How far would you drive to port the day of the cruise?

I have roughly a two hour drive.

 

But prefer to go the day before as that two hour drive can, with an accident or two stretch too four or five hours, and on one occasion 4 days.

 

Now the four days I couldn't have done much about except perhaps turn around come home and get a flight.

 

BUT then I live a stress filled life, professionally, and don't need more stress when on holidays.

Your usual two hour drive turned into 4 days? Yikes!

I have a cruise later this summer and I am trying to decide if I should drive the day before and get a hotel for the night or drive in the day of the cruise. It's about 3.5 hours plus time to cross and international boarder (U.S. - Canada) from my home to the port.

 

I would prefer to save the money on the hotel, but I have a low tolerance for risk and would hate to miss the ship for something stupid like a problem on the way to port. When I fly I always arrive the day before, but not sure if the same applies to driving.

 

Any thoughts on what is reasonable in this situation?

We do cross border shopping at the North Seattle premium outlets all the time and if you plan to cross the northbound border before 10am there is very little risk in missing the ship. (I say NO risk but ***** happens) Unless you can spend a full day in Vancouver, I suggest using the hotel costs to apply for the GOES/Nexus card which would allow you quicker departure and entry to and from the USA.

https://goes-app.cbp.dhs.gov/main/goes

With a Nexus card, your border wait will be less than 10 minutes. IMHO

We use our card whenever we enter the USA by air or car but entering Canada by air from the rest of the world is where it pays for itself. With a quick iris scan, we bypass customs and immigration which could have up to a thousand people waiting if there are multiple international arrivals.

I won't drive the day of the cruise but will drive no further than four hours from a cruise port the day before and spend the night.

If its more than a 4 hour drive then for sure I drive to the port the day before. From Seattle I would have no hesitation about driving to Vancouver the day of embarkation. Just leave at about 0630 and if you are not at Canada Place before 1100....well they would have shut the border or something. Have you considered the Amtrak Cascades, my recollection is that it arrives Vancouver at 1140 and you are about a 7.5 min cab ride to Canada Place or you can take the SkyTrain. The Amtrak solution save you big parking fees plus you arrive relaxed.