Need help...Atlanta to Seattle to Vancouver

[Alaska_2012]

We are booked on HAL Zuiderdam to Alaska, leaving from Vancouver on 6/30/12. I am now trying to plan our transportation and need some advice!:confused:

 

We will fly from Atlanta to Seattle on 6/29 and we want to take the Amtrak train up to Vancouver. I'm not sure how to plan this out. Should we plan to arrive in Seattle early on the 29th, spend the night there and then take the early train on the 30th (morning of the cruise)? The ship leaves at 5:00pm and I know we have to be onboard 90 min prior.

 

The other option is to fly into Seattle, hopefully timing it where we could take the evening train to Vancouver. We would then spend the night there and go straight to the dock in the am.

 

Having never been on a cruise before and having never been to the West Coast it's quite daunting trying to figure out the best timeline. Any help would be greatly appreciated. :)

[Putterdude]

Either option will work just fine. I hate getting up before 6 am and would probably opt for the evening train and have a nice leisurely morning in Vancouver. At that time of the year you will see a lot of scenery in evening and perhaps even a nice sunset. If you opt for the morning train it will get you to Vancouver in plenty of time and the train station is only a short 10 mins from the pier.

[Alaska_2012]

Thank you, Putterdude! I really appreciate your help.

[scottbee]

We are booked on HAL Zuiderdam to Alaska, leaving from Vancouver on 6/30/12. I am now trying to plan our transportation and need some advice!:confused:

 

We will fly from Atlanta to Seattle on 6/29 and we want to take the Amtrak train up to Vancouver. I'm not sure how to plan this out. Should we plan to arrive in Seattle early on the 29th, spend the night there and then take the early train on the 30th (morning of the cruise)? The ship leaves at 5:00pm and I know we have to be onboard 90 min prior.

 

The other option is to fly into Seattle, hopefully timing it where we could take the evening train to Vancouver. We would then spend the night there and go straight to the dock in the am.

 

Having never been on a cruise before and having never been to the West Coast it's quite daunting trying to figure out the best timeline. Any help would be greatly appreciated. :)

 

If you're going to take the evening train northbound, remember it starts in Portland OR, and stops at the Tukwila(Renton) train station, which is MUCH closer to SEA airport.

[Alaska_2012]

Thanks, scottbee. I did not realize that. That's why I love these boards! :D

[zephyr17]

Just remember, the evening train will go through some of the most scenic parts of the run (Puget Sound running south of Bellingham) in late twilight even in June, while you'd see it all on the morning train. Also the evening train doesn't get in until 10:50 pm, which would make it a VERY long day from Atlanta if you were connecting the same day. You'd also want to make sure and allow for your flight to be late. There are only 2 trains a day, and they are frequently sold out, so if you miss it, you'd be out of luck. During cruise season, they'd probably not be able to accommodate you on the next morning's train if you missed the evening one.

 

Also, while the Tukwila station is closer, Tukwila has no services like ticketing or checked baggage. It is just an open platform by the tracks. So you'd have to make sure and be ticketed before you leave (although that may not be as important next year, Amtrak is planning to go to e-tickets in 2012). Also, while the station is only a couple of miles from the airport, there isn't any public transit between the two, while there is the light rail to downtown Seattle.

 

So between scenery and building in flexibility for a late flight, I'd recommend staying in Seattle and taking the morning train.

[Alaska_2012]

Zephyr17, I was thinking the same thing. We'd be exhausted by the time we made it to Vancouver. Plus, we live two hours from the Atl airport! I'm thinking if we take the flight that arrives in Seattle around 10:50am, we would still have the day for sightseeing. Going straight to Vancouver we wouldn't have time for anything. We also want to be able to see everything from the train! Thanks for your insight. :)

[Westcoast girl92]

I haven't taken the train to Seattle but I am a Vancouver local. The pier (I assume it's the one downtown at Canada Place) is very close to Gastown- the oldest area of the city. There are some touristy shops and restaurants plus a steam clock that is kind of neat. If you have time it's a neat place to check out and do some souvenir shopping.

I've had many out of town guests and the prices there are about the same elsewhere in the city and some of the nicer stuff too.

[Fredr]

Hello,

 

I have not taken the train between Seattle and Vancouver. I do know that there is excellent bus service between Seattle's airport and hotels in downtown Vancouver.

 

Renting a car at Seattle's airport (SEATAC) and driving it to Vancouver's Canada Place cruise terminal will give you some flexiblity in terms of seeing things and may save you some money on hotels. I would try to fly to Seattle early in the day and drive to Vancouver that same day.

 

There are some excellent hotels in the Richmond section of Vancouver...a Hilton, Sheraton and Marriott. While a 20-30 minute ride from downtown Vancouver there is everything you need in this interesting area...restaurants, last minute shopping.

 

I am not telling you not to take the train, but rather just to give you some alternatives.

 

HOpe this helps.

[zephyr17]

Just to note that the train does NOT follow Interstate 5 and is generally considered by most to be much more scenic than I-5, spending much more time on the Sound.

[Putterdude]

It is only a personal observation but I would estimate the train spends about 30% of the travel time by shoreline. One thing to remember with car rentals is drop charges and the fact that during the summer waits southbound at the border can run 2 hours with holiday weekend waits running up to 3 hours.

[Alaska_2012]

Thanks to everyone for your input. I know we definitely want to take the train there just for the experience. We may look at doing the bus for the trip back to Seattle. Does anyone know when we should look at purchasing tickets for June? Thanks!

[zephyr17]

Thanks to everyone for your input. I know we definitely want to take the train there just for the experience. We may look at doing the bus for the trip back to Seattle. Does anyone know when we should look at purchasing tickets for June? Thanks!

If you take a bus back, definitely look into QuickCoach. They will pick up directly from the pier, and will drop off at downtown Seattle hotels and SeaTac airport. If you take the Amtrak Thruway bus you'll have to fiddle around getting back to Pacific Central station in Vancouver, and then from King Street Station in Seattle back to the airport.

 

I am not sure, but I'd think sometime after the first of the year would be plenty of time to book it.

[Putterdude]

You could book the bus anytime, if they sell out one coach they will just add another. Here is a link for your convenience; you will see from the schedule that they operate an express service from Canada Place...this year it was offered every day except Mondays and Thursdays but I would want to check back in the new year as there could well be changes, for instance I believe that the Diamond Princess will be operating on Mondays but we are loosing the Disney Wonder on Tuesdays.

 

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

[Alaska_2012]

Thank y'all so much! Such great info. I truly appreciate it. :D

[Northender]

Because of great advice here on CC, I contacted QuickCoach and they advised to check for updated schedules in March, 2012 for our June, 2012 cruise:)

 

I was not specific about the hotel as I have yet to decide. I think someone advised they only go to certain hotels??????

[Urban trekker]

Downtown Vancouver is very compacted so you likely wouldn`t be more than a block or two from a Quick Shuttle pickup point - there hub downtown is the Holiday Inn on Howe.

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis