midwest917 Posted March 4, 2007 #1 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Has anyone ever flown to Seattle for a cruise out of Vancouver? I can save over 900.00 by flying into Seattle the day before the cruise and flying out the day after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruisecat Posted March 4, 2007 #2 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Has anyone ever flown to Seattle for a cruise out of Vancouver? I can save over 900.00 by flying into Seattle the day before the cruise and flying out the day after. We are doing the same thing in June and will be taking the Amtrak train from SEA to VAC (amtraks abbreviation). We take the train north to Vancover the morning of the cruise at 7:40am which arrives at about noon. The night the cruise returns to Vancouver we will take the return train that leaves at 6pm. From all accounts it sounds like it is a very scenic trip and we really can't wait to start and end our trip this way. The train also has a dining car so we figured we'll do breakfast going up and dinner coming back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StknCPA Posted March 4, 2007 #3 Share Posted March 4, 2007 What a great idea! Have you already figured out how to get from the train depot to the pier? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SingBill Posted March 4, 2007 #4 Share Posted March 4, 2007 We are thinking of doing the same thing but in the opposite direction, vancouver to seattle. Any additional insight would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BellKat Posted March 4, 2007 #5 Share Posted March 4, 2007 There is only one train daily from Seattle to Vancouver and one from Vancouver to Seattle. Make sure you get the train and NOT the bus. It used to be very confusing in looking at the schedule but it is somewhat easier these days. The train out of Seattle is around 7:00 am and the train out of Vancouver is around 6:00 or 6:30 pm. Getting business class tickets is well worth it as you are the first ones off the train and and you get coupons for food. Getting off first in Vanouver makes it easier to get a cab to the ship. It's less than $10 to go from the train depot to the ship. You go through customs and immigration when you get to Vancouver. On the way to Seattle, they stop the train, the officers get on board, check everyone, and the train starts up again. This usually only takes 10 to 15 minutes. So much easier than sitting for a minimum of half an hour at the border going either direction. We try to get to Vancouver once a year and we use the train more often than not since it's expensive to park the car at any of the hotels. We usually end up walking to cabbing to anywhere we want to go any way. Cabs are so cheap in Vancouver. Post again if you have any more questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YYC F/A Posted March 4, 2007 #6 Share Posted March 4, 2007 I'd echo the sentiments of others and highly recommend the train... it is a great way to travel, and a nice relaxing scenic journey... a 'highlight' in it's own right! If the train should not work out, there is a company called Quick Shuttle that does regular coach scheduled service between the two cities. The advantage of this is that they go to the airport in SEA, as well as some trips that go all the way to the cruise terminal in Vancouver. http://www.quickcoach.com/ for more information As before - I do recommend the train if you can do it. Finally, if you are saving $800 flying into Seattle, don't forget you can always buy a separate ticket by air from SEA-YVR. You can find flights for $79 + tax if you know where to look... I did a random search and found $79 tickets available on almost all days in March and April with different carriers. If you need some help pointing you in the right direction with the air, feel free to drop me a line. Let us know how you get on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaDreamin Posted March 4, 2007 #7 Share Posted March 4, 2007 If the train should not work out, there is a company called Quick Shuttle that does regular coach scheduled service between the two cities. The advantage of this is that they go to the airport in SEA, as well as some trips that go all the way to the cruise terminal in Vancouver. http://www.quickcoach.com/ for more information We used Quick Shuttle from Vancouver to Seattle in May 2006. We docked at Ballantyne Pier and not Canada Place. There was a long delay getting off the ship and our scheduled Express Shuttle from the pier had allready come and departed for Canada Place. They finally, after some uncertainity, sent a smaller bus for a small group of us. They had the Express Shuttle wait downtown for us and we transferred to it there. We stopped for customs inspection but stayed on the bus and the officer came aboard and checked identification. The Express Shuttle goes directly to Seattle Airport without any downtown stops. We made it to our 1:30 pm flight with little time to spare. A Canadian friend had sent in a two for one coupon to Quick Shuttle for us to use. They honored it and our credit card was credited about 2 months later. Being picked up at the pier and delivered directly to the airport was very convenient and inexpensive, normally about $40 each, with the 2 for 1 we got it for half that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobJanice Posted March 4, 2007 #8 Share Posted March 4, 2007 We rented a National Car and drove to vancouver. They have a drop off lot right in Canada place. That way we could come and go as we please. The drive was not bad and it only took 10 minutes at the border. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BellKat Posted March 4, 2007 #9 Share Posted March 4, 2007 10 minutes at the border! Wow did you get lucky. I think the shortest time we've ever had to wait was 30 minutes and that was pretty early in the morning before most people were making the crossing. We once spent at least two hours in line and that was PRE-9/11. :eek: And if there is some type of armed pursuit heading towards the border on the U.S. side, the border shuts down for hours as the Canadians do not carry weapons and so basically walk off the job. You could be stranded for hours trying to get across the border. So if you're going to drive, allow plenty of time to get across! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoreless Posted March 4, 2007 #10 Share Posted March 4, 2007 10 minutes at the border! Wow did you get lucky. I think the shortest time we've ever had to wait was 30 minutes and that was pretty early in the morning before most people were making the crossing. We once spent at least two hours in line and that was PRE-9/11. :eek: And if there is some type of armed pursuit heading towards the border on the U.S. side, the border shuts down for hours as the Canadians do not carry weapons and so basically walk off the job. You could be stranded for hours trying to get across the border. So if you're going to drive, allow plenty of time to get across! Wow, that's good to know. We've driven across the border several times and never had much of a wait, but the last time was in 2003, so I guess things have changed. Our drive from Seattle to Vancouver that day was very long because the main highway was closed due to a fuel truck explosion. I think for a cruise, I'd want to take an extra day and arrive in Vancouver a day early, by either car or train. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGG Posted March 4, 2007 #11 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Beware the Quick Shuttle Bus. We did this many years ago. The trip to the ship (10:00 shuttle) got us to the ship at 2:30. We stopped at Bellingham to pick up passengers. There were more people than seats and everyone had to get off to reidentify luggage and then get back on. The driver stopped to run the new passenger's credit cards. It took an hour at the border. Everyone had to take their luggage through customs. The trip from the ship to the Seattle airport took about 6 hours. If anyone on your shuttle has problems with their passports it can add over an hour to your trip. We had this problem because they picked up some people at a hotel who were not Americans. With the new security problems, I would question the Quick Shuttle employees about the "real" travel time before you make reservations. In addition to all the stops and the traffic the bus had to stop at a weighing station and we were sent for an excursion to get a tire changed. We had no stops for food or drink and everyone on the bus missed their flight. Fortunately we were staying over in Seattle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruisecat Posted March 4, 2007 #12 Share Posted March 4, 2007 What a great idea! Have you already figured out how to get from the train depot to the pier? We're just going to cab it to the pier. We were lucky enough to get free airline tickets (friends ff miles) so we upgraded to business class which everyone tells me will get me through customs and off to the cabs quicker. The roundtrip for both of us was $172. I love the idea that we start our sightseeing right away and we thought it would be a relaxing way to end our trip! Happy planning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minniemom Posted March 4, 2007 #13 Share Posted March 4, 2007 I am so glad this post is here. We are in the same boat.. trying to decide to pay the $$ to fly directly to YVR, or to do the Seattle, Amtrack, and then cab?? I am bring my 81 year old parents, I think they would love the train, but I wonder if it is too many transfers. First to Seattle, then to a hotel, then to Amtrack, then to shuttle bus or cab??? Instead of a direct flight from San Fransico directly to Vancover. It sounds much easier to make the one flight and get directly there, but much cheaper??? Where do you stay the night before in Seattle any suggestions?? Where is close to the Amtrak station??? I would love any suggestions or helpful hints, well, I need more than hints, any help on this would be so appreciated... Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minniemom Posted March 4, 2007 #14 Share Posted March 4, 2007 Where to stay? Is it worth the train trip? Do you see many beautiful sights? Just trying to decide if it is worth the extra trips of transportation. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Binok Posted March 5, 2007 #15 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I'd echo the sentiments of others and highly recommend the train... it is a great way to travel, and a nice relaxing scenic journey... a 'highlight' in it's own right! If the train should not work out, there is a company called Quick Shuttle that does regular coach scheduled service between the two cities. The advantage of this is that they go to the airport in SEA, as well as some trips that go all the way to the cruise terminal in Vancouver. http://www.quickcoach.com/ for more information As before - I do recommend the train if you can do it. Finally, if you are saving $800 flying into Seattle, don't forget you can always buy a separate ticket by air from SEA-YVR. You can find flights for $79 + tax if you know where to look... I did a random search and found $79 tickets available on almost all days in March and April with different carriers. If you need some help pointing you in the right direction with the air, feel free to drop me a line. Let us know how you get on! Where do you find your inexpensive flights from SEA-YVR? Everything I found was about $150 USD. Help if you have info. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midwest917 Posted March 5, 2007 Author #16 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Thanks everyone for your suggestions!!! This will help alot.. I just booked my tickets for SEA on Midwest Airlines (They just announced service to SEA recently and have some great fares). The train schedule doesn;t work, however the bus service looks good, cheaper than what X wants. Also I may look into a flight from SEA/YVR but for the dates I need, it is $$. Again, THANKS!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YYC F/A Posted March 5, 2007 #17 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Where do you find your inexpensive flights from SEA-YVR? Everything I found was about $150 USD. Help if you have info. Thanks Alaska (operated by Horizon) has a lot of availability of the lower fares for less than $100, even with all the taxes and fees added in they still price up only $100-109 all-in. The fares for July and August are a little bit higher, but there are still some for less than $150 (and that includes all the taxes and fees) even on Saturdays etc. This link will take you to a site that powers the main booking search engines. you can't book anything on it, it's not a commercial site - so I think I'm fine to recommend you the link. http://matrix.itasoftware.com/cvg/dispatch/prego/standard_lfs Do a one way search for SEA to YVR and it will show you all the carriers and there fares, and if you click the options, it will even display the booking codes and fare basis information that you can either give to your TA to book for you, or go directly to that airlines site and select those specific flights. The prices it gives you INCLUDE all the taxes and fees, unlike a lot of the airline websites, so make sure you're comparing apples to apples to get the best deal :-) Let me know how you get on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruisecat Posted March 5, 2007 #18 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I am so glad this post is here.We are in the same boat.. trying to decide to pay the $$ to fly directly to YVR, or to do the Seattle, Amtrack, and then cab?? I am bring my 81 year old parents, I think they would love the train, but I wonder if it is too many transfers. First to Seattle, then to a hotel, then to Amtrack, then to shuttle bus or cab??? Instead of a direct flight from San Fransico directly to Vancover. It sounds much easier to make the one flight and get directly there, but much cheaper??? Where do you stay the night before in Seattle any suggestions?? Where is close to the Amtrak station??? I would love any suggestions or helpful hints, well, I need more than hints, any help on this would be so appreciated... Thanks IMHO you might be better off going straight to Vancouver. What I would suggest is looking at hotels.com to get an idea of what hotels are going for for your dates. Is it just you and your parents? If there is anyone else going it seems to me that when you add in the cost of 2 hotel rooms, cab fare for 4 (potentialy) from the airport to hotel, hotel to train and train to cruise, you might not be saving as much $$$ as you think you are. As my dear old mom would say "run the numbers". In the end you might find that the $$$ you save is not worth the aggravation on you and your parents. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YYC F/A Posted March 5, 2007 #19 Share Posted March 5, 2007 Or just book to SEA and book a separate ticket SEA-YVR if the SEA tickets are much less $$. The only word of caution on doing that is that if your new ticket is on a different airline, and you are delayed by the other airline on the way IN to SEA, then your connecting airline to YVR may not switch your ticket. If this happens, make sure to get the airline that delayed you coming in to cover the re-accommodation onto the next flight and any change fees. It's best to leave at least 2 hours if the new flight SEA-YVR is not on the same airline as the one you fly into SEA. If it is the same airline, chances are even if you booked separate tickets to save $$, you can get your agent to check you and your bags in all the way through from your first departure point. Finally, if it's not the same airline, you'll likely have to collect the bags and recheck them in SEA with your new airline to YVR, which could be a hassle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyeilis Posted March 5, 2007 #20 Share Posted March 5, 2007 I am bring my 81 year old parents, I think they would love the train, but I wonder if it is too many transfers. First to Seattle, then to a hotel, then to Amtrack, then to shuttle bus or cab??? Instead of a direct flight from San Fransico directly to Vancover. It sounds much easier to make the one flight and get directly there, but much cheaper???Where do you stay the night before in Seattle any suggestions?? Where is close to the Amtrak station??? I haven't been 81, but I've been tired and with limited mobility when I was pregnant (the hormones caused my joints to nearly fall apart). And I would have FAR preferred a calm, slow, relaxing train/hotel trip than to endure one long flight on plane. You can't walk around very far, or easily, on a plane. But you can walk on a train. Yeah, it's still an aisle, and if the train is rocking a bit it might not be easy (I went from WA to CA on the train while 6 months pregnant, and if I chose my walking times wrong I had to hug the wall), but the aisles are wider and longer, and the seats are much more comfortable. And the scenery is just lovely! The Seattle train station is just at the south end of downtown, just north of Qwest Field (Seahawks). Cabs aplenty when the train gets in (coming back to seattle it gets in late, by the way...if your parents are early sleepers then that will trump all, and just forget the train). Plenty of lovely downtown hotels, or if you don't care about sightseeing the next day and just want to be close to the airport, you can have a cab or shuttle pick you up and take you closer to the SeaTac airport. We just love the train. We took it to get to our honeymoon cruise, and even had to catch the Metro BUS, regular old mass transit, from where we lived south of Seattle (didn't want to spend the shuttle money, didn't want to wake our friends that early, and thought it would be fun to be mass transit folk), to get up to the train station, then had a lovely ride up (watched Finding Nemo, as I recall), cab to the hotel, cab the next day to the Pier...we didn't see it as difficult, but rather as relaxing. No rushing around or stressing. Nice. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dileep Posted March 5, 2007 #21 Share Posted March 5, 2007 If you have the time, a one way car rental would be your best bet. With $900 airfare difference, you can afford to even pay a drop off fee. I recall seeing signs for one way car rentals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobJanice Posted March 8, 2007 #22 Share Posted March 8, 2007 If you go north at 4pm I have found the delay shorter than late Morning Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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