Shuttle service from Seattle airport to Vancouver Cruise Port

[Beth and Bailey]

It is much less costly and time saving for us to fly into Seattle from Kentucky.  

Our cruise is mid Sept out of Vancouver, BC. 

A local travel agent suggested checking with RC regarding the shuttle bus from Seattle airport directly to the cruise port.

On  hold for an hour... lol.  So thought I'd reach out to see if anyone had details.  Also looking online at transport services but they are generic and not RCI.

 

Thanks  much.

[martincath]

If you haven't already, I'd post this question on the RCI board - better chance of line specific info! - and note that this board is for East Coast Canadian ports rather than West, so asking the mods to move it to Alaska/Pacific or West Coast Departures should get you more opinions...

 

In general, cruiselines contract shuttles from SEA only on days when they have a ship leaving from Vancouver - with a morning pickup at the airport around 9-10am, straight to the border, then direct to the pier here (probably a short loo stop in Bellingham too as no toilet facilities at the border post) arriving very early afternoon. Pricing back in TheBeforeTimes was usually cheaper than QuickShuttle - but when cruising restarted after the shutdown every SEA shuttle price I saw quoted jumped up significantly, to between US$79 and US$99pp, which means that even QS (who are the most expensive of the coach services) offer a more flexible service at a better price. Tue/Wed they stopped operating - but if I recall correctly your cruise is a Sunday-Sunday so travel would be Sat, Sun, or Mon which means you should be able to use their Pier to Airport (and vice versa) routes.

 

Between the higher pricing and lack of flexibility in schedule, and especially with RCI having far fewer cruises here than the Carnival family lines (HAL & Princess both run RTs and One-Ways, the odd Cunard etc. means usually 6+ ships a week who would share the logistics of contracting a coach company), I'd definitely assume you will be coming up independently - especially since your other post indicated an extra day on each end.

 

Personally, if the Amtrak train schedule works for you that's the least annoying way to cross the border hands-down - and it's also cheaper than buses if you book in advance even though saver fares have doubled since back in the day to $64pp! Doing your border clearance at the station, with only fellow train pax, makes for the easiest crossing; you can even spend leftover CAD$ onboard on your way back home and the dining car is pretty decent.

 

If budget is most important, Greyhound do Companion and Senior fares that can be a steal; Flixbus seems to be consistently lowest prices but with fewer days of operation; and Amtrak have multiple daily buses they contract out that cost more than the train but do go more frequently, 3x daily compared to currently 1 train, should be back to 2 trains this Spring so by September you'll have 5 Amtrak options. All of these go downtown to downtown - cab fare in Vancouver from station to pier is about CAD$12, to downtown hotels $10-15, but in Seattle much further to cover so I'd budget at least US$30 for cab/uber etc. Even with the extra cab fare though, the downtown services can be cheaper in total.

 

For two people, back in the day, a rental car made a LOT of sense - easy to find rates under $100 for a same day one way drop. These days with car rental fleets still down in numbers the prices tend to run higher, but with coaches and trains also up into the $150-200 ballpark for a couple you might still save a few bucks with a rental car... or at least feel that the total flexibility of timing is worth a bit of a premium spend. I'd strongly advise renting through Costco for extra benefits and best prices (if not a member, joining up just to save cash on things like car rental can easily pay for itself on a single vacation!)

Edited February 2, 2023 by martincath

[psuboater]

If you have time, I highly recommend the Amtrak Cascades. It's about a 3.5 hour journey, but a lot of it hugs the coastline and will give you fantastic views of the mountains, water, and sea life! My commuter train shares the same line and it never fails to put a smile on my face. I got tickets for this April at $33pp in Coach. There is now trains 2x a day, and it might increase by the time you arrive in September.

 

Not sure how much you saved and are looking to spend, but the Seaplane service on Harbour Air from Lake Union to downtown Vancouver resumes this summer. The flight takes under an hour and is a truly NW experience - flights start at $255.

 

A regular old airplane from SEA to YVR is $128pp one way right now in September, via Alaska Air or Delta. 

[disneyochem]

Amtrak is my first choice when we have to travel between Seattle and Vancouver.  We love the train ride and it’s a pretty quick cab/Uber ride to the port.  As noted in a previous post, going through customs is quick and straightforward.

 

We took bus shuttles between these two ports in the last couple of years due to the suspension of the Cascade train.  We used the cruise line shuttle (HAL) which was fine as well as QuickShuttle (Princess didn’t have a shuttle from Seattle to Vancouver).  What I did not enjoy about the QuickShuttle is that we had to get off the bus with all of our luggage (suitcases, carryons, etc), stand in line at customs and then reboard the bus.  What a pain!  On the cruise line bus shuttle, we were able to leave our suitcases on the bus and only carry our carryons while waiting to go through customs.

[Caribensun]

Recommend the cruise Line bus for under $100 each way, can purchase one ways.  Buses usually leave between 9&10am firm.  Easy and ships wait for buses. 

[taznremmy]

On 2/2/2023 at 10:03 AM, Beth and Bailey said:

It is much less costly and time saving for us to fly into Seattle from Kentucky.  

Our cruise is mid Sept out of Vancouver, BC. 

A local travel agent suggested checking with RC regarding the shuttle bus from Seattle airport directly to the cruise port.

On  hold for an hour... lol.  So thought I'd reach out to see if anyone had details.  Also looking online at transport services but they are generic and not RCI.

 

Thanks  much.

Did you ever make a decision on what to do?  I am in the same situation in early Sept.  I am disembarking an RCL ship in Seattle and embarking on one in Vancouver on the same day.  RCL does not have a shuttle service.  I hate to have to cancel my first cruise, but it may come to that.  

[Ferry_Watcher]

18 minutes ago, taznremmy said:

Did you ever make a decision on what to do?  I am in the same situation in early Sept.  I am disembarking an RCL ship in Seattle and embarking on one in Vancouver on the same day.  RCL does not have a shuttle service.  I hate to have to cancel my first cruise, but it may come to that.  

 

Have you checked a one way flight from Vancouver to Seattle?

[taznremmy]

1 minute ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

Have you checked a one way flight from Vancouver to Seattle?

Yes, Seattle to Vancouver.  Times are a little tight, but thinking of doing a walk off and Uber to SEA.  It's just that airlines are so unreliable right now.

[Ferry_Watcher]

13 minutes ago, taznremmy said:

Yes, Seattle to Vancouver.  Times are a little tight, but thinking of doing a walk off and Uber to SEA.  It's just that airlines are so unreliable right now.

 

Royal starts their debark early.  Are you on the Ovation or the Quantum?

[taznremmy]

4 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

Royal starts their debark early.  Are you on the Ovation or the Quantum?

Getting off the Ovation and going to the Radiance. 🤞

[Ferry_Watcher]

23 minutes ago, taznremmy said:

Getting off the Ovation and going to the Radiance. 🤞

 

Both the Solstice and the Ovation will be debarking every Friday until 9/22 when it will be just the Ovation at Pier 91 - so that is about 7K+ passengers getting off the two ships between 6:30 - 9:30 AM. 

 

The Ovation usually begins their debark as early as 6:30, and the Solstice 7 - 7:15 AM.  SeaTac is super busy in the summer, so the TSA lines can be very long.  If you don't have TSA Pre-Check, you might consider getting Clear, or use the SeaTac Spot Saver app to reserve a time in the security line.  The downside of that is you can't reserve your spot until 3 days before your flight.

 

Good luck!

 

https://www.portseattle.org/SEAspotsaver

 

 

[taznremmy]

@Ferry_Watcher  Thank you!!

[Beth and Bailey]

2 hours ago, taznremmy said:

Did you ever make a decision on what to do?  I am in the same situation in early Sept.  I am disembarking an RCL ship in Seattle and embarking on one in Vancouver on the same day.  RCL does not have a shuttle service.  I hate to have to cancel my first cruise, but it may come to that.  

oh dear...  Well after being told by a RCI rep there was an RCI shuttle from Seattle airport to the Vancouver port..... I then made flight and hotel arrangements.  Called back to RCI to give them the flight info (as they'd requested).....only to be told NO RCI SHUTTLE.  I had to rebook the flights/hotels to (and in) Vancouver.  My cousins are coming now and they are flying into Seattle, staying overnight and then renting a car to drive to the port.  You might look at a car rental.  

[taznremmy]

@Beth and Bailey Thanks.  I did.  With the  one way drop off fee, it was over $500.

[Beth and Bailey]

oh my goodness.   I don't suppose your vancouver cruise is 9/17??

[taznremmy]

No, it is 9/8.

[Beth and Bailey]

On 5/28/2023 at 9:51 PM, taznremmy said:

No, it is 9/8.

shoot... otherwise I'd have them give you a lift.

[taznremmy]

Very kind of you!  Thanks.