Any cruise lines Depart from US port to Seward or Anchorage Alaska

[Maeshel]

I am planning a family Alaskan cruise for 2012. I have a sister in Anchorage and she said she would love to do an inside passage cruise.

 

Problem is, my parents are in there 80's and only have the passport card. As I understand the rules, the passport card is only good for land travel so flying into or out of BC would be a problem. The plan is to cruise up or back and fly home.

 

Do any cruise lines offer a one way cruise that would leave from a lower 48 port and disembark in Alaska or the other way around? I know RC does it from BC but that won't work with the passport card and flying to or from Canada.

I hope I am clear with my question. Thank you.

[Essiesmom]

No, you will not find a cruise from Seward/Whittier/Anchorage that ends in a US port, because that would violate the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA) which says that any vessel that is not US flagged cannot transport passengers between two US ports without visiting a distant foreign port. Victoria and Vancouver are foreign ports, which make round/trip cruises from Seattle legal, but the closest distant foreign port is in South America, or the islands of Aruba/Bonaire/Curacao.

 

The one way you might get around it is to fly to Seattle and take the train to Vancouver...I'm sure there are others who can contribute something to this discussion...Another possibility would be to take back to back cruises from Whittier/Seward to Vancouver and back..EM

[paul929207]

As EM said, none of the cruise ships in Alaska meet the requirements of the Passenger Vessel Service Act, so they cannot carry passengers from one US port to another, unless they go to a distant foriegn port in between. The closest qualifying ports would be in Aouth America or Russia

[janetz]

I am planning a family Alaskan cruise for 2012. I have a sister in Anchorage and she said she would love to do an inside passage cruise.

 

Problem is, my parents are in there 80's and only have the passport card. As I understand the rules, the passport card is only good for land travel so flying into or out of BC would be a problem. The plan is to cruise up or back and fly home.

 

Do any cruise lines offer a one way cruise that would leave from a lower 48 port and disembark in Alaska or the other way around? I know RC does it from BC but that won't work with the passport card and flying to or from Canada.

I hope I am clear with my question. Thank you.

 

 

 

Have you checked to see about cruises leaving SF?

[sparky-elpaso]

I would just have them upgrade to regular passports. You have lots of time and then you could choose any cruise you wanted.

[EGG]

There are many cruises that are roundtrip Seattle. They make a port call in Victoria B.C.. There are also one way cruises from Seattle to Alaska. In fact every Alaska cruise makes a stop in a foreign port (Canada) so they don't have to start or end in Canada.

 

However, I know nothing about whether a passport card is sufficient. I would call the cruiseline and check before I booked.

[paul929207]

There are many cruises that are roundtrip Seattle. They make a port call in Victoria B.C.. There are also one way cruises from Seattle to Alaska. In fact every Alaska cruise makes a stop in a foreign port (Canada) so they don't have to start or end in Canada.

 

However, I know nothing about whether a passport card is sufficient. I would call the cruiseline and check before I booked.

This is incorrect. There are NO one way cruises from seattle to Alaska, only round trip ones. A stop in a Canadian port does not satisfy the PVSA and allow a cruise ship to pick up passengers in Seattle and drop them off in Alaska. To do that the ship would have to call on a DISTANT foriegn port. Ports like Vancouver and Victoria do not qualify. The closest qualifying ports are in South America and Russia.

[Texas Tillie]

There are many cruises that are roundtrip Seattle. They make a port call in Victoria B.C.. There are also one way cruises from Seattle to Alaska. In fact every Alaska cruise makes a stop in a foreign port (Canada) so they don't have to start or end in Canada.

 

However, I know nothing about whether a passport card is sufficient. I would call the cruiseline and check before I booked.

 

The OP wants to go to Anchorage. The Seattle cruises are not one ways - just round trips and don't go to Anchorage. Please read earlier posts explaining why ships can't sail between Seattle and Anchorage. Victoria is a foreign port. but not a distant foreign port as explained above.

[Mary Ellen]

EGG -Would you be kind enough to point out a cruise line that does a one way itinerary from Seattle to Alaska? I've searched for one and can't find any. There are plenty of round trips but no one ways, as the OP is wanting to do. Every cruise on a non-US flagged ship has to at least stop in a foreign port. But they can't transport from one to another without that DISTANT foreign port that is impossible in this itinerary.

 

OP - Getting passports would be the safest route as others have mentioned. If that is out of the question, your only other decent option is to fly to Seattle, then take the train or a shuttle service to or from Vancouver. The West Coast Departures forum has lots of info about both the train and the bus.

 

HAL does offer a 14 day r/t from Seattle that would get you to Anchorage, but does your family want a cruise that long? They stop in Anchorage from 8 am to 11 pm.

 

Good luck.

[Underwatr]

Have you checked to see about cruises leaving SF?

Doesn't get around the cabotage law.

[EGG]

Apologize, I could not find any cruises in the next year that go from Seattle to Anchorage. I thought I did it years ago (my first cruise), but for the life of me I couldn't remember the foreign port. Now I remember we flew into Seattle and went by bus to Vancouver (a bus trip from hell - I don't know how I could forget it). I've since done many cruises to Alaska, but they've been roundtrip from Seattle.

 

There is a 14 day cruise on Holland America's Amsterdam that does a round trip out of Seattle and visits a lot of different and far ports like Anchorage, but all the one ways to Anchorage started in Vancouver.

[mtwingcpa]

Do any cruise lines offer a one way cruise that would leave from a lower 48 port and disembark in Alaska or the other way around?

 

You could "cruise" between Bellingham, WA and Whittier, AK aboard the Alaska Marine Highway ferries (US flag vessels). Probably 4 or 5 nights depending on schedule. This might not be for everyone, but it is one way to do it.

[greatam]

Easiest way is to fly into Seattle and take the train to Vancouver. Simply spectacular train ride. Then directly board the ship in Vancouver.

 

You most likely will have to spend one night in Seattle, as the train leaves early in the morning for Vancouver. But passports/passport cards are checked ON THE TRAIN, which makes the trip easier, as you are not sitting in a vehicle waiting to clear the border (which sometimes can entail a looooong wait). http://www.amtrakcascades.com/

 

Only problem I can see crossing by land into Canada would be if your parents would have to fly home for some reason from Canada. This idea works much better for a Northbound cruise than Southbound as the Southbound train doesn't leave until about 6PM, which mostly negates seeing the spectacular scenery.

[SadieN]

What Egg said.

HAL Amsterdam is doing 14 day round trip Seattle itins.

[mapsmith]

Actually, a passport card would work for Whittier to Vancouver and or vice versa. The problem would be getting back unless you use a B2B.

 

 

The passport card is good for land and sea crossings only. So technically it would work at Vancouver. However, flying back from Vancouver?!?!?!

 

You would have to cross by land to Seattle and fly from there. As someone mentioned there are many busses and trains that go from Vancouver to Seattle.

[Mr_Cruise]

There is an option...

 

May 1st 2012, or May 2nd 2012, 11 nights from Seattle WA to Sitka AK with Lindblad Expeditions aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion or Sea Bird respectively. You could then make your way from Sitka to Anchorage while staying entirely within the USA.

For the duration of the season, these ships do 7 night itineraries between Sitka and Juneau and vice versa.

 

From a cost standpoint though, this is a far cry from being economical. Fares start around $8K per person.... there's plenty of time for them to get an actual passport and book one of the larger ships out of Vancouver.

[fleckle]

.....Problem is, my parents are in there 80's and only have the passport card. As I understand the rules, the passport card is only good for land travel so flying into or out of BC would be a problem. The plan is to cruise up or back and fly home......

You have been offered some good possibilities to consider, but if they were my parents I would get them passports. IMHO not only would the passports provide you with better travel options, but would be worth the price just for peace of mind.

[PennyAgain]

I have to cruise out of Vancouver to get a one way to Alaska and the cruise ends at either Whittier or Seward. For the convenience of my family who meet me, I usually do Seward because it avoids the tunnel that is required to get in and out of Whittier.

 

That is not really close to Anchorage.

[RoofingPrincess]

Easiest way is to fly into Seattle and take the train to Vancouver. Simply spectacular train ride. Then directly board the ship in Vancouver.

 

You most likely will have to spend one night in Seattle, as the train leaves early in the morning for Vancouver. But passports/passport cards are checked ON THE TRAIN, which makes the trip easier, as you are not sitting in a vehicle waiting to clear the border (which sometimes can entail a looooong wait). http://www.amtrakcascades.com/

 

Only problem I can see crossing by land into Canada would be if your parents would have to fly home for some reason from Canada. This idea works much better for a Northbound cruise than Southbound as the Southbound train doesn't leave until about 6PM, which mostly negates seeing the spectacular scenery.

Not when I did it. We had to go through a customs/immigration station on the platform, before we could walk into the train station in Vancouver. This was in June 2009.

[Maeshel]

Thanks for teh replys. Will probably just get Mom and Dad passports. It would make life simpler. I would worry about the train being late if I used that option.

[Mary Ellen]

Not when I did it. We had to go through a customs/immigration station on the platform, before we could walk into the train station in Vancouver. This was in June 2009.

We had the same experience this year. While Amtrak employees checked for passports before we boarded in Seattle, that was NOT the Canadian officials. That was done like you experienced in Vancouver, NOT on the train. Amtrak just checks to make sure you have one so they won't have to haul anyone back to Seattle that evening.

[beachchick]

You could "cruise" between Bellingham, WA and Whittier, AK aboard the Alaska Marine Highway ferries (US flag vessels). Probably 4 or 5 nights depending on schedule. This might not be for everyone, but it is one way to do it.

 

On my parents first Alaska trip (at least 20 years ago), they took the Alaska Marine Highway ferry and loved it. It's not at all like "regular" cruises, which are not intended to be transportation from place to place. This is a working ferry that is actually designed and run to take people from one place to another. I have no memory of where they started the ferry trip though, but it was probably in Washington.

 

Our whole family loves a variety of ocean travel, from state ferries to Oceania's small and lovely ships to RCI's Voyager-class size beauties. (Voyager class if the largest we prefer to cruise and we are partial to ships in the 70,000 to 100,000 ton range.) If you take the Alaska state ferry, you must be prepared for it to seem like the difference between a traditional hotel and a hostel. For us that's quite fun; for those who only enjoy larger mainstream cruising, perhaps not so much. A note: My very first "cruise" was in 1975 on a 2 day state ferry from Norway to Denmark. Loved it. We've also taken Hurtigruten on the old Midnatsol and loved it.

 

In any case, the Alaska Marine Highway would defintely be a way to avoid PVSA cabotage laws.

 

beachchick

[mtwingcpa]

If you take the Alaska state ferry, you must be prepared for it to seem like the difference between a traditional hotel and a hostel.

 

Facilities vary on the Alaska ferries, but most have private cabins with bath available. Food service varies from a deli/cafeteria to a sit-down restaurant on a couple of boats.

 

But no "formal nights." :-)

[paul929207]

Facilities vary on the Alaska ferries, but most have private cabins with bath available. Food service varies from a deli/cafeteria to a sit-down restaurant on a couple of boats.

 

But no "formal nights." :-)

Do they provide maps to Diamonds International and all the other "approved" stores?

[mtwingcpa]

Do they provide maps to Diamonds International and all the other "approved" stores?

 

Nope, they don't. No art auctions either. So maybe they aren't really a CRUISE line. :-)

 

But there is usually a park ranger/naturalist on board who can direct you to points of interest on shore. At one port stop in the Aleutians they actually had an "excursion" of sorts. A dozen lucky passengers selected by drawing (I was one!) were treated to a van ride to a remote vantage point.

 

Oh, and no dress code, but the most restrictive government-style non-smoking policy I've yet seen on the high seas. Loved it! :-)

 

And I almost forgot to mention, Alaska state law prohibits tipping on board! :-)