Transfer from Canada Place to SEA-Tac

[srt]

I've hunted around for this specific answer, but can't seem to find anything concise, so I'm hoping that someone who's taken this path can help!

 

First, we're aiming to travel on the 7/26 back-to-back HAL Veendam voyage from Vancouver. At this time, we're considering traveling into YVR the night before, and using a shuttle to transfer from the ship to Seattle. QuickCoach provides great fares, but I have some questions in lieu of the fact that my wife will be in her 5th month of pregnancy (she'll hit 23 weeks by the time the voyage ends; the cut-off is 24 weeks, so we're safe). I want to minimize stress on her, naturally, and while I can easily handle a lot of activity and shlepping, my attention should be on her because I'd have already worked out the details.

 

So, this may seem odd, but how does the HAL transfer from the ship to SEA work? Does it drop off at any hotels? Can we leave our bags outside the night before we finish and not see them again until we get off the bus the next day, or do we (I) need to handle all of that for us? When do we clear customs, too (meaning, do we have to get off temporarily at the border, or do we sail through because that stuff was dealt with sooner?)? How long should the ride take, particularly if we're able to sail through?

 

Or, is QuickCoach the more convenient option? Thank you!

[Budget Queen]

You need to allow at least 4 hours for Vancouver/Seattle via Quickcoach. Not sure why you are flying into Vancouver and out of Seattle??? You will have to claim your bags, clear ship customs, then board a ship contracted bus at Canada Place.

 

If your concern is comfort, a one way car rental would offer the most. Then you don't have extended waits everywhere. I highly doubt a bus is going to fit perfectly with an outgoing flight, and overall you are better off booking 3pm or later out of Seatac.

[Raldog]

We used the Hal Bus transfer from the ship at Canada Place to the Seattle airport last year and it worked well. You just leave your bags outside the night before departing the ship and don't have to bother with them until you get to the airport. The HAL bus did not stop at any hotels, just directly to the airport. You could check with HAL to see if that is still the case. At the Border we stayed on the bus and the Customs Agent came on the bus and checked everyone's passport. Not as much concern since the bus is "sealed" so to speak - no stops since getting on the bus directly from the ship. We were at the airport before1 PM but I would not schedule a flight before 3 PM. This was on a Sunday and traffic could be worse at other times.

 

In our case we stayed overnight at a Hotel near the airport and caught an early flight the next day since we were flying to the east coast. We used the hotel shuttle to get us and our luggage to the hotel and back the next morning.

 

If you want to use a bus, the HAL transfer works better than QuickCoach unless you want to go to a particular hotel in Seattle away from the airport in my opinion.

[srt]

Raldog, your answer was VERY informative; thank you! I did contact HAL; we can easily conclude why I thereafter had to post at CC to obtain info. :)

 

I see that I actually erred in my own post: time isn't a concern (my wife's comfort and our budgetary needs are!) since we're going to stay an extra day or two in Seattle. While QuickCoach/Shuttle/bus-thingy can drop off at other hotels in the downtown Seattle area, our hotel of choice has an airport shuttle... or we can just rent a car at SEA-Tac in which to fart around Seattle. Yet another reason why a "sealed," more direct bus would make more sense.

 

Has anyone else also taken the HAL shuttle more recently?