Disembarking in Victoria car rental

[mdod]

We're on the Pearl RT out of Seattle May 18-25 (Sun-Sun) and I'm pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to maximize our time in Tofino AND see a friend in Tsawwassen before catching a 11:45 PM redeye out of SEATAC Thu evening.

 

Right now I have a rental car reserved for pick-up at the Seattle pier Sun AM and return to SEATAC Thu eve but the border crossings and ferry schedules are really eating into my time.

 

Budget Queen told me that disembarking in Victoria had been allowed in the past but, at the time, we were leaving Tue night and it just wouldn't work. Now with the 2 extra days I'm looking into this option again but I'm afraid the logistics may be a nightmare assuming we can even get off the ship in Victoria.

 

My search for one-way rentals from Victoria to SEATAC came up blank so it sounds like we'd have to get a RT rental car somewhere on Vancouver Island for our 3 days there, then drop it off and somehow get to Vancouver airport or downtown to pick up a one-way rental to SEATAC and stop in Tsawwassen on the way to Seattle. But the cruise ships don't dock near the rental car places or the ferry docks, do they? And Victoria, where we'd presumably have to pick up the car, is a 5 hour drive from Tofino. Can we get to Namaino with public transportation and pick up a car there so we could return it and take the ferry to Tsawwassen? Nanaimo came up blank on my car rental search too.

 

Is this as complicated as it appears to be? It seems like such a waste to spend all day getting back to where we were but the night before I can't seem to crack this nut. Any suggestions?

[cruiseryyc]

Why are you trying to get Tofino for a couple of days anyway? It is that important to you? To me you need a week on Vancouver Island to be able to do justice to driving up to Tofino and spending quality time there. It seems to me that you're going to be doing nothing but driving and trying to catch ferries and the planes. Not an ideal way to end a relaxing cruise holiday.

[mdod]

As I just mentioned in another post, I'm starting to wonder the same thing. Another friend that lives in Calgary suggested that we go up there. We normally pack waaay more into our trips than most people do and we're so close and had a few days that I figured we should go there while we can. However, I never realized how limited and time consuming the ferry access would be and then you add on the potential for slow border crossings, etc and it becomes a mess.

 

I might call the Middle Beach Lodge in Tofino tomorrow and see what their cancellation policy is.

[Luckysll]

Here's a suggested itinerary that might work:

 

Sun - disembark the ship and take the Victoria Clipper from Seattle to Victoria. The Clipper leaves from Pier 69, which is a short walk from where the NCL ships are docked (Pier 66). On May 25th, there is a 3:15 pm sailing which would get you into Victoria at 6:00 pm. Overnight in Victoria

 

Mon - rent a car in Victoria and drive to Tofino (about a 5 hr drive). Overnight in Tofino.

 

Tue - in Tofino.

 

Wed - drive to Nanaimo (3 hr drive). Take the 12:45 pm BC ferry from Duke Point to Tsawwassen.

 

Thur - rent a car from Vancouver to SeaTac. You will have all day to drive, so border crossings and traffic shouldn't be as much of a worry.

 

You can always skip the second night in Tofino and spend two nights in Tsawwassen. There are two later sailings from Duke Point - 3:15 pm and 5:45 pm, so you could leave later from Tofino on Tuesday.

 

You could also return the car in Nanaimo and taking the ferry as a walk-on if your friend can meet you in Tsawwassen. If taking the car to Tsawwassen, you should probably make a reservation for the ferry.

 

You would probably have more luck with a one-way rental from Tsawwassen/Vancouver to Seattle as there are cars that need to be returned to Seattle (all those cruisers flying into Seattle and cruising out of Vancouver :) ). Either return the car in Tsawwassen and pick up the one-way in Vancouver (which would mean being driven into Vancouver by your friend if possible) or drive into Vancouver from the ferry, return the car and pick up the one-way then. A bit of juggling dropping off one car and picking up another, but it would probably work.

[Budget Queen]

In my opinion, you are underestimating time. It isn't "freeways" driving on Vancouver Island and it is hardly worth going to Tofino for a day. If renting a car, I also strongly suggest you get ferry reservations.

[mdod]

Thanks for the advice luckysll. I thought about taking the Clipper but with the timing of the trip and dealing with rental cars I wouldn't get to Tofino any earlier and that was my main issue.

 

I almost had it worked out to get off the ship in Victoria and get a rental car on the Island and another one-way Vancouver to Seattle but I called the cruiselines and they said we can't disembark in Victoria because of the Jones Act. I read most of it and didn't find the pertinent section that prevents it but it wasn't worth the effort to dig deeper. People have been known to miss the boat while on excursions so there has to be a way to deal with that but I read somewhere that they charge you several hundred dollars if you disembark mid-cruise.

 

I decided to just give up and stick with my original plan to reserve the 3:15 ferry and hope for the best. I'll probably might reserve the 5:45 as emergency back-up. We'll take the 8:15 PM ferry back on Wed so we'll essentially 3 full days and if there's a problem Wed we'll still have Thu AM to get across. I'm also keeping my eye out for a Fri flight. You never know. I may get lucky.