/3 full. I looked at renting a car, but decide not to when I saw the wait times at the border and the train got in too late.

[USCAdventurer]

Thanks for your information.  I didn't think it would be such a long trip but the border really slows things up, doesn't it?  But the airfare from vancouver back to phx is so expensive.

[Colo Cruiser]

24 minutes ago, USC Adventurer said:

Thanks for your information.  I didn't think it would be such a long trip but the border really slows things up, doesn't it?  But the airfare from vancouver back to phx is so expensive.

The bus has priority at customs and usually drives right up to the CBP building.  Where a rental car does not and you have to wait in a long line of other vehicles.