Transportation from Seattle to Vancouver BC Port for Alaska Cruise

[LDIdeals]

We will be flying in to Seattle a few days before our May 26 cruise to Alaska on RCCI out of Vancouver, BC. Does anyone know some good resources from getting to the port in Vancouver from Seattle and then returning again once we get back from the cruise? Any tips appreciated. Thanks! LD

[Akalways]

We are also on the May 26 sailing from Vancouver and will arrive Seattle probably the Wednesday before and are staying at the Red Lion across from SeaTac airport. RC's bus is $130 RT but of course involves returning to the airport. I have contracted with Black Tie Limo (from Vancouver) who will pick us up at the hotel and deliver us to the ship and then the reverse on our return. There are 6 of us plus luggage and it's costing $730 (or $121 plus tip).

 

There is also the train which leaves from downtown Seattle but I do not know the details.

 

Hope this helps.

Deb

[Chat Noir]

Amtrak train is my favorite transfer. Beautiful scenery along the tracks, often right at the water's edge. The train is only once per day, early morning northbound, evening southbound. Otherwise, their transfer is by bus. There are also other bus options or car rental. Perhaps a mix would work well for you. We've taken the train to Vancouver one year, and rented a car one-way Vancouver to Seattle another.

[Chitoryubt]

Hi! We are sailing on the 26th as well! Let me be the first to invite you to join our "Roll Call" thread at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=381404&page=19! Transportation from Seattle is one of the topics that has been discussed there - we've been talking about excursions too, so you might want to take a peek. I am flying into Vancouver but researched some before I made the reservations. There is a bus that runs more often than the train (but I have heard the scenery on the train is gorgeous). It stops at several places in Vancouver. The link to the shuttle service is here: http://www.quickcoach.com/.

 

One more thing: if you would like to meet some of your fellow cruise critic members, sign up for the Royal Caribbean sponsored (i.e., FREE) Meet n' Mingle here: https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/ccEntry.do

 

Hope that helps!

 

Beth

[BCHappyGal]

As you are arriving in Seattle and staying over in a hotel there you might fidn the Amtrak Train works well for your northbound transfer to Vancouver.

 

It leaves Seattle at approx 7am.

 

another alternative is the Airport Shuttle Bus service between SEA and Vancovuer. It does 5 scheduled runs per day and costs about $50CA each way. It will pick you up at hte airport and drop you off at the dock in Vancouver. called Quick Shuttle http://www.quickshuttle.com

 

another alternative and probably the most economical being that there is such a large group of you is to rent a van 1 way Seattle to Vancouver

 

The drive is easy - straight north on the I-5 and takes approx 2 hours on the interstate to the border. Once thru the border you have approximately another hour to get into downtown Vancovuer and the dock.

 

Try this site for information www3.telus.net/cruise_watch/info.htm

 

Hope the above helps

 

Enjoy your cruise and I hope you get to spend some time seeing Vancovuer as we have a beautiful city.

[Greenwhite]

For anyone interested in taking the train from Seattle to Vancouver, I would suggest either looking at the Amtrak website or calling Amtrak. I looked at the Amtrak website today and it appears that they now have 5 trains from Seattle to Vancouver. The trains leave at 7:30, 9:45, 11:20, 2:20 and 5:45. I have seen many times in the past that there is only one train--the 7:30 train--but that no longer appears to be true. However, don't take my word for it--if you are interested in the train, check it out for yourself.

[Sunshine Gal]

I would also recommend checking into a car rental either both ways or on one end of your cruise or the other. Be sure and check out drop fees as they tend to vary from year to year. You will get to see more in a car and the savings could be significant.

[Chat Noir]

I looked at the Amtrak website today and it appears that they now have 5 trains from Seattle to Vancouver. The trains leave at 7:30, 9:45, 11:20, 2:20 and 5:45. I have seen many times in the past that there is only one train--the 7:30 train--but that no longer appears to be true. However, don't take my word for it--if you are interested in the train, check it out for yourself.

 

Not sure what your dates are, but all I'm finding by playing with several dates is still the 1 train per day (510 Cascades) leaving at 740am, and 4 bus departures throughout the day. Look on the left hand side of the Amtrak Seattle/Vancouver website under SERVICE to make sure it says train, not bus. You don't want to be disappointed by catching a bus if you're heart's set on the train...:) It's my favorite transfer, and more scenic than the highway route.

[Budget Queen]

For anyone interested in taking the train from Seattle to Vancouver, I would suggest either looking at the Amtrak website or calling Amtrak. I looked at the Amtrak website today and it appears that they now have 5 trains from Seattle to Vancouver. The trains leave at 7:30, 9:45, 11:20, 2:20 and 5:45. I have seen many times in the past that there is only one train--the 7:30 train--but that no longer appears to be true. However, don't take my word for it--if you are interested in the train, check it out for yourself.

 

 

 

This is incorrect, this poster is looking at the SOUTHBOUND Vancouver WASHINGTON, train. There is ONLY one train per day, going north to Vancouver BC. leaving at 7:40am.

[Greenwhite]

This is incorrect, this poster is looking at the SOUTHBOUND Vancouver WASHINGTON, train. There is ONLY one train per day, going north to Vancouver BC. leaving at 7:40am.

 

Sadly, Budget Queen is correct. :o I was looking at the schedule for Vancouver WASHINGTON instead of Vancouver BRITISH COLUMBIA. :( I was really hoping to be able to take the train, but the 7:40 AM departure does not work out for me.

[Budget Queen]

Sadly, Budget Queen is correct. :o I was looking at the schedule for Vancouver WASHINGTON instead of Vancouver BRITISH COLUMBIA. :( I was really hoping to be able to take the train, but the 7:40 AM departure does not work out for me.

 

 

Easy to misread. :) You may want to consider coming into Seattle a day early for any transfer to Vancouver. You need to allow at least 4 hours for the trip anyway. Definately an overnight is the way to go.

[GORDONCHICK]

We are doing the Amtrak route and we are very excited about it! Of course, our cruise departs Vancouver, but we disembark in Seattle, so we don't have to worry about the RT.

[cajun-crazy]

Gordonchick - that is interesting about your cruise. So it isn't a roundtrip from Seattle or Vancouver, but you leave from one port and return to the other??? Would you like to share that Cruise Line and ship name? That would be a wonderful idea for us and I don't think dear, sweet hubby is going to like all that transfer stuff. That kind of thing stresses him out and brings on the migraine!

[GORDONCHICK]

Gordonchick - that is interesting about your cruise. So it isn't a roundtrip from Seattle or Vancouver, but you leave from one port and return to the other??? Would you like to share that Cruise Line and ship name? That would be a wonderful idea for us and I don't think dear, sweet hubby is going to like all that transfer stuff. That kind of thing stresses him out and brings on the migraine!

 

Technically, it's repositioning since it's the last Alaskan cruise for the ship for 2007. Originally, it was RT out of Seattle but it moved to RT out of Vancouver. The ship is X's Mercury and the sail date is 9/14/07. I'm excited because I really wanted to see Vancouver, and that wasn't on the original itinerary. We will be spending two nights in Vancouver pre-cruise.

[kruisecat]

We will be taking the train both ways. We're flying into Seattle the day before, doing a little sightseeing and heading up the next morning on the train to catch the cruise.

 

We are taking the train back and using the late train departure time as a way to do some sightseeing in Vancouver. A quick overnight stay in Seattle at the airport and then an early am flight out the next day. I hope to get back to this part of the country/continent again but in case I don't I want to see as much as I can :D