Seattle to Victoria

[ladyw]

Hi everyone. I have a logistics nightmare. When we get off of our Princess cruise in Sept we want to go to Victoria for a few days. Now how do you suggest? Cab to the Ferry to take us to Victoria (luggage et all). Cab to car rental and drive (via ferry or Vancouver). What about return. If I have a return fligt in the early afternoon, could the morning ferry make it to Seattle on time? Disembarking the ship, the night before is not something we want to do.

PS -- We are late 30's traveling with an 8 year old.

Is this doable? We have been to Seattle a few times prior, so there is really nothing for us to see there.
Any help would be appreciated.

[Budget Queen]

You can take the Victoria Clipper, passengers only right from the Seattle waterfront. If you want to take a car over- you'll have to drive to Anacortes- which is the closest with a car I believe. [url="http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/"]http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/[/url]
[url="http://www.victoriaclipper.com/victoria_clipper_ferry_service"]http://www.victoriaclipper.com/victoria_clipper_ferry_service[/url]

[Gardyloo]

The only way I could see you making an early afternoon flight out of Seatac if you're starting in Victoria would be to fly - either from the Victoria airport (several daily flights) straight to SEA, or else via floatplane from the Inner Harbour to Lake Union in Seattle, thence taxi to SEA.

You might look at the floatplane option anyway - it's a unique, scenic, and not that terribly expensive option. You can rent a car in downtown Victoria once you arrive. Flying takes 45 min. vs. 3+ hours on the Clipper, and I'll wager your 8 YO will find it exceedingly cool. [url="http://www.kenmoreair.com"]Kenmore Air[/url] is the principal carrier between Lake Union and Victoria.

The car+ferry options include the Anacortes ferry, which while scenic is not particularly fast (and which arrives in Sydney, near Swartz Bay - see below), a ferry from Port Angeles straight to the Inner Harbour (quickest crossing but PA is 2 1/2 hrs. ferry/drive from Seattle) and from Tsawwassen BC to Swartz Bay, about half an hour by road from downtown Victoria. It takes around 2 hours (plus border) to get to the Tsawwassen terminal from Seattle. None of these ferry routes would be convenient for the return except the night before your flight.

Or you might look at taking the Victoria Clipper one way, flying the other.

[ladyw]

Hum.. Float plane, Never thought of that option. What an interesting idea. I will look into that option. I am also re-thinking the option of disembarking in Victoria. At first I was worried about the tips and last dinner etc (we are travelling with a group), But if we disembark late (9:00 - 10 PM ish), We should be done with everything we need to do. That would give us The entire Sat morning in Victoria, with us able to return on Monday (the day before our departure).

Are float planes safe? Can they handle luggage (2 - 26 inc, 1 overnighter). The last small plane I was on was a Cessna back in 1980.

Agains thanks for all of your help.

[Sandy R]

I read on another post that several passengers are disembarking in Victoria. Since the ship doesn't sail until midnight, you're only missing a nite's sleep on the ship and the wait during disembarkation next day. We have a flight the day we disembark or I'd think about getting off early, too.

Sandy

[travel dog]

We are planning the same - several days in Victoria after the cruise - and will be taking the Victoria Clipper from Pier 69 in Seattle shortly after disembarking from the NCL Pearl at Pier 66. -- How do we (and our luggage) go from one pier to the other? Is it walkable, at least if all our luggage has wheels? Will a taxi driver be furious with us if we only want to go that short distance? Any other alternative.

(We're also thinking of asking the hotel if they would accept the bulk of our luggage on Sat. night, when we are in Victoria for several hours, before we arrive on Sunday. Crazy idea but might be worth asking -- then we would have only small overnight bags when we leave the ship.)

Thanks for any help!

[Luckysll]

It is easily walkable from the cruise ship pier to the Clipper pier with rolling luggage.

[LeftcoastBC]

I'm a bit confused on which pier to which pier someone is walking to and from.
so just to be clear....
In [B]Victoria[/B] it is [B]not [/B]advisable to walk with luggage from the Cruise ship dock to the Clipper dock

[Budget Queen]

[quote name='travel dog']We are planning the same - several days in Victoria after the cruise - and will be taking the Victoria Clipper from Pier 69 in Seattle shortly after disembarking from the NCL Pearl at Pier 66. -- How do we (and our luggage) go from one pier to the other? Is it walkable, at least if all our luggage has wheels? Will a taxi driver be furious with us if we only want to go that short distance? Any other alternative.

(We're also thinking of asking the hotel if they would accept the bulk of our luggage on Sat. night, when we are in Victoria for several hours, before we arrive on Sunday. Crazy idea but might be worth asking -- then we would have only small overnight bags when we leave the ship.)

Thanks for any help![/QUOTE]

Frankly, I don't see the point of this??? You can just stay right in Victoria the night before from your cruise ship. The Clipper is costly and you are returning the same way you got there. Consider saving your money and go out on a whale watch, other tours etc. with your savings.

[OldCodger73]

If you're allowed to disembark in Victoria, in my mind this would be the way to do it.

If you're planning on taking the Clipper or a float plane, one thing to carefully research is if they have any restriction as to size or weight or amount of luggage.