L.A. to Vancouver on the Norwegian Pearl From Just $299

Sure, if you need to get from Los Angeles, California to Vancouver, British Columbia, you can fly and be to your destination in under three hours. However, if you have a few extra days and want to relax and see the Pacific Coast in luxury, why not hop on the Norwegian Pearl and take a five night cruise between the two cities? You can do it on May 3, 2014 from just $299 per person.

The Cruise

 

Norwegian Pearl of Norwegian Cruise Line embarks from Los Angeles, California on Saturday, May 3, 2014 at 5pm. The ship arrives in Vancouver on Thursday, May 8 at 8am. Along the way, she makes two excellent port calls.

After a full day at sea, Pearl docks at San Francisco, California on Monday, May 5. She is in port from 8am until 5pm. The fact that the cruise port is centrally located in the downtown area of San Francisco makes this a great chance to explore the city. World famous Alcatraz Island is just off shore.

After another day at sea, passing by the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington, Norwegian Pearl docks at Ogden Point Cruise Port in Victoria, British Columbia on Vancouver Island. This is another port where you simply need to walk off the ship to explore the historic downtown area of the provincial capital. The ship is docked in Victoria from 10am to 6pm on Wednesday, May 7.

The Price

This cruise is hot and the price is rising. A few days ago, an interior cabin was as low as $249 per person. The price has risen to a still great deal of $299 per person for the same inside stateroom. With an additional $149.91 in government fees and taxes, the price for two for an inside cabin, including taxes, starts at just $897.82. An outside stateroom on the Norwegian Pearl is not much more with a starting price of $349 per person.

So, what would it cost to fly between the same two cities and arrive in Vancouver on May 8? Direct flights via Delta Airlines or Alaska Airlines are as low as $131, including taxes. Direct via Westjet, a Canadian carrier, is slightly higher at $136. These flights all arrive at YVR very late in the day.

A true example of how expensive air travel within Canada is. The distance from Los Angeles to Vancouver is roughly 2,053 kilometres. A flight the same day via Westjet from Toronto, Ontario to Montreal, Quebec, just a distance of 542 kilometres, will cost from $224, including taxes.

The Ship

Norwegian Pearl is one of four Norwegian Cruise Line Jewel Class ships. The four ships are nearly identical and were all built between 2005 and 2007. The three sister ships are the Norwegian Jewel, Norwegian Gem and Norwegian Jade.

Pearl is a decent sized ship with a gross tonnage of 93,530. She is 294 metres or 965 feet in length with 12 decks accessible to passengers. The ship has a capacity for 2,394 guests based on double occupancy. There are 1,099 crew members onboard, making for a decent guest to crew ratio for a contemporary ship.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.