seattle flight - early May

[stacieps]

doing a repo cruise from LA to Vancouver on Disney. Arrive in Vancouver Tues May 3. Looking at flights from Seattle. Since this is before the busier cruise season and Disney appears to be the only ship in Vancouver that day, would it be possible to make a 2:30pm flight from Seattle (ship scheduled for 8am in Vancouver).

 

The other flight I'm considering is at 5:30pm but that arrives in Boston at 5:30 am (as opposed to 12:20 for the 2:30 flight). Traveling with 2 kids I'd prefer the ealier flight if doable.

 

Thanks for any input.

[Twickenham]

A few thoughts:

 

-You do realize it's 4 hours from Vancouver to Seattle, right? Plus border crossings, no matter what mode of transportation you take, always have an element of uncertainty WRT time.

-Just because you're scheduled to arrive in Vancouver at 8 am doesn't mean you'll be off the ship at 8 am. Optimistically, I wouldn't count on being off any earlier than 9.

-I would seriously be looking at flights out of YVR. I know it's more expensive, but once you canculate transportation between Vancouver and Seattle, it might not be a huge difference.

[happylady]

So jealous!! Would love to be with Disney for our Alaska cruise next year. Loved our Magic cruise in 2001.

 

I was going to say that I feel for you having a 12 hour flight (due to time change), but then I looked at mine and it's 13 hours!!!! :eek::eek:

[dustyroad]

how about taking the quick shuttle back too seattle ( they have many stops right at major hotels downtown seattle ) , spend the night and get back home the next day refreshed and relaxed. if you havent done much vacationing in seattle ( or vancouver ) you are really missing something. this is a hard choice. i am one too count on problems too arise with delays and airport connections. so i put a more secure plan of attack in place too be safe in the long run. have a great time.

[zephyr17]

doing a repo cruise from LA to Vancouver on Disney. Arrive in Vancouver Tues May 3. Looking at flights from Seattle. Since this is before the busier cruise season and Disney appears to be the only ship in Vancouver that day, would it be possible to make a 2:30pm flight from Seattle (ship scheduled for 8am in Vancouver).

 

The other flight I'm considering is at 5:30pm but that arrives in Boston at 5:30 am (as opposed to 12:20 for the 2:30 flight). Traveling with 2 kids I'd prefer the ealier flight if doable.

 

Thanks for any input.

No.

 

It is a 4 hour trip at least, you have to cross an international border, and you should be at SeaTac around 12:30 for a 2:30 flight.

 

The 5:30 flight is do-able, but still somewhat risky.

 

The only way you could reliably do it would be to fly YVR-SEA, and that would likely negate any savings you get from flying out of SeaTac. If you have to go out the same day, and you are traveling with kids, I agree with Twickenham, just bite the bullet and fly out of YVR. Or spend an extra night in Seattle. Otherwise you will be subjecting you and your kids to a hugely long and risky day.

 

PS - I live in the Seattle suburbs and go up to Vancouver frequently.

[stacieps]

how about taking the quick shuttle back too seattle ( they have many stops right at major hotels downtown seattle ) , spend the night and get back home the next day refreshed and relaxed.

 

This was the original plan, but now my daughter has a school trip that she is leaving on first thing Thursday morning (going to the eastern side of Canada), so I'd like her to have a day at home before getting on the next bus. LOL The flights home from Seattle on Weds., leaving at 7am still wouldn't get us to Boston until 5:00pm (which means home close to 8pm), that is why I'm considering the red-eye so we would arrive in Boston 5:30am (home 8:30am), gives her the day to rest, laundry, re-pack. Of course if there is any way to make the 2:30 flight and arrive in Boston at midnight, that would be even better.

 

Last time we went to Alaska we spent a couple days in Seattle after driving down from Vancouver, so I don't remember the timing. I was thinking 4 hours might be enough (even with border crossing) because of how early in the season we are and that there aren't other ships, so I was hoping 9am-1pm travel time and the 2:30 flight might be possible.

 

I guess I'll watch the Vancouver rates a little longer and if they don't go down we'll do the 5:30 flight.

[Dan G]

if you are flying to Boston, look at booking a flight on Alaska air from Bellingham. Its right across the border. You will get a flight to Seattle then onto Boston. Its one option.

 

I do this all summer as I work in Vancouver. 9 am is reasonable time to depart. One hr to border. Now all buses have to unload all bags at border and everyone goes thru immigration. From there its 2 1/2 hrs to Seatac with no stops. Quick shuttle stops a lot so add one 1/2 hrs and you don't have time for the 2:30 flight imo.

 

I'd much prefer you take Amtrak bus to Seattle as it makes absolutely no stops. Compare the times and fares.

[Cabunit]

If you go for the 2:30 flight you should have a solid backup plan. All it takes is one little problem at the border and you won't make it. We sat for a loooong time at the border on a Quick Shuttle because one passenger had some questionable documentation. Or if there is an "incident" you may sit regardless. If Disney has shuttles pay the extra money, as everyone on-board will have just gotten off the cruise. These buses will *sometimes* be crossed with little more than everyone holding up their passports.

 

Personally I would either fly out of Vancouver or stay overnight in Seattle.

 

Someday we may have faster, more frequent trains - it's really the best solution for Vancouver to Seattle.

[Gardyloo]

Your dilemma is very common for those wanting to fly to the east coast. The combination of late disembarkation (8 AM arrival does not mean 8 AM disembarkation) plus the 3-hr time differential between Pacific and Eastern zones) means that only morning flights arrive before the late evening. Your 2:30 AA departure is the last flight from the west coast (as far as I can tell) that gets you to Boston the same night (well, after midnight); all others after that are red-eyes.

 

I'll echo the sentiments of others... IMO trying to traverse two metro areas (in the case of Vancouver traveling against the commuter flow in the morning) plus a border crossing, plus the need to arrive in time for enhanced screening at Sea-Tac airport... well, remember Dirty Harry's question.

 

Right now I'm seeing US$140 for that flight combination (SEA-ORD-BOS on AA.) For comparison's sake, I can see US$348 on an Air Canada combination (YVR-YUL-BOS) that departs at 11:15 AM from Vancouver, arriving at 9:10 PM, or $357 for Air Canada (YVR-YYZ-BOS) departing at 12:30 PM arriving at 10:40 PM. (YUL is Montreal, YYZ is Toronto.) Thus the difference is around $208-$217 per person.

 

A one way flight purchased separately on Alaska Airlines from Vancouver to Seattle is $162 for several departures that would allow easy connection to the AA Chicago flight, e.g. an 11:50 AM flight arriving at 12:45, thus allowing over 90 min. to walk from the Alaska gate to the American gate at Sea-Tac. (You would go through US immigration and customs at Vancouver, so the connection would just entail walking from one gate to the other, inside security.) Your bags would be checked through provided you show the connecting flight information to the Alaska agent when you check in, or easier would be to buy the ticket from some online agency like Expedia, so that it's all on one record.

 

So $140 + $162 = $302, or between $45 and $55 cheaper than flying cross country straight from Vancouver. Is that $45 or $55 worth the addition of another (commuter plane) flight and another airport change? You decide.

[Jen1000]

That will be really tight. When we were arriving in Vancouver, I decided to be safe we needed to plan to book a flight after 4 if we were to fly out of Seattle. You will not be off at 8, it will take time. In the end I decided to fly out of Vancouver and not deal with the drive. My aunt did take Quick Shuttle to Seattle for a flight around 5 and it was fine, I don't think they can get you to Seattle for a 2:30. I did rent a car at Canada Place to drive around Vancouver and returned it at the Vancouver airport, that took at least an hour to wait for the shuttle, get to the office and rent the car. So take it all into consideration, I personally would not try to be in Seattle for a 2:30.

 

Also, you clear customs either at the border with a land crossing or at the Vancouver airport. If you fly from Vancouver be there 2 hours ahead for that process.

 

Jen in SoCal

 

doing a repo cruise from LA to Vancouver on Disney. Arrive in Vancouver Tues May 3. Looking at flights from Seattle. Since this is before the busier cruise season and Disney appears to be the only ship in Vancouver that day, would it be possible to make a 2:30pm flight from Seattle (ship scheduled for 8am in Vancouver).

 

The other flight I'm considering is at 5:30pm but that arrives in Boston at 5:30 am (as opposed to 12:20 for the 2:30 flight). Traveling with 2 kids I'd prefer the ealier flight if doable.

 

Thanks for any input.

[Jen1000]

I doubt they can be on the road by 9AM. It took time to get off the ship, go through immigration, get the bags, and customs and you still have to get the car. Probably be on the road between 10 and 11.

 

This was different for me because I have only come in to San Diego before and you basically walk off the ship and get your bags, it has been very fast in San Diego twice, much longer process in Vancouver.

 

Jen in SoCal

 

if you are flying to Boston, look at booking a flight on Alaska air from Bellingham. Its right across the border. You will get a flight to Seattle then onto Boston. Its one option.

 

I do this all summer as I work in Vancouver. 9 am is reasonable time to depart. One hr to border. Now all buses have to unload all bags at border and everyone goes thru immigration. From there its 2 1/2 hrs to Seatac with no stops. Quick shuttle stops a lot so add one 1/2 hrs and you don't have time for the 2:30 flight imo.

 

I'd much prefer you take Amtrak bus to Seattle as it makes absolutely no stops. Compare the times and fares.