sydneypug Posted September 9, 2013 #1 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Famiky of 4 and planning our first AK cruise for June. Trying to decide if we want Seattle Rt or Vancouver to anchorage? The airfare is much less for Seattle but seems like more days not really seeing anything ? Thanks for any feedback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveokla Posted September 9, 2013 #2 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Famiky of 4 and planning our first AK cruise for June. Trying to decide if we want Seattle Rt or Vancouver to anchorage? The airfare is much less for Seattle but seems like more days not really seeing anything ? Thanks for any feedback. If I had my choice it would be RT out of Seattle. You are correct, less airfare, and don't have to worry about crossing the boarder... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiserBruce Posted September 9, 2013 #3 Share Posted September 9, 2013 A little reading would reveal the Vancouver departures get far more of the true "Inside Passage", which is more scenic than the Seattle version. As long as you have a passport, crossing the border wouldn't be an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToUtahNow Posted September 9, 2013 #4 Share Posted September 9, 2013 I agree, the inside passage part would make me want to leave out of Vancouver. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashland Posted September 9, 2013 #5 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Agree..We love the northbound out of Vancouver...We'll be doing it again for the 3rd time next May 2014. Sorry but I wouldn't opt for the Seattle departure if at all possible even though we have to do the air with multi-city LAX-YVR & ANC-LAX or (BUR) worth it to us...Enjoy whatever works for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted September 9, 2013 #6 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Another vote for Vancouver. More inside passage viewing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mskaufman Posted September 9, 2013 #7 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Another vote for Vancouver. You can take Amtrac at a reasonable price. On the way home we had friends who took the cruise ship transfer. They went through customs in Vancouver and did not stop at the border. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arusha Posted September 9, 2013 #8 Share Posted September 9, 2013 I did an Inside Passage cruise to Alaska starting in Vancouver and ending in Seattle this past May. Two things: Vancouver is worth at least a day or two all by itself, pre-cruise. Tons to see and do. I much prefer Vancouver over Seattle as a place to visit. As other have noted, the Inside Passage (east side of Vancouver Island, which is the route ships take leaving from Vancouver) is more scenic than going around the west side of Vancouver Island, which is the route ships take to/from Seattle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEtue Posted September 9, 2013 #9 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Famiky of 4 and planning our first AK cruise for June. Trying to decide if we want Seattle Rt or Vancouver to anchorage? The airfare is much less for Seattle but seems like more days not really seeing anything ? Thanks for any feedback. There are also some nice options for RT from Vancouver that you may like. Sailing from Seattle is nice but a lot less scenic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted September 10, 2013 #10 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Famiky of 4 and planning our first AK cruise for June. Trying to decide if we want Seattle Rt or Vancouver to anchorage? The airfare is much less for Seattle but seems like more days not really seeing anything ? Thanks for any feedback. Round trip Seattle does have two sea days with mostly open ocean viewing. A significant reason to consider a one way cruise would be with extra time for some mainland touring. Leaving the same day doesn't take advantage of being all the way there. :) With one ways, you can also get a "sea day" across the Gulf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovely_serenity Posted September 10, 2013 #11 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Another vote for Vancouver! Yes it's more scenic wth the inside passage, but also there will be less motion than sailings out of Seattle. Since Seattle sails around Vancouver Island, it'll be on the outside and will be hit by waves more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giejie Posted September 10, 2013 #12 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Add another vote to Vancouver! Although the airfare is more expensive, the experiences are definitely worth it. You get to go to Glacier Bay, College Fjords, etc. places you wouldn't get to see if you left out of Seattle. Also it's worth going a day or two earlier to Vancouver to visit the city itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonvoyagie Posted September 10, 2013 #13 Share Posted September 10, 2013 I think that the first choice should be RT vs One Way - then departure port. With the one way selection you will have to go through Vancouver BC. With RT you do have a choice of either Seattle or Vancouver. Border crossings - if you fly in/out of Vancouver you will go through Can customs at the airport after you land - you will then pass through US customs when you board NB ships. On SB or RT cruises you will pass through Can customs as you exit the ship and back through US customs at the airport. Using Amtrak or bus to travel from Seattle to Vancouver is similar in that you will go through Can customs at the depot or the hy crossings. Seattle cruises are always RT and must go through Victoria - this could be a plus if you want to see that city - however some ships only spend a few hours there - usually in the evening. As for the more scenic part - you have to look at when you transit the upper end of the island - look up Johnstone strait and the Seymour Narrows on Google. If it is at night there won't be much to see. You are not far enough north to get much of the midnight sun effects. IMHO I would only do a one way if you have some extra time to spend either heading to Denali or exploring the Kenai area - 3-4 days minimum - no maximium:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDinWA Posted September 10, 2013 #14 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Add another vote to Vancouver! Although the airfare is more expensive, the experiences are definitely worth it. You get to go to Glacier Bay, College Fjords, etc. places you wouldn't get to see if you left out of Seattle. Also it's worth going a day or two earlier to Vancouver to visit the city itself. Minor correction: Many of HAL's Alaska cruises RT out of Seattle do go to Glacier Bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted September 10, 2013 #15 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Minor correction: Many of HAL's Alaska cruises RT out of Seattle do go to Glacier Bay. NCL and Princess, round trip Seattle, also have ships that sail Glacier Bay. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piper934 Posted September 10, 2013 #16 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Agree with this. Out of seattle had the roughest seas. People stumbling and sick everywhere. Sent from my SPH-L720 using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKman2495 Posted September 10, 2013 #17 Share Posted September 10, 2013 One more reason to think about Vancouver is that the ships actually disembark in Alaska. Southeast Alaska is a very scenic place, by is really only an appendage to Alaska (up here we call it the pan handle). There is a lot more to Alaska in the "pan". You might want to think about spending a few days up here afterwards to see some more of the state. Cruising southeast for an Alaskan vacation is sort of like going to England for vacation and then telling everyone you've been to Europe..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assateague Island Princes Posted September 10, 2013 #18 Share Posted September 10, 2013 To AKMan - off topic (sorry, OP!) - been meaning to tell you that everytime I see a post from you and catch a glimpse of your photo, I always think of Elton John. Has anyone ever told you that you bear a slight resemblance to EJ??? :) Bet you wish you had his fortune, eh?;) Okay, back to your regular programming.....:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovesublime Posted September 10, 2013 #19 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Add another vote to Vancouver! Although the airfare is more expensive, the experiences are definitely worth it. You get to go to Glacier Bay, College Fjords, etc. places you wouldn't get to see if you left out of Seattle. Also it's worth going a day or two earlier to Vancouver to visit the city itself. We went to Glacier Bay on a roundtrip out of Seattle on NCL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEtue Posted September 10, 2013 #20 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Another good thing about the RT from Vancouver itineraries is that you don't have to make the evening stop in Victoria, BC. I know a lot of people like it but I think it is a waste of time when the goal is to sail Alaska. So, the port times are usually better out of Vancouver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MermaidWatcher Posted September 11, 2013 #21 Share Posted September 11, 2013 IMO, Vancouver for two reasons; We found the airfare into Seattle to be substantially less than into Vancouver. Even adding in the price of 2 business class train tickets to Vancouver, it was still cheaper. The Seattle departures exit Puget Sound and travel north through the open Pacific, ducking into the inside passage north of Vancouver Island. Vancouver departures travel between the island and the mainland, both more scenic and protected from the swells of the Pacific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlatrice Posted September 15, 2013 #22 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Hmmmm. This kinda throws a monkey wrench in my plans. I, too, am looking at an Alaska cruise in a couple of years. My plan was to fly to Seattle on a Monday, take the Coast Starlight from Seattle down to Klamath Falls, OR on Tuesday (12 hour trip). Spend Wednesday there. Take the Coast Starlight back to Seattle on Thursday and board the cruise on Friday. I REALLY want to do a rail portion of the trip. Can anyone recommend a nice rail option to do if we sail out of Vancouver? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arusha Posted September 15, 2013 #23 Share Posted September 15, 2013 I REALLY want to do a rail portion of the trip. Can anyone recommend a nice rail option to do if we sail out of Vancouver? The Rocky Mountaineer train runs: Day trips to Whistler, B.C. Multi-day trips to the Canadian Rockies (Banff, Calgary,...) Rail/cruise packages in parthership with HAL and NCL http://www.rockymountaineer.com/en_US/routes_and_packages Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budget Queen Posted September 15, 2013 #24 Share Posted September 15, 2013 Hmmmm. This kinda throws a monkey wrench in my plans. I, too, am looking at an Alaska cruise in a couple of years. My plan was to fly to Seattle on a Monday, take the Coast Starlight from Seattle down to Klamath Falls, OR on Tuesday (12 hour trip). Spend Wednesday there. Take the Coast Starlight back to Seattle on Thursday and board the cruise on Friday. I REALLY want to do a rail portion of the trip. Can anyone recommend a nice rail option to do if we sail out of Vancouver? One of the nicest "rail" trips is the White Pass RR out of Skagway to Lake Bennett. IF you are a rail fan, be sure to plan your cruise dates around that operating. Amtrak Seattle/Vancouver isn't bad, 4+ hours, but it Starts in Seattle so not subject to the common Coast Starlight delays. I have taken the Coast Starlight myself, from San Diego, and have been on the entire line San Diego/Vancouver. I also have taken VIA rail from Hamilton to Vancouver, with multiple stop overs. It depends how much time you may? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlatrice Posted September 21, 2013 #25 Share Posted September 21, 2013 Thank you both SO much for your responses!!!! Off to explore these options! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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