Amtrak safe for day-of-cruise?

[LoriPhil]

We're planning on flying to Seattle the day before our cruise and taking Amtrak Monday morning and then boarding the Coral. We are just (slightly) concerned whether there is risk of trusting Amtrak the day of the cruise. Has anyone had any difficulties or delays that would have kept them from making the afternoon departure? We don't want to risk missing the ship but are squeaking in a vacation this year and are trying to economize wherever possible.

 

Many thanks!

[Putterdude]

Well there is always a risk of a problem but Amtrak between Seattle has a very good record of performance....plus if there was an issue you could always rent a car or I would like to think that Amtrak would deploy some of their buses. While I am a huge fan of being in the city of embarkation the day before we leave I think you can rest easy.:)

[Acey]

We're planning on flying to Seattle the day before our cruise and taking Amtrak Monday morning and then boarding the Coral. We are just (slightly) concerned whether there is risk of trusting Amtrak the day of the cruise. Has anyone had any difficulties or delays that would have kept them from making the afternoon departure? We don't want to risk missing the ship but are squeaking in a vacation this year and are trying to economize wherever possible.

 

Many thanks!

 

This is the historical 12 month performance for the "Cascades" train service from their website: (Note that Seattle to Vancouver is just one portion of this route)

 

On-Time Performance

 

December 2008 32.1%

Last 12 Months 70.9%

 

From my experience on Amtrak, they are reliabably unreliable when they are operating trains on tracks they do not own - in this case BNSF:

 

Primary Cause of Delays

 

Train Interference: 49.1%

100.0% on Burlington Northern Santa Fe

 

Track and Signals: 32.7%

100.0% on Burlington Northern Santa Fe

[Urban trekker]

Hey Acey - I just took Amtrak from Vancouver to New Orleans on track that was for the most part owned by either BNSF or Union Pacific - here are the unofficial and unaudited on time performance from that trip.

 

Seattle to Los Angeles - arrived early

Los Angeles to New Orleans - 15 minutes late do to major track work just outside of New Orleans and a drug search on the train - otherwise we would have been in early.

 

Last fall I took the train to New York for a cruise and then home from Miami - in all cases we were never more than 30 minutes late and generally arrived on time.

 

If the OP is concerned about arriving in time on the same day as a cruise I would also suggest that they look into taking Quick shuttle which in the summer months runs a bus directly to Canada Place where the Coral is going to sail from downtown Seattle.

 

Time to board the ship

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

I think we should all remember that the Seattle/Vancovuer run is only a 4 hrs and we are dealing with summer weather. I have never heard or or read on these borads of Amtrak being materially late during the cruise season....druing the winter, yes. The secheduled arrival in Vancouver is 11:35 which allow cruise PAX a fudge factor of 3.5 hrs to get to their ship 2 hours before departure....a reasonable risk I would say.:)

[Urban trekker]

Wonder if the Stats for Dec include the fact that between snow, ice, fog, flooding the route was closed for several days during that period.

 

As PD states there is wiggle room for you - it is only about 10 - 15 minutes from the train station to the port.

 

PD - leaving in about 20 minutes for the ship - might post a couple of times onboard but more likely when I get off ship.

 

Sunny and warm for sail away

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Driftwoodgal]

Ok, guys this might be a real dumb question. When I went to the Amtrak web site it looked like we would be transfered by bus from Vancouver to Seattle. Is this incorrect? It appeared to show a train late in the day.

 

We will arrive on the Serenade May 16 and stay two nights in Vancouver. We will transfer to Seattle for two days before going home. It was cheaper to fly Southwest, no baggage fees, using the extra money for the hotel in Seattle.

[Putterdude]

Not a dumb question at all. Amtrak only operates one train a day in either direction. So you need to look at the schedule for the train, without looking it up I think it departs Seattle at 7:35 and arrives Vancouver at 11:40. Other than that one train then you are riding one of Amtrak's buses. My advice....do the train.:)

[LeftcoastBC]

Just to chime in on Same day arrival by train. I also don't think there would be a problem with the Seattle Vancouver Run.

The official records quoted above are for the complete Cascades system. It along with the Coast route's ontime is brutal.

 

Separate out the Seattle/Vancouver run I would think on time would be almost perfect.

But I agree that if something did go wrong getting to a bus or rental would be fairly easy.

 

And as mentioned there still is only One train a day North and one South. It would be my preferred way to travel having done it. Very nice.

[LoriPhil]

Thanks so much for your feedback. We booked Amtrak for the day-of-cruise. But this morning I saw the Pan Pacific-Vancouver on Hotwire so (you guessed it), DH changed the Amtrak reservations and we're coming in a day early. I'll just pack my lunch for the next few months and look forward to watching the Coral sail under the bridge and up to the pier!

[Putterdude]

Thanks so much for your feedback. We booked Amtrak for the day-of-cruise. But this morning I saw the Pan Pacific-Vancouver on Hotwire so (you guessed it), DH changed the Amtrak reservations and we're coming in a day early. I'll just pack my lunch for the next few months and look forward to watching the Coral sail under the bridge and up to the pier!

 

You will love every moments of the luxury and good on you. What sailing are you on...about an hour after you pass under the Lions Gate Bridge you will sail by my front door on the starboard side... I will watch for you and will raise a glass to you as you sail by.

We were on the Coral last month for a 14 day transit of the Panama and Central America.... we loved her. We will be back on her on May 15th to bring her from LA to Vancouver....and with pricing being the way it is we may just jump back on her sometime this summer to do Alaska for the 15th time...who knows.:)

Have a great visit to our city and a wonderful cruise.:)

[LoriPhil]

Thanks Putterdude - we're sailing September 7th and will keep an eye out for you! We're doubly excited now because the train gets us in early enough to give us a little time to frisk around your beautiful city.

 

Have a lovely cruise yourself - I know you'll take good care of her for us!

[cruisinnewfy]

Amtrak on the West Coast is notoriously unreliable. Don't know about Seattle to Vancouver. I have had 2 to 4 hour delays. For a cruise I would use something more dependable. However, leaving in the morning for afternoon departure is probably ok. However, is it worth the risk.

[LeftcoastBC]

Amtrak on the West Coast is notoriously unreliable. Don't know about Seattle to Vancouver. I have had 2 to 4 hour delays. For a cruise I would use something more dependable. However, leaving in the morning for afternoon departure is probably ok. However, is it worth the risk.

 

POINT HERE: We are talking about Seattle-Vancouver and it IS reliable.

 

I too have waited further south (Oakland actually) for hours. But not in Seattle.

[Urban trekker]

I just completed the following circular Amtrak trip

 

Vancouver to Seattle and Seattle to Los Angeles - ON TIME

 

Los Angeles to NOLA - ON TIME

 

NOLA to Chicago - EARLY

 

Chicago to Seattle - EARLY

 

This trip was done in winter when conditions are more unpredictable - with freight traffic down as much as 25% on some runs the passengers trains are facing less delays as there are less freights to slow them down.

 

At least with trains if you book a day and time they are unlike the airlines likely to change your travel times a half dozen or so time before you board.

 

Just my two cent worth

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Acey]

Due to the nature of rail transportation, past performance of previous rail trips, either on this route or another, good weather or bad, is not a good indicator of future performance. As a frequent Amtrak user, I can say it is reliably unreliable. The OP was provided with some stats on that route's performance and received opinions from other Amtrak users - and based on that they made a decision to take the train the same day as the cruise. Will there be a problem? Statistically speaking, probably not. However that is not guaranteed - I approach it with a risk management point of view. I would atleast have a Plan B if the train does not work out. It comes down to your comfort level and tolerance for risk. My partner worked at the airport for Air Canada, and was amazed at folks trapped and crying in the airport the day of their cruise because the planes could not get out and they had no trip cancellation/disruption insurance. I think it's worth the extra hotel night for the peace of mind + you'll arrive at ship refreshed and relaxed.

[Acey]

I see the OP is actually coming in the day before - but this is still a good thread to put opinions down as no doubt there will be others with the same question.

[Putterdude]

I have never heard anyone complain of the reliablity of Amtrak's Cascade service between Seattle and Vancouver during the summer, in fact quite the contrary....people just love it. Even if there was a probelm they do offer the bus service.

[Urban trekker]

Anybody got any stats comparing airline delays, cancellations to those of Amtrak.

 

The only major delay I have had on my last 6 Amtrak trips was two years ago on the Empire Builder when a wind storm blew a tree across the track shortly after leaving Everett Wa. - it took two hours for the train crews to clear the track and we were exactly two hours late into Chicago - all other trips have been either early, on time or no more than 15 minutes late.

 

Amtrak recently won a court case against Union Pacific which forced UP to smarter up and let the California Zephyr have proper access to the track from Denver westward - since then the on time average has improved immensely. Much of Amtrak performance problems aren't necessarily of there making but rather the railroad whose track they use.

 

One example from a couple of years ago - our train which has a top speed of 79MPH was forced to follow a freight with a top speed of 50MPH for almost an hour until the next sliding was available - this could have been avoided by holding the freight in the yards in Chicago for a couple of minutes and let Amtrak leave first but NO Amtrak had to wait.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis