First time cruising from Vancouver

[colesc15]

Just booked our first ever cruise from Vancouver for next year. We've done Alaska out of Seattle before, but never Vancouver. We live in the US so Seattle was just easier. 

 

With that, flights to Vancouver are considerably higher priced than flights to Seattle. Would you just pay the extra and fly right into Vancouver, or potentially fly into Seattle or even Bellingham WA where southwest flys and deal with crossing the boarder via a car rental or some other method of crossing? 

 

As it stands right now, flight to Washington would save the two of us about $400ish total. Maybe $500 depending what I can find. 

 

Thoughts? We've never been to Vancouver so it'll all be a first. 

[LHT28]

Compare the prices/options on getting to Vancouver  then decide

 

Rent a car /parking for the length of the cruise

Take the bust from Seattle to Vancouver

 

How much of your time is  it worth  to do all the extra travelling

 

For me I would fly to YVR  or  find a cruise out of Seattle

JMO

[1982CruzStart]

As LHT28 says it depends on what your time is worth and how risk adverse you are in dealing with multiple modes of transportation to get you to where you want to be.   

 

I have read of people taking the bus or the train wtih some recommending the train over the bus as you can book in business class with a much nicer trip for very little extra in cost.  I imagine the bus goes right to the port but i am not sure where the train ends, whether it is at the station beside the port or the one that is a little ways away. 

 

With cross border immigration you need to give yourself lots of time to get to the port if you take the bus or a rental car.  I have read that the bus usually clears pretty quickly but just 1 passenger without proper documents can hold up the entire bus. Not sure how they handle immigration on the train. 

 

You want to make sure you research very carefully all the pros and cons.

 

You didn't say, so not sure if your cruise ends in Vancouver or in the US.  If Vancouver you have the reverse process to deal with. 

 

For me I would fly into YVR as i just don't want the stress of making sure every stage of the trip comes together seamlessly.  

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, colesc15 said:

Just booked our first ever cruise from Vancouver for next year. We've done Alaska out of Seattle before, but never Vancouver. We live in the US so Seattle was just easier. 

 

With that, flights to Vancouver are considerably higher priced than flights to Seattle. Would you just pay the extra and fly right into Vancouver, or potentially fly into Seattle or even Bellingham WA where southwest flys and deal with crossing the boarder via a car rental or some other method of crossing? 

 

As it stands right now, flight to Washington would save the two of us about $400ish total. Maybe $500 depending what I can find. 

 

Thoughts? We've never been to Vancouver so it'll all be a first. 

 

If arriving the day of the cruise, I would only consider flying into Vancouver.

 

If arriving a day or 2 early then I would research the options and prices for Seattle and Bellingham. Just be aware that if hiring a car, traffic in Seattle, at the border and in Vancouver can be busy. On busy days, border queues can be 3+ hours. While Seattle is only 120 miles, it can take anywhere from 3 - 8 hrs from Seatac to downtown Vancouver.

 

From Seattle, you also have bus and train options.

[Heidi13]

6 minutes ago, 1982CruzStart said:

As LHT28 says it depends on what your time is worth and how risk adverse you are in dealing with multiple modes of transportation to get you to where you want to be.   

 

I have read of people taking the bus or the train wtih some recommending the train over the bus as you can book in business class with a much nicer trip for very little extra in cost.  I imagine the bus goes right to the port but i am not sure where the train ends, whether it is at the station beside the port or the one that is a little ways away. 

 

With cross border immigration you need to give yourself lots of time to get to the port if you take the bus or a rental car.  I have read that the bus usually clears pretty quickly but just 1 passenger without proper documents can hold up the entire bus. Not sure how they handle immigration on the train. 

 

You want to make sure you research very carefully all the pros and cons.

 

You didn't say, so not sure if your cruise ends in Vancouver or in the US.  If Vancouver you have the reverse process to deal with. 

 

For me I would fly into YVR as i just don't want the stress of making sure every stage of the trip comes together seamlessly.  

 

Trains arrive at Pacific Central at Terminal & Main.

[1982CruzStart]

Just now, Heidi13 said:

 

Trains arrive at Pacific Central at Terminal & Main.

That's good to know so you have to add in the cost of taking transportation from the train station to the port. 

[colesc15]

I think we'll end up just paying the extra to fly into Vancouver. Options are looking like Delta, American, United, and air Canada for the most part. American doesn't have direct from ohare which is odd, going down to Dallas to then go north seems silly. 

[CoW mAn]

The train from Seattle to Vancouver is lovely and relatively inexpensive, it just doesn't run very frequently but if the times work for you it could be a good option

[Fairgarth]

21 hours ago, colesc15 said:

Options are looking like Delta, American, United, and air Canada for the most part. American doesn't have direct from ohare 

 

Well, you have not said when you are travelling or where you are starting from but..... currently American does fly non-stop between O'Hare and Vancouver.

[colesc15]

3 hours ago, Fairgarth said:

 

Well, you have not said when you are travelling or where you are starting from but..... currently American does fly non-stop between O'Hare and Vancouver.

Looking at May of next year. Flying out of green bay would take my grb to O'Hare to Dallas to Vancouver on American. 

[TeaBag]

Have you looked at United?  They fly non stop from ORD to YVR.  We have done it many times.

I have heard the Amtrak train is delightful and the scenery lovely, but have no experience myself.

You will see a difference cruising out of Vancouver vs Seattle as you will be sailing the inside passage which is very scenic.

Bon Voyage!

[colesc15]

16 hours ago, TeaBag said:

Have you looked at United?  They fly non stop from ORD to YVR.  We have done it many times.

I have heard the Amtrak train is delightful and the scenery lovely, but have no experience myself.

You will see a difference cruising out of Vancouver vs Seattle as you will be sailing the inside passage which is very scenic.

Bon Voyage!

That's what we're most excited for! I'm assuming the scenery and even wild life is more abundant on the inside Passage. 

 

I ended up booking q Delta flight yesterday. Goes from my local airport to Minneapolis straight to Vancouver. Once the return flight becomes available, I'll deal with that,but I have a hunch it'll be more pricey. 

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, colesc15 said:

That's what we're most excited for! I'm assuming the scenery and even wild life is more abundant on the inside Passage. 

 

I ended up booking q Delta flight yesterday. Goes from my local airport to Minneapolis straight to Vancouver. Once the return flight becomes available, I'll deal with that,but I have a hunch it'll be more pricey. 

 

The cruise lines take extreme liberties when stating they cruise the "Inside Passage", which actually extends from about Olympia up to Skagway.

 

Departing Vancouver, you definitely transit more than departing from Seattle. On clearing Vancouver Harbour you sail through Georgia Strait, which is 10+ miles wide in places. On a clear night you can get great sunsets.

 

Departing Vancouver, they set a speed for Seymour Narrows (100 mls) at slack water, so the time entering the narrow channels can vary by a few hours. However, it is generally dark by the time they reach Campbell River.

 

The narrow channels transit between Vancouver Island and the mainland (Northbound) is unfortunately done at night. However, if slack water at Seymour Narrows is later, you can see Robson Bight/Blackfish Sound by sunrise, about 04:30, if close to the solstice.

 

Both years I worked Alaska cruising, we completed the entire Inside Passage, but these days most ships sail up Hecate Strait, so you only see the tops of mountains.

 

If the Inside Passage is important, best to book a trip on BC Ferries or Alaska State ferries.

[dawnvip]

Completely agree with Heidi13. Most cruiseline's "Inside Passage" is NOT the inside passage along BC's coastline.

 

Seymour Narrows is pretty cool, but can get backed up with cruise ships waiting for slack tide and space (single lane alternating traffic if I remember correctly - it is a NARROW passage). Once they reach the northern tip of Vancouver Island, cruiselines head out into open water and pass west of Haida Gwaii travelling to Alaska.

 

We did BC Ferry's Inside Passage trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, which is the "true" inside passage, but that is a long 20 hour day without all of the cruise line's amenities! There may be some smaller luxury cruiselines that do the actual inside passage, but have not seen any!

[Heidi13]

16 minutes ago, dawnvip said:

Completely agree with Heidi13. Most cruiseline's "Inside Passage" is NOT the inside passage along BC's coastline.

 

Seymour Narrows is pretty cool, but can get backed up with cruise ships waiting for slack tide and space (single lane alternating traffic if I remember correctly - it is a NARROW passage). Once they reach the northern tip of Vancouver Island, cruiselines head out into open water and pass west of Haida Gwaii travelling to Alaska.

 

We did BC Ferry's Inside Passage trip from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, which is the "true" inside passage, but that is a long 20 hour day without all of the cruise line's amenities! There may be some smaller luxury cruiselines that do the actual inside passage, but have not seen any!

 

Yes, Seymour is rather narrow and it also includes a 90 degree turn. We would never meet another ship right at the narrowest part. The Coast Pilots only use slack water +/- 1 hr, which is why it gets backed up by cruise ships.

 

At least in my day, when we did 2 R/T Tsawwassen to Prince Rupert, we hit Seymour at any tide. Not sure about the ferries these days, as they don't have the same levels of experience in Seymour.

 

The day sailing Port Hardy to Rupert is a brilliant trip, I thoroughly enjoyed the few summers I completed on that route.

[Fouremco]

15 hours ago, dawnvip said:

Once they reach the northern tip of Vancouver Island, cruiselines head out into open water and pass west of Haida Gwaii travelling to Alaska.

I've only done one Alaskan cruise, and it passed to the east of Haida Gwaii both heading to and returning from Alaska. These two HAL cruises are illustrative of both routings, but the vast majority of HAL's Alaskan cruise keep to the east side. Maybe other cruiselines take a different approach.

 

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, Fouremco said:

I've only done one Alaskan cruise, and it passed to the east of Haida Gwaii both heading to and returning from Alaska. These two HAL cruises are illustrative of both routings, but the vast majority of HAL's Alaskan cruise keep to the east side. Maybe other cruiselines take a different approach.

 

 

Neither option is pilotage waters, so the route is Master's discretion, which is subject to the next port.

 

Most ships calling at SE Alaska ports use Hecate Strait (East of Queen Charlotte Islands) once clear of Queen Charlotte Sound, and if heading to Prince William Sound/Kodiak/Panhandle they would most likely sail up the Pacific, West of Queen Charlotte Islands.

 

If bound for Icy Strait it is 50/50 which route the Master would use.