post Vancouver cruise - flight home from Seattle

[VermeulT]

What time could I book a flight home from Seattle if my cruise docks in Vancouver?  How much time for transit & customs?

 

Thank you!!

[Gardyloo]

How are you planning to get to Seattle?

[CruiserBruce]

Mid to later afternoon. Why not fly home from Vancouver? You can catch a flight there as early as 11am.

[martincath]

Same page as both of the above answers - certainly no earlier than mid-afternoon, but depending on the method you use to get there (and the day you travel) you may want to add different amounts of padding for border issues. Your own car allows choice of any crossing - there are 4 that make sense, adding from 10 mins to an hour of drive time - whereas buses only use one, so if that crossing has a problem the travel time goes up enormously and you lose all control. Plus in a car, it's just you and yours who need to answer questions - on a bus if ANYONE gets secondary questioning, all of you stand around waiting until they are accepted or rejected.

 

The guaranteed-least-hassle border crossing (train) only runs in the evening, so would only work for a flight in the wee small hours next day, or a hotel overnight then a daytime flight next day from SEA. Sometimes you can save enough to make that worthwhile - but usually the extra time on top of the ~$50pp cost of getting to SEA means a flight from YVR is better value unless you literally value your own time at zero...

 

[1025cruise]

Personally, I wouldn't do it until the next day.

[Roz]

I take Quick Shuttle from Vancouver to Seattle.  It gets in too late to get flights back to Nashville, so I stay at a hotel near SeaTac and take the first fight out the next morning.  The wild card in all this is the border crossing, as has already been pointed out.

[VermeulT]

 

On 12/24/2019 at 3:53 PM, Gardyloo said:

How are you planning to get to Seattle?

 

On 12/24/2019 at 4:10 PM, CruiserBruce said:

Mid to later afternoon. Why not fly home from Vancouver? You can catch a flight there as early as 11am.

 

I'd have more choices on airlines and flights for direct out of Seattle.  Very few options out of Vancouver that don't require at least one layover. (flying to JFK)

I was considering the train.

[CynCyn]

2 hours ago, VermeulT said:

 

 

 

I'd have more choices on airlines and flights for direct out of Seattle.  Very few options out of Vancouver that don't require at least one layover. (flying to JFK)

I was considering the train.

I flew from Vancouver to Seattle at 1pm and then took a red-eye out of Seattle the last time I cruised. It was a very small plane- we walked to the plane-no sky bridge.  It was a hassle, but it’s difficult to get out and all the way home.  

[Gardyloo]

13 hours ago, VermeulT said:

I'd have more choices on airlines and flights for direct out of Seattle.  Very few options out of Vancouver that don't require at least one layover. (flying to JFK)

I was considering the train.

 

Here are the problems with that idea.

 

First, nonstop flights from the west coast to the east coast tend to leave early in the morning, due to the 3-hour time difference.  The (roughly) 5 1/2 hour flight plus the 3 hour time change means the "clock" time for the whole trip is 8 1/2 hours.  The airlines prefer to arrive on the east coast early enough so that those passengers seeking onward connections (e.g. to Europe from JFK) have time to do so, and/or for the planes to make late evening flights to some other destination, e.g. up and down the east coast, for example.  So you'll find comparatively few departures that leave Seattle or Vancouver nonstop to the east coast after around 11 AM; most are gone by 8 AM, again, making for same-day connections from cruise ships impossible.

 

The other batch of nonstops leave in the late evening, as "red-eyes."  There are a number of flights that leave Seattle or Vancouver to eastern destinations which depart anywhere from 10 PM to midnight, arriving 8 "clock" hours later, i.e., in the early morning.  So if you choose a red-eye, then you'll have plenty of time to get to Seattle, or you can kill a day in Vancouver. 

 

Second, the train leaves Vancouver twice a day, in the very early morning and in the late afternoon/early evening.  You can't make the morning train on the day your ship arrives in Vancouver; you won't be through with disembarking in time, never mind getting to the station and through US border controls (you clear US immigration and customs in Vancouver.)  The evening train typically arrives in Seattle around 10 PM, making even most red-eye flights a challenge because of the need to get from the (downtown) train station to the airport in time for security etc.  

 

And if you don't want a red-eye from either Vancouver or Seattle, then you're faced with the need to spend an additional hotel night in either city, at considerable cost.  

 

So you need to decide how you want to spend your time and money.  There are a couple of nonstops from Vancouver to NYC (Newark mostly) that depart around 11 AM and arrive around 10 or 11 PM, or a couple where you'd change planes in Toronto or Seattle, arriving around the same time.  Or there are several red-eye options from both YVR and SEA that would get you home the next morning.  For red-eyes out of Seattle, you'd have to choose some other means than the train to get here; the Quickcoach bus, for example, or maybe a one-way rental car (which can be cost-effective for two or more passengers.)  

 

Research is key.

Edited December 27, 2019 by Gardyloo

[Candia]

Gardyloo, you mentioned the bus from Vancouver to Seattle can be long ride due to custom control at the border. We are planning to travel from Vancouver to downtown Seattle hotel, the day prior to our Alaska cruise on the 15th of May, and want to book a direct bus service. We looked at the bus schedule and see many pick up locations. Arriving at the pier in Vancouver and disembarking the ship by 8:00 am can we book the 9:30am with pick up at the Holiday Inn or is there a better alternative. Renting a car is not an option for us. Thank you for advise.  John and Lil

[Roz]

12 hours ago, Candia said:

Gardyloo, you mentioned the bus from Vancouver to Seattle can be long ride due to custom control at the border. We are planning to travel from Vancouver to downtown Seattle hotel, the day prior to our Alaska cruise on the 15th of May, and want to book a direct bus service. We looked at the bus schedule and see many pick up locations. Arriving at the pier in Vancouver and disembarking the ship by 8:00 am can we book the 9:30am with pick up at the Holiday Inn or is there a better alternative. Renting a car is not an option for us. Thank you for advise.  John and Lil

 

Are you referring to Quick Shuttle? I've used them several times and found the service to be good. The border crossing is a wild card, but they will get you to Seattle.  I've never had the border crossing take an inordinate amt. of time.  The worst that's going to happen is that you'll have to take your luggage off the bus and march it and you with your passport into the bldg. to go thru a screening.

[Gardyloo]

14 hours ago, Candia said:

Gardyloo, you mentioned the bus from Vancouver to Seattle can be long ride due to custom control at the border.

When did I say that?  It's a 4 to 4 1/2 hour ride, same as the train.  

[Roz]

12 minutes ago, Gardyloo said:

When did I say that?  It's a 4 to 4 1/2 hour ride, same as the train.  

 

That is an accurate time frame based on my experience.

[martincath]

16 hours ago, Candia said:

Gardyloo, you mentioned the bus from Vancouver to Seattle can be long ride due to custom control at the border. We are planning to travel from Vancouver to downtown Seattle hotel, the day prior to our Alaska cruise on the 15th of May, and want to book a direct bus service. We looked at the bus schedule and see many pick up locations. Arriving at the pier in Vancouver and disembarking the ship by 8:00 am can we book the 9:30am with pick up at the Holiday Inn or is there a better alternative. Renting a car is not an option for us. Thank you for advise.  John and Lil

You certainly could make that bus, but by mid-May their Summer schedule should be in operation - which means there will be buses direct from the pier, including a 9am 'express' bus, which makes fewer stops, so wastes less time off the highway than others. If they haven't moved to Summer yet, ask for a pickup at the Pan Pacific - it's literally on top of the pier. You may be on the bus that actually runs the route, but with the 'hotel pickups' they shuttle people from various hotels around town to meet the Holiday Inn departure in winter, so it's blind luck whether you need to move yourself and your bags between buses or not.

 

But frankly if you're heading to downtown Seattle, QuickShuttle is a poor choice - they charge a significant premium over the better-in-all-but-frequency-of-departures Bolt (newer buses, more legroom, WiFi on all vehicles, fewer stops); the only benefit offered by QS is the very convenient location of pickup (and dropoff if you are going direct to a pier or airport). The savings on Bolt easily pay for a taxi on both ends, so it's cheaper for two to Bolt and cab - solo travelers are the only people who might actually save money on QS, as they pad their pricing to account for the multiple pickups (and pad it enough that it's almost always cheaper to just grab a cab).

 

Personally I'd take the evening train when you have a hotel stay planned - a day sightseeing in Vancouver is preferable to one in Seattle, we're much nicer😉 - but if you have to take a daytime bus, Bolt's the one to use. Scheduling this far ahead is not guaranteed - they may be into their summer schedule with more departures or not - but even in winter there's a bus mid-morning (usually 10:30am IIRC) that gives you more than enough time to get from the pier to the bus station (~10mins, $12 in a cab) even if you stay onboard until the end of disembarkation, having a leisurely breakfast on the ship.

[Candia]

1 hour ago, martincath said:

 

Personally I'd take the evening train when you have a hotel stay planned - a day sightseeing in Vancouver is preferable to one in Seattle, we're much nicer😉 - but if you have to take a daytime bus, Bolt's the one to use. Scheduling this far ahead is not guaranteed - they may be into their summer schedule with more departures or not - but even in winter there's a bus mid-morning (usually 10:30am IIRC) that gives you more than enough time to get from the pier to the bus station (~10mins, $12 in a cab) even if you stay onboard until the end of disembarkation, having a leisurely breakfast on the ship.

Thank you for the advise. Certainly options there. We are several months away and the summer schedule is not posted for the busses. We have been in Vancouver twice before and loved the city, this will be our 3rd Alaska cruise, 1st out of Seattle. 

[VermeulT]

On 12/27/2019 at 9:48 AM, Gardyloo said:

 

Here are the problems with that idea.

 

First, nonstop flights from the west coast to the east coast tend to leave early in the morning, due to the 3-hour time difference.  The (roughly) 5 1/2 hour flight plus the 3 hour time change means the "clock" time for the whole trip is 8 1/2 hours.  The airlines prefer to arrive on the east coast early enough so that those passengers seeking onward connections (e.g. to Europe from JFK) have time to do so, and/or for the planes to make late evening flights to some other destination, e.g. up and down the east coast, for example.  So you'll find comparatively few departures that leave Seattle or Vancouver nonstop to the east coast after around 11 AM; most are gone by 8 AM, again, making for same-day connections from cruise ships impossible.

 

The other batch of nonstops leave in the late evening, as "red-eyes."  There are a number of flights that leave Seattle or Vancouver to eastern destinations which depart anywhere from 10 PM to midnight, arriving 8 "clock" hours later, i.e., in the early morning.  So if you choose a red-eye, then you'll have plenty of time to get to Seattle, or you can kill a day in Vancouver. 

 

Second, the train leaves Vancouver twice a day, in the very early morning and in the late afternoon/early evening.  You can't make the morning train on the day your ship arrives in Vancouver; you won't be through with disembarking in time, never mind getting to the station and through US border controls (you clear US immigration and customs in Vancouver.)  The evening train typically arrives in Seattle around 10 PM, making even most red-eye flights a challenge because of the need to get from the (downtown) train station to the airport in time for security etc.  

 

And if you don't want a red-eye from either Vancouver or Seattle, then you're faced with the need to spend an additional hotel night in either city, at considerable cost.  

 

So you need to decide how you want to spend your time and money.  There are a couple of nonstops from Vancouver to NYC (Newark mostly) that depart around 11 AM and arrive around 10 or 11 PM, or a couple where you'd change planes in Toronto or Seattle, arriving around the same time.  Or there are several red-eye options from both YVR and SEA that would get you home the next morning.  For red-eyes out of Seattle, you'd have to choose some other means than the train to get here; the Quickcoach bus, for example, or maybe a one-way rental car (which can be cost-effective for two or more passengers.)  

 

Research is key.

 

Exactly the info I was looking for.

thank you so much.

[lstrong]

Thank you all. I’ve been looking at this option since Vancouver flights are crazy expensive to San Diego and reverse. 

[DaveOKC]

27 minutes ago, lstrong said:

Thank you all. I’ve been looking at this option since Vancouver flights are crazy expensive to San Diego and reverse. 

That is very interesting.  I JUST booked a one way from Vancouver to OKC (Oklahoma) for $203 pp.  I could not do better than that if I flew out of SEA, considering the bus/train and likely hotel and meals costs - plus the hassles involved.

 

[scottbee]

1 hour ago, lstrong said:

Thank you all. I’ve been looking at this option since Vancouver flights are crazy expensive to San Diego and reverse. 

 

$45 of it is US taxes imposed on international flights into the USA. This is why airports just across the border (BLI/Bellingham for instance) do so well to US domestic destinations. 

 

It's free to drive across the border, but $45 to fly <sigh>.

 

 

However, I've never noticed SAN being particularly expensive from YVR, what date were you looking at?

 

 

[lstrong]

Looking at July 3-return July 11. San Diego to Vancouver and return. Haven’t found a flight less than $550 pp and those are less than ideal times. Most flights over $600+. Am I doing something wrong?  Not real experienced with booking flights.   Thanks for any suggestions. Laurie

[DaveOKC]

11 hours ago, lstrong said:

Looking at July 3-return July 11. San Diego to Vancouver and return. Haven’t found a flight less than $550 pp and those are less than ideal times. Most flights over $600+. Am I doing something wrong?  Not real experienced with booking flights.   Thanks for any suggestions. Laurie

I think your issue is that you want non-stop flights.  If you are willing to go with one-stops you can get down into the 400s.  Also, try Westjet, they usually are less expensive.  

 

While a one-stop is more of a hassle obviously, IMO it is better than taking a bus/train/car to Seattle.

 

Go to one of the travel websites (we cannot use names here on this board) and do a "pretend" booking.  It will better show you your options.  You then can book directly with whoever you chose.