For a Vancover cruise, fly into Vancover or Seattle?

[minniemom]

Checking prices online for flights. WE are cruising out of Vancover, and the price is about $160. cheaper a piece to fly into Seattle. Now, I have never been to Seattle or Vancover, so I don't even know how far apart they are. Do some fly into Seattle and take what? to get to Vancover? We had just planned on flying into Vancover directly from SFO, but then checked prices for Seattle, and it was so much less, but didn't know how far or how much it would cost to take another form of transportation over to Vancover. Just wondering before I book these flights?

[snie]

Seattle is about 3-4 hours by car/bus from Vancouver.

 

I think that transfers are in the $40-50 range.

 

Is saving the extra $100 worth an extra 1/2 day in travel time?

(I always decide to spend the money and save the time, but your decision might be different)

[ute_fan]

It really depends on how much cheaper the airfare is. When we went to Alaska 2 years ago, it was about $300 per person cheaper to fly into Seattle. With 4 of us, the $1200 was a no brainer.

 

If you do some searching on the boards, you should be able to find information about the drive and different transfers available. We rented a car and drove, but I know you can do bus transfers and possibly a train ride.

 

Good luck with your planning!

[Chenega]

http://www.quickcoach.com is the shuttle from the Seattle airport to Vancouver. It took about 4.5 hours and ran about $40.00 but the $300.00 difference in airfare for each of us from Anchorage was substantial. These shuttles will deliver and/or pick up from cruise ship piers as well as well as downtown Seattle and Vancouver hotels.

[aussiedisneyfan]

You can also use Amtrak. We were flying into Seattle as it was $300 cheaper and travelling with a group of 8 that was mega savings. Now we have to wait until we can rebook our cruise till we know what we are doing.

[LEtue]

The train is a great option and supposedly offers great views of Puget Sound on the way to Vancouver. You will have to overnight in Seattle since it leaves at 7:45am. Later Amtrak departures are actually by bus. Tickets are $17pp for coach and $24pp for business class.

 

We're using the train to get to Vancouver on May 27 and can't wait :D

[Budget Queen]

I have taken Quick Shuttle, Amtrak, rate around $23, coach, and mostly drive.

 

Cabs now are about $30 from Seatac to downtown Seattle. An overnight is required but for me, air is significantly cheaper in/out of Seattle. Last trip was half price.

[Cruisechick82]

We're flying into Seattle for our Vancouver cruise. The cheapest airfare we found from St.Louis to Vancouver was around $650pp! We are paying $300 each to fly into Seattle. We are flying in a day early and taking Amtrack to Vancouver. Neither of us have been on a real train so we figure it will be a nice start to our vacation. We will probably take QuickCoach back to Seatac after the cruise.

[avj43]

We flew into Seattle last year the day before from KY. Then took Amtrak the next morning to Vancouver. The trip was relaxful and we saw so many Eagles. Beware there is a 50lb per bag weigh limit. They weighed our bags.

[many cruises]

Since we are coming from the east coast, we are flying into Seattle on an evening flight, spending the night at the airport, & flying to Vancouver early the next morning. We wanted to see a little of Vancouver so we decided to fly there & take the Quick Shuttle back to Seattle after the cruise. I agree, the flight prices were very high, especially when you don't live near a hub. Enjoy your cruise!

[mel31]

I know it is a personal decision, but DW and I flew into Vancouver for our just completed Wind, Alaska cruise 4/30 to 5/7/06. We thought about all of the posts and views of other, more experienced cruisers while making our decision. We flew into Vancouver and arrived at 12:30 pm on the 29th. We caught a cab right away and paid $29.50 Canadian for the trip to the Rennesance Hotel. The cab was right there at the airport and took us right to the front door of the hotel. The driver gave us our own mini-tour of the city to show us around and give us the layout of the pier area.

 

Upon return to the pier after the cruise, we caught a cab a block from the terminal to avoid the lines at the cab waiting stand. The driver took us directly back to the airport and added his own personal tour since we had the time.

 

Our next cruise, we will probably try the Seatle connection. Only because we like to try different things.

 

It was nice to have all afternoon to check out the city around our hotel when we arrived. And the prior day arrival left us the flexibility of 24 hours in case something unexpected took place with connections. Yes, it was more expensive than flying into Seatle but we had less worries to contend with. (as far as we could read the tea leaves)

 

Whatever you choose, have a great time. We certainly did!

 

Mark and Sue

[minniemom]

We keep going back and forth on this one. No hubs real close by, but we could get into Vancover around 8:30 AM,the morning of the cruise. So I am wondering what we do with all our luggage while we wait to go to the terminal. Do you take a cab, ?? Or pay to go on the cruise transfer? We have pretty much ruled out Seattle, I think if I was to re-book my cruise I would have done Seattle, but since I didn't, I think it makes the most sense to fly straight there. If we did Seattle, I think we had to fly in the day before, and by the time we stayed in a Hotel, either the day before or the day after, and paid for the trip up, we may as well, have paid the higher price and flown directly there. We still havn't booked flights yet, but almost...

So, when you fly in do you take a cab or use the transfer?

[Kylie]

We're flying into Seattle for our Vancouver cruise. The cheapest airfare we found from St.Louis to Vancouver was around $650pp! We are paying $300 each to fly into Seattle. We are flying in a day early and taking Amtrack to Vancouver. Neither of us have been on a real train so we figure it will be a nice start to our vacation. We will probably take QuickCoach back to Seatac after the cruise.

 

 

RCL has a transfer from the Vancouver pier to the Seattle airport that we are taking. It is about $65. each but at least we can get home again the day we get off the ship. The QuickCoach wouldn't get us back to Seattle in time to catch our flight.

[mel31]

We keep going back and forth on this one. No hubs real close by, but we could get into Vancover around 8:30 AM,the morning of the cruise. So I am wondering what we do with all our luggage while we wait to go to the terminal. Do you take a cab, ?? Or pay to go on the cruise transfer? We have pretty much ruled out Seattle, I think if I was to re-book my cruise I would have done Seattle, but since I didn't, I think it makes the most sense to fly straight there. If we did Seattle, I think we had to fly in the day before, and by the time we stayed in a Hotel, either the day before or the day after, and paid for the trip up, we may as well, have paid the higher price and flown directly there. We still havn't booked flights yet, but almost...

So, when you fly in do you take a cab or use the transfer?

 

We flew into Vancouver not knowing how we were going to get to our hotel. We didn't book our flight or hotel through NCL. On arrival in Vancoucer we retrieved our baggage and went to the shuttle/taxi area. We spoke with the transfer people who gave us a price and told us that the "First" shuttle would take us to somewhere downtown to a place to catch a "second" local shuttle to our hotel. We declined and went to the taxi stand nearby and got right into a waiting cab. The shuttle would have been $12 each and we wern't sure it would cover the 2nd shuttle. We ended up paying a total of $35 Canadian to the taxi ($29.50 plus tip and he loaded our bags and gave us running commentary about Vancouver).

 

All in all, we liked the convenience of the taxi against the unknown of the shuttles.

 

I guess you need to make your own choice like we did. Good luck with whichever way you go.

 

MJ

[Budget Queen]

We keep going back and forth on this one. No hubs real close by, but we could get into Vancover around 8:30 AM,the morning of the cruise. So I am wondering what we do with all our luggage while we wait to go to the terminal. Do you take a cab, ?? Or pay to go on the cruise transfer? We have pretty much ruled out Seattle, I think if I was to re-book my cruise I would have done Seattle, but since I didn't, I think it makes the most sense to fly straight there. If we did Seattle, I think we had to fly in the day before, and by the time we stayed in a Hotel, either the day before or the day after, and paid for the trip up, we may as well, have paid the higher price and flown directly there. We still havn't booked flights yet, but almost...

So, when you fly in do you take a cab or use the transfer?

 

 

Take a cab direct to Canada Place and drop off your bags, porters are there early. Then you have the rest of your time for touring if you wish.

[Gardyloo]

So much depends on your flight arrangements.

 

Especially for east/southeast US residents, the timing often works out so that same-day connections from/to Seattle for Vancouver cruise pax involve one or two additional hotel nights (in Seattle before the train, or in Seattle before the morning plane home) so that when added to the cost of bus/train/rental car to get to/from Vancouver, any savings you'd make in airfare have been spent on hotels or transport, and then some. Only you can be the judge - do you mind red-eye flights? Then Vancouver-Seattle-home is easy.

[Budget Queen]

So much depends on your flight arrangements.

 

Especially for east/southeast US residents, the timing often works out so that same-day connections from/to Seattle for Vancouver cruise pax involve one or two additional hotel nights (in Seattle before the train, or in Seattle before the morning plane home) so that when added to the cost of bus/train/rental car to get to/from Vancouver, any savings you'd make in airfare have been spent on hotels or transport, and then some. Only you can be the judge - do you mind red-eye flights? Then Vancouver-Seattle-home is easy.

 

 

Not always, the savings for me was $250 on the flight. I had a $60 Seatac hotel, split by 2, Amtrak $23, Cab $18 (split), skytrain $2.25. Plus wonderful scenery via rail.