Transportation Seattle to Vancouver?

[Roboat]

We are booked on May 1 2010 NCL Pearl, departing Vancouver at 4pm.

Planning on flying into Seattle the day before.

 

Is it safe, timewise, to stay at a Seattle hotel, and get an early bus/train the next day?

Or should we keep on trucking after getting off the plane and make our way to Vancouver and stay the night in Vancouver, after a looooong day of travel?

Hotel recommendations?

 

Money IS an object. :)

Thanks so much, folks.

[LoriPhil]

We're taking the 7:30 am train to Vancouver again this year because we enjoyed the ride so much the last time. We understand it is very reliable, although we're taking it the day before our cruise so we have an opportunity to spend some time in Vancouver.

[Roboat]

We're taking the 7:30 am train to Vancouver again this year because we enjoyed the ride so much the last time. We understand it is very reliable, although we're taking it the day before our cruise so we have an opportunity to spend some time in Vancouver.

Loriphil - that sounds perfect! Is it via Amtrak?

[Marie321]

We went on the Amtrak this year, 7:40 train arrives in Vancouver at 11:30. It is just a short taxi ride to the pier. However, it does take some time to clear customs. We arrived on time, but had to go through Canadian customs then back through US customs to get on the ship. We were on the ship by 1:30 after going through both customs areas. The train ride is very relaxing. There is lots of leg room. Not as cramped as a bus. The scenery is beautiful.

[Lois R]

Hi, I took the train last year and will be going again in September:D

Flying into Seattle and staying there 2 nights. Sunday, 9/6 I will

be going up to Vancouver and I cannot wait:)...it is a wonderful

ride and most everyone on the train is taking a cruise:D

 

I got the Westin in downtown Seattle on Priceline for 105.00! Stayed there

last year as well! The cab ride to the train station was about 10 bucks:)

[LoriPhil]

Roboat, yes - it's Amtrak. We actually consider it a very nice and inexpensive "excursion". I loved the scenery, as did Phil until the comfy seats lulled him to sleep. :)

[scottbee]

We are booked on May 1 2010 NCL Pearl, departing Vancouver at 4pm.

Planning on flying into Seattle the day before.

 

Is it safe, timewise, to stay at a Seattle hotel, and get an early bus/train the next day?

Or should we keep on trucking after getting off the plane and make our way to Vancouver and stay the night in Vancouver, after a looooong day of travel?

Hotel recommendations?

 

Money IS an object. :)

Thanks so much, folks.

 

Firstly, there's a bus called QUICKSHUTTLE which runs from SEA airport to downtown Vancouver. http://www.quickcoach.com/

 

However, Your best cheap airfare bet is;

1) Sign up for an Alaska Airlines credit card

2) Use the $50 companion cert in addition to the $600 airfare and fly two people MCO-SEA-YVR for $650

 

 

Also, check the prices on WESTJET.COM which is Canada's excellent low cost carrier

[Cruisin Oma]

Questions on the train -

 

How much from Seattle to Vancouver?

 

Also - what about luggage? We did the train from Paris to Barcelona and there wasn't enough room for our luggage (we each had 1 26" and a carryon).

 

Last, I saw it was a short cab ride from Train station to Pier in Vancouver, but what about from Airport to train station in Seattle?

 

Thanks!

[coloradogreycat]

We are flying into Seattle, staying in the Doubletree at the airport, and then taking Quick Shuttle the next morning to Vancouver. Quick Shuttle picks up right at the airport and will take you directly to the pier - so no cabs needed.

[Hogladyrider]

We are booked on May 1 2010 NCL Pearl, departing Vancouver at 4pm.

Planning on flying into Seattle the day before.

 

Is it safe, timewise, to stay at a Seattle hotel, and get an early bus/train the next day?

Or should we keep on trucking after getting off the plane and make our way to Vancouver and stay the night in Vancouver, after a looooong day of travel?

Hotel recommendations?

 

Money IS an object. :)

Thanks so much, folks.

 

I certainly can relate to your preplanning.........I did the Alaska cruise this past May and the cruise itself was booked a year in advance.

 

You will get lots of input on this board, here is my take and what I did.

 

I flew out of Orlando also. Original plans were to fly to Seattle spend the night in Seattle then onto Vancouver, even had a hotel booked in Seattle at the airport.

 

Plans changed.........Seattle airport is a 45 minute ride from downtown Seattle and Seattle is not an inexpensive town. So we flew Southwest Airlines into Seattle then got Alaska Airlines roundtrip Seattle-Vancouver-Seattle for under $200 pperson complete and took a cab $40 included healthy tip, from Vancouver airport to Blue Horizon downtown Vancouver. Yes we got in rather late, 8 pm but we had all day of cruise departure in Vancouver and what a GORGEOUS city!

 

We took a cab over to Capilano Suspension Bridge, we were there when they opened at 9 am, what a place, nothing like it in Orlando for sure. We spent 3 hours there, photos in my signature if you like. We got a cab back to the hotel, they held our bags for free and we walked to the cruise terminal, very doable.

 

On our return to Vancouver we had a late flight out of Vancouver to Seattle so we go on the Ho Ho right at the cruise terminal and took the on off shuttle to tour Vancouver, Stanley Park is a MUST see! We paid $14 to store our luggage right at the cruise terminal for the day. When we picked up our luggage at the cruise terminal we got a cab right there, as they were numerous due to dropping off departint cruise paggengers.

 

Money was a issue on our cruise as well, due to pay cuts with the economy and I actually came home with cash in my pocket! We used US money in Vancouver no problems, got a discount on our hotel room via the internet via SKOOSH, utilized discount coupons for Capilano Suspension Bridge, thanks to the Blue Horizon and discount coupons for the Ho Ho Trolley Tour.

 

I have lived in Florida for over 28 years and I'd go back to Vancouver in a heartbeat it is a gorgeous city and I'd choose it over Seattle any day.

 

I did not book my airfare from Orlando to Seattle until last minute and I got $99 each way via Southwest, which in my opinion can't be beat!

 

Good luck any other questions ask away.

 

I took over 400 pictures on our trip there is a link in my signature if you would like to view them, we did Carnival Spirit Inside Passage roundtrip Vancouver in May of this year - cruise of a lifetime!

Susan

 

PS-this trip was a HUGE preplanning venture but it was worth it and saved us a huge amount of $$, thanks to these boards.