Ballantyne Pier parking questions

[familytravelx5]

I need help. We booked a last minute cruise and I am getting frustrated...we will be flying into Seattle May 28th and renting a car the next day. We won't arrive into SeaTac until 11:30 p.m. and airport to airport car rentals are terrible...close to $600 ($200 in taxes alone). We have decided to take a free shuttle from a hotel close to the airport and we'll be picked up by a Budget rental from hotel. Cost $392 for 13 days.

 

I have searched hi and low and can't seem to make anything work except to rent for the whole 13 days of our trip and leave the car at the parking structure for Ballanytne. One way car rentals are outrageous....over $400 for pickup in Vancouver and returning to Seatac 5 days later so the train or shuttles from Seattle are out. With 5 of us, shuttles, trains, cabs become costly and time consuming.

 

I've checked into way too many hotels that offer parking as part of their room charge but again we're paying for parking, taxi's and/or shuttling one way or another in the room rate.

 

Anyway since we feel we have no choice. We need to park and pay $134 for it at Cruisepark and still come way ahead of renting two oneway car rentals and have the convenience of a car so we can enjoy the sights of Vancouver and Victoria.

 

What's the best way to do this? Arrive before 11:00 when they officially open and park, shuttle with our luggage or have my husband drop us off at the pier with luggage and then he parks, shuttles over? This pier seems to be less convenient than Canada Place.

 

Hope this makes sense. Any thoughts before I go crazy!

 

Thank you!!!:o

[Putterdude]

Wow that is quite a premium and it seems like a lot of money but I guess you have done your homework. You are correct that Ballantyne is not really convenient. But to answer your question, DH should drop you and your luggage off at the terminal/pier, then go and park and then shuttle back to the pier. You don't have to worry about being there early, there is lots of parking.

[familytravelx5]

Thank you Putterdude

[familytravelx5]

I have more related questions for you. How long of a process would you say this is? Looking at the map, it looks like the parking is a fair distance away. The ship checkin officially says noon but are people typically showing up much earlier? We are thinking since hotel checkouts are usually 11:00 we'd head over then. With all the hotel moving we'll be doing, I'd just like to hunker in for the week and be on the ship...

 

Thoughts?

[BCHappyGal]

I always plan to arrive at the dock around 11am and usually am aboard the ship well before noon and 1 of the fisrt in for lunch.....

[Putterdude]

I have more related questions for you. How long of a process would you say this is? Looking at the map, it looks like the parking is a fair distance away. The ship checkin officially says noon but are people typically showing up much earlier? We are thinking since hotel checkouts are usually 11:00 we'd head over then. With all the hotel moving we'll be doing, I'd just like to hunker in for the week and be on the ship...

 

Thoughts?

 

Less than 10 mins to the lot and 10 mins back plus the time to connect with the shuttle. We generally get to the ship between 11 and 11:30 but that is when there are lines....but with DW being in a wheelchair we go into an expidited line.