Bellingham International Airport to Vancouver Cruise Port

[KerRi1127]

I booked HAL Koningsdam out of Vancouver because Southwest Airlines mentions that they are just 50 miles from Vancouver, and I have lots of SWA points. Now I find that it is very difficult to get transportation over the border. My flight arrives in Bellingham at 10:40 a.m. and all the shuttle busses are already gone at that time. I have booked a town car to the tune of $720 round trip. It appears that taxis, Lyft and Uber don't go over the border. Can anyone advise of a less expensive way to get from Bellingham to Vancouver and back?

Thanks!

[Mary229]

@Roz mentioned to me yesterday that HAL offers a shuttle from SeaTac.  SWA tickets are changeable perhaps you could go to Seattle and use the HAL shuttle 

[*Miss G*]

Did you try Amtrak or Quick Shuttle?

[KerRi1127]

Unfortunately, my flight schedule is too tight. Quick Shuttle or Amtrak doesn't work for me. I need car service. But, thanks for the suggestion. 

[KerRi1127]

I looked at changing my SWA flights to SEA/TAC and that part would work but Holland America doesn't offer transfers to Vancouver from Seattle on June 10 and 17. Great idea, if it would have worked. Thanks for the suggestion. 

[Mary229]

2 minutes ago, KerRi1127 said:

I looked at changing my SWA flights to SEA/TAC and that part would work but Holland America doesn't offer transfers to Vancouver from Seattle on June 10 and 17. Great idea, if it would have worked. Thanks for the suggestion. 

You might want to call HAL to check.  Roz said the shuttle was $89 , not cheap but easy. 

[Cruise Junky]

Cancel your flight and go into SeaTac or Vancouver.  Bellingham doesn’t have a lot of services. It’s close to the border but that’s about it.   You weren’t thinking about sailing same day as landing in another country were you? 

Edited May 18, 2023 by Cruise Junky

[*Miss G*]

11 minutes ago, KerRi1127 said:

I looked at changing my SWA flights to SEA/TAC and that part would work but Holland America doesn't offer transfers to Vancouver from Seattle on June 10 and 17. Great idea, if it would have worked. Thanks for the suggestion. 

 

That’s weird.  

 

By the tone of your posts, it sounds like you’re flying in on the day of embarkation?  Having to cross the Canadian land border, in addition to a same-day flight, makes me nervous…. and I’m not even the one doing it.  Last September I spent two hours trying to get through Seattle traffic alone, let alone the wait to get across the border.  And I have NEXUS, which is the fast-track.

 

Are you able to fly in a day earlier?

[Cruise Junky]

51 minutes ago, KerRi1127 said:

I looked at changing my SWA flights to SEA/TAC and that part would work but Holland America doesn't offer transfers to Vancouver from Seattle on June 10 and 17. Great idea, if it would have worked. Thanks for the suggestion. 

Dates add to the complication. You’re going to try and cross the border on a Saturday. Busiest day of the week.  

[Cruise Junky]

Try Quickshuttle. They service Bellingham airport but I don’t think you can do same day as departure.  

[HAL4NOW]

Have you considered a chartered seaplane or land plane through Kenmore Air? I think they would arrange something.

[nw gardener]

If you are committed to your SW flight,  I'm afraid your options are slim. Take an Uber to the border, walk across and be processed as a pedestrian,  take another uber after crossing into Canada.  Expect at least an hour or 2 at the border if you are in a car , don't know how long as a pedestrian on a Saturday!  You are correct that Uber drivers won't/can't cross the border but on both sides they can take you to the crossing.  Wait times at both the Peace Arch and the truck crossing just east of there will be similar on a Saturday at that time of day.  Best of luck to you,  I'm cruising on the Koningsdam the week before you and I'm doing Flixbus NB and Quickshuttle SB to Bellingham,  with a friend who lives in Blaine as my backup plan if all else fails  lol.

[Sprocket]

Can you fly in the day or evening before?  There is a Holiday Inn directly across the street from the airport, we have stayed there and took about 5 minutes to walk over.  
Quick Shuttle might be doable then.

 

Just curious if you used Evergreen car service?

Edited May 18, 2023 by Sprocket

[Sprocket]

Can you get a direct flight on any airline from Oakland to Vancouver?  But if you have to clear customs in Vancouver that option may not work either.

Sorry looks like Denver is where you change planes.

Edited May 18, 2023 by Sprocket

[Meander Ingwa]

I can appreciate the fidelity to an airline, but this is one situation where I would split the trip between two and fly direct into Vancouver out of a major west coast city like LAX ( I hate LAX but it is non stop from ABQ.

would you have to repeat your journey coming home?

 

 

 

[GTJ]

On 5/17/2023 at 10:44 PM, nw gardener said:

If you are committed to your SW flight, I'm afraid your options are slim. Take an Uber to the border, walk across and be processed as a pedestrian, take another uber after crossing into Canada. Expect at least an hour or 2 at the border if you are in a car , don't know how long as a pedestrian on a Saturday!

I have looked at all the scheduled transportation that might be utilized, and none meet the criteria of allowing someone arriving in Bellingham, at 10:40 a.m., to be in Vancouver the same day in time for a vessel departure that afternoon. (Well, you could make your way from the airport onto a Whatcom Transportation Authority transit bus to the international border, cross on foot, walk to where the BC Transit service area begins, travel on two BC Transit buses, and then SkyTrain, and probably get to the port in time. A long journey, and especially convenient if traveling with baggage, but possible.)

 

Most practicable may well be taxi or TNC vehicle from the airport to the border, walk across, then taxi or TNC vehicle on the other side. Generally no delay for pedestrians crossing between the United States and Canada. Just make certain that your taxi or TNC vehicle does not get into any border crossing queue to drop you off. Get dropped off at the Peace Arch Historical State Park parking lot, at the north end of Second Street in Blaine, Wash. Walk towards the washrooms, cross the highway, cross the border, walk through Canadian immigration and customs, and cross the highway once again. Meet the connecting ride at the Peace Arch Provincial Park parking lot. Less than one-half mile on foot.

[Mary229]

From experience I have learned get your air facts in order before posting cruise deposit .  It is never as easy as you think it will be and I live near a large international airport.