Vancouver to Seattle timing and travel

[sonomaphil]

Next May we're taking a three day cruise from LA to Vancouver then have an over night before we have to be in Seattle for a 7 day R/T Alaska cruise on Princess. We're wondering when and how would be the best way and time to do the trip down. We've come up with these options:

 

1) Stay over night in Vancouver. Gives us a whole day in the city, rent a car the next morning, drive to Seattle. I figure leave about 8 AM and should be at the ship by Noon. This would be a Sunday morning.

 

2) Rent a car in Vancouver at the pier and head right to Seattle and spend the night there. Maybe see some sights along the way on the drive down, no real hurry. This would be a Saturday afternoon.

 

3) Spend the day in Vancouver and take the night train on Amtrak to Seattle. Get in kinda late to Seattle though about 10 and then we still have to get to the hotel.

 

Whew, still with me? Any ideas, recommendations, problems, timing issues etc. Any and all replies are welcome!

[vancouvercanuck]

All the options sound fine, my only comment would be timing of crossing the border. On sunday morning you may find a delay in crossing the border. With the Canadian dollar so strong, there are a lot of Sunday shoppers who head down for a day of shopping, and it is not unusual to have an hour or more wait at the border. I have done the train from Seattle to Vancouver and the scenery is lovely, and the train station is right downtown, only a $5 cab ride to lots of hotels. The cruise terminal is also only a short cab ride away. So depending on how many people are traveling, the train might be the easiest although it doesn't allow you the opportunity to check out the sights on the way to Seattle.

[Cruise Gypsy]

Have you checking into a 1 day repo from Vancouver to Seattle on another cruise line? There are quite a few that time of the year and let's face it life is better on a ship. Both Princess and NCL did a 1 day repo Vancouver to Seattle this past May. Just a thought.

 

Otherwise, vancouvercanuck is correct about the border crossing - we usually do the train or a bus if it better timing. But, the train is always our first choice.

[barbh]

Leaving Vancouver @8 AM on a Sunday and thinking to arrive in Seattle by noon is a bit optimistic. As stated above, the border line ups can be an hour (or even longer). The drive is fairly boring (or maybe I've done it too often:) The freeway is prone to traffic jams (volume, accidents) . You just never know how long the drive will take. I've done it easily in 3 hours ...and as long as 5 or 6. IMHO, you'd be tempting fate to think to leave at 8 and arrive by noon. Even if you did make it by noon, you would only have time to drive straight doen I-5. It's an easy drive but not very scenic. If you left earlier (7ish), you'd have a much better chance of being in Seattle by noon. The borders aren't usually very busy until after 8. Although Vancouver is lovely (hometown pride speaking:), i'd opt for either the train down the night before or driving down Saturday afternoon. Seattle is lovely. You'll find lots to see and do and you won't have the worry.

 

Barb

[barbh]

just a heads up:) Yesterday the border lineups for cars into USA from Canada and vica versa were running 1 1/2 to 2 hours. For sure the lineups are not always that bad but that's the thing ... you never know. Even at 8 AM there was a LONG lineup. You need to allow 5 hours for the trip from vancouver - Seattle. You might not need that long but ... better safe than sorry.

 

Barb

[sonomaphil]

Great info! Thanks everyone! I guess it will come down to where we want to spend the day, Seattle or Vancouver! We spent a weekend last year in Seattle before taking Amtrak to Vancouver. We loved Seattle, but when we got to Vancouver we thought it looked like a place we wanted to spend some time also! We will be in Vancouver for an over night come this September before a cruise. So maybe that will make out decision for us!