One-way Northbound from Seattle to Alaska

I'm looking for a one-way Northbound from Seattle to Alaska (Seward, Whittier, etc) cruise, but for some reason all the ones from Seattle to Alaska seem to be roundtrip ???

Correct. Non-US flagged ships can't transport US citizens from one US port to another without a stop in a "distant foreign port". Neither Vancouver or Victoria qualify as "distant foreign" ports

Cruiser Bruce is correct.

Northbound and southbound cruises begin or end in Vancouver.

Keep in mind that Vancouver is only 150 miles north of Seattle !

Some folks find it considerably cheaper to fly into Seattle. If that's the case you could take the evening train to Vancouver, scenic and relaxing - Amtrak Cascades. Other transfer options include Quick Shuttle, Greyhound Bus, Bolt Bus, and rental car.

$50 Quick shuttle from seattle international to the downtown Vancouver in my preferred option. 6 to 7 daily one way trips to meet your convenience.

http://www.quickcoach.com/schedule.htm

All great suggestions, the problem is that my gf is not a US citizen yet, so she cannot travel outside of the US. Heck even if there were a Northbound Seattle to Anchorage cruise it probably wouldn't be worth it for her to go b/c she wouldn't be able to disembark at any of the Canadian stops.

So I could use y'all's help, this is my situation: I am meeting my buddies in Anchorage on 7/1 to go into Denali and Wrangell-St. Elias to do some backpacking for 10 days -- this is a "hardcore guy trip." But for the week prior to that, if possible, I'd like to do something else in Alaska with my gf, something more suited for couples. The obvious answer is a cruise!

So I figured "Great! My gf and I can fly into Seattle around 6/23 or so, then we can do a one-way northbound cruise from Seattle to Anchorage/Whittier or Seward, then she can fly out of Anchorage back to US, and I can continue the trip with my buddies. Brilliant plan!" But now I see that there are no one-way cruises b/w Seattle and Alaska ports. And as mentioned above my gf is not a US citizen so we can't do Vancouver.

I thought ok maybe instead I'll do that train from Anchorage to Fairbanks with her, which I guess would be ok, but honestly a cruise would be ideal, that is like the perfect couples thing to do -- no stress (so no fighting haha). Any other way we could do a cruise somehow, without using an Canadian ports, that ends in either Anchorage or Seward?

Passports are required to board even a round trip Seattle cruise, as they are required to have a foreign stop (typically Victoria) as no ships that do Alaska are U.S. registered (the only U.S. registered cruise ship is Pride of America out of Honolulu). You don't actually need the passport to get off at a Canadian stop (although its prudent to take it in case you get stranded), as they have already checked it before you get on.

So is there any Alaska cruise she can do without a US passport?

The fact she's not a US citizen is irrelevant to her getting into Canada or cruising Alaska, it just means she might need some other paperwork arranged - look up the requirements here for what is needed to visit Canada: there are many countries whose citizens do not need a visa, and even if she does need one it's possible she might be able to get one in time.

The fact she's not a US citizen is irrelevant to her getting into Canada or cruising Alaska, it just means she might need some other paperwork arranged - look up the requirements here for what is needed to visit Canada: there are many countries whose citizens do not need a visa, and even if she does need one it's possible she might be able to get one in time.

EXTREMELY helpful. You are right I was making assumptions and I could be wrong. I passed your post and link onto my gf and she is excited to look into it and hopefully find a positive answer. Thanks a million

All great suggestions, the problem is that my gf is not a US citizen yet, so she cannot travel outside of the US. Heck even if there were a Northbound Seattle to Anchorage cruise it probably wouldn't be worth it for her to go b/c she wouldn't be able to disembark at any of the Canadian stops.

Another correct assumption. If she can't get off at any port on a cruise due to lack of correct documentation (usually a visa) she will not be allowed on the ship to start with. People sometimes say " I just won't get off the ship there". The cruise line can't detain you...stop you from getting off the ship, so they don't allow you on in the first place.

As long as your gf is in the US legally, she should have little trouble arranging things to take the trip you want, albeit from Vancouver.

As long as your gf is in the US legally, she should have little trouble arranging things to take the trip you want, albeit from Vancouver.

She is, so this inspires hope. She's looking into it now, will update y'all soon

There may be a way but it would be expensive but so worth while.

There are some American Cruise lines that don't have to stop in Canada. They are smaller ships and more nature/Alaska based and the reviews are amazing on them.

I will look at their schedules. Do you have to leave from Seattle? That may be the tough one. If you are willing to fly to Alaska you may have more of a choice. They may be sold out for this year also.

Here are some links:

https://www.un-cruise.com/destinations/alaska-cruises

http://www.expeditions.com/destinations/alaska/itineraries/

Here is a Cruise Critic story with other possible lines:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1449

I'm not a US citizen but I'm here legally so I have no problem getting into and around Canada or anywhere else in the world.

Depending on her citizenship she MAY need a visa, but that should be easy enough to obtain. HOWEVER if your trip is THIS July, you need to move on it NOW .... a month isn't a lot of time to apply for and receive a visa. Again, depending on her citizenship, it could happen quickly but it might not.

My recommendation would be for her to fly to Anchorage to meet you AFTER your hike. A cruise would be a nice relaxing way to end your vacation. And Princess typically has good deals on inside cabins out of Whittier in July. That will also buy you a little more time to sort out the visa requirements.

Passports are required to board even a round trip Seattle cruise, as they are required to have a foreign stop (typically Victoria) as no ships that do Alaska are U.S. registered (the only U.S. registered cruise ship is Pride of America out of Honolulu). You don't actually need the passport to get off at a Canadian stop (although its prudent to take it in case you get stranded), as they have already checked it before you get on.

You DO NOT need a passport for a Seattle round trip cruise, even though it has a port call in Victoria.

The other option is to do a land trip - have her fly to Anchorage and you can do Seward and Denali or any other combination of seeing Alaska's beauty.

You DO NOT need a passport for a Seattle round trip cruise, even though it has a port call in Victoria.

depends on your citizenship .

You DO NOT need a passport for a Seattle round trip cruise, even though it has a port call in Victoria.

You don't need one if you show a US birth certificate which the OP's girlfriend doesn't have.

As mapleleaves said, it depends on your nationality.

Visa's are so complicated. Some don't allow one to leave or have only a few entries. The OP is doing the right thing by checking the limitations of their visa.

There are some American Cruise lines that don't have to stop in Canada. They are smaller ships and more nature/Alaska based and the reviews are amazing on them.

 

I will look at their schedules. Do you have to leave from Seattle? That may be the tough one. If you are willing to fly to Alaska you may have more of a choice.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1449

Yes! We could totally fly into Alaska and take a "boutique" cruise from there. And more nature-based sounds great to me. I will definitely check out those links, thank you!

Depending on her citizenship she MAY need a visa, but that should be easy enough to obtain. HOWEVER if your trip is THIS July, you need to move on it NOW .... a month isn't a lot of time to apply for and receive a visa.

 

My recommendation would be for her to fly to Anchorage to meet you AFTER your hike. A cruise would be a nice relaxing way to end your vacation. And Princess typically has good deals on inside cabins out of Whittier in July. That will also buy you a little more time to sort out the visa requirements.

She's lived in the US for 18 years and she's here legally, but she's still a citizen of Mexico. And we were thinking to go the last week of June, not July. Not much time unfortunately...

What do you mean, like a roundtrip cruise from Whittier? I searched for this and I did not find anything ??

The other option is to do a land trip - have her fly to Anchorage and you can do Seward and Denali or any other combination of seeing Alaska's beauty.

Yes this is my backup plan, Alaska Railroad looks good

She's lived in the US for 18 years and she's here legally, but she's still a citizen of Mexico. And we were thinking to go the last week of June, not July. Not much time unfortunately...

 

What do you mean, like a roundtrip cruise from Whittier? I searched for this and I did not find anything ??

This would be a Whittier to Vancouver cruise on Princess. One can do RT Whittier, but they must go through Customs/Immigration in Vancouver.

Yes! We could totally fly into Alaska and take a "boutique" cruise from there. And more nature-based sounds great to me. I will definitely check out those links, thank you!

I hope you are not too late as these are expensive and fill up quickly. Or hope the Visa situation is figured out.