Best/Fastest way to get from Pier 91 Seattle to Canada Place Vancouver

[SeaGypsies]

We are considering booking a cruise on HAL leaving from Vancouver the same day we return from another HAL cruise in Seattle. What is the best way to get to Canada Place from the cruise port in Seattle and how long does it take? Does HAL have such transportation between these ports?

 

Any advice most appreciated. Thanks.

[Hlitner]

Best and fastest would be to simply take a taxi.

 

Hank

[DaveOKC]

We are considering booking a cruise on HAL leaving from Vancouver the same day we return from another HAL cruise in Seattle. What is the best way to get to Canada Place from the cruise port in Seattle and how long does it take? Does HAL have such transportation between these ports?

 

Any advice most appreciated. Thanks.

 

I just booked Quick Shuttle for this and it takes 4 hours (10:30 to 2:30), but could be more with border issues. I am getting off at the Vancouver airport but the shuttle goes onto Canada Place. This would be cutting it a bit tight for you IMO - although perhaps you could get an earlier shuttle.

 

Bigger question - are you sure that HAL will let you do this? If you are doing a Pacific Coastal cruise as your second one, you could run into problems with some maritime law/restrictions.

 

DaveOKC

[3rdGenCunarder]

I just booked Quick Shuttle for this and it takes 4 hours (10:30 to 2:30), but could be more with border issues. I am getting off at the Vancouver airport but the shuttle goes onto Canada Place. This would be cutting it a bit tight for you IMO - although perhaps you could get an earlier shuttle.

 

Bigger question - are you sure that HAL will let you do this? If you are doing a Pacific Coastal cruise as your second one, you could run into problems with some maritime law/restrictions.

 

DaveOKC

 

OP will be getting off one ship in the US and boarding another in Canada, so I think the maritime laws will not matter. But I think the connecting time could be tight.

 

It would be expensive, but maybe renting a car is the answer. There are a lot of IFs here--IF there's a place to rent near to the Seattle pier, IF there's a reasonably convenient drop-off near Canada Place (I don't remember seeing one), IF the cost of renting in US and dropping in Canada isn't prohibitive.

 

Is there a cruise leaving Vancouver a day or two later, to put a little slack into the schedule?

[sunviking90]

The fastest way would be to rent a car, but I haven't seen any car rental places near Canada Place. You'd likely have to drop at the airport and taxi or use sky train to Canada Place.

Can you arrange an HAL transfer from SEA to Canada Place? We've usually been off the ship in Seattle by 8 am. You could take a taxi to the airport then.

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL does have transportation from Seattle to Vancouver -- but not from the pier.

 

They are from the airport which is not near pier 91 and from one of the hotels downtown. It used to be the Downtown Sheraton -- don't know if that has been changed or not. These transfers must be arranged before the cruise. And we had to check in with the HAL rep in the hotel by 9 AM to get on the list. They do not get a list from Seattle headquarters as to who all and how many will be on the bus which comes from the airport. This would be hard to do if the ship does not clear right away.

[RedmondCruiser]

Best advice is to take the HAL bus from Sea Tac. With travel time and issues at the boarder you could be cutting it close. The ship will wait for the HAL bus to arrive but nothing else. Be sure to be the first off the ship at Pier 91 and take a cab direct to Sea Tac. Call HAL for the departure times for the bus. Have a great cruise.(both of them)

[Essiesmom]

I think renting a car would not be the fastest way, nor would a taxi. Having recently done a Princess transfer from Canada Place to Sea-Tac, we did not have a big delay at the boarder, as there were not many buses going, but the line for cars was endless. Maybe it is faster getting into Canada, than getting out? We were out of Canada Place by 10am and not to the airport until 2:30p. EM

[sunviking90]

I think renting a car would not be the fastest way, nor would a taxi. Having recently done a Princess transfer from Canada Place to Sea-Tac, we did not have a big delay at the boarder, as there were not many buses going, but the line for cars was endless. Maybe it is faster getting into Canada, than getting out? We were out of Canada Place by 10am and not to the airport until 2:30p. EM

 

It is faster getting into Canada than out, particularly in the morning as the day trippers are not there yet. We have Nexus passes, but sometimes use the regular line in the morning. We have been off the ship at 8am in Seattle and home in the northern suburbs of Vancouver by 11:15. Renting a car would definitely add to that time though.

 

I do agree that the HAL transfer is the best plan and most worry free though.

[Crew News]

It would be expensive, but maybe renting a car is the answer. There are a lot of IFs here--IF there's a place to rent near to the Seattle pier, IF there's a reasonably convenient drop-off near Canada Place (I don't remember seeing one), IF the cost of renting in US and dropping in Canada isn't prohibitive.

Whenever I travel through Vancouver, I drive a rental car (usually Hertz) from the Seattle airport to Canada Place. The cost should be around $75 which includes all taxes for a one-way rental. Mileage (152) is NOT free so add another $40 for mileage.

 

There is a local Hertz office five blocks from Canada Place (15 minute walk) and they close at 3:00 PM on Saturday. You will pass it on your drive to Canada Place. There is also an Avis office about the same distance but on a different street.

 

Note that the walk will be downhill.

 

Option #1: taxi to SEATAC car rental (one hour includes waiting time for luggage and taxi) - rental car to Canada Place terminal (four hours which include heavy Vancouver traffic - need GPS to negotiate all of the one way streets) - drop off rental car (entrance is in alley behind the Hertz office) - walk back to Canada Place terminal (one hour).

 

Option #2: taxi to SEATAC car rental (one hour includes waiting time for luggage and taxi) - rental car to Vancouver airport (three hours) and taxi to Canada Place (allow one hour). Drop off at the airport should be cheaper by selecting lower-priced rental car (National, Budget, etc.)

 

The cruise terminal is under the Pan Pacific Hotel at Canada Place where a taxi should be able to drop you off at the terminal door. Not sure if rental cars can drive down there but you can drop off upstairs and just walk down the ramp with your luggage.

 

The rental car option allows you to stop for "refreshment replenishment" or for a quick lunch on your way to Vancouver.

[bcnvcanada]

Fly---take a shuttle, taxi or there is public tram near the port, you would have to walk to station, but do able,fly to Vancover, Alaska air ( small plane) has many flights up to two an hour. Then take the Sea Train.

[Mary Ellen]

If you do decide to rent a car I would not recommend that you go all the way out to SeaTac to get one. Alamo has offices in downtown Seattle and at the Canada Place Pier. No need to mess with another location there. You'll probably save at least an hour, probably more, by not messing with SeaTac and getting from a Vancouver location back to the pier.

 

Quick Coach has a pick up location at a hotel near the Space Needle. That is closer to the pier than going out to SeaTac for HAL's shuttle, but it will make several stops along the way. You may also need to haul your luggage in for inspection at the border if using Quick Coach.

 

I would second 3rdGenCunarder's suggestion that you look into a sailing from Vancouver a day or so later. If you do want to sail that same day, I would suggest you look into finding out if Canada has a website with a history of border wait times. I know that is available for the crossing into Washington. That website showed the estimated wait times not only by the day of the week, but for each hour.

[SeaGypsies]

I just booked Quick Shuttle for this and it takes 4 hours (10:30 to 2:30), but could be more with border issues. I am getting off at the Vancouver airport but the shuttle goes onto Canada Place. This would be cutting it a bit tight for you IMO - although perhaps you could get an earlier shuttle.

 

Bigger question - are you sure that HAL will let you do this? If you are doing a Pacific Coastal cruise as your second one, you could run into problems with some maritime law/restrictions.

 

DaveOKC

Hi Dave,

 

Thanks for your reply. Actually I am on the cruise you are taking on the Westerdam to Alaska that returns to Seattle on the 28th. I saw a 20 day Zuiderdam repositioning cruise going from Vancouver to Ft. Lauderdale through the Panama Canal and was hoping to do this one too.

 

But from what I can gather from responses is that I will be too tight to make it on the same day. O shucks. But thanks for your input.:)

[SeaGypsies]

Thank you everyone for all the great responses. I had no idea how long it would take to get to Vancouver Canada Place or what was involved.

 

After reviewing all the responses, I think the whole day might be just a little too much for us to do comfortably. But thank you.:)

[DaveOKC]

Hi Dave,

 

Thanks for your reply. Actually I am on the cruise you are taking on the Westerdam to Alaska that returns to Seattle on the 28th. I saw a 20 day Zuiderdam repositioning cruise going from Vancouver to Ft. Lauderdale through the Panama Canal and was hoping to do this one too.

 

But from what I can gather from responses is that I will be too tight to make it on the same day. O shucks. But thanks for your input.:)

 

You should join our roll call!

 

Also, I am taking a 5 day Pacific Coastal to San Diego from Vancouver on the 29th, after spending one night in Vancouver near the airport (on the 28th) as it is alot less expensive. You might be interested in doing that cruise as well.

 

DaveOKC

[Himself]

OP will be getting off one ship in the US and boarding another in Canada, so I think the maritime laws will not matter. But I think the connecting time could be tight.

 

It would be expensive, but maybe renting a car is the answer. There are a lot of IFs here--IF there's a place to rent near to the Seattle pier, IF there's a reasonably convenient drop-off near Canada Place (I don't remember seeing one), IF the cost of renting in US and dropping in Canada isn't prohibitive.

 

Is there a cruise leaving Vancouver a day or two later, to put a little slack into the schedule?

 

Connecting time will be tight. I would say the "quick shuttle would be at least five hours. The boarder can take a long time.

[rln44]

No mention of our favorite method of travel between Seattle and Vancouver-Amtrak. Terrific scenery on a four hour trip arriving in Vancouver before noon without any border crossing hassles. The only problem is the train leaves King Street station at 7:40 am so you might not be able to get there in time even though the station is only about a 5 minute taxi ride from the cruise terminal.

[Mary Ellen]

rin44, the obvious answer as to why your (and our) favorite method of getting between Seattle and Vancouver wasn't mentioned is that it doesn't suit the OP's needs for exactly the reason you mentioned - the timing doesn't work. Maybe the Amtrak station is a 5-minute taxi ride from the pier HAL used to use, but that is not the case with pier 91. No way would we even consider trying to get off the ship (through CBP :eek:) and to the train station in time. No way. No how.

 

Getting a float plane from nearby Lake Union to the water 'landing strip' adjacent to Canada Place would be the fastest method, but I don't have a clue about the Customs and Immigration feasibility for such a trip or even if such a possibility exists. That is why I didn't include it, or the train, in my earlier reply.

[3rdGenCunarder]

rin44, the obvious answer as to why your (and our) favorite method of getting between Seattle and Vancouver wasn't mentioned is that it doesn't suit the OP's needs for exactly the reason you mentioned - the timing doesn't work. Maybe the Amtrak station is a 5-minute taxi ride from the pier HAL used to use, but that is not the case with pier 91. No way would we even consider trying to get off the ship (through CBP :eek:) and to the train station in time. No way. No how.

 

Getting a float plane from nearby Lake Union to the water 'landing strip' adjacent to Canada Place would be the fastest method, but I don't have a clue about the Customs and Immigration feasibility for such a trip or even if such a possibility exists. That is why I didn't include it, or the train, in my earlier reply.

 

I didn't mention the train for the same reason. But now that I think of it, doesn't Amtrak also run a bus service? Would that have a better schedule?