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Seattle or Vancouver?


sydneypug

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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...

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.....

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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

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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?

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