Vancouver or Anchorage

[bones774]

Hi, Looking to take advantage of NCL zero solo prices on Alaska cruises. Plan to do a back to back, so either looking at Vancouver start/finish or Anchorage.

Flying in from NYC. Have to price out flights yet and see which is cheaper round trip but in addition would like to know which airport is easier to navigate thru and has better/easier access to port and hotel accommodations.

Thanks

 

PS- Just checked r/t flight prices and non-stop to Anchorage is way more expensive and less frequent than Vanc. So looks like YVR will be my choice. Airport  and cruise port easy transfer?

Edited June 21, 2023 by bones774

[JT1962]

1 hour ago, bones774 said:

 

PS- Just checked r/t flight prices and non-stop to Anchorage is way more expensive and less frequent than Vanc. So looks like YVR will be my choice. Airport  and cruise port easy transfer?

I believe NCL uses Seward as their port for Anchorage. Seward is 120 miles (2 1/2 - 3 hours) South of Anchorage, so most recommend booking a 4:00 PM or later flight. Many return flights are overnight from Anchorage and leave at 10:00 PM or later, from my experience. There are several options for transfers - cruise line bus, private shuttles or my favorite, the Alaska Railroad. 

[CruiserBruce]

A little reading around this board and the Alaska board would reveal Vancouver is much closer to the port, so easier to reach, but pretty busy, and have US Immigration and Customs to clear. Anchorage is MUCH further away, so flights are more complicated and limited, plus there is ground transportation logistics. Anchorage is less crowded,  so a little easier to navigate. 

[GTJ]

4 hours ago, bones774 said:

Flying in from NYC. Have to price out flights yet and see which is cheaper round trip but in addition would like to know which airport is easier to navigate thru and has better/easier access to port and hotel accommodations. . . . PS- Just checked r/t flight prices and non-stop to Anchorage is way more expensive and less frequent than Vanc. So looks like YVR will be my choice. Airport  and cruise port easy transfer?

Vancouver is the western business capital of Canada, and has much competition, whereas Anchorage is much smaller, remote, and less competitive. So you will find more services competing for your business in Vancouver than in Anchorage. But because Anchorage is smaller, the airport there is also smaller and easier to navigate. There is SkyTrain (subway-like) service between YVR and the city centre, so it is a fairly easy transfer. You might find better flights to and from Seattle-Tacoma airport, and if so know that there is a direct coach service between that airport and Vancouver's city centre, operated by Quick Coach Lines. In Anchorage, the port is several hours south of the city, so you would need to make transportation arrangements, either by motorcoach or railroad. As to the railroad, there is a regular morning train from downtown Anchorage, and there is an afternoon train that is chartered by NCL from the Anchorage airport . . . both trains destined to the port city of Seward.

[Meander Ingwa]

SEA tends to have very high port taxes which show up in the fares.  Add to its large size and the logistics of a long bus trip north I would fly in to Vancouver.  If the idea of the tram into the city center overwhelms you, you can get a private car Uber/Lyft or taxi.  Remember your choice will also be part of your journey home.  Traffic on I5 south to Seattle, depending on the day of the week, can be highly challenging.

 

Overall Vancouver will give you the more pleasant total experience

[bones774]

So looks like I fly into YVR. From airport to cruise port what public trans is avail. Only mention of shuttle to city center and then?

[martincath]

43 minutes ago, bones774 said:

So looks like I fly into YVR. From airport to cruise port what public trans is avail. Only mention of shuttle to city center and then?

The beauty of Vancouver is that the cruise port is IN the city centre! The SkyTrain mentioned above is 100% the best option for a solo traveler who can handle their own bags (cheapest, fastest, most consistent in timing, and with even US credit cards now normally having Chips, there's a very good chance you will never even need to visit a ticket machine - any Tappable Visa/MC, or even a smartphone with a credit card loaded to the onboard payment system, can simply be tapped on the fare gate to board, again to leave, and all the potential options for how many Zones depending on time and day of travel are done automatically... unless you are >65 and want to save a buck, as Concession tickets do need manually purchased from the machines).

 

Depending which hotel you're pre-cruising in (don't fly in same day from the east coast!), it may be right next to a SkyTrain station downtown - just like the pier, we also stuck about 95% of our popular tourist sites and hotels in the downtown core! Very few hills, nice wide sidewalks, and a cab from one end of the core to the other is unlikely to break US$10 even with traffic if your downtown hotel is as far away from the pier and SkyTrain line as possible (less than 2 miles).

 

YWCA Hotel is the best deal for just about any size of group, but for Solos unless you want a hostel with a bunkbed it's most definitely the one you want to look at; very few other hotels even have single rooms, let alone charge less for 'em! Nearest SkyTrain here is City Centre, a nice leg stretch of downhill less than a half mile to the hotel.

[bones774]

3 hours ago, martincath said:

The beauty of Vancouver is that the cruise port is IN the city centre! The SkyTrain mentioned above is 100% the best option for a solo traveler who can handle their own bags (cheapest, fastest, most consistent in timing, and with even US credit cards now normally having Chips, there's a very good chance you will never even need to visit a ticket machine - any Tappable Visa/MC, or even a smartphone with a credit card loaded to the onboard payment system, can simply be tapped on the fare gate to board, again to leave, and all the potential options for how many Zones depending on time and day of travel are done automatically... unless you are >65 and want to save a buck, as Concession tickets do need manually purchased from the machines).

 

Depending which hotel you're pre-cruising in (don't fly in same day from the east coast!), it may be right next to a SkyTrain station downtown - just like the pier, we also stuck about 95% of our popular tourist sites and hotels in the downtown core! Very few hills, nice wide sidewalks, and a cab from one end of the core to the other is unlikely to break US$10 even with traffic if your downtown hotel is as far away from the pier and SkyTrain line as possible (less than 2 miles).

 

YWCA Hotel is the best deal for just about any size of group, but for Solos unless you want a hostel with a bunkbed it's most definitely the one you want to look at; very few other hotels even have single rooms, let alone charge less for 'em! Nearest SkyTrain here is City Centre, a nice leg stretch of downhill less than a half mile to the hotel.

wow, that's everything i needed, thanks