I went from Victoria to Seattle on Saturday. Nice smooth ride. On-board snack baskets are not too expensive. I sat on the 2nd deck which does not have a forward view but has a small outside patio. 1st deck holds a lot more people but has forward windows. There are 2 border inspections - 1 on departure and 1 on arrival. The wait was long and crowded at both ends but the government agents were mellow. A fair trade-off IMO, compared to the hellhole that is the bus inspection station near I5. Too bad there is no passenger train service from Vancouver BC to USA. The accomodations on Victoria Clipper 4 are relatively cramped. I think they are trying to present it more as a party boat rather than simple classy transportation. The wait for the customs inspection in Seattle was in full-blazing sunshine. The heat stress was exacerbated by the alcohol served on board. I hate being among drunkards. I think alcohol should be forbidden on all transportation accessible to the general public. I numbed my brain by daydreaming about raunchy associations with pier 69 (where VC docks). Anyway, I recommend VC as a more enjoyable way to return from Vancouver BC to USA, just don't fall for their on-board sales gimmics. They ripped me off for 18$. After repeated announcements advertising no-line tickets to the space needle I thought "how could this be possible" and "I want one" - dumb ass :-( Of course there is no such thing as a no-line ticket to the space needle, as I've been there before. So I'm out 18$ that I could have spent on a fat lunch or distributed among many bums, instead of donating it to some rich con artist with a boat company. Airports sell stuff and exchange money at high markups, VC just boldly sells u a piece of paper for 18$. Live and learn. Even better, get a driver's license and drive your own car to/from Vancouver BC. The last time I crossed by car was in '2, so I don't know if it is bad now.
November update on Clipper: they did finally send me a refund but it was a check from Bank of America of Seattle, which charged 6 dollars to cash it. So they still had me for 6$ worth. (Better been spent on triple stacker at Wendy's.) I gave them fiat cash, they gave me a lame piece of paper to wipe my ass with, uncomfortably. In USA it's one rip-off after another. Abolish the Federal Reserve Company!
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