# **** Vancouver FAQ Thread **** A few updates in main post!



## Lollipop's Mom

Okie dokie... here is some info I have compiled for now. I will keep adding and updating as time permits. I have tons of great ideas to put in this thread, but only so much time tonight, and will add a bit here and there. Any suggestions/questions would be great.





*FULL SET OF ALASKA NAVIGATORS*HERE

Update - famous Vancouver Aquarium Holding Hands Otters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno

There are 2 cruise piers in Vancouver, Canada Place and Ballantyne.
Disney will be using Canada Place (which is much better than the other one!).

Here is a map to show the distance you walk from the skytrain station to port.





*ANOTHER THREAD WITH GOOD ALASKA INFO*

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2711983


**** UPDATED INFO 4/11*** DISNEY TRANSFERS*
DCL offers transfers from hotels  -they are even offering this from the Fairmont Waterfront - DO NOT BUY TRANSFERS FROM THERE! It is literally ACROSS the street from the port - whoever set this up had no idea how close it is! Also, in most cases, a cab is going to be MUCH cheaper than these transfers.

*Luggage Storage*Thanks mmouse for this info!
http://www.prioritybaggage.ca/services-cruiseterminalbaggagestorageservice


*Parking* info can be found HERE. It is about 135.00/week for parking. I would recommend a reservation.  ***UPDATE APRIL 18/11*** Thanks CatIslander for this info: Just wanted to let anyone know who has reserved parking with CruisePark that I just received a letter that they will not be operating this cruise season. VinciParking, which operates at CanadaPlace will be respecting their prices, but you need to make a reservation with them. 

*WHERE CAN I BUY ALCOHOL BEFORE THE CRUISE???*
Thanks BlackFrank for posting this info...
There's a government liquor store in the lower level of Harbour Center mall (555 West Hastings Street), which is about 2 blocks from the Pan Pacific. The Harbour Center building is fairly unmistakable, as it has a revolving restaurant on top. It's essentially across the street from the Seabus terminal (the old, brick railway station). You essentially walk out of the Pan Pacific, hang and immediate left, take the first turn (on Howe street), take the next turn (on W Cordova Street), walk 2 1/2 blocks, and there you are. 

(Do a search on google maps from Pan Pacific Hotel to Harbour Center). 
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...9&ie=UTF8&z=17 

*SCOOTER/WHEELCHAIR RENTAL*
Thank you Evette for posting www.specialneedsatsea.com 


*HOTWIRE/PRICELINE INFO FOR VANCOUVER*:
I suggest going to www.betterbidding.com and www.biddingfortravel.com closer to your trip when you are ready to bid/buy to see what hotels are coming up and for what prices.

*Areas:* 
Hotwire:
Downtown Vancouver West - this is a good area for those who are cruising. It is closer to Stanley Park and the Pier. Could be walking distance or a 5-10 min cab ride to pier.
Downtown Vancouver Entertainment District - still a good area, very central downtown, possibly near BC Place/GM Place and theater/shopping areas. Probably a 10 min cab ride to pier. 
Downtown Vancouver South - This area is 'over the bridge' and more near city hall/hospital areas, which are not really in the main downtown/pier area. Maybe a 15-20 min cab ride to the pier. 
North Vancouver - This area is over the North bridges and close to Grouse Mtn and Capilano Suspension Bridge areas. Not really handy to downtown and could be a 20 min cab ride to the pier, but if there is a problem on the bridge, it could be longer. Its 95% motel style places there, and many are clean and comfortable, although I would avoid the cheapie travelodge (stayed there once and it was icky).
Burnaby-Coquitlam - I wouldn't recommend staying in these areas, as they are quite far away from downtown and the pier. In Vancouver traffic it could be a 30-40 min ride into the city. The Holiday Inn Express metrotown is on the skytrain route which takes you to the pier, as is the New Westminster Quay hotel.
Richmond/Airport - this is the Vancouver airport area, but some of these hotels could end up being in the city of Richmond and a bit further out from the airport.

Priceline:

It is very similar to Hotwire with a couple of differences.

Downtown Vancouver - basically this is the same as Vancouver West and some of the Entertainment district from Hotwire.
Granville Entertainment District - basically the same as Hotwire's entertainment district
Also on priceline is Langley, and I don't recommend that (except that is where I live and you are welcome to come visit me!), because it is way too far out of the city unless you are doing a rental car. There is also Surrey, and its the same thing, quite far out, although the sky train does run there. I wouldn't really recommend it though.

If in doubt, I have a spare bedroom and am happy to have you couch surf for a night! lol

*HOTELS:*
There are tons and tons of hotels in Vancouver. In Vancouver it is VERY true that you get what you pay for. If you have found a $69 bargain (not counting priceline/hotwire), you are probably not going to want to stay there. I can't stress enough to READ TRIPADVISOR and look at reviews. There are some seedy hotels in Vancouver. 
I live about 30 mins from the city, but due to my line of work, I have been fortunate to have stayed in a few of the hotels in the city over the years, and can answer questions on specific hotels here and there. I am sure many others on the board can too.
Vancouver is an expensive city for hotel rooms, but also really known for great hotwire and priceline deals. I can often get a 4 star hotel for around 100-125 a night (which is a good deal). Most rack rates are going to be 200+ in Vancouver in the summer.
Go to www.betterbidding.com to figure out what is coming on hotwire/priceline for Vancouver.

These are WALKING DISTANCE/ONSITE HOTELS:

*Pan Pacific*  attached to cruise pier, they will send your luggage down to your ship for you (this often is seen as a 5* on hotwire). If money is no object this is where you want to stay!


*Fairmont Waterfront Hotel*  directly across the street from Canada Place. This is another gorgeous 5* hotel with a Sunday brunch to die for! Also they have a resident dog that lives outside in his own doghouse and wears his own bell captian outfit and greets guests as they enter. He was a stray that decided he wanted to be a bell captain a few years ago, and been there ever since. Even if you don't stay here, try and see him - its just adorable! 


*Pacific Rim* - This is a brand new hotel opening in early 2010 for the Olympics. It is about a 5 min walk from the pier and I imagine will be very easy walk, even with luggage. Since it is not yet open, I don't know much other than it appears to be a 5* hotel and maybe it will offer a shuttle to Canada Place???

Hotels within a 5 min cab ride to Canada Place:
(these are just a few off the top of my head and will add more later)

*Marriott Pinnacle*  I have stayed here many times and love this hotel. They have underground parking and might offer longterm? I am sure once the cruises are closer, people will find out this info and we can update.

*Marriott Renaissance* - I have stayed here 2 times and while it is a nice hotel, its not 'family friendly' for food. Very pacific northwest type cuisine and not much within walking distance for easy 'kid' food (ie: no fast food places within walking distance that I can remember - this could have changed, as I haven't been near it in a year or so).


*Westin Bayshore* - I have stayed here and it was clean and comfortable. It is on the seawall, and if you like to walk, you can walk to Stanley Park along it. Maybe a 20 min walk?


*Coast Coal Harbour* - Another hotel I don't know anything about, as it is opening 2010 for the Olympics

Hotels within a 10-12 min cab ride to Canada Place:
(these are just a few off the top of my head and will add more later)

*Sutton Place Vancouver* - If you are into scoping out movie stars, this is the hotel for you. This is a 5* hotel that has both regular hotel rooms and also long stay type suites. It is often on hotwire for $100-$150 a night. 90% of the 'movie stars' that come to Vancouver stay here, as well as the directors/producers. It is in an excellent location. Across the street is a big movie theater and it is surrounded by stores and a short walk to Robson Street (Shopping!). This is where the Twlight cast stays while in town too! (although they seem to be sending them here and the Sheraton Wall Center these days because of papparazzi).

*Sheraton Wall Center* - gorgeous 4* hotel (maybe a 5*?) that is walking distance to Robson street for shopping. You might catch some movie star sightings here too!

*Westin Grand* - This is a gorgeous 4* hotel that is often on hotwire for $70-$150 a night. It is shaped like a Grand Piano! It is an all suite hotel with a mini kitchen similar to what you would find in a DVC resort. I have stayed here numerous times and its really nice. It is across the street from Vancouver's big gorgeous library and within walking distance of lots of restaurants and fast food. This is a great place to stay when there is a big concert in town, as it has a great proximity to GM Place, and many music artists and their entourage stay here. 

Airport Hotels

There are usually really good priceline/hotwire deals on Vancouver Airport area hotels. This area is also know as Richmond (name of the suburb city the airport is actually in).
STAY AWAY from the Quality Inn (recently sold and may be known as the Airport Inn - address is 725 S.E. Marine Dr.) - it will be CHEAP and tempting, but trust me you don't want to go there!
Again, use trip advisor and BELIEVE the reviews if they are saying bad things over and over again.

*Sandman Signature Hotel* - this is a really fun resort style hotel because it has a *HUGE 250' waterslide *indoors! There is also a gorgeous outdoor pool with nice cushy loungers all around. This is a full service hotel. Don't get it mixed up with the regular Sandman Hotel (same company and only a couple blocks apart from each other). I just stayed here about a month ago and loved it. Watch their website for special rates.

*River Rock Casino Resort* - newer hotel/casino type Resort hotel. Can be quite pricey. There is a waterslide at the pool.

*Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel* - 5* hotel located in the airport. Very easy access to airport and very expensive. I believe it has won awards for being one of the top hotels in the world.

Other hotels I have stayed at or know someone who has and said they were fine are:
*Delta Vancouver Airport* (Often on hotwire for under $90 a night)
*Sandman Vancouver Airport*
*Hampton Inn Vancouver Airport*

Again, I will add to this list...just a few for now.

This is a very cool *INTERACTIVE MAP* of Vancouver. You have to be patient and let it load. I have a fast computer and it took about 4 minutes.

*TOURISM VANCOUVER WEBSITE*

*Victoria, Vancouver Island:*

By Ferry - driving:  3.5 hours each way
www.bcferries.com
The Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal is located approximately one hour from Vancouver city center. The ferry crossing time to Swartz Bay is 90 minutes. Once you have disembarked the ferry, the traveling time to Victoria is 40 minutes. You are required to be at the ferry 30 minutes before departure. 

By Ferry without a car:  3.5 hours each way
www.quickcoach.com
Pacific Coach Lines has a convenient shuttle service from downtown Vancouver to Victoria city centre. The bus departs from the bus depot located 10 minutes away from the port via taxi. The duration of the trip is 4 hours. 

By Seaplane or Helicopter:  35 minutes each way 
Seaplanes and helicopters have a daily flight schedule from downtown Vancouver to Victoria city center. The seaplane and helicopter terminals are located within 10-15 minutes walking distance from the port. Check in is 25 minutes prior to flight departure and photo identification is required. The cost for the seaplane is approximately $134.00 CAD plus 5% taxes each way per person. Luggage on seaplanes is restricted to 11kg per person. The cost for the helicopter varies from $124.00 CAD  to $219.00 CAD plus 5% taxes each way per person. Luggage on Helijet is restricted to 22kg per person on.

By Tour:  12-13 hours round trip
Most tour companies offer hotel pick up. Depending on the company, departures are available from 7:10 am to 9:00 am. These tours are 13 hours in length. The cost is approximately $169.00 per person depending on the company and this includes the ferry cost as well as admission to the Butchart Gardens in Victoria. 


*Seattle, USA:*

The Quick Shuttle: 
www.quickcoach.com
This is a coach service between Seattle and Vancouver with stops along the way. Be prepared for approximately a 4-hour journey and occasionally a long wait at customs, as each passenger must be processed individually. The website contains schedule and rate information. Hotel pick-ups are offered from most major downtown Hotels.
*Updated info...*
I have used quick shuttle many times and have to say this is the easiest way to get from Seatac airport or Bellingham airport to Vancouver without a car. The bus will pick you up right outside baggage claim and drop you at the cruise port. No cabs and fussing around at all.
_Heading North to Vancouver..._
When the bus reaches the border, the driver pulls up to the building and unloads everyone's luggage onto a conveyor belt. After he has done that, everyone must get off the bus and bring everything with them off the bus (you can't leave items on the bus). You go into the building, get your luggage and then walk through customs. You need to show your passport at this point. You will also give them a filled out customs card that they give you when you board the bus. There is a bathroom in the building you can use as well.
Everyone then gets back on the bus and off you go.
I find this whole process is about 20 mins-30 mins and a welcome time to stretch your legs.

_Heading South to Bellingham/Seattle..._
There are 2 ways this might be done - if you have just gotten off the cruise ship and the entire bus is ONLY cruise ship passengers, the bus will pull up and no one has to get off at customs. Since you have technically just gone through customs, they just let you stay on the bus and do a quick check.
Now if you are on the bus with non-cruise ship passengers, the driver will take all the luggage off the bus and place it outside the building. A dog sniffs it all and then you get off the bus, grab your own luggage and proceed inside. This is where you will have your passport out and customs card they give you on the bus to fill out. After you go through, you have to place your own luggage and all other items on the xray machine, and then once cleared, you can take it back out to the bus. There are washrooms in this building too that you can use.
It takes about 20-30 mins total.

AVOID USING QUICK SHUTTLE GOING SOUTH ON A SATURDAY MORNING IF POSSIBLE! You may have a much longer wait at the border!

HOW TO GET A 50% OFF COUPON FOR QUICK SHUTTLE...
I am posting this info in Sept/09, so I have NO idea if in 2011 the coupon will still be out there. I have a good feeling it will be, as I have used quick coach many times in the past since 2006 and always managed to have the coupon.
If you have an entertainment book and can log into the website, go to the Vancouver area on the site (I am not sure if you have to have the Vancouver book in order to get the coupon). There is a coupon you can print that gives you 50% off 2 people on the quick shuttle. Once printed, this coupon is ONLY good for 2 weeks (it is dated). 
Go online and book your reservation and pay for it. Then in about 24 hours you will get a confirmation with a reservation code/number. Print your coupon and write your reservation code on the coupon, and mail it into quick shuttle. They will credit you the 50% off 7 days after you travel automatically back on your credit card.

Amtrak Train:  
www.amtrak.com
Between Vancouver and Seattle, one scheduled departure per day. The train station is about a 10-15 min cab ride to the pier


*Whistler, BC:*

*Greyhound Bus service:*
www.greyhound.ca
The Greyhound bus operates on a regular schedule from the downtown Vancouver bus depot to Whistler Village. The bus depot is about 10-15 mins from the pier.

*Whistler Train*
http://www.whistlermountaineer.com/

*FOOD*

VANCOUVER DINING THREAD

*Veras Burgers* - Veras Burgers is amazing. There are a few around are small little restaurants. These are NOT fast food. They cook to order, so don't expect to walk in, get a burger and leave right away. They take about 15-20 mins to cook your food and their fries are TO DIE FOR!

*White Spot* - This is a sit down casual restaurant. Kids get really neat meals here in Pirate Packs - they come in a cardboard pirate ship container with a gold chocolate coin. Food here is good with decent portion sizes.

Sushi restaurants litter downtown Vancouver. They are more common than Starbucks and McDonalds combined. Sushi is very popular fast food for locals. Vancouver sushi restaurants serve a variety of traditional Japanese-style sushi and sashimi (salmon, tuna, shrimp, etc.), as well as Western-style sushi (California rolls, dynamite rolls, avocado rolls, etc.). Most also serve hot food such as tempura (deep fried shrimp and/or veggies), terriaki (salmon, chicken and/or beef plus vegetables and rice), as well as soup. The restaurants range from counter service ($4-$7 per entre) to fine dining ($20-$40 per entre), and a few offer all-you-can-eat options ($10-$15 per person). 

*SHOPPING*

I could probably fill 5 pages with shopping info! I will try and highlight a few areas, and I am sure I am missing lots!
Downtown there are all the major labels, designers, stores (we have Coach, Louis Vuitton, St. Johns, etc...etc...), so if there is a particular retailer you are after, you are best to google them and get the address.
If you need to shop for PLUS SIZE ladies clothing, a really good store is called Penningtons (goes up to size 6X). It is similar to Lane Bryant. We also have Addition Elle and Cotton Ginny Plus, which both go up to about a 26W I think.

Malls:

*Metrotown* - This is our largest shopping mall. It has everything you need, and then some. It is accessible easily by skytrain. It is located in Burnaby and is about a 20 min skytrain ride from waterfront station. There is a Disney Store there and every other possible store you can imagine, plus a movie theater, restaurants, etc....

*Pacific Centre* - This is a central downtown mall. Has all types of stores, including Holt Renfrew which is fun for looking at (and buying??? lol) high end designer clothing.

Other:

*Granville Island* & Lonsdale Quay are great for good food, souvenirs, handmade jewelry, kids clothes, etc...

A popular store for Kids Clothing is *Please Mum* - it is Canadian, super quality and usually has really fun stuff (and reasonably priced).

*Robson Street* is a fun street (watch for movie stars!) with lots of great stores. It is pretty accessible from most hotels by walking.

Drug Stores:

Our biggest chain drug stores are *London Drugs* and *Shoppers Drug Mart*. See the websites for location info. There are of course several other smaller ones.







Ok...that is all I have time for tonight - I will add TONS more here and there, but still plenty of time before 2011!!


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## jilljill

Thanks so much, this is great info to have.


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## JanDave

Thanks for posting all that info.  

Hope you and your daughter are doing well.

Jan


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## tink too

Thanks for all the info.   Looking forward to the updates as the cruises get nearer.


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## Lollipop's Mom

I have tons and tons of great stuff to add that I know of, and other disers have posted, but will take me a little while and will do a bit at a time. We are still about 18 months out from the cruises - so I think its all good  lol


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## HappyGrumpy

Thank You so much!! Great info!


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## Pinkgurlshubby

Lollipop's Mom said:


> I have tons and tons of great stuff to add that I know of, and other disers have posted, but will take me a little while and will do a bit at a time. We are still about 18 months out from the cruises - so I think its all good  lol


Don't worry, take your time with it. Like you said, there's plenty of time before first sailing but you also have a mod's seal of approval  your link will probably be very popular for years to come.
Cheers


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## TiggerTails57

Thanks fro the info


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## trimix

Thanks for the FAQ; I hope the Mods give it sticky status!

Let me provide two suggested additions:

Driving Across the Border:
Wait until after the Olympics for updated information. Currently the I-5 / Peace Arch Park and nearby Truck Crossing are undergoing a lot of construction to enlarge the facilities for Olympic traffic; we won't be able to give firm advice on driving across until the construction is complete and Olympic traffic has passed.

Interim Border Crossing Information:
The Peace Arch / I-5 border crossing is at about mile marker 276; if driving from the Seattle airport you most likely will enter I-5 at mile marker 154; 122 miles south.
When driving into Bellingham, WA, at about mile marker 250 on I-5, there is a sign giving border wait times. Do not consider the SR-539 to Aldergrove unless there is more than a 75 minute time difference, as Aldergrove is a considerable distance from downtown Vancouver. The SR-9 crossing to Abbotsford is close to the same time from downtown Vancouver, but considerably farther from the freeway.
If the wait is long and food or a bathroom is needed, there is a Burger Kind 1/4 mile north of I-5 on the way to the SR-543 truck crossing. The only other fast food restaurant in Blaine, as of this writing, is a Subway just off the freeway at exit 276. Exit the freeway and turn left onto Peace Portal drive; the Subway is very close and on your left. The next nearest collection of fast food restaurants is in Ferndale, exit 262.


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## tlynk

Awesome information!  Thank you!  DH and I are really looking forward to the new DCL itinerary to Alaska.


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## Pocahantas

Thanks for sharing the info.  It will be very helpful for those of us who are planning to do an Alaskan cruise!


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## pillow

Subscribing . . .


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## LITTLEKID58

Thank you so much for this info.... Subscribing


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## gmark2000

Reminder - you don't have to post on the thread to subscribe. Just click on 'subscribe' from the drop-down menu.


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## gmark2000

Re-posted from another thread:


I grew up in Vancouver and return regularly.

These lists really sum up the highlights:

http://govancouver.about.com/od/top10attractions/tp/Top-10-Attractions.htm

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2801686-vancouver_things_to_do-i

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g154943-Activities-Vancouver_British_Columbia.html


There are plenty of hotel rooms in Vancouver.  That's why so many conventions are booked there.  Vancouver is about natural beauty.  Walks along the many scenic waterfronts and neat neighborhoods make Vancouver special.

The main area to avoid is the Hastings & Main Area, literally where the term "Skid Row" came from. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skid_row].  It's as scary as San Francisco's Tenderloin or Manhattan's Bowery.

I wouldn't miss going up to Grouse Mountain (weather permitting).











Go to the Capilano suspension bridge while you're there.






A nice driving day trip is up to Whistler along the Sea to Sky highway.


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## trimix

gmark2000 said:


> Re-posted from another thread:
> 
> 
> I grew up in Vancouver and return regularly.
> 
> These lists really sum up the highlights:
> 
> I wouldn't miss going up to Grouse Mountain (weather permitting).



I heartily agree!
For the insane / idiotic / overcompetitive, or for those of us who have something to prove, take the gondola one way - down!
The climb is only 1.8 miles, but it is a 2800 foot elevation gain - a 30 degree continuous uphill slope!

You can't imagine how much it hurts if you haven't done it. But, then again, you can't imagine the sense of accomplishment and personal pride you feel from accomplishing what most people are too lazy to try!


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## RedSox68

This is a terrific thread.  Thanks for starting it.  

However, that suspension bridge pic made my heart stop


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## HappyGrumpy

the Suspension bridge and Canada Place? 

We are going to fly in the day before and the flights I am seeing get us there at about 130pm. If we leave the AP get our luggage checked in:

#1 Will there be time to see those sights?
#2)Will we need a taxi? 

Thanks Ya'll!

HG


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## purplern

Great information!! Thanks!!


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## NCRedding

We stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront when we did an Alaskan cruise 6 years ago.  Awesome hotel and great location for sightseeing and for sailing out of Canada Place (unfortunately, we sailed from Ballantyne).

I loved Vancouver; if at all possible you should fly in early and see this beautiful town.  It also helps get your body acclimated to the time change (if coming from the east coast).


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## BLTOH

after a nite and day of researching it looks like the cheapest way for us is to fly into washington and then take the amtrak to vancouver. my questions are 1. how close is the amtrak to the cruise terminals? walking distance or cab ride? 
2. Does the amtrak ever get held up at the border or is it a pretty smooth ride? 
3.How close is the skytrain to the cruise terminals? like walking distance or cab ride? 
4. With us going over the US 4th of July holiday is it worth staying in washington for the 4th and then going to vancouver the day of the cruise? 

Trying to plan when we would leave and return and the border crossings. would hate to travel on day of cruise to the port only to get held up at the border.

thought of more to add...lol the excursions.. my daughter will be 8 at time of cruise..there there many age restrictions to the excursions?


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## trimix

HappyGrumpy said:


> the Suspension bridge and Canada Place?
> 
> We are going to fly in the day before and the flights I am seeing get us there at about 130pm. If we leave the AP get our luggage checked in:
> 
> #1 Will there be time to see those sights?
> #2)Will we need a taxi?
> 
> Thanks Ya'll!
> 
> HG



Canada Place is where the cruise ship terminal is, so I am sure you will see it regardless.
To visit the Capilano suspension bridge, your best bet would probably be a rental car.


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## HappyGrumpy

> Canada Place is where the cruise ship terminal is, so I am sure you will see it regardless.
> To visit the Capilano suspension bridge, your best bet would probably be a rental car.



Do you have an idea( approximate) of how long the drive is from the hotels are via rental car to the bridge? I may need to see if one of the hotels you listed has a rental company on the premises. 

Thx,
HG


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## Momrow

HappyGrumpy said:


> Do you have an idea( approximate) of how long the drive is from the hotels are via rental car to the bridge? I may need to see if one of the hotels you listed has a rental company on the premises.
> 
> Thx,
> HG



I would consider taking public transit to the bridge - a trip accross the water on the Seabus - which is at Canada Place - and then one bus.  My husband and daughter took it to Grouse Mountain (which is on the same bus route, a few minutes uphill) and didn't have any problems.  I've rented cars downtown, not at a hotel, but there is a rental car place at the Hotel Vancouver (which is very close to the Sutton Place) and probably at one of the Pan Pacific/Fairmont Waterfront.  Downtown is not very large.  If you do rent a car, about a 20 minute drive if it's not rush hour.  Transit would be closer to 45 minutes, in my estimate.


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## mousemom11

BLTOH said:


> after a nite and day of researching it looks like the cheapest way for us is to fly into washington and then take the amtrak to vancouver. my questions are 1. how close is the amtrak to the cruise terminals? walking distance or cab ride?
> 2. Does the amtrak ever get held up at the border or is it a pretty smooth ride?
> 3.How close is the skytrain to the cruise terminals? like walking distance or cab ride?
> 4. With us going over the US 4th of July holiday is it worth staying in washington for the 4th and then going to vancouver the day of the cruise?
> 
> Trying to plan when we would leave and return and the border crossings. would hate to travel on day of cruise to the port only to get held up at the border.
> 
> thought of more to add...lol the excursions.. my daughter will be 8 at time of cruise..there there many age restrictions to the excursions?



Just an FYI, it is about 15 miles from SeaTac airport to the Seattle Amtrak station. A cab ride will run you about $40 and a shared-ride van (Shuttle Express) will be about $30.

On another thread, someone said that it was a short cab ride (about $7) from the Vancouver Amtrak station to the cruise terminal.

I looked on the Amtrak website, but I couldn't find anywhere where it said whether or not they stop the train at the border. My best guess, after looking at the train schedules, would be that you would go through customs when you get off the train in Vancouver.

It looks like the Skytrain Waterfront station is about a block from the Canada Place terminals from what I could tell on google.

I would be careful about going up to Vancouver from Washington the day of the cruise. Someone on another thread said that they were told by DCL that if you miss the boat in Vancouver, you will not be allowed to get on at any other port (it has to do with foreign port regulations). We live in Washington and will drive up to Vancouver, but because of that, we're going to drive up the day before. Any number of things could happen to delay you. Flat tire, lines at the border, traffic accidents, road construction.


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## Momrow

BLTOH said:


> after a nite and day of researching it looks like the cheapest way for us is to fly into washington and then take the amtrak to vancouver. my questions are 1. how close is the amtrak to the cruise terminals? walking distance or cab ride?
> 2. Does the amtrak ever get held up at the border or is it a pretty smooth ride?
> 3.How close is the skytrain to the cruise terminals? like walking distance or cab ride?
> 4. With us going over the US 4th of July holiday is it worth staying in washington for the 4th and then going to vancouver the day of the cruise?
> 
> Trying to plan when we would leave and return and the border crossings. would hate to travel on day of cruise to the port only to get held up at the border.
> 
> thought of more to add...lol the excursions.. my daughter will be 8 at time of cruise..there there many age restrictions to the excursions?



#1 - it's a couple minutes' walk t  o the skytrain station, which goes to Canada Place.
#3 - skytrain is at the cruise ship terminal.
#4 - I would cross the day before, for the reasons the PP suggested unless you leave Seattle at 7am.  But given the choice, I would cross the day before.


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## jlmarr

mousemom11 said:


> I looked on the Amtrak website, but I couldn't find anywhere where it said whether or not they stop the train at the border. My best guess, after looking at the train schedules, would be that you would go through customs when you get off the train in Vancouver.


 Yes, customs after you get off the train.  Another tip - we paid a bit extra for business class on the Amtrak Cascades, and they let biz class off the train first.  All of the other cars had to wait, presumably one-by-one, to disembark.  Even though we weren't pushing it we happened to catch the first cab out of the train station for Ballantyne. 



> It looks like the Skytrain Waterfront station is about a block from the Canada Place terminals from what I could tell on google.


 Yes, it's very close, an easy walk even with bags in tow.  On our other cruise out of Vancouver we stayed in Burnaby and took the Skytrain to the end of the line near Canada Place.  Yes, bags on the Skytrain.  Wouldn't do that again, but that's another story.


----------



## trimix

BLTOH said:


> after a nite and day of researching it looks like the cheapest way for us is to fly into washington and then take the amtrak to vancouver. my questions are 1. how close is the amtrak to the cruise terminals? walking distance or cab ride?
> 2. Does the amtrak ever get held up at the border or is it a pretty smooth ride?
> 3.How close is the skytrain to the cruise terminals? like walking distance or cab ride?
> 4. With us going over the US 4th of July holiday is it worth staying in washington for the 4th and then going to vancouver the day of the cruise?



1) Too far to walk, so walk across the street and take a six minute ride on the Skytrain.
2) I've never heard of a holdup northbound, but be patient southbound. Customs and Border Patrol will not let the train move until every single person has been checked. Understandably, sometimes the southbound trains are held up.
3) The station is AT the cruise terminal!
4) Awesome fireworks at Lake Union! But, I like to take it easy so I would head north on the 4th.



mousemom11 said:


> Just an FYI, it is about 15 miles from SeaTac airport to the Seattle Amtrak station.



This is outdated information. Seattle has opened light rail from downtown almost to the airport, and plans to finish the route by December - months before the Wonder heads north. It will be about a two block walk from the International District light rail station to the Amtrak station - here's a map. If you can get your luggage across the airport from baggage claim to the light rail station, getting from the other station to Amtrak will be trivial.


----------



## delta0413

So glad to see that DCL is joining the Alaska market.  DW and I LOVE Vancouver, BC... it is one of our favorite cities in North America.  

Big recommendation for Sutton Place.  DW and I have had the pleasure of staying there twice and we have been blown away (in a good way) both times. We've didn't see any stars while we were there (quite frankly, I couldn't care less about them).

Aside from the great accommodations and service, its location is also top notch.  It is one block away from the shopping/restaurant area of downtown.  We've eaten at some really cool restaurants while there.


----------



## WestCoaster

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned before, but the new Canada Line skytrain has been running for about a month now.

For those flying into YVR, the skytrain ride is about 25 minutes to downtown right to the Cruise Ship terminal at Waterfront.

This is my first post, so I can't post links yet, but you can search "Canada Line" on any search engine for more information.

I've lived in the Vancouver area all of my life, and welcome any questions any of you might have.


----------



## Schachteles

So what we are looking at doing is flying into Seattle on Saturday and renting a car...check out Seattle on Saturday and then head for the border on Sunday and drive up to Vancouver and take Sunday evening and all day Monday checking out Vancouver.  Will we have problems getting across the border?  What about renting a car in Seattle and taking it over the border?


----------



## gmark2000

Schachteles said:


> What about renting a car in Seattle and taking it over the border?


You have to make it clear to the rental company that this is what you are doing.  There might be an additional charge but I think you get additional paperwork that illustrates that you aren't "importing" the vehicle.


----------



## Schachteles

gmark2000 said:


> You have to make it clear to the rental company that this is what you are doing.  There might be an additional charge but I think you get additional paperwork that illustrates that you aren't "importing" the vehicle.



HMMM...I feel this getting more and more complicated and in turn VERY VERY expensive.


----------



## mrsmoore

Schachteles said:


> So what we are looking at doing is flying into Seattle on Saturday and renting a car...check out Seattle on Saturday and then head for the border on Sunday and drive up to Vancouver and take Sunday evening and all day Monday checking out Vancouver.  Will we have problems getting across the border?  What about renting a car in Seattle and taking it over the border?



We tried to rent a car coming home from Vancouver, and were told there would be an extra $300 fee to drop it off in the US (we are in Seattle area), so we did a town car instead (I got sick unexpectedly).  I would highly recommend Amtrak, then maybe rent the car when you get to Vancouver for getting around.


----------



## Schachteles

mrsmoore said:


> We tried to rent a car coming home from Vancouver, and were told there would be an extra $300 fee to drop it off in the US (we are in Seattle area), so we did a town car instead (I got sick unexpectedly).  I would highly recommend Amtrak, then maybe rent the car when you get to Vancouver for getting around.



Good to know.  How much time do you think someone could spend in Vancouver checking it out?


----------



## gmark2000

DCL might have shuttles from Sea-Tac airport in place by 2011.  How do the other numerous cruiselines manage?


----------



## Pinkgurlshubby

Schachteles said:


> Good to know.  How much time do you think someone could spend in Vancouver checking it out?


You could spend weeks in Vacnouver. I posted a bunch of links on another thread but I figure this is Lollipop's mom's thread and she can add any of the info and the mods can might it a sticky note as has been suggested.
You can spend a day at the Vancouver Aquarium, a day at Science World, I wouldn't even think of going to Vancouver without spending at least half a day at Granville Island and even take an Aqua Bus harbor cruise. All these places have links.


----------



## Anj

Schachteles said:


> Good to know.  How much time do you think someone could spend in Vancouver checking it out?


Argh, I had typed up a thread and it has disappeared.

Here's my quick and dirty answer:
I've done the main city sites (meaning, not Grouse, Whistler, Capilano) in a day driving around and not getting out of the car.  This would be my planned itinerary to actually see some of the city:
Day One - Grouse Mountain, Capilano Suspension Bridge and Lonsdale Quay
Day 2 - drive to Whistler and spend the day
Day 3 - Victoria
Day 4, 5 & 6 (and possibly more) (this is a bit more kid centered)- Stanley Park, Vancouver Aquarium, Science World, Planetarium,  Granville Island, Gastown, Harbour Centre (go up to the observation platform), shop on Robson Street, Museum of Anthropology (if I had time), Chinatown.  My kids even love just riding the skytrain, the last stop is at Waterfront (where the port is) and take the Seabus over to Lonsdale Quay.  For antiques, I might even head to the New Westminster Quay area (on the skytrain route).


----------



## pjacobi

Momrow said:


> I would consider taking public transit to the bridge - a trip accross the water on the Seabus - which is at Canada Place - and then one bus.



Yes, this is the best option!  You can buy a 1-day pass that covers Seabus ferry and the bus runs very frequently between ferry terminal, Grouse Mountain and the suspension bridge.

Grouse Mountain and the suspension bridge can be combined easily into a enjoyable 1-day excursion.

Food at top of Grouse Mountain was expensive, but reasonable.  There was a better selection and was cheaper than at the suspension bridge.


-Paul


----------



## northyvr

Anj said:


> Argh, I had typed up a thread and it has disappeared.
> 
> Here's my quick and dirty answer:
> I've done the main city sites (meaning, not Grouse, Whistler, Capilano) in a day driving around and not getting out of the car.  This would be my planned itinerary to actually see some of the city:
> Day One - Grouse Mountain, Capilano Suspension Bridge and Lonsdale Quay
> Day 2 - drive to Whistler and spend the day
> Day 3 - Victoria
> Day 4, 5 & 6 (and possibly more) (this is a bit more kid centered)- Stanley Park, Vancouver Aquarium, Science World, Planetarium,  Granville Island, Gastown, Harbour Centre (go up to the observation platform), shop on Robson Street, Museum of Anthropology (if I had time), Chinatown.  My kids even love just riding the skytrain, the last stop is at Waterfront (where the port is) and take the Seabus over to Lonsdale Quay.  For antiques, I might even head to the New Westminster Quay area (on the skytrain route).




I would actually suggest longer that just a day trip to Whistler.  Whistler is a worthwhile destination of it's own.  We love it so much we bought a vacation home there!  Quick suggestions of summer activities at Whistler:

world class mountain biking, hiking, sightseeing by using the Peak 2 Peak gondola, glacier skiing, bear viewing, swimming in glacier fed lakes, canoeing, river rafting, taking Rocky Mountaineer train to/from Whistler, cycling the valley trail, ziptreking, golfing, people watching in the village.

Vancouver is great (we live there) but we absolutely LOVE Whister!

Here's a link to Whistler's official website:
www.whistlerblackcomb.com


----------



## pillow

Does anyone know if the port hotels will let you leave your car parked there while on the cruise (like the Port Canaveral hotels)?  It sounds like the port parking is pretty high.

Jodie


----------



## Momrow

pillow said:


> Does anyone know if the port hotels will let you leave your car parked there while on the cruise (like the Port Canaveral hotels)?  It sounds like the port parking is pretty high.
> 
> Jodie



I am sure the hotels would charge more than the port parking - which at current rates is $20/day.

http://www.vinciparkcanadaplace.com/reserve-a-space.html


----------



## Anj

northyvr said:


> I would actually suggest longer that just a day trip to Whistler.  Whistler is a worthwhile destination of it's own.  We love it so much we bought a vacation home there!  Quick suggestions of summer activities at Whistler:
> 
> world class mountain biking, hiking, sightseeing by using the Peak 2 Peak gondola, glacier skiing, bear viewing, swimming in glacier fed lakes, canoeing, river rafting, taking Rocky Mountaineer train to/from Whistler, cycling the valley trail, ziptreking, golfing, people watching in the village.
> 
> Vancouver is great (we live there) but we absolutely LOVE Whister!
> 
> Here's a link to Whistler's official website:
> www.whistlerblackcomb.com



Absolutely, if people have more time, stay longer!  We go up there for a three day weekend and don't 'see' everything.  There's much more to see in Vancouver and the surrounding areas too.  I was just trying to write up a few highlights that I would try to see if I was on a limited time schedule (even though I did write up 5 days!).  Because I'd also want to stop in White Rock.


----------



## pillow

Momrow said:


> I am sure the hotels would charge more than the port parking - which at current rates is $20/day.
> 
> http://www.vinciparkcanadaplace.com/reserve-a-space.html



Many hotels in Port Canaveral allow you to leave your car at the hotel for FREE if you stay there at least one night before or after your cruise.  I'm wondering if any of the hotels at the Vancouver port offer the same deal.

Jodie


----------



## Momrow

pillow said:


> Many hotels in Port Canaveral allow you to leave your car at the hotel for FREE if you stay there at least one night before or after your cruise.  I'm wondering if any of the hotels at the Vancouver port offer the same deal.
> 
> Jodie


I'm going to guess no, as the Cruise ship terminal is downtown and parking is at preimium there.  It may be different if you stay closer to the airport in Richmond, that's probably worth checking out.


----------



## mom_rules

WestCoaster said:


> I'm not sure if this has been mentioned before, but the new Canada Line skytrain has been running for about a month now.
> 
> For those flying into YVR, the skytrain ride is about 25 minutes to downtown right to the Cruise Ship terminal at Waterfront.
> 
> This is my first post, so I can't post links yet, but you can search "Canada Line" on any search engine for more information.
> 
> I've lived in the Vancouver area all of my life, and welcome any questions any of you might have.



The new Canada Line is great (just be aware of "rush hours").
Another transportation alternative from the airport is the Limo service right outside - no reservation necessary-just walk up and they will take you anywhere you want-I think it was $70 to the cruise terminal-up to 3 people in a sedan and $80 for an 6 pass. limo (I won't post the company name - not sure if I'm allowed).

If you are planning on spending some time in Vancouver and seeing the sights don't rent a car-take public transportation-it's fabulous.
To park your rental at your hotel could cost you $35-40 per night.
There are also some great tour companies available.  The hop-on-hop-off bus is also a lot of fun and takes you to all the major sights.


----------



## LAWalz23

How far is it from Vancouver Airport to the cruise terminal? What is the best way to get from the airport to the terminal or downtown hotels? Thanks for any info!


----------



## BLTOH

mousemom11 said:


> Just an FYI, it is about 15 miles from SeaTac airport to the Seattle Amtrak station. A cab ride will run you about $40 and a shared-ride van (Shuttle Express) will be about $30.
> 
> On another thread, someone said that it was a short cab ride (about $7) from the Vancouver Amtrak station to the cruise terminal.
> 
> I looked on the Amtrak website, but I couldn't find anywhere where it said whether or not they stop the train at the border. My best guess, after looking at the train schedules, would be that you would go through customs when you get off the train in Vancouver.
> 
> It looks like the Skytrain Waterfront station is about a block from the Canada Place terminals from what I could tell on google.
> 
> I would be careful about going up to Vancouver from Washington the day of the cruise. Someone on another thread said that they were told by DCL that if you miss the boat in Vancouver, you will not be allowed to get on at any other port (it has to do with foreign port regulations). We live in Washington and will drive up to Vancouver, but because of that, we're going to drive up the day before. Any number of things could happen to delay you. Flat tire, lines at the border, traffic accidents, road construction.



The border crossing is what scares us the most. As of now ( may change) we are planning on flying into bellingham airport and then amtrak into vancouver and just stay there till we leave for the cruise. that will give us 2 days to adjust to the time difference as well as some time to site see all there is to see on the west.


----------



## BLTOH

Schachteles said:


> So what we are looking at doing is flying into Seattle on Saturday and renting a car...check out Seattle on Saturday and then head for the border on Sunday and drive up to Vancouver and take Sunday evening and all day Monday checking out Vancouver.  Will we have problems getting across the border?  What about renting a car in Seattle and taking it over the border?



that is what we had planned on doing originally and ended up deciding it wasn't worth the hassle of figuring out what to do with a rental for a week while on a cruise.


----------



## wdhinn89

When we went to the Canadian side of Niagra Falls, we flew into Buffalo, NY and rented a car from Budget or Alamo and drove over the border.  We had no problem nor did the car rental place.  We just bought the extra insurance just in case because they said sometimes border patrol wants proof of insurance before you enter Canada.

  Are the rules different in Vancouver?  Does anyone else have experience renting from the States and crossing the Canadian border with a car rental?


----------



## Momrow

LAWalz23 said:


> How far is it from Vancouver Airport to the cruise terminal? What is the best way to get from the airport to the terminal or downtown hotels? Thanks for any info!



I think it's approx. 10 miles. About a $35 taxi ride in moderate traffic.  The Canada line (part subway, part above ground) is faster and cheaper.  Right now it's $3.75 per person and takes about 25 minutes.  I've heard they are adding a $2.50 surcharge to the airport in the new year, but it's still a good deal if there are less than 4 of you.  The Canada line ends at Waterfront station, which is next door to Canada Place.


----------



## Doingitagain

DCL CM told me that their pre-stay and post-stay resort hotels will be three different Fairmont hotels.  She listed them off for me, but I couldn't follow her accent.  Do you know which would be the best location?  I thought I would go on a waitlist on Monday just in case we decide to use DCL.

Using Internet, I found four Vancouver Fairmont hotels --  Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Fairmont Vancouver Airport, Fairmont Waterfront, Fairmont Pacific Rim.

Thanks!


----------



## tink too

I'll be checking this thread regularly to get tips about touring Vancouver before our cruise - let's just hope that DCL's prices aren't astronomical!


----------



## pillow

Doingitagain said:


> DCL CM told me that their pre-stay and post-stay resort hotels will be three different Fairmont hotels.  She listed them off for me, but I couldn't follow her accent.  Do you know which would be the best location?  I thought I would go on a waitlist on Monday just in case we decide to use DCL.
> 
> Using Internet, I found four Vancouver Fairmont hotels --  Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Fairmont Vancouver Airport, Fairmont Waterfront, Fairmont Pacific Rim.
> 
> Thanks!



I believe the waterfront one is the one right across from the cruise terminal.  I wonder what kind of rate DCL will get.  Often I find its cheaper to book these things yourself.  I looked at rates for next summer - just curious.  Their cheapest rooms was $269 - not as high as I thought it would be.

Jodie


----------



## Anj

Momrow said:


> I think it's approx. 10 miles. About a $35 taxi ride in moderate traffic.  The Canada line (part subway, part above ground) is faster and cheaper.  Right now it's $3.75 per person and takes about 25 minutes.  I've heard they are adding a $2.50 surcharge to the airport in the new year, but it's still a good deal if there are less than 4 of you.  The Canada line ends at Waterfront station, which is next door to Canada Place.



I wanted to add regarding the Canada Line, my husband uses this for his work commute and he said that there is decent room on it to go with suitcases (just in case someone was worried about that).


----------



## DisneyCruisin

GREAT Thread! Thanks so much!


----------



## trimix

BLTOH said:


> The border crossing is what scares us the most. As of now ( may change) we are planning on flying into bellingham airport and then amtrak into vancouver and just stay there till we leave for the cruise. that will give us 2 days to adjust to the time difference as well as some time to site see all there is to see on the west.



Don't be afraid of the border crossing. Depending on time of day and day of week you can wait up to two hours to get to the head of the line, and most of the time all they do is scan your passport and ask a few questions when you are heading north. The US side is a bit more uptight, they usually want to look in the vehicle and trunk but I have never had them want to open my luggage. Unfortunately I really don't like people going in my trunk without me watching, but I have to sit in the car when they poke around.

Bellingham is a great place to catch a flight - there isn't a whole lot at the airport, so TSA security usually goes very quickly. If you are arriving late into Bellingham and want a hotel before going into Canada, the Hampton Inn is very close to the airport and a nice hotel.


----------



## danicaw

Thanks for starting this thread. 
We have just started to discover all the fun to be found in Vancouver and are soo excited to see DCL going to Alaska. 

For a bit of additional info on the light rail from SeaTac (Seattle International Airport).....
http://www.soundtransit.org/Project...ervice/Link-Light-Rail/Airport-LinkSeaTac.xml

Our family spent a few days in Vancouver in July. We loved Stanley Park! Actually got annual passes to the aquarium. We have been back once since and hope to return a few more times before next summer. Gotta watch those baby beluga whales grow  
We also went up to Whistler for an overnight and had a wonderful time. Lot of fun stuff to do in the summer up there and the kids loved it. 
We stayed at the Hilton in Whistler and would recommend it in a heartbeat. We had a 2 room suite and it was beautiful. My mom (who joined us on the trip) loved that we all in one room and the price was better than the cost of two rooms would have been. Plus for a reasonable charge we were able to extend our checkout from 11 to 3 pm! Crowds were light and the setting is beautiful! 

If you have the time I would suggest spending a few extra days in Canada. We can't believe its taken us so long to wander up and explore. 

Having had to fly from one coast to the other to catch all our DCL cruises I also recommend flying in the day before you set sail. Allows for a much more restful morning too 
And a note about SeaTac baggage claim.... its a bit slow. 
We have never lost a bag, but we have several family jokes about the speed at which our bags appear  Just a warning to allow yourself plenty of time.
But the airport has some nice food offerings if you get there early on your way back home  My folks say goodbye to the grandkids early every visit so they can lunch at Ivars in the airport before flying home.... hmmm I hope that doesnt say something about the kids 
Is it just me or does 2011 seem sooo far away?


----------



## BLTOH

Well I put myself on the wait list thru dreams unlimited. So will see what we get. I was bummed to see they don't offer airline tickets though. no biggie i may check thru disney and see what they offer and maybe transfer it over too. now if only the next week or so goes by fast so i can move on to something else fun..


----------



## mrsmoore

wdhinn89 said:


> When we went to the Canadian side of Niagra Falls, we flew into Buffalo, NY and rented a car from Budget or Alamo and drove over the border.  We had no problem nor did the car rental place.  We just bought the extra insurance just in case because they said sometimes border patrol wants proof of insurance before you enter Canada.
> 
> Are the rules different in Vancouver?  Does anyone else have experience renting from the States and crossing the Canadian border with a car rental?



We were in Vancouver and I got sick and we tried to rent a car to return home.  The issue is if you pick up in one country and drop off in another.  We were told we would be charged an extra $200-$300 to drop off the car in Washington.


----------



## wdhinn89

mrsmoore said:


> We were in Vancouver and I got sick and we tried to rent a car to return home.  The issue is if you pick up in one country and drop off in another.  We were told we would be charged an extra $200-$300 to drop off the car in Washington.



It would be cheaper to park at the port for the week and return the car in Seattle.  Even with the parking fees, it is much cheaper than the extra airfare for 4 people to Vancouver vs. Seattle

One ways are expensive.  We paid a large drop of fee picking up our car in Long Beach, CA airport and returning it at San Diego, CA airport and that was the same state


----------



## plenam

I remember going to Vancouver for a vacation about 15 yrs ago, staying at the Pan Pacific. If you go, check out Gas Town and Robson St., great entertainment and restaurants.

                                                    Brett


----------



## pillow

wdhinn89 said:


> It would be cheaper to park at the port for the week and return the car in Seattle.  Even with the parking fees, it is much cheaper than the extra airfare for 4 people to Vancouver vs. Seattle
> 
> One ways are expensive.  We paid a large drop of fee picking up our car in Long Beach, CA airport and returning it at San Diego, CA airport and that was the same state



I was just looking at these prices.  We really like to have our own car but felt like it was such a waste paying for an entire week (+ parking) while we're on the cruise.  We're planning to fly in a week pre-cruise and drive to Whistler and explore around Vancouver.  Its actually cheaper to pay for 1 week picking up in Seattle and dropping in Vancouver than paying for a 2 week roundtrip Seattle with cruise parking.  We may go that route - rent the car for a week and drop in Vancouver before the cruise.  Then just take Amtrak back to Seattle post cruise .  By the way, Amtrak was really really cheap - much cheaper than the shuttle bus.  I'll have to give this one some thought.  Not sure why I'm thinking about this when its almost 2 years away.  We haven't even seen cruise pricing yet!!!  That could blow our plan out of the water.

Jodie


----------



## jilljill

pillow said:


> I was just looking at these prices.  We really like to have our own car but felt like it was such a waste paying for an entire week (+ parking) while we're on the cruise.  We're planning to fly in a week pre-cruise and drive to Whistler and explore around Vancouver.  Its actually cheaper to pay for 1 week picking up in Seattle and dropping in Vancouver than paying for a 2 week roundtrip Seattle with cruise parking.  We may go that route - rent the car for a week and drop in Vancouver before the cruise.  Then just take Amtrak back to Seattle post cruise .  By the way, Amtrak was really really cheap - much cheaper than the shuttle bus.  I'll have to give this one some thought.  Not sure why I'm thinking about this when its almost 2 years away.  We haven't even seen cruise pricing yet!!!  That could blow our plan out of the water.
> 
> Jodie



Why not take Amtrak up to Vancouver and then rent a car from there for a week then turn it in before the cruise and then take Amtrak back to Seattle after the cruise?  This is probably what we will do, if we fly into Seattle or Bellingham, rather than pay the drop fee.


----------



## smeecanada

jilljill said:


> Why not take Amtrak up to Vancouver and then rent a car from there for a week then turn it in before the cruise and then take Amtrak back to Seattle after the cruise?  This is probably what we will do, if we fly into Seattle or Bellingham, rather than pay the drop fee.



I would do this.  You are not missing much sightseeing wise.  Less hassle - no border worries.  It's not a fun drive through downtown Seattle from the airport headed north to Vancouver.


----------



## mrsmoore

smeecanada said:


> I would do this.  You are not missing much sightseeing wise.  Less hassle - no border worries.  It's not a fun drive through downtown Seattle from the airport headed north to Vancouver.




And, I think the Amtrak ride allows you to see more.  A lot of it runs along the water, and is very beautiful and relaxing!


----------



## pillow

jilljill said:


> Why not take Amtrak up to Vancouver and then rent a car from there for a week then turn it in before the cruise and then take Amtrak back to Seattle after the cruise?  This is probably what we will do, if we fly into Seattle or Bellingham, rather than pay the drop fee.



Good idea!  Would you just catch a cab from the Vancouver Amtrak station to the airport car rental?  Reminds me of planes, trains, and automobiles . . .

Jodie


----------



## trimix

pillow said:


> Good idea!  Would you just catch a cab from the Vancouver Amtrak station to the airport car rental?  Reminds me of planes, trains, and automobiles . . .
> 
> Jodie



The Skytrain runs from Canada Place, where the cruise terminal is, to the Amtrak station and to the airport.

Living in Bellingham, my plan would be to drive to the Vancouver airport and use long-term parking there, then take the Skytrain to Canada Place to board. That is - IF I do an Alaska cruise.

To be honest, the more I think about it the more I want to do the northbound repo. The first time any Disney ship visits San Fran, Victoria, and Vancouver is bound to be a very special experience!

I should also add - for people who are considering flying into Bellingham and taking Amtrak - the airport is about 10 miles / 20 minutes from the Amtrak station. I don't know how much taxis are in town, but it will cost a bit of money. Yellow Cab of Bellingham has a website, sedans, and 10 to 14 passenger vans to haul your group and all your stuff. There is a shuttle service between downtown Vancouver and the Seattle airport with a stop at the Bellingham airport; I would suggest contacting Quick Shuttle for more information.


----------



## BLTOH

trimix said:


> The Skytrain runs from Canada Place, where the cruise terminal is, to the Amtrak station and to the airport.
> 
> I should also add - for people who are considering flying into Bellingham and taking Amtrak - the airport is about 10 miles / 20 minutes from the Amtrak station. I don't know how much taxis are in town, but it will cost a bit of money. Yellow Cab of Bellingham has a website, sedans, and 10 to 14 passenger vans to haul your group and all your stuff. There is a shuttle service between downtown Vancouver and the Seattle airport with a stop at the Bellingham airport; I would suggest contacting Quick Shuttle for more information.



I just talked to someone else from Bellingham and they told me it would be roughly $20 for a cab ride to Amtrak from the airport. 

so my next question to all those that live in bellingham or seattle areas. what are the pros and cons of flying into those airports and getting into vancouver via amtrak? is one more cost effective then the other? I was thinking it would be cheaper flying into bellingham but yet i am not sure now.


----------



## BLTOH

pillow said:


> By the way, Amtrak was really really cheap - much cheaper than the shuttle bus.  I'll have to give this one some thought.  Not sure why I'm thinking about this when its almost 2 years away.  We haven't even seen cruise pricing yet!!!  That could blow our plan out of the water.
> 
> Jodie




Did you see how long of a trip it would be though? From ohio it would be 54 hours. We will have an 8 yr old with us so that kind of made us think otherwise. would be neat if we could drive part way, amtrak part way , and fly part way, but doesn't look like that is going to work well here. So far my daughter will get to experience alot of firsts on this trip. first airplane ride, first amtrak ride, first time on west coast.. only thing that isnt a first is the disney cruise itself.


----------



## smeecanada

BLTOH said:


> Did you see how long of a trip it would be though? From ohio it would be 54 hours. We will have an 8 yr old with us so that kind of made us think otherwise. would be neat if we could drive part way, amtrak part way , and fly part way, but doesn't look like that is going to work well here. So far my daughter will get to experience alot of firsts on this trip. first airplane ride, first amtrak ride, first time on west coast.. only thing that isnt a first is the disney cruise itself.



The OP was comparing the trip from Seattle via shuttle and Amtrak.  It's approximately a 3 hour drive not sure how long the train time is though.  It is much cheaper to take Amtrak than the shuttle from Seattle.


----------



## pillow

BLTOH said:


> Did you see how long of a trip it would be though? From ohio it would be 54 hours. We will have an 8 yr old with us so that kind of made us think otherwise. would be neat if we could drive part way, amtrak part way , and fly part way, but doesn't look like that is going to work well here. So far my daughter will get to experience alot of firsts on this trip. first airplane ride, first amtrak ride, first time on west coast.. only thing that isnt a first is the disney cruise itself.



I think it was 3 - 3.5 hours via Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver.  I think we might be thinking of different things.  We were planning to fly into Seattle instead of Vancouver and then taking Amtrak up - much cheaper than flying into Vancouver!

J


----------



## BLTOH

pillow said:


> I think it was 3 - 3.5 hours via Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver.  I think we might be thinking of different things.  We were planning to fly into Seattle instead of Vancouver and then taking Amtrak up - much cheaper than flying into Vancouver!
> 
> J



oh ok was thinking you were saying from Virginia to seattle.. We are thinking same thing but was going to go into bellingham instead of seattle. although after checking prices for checked luggage price differences arent much into either airport now. if we could get a bedroom type suite on amtrak it would be way cheaper for the entire trip.  good thing i have 2 yrs to plan this out


----------



## pillow

BLTOH said:


> oh ok was thinking you were saying from Virginia to seattle.. We are thinking same thing but was going to go into bellingham instead of seattle. although after checking prices for checked luggage price differences arent much into either airport now. if we could get a bedroom type suite on amtrak it would be way cheaper for the entire trip.  good thing i have 2 yrs to plan this out



I'm really surprised.  I've checked those bedroom units on Amtrak, and they typically cost a fortune (I've always thought it would be fun to do).  I'm surprised its cheaper for you than flying.  Sounds like fun though!

Jodie


----------



## mom_rules

28 minutes by car (taxi or rental)

Vancouver Airport
1.	Head west on Grant McConachie Way	
4.1 km
2.	Slight right at SW Marine Dr	
0.8 km
3.	Continue on Granville St	
7.8 km
4.	Slight right at Seymour St N	
1.4 km
5.	Turn left at W Georgia St	
0.4 km
6.	Turn right at Burrard St	
0.6 km
7.	Burrard St turns right and becomes Canada Pl	
0.2 km

Canada Pl
Vancouver, BC





Public transportation: Canada Line

Vancouver Airport
Travel time: about 39 mins Showing Trip 1
	Walk to YVR-Airport Station Eastbound
About 10 mins
Show details
Beta: Use caution  This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths.
1.	Head west on Grant McConachie Way	
0.5 km
2.	Sharp left to stay on Grant McConachie Way	
0.3 km

	Walk to YVR-Airport Station Eastbound
	About 10 mins


Route Information - translink.ca

	Train - 980 - Canada Line Skytrain - Direction: SKYTRAIN - platform sign CANADA LINE TO WATERFRONT
	Service run by TransLink
	5:10am 	Depart YVR-Airport Station Eastbound
	5:35am 	Arrive Waterfront Station Northbound
	Route Information - translink.ca

	Next »
	Walk to Canada Pl
About 4 mins


----------



## piglet33

Wow!  Lots of great info in this thread.  It would be great if this was a sticky so it can be easily found.

Thanks so much for starting this - it will come in handy.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

I haven't been around to do much updating - sorry guys!

As for amtrak vs. quick shuttle - the quick shuttle is the easiest and most convienent - it will pick you up right outside the airport doors by baggage claim at both seatac and bellingham airports and drop you off right at the cruise port. No cabs to worry about, lugging your luggage around too much, etc...
It may cost a bit more but its worth it.
Also, there is a 50% off coupon available out there. I will add how to find this on the first post


----------



## jilljill

Lollipop's Mom said:


> I haven't been around to do much updating - sorry guys!
> 
> As for amtrak vs. quick shuttle - the quick shuttle is the easiest and most convienent - it will pick you up right outside the airport doors by baggage claim at both seatac and bellingham airports and drop you off right at the cruise port. No cabs to worry about, lugging your luggage around too much, etc...
> It may cost a bit more but its worth it.
> Also, there is a 50% off coupon available out there. I will add how to find this on the first post



The quick shuttle that you are mentioning will take you to the port in Vancouver?


----------



## smeecanada

jilljill said:


> The quick shuttle that you are mentioning will take you to the port in Vancouver?



One thing to clarify - I know it's hard when you've never been to a place.  Everything is fairly close in downtown Vancouver.  The hotels/bus terminal/port/attractions.  Most things are essentially a $10 or so cab ride away.

The bus may take you to the Port - but *please don't *try and do it on the day *OF* the cruise!  There are just too many factors that could make you late for the cruise.  The border/tunnel/airport/flights.  Not worth it.  Come in the day before.


----------



## jilljill

smeecanada said:


> One thing to clarify - I know it's hard when you've never been to a place.  Everything is fairly close in downtown Vancouver.  The hotels/bus terminal/port/attractions.  Most things are essentially a $10 or so cab ride away.
> 
> The bus may take you to the Port - but *please don't *try and do it on the day *OF* the cruise!  There are just too many factors that could make you late for the cruise.  The border/tunnel/airport/flights.  Not worth it.  Come in the day before.



So the quick shuttle is a bus?  I was thinking it was another type of train service.

We plan on coming in a couple of days ahead to see some sights.


----------



## smeecanada

jilljill said:


> So the quick shuttle is a bus?  I was thinking it was another type of train service.
> 
> We plan on coming in a couple of days ahead to see some sights.



Yes, the shuttle is a bus.


----------



## wdhinn89

OK, I am confused,

Isn't Bellingham in Washington?  If it is, the shuttle will take you over the border to Vancouver?


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

wdhinn89 said:


> OK, I am confused,
> 
> Isn't Bellingham in Washington?  If it is, the shuttle will take you over the border to Vancouver?



Yes, the bus takes you over the border if you are flying in/out of seattle or bellingham to save money.

Best bet is to go to the link I put on the first post www.quickcoach.com and take a look.
During cruise ship season they pick up at the port.


----------



## BLTOH

wdhinn89 said:


> OK, I am confused,
> 
> Isn't Bellingham in Washington?  If it is, the shuttle will take you over the border to Vancouver?



 Bellingham is in the upper northwest side of washington. it is the closest airport to the border to get to vancouver. Seattle is another one but it is farther south. We are planning on flying into bellingham over seattle and vancouver only cause it is cheaper in the long run for us.


----------



## HappyGrumpy

Is Canada Place the cruise terminal? I am trying to figure out which hotel is the closest in to the ship. If we go in a couple days early I don't want to pay for transfers with DCL if I can walk across the street. 

HG


----------



## pillow

It should also be noted that the price Disney is offering for pre-cruise nights at the Fairmont will possibly be higher than what you can book directly through the hotel yourself.  I noticed that the Fairmont is offering a $269 per night rate for July, 2010.  Who knows what prices will be in 2011, but I believe I read where Disney has already posted a price of $300+.

Jodie


----------



## trimix

BLTOH said:


> oh ok was thinking you were saying from Virginia to seattle.. We are thinking same thing but was going to go into bellingham instead of seattle. although after checking prices for checked luggage price differences arent much into either airport now. if we could get a bedroom type suite on amtrak it would be way cheaper for the entire trip.  good thing i have 2 yrs to plan this out



The Amtrak Cascades route does not have bedrooms, but the route between Seattle (or Bellingham) and Vancouver is so short you won't need one.



HappyGrumpy said:


> Is Canada Place the cruise terminal? I am trying to figure out which hotel is the closest in to the ship. If we go in a couple days early I don't want to pay for transfers with DCL if I can walk across the street.



Yes, the cruise terminal is at Canada Place. And, unless Disney has very convenient transportation to and from the Seattle airport (which I doubt they will do) then Disney transfers are unnecessary. From Seattle or Vancouver, take a shuttle to Canada Place or the Vancouver airport. From Vancouver airport, take the Skytrain to Canada Place.

For those asking about flying into Bellingham, if you can get a good deal I say go for it - it's a beautiful airport and small enough that the TSA is usually very fast and very easy. If the price is a bit high, Seattle is still very convenient, but plan on at least three hours after baggage claim to get to Canada Place. With traffic or border waits it can easily take five hours. Bellingham or Seattle, there is no way I would fly in the day of the cruise.


----------



## pillow

trimix said:


> If the price is a bit high, Seattle is still very convenient, but plan on at least three hours after baggage claim to get to Canada Place. With traffic or border waits it can easily take five hours. Bellingham or Seattle, there is no way I would fly in the day of the cruise.



I'm forgetting where I've posted things, so I just want to say again that IF SOMEONE MISSES THE SHIP IN VANCOUVER, THEY WON'T BE ALLOWED TO BOARD IN ANY PORT!  DCL said it has something to do with foreign port regulations.  You better bet my butt will be there at least the day before!

Jodie


----------



## mrsmoore

trimix said:


> The Amtrak Cascades route does not have bedrooms, but the route between Seattle (or Bellingham) and Vancouver is so short you won't need one.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, the cruise terminal is at Canada Place. And, unless Disney has very convenient transportation to and from the Seattle airport (which I doubt they will do) then Disney transfers are unnecessary. From Seattle or Vancouver, take a shuttle to Canada Place or the Vancouver airport. From Vancouver airport, take the Skytrain to Canada Place.
> 
> For those asking about flying into Bellingham, if you can get a good deal I say go for it - it's a beautiful airport and small enough that the TSA is usually very fast and very easy. If the price is a bit high, Seattle is still very convenient, but plan on at least three hours after baggage claim to get to Canada Place. With traffic or border waits it can easily take five hours. Bellingham or Seattle, there is no way I would fly in the day of the cruise.




I would totally agree, especially if you are flying into Seattle, do NOT go day of.  In the AM traffic from the airport through Seattle on a weekday morning would not be fun, and you don't want to be late.  Thinking about it, the Amtrak is a morning train, you would probably want to arrive in Seattle Sunday evening, Amtrak it Monday, cruise Tuesday.  That is if you are flying into Seattle.


----------



## STLDisney_Freak

I don't know if this link is posted yet, but it has some good information for cruisers going to vancouver port .

http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/about/cruiseandtourism.aspx


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

HappyGrumpy said:


> Is Canada Place the cruise terminal? I am trying to figure out which hotel is the closest in to the ship. If we go in a couple days early I don't want to pay for transfers with DCL if I can walk across the street.
> 
> HG




Please see the first main post that I am updating. It has all of this info there for everyone to avoid tons of repeat questions.
I hope to have tons and tons of info over the next few months, but these cruises are still many moons away!


----------



## jilljill

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Please see the first main post that I am updating. It has all of this info there for everyone to avoid tons of repeat questions.
> I hope to have tons and tons of info over the next few months, but these cruises are still many moons away!



Thank you so much for doing this.


----------



## Doingitagain

Which of the three Fairmont hotels that DCL is offering for pre-post stays do you recommend if we add a few days for touring?


----------



## HappyGrumpy

> Please see the first main post that I am updating. It has all of this info there for everyone to avoid tons of repeat questions.
> I hope to have tons and tons of info over the next few months, but these cruises are still many moons away!



Your a Saint for doing this! Thank You & God Bless You!!


----------



## mousemom11

smeecanada said:


> It's not a fun drive through downtown Seattle from the airport headed north to Vancouver.



Ugh, I'm not sure that I would even call it a "drive". During morning and afternoon rush hours I-5 traffic from the airport through downtown and beyond is nothing more than a glorified parking lot.



trimix said:


> Living in Bellingham, my plan would be to drive to the Vancouver airport and use long-term parking there, then take the Skytrain to Canada Place to board.



That's a great idea. It looks like it's about half the cost of parking at the port. To avoid the schlepping of mountains of luggage on the Skytrain, the driver can drop off passengers and luggage at the Port, go park at the airport, and take the Skytrain back.




danicaw said:


> And a note about SeaTac baggage claim.... its a bit slow. We have never lost a bag, but we have several family jokes about the speed at which our bags appear



To say that SeaTac baggage claim is a bit slow is like saying that childbirth is a bit painful.  I swear that they hand-carry each piece of luggage from the plane to baggage claim. 



mrsmoore said:


> I would totally agree, especially if you are flying into Seattle, do NOT go day of.  In the AM traffic from the airport through Seattle on a weekday morning would not be fun, and you don't want to be late.  Thinking about it, the Amtrak is a morning train, you would probably want to arrive in Seattle Sunday evening, Amtrak it Monday, cruise Tuesday.  That is if you are flying into Seattle.



Currently, Amtrak runs 2 trains from Seattle - Vancouver. The first leaves downtown Seattle at 7:40 am and arrives in Vancouver at 11:35 am. The second leaves Seattle at 6:50 pm and arrives in Vancouver at 10:45 pm. So, if you time your Monday flight right, you could land in Seattle, take light rail/cab/shared van etc to the Amtrak station, and Amtrak to Vancouver all in one day. It sure would be an awfully long day, though.

For the return trip, Amtrak doesn't really look do-able in 1 day. The first train from Vancouver to Seattle leaves at 6:40 am, so that's out. The second train doesn't leave until 5:45 pm and arrives in Seattle at 10:05 pm. Looks like QuickCoach would be the better return option, as they run buses throughout the day.


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

bump


----------



## BLTOH

mousemom11 said:


> Currently, Amtrak runs 2 trains from Seattle - Vancouver. The first leaves downtown Seattle at 7:40 am and arrives in Vancouver at 11:35 am. The second leaves Seattle at 6:50 pm and arrives in Vancouver at 10:45 pm. So, if you time your Monday flight right, you could land in Seattle, take light rail/cab/shared van etc to the Amtrak station, and Amtrak to Vancouver all in one day. It sure would be an awfully long day, though.
> 
> For the return trip, Amtrak doesn't really look do-able in 1 day. The first train from Vancouver to Seattle leaves at 6:40 am, so that's out. The second train doesn't leave until 5:45 pm and arrives in Seattle at 10:05 pm. Looks like QuickCoach would be the better return option, as they run buses throughout the day.



what would be a good time frame to get into bellingham or even seattle to get to the amtrak before the 7:40 one leaves? we still prefer bellingham but we are checking into seattle now as we since we will be flying to pheonix after the cruise. need to compare prices.


----------



## mrsmoore

BLTOH said:


> what would be a good time frame to get into bellingham or even seattle to get to the amtrak before the 7:40 one leaves? we still prefer bellingham but we are checking into seattle now as we since we will be flying to pheonix after the cruise. need to compare prices.



To be safe, I would give myself a couple of hours, start to finish, I would rather hang in the Amtrak station a bit then get stuck in traffic.  There are a couple of different ways to get from the airport to the station, so if you are in a towncar or shuttle, I would hope they would use alternatives.  Also, if you have a carpool, there is a designated lane on I-5.  If you choose to do light rail, I would add a bit more time, it is not done yet, so don't know how often will run.


----------



## mrsmoore

mousemom11 said:


> Currently, Amtrak runs 2 trains from Seattle - Vancouver. The first leaves downtown Seattle at 7:40 am and arrives in Vancouver at 11:35 am. The second leaves Seattle at 6:50 pm and arrives in Vancouver at 10:45 pm. So, if you time your Monday flight right, you could land in Seattle, take light rail/cab/shared van etc to the Amtrak station, and Amtrak to Vancouver all in one day. It sure would be an awfully long day, though.
> 
> For the return trip, Amtrak doesn't really look do-able in 1 day. The first train from Vancouver to Seattle leaves at 6:40 am, so that's out. The second train doesn't leave until 5:45 pm and arrives in Seattle at 10:05 pm. Looks like QuickCoach would be the better return option, as they run buses throughout the day.



Sorry, I did not know there was two.  I would much rather wait for the 5:45 pm train, since we will get off in Everett or Edmonds, then the quick coach, I don't like the idea of having to get off and back on the bus at the border.


----------



## BLTOH

mrsmoore said:


> To be safe, I would give myself a couple of hours, start to finish, I would rather hang in the Amtrak station a bit then get stuck in traffic.  There are a couple of different ways to get from the airport to the station, so if you are in a towncar or shuttle, I would hope they would use alternatives.  Also, if you have a carpool, there is a designated lane on I-5.  If you choose to do light rail, I would add a bit more time, it is not done yet, so don't know how often will run.



thinking we might be better off coming in nite before and staying in seattle or bellingham and then catching amtrak the next morning.. i have a feeling this going from east coast to west coast is going to be a rough one


----------



## jlmarr

BLTOH said:


> thinking we might be better off coming in nite before and staying in seattle or bellingham and then catching amtrak the next morning.. i have a feeling this going from east coast to west coast is going to be a rough one


If you do stay overnight in Seattle I'd recommend giving Priceline a try.  We got one night at the Westin Seattle (4 stars) for $79.  It was an easy walk to Pike Place Market and a short cab ride to the Amtrak station in the morning.


----------



## mrsmoore

BLTOH said:


> thinking we might be better off coming in nite before and staying in seattle or bellingham and then catching amtrak the next morning.. i have a feeling this going from east coast to west coast is going to be a rough one



If flying into Bellingham isn't that much different from Seattle, I would do that.  Only $13 each way on Amtrak from Bellingham, well, atleast for tomorrow!  Tuesday won't be that bad, weekends on Amtrak tend to go up in price just a bit.


----------



## mrsmoore

jlmarr said:


> If you do stay overnight in Seattle I'd recommend giving Priceline a try.  We got one night at the Westin Seattle (4 stars) for $79.  It was an easy walk to Pike Place Market and a short cab ride to the Amtrak station in the morning.



That is a great price!!  The lucky deal with the Tuesday cruise, is even if flying into Seattle, can probably find decent hotel rates in Seattle and Vancouver.

We found a great deal on a weekend, in Vancouver, at the Hyatt, only $69 for a view room.  I found the deal hidden on their website.


----------



## "Got Disney"

For those that are DVC members....I was looking in the book to see what DVC may have to offer in Vancouver. So I found that through exchanges  you can stay at  Club Intrawest at the  Vancouver Resort and also at Club Intrawest if going up Whistler at the Whistler resort....

I will do some resarch on this and get back to you.  The rate exchange is really really good. 

Just look in your DVC book for 2009....page 123

http://www.clubintrawest.com/public/en/where/vancouver.asp


----------



## pjpoohbear

mrsmoore said:


> That is a great price!!  The lucky deal with the Tuesday cruise, is even if flying into Seattle, can probably find decent hotel rates in Seattle and Vancouver.
> 
> We found a great deal on a weekend, in Vancouver, at the Hyatt, only $69 for a view room.  I found the deal hidden on their website.



Marsha 

Can you share how you found the hidden deal?  I could only find rooms for $300+. 

Pj


----------



## mrsmoore

pjpoohbear said:


> Marsha
> 
> Can you share how you found the hidden deal?  I could only find rooms for $300+.
> 
> Pj



It was last February, but I some how stubbled across it in their special offers section.  I was really kind of surprised by it.  It was a few weeks prior, so may have been a special.  And it was over our President's Day weekend, but not a holiday there.  Summer may not offer as much, but with the Tuesday departure, hotels might have week day summer specials if you hold off on booking.


----------



## disneypoor

Thanks for all of the information.  My head is spinning a bit tonight.  I went ahead and booked air with Disney but may change it as it gets closer.  I also have given some thought to flying to Seattle.  I hadn't given any thought to crossing the border though.  As I read some of the previous posts, I began to wonder if paying DCL's price for air might actually be worth it this time around.  Maybe I'm just overreacting because I'm in unfamiliar territory though.  No matter what, I think I will call and make sure we can do a pre-cruise stay.  It sounds like there is a lot to see in Vancouver.  This pics that were posted were beautiful!

Susan


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

disneypoor said:


> Thanks for all of the information.  My head is spinning a bit tonight.  I went ahead and booked air with Disney but may change it as it gets closer.  I also have given some thought to flying to Seattle.  I hadn't given any thought to crossing the border though.  As I read some of the previous posts, I began to wonder if paying DCL's price for air might actually be worth it this time around.  Maybe I'm just overreacting because I'm in unfamiliar territory though.  No matter what, I think I will call and make sure we can do a pre-cruise stay.  It sounds like there is a lot to see in Vancouver.  This pics that were posted were beautiful!
> 
> Susan



Flying into Canada is no different than flying into any US airport. All the signs are in english (and French) and if anything, I often find them a bit easier to navigate. I wouldn't pay DCL air prices because it is unfamilar - we don't live in a 3rd world country, and you won't get off the plane and find men with machine guns like in Cuba!


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

I have had a couple of pm's with info to add, and promise to get it all on there - I am having a couple of very busy weeks!


----------



## poohj80

disneypoor said:


> Thanks for all of the information.  My head is spinning a bit tonight.  I went ahead and booked air with Disney but may change it as it gets closer.



Just curious if you would share what the DCL air cost was for you vs. what you could book it for currently?


----------



## wdwfan16

Lollipop's Mom thanks for all the information.

I have a few questions, for now  , that I have from reading your post.

1) What hotels are best for touring Vancouver?
2) We are considering flying in to Seattle and taking the Amtrak to Vancouver.  Where is it located WRT these hotels and do they rent cars there?
3) What is "pacific NW cuisine"?
4) Is the DCL leaving from Canada Place?
5) What are the must sees tourist areas?


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

wdwfan16 said:


> Lollipop's Mom thanks for all the information.
> 
> I have a few questions, for now  , that I have from reading your post.
> 
> 1) What hotels are best for touring Vancouver?
> Pretty much any downtown hotel would be great. You can easily take transit or a cab around where you want to go. I am going to post some maps soon so people can get an idea of the area.
> 2) We are considering flying in to Seattle and taking the Amtrak to Vancouver.  Where is it located WRT these hotels and do they rent cars there?
> Pacific Central station is about 10 min cab ride from the pier at main & terminal. I believe they have car rental there. I am pretty sure I have seen budget and maybe avis signs -I would have to check on that one.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Central_Station
> 3) What is "pacific NW cuisine"?
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Northwest_cuisine
> But don't worry - we still have all the major fast food outlets, pizza, regular family restaurants, etc... we don't live on Salmon up here- in fact I hate salmon!
> 
> 4) Is the DCL leaving from Canada Place?
> Yep!
> 5) What are the must sees tourist areas?


I am going to do some updating on the front page about this...but a quick few off the top of my head are Granville Island (a must if you have kids - it even has a free outdoor waterpark with a decent sized slide that is open in the summer), capilano suspension bridge, stanley park, grouse mountain....and lots more!


----------



## MrsJobba1

please forgive my ignorance I'm from the UK - What is the Amtrack?


----------



## poohj80

MrsJobba1 said:


> please forgive my ignorance I'm from the UK - What is the Amtrack?



The train so it is a very scenic ride.


----------



## MrsJobba1

Many thanks - I knew there was a train , just not what it was called.

Anyone know how does customs work on the train - do you go through passport control before boarding. Being from the UK we will enter the USA with the visa waiver scheme .


----------



## trimix

BLTOH said:


> what would be a good time frame to get into bellingham or even seattle to get to the amtrak before the 7:40 one leaves? we still prefer bellingham but we are checking into seattle now as we since we will be flying to pheonix after the cruise. need to compare prices.



The earliest flights I know of come into Bellingham after 8 AM, so you'll have to fly in the day before. Several hotels here will pick you up at the airport and drop you at the train station for free, and you can get anything from a budget to a luxury hotel here.



MrsJobba1 said:


> please forgive my ignorance I'm from the UK - What is the Amtrack?



Amtrak is the US nationwide passenger train system. From Seattle to Bellingham it is a beautiful run, about half the trip is right next to Puget Sound with great views of the islands. Continuing north from Bellingham you spend most of your time inland, but you are still next to the water from Blaine, WA past White Rock, BC. And in much of this area you'll have a nice view inland towards Mt. Baker, my 'backyard' volcano.

I doubt it'll matter to you, as coming from the UK it would be easier and probably the same price to fly to Vancouver. But for those flying in to Seattle the train is more comfortable than a bus with much better views, although it has a rather inconvenient schedule.


----------



## mrsmoore

MrsJobba1 said:


> Many thanks - I knew there was a train , just not what it was called.
> 
> Anyone know how does customs work on the train - do you go through passport control before boarding. Being from the UK we will enter the USA with the visa waiver scheme .




When you get off in Vancouver you go through customs.  You would I assume go through US Customs at the airport, then Canadian in Vancouver at the train station.


----------



## "Got Disney"

Lollipop's Mom said:


> I am going to do some updating on the front page about this...but a quick few off the top of my head are Granville Island (a must if you have kids - it even has a free outdoor waterpark with a decent sized slide that is open in the summer), capilano suspension bridge, stanley park, grouse mountain....and lots more!


 
I wanted to clarify something.  I was talking with DCL and they said that the ship was docking at the Ballantyne port...so with the 2 different answers I  went on a search of the ports....nothing....so I called the Vancouver port and talked with the head person that coordinates where the ships will be docking.

She said that the DCL Wonder has not been given a port yet.  She said that by April 2110 they will have the port than booked and placed on the website.  As of right know she has put nothing on her books.  

she said she will also e-mail me when she does. Also the Ballantyne port is close to the other.   Also this port holds one ship at a time where the other holds 3 ships at a time.  So maybe DCL is wanting the Ballantyne and that is why 2 CMs at DCL told me it was this port.  However...we know there info so that is why i went to the horses mouth   Thought you might like to have this info.

After talking she sent me this e-mail.....



Hi Robin, 

Thanks for your call this afternoon. We are just as thrilled to have Disney calling Vancouver in 2011! As mentioned, we should know by April 2010 the latest, at what terminal the Disney Wonder will be calling. In the meantime, I am sending you a link to our website which contains information on all our ground transportation options from both terminals:  

http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/about/cruiseandtourism/transportationandparking.aspx 

Please feel free to call us again as we approach April so that we can keep you updated.

Kind regards,

*Carmen Ortega, *MBA


----------



## disneypoor

poohj80 said:


> Just curious if you would share what the DCL air cost was for you vs. what you could book it for currently?



Hi!  I don't mind sharing the cost of our airfare at all.  We are a family of four, and our kids will be 16 and 13 when we cruise.  DCL's air would cost us $2590 and that includes the transfers.  I went on to travelocity and priced air for the same time frame next July, and the cheapest flights I could find were about $523 per person before taxes.  That's why we went ahead and booked the air.  However, flying to Seattle for the same time next summer would only cost us $828.  Lots of decisions to make.  Thank goodness we have a lot of time to decide.  I didn't think DCL's air was too bad if one was planning to fly in to Vancouver.

Susan


----------



## disneypoor

I also wanted to add that I called DCL this morning to add a pre-cruise hotel to our package, and they booked us at the Pacific Rim.  Does anyone know anything about this hotel?  Apparently it is in the process of being built right now and is just across the street from the port.

Susan


----------



## "Got Disney"

disneypoor said:


> Hi! I don't mind sharing the cost of our airfare at all. We are a family of four, and our kids will be 16 and 13 when we cruise. DCL's air would cost us $2590 and that includes the transfers. I went on to travelocity and priced air for the same time frame next July, and the cheapest flights I could find were about $523 per person before taxes. That's why we went ahead and booked the air. However, flying to Seattle for the same time next summer would only cost us $828. Lots of decisions to make. Thank goodness we have a lot of time to decide. I didn't think DCL's air was too bad if one was planning to fly in to Vancouver.
> 
> Susan


 
Same here....the flight prices are  and I live in SanDiego.....for each of us to fly it is $550 and look how close we are.  Not just that but it will take us 6 hrs to get there.  When on a one way that is like way so much more 2.5 hrs.

It is cheaper fro us to fly to Florida or N.J not to mention cheaper....$350  with  a flight time of 6hr 40 minutes to fly to Florida....go figure

Heres to hoping for a price war


----------



## poohj80

With the price difference and the fact that DCL will depart on Tuesdays, we'll probably spend a couple days in Seattle first then Amtrak up.


----------



## smeecanada

[QUOTE="Got Disney";33778148]Same here....the flight prices are  and I live in SanDiego.....for each of us to fly it is $550 and look how close we are.  Not just that but it will take us 6 hrs to get there.  When on a one way that is like way so much more 2.5 hrs.

It is cheaper fro us to fly to Florida or N.J not to mention cheaper....$350  with  a flight time of 6hr 40 minutes to fly to Florida....go figure

Heres to hoping for a price war[/QUOTE]

You'll routinely see flights from SEA to LA for $79 one way (Jet Blue, Southwest, Alaska) plus taxes.  The flight time is about 2.75 hours.  Flying into Vancouver is a pain in the butt for us for connecting to the island - that's why we fly from Seattle.  Just keep plugging dates and flight options into Orbitz to get an idea where the deals are.  I usually use that as a guideline and then book directly with the Airline (usually Alaska Air).  The taxes & fees are also higher to fly into Vancouver than Seattle.


----------



## "Got Disney"

poohj80 said:


> With the price difference and the fact that DCL will depart on Tuesdays, we'll probably spend a couple days in Seattle first then Amtrak up.


 
For us the price is the same whether we fly into Seattle or into Vancouver.  So for us we will just fly into Vancouver.  We are planning on staying in Vancouver at least 6 days prior the cruise.  We want to head up to Whistler for a couple days(90 minute drive) and go White water rafting among some  other things like hiking and such. WE will make some stops along the way up the the suspension bridge and the Gondola.

I am busy planning as we speak


----------



## Anj

For those on the west coast, another airline to check is Allegiant Air.  They are a discount airline and use the  Bellingham, WA airport.


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## poohj80

[QUOTE="Got Disney";33778476]For us the price is the same whether we fly into Seattle or into Vancouver.  [/QUOTE]

May I ask which airline?  Vancouver is about double for us no matter where we price from.


----------



## "Got Disney"

poohj80 said:


> May I ask which airline? Vancouver is about double for us no matter where we price from.


 
I checked on Price line and Expedia and all the discount online site.  I am assuming it is not double for us since it is fairly close to us.  Seems that traveling to Seattle will be a popular thing to do for many on this cruise.  When are you sailing?  If you are not the first than you can get input from others that have done it.  I have been Googling so much on my computer since this started that I'm surprised my Google isn't broken

Have you googled asking....Best way to get from Seattle airport to Vancouver port....if you play with it I am sure you will come up with cruisers that have done this. Not to mention 

We could drive into Vancouver and get there in about 24 hrs.  But heck....the kids would all drive me crazy.  We would stop for the night but still.

when we drive to DL from here which is 1 hr 20 minutes they give me a headachecould you imagine 24 hrs


----------



## poohj80

[QUOTE="Got Disney";33778855]I checked on Price line and Expedia and all the discount online site.  [/QUOTE]

Thanks, did that from 3 different airports and it was almost double every time.  I thought I had found some better fares but when I clicked on the flight details, they were actually showing into Bellingham and not Vancouver so be careful if you chose _Select Nearby Airports_.


----------



## "Got Disney"

poohj80 said:


> Thanks, did that from 3 different airports and it was almost double every time. I thought I had found some better fares but when I clicked on the flight details, they were actually showing into Bellingham and not Vancouver so be careful if you chose _Select Nearby Airports_.


 
Thanks I have been.  My wittle head is just spinning from all the checkingfound some more little tid bits so thought I would post them along with  the Seattle vs Vancouver in the first paragraph...

For an Alaskan cruise, would it be better to leave from Seattle or Vancouver? Why?

Both ports have their advantages (and disadvantages). Vancouver has perhaps the most spectacular setting of any city in North America (arguably even more beautiful than San Franciscos location). Seattle is also a beautiful city set against the backdrop of snow-capped Mt. Rainier, but for people flying from American cities, Seattles chief advantage is that you can avoid going through customs at the airport. While Vancouvers airport is beautiful and state-of the-art, the lines at customs can be somewhat long. For anyone flying in from Canada, however, it would probably make more sense to fly in or out of Vancouver for the same reason  to avoid American customs at Seattle. Of course, a fairly large number of Alaska cruises travel using one-way north or southbound itineraries, so your trip will most likely include a flight in or out of Anchorage too.

here is some more info that might be helpful...

What are good side trips/land excursions for various ports?

Alaskan cruises usually offer a large variety of side trips/ land excursions. For example, in Ketchikan, a great shore excursion is the float plane trip to Misty Fjords National Monument, which is simply breathtaking. In Juneau, an excellent choice is the helicopter dog sled tour, which gives you an amazing aerial tour of glaciers, followed by a real Alaskan dog sled ride atop one of the glaciers. In Sitka, a really interesting underwater tour on Alaskas only semi-submersible ship is offered by Sealife Discovery Tours. Finally, in Skagway, a trip on the White Pass Railroad into Canadas Yukon Territory is a no-miss, with truly beautiful scenery along a track that dates back to the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. Of course, these are just some of the available options and a wonderful array of excursions is available in every Alaskan port.


What is the best pre or post cruise tour out of Vancouver?

One of the most popular inland tours from Vancouver is the Canadian Rockies tour, including stops at the amazing Lake Louise and Banff National Park. If any landscape in North America rivals that of Alaska, it is the landscape of the Canadian Rockies. The beautiful color of the lakes there defies description, and the peaks are about the most picturesque of anywhere outside of the Alps.

Where is the best place to view bald eagles in Alaska?

One of the things that you may be surprised is how many bald eagles youll see throughout the entire cruise route. You can literally spot them in most any port. But the very best place to spot large numbers of bald eagles is out of Skagway, on the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve rafting trip. Here you can see the eagles in their pristine natural environment, feeding in the clear river waters, perched in trees, or soaring high above. They are a truly majestic sight you will never forget.

Where is the best place to view bears on other wildlife in Alaska?

Again, bears and other wildlife are amazingly abundant along the Alaska cruise route. You are bound to see a black or brown (grizzly) bear feeding of salmon or other fish in a stream on any of a number of port excursions. The best place to spot Dall sheep is actually along the route between the airport in Anchorage and the port of Seward (or Whittier). Watch for them on the slopes that rise up on the opposite side of the road from the Turnagain Arm inlet. The long, narrow Turnagain Arm is also a great place to spot beluga whales, so look for them as your bus or train heads along the side of this inlet. 


I dont have much extra in my budget for shore excursions (and some run over $300 per person!) What are some fun yet inexpensive things to do while in port?

You dont have to spend much at all to have a great time in each port. In Ketchikan, you can visit the stores along Creek Street for free, and you can stop by the Totem Heritage Center, which is about 15 minute walk from the docks. Admission is only $1 as of this writing. In Juneau, for about $10, you can catch a round trip bus trip to the visitor center at the base of the Mendenhall Glacier, where you can hike, view bears, and see the massive glacier up close. Then, in Skagway, stop by any of the many wonderful historical buildings in town, all just minutes from the dock. The Klondike Gold Rush history in this town is fascinating, and there is plenty to see and do on foot in the small but quaint town. 


Is it true that not all cruise ships stop in Glacier Bay National Park? I heard that this was one of the most beautiful spots in Alaska and want to see it.

Yes, it is true that the U.S. Park Service has limited large cruise ship traffic in the parks waters to two a day. This has led many cruise lines to seek alternate locations for glacier viewing along the Inside Passage, including Tracy Arm and Misty Fjords National Monument. Princess and Norwegian currently have the most ships allowed to enter the park, so if you really want to see Glacier Bay, then check out the itineraries for these two cruise lines.

My favorite cruise line does not stop in glacier Bay. What is a good alternative destination?

The two most popular alternatives to Glacier Bay National Park are Tracy Arm and Misty Fjords. Both of them are amazingly beautiful and you will not be disappointed if your ship stops in either of those places.

What about icebergs? Arent they dangerous? Will we see any?

Indeed, you will see many, many icebergs in the narrow fjords, as huge chunks of ice break off or calve from the glaciers. However, thanks to modern sonar and excellent piloting skills, the ships navigate safely through these icy waters. The ships go very slowly through the icy sections of the fjords, and it is actually quite safe.


----------



## mrsmoore

Check out cruisecritic, they not only have a board about Alaska, but also West Coast departures.  At a quick glance it looked like some discussions from folks flying into Seattle for Vancouver cruises.


----------



## "Got Disney"

mrsmoore said:


> Check out cruisecritic, they not only have a board about Alaska, but also West Coast departures. At a quick glance it looked like some discussions from folks flying into Seattle for Vancouver cruises.


 
Thanks I will look over there for that...I was looking over there to see about NCL cruises to Alaska but than booked DCL.  But did not look for transpertation...


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## GrtWtNorth

Things to do in Vancouver:

Grouse Mountain will be offering an even more spectacular viewing platform.  They are in the process of installing an elevated observation area on a wind turbine on top of the mountain.  

Athleticly minded visitors may challenge themselves with the Grouse Grind, a steep 2-mile hike including +2800 stairs. This is a popular trail, used by locals and athletes for training. Typical hikers make the trek in less than 2 hours, but the record time is 25 minutes 15 seconds.  Hikers avoid paying the Grouse Mountain admission fee (nearly $40), but must pay $5 to take the gondola down. The trail is too steep to descend safely.

For those of us who yearn for riding a Disney Monorail, Vancouver's Skytrain system comes close.  It is a fully automated light rail system. Guests can sit in the very front and look out the windshield (and pretend to drive) as the trains cross the city.  The Canada Line offers a limited view from the airport, but is mostly underground. The Expo and Millenium lines are primarily above-ground and offer unique views of the city, mountains, and Fraser river. The trains pass some of Vancouvers numerous movie and TV production facilities, as well as several shopping malls.


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## GrtWtNorth

Shopping in Vancouver

Downtown (adjacent to Canada Place cruise ship terminal), Gastown, and Granville Mall are typical downtown shopping cores, and includes Pacific Center Mall. Shopping in these areas is equally targettted to tourists and downtown workers. You can't walk more than 2 blocks without passing a sushi restaurant. 

Robson Street has many high-end shops between Granville Street and Burrard Street.  As you move further west, you find more restaurants, including some of the trendiest in Vancouver. 

Denman Street could be renamed restaurant row.  You can find just about any kind of cuisine along this strip, including my favorite fish-and-chips place: Mr. Pickwick's.  There are also numerous dessert shops and coffee shops.  Locals love this neighbourhood.

Vancouver has a significant gay and lesbian population. While most prefer to mix with everyone else in the city, Davie street is where you will find the highest concentration of rainbow-flag-waving shops and restaurants. My favorite breakfast place is in this neighbourhood.

Granville Island is a former industrial / warehouse site that was transformed into an artist village, theatres, a farmers market, kids play area and restaurants. There is a building dedicated to childrens books and toys.  While it is a tourist destination, many locals do their shopping here, especially at the farmers market. It's also the destination for locals looking for art or live theater.  (Trivia: Disney's Pleasure Island was originally modelled on Granville Island.)

Yaletown is an old warehouse district that has been converted into trendy restaurants and condos.  It's a really neat neighbourhood, but requires climbing stairs and hills -- not very convenient for strollers or wheelchairs.  My favorite Vancouver restaurant, Yaletown Brewing Company, serves moderately priced food that is comparable in quality to what's served at California Grill. The fresh-brewed beers are just a bonus!

The largest shopping mall in the region (450 stores) is called the Metropolis at Metrotown.  It's accessible by Skytrain (Metrotown station).  In addition to department stores, restaurants, a movie theater and typical mall shops, it also hosts two large grocery stores. Superstore is a no-frills grocery store, stocked with everything, but staffed by mindless drones.  T&T Supermarket is a chain of asian grocery stores. In addition to both western and asian grocery items, it has an excellent selection of inexpensive take-out food including dim sum (chinese dumplings), sushi, BBQ (duck, pork, sausage), vietnamese sandwiches, bento boxes... Locals including myself shop here when we don't want to cook. 

If you really need a Walmart, there are three accessible by cab or skytrain.  The closest is in North Vancouver at 925 Marine Drive.  The easiest way to get there is by cab.  Taking public transit from the cruise ship terminal will require taking the seabus, then transferring to a city bus.  Alternatively, there is a Walmart in Lougheed Mall (Lougheed Skytrain station) and a Walmart SuperCentre (includes grocery items) at 3585 Grandview Highway (one block south and three blocks east from Rupert Skytrain Station). 

Outlet shopping:
Vancouver has virtually no outlet shopping. There are a couple local companies that sell factory seconds (goods that didn't meet corporate quality controls) like Lululemon and Danier Leather. (If you're interested, you can find these store locations online.)  However, there are at least two outlet malls along I-5 between Vancouver and Seattle: Seattle Premium Outlets (Tullilip, WA) and Burlington Outlets (Burlington, WA).  If you're travelling through Seattle to save on airfare, you may consider incorporating a shopping trip with your cruise.


----------



## pillow

[QUOTE="Got Disney";33778476]For us the price is the same whether we fly into Seattle or into Vancouver.  So for us we will just fly into Vancouver.  We are planning on staying in Vancouver at least 6 days prior the cruise.  We want to head up to Whistler for a couple days(90 minute drive) and go White water rafting among some  other things like hiking and such. WE will make some stops along the way up the the suspension bridge and the Gondola.

I am busy planning as we speak[/QUOTE]

We are thinking alike.  We plan to fly into Seattle but are also planning to spend 5-6 days in and around Vancouver.  Whistler sounds wonderful - I may copy your itinerary.  Please post it when you're done planning.  I can't think about really beginning to plan until a year out when I'll know my budget a bit better.

Jodie


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## BLTOH

mrsmoore said:


> If flying into Bellingham isn't that much different from Seattle, I would do that.  Only $13 each way on Amtrak from Bellingham, well, atleast for tomorrow!  Tuesday won't be that bad, weekends on Amtrak tend to go up in price just a bit.



with our dates booked with DCL now we are planning on leaving on late wednesday or thursday and depending on prices trying to go into bellingham first. is that per person for $13? i think when i was doing price checks it was going to be $40 for the 3 of us to do amtrak from bellingham to vancouver.


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## BLTOH

Anj said:


> For those on the west coast, another airline to check is Allegiant Air.  They are a discount airline and use the  Bellingham, WA airport.



none of their routes fly into bellingham from the east coast..most go to florida or las vegas.


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## "Got Disney"

pillow said:


> We are thinking alike. We plan to fly into Seattle but are also planning to spend 5-6 days in and around Vancouver. Whistler sounds wonderful - I may copy your itinerary. Please post it when you're done planning. I can't think about really beginning to plan until a year out when I'll know my budget a bit better.
> 
> Jodie


 
hehehe I will try to remember you can always find me in the July 19th Cruise meet....look on my first page and that is where I am posting all things Alaska I agree about whistler.  If you go to my cruise meet there is a link on there for Whistler and all the fun things you can do there and places to stay.  

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2294276

By the way when are you sailing?????


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## rsjj

subscribing!!  lots of great info to read thru!!


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## pillow

[QUOTE="Got Disney";33784172]By the way when are you sailing?????[/QUOTE]

July 5th.  I'll check out your page.  Thx!


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## poohj80

BLTOH said:


> with i think when i was doing price checks it was going to be $40 for the 3 of us to do amtrak from bellingham to vancouver.



I looked at the Amtrak web site yesterday and the Bellingham Amtrak station looked quite a ways from the airport.  Does anyone know if there is a shuttle between them or are we limited to cabs?


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## mom_rules

Another question-DCL site shows "Guest onboard" in Vancouver at 3pm.  This seems to be earlier than their other cruises.
Does that mean the lifeboat drill will be at 3? Ship depart at 4ish?


----------



## trimix

poohj80 said:


> I looked at the Amtrak web site yesterday and the Bellingham Amtrak station looked quite a ways from the airport.  Does anyone know if there is a shuttle between them or are we limited to cabs?



Three options: taxi, public bus, or hotel shuttle.
The taxi, I have been told, is about $20.
The public bus is cheaper but much slower, and a pain with luggage.
If you want to take the morning train to Vancouver, a better choice if you want to enjoy the view in May or late August, then several Bellingham hotels will pick you up at the airport and drop you at the train station.

But more convenient and cheaper than Amtrak are the buses like QuickShuttle.


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## poohj80

trimix said:


> But more convenient and cheaper than Amtrak are the buses like QuickShuttle.



We're actually thinking of taking the train up and Quick Shuttle back.


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## Padres19

The announcement that DCL was sailing to Alaska in/out of Vancouver was like a dream come true for me.  We've sailed DCL twice before and my daughters LOVED IT, my wife and I have always talked about going on an Alaskan cruise, AND we have a second home in Vancouver (where we spend a total of about one month each year).  So this was absolutely perfect.

We have been taking our twin daughters to Vancouver since before they were one year old, they are now almost seven.  Vancouver is, bar none, THE most kid friendly city in the entire world.  There is an absolute TON of things for kids to do there, so do yourself a favor and try to spend a day or two there before and/or after your cruise.  While many of the obvious suggestions have already been posted and discussed, I cannot emphasize how much kids ages 2-8 will absolutely LOVE the *Kid's Market on Granville Island*.  It is a two story marketplace with arcades, playground and tons of great shops entirely devoted to kids.  Behind it is a terrific pond that is always full of ducks and to the side of the pond is a great waterpark that is FREE (waterslides, spray cannons, etc--all for free).  Granville Island is on the south side of False Creek.  On the far east side of False Creek is the *Vancouver Science World*.  It looks like a giant golf ball, but it is full of three stories of amazing things that your kids will love, and the hourly shows that they put on are fantastic.  Kids from 2-12 will all have age appropriate places to go to and things to do.  Kids (and grown ups) of all ages will really enjoy getting around False Creek on the water taxi's (False Creek Ferries or, my favorite, the *Aquabus*) which stops at Granville Island and at Science World.  Vancouver is a remarkably compact city and it is very walkable to get from almost any hotel that you will be staying in to the water taxi station on the city side of False Creek.  By far, THE best way to spend some time in Vancovuer as a family, is to *rent a bike and ride around Stanley Park*.  If you only have an hour or two, just ride around the Sea Wall.  If you have more time, stop off at the Aquarium (one of the world's best), visit the totem poles, stop at the water park or the pool, ride through the gardens, etc.  There are lots of bike shops all over town, so there will be one close to wherever you are staying.

I could, and over the next year, probably will go on and on about places to go and things to do in this wonderful city, but I wanted to post something to get started to truly encourage all of you to seriously consider spending a day or two or more in Vancouver, rather than just flying in, transfering to/from the boat and flying out.

I can absolutely promise you that whatever age your kids are, they will love Vancouver.


----------



## piglet33

Padres19 said:


> The announcement that DCL was sailing to Alaska in/out of Vancouver was like a dream come true for me.  We've sailed DCL twice before and my daughters LOVED IT, my wife and I have always talked about going on an Alaskan cruise, AND we have a second home in Vancouver (where we spend a total of about one month each year).  So this was absolutely perfect.
> 
> We have been taking our twin daughters to Vancouver since before they were one year old, they are now almost seven.  Vancouver is, bar none, THE most kid friendly city in the entire world.  There is an absolute TON of things for kids to do there, so do yourself a favor and try to spend a day or two there before and/or after your cruise.  While many of the obvious suggestions have already been posted and discussed, I cannot emphasize how much kids ages 2-8 will absolutely LOVE the *Kid's Market on Granville Island*.  It is a two story marketplace with arcades, playground and tons of great shops entirely devoted to kids.  Behind it is a terrific pond that is always full of ducks and to the side of the pond is a great waterpark that is FREE (waterslides, spray cannons, etc--all for free).  Granville Island is on the south side of False Creek.  On the far east side of False Creek is the *Vancouver Science World*.  It looks like a giant golf ball, but it is full of three stories of amazing things that your kids will love, and the hourly shows that they put on are fantastic.  Kids from 2-12 will all have age appropriate places to go to and things to do.  Kids (and grown ups) of all ages will really enjoy getting around False Creek on the water taxi's (False Creek Ferries or, my favorite, the *Aquabus*) which stops at Granville Island and at Science World.  Vancouver is a remarkably compact city and it is very walkable to get from almost any hotel that you will be staying in to the water taxi station on the city side of False Creek.  By far, THE best way to spend some time in Vancovuer as a family, is to *rent a bike and ride around Stanley Park*.  If you only have an hour or two, just ride around the Sea Wall.  If you have more time, stop off at the Aquarium (one of the world's best), visit the totem poles, stop at the water park or the pool, ride through the gardens, etc.  There are lots of bike shops all over town, so there will be one close to wherever you are staying.
> 
> I could, and over the next year, probably will go on and on about places to go and things to do in this wonderful city, but I wanted to post something to get started to truly encourage all of you to seriously consider spending a day or two or more in Vancouver, rather than just flying in, transfering to/from the boat and flying out.
> 
> I can absolutely promise you that whatever age your kids are, they will love Vancouver.



Wow!  Thanks for this info.  My DD will be almost 9 for our Alaska cruise so we will definitely be keeping these things in mind.


----------



## Petals & Pixie Dust

This is awesome! I'm glad to see someone started this thread (thank you!) and thanks to the mods for making it a sticky!

I can't wait to take the time to really research Alaska and Vancouver! (right after my certification exam and interview....)
We purchased airfare and transfers through DCL.  We are also going to be going the day before...We don't want to miss the ship!  I figured if we purchased airfare through DCL then we would be locked into a rate-if the airfare went up then we would already have something set in stone.  
Any idea what hotel they will be putting us up at?  What is DCL going to do for transfers? Will we get airport to hotel then hotel to port then port to airport?  More importantly-are we going ot have to take our own luggage to port!?!  (Sorry, its the little things like that that I think about.  DCL has always thought of every detail! I'd find it hard to believe that they didn't think this through too!)

We are so excited about this cruise! 
I look forward to planning with you all!


----------



## DisneyParkFan

Petals & Pixie Dust said:


> This is awesome! I'm glad to see someone started this thread (thank you!) and thanks to the mods for making it a sticky!
> 
> I can't wait to take the time to really research Alaska and Vancouver! (right after my certification exam and interview....)
> We purchased airfare and transfers through DCL.  We are also going to be going the day before...We don't want to miss the ship!  I figured if we purchased airfare through DCL then we would be locked into a rate-if the airfare went up then we would already have something set in stone.
> Any idea what hotel they will be putting us up at?  What is DCL going to do for transfers? Will we get airport to hotel then hotel to port then port to airport?  More importantly-are we going ot have to take our own luggage to port!?!  (Sorry, its the little things like that that I think about.  DCL has always thought of every detail! I'd find it hard to believe that they didn't think this through too!)
> 
> We are so excited about this cruise!
> I look forward to planning with you all!



I'm curious too.  Haven't booked yet.  Still trying to figure out if from the Midwest, we need to come in the day/night before to be on the ship on time (Did that for the DCL in FL just to be safe) and where we might get put up for the night.


----------



## Alexander

gmark2000 said:


> DCL might have shuttles from Sea-Tac airport in place by 2011.  How do the other numerous cruiselines manage?



I was kind of thinking this too.  I am hoping anyway!  It is considerably cheaper (about $400/person) to fly into Seattle from NY than to Vancouver.


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## Petals & Pixie Dust

The Breakdown...
Here is the break down as it is seen on my confirmation...
It looks like DCL is charging $800/person for airfare!    I've found in on Delta for about $400 and Jetblue doesn't have their prices out yet...But for around Christmas time *I figured I'd look at peak season-worst case scenario* Jetblue is about $500--OH and That was for NY to Seattle...I haven't checked anything directly to Vancouver yet...maybe I should  
There is not a price for transfers as it shows on my confirmation.
We are going to Vancouver the day before.  They are charging us $294.00. They are putting us up at Fairmont Pacific Rim.  The lowest price I could find on their website for 2010 at the same time we are going in 2011 (Sailing May 31) The Fairmont price is $399-Canadian...After converting it..it came to $379 American.

I think in the end with Transfers and such...it all works out...Who knows!

HTHs


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## Nutty4Disney

Thanks for all the great information. I am sure I will be watching this thread closely over the next two years. We are on the last Alaskan cruise so hopefully I can gain some knowledge from those that travel before me. The only thing that scares me is airfare to Vancouver. We are thinking of flying into Seattle and taking Amtrak to Vancouver. No way would we arrive the same day. We did that with the Panama Canal Cruise and we were so stressed out traveling from the Midwest to LA I thought I was going to have a stroke.  We may spend a few days in Seattle and/or Vancouver and take the shuttle back to Seattle after the cruise.


----------



## poohj80

Nutty4Disney said:


> Thanks for all the great information. I am sure I will be watching this thread closely over the next two years. We are on the last Alaskan cruise so hopefully I can gain some knowledge from those that travel before me. The only thing that scares me is airfare to Vancouver. We are thinking of flying into Seattle and taking Amtrak to Vancouver. No way would we arrive the same day. We did that with the Panama Canal Cruise and we were so stressed out traveling from the Midwest to LA I thought I was going to have a stroke.  We may spend a few days in Seattle and/or Vancouver and take the shuttle back to Seattle after the cruise.



We'll be cruising with you!  We are strongly considering taking the train from Seattle to Vancouver but taking the bus for the return trip.  Since cruise leaves on Tues, we'll probably fly to Seattle Saturday and enjoy a day there before training to Vancouver Monday.


----------



## MAGICFOR2

Thanks for the info!  We're planning on booking the LA-Vancouver repo with some extra points.  Of course, we just decided today, and MS was closed - can't wait until tomorrow!  We live in Oregon, so we'll fly one way to LA, then one way home from either Vancouver or Seattle.  Looks like maybe taking a train into Seattle is a better bet?


----------



## mrsmoore

MAGICFOR2 said:


> Thanks for the info!  We're planning on booking the LA-Vancouver repo with some extra points.  Of course, we just decided today, and MS was closed - can't wait until tomorrow!  We live in Oregon, so we'll fly one way to LA, then one way home from either Vancouver or Seattle.  Looks like maybe taking a train into Seattle is a better bet?



Depending on where in Oregon you are, the same train that goes Vancouver to Seattle goes as far south as Eugene, It is the Cascade something.  It might be worth a train all the way home?


----------



## Petals & Pixie Dust

Does anyone know if there will be a formal night?  Or is it too soon to tell?


----------



## wdhinn89

Petals & Pixie Dust said:


> Does anyone know if there will be a formal night?  Or is it too soon to tell?



I would think everything planned would be very similar to a typical DCL 7 day cruise.  One formal night, one semi-formal night and all the usual shows.

The only exception may be Pirate Night.  Curious what they do with that.


----------



## Petals & Pixie Dust

wdhinn89 said:


> I would think everything planned would be very similar to a typical DCL 7 day cruise.  One formal night, one semi-formal night and all the usual shows.
> 
> The only exception may be Pirate Night.  Curious what they do with that.



Cool thanks!  We have done 3 days and 4 days...but this is our first 7 days! SOOO Excited!


----------



## BLTOH

Ok at this point even though it would save us money to go into washington and then amtrak into vancouver i am considering just saying forget it and pay the extra cost to go into vancouver. 
Reasons being 
1: the hotel stay would be required no matter what because of the amtrak schedule
2: having an 8 yr old that may not tolerate the long time frames involved of it all 
3: we have a timeshare we can use in vancouver and not have to even bother with the extra hotel expenses 

My questions now are
1: what airlines do not charge for luggage for the international flight and how many would be allowed? 
2: can i pack a regular bottle of shampoo and conditioner in our checked luggage with out any problems? 
3.since we will be doing a timeshare what is the price range of groceries?

we have not flown since 1998 so this is a whole new experience with the new rules and such.


----------



## jilljill

BLTOH said:


> Ok at this point even though it would save us money to go into washington and then amtrak into vancouver i am considering just saying forget it and pay the extra cost to go into vancouver.
> Reasons being
> 1: the hotel stay would be required no matter what because of the amtrak schedule
> 2: having an 8 yr old that may not tolerate the long time frames involved of it all
> 3: we have a timeshare we can use in vancouver and not have to even bother with the extra hotel expenses
> 
> My questions now are
> 1: what airlines do not charge for luggage for the international flight and how many would be allowed?
> 2: can i pack a regular bottle of shampoo and conditioner in our checked luggage with out any problems?
> 3.since we will be doing a timeshare what is the price range of groceries?
> 
> we have not flown since 1998 so this is a whole new experience with the new rules and such.



1.  Since the flight would not be a transatlantic international flight you need to check with each airline that flies out of your closest airport to see what and if their luggage fees are.
2.  Yes you can pack full size bottles in your checked luggage.


----------



## BLTOH

jilljill said:


> 1.  Since the flight would not be a transatlantic international flight you need to check with each airline that flies out of your closest airport to see what and if their luggage fees are.
> 2.  Yes you can pack full size bottles in your checked luggage.



good to here on the full size bottles..didnt really want to pack baby bottles since we will be on vacation roughly 2 weeks 

Northwest is the only non-stop flight near us and all their site says is Full Coach Y fare gets 2 free check luggage but then below it it says 1st 15 2nd 25 so i am confused.


----------



## jilljill

BLTOH said:


> good to here on the full size bottles..didnt really want to pack baby bottles since we will be on vacation roughly 2 weeks
> 
> Northwest is the only non-stop flight near us and all their site says is Full Coach Y fare gets 2 free check luggage but then below it it says 1st 15 2nd 25 so i am confused.



DCL provides shampoo, conditioner and lotion in the cabins, also bar soap.

I checked NW's site and the policy is clear for those traveling in the US and to/from Canada.  Yes, full fare Y coach fare gets 2 bags free as do elite members.  All others will pay for their bags.  If you are not an elite member or are not paying full fare Y Coach you need to look at the right hand column to determine your baggage fees.


----------



## BLTOH

jilljill said:


> DCL provides shampoo, conditioner and lotion in the cabins, also bar soap.
> 
> I checked NW's site and the policy is clear for those traveling in the US and to/from Canada.  Yes, full fare Y coach fare gets 2 bags free as do elite members.  All others will pay for their bags.  If you are not an elite member or are not paying full fare Y Coach you need to look at the right hand column to determine your baggage fees.



yep i know they do but our experience with any shampoo and conditioner while traveling has been a bad one. both me and my daughter have long hair and have to use a specific kind of conditioner when traveling. 

What is a Full fare Y coach? this is what i haven't been able to figure out. i am assuming its a full paid ticket. will have to email northwest when i get a chance i guess. 

wish airlines and such were alot easier to book. just not the same as it used to be anymore.


----------



## poohj80

BLTOH said:


> Ok at this point even though it would save us money to go into washington and then amtrak into vancouver i am considering just saying forget it and pay the extra cost to go into vancouver.
> Reasons being
> 2: having an 8 yr old that may not tolerate the long time frames involved of it all



We'll be traveling with a 5 year old which is leading us to fly into Seattle for several reasons.  

We plan to spend a night in Seattle to break up all the travel and let her experience a few sights.

The Amtrak ride will be a treat as she loves trains and will break-up the traveling over a couple days.


----------



## MAGICFOR2

mrsmoore said:


> Depending on where in Oregon you are, the same train that goes Vancouver to Seattle goes as far south as Eugene, It is the Cascade something.  It might be worth a train all the way home?



That's a great option to consider!  Thank you!


----------



## BLTOH

poohj80 said:


> We'll be traveling with a 5 year old which is leading us to fly into Seattle for several reasons.
> 
> We plan to spend a night in Seattle to break up all the travel and let her experience a few sights.
> 
> The Amtrak ride will be a treat as she loves trains and will break-up the traveling over a couple days.



I was thinking the same thoughts for flying into Seattle when i was first checking into things. however,with the added expenses and the constantly watching of the watch for time frames i feel we would be rushed and i prefer not to do that. maybe on the way home we might but just starting the trip i know she won't want that rushed thing and we don't either really. would like to see some stuff in seattle though. i have till next july or so to make my final decission and it will be based probalby on the flight information and the dates we want to go. not being able to see what the true prices are for 2011 on hotels or flights don't help much. may the next few months fly by.


----------



## trimix

BLTOH said:


> What is a Full fare Y coach? this is what i haven't been able to figure out. i am assuming its a full paid ticket. will have to email northwest when i get a chance i guess.



As you may not be aware, with any airline you can pay a lot of different prices for the same seat. The Y fare is the full-price, most expensive, pay as much as you can price for a coach ticket.

I just took a look at the Northwest airlines website, and tried looking for tickets from Seattle to Orlando in coach. I found coach tickets in K, T, L, V, Q, H, M, B, and Y classes.

If you want, you can go to Northwest and do a search for your planned flights. For any given flight you'll see four columns; the top row of each column are date, airline and flight number, equipment, and fare class.

And, just for your comparison, the cheapest K class coach tickets I found were $622 after taxes; a Y class coach ticket on the same flight was $1162, and first class tickets start at $1362.

So the simple fact is that for you, and anybody else who doesn't fly enough for elite status, the cheap thing to do is get a discounted coach ticket and pay to check your luggage. Paying almost double the cost for a coach ticket in order to save a few dollars on checked luggage is not a good deal.


----------



## BLTOH

trimix said:


> As you may not be aware, with any airline you can pay a lot of different prices for the same seat. The Y fare is the full-price, most expensive, pay as much as you can price for a coach ticket.
> 
> I just took a look at the Northwest airlines website, and tried looking for tickets from Seattle to Orlando in coach. I found coach tickets in K, T, L, V, Q, H, M, B, and Y classes.
> 
> If you want, you can go to Northwest and do a search for your planned flights. For any given flight you'll see four columns; the top row of each column are date, airline and flight number, equipment, and fare class.
> 
> And, just for your comparison, the cheapest K class coach tickets I found were $622 after taxes; a Y class coach ticket on the same flight was $1162, and first class tickets start at $1362.
> 
> So the simple fact is that for you, and anybody else who doesn't fly enough for elite status, the cheap thing to do is get a discounted coach ticket and pay to check your luggage. Paying almost double the cost for a coach ticket in order to save a few dollars on checked luggage is not a good deal.



ok will have to look closer i must have missed the Letters for the different prices before. thanx for the info though that helps me alot. i don't mind paying for checked luggage i just know when we take longer trips like this we always end up bringing home an extra suitcase or two of stuff 

i just checked again and see what you mean now..that means i might as well bank on adding checked luggage fees to the price when pricing to vancouver.


----------



## wdhinn89

Sorry if this has already been asked and answered but are there any car rental agencies near the cruise ship terminals to rent a car for a few days to see Vancouver before or after the cruise?


----------



## mom_rules

rentalcarmomma.com/cities/vancouver.htm

Hope this helps


----------



## godalejunior

I called Amtrak yesterday and at least for July you will be able to take the train to Seattle and will be transferred to a bus from Seattle to Vancouver BC. There are no trips in July on the train to Van BC. Not sure about other months.


----------



## wdhinn89

mom_rules said:


> rentalcarmomma.com/cities/vancouver.htm
> 
> Hope this helps



Thank you!!! It does.  I put it in my favorites. 



godalejunior said:


> I called Amtrak yesterday and at least for July you will be able to take the train to Seattle and will be transferred to a bus from Seattle to Vancouver BC. There are no trips in July on the train to Van BC. Not sure about other months.



Does this mean that there will be no Amtrack trains running between Seattle and Vancouver in July 2011?


----------



## godalejunior

I was told that there is a train that runs to Seattle and you are switched to a bus from Seattle to Van BC, so yes, that is what I am saying. I checked on August dates too and same story. From what Amtrak told me they only run the one train a day certain times of the year and July and August are not one of them.


----------



## wdhinn89

This is going to put a wrench into alot of plans.

Personally, we planned on either 1- flying into Vancouver 2- renting a car or 3- Quick Shuttle and last was the Amtrack option.


----------



## wdhinn89

Are you sure, Amtrack runs between Seattle and Vancouver in 2010 

http://tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak


----------



## godalejunior

wdhinn89 said:


> Are you sure, Amtrack runs between Seattle and Vancouver in 2010
> 
> http://tickets.amtrak.com/itd/amtrak



I am just telling you what I found out after plugging in dates for this year and getting a train/bus combo. I called when it came up and was told there is one train that runs straight through but not in July or August. We are going in August so I am trying to figure out plans to get there and we wanted to take the train. Now, obviously things can change between now and then but as of right now it is a train/bus combo in July and August leaving from Seattle by bus.


----------



## jilljill

I plugged in dates on Amtrak's website for July/August and came up with an early morning train going to Vancouver and then some bus option and then for the reverse back to Seattle it gave me a dinner time train and several bus options.
Travel time is roughly the same 3½-4½ hours by train or bus.


----------



## godalejunior

It must be because I am plugging in from Kelso WA to Van BC and not Seattle to BC. Maybe I should split it up and try something different. The agent did tell me that they will not be running the trains in July and August straight through....


----------



## jilljill

godalejunior said:


> It must be because I am plugging in from Kelso WA to Van BC and not Seattle to BC. Maybe I should split it up and try something different. The agent did tell me that they will not be running the trains in July and August straight through....



That is your problem.  There is only one train up from Seattle and it leaves at 7:40am.  The only train that leaves Vancouver back to Seattle leaves at 5:45pm.  If you are looking at other times that is why you aren't seeing this option from the station you are looking at.
Sounds like you are from the area and know more stations than the rest of us out of the area that are only looking at the Seattle station.


----------



## pjpoohbear

godalejunior said:


> It must be because I am plugging in from Kelso WA to Van BC and not Seattle to BC. Maybe I should split it up and try something different. The agent did tell me that they will not be running the trains in July and August straight through....



If you pick the Amtrack station that is closest to SEA TEC, you take the train to the main SEA station, then you get kicked off to a bus, and the train goes on to Vancouver without you, .

PJ


----------



## trimix

pjpoohbear said:


> If you pick the Amtrack station that is closest to SEA TEC, you take the train to the main SEA station, then you get kicked off to a bus, and the train goes on to Vancouver without you, .
> 
> PJ



No, no no! It is really very simple!

The Amtrak Cascades route goes from Eugene, OR to Vancouver, BC - you probably know this. BUT NOT ONE SINGLE TRAIN GOES BETWEEN EUGENE AND VANCOUVER! NOT EVEN ONE!

MOST trains run between Portland and Seattle ONLY.

If you pick the Amtrak station closest to the Seattle airport, you take the train to the main SEA station, then you get kicked off to a bus, and the train GOES BACK TO PORTLAND.

Since ONLY TWO TRAINS PER DAY go to Vancouver, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO VANCOUVER YOU HAVE TO TAKE ONE OF THOSE TRAINS OR A BUS.

Now, if you look at the schedule, you will see there are two trains to Vancouver, BC per day. THE MORNING TRAIN ORIGINATES IN SEATTLE. Since it starts in Seattle, there is no place south of Seattle where you can get on!


----------



## Duck Addict

Thanks for all the information on this thread.
I am doing a RCL Inside passage cruise next year that starts in Vancouver and ends in Seattle, with two pre nights in Vancouver.
You are already adding magic to that trip.
.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

BLTOH said:


> My questions now are
> 1: what airlines do not charge for luggage for the international flight and how many would be allowed?
> 2: can i pack a regular bottle of shampoo and conditioner in our checked luggage with out any problems?
> 3.since we will be doing a timeshare what is the price range of groceries?
> 
> we have not flown since 1998 so this is a whole new experience with the new rules and such.



1. Airline luggage fees change all the time. Westjet is a Canadian discount airline that serves many US destinations -- guests get 2 checked bags for free.  However, consider this only if you can get a direct flight. If you have to connect in Toronto or Calgary, you will have to go through US customs at these airports (not Vancouver and not your US destination). This is a royal PITA with luggage and kids. Alaska Airlines charges only $15 for the first checked bag, which is marginally less than the $25 per bag charged by most other airlines. Even if you have to connect through Seattle or Portland, you will go through US customs in Vancouver, so there isn't the same connection hassle that you get when you connect through other Canadian cities.

2. Do problem with any non-flamable liquids in checked luggage.

3. The price of the cheapest groceries in Vancouver is marginally more expensive than Florida and about 30-50% higher than California prices.  However, your biggest challenge may be finding a convenient grocery store.  If your time-share is downtown, there are convenience stores or a few high-end grocers. For slightly more reasonable prices, there are Safeway stores outside downtown -- use Google maps to find the most convenient for you. For cheaper options, drive or take the Skytrain to Metrotown and shop at either Superstore (warehouse-style, bag-your-own) or T&T Supermarket (full-service asian grocer with excellent take-out meals). Most Vancouver grocery stores are open 8 am to 10 pm, seven days a week.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

*Driving between SEATAC airport and Vancouver cruise ship terminals*

I live in Vancouver and have made this drive several times, most recently last week.  

*From SEATAC airport...*
From SEATAC airport, follow the signs for I-5 North.  If you miss a turn, don't panic, there are several redundant routes from the main road outside the airport (International Blvd / Pacific Highway).

*Through (or around) Seattle...*
If it is remotely close to rush hour, consider taking I-405 around Seattle rather than I-5 through the city.  It is slightly longer, but you will benefit from permanant car-pool lanes for the entire length of the highway.  I-5 has reversable car-pool lanes, which flow into downtown in the morning and out of downtown at night, which will help you for only half of your cross-city drive.

*Across the border...*
Typical border wait times are 30-90 minutes, but can be 180 minutes (3 hours!) on long weekends.  Plan accordingly.  Remember that this is an international border and there are limits to what you can carry across. No fresh fruits or vegetables. One bottle of wine or liquor per adult (legal drinking age is 19 in BC). (Additional alcohol will be subject to duty, with rates as high as 100%.) No firearms. (Hunters need to do additional paperwork in advance.) No endangered species.  No one with a criiminal (felony) conviction. Note: In Canada, drunk driving is a criminal offense (like a felony), not a misdemeaner. A DUI conviction may could be enough to deny entry to the country.  Same with drug-related convictions. If this is an issue, check with immigration authorities in advance. 
US government recommendations: http://www.consular.canada.usembassy.gov/enter_canada.asp
Canadian governemnt recommendations: http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/publications/pub/bsf5082-eng.html#s2x1
The sites above also include usefull information for traveling with their children. It is important that children have the consent of both parents to leave the country.

*Approaching Vancouver....*
As you approach Vancouver on Highway 99, consider the time-of-day you are arriving.  If it is around rush hour, plan to use Highway 91 (Alex Fraser Bridge) to avoid Highway 99 (Massey Tunnel).  The tunnel is prone to rush hour congestion, especially in the afternoon.  If you are arriving mid-day or in the evening, the tunnel will be fine and you can stay on Highway 99.

*Past Vancouver International Airport...*
You will pass the airport on your way downtown.  If you intend to park your car for the duration of your cruise, parking at the airport will be significantly cheaper than the cruise ship terminal (downtown parking rates).

*Through the city to the downtown cruise ship terminal* 
There are no freeways through Vancouver. The city is essentially a grid-system, with several parallel routes that lead into the downtown core. I recommend Granville Street and Seymour Street. Google maps prefers Main street. Both are efficient to drive, but you will see more of Vancouver's charm and fewer of the city's notorious crack-heads if you take Granville / Seymour.


----------



## trimix

With no disrespect intended, I have to slightly disagree with GrtWtNorth:

*Through or around Seattle*: If close to rush hour, after getting on the freeway leaving the airport, continue east on I-405 and thake the very first exit after I-5. This puts you on West Valley Road heading south. Take the first right, Strander Bl, and continue to the end. Turn left at the T intersection with Southcenter Parkway, and you'll find a nice collection of decent restaurants south of the Southcenter Mall. Alternatively, turn left; there is a Rainforest Cafe in the mall between Nordstrom and Sears, and a Bahama Breeze in the mall parking lot. Relax and enjoy a nice dinner instead of facing evening traffic.

*Across the Border*: The border crossing is being rebuilt; the changes should be complete before the Olympics. After traffic returns to normal those of us living near the border will be able to give more accurate descriptions of what the situation will be like.
At this time, a crossing late at night or mid-day on weekdays usually takes ten minutes or less northbound, 15 to 20 minutes southbound. At the highest traffic times (Friday evening, Saturdays most of the day, Sunday evening) plan on at least 90 minutes to cross the border. And be aware: while the Canadian staff is usually polite and courteous, the US Customs and Border Patrol staff often act like you are guilty, they just can't prove it. Don't take their attitude personally - and be sure not to respond in kind!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

trimix said:


> With no disrespect intended, I have to slightly disagree with GrtWtNorth:
> 
> *Through or around Seattle*: If close to rush hour, after getting on the freeway leaving the airport, continue east on I-405 and thake the very first exit after I-5. This puts you on West Valley Road heading south. Take the first right, Strander Bl, and continue to the end. Turn left at the T intersection with Southcenter Parkway, and you'll find a nice collection of decent restaurants south of the Southcenter Mall. Alternatively, turn left; there is a Rainforest Cafe in the mall between Nordstrom and Sears, and a Bahama Breeze in the mall parking lot. Relax and enjoy a nice dinner instead of facing evening traffic.



trimix, I agree, there are a nice collection of decent restaurants at Southcenter mall.  My family often stops there (recommend Olive Garden) if we made good time driving to the SEATAC airport.  However, first-time visitors should be cautioned that driving around this mall is a bit confusing.  I never knew about the West Valley Road entrance, having only used the Southcenter Parkway exit off I-5.  map The mall area is immediately adjacent to the I-5 and I-405 interchange, so follow signs closely.  I learned the hard way that if I followed the I-5 signs, I got on the interstate after the I-405 exit.


----------



## Mulljac

Hi. I have a question. We'll be flying in from NJ and was wondering if it is better to stay at a hotel near the airport and take a cab to the port in the morning or to stay at a hotel near the port? Which would be the cheaper option?
thanks for your help.


----------



## jilljill

Mulljac said:


> Hi. I have a question. We'll be flying in from NJ and was wondering if it is better to stay at a hotel near the airport and take a cab to the port in the morning or to stay at a hotel near the port? Which would be the cheaper option?
> thanks for your help.



Only take a cab if you are prepared to pay an arm and a leg - it's close to an hour's drive away.


----------



## Mulljac

jilljill said:


> Only take a cab if you are prepared to pay an arm and a leg - it's close to an hour's drive away.



what would be the cheapest way to get to the port then? because either way if you stay at a hotel at the airport or near the port you still need transportation from the airport. I'm not at all familiar with Vancouver. thanks.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Hey everyone...just checking in. I am going to do some updates soon on some airport hotels. We have 2 with indoor waterslides that I think you will like, and also lots others, and also a couple to RUN away from!
I have just had no time in October to even think about updates! I promise soon!


----------



## Jessebuggy

Lollipop's Mom -- Thanks for all the work you have done.  You are awesome!  Can't wait for Alaska cruise!


----------



## Mulljac

ok, I answered my own question. found out that you can take the Vancouver shuttle from the airport to Canada Place for $13 pp. each way. Now just to figure out which hotel to stay at.


----------



## disneymath

Mulljac said:


> ok, I answered my own question. found out that you can take the Vancouver shuttle from the airport to Canada Place for $13 pp. each way. Now just to figure out which hotel to stay at.


 
This is good to know - thanks for posting it! (I'm not sure if it was posted elsewhere in this thread - if so, I missed it.)


----------



## pomlover

This thread is nice and informative, thanks!


----------



## philnphyl

If you have kids, and love airplanes, I would highly recommend staying at the Fairmont Airport hotel.  The rooms face the runway and it's a ton of fun watching the jumbo jets come and go.  They also have a hypoallergenic floor where it's super clean - they run hepa filters and have down free rooms if needed.


----------



## aimay73

Hi all, 

I've been poking around, starting the process for scouting out Vancouver hotels for the Alaska cruise.  I noticed the original post mentions Hotwire as an option to get lower prices for the hotels.  My question is, I'm looking at the Westin Grand, so can anyone who's used Hotwire (maybe to book this hotel before), or who knows the Vancouver area, tell me the "area" I'd want to book on Hotwire (Downtown Entertainment District?  Downtown West?  Downtown South?)

I've never used Hotwire before and since Hotwire doesn't let you know the name of the hotel until after you actually book, I'm at a loss!

Thanks! 

Aimee


----------



## starwood

DH has been doing some research.  We were originally thinking of flying into Seattle but now he is thinking of using our airline mileage for free tickets to Vancouver and then use hotel points for the Marriott by the port - any opinions on the Marriott (I think it's a Fairfield)


----------



## godalejunior

I was looking at hotels too and boy are they spendy!!! Can you book this far out?


----------



## aimay73

godalejunior said:


> I was looking at hotels too and boy are they spendy!!! Can you book this far out?



I'm pretty sure you can only book 12 months out at the most.  I'm just looking around and trying to get a general 
feel for pricing (and spendy is right!!).  I'm glad I've started looking around now, because it looks like we'll want to 
save more than originally planned to cover hotel costs.

Aimee


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

You are really best to go with hotwire/priceline in Vancouver! Good deals to be had.


----------



## aimay73

Lollipop's Mom said:


> You are really best to go with hotwire/priceline in Vancouver! Good deals to be had.



Hi there, Lollipop's Mom!  Did you see my earlier question about hotwire?  Can you help me with an answer?

Thanks!

Aimee


----------



## jilljill

Lollipop's Mom said:


> You are really best to go with hotwire/priceline in Vancouver! Good deals to be had.



Please give us some pointers for using hotwire/priceline...please, please please....


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

jilljill said:


> Please give us some pointers for using hotwire/priceline...please, please please....



Ok...I am going to do a big update tomorrow!


----------



## aimay73

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Ok...I am going to do a big update tomorrow!



Yay!!!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

jilljill said:


> Only take a cab if you are prepared to pay an arm and a leg - it's close to an hour's drive away.



It's not an hour drive away.  Usually it's less than 30 minutes, with an extra 10-15 minutes during rush hour. I've taken cabs from Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to offices downtown, adjacent to the cruise ship terminal.  I've never paid more than $40, including tip.  But don't take my word for it -- according to www.YVR.ca, "The approximate fare to downtown Vancouver is between $28 - $32 (taxes included)."


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Just added some airport hotel stuff to the first post. Going to add a few more things tonight too.


----------



## aimay73

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Just added some airport hotel stuff to the first post. Going to add a few more things tonight too.



Thanks!  I've been keeping an eye out for updates!

Aimee


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Just did the hotwire/priceline area stuff....
Off to do more!


----------



## aimay73

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Just did the hotwire/priceline area stuff....
> Off to do more!



Lollipop's Mom, 

So, if I want to try and book the Westin Grand through Priceline, is the only thing I can do is select a hotel in the "Downtown Entertainment District", 
and hope I get the Westin Grand?  That's my real question.. How do you try to book the hotel you want on Priceline without knowing the hotel 
information through priceline until after you've booked?

Thanks! 

Aimee


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Your best bet is to go to www.betterbidding.com and look at that site for assistance with bidding. You would have to figure out the star level and hope for the best. I know I have gotten that hotel on hotwire many times and it always has a kitchen icon and is in the entertainment district.
It is probably waaaaay too soon to book anything  yet, so go do lots of reading on that website and get a feel for it.

Also - just updated some shopping info.


----------



## aimay73

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Your best bet is to go to www.betterbidding.com and look at that site for assistance with bidding. You would have to figure out the star level and hope for the best. I know I have gotten that hotel on hotwire many times and it always has a kitchen icon and is in the entertainment district.
> It is probably waaaaay too soon to book anything  yet, so go do lots of reading on that website and get a feel for it.
> 
> Also - just updated some shopping info.



Thanks.  I'm sure it's way too soon to bid too.  I'm just trying to get as much info about the websites, and the hotel locations so I know what I'm doing when it's time to book.

Aimee


----------



## BLTOH

Those that live in vancouver or have stayed at either one of these places. can you give me your view point of either one of these? 

Club Intrawest- vancouver  at 1001 hornby st. 

Worldmark vancouver at 1080 hornby st. 


i am leaning towards the worldmark right now but courious if anyone has any viewpoints. and what is the distance between them. they seem like they are very close together. which one would be closer to the pier and skytrains? 
thank you to all those that help us in traveling modes. it is greatly appreciated.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

BLTOH said:


> Those that live in vancouver or have stayed at either one of these places. can you give me your view point of either one of these?
> 
> Club Intrawest- vancouver  at 1001 hornby st.
> 
> Worldmark vancouver at 1080 hornby st.
> 
> 
> i am leaning towards the worldmark right now but courious if anyone has any viewpoints. and what is the distance between them. they seem like they are very close together. which one would be closer to the pier and skytrains?
> thank you to all those that help us in traveling modes. it is greatly appreciated.



I don't know a lot about those hotels, but tripadvisor can probably help you out there. As for location they are only a block away from each other, and about the same distance to the port/skytrain.  They are both still a fair walk to the skytrain, maybe 15-20mins depending on how fast you walk to  it. Vancouver city blocks are larger than most city blocks btw. 
http://maps.google.com/?q=1080 hornby st,vancouver


----------



## GrtWtNorth

One of the many in-room babysitting service providers is Nanies On Call. http://www.nanniesoncall.com/index.html

My inlaws own a winery and often visit Vancouver to meet with wine buyers and brokers, as well as for family vacations. When they need to meet a client, sometimes over dinner, they will call and get a nannie to look after their boys in the hotel room. They love the service.


----------



## smiley_face2

Well this is terribly exciting... Such a wonderfully informative thread...Thankyou!!
We have never been on a cruise before, but hubby has talked about doing a cruise to Alaska. For me...any and all holiday time/money is saved for Disney!! so this combining of the 2 is magic for us!! 
We live on the outskirts of Vancouver, a short ferry ride and 20 min. drive to be exact. We are about 3 blocks from the beach and often go down in the evening in summer, and watch the cruise ships going by! We were just down at the cruise ship terminal about 4 weeks ago, because the government building we go to renew passports is a 2 minute walk away from it, and that's where the easiest parking (NOT cheapest...!) is. It really is a beautiful area, and it was a sunny fall day, and the city was at it's finest  we commented to each other, how people coming here from other parts of the world must be amazed at how beautiful it is! 
Because we live so close, and hubby getting time off work is quite flexible, rather than book now, we are going to wait to see if any good prices come up. Often if you can book at the last minute, rather than have rooms/flights/cabins go empty they will offer them at a good rate. Although, considering the season will only be 4 months long, and who knows if they will return in 2012...... I may just have to tell hubby this will be my 2011 birthday present and book a cruise for that August...they have a departure right near my birthday... 
I can't wait to eventually see everyone's pictures, and read trip reports in 2011! hopefully I'll have my own too!! 
Someone mentioned about the high cost of food in Vancouver, and yes at one time the price of groceries compared to the US and especially California was rediculously higher! but on our last several trips to California (we always drive down and always do some grocery shopping) we have been really shocked to see the prices, down there at least, pretty much on par with up here. 
Now the only way all of this could get any better...is if, eventually they have the new Dreams ship do this route!!
I wanted to mention too.... because the 2010 Olympic winter games are in Vancouver/Whistler, I'm betting checking hotel prices until they are over will result in some higher prices, even if it's not during the Olympics. I'm thinking, checking prices after the Olympics are over, say March-April 2010 the prices will be better.


----------



## BLTOH

Lollipop's Mom said:


> I don't know a lot about those hotels, but tripadvisor can probably help you out there. As for location they are only a block away from each other, and about the same distance to the port/skytrain.  They are both still a fair walk to the skytrain, maybe 15-20mins depending on how fast you walk to  it. Vancouver city blocks are larger than most city blocks btw.
> http://maps.google.com/?q=1080 hornby st,vancouver



ok that helps alot just to know the city blocks are larger. and knowing my daughter will be 8yr old then and shes a pokey walker i can see it being a 30 min walk for us..lol


----------



## GrtWtNorth

*Local Food*

Sushi restaurants litter downtown Vancouver. They are more common than Starbucks and McDonalds combined. Sushi is very popular fast food for locals.  Vancouver sushi restaurants serve a variety of traditional Japanese-style sushi and sashimi (salmon, tuna, shrimp, etc.), as well as Western-style sushi (California rolls, dynamite rolls, avocado rolls, etc.).  Most also serve hot food such as tempura (deep fried shrimp and/or veggies), terriaki (salmon, chicken and/or beef plus vegetables and rice), as well as soup.  The restaurants range from counter service ($4-$7 per entre) to fine dining ($20-$40 per entre), and a few offer all-you-can-eat options ($10-$15 per person).


----------



## boardom

Thank you for posting all this fantastic info, I'm so excited to do some days in Vancouver before our cruise now.  Also thanks to whomever mentioned Westjet - had never heard of them, and the "equivalent" days in 2010 are currently $650pp from EWR to YVR, I will definitely be checking them when it's time to book airfare!


----------



## smiley_face2

Vancouver just got voted by Conde Naste magazine the best Chinese food in the world! Even better than Hong Kong or San Francisco.


----------



## Anjelica

Again - thanks for this VERY informative thread.  

I had some time last night to start looking into how we are going to plan our May 31st cruise - husband, myself, DD who will be 7 turning 8 on our trip, DS 4 and my brother who lost his leg in Iraq therefore he uses a wheelchair alot (I bring this up as it adds a little complexity in trying to figure out the best way to get around town, etc. so if anyone has some advice please definetly shoot it my way - I would GREATLY appreciate it).

I think we are going to fly into Seattle the Saturday before our Tuesday cruise and stay a few nights.  We are flying from St. Louis and my brother from DC so we figured we would get in a few nights before the trip.  I was then thinking about either renting a car to drive from Seattle to Vancouver OR taking Amtrak Cascades (if anyone has experience doing either please let me know your thoughts).  

I then am looking at staying the night before the cruise in the Pan Pacific hotel above Canada Pier just to make sure we are there and don't have to rely on transportation the morning/day of to get to the port.

All in all I know we are still over a year away but for me since we have two semi-small children and my brother's handicap to think about its good to get an idea of how we are going to handle, etc.


----------



## pillow

Anjelica said:


> Again - thanks for this VERY informative thread.
> 
> I had some time last night to start looking into how we are going to plan our May 31st cruise - husband, myself, DD who will be 7 turning 8 on our trip, DS 4 and my brother who lost his leg in Iraq therefore he uses a wheelchair alot (I bring this up as it adds a little complexity in trying to figure out the best way to get around town, etc. so if anyone has some advice please definetly shoot it my way - I would GREATLY appreciate it).
> 
> I think we are going to fly into Seattle the Saturday before our Tuesday cruise and stay a few nights.  We are flying from St. Louis and my brother from DC so we figured we would get in a few nights before the trip.  I was then thinking about either renting a car to drive from Seattle to Vancouver OR taking Amtrak Cascades (if anyone has experience doing either please let me know your thoughts).
> 
> I then am looking at staying the night before the cruise in the Pan Pacific hotel above Canada Pier just to make sure we are there and don't have to rely on transportation the morning/day of to get to the port.
> 
> All in all I know we are still over a year away but for me since we have two semi-small children and my brother's handicap to think about its good to get an idea of how we are going to handle, etc.



Hi Angelica.  We are planning to fly into Seattle and rent a car as well, but mainly because I want to drive to Whistler for a few nights before the cruise and then to Victoria as well via the ferry.  It makes sense to have a car if you're going to travel around a bit beforehand.  Just keep in mind that the port charges a lot to keep your car there while cruising ($20 per day I think someone said).  Plus your hotel in Vancouver will charge you for parking as well.  The car rental thing gets expensive, but its nice to have the flexiblity to go where you want when you want.

I heard the Amtrak trip from Seattle to Vancouver is very nice - beautiful views.

Jodie


----------



## mrsmoore

Anjelica said:


> Again - thanks for this VERY informative thread.
> 
> I had some time last night to start looking into how we are going to plan our May 31st cruise - husband, myself, DD who will be 7 turning 8 on our trip, DS 4 and my brother who lost his leg in Iraq therefore he uses a wheelchair alot (I bring this up as it adds a little complexity in trying to figure out the best way to get around town, etc. so if anyone has some advice please definetly shoot it my way - I would GREATLY appreciate it).
> 
> I think we are going to fly into Seattle the Saturday before our Tuesday cruise and stay a few nights.  We are flying from St. Louis and my brother from DC so we figured we would get in a few nights before the trip.  I was then thinking about either renting a car to drive from Seattle to Vancouver OR taking Amtrak Cascades (if anyone has experience doing either please let me know your thoughts).
> 
> I then am looking at staying the night before the cruise in the Pan Pacific hotel above Canada Pier just to make sure we are there and don't have to rely on transportation the morning/day of to get to the port.
> 
> All in all I know we are still over a year away but for me since we have two semi-small children and my brother's handicap to think about its good to get an idea of how we are going to handle, etc.




We live just outside of Seattle and did the train to Vancouver once, it is a beautiful ride.  A lot of it is along the water and just beautiful! I would suggest that, especially if you don't need a car once in Vancouver.


----------



## Anjelica

pillow said:


> Hi Angelica.  We are planning to fly into Seattle and rent a car as well, but mainly because I want to drive to Whistler for a few nights before the cruise and then to Victoria as well via the ferry.  It makes sense to have a car if you're going to travel around a bit beforehand.  Just keep in mind that the port charges a lot to keep your car there while cruising ($20 per day I think someone said).  Plus your hotel in Vancouver will charge you for parking as well.  The car rental thing gets expensive, but its nice to have the flexiblity to go where you want when you want.
> 
> I heard the Amtrak trip from Seattle to Vancouver is very nice - beautiful views.
> 
> Jodie



For car rentals is there any in particular or restrictions with driving across border?  I have not driven across Canadian border before - only flown.



mrsmoore said:


> We live just outside of Seattle and did the train to Vancouver once, it is a beautiful ride.  A lot of it is along the water and just beautiful! I would suggest that, especially if you don't need a car once in Vancouver.



We won't need a car in Vancouver since we are only staying the night before.  I was concerned about getting around Seattle from Airport to Hotel then Hotel to Amtrak station.  How is public transporation, taxis, etc. in Seattle?  We would be flying into SeaTac then most likely staying in Downtown Seattle for the two nights then if taking the Amtrak Cascades we would leave the Monday morning before the cruise (I know its a 740AM train so we want to make sure we get there on time).


----------



## mrsmoore

Anjelica said:


> For car rentals is there any in particular or restrictions with driving across border?  I have not driven across Canadian border before - only flown.
> 
> 
> 
> We won't need a car in Vancouver since we are only staying the night before.  I was concerned about getting around Seattle from Airport to Hotel then Hotel to Amtrak station.  How is public transporation, taxis, etc. in Seattle?  We would be flying into SeaTac then most likely staying in Downtown Seattle for the two nights then if taking the Amtrak Cascades we would leave the Monday morning before the cruise (I know its a 740AM train so we want to make sure we get there on time).



http://shuttleexpress.com/default.aspx

Shuttle Express is a pretty good company, I have never used them, but they are the primary shuttle company in Seattle.  I don't know a whole lot about taxi service in Seattle.  You said you had someone with you in a wheel chair?  That might not be great for the light rail, but they just opened the leg to the airport.  The local news channel said there is a short walk from the light rail to the terminals, but it takes it right down to downtown.  Here is the link to Sound Transit:
http://www.soundtransit.org/



On the rental car issue, I will share an experience I had.  I got sick while in Vancouver, and we needed to drive home instead of taking Amtrak back.  To rent the car in Canada and drop it off in the US, there was a $200 or $300 fee.  That was the same as what it cost to have a town car take us home.


----------



## smeecanada

Anjelica said:


> We won't need a car in Vancouver since we are only staying the night before.  I was concerned about getting around Seattle from Airport to Hotel then Hotel to Amtrak station.  How is public transporation, taxis, etc. in Seattle?  We would be flying into SeaTac then most likely staying in Downtown Seattle for the two nights then if taking the Amtrak Cascades we would leave the Monday morning before the cruise (I know its a 740AM train so we want to make sure we get there on time).



Taxi from the airport to downtown is roughly $30 - $40US.  Some hotels have shuttles, but not sure if that applies to Downtown ones.


----------



## smeecanada

pillow said:


> Hi Angelica.  We are planning to fly into Seattle and rent a car as well, but mainly because I want to drive to Whistler for a few nights before the cruise and then to Victoria as well via the ferry.
> Jodie



Another option you might want to think about Jodie.  Is to take the Victoria Clipper from downtown Seattle to downtown Victoria.  It takes about 2 1/2 hours.  Then you can rent a car in Victoria and drop it off in Vancouver.  A drop fee will most likely apply.  From Victoria you could drive up the island a bit (1 1/2 hour drive without stopping) to Nanaimo and take the ferry from there across to Horseshoe Bay in North Vancouver, then head up to Whistler.  Saves you driving thru downtown Vancouver, but you'll miss the beautiful ferry ride thru the Gulf Islands.


----------



## Anjelica

Thanks everyone for their suggestions and help.  This definetly gives me some ideas on how to handle our trip up there.  I'm sure these won't be my last questions.  I really do appreciate all the help from folks who have been there, etc.


----------



## hockeymom944

[QUOTE="Got Disney";33778148]Same here....the flight prices are  and I live in SanDiego.....for each of us to fly it is $550 and look how close we are.  Not just that but it will take us 6 hrs to get there.  When on a one way that is like way so much more 2.5 hrs.

It is cheaper fro us to fly to Florida or N.J not to mention cheaper....$350  with  a flight time of 6hr 40 minutes to fly to Florida....go figure

Heres to hoping for a price war[/QUOTE]

I am surprised that airfare from San Diego is that much. We are going on the one way cruise to Vancouver in April 2011, so I only need to fly home. We will fly from Vancouver into Ontario, CA. It will probably cost $600 for four of us. (I am keeping my fingers crossed that airfare rates don't get out of control before now and then!)


----------



## smb6

Wow!  This is great information!  I'm so glad I found this!  I have a couple of questions that I hope you can help me with.....

1-  Can I rent a vehicle at the Vancouver airport and drop it off at the cruise port (Canada Place)?  This would be ideal as we plan to fly up the Sunday night before the cruise leaves Tuesday.

2-  We were planning to fly to Vancouver, but after reading all this information I'm realizing Seattle would definately be cheaper.  But would it really be worth the hassle?  And would we still need passports if we fly into Seattle and take a bus to Vancouver rather than fly directly into Vancouver?  (I know we need them to fly into Canada for sure)

Thanks in advance!


----------



## jilljill

smb6 said:


> Wow!  This is great information!  I'm so glad I found this!  I have a couple of questions that I hope you can help me with.....
> 
> 1-  Can I rent a vehicle at the Vancouver airport and drop it off at the cruise port (Canada Place)?  This would be ideal as we plan to fly up the Sunday night before the cruise leaves Tuesday.
> 
> 2-  We were planning to fly to Vancouver, but after reading all this information I'm realizing Seattle would definately be cheaper.  But would it really be worth the hassle?  And would we still need passports if we fly into Seattle and take a bus to Vancouver rather than fly directly into Vancouver?  (I know we need them to fly into Canada for sure)
> 
> Thanks in advance!



You will still need a passport if you fly to Seattle and drive up to Vancouver since you will need the passport to cruise with.


----------



## smeecanada

smb6 said:


> Wow!  This is great information!  I'm so glad I found this!  I have a couple of questions that I hope you can help me with.....
> 
> 1-  Can I rent a vehicle at the Vancouver airport and drop it off at the cruise port (Canada Place)?  This would be ideal as we plan to fly up the Sunday night before the cruise leaves Tuesday.
> 
> 2-  We were planning to fly to Vancouver, but after reading all this information I'm realizing Seattle would definately be cheaper.  But would it really be worth the hassle?  And would we still need passports if we fly into Seattle and take a bus to Vancouver rather than fly directly into Vancouver?  (I know we need them to fly into Canada for sure)
> 
> Thanks in advance!



You need a passport no matter which way you go now, to get into Canada and also onto the Wonder.

Should be no problem dropping a car off in downtown Vancouver somewhere.  There is no car rental right at the cruise terminal that I'm aware of - could be wrong.  Maybe someone who has done it before can chime in.  We've never needed a rental car in Vancouver, so not sure all the ins and outs - other than you'll definitely be able to drop a car in downtown Vancouver from the airport.

Think about what you want to do in Vancouver on Monday - you might not need a vehicle.  The new light rail is very quick and efficient.


----------



## Rachael Q

Several people have asked about renting cars in Seattle and driving to Vancouver.  Please note that many of the car rental companies will not let you take their cars across the border.  Those that do will add a one way drop off fee of $300 to $500.  So you will need to factor this into your airfare.  Yes it's much cheaper to fly to Seattle or Bellingham, but the difficulties with the rental car, might make Vancouver a better choice.

Rather than a rental car, I would use Amtrak, Quickshuttle or Greyhound.


----------



## smb6

Rachael Q said:


> Several people have asked about renting cars in Seattle and driving to Vancouver.  Please note that many of the car rental companies will not let you take their cars across the border.  Those that do will add a one way drop off fee of $300 to $500.  So you will need to factor this into your airfare.  Yes it's much cheaper to fly to Seattle or Bellingham, but the difficulties with the rental car, might make Vancouver a better choice.
> 
> Rather than a rental car, I would use Amtrak, Quickshuttle or Greyhound.




Thanks.  I was only talking about renting the car if we fly into Vancouver.  This whole time I'd been planning to fly into Vancouver until reading this thread.  I think I'm going to stick with my initial plan, I'm worried the inconvenience will be too great for us - especially coming back home.  
But because we are planning to fly in Sunday night, I was hoping to rent a van and was  hoping the port would have a rental drop off; but it doesn't sound like that's the case.  
I guess we will rent the van and one adult will have to drop us off at the port w/ luggage and then drive back to airport to turn in van and take taxi to port.  And then I guess we could either take van taxi or Disney transport after the cruise is over.  Does this sound like the best/easiest/cost effecient plan??


----------



## 2bundles

Most of the car rental companies have city drop off points.  You could drop one of your party with bags at the port, then drop the vehicle off.  Thrifty definately has an office within a couple of blocks of Canada Place.  Not sure about the others.  Generally there is no one way charge given it is the same city.


----------



## smeecanada

smb6 said:


> But because we are planning to fly in Sunday night, I was hoping to rent a van and was  hoping the port would have a rental drop off; but it doesn't sound like that's the case.
> I guess we will rent the van and one adult will have to drop us off at the port w/ luggage and then drive back to airport to turn in van and take taxi to port.  And then I guess we could either take van taxi or Disney transport after the cruise is over.  Does this sound like the best/easiest/cost effecient plan??



The cruise port is basically right in downtown Vancouver.  It's in a well built up area.  There will be drop off points in downtown Vancouver, no need to go all the way back to the airport.  I'll have a bit of a look around and see what I can find with the major rental companies and report back.


----------



## smeecanada

Found this while trying to find about car rental locations.

Great map of where the hotels are in downtown Vancouver.  The cruise terminal is where #1 is.  That is if we are leaving from Canada Place.  There is a chance we might leave from Ballantyne Pier.  

http://www.blockwalk.com/vancouver/hotels/  Click on Downtown Vancouver Map - in the text in the center.


----------



## BLTOH

anyone know approximately how long of a drive it is from Seattle (downtown) to Vancouver (Canada Place)? also if we was to leave like early hours (5-6am) for canada how is the border crossing at the early hours of the day? would be a week day.  

also what kind of time frame is it from Blaine,Wa to Vancouver?


----------



## GrtWtNorth

BLTOH said:


> anyone know approximately how long of a drive it is from Seattle (downtown) to Vancouver (Canada Place)? also if we was to leave like early hours (5-6am) for canada how is the border crossing at the early hours of the day? would be a week day.
> 
> also what kind of time frame is it from Blaine,Wa to Vancouver?



While the drive time should be only 2.5 hours, you have to allow contingency times:
* up to 30 minutes to navigate through any traffic or accidents in Seattle. If you had to leave later, I'd double this contingency to 60 minutes.
* up to 60 minutes at the border.  (Double that for weekends.) Leaving at 5:00 am, you're still arriving at 7:00 am and typical weekday traffic is flowing across the border.  Random car searches easily add 30 minutes to the process.  
* up to 60 minutes to navigate Vancouver traffic and accidents. Morning rush hour is typically 7:00 to 9:30. But mid-day traffic in and out of downtown is still significant. 

In other words, under typical driving conditions your journey could take anywhere from 2.5 to 5.0 hours.

From Blaine to downtown Vancouver, drive time is approximately 45 minutes.  But you can never predict how messed up Vancouver traffic can be.  Give yourself plenty of time to get here safely.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Old Spaghetti Factory in the Gastown tourist district, 53 Water Street
(While the Old Spaghetti Factory restaurant in Gastown is the original, the brand has been successfully copied and applied to a dozen other restaurants, including one in Whistler.)

This family-friendly pasta restaurants is excellent for tourists and locals. The prices are competitive and include bread, soup or salad, ice cream, and coffee or tea (milk or pop for kids).  The food is hot, fresh and fast.  They are very good at serving large crowds. 

The restaurants are tastefully themed with antiques and artifacts. No tacky Italian stereotypes here.


----------



## cindy18

Rachael Q said:


> Several people have asked about renting cars in Seattle and driving to Vancouver.  Please note that many of the car rental companies will not let you take their cars across the border.  Those that do will add a one way drop off fee of $300 to $500.  So you will need to factor this into your airfare.  Yes it's much cheaper to fly to Seattle or Bellingham, but the difficulties with the rental car, might make Vancouver a better choice.
> 
> Rather than a rental car, I would use Amtrak, Quickshuttle or Greyhound.



This post made me anxious since we are planning to drive up from Portland, so I went onto Hertz's website and checked out prices for a one-day, one-way rental from Portland to Vancouver.  I didn't see a surcharge for crossing the border.  It's not really cheap, but for an SUV the one-day charge was about $140, which I think we'll probably do.  Of course I tested it for this August rather than next August, and I guess things could change, but for right now, that looks like our plan.


----------



## smeecanada

cindy18 said:


> This post made me anxious since we are planning to drive up from Portland, so I went onto Hertz's website and checked out prices for a one-day, one-way rental from Portland to Vancouver.  I didn't see a surcharge for crossing the border.  It's not really cheap, but for an SUV the one-day charge was about $140, which I think we'll probably do.  Of course I tested it for this August rather than next August, and I guess things could change, but for right now, that looks like our plan.



Not saying you are wrong, but I'd go back and double check that you inputted Vancouver, *BC *and not WA.  It was a common mistake when people were booking hotels for the Olympics.  The other Vancouver is just across the river from Portland.


----------



## ibouncetoo

Now that I'm home from the EBTA it's time to start the LA-Vancouver repo/1st Alaska planning.

Here's my first (and I'm serious here) question:

Do you think we will be able to exit the ship from the repo and go get a Japadog?  We have several people interested in this non-DCL excursion!

.


----------



## mom_rules

ibouncetoo said:


> Now that I'm home from the EBTA it's time to start the LA-Vancouver repo/1st Alaska planning.
> 
> Here's my first (and I'm serious here) question:
> 
> Do you think we will be able to exit the ship from the repo and go get a Japadog?  We have several people interested in this non-DCL excursion!
> 
> .



It's a really nice (on a sunny day) walk  I think about 15-20 mins-Straight up Burrard-by the Sutton Place Hotel.
They also had a smaller version on the waterfront on the other side of the Vancouver Convention Centre when we were there a few months ago.  Can't see why you couldn't.


----------



## justmestace

Subscribing to this, so that I can find it easier.  We'll be cruising Alaska (30 days from today!) on another cruise line, and I'll be doing a report about the ports that DCL will be stopping at, on the Trip Report forum.

I'll be posting a link to it on here, if anyone is going to be interested in hearing about the ports ahead of time.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

cindy18 said:


> This post made me anxious since we are planning to drive up from Portland, so I went onto Hertz's website and checked out prices for a one-day, one-way rental from Portland to Vancouver.  I didn't see a surcharge for crossing the border.  It's not really cheap, but for an SUV the one-day charge was about $140, which I think we'll probably do.  Of course I tested it for this August rather than next August, and I guess things could change, but for right now, that looks like our plan.



I just confirmed similar rates, double-checking that the drop off point was Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (not Vancouver, Washington).  I found a regular car rental from the Portland airport was $20/d to return to the same airport.  However, taking the same vehicle to Vancouver would cost +$200/d.  They didn't specify a drop-off-fee, they just adjusted the daily rate.


----------



## mmmears

This is a great thread!  Thanks for compiling all the info on Vancouver I could possibly need, all in one place!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

I can't resist posting this news.  A Grey Whale wandered into False Creek, a small inlet south of downtown Vancouver.  It wandered around between the tourist attractions for several hours before heading back to sea.  

Sample of TV news coverage
Sample of newspaper coverage

Grey whales are not rare in the region, but it is extremely rare for a whale to go into such a busy waterway, full of boats and surrounded by people.  An equivalent experience might be a moose walking through Times Square or an aligator waddling through Cinderella's Castle.


----------



## MAGICFOR2

GrtWtNorth said:


> I can't resist posting this news.  A Grey Whale wandered into False Creek, a small inlet south of downtown Vancouver.  It wandered around between the tourist attractions for several hours before heading back to sea.
> 
> Sample of TV news coverage
> Sample of newspaper coverage
> 
> Grey whales are not rare in the region, but it is extremely rare for a whale to go into such a busy waterway, full of boats and surrounded by people.  An equivalent experience might be a moose walking through Times Square or an aligator waddling through Cinderella's Castle.



hmmm guess he got lost!  Thanks for sharing.  I've yet to see a grey whale off our coast, even though I've been there at the right season...


----------



## perdidobay

Question for Vancover diser's- Does 4th of July holiday have any effect on Vancover, i.e.- more American tourists there just for the weekend? I'm considering the Alaska cruise that departs on July 5th, and we would arrive in Vancover a few days early-Saturday the 2nd. If it will be really busy because of crowds we may consider a later cruise. TIA!


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## purplern

GrtWtNorth said:


> I can't resist posting this news.  A Grey Whale wandered into False Creek, a small inlet south of downtown Vancouver.  It wandered around between the tourist attractions for several hours before heading back to sea.
> 
> Sample of TV news coverage
> Sample of newspaper coverage
> 
> Grey whales are not rare in the region, but it is extremely rare for a whale to go into such a busy waterway, full of boats and surrounded by people.  An equivalent experience might be a moose walking through Times Square or an aligator waddling through Cinderella's Castle.



Cool!!!! Thanks for sharing!


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## GrtWtNorth

perdidobay said:


> Question for Vancover diser's- Does 4th of July holiday have any effect on Vancover, i.e.- more American tourists there just for the weekend? I'm considering the Alaska cruise that departs on July 5th, and we would arrive in Vancover a few days early-Saturday the 2nd. If it will be really busy because of crowds we may consider a later cruise. TIA!



Yes, it will be very busy. 

First, July 1 is Canada Day.  Crowds of hundreds of thousands of Canadians will be downtown to celebrate and watch the fireworks. The cruise ship terminal, Canada Place, is the focal point for Vancouver's Canada Day celebrations. Click here for a glimpse of the festivities. 

As for July 4, there are little celebrations around Vancouver, mostly for the benefit of the thousands of tourists and ex-pats.  Because of Vancouver's proximity to the US, and it's status as a tourist destination, there will be many other Americans visiting during this time.  

Expect both border crossings to be very busy, with many people crossing in both directions to celebrate the holidays with friends and family.  In fact, I would suggest planning to cross before 8:00 am or after 9:00 pm, unless you are prepared for 2-hour waits.


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## perdidobay

Thanks for the info, after watching the video I think I'd like to be there that weekend. It looks like great fun! We'd be flying directly into Vancover so no worries about border crossings being busy. 
DH can't wait to see Vancover again, he was there for buisness 8 years ago but his trip was cut short when I was in a traffic accident and he had to hurry back home.



GrtWtNorth said:


> Yes, it will be very busy.
> 
> First, July 1 is Canada Day.  Crowds of hundreds of thousands of Canadians will be downtown to celebrate and watch the fireworks. The cruise ship terminal, Canada Place, is the focal point for Vancouver's Canada Day celebrations. Click here for a glimpse of the festivities.
> 
> As for July 4, there are little celebrations around Vancouver, mostly for the benefit of the thousands of tourists and ex-pats.  Because of Vancouver's proximity to the US, and it's status as a tourist destination, there will be many other Americans visiting during this time.
> 
> Expect both border crossings to be very busy, with many people crossing in both directions to celebrate the holidays with friends and family.  In fact, I would suggest planning to cross before 8:00 am or after 9:00 pm, unless you are prepared for 2-hour waits.


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## RedSox68

While we are not doing Disney in Alaska next July but Holland America, I am finding this thread invaluable for information as our departure port is also Vancouver.  

Once we discovered that the flight from the east coast to Vancouver is almost as long as our flight to Hawaii Hawaii , we started thinking about doing the round trip from Seattle (where we can use Southwest) and taking the train to Vancouver.  I have always loved trains and it sounds like it might be fun.  That way, we can do a day and overnight in Seattle to break up the flight times.  And since our land tour ends with a 2-1/2 flight from Whitehorse back to Vancouver, I sure as heck don't want to get right on the plane home for another 10 hours!  

We are doing the post-cruise package with two nights in Vancouver and going to Victoria and Butchart, but I'd hate to stay a night in Seattle and then get to Vancouver and pay for another night pre-cruise.  

So any negatives on taking the train from Seattle to Vancouver on day of sailing so we don't have to pay for a hotel room in Vancouver?   I am one of those naysayers about *flying* in same day, but I thought since Seattle is so close, the train on same day shouldn't be a problem.  Any opinions on this?  

Also, we are doing a cruise tour with 7 day cruise and 13-day land.  Anyone with any comments about the mosquito problems I keep hearing about.  Some stories say they are unbearable in July especially   Thanks.


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## GrtWtNorth

RedSox68 said:


> Once we discovered that the flight from the east coast to Vancouver is almost as long as our flight to Hawaii Hawaii , we started thinking about doing the round trip from Seattle (where we can use Southwest) and taking the train to Vancouver.



That's brutal. I guess you couldn't find direct flights on your travel days. It's between 5 and 6 hours to fly from Vancouver to either Boston or Honolulu.  There would be more flights direct to Vancouver from Montreal and New York, assuming you live somewhere in New England. 

FYI, Vancouver has no direct flights to Orlando. We drive 2.5 hours to the Seattle airport to fly to Orlando direct (5.5 h).  Taking a connecting flight from Vancouver takes just as long (if you count time to travel to airport, wait, fly, and connect), and costs an extra $300 or more for our family.  Canadian airlines also tend to use Toronto or Montreal as a connection hub, which makes total travel time ridiculously long (+6h flying plus 2-4h connecting).


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## RedSox68

Yeah, that's the problem -- the reasonably priced flights are not direct and have ridiculous connections.  One flies us from Newark to Houston and THEN to Vancouver?  Going south to go north?  Bizarre.  We do like Continental and they offer a direct, but we'll have to wait and see what the costs are when flights open for next July.  

In the meantime, we're going to weigh the costs of flying to Vancouver WITH baggage costs as opposed to flying to Seattle on Southwest WITHOUT baggage costs but WITH train fare.  It might actually be cheaper, but tiring.   

Oh, and I'll finally get to see what it would be like to take one of those group tours of Europe via coach.  We got our confirmed schedule from HAL and the land portion is intense.  While there are some places we stay two nights, they have us on a tight schedule from morning to night.  However, we are covering a lot of ground and seeing great sights and landmarks.  Lots of time to rest on the coaches and trains anyway!  The most intense portion I see is we take a coach for 6-1/2 hours to Tok, arriving at 6 p.m.  Then have to get back on the coach the next morning at 6 a.m. (ouch) for another 6 hours to the Yukon. But then we get a nice leisurely river boat cruise for several hours with lunch.  All the other days have early arrivals and extra nights.    

I would have preferred to do the cruise last as a rest period, but the southbound tours only give you 19 days by cutting the day of free time in Anchorage.  I figure since we travelled al that way, I'd like to see Anchorage too.


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## kris3kid

I just found this board and had to laugh.  I have been researching the in's and out's of how to get here and there for several months now.  My mom who is going with me thinks that I am crazy and can't believe that I am looking into this already.  I now feel much better having friends out there.  I Have only met one other person on my cruise so far and only one of the room groupings is sold out so far.  We are going early in the year so that makes a difference, I want to see the whales the most and it will still be high whale time.  After reading many of your comments I may try and come in two days early.  We had planned on one but there seems to be so much to do and see.  We will be flying into SeaTac and then do the quick shuttle into Vancouver, it seems the easy way to go.


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## Monstro

I've been looking at this site.  Very informative and a lot of great info on the BC Area.

http://britishcolumbia.mydestinationinfo.com/


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## wdhinn89

Thanks!       400 days to go


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## goslingl

kris3kid said:


> I just found this board and had to laugh.  I have been researching the in's and out's of how to get here and there for several months now.  My mom who is going with me thinks that I am crazy and can't believe that I am looking into this already.  I now feel much better having friends out there.  I Have only met one other person on my cruise so far and only one of the room groupings is sold out so far.  We are going early in the year so that makes a difference, I want to see the whales the most and it will still be high whale time.  After reading many of your comments I may try and come in two days early.  We had planned on one but there seems to be so much to do and see.  We will be flying into SeaTac and then do the quick shuttle into Vancouver, it seems the easy way to go.



Welcome!  We are all over planners and we love it!


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## piglet33

RedSox68 said:


> we started thinking about doing the round trip from Seattle (where we can use Southwest) and taking the train to Vancouver.  I have always loved trains and it sounds like it might be fun.



We're on the 8/23 Alaska Cruise and are also thinking of flying into Seattle and taking the train up to Vancouver.  It's not that expensive and the views are supposedly wonderful.  Anyone else thinking of doing this?


----------



## poohj80

piglet33 said:


> We're on the 8/23 Alaska Cruise and are also thinking of flying into Seattle and taking the train up to Vancouver.  It's not that expensive and the views are supposedly wonderful.  Anyone else thinking of doing this?



Add us to the list of considering this as well.  We're on the 8/30 cruise!

One concern we have is transportation between the airport and train station.  We're assuming we'll stay in Seattle a night or two before the cruise but probably go straight to the airport (if possible) after the cruise.  We may just take to train to Vancouver but take the bus back.


----------



## smeecanada

poohj80 said:


> One concern we have is transportation between the airport and train station.  We're assuming we'll stay in Seattle a night or two before the cruise but probably go straight to the airport (if possible) after the cruise.  We may just take to train to Vancouver but take the bus back.



No problem.  Went to DL a couple of years ago.  Took the Victoria Clipper from Victoria to Seattle.  Hadn't looked into any options - as we literally went spur of the moment.  So, got a taxi outside the building, lots waiting - it was about $40 from downtown to the airport.  It's a nice city - no issues to really worry about.  There will most likely be taxis waiting outside the train station and definitely available from the airport.


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## mmmears

goslingl said:


> Welcome!  We are all over planners and we love it!



So glad to hear I'm not the only one...


----------



## tksbaskets

mmmears said:


> So glad to hear I'm not the only one...



I'm right there with you!


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## purplern

tksbaskets said:


> I'm right there with you!



Me too!


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## goslingl

purplern said:


> Me too!



I am Leisha and am an ODP (obsessive Disney Planner)   We are going on the Western DCL in October.  I will be in full planning mode for Alaska in Nov.  Any research already done would be greatly appreciated.  i love the first post with all of the information.


----------



## poohj80

smeecanada said:


> No problem.  Went to DL a couple of years ago.  Took the Victoria Clipper from Victoria to Seattle.  Hadn't looked into any options - as we literally went spur of the moment.  So, got a taxi outside the building, lots waiting - it was about $40 from downtown to the airport.  It's a nice city - no issues to really worry about.  There will most likely be taxis waiting outside the train station and definitely available from the airport.



Thanks for the info!  We will be a party of 5 plus luggage so wasn't sure one taxi would be big enough.


----------



## purplern

goslingl said:


> I am Leisha and am an ODP (obsessive Disney Planner)   We are going on the Western DCL in October.  I will be in full planning mode for Alaska in Nov.  Any research already done would be greatly appreciated.  i love the first post with all of the information.



Hi Leisha! I'm Vicki and I just an OP-obsessive planner. But really love to plan Disney!! I'm planning our Oct trip to Disney then nothing but the cruise!!!


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## goslingl

purplern said:


> Hi Leisha! I'm Vicki and I just an OP-obsessive planner. But really love to plan Disney!! I'm planning our Oct trip to Disney then nothing but the cruise!!!



When are you going to be ther in Oct? Where are you staying?  We were there in March and April and had a great time.


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## purplern

goslingl said:


> When are you going to be ther in Oct? Where are you staying?  We were there in March and April and had a great time.



We are going Oct-11 thru 17th. We are staying at our home Saratoga Springs


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## goslingl

purplern said:


> We are going Oct-11 thru 17th. We are staying at our home Saratoga Springs



We stayed at SS in April and loved it.  It was the first time we have stayed there.  We loved the fact that we could walk to Earl of Sandwich. 

 We are going on the 10/16 cruise.  We are going to downtown Disney on 10/15 to pick up a few things.  We will be grandparents in Nov so we have to do baby shopping then.


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## purplern

goslingl said:


> We stayed at SS in April and loved it.  It was the first time we have stayed there.  We loved the fact that we could walk to Earl of Sandwich.
> 
> We are going on the 10/16 cruise.  We are going to downtown Disney on 10/15 to pick up a few things.  We will be grandparents in Nov so we have to do baby shopping then.



Cool! Nothing better than Disney shopping!!! This will be our first stay "at home" and hopefully we'll get to eat at Earl of sandwich. Never eaten there.


----------



## RedSox68

piglet33 said:


> We're on the 8/23 Alaska Cruise and are also thinking of flying into Seattle and taking the train up to Vancouver.  It's not that expensive and the views are supposedly wonderful.  Anyone else thinking of doing this?



What's great about taking Southwest to Seattle -- no costs for bags   And from the train website, looks like they allow three bags per person.  

Anyone done this who thinks it's a bad idea to take the train from Seattle to Vancouver day of cruise?


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## nemofans

Okay.  I just found this thread today & haven't read past the 1st page yet.  I will, but I need some advice.  
We are taking a West Carib cruise (our 1st cruise ever) next year.  If we like cruising, then we will book another onboard for 2012.  For the 2012 cruise, I am thinking of doing the Alaskan cruise.
I understand flying into Seattle is cheaper & SWA flies there direct which we love, then take the train or bus to Vancouver.  The train sounds nice, but i'm not sure the 4 hr bus ride will go well w/my kids.  
My question is do we want to do all this w/kids?  Our boys will be 7 & 3.5 yrs old then.  We could stay a few days in Vancouver b4 the cruise to help ease all the traveling, but I don't see us staying extra after the cruise.
What do you think?  It's a 4 hr flight to Seattle, then 4 hr drive to Vancouver.  Do you break it into 2 days of traveling?
I just started looking into this cruise & I guess I am trying to wrap my head around this.


----------



## tanyaewa

Just an FYI for those flying into other airports like SEA.  There are many hotels in the vancouver area that have stay & park rates for cruises/airtravel.  
You stay at the hotel for one night (or more) and get a week free parking.  

I live in Whistler & do that when we fly out of Vancouver - and will most likely do that when we cruise Van to LA in Sept 2011

http://www.holidayinnvancouverairport.com/specials.aspx

http://www.deltahotels.com/en/hotel...ver-airport/special/bon-voyage-stopover-rate/


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## goslingl

purplern said:


> Cool! Nothing better than Disney shopping!!! This will be our first stay "at home" and hopefully we'll get to eat at Earl of sandwich. Never eaten there.



It is one of our favorite places.


----------



## purplern

goslingl said:


> It is one of our favorite places.


----------



## goslingl

tanyaewa said:


> Just an FYI for those flying into other airports like SEA.  There are many hotels in the vancouver area that have stay & park rates for cruises/airtravel.
> You stay at the hotel for one night (or more) and get a week free parking.
> 
> I live in Whistler & do that when we fly out of Vancouver - and will most likely do that when we cruise Van to LA in Sept 2011
> 
> http://www.holidayinnvancouverairport.com/specials.aspx
> 
> http://www.deltahotels.com/en/hotel...ver-airport/special/bon-voyage-stopover-rate/



We do that in FL for the cruises and it works really well.  My parents are going to be driving to vancouver from Kentucky so this will be great for them.  They are retired and want to see a lot of the country on their way out and back.  We are going to decide where to fly into when the flights are posted for next year.


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## tanyaewa

> It's a 4 hr flight to Seattle, then 4 hr drive to Vancouver. Do you break it into 2 days of traveling?
> I just started looking into this cruise & I guess I am trying to wrap my head around this


It would totally depend on the flight times.  It's actually mostly a 3hr drive from SeaTac (without evening rushhour traffic)  So a days travel is very reasonable unless it was an early or late start to the day


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## XMom

We recently took an alaskan cruise.  We flew with Air Canada.  They do not charge for the first bag per person and had very cool TV/Movie screens in each headrest with free use.  It sure made our flight quick.  There are many hotels in the Vancouver area and we stayed there for 3 days.  You can probably see most of the city in 2 days.  It is very walkable...we didn't need a car.  Took a few cab rides at night but mostly walked everywhere.


----------



## geoffrey

RedSox68 said:


> What's great about taking Southwest to Seattle -- no costs for bags   And from the train website, looks like they allow three bags per person.
> 
> Anyone done this who thinks it's a bad idea to take the train from Seattle to Vancouver day of cruise?



Right now, you would only have one option. The Cascades leaves Seattle at 7:40am and arrives in Vancouver at 11:40am. 
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/BlobServer?blobcol=urldata&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobkey=id&blobwhere=1249209330272&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-disposition&blobheadervalue1=attachment;filename=Amtrak_W32.pdf

It takes a shorter cab ride or a bit of a walk-ride on the sky train-bit more of a walk to get to the cruise terminal. 

Might be doable...
Personally, I wouldn't. Would be too much stress for me. I flew into Orlando day of one time, and it was WAAAAY to stressful. But that is just me. 

I live in the Seattle area and will be taking an Disney Alaska Cruise next year. I am quite certain that we will go up the night before and get a hotel room. But then again, we really like Vancouver, so who knows, we may go up a few days early and extend the vacation


----------



## poohj80

geoffrey said:


> Right now, you would only have one option. The Cascades leaves Seattle at 7:40am and arrives in Vancouver at 11:40am.
> 
> Might be doable...
> Personally, I wouldn't. Would be too much stress for me. I flew into Orlando day of one time, and it was WAAAAY to stressful. But that is just me.



Just wondering what you anticipate may go wrong taking the train?  To me, it looks like arriving in Vancouver around 11:40 AM gives plenty of time to get to the port.  I know we have flown into Orlando arriving later than 11:40 and traveled to Port Canaveral without any issues.


----------



## smeecanada

poohj80 said:


> Just wondering what you anticipate may go wrong taking the train?  To me, it looks like arriving in Vancouver around 11:40 AM gives plenty of time to get to the port.  I know we have flown into Orlando arriving later than 11:40 and traveled to Port Canaveral without any issues.



#1 reason is that you have to cross a Border to get Vancouver - you don't in Florida.  I would risk flying into Vancouver on departure day, but definitely not Seattle.  Port Canaveral is about 45 minutes to an hour from the Airport.  The Port of Vancouver is approximately 3.5 hours + from the Airport in Seattle.


----------



## poohj80

smeecanada said:


> #1 reason is that you have to cross a Border to get Vancouver - you don't in Florida.  I would risk flying into Vancouver on departure day, but definitely not Seattle.  Port Canaveral is about 45 minutes to an hour from the Airport.  The Port of Vancouver is approximately 3.5 hours + from the Airport in Seattle.



I wasn't thinking of flying in on the same day.  Had planned to spend a night or two in Seattle before taking train to Vancouver on sail day.  Do you still think it would be a problem?


----------



## megsablue

I live right downtown in Vancouver (literally about 10 blocks away from Canada Place where Disney will be docked) and I've made it in as little as 3 hours from Sea-Tac to home, but it also has taken up to 6 hours one time. It really depends not only on traffic, but if it's a weekend (the borders will be MUCH busier as we Canadians come down to shop), if there's an accident or construction on I-5, it can take substantially longer.

As for the train, I agree with Smeecanada - I would take it the day before. Even though the train arrives at 11:40am, from what I hear (from family who has taken the train) they often run late. Canada Customs could also take awhile depending on how many people they have processing and how many people were on the train. Just IMO. Getting from the train station to Canada Place should only take around 15 minutes by Skytrain (sometimes only 10) and by cab would be about 5. If you have lots of luggage (more than a roll-on carry-on) I'd take a cab just because getting on and off the Skytrain with luggage can be a pain if you have more than one bag (at least I find that).


----------



## smeecanada

poohj80 said:


> I wasn't thinking of flying in on the same day.  Had planned to spend a night or two in Seattle before taking train to Vancouver on sail day.  Do you still think it would be a problem?



No personal experience with the train because we either drive or fly into / out of Seattle as we still have to get to the Island.

However, based on experiences with the Border - I personally wouldn't risk it on the day of.  If you miss the Ship - you might as well go home.  You can't board it at the next Port on an Alaskan cruise.  There is a lot to see and do in Downtown Vancouver that one night there is worth the extra hassle and peace of mind of going the day before.


----------



## geoffrey

poohj80 said:


> Just wondering what you anticipate may go wrong taking the train?  To me, it looks like arriving in Vancouver around 11:40 AM gives plenty of time to get to the port.  I know we have flown into Orlando arriving later than 11:40 and traveled to Port Canaveral without any issues.



The biggest thing is that at least 4-5 times a year, something happens to the amtrak trains around here. Mudslides are the biggest problem, but that shouldn't be a problem in summer. Derailments of freight trains seem to happen at least once a year. There is only one track between Seattle and Vancouver, and it is very busy. Over 30 trains a day on the average. If anything happens to any of them, Amtrak doesn't run and you are on a bus.

I'm just sayin...


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

Question for you Vancouver experts... We plan to spend 3 nights (2 1/2 days) in Vancouver before our cruise.  So, being close to the pier is not THE most important thing... we are fine with taking a taxi to the pier the day of the cruise if necessary. With that being said, where do you think would be the best place to book a hotel, so that we can really explore and enjoy Vancouver?  We have 2 kids (ages 5 and 8).  I'm thinking about looking on Hotwire or Priceline closer to our sail date.  We would want to book at least a 4 * hotel.  Thanks for your help.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

poohj80 said:


> Just wondering what you anticipate may go wrong taking the train?  To me, it looks like arriving in Vancouver around 11:40 AM gives plenty of time to get to the port.  I know we have flown into Orlando arriving later than 11:40 and traveled to Port Canaveral without any issues.


You never know what might happen.  A few weeks ago, passengers on the Vancouver-Seattle train were delayed by over two hours after it struck a pedestrian in White Rock (where Amtrak's railway run between the popular beach and downtown). I don't know enough about this specific incident to comment further, but I've been on a Via Rail train that struck and killed an apparently suicidal pedestrian on the outskirts of Montreal. In addition to the mandatory police investigation, the engine crew had to be replaced before the train could continue.  That took nearly two hours, despite the fact we were in the city and very close (<20 minutes travel time) to the Montreal terminal. Our two-hour train ride took well over four hours. I can't imagine how much longer it would have taken if the incident occurred in a more remote location.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

DisneyCruiser2008 said:


> Question for you Vancouver experts... We plan to spend 3 nights (2 1/2 days) in Vancouver before our cruise.  So, being close to the pier is not THE most important thing... we are fine with taking a taxi to the pier the day of the cruise if necessary. With that being said, where do you think would be the best place to book a hotel, so that we can really explore and enjoy Vancouver?  We have 2 kids (ages 5 and 8).  I'm thinking about looking on Hotwire or Priceline closer to our sail date.  We would want to book at least a 4 * hotel.  Thanks for your help.


To be honest, while you will pay more for a hotel near the pier (competing with fellow cruisers as well as convention crowds), that area is the heart of Vancouver and an excellent springboard for exploring the city.  

The SeaBus to North Vancouver and the SkyTrain to the airport are right at the port.  From there you can access Grouse Mountain or the Capilano Suspension Bridge via tourist buses or Seabus and city bus. Both are great for kids, but both freak out people afraid of heights. Do not take your kids up the Grouse Grind.  It's a very steep 2-mile /3-km hike with +2800 stairs - not kid friendly unless your kids are mountain goats.  
The edge of Stanley park is a 20-30 minute walk along the waterfront. The infamous Vancouver Aquarium is in the middle of the park. Another fun, but less educational spot for kids is Second Beach (+10 minutes). Second Beach has a sandy beach, snack stand, outdoor heated swimming pool and two large playgrounds.
Granville Island is situated directly beneath the Granville Street Bridge. You can access it from the port by walking 20-30 minutes down Howe Street and taking the Aquabus ($2 per person) or by walking down Granville and across the bridge and circling back to Granville Island underneath (45-60 minutes).  There's lots of kid-friendly stuff here, including a huge splash park and playground.
Robson Street near Granville Street (5-10 minute walk from the port) is a high-end shopping district. (Vacations aren't always about the kids, eh?)
the port is the hub of Vancouver's public transit system, so you can reach virtually any destination efficiently from here.

If you are seriously considering staying in another part of the city, I suggest selecting places along the various SkyTrain lines, or at the other end of the SeaBus (Lonsdale Quay).  This includes virtually all the airport hotels.  Another consideration could be the River Rock Casino Hotel (Bridgeport Skytrain Station), which offers a decadent family package. 

If you want to stay somewhere that will feel more local and less touristy, I suggest looking in the Metrotown neighbourhood of Burnaby (Metrotown Skytrain Station).  There is a Holiday Inn Express visible very close to the station.  This part of the city is the commercial hub of Burnaby (one of Vancouver's many suburbs). The Metropolis at Metrotown shopping mall is the largest in BC, and it's surrounded by a mix of middle-class restaurants, smaller shopping malls, residential condos and housing, plus lots of parks.  The big mall hosts a movie theater, and two major grocery stores as well as hundreds of shopping and dining options.  For a good, inexpensive meal, go to the T&T Supermarket and get fresh Chinese (or other Asian) meals-to-go, dim sum (Chinese dumplings), bento boxes (Japanese-style combo meals) or sushi take-out. Let the kids try new foods without paying restaurant prices! 

There is a similar but much smaller and quieter neighbourhood in North Vancouver, surrounding Lonsdale Quay (across the Burrard Inlet from Canada Place cruise ship terminal).  Years ago, I stayed at the Lonsdale Quay Hotel, which was great way to be close to downtown Vancouver without paying downtown convention hotel prices. 

Areas to avoid: Vancouver's street-drug problems are centered on East Hastings, Gastown and extend out to include Chinatown and parts of Main Street (near bus / train station).  Granville Street, Commercial Drive, and parts of Broadway Avenue are fine during the day, but may have trouble with bar patrons at closing time. Yaletown is trendy/pricey but doesn't offer much for kids.


----------



## myDISboards

Thank you for all the information everyone as we'll be visiting Vancouver, BC in two months.


----------



## nemofans

GrtWtNorth said:


> To be honest, while you will pay more for a hotel near the pier (competing with fellow cruisers as well as convention crowds), that area is the heart of Vancouver and an excellent springboard for exploring the city.
> 
> The SeaBus to North Vancouver and the SkyTrain to the airport are right at the port.  From there you can access Grouse Mountain or the Capilano Suspension Bridge via tourist buses or Seabus and city bus. Both are great for kids, but both freak out people afraid of heights. Do not take your kids up the Grouse Grind.  It's a very steep 2-mile /3-km hike with +2800 stairs - not kid friendly unless your kids are mountain goats.
> The edge of Stanley park is a 20-30 minute walk along the waterfront. The infamous Vancouver Aquarium is in the middle of the park. Another fun, but less educational spot for kids is Second Beach (+10 minutes). Second Beach has a sandy beach, snack stand, outdoor heated swimming pool and two large playgrounds.
> Granville Island is situated directly beneath the Granville Street Bridge. You can access it from the port by walking 20-30 minutes down Howe Street and taking the Aquabus ($2 per person) or by walking down Granville and across the bridge and circling back to Granville Island underneath (45-60 minutes).  There's lots of kid-friendly stuff here, including a huge splash park and playground.
> Robson Street near Granville Street (5-10 minute walk from the port) is a high-end shopping district. (Vacations aren't always about the kids, eh?)
> the port is the hub of Vancouver's public transit system, so you can reach virtually any destination efficiently from here.
> 
> If you are seriously considering staying in another part of the city, I suggest selecting places along the various SkyTrain lines, or at the other end of the SeaBus (Lonsdale Quay).  This includes virtually all the airport hotels.  Another consideration could be the River Rock Casino Hotel (Bridgeport Skytrain Station), which offers a decadent family package.
> 
> If you want to stay somewhere that will feel more local and less touristy, I suggest looking in the Metrotown neighbourhood of Burnaby (Metrotown Skytrain Station).  There is a Holiday Inn Express visible very close to the station.  This part of the city is the commercial hub of Burnaby (one of Vancouver's many suburbs). The Metropolis at Metrotown shopping mall is the largest in BC, and it's surrounded by a mix of middle-class restaurants, smaller shopping malls, residential condos and housing, plus lots of parks.  The big mall hosts a movie theater, and two major grocery stores as well as hundreds of shopping and dining options.  For a good, inexpensive meal, go to the T&T Supermarket and get fresh Chinese (or other Asian) meals-to-go, dim sum (Chinese dumplings), bento boxes (Japanese-style combo meals) or sushi take-out. Let the kids try new foods without paying restaurant prices!
> 
> There is a similar but much smaller and quieter neighbourhood in North Vancouver, surrounding Lonsdale Quay (across the Burrard Inlet from Canada Place cruise ship terminal).  Years ago, I stayed at the Lonsdale Quay Hotel, which was great way to be close to downtown Vancouver without paying downtown convention hotel prices.
> 
> Areas to avoid: Vancouver's street-drug problems are centered on East Hastings, Gastown and extend out to include Chinatown and parts of Main Street (near bus / train station).  Granville Street, Commercial Drive, and parts of Broadway Avenue are fine during the day, but may have trouble with bar patrons at closing time. Yaletown is trendy/pricey but doesn't offer much for kids.



Wonderful info!  Thanks so much!


----------



## tksbaskets

thanks GrtWtNorth for that great info!  Makes me want to stay by the port.  The package at the casino looks fun too.


----------



## piglet33

Yes, thanks GrtWtNorth for all this info about staying near the Port.  We might be doing the same thing after reading your post.


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

GrtWtNorth said:


> To be honest, while you will pay more for a hotel near the pier (competing with fellow cruisers as well as convention crowds), that area is the heart of Vancouver and an excellent springboard for exploring the city.
> 
> The SeaBus to North Vancouver and the SkyTrain to the airport are right at the port.  From there you can access Grouse Mountain or the Capilano Suspension Bridge via tourist buses or Seabus and city bus. Both are great for kids, but both freak out people afraid of heights. Do not take your kids up the Grouse Grind.  It's a very steep 2-mile /3-km hike with +2800 stairs - not kid friendly unless your kids are mountain goats.
> The edge of Stanley park is a 20-30 minute walk along the waterfront. The infamous Vancouver Aquarium is in the middle of the park. Another fun, but less educational spot for kids is Second Beach (+10 minutes). Second Beach has a sandy beach, snack stand, outdoor heated swimming pool and two large playgrounds.
> Granville Island is situated directly beneath the Granville Street Bridge. You can access it from the port by walking 20-30 minutes down Howe Street and taking the Aquabus ($2 per person) or by walking down Granville and across the bridge and circling back to Granville Island underneath (45-60 minutes).  There's lots of kid-friendly stuff here, including a huge splash park and playground.
> Robson Street near Granville Street (5-10 minute walk from the port) is a high-end shopping district. (Vacations aren't always about the kids, eh?)
> the port is the hub of Vancouver's public transit system, so you can reach virtually any destination efficiently from here.
> 
> If you are seriously considering staying in another part of the city, I suggest selecting places along the various SkyTrain lines, or at the other end of the SeaBus (Lonsdale Quay).  This includes virtually all the airport hotels.  Another consideration could be the River Rock Casino Hotel (Bridgeport Skytrain Station), which offers a decadent family package.
> 
> If you want to stay somewhere that will feel more local and less touristy, I suggest looking in the Metrotown neighbourhood of Burnaby (Metrotown Skytrain Station).  There is a Holiday Inn Express visible very close to the station.  This part of the city is the commercial hub of Burnaby (one of Vancouver's many suburbs). The Metropolis at Metrotown shopping mall is the largest in BC, and it's surrounded by a mix of middle-class restaurants, smaller shopping malls, residential condos and housing, plus lots of parks.  The big mall hosts a movie theater, and two major grocery stores as well as hundreds of shopping and dining options.  For a good, inexpensive meal, go to the T&T Supermarket and get fresh Chinese (or other Asian) meals-to-go, dim sum (Chinese dumplings), bento boxes (Japanese-style combo meals) or sushi take-out. Let the kids try new foods without paying restaurant prices!
> 
> There is a similar but much smaller and quieter neighbourhood in North Vancouver, surrounding Lonsdale Quay (across the Burrard Inlet from Canada Place cruise ship terminal).  Years ago, I stayed at the Lonsdale Quay Hotel, which was great way to be close to downtown Vancouver without paying downtown convention hotel prices.
> 
> Areas to avoid: Vancouver's street-drug problems are centered on East Hastings, Gastown and extend out to include Chinatown and parts of Main Street (near bus / train station).  Granville Street, Commercial Drive, and parts of Broadway Avenue are fine during the day, but may have trouble with bar patrons at closing time. Yaletown is trendy/pricey but doesn't offer much for kids.



WOW!!  Thanks for all of the great info!! The Pier area sounds wonderful!  We will look for a hotel there!


----------



## Anjelica

I contacted the Pan Pacific hotel yesterday as I noticed their website showed no rooms available the night(s) before our cruise in May 2011.  They let me know that the rates have not been released yet so to check back in 1-2 months.  Wanted to give everyone a heads up as I truly like the idea of staying right next to the pier the night before the cruise...


----------



## smb6

Anjelica said:


> I contacted the Pan Pacific hotel yesterday as I noticed their website showed no rooms available the night(s) before our cruise in May 2011.  They let me know that the rates have not been released yet so to check back in 1-2 months.  Wanted to give everyone a heads up as I truly like the idea of staying right next to the pier the night before the cruise...



I really like that idea also, but we will be needing two rooms for two nights so I'm not sure I want to spend that much $$....


----------



## Anjelica

smb6 said:


> I really like that idea also, but we will be needing two rooms for two nights so I'm not sure I want to spend that much $$....



We would only stay the night before because it is pretty pricey.  But from what I can tell most things in Vancouver in terms of hotels, etc. that are close to the port are pretty pricey.  Since my brother uses a wheelchair sometimes we didn't really want to stay to far away from the port.


----------



## piglet33

Anjelica said:


> I contacted the Pan Pacific hotel yesterday as I noticed their website showed no rooms available the night(s) before our cruise in May 2011.  They let me know that the rates have not been released yet so to check back in 1-2 months.  Wanted to give everyone a heads up as I truly like the idea of staying right next to the pier the night before the cruise...



Thanks.  Even though it's pricey, it sounds like a nice and easy option.  I'll have to remember this one.


----------



## SoCalDCLfan

We booked 3 nights before the cruise at the Fairmont Waterfront, which is just across the street from the pier.


----------



## geoffrey

GrtWtNorth said:


> To be honest, while you will pay more for a hotel near the pier (competing with fellow cruisers as well as convention crowds), that area is the heart of Vancouver and an excellent springboard for exploring the city.
> 
> The SeaBus to North Vancouver and the SkyTrain to the airport are right at the port.  From there you can access Grouse Mountain or the Capilano Suspension Bridge via tourist buses or Seabus and city bus. Both are great for kids, but both freak out people afraid of heights. Do not take your kids up the Grouse Grind.  It's a very steep 2-mile /3-km hike with +2800 stairs - not kid friendly unless your kids are mountain goats.
> 
> .....



We live in the Seattle area, and one of our favorite get-aways is Vancouver. We try to spend at least one long weekend in downtown Vancouver. DD is 9 now, and she loves it up there. +1 on the Capilano suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain. She loves them both. I have always loved Grouse Mountain. It is just magical up there. (someday, I will ski there. really I will)

Our favorite area of Vancouver is centered around the False Creek area. The entire area is surrounded by the seawall walk. I am not sure how long it is, but it goes for miles. Generally we get a hotel on the downtown side of false creek, and every evening we walk in one direction or the other, or take the aquabus to the other side and walk one way or the other. This is a really nice, mellow family time. Lots of dog walking and bike riding along the path. There are a few places you can rent bikes if you kids are good enough riders. We tried it once, but DD was not mature enough to ride on a busy, narrow path.

We will ride the aquabus a few times a day, back and forth over to Granville island. You can get a discount on tickets if you buy a ticket book in advance.

In the false creek area there is Grandville island, the science center, the olympic village, Yale town and more. I highly recommend this area.


----------



## Maza

Thanks for this info...its excellent.
We cant wait to visit Vancouver again...we almost emigrated after or last visit. Its a truly lovely city 
We stayed at the Delta Vancouver last time..in a concierge suite. I wasnt the cheapest option, but the service was fntatsic, and i would recommend it to anyone


----------



## justmestace

I've finally gotten most of my non-DCL Alaska trip report posted in the Trip Report Forum.  I've just now gotten to the "interesting" parts....the ports.

Check it out, and if you have any questions, I'll try to answer them there.

Stacey

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=37157194#post37157194


----------



## "Got Disney"

justmestace said:


> I've finally gotten most of my non-DCL Alaska trip report posted in the Trip Report Forum. I've just now gotten to the "interesting" parts....the ports.
> 
> Check it out, and if you have any questions, I'll try to answer them there.
> 
> Stacey
> 
> http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=37157194#post37157194


 
Thanks  enjoying the read!  cant wait for more


----------



## nemofans

We are hoping to do a whale watching excursion.  Seeing whales is something we've wanted to do for a long time.


----------



## piglet33

justmestace said:


> I've finally gotten most of my non-DCL Alaska trip report posted in the Trip Report Forum.  I've just now gotten to the "interesting" parts....the ports.
> 
> Check it out, and if you have any questions, I'll try to answer them there.
> 
> Stacey
> 
> http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=37157194#post37157194



Wow!  Great trip report and wonderful pics!  Thanks for sharing.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

nemofans said:


> We are hoping to do a whale watching excursion.  Seeing whales is something we've wanted to do for a long time.


You may want to check your itinerary closely, and if you are travelling around the region, consider working in whale watching a bit further from the big city.  A resident pod of orcas hangs out between the Juan de Fuca Straight and Puget Sound, much closer to Victoria, BC and Anacortes, Wa. Whale watching operators in the vicinity of the local orca pod can virtually guarantee sightings -- they share information and know precisely where the whales are. (See related news story here.) Vancouver whale watching packages may include airfare or bus to these locations, rather than sailing out in local waters.  If your cruise itinerary takes you to Victoria for a day or more, you will probably get a better (and much less expensive) whale watching package than if you travel out of Vancouver. 

Whale watching operations in other areas rely on a little more luck / guide skill.  Orca's are hunters and  will likely be attracted to large populations of prey including sea lions, seals, and large salmon runs (many different river mouths, especially in August), so they may be easier for local guides to find.  Humpback Whales feed on krill, herring and other smaller fish.  Gray Whales feed on crustaceans found on the ocean floor. However, both Humpback and Gray Whales will likely only be spotted around Vancouver  in the the spring or fall as they migrate through local waters on their way to and from their summer feeding grounds off Alaska.


----------



## ededmd

Just wanted to pop in with some post Alaska cruise hotel info.
If I get around to a full report, I'll post.  Probably will peruse justmestace's report first so as not to duplicate...

We stayed at the Fairmont Pacific Rim for 3 nights at the end of our AK cruise.
It was great!  Front desk, Bell service, concierge assistance, room, housekeeping.  Would highly recommend.

We had a lot of luggage coming off the cruise for our party of 6.  My husband walked the 1.5 blocks (easy walk) to the hotel, checked us in, and spoke with the bellman who came around with him in one of the hotel vehicles and picked up all the luggage and part of the party.  The rest of us enjoyed the beautiful walk and port / pier scenery though he certainly would have come back for us if we preferred not to walk.

In comparison to the Fairmont Waterfront which is across the street directly from the pier / Pan Pacific hotel, you should note the Pacific Rim is new this year (Spring 10) and in the 2 bedded rooms has 2 Queens whereas the Waterfront has 2 Doubles.

For our party we had 2 people in a 2 Q room.  We also had a family of 4 in a 1 K Executive Suite (with pull out sofabed and will accommodate a rollaway too).  There was a terrace with an outdoor dining table and 4 chairs) and an indoor dining table with 4 chairs.  Also had 2 full bathrooms.  It was the best!

Again, just cannot recommend this hotel enough.


----------



## mmouse37

ededmd said:


> Just wanted to pop in with some post Alaska cruise hotel info.
> If I get around to a full report, I'll post.  Probably will peruse justmestace's report first so as not to duplicate...
> 
> We stayed at the Fairmont Pacific Rim for 3 nights at the end of our AK cruise.
> It was great!  Front desk, Bell service, concierge assistance, room, housekeeping.  Would highly recommend.
> 
> We had a lot of luggage coming off the cruise for our party of 6.  My husband walked the 1.5 blocks (easy walk) to the hotel, checked us in, and spoke with the bellman who came around with him in one of the hotel vehicles and picked up all the luggage and part of the party.  The rest of us enjoyed the beautiful walk and port / pier scenery though he certainly would have come back for us if we preferred not to walk.
> 
> In comparison to the Fairmont Waterfront which is across the street directly from the pier / Pan Pacific hotel, you should note the Pacific Rim is new this year (Spring 10) and in the 2 bedded rooms has 2 Queens whereas the Waterfront has 2 Doubles.
> 
> For our party we had 2 people in a 2 Q room.  We also had a family of 4 in a 1 K Executive Suite (with pull out sofabed and will accommodate a rollaway too).  There was a terrace with an outdoor dining table and 4 chairs) and an indoor dining table with 4 chairs.  Also had 2 full bathrooms.  It was the best!
> 
> Again, just cannot recommend this hotel enough.



The hotel looks awesome but I just checked rates for our pre cruise stay next year and website says rooms start at $9,664.00 US a night.....that is some hotel or the website is having issues....certainly too rich for my blood!! LOL!!

MJ


----------



## nemofans

GrtWtNorth said:


> You may want to check your itinerary closely, and if you are travelling around the region, consider working in whale watching a bit further from the big city.  A resident pod of orcas hangs out between the Juan de Fuca Straight and Puget Sound, much closer to Victoria, BC and Anacortes, Wa. Whale watching operators in the vicinity of the local orca pod can virtually guarantee sightings -- they share information and know precisely where the whales are. (See related news story here.) Vancouver whale watching packages may include airfare or bus to these locations, rather than sailing out in local waters.  If your cruise itinerary takes you to Victoria for a day or more, you will probably get a better (and much less expensive) whale watching package than if you travel out of Vancouver.
> 
> Whale watching operations in other areas rely on a little more luck / guide skill.  Orca's are hunters and  will likely be attracted to large populations of prey including sea lions, seals, and large salmon runs (many different river mouths, especially in August), so they may be easier for local guides to find.  Humpback Whales feed on krill, herring and other smaller fish.  Gray Whales feed on crustaceans found on the ocean floor. However, both Humpback and Gray Whales will likely only be spotted around Vancouver  in the the spring or fall as they migrate through local waters on their way to and from their summer feeding grounds off Alaska.



Thanks for the info!  So what do you recommend?  When we take an alaskan cruise, we will fly into Seattle, then take the train to Vancouver.  Should we take a whale watching trip from Seattle or Vancouver to see the killer whales?
It sounds like we won't see whales while on our alaskan cruise if they are during the summer.  That our best bet is b4 the cruise from Seattle or Vancouver.


----------



## smeecanada

nemofans said:


> Thanks for the info!  So what do you recommend?  When we take an alaskan cruise, we will fly into Seattle, then take the train to Vancouver.  Should we take a whale watching trip from Seattle or Vancouver to see the killer whales?
> It sounds like we won't see whales while on our alaskan cruise if they are during the summer.  That our best bet is b4 the cruise from Seattle or Vancouver.



Neither.  You're best bet for whales (Orcas) during the summer in the South of BC is from Victoria.  We went on an Alaska cruise last year at the beginning of August and saw whales from the cruise ship.  A whale watching trip out of Juneau is apparently almost guaranteed a whale sighting.  Might be worth looking into.


----------



## Ginamarie

poohj80 said:


> Add us to the list of considering this as well.  We're on the 8/30 cruise!
> 
> One concern we have is transportation between the airport and train station.  We're assuming we'll stay in Seattle a night or two before the cruise but probably go straight to the airport (if possible) after the cruise.  We may just take to train to Vancouver but take the bus back.



We are on the 6-21 cruise and thinking of this as well- flying NY to SEA over the weekend, taking Amtrak up to Vancouver on Monday and spending one night in Vancouver before the cruise.  We will probably bus back to SEA after the cruise because of the back schedule for the trains southbound.


----------



## pillow

FYI - I had flagged this site for Juneau tours - 

http://www.allenmarinetours.com/sightseeing/juneau/

Jodie


----------



## nemofans

oh, I am so excited now!  The glacier & whale watching excursion would be wonderful!  I can't wait to see what DCL's excursions will be.  Thanks for listing the alaskan tours!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

nemofans said:


> Thanks for the info!  So what do you recommend?  When we take an alaskan cruise, we will fly into Seattle, then take the train to Vancouver.  Should we take a whale watching trip from Seattle or Vancouver to see the killer whales?
> It sounds like we won't see whales while on our alaskan cruise if they are during the summer.  That our best bet is b4 the cruise from Seattle or Vancouver.



Hopefully you will be able to see whales when your cruise ship arrives in Alaska.  Anywhere glaciers and rivers meet the ocean is likely to be a very biologically active area, with lots of whale food.  Your cruise director may suggest good viewing opportunities. 

As for spotting Orca's, the whales between Victoria and Anacortes are the most documented (e.i. photographically reliable) in the world.  As a previous poster already mentioned, the best viewing will be from Victoria.  Whale watching excursions from downtown Victoria cost approximately $100 per person. Your most economic option would be to detour to Victoria en route between Seattle and Vancouver.  There are ferry / bus packages between Victoria and both Seattle and Vancouver.  

You can take float planes between Victoria and either Seattle or Vancouver -- they're expensive, but very fast. 30-35 minutes downtown to downtown. It takes ~4 hours to travel downtown-to-downtown by bus and ferry.  I suggest staying one night in Victoria either before or after your cruise.  

Whale Watching excursions booked from Vancouver will likely include either airfare or charter bus / ferry ride to Victoria.  These packages are expensive and you'll feel like you spent most of your day traveling.  Prices for Vancouver based tours are likely $250-300 per person. 

Prince of Whales is one of several reputable tour operators.  They offer packages from either Vancouver or Victoria.  Below is a map showing the possible routes of the Victoria-based tours.


----------



## nemofans

So you can take a ferry to Victoria, spend the night there, then take a ferry to Vancouver?


----------



## ibouncetoo

And those of us on the repo could book it the day we have Victoria as a port of call.

hmmmmmmmm Orcas in Victoria or Humpbacks in Juneau????

.

.


----------



## mirby72

poohj80 said:


> Add us to the list of considering this as well. We're on the 8/30 cruise!
> 
> One concern we have is transportation between the airport and train station. We're assuming we'll stay in Seattle a night or two before the cruise but probably go straight to the airport (if possible) after the cruise. We may just take to train to Vancouver but take the bus back.


 

Seattle just installed a light rail system from Sea-Tac Airport that will take you within a few blocks of King Street (Train) station (the nearest stop is in the International Dist.). It takes about 40 minutes to get there from the airport and costs about $3/person. Much cheaper than a taxi!

http://www.soundtransit.org/Riding-...it-Facilities/Intl-Dist-Chinatown-Station.xml


----------



## smeecanada

nemofans said:


> So you can take a ferry to Victoria, spend the night there, then take a ferry to Vancouver?



Yes, there is ferry service between Vancouver and Victoria.  If you are coming via Seattle best bet is to take the Victoria Clipper from Downtown Seattle
to downtown Victoria.  It's about a 2.5 hour ride.  The terminal is on one side of the Inner Harbour and the whale watching tours go from the other side - about a 10 minute walk.  Several hotels in the area as well.  There is very good bus service from downtown Victoria to downtown Vancouver via BC Ferry.  The depot is also very close to the Victoria Clipper and whale watching tours.  If you want more detailed info just PM me.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

For guests who want to go Whale Watching from Victoria between Vancouver and Seattle, here's a map.  Everything is within a 0.5 mile radius.
A = Bus terminal, where the Pacific Coach Line bus (via ferry) to downtown Vancouver arrives / departs.
B = Whale watching tour sales and departures (multiple tour operators) / float plane terminal / tourist information
C = Ferry terminal for Victoria Clipper service to downtown Seattle. 

For Victoria accommodation, the classiest place is the Empress Hotel (Fairmont), right on the waterfront. (It also hosts a couple decadent restaurants that match or beat WDW's signature dining experiences.) However, there are many more modern hotels just a block or two away from the water.  With the Legislature Building next door (equivalent to state capital building), these hotels cater to business and government travelers as well as tourists. It's generally a good idea to leave your hotel for meals, especially breakfast, as many hotel restaurants cater to business travelers with apparently unlimited expense accounts.


----------



## smeecanada

GrtWtNorth said:


> For guests who want to go Whale Watching from Victoria between Vancouver and Seattle, here's a map.  Everything is within a 0.5 mile radius.
> A = Bus terminal, where the Pacific Coach Line bus (via ferry) to downtown Vancouver arrives / departs.
> B = Whale watching tour sales and departures (multiple tour operators) / float plane terminal / tourist information
> C = Ferry terminal for Victoria Clipper service to downtown Seattle.
> 
> For Victoria accommodation, the classiest place is the Empress Hotel (Fairmont), right on the waterfront. (It also hosts a couple decadent restaurants that match or beat WDW's signature dining experiences.) However, there are many more modern hotels just a block or two away from the water.  With the Legislature Building next door (equivalent to state capital building), these hotels cater to business and government travelers as well as tourists. It's generally a good idea to leave your hotel for meals, especially breakfast, as many hotel restaurants cater to business travelers with apparently unlimited expense accounts.



The Victoria Clipper actually comes in by the grey square to the left of C.  C is the Coho Terminal (ferry from Port Angeles) - totally separate.  Most of the tourist hotels are on Quebec Street - one block over from Belleville - they cater mainly to the tourist trade in the summer months when Parliament is not in session.  Very easy walk and totally safe area for tourists.


----------



## BLTOH

anyone that flies to canada from the us..do you know if a pill box filled with prescription meds would pass security? it's one of those day type styles. or would we be better off empting it and just reloading after the security. i would think if the meds are with it then they wouldnt have a problem. but i haven't flown since pre 9/11 so not sure how picky they are.

also what is the money exchange rate between the us and canada now anyone know?


----------



## nemofans

ibouncetoo said:


> And those of us on the repo could book it the day we have Victoria as a port of call.
> 
> hmmmmmmmm Orcas in Victoria or Humpbacks in Juneau????
> 
> .
> 
> .



BOTH!


----------



## nemofans

Thanks for all the info!  There are lots of options to get to Vancouver to consider.  We would fly into Seattle.  I would like to take the train to Vancouver, but the times are not the greatest.  Taking the ferry to Victoria is a nice option.


----------



## EastYorkDisneyFan

BLTOH said:


> anyone that flies to canada from the us..do you know if a pill box filled with prescription meds would pass security? it's one of those day type styles. or would we be better off empting it and just reloading after the security. i would think if the meds are with it then they wouldnt have a problem. but i haven't flown since pre 9/11 so not sure how picky they are.
> 
> also what is the money exchange rate between the us and canada now anyone know?



First for the prescription meds question all prescription meds must be in the original bottle and have the name of the person they are prescribed to on it.

As for the exchange rate it is roughly at Par right now. You really don't need to exchange US for Canadian any way as the vast majority of places will except US currency at some sort of exchange rate that will be displayed at the cash.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

BLTOH said:


> anyone that flies to canada from the us..do you know if a pill box filled with prescription meds would pass security? it's one of those day type styles. or would we be better off empting it and just reloading after the security. i would think if the meds are with it then they wouldnt have a problem. but i haven't flown since pre 9/11 so not sure how picky they are.


When it comes to meds, they usually are not very picky.  If I were you, I would not empty your one-a-day pill box, but I would be sure to carry the original pill bottles (with the prescription details printed on the bottle) in my carry-on just in case. 



BLTOH said:


> also what is the money exchange rate between the us and canada now anyone know?


It is very close to par. (Officially, $1US = $1.05 CDN, but with exchange fees, you will likely get $1.00 to 1.02.) If your credit card has reasonable exchange fees (2.5% or less), then it's probably cheaper to charge most purchases rather than to acquire lots of Canadian cash. In a pinch, many stores will accept US cash, but you will only get $CDN in change. Visa and Mastercard credit cards (not check or debit cards) are accepted virtually everywhere. American Express credit cards are accepted in hotels, plus high end stores and restaurants.  If you have to use a check card or debit card in Canada, ask your bank first -- there may be limitations.  (IMO, try to avoid using these, if possible.  In Canada, debit cards do not have the same fraud protection as credit cards, so I use credit cards for most transactions.) Also, don't forget to give your credit card companies a heads-up that you are leaving the country.  You wouldn't want them to freeze your credit because they noted suspicious out-of-country purchases just before you boarded your cruise.


----------



## pillow

GrtWtNorth said:


> When it comes to meds, they usually are not very picky.  If I were you, I would not empty your one-a-day pill box, but I would be sure to carry the original pill bottles (with the prescription details printed on the bottle) in my carry-on just in case.
> 
> 
> It is very close to par. (Officially, $1US = $1.05 CDN, but with exchange fees, you will likely get $1.00 to 1.02.) If your credit card has reasonable exchange fees (2.5% or less), then it's probably cheaper to charge most purchases rather than to acquire lots of Canadian cash. In a pinch, many stores will accept US cash, but you will only get $CDN in change. Visa and Mastercard credit cards (not check or debit cards) are accepted virtually everywhere. American Express credit cards are accepted in hotels, plus high end stores and restaurants.  If you have to use a check card or debit card in Canada, ask your bank first -- there may be limitations.  (IMO, try to avoid using these, if possible.  In Canada, debit cards do not have the same fraud protection as credit cards, so I use credit cards for most transactions.) Also, don't forget to give your credit card companies a heads-up that you are leaving the country.  You wouldn't want them to freeze your credit because they noted suspicious out-of-country purchases just before you boarded your cruise.



Also, check with your credit card company.  Some companies charge quite a hefty conversion charge.  When I last checked, Capital One was one of the few who didn't charge a fee at all.  Some credit unions charge lower fees than the bigger banks.

Does anyone know if Discover is widely accepted in Canada?

Jodie


----------



## pillow

smeecanada said:


> Yes, there is ferry service between Vancouver and Victoria.  If you are coming via Seattle best bet is to take the Victoria Clipper from Downtown Seattle
> to downtown Victoria.  It's about a 2.5 hour ride.  The terminal is on one side of the Inner Harbour and the whale watching tours go from the other side - about a 10 minute walk.  Several hotels in the area as well.  There is very good bus service from downtown Victoria to downtown Vancouver via BC Ferry.  The depot is also very close to the Victoria Clipper and whale watching tours.  If you want more detailed info just PM me.



. . .OR, we were thinking of driving over to the Olympic peninsula (couple hour drive) and spending a couple days.  You can also take a ferry to Victoria from there.

Jodie


----------



## Anjelica

We grabbed one way tickets to Seattle for a few days stop before driving/riding up to Vancouver.  We are looking at staying at the Inn at the Market but I was wondering what would be the best way to get there from SEATAC.  We were thinking about renting a car and driving up to Vancouver but I wonder if Taxi, etc. would be easier overall.

Thoughts?


----------



## poohj80

Anjelica said:


> We grabbed one way tickets to Seattle for a few days stop before driving/riding up to Vancouver.  We are looking at staying at the Inn at the Market but I was wondering what would be the best way to get there from SEATAC.  We were thinking about renting a car and driving up to Vancouver but I wonder if Taxi, etc. would be easier overall.
> 
> Thoughts?



I can't imagine a taxi from Seattle to Vancouver, Canada is feasible.  If considering renting a car, be sure to investigate drop charges between countries.  Many folks have mentioned taking the train.


----------



## Anjelica

poohj80 said:


> I can't imagine a taxi from Seattle to Vancouver, Canada is feasible.  If considering renting a car, be sure to investigate drop charges between countries.  Many folks have mentioned taking the train.



Sorry - I guess I wasn't clear.  I meant what is the best way to get from SEATAC to Pike Place Market.  We still plan on either driving up to Vancouver or taking the train.  But I was wondering if we should even rent a car to get from SEATAC to Pike Place Market (which is where the Inn at Market place is).

Has anyone had experience with any rental car company in particular on renting from SEATAC and dropping off at Vancouver?


----------



## GrtWtNorth

pillow said:


> Does anyone know if Discover is widely accepted in Canada?


Just a few hotels and restaurants that cater to tourists.  Most Canadians never use Discover.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Anjelica said:


> Sorry - I guess I wasn't clear.  I meant what is the best way to get from SEATAC to Pike Place Market.


Depending on how much luggage you have, light rail might be your best choice.  University Street station is just 2-3 blocks from Pike Place Market.

I'm not sure what the price or time difference would be compared to taking a taxi.


----------



## smeecanada

Anjelica said:


> Sorry - I guess I wasn't clear.  I meant what is the best way to get from SEATAC to Pike Place Market.  We still plan on either driving up to Vancouver or taking the train.  But I was wondering if we should even rent a car to get from SEATAC to Pike Place Market (which is where the Inn at Market place is).
> 
> Has anyone had experience with any rental car company in particular on renting from SEATAC and dropping off at Vancouver?



Taxi will be about $40US from the Airport to Downtown Seattle.  Most likely cheaper than renting a car and also less stressful - let someone who knows the area do the driving.  I've read about a new rapidtransit line that is in place now from the Airport to Downtown - maybe look into that.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Translink (Vancouver's public transit operator) charges an additional $5 per person to all fares purchased at any of the 3 Skytrain stations in the vicinity of the airport.  Click here for details. (This surcharge was politically motivated: some politicians wanted more tourist revenues, and others were swayed by powerful taxi operator lobby groups.)

However, there is a relatively simple work-around, intended to benefit staff working at the airport.  If you purchase tickets in advance, you will not be charged the $5 per person surcharge. Tickets are sold in books of 10, and can be purchased at the 7-Eleven in the lower level of the domestic wing of the airport. Vendors usually require cash for purchasing transit tickets.

Translink's fare system is based on the number of zones you travel through.  The airport is in Zone 2 and downtown is in Zone 1, so you need a 2-zone ticket (or a one-zone ticket plus an add-zone upgrade). However, on weekends (all day) and weekdays after 6:30 pm, 1-zone fares can be used for travel through all zones. 

Cash fare at YVR-Airport Station:
2-zone fare: $3.75 ($2.50) + $5.00 Add Fare = $8.75 per adult($7.50 per child*)
1-zone fare (evenings and weekends): $2.50 ($1.75) + $5.00 = $7.50 per adult ($6.75 per child*)

Using pre-purchased tickets:
2-zone fare: $3.15 ($1.70 1-zone ticket + $1.00 add zone upgrade) + $0.00 Add Fare = $3.15 per adult ($2.70 per child)
1-zone fare (evenings and weekends): $2.10 ($1.70) + $0.00 Add Fare = $2.10 per adult ($1.70 per child*)
Even if you don't use all your tickets in your pack of 10 or you use adult tickets for children, this is a better deal than paying cash at the station. 

* Child rates apply to riders aged 5-13. Ages 4 and under ride for free.

For comparison, "the approximate (taxi) fare to downtown Vancouver is between $28 - $32 (taxes included)."  This does not include tip.


----------



## discruiser

Is anyone familiar with the Comfort Inn Downtown (654 Nelson St) or the Quality Hotel Downtown (1335 Howe St) in Vancouver?  We are a family of 6 and both of these hotels have rooms which will accommodate 6 people.  I am just looking for a clean hotel in a good neighborhood for one or 2 nights before our cruise next June.  I can't see spending the higher rates (especially for 2 rooms) at some of the fancier hotels.  Any opinions?

Thanks,
Kim


----------



## tanyaewa

discruiser - both hotels are in good downtown locations - check Tripadvisor for reviews.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

discruiser said:


> Is anyone familiar with the Comfort Inn Downtown (654 Nelson St) or the Quality Hotel Downtown (1335 Howe St) in Vancouver?


Caution!  In Vancouver, you usually get what you pay for. 

While I've never stayed at the Comfort Inn Downtown, I can tell you that it's in a neighbourhood that has issues with bar crowds (fights after last call).  I have no opinion about the hotel room or management quality.

The Quality Hotel Downtown is in a slightly better neighbourhood, but personally, I've had a very bad experience there in fall of 2006.  I actually requested Choice Hotels customer service to step in because trying to work out issues with the hotel management team was extremely challenging (almost abusive).  At the time I also noted that most of the clientèle appeared to be foreign tourists -- no business travelers, and no locals enjoying a getaway weekend.  This was a red flag that the hotel management were not attracting return customers.  This was just my experience. Hopefully, things have improved over the years. 

If you are looking in that same neighbourhood, I did have a pleasant experience staying at the Executive Inn at 1379 Howe Street, right next door to the Quality Hotel Downtown.  This was back in spring 2006. (I actually reserved the Quality Inn because the Executive Inn was fully booked and I liked the location.)


----------



## discruiser

tanyaewa said:


> discruiser - both hotels are in good downtown locations - check Tripadvisor for reviews.





GrtWtNorth said:


> Caution!  In Vancouver, you usually get what you pay for.
> 
> While I've never stayed at the Comfort Inn Downtown, I can tell you that it's in a neighbourhood that has issues with bar crowds (fights after last call).  I have no opinion about the hotel room or management quality.
> 
> The Quality Hotel Downtown is in a slightly better neighbourhood, but personally, I've had a very bad experience there in fall of 2006.  I actually requested Choice Hotels customer service to step in because trying to work out issues with the hotel management team was extremely challenging (almost abusive).  At the time I also noted that most of the clientèle appeared to be foreign tourists -- no business travelers, and no locals enjoying a getaway weekend.  This was a red flag that the hotel management were not attracting return customers.  This was just my experience. Hopefully, things have improved over the years.
> 
> If you are looking in that same neighbourhood, I did have a pleasant experience staying at the Executive Inn at 1379 Howe Street, right next door to the Quality Hotel Downtown.  This was back in spring 2006. (I actually reserved the Quality Inn because the Executive Inn was fully booked and I liked the location.)




Thanks for the advice.

I actually booked 2 nights at the Comfort Inn Downtown last night (since I know I can cancel them up until the last minute without a penalty).  The reviews on Trip Advisor for this hotel weren't all that bad, and 88% of the travelers recommend this hotel.  Noise was mentioned, but I'm hoping to get a room on an upper floor, where this seems to be less of a problem.  I'm somewhat surprised as the room for 6 that I booked last night for $139.99 is now listed as $189.99 on their website!   I also like that this hotel offers a continental breakfast, which is a huge deal when trying to feed 6 people!

I will check out the Executive Inn also.  Not sure if they can acommodate 6 in a room, which I really need.  I'll also keep my eyes open for other deals, but like I said, I can't see spending hundreds of dollars a night for 2 hotel rooms.  I'd rather save that money to spend on the ship!

If we do stick with the Comfort Inn, what would be the best way to get from the Amtrak station to the hotel?  Cab?

Thanks for your help!
Kim


----------



## BLTOH

GrtWtNorth said:


> Just a few hotels and restaurants that cater to tourists.  Most Canadians never use Discover.





I just booked our hotel thru pan pacific and used my discover card. they had no problems with it. see as we are wanting most things booked before we even leave ( hotel, airline, etc) i had to use my discover.


we are only coming in the nite before the cruise. what would be an average
cost for a dinner for 5 people (one being only 8 at the time) ? would figuring &10 per person for a meal be a good amount?


----------



## BLTOH

GrtWtNorth said:


> Translink (Vancouver's public transit operator) charges an additional $5 per person to all fares purchased at any of the 3 Skytrain stations in the vicinity of the airport.  Click here for details. (This surcharge was politically motivated: some politicians wanted more tourist revenues, and others were swayed by powerful taxi operator lobby groups.)
> 
> However, there is a relatively simple work-around, intended to benefit staff working at the airport.  If you purchase tickets in advance, you will not be charged the $5 per person surcharge. Tickets are sold in books of 10, and can be purchased at the 7-Eleven in the lower level of the domestic wing of the airport. Vendors usually require cash for purchasing transit tickets.
> 
> Translink's fare system is based on the number of zones you travel through.  The airport is in Zone 2 and downtown is in Zone 1, so you need a 2-zone ticket (or a one-zone ticket plus an add-zone upgrade). However, on weekends (all day) and weekdays after 6:30 pm, 1-zone fares can be used for travel through all zones.
> 
> Cash fare at YVR-Airport Station:
> 2-zone fare: $3.75 ($2.50) + $5.00 Add Fare = $8.75 per adult($7.50 per child*)
> 1-zone fare (evenings and weekends): $2.50 ($1.75) + $5.00 = $7.50 per adult ($6.75 per child*)
> 
> Using pre-purchased tickets:
> 2-zone fare: $3.15 ($1.70 1-zone ticket + $1.00 add zone upgrade) + $0.00 Add Fare = $3.15 per adult ($2.70 per child)
> 1-zone fare (evenings and weekends): $2.10 ($1.70) + $0.00 Add Fare = $2.10 per adult ($1.70 per child*)
> Even if you don't use all your tickets in your pack of 10 or you use adult tickets for children, this is a better deal than paying cash at the station.
> 
> * Child rates apply to riders aged 5-13. Ages 4 and under ride for free.
> 
> For comparison, "the approximate (taxi) fare to downtown Vancouver is between $28 - $32 (taxes included)."  This does not include tip.




thanks for posting this as i was just about ready to ask questions on this. We are planning on getting a faresaver card since with 5 of us it would cover us to the hotel and back to the airport after the cruise. my other questions are this. 

1. how could we purchase in advance if from the US? 

2. to go from the airport to the vancouver canada place area is considered a 2 zone? 

you all are a great bunch of help to all of us trying to plan trips to your area. can't wait till ext year to be putting all this in motion.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

discruiser said:


> If we do stick with the Comfort Inn, what would be the best way to get from the Amtrak station to the hotel?  Cab?


Cab would definitely be the fastest, and given the size of your group, probably cheapest.   (The Skytrain is convenient to the Amtrak station, but will leave you 4-5 blocks short of the hotel.)


----------



## GrtWtNorth

BLTOH said:


> we are only coming in the nite before the cruise. what would be an average cost for a dinner for 5 people (one being only 8 at the time) ? would figuring &10 per person for a meal be a good amount?


Just like WDW, Vancouver dining is more expensive.  There's a huge variety of dining to choose from. 
* Food court at Waterfront Centre (across the street from the Pan Pacific), which includes McDonald's.  Fast food prices in Canada are typically 30-50% higher than US prices. (A Big Mac combo is ~ $7 + tax. )  In addition to McDonalds, this food court offers chinese, greek, sushi, tacos, sandwiches, and pizza.  
* Dinner in restaurants in the Pan Pacific and neighboring hotels will have typical convention-hotel prices, with entres priced from $24-$38.  (If you're shopping in this price range, may I suggest Carderos.)

Here are some of the nearby cheaper table service restaurants that I enjoy:
* The Old Spaghetti Factory, inexpensive combos (soup or salad, bread, pasta entre, ice cream and coffee for $9.50 to $13.95).  Good ambiance.  Darker lighting and less 'fake Italian' than Olive Garden. 10 minute walk from the Pan Pacific. 
* Ricky's, adjacent to the foodcourt in Waterfront Centre.  Ricky's is a local chain that specializes in burgers / sandwiches / comfort food. Entre prices are likely $13-$18. 
* Steamworks is a distinguished brew pub that also serves great food, with more adventurous menu than Ricky's.  Some sections of the venue are designated as lounge (no minors), but there is a big family-friendly dining room, patio, and cafe-style seating area. Entres are priced between $15-25. It's 7-minute walk from the Pan Pacific.

I quoted entre prices because they are the easiest to find on-line.  Of course, drinks, appetizers, and desserts will add to your dining costs. Tax on meals increased to 12% (from 5%) as of July 1, 2010, which is a big shock to a lot of regular Vancouver diners. Expected gratuity for table service is 15-20%.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

BLTOH said:


> 1. how could we purchase (faresaver tickets) in advance if from the US?


If you know someone travelling to Vancouver before you, you could ask them to pick up a book of tickets for you.  [I initially suggested sending a runner to 7-Eleven while you wait for your bags, but this won't work because you should go through customs as a group.]  After you and your luggage are released, send a runner to 7-Eleven while everyone else takes a snack break or admires the massive sculpture, Spirit of Haida Gwaii, in the lobby of the international terminal. (This sculpture is important and unique -- it's on our $20 bill.  There are three sculptures, each a different color - black in Canada's Embassy in Washington DC, green in the Vancouver airport, and white in Ottawa's Museum of Civilization.)  The runner will have to go from the international terminal to the domestic terminal and down to the lower level where the 7-Eleven store is.  It's not close - the route would be similar to sending someone from the entrance of Magic Kingdom to grab FastPasses for the Jungle Cruise. (Keep turning left and head down the stairs.)  It's also a good idea to ensure your runner has cash (preferably Canadian) since most ticket vendors don't take credit for faresaver tickets. 



BLTOH said:


> 2. to go from the airport to the vancouver canada place area is considered a 2 zone?


Yes, but as I mentioned in my previous post, you only need to pay a one-zone fare after 6:30 pm on weekdays or any time on weekends.


----------



## BLTOH

GrtWtNorth said:


> Just like WDW, Vancouver dining is more expensive.  There's a huge variety of dining to choose from.
> * Food court at Waterfront Centre (across the street from the Pan Pacific), which includes McDonald's.  Fast food prices in Canada are typically 30-50% higher than US prices. (A Big Mac combo is ~ $7 + tax. )  In addition to McDonalds, this food court offers chinese, greek, sushi, tacos, sandwiches, and pizza.
> * Dinner in restaurants in the Pan Pacific and neighboring hotels will have typical convention-hotel prices, with entres priced from $24-$38.  (If you're shopping in this price range, may I suggest Carderos.)
> 
> Here are some of the nearby cheaper table service restaurants that I enjoy:
> * The Old Spaghetti Factory, inexpensive combos (soup or salad, bread, pasta entre, ice cream and coffee for $9.50 to $13.95).  Good ambiance.  Darker lighting and less 'fake Italian' than Olive Garden. 10 minute walk from the Pan Pacific.
> * Ricky's, adjacent to the foodcourt in Waterfront Centre.  Ricky's is a local chain that specializes in burgers / sandwiches / comfort food. Entre prices are likely $13-$18.
> * Steamworks is a distinguished brew pub that also serves great food, with more adventurous menu than Ricky's.  Some sections of the venue are designated as lounge (no minors), but there is a big family-friendly dining room, patio, and cafe-style seating area. Entres are priced between $15-25. It's 7-minute walk from the Pan Pacific.
> 
> I quoted entre prices because they are the easiest to find on-line.  Of course, drinks, appetizers, and desserts will add to your dining costs. Tax on meals increased to 12% (from 5%) as of July 1, 2010, which is a big shock to a lot of regular Vancouver diners. Expected gratuity for table service is 15-20%.



ok so i must up my budget for dinner that night as we are not fast food type people. we prefer the sit down good meals. dd will be in seventh heaven if she can convince grandpaw to go to the spaghetti factory as thats her favorite meal. thanks a bunch for all this information.


----------



## BLTOH

GrtWtNorth said:


> If you know someone travelling to Vancouver before you, you could ask them to pick up a book of tickets for you.  [I initially suggested sending a runner to 7-Eleven while you wait for your bags, but this won't work because you should go through customs as a group.]  After you and your luggage are released, send a runner to 7-Eleven while everyone else takes a snack break or admires the massive sculpture, Spirit of Haida Gwaii, in the lobby of the international terminal. (This sculpture is important and unique -- it's on our $20 bill.  There are three sculptures, each a different color - black in Canada's Embassy in Washington DC, green in the Vancouver airport, and white in Ottawa's Museum of Civilization.)  The runner will have to go from the international terminal to the domestic terminal and down to the lower level where the 7-Eleven store is.  It's not close - the route would be similar to sending someone from the entrance of Magic Kingdom to grab FastPasses for the Jungle Cruise. (Keep turning left and head down the stairs.)  It's also a good idea to ensure your runner has cash (preferably Canadian) since most ticket vendors don't take credit for faresaver tickets.
> 
> 
> Yes, but as I mentioned in my previous post, you only need to pay a one-zone fare after 6:30 pm on weekdays or any time on weekends.



so 7-eleven is the only place to get the faresaver cards in the airport? its no big deal to me either way as long as i am prepared. and yes i made note of the 6:30 pm however, if i remember correctly the time frames we are looking at for flights are all during the weekdays and before the 6:30 time frame. anything later would be putting us getting into vancouver at midnight and we don't want that.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

BLTOH said:


> so 7-eleven is the only place to get the faresaver cards in the airport?


To the best of my knowledge, yes.  The other airport shops tend to sell stuff very similar to what's sold in the Canada pavilion at Epcot (creative, but not useful).  Canadians are great at perpetuating our own stereotypes.


----------



## Anjelica

Slowly but surely getting things booked, etc. but I am having difficulty finding out which car rental company, if folks have used one, I can drop off close to Canada Place (or has a free shuttle) if I rent from the states.  Any ideas?


----------



## BLTOH

Ok after talking to dh about the faresaver card he said he knows someone in canada close to that area who could probably get us one and mail it to us. my next question is 

How far in advanced can these be purchsed? Are they time sensitive?


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Anjelica said:


> Slowly but surely getting things booked, etc. but I am having difficulty finding out which car rental company, if folks have used one, I can drop off close to Canada Place (or has a free shuttle) if I rent from the states.  Any ideas?


According to the port's web site:
"Rental car kiosks are only available at Canada Place. They include: Avis, Budget, and National. There are no rental car kiosks at Ballantyne. Passengers need to pre-arrange pick-up or drop-off with the rental company in advance."

Most major car companies have rental locations at the port, at a nearby hotel, or another downtown location (within a few blocks of the port).  When you search for a car rental, just ensure that you specify the different pick-up (SEATAC airport?) and drop-off (999 Canada Place, Vancouver, BC or nearby) locations.  Travelocity's car rental search tool is useful for finding companies that allow cross-boarder drop-offs (I can't comment on their rates).


----------



## GrtWtNorth

BLTOH said:


> Ok after talking to dh about the faresaver card he said he knows someone in canada close to that area who could probably get us one and mail it to us. my next question is
> 
> How far in advanced can these be purchsed? Are they time sensitive?


The tickets don't expire, so you can buy them in advance without worries.  My only caution to you is that the tickets have a magnetic stripe, so treat them like a credit card so they don't get demagnetized.

Note: Unlike many public transit systems, Vancouver's Skytrain is fully automated. There are no staff operating ticket booths or drivers on the trains. Skytrain operations staff, maintenance staff, or transit police will periodically check each station, but they might not be there when you need them.


----------



## Anjelica

I may have missed this but do we know roughly when folks can get to the port/line up to start checking in?  I'm getting ready to reserve my rental car and want to drop it off early but not "to" early. 

Do we know what time the ship gets back into port?


----------



## BLTOH

Anjelica said:


> I may have missed this but do we know roughly when folks can get to the port/line up to start checking in?  I'm getting ready to reserve my rental car and want to drop it off early but not "to" early.
> 
> Do we know what time the ship gets back into port?




when i called Disney to ask such info they said that check in will start around 10am and embarkation will start around 1pm and all aboard was around 3pm.  on the last day coming back debarkation on the paper says 8am.


----------



## LWatson

Thank you for this info.  We found it cheaper to fly into Seattle w/ SWA from BNA and then take the Amtrak over thanks to this!!!!!!!


----------



## poohj80

LWatson said:


> Thank you for this info.  We found it cheaper to fly into Seattle w/ SWA from BNA and then take the Amtrak over thanks to this!!!!!!!



That's exactly what we plan to do next year (from BNA as well ;-).


----------



## Rat-a-too-ee

LWatson said:


> Thank you for this info.  We found it cheaper to fly into Seattle w/ SWA from BNA and then take the Amtrak over thanks to this!!!!!!!



Agreed, I just number crunched it and international flights are so expensive!  We will be flying into Seattle as well.


----------



## BLTOH

Rat-a-too-ee said:


> Agreed, I just number crunched it and international flights are so expensive!  We will be flying into Seattle as well.




we went thru the same thing and ended up deciding to fly directly into vancouver as when the time frames of the amtrak and everything else was factored in it was the same price. i found aircanada to be the cheapest airline to fly from the us to canada if anyone is interested. i looked directly at their website for my prices.


----------



## tanyaewa

BLTOH - there are certainly some upsides to arriving directly into Vancouver.  
To the OPs - It may save a few $ to fly into SEA but there are defintely some costs associated wth the time & expense of shuttling up to Vancouver. Whenever I fly into the US to go on vacation I weigh the options of flying out of YVR or SEA and unless it's +/- $150 per person it's cheaper to go through Vancouver when all is said & done


----------



## BLTOH

tanyaewa said:


> BLTOH - there are certainly some upsides to arriving directly into Vancouver.
> To the OPs - It may save a few $ to fly into SEA but there are defintely some costs associated wth the time & expense of shuttling up to Vancouver. Whenever I fly into the US to go on vacation I weigh the options of flying out of YVR or SEA and unless it's +/- $150 per person it's cheaper to go through Vancouver when all is said & done




Yeah, we are liking the simplicty of it all.fly in grab the train system there to downtown and check into hotel. with 5 of us traveling booking hotels,food, transportaion, and amtrak and how many days would be needed to do this without getting stressed out from trying to hit time schedules was a headache when we was looking at seattle. the only thing we aren't overly fond of right now is the times of the flights but its a minor thing and have adapted around it so no harm. 

we only have a couple other things we need to hash out like where we can store our luggage since we will have a 10pm flight home and all day to kill. and how we will handle doing the faresaver card once we get to the airport. we are trying to get ahold of a few people we know from canada to see how close they are to possibly get us one and mail it to us if we send them the money. but we may just rent a car the day we are to leave to check out the sites and not worry about the farsaver card going. need to weigh the pros of cons of it all the and prices of rental for 5 of us plus luggage for a day. 

i do have a question though... we have an option of a 11:30am flight..we won't disembark till 8am and will have to use the rail system back to the terminal.  aircanada requires your luggage to be checked at least 60 mins prior to the flight. is that a feasible flight or would we be pushing it? we are considering just to do the later flight and not have to risk missing the flight but it also gives a 3 hour layover in toronto.


----------



## gduvall

Disney web site says 12:00 noon or after.  We have booked a 12:00 noon flight.  If we don't make that flight, we would have to wait until the next day, since we're flying to east coast.  When flying out of Orlando, DCL says no earlier than 1:00pm.  Which you can easily make. So hopefully the 12:00 noon time has some cushion build in.  I would think if you get off the ship shortly after they clear customs, you should be able to make.  But that's purely speculation.


----------



## BLTOH

gduvall said:


> Disney web site says 12:00 noon or after.



well guess we are going to just wait and go out the next day now. my parents don't really care to fly over nite which is fine with me. other then the 11:30am flight the next one going out is 10pm and nothing in between so now i am on a hunt for a fairly cheap hotel near the airport. 
Any suggestions out there?? prefer something $100 or less


----------



## GrtWtNorth

BLTOH said:


> i do have a question though... we have an option of a 11:30am flight..we won't disembark till 8am and will have to use the rail system back to the terminal.  aircanada requires your luggage to be checked at least 60 mins prior to the flight. is that a feasible flight or would we be pushing it? we are considering just to do the later flight and not have to risk missing the flight but it also gives a 3 hour layover in toronto.


 You're going to have to move fast, but it's possible. 

8:00 disembark
8:30 exit customs with your luggage (customs might be faster, but don't count on it), walk to Canada Line Waterfront Station. 
8:45 catch Canada Line train to YVR station
9:30 arrive at airport. 
9:50 Walk to domestic terminal, and check in at Air Canada counter.
10:00 Go through Canadian flight security (Canadian rules: shoes stay on - security needs your boarding pass only, no ID)
10:15 Arrive at your gate, with about an hour to spare before boarding begins.      
11:15 Begin boarding (Canadian rules: Airline staff must see your boarding pass and government-issued photo ID).

FYI, your ordeal isn't over once you're on the plane.  Expect to spend an hour of your layover in Toronto collecting your luggage, transferring terminals, and going through the US-bound passenger and luggage screening process.  You basically go through US customs and immigration at the Toronto airport, prior to departure.  This way, most flights from Canadian cities to US cities are treated like US domestic flights, and passengers are not required to go through customs and immigration upon landing on US soil.  This also means that you will have to go through the US flight screening and boarding (US rules: shoes off for security, security staff need to see your boarding pass and photo ID, but airline staff at the gate only need to see your boarding pass).


----------



## GrtWtNorth

BLTOH said:


> so now i am on a hunt for a fairly cheap hotel near the airport.
> Any suggestions out there?? prefer something $100 or less


Sandman Hotel is very close to that rate. (I'd be nervous about any hotel offering significantly cheaper rates -- check trip-advisor.) Sandman Hotel Vancouver Airport has free shuttles every half-hour.


----------



## BLTOH

Sandman Signature Hotel - this is a really fun resort style hotel because it has a HUGE 250' waterslide indoors! There is also a gorgeous outdoor pool with nice cushy loungers all around. This is a full service hotel. 


Can someone give me more information on this hotel. any pictures of the water slide? common prices? how close to the airport? is water slide included or separate price? their web site isnt giving me much info


----------



## poohj80

BLTOH said:


> Sandman Signature Hotel - this is a really fun resort style hotel because it has a HUGE 250' waterslide indoors! There is also a gorgeous outdoor pool with nice cushy loungers all around. This is a full service hotel.
> 
> 
> Can someone give me more information on this hotel. any pictures of the water slide? common prices? how close to the airport? is water slide included or separate price? their web site isnt giving me much info



I can't find any pix or mention of a waterslide on the hotel web site.  Can you point me in the right direction?


----------



## GrtWtNorth

poohj80 said:


> I can't find any pix or mention of a waterslide on the hotel web site.  Can you point me in the right direction?


The signature hotel web site looks like it was done by a professional PR firm who didn't know much about the location or clientèle.  Flashy, but not very informative.  But I digress...

I found a couple pictures of the waterslide in the hotel profile on Expedia.  The second photo in the slideshow illustrates the indoor pool with the slide splash-down area.  About 3/4 of the way through the images is another photo that shows a large section of waterslide looping around the parking lot.  (The start and end of the slide are indoors, but most of the slide is outdoors.)

FYI Sandman is a chain of hotels based in British Columbia.  The bulk of their hotels are in BC and Alberta, with a token one or two in other provinces. Their historic (multi-generational) reputation is mid-quality hotel, good quality motel.  Their move into higher end signature resort business is new, and from the reviews on Trip Advisor, it seems that they are doing a reasonably good job of meeting or exceeding customer expectations. That said, my own personal experience has been with friends and family staying at the non-signature Sandman Vancouver Airport a half-block away.  All were staying at the end of a west-coast vacation and flying home early the next day -- they just wanted a place with a good restaurant or bar (Moxies in the lobby has both) and comfortable beds.  A good price and convenient airport shuttles made their decisions no-brainers.


----------



## BLTOH

GrtWtNorth said:


> The signature hotel web site looks like it was done by a professional PR firm who didn't know much about the location or clientèle.  Flashy, but not very informative.  But I digress...
> 
> I found a couple pictures of the waterslide in the hotel profile on Expedia.  The second photo in the slideshow illustrates the indoor pool with the slide splash-down area.  About 3/4 of the way through the images is another photo that shows a large section of waterslide looping around the parking lot.  (The start and end of the slide are indoors, but most of the slide is outdoors.)
> 
> FYI Sandman is a chain of hotels based in British Columbia.  The bulk of their hotels are in BC and Alberta, with a token one or two in other provinces. Their historic (multi-generational) reputation is mid-quality hotel, good quality motel.  Their move into higher end signature resort business is new, and from the reviews on Trip Advisor, it seems that they are doing a reasonably good job of meeting or exceeding customer expectations. That said, my own personal experience has been with friends and family staying at the non-signature Sandman Vancouver Airport a half-block away.  All were staying at the end of a west-coast vacation and flying home early the next day -- they just wanted a place with a good restaurant or bar (Moxies in the lobby has both) and comfortable beds.  A good price and convenient airport shuttles made their decisions no-brainers.



would you happen to know the price range of each hotel. i kind of found prices around $130 for the sandman signature but that is for a stay in the next month. was looking at the signature for the waterslide aspect for dd and i did find that they had many restaurants there or close by and i like the shuttle service to the airport.


----------



## BLTOH

GrtWtNorth said:


> FYI, your ordeal isn't over once you're on the plane.  Expect to spend an hour of your layover in Toronto collecting your luggage, transferring terminals, and going through the US-bound passenger and luggage screening process.  You basically go through US customs and immigration at the Toronto airport, prior to departure.  This way, most flights from Canadian cities to US cities are treated like US domestic flights, and passengers are not required to go through customs and immigration upon landing on US soil.  This also means that you will have to go through the US flight screening and boarding (US rules: shoes off for security, security staff need to see your boarding pass and photo ID, but airline staff at the gate only need to see your boarding pass).



ok thank you soo much for this info. i was unaware of the customs thing in toronto. but now i have a few more questions on that. i already booked our airline and we have a layover of 1hr 15min in toronto. their website says min 1hr 10min. for a connecting flight. now this was the airlines schedule and not what we scheduled. Will they wait for us if there is an issue? i ask as my step mom has metal plates in her ankle and hip and even though she will be carrying the xrays and drs slips it may hold us up a bit longer at security.and she may be a bit slower on the walking end. is the layout of toronto airport fairly compact or is it spread out that we will be running to make it to our connecting flight? is it possible to have like two of us go collect our luggage and move it to the connecting baggage area while the rest of us go on to the gate where we need to be?  I would hope that since the airline made this small time frame for connecting flight that we should be ok and not have to worry about missing our connecting flight but want to make sure.


----------



## Anjelica

Pan Pacific opened up their bookings through at least May 2011 next year.  Their promotions on their website only go through December 2010 BUT if you call they have the promotion rates good through at least May 2011 (I didn't check further than May as that is all we needed).  But we got the Family Package where you get one room get the second room 50% off.  That seems to be the best deal for those needing more than one room if staying at Pan Pacific.

For two rooms without tax it came out to $508.50 CAD.


----------



## princess81499

Anjelica said:


> Pan Pacific opened up their bookings through at least May 2011 next year.  Their promotions on their website only go through December 2010 BUT if you call they have the promotion rates good through at least May 2011 (I didn't check further than May as that is all we needed).  But we got the Family Package where you get one room get the second room 50% off.  That seems to be the best deal for those needing more than one room if staying at Pan Pacific.
> 
> For two rooms without tax it came out to $508.50 CAD.



I was able to book the 3 nights before our July 12th cruise the other night.  The room was $239 CAD a night.


----------



## Anjelica

princess81499 said:


> I was able to book the 3 nights before our July 12th cruise the other night.  The room was $239 CAD a night.



That's a very good rate.  Unfortunately we are staying on Memorial Day weekend and most of the hotel rates we have found are 10-20% higher than the rest of the weeks of the summer.


----------



## smb6

Anjelica said:


> Pan Pacific opened up their bookings through at least May 2011 next year.  Their promotions on their website only go through December 2010 BUT if you call they have the promotion rates good through at least May 2011 (I didn't check further than May as that is all we needed).  But we got the Family Package where you get one room get the second room 50% off.  That seems to be the best deal for those needing more than one room if staying at Pan Pacific.
> 
> For two rooms without tax it came out to $508.50 CAD.



Thanks for the info!  We also need two rooms, so the second room 1/2 off would be great.  But we will be there two nights and I was looking to spend about $500 for both nights, not just one.....  I think we may have to book elsewhere even though this one is my first choice....


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

princess81499 said:


> I was able to book the 3 nights before our July 12th cruise the other night.  The room was $239 CAD a night.



$239 per night seems like a good rate, especially this far out... was this a special or something?

ETA -- I just called and booked... I inquired about a AAA discount and the charge for 1 room with 2 double beds (City View) was $199 per night Friday/Saturday and $159 per night Sunday/Monday .... ($828.68 total for 4 nights with taxes)... June 10, 11, 12, 13 ... Seemed like a great deal.  If you have AAA, make sure to ask about the discount....


----------



## GrtWtNorth

BLTOH said:


> i already booked our airline and we have a layover of 1hr 15min in toronto. their website says min 1hr 10min. for a connecting flight. now this was the airlines schedule and not what we scheduled. Will they wait for us if there is an issue? i ask as my step mom has metal plates in her ankle and hip and even though she will be carrying the xrays and drs slips it may hold us up a bit longer at security.and she may be a bit slower on the walking end. is the layout of toronto airport fairly compact or is it spread out that we will be running to make it to our connecting flight? is it possible to have like two of us go collect our luggage and move it to the connecting baggage area while the rest of us go on to the gate where we need to be?  I would hope that since the airline made this small time frame for connecting flight that we should be ok and not have to worry about missing our connecting flight but want to make sure.


I'm not going to lie.  This could be a bit of a challenge.  I'm not sure there's much you can do now, but definitely ask about what service the airline can provide to help you with your transfer in Toronto.  Given your MIL's ankle and hip, they should provide you with handicapped golf-cart shuttle service to help you navigate the terminal(s) without her walking speed being an issue. They may offer additional service to help you transfer your bags to the US TAS / customs and immigration screening area.  I'm not sure there is any value in splitting up your party, as you need to have all your bags together and enter the US customs and security zone as a group.  

Toronto is a sprawling airport, with multiple terminals.  However, since they demolished Terminal 2 and modernized Terminals 1 and 3, I think passengers flow through more efficiently.  However, it's still highly likely that you will have to transfer between terminal (check your flight information -- it should indicate indicate the terminals for arrival and departure flights.  However, there is now a rail link system connecting the terminals, likely similar to what is at Orlando International Airport.  

Will they wait for you if there's an issue?  Perhaps.  But in my own experience, they don't.  Toronto is a very busy airport and they like to keep things on schedule.  

My only experience with this in Toronto was coming back from Orlando, going through Canadian customs, and catching a connecting flight to another Canadian city in 2005.  We were exhausted, and the airport seemed huge and unorganized. We had to take a bus between terminals, and I can't remember exactly where we had to pick up and drop off our luggage, but it seemed like a hike. It's likely better now, but I've avoided these types of connections ever since.  

You are probably right to trust Air Canada, but if you want to ask more detailed questions about connecting in Toronto, you should make a new post on either the Canadian Trip Planning & Community Board or the Transportation Board. The Canadian board might get you better results because many of the bloggers on that board are very familiar with the Toronto airport.


----------



## princess81499

I found a great flight home, but it leaves at 10:50 PM after the cruise.  Where do you suggest I book a hotel room close to the airport for the day so we can relax, swim and shower before heading to airport?


----------



## princess81499

DisneyCruiser2008 said:


> $239 per night seems like a good rate, especially this far out... was this a special or something?
> 
> ETA -- I just called and booked... I inquired about a AAA discount and the charge for 1 room with 2 double beds (City View) was $199 per night Friday/Saturday and $159 per night Sunday/Monday .... ($828.68 total for 4 nights with taxes)... June 10, 11, 12, 13 ... Seemed like a great deal.  If you have AAA, make sure to ask about the discount....



THANK YOU for this info!  I was going to call and add Fri night due to finding a great airfare rate, now with the AAA discount my total price is about the same as before!


----------



## BLTOH

GrtWtNorth said:


> I'm not going to lie.  This could be a bit of a challenge.  I'm not sure there's much you can do now, but definitely ask about what service the airline can provide to help you with your transfer in Toronto.  Given your MIL's ankle and hip, they should provide you with handicapped golf-cart shuttle service to help you navigate the terminal(s) without her walking speed being an issue. They may offer additional service to help you transfer your bags to the US TAS / customs and immigration screening area.  I'm not sure there is any value in splitting up your party, as you need to have all your bags together and enter the US customs and security zone as a group.
> 
> Toronto is a sprawling airport, with multiple terminals.  However, since they demolished Terminal 2 and modernized Terminals 1 and 3, I think passengers flow through more efficiently.  However, it's still highly likely that you will have to transfer between terminal (check your flight information -- it should indicate indicate the terminals for arrival and departure flights.  However, there is now a rail link system connecting the terminals, likely similar to what is at Orlando International Airport.
> 
> Will they wait for you if there's an issue?  Perhaps.  But in my own experience, they don't.  Toronto is a very busy airport and they like to keep things on schedule.
> 
> My only experience with this in Toronto was coming back from Orlando, going through Canadian customs, and catching a connecting flight to another Canadian city in 2005.  We were exhausted, and the airport seemed huge and unorganized. We had to take a bus between terminals, and I can't remember exactly where we had to pick up and drop off our luggage, but it seemed like a hike. It's likely better now, but I've avoided these types of connections ever since.
> 
> You are probably right to trust Air Canada, but if you want to ask more detailed questions about connecting in Toronto, you should make a new post on either the Canadian Trip Planning & Community Board or the Transportation Board. The Canadian board might get you better results because many of the bloggers on that board are very familiar with the Toronto airport.



thank you. i will go and check out the other two links. the flight home is a 2 hour delay so little more relaxed there. i have printed all the stuff from the toronto airport website on connecting flights and all and trying to get a layout of what we need to do. might have to inquire with the airport on transporting stepmom if she is still having issues with walking by time flight happens.


----------



## smb6

The Sandman Signature Hotel looks really promising.  I just pulled up the website and then looked it up on hotels.com.  It is only 3 starts, but has good customer reviews, looks nice, and has an early bird rate of $115. per night.  Like the other poster said, it does show a few water slides.  Unfortunately, the rates for next year are not out yet; but I pulled it up under a few different dummy dates and the rate seems to be consistent, so I expect that same rate will be fairly accurate for May 2011 also.


----------



## princess81499

It's official - airfare is booked out of JFK (awesome direct price to Vancouver - thanks to my DIS friends).  PanPacific is booked for the 4 nights before cruise (added an extra night when I called back and added AAA the price went down alot).  

Now just need to find some sort of day room since we have a very late flight home.


----------



## smb6

princess81499 said:


> It's official - airfare is booked out of JFK (awesome direct price to Vancouver - thanks to my DIS friends).  PanPacific is booked for the 4 nights before cruise (added an extra night when I called back and added AAA the price went down alot).
> 
> Now just need to find some sort of day room since we have a very late flight home.




Congrats!  I am  hoping to have flights booked soon, but there is no good price in sight.....


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

princess81499 said:


> THANK YOU for this info!  I was going to call and add Fri night due to finding a great airfare rate, now with the AAA discount my total price is about the same as before!




Glad to help.   That was one one the best AAA discounts I have ever gotten on a room.


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

princess81499 said:


> It's official - airfare is booked out of JFK (awesome direct price to Vancouver - thanks to my DIS friends).  PanPacific is booked for the 4 nights before cruise (added an extra night when I called back and added AAA the price went down alot).
> 
> Now just need to find some sort of day room since we have a very late flight home.



Hey Patty -- I was reading some Trip Advisor reviews on the Pan Pacific, and someone said the hotel let them store their luggage there for the day when they got off their ship (even though they had stayed at the hotel BEFORE their cruise and were flying out the night the cruise ended)... You might call the hotel and ask them if they would do this for you?


----------



## TagsMissy

GrtWtNorth said:


> 3. The price of the cheapest groceries in Vancouver is marginally more expensive than Florida and about 30-50% higher than California prices.  However, your biggest challenge may be finding a convenient grocery store.  If your time-share is downtown, there are convenience stores or a few high-end grocers. For slightly more reasonable prices, there are Safeway stores outside downtown -- use Google maps to find the most convenient for you. For cheaper options, drive or take the Skytrain to Metrotown and shop at either Superstore (warehouse-style, bag-your-own) or T&T Supermarket (full-service asian grocer with excellent take-out meals). Most Vancouver grocery stores are open 8 am to 10 pm, seven days a week.




OK I know I am replying to something rather old but I wanted to point out that there are 2 Safeway stores right in downtown (one on Robson and one on Davie), plus now just over the Cambie Street bridge is a Whole Foods & a Save on Foods.


----------



## megsablue

TagsMissy said:


> OK I know I am replying to something rather old but I wanted to point out that there are 2 Safeway stores right in downtown (one on Robson and one on Davie), plus now just over the Cambie Street bridge is a Whole Foods & a Save on Foods.



In addition to the grocery stores TagsMissy just added, there's also a NoFrills (that's the name) on Denman in the Denman Place Mall (closer to the English Bay end of Denman) as well as a SuperValu on Davie St (if you're traveling from English Bay, up Davie St. past the Safeway a few more blocks).


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

If we can save up the money, we are thinking of taking a seaplane from Vancouver to Victoria for the day. We'd like to include a stop at Butchart Gardens. Does anyone have a suggestion for which company to use? It will be DH, myself, DS(8) and DD(5). TIA!!


----------



## TagsMissy

DisneyCruiser2008 said:


> If we can save up the money, we are thinking of taking a seaplane from Vancouver to Victoria for the day. We'd like to include a stop at Butchart Gardens. Does anyone have a suggestion for which company to use? It will be DH, myself, DS(8) and DD(5). TIA!!



I recommend Harbour Air http://www.harbour-air.com/


----------



## carolmb

We are on the June 21st cruise and have to decided to use miles to fly into Vancouver.  We are planning on staying at the Pan Pacific the night before the cruise.  We are thinking of using hilton pts for the other nights.  I am trying to decide between the Hampton Inn at the airport and the Hampton Inn in downtown.  The hotel at the airport is less pts and we will have a rental car because I want to do a day trip to Victoria.  I guess I was just wondering if staying by the airport was to far off of the beaten path to go into the city.  Thanks for any advice.
Carol


----------



## cindy18

princess81499 said:


> It's official - airfare is booked out of JFK (awesome direct price to Vancouver - thanks to my DIS friends).  PanPacific is booked for the 4 nights before cruise (added an extra night when I called back and added AAA the price went down alot).
> 
> Now just need to find some sort of day room since we have a very late flight home.



Can I ask what airline you are flying direct to Vancouver out of JFK?  Our options so far are AA out of LaGuardia with a stop in Dallas or Continental non-stop out of Newark. Thanks!


----------



## Momrow

cindy18 said:


> Can I ask what airline you are flying direct to Vancouver out of JFK?  Our options so far are AA out of LaGuardia with a stop in Dallas or Continental non-stop out of Newark. Thanks!



I believe Cathay flies from JFK to YVR direct.  It arrives very early in the am (1:30 or so).


----------



## GrtWtNorth

carolmb said:


> We are thinking of using hilton pts for (our post-cruise stay).  I am trying to decide between the Hampton Inn at the airport and the Hampton Inn in downtown.  The hotel at the airport is less pts and we will have a rental car because I want to do a day trip to Victoria.  I guess I was just wondering if staying by the airport was to far off of the beaten path to go into the city.


*Hampton Inn Vancouver Downtown* -- it is in Yaletown, a trendy (but not child or stroller friendly) area very close to BC Place (football stadium and convention center). If you are there on a weekend or a game night, the area will be inundated with many intoxicated people (driving is impossible for 20-30 minutes after a game lets out). As well, if you stay here, current self-park rate is $19 per night. Driving is typical for any downtown core. It is a good location to explore downtown Vancouver on foot.

*Hampton Inn Vancouver Airport* -- This hotel is located on Bridgeport road, very close to the airport.  Of course, there will be jet and highway noise, but no masses of drunk pedestrians. To explore downtown, I would suggest either driving downtown (easy, 15-20 minutes, double in rush hour) or taking the Skytrain (5-10 minute walk + 20 minute train ride).  Parking should be free for hotel guests.  This part of the city is definitely more car-friendly than downtown.  It is also 15-20 minutes closer to the ferry to Victoria.  The only issue with this location is navigating Bridgeport Road and Sea Island Way to connect to highways, bridges to Vancouver, as well as the airport -- the navigation is not always intuitive -- you may want to get a good map, directions from hotel staff, or a GPS.


----------



## ededmd

BLTOH:

Regarding "I would hope that since the airline made this small time frame for connecting flight that we should be ok and not have to worry about missing our connecting flight but want to make sure."

We were booked on DL from CLT to ATL and ATL to ANC for our recent AK cruise.  The connection time was 45" which is tight anyway for ATL but it was "their" time / choice.

Air traffic out of CLT and then into ATL was slow / delayed and we got to our gate in ATL *right* after they closed the door to the jetway.  This was with all able bodied people hustling on a terminal change.

Well, a lot of stress, with a private / personally booked interim flight from ATL into DEN, and an endorsed ticket from DL to AS for the DEN to ANC connection and we arrived 8 hrs later and $1200 lighter.

I'd be disinterested in repeating the "experience" as I've chosen to remember it.

I offer this as a cautionary tale only and hope for you your trip is smoooooth!


----------



## DVC Mary

Looking for hotel ideas 

*What are the perks w/staying at one hotel over another?*
I am looking for family friendly


*Could someone please explain which hotel you are choosing & WHY?*

*transportation you are using to get the boat
transportation you are using to tour Vancouver*

We were planning on renting a car

Thank for any feedback.  I need to get hotel rooms booked soon.

THANK YOU !


----------



## ededmd

DVC Mary said:


> *Could someone please explain which hotel you are choosing & WHY?*
> I chose the Fairmont Pacific Rim because it is new as of Spring 2010 and has 2 QUEEN beds in the room versus 2 doubles.
> LOVED the hotel, friendly staff, great service!
> 
> *transportation you are using to get the boat*
> At the Fairmont PR you are 2 blocks away from the port and *could* walk but the very helpful bellman will drive you over in one of their hotel vehicles (think BMW X5) complimentary.
> 
> *transportation you are using to tour Vancouver*


We got around quite nicely using public transportation including subways and buses.  The system is clean and easy.


----------



## princess81499

cindy18 said:


> Can I ask what airline you are flying direct to Vancouver out of JFK?  Our options so far are AA out of LaGuardia with a stop in Dallas or Continental non-stop out of Newark. Thanks!



Cathay Pacific - came highly recommended


----------



## BLTOH

ededmd said:


> BLTOH:
> 
> I'd be disinterested in repeating the "experience" as I've chosen to remember it.
> 
> I offer this as a cautionary tale only and hope for you your trip is smoooooth!



yeah i am thinking positive and telling myself it will be ok. not much i can do about it as all their flights are like this. so i will jsut have to trust that the airline is allowing enough time to do what needs to be done. if not it could get really ugly as i will fight them on it.


----------



## nzdisneymom

BLTOH said:


> yeah i am thinking positive and telling myself it will be ok. not much i can do about it as all their flights are like this. so i will jsut have to trust that the airline is allowing enough time to do what needs to be done. if not it could get really ugly as i will fight them on it.



Is there a big Fare jump if you take the earlier time for the first leg and a later time for the second leg?  You sometimes have to scroll down to find those flight options but I would certainly want more time between connecting flights.  Good luck with sorting it.  

We haven't looked yet to see what options there are from Atlanta but we booked it thru DCL.


----------



## carolmb

GrtWtNorth said:


> *Hampton Inn Vancouver Downtown* -- it is in Yaletown, a trendy (but not child or stroller friendly) area very close to BC Place (football stadium and convention center). If you are there on a weekend or a game night, the area will be inundated with many intoxicated people (driving is impossible for 20-30 minutes after a game lets out). As well, if you stay here, current self-park rate is $19 per night. Driving is typical for any downtown core. It is a good location to explore downtown Vancouver on foot.
> 
> *Hampton Inn Vancouver Airport* -- This hotel is located on Bridgeport road, very close to the airport.  Of course, there will be jet and highway noise, but no masses of drunk pedestrians. To explore downtown, I would suggest either driving downtown (easy, 15-20 minutes, double in rush hour) or taking the Skytrain (5-10 minute walk + 20 minute train ride).  Parking should be free for hotel guests.  This part of the city is definitely more car-friendly than downtown.  It is also 15-20 minutes closer to the ferry to Victoria.  The only issue with this location is navigating Bridgeport Road and Sea Island Way to connect to highways, bridges to Vancouver, as well as the airport -- the navigation is not always intuitive -- you may want to get a good map, directions from hotel staff, or a GPS.



Thanks for the advice.  I think that we might just stay by the airport and save the extra Hilton pts and parking fee.  I was planning on touring Vancouver on the Monday before the cruise anyway.  So we could get an early start and checkin at the Pan Pacific.  DH could return car at airport and then we would tour Vancouver with the HOHO bus or trolley.  Any recommendations on which is better?  From what I could tell the trolley goes through Stanley Park more and bus the has 2 stops in park.  Otherwise the routes look about the same.  Thanks for all of your great advice.


----------



## BLTOH

nzdisneymom said:


> Is there a big Fare jump if you take the earlier time for the first leg and a later time for the second leg?  You sometimes have to scroll down to find those flight options but I would certainly want more time between connecting flights.  Good luck with sorting it.
> 
> We haven't looked yet to see what options there are from Atlanta but we booked it thru DCL.




i couldnt book each leg separate thru Air Canada they didn't have that option on their web site. But we have non-refundable tickets and its already booked so pretty much locked into this schedule now. We will just go with the flow and think positive. Doing the research to learn the airport and all now and make sure we have what we need so we can get thru. nice thing is i did the seat assignments and decided hey i never flown in the front of the plane before lets get seats there for the trip out so we should be one of the first ones off the plane which should help. we are the first flight going out but i think there are other planes getting in at about the same time as us. so i figure as long as my organized side of me does its homework and prepares for it we should be ok.


----------



## MrsG

Thanks so much for all the great info!!!!

Does anyone know if you can use DVC points at any of the hotels in the area??


----------



## mmmears

Quick hotel question:

Anyone have a strong preference between the Fairmont Waterfront and the Pan Pacific?  I'm leaning towards the Pan Pacific, but I'd love to hear from someone who has stayed at one or both of them.


----------



## tanyaewa

The Pan Pacific is on the water side of the street - the cruise ships pull right up alongside.  The Fairmont is across the street.  I prefer the atrium area of the Pan Pacific to the lobby area or the Fairmont.  I have never stayed in either - but have been to both many, many times for trade shows, conferences, dinners etc.


----------



## tanyaewa

MrsG - is DVC transerable to any of the *exchange* progams like II?


----------



## "Got Disney"

I have read that a lot of folks on here are planning on taking the train from Seattle (SEATAC) into Vancouver.....when I called I found out that the train only has 2 times....Airport is about 15 minutes away...fair is $118 i...or $70 if book early...this is round trip price.


LEAVING:
Leaving Seattle at 7:40am arriving Vancouver at 11:40am
Leaving Seattle at 6:50 pm arriving Vancouver 10:50pm

RETURNING:

Vancouver to Seattle at 6:40am arriving 11:05
Vancouver to Seattle at 5:45pm arriving 10:10pm

The reason for only 2 times is because they have the buses running in between...

Bus from Amtrax: 37.50 each way

leaving Seattle at 10:45am  arrive at 2:15
                         1:00 pm  arrive 5:00pm
                          4:45pm arrive  8:00pm

Leaving Vancouver   5:30am-9am
                            8:00-12:00pm
                            11:30am-3:30(cant remember if this time was am or pm)


The bus/train is approx. 4 hr ride.

1-800-872-7245....can get both train and Bus info at this number.

The train time makes it hard to catch the day of the cruise and the bus well....catching the bus the day of could be very risky....and with the train coming back well we disembark at around 8-9am...so the 6:40 am is out so you will have to wait for the 5:45pm and your flight will have to be at around midnight cause you wont get to the station till 10:10pm and than you need to still get to the airport from there.....

My flights from San Diego are around $500 each into Vancouver and back...into Seattle it is around $350...but what was even more interesting is that if we fly from San Diego to Seattle than to Bellingham, the round trip price is $175 for all the flights.....and still getting there faster than it would take on most of the flights...go figure 

To take the train from Bellingham it is 2 hrs into Vancouver and leaves at 9:49 arriving at 11:40...and from Vancouver to Bellingham is 8:58pm arriving 10:50pm...the train is 8 miles from the airport.

Its a lot of work but check to see the price from where you live into Bellingham....I went  when i saw that it was only $170 just to fly one more plane for a 40 minute flight.


----------



## mmmears

tanyaewa said:


> The Pan Pacific is on the water side of the street - the cruise ships pull right up alongside.  The Fairmont is across the street.  I prefer the atrium area of the Pan Pacific to the lobby area or the Fairmont.  I have never stayed in either - but have been to both many, many times for trade shows, conferences, dinners etc.



Thanks for the input.  I'm leaning towards the PP because of the convenient location (and the pretty views help, too).


----------



## GrtWtNorth

> I have read that a lot of folks on here are planning on taking the train from Seattle (SEATAC) into Vancouver.....when I called I found out that the train only has 2 times....Airport is about 15 minutes away...fair is $118 i...or $70 if book early...this is round trip price.
> 
> Its a lot of work but check to see the price from where you live into Bellingham....I went  when i saw that it was only $170 just to fly one more plane for a 40 minute flight.




Don't sprain your brain. You're going on vacation to relax!


Amtrak
*Pro*: cheap ($70 round trip)
*Con*: requires connecting transportation both at SEATAC and Port of Vancouver. Limited service (2 trains daily?)

QuickShuttle
*Pro*:  minimum of 5 buses each day, door-to-door service for SEATAC, Downtown Seattle, Tulalip (Seattle Premium Outlets), Bellingham Airport, Vancouver Airport, Downtown Vancouver and the Port of Vancouver.  
*Con*: $99 round trip.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

carolmb said:


> ...then we would tour Vancouver with the HOHO bus or trolley.  Any recommendations on which is better?  From what I could tell the trolley goes through Stanley Park more and bus the has 2 stops in park.  Otherwise the routes look about the same.  Thanks for all of your great advice.


Sorry, I haven't used either.  I see lots of tourists on both.  Myself, I usually drive and pay $10 to park all day in Stanley Park.  (Like WDW, the parking is transferable to any of the parking lots anywhere in the park, which is handy if you're visiting the aquarium or lighthouse on the east side and later visit the beaches or pool on the west side.)


----------



## perdidobay

DVC Mary said:


> Looking for hotel ideas
> 
> *What are the perks w/staying at one hotel over another?*
> I am looking for family friendly
> 
> 
> *Could someone please explain which hotel you are choosing & WHY?*
> 
> *transportation you are using to get the boat
> transportation you are using to tour Vancouver*
> 
> We were planning on renting a car
> 
> Thank for any feedback.  I need to get hotel rooms booked soon.
> 
> THANK YOU !



DH and I are staying at the Marriott Vancouver Pinnacle which is downtown, mainly as we have lots of marriott points to use. It is very close to the cruise dock, and we plan on walking to the cruise terminal from the hotel. As for transportation during our stay in Vancouver, we plan on using public transportation.


----------



## gduvall

perdidobay said:


> DH and I are staying at the Marriott Vancouver Pinnacle which is downtown, mainly as we have lots of marriott points to use. It is very close to the cruise dock, and we plan on walking to the cruise terminal from the hotel. As for transportation during our stay in Vancouver, we plan on using public transportation.



Do you have your reservation yet,  We are sailing May 31, 2011 and they seem to booked up for the entire month of May.  I even called them to confirm.  She told me they are very booked with graduations, hard to believe.  We are wanting to use Marriott points also and had to pick the Airport Marriott.  Now if we wanted to pay cash, my wife is a platium member and we could get a room with cash if we wanted, but it's $315/night.  We'll take the free room at the airport Marriott.


----------



## "Got Disney"

GrtWtNorth said:


> Don't sprain your brain. You're going on vacation to relax!
> 
> 
> Amtrak
> *Pro*: cheap ($70 round trip)
> *Con*: requires connecting transportation both at SEATAC and Port of Vancouver. Limited service (2 trains daily?)
> 
> QuickShuttle
> *Pro*: minimum of 5 buses each day, door-to-door service for SEATAC, Downtown Seattle, Tulalip (Seattle Premium Outlets), Bellingham Airport, Vancouver Airport, Downtown Vancouver and the Port of Vancouver.
> *Con*: $99 round trip.


 
The problem is not the relaxing when on vacation...can do that with great ease....it's all the prep work prior the vacation that puts my head in a tail spin 

ahhhhhhhhhhh to sit back and relax and just let DH do all the planning and organizing and searching on the Internet to make our vacation ROCK....ummmmm Not!..we would end up in who knows where  

Besides....I do enjoy it and love how my family says that each time we go I pick the most fun things to do...and a lot of that info comes also from fine people helping here on the DIS


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

Hi all -- This thread has been SO helpful... Thanks so much!  I have another question I hope you can help me with... One of the families we are traveling with includes a young woman in a wheelchair... They are trying to decide if they should rent a car in Vancouver, or if they can make due with public transportation?  We plan to be in Vancouver 3-4 days... Mainly just staying in town, seeing the local sights, visiting Stanley Park, etc... What would you all recommend as far as getting around town in a wheelchair?  TIA!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

DisneyCruiser2008 said:


> One of the families we are traveling with includes a young woman in a wheelchair... They are trying to decide if they should rent a car in Vancouver, or if they can make due with public transportation?  We plan to be in Vancouver 3-4 days... Mainly just staying in town, seeing the local sights, visiting Stanley Park, etc... What would you all recommend as far as getting around town in a wheelchair?  TIA!


Vancouver has one of the best wheelchair accessible transit systems in the world.  Virtually every vehicle is wheelchair accessible, including SkyTrain, buses, SeaBus, and Westcoast Express (commuter rail).  All SkyTrain stations are wheelchair accessible, although there may be brief disruptions due to elevator maintenance.  (Elevator outages are published on posters in stations and on the electronic "next train" signs.) Translink (the public transit operator in Vancouver) reports that while all their buses are wheelchair accessible, there are some bus stops that are not. 

Here is the link to an overview about wheelchair accessibility.  

Here is the link to the trip-planning tool that includes wheelchair accessibility options.  

Public transit information is also incorporated in Google Maps (both the normal and mobile versions), a mobile web site, an iPhone Application, as well as an automated text / SMS service (text your bus stop number to 33333 to get next 6 bus departure times).  There is also a Facebook application, but it doesn't work well.

*Touring Stanley Park*
The public transit system has one drop-off in the middle of the park (near the aquarium), plus a couple on the park / city interface.  However, only trolley buses or tour buses (not necessarily wheelchair accessible) stop at the various sites around the perimeter of the park.  However, if your group is fit, everyone can enjoy walking / rolling along the sea wall.  It's virtually flat, with great views of the city, marina, Coal Harbour, Lions Gate Bridge, English Bay, north shore mountains, Vancouver Island Mountains, and several beaches.  The sea wall runs 8.8 km around the edge of the park, but you will have to walk another 1 km inland (still flat) to do a complete loop. (The 10 km loop is about 6 miles.)  There is also a wheelchair accessible trail around Beaver Lake. IMO, it's not very interesting, but it's shady and more quiet than the sea wall. Bird-watchers often hang out here looking for eagles and kestrels. Here's a link to a PDF map of the park.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

DVC Mary said:


> Looking for hotel ideas
> *Could someone please explain which hotel you are choosing & WHY?*


My friends and family tend to stay at the Sandman Inn (not the Sandman Signature) Vancouver Airport.  
Why?

inexpensive (around $100 per night)
location: adjacent to airport, adjacent to Highway 99 (best route to Seattle and ferry to Victoria), only 20 minute drive to downtown, 10 minute walk to SkyTrain. 
free shuttle to the airport
driving / free parking convenience
good family restaurant (Moxies)
convenient sports bar for kid-free gatherings (also Moxies)
pool and hot tub -- nothing noteworthy, but any pool is good to wear off kids energy before cooping them up in a plane for several hours

Just last week, I visited some friends at the Sandman before they jetted home.  Passing through the lobby that night, we saw one or two wedding groups, a stag party (flying to Vegas next day?), a boys lacrosse team (in Vancouver for a tournament), a Chinese tour group on its way home, plus numerous tourists (like my friends), just spending the night before flying home.  This hotel is popular for all the right reasons -- price, quality and convenience.  (Ask for a room on an upper floor if you want to avoid lobby and pool noise.  Keep in mind that while the rooms are well insulated, airport and highway noise is unavoidable.)



> *transportation you are using to get the boat*


My parents insisted on taking public transit to the pier -- it works fine, if you pack light.  My SIL and her family allowed me to drive them to the pier drop-off.  Others usually used rental cars and/or taxis. 


> *transportation you are using to tour Vancouver*


Downtown is best explored on foot.  Some of my guests toured Stanley Park on foot or bicycle, while others were more rushed and I drove them around the perimeter of the park.  Many of our friends use the Aquabus to tour False Creek and Grandville Island.  Those venturing to further locations usually rented a car or purchased public transit day-passes ($9).  The trolley and tour buses are popular, but none of my friends or family have used them recently.


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

GrtWtNorth said:


> Vancouver has one of the best wheelchair accessible transit systems in the world.  Virtually every vehicle is wheelchair accessible, including SkyTrain, buses, SeaBus, and Westcoast Express (commuter rail).  All SkyTrain stations are wheelchair accessible, although there may be brief disruptions due to elevator maintenance.  (Elevator outages are published on posters in stations and on the electronic "next train" signs.) Translink (the public transit operator in Vancouver) reports that while all their buses are wheelchair accessible, there are some bus stops that are not.
> 
> Here is the link to an overview about wheelchair accessibility.
> 
> Here is the link to the trip-planning tool that includes wheelchair accessibility options.
> 
> Public transit information is also incorporated in Google Maps (both the normal and mobile versions), a mobile web site, an iPhone Application, as well as an automated text / SMS service (text your bus stop number to 33333 to get next 6 bus departure times).  There is also a Facebook application, but it doesn't work well.
> 
> *Touring Stanley Park*
> The public transit system has one drop-off in the middle of the park (near the aquarium), plus a couple on the park / city interface.  However, only trolley buses or tour buses (not necessarily wheelchair accessible) stop at the various sites around the perimeter of the park.  However, if your group is fit, everyone can enjoy walking / rolling along the sea wall.  It's virtually flat, with great views of the city, marina, Coal Harbour, Lions Gate Bridge, English Bay, north shore mountains, Vancouver Island Mountains, and several beaches.  The sea wall runs 8.8 km around the edge of the park, but you will have to walk another 1 km inland (still flat) to do a complete loop. (The 10 km loop is about 6 miles.)  There is also a wheelchair accessible trail around Beaver Lake. IMO, it's not very interesting, but it's shady and more quiet than the sea wall. Bird-watchers often hang out here looking for eagles and kestrels. Here's a link to a PDF map of the park.



Thanks for the wonderful info! I shared it with my friends... very helpful!


----------



## perdidobay

gduvall said:


> Do you have your reservation yet,  We are sailing May 31, 2011 and they seem to booked up for the entire month of May.  I even called them to confirm.  She told me they are very booked with graduations, hard to believe.  We are wanting to use Marriott points also and had to pick the Airport Marriott.  Now if we wanted to pay cash, my wife is a platium member and we could get a room with cash if we wanted, but it's $315/night.  We'll take the free room at the airport Marriott.



Yes, we have already booked the room, we are going on the July 5 2011 cruise so our dates are the 2-5th of July. I was worried about it being booked up for Canada Day weekend July 1, but I booked just as soon as the dates opened up to reservations.
 I don't blame you for not wanting to pay that rate when you can stay on points at the airport location. That seems really high! Plus, with all those graduation parties going on it might get a tad loud!


----------



## sunshine state kim

We're all going to Alaska for my parents 50th anniversary and my brother and his kids don't have passports.  The suggestion was made that they fly into Seattle and go to Vancouver by land as they could get passport cards rather than passport books (and save some money).  Does anyone know if just the the card be sufficient for entering back into Canada by sea?


----------



## CarolAnnC

I have a couple of questions.  Not sure if this has been discussed already, but I did not find the information with a search.

What are the hotels that Disney has chosen for their precruise bookings?  I would be interested in checking these out.

Also, has anyone posted about town car or limo service from Seattle to Vancouver?  I see the info on bus and train and I am just wondering how a car service would compare?

Thanks all, so much planning to work on for this trip!


----------



## nzdisneymom

Carol - we're staying at the PacificRim via DCL - I can't remember the exact name of it but if you google it, it will come up.  I did put a post on the Meet thread for DCL Alaska June 14th that has a link right there if you're interested.


----------



## DaveH

I sent an email to DU asking these questions a couple of weeks ago and nothing from them yet. Even saying we have nothing yet. Very disappointing.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

sunshine state kim said:


> We're all going to Alaska for my parents 50th anniversary and my brother and his kids don't have passports.  The suggestion was made that they fly into Seattle and go to Vancouver by land as they could get passport cards rather than passport books (and save some money).  Does anyone know if just the the card be sufficient for entering back into Canada by sea?


Passport cards are sufficient to cross borders both into Canada and into the US as long as you are entering by land or sea.  It is only for air travel that a full passport is required.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

CarolAnnC said:


> Also, has anyone posted about town car or limo service from Seattle to Vancouver?  I see the info on bus and train and I am just wondering how a car service would compare?


All taxis and limo services from SEATAC airport are currently operated by STITA.  Here's their contact information: 
24 Hour Computerized Dispatch: 206.246.9999
Office · Lost & Found · Comments: 206.246.9980
Fax: 206.246.8845
As an aside, there's an ongoing legal battle regarding the SEATAC taxi contract -- Yellow Taxi won the next airport contract in December 2009, but STILA is challenging the legality of the contract, with limited success.   I have no idea how this would affect limo services.

FYI, I found another company that advertises service from in and around Vancouver and Seattle.  They specifically mention taking cruise ship passengers from the port to the Seattle Airport, and passengers from Seattle to Vancouver.  However, they may not have the right to pick up passengers at SEATAC -- contact the company directly to confirm this. 
Classic Limousine Service
# 402-1193 Main Street, Vancouver, BC. Canada V6A 4B6
Phone + 1 (604) 874 4880 or Toll Free +1 (866) 874 1311


----------



## CarolAnnC

nzdisneymom said:


> Carol - we're staying at the PacificRim via DCL - I can't remember the exact name of it but if you google it, it will come up.  I did put a post on the Meet thread for DCL Alaska June 14th that has a link right there if you're interested.



Thank you Cindy!  I will check that one out.  I trust you always make a good choice in hotels!  



GrtWtNorth said:


> All taxis and limo services from SEATAC airport are currently operated by STITA.  Here's their contact information:
> 24 Hour Computerized Dispatch: 206.246.9999
> Office · Lost & Found · Comments: 206.246.9980
> Fax: 206.246.8845
> As an aside, there's an ongoing legal battle regarding the SEATAC taxi contract -- Yellow Taxi won the next airport contract in December 2009, but STILA is challenging the legality of the contract, with limited success.   I have no idea how this would affect limo services.
> 
> FYI, I found another company that advertises service from in and around Vancouver and Seattle.  They specifically mention taking cruise ship passengers from the port to the Seattle Airport, and passengers from Seattle to Vancouver.  However, they may not have the right to pick up passengers at SEATAC -- contact the company directly to confirm this.
> Classic Limousine Service
> # 402-1193 Main Street, Vancouver, BC. Canada V6A 4B6
> Phone + 1 (604) 874 4880 or Toll Free +1 (866) 874 1311



Thanks so much for this info!  We are probably flying into Seattle, possibly spending a night or there prior to cruise and then seeking transportation up to the Port in Vancouver.  Tenative for now at least..


----------



## CarolAnnC

GrtWtNorth said:


> FYI, I found another company that advertises service from in and around Vancouver and Seattle.  They specifically mention taking cruise ship passengers from the port to the Seattle Airport, and passengers from Seattle to Vancouver.  However, they may not have the right to pick up passengers at SEATAC -- contact the company directly to confirm this.
> Classic Limousine Service
> # 402-1193 Main Street, Vancouver, BC. Canada V6A 4B6
> Phone + 1 (604) 874 4880 or Toll Free +1 (866) 874 1311



I just received back an email from Classic Limousine after I requested a quote for a town car for 3 adults - Seattle to Port in Vancouver and then return from there to Seattle after the cruise.  *The quote for 3 adults is $1300!!!* YIKES!!!


----------



## SoCalDCLfan

CarolAnnC said:


> What are the hotels that Disney has chosen for their precruise bookings?  I would be interested in checking these out.



Per the DCL website, the hotels available through DCL are:

VANCOUVER HOTEL OPTIONS
Fairmont Vancouver Airport
The Fairmont Vancouver Airport is the only luxury hotel and spa within Vancouver's International Airport located in the suburb of Richmond (20 minutes south of Vancouver). The beautifully appointed guest rooms are spacious with floor-to-ceiling windows offering soundproof views to both the north and south, revealing the serenity of mountain views and exciting plane spotting opportunities.

Fairmont Waterfront
The Fairmont Waterfront boasts a spectacular location across from the Convention Centre and Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal, and within walking distance to explore the city's many restaurants, shops and galleries. All rooms are elegantly appointed with contemporary, airy deco and feature floor to ceiling windows to highlight the beautiful scenery surrounding the Fairmont Waterfront.

Fairmont Pacific Rim
Fairmont Pacific Rim is Vancouver's new luxurious hotel offering a prime waterfront location. Guest rooms showcase views of the historic and financial districts, surrounded by the dramatic architecture of the city skyline. All guest rooms offer the most lavish appointments, with naturally inspired materials, comfortable furnishings and state-of-the-art technology.

FWIW...
I originally booked 2 rooms at the Fairmont Waterfront through DCL at $280 per night per room.  However, based on suggestions in our cruise meet thread, I changed it to the Pan Pacific (the hotel on the cruise terminal) for $175 per room per night.  I called the hotel directly and got a good discount for AAA.  They also guaranteed me connecting rooms.  I changed because the savings was significant and it will still be easy to get to the port - just take an elevator downstairs!


----------



## CrazyBoutDisney

Can any of you local folks tell me if the studio where Stargate was filmed has tours or is available in any sort of way to the public?  If so, is it something we could plan on doing if we come in a couple of days before our cruise?  Is it far from the airport or the port?


----------



## CarolAnnC

SoCalDCLfan said:


> Per the DCL website, the hotels available through DCL are:
> 
> VANCOUVER HOTEL OPTIONS
> Fairmont Vancouver Airport
> The Fairmont Vancouver Airport is the only luxury hotel and spa within Vancouver's International Airport located in the suburb of Richmond (20 minutes south of Vancouver). The beautifully appointed guest rooms are spacious with floor-to-ceiling windows offering soundproof views to both the north and south, revealing the serenity of mountain views and exciting plane spotting opportunities.
> 
> Fairmont Waterfront
> The Fairmont Waterfront boasts a spectacular location across from the Convention Centre and Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal, and within walking distance to explore the city's many restaurants, shops and galleries. All rooms are elegantly appointed with contemporary, airy deco and feature floor to ceiling windows to highlight the beautiful scenery surrounding the Fairmont Waterfront.
> 
> Fairmont Pacific Rim
> Fairmont Pacific Rim is Vancouver's new luxurious hotel offering a prime waterfront location. Guest rooms showcase views of the historic and financial districts, surrounded by the dramatic architecture of the city skyline. All guest rooms offer the most lavish appointments, with naturally inspired materials, comfortable furnishings and state-of-the-art technology.
> 
> FWIW...
> I originally booked 2 rooms at the Fairmont Waterfront through DCL at $280 per night per room.  However, based on suggestions in our cruise meet thread, I changed it to the Pan Pacific (the hotel on the cruise terminal) for $175 per room per night.  I called the hotel directly and got a good discount for AAA.  They also guaranteed me connecting rooms.  I changed because the savings was significant and it will still be easy to get to the port - just take an elevator downstairs!



Thanks for the info, sounds like you got a great rate!


----------



## ibouncetoo

We just booked some rooms at the Pan Pacific for one night after the 1st Alaska.  Just got the regular 2 double bed rooms (I'm assuming city view for our rate...right at $200).  Now we have to draw straws for roomates! 

,


----------



## EastYorkDisneyFan

CrazyBoutDisney said:


> Can any of you local folks tell me if the studio where Stargate was filmed has tours or is available in any sort of way to the public?  If so, is it something we could plan on doing if we come in a couple of days before our cruise?  Is it far from the airport or the port?



I doubt that as I think it's still in use for other shows.


----------



## smeecanada

CarolAnnC said:


> I just received back an email from Classic Limousine after I requested a quote for a town car for 3 adults - Seattle to Port in Vancouver and then return from there to Seattle after the cruise.  *The quote for 3 adults is $1300!!!* YIKES!!!



It's is at least a 2.5 hour drive from the border to the SeaTac Airport without adding the distance from the border to the cruise port.  Hence why it is that cost.


----------



## CarolAnnC

smeecanada said:


> It's is at least a 2.5 hour drive from the border to the SeaTac Airport without adding the distance from the border to the cruise port.  Hence why it is that cost.



We just did a 2 hour drive from London to the Port in Dover for the Baltic cruise and cost was less than a third of this price.  We have contacted a friend in Seattle and she confirms that price is out of sight.  I actually did not request the quote to include driving us to the Port as we will be arriving before sail date.   We are still in the planning stage of transportation, so we definitely have time to shop around, fortunately.


----------



## MrsG

We just booked the Pan Pacific before and after the cruise.  We got the AAA rate.  The Fri and Sat nights were $320 CAD plus tax, the next 2 nights about $200 CAD and after the cruise $180 CAD.  This was for 1 king or two double bed city view category.  We may continue to shop around or put in to use points, but at least we have a place to rest our weary bones!

We are thinking of a trip to Victoria and Whistler.  Anyone have any suggestions on renting a car (where can we pick it up in Vancouver) and any sights to see in the surrounding Vancouver area?


----------



## smeecanada

CarolAnnC said:


> We just did a 2 hour drive from London to the Port in Dover for the Baltic cruise and cost was less than a third of this price.  We have contacted a friend in Seattle and she confirms that price is out of sight.  I actually did not request the quote to include driving us to the Port as we will be arriving before sail date.   We are still in the planning stage of transportation, so we definitely have time to shop around, fortunately.



Price to downtown Vancouver or to the Port would probably be the same.  The Port is right in downtown Vancouver - which is at the minimum a 30 minute drive from the border.  Don't know the exact time as I usually go to the ferry terminal or Richmond not Downtown from the border.

They are probably including a return drive fee for the limo because the chance of him being able to get a return fare from the Port to Seattle is unlikely.  Whereas the previous limo company you had could get return fares to London.


----------



## mouseclick1

Looking for any advice on a new plan I came up with...not sure if I even like it or not!  We currently have 2 nights booked prior to our cruise at the Fairmont Pacific Rim.  We have decided to add an additional day and fly in on the Saturday before.  I could book an additional night at the Pacific Rim, but now I'm thinking about booking one night(the Saturday we will arrive) at the Granville Island Hotel.  

I think it might be fun to stay right on Granville Island.  It would give us plenty of time to check out the place and unwind as we arrive in Vancouver.  We would then head over to the Pacific Rim the next day.

The negative would be that it would include an additional hotel check-in, additional transportation (from hotel to hotel), and tie up a little bit more time in making the move.  

So, does anyone think it would be worth it to stay one night here, or would we be better off simply staying 3 nights at the Fairmont?


----------



## jilljill

MrsG said:


> We just booked the Pan Pacific before and after the cruise.  We got the AAA rate.  The Fri and Sat nights were $320 CAD plus tax, the next 2 nights about $200 CAD and after the cruise $180 CAD.  This was for 1 king or two double bed city view category.  We may continue to shop around or put in to use points, but at least we have a place to rest our weary bones!
> 
> We are thinking of a trip to Victoria and Whistler.  Anyone have any suggestions on renting a car (where can we pick it up in Vancouver) and any sights to see in the surrounding Vancouver area?



Did you book the AAA rate online or by calling the hotel?  
I was looking at the various hotels last night and couldn't decide which one looked good since they all look good.


----------



## MrsG

jilljill said:


> Did you book the AAA rate online or by calling the hotel?
> I was looking at the various hotels last night and couldn't decide which one looked good since they all look good.




We called the hotel directly as the web only goes to Dec. 2010.  They were very helpful on the phone.  We are thinking of maybe doing Victoria after the cruise and Vancouver before, but booked before and after the cruise at the hotel just in case we change our minds.


----------



## jilljill

MrsG said:


> We called the hotel directly as the web only goes to Dec. 2010.  They were very helpful on the phone.  We are thinking of maybe doing Victoria after the cruise and Vancouver before, but booked before and after the cruise at the hotel just in case we change our minds.



thanks, I guess I'll call the hotel and book it that way.


----------



## scoutsmom99

Does anyone know what the going rates are through Disney for the Fairmont hotels?  I'm hoping to book some nights in the next couple weeks for our pre-cruise stay.


----------



## carole88

mouseclick1 said:


> Looking for any advice on a new plan I came up with...not sure if I even like it or not!  We currently have 2 nights booked prior to our cruise at the Fairmont Pacific Rim.  We have decided to add an additional day and fly in on the Saturday before.  I could book an additional night at the Pacific Rim, but now I'm thinking about booking one night(the Saturday we will arrive) at the Granville Island Hotel.
> 
> I think it might be fun to stay right on Granville Island.  It would give us plenty of time to check out the place and unwind as we arrive in Vancouver.  We would then head over to the Pacific Rim the next day.
> 
> The negative would be that it would include an additional hotel check-in, additional transportation (from hotel to hotel), and tie up a little bit more time in making the move.
> 
> So, does anyone think it would be worth it to stay one night here, or would we be better off simply staying 3 nights at the Fairmont?



We just got back from a stay in Vancouver.  If I were you I wouldn't bother staying on Granville Island, just stay the three nights at the Fairmont.  You can see all of Granville Island in a few hours.  Just take a cab from the Fairmont to Granville Island.  We stayed at the Pan Pacific and if I remember correctly, the cab ride was about $13.00.


----------



## smeecanada

carole88 said:


> We just got back from a stay in Vancouver.  If I were you I wouldn't bother staying on Granville Island, just stay the three nights at the Fairmont.  You can see all of Granville Island in a few hours.  Just take a cab from the Fairmont to Granville Island.  We stayed at the Pan Pacific and if I remember correctly, the cab ride was about $13.00.



I won't bother with staying at Granville Island either.  It's a fun place to be during the day - the main market and most of the shops shut down at night.  A couple of hours there is plenty wandering around the market and shops - unless the kids discover the little waterpark.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

CrazyBoutDisney said:


> Can any of you local folks tell me if the studio where Stargate was filmed has tours or is available in any sort of way to the public?  If so, is it something we could plan on doing if we come in a couple of days before our cruise?  Is it far from the airport or the port?


The series was filmed at The Bridge Studios.  As per the studio web site, "The Bridge Studios is a working studio. We do not offer any tours of the facility."  

There are several large studios in the area, and The Bridge is one of several.  However, The Bridge also appears to attract the big money projects (or at least the more heavily publicized projects).  They would sometimes display billboards advertising productions such as Stargate SG-1.  For the best views over the fence, take the Skytrain between Rupert and Gilmore stations, and look towards the North (towards mountains).   FYI, Vancouver Film Studios are large hanger-like buildings on the South side of the Skytrain between the same stations.  

In another part of the city, there is a permanent outdoor city set that included a theater and a few other stores. It's very small, but obviously a film set.  Apparently, it was used for exterior shots of a movie theater for Smallville.  It is visible from the Skytrain (for about 2 seconds) between Royal Oak and Edmonds Station.

Don't expect to see much outdoor action at any of these studios.  No one wants to try and film dialog when trains are roaring by every 2 minutes. If you are looking to meet stars, you will probably have better luck in your hotel or in a restaurant than anywhere near a studio. 

FYI, when I lived in the vicinity of The Bridge Studios, I took a wrong turn and found myself in a dead end street, where there were a bunch of cop cars behind a chain link fence.  I did a double take when I noticed that there were 2 NYPD, 2 LAPD, 1 Chicago, 1 Miami and 1 Toronto.  So while the studios are closed sets, you never know what you might stumble upon. 

I don't follow the industry, but I've accidentally stumbled upon sets for Men in Trees, Psych, some forgettable Jennifer Aniston movie, Smallville, some mysterious jet crashed on Jericho Beach, plus a number of commercials... It was usually more of a nuisance than anything. "The planetarium is closed today to film scenes for an episode of Psych. Here's a 50% off coupon if you want to bring your family back tomorrow." "Sorry sir, you can't cross the street here.  They are filming some Jennifer Aniston movie and we can't have you in the background. Detour three blocks that way."  Here's a link to Hollywood North, which has all the latest information about filming in and around Vancouver.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

mouseclick1 said:


> Looking for any advice on a new plan I came up with...not sure if I even like it or not!  We currently have 2 nights booked prior to our cruise at the Fairmont Pacific Rim.  We have decided to add an additional day and fly in on the Saturday before.  I could book an additional night at the Pacific Rim, but now I'm thinking about booking one night(the Saturday we will arrive) at the Granville Island Hotel.
> 
> I think it might be fun to stay right on Granville Island.  It would give us plenty of time to check out the place and unwind as we arrive in Vancouver.  We would then head over to the Pacific Rim the next day.
> 
> The negative would be that it would include an additional hotel check-in, additional transportation (from hotel to hotel), and tie up a little bit more time in making the move.
> 
> So, does anyone think it would be worth it to stay one night here, or would we be better off simply staying 3 nights at the Fairmont?



The Fairmont is a better hotel.  I've dined at the Granville Island hotel, and it isn't that special.  As a previous poster mentioned, if you want to experience Granville Island, cabs are not very expensive. 

While Granville Island is a major market and shopping area during the day, the atmosphere shifts at night.  There are a few live theater productions on the island, plus a small number of bars and clubs.  There are also a number of theaters just off the island on Granville street.  Don't expect anything like Broadway (or Off-Broadway).  This is local theater at its best (and sometimes worst).  While it would be fine to walk between the Arts Club Theater (on Granville Island) to the Granville Island Hotel after a show, I would suggest taking cabs after dark if you are going to be around the entrances to Granville Island.  The island is federal government property and continually patrolled by security.  However, outside the Granville Island gates, there are under-the-bridge walkways and quiet streets that also shelter a number of homeless -- most are harmless, just looking for change and a place to sleep, but you never want to meet anyone drunk / stoned / crazy in a dark spot under a bridge.


----------



## mouseclick1

carole88 said:


> We just got back from a stay in Vancouver.  If I were you I wouldn't bother staying on Granville Island, just stay the three nights at the Fairmont.  You can see all of Granville Island in a few hours.  Just take a cab from the Fairmont to Granville Island.  We stayed at the Pan Pacific and if I remember correctly, the cab ride was about $13.00.





smeecanada said:


> I won't bother with staying at Granville Island either.  It's a fun place to be during the day - the main market and most of the shops shut down at night.  A couple of hours there is plenty wandering around the market and shops - unless the kids discover the little waterpark.





GrtWtNorth said:


> The Fairmont is a better hotel.  I've dined at the Granville Island hotel, and it isn't that special.  As a previous poster mentioned, if you want to experience Granville Island, cabs are not very expensive.



Looks like I'll just stick with plan A and book the extra night at the Fairmont.  Thanks for your help!


----------



## nzdisneymom

SoCalDCLfan said:


> FWIW...
> I originally booked 2 rooms at the Fairmont Waterfront through DCL at $280 per night per room.  However, based on suggestions in our cruise meet thread, I changed it to the Pan Pacific (the hotel on the cruise terminal) for $175 per room per night.  I called the hotel directly and got a good discount for AAA.  They also guaranteed me connecting rooms.  I changed because the savings was significant and it will still be easy to get to the port - just take an elevator downstairs!



That does sound easy - do they have transportation from the airport to the hotel, and what are you thinking about transportation from the port to the airport afterwards?  

We are at the Fairmont Pacific Rim via DCL for $294US / night for four of us in a room.  When I looked at what the price was if we were to book it ourselves, it comes out close to what we're paying DCL.  We are also doing air and transfers through DCL as we've had good experiences with them the other two times we've done far-away cruises, but if it will be easy to get from the Vancouver airport to the hotel and then to the port, we might look at what the price difference would be.  Because right now, the airfare for DCL is pretty steep - for our Med and Baltic, it came out better than if we did it ourselves, especially since we were not paying extra for the transfers.  Of course I would need to see if we can purchase transfers via DCL and under what circumstances.


----------



## mouseclick1

nzdisneymom said:


> That does sound easy - do they have transportation from the airport to the hotel, and what are you thinking about transportation from the port to the airport afterwards?
> 
> We are at the Fairmont Pacific Rim via DCL for $294US / night for four of us in a room.  When I looked at what the price was if we were to book it ourselves, it comes out close to what we're paying DCL.  We are also doing air and transfers through DCL as we've had good experiences with them the other two times we've done far-away cruises, but if it will be easy to get from the Vancouver airport to the hotel and then to the port, we might look at what the price difference would be.  Because right now, the airfare for DCL is pretty steep - for our Med and Baltic, it came out better than if we did it ourselves, especially since we were not paying extra for the transfers.  Of course I would need to see if we can purchase transfers via DCL and under what circumstances.



Is your party of four 2 adults and 2 kids?  Just curious, because we are a party of 4 and have a rate of $323 CAD (AAA rate), but our 2 kids are over 18 so there is an additional charge for each of them.


----------



## nzdisneymom

Ok, so I was just checking out the Pan Pacific and it looks great.  From their FAQ:


> 7. What is the distance to the cruise terminal?
> 
> As we are located atop the Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal, guests that are arriving or departing from this terminal just need to walk through the terminal and take one elevator into the hotel.
> 
> Alternately, if your cruise ship is departing from Ballantyne Pier, this would be a 5-10 minute taxi ride from the hotel.



do we know which port DCL will be at?

Also, it looks like there is rapid-transit to and from the airport that goes pretty much to the hotel.


----------



## nzdisneymom

mouseclick1 said:


> Is your party of four 2 adults and 2 kids?  Just curious, because we are a party of 4 and have a rate of $323 CAD (AAA rate), but our 2 kids are over 18 so there is an additional charge for each of them.



Yes, two adults and 1 14 y.o. and 1 13 y.o.


----------



## Mineu

I also booked the Pan Pacific-$220 CAD pre cruise and $180 CAD post cruise. The agent said that the hotel had more availability post cruise-hence the price difference... Someone else was lucky enough to get it for $175 pre cruise!


----------



## mouseclick1

nzdisneymom said:


> Yes, two adults and 1 14 y.o. and 1 13 y.o.



That explains the difference!  Do you have AAA?  If so, I would give them a call because their 2011 are available even though they are not up on the website yet.  I'm sure the AAA rate would beat what Disney is giving you.  My rate is on the high end because I am being charged extra for each kid, yours should be quite a bit lower than mine.  Although it does sound like the best rates so far are coming from the Pan Pacific AAA rate.


----------



## SoCalDCLfan

nzdisneymom said:


> That does sound easy - do they have transportation from the airport to the hotel, and what are you thinking about transportation from the port to the airport afterwards?



I don't know if the Pan Pacific offers transportation from the airport to the hotel.  We'll be driving a rental car and will drop it at the Avis downtown location after we check in to the hotel.  We did book the DCL port to airport transportation after the cruise at $39 per person.  I'm sure we could find a less expensive option, but I went for convenience on that one.


----------



## carole88

SoCalDCLfan said:


> I don't know if the Pan Pacific offers transportation from the airport to the hotel.  We'll be driving a rental car and will drop it at the Avis downtown location after we check in to the hotel.  We did book the DCL port to airport transportation after the cruise at $39 per person.  I'm sure we could find a less expensive option, but I went for convenience on that one.



You can get a cab to the airport right in front of the Pan Pacific hotel.  We paid $40 including tip for our ride in a minivan cab for the four of us.  It was really easy and very convenient.  I don't know how many are in your party, but this could be a big savings.


----------



## mmmears

nzdisneymom said:


> Ok, so I was just checking out the Pan Pacific and it looks great.  From their FAQ:
> 
> 
> do we know which port DCL will be at?
> 
> Also, it looks like there is rapid-transit to and from the airport that goes pretty much to the hotel.




I read somewhere here on the boards and also on the Canada Place website that DCL is using the Canada Place pier.  That makes the Pan Pacific look really, really convenient IMO.


----------



## smeecanada

mmmears said:


> I read somewhere here on the boards and also on the Canada Place website that DCL is using the Canada Place pier.  That makes the Pan Pacific look really, really convenient IMO.



I don't think the actual Port schedule has been done yet.  That will happen sometime later in the year.  Ballantyne Pier is not being used this summer due to lower volume in cruise ships - so hopefully it will be the same next year.  Plus, the fact that we leave on a Tuesday helps - not so many ships trying to use Canada Place at the same time.   Ballantyne Pier is in an industrial area not far from Canada Place.  So regardless, of which Port - staying near Canada Place is a good choice for accomodation/restaurant and activities.


----------



## SoCalDCLfan

carole88 said:


> You can get a cab to the airport right in front of the Pan Pacific hotel.  We paid $40 including tip for our ride in a minivan cab for the four of us.  It was really easy and very convenient.  I don't know how many are in your party, but this could be a big savings.



That sounds REALLY good - easy and less $$!  thanks for the tip!!  There are 5 of us, so a minivan cab should work.  I think I'll cancel our DCL transportation


----------



## mmmears

smeecanada said:


> I don't think the actual Port schedule has been done yet.  That will happen sometime later in the year.  Ballantyne Pier is not being used this summer due to lower volume in cruise ships - so hopefully it will be the same next year.  Plus, the fact that we leave on a Tuesday helps - not so many ships trying to use Canada Place at the same time.   Ballantyne Pier is in an industrial area not far from Canada Place.  So regardless, of which Port - staying near Canada Place is a good choice for accomodation/restaurant and activities.



Yikes!  I can't find the original post that said it was def. Canada Place.  I sure hope that is is, though.  The schedule isn't posted for 2011, but in 2010 it shows that there are no cruise ships at CP on Tuesdays, so hopefully the Wonder will get to dock there. My DM has some walking issues, so it will be so much better for us if we can stay right where the ship is docking.


----------



## smeecanada

mmmears said:


> Yikes!  I can't find the original post that said it was def. Canada Place.  I sure hoe that is is, though.  The schedule isn't posted for 2011, but in 2010 it shows that there are no cruise ships at CP on Tuesdays, so hopefully the Wonder will get to dock there. My DM has some walking issues, so it will be so much better for us if we can stay right where the ship is docking.




The schedule won't be posted until January/February 2011 on the Port site. If I remember previous posts correctly the fact that it is definitely going out of Canada Place is speculation/assumption at this point.  No problem getting a cab from one to the other - very short distance.


----------



## Schachteles

Can anyone tell me, we are looking to fly into Seattle and spend a couple of days there before our cruise and then drive up to Vancouver in a rental car.  After the cruise we will spend a few days in Vancouver and then drive back to Seattle to fly out...do you know if there will be a problem bringing a rental car over the boarder???


----------



## Mineu

For those with large families that don't want to get two cabs-I have quotes from aerocar limo $39 sedan (3-5), $45 stretch limo (max 6), $70 ultra stretch (max 8). Add $50 for meet & greet in the airport, or add $25 to have a car waiting outside for you or just walk outside for first come first serve for the above rates.  Limojet Gold quoted me $80 from airport to Pan Pacific and $70 return with meet & greet included. Tax and gratuity are extra for all of the quotes. Hope this helps!


----------



## poohj80

Mineu said:


> For those with large families that don't want to get two cabs-I have quotes from aerocar limo $39 sedan (3-5), $45 stretch limo (max 6), $70 ultra stretch (max 8). Add $50 for meet & greet in the airport, or add $25 to have a car waiting outside for you or just walk outside for first come first serve for the above rates.  Limojet Gold quoted me $80 from airport to Pan Pacific and $70 return with meet & greet included. Tax and gratuity are extra for all of the quotes. Hope this helps!



Thanks for sharing the above quotes!  Are there any Canadians out there who can share what the current child seat laws are in Canada?  Not sure if we would need one for a 5 year old in a cab.  Thanks!


----------



## Ginamarie

I just successfully pricelined a hotel for the night before our cruise and wound up with the Hyatt Regency (downtown Vancouver).  Does anyone have thoughts on this hotel?  How far is it from the pier?


----------



## nordkin

mmmears said:


> Yikes! I can't find the original post that said it was def. Canada Place. I sure hoe that is is, though. The schedule isn't posted for 2011, but in 2010 it shows that there are no cruise ships at CP on Tuesdays, so hopefully the Wonder will get to dock there. My DM has some walking issues, so it will be so much better for us if we can stay right where the ship is docking.


 
I was told by DCL that it is not Canada Place but the other cruise terminal that I can't for the life of me remember the name except it starts with a B.


----------



## Mineu

I just called DCL and the rep said Canada Place.  The other port is Ballantyne and is only 5-10 minutes away-but it is nice to know that Canada Place is the correct port since I have already booked our hotel at the Pan Pacific for pre and post cruise stays!!


----------



## mmmears

nordkin said:


> I was told by DCL that it is not Canada Place but the other cruise terminal that I can't for the life of me remember the name except it starts with a B.





Mineu said:


> I just called DCL and the rep said Canada Place.  The other port is Ballantyne and is only 5-10 minutes away-but it is nice to know that Canada Place is the correct port since I have already booked our hotel at the Pan Pacific for pre and post cruise stays!!



Well, in traditional Disney fashion it looks like they are giving out conflicting information.  I have heard that CP is much nicer than Ballantyne... sure hope they are using CP.


----------



## Mineu

My 2010 guide said that at least three "other" cruise lines are using Seattle over Vancouver next year for various reasons. I'm hoping this means Canada Place will be less crowded-so easier for DCL to get.  It seems to be the nicer of the two ports...


----------



## smeecanada

poohj80 said:


> Thanks for sharing the above quotes!  Are there any Canadians out there who can share what the current child seat laws are in Canada?  Not sure if we would need one for a 5 year old in a cab.  Thanks!



Children up to age 8 need to be in a booster type seat in a vehicle.  Not sure what rules apply to a cab though.  



mmmears said:


> Well, in traditional Disney fashion it looks like they are giving out conflicting information.  I have heard that CP is much nicer than Ballantyne... sure hope they are using CP.



Canada Place is way nicer.  Ballantyne Pier is more or less a warehouse type building.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

poohj80 said:


> Thanks for sharing the above quotes!  Are there any Canadians out there who can share what the current child seat laws are in Canada?  Not sure if we would need one for a 5 year old in a cab.  Thanks!


The rules differ province to province.  In BC, a 5-year old is required to be in a booster seat when riding in any vehicle equipped with seat belts.  However, in practice, you may be able to use a regular seat belt on the short trip from the Vancouver airport to the port.  However, I would suggest taking public transit (Skytrain) instead -- it's safer and just as fast. 

From CanadianParents.com (BC specific regulations):

Children must ride in a rear facing car seat until they are a minimum of 20 pounds (9 kg) and at least 1 year of age.
Children who are at least 1 year of age, at least 20 pounds (9 kg) but less than 40 pounds (18 kg) must ride in an appropriate (forward facing or rear facing) car seat.
Children must ride in a booster seat until they are a minimum of 4 feet, 9 inches (145 cm) tall, or a minimum of 9 years old.

Another legal quirk: Only CSA certified car seats are legal for use in Canada.  (Similarly, only TSA approved car seats are legal for use in the US.)  However, in practice, tourists crossing the border with car seats from their own jurisdictions are never penalized.


----------



## poohj80

Many thanks for the help!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Mineu said:


> I just called DCL and the rep said Canada Place.  The other port is Ballantyne and is only 5-10 minutes away-but it is nice to know that Canada Place is the correct port since I have already booked our hotel at the Pan Pacific for pre and post cruise stays!!


With the downturn in the economy, Ballantyne pier is not being used in 2010.  With the addition of Disney and Crystal cruise lines in 2011, there may be enough traffic that the Ballantyne pier will be used again.  Ballantyne is fine operationally, but it's location is not ideal, in a rough neighbourhood with limited services.  However, there are lots of transportation opportunities from the vicinity of Canada Place.


----------



## disneydreamerbelle

For sightseeing after the cruise is Pan Pacific a good location to be at? Or is there another area that might be better suited for us?


----------



## smeecanada

disneydreamerbelle said:


> For sightseeing after the cruise is Pan Pacific a good location to be at? Or is there another area that might be better suited for us?



Any hotel in the downtown area near the Port is a good place to be for sightseeing.  Things are fairly close together and public transportation is really good.


----------



## ibouncetoo

The most important question.....

*where's the nearest JapaDog stand*!!!?!?????

.


----------



## geoffrey

disneydreamerbelle said:


> For sightseeing after the cruise is Pan Pacific a good location to be at? Or is there another area that might be better suited for us?


The Pan Pacific is in a great location. Very central in the downtown and easy access to the skytrain and sea bus. 

Personally, I really like being near False Creek on the other side of downtown. Totally personal preference, but we really like it over there. We really like to walk on the sea wall walk and pop over to the market for snacks. But we have been there a lot, so we are probably not normal tourists.


----------



## princess81499

Any suggestions of what hotel might offer a day room (our flight home is really late and we would love to relax, swim, nap, shower before heading to airport)?


----------



## giftcard

ibouncetoo said:


> The most important question.....
> 
> *where's the nearest JapaDog stand*!!!?!?????



There are four locations:

Burrard and Smithe St / Stand
Burrard and Pender St / Stand   
530 Robson St / Store   
*In front of Waterfront Station / Stand *

The stand in front of Waterfront Station is the closest as it's right around the corner from Canada Place.

I got the locations from their website, Japa Dog, the only stand I personally know is the one outside the Sutton Place Hotel at Burrard & Smithe.


----------



## poohj80

ibouncetoo said:


> The most important question.....
> 
> *where's the nearest JapaDog stand*!!!?!?????
> 
> .



Ok, so what's a JapaDog?


----------



## giftcard

poohj80 said:


> Ok, so what's a JapaDog?



Hotdogs w/ Japanese toppings.  Grated radish, plum sauce, seaweed flakes, edamame, fish flakes, fried cabbage, Japanese mayo, okonomiyaki sauce etc.  I still haven't gotten around to trying one as the lines are always insane and I'm not really that adventurous but all my friends love them.  I think I heard they also have a salmon "hotdog" and I think someone said something about Kobe beef in addition to the regular hotdog (I believe they're pork).


----------



## giftcard

princess81499 said:


> Any suggestions of what hotel might offer a day room (our flight home is really late and we would love to relax, swim, nap, shower before heading to airport)?



Last summer I needed to be out of my apartment during the day due to some work being done.  I called a couple of the hotels in my neighbourhood and they all offered day rooms.  The problem was, it was same day only.  So hotels in Vancouver do offer day rooms but booking them ahead might be tricky.  Hopefully someone else will have some insights or you could also try calling some hotels directly and see what their policy is.


----------



## ibouncetoo

giftcard said:


> There are four locations:
> 
> Burrard and Smithe St / Stand
> Burrard and Pender St / Stand
> 530 Robson St / Store
> *In front of Waterfront Station / Stand *
> 
> The stand in front of Waterfront Station is the closest as it's right around the corner from Canada Place.
> .


 
This is SO where we'll be having lunch on 'transition day' from the LA/Vancouver repo/1st Alaska! 

I never though I would love seaweed on a hot dog, till my friend made me his version of a JapaDog.

.


----------



## Pooh667

princess81499 said:


> Any suggestions of what hotel might offer a day room (our flight home is really late and we would love to relax, swim, nap, shower before heading to airport)?




We too are looking for a day rate on a hotel.  The only non stop we could get, which also is the best rate, departs at about 10:40pm the day we dock. My Mom and the other elderly people in our party would never be able to last the day without a nap.  Any information would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks


----------



## katypop

ibouncetoo said:


> This is SO where we'll be having lunch on 'transition day' from the LA/Vancouver repo/1st Alaska!
> 
> I never though I would love seaweed on a hot dog, till my friend made me his version of a JapaDog.
> 
> .



Can I come too?


----------



## ibouncetoo

katypop said:


> Can I come too?


 
Yes!  Woody will be leading us like the Pied Piper!

.


----------



## princess81499

Pooh667 said:


> We too are looking for a day rate on a hotel.  The only non stop we could get, which also is the best rate, departs at about 10:40pm the day we dock. My Mom and the other elderly people in our party would never be able to last the day without a nap.  Any information would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks



So far no luck when I call hotels directly.  Let me know if you find something


----------



## SoCalDCLfan

Our flight leaves Vancouver at 5:40pm, so I started looking into how to store our luggage so we could do something that day. 

In case you're interested in baggage storage, I found a company that will store luggage for the day at the Canada Place cruise terminal.  Priority Baggage http://www.prioritybaggage.ca/index.html .  The website gives info for Vancouver airport, but they have the same services for Canada Place.  I think you just have to call them.  They can store bags for the day and can also ship items home.  Prices for baggage storage are:

$3.50 - small items ie camera bags, purses and jackets

$4.50 - carry-on sized items

$5.50 - large suitcases

$7.00 - oversized items ie sports equipment, hockey bags, boxes

Also, I thought I read somewhere that sometimes your pre-cruise hotel might store your bags for the day.  I'm not sure though.  Anyone heard of this?  I'm going to call the Pan Pacific to check.


----------



## Anjelica

Has anyone done long term parking for a cruise out of Vancouver?  We will be doing this so I was trying to get an idea of place/cost/ressies, etc.


----------



## smeecanada

Anjelica said:


> Has anyone done long term parking for a cruise out of Vancouver?  We will be doing this so I was trying to get an idea of place/cost/ressies, etc.



Find the Port website.  There was a link to parking info on there.  I looked when we were going last year.  Can't remember the cost though as we didn't end up using it.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Anjelica said:


> Has anyone done long term parking for a cruise out of Vancouver?  We will be doing this so I was trying to get an idea of place/cost/ressies, etc.


Here's a link to the long term parking provider at the port.  There are few spots considering the number of passengers using the port. If you don't have reservations, you may have to park somewhere else (like the airport).


----------



## Pooh667

giftcard said:


> Hotdogs w/ Japanese toppings.  Grated radish, plum sauce, seaweed flakes, edamame, fish flakes, fried cabbage, Japanese mayo, okonomiyaki sauce etc.  I still haven't gotten around to trying one as the lines are always insane and I'm not really that adventurous but all my friends love them.  I think I heard they also have a salmon "hotdog" and I think someone said something about Kobe beef in addition to the regular hotdog (I believe they're pork).



Oh boy!!! I know my son will want one of these....he loves any kind of hot dogs!!!


----------



## Pooh667

SoCalDCLfan said:


> Our flight leaves Vancouver at 5:40pm, so I started looking into how to store our luggage so we could do something that day.
> 
> In case you're interested in baggage storage, I found a company that will store luggage for the day at the Canada Place cruise terminal.  Priority Baggage http://www.prioritybaggage.ca/index.html .  The website gives info for Vancouver airport, but they have the same services for Canada Place.  I think you just have to call them.  They can store bags for the day and can also ship items home.  Prices for baggage storage are:
> 
> $3.50 - small items ie camera bags, purses and jackets
> 
> $4.50 - carry-on sized items
> 
> $5.50 - large suitcases
> 
> $7.00 - oversized items ie sports equipment, hockey bags, boxes
> 
> Also, I thought I read somewhere that sometimes your pre-cruise hotel might store your bags for the day.  I'm not sure though.  Anyone heard of this?  I'm going to call the Pan Pacific to check.



Hi,

Thanks for letting us know about the storage of the bags.


----------



## Pooh667

princess81499 said:


> So far no luck when I call hotels directly.  Let me know if you find something



Hi Patty,

I have been told that I could book a room for that night, at the regular rate then call that day and request an early check in.  The earliest the check in would be is between 1:30 and 2:30pm...still leaving us walking around for many hours before we could check in.  I am now actually looking into a different airport for departure...Newark.  Continental does nonstops to Vancouver. I will let you know.


----------



## katypop

ibouncetoo said:


> Yes!  Woody will be leading us like the Pied Piper!
> 
> .



 Yippee


----------



## mouseclick1

Does anyone have info about storing luggage at the train station before your train departs?

We have decided to take the evening train into Seattle, which leaves at 5:45 pm.  I know we can keep the luggage stored at the pier, but I think it might be easier to have the luggage stored at the train station, and find things to do in that area for the afternoon.


----------



## Bookworm Belle

Have any of you used Air Canada? Any problems to report? Have any of you flown through the Toronto airport?

We live in Maine and are searching for a way to get to Vancouver for our Alaskan cruise. We thought about doing Portland to Boston (bus), then Boston to Seattle (plane), then Seattle to Vancouver (train), but it all got very confusing and expensive.

I found an Air Canada flight out of Portland, ME to Vancouver with a stop/change of planes in Toronto. It's reasonably priced and brings us direct to Vancouver. We've never done this before and are a bit nervous.

Any advice?


----------



## megsablue

Bookworm Belle said:


> Have any of you used Air Canada? Any problems to report? Have any of you flown through the Toronto airport?
> 
> We live in Maine and are searching for a way to get to Vancouver for our Alaskan cruise. We thought about doing Portland to Boston (bus), then Boston to Seattle (plane), then Seattle to Vancouver (train), but it all got very confusing and expensive.
> 
> I found an Air Canada flight out of Portland, ME to Vancouver with a stop/change of planes in Toronto. It's reasonably priced and brings us direct to Vancouver. We've never done this before and are a bit nervous.
> 
> Any advice?



I've flown Air Canada from Vancouver to Los Angeles or Las Vegas a few times and have always been very happy with the service (and I've had stops/changes of planes). The last time my sister flew Air Canada from Los Angeles to Vancouver she was also very happy with everything (she usually flies Alaska or Virgin, but Air Canada was quite a bit cheaper). I prefer them over WestJet (the other "major" Canadian airline, though both are good). Never done an east coast flight with them however.

The only thing I'd double-check is how much time is between the landing in Toronto and taking off again to Vancouver - you'll be going through customs there and that will take some time as you'll have to pick up your bags, go through customs, recheck your bags, go through security and make it to the gate. Just give yourself enough time and you should be fine


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Bookworm Belle said:


> Have any of you used Air Canada? Any problems to report? Have any of you flown through the Toronto airport?
> 
> We live in Maine and are searching for a way to get to Vancouver for our Alaskan cruise. We thought about doing Portland to Boston (bus), then Boston to Seattle (plane), then Seattle to Vancouver (train), but it all got very confusing and expensive.
> 
> I found an Air Canada flight out of Portland, ME to Vancouver with a stop/change of planes in Toronto. It's reasonably priced and brings us direct to Vancouver. We've never done this before and are a bit nervous.
> 
> Any advice?


As a previous poster mentioned, the biggest challenge would be going through customs in Toronto (both ways -- you will go through Canadian customs as soon as you arrive in Canada, and you will go through US customs before you can board your flight to Portland).  You need to be prepared to go through additional security with all your luggage. 

Toronto is a major airport - the busiest in Canada.  When the weather is good, it's a very efficient airport.  During the summer Alaska cruise season, the worst weather delay would be just a couple hours from thunderstorms / lightening.  No big deal.  (In winter, Toronto weather situations create delays and frustrated passengers on the same scale as JFK or O'Hare.)

But as for flying Air Canada, it's OK.  They have a good (free) entertainment system with dozens of pre-recorded movies and TV shows including lots of kid-friendly choices. (They may not have the touch-screen headrest TVs on the short Portland-to-Toronto flight, but will almost certainly have these on the 4.5h Toronto-to-Vancouver flight.) Just bring your own headsets (or pay for the poor quality Air Canada headphones).  Food is mediocre and expensive airline food.  (Air Canada serves better meals on overseas flights, but in US and Canada we all suffer.)

If the deal and the timing is right, go for it!


----------



## disneymath

CarolAnnC said:


> We just did a 2 hour drive from London to the Port in Dover for the Baltic cruise and cost was less than a third of this price. We have contacted a friend in Seattle and she confirms that price is out of sight. I actually did not request the quote to include driving us to the Port as we will be arriving before sail date. We are still in the planning stage of transportation, so we definitely have time to shop around, fortunately.


 

I'm no expert, but I'm wondering if the high cost has to do with the fact that the limo would be crossing the border - four times as the driver would not stay in Vancouver until you returned - and that there is no guarantee has fast/slow that process would be.  (With London-Dover, the limo was operating within the same country.)   I think the cost is off the charts - I'm sure you'll find a better option.


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## GrtWtNorth

mouseclick1 said:


> Does anyone have info about storing luggage at the train station before your train departs?
> 
> We have decided to take the evening train into Seattle, which leaves at 5:45 pm.  I know we can keep the luggage stored at the pier, but I think it might be easier to have the luggage stored at the train station, and find things to do in that area for the afternoon.



There is luggage storage at the train station (10:30 am to 6:00 pm). But I suggest caution with respect to activities around the station.  The station is on the edge of a seedy part of town.  If you walk west of the station, you will reach Science World and the sea wall around False Creek.  This walk is fine, and the sea wall is great.  If you walk north, you will go through a couple rough blocks before reaching Chinatown.  Chinatown is unique, fun to see, but because if it's proximity to the nasty drug-infested area known as East Hastings, it can make many families uncomfortable.  There's noting interesting east of the train station, and the neighborhoods  to the south are boring until you get to the commercial areas along Broadway Avenue (approximately 9th ave).


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## TDC Nala

Got to try the JapaDogs - I am not a hot dog fan but if both Samantha Brown and Anthony Bourdain go there, I'll try it.

There's a lot of emphasis here (not surprisingly) on child-friendly food and restaurants, I'm going to do some into the more adult places, maybe I can remember the ones Bourdain went to...there was a Japanese one.


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## mouseclick1

GrtWtNorth said:


> There is luggage storage at the train station (10:30 am to 6:00 pm). But I suggest caution with respect to activities around the station.  The station is on the edge of a seedy part of town.  If you walk west of the station, you will reach Science World and the sea wall around False Creek.  This walk is fine, and the sea wall is great.  If you walk north, you will go through a couple rough blocks before reaching Chinatown.  Chinatown is unique, fun to see, but because if it's proximity to the nasty drug-infested area known as East Hastings, it can make many families uncomfortable.  There's noting interesting east of the train station, and the neighborhoods  to the south are boring until you get to the commercial areas along Broadway Avenue (approximately 9th ave).



Thanks for the tip about the area.  I did already notice that Science World was nearby, and thought that might be a nice way to spend the afternoon.  We are all adults though, so I'm hoping it has a nice balance of things to see/do to keep it interesting for all ages. We will probably be too tired to venture beyond that! We are spending 3 days prior to the cruise at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, so we will plenty of time to see other parts of town before we sail.


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## EastYorkDisneyFan

GrtWtNorth said:


> As a previous poster mentioned, the biggest challenge would be going through customs in Toronto (both ways -- you will go through Canadian customs as soon as you arrive in Canada, and you will go through US customs before you can board your flight to Portland).  You need to be prepared to go through additional security with all your luggage.
> 
> Toronto is a major airport - the busiest in Canada.  When the weather is good, it's a very efficient airport.  During the summer Alaska cruise season, the worst weather delay would be just a couple hours from thunderstorms / lightening.  No big deal.  (In winter, Toronto weather situations create delays and frustrated passengers on the same scale as JFK or O'Hare.)
> 
> But as for flying Air Canada, it's OK.  They have a good (free) entertainment system with dozens of pre-recorded movies and TV shows including lots of kid-friendly choices. (They may not have the touch-screen headrest TVs on the short Portland-to-Toronto flight, but will almost certainly have these on the 4.5h Toronto-to-Vancouver flight.) Just bring your own headsets (or pay for the poor quality Air Canada headphones).  Food is mediocre and expensive airline food.  (Air Canada serves better meals on overseas flights, but in US and Canada we all suffer.)
> 
> If the deal and the timing is right, go for it!




Also Air Canada now no longer except cash for buy onbaord items all payments must be made by a major credit card.


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## GrtWtNorth

mouseclick1 said:


> Thanks for the tip about the area.  I did already notice that Science World was nearby, and thought that might be a nice way to spend the afternoon.  We are all adults though, so I'm hoping it has a nice balance of things to see/do to keep it interesting for all ages. We will probably be too tired to venture beyond that! We are spending 3 days prior to the cruise at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, so we will plenty of time to see other parts of town before we sail.


If your adult group wants a bit of adventure, I would recommend visiting Chinatown during the day.  It's colourful and impressive. Grocery stores line the streets.  Other stores stock bargain goods like Chinese tea sets, kitchen gadgets, fans, incense, clothes, and other Asian trinkets. I found a very good beginners Chinese cook book, with large colourful photos and recipes printed in English and Spanish. The few weirdos are easy enough to avoid if you don't have kids in your group. 

Of course, you can also find good inexpensive Chinese restaurants here or anywhere else in Vancouver.  IMO, the best way to determine the quality of a Vancouver Chinese restaurant is to look at the clientèle.  Caucasians typically avoid places that are dirty and/or waiters don't speak English, Asians avoid places that lack authenticity and/or value.  If you see a good mix of Asian and Caucasian locals in the restaurant, it likely has good food, services and value.


----------



## Pocahantas

So excited, we just booked a couple of nights before our cruise and a couple of nights after at the Pan Pacific    That will give us about 3-1/2 days to explore Vancouver and a small amount of time to relax by the pool/hottub at the hotel.  Hopefully we'll be booking our flights soon...


----------



## GrtWtNorth

*News:* After last year's Fraser River Sockey Salmon fishery collapse, this year will likely be the biggest run since 1913.  Full story here.  

FYI, Sockeye Salmon typically spawn in 4-year cycles.  No one's quite sure why last years spawning run was so bad and this years was so good.  (I think a few fish took a year off to see the world.  But I am no fishery expert.)

All along the cruise ship route, visitors will see large pods of whales, seals, sea lions, dolphins, porpoises, and maybe even bears around the mouths of rivers with healthy salmon runs, which peak in late summer / early fall.  

Does anyone know where visitors can watch salmon runs from shore in the greater Vancouver area?  I know about the Capilano River Hatchery, but I was hoping there was a place along one of the local rivers where you could watch salmon in their natural habitat (not a concrete / glass fish ladder).

*History: *The Fraser River was once one of the most productive salmon fisheries in the world, until 1913.  An accidental landslide caused by railway construction blasting in a narrow gorge (Hell's Gate) created a high-flow choke point on the river that salmon could not swim past. Salmon could not return to +90% of their traditional spawning habitat and the Fraser River fishery (and fishing communities) collapsed.  Fish ladders installed in the 1940's have helped a bit, but fish populations never recovered completely. Hells Gate, a 2.5h drive east of Vancouver, is now a tourist site, where visitors can take an air-tram over the raging river and watch fish navigate the fish ladder.  Downstream, where the Fraser river meets the ocean, is the fishing village of Steveston, 15 minute drive south of the Vancouver airport.  In addition to a collection of salmon restaurants (the best places for salmon dinner, IMO), there is an excellent museum: The Gulf of Georgia Cannery.


----------



## smeecanada

GrtWtNorth said:


> *News:*
> 
> All along the cruise ship route, visitors will see large pods of whales, seals, sea lions, dolphins, porpoises, and maybe even bears around the mouths of rivers with healthy salmon runs, which peak in late summer / early fall.
> 
> Does anyone know where visitors can watch salmon runs from shore in the greater Vancouver area?



In Victoria - you can go to Goldstream - but the salmon run there doesn't peak until mid-October/early November.

Last year in August - we watched the salmon in a little stream not far from where the ship docked in Skagway.  To us - it's old hat with having Goldstream so close to our house, for lots of the tourists it was their first time seeing something like this.  It was really interesting to listen to all the comments and such.


----------



## "Got Disney"

mmmears said:


> Yikes! I can't find the original post that said it was def. Canada Place. I sure hope that is is, though. The schedule isn't posted for 2011, but in 2010 it shows that there are no cruise ships at CP on Tuesdays, so hopefully the Wonder will get to dock there. My DM has some walking issues, so it will be so much better for us if we can stay right where the ship is docking.


 
I checked with the port in Canada and they said that the port has NOT been decided yet...I posted this a few months back.  I checked again with the person who does the sceduling and she said that it has not been decided.

Even checked with DCL and was told the same thing.

But no matter because the ports are both in Vancouver and not far from each other at all.


----------



## Legend of Odon

Have any of you used Air Canada? Any problems to report? Have any of you flown through the Toronto airport?

We live in Maine and are searching for a way to get to Vancouver for our Alaskan cruise. We thought about doing Portland to Boston (bus), then Boston to Seattle (plane), then Seattle to Vancouver (train), but it all got very confusing and expensive.

I found an Air Canada flight out of Portland, ME to Vancouver with a stop/change of planes in Toronto. It's reasonably priced and brings us direct to Vancouver. We've never done this before and are a bit nervous.

Any advice? 

Hello Alaska Adventurers!
Just another quick tip about Air Canada---they allow 2 FREE checked pieces of luggage PLUS 1 larger and 1 smaller carry on per person. For a family traveling this saving could really add up. Watch carefully though, if you are on a US code share flight (ie) United, the United luggage fees will still apply.

I travel regularly, both internationally and domestically, on Air Canada through Toronto Pearson. Customs is usually very quick now (compared to 5 or 6 years ago) but I always give myself  2 - 2.5 hours for connections. This takes into account a possible LONG walk from one gate to another, washroom break, bite to eat before boarding, Customs, and if my first flight is a bit late getting in I have a little extra time to spare. I have never missed a connection with Air Canada in Toronto winter or summer keeping to this time frame (though luckily have avoided airport closures due to blizzards!). The airport has excellent signage and a lot of counter personnel to ask if you feel you are a little lost. 

Hope this helps a little 
Cheers


----------



## kgsmith

Legend of Odon said:


> Hello Alaska Adventurers!
> Just another quick tip about Air Canada---they allow 2 FREE checked pieces of luggage PLUS 1 larger and 1 smaller carry on per person. For a family traveling this saving could really add up. Watch carefully though, if you are on a US code share flight (ie) United, the United luggage fees will still apply.
> 
> I travel regularly, both internationally and domestically, on Air Canada through Toronto Pearson. Customs is usually very quick now (compared to 5 or 6 years ago) but I always give myself  2 - 2.5 hours for connections. This takes into account a possible LONG walk from one gate to another, washroom break, bite to eat before boarding, Customs, and if my first flight is a bit late getting in I have a little extra time to spare. I have never missed a connection with Air Canada in Toronto winter or summer keeping to this time frame (though luckily have avoided airport closures due to blizzards!). The airport has excellent signage and a lot of counter personnel to ask if you feel you are a little lost.
> 
> Hope this helps a little
> Cheers




Thank you for the Air Canada & Toronto airport advice!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

*Artist Point* is not just a restaurant at the Wilderness Lodge.  It's a real place, high on a mountain in northern Washington, easy driving distance from the Port of Vancouver.  For Google Map directions from Canada Place port, click here.

Artist Point is the eastern terminus of SR542, at a lookout 5,140 feet above sea level.  From this perspective, you can enjoy spectacular views of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan, as well as all the surrounding terrain (360 degrees).  There are several hiking trails that start from this point.  Sorry, no Disney signature restaurant.  (Mount Baker ski resort, a couple miles away, has some facilities open for summer tourists.)

Because of it's location high on the mountain, Artist Point is subject to substantial snow and remains open (weather permitting) mid-July to late-September.  








Source: Washington DOT.  

Washington DOT also posted some amazing pictures of how they cleared the snow to open the parking lots in July 2010.


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## jlmarr

mouseclick1 said:


> Does anyone have info about storing luggage at the train station before your train departs?
> 
> We have decided to take the evening train into Seattle, which leaves at 5:45 pm.  I know we can keep the luggage stored at the pier, but I think it might be easier to have the luggage stored at the train station, and find things to do in that area for the afternoon.


 My two bits - resist the urge to take the Amtrak bus to Seattle.  We did that last trip, not realizing that* everyone on board* would have to get off the bus at the border, grab their bags, and proceed through customs there.  Must have added an hour to the trip, not to mention the hassle of dealing with the bags yet another time.  Never again.

I did note that the SkyTrain stop is very close by, and thought it would have been fun to hop on that, perhaps heading down to the Metropolis mall at the Metrotown station.


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## Weedy

Did you know that it is daylight for almost  18 hours a day in Juneau Alaska in June. Here is ahttp://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=112&month=6&year=2011&obj=sun&afl=-11&day=1 link that shows the hours:


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## pillow

GrtWtNorth said:


> *Artist Point* is not just a restaurant at the Wilderness Lodge.  It's a real place, high on a mountain in northern Washington, easy driving distance from the Port of Vancouver.  For Google Map directions from Canada Place port, click here.
> 
> Artist Point is the eastern terminus of SR542, at a lookout 5,140 feet above sea level.  From this perspective, you can enjoy spectacular views of Mount Baker and Mount Shuksan, as well as all the surrounding terrain (360 degrees).  There are several hiking trails that start from this point.  Sorry, no Disney signature restaurant.  (Mount Baker ski resort, a couple miles away, has some facilities open for summer tourists.)
> 
> Because of it's location high on the mountain, Artist Point is subject to substantial snow and remains open (weather permitting) mid-July to late-September.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Source: Washington DOT.
> 
> Washington DOT also posted some amazing pictures of how they cleared the snow to open the parking lots in July 2010.



These are beautiful pictures!!  Unfortunately, I think we have decided NOT to do the Alaska cruise.  We are now thinking about flying to Seattle and spending about 10 days touring around on our own.  I was thinking that Mt St Helens and Rainier would definitely be on our itinerary, but WOW, Mt Baker looks beautiful as well.  If you had to pick, would you recommend Rainier or the northern Washington mountains??  Thanks in advance!

Jodie


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## Weedy

I copied this from another cruise line board:

Info on Vancouver from a local!

My favorite must do attractions are

1) Grouse Mountain  www.grousemountain.com  this is a wonderful scenic mountain only about 15 mins from downtown Vancouver. Ride the airtram to the top for lots of fun activities that include a loggers show, birds of prey show, 2 movies (1 about the Vancouver area and 1 about the 2 Grizzly Bears who make their home on Grouse Mtn) ride a chair lift and visit with 2 live Grizzly Bears. Enjoy a meal in any of the restaurants. Caveat only spend the money to go up on a clear day.
2) Capilano Suspension Bridge  www.capbridge.com  this is Vancouvers oldest tourist attraction and I still enjoy visiting it! Located on Capilano Road just before you reach the Grouse Mountain parking lot. Walk across a suspension Bridge over the Capilano Gorge, wonder the trails thru the rain forest, walk thru the treetops on the new Tree Top Adventure, visit the trading post for a huge selection of souvenirs, watch native weavers and/or carvers at work.
3) Capilano Fish Hatchery is also located on Capilano Road and is a great place to view salmon jumping up the fish ladders to get around the Cleveland Dam. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capilano_River_Regional_Park
4) Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge is also located in North Vancouver and is much less touristy than Capilano but it also is not as spectacular. The bridge is slightly higher above the water but much shorter in span. Located in a Provincial Park this bridge comes with some nice hiking trails and you will find an ecology centre in the park as well as picnic tables and a food concession outlet. Should you choose to enjoy the Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge always cross the suspension bridge first and then hike down the trail to the lower (Twin Falls wooden) bridge to cross back over the Lynn Valley River and return to your car  that way you are hiking downhill rather than uphill. www.lynncanyonparkguide.bc.ca It is also free to visit this suspension bridge!
5) Stanley Park  www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/stanley/ - is the crown jewel of Vancouver's parks. As one of North America's largest urban parks, covering over a 1000 acres and offering an abundance of activities. Enjoy the totem pole collection near the Brockton Point Light House, hiking trails, beaches, water parks for the kids (young & old), rose gardens, miniature train, petting zoo, aquarium www.vanaqua.org  many view points, and several restaurants. During the summer months there is a free shuttle bus that you can ride around the park on. 
6) Gas Town  the location where Vancouver originated. The name is derived from a very colorful character named Gassy Jack who was one of the first settlers in the area and a salon keeper  while in Gas Town dont miss your photo op with the statue of Gassy Jack and by the Steam Clock. During the summer months there is a free walking tour of Gas Town for times call 604-683-5650 
7) At the start of Gas Town is the Harbor Centre Tower www.vancouverlookout.com a great spot to start your tour of Vancouver with a birds eye view of the city. Either take the elevator up to the lookout level or go to the top and enjoy a meal in the revolving restaurant.
8) China Town is only about 6 blocks over from Gas Town and is the largest China Town north of San Francisco. While in China Town enjoy a visit to the Dr Sun Yat Sen Classical Gardens www.classicalchinesegarden.com and also make sure you visit the worlds thinnest building it is only 6 wide!
9) The city of Vancouver has laid out self guided walking tours of 4 distinct historical neighbourhoods in Vancouver  Gastown; Chinatown; Yaletown; & Shaughnessy  these walking tours along with a historical introduction to each neighbourhood can be found at http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/plannin...alks/index.htm
10) Granville Island  www.granvilleisland.com  is a huge public market area which not only sells fruit & veggies but you can also buy frozen fish to be shipped to your home. May artists make this their home and you can watch them at work in their studios  making this a great place to buy unique souvenirs. The Granville Island Brewery is also located here and you can stop in for a free tour & tastes. There are theatres for live performances and many fine restaurants. A fun way to get to Granville Island is via the Aquabus  www.theaquabus.com 
11) Burnaby Village Museum  www.city.burnaby.bc.ca  is an open air museum with over 30 restored homes, shops, school, church and a 1912 carousel situated on 10 acres 
12) Gulf of Georgia Cannery  www.gulfofgeorgiacannery.com  is a restored fishing cannery located in the historic fishing village of Steveston (part of Richmond). Here you see exhibits that showcase the history of the fishing industry in British Columbia. Once finished in the museum it is great fun to walk along the fishing docks and see the fishing boats which are selling their catch. There are also some excellent restaurants located here.
13) The Vancouver Maritime Museum located on the shore of English Bay is fun for the whole family with lots of hands on exhibits for the kid in all of us. Here to you will find the ship St Roch which the RCMP sailed from Vancouver to Halifax via the Northwest Passage and then completed the return journey in 1944. You actually get to tour this ship. www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com 
14) Queen Elizabeth Park  www.greatervancouverparks.com/QEPark01.htm -The 130 acre (52 hectare) park is one of the most beautifully maintained public parks in the world. Second only to Stanley Park in annual visitations, it receives nearly 6 million people a year who marvel at its superior standard of garden plantings.
The park was originally quarried for its rock which served to build Vancouver's first roadways. In 1929 the Board proceeded to acquire the property which had become an abandoned eyesore but still served as the site for two holding reservoirs for the City's drinking water. Dedicated as a park by King George VI and his consort, Queen Elizabeth (the present Queen's mother) on their much lauded visit to Vancouver in 1939.
15) Fort Langley is the restored wooden fort built by the Hudsons Bay Company as a trading post. It is the origin of British Columbia and was the first capital. This Fort is operated by the Federal Parks Board. www.pc,qc.ca/fortlangley
16) If you are a wine lover you might want to rent a car and spend a day visiting a few of the many excellent wineries located in the Fraser Valley only about a 1 hour drive from your hotel. Almost all of the wineries offer free tastes & tours. Two of the wineries have excellent restaurants on the premises. This makes for a very fun and relaxing day. 
17) If you are a real animal lover than dont miss Mountain View Conservation & Breeding Centre It is located in Fort Langley about an hour drive from downtown Vancouver. Mountain View Conservation and Breeding Centre is a leading non-profit Canadian facility that breeds endangered species in family groups for re-introduction back into their natural habitat in Canada and around the world. This facility is not a zoo their goal is to breed rare and endangered wildlife and re-introduce these animals back into their natural habitats. Presently Mountainview hosts over 50 species of the worlds most threatened animals and birds. See animals such as the spotted dog from Africa, Giraffes, and much much more. Here you do not wonder around as in a zoo rather you are given a guided tour with commentary on each animal group. Check it out at www.mtnviewconservation.org
18) VanDusen Botanical Garden is a scenic 55- acre garden of international renown  a living museum of plants collected from around the world and artistically displayed amidst rolling lawns, woodlands and five tranquil lakes, all in the heart of Vancouver and just 15 minutes from downtown. 
Due to Vancouvers mild climate, plants bloom at the Garden year-round. This same climate creates a unique environment where plants from varying climate regions thrive and grow  at VanDusen you will see plants from the southern hemisphere, tropical areas and the high Arctic tundra along side native species. The Elizabethan Maze (one of only six in North America) provides year-round fun. 
19) UBC Botanical Garden located at the University of British Columbia covers 110 acres and includes an Alpine, Asian, Native, Food, and Japanese Gardens. www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org
20) Dazzle your senses when you visit Minter Gardens nestled against 7000 foot Mt. Cheam in beautiful 'Super Natural' British Columbia. One of the most spectacular show gardens in the world! Eleven themed gardens are designed to dazzle the senses with massive displays of artistic floral designs.
Minter Gardens is located 90 minutes east of downtown Vancouver just off the Trans-Canada Hwy. #1 at exit #135. www.gardeningbc.com
21) The Architectural Institute offers walking tours of Vancouver during the summer months  they have 6 different tours  Gas Town. Chinatown, Strathonca, West End, False Creek North & Yaletown, and the Downtown Business Core. The cost for these tours is $10. and they meet each day at 12:50 pm but depending on the tour being offered that day the location changes. www.aibc.ca 


Here is the link if you want to go there

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1254323


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## mmouse37

We have a very informative thread going on Vancouver with many tips from locals.....much of the same info but I will merge your thread with the established one.

Thanks...

MJ


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## GrtWtNorth

pillow said:


> If you had to pick, would you recommend Rainier or the northern Washington mountains??  Thanks in advance!


Unfortunately, I cannot comment as I have yet to explore Ranier or Mount St. Helen's yet.  (I need to spend more time exploring my own back yard.) But I also know that some locals absolutely love spending time in the Olympic mountains, on the Olympic peninsula northwest of Seattle.  

Here's a link to information about the Cascade mountain range (including Mount St. Helens, Mount Ranier, and Mount Baker).  

Here's another link to information about the Olympic mountain range.


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## "Got Disney"

This website is great....has lots of info.....you can also find some more links like this at http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2294276 
And i will be adding more as we move right along.


PLAN YOUR TRIP.....http://www.tourismvancouver.com/
Maps of Vancouver 
Order your free Visitors Guide 
Download Discount Coupons 
View our Vancouver virtual guides 
Visit our Visitor Centre 
Half-price entertainment tickets 
Passport requirements for U.S visitors


----------



## "Got Disney"

*A Near-Perfect 48-Hour Itinerary


*You have two days in Vancouver. Thats it. How can two days possibly be enough time to experience this amazing city, you ask? Weve got a fail-proof way to make the most of your visit in just 48 hours. 
See the map for Day One below
See the map for Day Two below
*Day One*

Time is short on this trip, so no sleeping in. Grab an early cup of joe at one of the many cafes on bustling Robson Street, which is the prime spot in town for window shopping and people watching. Once the caffeine has kicked in, head over to Robson Square for a stroll through the acclaimed Vancouver Art Gallery. The gallery features more than 9,000 pieces and great travelling exhibits.
The Vancouver Public Library's Central Branch is one of the largest public capital projects ever completed in the city, and it is magnificent. This complex is more than a simple library -- it is an architectural gem in Vancouver. The nine-story structure was built to resemble the Colosseum and features a massive and striking atrium covered by a glass ceiling. Theres a continuous piazza surrounding the complex, which proves to be a gorgeous outdoor public space.
After youve spent some time feeding your brain at the library, its time to feed your stomach. Dont settle for an ordinary lunch experience. Try something with a little ethnic flair. Dim sum is a culinary adventure, featuring steamed treats of all types of imaginable ingredients. It can be difficult to find good dim sum, unless, that is, you are in a multicultural mecca such as Vancouver -- and particularly Vancouvers Chinatown. North Americas third-largest Chinatown, the neighbourhood celebrates more than a century of heritage in the city and features plenty of authentic cuisine, including enough dim sum to hold you over until your next trip to China. 
With a great Chinese meal devoured, its time for another authentic experience. Blending rock, water, plants and architecture into a serene landscape, the Dr. Sun-Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden is reminiscent of a Ming Dynasty-era garden. Its tranquility and beauty have been Chinatown mainstays for almost three decades.
While Robson Street deservedly gets a whole lot of credibility as a shopping destination, the Gastown district, just a short jaunt from Chinatown, holds its own. The pedestrian-friendly district features fashion, galleries, specialty shops, and plenty of dining and drinking options for those who need a break from carrying a dozen bags full of goodies. Plus, theres the Gastown Steam Clock, which as you may have guessed is a clock powered by steam. Its one of the few in the world, making it a popular tourist draw.
Finish off the day with a late dinner in another one of Vancouvers great neighbourhoods, The West End. With more than 40,000 people calling this mostly residential district home, the West End is Vancouvers most populous area and its filled with numerous eateries ranging from coffee shops to great fine-dining options that are frequented by locals.

*Day Two*

Day two of this grand Vancouver adventure begins at Granville Island, which is connected to downtown via its namesake bridge. Wander through the massive Granville Island Public Market, overflowing with fresh produce, flowers, baked goods, and arts and crafts. Stop for breakfast in the food court, take in a few galleries and enjoy the spot that the Project for Public Spaces called One of the Worlds Great Places. To think, this area was once home to little more than factories, industrial plants and sawmills.
Vanier Park is just a quick ferry ride from Granville Island, meaning it wont take long to be whisked away to great attractions that tell the stories of Vancouver. The municipal park is home to the Museum of Vancouver, the Vancouver Maritime Museum and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre.
The thing about sightseeing is it takes some serious energy. Sometimes a break is in order, which is where Kitsilano Beach, or Kits Beach to locals, comes in handy. One of the most popular beaches in the area, it faces the Burrard Inlet and is a great place to relax in the sun and take a deep breath of sea-filled air. The beach is also home to an outdoor saltwater pool, Kitsilano Pool, which at 137 metres (85 feet) is the longest pool in Canada. Dont miss dining at the legendary Boathouse Kits Beach, a delicious seafood restaurant with unparalleled views.
Head back to Granville Island for an evening of live entertainment. Here you can choose from a cluster of community theatres, including The Arts Club Theatre Co., the largest company in Western Canada. Vancouver also has a diverse theatre community extending throughout downtown. Options include the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Firehall Arts Center and Vancouver Playhouse.
After experiencing some of the best of Vancouver for very full two days, well bet that the hotel bed is sounding pretty good. Or you may just be ready to extend your trip another day.


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## GrtWtNorth

.


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## GrtWtNorth

Got Disney";38207151]A Near-Perfect 48-Hour Itinerary[/QUOTE]

Your itinerary is interesting. I like your suggestions said:


> Grouse Mountain[/URL] - Look down on the port and city from 4000 above sea level. Visit the grizzly bears in the alpine meadow, check out the wind turbine observatory, zip lines, or enjoy a quick bite in the cafeteria or a fine dining experience in The Observatory.
> 
> Stanley Park - Visitors can walk or bike along the infamous sea wall, or spend a few hours at the beach.  The interior of the peninsula contains several trails leading visitors through the rain forest environments. Of course, there are giant ancient cedars and douglas fir trees. But there are some interesting areas of new growth -- parts of the park lost all the large trees in storms of December 2006 -- these new growth areas are fascinating examples of how nature reclaims the landscape.  There are plenty of distractions for kids too, including massive playgrounds and splash parks as well as the infamous Vancouver Aquarium.  More sophisticated visitors can experience fine dining too.  (I'm taking guests to The Fish House later this week.)
> 
> Capilano Suspension Bridge - It is more than just a very tall bridge.  The forest area on the opposite side of the gorge is filled with trout ponds, self-guided nature tours, bird-of-prey recovery experts (and their patients), elevated walkways (treetops adventures), as well as cliff edge lookouts.
> 
> UBC Museum of Anthropology - The native Indians of this region had a very sophisticated culture, unique in the world.  People thrived in the immense natural resources, building large communities, trading empires, and managing rights of ownership / property rights, all without a written language.  Potlatch rituals and festivities are incredible by today's standards -- how many of us would seriously consider paddling a canoe thousands of miles to California, to pick up delicacies for a party? These cultures were decimated by plagues and forced integration, but their history is undeniable and a new vibrant culture is evolving through the native descendants. This museum has an immense collection of totem poles and other coastal Indian artifacts, but you have get a guided tour to really appreciate their significance.  (There are inadequate self-guided tour options.)
> 
> IMO, each of the above attractions is like Epcot.  Sure, you could run through it in an hour or two, but you could just as easily spend a day just soaking it all in.


----------



## MAGICFOR2

Thanks for the touring info, both of  you!  I won't even need to buy a book - just print this out and explore!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Ugly news for Amtrak Cascades users.  The Canadian government wants to charge additional fees for the daily train which arrives in the evening, and Amtrak may cancel the train.  I don't know the details about how the on-board inspections occur or why the train arriving in the evening is being charged fees while the morning arrival does not.  All I know is that all the discussion is very political, with a lot of local and provincial politicians sniping at the federal government that charges the fee. It's just sad.

News link 1
News link 2
News link 3


----------



## denise

Anyone know of any ghost tours in the area? DD loves this type of thing and it would be a fun surprise for her....


----------



## smeecanada

All the talk on our cruise meet about booking hotels/flights etc.  Reminded me that I took a few photos when we were over in Vancouver earlier this year.  

This is Canada Place cruise terminal 






This is the front of the Cruise Terminal






I took the first photo (the cruise terminal) to the lower right of this photo.  It shows you how close everything is.  To the right upper corner is the Cruise Terminal/Pan Pacific Hotel Entrance.  To the left upper corner is the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel Entrance.  To the lower left corner (not shown) is the exit from Waterfront Station - the ligth rapid transit that runs from the Airport to Downtown.  Hope it helps put things in perspective for a few people.


----------



## jilljill

Wendy thanks so much for posting the pics, that makes it much easier to decide between the 2 hotels.


----------



## piglet33

smeecanada said:


> All the talk on our cruise meet about booking hotels/flights etc.  Reminded me that I took a few photos when we were over in Vancouver earlier this year.
> 
> This is Canada Place cruise terminal
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is the front of the Cruise Terminal
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I took the first photo (the cruise terminal) to the lower right of this photo.  It shows you how close everything is.  To the right upper corner is the Cruise Terminal/Pan Pacific Hotel Entrance.  To the left upper corner is the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel Entrance.  To the lower left corner (not shown) is the exit from Waterfront Station - the ligth rapid transit that runs from the Airport to Downtown.  Hope it helps put things in perspective for a few people.



Thanks for posting this.  It makes it easier to see where things are.  I made a ressie for Pan Pacific last week for our Aug. 23 cruise.  All this stuff makes it seem much more real.


----------



## Anjelica

So have they officially come out and stated it will be Canada Place for the cruise terminal?  I made ressies for Pan Pacific awhile ago but wanted to make sure we are as close to the terminal as possible.


----------



## poohj80

We are looking to make reservations at Pan Pacific and remember reading folks here were able to book a AAA rate, but according to their web site these are only available until Dec 2010 right now.  Did you have to call to book the discounted rate for next year?


----------



## Mineu

I called the hotel to get the 2011 AAA rate.


----------



## smeecanada

Anjelica said:


> So have they officially come out and stated it will be Canada Place for the cruise terminal?  I made ressies for Pan Pacific awhile ago but wanted to make sure we are as close to the terminal as possible.



I don't think so.  They usually release Port schedules around early February.


----------



## Anjelica

smeecanada said:


> I don't think so.  They usually release Port schedules around early February.



Thanks!!!  With two small children and my brother who sometimes uses a wheelchair its important for us to be near the actual cruise terminal as much possible.


----------



## smeecanada

Anjelica said:


> Thanks!!!  With two small children and my brother who sometimes uses a wheelchair its important for us to be near the actual cruise terminal as much possible.



The other terminal is in an industrial area about 5-10 minutes to the right of Canada Place.  I would book near Canada Place and then get a taxi to the other terminal if need be.  Don't think there are any hotels near Ballantyne Pier.

You should be able to get a taxi to accomodate the wheelchair with no problem.  Rick Hansen lives there - so Vancouver is a very wheelchair accessible city.


----------



## mmmears

poohj80 said:


> We are looking to make reservations at Pan Pacific and remember reading folks here were able to book a AAA rate, but according to their web site these are only available until Dec 2010 right now.  Did you have to call to book the discounted rate for next year?



I called them too and got a AAA rate for next June.


----------



## jilljill

Tell me what you think of these  hotels please:

Days Inn Hotel Downtown - 921 West Pender Street

Park Inn & Suites on Broadway - 898 West Broadway

Four Seasons Hotel - 791 West Georgia Street


I realize the second hotel is a couple miles from the port and that's fine with us.  Just looking for a nice, clean place to stay that's in a good area of the city.


----------



## lenzs4

OK, I am looking to book for two night prior to our June cruise.  I want the PAn PAcific based on this threads recommendations.  It is currently listed at 195.00 per night.  Is that a deal or is that typically what it runs per night.  I tried to priceline the area and no deals are coming up at this time and I do not want to miss out if this is a good deal for the hotel.


----------



## "Got Disney"

lenzs4 said:


> OK, I am looking to book for two night prior to our June cruise. I want the PAn PAcific based on this threads recommendations. It is currently listed at 195.00 per night. Is that a deal or is that typically what it runs per night. I tried to priceline the area and no deals are coming up at this time and I do not want to miss out if this is a good deal for the hotel.


 
We paid total per night with AAA taxs and fees $240 per night......for 4 of us.  This is with a Delux city view.

The taxes and fees are 15.74% ....also be sure to ask for US rates. 

my price I mentioned is Canada pricing and will be ajusted when we pay.  but the rate is not that much less at this point.

It is worth staying there for many reasons.  We are staying there one night and heading up to Whistler for 3 than back to the PP for 2 more nights....they will hold our luggage for us so we dont half to bring it all with us.

also your room porter will bring your luggage to the ship....all you have to do is walk from your room down to the elevator to the ship.

In addition the hotel is in a great place.....and you can also get a free bike rental at the hotel to use at the park. 

also if you have kids they have 5 rooms only that have 2 double beds, 1 queen pull out sofa and 1 rollaway....my boys need there own beds they are to tall.  And DH and I are use to a Ca. King bed so sleeping in a double bed together is way to small.

what is it with Canada having almost all there rooms in all the hotels with just double beds...not queens


----------



## disneymath

[QUOTE="Got Disney";38636680]what is it with Canada having almost all there rooms in all the hotels with just double beds...not queens[/QUOTE]


To be honest ... I don't think it is so much a "Canada" thing as it is a "big city" thing.  (We were trying to book rooms in NYC and the thought of paying $300+ per night for double beds was a bit shocking.  There did not seem to be many options with 2 queen beds.  Some rooms offered 1 queen instead of 1 king.)

A lot of hotels in and around Toronto, on the other hand, seem to be 2 queens or 1 king.


----------



## mmmears

disneymath said:


> To be honest ... I don't think it is so much a "Canada" thing as it is a "big city" thing.  (We were trying to book rooms in NYC and the thought of paying $300+ per night for double beds was a bit shocking.  There did not seem to be many options with 2 queen beds.  Some rooms offered 1 queen instead of 1 king.)



After reading what you wrote I had to go back and look at what we have booked -- and you are right.  We have 2 doubles at the PP in Vancouver, plus for another trip, 2 doubles again (wish they were queens) in Midtown, NYC.  And yes, that one is more than $300 per night.  Not scientific, but my personal reservations are in line with your observations.    Definitely not what we are used to, but we normally vacation in more resort-type areas and not in large cities.


----------



## geoffrey

GrtWtNorth said:


> Ugly news for Amtrak Cascades users.  The Canadian government wants to charge additional fees for the daily train which arrives in the evening, and Amtrak may cancel the train.  I don't know the details about how the on-board inspections occur or why the train arriving in the evening is being charged fees while the morning arrival does not.  All I know is that all the discussion is very political, with a lot of local and provincial politicians sniping at the federal government that charges the fee. It's just sad.
> 
> News link 1
> News link 2
> News link 3



Not to worry, this has been cleared up
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2013164722_bctrain15m.html


----------



## "Got Disney"

mmmears said:


> After reading what you wrote I had to go back and look at what we have booked -- and you are right. We have 2 doubles at the PP in Vancouver, plus for another trip, 2 doubles again (wish they were queens) in Midtown, NYC. And yes, that one is more than $300 per night. Not scientific, but my personal reservations are in line with your observations.  Definitely not what we are used to, but we normally vacation in more resort-type areas and not in large cities.


 
Same here....maybe that is why we always have queens.  Although everywhere in Ca. we have stayed in any of the hotels...even the cheeper ones have always had 2 queens in the room, also  in Vegas...hmmmmmm ....interesting.


----------



## my three girls

What's the earliest flight out after the cruise we can comfortably book? Is an 11:00 am flight makeable?

We're flying out of the Vancouver airport. What time do you think they will let you off the ship? Does it take a lot of time going through customs?

Thanks!


----------



## smeecanada

my three girls said:


> What's the earliest flight out after the cruise we can comfortably book? Is an 11:00 am flight makeable?
> 
> We're flying out of the Vancouver airport. What time do you think they will let you off the ship? Does it take a lot of time going through customs?
> 
> Thanks!



I would aim for a 1pm flight or later.  You have to drive at least 30 minutes to the airport from Port.  Check in, go thru security and then customs.  That can take awhile.


----------



## gduvall

DCL is saying noon or later


----------



## bonzie1

Lollipop's Mom Thanks for putting together all of this information for us!  We are over on the REPO thread, and so appreciate your efforts!


----------



## jilljill

smeecanada said:


> I would aim for a 1pm flight or later.  You have to drive at least 30 minutes to the airport from Port.  Check in, go thru security and then customs.  That can take awhile.



I've seen it mentioned a couple of times going thru customs at the airport, is this Canadian or US Customs?  I'm only asking because when we were at the Shannon airport in Ireland we went thru US Customs there and didn't need to when our flight arrived into the US.

thanks


----------



## EastYorkDisneyFan

jilljill said:


> I've seen it mentioned a couple of times going thru customs at the airport, is this Canadian or US Customs?  I'm only asking because when we were at the Shannon airport in Ireland we went thru US Customs there and didn't need to when our flight arrived into the US.
> 
> thanks



If you are flying to a US destination then you will clear US customs in the Vancouver airport. If you are connecting through another Canadian city then you won't go through customs. Also when you fly into the US you will land at a domestic gate and not an international one.


----------



## jilljill

Thanks for that info, that's helpful with picking a flight time.  Later the better then so not to stress out if you will make a flight or not.


----------



## sabrecmc

Is anyone familiar with LandseaTours (www.vancouvertours.com)?  I was looking at booking a post-cruise tour and they have one that goes to Grouse Mt. and the Capilano Suspension Bridge.  It says it picks up from the downtown hotels.  Any other recs for a similar tour?


----------



## jilljill

I was looking at going to Grouse Mountain and it's very easy to get to on your own using public transportation and only takes about 25 minutes.  Here's their website:  www.grousemountain.com


----------



## geoffrey

jilljill said:


> I was looking at going to Grouse Mountain and it's very easy to get to on your own using public transportation and only takes about 25 minutes.  Here's their website:  www.grousemountain.com



If you are looking to go up Grouse Mountain (which is wonderful) you may want to consider Capilano Suspension Bridge. You will go right past it on the way to Grouse. My family really likes it there.


----------



## jilljill

geoffrey said:


> If you are looking to go up Grouse Mountain (which is wonderful) you may want to consider Capilano Suspension Bridge. You will go right past it on the way to Grouse. My family really likes it there.


Thanks but no thanks.  It's bad enough that my DD will be able to see mountains on this trip   and she freaked out when I mentioned Grouse Mountain .  I haven't even told her how we have to take the gondola to get there   .  No clue how she would handle going to see this.  Not to mention I would be scared to death and so would DH.


----------



## DenverVal

jilljill said:


> Thanks but no thanks.  It's bad enough that my DD will be able to see mountains on this trip   and she freaked out when I mentioned Grouse Mountain .  I haven't even told her how we have to take the gondola to get there   .  No clue how she would handle going to see this.  Not to mention I would be scared to death and so would DH.


So the ziplining is a no-go?


----------



## jilljill

DenverVal said:


> So the ziplining is a no-go?



Absolutely a NO-GO!!!


----------



## bzzelady

My DD11 and DH will also be joining the "Not setting foot on the cable car" club! 
I, however, cannot wait to go up to Grouse Mountain and do the Peak 2 Peak gondola in Whistler


----------



## mmmears

geoffrey said:


> If you are looking to go up Grouse Mountain (which is wonderful) you may want to consider Capilano Suspension Bridge. You will go right past it on the way to Grouse. My family really likes it there.



It looks really amazing.  I think I was there when I was a kid.  How far is this from Vancouver?


----------



## geoffrey

mmmears said:


> It looks really amazing.  I think I was there when I was a kid.  How far is this from Vancouver?



I don't know the exact distance, but it is not far at all. If you are going to Grouse Mountain, you will go right by it. 

It seems like you are just driving through a neighborhood, you go by the bridge, up the hill a few more miles (kilometers) and you are at the base of Grouse Mountain.


----------



## Chirple

I apologize in advance if this has already been asked and answered, but has anyone stayed at the Vancouver Airport Marriott Hotel?  I checked Trip Advisor, and the ratings were pretty good.  We are arriving the day before our cruise departure, and I can get Marriott Rewards staying there.  

I thought we could take the shuttle to the hotel when we arrive at the airport, spend the night, take the shuttle back to the airport the next morning and pick up the transfer from DCL to the pier.

Does this sound like a feasible plan?


----------



## Mineu

Rachael Q said:


> Several people have asked about renting cars in Seattle and driving to Vancouver.  Please note that many of the car rental companies will not let you take their cars across the border.  Those that do will add a one way drop off fee of $300 to $500.  So you will need to factor this into your airfare.  Yes it's much cheaper to fly to Seattle or Bellingham, but the difficulties with the rental car, might make Vancouver a better choice.
> 
> Rather than a rental car, I would use Amtrak, Quickshuttle or Greyhound.



Can the add this fee later? I have printed out our confirmation and double checked our cities-but don't see this fee-just don't want this to appear after we pick up the car...


----------



## jilljill

Mineu said:


> Can the add this fee later? I have printed out our confirmation and double checked our cities-but don't see this fee-just don't want this to appear after we pick up the car...



I'd call the car rental company and ask them if there is a drop fee.  I'm sure they would be able to add the fee when you arrived at the counter or when you dropped off your car.  I've had them change a rental fee on me when I dropped off the car, but because I had my online confirmation with me they had to honor the original price which was around $800 lower .  This was in either AZ or CA when picking up in one city and dropping off in another.


----------



## Mineu

Ok-would it be safer to rent the car for the week? Pick up in Seattle and drop off in Seattle?


----------



## RedSox68

bzzelady said:


> My DD11 and DH will also be joining the "Not setting foot on the cable car" club!
> I, however, cannot wait to go up to Grouse Mountain and do the Peak 2 Peak gondola in Whistler



Ohhhh, I am STILL getting over the cable car ride we had to take in Gibraltar!   -- and that was in 2007!   I am NOT good with heights at all.


----------



## poohj80

For those of you who have been successful getting a AAA rate at the Pan Pacific for the cruises next summer, what dates are you sailing?  I just called and they told me no AAA rates available for August yet.

Thanks for the help!


----------



## mmmears

poohj80 said:


> For those of you who have been successful getting a AAA rate at the Pan Pacific for the cruises next summer, what dates are you sailing?  I just called and they told me no AAA rates available for August yet.
> 
> Thanks for the help!



Ours is for mid-June.


----------



## smeecanada

smeecanada said:


> I would aim for a 1pm flight or later.  You have to drive at least 30 minutes to the airport from Port.  Check in, go thru security and then customs.  That can take awhile.



Double checked with my sister and it's approximately an hour drive from the Port to the Airport.


----------



## adedward

Just booked Delta for August, a long way out, because the rate looked so good.  Paid only 723.00, which included all taxes and fees for both of us.  Got to leave from our small, local east coast airport, and taking a daytime, not red eye flight home. Love Seattle, so looking forward to flying into there.  Big train fan, so excited to take Amtrak to Vancouver.  Don't know how this rate compares, but I'm happy.  No backing out now!


----------



## aml3679

My husband and I went on our first cruise this year out of Vancouver - it is a great city - we only had 2 1/2 days and could have spent a lot more.  The people were very friendly.

*RECOMMENDATIONS*Hotel - The Loden on Melville Street

It is rated #1 on Trip Advisor where real people post their pictures and reviews.  It was our 25th anniversary and they upgraded us to a 750sq foot suite on arrival.  They had a car take you anywhere in the city.  It was worth the money.  It is in Coal Harbour.

RESTAURANTS

Cardero's in Coal Harbor - wonderful service, food and atmosphere.  It looks right over the water and the snow capped mountains.

Voya at the Loden.  Great food and service.

SIGHTSEEING

We took the Big Bus which was a hop-on and hop-off bus which took us all around the city.  We went to the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park and crossed the Capialano Suspension Bridge.

Have a great time!


----------



## lenzs4

We booked our air already as well!!!  I got it for 220 per person on Alaskan Air- Phoenix AZ to Bellingham WA (total for 4 = 883) and will AMtrak into Vancouver!!
We have to stop in Seattle but it was cheaper to amtrak from bellingham - 78 for all 4 of us round trip!


----------



## jilljill

aml3679 said:


> My husband and I went on our first cruise this year out of Vancouver - it is a great city - we only had 2 1/2 days and could have spent a lot more.  The people were very friendly.
> 
> *RECOMMENDATIONS*Hotel - The Loden on Melville Street
> 
> It is rated #1 on Trip Advisor where real people post their pictures and reviews.  It was our 25th anniversary and they upgraded us to a 750sq foot suite on arrival.  They had a car take you anywhere in the city.  It was worth the money.  It is in Coal Harbour.
> 
> RESTAURANTS
> 
> Cardero's in Coal Harbor - wonderful service, food and atmosphere.  It looks right over the water and the snow capped mountains.
> 
> Voya at the Loden.  Great food and service.
> 
> SIGHTSEEING
> 
> We took the Big Bus which was a hop-on and hop-off bus which took us all around the city.  We went to the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park and crossed the Capialano Suspension Bridge.
> 
> Have a great time!



How far is this hotel from the port?


----------



## poohj80

lenzs4 said:


> We booked our air already as well!!!  I got it for 220 per person on Alaskan Air- Phoenix AZ to Bellingham WA (total for 4 = 883) and will AMtrak into Vancouver!!
> We have to stop in Seattle but it was cheaper to amtrak from bellingham - 78 for all 4 of us round trip!



When are you sailing?


----------



## my three girls

Disney Cruise Line released its Port Adventures for Alaska cruises today.  

Here is a link:

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/cruises-destinations/shore-excursions/search/ 

Choose the port you want on the left side of the screen.


----------



## Schachteles

my three girls said:


> Disney Cruise Line released its Port Adventures for Alaska cruises today.
> 
> Here is a link:
> 
> http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/cruises-destinations/shore-excursions/search/
> 
> Choose the port you want on the left side of the screen.



ABOUT TIME!!  Does anyone know an easy way to print off ALL the excursions with the prices and details?  Would be nice to sit down with the family and look at it that way.


----------



## oldpatterns

I was wondering the same thing.  No package deals for the Alaskan cruises. I'm going to see how many of them are on tripadvisor.

The Lee's
Traveling to Alaska on the June 28th cruise


----------



## poohj80

my three girls said:


> Disney Cruise Line released its Port Adventures for Alaska cruises today.
> 
> Here is a link:
> 
> http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/cruises-destinations/shore-excursions/search/
> 
> Choose the port you want on the left side of the screen.



Thanks so much!  There are SO many choices.  I need to start doing reserach now!

I don't see any excursions listed for Tracy Arm.  I assume we aren't getting off the ship there??


----------



## Schachteles

poohj80 said:


> Thanks so much!  There are SO many choices.  I need to start doing reserach now!
> 
> I don't see any excursions listed for Tracy Arm.  I assume we aren't getting off the ship there??



Nope Tracy Arm is done from the ship, not a stop.


----------



## oldpatterns

The boat goes through Tracys Arm.


----------



## mellers

You might want to check out the Quick Shuttle as well.  It will take you directly to many of the downtown Vancouver hotels from Sea-Tac and Bellingham.


----------



## BamaBornNemoNut

GrtWtNorth said:


> Passport cards are sufficient to cross borders both into Canada and into the US as long as you are entering by land or sea.  It is only for air travel that a full passport is required.



I would not travel by air into or out of Canada.  I would travel by land into and out of Canada.  I would travel by sea from Canada to Alaska (US) and back to Canada.  Can I use only my Passport Card and be admitted onto the ship?

TIA


----------



## pouncingpluto

So, do we think that the shows will be on the same nights as they are for the 7-night Caribbean cruises, or will we just have no idea until the first Alaskan cruise sails?  I can make Flounder's reservations starting in late February, so it would be nice to know by then.


----------



## jlwhitney

I would assume for the most part the three big shows will be all while at sea.


----------



## smb6

So have most of you booked your hotel yet?  I'm trying to decide.....  We already have our airfare and will be flying in on the (May) 29th- 2 days before our cruise.  There are 7 of us; so I really don't want to spend a lot on the hotel keeping in mind we will need two rooms.  I'm hoping to get rooms for under $150 each- preferably closer to $100.  Two rooms, two nights- that is still $600!  
We are planning to do the suspension bridge and the sea wall.......  What are yall's plans?
And I'm also wondering what kind of eateries there are (keeping in mind we plan to stay near the cruise terminal)....  I have 5 kids and since I know we will be eating a ridiculous amount on the cruise I just really want to go with some kid friendly and cheap places- what is there in the way of fast food?  Subway?  McDonalds?  And I'd like to do one nicer meal that will suit the kids, but maybe something that is "local"... Any ideas? 
TIA!


----------



## pixie08

Has anyone had any luck with Coal Harbor? It may be a new hotel so maybe no one has heard of it...I am not sure, but it is fairly close to the harbor and a great price.


----------



## cryssi

Sorry if this has been covered earlier in this thread, but if we arrive in Vancouver at 9 something am, how long will it take us to get through customs and then get to the port?  There is only one am flight to Vancouver from LAX...


----------



## smeecanada

smb6 said:


> And I'm also wondering what kind of eateries there are (keeping in mind we plan to stay near the cruise terminal)....  I have 5 kids and since I know we will be eating a ridiculous amount on the cruise I just really want to go with some kid friendly and cheap places- what is there in the way of fast food?  Subway?  McDonalds?  And I'd like to do one nicer meal that will suit the kids, but maybe something that is "local"... Any ideas?
> TIA!



There are lots of places to eat in the area.  McDonald's, Subway, Tim Horton's etc.  One nice family place is in Gastown - Old Spaghetti Factory.


----------



## pixie08

cryssi said:


> Sorry if this has been covered earlier in this thread, but if we arrive in Vancouver at 9 something am, how long will it take us to get through customs and then get to the port?  There is only one am flight to Vancouver from LAX...



Can you go the night before? I think most people will vouch that for sanity's sake that is the best thing to do.


----------



## smb6

smeecanada said:


> There are lots of places to eat in the area.  McDonald's, Subway, Tim Horton's etc.  One nice family place is in Gastown - Old Spaghetti Factory.



Thanks!!


----------



## MrsHelloKitty

pixie08 said:


> Has anyone had any luck with Coal Harbor? It may be a new hotel so maybe no one has heard of it...I am not sure, but it is fairly close to the harbor and a great price.



I am assuming that you mean the Coast Coal Harbor Hotel.  I've been looking at that one.  They have a "pay ahead" rate of $148/nt.  You have to book and pay in full at least 14 days in advance.  That's significantly less than their regular rate. Looks like a nice place and close to the harbor and port.  It is a new hotel from what I've read -opened for the Olympics.


----------



## smb6

MrsHelloKitty said:


> I am assuming that you mean the Coast Coal Harbor Hotel.  I've been looking at that one.  They have a "pay ahead" rate of $148/nt.  You have to book and pay in full at least 14 days in advance.  That's significantly less than their regular rate. Looks like a nice place and close to the harbor and port.  It is a new hotel from what I've read -opened for the Olympics.



Thanks for sharing the advance rate price, I think I'm going to go check that one out....


----------



## smb6

Has anyone stayed at the Holiday Inn Express?  I'm seriously considering booking it!  We have stayed at other Holiday Inn Expresses and always have had a good experience.  We are flying in two days before the cruise and need two rooms each night.  Their rate is only $122 per room per night- they have free breakfast and free cruise shuttle!  Also free self parking.  I think I'm sold!  But would love to hear from anyone that has stayed here....  Also, it's just over 3 miles from the cruise terminal.


----------



## lenzs4

Just booked through hotwire and got the Sutton Place for 129 a night!!
I actually thought it was going to be Pan Pacific but Sutton wil be OK too!!
Anyone ever stay there?  Reviews?  None seem current on Hotwire...


----------



## pouncingpluto

lenzs4 said:


> Just booked through hotwire and got the Sutton Place for 129 a night!!
> I actually thought it was going to be Pan Pacific but Sutton wil be OK too!!
> Anyone ever stay there?  Reviews?  None seem current on Hotwire...



Did you check tripadvisor.com?  I actually read Sutton Place is where a lot of actors stay when they are filming in Vancouver.  It sounds really nice... I think you got a great deal!


----------



## jlwhitney

smb6 said:


> Has anyone stayed at the Holiday Inn Express?  I'm seriously considering booking it!  We have stayed at other Holiday Inn Expresses and always have had a good experience.  We are flying in two days before the cruise and need two rooms each night.  Their rate is only $122 per room per night- they have free breakfast and free cruise shuttle!  Also free self parking.  I think I'm sold!  But would love to hear from anyone that has stayed here....  Also, it's just over 3 miles from the cruise terminal.



I have not stayed there either, but I am also staying one night there and then 2 nights at pan pacific. I would double check the free cruise shuttle since I only read free shuttle to airport, but could be totally wrong.


----------



## smb6

jlwhitney said:


> I have not stayed there either, but I am also staying one night there and then 2 nights at pan pacific. I would double check the free cruise shuttle since I only read free shuttle to airport, but could be totally wrong.



Actually what I read said there was a surcharge for the airport shuttle, but the cruise shuttle was free.  I may give them a call to double check......


----------



## smeecanada

smb6 said:


> Actually what I read said there was a surcharge for the airport shuttle, but the cruise shuttle was free.  I may give them a call to double check......



That would make sense.  The cruise terminal is about 5 minutes away.  Where as the airport is about 1 hour approximately.


----------



## jlwhitney

smeecanada said:


> That would make sense.  The cruise terminal is about 5 minutes away.  Where as the airport is about 1 hour approximately.



We must have different Holiday Inn Expresses, we are staying at the one by the airport...Holiday Inn Express Richmond Vancouver Airport


----------



## smb6

jlwhitney said:


> We must have different Holiday Inn Expresses, we are staying at the one by the airport...Holiday Inn Express Richmond Vancouver Airport



You are right, they are different!  I'm looking at the one 3 miles from the cruise terminal.......


----------



## Pooh667

MrsHelloKitty said:


> I am assuming that you mean the Coast Coal Harbor Hotel.  I've been looking at that one.  They have a "pay ahead" rate of $148/nt.  You have to book and pay in full at least 14 days in advance.  That's significantly less than their regular rate. Looks like a nice place and close to the harbor and port.  It is a new hotel from what I've read -opened for the Olympics.



I am looking at that hotel too for 6 rooms.  It gets good reviews on tripadvisor and other hotel booking sites.


----------



## cryssi

pixie08 said:


> Can you go the night before? I think most people will vouch that for sanity's sake that is the best thing to do.



We are actually thinking of maybe going a couple days earlier, but not sure if that will fly with the rest of our party, so I wanted to make sure that getting in at 9-something will get us to the port in time...


----------



## smeecanada

jlwhitney said:


> We must have different Holiday Inn Expresses, we are staying at the one by the airport...Holiday Inn Express Richmond Vancouver Airport



There is more than one Holiday Express in Vancouver.


----------



## hockeymom944

I am looking for some advice if anyone out there has done this. My family and I are on the Apr. 27th  Repo cruise. We are staying in Canada until Saturday, May 6th. My plan is to stay in a downtown Vancouver hotel on Friday night, take a taxi to the train station in the morning, and take the 6:40am train to Seattle. The train arrives in Seattle at 11:05am (I have read that we go through customs before leaving Vancouver.) I would then take Sounder transit directly to the airport. I am looking at booking a flight that leaves at 3:00pm. Do you think this gives us sufficient time, plus a little extra in case we get held up somewhere along the way? Thanks for any advice!


----------



## mellers

hockeymom944 said:


> I am looking for some advice if anyone out there has done this. My family and I are on the Apr. 27th  Repo cruise. We are staying in Canada until Saturday, May 6th. My plan is to stay in a downtown Vancouver hotel on Friday night, take a taxi to the train station in the morning, and take the 6:40am train to Seattle. The train arrives in Seattle at 11:05am (I have read that we go through customs before leaving Vancouver.) I would then take Sounder transit directly to the airport. I am looking at booking a flight that leaves at 3:00pm. Do you think this gives us sufficient time, plus a little extra in case we get held up somewhere along the way? Thanks for any advice!


Check and see if your Vancouver hotel is on the Quick Shuttle's pickup list (http://www.quickcoach.com/ ).  If it is, it might be much more convenient than making all of those trips--it will take you directly from your hotel to Sea-Tac.  I would not recommend cutting it that close with Amtrak--I've had too many problems with delayed trains.


----------



## geoffrey

hockeymom944 said:


> I am looking for some advice if anyone out there has done this. My family and I are on the Apr. 27th  Repo cruise. We are staying in Canada until Saturday, May 6th. My plan is to stay in a downtown Vancouver hotel on Friday night, take a taxi to the train station in the morning, and take the 6:40am train to Seattle. The train arrives in Seattle at 11:05am (I have read that we go through customs before leaving Vancouver.) I would then take Sounder transit directly to the airport. I am looking at booking a flight that leaves at 3:00pm. Do you think this gives us sufficient time, plus a little extra in case we get held up somewhere along the way? Thanks for any advice!


Just a note, you won't be taking the Sounder. Instead you will take Link Light Rail. I would hate for you to follow the signs to the Sounder and really get lost.


----------



## hockeymom944

mellers said:


> Check and see if your Vancouver hotel is on the Quick Shuttle's pickup list (http://www.quickcoach.com/ ).  If it is, it might be much more convenient than making all of those trips--it will take you directly from your hotel to Sea-Tac.  I would not recommend cutting it that close with Amtrak--I've had too many problems with delayed trains.



My original plan was to take quick shuttle to Bellingham, but Alaska Airlines changed flight times and it just won't work. My husband does not want to take a 4 hour bus ride to Seattle and I will not pay $500 dollars more to fly out of YVR, so we agreed on the train. I also have a son who is obsessed with trains. In your experience how long are the delays, and why is the train delayed? I live in S. California and there are about three later flights that are possible (just not my 1st choice.)


----------



## MAGICFOR2

Hi Michelle!  I'm on the Repo, and I just wanted to invite you over to our cruise meet thread if you would like to plan along with us - there is quite a bit of info on there by people in the areas we are visiting, and we are working on arranging a charter bus to the port from DL, etc.  we are at:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2282872

edited to add:  Oops I see you are probably set up, being from So. Calif, but come on along anyway, maybe you can help us with LA info!


----------



## mellers

hockeymom944 said:


> My original plan was to take quick shuttle to Bellingham, but Alaska Airlines changed flight times and it just won't work. My husband does not want to take a 4 hour bus ride to Seattle and I will not pay $500 dollars more to fly out of YVR, so we agreed on the train. I also have a son who is obsessed with trains. In your experience how long are the delays, and why is the train delayed? I live in S. California and there are about three later flights that are possible (just not my 1st choice.)


May is less likely to result in delays (less likely to have bad weather, but not impossible--we have had bad rainstorms), but I would leave at least one flight later if you can.  Also, you won't want to take the Sounder when you get into the station--you'll want to take the light rail--make sure you're on the correct side of the tunnel, or it will take you in the wrong direction.  I haven't taken the train to or from Vancouver, but almost every time I took Amtrak in Northern California, Washington, Oregon or Southern California, I had delays ranging from 30 minutes to 2 hours on short trains (<4 hours), and 1 to 8 hours on long trains.  

It's possible the Vancouver train is better about that (if anyone on the list has ridden it regularly, they might know better than me), but I know that, at least on the US side, freight trains take priority over passenger trains--it almost inevitably leads to delays.

Regardless of how you travel, there can be delays in customs, depending on events on the ground in the United States and Europe, and that can delay any travel between the US and Canada--in extreme cases, for several hours.  If it's possible, it might be better to take the train the day before, and stay in Seattle that night.  Whatever your choice, I hope you all have a wonderful cruise!


----------



## aml3679

My husband and I went out of Vancouver this past September on a cruise to San Diego - we love Vancouver.

As far as our recommendations:

We stayed at The Loden in Coal Harbor.  Very close to the cruise terminal.  Rated #1 on Trip Advisor for customer service.  They have a car that will take you anywhere you want to go.  They dropped us right off at the cruise terminal and took care of our luggage.

It was our 25th anniversary.  They upgraded us to a 750sq foot suite - it is the BEST place we have ever stayed.

RESTAURANTS

Cardero's in Coal Harbor - fantastic food, service and views
Voya at The Loden
So many places

We crossed the Capialano Suspension Bridge - beautiful
Took the Big Red Bus for a City Tour - worth it
Vancouver Aquarium - Nice
Stanley Park - beautiful

We could live there.  We were very impressed.


----------



## Ohana 4

aml3679 said:


> My husband and I went out of Vancouver this past September on a cruise to San Diego - we love Vancouver.
> 
> As far as our recommendations:
> 
> We stayed at The Loden in Coal Harbor.  Very close to the cruise terminal.  Rated #1 on Trip Advisor for customer service.  They have a car that will take you anywhere you want to go.  They dropped us right off at the cruise terminal and took care of our luggage.
> 
> It was our 25th anniversary.  They upgraded us to a 750sq foot suite - it is the BEST place we have ever stayed.
> 
> RESTAURANTS
> 
> Cardero's in Coal Harbor - fantastic food, service and views
> Voya at The Loden
> So many places
> 
> We crossed the Capialano Suspension Bridge - beautiful
> Took the Big Red Bus for a City Tour - worth it
> Vancouver Aquarium - Nice
> Stanley Park - beautiful
> 
> We could live there.  We were very impressed.



I have a question about the Big Red Bus Tour.  Do they give you a 2-day pass on that?  And could I possibly use that second day to have it take me from my hotel (where it stops) to the port, or would that look really stupid with all the luggage?


----------



## hockeymom944

mellers said:


> May is less likely to result in delays (less likely to have bad weather, but not impossible--we have had bad rainstorms), but I would leave at least one flight later if you can.  Also, you won't want to take the Sounder when you get into the station--you'll want to take the light rail--make sure you're on the correct side of the tunnel, or it will take you in the wrong direction.  I haven't taken the train to or from Vancouver, but almost every time I took Amtrak in Northern California, Washington, Oregon or Southern California, I had delays ranging from 30 minutes to 2 hours on short trains (<4 hours), and 1 to 8 hours on long trains.
> 
> It's possible the Vancouver train is better about that (if anyone on the list has ridden it regularly, they might know better than me), but I know that, at least on the US side, freight trains take priority over passenger trains--it almost inevitably leads to delays.
> 
> Regardless of how you travel, there can be delays in customs, depending on events on the ground in the United States and Europe, and that can delay any travel between the US and Canada--in extreme cases, for several hours.  If it's possible, it might be better to take the train the day before, and stay in Seattle that night.  Whatever your choice, I hope you all have a wonderful cruise!



Thanks for all the info. I did some more research last night and found that the particular train I want to take is late 55% of the time! It does not say how many minutes/hours it is typically late. I found some other flights leaving at 6pm, so I might go that route.


----------



## RedSox68

This is a remarkable thread and has provided so many tips and information.  Thanks to all who keep it updated!


----------



## Pooh667

Hi,

I have some questions.....Does anyone know what a taxi from Vancouver airport to Coast Coal Harbour Hotel costs?  Is the Coal Coast a good hotel in a good area?  Then how much from Coast Coal Harbour Hotel to Cananda Place?  Also what would it cost from Canada Pier to Vancouver airport? We are 18 people with a wheelchair and stroller. Should we do individual taxis or mini vans?  Thanks so much for any information you can give me!


----------



## mellers

I can't speak from personal experience, because it will be our first time to use them, but I will probably be using these guys for our group:

http://www.ridebooker.com 

With that many people, they might have a wheelchair accessible van.  I am also in a wheelchair,  but I can board the van independently and mine breaks apart into several pieces, so it's not critical that it be accessible, so I can't say for sure.

Has anyone here used Ridebooker?


----------



## Pooh667

mellers said:


> I can't speak from personal experience, because it will be our first time to use them, but I will probably be using these guys for our group:
> 
> http://www.ridebooker.com
> 
> With that many people, they might have a wheelchair accessible van.  I am also in a wheelchair,  but I can board the van independently and mine breaks apart into several pieces, so it's not critical that it be accessible, so I can't say for sure.
> 
> Has anyone here used Ridebooker?


Thanks for the information! I am curious too to see if anyone has used Ridebooker?


----------



## smeecanada

Pooh667 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have some questions.....Does anyone know what a taxi from Vancouver airport to Coast Coal Harbour Hotel costs?  Is the Coal Coast a good hotel in a good area?  Then how much from Coast Coal Harbour Hotel to Cananda Place?  Also what would it cost from Canada Pier to Vancouver airport? We are 18 people with a wheelchair and stroller. Should we do individual taxis or mini vans?  Thanks so much for any information you can give me!



Don't know price, but it's approximately an hours drive from the airport to downtown/port.


----------



## mellers

mellers said:


> Check and see if your Vancouver hotel is on the Quick Shuttle's pickup list (http://www.quickcoach.com/ ).  If it is, it might be much more convenient than making all of those trips--it will take you directly from your hotel to Sea-Tac.  I would not recommend cutting it that close with Amtrak--I've had too many problems with delayed trains.


There is a third option (that I probably should have thought to post before)--it's generally more pricy than the quick shuttle, and a bit more than the train, depending upon how many are traveling, but you might want to check out http://seattlegreenlimo.com/ .  They do make trips from Vancouver to Seattle.  It's still usually cheaper than plane tickets for a good sized group.


----------



## mellers

One thing that I probably should mention, for those heading north to Alaska, particularly in June and July, is that the sun comes up VERY EARLY and goes down VERY LATE (to put it into perspective, near the Summer Solstice, in Seattle, which gets much less summer sunshine than Alaska, the sun is usually up before 5 in the morning and down after 9 at night.)

You might want to make sure any portholes or windows are covered before you go to bed, and warn children that they do have to go to bed in the daytime.


----------



## Pooh667

Thank you Wendy! Knowing that it is about an hour away is good to know so we can tell the kids and grownup kids in our traveling party.


----------



## rsjj

anyone here know the hotels around the area?  i'm looking into trying to reserve a room for our family...but not quite sure of the area.  which area should i be looking into?  haven't done much research...any help/tip would be much appreciated!!  

so sorry...but didn't read the entire thread!  thought i'd just start here & ask away.  so very sorry if this has been dealt w/previously.

thanx!!


----------



## mellers

rsjj said:


> anyone here know the hotels around the area?  i'm looking into trying to reserve a room for our family...but not quite sure of the area.  which area should i be looking into?  haven't done much research...any help/tip would be much appreciated!!
> 
> so sorry...but didn't read the entire thread!  thought i'd just start here & ask away.  so very sorry if this has been dealt w/previously.
> 
> thanx!!



I like the Richmond, BC area near the Lansdowne Mall near the airport.  It takes a bit longer to get to the cruise terminal in the morning (about an hour), but the savings on the lodging makes it worth it for us, if we plan to spend a few days.

For families, I like the La Quinta Vancouver Airport.  They have a nice free breakfast, a small (but DEEP!  If you have little ones, they'll need lifejackets) indoor pool, and are very close to the Lansdowne Shopping Centre SkyTrain.  Rooms go for about $70/night, and the place is very clean and has laundry facilities. (http://www.lq.com/lq/properties/pro...&searchType=GEO&lat=49.163469&lon=-123.137766 )

They also have a free shuttle from YVR, although it isn't wheelchair accessible.

The Lansdowne Shopping Centre (http://lansdowne-centre.com/shoppingblog/ ) has a nice food court with an A&W (think more like a McDonald's--for those of us over 40, it's like A&W before Hot Dogs and More bought it out.), a Subway, and lots of other things.  The mall also has a Toys R Us and a Zellers (think Target) where you can get cheap Disney souvenirs or last-minute toiletries, clothing, or other items.  There's also a McDonald's about two blocks away.

Wheelchair accessibility isn't too bad, either to or from the hotel or to or from Lansdowne (if that's an issue--it is for me), and there is great public transit into Vancouver proper by taking the SkyTrain right next to the mall.  Also, if you're on your way back home, they do have shipping facilities in the mall (no idea what the price would be, though--probably pretty steep, since it's international). 

Richmond itself is kind of a neat place--you'll find that it's a very upscale Chinatown.  A lot of people who left HK ahead of the Chinese (including a fair number of my husband's cousins) set up housekeeping in Richmond.  The Chinese food there is extraordinary, but if you're more used to Panda Express than real Chinese food, might be a little adventurous.

You will need to get transportation from the hotel to the cruise terminal.  I'm going to try Ridebooker to do it this time; however, I'm not sure how good they are, since this will be my first time trying them out, too:

http://www.ridebooker.com/

You also shouldn't have much trouble catching a cab from the La Quinta, given how close it is to both the shopping centre and the airport.

It also might be worth it, if you are coming in the night before from Seattle, and aren't planning to do anything in Vancouver, to take the Quick Shuttle from Sea-Tac (http://www.quickcoach.com ) to one of the downtown hotels near the cruise terminal--this will cut down on your transportation costs the next day, and take care of your passage from Sea-Tac across the border and into Vancouver.  

The Quick Shuttle also leaves from Bellingham, and also stops at YVR and Cruise Terminal, if you're trying to get back from Vancouver (I don't recommend going straight to the cruise terminal to/from Seattle on the same day--there's just too much that can go wrong on a border crossing.  I would go the day before.)

At any rate, I hope that is helpful.  Have a great cruise, wherever you stay!


----------



## nemofans

mellers said:


> There is a third option (that I probably should have thought to post before)--it's generally more pricy than the quick shuttle, and a bit more than the train, depending upon how many are traveling, but you might want to check out http://seattlegreenlimo.com/ .  They do make trips from Vancouver to Seattle.  It's still usually cheaper than plane tickets for a good sized group.



That's actually not a bad idea.  I have been pricing out the cheapest way, but it's also hard w/the limited times bus & train travel.


----------



## tanyaewa

Ridebooker is owned by a friend of mine here in Whistler. I'll see if I can get him on this board to answer questions....

Fwiw it's a very reputable company and very well-known for it's efficiency here in town.


----------



## mellers

Good to know!  This will be our first time using them.


----------



## mellers

Groceries tend to be quite a bit more expensive in Canada than the US--Zellers and Wal-Mart tend to be relatively cheaper (Zellers is like Target)


----------



## mellers

poohj80 said:


> We'll be traveling with a 5 year old which is leading us to fly into Seattle for several reasons.
> 
> We plan to spend a night in Seattle to break up all the travel and let her experience a few sights.
> 
> The Amtrak ride will be a treat as she loves trains and will break-up the traveling over a couple days.


You might also want to consider staying at the Best Western by the Space Needle, and then taking the Quick Shuttle (http://www.quickcoach.com/ ) into Vancouver rather than the train.  I don't know if it's possible, but if they allow a "stopover", that could save you a huge amount of money.

The Space Needle area has the best things for children in Seattle--the Seattle Children's Museum, the Pacific Science Center, and the Experience Music Project/Sci Fi Museum, as well the iconic Space Needle.  The Quick Shuttle leaves the airport, stops at the Best Western, and then continues up to the Vancouver Airport, the Downtown Vancouver Hotels, and in some cases, the Cruise Terminal (although I would still recommend you go up the day before the cruise, just in case), so if they would allow you a stopover, the fare would include your transportation to your hotel in Seattle, as well as your transportation up to Vancouver.  If you're staying at one of the downtown hotels they service, it will also drop you at the door of your hotel, so that saves you the cost of transferring.

Our relatives in Richmond (near the Vancouver Airport) use the Quick Shuttle to come see us, and we use it to go see them. (We live right outside Seattle)  The one thing I would caution you to do, however, is get some take-out food for the bus, because they don't make a meal stop.


----------



## mellers

I've never been on any cruise before this, and I was wondering what check-in is like at Canada Place--if anyone's been on a cruise out of the Canada Place dock, can they describe it?  I bought the Birnbaum Disney Cruise Line book, and it only talks about the Port Canaveral terminal


----------



## smb6

mellers said:


> I've never been on any cruise before this, and I was wondering what check-in is like at Canada Place--if anyone's been on a cruise out of the Canada Place dock, can they describe it?  I bought the Birnbaum Disney Cruise Line book, and it only talks about the Port Canaveral terminal



I would like to know this as well....


----------



## disneylovern

Hi! I had a couple of questions, and was hoping you guys could help me out. 
We are planning on flying in early to Vancouver to have a day to spend there. Just wondering what the best options of doing this was? We don't really want to rent a car and have two children (ages 7 and 4). Also, are there any hotels that provide shuttle service to the ports that would be a good option? Thanks.


----------



## stsomewhere

Has it been confirmed that DCl will be using Canada Place?


----------



## cwdefouw

While it hasn't been confirmed, likelyhood is about 99% as, except for 4 weeks, the Wonder is the only ship in port in Vancouver on Tuesdays. Since Canada Place can easily handle 3-4 ships, there would be no reason to use the other terminal, as it is pretty much only used for overflow.

The May 24th departure, Crystal Symphony will also be in Vancouver
The June 7th departure, the Regatta (Line?) will also be in Vancouver
The August 16th departure, Crystal Symphony will also be in Vancouver
The September 6th departure, the Regatta (Line?)will also be in Vancouver

You can view the Vancouver Port Schedule as well as schedules for Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan on the following site...

http://www.claalaska.com/schedules.html


----------



## mellers

disneylovern said:


> Hi! I had a couple of questions, and was hoping you guys could help me out.
> We are planning on flying in early to Vancouver to have a day to spend there. Just wondering what the best options of doing this was? We don't really want to rent a car and have two children (ages 7 and 4). Also, are there any hotels that provide shuttle service to the ports that would be a good option? Thanks.


If you go to page 41 of this thread, you can see my review of the La Quinta Vancouver Airport--this might be a good option for you.  They don't have a shuttle to the Cruise Terminal, and will, in fact, be about an hour away, but they do have a shuttle to and from the airport, and they are quite close to the SkyTrain (although I would bring a stroller for the littlest guy).  For that day, given your kids' ages, I'd recommend either the Vancouver Aquarium (EXCELLENT!) or Science World.

You're kind of stuck, one way or another.  Hotels near the airport are MUCH cheaper than downtown, but it's costly to transfer from them to the cruise.  You might be able to get a hotel with a shuttle to the cruise terminal downtown, but you'll have to pay $$$ to transfer from the airport to the downtown hotel.

If you're not planning to get a rental car, staying near the SkyTrain, or near the attraction you want to see is a good idea, because it will cut down on your costs to visit the attractions you want.  

I did a quick search on Science World--if you take the Canada Line at Lansdowne, and transfer to the Millenium Line, you'll be within 0.63 miles in 36 minutes.  In general, if you want to find transit directions in Vancouver, go here:  http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/
That should tell you how to get to all of the major attractions--the Lansdowne Station on No. 3 Road is the station by the Lansdowne Shopping Centre.


----------



## mellers

stsomewhere said:


> Has it been confirmed that DCl will be using Canada Place?


When I called and asked a couple of months ago, DCL told me it would be Canada Place.


----------



## WestCoaster

mellers said:


> If you go to page 41 of this thread, you can see my review of the La Quinta Vancouver Airport--this might be a good option for you.  They don't have a shuttle to the Cruise Terminal, and will, in fact, be about an hour away, but they do have a shuttle to and from the airport, and they are quite close to the SkyTrain (although I would bring a stroller for the littlest guy).  For that day, given your kids' ages, I'd recommend either the Vancouver Aquarium (EXCELLENT!) or Science World.
> 
> You're kind of stuck, one way or another.  Hotels near the airport are MUCH cheaper than downtown, but it's costly to transfer from them to the cruise.  You might be able to get a hotel with a shuttle to the cruise terminal downtown, but you'll have to pay $$$ to transfer from the airport to the downtown hotel.
> 
> If you're not planning to get a rental car, staying near the SkyTrain, or near the attraction you want to see is a good idea, because it will cut down on your costs to visit the attractions you want.
> 
> I did a quick search on Science World--if you take the Canada Line at Lansdowne, and transfer to the Millenium Line, you'll be within 0.63 miles in 36 minutes.  In general, if you want to find transit directions in Vancouver, go here:  <link removed>That should tell you how to get to all of the major attractions--the Lansdowne Station on No. 3 Road is the station by the Lansdowne Shopping Centre.



I agree with the suggestions to visit Science World or the Aquarium at Stanley Park. As Mellers pointed out, you can get to Science World via Skytrain.  For the Aquarium, you can either take a short cab ride from downtown or find a shuttle service (I'm not sure which hotels offer one).

Also, since the port is at Canada Place, it's only a short cab ride from the Waterfront Skytrain terminal, or if you're up for it, it's quite walkable (maybe 10 minutes from Waterfront, I estimate).


----------



## mellers

mellers said:


> given your kids' ages, I'd recommend either the Vancouver Aquarium (EXCELLENT!) or Science World.



One other quick note about Science World--if you have a membership to your local science museum, some of them have a reciprocal arrangement with Science World that will let you get in free or at a substantial discount.    Worth looking into, if you plan to go.


----------



## DenverVal

lenzs4 said:


> Just booked through hotwire and got the Sutton Place for 129 a night!!
> I actually thought it was going to be Pan Pacific but Sutton wil be OK too!!
> Anyone ever stay there?  Reviews?  None seem current on Hotwire...


Nice score - none of the 5-star hotels come up for me.  When are you going to be there?


----------



## lenzs4

DenverVal said:


> Nice score - none of the 5-star hotels come up for me.  When are you going to be there?


 

June 5 & 6 for the June 7th departure!!


----------



## DenverVal

Very interesting that it comes up on those dates, but not mine two weeks later. Enjoy - I am leaning towards the Coast Coal Harbor, but an still thinking about it.


----------



## Jen24

I hope this isn't a repeat question but what is the best way to get from the airport to Coast Coal Harbor hotel? I know a taxi is the best way to get to Canada Place from the hotel. Thanks!


----------



## disdel

Jen24 said:


> I hope this isn't a repeat question but what is the best way to get from the airport to Coast Coal Harbor hotel? I know a taxi is the best way to get to Canada Place from the hotel. Thanks!


Hi Jen !
I was looking into that, a taxi from YVR is about $30, according to the hotel's website. Using www.ridebooker.com as described on an earlier post here, they show $89 for a towncar, $109 for a limo . So, looks like we'll be doing a cab!


----------



## nemofans

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but I just found out about it.  I wanted to share in case anyone would be interested.  I was looking on the ABD website (Adventures by Disney) & they have added a Vancouver tour for people taking a DCL Alaskan cruise.  It's 3 nights added b4 the cruise & they tour around Vancouver.


----------



## mellers

disdel said:


> Hi Jen !
> I was looking into that, a taxi from YVR is about $30, according to the hotel's website. Using www.ridebooker.com as described on an earlier post here, they show $89 for a towncar, $109 for a limo . So, looks like we'll be doing a cab!


Before you take the Coal Coast Hotel's word for it, I would call 1 (604) 681 1111 and check with Yellow Cab Vancouver.  From what I know about Vancouver, $30 seems like WAY too little to get from the Airport to the Coal Coast


----------



## lenzs4

We are coming and going via amtrak.  Our hotel is Sutton and we will leave from the cruise terminal.  Are there shuttles or anything between any of those locations or would I need a cab both ways?  Do I need to prearrange or will they be there waiting?
Shirley


----------



## mellers

lenzs4 said:


> We are coming and going via amtrak.  Our hotel is Sutton and we will leave from the cruise terminal.  Are there shuttles or anything between any of those locations or would I need a cab both ways?  Do I need to prearrange or will they be there waiting?
> Shirley


You might want to call your hotel and find out if they have a recommendation, and then double-check with their recommended providers.


----------



## disdel

mellers said:


> Before you take the Coal Coast Hotel's word for it, I would call 1 (604) 681 1111 and check with Yellow Cab Vancouver.  From what I know about Vancouver, $30 seems like WAY too little to get from the Airport to the Coal Coast



Thanks for the info!! I'll also double check with a friend up there, and post info later.


----------



## RedSox68

mellers said:


> You're kind of stuck, one way or another.  Hotels near the airport are MUCH cheaper than downtown, but it's costly to transfer from them to the cruise.  You might be able to get a hotel with a shuttle to the cruise terminal downtown, but you'll have to pay $$$ to transfer from the airport to the downtown hotel.
> 
> If you're not planning to get a rental car, staying near the SkyTrain, or near the attraction you want to see is a good idea, because it will cut down on your costs to visit the attractions you want.



On the other hand.......what are the options for those of us thinking of taking the train from Seattle to Vancouver?  Is the train station more in the downtown area and closer to the port?


----------



## mellers

RedSox68 said:


> On the other hand.......what are the options for those of us thinking of taking the train from Seattle to Vancouver?  Is the train station more in the downtown area and closer to the port?


After checking Bing maps (and making a shameless plug for my husband's company  )

It says that the Via Railway Station (which, I assume, would be the same for Amtrak) is about 1.5 miles away from Canada Place, so it looks like it is very close to the cruise terminal.  If you are taking QuickShuttle, it stops at many of the downtown hotels, and Canada Place.  Does that sound about right to those of you who have taken the train before?

Here's the map I found:  http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=49...l, Vancouver, BC, V6C___e_&mode=D&rtop=0~0~0~


----------



## smeecanada

RedSox68 said:


> On the other hand.......what are the options for those of us thinking of taking the train from Seattle to Vancouver?  Is the train station more in the downtown area and closer to the port?



Train Station is in Downtown Vancouver and very close to the Port.


----------



## MinnieDiva

RedSox68 said:


> On the other hand.......what are the options for those of us thinking of taking the train from Seattle to Vancouver?  Is the train station more in the downtown area and closer to the port?



I was looking at options, and it looks like the sky train (public transit) has a station right near Amtrak that takes you to the port.  Google sky train vancouver and you should be able to look at maps.  But then there is the issue of hauling luggage...


----------



## Schachteles

Does anyone know the BEST tour company to use to go whale watching out of Vancouver??

THANKS


----------



## smeecanada

Schachteles said:


> Does anyone know the BEST tour company to use to go whale watching out of Vancouver??
> 
> THANKS



I'd really look into this.  You have to travel a fair distance in a boat to get to possibly see whales from Vancouver.  Whale watching is better out of Victoria on the West Coast.  Plus, you are not guaranteed to see any whales.  If you want to see whales - do a tour while in Alaska.  Juneau operators guarantee you will see whales.


----------



## Schachteles

smeecanada said:


> I'd really look into this.  You have to travel a fair distance in a boat to get to possibly see whales from Vancouver.  Whale watching is better out of Victoria on the West Coast.  Plus, you are not guaranteed to see any whales.  If you want to see whales - do a tour while in Alaska.  Juneau operators guarantee you will see whales.




I know what you are saying, but we are doing things for our excursions that are more one in a lifetime things that you can only do up there.  Whale watching can be done multiple places.  How far of a drive is it to Victoria?  Might be a nice day trip for us since we are staying in Vancouver for 3 days after the cruise.  I did read about it being a longer boat ride.  And just like in Alaska it is NOT guaranteed that you will see whales, but I know with one on the cruise they will give you $100 if you don't see any.  With the one I found out of Vancouver they will let you go back out again if you see none.


----------



## discruiser

smeecanada said:


> Train Station is in Downtown Vancouver and very close to the Port.



Right now we are planning on flying to Seattle, taking the Amtrak to Vancouver and staying one night at the Comfort Inn Downtown near Nelson and Granville.  Is a cab our best bet to get from the train station to the hotel?  What about the hotel to the port? 

Thanks!
Kim


----------



## smeecanada

Schachteles said:


> I know what you are saying, but we are doing things for our excursions that are more one in a lifetime things that you can only do up there.  Whale watching can be done multiple places.  How far of a drive is it to Victoria?  Might be a nice day trip for us since we are staying in Vancouver for 3 days after the cruise.  I did read about it being a longer boat ride.  And just like in Alaska it is NOT guaranteed that you will see whales, but I know with one on the cruise they will give you $100 if you don't see any.  With the one I found out of Vancouver they will let you go back out again if you see none.



Victoria is a day trip.  It's a 1.5 hour ferry ride from Vancouver.  I live in Victoria.  If you have a car - maybe look for a whale tour out of Steveston in Richmond, so you don't have so far to travel in the boat.  I saw some advertised from there awhile back.  You have less of a chance seeing whales in Vancouver/Victoria than in Alaska and the operators in Victoria let you know up front that you are not guaranteed to see whales.


----------



## smeecanada

discruiser said:


> Right now we are planning on flying to Seattle, taking the Amtrak to Vancouver and staying one night at the Comfort Inn Downtown near Nelson and Granville.  Is a cab our best bet to get from the train station to the hotel?  What about the hotel to the port?
> 
> Thanks!
> Kim



I would say a taxi is your best bet.  They are all relatively close together the charge shouldn't be too high.  According to Mapquest it's less than a 10 min drive.


----------



## mellers

Schachteles said:


> Does anyone know the BEST tour company to use to go whale watching out of Vancouver??
> 
> THANKS


I can't promise this is the BEST tour company, but we've had good luck when we've used them to go to Victoria:

http://www.clippervacations.com/whalewatching/


----------



## mellers

MinnieDiva said:


> I was looking at options, and it looks like the sky train (public transit) has a station right near Amtrak that takes you to the port.  Google sky train vancouver and you should be able to look at maps.  But then there is the issue of hauling luggage...


If you ever want to get public transit options for Vancouver and its suburbs, check this out:  http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/  It will map your route, and give you schedules and times.


----------



## smeecanada

mellers said:


> I can't promise this is the BEST tour company, but we've had good luck when we've used them to go to Victoria:
> 
> http://www.clippervacations.com/whalewatching/



Clipper Vacations will be subcontracting to another operator for whale watching.  They run a highspeed passenger only ferry between Victoria/Seattle.


----------



## Schachteles

smeecanada said:


> Victoria is a day trip.  It's a 1.5 hour ferry ride from Vancouver.  I live in Victoria.  If you have a car - maybe look for a whale tour out of Steveston in Richmond, so you don't have so far to travel in the boat.  I saw some advertised from there awhile back.  You have less of a chance seeing whales in Vancouver/Victoria than in Alaska and the operators in Victoria let you know up front that you are not guaranteed to see whales.



Thanks, I know there isn't a guarantee.  If we end up not being able to go on another excursion because of it being booked, then we will pick up a whale watching one in Alaska.


----------



## discruiser

smeecanada said:


> I would say a taxi is your best bet.  They are all relatively close together the charge shouldn't be too high.  According to Mapquest it's less than a 10 min drive.



Thanks!


----------



## MrsG

We are staying in Victoria for a few days after the cruise.  Anyone have an idea as to the best way to get there?  A few scenarios:

1) Should we take quickcoach and rent a car once we get to Victoria, then take quickcoach back to the airport?
2) rent a car in Vancouver, drive (and ferry) to Victoria and return the rental car to the airport?


By cost, would it be more expensive to rent in Vancouver and drive to Victoria and then the airport,  or use quickcoach, and only rent a car for a few days in Victoria?


----------



## smeecanada

MrsG said:


> We are staying in Victoria for a few days after the cruise.  Anyone have an idea as to the best way to get there?  A few scenarios:
> 
> 1) Should we take quickcoach and rent a car once we get to Victoria, then take quickcoach back to the airport?
> 2) rent a car in Vancouver, drive (and ferry) to Victoria and return the rental car to the airport?
> 
> 
> By cost, would it be more expensive to rent in Vancouver and drive to Victoria and then the airport,  or use quickcoach, and only rent a car for a few days in Victoria?



Another option is that you can take the bus to the ferry, walk off and get a cab to the airport and rent the car there.  You need to find out, if there is a drop fee for the rental car.  Ferry will cost you approx. $75 - car/driver and 1 passenger.

Are you flying into Vancouver and out of Victoria?  What are you planning on doing while in Victoria?


----------



## MrsG

smeecanada said:


> Another option is that you can take the bus to the ferry, walk off and get a cab to the airport and rent the car there.  You need to find out, if there is a drop fee for the rental car.  Ferry will cost you approx. $75 - car/driver and 1 passenger.
> 
> Are you flying into Vancouver and out of Victoria?  What are you planning on doing while in Victoria?



We're flying in and out of Vancouver.  Not sure what to do in Victoria.  Any suggestions?


----------



## mellers

MrsG said:


> We're flying in and out of Vancouver.  Not sure what to do in Victoria.  Any suggestions?




I think Butchart Gardens is the very best thing to do.  It's just beautiful.

Me myself, I would avoid high tea.  It's expensive for what it is. (and I hate to dress up  )


----------



## smeecanada

MrsG said:


> We're flying in and out of Vancouver.  Not sure what to do in Victoria.  Any suggestions?



If you like flowers - absolute must is the Butchart Gardens.  Go, so that you can see it both in daylight and at night.  There is nightly entertainment - July and August (not sure when your cruise is) with fireworks set to music on Saturday night.  There is a nice restaurant, a smaller one and a really nice gift shop.

Walk around the Inner Harbour/Empress Hotel/Legislature Buildings.  Possibly visit the Royal BC Museum or the oldest Chinatown in Canada.

If you want no hassles - there is a bus from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria.  Pacific Coachlines.  The ferries generally run hourly in the summer from 7am - 9pm.  The depot in Victoria is right beside the Empress Hotel.  You can rent a car once you are here, use the HopOn/Hop Off Bus (it's not called that - but same idea), or use Grayline Tours for going out to the Gardens.


----------



## geoffrey

mellers said:


> I think Butchart Gardens is the very best thing to do.  It's just beautiful.
> 
> Me myself, I would avoid high tea.  It's expensive for what it is. (and I hate to dress up  )



+1 for Butchart Gardens.

I didn't think I would like high tea either, but I really liked it the one time I did it. I found it to be rather relaxing. You really can't make it go any faster, and that was nice. Had a nice atmosphere too.


----------



## NWmom

mellers said:


> One thing that I probably should mention, for those heading north to Alaska, particularly in June and July, is that the sun comes up VERY EARLY and goes down VERY LATE (to put it into perspective, near the Summer Solstice, in Seattle, which gets much less summer sunshine than Alaska, the sun is usually up before 5 in the morning and down after 9 at night.)
> 
> You might want to make sure any portholes or windows are covered before you go to bed, and warn children that they do have to go to bed in the daytime.



We live in Seattle and have this problem every summer so decided to book an inside passage just to guarantee sleep in Alaska.

We'll do our sightseeing off a public deck area when needed.


----------



## NWmom

Whale watching really depends on the month of your cruise and which kind of whale you are hoping to see.

The whales migrate farther north in the summer. Whale watching outfits move their boats mooring as the whales move. For an idea try this site to get an idea.  island-adventures.com/whalewatching-tours/anacortes-benefits.php  (I'm too knew to post the link so please copy and paste and add the usual three w's in front to make it work)

We took a school trip tour for gray whales last April out of Everett (between Seattle and Vancouver) with this company. Orcas were seen in the area a few weeks later picking on the gray whales. Within a few more weeks they were up by Anacortes(farther north of Everett).

So if you want to see Orcas, try this tour. Just be careful what month you are going matches up to the migration of the whale you want to see.
If you want to see humpbacks I am told Juneau is the place to go.

In the summer you can also sometimes see Orcas off the west side of San Juan Island or riding the ferries in that area. Local laws do restrict how close you can get to the whales so be sure and bring binoculars.


----------



## poohj80

NWmom said:


> Whale watching really depends on the month of your cruise and which kind of whale you are hoping to see.
> 
> The whales migrate farther north in the summer. Whale watching outfits move their boats mooring as the whales move. For an idea try this site to get an idea.  island-adventures.com/whalewatching-tours/anacortes-benefits.php



Thanks so much!  This may alter our plans to go whale watching before our cruise so we can focus on other excursions during the cruise.


----------



## Schachteles

NWmom said:


> Whale watching really depends on the month of your cruise and which kind of whale you are hoping to see.
> 
> The whales migrate farther north in the summer. Whale watching outfits move their boats mooring as the whales move. For an idea try this site to get an idea.  island-adventures.com/whalewatching-tours/anacortes-benefits.php  (I'm too knew to post the link so please copy and paste and add the usual three w's in front to make it work)
> 
> We took a school trip tour for gray whales last April out of Everett (between Seattle and Vancouver) with this company. Orcas were seen in the area a few weeks later picking on the gray whales. Within a few more weeks they were up by Anacortes(farther north of Everett).
> 
> So if you want to see Orcas, try this tour. Just be careful what month you are going matches up to the migration of the whale you want to see.
> If you want to see humpbacks I am told Juneau is the place to go.
> 
> In the summer you can also sometimes see Orcas off the west side of San Juan Island or riding the ferries in that area. Local laws do restrict how close you can get to the whales so be sure and bring binoculars.



Thanks for the information.  Is the link you gave us for out of Seattle?  Would we better off doing the tour out of Seattle Vancouver?  Thanks for your insight 



poohj80 said:


> Thanks so much!  This may alter our plans to go whale watching before our cruise so we can focus on other excursions during the cruise.



Us too!


----------



## DenverVal

smeecanada said:


> If you like flowers - absolute must is the Butchart Gardens.  Go, so that you can see it both in daylight and at night...If you want no hassles - there is a bus from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria.  Pacific Coachlines.  The ferries generally run hourly in the summer from 7am - 9pm.  The depot in Victoria is right beside the Empress Hotel.  You can rent a car once you are here, use the HopOn/Hop Off Bus (it's not called that - but same idea), or use Grayline Tours for going out to the Gardens.


Awesome. This sounds like a great plan. Thanks!


----------



## smeecanada

DenverVal said:


> Awesome. This sounds like a great plan. Thanks!



If you need help with further logistics of Victoria.  Just ask.


----------



## mellers

NWmom said:


> We live in Seattle and have this problem every summer so decided to book an inside passage just to guarantee sleep in Alaska.
> 
> We'll do our sightseeing off a public deck area when needed.


We live just across the lake on the Eastside--we booked an inside cabin too, for the same reason


----------



## smeecanada

There are a couple of special things that happen in Vancouver that people might be interested in doing.....


*Theater Under the Stars*

Outdoor theatre performance in Stanley Park.  Tickets are required.  Plays and dates will be announce by Feb. 1

http://www.tuts.ca/content/2011-information


*Celebration of Light*

3 nights of incredible fireworks set to music in English Bay in Vancouver.  
July 30 / Aug 3 / Aug 6.  Free.  Usually starts around 9:30/10.  This is a competition that has been held annually for years. 


In Victoria....

*The Symphony Splash*

The Victoria Symphony puts on a very popular outdoor concert.  The Symphony performs on a floating barge in the Inner Harbour in front of the Empress Hotel.

Usually held the Sunday of the August Long Weekend.  Which is July 31 this year.  They plays various selections, a couple of young guest performers, and they finish with the 1812 Overture complete with canons.  Free - they have donation barrels if you want to contribute to the Symphony.


----------



## mellers

smeecanada said:


> There are a couple of special things that happen in Vancouver that people might be interested in doing.....
> 
> 
> *Theater Under the Stars*
> 
> Outdoor theatre performance in Stanley Park.  Tickets are required.  Plays and dates will be announce by Feb. 1
> 
> http://www.tuts.ca/content/2011-information
> 
> 
> *Celebration of Light*
> 
> 3 nights of incredible fireworks set to music in English Bay in Vancouver.
> July 30 / Aug 3 / Aug 6.  Free.  Usually starts around 9:30/10.  This is a competition that has been held annually for years.
> 
> 
> In Victoria....
> 
> *The Symphony Splash*
> 
> The Victoria Symphony puts on a very popular outdoor concert.  The Symphony performs on a floating barge in the Inner Harbour in front of the Empress Hotel.
> 
> Usually held the Sunday of the August Long Weekend.  Which is July 31 this year.  They plays various selections, a couple of young guest performers, and they finish with the 1812 Overture complete with canons.  Free - they have donation barrels if you want to contribute to the Symphony.


I would also add Canada Day at the Victoria Parliament Building on July 1st.  We went to Canada Day last year and had a wonderful time!  (My daughter still has her little Canadian flag.)  In addition to live music and a big fireworks celebration, they also have a lot of performers and various little food pavilions down by the waterfront during the day--we loved it.

For those of us from the USA--Canada Day is like Canada's 4th of July.


----------



## mellers

One corollary to the earlier post I made about the long days in Alaska--I am 99% sure Disney will not have fireworks on the cruise.  The reason for this (in addiition to the licenses) is because of those long days--the sun goes down so late, the kids wouldn't be able to stay awake that long.


----------



## CarolAnnC

Just made my hotel reservations at the Pan Pacific for the night prior to our cruise.  Obtained a decent AAA rate, though I believe the lower categories of rooms may already be sold out.  

The reservationist told me the Canadian dollar is a tad stronger than the U.S. dollar right now, but it usually favors the U.S. tourist by summer.  We shall see, I am taking my chances.  No prepaying after what happened to me last year for our rooms prior to the Baltic cruise in Dover U.K.

We are still on the fence about transportation between Seattle and Vancouver, though.  Car rental still a possibility.  The train would be good, but the schedule is not good.  So we shall see on that one.  Still considering perhaps a car service, too.

Anyone else finalizing their plans yet?


----------



## mellers

CarolAnnC said:


> Just made my hotel reservations at the Pan Pacific for the night prior to our cruise.  Obtained a decent AAA rate, though I believe the lower categories of rooms may already be sold out.
> 
> The reservationist told me the Canadian dollar is a tad stronger than the U.S. dollar right now, but it usually favors the U.S. tourist by summer.  We shall see, I am taking my chances.  No prepaying after what happened to me last year for our rooms prior to the Baltic cruise in Dover U.K.
> 
> We are still on the fence about transportation between Seattle and Vancouver, though.  Car rental still a possibility.  The train would be good, but the schedule is not good.  So we shall see on that one.  Still considering perhaps a car service, too.
> 
> Anyone else finalizing their plans yet?


We're taking a car service from the Seattle area (they have a hefty discount through my husband's workplace, and we have 5 people), and staying at the Four Points Sheraton Vancouver Airport in Richmond.   (We also like the La Quinta Vancouver Airport a lot, but we had enough points to spend three nights at the Four Points--free always wins  )


----------



## denise

we are taking the quick shuttle from Vancouver to Seattle. Seemed like the easy thing to do for the three of us.


----------



## lilpooh108

CarolAnnC said:


> Just made my hotel reservations at the Pan Pacific for the night prior to our cruise.  Obtained a decent AAA rate, though I believe the lower categories of rooms may already be sold out.
> 
> The reservationist told me the Canadian dollar is a tad stronger than the U.S. dollar right now, but it usually favors the U.S. tourist by summer.  We shall see, I am taking my chances.  No prepaying after what happened to me last year for our rooms prior to the Baltic cruise in Dover U.K.
> 
> We are still on the fence about transportation between Seattle and Vancouver, though.  Car rental still a possibility.  The train would be good, but the schedule is not good.  So we shall see on that one.  Still considering perhaps a car service, too.
> 
> Anyone else finalizing their plans yet?



CarolAnnC, what was your AAA rate, if you don't mind me asking?  Is it available by phone only?


----------



## cindy18

We booked Pacific Rim using AAA and we did it online.  We have to show our AAA card when we check in to get the rate.  We are flying into Vancouver on the Saturday before our cruise (I think we get in early afternoon) so we have 2 1/2 days to check out the city before we leave.  Our big logistical concern right now is how to get from Vancouver to Seattle once the cruise ends.  Considering the amount of luggage we will have, nothing seems easy, and car rentals (our original idea) are ridiculously expensive.  The shuttle times didn't seem so good.  I'd be interested in a car service, but I don't have any ideas about how to find a reliable one.  Thoughts?


----------



## mellers

cindy18 said:


> We booked Pan Pacific using AAA and we just did it online.  We have to show our AAA card when we check in to get the rate.  We are flying into Vancouver on the Saturday before our cruise (I think we get in early afternoon) so we have 2 1/2 days to check out the city before we leave.  Our big logistical concern right now is how to get from Vancouver to Seattle once the cruise ends.  Considering the amount of luggage we will have, nothing seems easy, and car rentals (our original idea) are ridiculously expensive.  The shuttle times didn't seem so good.  I'd be interested in a car service, but I don't have any ideas about how to find a reliable one.  Thoughts?



Cindy--I have had good luck with Seattle Green Limo--http://www.seattlegreenlimo.com  They've been quite reliable.   Which cruise are you taking?


----------



## cindy18

mellers said:


> Cindy--I have had good luck with Seattle Green Limo--http://www.seattlegreenlimo.com  They've been quite reliable.   Which cruise are you taking?



Thanks for this suggestion! We are on the August 23rd cruise.


----------



## mellers

cindy18 said:


> Thanks for this suggestion! We are on the August 23rd cruise.



Unfortunately, we will be leaving just as you're boarding, otherwise I would have offered to share.


----------



## poohj80

mellers said:


> Cindy--I have had good luck with Seattle Green Limo--http://www.seattlegreenlimo.com  They've been quite reliable.   Which cruise are you taking?



I didn't see anything on their site about transportation from SEATAC to Vancouver.  Can you give me an idea of their prices for such transfers?



mellers said:


> Unfortunately, we will be leaving just as you're boarding, otherwise I would have offered to share.



And we'll be boarding as Cindy is leaving.


----------



## cindy18

It's too bad we can't all go together!


----------



## CarolAnnC

lilpooh108 said:


> CarolAnnC, what was your AAA rate, if you don't mind me asking?  Is it available by phone only?



We paid $269 CAD per room per night.  You can book it on the website, if still available.


----------



## mellers

poohj80 said:


> I didn't see anything on their site about transportation from SEATAC to Vancouver.  Can you give me an idea of their prices for such transfers?
> 
> 
> 
> And we'll be boarding as Cindy is leaving.



They are pretty expensive.  What made it worth it for us is that my husband gets a 20% Microsoft discount, he has a heart condition (which makes hauling around luggage not good for him at all), and we have 5 people going.  Otherwise, we would have used the Quick Shuttle (and usually do).

We were quoted a one-way fare of $455.40 (including fuel, but not including gratuity, and I believe taxes are also extra--double-check), before the discount.  This does have the potential to go higher if there is a long wait at the border.  ($69/hr. over 30 minutes at the border).  The advantage of this is that it's a straight shot back to Seattle, and you don't have to make a second transfer.  We have 5 people, and we would have to take a taxi to catch the Quick Shuttle, so overall it was an okay deal for us.


----------



## mellers

cindy18 said:


> It's too bad we can't all go together!



I know!  It wouldn't just have been less expensive, it would have been more fun.


----------



## cindy18

mellers said:


> They are pretty expensive.  What made it worth it for us is that my husband gets a 20% Microsoft discount, he has a heart condition (which makes hauling around luggage not good for him at all), and we have 5 people going.  Otherwise, we would have used the Quick Shuttle (and usually do).
> 
> We were quoted a one-way fare of $455.40 (including fuel, but not including gratuity, and I believe taxes are also extra--double-check), before the discount.  This does have the potential to go higher if there is a long wait at the border.  ($69/hr. over 30 minutes at the border).  The advantage of this is that it's a straight shot back to Seattle, and you don't have to make a second transfer.  We have 5 people, and we would have to take a taxi to catch the Quick Shuttle, so overall it was an okay deal for us.



I saw one quote from a Vancouver company that was actually slightly higher than that (or maybe it was because it was in Canadian dollars), so that's probably the going rate.  Renting a car is as expensive, and it's a bigger hassle because you have to get yourself to a car rental location that is willing to let you take the car to Seattle (usually at the airport).  Forgot about the wait at the border.....


----------



## cwdefouw

Just a question for the locals on this event...

*Celebration of Light*

3 nights of incredible fireworks set to music in English Bay in Vancouver.  
July 30 / Aug 3 / Aug 6.  Free.  Usually starts around 9:30/10.  This is a competition that has been held annually for years. 


Where would be a good place to view the fireworks? We will be arriving in Vancouver on 7/30 and would like to see this if possible.

Thanks,
Chris


----------



## mellers

One note about the Quick Shuttle--it's a very comfortable ride, and my family and I have taken it several times, but one thing you should do if you are taking it out of Sea Tac is send one person ahead to pick up your bags, and have one person buy lunch/dinner for everyone at the food court before you leave the secure area (otherwise, you're stuck with sandwiches).  

There's fish and chips (Anthony's is better than Ivar's), hamburgers (Wendy's), burritos (Qdoba), an Italian place, and an Asian place (forget the names) in the food court, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding something to please everyone.

The Quick Shuttle has an onboard restroom, so that is not a problem, but there is no food stop and the kids can get really hungry.  If you need something to amuse the kids, there's also a Borders bookstore in the secure area, as well as some general kid shops, so it's easy to grab something on the way through.

Enjoy your trip!


----------



## piglet33

cindy18 said:


> Thanks for this suggestion! We are on the August 23rd cruise.



 I'm on the same cruise!


----------



## cindy18

piglet33 said:


> I'm on the same cruise!


----------



## smeecanada

cwdefouw said:


> Just a question for the locals on this event...
> 
> *Celebration of Light*
> 
> 3 nights of incredible fireworks set to music in English Bay in Vancouver.
> July 30 / Aug 3 / Aug 6.  Free.  Usually starts around 9:30/10.  This is a competition that has been held annually for years.
> 
> 
> Where would be a good place to view the fireworks? We will be arriving in Vancouver on 7/30 and would like to see this if possible.
> 
> Thanks,
> Chris



Any place around English Bay.  The area is huge.  The couple of times we've gone, we've gotten a spot on the beach in front of the food kiosks.  You need to head down around 7-7:30 to get a good spot.  It's a fun atmosphere and the time passes quickly.


----------



## disdel

mellers said:


> Before you take the Coal Coast Hotel's word for it, I would call 1 (604) 681 1111 and check with Yellow Cab Vancouver.  From what I know about Vancouver, $30 seems like WAY too little to get from the Airport to the Coal Coast



Well, finally got time to call - they told me about $30-$33, YVR to Coast Coal Harbour, so it seems the hotels website gave decent advice. They also told me that their taxis hold 4 passengers plus luggage.


----------



## mellers

disdel said:


> Well, finally got time to call - they told me about $30-$33, YVR to Coast Coal Harbour, so it seems the hotels website gave decent advice. They also told me that their taxis hold 4 passengers plus luggage.



Sounds like a good deal!  Thanks for checking.


----------



## my three girls

Pardon me if this has been covered. Approximately how long does it take (by train or bus) to travel from the port after the cruise to Seattle for a flight. We were looking at a 2:50 pm flight. Is it realistic to make this flight?
Thanks.


----------



## mellers

my three girls said:


> Pardon me if this has been covered. Approximately how long does it take (by train or bus) to travel from the port after the cruise to Seattle for a flight. We were looking at a 2:50 pm flight. Is it realistic to make this flight?
> Thanks.



That seems to be cutting it a bit close to me.  You never know if there is a delay at customs or some problem, and even an hour's delay could cause trouble for you.  That being said, here is the Quick Shuttle's schedule for a summer Saturday, at least at this time:

The bus departs the Cruise Terminal at 9 a.m. and is due into Sea-Tac at 1:20 p.m.  

If you got a car service, you might (MIGHT) shave off an hour, but I would be very nervous to cut it that close.


----------



## smeecanada

my three girls said:


> Pardon me if this has been covered. Approximately how long does it take (by train or bus) to travel from the port after the cruise to Seattle for a flight. We were looking at a 2:50 pm flight. Is it realistic to make this flight?
> Thanks.



Not enough time.

It's approximately a 3+ hour drive + border time from the Port to Seattle.  If you take the train you will need to get from downtown Seattle to the airport as well.  For driving, you are going through major bottle neck areas in both cities, although the buses have dedicated expressways in some areas.  If there are any delays - it could be a major back up.


----------



## my three girls

smeecanada said:


> Not enough time.
> 
> It's approximately a 3+ hour drive + border time from the Port to Seattle.  If you take the train you will need to get from downtown Seattle to the airport as well.  For driving, you are going through major bottle neck areas in both cities, although the buses have dedicated expressways in some areas.  If there are any delays - it could be a major back up.



Thanks, that's what I thought. We'll just have to burn another vacation day and fly back Wednesday. Still much cheaper to fly Southwest out of Seattle.


----------



## DenverVal

disdel said:


> Well, finally got time to call - they told me about $30-$33, YVR to Coast Coal Harbour, so it seems the hotels website gave decent advice. They also told me that their taxis hold 4 passengers plus luggage.


Glad to know this. Thanks for sharing the info!


----------



## mellers

my three girls said:


> Thanks, that's what I thought. We'll just have to burn another vacation day and fly back Wednesday. Still much cheaper to fly Southwest out of Seattle.



I don't know if this would work out with your times, or if the Quick Shuttle would even do this, but what might work out to be an inexpensive option for you is to get the Quick Shuttle and spend the night at the Best Western Executive Inn--the Space Needle area (it's called Seattle Center) has some of the best stuff for kids--the Children's Museum, the Pacific Science Center, the Experience Music Project/Sci Fi Museum, and, of course, the Space Needle itself.  That's all walking distance from the Executive Inn.

(Our relatives live in Richmond, BC, and when they come to visit us, we usually meet up at Seattle Center so they can get off at the Executive Inn)

If you took the Quick Shuttle from the Vancouver Cruise Terminal, it would drop you right off at the Executive Inn, so you wouldn't need to purchase a separate taxi to get you to your hotel, and you wouldn't need a car to see Seattle Center (you could also take the monorail over to Pike Place Market, the waterfront, and the aquarium pretty easily, if the mood struck you.)

If the Quick Shuttle would allow you to do a stopover (I don't know if they would--you would have to call and ask), then you could pick it up in the morning, and let it take you to the airport, and you wouldn't need to worry about your airport transportation the next day.

You also might want to see if it would be cheaper just to take a taxi to the airport the next day (depends on the size of your family)--it is much cheaper to take the Quick Shuttle from the Cruise Terminal to the Executive Inn than from the Cruise Terminal to the airport.


----------



## tanyaewa

If you use priceline or hotwire for  3.4 - 5 star hotel in the Downtown District or West End  - you will get a great hotel at about a $20 cab ride frm the Port for anywhere from $70-$150.
Last weekend I got 4star Westin Bayshores on priceline for $85.  Our room had a view of the Canada Place sails.

Vancouver has amazing hotels in the 3.5 star to 5 star range.  Check betterbidding for what hotels are currently going for.


----------



## DenverVal

That's the direction I'm leaning towards. As long as I can choose the area and the quality, it's all good. No more obsessing.


----------



## pixie08

Hi everyone. DH and I are very seriously considering an Alaskan cruise for Aug. The flights are priced quite high, and since we would only be staying one night I think I would like to try priceline or hotwire for the first time. I read in the beginning of the post Downtown West is what I should be looking for.

Which site do you prefer and why for Vancouver? For a four star how much should I even start at? Thank you if you can help me at all


----------



## mellers

pixie08 said:


> Hi everyone. DH and I are very seriously considering an Alaskan cruise for Aug. The flights are priced quite high, and since we would only be staying one night I think I would like to try priceline or hotwire for the first time. I read in the beginning of the post Downtown West is what I should be looking for.
> 
> Which site do you prefer and why for Vancouver? For a four star how much should I even start at? Thank you if you can help me at all



I have never stayed at a 4-star hotel in Vancouver, so I can't help you there, but you may want to consider flying into Seattle and taking either a car service or the Quick Shuttle (http://www.quickcoach.com ) to Vancouver from the airport (although, if you do, be sure to get a take-out meal to take on the shuttle).  

The Quickcoach will take you directly from the Seattle Airport to most of the downtown hotels in Vancouver, and while you will have to go through customs processing at the border, it's usually less of a pain in the backside to cross the border on the ground than in the air, and customs is usually far less time-consuming (and, from my experiences, far less surly)

It is definitely not 4-star, but where we tend to stay in Vancouver is the La Quinta Vancouver Airport in Richmond, or the Four Points Sheraton Vancouver Airport in Richmond.  Both are decent places; the La Quinta has a very nice breakfast, a small (DEEP!) indoor pool, a fitness center, and a coin laundry.  The Four Points has the best beds (VERY comfortable), and we generally have enough points to stay their for free, so they're the winner for our cruise this time.

Both hotels have a free shuttle from the Vancouver airport, and are near a good-sized shopping mall with a Zellers (think Target), Toys R Us, and a good sized food court.  Richmond itself is kind of an upscale Chinatown, and they have some incredible Chinese food, but if you're not very adventurous it may be a bit too much.  The mall is next to the SkyTrain, one of the major mass transit lines, which will take you into Vancouver proper, although you will need a taxi or car service to take you to the port, and you should budget an hour to get to port.

As far as 4-stars go, I've heard good things about the Pan Pacific and the Westin Bayshore, although I cannot speak from personal experience.  I believe both of those hotels are fairly close to the harbor.

At any rate, I hope you have a great cruise.


----------



## pixie08

tanyaewa said:


> If you use priceline or hotwire for  3.4 - 5 star hotel in the Downtown District or West End  - you will get a great hotel at about a $20 cab ride frm the Port for anywhere from $70-$150.
> Last weekend I got 4star Westin Bayshores on priceline for $85.  Our room had a view of the Canada Place sails.
> 
> Vancouver has amazing hotels in the 3.5 star to 5 star range.  Check betterbidding for what hotels are currently going for.



I just saw this! Thank you everyone.


----------



## Ginamarie

I posted a thread on the main board, but haven't had much of a response.. just wondering how early we can schedule flights after debarkation.  I called DCL yesterday and they said nothing before noon.  Unfortunately, that severely limits my options for getting back to the east coast.  There's a 10:30 am flight, but if that's too early I can't get into JFK until the redeye!


----------



## DisneyCruisin

We're wondering about return flights too and what to do with luggage. 

Most flights are first thing in the morning, and we want to avoid staying an extra night(since we're coming in a few days early).  We found a good price for a 6:30 PM flight, but what do we do with our luggage if we want to spend time in Vancouver between disembarkation and getting to the aiport?


----------



## Pooh667

Ginamarie said:


> I posted a thread on the main board, but haven't had much of a response.. just wondering how early we can schedule flights after debarkation.  I called DCL yesterday and they said nothing before noon.  Unfortunately, that severely limits my options for getting back to the east coast.  There's a 10:30 am flight, but if that's too early I can't get into JFK until the redeye!



Hi,

I understand your dilemma.  We too are from NY.  To avoid having to fly home on the red eye, we are actually taking Air Cananda out of Newark.  JFK is 15 mins. from us and LGA is about 30 minutes away from us but Newark had the best flight time.  We are travelling with young children and several elderly people so the red eye could not be an option for us. Good luck with your flights!


----------



## Ginamarie

Pooh667 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I understand your dilemma.  We too are from NY.  To avoid having to fly home on the red eye, we are actually taking Air Cananda out of Newark.  JFK is 15 mins. from us and LGA is about 30 minutes away from us but Newark had the best flight time.  We are travelling with young children and several elderly people so the red eye could not be an option for us. Good luck with your flights!



Thanks!  We live on Long Island and I see that Air Canada has two options into La  Guardia which are around noon.  I think we'll be doing that!


----------



## mellers

DisneyCruisin said:


> We're wondering about return flights too and what to do with luggage.
> 
> Most flights are first thing in the morning, and we want to avoid staying an extra night(since we're coming in a few days early).  We found a good price for a 6:30 PM flight, but what do we do with our luggage if we want to spend time in Vancouver between disembarkation and getting to the aiport?



I don't know the exact details, but I know that Canada Place terminal does short-term luggage storage.  Canada Place publishes that they have it, but they don't give details.  I found this online, which has more details, but I can't verify its accuracy:

http://www.luggageguides.com/articles/1528/luggage-storage-area-in-canada.html


----------



## wdhinn89

How many hours ahead of your flight can you check in your luggage at the airport.

We are taking DCL transportation back to the airport and planning on checking our luggage and renting a car for the day.  Our flight is at 10:00pm.


OR

we will cancel the return transfers to the airport and rent a car for the day, store the luggage in the trunk and return the car to the airport.  Have to check the cost difference and if we could check our luggage at the airport 12 hours before our flight


----------



## jilljill

wdhinn89 said:


> How many hours ahead of your flight can you check in your luggage at the airport.
> 
> We are taking DCL transportation back to the airport and planning on checking our luggage and renting a car for the day.  Our flight is a 10:00pm.



It's usually no longer than 3 hours before flight time, but check with your airline to be sure.  Looks like you will be taking your luggage with you for the day.


----------



## mouseclick1

wdhinn89 said:


> How many hours ahead of your flight can you check in your luggage at the airport.
> 
> We are taking DCL transportation back to the airport and planning on checking our luggage and renting a car for the day.  Our flight is at 10:00pm.
> 
> 
> OR
> 
> *we will cancel the return transfers to the airport and rent a car for the day, store the luggage in the trunk and return the car to the airport.*  Have to check the cost difference and if we could check our luggage at the airport 12 hours before our flight



Hmmm...I hadn't thought of doing this.  We are taking a 5:45 pm train to Seattle, and planned to have the luggage stored for the afternoon at Canada Place.  I wonder if we would be better off renting a car for the afternoon and carting our luggage around ourselves.  Something to think about!


----------



## mellers

wdhinn89 said:


> How many hours ahead of your flight can you check in your luggage at the airport.
> 
> We are taking DCL transportation back to the airport and planning on checking our luggage and renting a car for the day.  Our flight is at 10:00pm.
> 
> 
> OR
> 
> we will cancel the return transfers to the airport and rent a car for the day, store the luggage in the trunk and return the car to the airport.  Have to check the cost difference and if we could check our luggage at the airport 12 hours before our flight



Depending upon how far afield you plan to go, you might be better off storing your luggage and taking taxis to the places you plan to visit and back to the airport.  If it's only $33 to take a taxi from Canada Place to the airport, that's not bad.  If you took a taxi over to Stanley Park, went through the park and the aquarium, and came back, got your luggage and went to the airport, I would think that would be your whole day.

Remember, the cost of gas in Canada is a lot higher than in the United States.


----------



## DisneyCruisin

mellers said:


> I don't know the exact details, but I know that Canada Place terminal does short-term luggage storage.  Canada Place publishes that they have it, but they don't give details.  I found this online, which has more details, but I can't verify its accuracy:
> 
> http://www.luggageguides.com/articles/1528/luggage-storage-area-in-canada.html



Thanks so much!


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

What do you all think is the easiest way to get from the Amtrak station to the Pan Pacific hotel?  We are taking the Amtrak Cascades from Seattle.... Are cabs readily available?  And around how much will the fare be? There will be 4 of us ... myself, DH, DS(8) and DD(5). Thanks!


----------



## pixie08

Ginamarie said:


> Thanks!  We live on Long Island and I see that Air Canada has two options into La  Guardia which are around noon.  I think we'll be doing that!



We are also from LI, most likely doing Air Canada and taking an 11 am on debarkation day.


----------



## mellers

DisneyCruiser2008 said:


> What do you all think is the easiest way to get from the Amtrak station to the Pan Pacific hotel?  We are taking the Amtrak Cascades from Seattle.... Are cabs readily available?  And around how much will the fare be? There will be 4 of us ... myself, DH, DS(8) and DD(5). Thanks!



I can't say what the fare would be exactly, and I can't speak to the availability of taxis, but the station is only about 1.5 miles away from Canada Place, so I can't think it would be very expensive at all.


----------



## Ginamarie

pixie08 said:


> We are also from LI, most likely doing Air Canada and taking an 11 am on debarkation day.



I heard that the Vancouver security line can be lengthy and slow, so I booked the 12:00 pm flight through Toronto.  We have a group of 12 with two infants, a toddler, and three kids, so it's a lot to keep track of!  At least this way, we can take our time from the ship to the airport and getting onto the plane.


----------



## mellers

Ginamarie said:


> I heard that the Vancouver security line can be lengthy and slow, so I booked the 12:00 pm flight through Toronto.  We have a group of 12 with two infants, a toddler, and three kids, so it's a lot to keep track of!  At least this way, we can take our time from the ship to the airport and getting onto the plane.



You mean Vancouver, not Toronto, right????


----------



## mellers

mellers said:


> You mean Vancouver, not Toronto, right????



Sorry, I misread--it looks like you mean that you'll be connecting through Toronto.


----------



## Ginamarie

mellers said:


> Sorry, I misread--it looks like you mean that you'll be connecting through Toronto.



Yes, Vancouver to Toronto and then Toronto to La Guardia


----------



## mellers

Ginamarie said:


> Yes, Vancouver to Toronto and then Toronto to La Guardia



That's a very good plan--customs is a real pain.


----------



## pixie08

Ginamarie said:


> I heard that the Vancouver security line can be lengthy and slow, so I booked the 12:00 pm flight through Toronto.  We have a group of 12 with two infants, a toddler, and three kids, so it's a lot to keep track of!  At least this way, we can take our time from the ship to the airport and getting onto the plane.



I am going to look at that flight. The problem is DH and I both have to get to work the next day so I need a flight that gets in before midnight.

I checked- that does look like a better flight. It gives us time, and still gets us home at a reasonable hour. Thanks!


----------



## MinnieDiva

pixie08 said:


> I am going to look at that flight. The problem is DH and I both have to get to work the next day so I need a flight that gets in before midnight.
> 
> I checked- that does look like a better flight. It gives us time, and still gets us home at a reasonable hour. Thanks!



Have you booked the cruise officially???


----------



## Ginamarie

pixie08 said:


> I am going to look at that flight. The problem is DH and I both have to get to work the next day so I need a flight that gets in before midnight.
> 
> I checked- that does look like a better flight. It gives us time, and still gets us home at a reasonable hour. Thanks!




Same here! If the flights run on time, we should be home around midnight, so it won't be too bad getting to work on Wednesday.


----------



## OrcaPotter

Forgive me if these  questions have been asked countless times already; I've gone back and read several pages but am trying to get an idea of the cheapest route to the port in Vancouver.  My friends and family are hoping an Alaska Disney cruise is something we can pull off!

It's mad-expensive to fly direct from Orlando to Vancouver.  However, much cheaper to fly to Seattle.  I understand there are a few options.  It'd be cool to take the train and seems relatively inexpensive.  How far is the train station from the airport?  Would we require a cab to get there?

Would folks recommend flying into Seattle the day before the cruise, then taking the train first thing in the morning?  I gather that the train station in Vancouver is very close to the port.  Do you think it'd be cheaper to stay overnight in Seattle than in Vancouver?


----------



## mellers

OrcaPotter said:


> Forgive me if these  questions have been asked countless times already; I've gone back and read several pages but am trying to get an idea of the cheapest route to the port in Vancouver.  My friends and family are hoping an Alaska Disney cruise is something we can pull off!
> 
> It's mad-expensive to fly direct from Orlando to Vancouver.  However, much cheaper to fly to Seattle.  I understand there are a few options.  It'd be cool to take the train and seems relatively inexpensive.  How far is the train station from the airport?  Would we require a cab to get there?
> 
> Would folks recommend flying into Seattle the day before the cruise, then taking the train first thing in the morning?  I gather that the train station in Vancouver is very close to the port.  Do you think it'd be cheaper to stay overnight in Seattle than in Vancouver?



I live outside Seattle, and I'd recommend taking the Quick Shuttle (http://www.quickcoach.com ), because, unlike Amtrak, it will take you directly from Sea-Tac to Vancouver (but send someone ahead to pick up the luggage, and one of you get take-out food before you leave the secure area--the QuickShuttle doesn't stop for meals, and it's a LONG ride).   While it would probably be cheaper to stay at a Seattle airport hotel, and then get on the Quick Shuttle and go directly to Canada Place, I would not recommend it.  There's just too many things that can go wrong during a border crossing.

You'd have a more expensive cab ride to the terminal, but there is a very pleasant, inexpensive, good hotel for families in Richmond, BC, near the Vancouver airport--The Vancouver Airport La Quinta.  If you take the QuickShuttle from Sea-Tac to the Vancouver Airport, the hotel has a free shuttle from YVR.  It also has a nice breakfast, and a small (but DEEP!) indoor pool that can be fun for kids.  Another good hotel in this area is the Four Points Vancouver Airport--we got it free for points, so we'll be staying there. They also have a free airport shuttle.

http://www.lq.com/lq/respath/checkA...&searchState=&searchRadius=40&searchCategory=

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=213

There's also a Zellers nearby (like a Target) if you need anything last minute.  You can then take a cab to the cruise terminal, or hire a car to the cruise terminal.  If you get a good deal closer to the cruise terminal, call the Quick Shuttle and it may drop you off directly at your hotel, which might save you that last taxi ride--that should definitely figure into your financial calculations as to where would be best to stay.  It will cost you between $33-$89, depending upon how you travel and how crazy the traffic is, to go from the La Quinta or Four Points to the cruise terminal, by taxi or by hired car.

If you can get a good deal at the Pan Pacific, the Canada Place website says that it's right at the Cruise Terminal, but from what I've heard from others on this site, it's kind of scary expensive.  Worth a call to check, however.

Hope you get a chance to go, and enjoy your cruise!


----------



## pixie08

MinnieDiva said:


> Have you booked the cruise officially???



As of today...yes we did!I can't believe it. This is going to be so much fun. I can't believe we are all going to be on the same cruise again. I was just headed over the the cruise meets thread


----------



## xrobmn

discruiser said:


> Right now we are planning on flying to Seattle, taking the Amtrak to Vancouver and staying one night at the Comfort Inn Downtown near Nelson and Granville.  Is a cab our best bet to get from the train station to the hotel?  What about the hotel to the port?
> 
> Thanks!
> Kim



Wow.. we are doing the same thing for the first Alaska Sailing.. Flying into Seattle on May 1.. Amtrek from SEA to VAC on May 2.. Staying at the Hampton Inn and Suites that night. and then hotel shuttle it to the port the morning of the cruise..   From what I've read, the Hampton has a shuttle that will pick up guests at the Amtrak station and drop you off at the port for free.

Then when done. amtrak back that night.. stay the Tuesday night in Seattle and fly home Weds.. 

Should be a blast!


----------



## xrobmn

OrcaPotter said:


> Forgive me if these  questions have been asked countless times already; I've gone back and read several pages but am trying to get an idea of the cheapest route to the port in Vancouver.  My friends and family are hoping an Alaska Disney cruise is something we can pull off!
> 
> It's mad-expensive to fly direct from Orlando to Vancouver.  However, much cheaper to fly to Seattle.  I understand there are a few options.  It'd be cool to take the train and seems relatively inexpensive.  How far is the train station from the airport?  Would we require a cab to get there?
> 
> Would folks recommend flying into Seattle the day before the cruise, then taking the train first thing in the morning?  I gather that the train station in Vancouver is very close to the port.  Do you think it'd be cheaper to stay overnight in Seattle than in Vancouver?



My wife and I took Amtrak.. terminal in Vancouver is about 2 or so miles (if that. googlemap is tough to guess   )  and the price was right.. it was about twice the price to fly from Rochester, MN to Vancouver than Seattle..  So we're flying 2 days (Sunday) before the cruise to get to Seattle.. Spending Sunday night there and Amtrak the next day to Vancouver.. Then spending the night and then cruise time 

Amtrak Casdades route was $177 for the both of us round trip (upgraded to first class.. was like an extra $35 or so to do that for bth of us for both ways.. )  Wife will be 22 weeks pregnant, so wanted her to go in style 

If you have any questions, let me know.. or there appear to be a ton of other smart people in here


----------



## smeecanada

Ginamarie said:


> I posted a thread on the main board, but haven't had much of a response.. just wondering how early we can schedule flights after debarkation.  I called DCL yesterday and they said nothing before noon.  Unfortunately, that severely limits my options for getting back to the east coast.  There's a 10:30 am flight, but if that's too early I can't get into JFK until the redeye!





pixie08 said:


> We are also from LI, most likely doing Air Canada and taking an 11 am on debarkation day.



I personally wouldn't schedule a flight prior to 12 noon.  It's an hour drive from Downtown Vancouver to the Airport.  Most people are most likely taking an International flight, so recommended to be there 2 hours prior to boarding.  It can take you at least an hour to go through checking in, security and customs before boarding your flight.  

I'm heading through there in early March, so will time how long it takes us to go through the process.


----------



## rsjj

ok...time to plan, and do more research...but my apologies, if it's been asked numerous times before...

1) where will the boat be docked?  trying to figure out our hotel stay. 
2) will we need to rent a car?  is public transportation pretty good in vancouver?  we are flying into vancouver international...have 2 dss (12 & 9), plus luggage...

that's all for now, i think.  thank you in advance!


----------



## poohj80

Ok...just noticed the Kids Sail Free offer in May and now thinking about changing from an Aug cruise to May.  My biggest concern is I thought I'd had three more months to plan stuff and if we make this move final payment would be do now plus shore excursions reserved when I haven't figured out which I want yet.

Can anyone help convince me one way or the other?

Thanks!
PJ


----------



## smeecanada

rsjj said:


> ok...time to plan, and do more research...but my apologies, if it's been asked numerous times before...
> 
> 1) where will the boat be docked?  trying to figure out our hotel stay.
> 2) will we need to rent a car?  is public transportation pretty good in vancouver?  we are flying into vancouver international...have 2 dss (12 & 9), plus luggage...
> 
> that's all for now, i think.  thank you in advance!



Port of Vancouver finally has their Cruise Schedule up.  It's showing that Disney Wonder is docking at *CANADA PLACE*
.

Public transportation is really good in Vancouver.  There is a rapid line train from the Airport to Downtown (basically the Port).  However, with luggage I would recommend looking into a shuttle or taxi.  The Canada Line train will cost you $7.50 per person.


----------



## smeecanada

poohj80 said:


> Ok...just noticed the Kids Sail Free offer in May and now thinking about changing from an Aug cruise to May.  My biggest concern is I thought I'd had three more months to plan stuff and if we make this move final payment would be do now plus shore excursions reserved when I haven't figured out which I want yet.
> 
> Can anyone help convince me one way or the other?
> 
> Thanks!
> PJ



It'll be colder/possibly wetter in Alaska in May.  Chance you won't get very far into Tracy Arm Fjord due to the ice.  It'll be wetter in Vancouver in May.


----------



## mmmears

smeecanada said:


> Port of Vancouver finally has their Cruise Schedule up.  It's showing that Disney Wonder is docking at *CANADA PLACE*
> .



 Thank you for sharing this information!!! I'm sooooo glad it's at Canada Place since we'll be staying right at the pier!


----------



## jilljill

poohj80 said:


> Ok...just noticed the Kids Sail Free offer in May and now thinking about changing from an Aug cruise to May.  My biggest concern is I thought I'd had three more months to plan stuff and if we make this move final payment would be do now plus shore excursions reserved when I haven't figured out which I want yet.
> 
> Can anyone help convince me one way or the other?
> 
> Thanks!
> PJ



If the savings is significant then I say move your cruise.  It's less time to wait and you would have to make up your mind concerning excursions.
Don't forget to price out flights to see if they would be lower in May or August.


----------



## poohj80

jilljill said:


> If the savings is significant then I say move your cruise.  It's less time to wait and you would have to make up your mind concerning excursions.
> Don't forget to price out flights to see if they would be lower in May or August.



Thanks for the suggestions!  I am looking at flights right now, but hadn't thought about weather.  Has anyone researched the best times to cruise Alaska for best chance of good weather?


----------



## wdhinn89

July and August are the best months of the year to cruise Alaska.


----------



## poohj80

wdhinn89 said:


> July and August are the best months of the year to cruise Alaska.



So maybe I should stick with what I have and hope they offer another Kids Sail Free since kids should be back in school by then as well.


----------



## rsjj

smeecanada said:


> Port of Vancouver finally has their Cruise Schedule up.  It's showing that Disney Wonder is docking at *CANADA PLACE*
> .
> 
> Public transportation is really good in Vancouver.  There is a rapid line train from the Airport to Downtown (basically the Port).  However, with luggage I would recommend looking into a shuttle or taxi.  The Canada Line train will cost you $7.50 per person.



thank you so much for the info!!  really appreciate it!  more planning for me.


----------



## smeecanada

poohj80 said:


> So maybe I should stick with what I have and hope they offer another Kids Sail Free since kids should be back in school by then as well.



Don't count on it.  We're on the second to last cruise and there was only one CAT available a few days ago.  Plus, the majority of the schools up here don't go back in until after Labour Day.


----------



## poohj80

smeecanada said:


> Don't count on it.  We're on the second to last cruise and there was only one CAT available a few days ago.  Plus, the majority of the schools up here don't go back in until after Labour Day.



I know it's a long shot, but we're on the last cruise and there are lots of cabins available in every category right now so never hurts to wonder.


----------



## stsomewhere

smeecanada said:


> Don't count on it.  We're on the second to last cruise and there was only one CAT available a few days ago.  Plus, the majority of the schools up here don't go back in until after Labour Day.



There were more categories today open


----------



## MinnieDiva

stsomewhere said:


> There were more categories today open



Some of us were chit chatting about this the other day and it was brought up that the # in your party also affects availabity......


----------



## okwjim

Thanks for the effort.


----------



## okwjim

thanks


----------



## sunshine1259

The price of our cabin dropped in price for our cruise (August 30th).  I had DCL apply the new rates.  Now, at least one of us can go to Palo and have a drink to boot!!!


----------



## poohj80

sunshine1259 said:


> The price of our cabin dropped in price for our cruise (August 30th).  I had DCL apply the new rates.  Now, at least one of us can go to Palo and have a drink to boot!!!



What category cabin did those of you who noticed the price has fallen have booked?  I can't tell if mine has or not.


----------



## sunshine1259

poohj80 said:


> What category cabin did those of you who noticed the price has fallen have booked?  I can't tell if mine has or not.




We are in Category 5C.  We booked onboard in 2009.


----------



## okwjim

Thanks for the info


----------



## poohj80

sunshine1259 said:


> We are in Category 5C.  We booked onboard in 2009.



Thanks!  We booked on board too but I don't know how much to take off the prices I see online to compare to what I'm paying.  Is it a straight 10%?


----------



## sunshine1259

poohj80 said:


> Thanks!  We booked on board too but I don't know how much to take off the prices I see online to compare to what I'm paying.  Is it a straight 10%?



Yes, I took off 10% from the cruise only amount.  Then, I compared that amount to the amount that I had booked on board.  It was about $30.00.  But hey, $30.00 is $30.00.


----------



## DenverVal

The 10% doesn't include any of the taxes, fees, transfers, etc., just the cruise fare.


----------



## Petals & Pixie Dust

We are staying in Vancouver the night before at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel...What restaurants are close by??? Anyone on have any suggestions???


----------



## northyvr

Petals & Pixie Dust said:


> We are staying in Vancouver the night before at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel...What restaurants are close by??? Anyone on have any suggestions???



The Fairmont Pacific Rim is gorgeous.  You'll love it there.  There are tons of fantastic restaurants nearby for dining.  Here's a website that offers unbiased reviews and online reservations:
http://www.opentable.com/start.aspx?m=73


----------



## DCLInauguralXmas

Prior to our DCL Alaskan cruise this summer, will be traveling cross country in a 31 foot motorhome.  We are planning to arrive in Vancouver a few days before the cruise and would like to find a campground will electric, sewer, and water hook up.  The only one that I can find is on Victoria Island.  That would be very cool but not very accessible to the sites that we would like to visit while we are in Vancouver.  I have rented a parking spot during the cruise so it would just be for a few days of camping. All suggestions would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!


----------



## mellers

DCLInauguralXmas said:


> Prior to our DCL Alaskan cruise this summer, will be traveling cross country in a 31 foot motorhome.  We are planning to arrive in Vancouver a few days before the cruise and would like to find a campground will electric, sewer, and water hook up.  The only one that I can find is on Victoria Island.  That would be very cool but not very accessible to the sites that we would like to visit while we are in Vancouver.  I have rented a parking spot during the cruise so it would just be for a few days of camping. All suggestions would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!



Would this help?  It seems to be the closest to Vancouver; it's just outside the city limits:

http://capilanorvpark.com/


----------



## plutojudy

Can anyone tell me if the La Qunita at Vancouver airport is a good option for a pre cruise stay? Is it in a safe area?


----------



## poohj80

Does anyone have any suggestions of where to stay in Seattle that might offer airport Shuttle service or be closed to Amtrak for catching the train to Vancouver?

Thanks!


----------



## stepknees

poohj80 said:


> Does anyone have any suggestions of where to stay in Seattle that might offer airport Shuttle service or be closed to Amtrak for catching the train to Vancouver?
> 
> Thanks!



There are plenty of hotels around the airport that will offer shuttle service to the hotel. The issue will be that the airport and Amtrak stations are not near each other at all. You will likely have to choose a cab/limo/SuperShuttle for one part of the trip. The Silver Cloud (next to Safeco Field) is probably the closest hotel to the Amtrak station -- maybe 3 blocks to walk.

One thing you might want to check is if there are trains for Vancouver that depart from the Tukwila station (If there is a Vancouver train that originates in Portland rather than Seattle, it may stop there). This is a closer station to the airport, and with a little calling around, you might find a hotel that offers a shuttle to both the airport and the Tukwila amtrak station. (But also double check that Tukwila will accept checked baggage -- some smaller Amtrak stations do not).


----------



## poohj80

stepknees said:


> There are plenty of hotels around the airport that will offer shuttle service to the hotel. The issue will be that the airport and Amtrak stations are not near each other at all. You will likely have to choose a cab/limo/SuperShuttle for one part of the trip. The Silver Cloud (next to Safeco Field) is probably the closest hotel to the Amtrak station -- maybe 3 blocks to walk.
> 
> One thing you might want to check is if there are trains for Vancouver that depart from the Tukwila station (If there is a Vancouver train that originates in Portland rather than Seattle, it may stop there). This is a closer station to the airport, and with a little calling around, you might find a hotel that offers a shuttle to both the airport and the Tukwila amtrak station. (But also double check that Tukwila will accept checked baggage -- some smaller Amtrak stations do not).



Thanks for the suggestions!


----------



## mellers

plutojudy said:


> Can anyone tell me if the La Qunita at Vancouver airport is a good option for a pre cruise stay? Is it in a safe area?



It is a safe area.  My family and I are staying at the Four Points Sheraton, less than half a block away, before our cruise.  We've stayed there quite a lot--my husband's family lives in that area.


----------



## mellers

stepknees said:


> There are plenty of hotels around the airport that will offer shuttle service to the hotel. The issue will be that the airport and Amtrak stations are not near each other at all. You will likely have to choose a cab/limo/SuperShuttle for one part of the trip. The Silver Cloud (next to Safeco Field) is probably the closest hotel to the Amtrak station -- maybe 3 blocks to walk.
> 
> One thing you might want to check is if there are trains for Vancouver that depart from the Tukwila station (If there is a Vancouver train that originates in Portland rather than Seattle, it may stop there). This is a closer station to the airport, and with a little calling around, you might find a hotel that offers a shuttle to both the airport and the Tukwila amtrak station. (But also double check that Tukwila will accept checked baggage -- some smaller Amtrak stations do not).



No place I know of will offer shuttle service to both, but the Mayflower Park Hotel at Westlake Center is connected to Westlake Center, which is one of the endpoints of the Seattle Transit Tunnel.  You can take the light rail to International District to catch Amtrak, or to the airport.  You still may have to roll your luggage a block or so to Amtrak,so if you're trying to avoid luggage schlepping, this probably isn't your best bet.


----------



## plutojudy

mellers said:


> It is a safe area.  My family and I are staying at the Four Points Sheraton, less than half a block away, before our cruise.  We've stayed there quite a lot--my husband's family lives in that area.



Thank you very much.


----------



## tanyaewa

Capilano RV park is in a great location right across the Lions Gate bridge from downtown Vancouver.  

Victoria is located on Vancouver Island a 1.5 hr/ approx $70 (with RV) ferry ride away.
there are great number of awesome campground on Vancouver Island - but that is alsmost a seperate vacation in itself.

There are also many many campgrounds on the outskirts of Vancouver in the *Fraser Valley* area

http://www.camping.bc.ca/


----------



## disney_guest

Has anyone stayed at the Holiday Inn downtown?  Also, is it close to the port and other attractions.  I am debating on a rental as I will be in two days before the cruise and wanted to see the aquarium, etc.  Thanks.


----------



## DCLInauguralXmas

Thank you, Mellers and Tanyaewa!  I can now check arranging for the campsite off my list!


----------



## mellers

plutojudy said:


> Can anyone tell me if the La Qunita at Vancouver airport is a good option for a pre cruise stay? Is it in a safe area?



A few notes about the area:

You will be right next door to a large mall with a Zellers (it's just like a Target), and a Toys R Us.  They also often have neat performances from the community--the local Chinese School did a performance when we were there one time.  There is a nice, large food court that is a great place for inexpensive meals.  

Next door to the mall is a SkyTrain station, Lansdowne Station.  You can take it into Vancouver proper.  Also, if you have a membership to your local science museum, you may be able to take your kids to Telus Science World (http://www.scienceworld.ca/) for free.  If you want to know how to get somewhere on Vancouver public transit, go here:  (http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/)

The La Quinta has a nice little pool, but it's DEEP!  Make sure you stay with any children at the pool.  It has a nice breakfast, too.


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

poohj80 said:


> Does anyone have any suggestions of where to stay in Seattle that might offer airport Shuttle service or be closed to Amtrak for catching the train to Vancouver?
> 
> Thanks!



We are taking the Amtrak Cascades, and We have booked the Best Western Pioneer Square Hotel (77 Yesler Way) for the night before .... I believe it is very close to the Amtrak station and has decent reviews.... I wonder if the Silver Cloud would be better/closer....


----------



## mellers

DisneyCruiser2008 said:


> We are taking the Amtrak Cascades, and We have booked the Best Western Pioneer Square Hotel (77 Yesler Way) for the night before .... I believe it is very close to the Amtrak station and has decent reviews.... I wonder if the Silver Cloud would be better/closer....



Pioneer Square is okay in the daytime, but I wouldn't be out with the kiddos after dark (of course, it won't get dark until past 9, so that's probably not too hard to do).


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

Where in Vancouver would be a good place to pick up a couple bottles of wine and maybe a bottle of Vodka  before the cruise? We are staying at the Pan Pacific and will not have a car.  Thanks!


----------



## mellers

DisneyCruiser2008 said:


> Where in Vancouver would be a good place to pick up a couple bottles of wine and maybe a bottle of Vodka  before the cruise? We are staying at the Pan Pacific and will not have a car.  Thanks!



There may be someplace closer, but this is less than half a mile away from the Pan Pacific, according to Bing:

http://www.mattersoftaste.com/store/53


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

mellers said:


> There may be someplace closer, but this is less than half a mile away from the Pan Pacific, according to Bing:
> 
> http://www.mattersoftaste.com/store/53



Thanks!


----------



## smeecanada

DisneyCruiser2008 said:


> Where in Vancouver would be a good place to pick up a couple bottles of wine and maybe a bottle of Vodka  before the cruise? We are staying at the Pan Pacific and will not have a car.  Thanks!



There is a BC Liquor Store located in Harbour Centre (it's a Mall underground) near the Pan Pacific.  

http://www.bcliquorstores.com/store/locator#map_store_7_23118_53

If the link doesn't take you directly to the map - you want Lower Mainland/Vancouver/Harbour Centre.


----------



## Gilland18

We need to get 9 people from the airport to the Pan Pacific. The group includes two senior citizens (healthy but not as spry as they used to be), a 2 y/o and a 10 m/o, plus a carseat and all our luggage. Is the Sky Train a feasable means of getting to the hotel?


----------



## pouncingpluto

Gilland18 said:


> We need to get 9 people from the airport to the Pan Pacific. The group includes two senior citizens (healthy but not as spry as they used to be), a 2 y/o and a 10 m/o, plus a carseat and all our luggage. Is the Sky Train a feasable means of getting to the hotel?



This sounds unpleasant to me.  When we were just two adults plus luggage, we would have taken the Sky Train.  But now, as two adults plus an infant plus luggage, a cab is much more appealing.  I can't imagine taking the Sky Train in your situation, considering the children and the luggage you guys will need to handle for those who can't handle all of their own.


----------



## smeecanada

Gilland18 said:


> We need to get 9 people from the airport to the Pan Pacific. The group includes two senior citizens (healthy but not as spry as they used to be), a 2 y/o and a 10 m/o, plus a carseat and all our luggage. Is the Sky Train a feasable means of getting to the hotel?



It is most likely more cost effective and easier to take a shuttle or 2 taxis for that amount of people.  There is a surcharge for taking the Sky Train from the Airport of $5.00 per person (not sure about children's ages) on top of the Sky Train fare.


----------



## Gilland18

Thanks for the input. Didn't know about the airport surcharge so that does make the cost less appealing. So many decisions to make.


----------



## mellers

Gilland18 said:


> We need to get 9 people from the airport to the Pan Pacific. The group includes two senior citizens (healthy but not as spry as they used to be), a 2 y/o and a 10 m/o, plus a carseat and all our luggage. Is the Sky Train a feasable means of getting to the hotel?



With that many people and that much luggage, I would go to ridebooker and get a 10-passenger van with a luggage trailer.  Realistically, that seems the best way to go:

http://www.ridebooker.com/


----------



## Gilland18

Thanks for the link.
Kim


----------



## cryssi

Sorry if this has been asked before, but does anyone think that a 1:15 flight out  vancouver a good idea?


----------



## mellers

cryssi said:


> Sorry if this has been asked before, but does anyone think that a 1:15 flight out  vancouver a good idea?



I would have to say no--remember, you have to clear customs before you fly out.


----------



## DenverVal

mellers said:


> I would have to say no--remember, you have to clear customs before you fly out.


Disembarking by 8 am seems reasonable, and an hour to the airport by taxi still gets you there more than 3 hours ahead of the flight. Is customs _that _slow?


----------



## mellers

DenverVal said:


> Disembarking by 8 am seems reasonable, and an hour to the airport by taxi still gets you there more than 3 hours ahead of the flight. Is customs _that _slow?



It is pretty darn slow.  They would probably make it, if nothing went wrong.  If nothing delays you off the ship, traffic is light, they get through the airport line, and there's no "orange alert".  However, I would give it more time.


----------



## cryssi

mellers said:


> It is pretty darn slow.  They would probably make it, if nothing went wrong.  If nothing delays you off the ship, traffic is light, they get through the airport line, and there's no "orange alert".  However, I would give it more time.



Yeah, I prefer to take the 3:45 flight, by everyone else seems to think we will make the earlier flight.  Thankfully, it is a straight shot home so if we were to miss the flight a later one would be fine.


----------



## DenverVal

Ok, well, we have a 1:30 flight, so we'll just plan to have breakfast at Topsiders and plan to leave as early as we can.


----------



## cryssi

We are hoping to get early dining, so I know that if we do, our breakfast will be at like 6 or something and we will probably be off the boat by 7:45


----------



## smeecanada

DenverVal said:


> Ok, well, we have a 1:30 flight, so we'll just plan to have breakfast at Topsiders and plan to leave as early as we can.



Your major areas of concern will be whether the ship is cleared on time, and security / customs at the airport.  Traffic should be okay as you are heading out of town.


----------



## Ginamarie

cryssi said:


> Sorry if this has been asked before, but does anyone think that a 1:15 flight out  vancouver a good idea?



You should be fine.  I called DCL about this issue and they said anything after 12 pm is feasible.  Our flight is right around noon and I'm not concerned.


----------



## ClaireinTN

Officially booked today for a cruise in MAY!!  Feeling overwhelmed with all that has to be arranged . . . My current plan for getting us all (two adults, four teens) from here to the ship is:

1.  Flight to Seattle on Sunday before the cruise.  About $250 per person cheaper than into vancouver.

2.  Rent a van at the Seattle airport.

3.  Spend Sunday (and maybe Monday?) night in Seattle.  Flights arrive late into Seattle, so I am thinking we might want to sleep in Monday, do a little sight-seeing, spend the night in the same hotel Monday night, and then drive up to Vancouver on Tuesday (the day of the cruise).  Is this a bad idea?  Mapquest says the drive is 3 hrs 8 mins / 141.19 miles via I-5 N.  We have never sailed Disney before but I do not think we will need to be one of those people waiting to get on the boat at the first possible moment . . . Or will we?  If we arrive at the ship around 2 pm, what will we be missing?

4.  Post-cruise we plan to spend 3 days in Vancouver, then drive back to Seattle for the flight home.

I would really appreciate any comments or feedback, especially pointing out where my plan is likely to go awry.  Thanks!

Claire


----------



## smb6

ClaireinTN said:


> Officially booked today for a cruise in MAY!!  Feeling overwhelmed with all that has to be arranged . . . My current plan for getting us all (two adults, four teens) from here to the ship is:
> 
> 1.  Flight to Seattle on Sunday before the cruise.  About $250 per person cheaper than into vancouver.
> 
> 2.  Rent a van at the Seattle airport.
> 
> 3.  Spend Sunday (and maybe Monday?) night in Seattle.  Flights arrive late into Seattle, so I am thinking we might want to sleep in Monday, do a little sight-seeing, spend the night in the same hotel Monday night, and then drive up to Vancouver on Tuesday (the day of the cruise).  Is this a bad idea?  Mapquest says the drive is 3 hrs 8 mins / 141.19 miles via I-5 N.  We have never sailed Disney before but I do not think we will need to be one of those people waiting to get on the boat at the first possible moment . . . Or will we?  If we arrive at the ship around 2 pm, what will we be missing?
> 
> 4.  Post-cruise we plan to spend 3 days in Vancouver, then drive back to Seattle for the flight home.
> 
> I would really appreciate any comments or feedback, especially pointing out where my plan is likely to go awry.  Thanks!
> 
> Claire




I would probably still want to head into Vancouver Monday night......  From Seattle, you will be crossing the border and I have heard horror stories of customs getting backed up for hours.....  I know it is not the norm, but I would not want to risk it- JMHO


----------



## docbrown

ClaireinTN said:


> Officially booked today for a cruise in MAY!!  Feeling overwhelmed with all that has to be arranged . . . My current plan for getting us all (two adults, four teens) from here to the ship is:
> 
> 1.  Flight to Seattle on Sunday before the cruise.  About $250 per person cheaper than into vancouver.
> 
> 2.  Rent a van at the Seattle airport.
> 
> 3.  Spend Sunday (and maybe Monday?) night in Seattle.  Flights arrive late into Seattle, so I am thinking we might want to sleep in Monday, do a little sight-seeing, spend the night in the same hotel Monday night, and then drive up to Vancouver on Tuesday (the day of the cruise).  Is this a bad idea?  Mapquest says the drive is 3 hrs 8 mins / 141.19 miles via I-5 N.  We have never sailed Disney before but I do not think we will need to be one of those people waiting to get on the boat at the first possible moment . . . Or will we?  If we arrive at the ship around 2 pm, what will we be missing?
> 
> 4.  Post-cruise we plan to spend 3 days in Vancouver, then drive back to Seattle for the flight home.
> 
> I would really appreciate any comments or feedback, especially pointing out where my plan is likely to go awry.  Thanks!
> 
> Claire



We are doing the opposite: pre cruise in Vancouver and post cruise Seattle.
Fly to SEA on Saturday, drive to Vancouver that night or Sun morning, spend Sun-Mon in Vancouver, TUE week after drive our way back to Seattle at our leisure for a flight on Sat, spending Fri night in an hotel by the airport.
Can you say we don't want to miss our cruise? LOL


----------



## ClaireinTN

smb6 said:


> I would probably still want to head into Vancouver Monday night......  From Seattle, you will be crossing the border and I have heard horror stories of customs getting backed up for hours.....  I know it is not the norm, but I would not want to risk it- JMHO



That is a really good point.  Another thing to do might be to find a hotel fairly near the port in Vancouver where we could stay Monday night and then leave the car, rather than parking the car at the port, and thus perhaps saving a few bucks on parking.  Unless parking at the hotel would cost more than parking at the port.

Does anyone know what hotel(s) Disney is using in Vancouver?

I am beginning to see why people pay for Disney transfers!


----------



## ClaireinTN

docbrown said:


> We are doing the opposite: pre cruise in Vancouver and post cruise Seattle.
> Fly to SEA on Saturday, drive to Vancouver that night or Sun morning, spend Sun-Mon in Vancouver, TUE week after drive our way back to Seattle at our leisure for a flight on Sat, spending Fri night in an hotel by the airport.
> Can you say we don't want to miss our cruise? LOL



Seattle post-cruise is an interesting idea.  I was trying to minimize packing and unpacking in different hotels, and the flight I am looking at arrives in Seattle at 10 pm, so our first night will for sure be in Seattle.  Also, I thought it might be better to see Seattle first because so far it seems like we will have more things we want to do in Vancouver.  And I am not sure how jet-lagged and cranky we all will be (it is only a two-hour time difference--but with teens, lack of sleep can be a big deal).  Better that they sleep through Seattle than Vancouver, I am thinking . . . Oddly, there is no direct flight to Seattle on Saturday, so that affects things too . . .


----------



## BibbidyBobbidyBoo

Ginamarie said:


> You should be fine.  I called DCL about this issue and they said anything after 12 pm is feasible.  Our flight is right around noon and I'm not concerned.


Yeah. Ours is 1pm and I'm not worried. Sounds like if we took the transit we'd make it in 15min or so? So taxi or whatnot shouldn't be much longer, if any. Not worried.


----------



## jilljill

ClaireinTN said:


> That is a really good point.  Another thing to do might be to find a hotel fairly near the port in Vancouver where we could stay Monday night and then leave the car, rather than parking the car at the port, and thus perhaps saving a few bucks on parking.  Unless parking at the hotel would cost more than parking at the port.
> 
> Does anyone know what hotel(s) Disney is using in Vancouver?
> 
> I am beginning to see why people pay for Disney transfers!



When searching hotels in Vancouver I've noticed that many of them had stay/park packages.  I don't remember specifically which ones since we don't need a car, but doing a google search for hotels near Canada Place will bring up a bunch of them and then you can look on their website for parking packages.


----------



## jilljill

BibbidyBobbidyBoo said:


> Yeah. Ours is 1pm and I'm not worried. Sounds like if we took the transit we'd make it in 15min or so? So taxi or whatnot shouldn't be much longer, if any. Not worried.



Everyone has said on this thread the airport is about an hour's drive from Canada Place.


----------



## smeecanada

ClaireinTN said:


> Officially booked today for a cruise in MAY!!  Feeling overwhelmed with all that has to be arranged . . . My current plan for getting us all (two adults, four teens) from here to the ship is:
> 
> 1.  Flight to Seattle on Sunday before the cruise.  About $250 per person cheaper than into vancouver.
> 
> 2.  Rent a van at the Seattle airport.
> 
> 3.  Spend Sunday (and maybe Monday?) night in Seattle.  Flights arrive late into Seattle, so I am thinking we might want to sleep in Monday, do a little sight-seeing, spend the night in the same hotel Monday night, and then drive up to Vancouver on Tuesday (the day of the cruise).  Is this a bad idea?  Mapquest says the drive is 3 hrs 8 mins / 141.19 miles via I-5 N.  We have never sailed Disney before but I do not think we will need to be one of those people waiting to get on the boat at the first possible moment . . . Or will we?  If we arrive at the ship around 2 pm, what will we be missing?
> 
> 4.  Post-cruise we plan to spend 3 days in Vancouver, then drive back to Seattle for the flight home.
> 
> I would really appreciate any comments or feedback, especially pointing out where my plan is likely to go awry.  Thanks!
> 
> Claire



I personally would go to Vancouver on Monday.  The border crossing is notorious for delays.


----------



## ClaireinTN

Thanks to the sage advice here, I have realized that if we fly to Seattle, we want to head up to Vancouver on Monday.

But I am obsessing about the Seattle versus Vancouver question.  In favor of Seattle is the money (about $250 per person less) and a direct flight (versus one stop to Vancouver).  In favor of Vancouver is less hassle plus at least one fewer nights in a hotel.

I keep going back and forth on this--with six people it is really hard to justify the extra cost to fly into Vancouver.  On the other hand, I need to really think about the extra expense of a hotel room plus food plus shuttle to Vancouver . . .

I think also counting against Seattle is that I am not sure whether we want to spend any time seeing sights there or not.  Most of the things I've read about (aquarium, science center) seem like they would appeal most to kids younger than mine.  Anyone with Seattle advice for teens?


----------



## Mineu

We decided to fly directly into Vancouver and then fly home via Seattle-saved us quite a bit of $$ and allows us to see both cities!


----------



## mellers

ClaireinTN said:


> Thanks to the sage advice here, I have realized that if we fly to Seattle, we want to head up to Vancouver on Monday.
> 
> But I am obsessing about the Seattle versus Vancouver question.  In favor of Seattle is the money (about $250 per person less) and a direct flight (versus one stop to Vancouver).  In favor of Vancouver is less hassle plus at least one fewer nights in a hotel.
> 
> I keep going back and forth on this--with six people it is really hard to justify the extra cost to fly into Vancouver.  On the other hand, I need to really think about the extra expense of a hotel room plus food plus shuttle to Vancouver . . .
> 
> I think also counting against Seattle is that I am not sure whether we want to spend any time seeing sights there or not.  Most of the things I've read about (aquarium, science center) seem like they would appeal most to kids younger than mine.  Anyone with Seattle advice for teens?



According to my 14-year-old Seattle area teenager:

For teen shoppers, downtown Bellevue  (My teen is much of a shopper, but this is very much where the upscale shopping is.)
http://www.bellevuecollection.com/

For teen video game aficianados, Gameworks has games from around the world that you can't find anywhere else:

http://www.gameworks.com

For teen musicians and sci-fi fans, this is a must:

http://www.empsfm.org/

For airplane-loving teens, this is a must:

http://www.museumofflight.org/

For culture buffs, or those who love nature trails:

http://www.tillicumvillage.com/

If you like Duck Tours (my teen does):

http://ridetheducksofseattle.com/

If you want to go whale watching (NOT guaranteed like in Alaska, just to warn you)

http://www.clippervacations.com/whalewatching/

If you like fishing, you can get a license:

http://www.takemefishing.org/state/...content=Washington&utm_campaign=State_Fishing

Scuba diving and Kayaking:

http://www.exoticaquaticsscuba.com/


As well as the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, innumerable hiking and biking trails, the art museum, the various dinner/sightseeing cruises

If I've missed your teens' interests, let me know what they are and I'll ask around.


----------



## ClaireinTN

Mellers: Thanks for that list.  I didn't realize there was a Duck boat in Seattle--we have done a few of those in other places so that would be fun.  Fishing and kayaking would also appeal--we live surrounded by land so being on the sea is a thrill.


----------



## mellers

ClaireinTN said:


> Mellers: Thanks for that list.  I didn't realize there was a Duck boat in Seattle--we have done a few of those in other places so that would be fun.  Fishing and kayaking would also appeal--we live surrounded by land so being on the sea is a thrill.



You're very welcome!

I also found a website for fishing charters in Seattle, if you want to fish on a boat and not off the dock:

http://www.fishingseattle.com/

We like Duck Tours too--if you don't have plans for Ketchikan, this might also be worth a look:  http://www.akduck.com/


----------



## mellers

ClaireinTN said:


> That is a really good point.  Another thing to do might be to find a hotel fairly near the port in Vancouver where we could stay Monday night and then leave the car, rather than parking the car at the port, and thus perhaps saving a few bucks on parking.  Unless parking at the hotel would cost more than parking at the port.
> 
> Does anyone know what hotel(s) Disney is using in Vancouver?
> 
> I am beginning to see why people pay for Disney transfers!



The Pan Pacific (http://www.panpacific.com/Vancouver/Overview.html
)   is your best bet, if you can find an affordable deal.  It is actually located at Canada Place, so you wouldn't need transportation.  I believe Disney is using the various Fairmont Hotels (http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/cruises-destinations/packages/walt-disney-world-resort-cruise/ )


----------



## Hygiene99

The port is one hour from the airport?

What does Disney charge for  transportation to and from airport?


----------



## gduvall

$25/per person each way


----------



## ClaireinTN

Having considered and reconsidered the extra costs and hassles of flying into Seattle, flying into Vancouver is seeming like not such a bad idea.  Two questions:

1.  If we were to fly into Vancouver a few days before the cruise, and stayed at a hotel near the port, what would be the best way to get six people + luggage to the hotel?

2.  How bad is the LAX airport for a connecting flight?  One of the good things about Seattle is that there is a direct flight from here, but not so for Vancouver.  The best price/time flights to Vancouver all seem to connect through LAX.  I have never been to LAX but I am guessing that it is a big enough airport that connecting flights there could be unpleasant.


----------



## sabrecmc

We are staying at the Fairmont Waterfront post-cruise.  We have an 8:45am flight the next morning.  Would it be better to take a cab or use the train for 4 people?


----------



## mellers

ClaireinTN said:


> Having considered and reconsidered the extra costs and hassles of flying into Seattle, flying into Vancouver is seeming like not such a bad idea.  Two questions:
> 
> 1.  If we were to fly into Vancouver a few days before the cruise, and stayed at a hotel near the port, what would be the best way to get six people + luggage to the hotel?
> 
> 2.  How bad is the LAX airport for a connecting flight?  One of the good things about Seattle is that there is a direct flight from here, but not so for Vancouver.  The best price/time flights to Vancouver all seem to connect through LAX.  I have never been to LAX but I am guessing that it is a big enough airport that connecting flights there could be unpleasant.



1.  If you're going to the Vancouver airport, your best bet would probably either be two taxis, or a Ridebooker 10-passenger van http://www.ridebooker.com/ .  You could also take the SkyTrain to the waterfront station for some of the hotels, but it depends upon how much luggage you have and how difficult it is to carry.  Also, remember, it will be an extra $30 total ($5/per person) for an airport SkyTrain departure.  That may make it less atrractive.

2.  I've transfered through LA a couple of times (although not recently), and I didn't find it better or worse than any other large airport for transfers.  It does have one advantage, however--it is rarely seriously affected by weather.


----------



## mellers

sabrecmc said:


> We are staying at the Fairmont Waterfront post-cruise.  We have an 8:45am flight the next morning.  Would it be better to take a cab or use the train for 4 people?



I would check this website: http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/ and make sure that the SkyTrain is running when you plan to take it, and what the schedule looks like.


----------



## cryssi

If your connecting flight at lax is on the same airline you wil be fine.  It is no worse than any other airport.  The only nightmare of lax is if you are coming to the airport or leaving during rush hour because of the freeway traffic.  Just connecting you won't have that problem.


----------



## poohj80

gduvall said:


> $25/per person each way



Really?  Less than Port Canaveral for a longer drive.


----------



## plutojudy

Our Disney transfers, Vancouver airport to port and back to airport are $70.00 per person. $140 for two of us.


----------



## poohj80

plutojudy said:


> Our Disney transfers, Vancouver airport to port and back to airport are $70.00 per person. $140 for two of us.



That sounds more like what I was expecting.


----------



## gduvall

All I know is I added one-way transfers to my reservation from port to Vancouver airport and was charged $25/person.


----------



## Aby

I booked transfers from the airport to the hotel the day before the cruise, and transfers from the cruise terminal back to the airport on our last day, and for the 2 of us, it was only 100$. I thought it was a pretty good deal!

Aby


----------



## mmmears

*Aquarium*

Can someone tell me how far the aquarium is from Canada Place?  Is it walkable?  

TIA


----------



## mellers

mmmears said:


> *Aquarium*
> 
> Can someone tell me how far the aquarium is from Canada Place?  Is it walkable?
> 
> TIA



It's 2 miles away from Canada Place, according to Bing Maps


----------



## brack

smeecanada said:


> I personally would go to Vancouver on Monday.  The border crossing is notorious for delays.



The reports are that the Amtrak does a "prescreen" that keeps this delay from being bad.  That's how we plan to travel there.


----------



## mellers

brack said:


> The reports are that the Amtrak does a "prescreen" that keeps this delay from being bad.  That's how we plan to travel there.



Prescreen or no prescreen, in the United States, commercial rail traffic always has right of way over passenger rail traffic.  Out of the 50 or so rail trips I have taken in the United States, fewer than 10 were on time, and, according to another poster, this particular trip is late 55% of the time.  I love passenger rail, but not if I absolutely have to be somewhere by a certain time.


----------



## DisneyCruiser2008

gduvall said:


> All I know is I added one-way transfers to my reservation from port to Vancouver airport and was charged $25/person.



This is what my TA (Dreams Unlimited) quoted me as well.  For transfers from the port to the airport (one way) through DCL.


----------



## cryssi

Do you think DCL will do US Direct?


----------



## mellers

cryssi said:


> Do you think DCL will do US Direct?



I don't think so; they aren't on the list:  http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/en/about/cruiseandtourism/usdirectprocess.aspx


----------



## princess81499

I posted this last summer after booking flights, but now that it is getting closer I thought my DISfriends might be able to help me out.

We are flying out around 11 PM after getting off the cruise.  Since we will be in Vancouver for 5 days before the cruise and staying at the Pan Pacific, we won't need to do any sightseeing that day.  

I think I am just looking for a hotel that would let us check in around noon and out around 8 PM.  Enough to relax, maybe swim, and take a shower before heading to the airport.  Should I look into airports at/near the hotel or in Vancouver itself?  Any suggestions?  TIA


----------



## mellers

princess81499 said:


> I posted this last summer after booking flights, but now that it is getting closer I thought my DISfriends might be able to help me out.
> 
> We are flying out around 11 PM after getting off the cruise.  Since we will be in Vancouver for 5 days before the cruise and staying at the Pan Pacific, we won't need to do any sightseeing that day.
> 
> I think I am just looking for a hotel that would let us check in around noon and out around 8 PM.  Enough to relax, maybe swim, and take a shower before heading to the airport.  Should I look into airports at/near the hotel or in Vancouver itself?  Any suggestions?  TIA



It's unlikely they will let you get a day pass, but the La Quinta Vancouver Airport usually has decent rates, and a small (but DEEP) indoor pool, and they will take you to the airport.  It isn't usually very expensive.  

Alternatively, this place has a great waterslide:  http://www.sandmansignature.com/richmondlocation.html , but again, I think you'll have to pay the full nightly rate.


----------



## mellers

For those who are flying into Seattle--you'd have to rent a car to get there, but today's Groupon for Seattle is a 44% discount on a whale watching tour:

http://www.groupon.com/deals/mystic...h_updates_and_email_subject_titles_2011-01-07


----------



## wdhinn89

princess81499 said:


> I posted this last summer after booking flights, but now that it is getting closer I thought my DISfriends might be able to help me out.
> 
> We are flying out around 11 PM after getting off the cruise.  Since we will be in Vancouver for 5 days before the cruise and staying at the Pan Pacific, we won't need to do any sightseeing that day.
> 
> I think I am just looking for a hotel that would let us check in around noon and out around 8 PM.  Enough to relax, maybe swim, and take a shower before heading to the airport.  Should I look into airports at/near the hotel or in Vancouver itself?  Any suggestions?  TIA



I believe the Faimount Vancouver Airport Hotel which is located right in  Vancouver Airport has day rates.  Can you post if you get a rate from there please.


----------



## Weedy

I know many of you may already have something like this but those of us from sunny Florida don't have warm/stay dry clothing. I found these rain pants from Land's End.

http://www.landsend.com/ix/index.html?store=le&action=newSearch&search=girls+rain+pants

They are $24.50 and there is free shipping now. The code is:
 Springprev and # 2335.

They have a nice elastic waist so you can pull them over a pair of jeans and the ankles have a zipper on them so you don't have to take off your shoes.
They are not lined but are a nice weight.

They have them for boys also.


----------



## kgsmith

Weedy said:


> I know many of you may already have something like this but those of us from sunny Florida don't have warm/stay dry clothing. I found these rain pants from Land's End.
> 
> http://www.landsend.com/ix/index.html?store=le&action=newSearch&search=girls+rain+pants
> 
> They are $24.50 and there is free shipping now. The code is:
> Springprev and # 2335.
> 
> They have a nice elastic waist so you can pull them over a pair of jeans and the ankles have a zipper on them so you don't have to take off your shoes.
> They are not lined but are a nice weight.
> 
> They have them for boys also.





Thank you, Weedy!

Along with these rain pants I'm also looking at the Navigator fleece-lined raincoat for DS. 

I got an email from Land's End this morning with a different coupon code -- Use STAYWARM (and PIN 4918) for 25% off outerwear, including rainwear. It expires tonight at 11:59pm central time.


----------



## richmo

For those visiting Seattle, also remember the Mariners may be in town during your stay.


----------



## richmo

_I originally posted this on a cruise meet page, but since many of you may be thinking of driving up from Seattle and parking in Vancouver, I'll repost it here, since it may be of interest:_
We're flying into and out of SEA and, so far, it looks like its more economical to keep the car during the cruise rather than dropping it at YVR and renting another to go back to SEA, even with paying for parking in Vancouver.

As of now, we're staying the night before in the Days Inn near the airport. They don't have a "stay and park" option, but they recommended that instead of using parking near the cruise, that I park at YVR, then take the Skytrain back to Canada Place (to save a few bucks, I could even drop the family off at Canada Place, then drive myself to YVR and Skytrain it back). Anyway, the folks at the Days Inn advised me that I should keep an eye on the official YVR website, because they often run long term parking promotions. (For example at www.yvr.ca, there is a coupon posted now thru 7/31/11 for $10.96/day $66.96/week parking). Specifically, this coupon is at:
http://www.yvr.ca/Libraries/PGT_docu...2011.sflb.ashx


----------



## mellers

richmo said:


> _I originally posted this on a cruise meet page, but since many of you may be thinking of driving up from Seattle and parking in Vancouver, I'll repost it here, since it may be of interest:_
> We're flying into and out of SEA and, so far, it looks like its more economical to keep the car during the cruise rather than dropping it at YVR and renting another to go back to SEA, even with paying for parking in Vancouver.
> 
> As of now, we're staying the night before in the Days Inn near the airport. They don't have a "stay and park" option, but they recommended that instead of using parking near the cruise, that I park at YVR, then take the Skytrain back to Canada Place (to save a few bucks, I could even drop the family off at Canada Place, then drive myself to YVR and Skytrain it back). Anyway, the folks at the Days Inn advised me that I should keep an eye on the official YVR website, because they often run long term parking promotions. (For example at www.yvr.ca, there is a coupon posted now thru 7/31/11 for $10.96/day $66.96/week parking). Specifically, this coupon is at:
> http://www.yvr.ca/Libraries/PGT_docu...2011.sflb.ashx



It also might be worth it to check out "Park and Fly" deals at hotels near the Vancouver airport:  http://vancouver.parksleepfly.com/.  Also, if it meets your schedule, round-trip transfers from Sea-Tac to most of the downtown Vancouver hotels are about $99 round-trip for adults, and considerably less for students and children:  http://www.quickcoach.com/ .  However, if you do take the transfers, be sure to get a meal and bottled water and take it on the Quick Shuttle.  It is a long ride, and right off of a plane ride with no food, everybody will be very grumpy by the time they get to Vancouver.


----------



## jrp

Hi Everyone
I am going on the May 24th cruise and just wanted to make a suggestion as to rain suits.. You should look at what is available at your local motorcycle shop.. I was an avid rider and have had several different brands,, You will find they carry an extensive line.. You could also check out West marine or Bass Pro shop.. My bet is with the bike shops..Hope this helps a few of you..

James


----------



## AStamm

kgsmith said:


> I got an email from Land's End this morning with a different coupon code -- Use STAYWARM (and PIN 4918) for 25% off outerwear, including rainwear. It expires tonight at 11:59pm central time.



Thank you so much for the code.  I was happy to see it included free shipping WYB $50+.  I ordered a raincoat for both DS and myself.  Can't wait to use it in Alaska aboard the Wonder this July!


----------



## princess81499

Is the Sandman Signature Vancouver Airport Resort within walking distance to the airport?  Does the hotel provide a shuttle?


----------



## mellers

Tippr (like Groupon) has a discount to a Pike Place Market restaurant today, for those heading to Seattle:

https://tippr.com/offer/post-restau...ign=6b0bdf0a3e-Tippr02112011&utm_medium=email


----------



## mellers

princess81499 said:


> Is the Sandman Signature Vancouver Airport Resort within walking distance to the airport?  Does the hotel provide a shuttle?



It's not within walking distance, but according to this blurb, it does provide a shuttle:

http://www.sandman-signature-vancouver.com/hotels/info/id/144943/s/5


----------



## poohj80

mellers said:


> Tippr (like Groupon) has a discount to a Pike Place Market restaurant today, for those heading to Seattle:
> 
> https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#inbox/12e15b7abf10c058



Thanks, but that link didn't work for me.


----------



## mellers

poohj80 said:


> Thanks, but that link didn't work for me.



EEK! I messed up the link--I'm sorry.  Here's the real link:

https://tippr.com/offer/post-restau...ign=6b0bdf0a3e-Tippr02112011&utm_medium=email

I'll also fix it in the original post.


----------



## PiratePug

So excited to be going on the Vancouver to LA cruise in September!! For those of you staying at a Disneyland resort after this cruise, what kind of transportation are you using to get there? We have a vacation package booked at Disney's Grand Californian, but I'm not sure what our options are as far as getting there from the cruise terminal...taxi?? Rental car?? I went to the Port of LA website and saw that Enterprise offers pick-up service. 

I'm hoping that Disney will offer terminal to hotel transportation but when I spoke to a CM tonight I was told they didn't have any information about that.


----------



## mellers

PiratePug said:


> So excited to be going on the Vancouver to LA cruise in September!! For those of you staying at a Disneyland resort after this cruise, what kind of transportation are you using to get there? We have a vacation package booked at Disney's Grand Californian, but I'm not sure what our options are as far as getting there from the cruise terminal...taxi?? Rental car?? I went to the Port of LA website and saw that Enterprise offers pick-up service.
> 
> I'm hoping that Disney will offer terminal to hotel transportation but when I spoke to a CM tonight I was told they didn't have any information about that.



Try SuperShuttle at 1-800-BLUE-VAN


----------



## princess81499

mellers said:


> It's not within walking distance, but according to this blurb, it does provide a shuttle:
> 
> http://www.sandman-signature-vancouver.com/hotels/info/id/144943/s/5



THANK YOU!  I thought it did, just wanted to confirm with someone else.


----------



## princess81499

wdhinn89 said:


> I believe the Faimount Vancouver Airport Hotel which is located right in  Vancouver Airport has day rates.  Can you post if you get a rate from there please.



This is the response from them:
Thank you very much for your interest in The Fairmont Vancouver Airport. We are pleased to offer a unique Day Use experience, where our staff will provide the ultimate attention to ensuring a quiet stay. Guests staying in a day use room will be in our "quiet zone", the same comfortable rooms that our overnight guests enjoy but away from all normal day-to-day hotel operations. Earplugs and eyemasks will be provided upon request. Our rates for day use, which are available from 8:00am until 8:00pm, start at $99.00 CAD plus taxes for a minimum of four hours. Each subsequent hour is $20.00, to a maximum stay of eight hours ($179.00 CAD plus taxes). 

 **Day Use rates can only be booked a maximum 60 days in advance**



The Sandman Signature was $119 plus taxes for a day room of 8 hours.

Hope this helps - I booked the Sandman for the waterslide for the kids


----------



## wdhinn89

princess81499 said:


> This is the response from them:
> Thank you very much for your interest in The Fairmont Vancouver Airport. We are pleased to offer a unique Day Use experience, where our staff will provide the ultimate attention to ensuring a quiet stay. Guests staying in a day use room will be in our "quiet zone", the same comfortable rooms that our overnight guests enjoy but away from all normal day-to-day hotel operations. Earplugs and eyemasks will be provided upon request. Our rates for day use, which are available from 8:00am until 8:00pm, start at $99.00 CAD plus taxes for a minimum of four hours. Each subsequent hour is $20.00, to a maximum stay of eight hours ($179.00 CAD plus taxes).
> 
> **Day Use rates can only be booked a maximum 60 days in advance**
> 
> 
> 
> The Sandman Signature was $119 plus taxes for a day room of 8 hours.
> 
> Hope this helps - I booked the Sandman for the waterslide for the kids



Thank you for the info


----------



## sabrecmc

PiratePug said:


> So excited to be going on the Vancouver to LA cruise in September!! For those of you staying at a Disneyland resort after this cruise, what kind of transportation are you using to get there? We have a vacation package booked at Disney's Grand Californian, but I'm not sure what our options are as far as getting there from the cruise terminal...taxi?? Rental car?? I went to the Port of LA website and saw that Enterprise offers pick-up service.
> 
> I'm hoping that Disney will offer terminal to hotel transportation but when I spoke to a CM tonight I was told they didn't have any information about that.



We're using DCL transportation from the hotel to the cruise terminal for the first repo cruise.  I'll bet they'll have the same option for terminal to hotel.


----------



## PE_TCR

We are taking the evening train from Vancouver back to Seattle to catch our flight the next day.  Can we check our bags in earlier in the day for the train trip and then go to eat lunch in the city?  If not is there a place to store our bags somewhere in the train station?
TIA


----------



## MercoBear

I was wondering about somewhere to store our bags too.  We are planning to spend the day that we get back into port touring the city before flying out that night.  Does anyone have suggestions for what to do with our luggage for the time in-between the ship and plane?


----------



## mellers

MercoBear said:


> I was wondering about somewhere to store our bags too.  We are planning to spend the day that we get back into port touring the city before flying out that night.  Does anyone have suggestions for what to do with our luggage for the time in-between the ship and plane?



Canada Place has luggage storage--that might be an option.  I'm not sure about YVR.


----------



## MN Dis Fans

Has anyone ever heard of / stayed at Landis Hotel & Suites Downtown Vancouver? 

We're flying into Vancouver 5x nights before our cruise in early August. We plan on spending the first 3x nights on Vancouver Island, and will spend our final 2x nights in Vancouver sightseeing before we board the cruise. I've been doing quite a lot of research and the Landis Suites have many nice reviews. Any of you folks ever stayed there? 

TIA.


----------



## animalx

I've stayed at the Landis.  Hotel itself was o.k. but the area i don't recommend. Depending on your budget, there would be better places to stay. When are you going?  i can keep an eye out for any good deals.


----------



## animalx

Regarding Aquarium walk. It has taken me 30 minutes to walk there. Nice walk . You can probably do it in 20. It's in the middle of Stanley Park.


----------



## MN Dis Fans

animalx said:


> I've stayed at the Landis.  Hotel itself was o.k. but the area i don't recommend. Depending on your budget, there would be better places to stay. When are you going?  i can keep an eye out for any good deals.



We're needing nights in Vancouver for 31 July & 1 August. There are 7x in our party. It (The Landis) is a little further away from the cruise terminal, and I originally was looking for somewhere to stay along Robson St. I had looked at the Hampton Inn. I would like a suite type unit, just simply to have more room to spread out. I would love to hear any recommendations that you, or anyone else has to offer. We will have a vehicle with us during our stay, if that makes any difference.


----------



## mmmears

animalx said:


> Regarding Aquarium walk. It has taken me 30 minutes to walk there. Nice walk . You can probably do it in 20. It's in the middle of Stanley Park.



Is that from Canada Place?  If so, sounds very do-able.  Maybe a nice way to spend some time the day before the cruise.


----------



## disneymath

We've stayed at many Hampton Inns in Ontario (and at one near The Forks in Winnipeg) so this is where we are booked for our pre-cruise stay in Vancouver (4 nights).  My mom collects HHonors points, a decent breakfast buffet is included, we get two queen (as opposed to double) beds and the price is right.  So I'm not so much worried about the hotel as I am about the location (near BC Place).  Will it be difficult to get to the tourist type places (Granville Island, Stanley Park/Aquarium, Robson Street Shopping) and Canada Place?  Is it a "safe" part of town?


----------



## stepknees

mmmears said:


> Is that from Canada Place?  If so, sounds very do-able.  Maybe a nice way to spend some time the day before the cruise.



It IS a very nice walk, all along the Seawall. I'd recommend the walk even if you weren't interested in the Aquarium at the end!


----------



## mmmears

stepknees said:


> It IS a very nice walk, all along the Seawall. I'd recommend the walk even if you weren't interested in the Aquarium at the end!



Wonderful!  That's great to hear.  I've seen it on a map, but that doesn't tell me much.  It's great to hear that it would be a fun thing to do on our day in Vancouver.  Thanks!


----------



## animalx

MN  .   I would check out the Century Plaza Hotel on Burrard. See expedia link

Expedia was cheaper than the Century Site itself.

 I have also stayed here. The One bedroom suite had more room than the landis.  It is two block from robson and about a 15-20 walk to Canada Place/Cruise Ship Dock.

I live 30 minutes just outside Vancouver and have stayed in a lot of the local hotels. I really like the Pan Pacific but the rooms are on the smaller side.

I'm guessing with that many people you would get two rooms so i would recommend them for the roominess and the price.

Any other deals that come across i'll let you know


----------



## mmmears

animalx said:


> I live 30 minutes just outside Vancouver and have stayed in a lot of the local hotels. I really like the Pan Pacific but the rooms are on the smaller side.



Any advice on the Pan Pacific?  We're planning to stay there before the cruise since it looks like the most convenient place.


----------



## megsablue

MN Dis Fans said:


> We're needing nights in Vancouver for 31 July & 1 August. There are 7x in our party. It (The Landis) is a little further away from the cruise terminal, and I originally was looking for somewhere to stay along Robson St. I had looked at the Hampton Inn. I would like a suite type unit, just simply to have more room to spread out. I would love to hear any recommendations that you, or anyone else has to offer. We will have a vehicle with us during our stay, if that makes any difference.



July 31st is the Annual Pride Parade in Vancouver - the parade route goes down Robson St, so many of the hotels on Robson may be booked up before too long. Just thought you should know while you're making plans!

As for hotels on Robson, when visiting me, my sisters have stayed at both the Listel Hotel and the Empire Landmark. The Listel room was quite small - the Empire Landmark was nice, but it is older (but has kind of a vintage feel in the rooms). You'd definitely have to get two rooms at those hotels (unless they have suites, I'm not sure as my sisters have only stayed in regular rooms). 

I'd also check out the Coast Hotel Coal Harbour - though no family has stayed at that location, I've stayed at many Coast Hotels and have always had a good experience. Along the lines of the Landis, there's also a place on Robson that's called Time Square Suites that's a sort of an apartment rental - I haven't stayed there (I live 6 blocks away) but I've had people recommend it for family who is visiting.


----------



## stepknees

One hotel that might be less known is the Terminal City Club Hotel http://www.tctowerhotel.com/ It's essentially a boutique hotel run by a private club, so it doesn't really have a "street presence" and I'm not sure how available it is on booking sites like Expedia. We stayed in a suite there last summer and it was very nice -- and it's just 1 short block from Canada Place.


----------



## animalx

MM   ,  The Ship docks right beside the Pan Pacific. You can't get closer than that. The rooms are small but great. The view around the hotel is great !


----------



## Perdita&Pongo

I'd be grateful for some advice from those that know:

We are coming from Chicago going to Victoria and have the option of connecting through Seattle or Vancouver.  Is one airport "better" than the other in terms of customs or other issues?

Also, we have 5 days to work with split between Victoria and Vancouver:  would you recommend 3 in Vic and 2 in Van or vice-versa?  Should we add a day and make it 3 and 3?  We plan to Helijet from Vic to Van and are flying home right after disembarking the cruise.

We are a family of 4 (me, DH, DD14, DD8) on the 8/9 Alaska cruise.

Thanx much!

(P.S. Hi to DenverVal and Piglet33!!!)


----------



## richmo

From a convenience standpoint, I would think Vancouver would be much better.  However, it seems that most flights are considerably less expensive to Seattle...often to the tune of several hundred dollars per person.


----------



## MN Dis Fans

megsablue said:


> July 31st is the Annual Pride Parade in Vancouver - the parade route goes down Robson St, so many of the hotels on Robson may be booked up before too long. Just thought you should know while you're making plans!
> 
> As for hotels on Robson, when visiting me, my sisters have stayed at both the Listel Hotel and the Empire Landmark. The Listel room was quite small - the Empire Landmark was nice, but it is older (but has kind of a vintage feel in the rooms). You'd definitely have to get two rooms at those hotels (unless they have suites, I'm not sure as my sisters have only stayed in regular rooms).
> 
> I'd also check out the Coast Hotel Coal Harbour - though no family has stayed at that location, I've stayed at many Coast Hotels and have always had a good experience. Along the lines of the Landis, there's also a place on Robson that's called Time Square Suites that's a sort of an apartment rental - I haven't stayed there (I live 6 blocks away) but I've had people recommend it for family who is visiting.





animalx said:


> MN  .   I would check out the Century Plaza Hotel on Burrard. See expedia link
> 
> Expedia was cheaper than the Century Site itself.
> 
> I have also stayed here. The One bedroom suite had more room than the landis.  It is two block from robson and about a 15-20 walk to Canada Place/Cruise Ship Dock.
> 
> I live 30 minutes just outside Vancouver and have stayed in a lot of the local hotels. I really like the Pan Pacific but the rooms are on the smaller side.
> 
> I'm guessing with that many people you would get two rooms so i would recommend them for the roominess and the price.
> 
> Any other deals that come across i'll let you know





stepknees said:


> One hotel that might be less known is the Terminal City Club Hotel http://www.tctowerhotel.com/ It's essentially a boutique hotel run by a private club, so it doesn't really have a "street presence" and I'm not sure how available it is on booking sites like Expedia. We stayed in a suite there last summer and it was very nice -- and it's just 1 short block from Canada Place.



Thanks all of you for the great information. Yes, I was aware of the Annual Pride Parade taking place that same weekend. I researched all of the suggestions you folks gave. 2x of them really stood out at me, and the DW & I are currently mulling the choices over. I really like the Terminal City Club Hotel for its location. From all of the reviews I read on Trip Advisor, etc. it seems like a quaint & quiet place. We could walk over to the cruise terminal on embarkation day. The other one that caught my eye, was the Time Square Suites. Main reason for looking at this one, was the washers & dryers in each unit. We'll definitely want to start the cruise with a complete wardrobe of "clean" clothes. Thanks again for everyone's input.


----------



## mellers

Perdita&Pongo said:


> I'd be grateful for some advice from those that know:
> 
> We are coming from Chicago going to Victoria and have the option of connecting through Seattle or Vancouver.  Is one airport "better" than the other in terms of customs or other issues?
> 
> Also, we have 5 days to work with split between Victoria and Vancouver:  would you recommend 3 in Vic and 2 in Van or vice-versa?  Should we add a day and make it 3 and 3?  We plan to Helijet from Vic to Van and are flying home right after disembarking the cruise.
> 
> We are a family of 4 (me, DH, DD14, DD8) on the 8/9 Alaska cruise.
> 
> Thanx much!
> 
> (P.S. Hi to DenverVal and Piglet33!!!)



In general, it's better to do customs on the ground rather than in the airport, so, particularly if there's a cost savings, I would fly into Seattle and take a taxi to the Victoria Clipper (http://www.victoriaclipper.com/)  While there are cheaper ways to get to Victoria from Seattle, the clipper tends to be more comfortable and easier, and, if you're renting a car, the cost savings is probably negligible, if there's a savings at all.  If you're looking for a cool, new experience, there are also seaplanes which will take you there--no idea as to cost, however.

Also, I know that Enterprise Rent-A-Car will pick you up from the Victoria Clipper, if you're planning to rent a car on the island.  I have no idea how their prices stack up to other providers, however (I can't drive.)

Another good possibility is to take the Quick Shuttle to Vancouver after landing in Seattle (http://www.quickcoach.com/)  The primary advantage of this is that it combines your transportation from Sea-Tac with your transportation to Vancouver and, in most cases, your transportation to your Vancouver hotel.

As to how to split the days, I can't advise you there.  I can honestly say that I could spend three days in either city quite happily, so I think it really depends on what you want to see once you get there.  Big recommends for Butchart Gardens (both day and night--incredible fireworks display), and the Vancouver Aquarium.


----------



## DenverVal

Perdita&Pongo said:


> (P.S. Hi to DenverVal and Piglet33!!!)


Hi Nancy! We're sailing in June, so sadly, we will miss you again. We decided to fly into Vancouver rather than coordinate the train/bus/ferry from Seattle. Other than airfare and a sailing date, not much is decided.


----------



## jrp

I hav ben looking at the post on here for soome time and tis has probably been spoke of but here goes.. Which of the hotels just mentioned have parking at thier hotels.. We are thinking of driving and are on the 24th cruise..

Thanks
James "jrp"


----------



## animalx

Of the one's i've seen they all would have parking.


----------



## adnil530

jrp said:


> I hav ben looking at the post on here for soome time and tis has probably been spoke of but here goes.. Which of the hotels just mentioned have parking at thier hotels.. We are thinking of driving and are on the 24th cruise..
> 
> Thanks
> James "jrp"



I think you are asking about parking there long term while you cruise.  I'd like that info also if someone has it handy.


----------



## trimix

Perdita&Pongo said:


> I'd be grateful for some advice from those that know:
> 
> We are coming from Chicago going to Victoria and have the option of connecting through Seattle or Vancouver.  Is one airport "better" than the other in terms of customs or other issues?



Vancouver is consistently rated one of the best airports in North America. In the Skytrax list of the best 25 airports in the world Vancouver came in at 11. The only other North American airport on the list was San Francisco at 20.



> Also, we have 5 days to work with split between Victoria and Vancouver:  would you recommend 3 in Vic and 2 in Van or vice-versa?  Should we add a day and make it 3 and 3?  We plan to Helijet from Vic to Van and are flying home right after disembarking the cruise.



It depends on what you want to do, and if you have a car. There is a lot of wild beauty on Vancouver Island, and I really enjoy spending a night in Tofino during the stormy season or around Barkley Sound in the warmer months. If your family isn't the outdoor type, the urban Vancouver would probably be more to your liking.


----------



## jennypenny

We are sticking with more *urban* offerings in Vancouver because we are doing all outdoorsy things in Alaska. We are also trying more adverturous meals in Vancouver (different Asian, etc) because the food on the cruise will be fairly bland in nature. (good, just bland)


----------



## animalx

I will post if i find a good weekly rate for you. Canada Place ( cruise terminal ) wants $39.99 a day to park there.


----------



## soonerfan2008

Just wanted to offer a tip for families who are spending time in Vancouver--we love the Robson on Rosedale. Great hotel, central to lots of things and great space for families. There is a little kitchen, sitting area, bedroom and bathroom, and I thought rates were very reasonable.


----------



## Shanny145

Just used Hotwire.com and paid 132.00 a night for three nights pre-Alaska for a 4 star hotel! Staying at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre....called to make sure there were two beds in the room and the front desk was just awsome....put us in the newer North Tower and I asked if we could be high so that we had a view and she said absolutely....can't get better than that in my opinion.  If we were only staying for one night I would have wanted to stay in the Pan Pacific being as it is on top of Canada Place but we are less than a mile away anyhow....just a short cab ride with our bags.  Thought I would throw out this great deal for anyone that was looking. We were nervous at first seeing that you don't know what hotel you are getting until after the transaction is done but we couldn't be happier with this choice!


----------



## mmmears

Anyone here from Vancouver who can help me?

I am wondering if there is a store (grocery, drug, convenience) very close to Canada Place where we would be able to buy a few items we cannot fly with (water bottles, ginger ale, a can of Lysol, and probably a few other things)?  We wont have a car, so it would need to be pretty close (since we'll have to carry it all back to the hotel).

Any experience/recommendations would be appreciated!


----------



## megsablue

mmmears said:


> Anyone here from Vancouver who can help me?
> 
> I am wondering if there is a store (grocery, drug, convenience) very close to Canada Place where we would be able to buy a few items we cannot fly with (water bottles, ginger ale, a can of Lysol, and probably a few other things)?  We wont have a car, so it would need to be pretty close (since we'll have to carry it all back to the hotel).
> 
> Any experience/recommendations would be appreciated!



I'd recommend the London Drugs on the corner of Georgia and Granville - it's about 6 blocks away but would probably have the biggest selection. There's also a lot of transit around that area, that would take you closer if you were so inclined (Canada Line and buses would take you about a block and a half from the cruise ship terminal from across the street from London Drugs). 

There's also an upscale grocery store called Urban Fare around 4 blocks away, but they tend to be pretty expensive if you're just wanting basic stuff.


----------



## mmmears

megsablue said:


> I'd recommend the London Drugs on the corner of Georgia and Granville - it's about 6 blocks away but would probably have the biggest selection. There's also a lot of transit around that area, that would take you closer if you were so inclined (Canada Line and buses would take you about a block and a half from the cruise ship terminal from across the street from London Drugs).
> 
> There's also an upscale grocery store called Urban Fare around 4 blocks away, but they tend to be pretty expensive if you're just wanting basic stuff.



Thank you so much for the advice.  It's so much better than us just setting out hoping to find what we need.    I appreciate the info!  I'm thinking that packing will be much easier for us, too.


----------



## sdlong329

mmmears said:


> Anyone here from Vancouver who can help me?
> 
> I am wondering if there is a store (grocery, drug, convenience) very close to Canada Place where we would be able to buy a few items we cannot fly with ... a can of Lysol ...



My DW has been buying small, travel size Lysol ... a little smaller than a full size toothbrush in a travel container.  I *believe* it is a one pump aerosol ... but not 100% sure.  No problems with traveling.


----------



## Petals & Pixie Dust

For any locals...how far is it from the fairmount rim pacific hotel to east side marios?  We only get there when we are in Canada!!!


----------



## animalx

Hey MM  , there is also a COSTCO about a 15 minute walk away.


----------



## smb6

Can anyone recommend a limo company in Vancouver?


----------



## E&Cmom

Petals & Pixie Dust said:


> For any locals...how far is it from the fairmount rim pacific hotel to east side marios?  We only get there when we are in Canada!!!



There is an East Side Mario's in North Vancouver but from the Fairmount it is easy to get to without a car. From your hotel, it is about a 5 minute walk to Waterfront Station where the Sea Bus leaves from. The Sea Bus is part of our public transit. The Sea bus goes directly to Lonsdale Quay. It takes about 12 minutes.  Lonsdale Quay is a great place to walk around with a market, little stores and restaurants. It is also a nice spot to take pictures of the city from there.


----------



## stepknees

FYI, visiting Lonsdale Quay is a particularly excellent activity if you have little kids. First, you get to ride the Sea Bus to get there. At the market, there's a free ball pit upstairs and a bunch of coin-op rides. You can grab lunch from any of the food stands inside the market. And there are a bunch of tugboats moored outside. DS3 loves this place!


----------



## plutojudy

E&Cmom said:


> There is an East Side Mario's in North Vancouver but from the Fairmount it is easy to get to without a car. From your hotel, it is about a 5 minute walk to Waterfront Station where the Sea Bus leaves from. The Sea Bus is part of our public transit. The Sea bus goes directly to Lonsdale Quay. It takes about 12 minutes.  Lonsdale Quay is a great place to walk around with a market, little stores and restaurants. It is also a nice spot to take pictures of the city from there.



Oh, East Side Mario's, we used to have them in the Chicago area and they closed. We are looking forward to eating there again.


----------



## hockeymom944

I know this seems like a silly question to some, but I honestly do not know the answer. How many people can fit in a taxi cab? We are a family of four and will need a cab to take us from downtown Vancouver to the Amtrak station very early on a Saturday morning. I think we are traveling less than 3km. I don't know if I need two cabs or will they let one of us sit in the front. Thanks in advance!


----------



## tanyaewa

You can fit 4 no problem :thumb
If you have lots of luggage you can request a mini van


----------



## tanyaewa

Shanny145 - major score for your hotel.  It's gorgeous andright in the heart of downtown Vancouver.  
Vancouver has amazing 4star hotels and hotwire has some GREAT deals!


----------



## PE_TCR

Any locals out there that know the best way to get to Grouse Mountain from downtown?  We are staying at the Coastal Coal Harbour Hotel.  We get in on the Cascades at 11 am and wanrt to get out to Grouse Mountain for our day in Vancouver.  Ideas?
Thanks!


----------



## Bookworm Belle

Hi All,
Does anyone have any information about the Westin Bayshore?  This is the hotel that we are hoping to stay at.  Any reviews?


----------



## mellers

PE_TCR said:


> Any locals out there that know the best way to get to Grouse Mountain from downtown?  We are staying at the Coastal Coal Harbour Hotel.  We get in on the Cascades at 11 am and wanrt to get out to Grouse Mountain for our day in Vancouver.  Ideas?
> Thanks!



Try this:

http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/


----------



## Petals & Pixie Dust

E&Cmom said:


> There is an East Side Mario's in North Vancouver but from the Fairmount it is easy to get to without a car. From your hotel, it is about a 5 minute walk to Waterfront Station where the Sea Bus leaves from. The Sea Bus is part of our public transit. The Sea bus goes directly to Lonsdale Quay. It takes about 12 minutes.  Lonsdale Quay is a great place to walk around with a market, little stores and restaurants. It is also a nice spot to take pictures of the city from there.



THANK YOU!!! Sounds like we have our plans for when we are in Vancouver!!!  



stepknees said:


> FYI, visiting Lonsdale Quay is a particularly excellent activity if you have little kids. First, you get to ride the Sea Bus to get there. At the market, there's a free ball pit upstairs and a bunch of coin-op rides. You can grab lunch from any of the food stands inside the market. And there are a bunch of tugboats moored outside. DS3 loves this place!



We don't have kids (yet!) Is there stuff for adults too???



plutojudy said:


> Oh, East Side Mario's, we used to have them in the Chicago area and they closed. We are looking forward to eating there again.



We try to get to them when we go up north to see DH's family.  Doesn't happen often tho   Super excited about going while we are there!


----------



## stepknees

Bookworm Belle said:


> Hi All,
> Does anyone have any information about the Westin Bayshore?  This is the hotel that we are hoping to stay at.  Any reviews?



We stayed there last year over 4th of July weekend. Pretty standard Westin -- no complaints, but nothing really stood out as exceptional. The location is _great_ for walking to Stanley Park. 



Petals & Pixie Dust said:


> We don't have kids (yet!) Is there stuff for adults too???



It's a nice public market with food stalls, so it's nice for lunch, but you can get the same thing at Granville Island -- and at Granville there are also a whole bunch of great art/craft/gift type stores. I was going to say that you don't get to take a boat to Granville, but then I remembered that there _are _ actually tiny ferries you can take (AquaBus?).


----------



## Atreeves

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know how long it takes to disembark and clear customs when arriving in Vancouver.  Sorry if this has been asked, I tried a search and couldn't find anything.

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thank you.


----------



## mellers

Atreeves said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> Does anyone know how long it takes to disembark and clear customs when arriving in Vancouver.  Sorry if this has been asked, I tried a search and couldn't find anything.
> 
> Any guidance would be appreciated.
> 
> Thank you.



I don't have any information about how long it takes once you disembark a cruise ship specifically; however, I can say, in general, when it comes to customs in Canada, it is MUCH faster to get through customs by bus or boat than by air.  In general, when we take the Victoria Clipper to or from Seattle, it takes us less than 30 minutes to clear customs, and often considerably less, if we arrive early at the terminal, or we're towards the front of the line to disembark.  It's 20-30 minutes, on average, on a bus (quite a bit faster than in a car, in general--waits at the border can be long.)


----------



## Jen24

Looking for restaurant recommendation for the 2 night precruise. there will be 11 of us and would love round table so we can all talk:. We are staying close to the port. Thanks!


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Depends on what you want, but family friendly and good food and very 'BC' is White Spot! Not far from the port. Everything from burgers to salmon and steaks! Reasonable, but not 'cheap',  and you can even sit outside in the nice weather.


----------



## mellers

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Depends on what you want, but family friendly and good food and very 'BC' is White Spot! Not far from the port. Everything from burgers to salmon and steaks! Reasonable, but not 'cheap',  and you can even sit outside in the nice weather.



I agree--White Spot is great.  They even have pirate kids meals.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Bookworm Belle said:


> Hi All,
> Does anyone have any information about the Westin Bayshore?  This is the hotel that we are hoping to stay at.  Any reviews?



Gorgeous hotel! You will love it! I have stayed there and its very nice and right on the water!


----------



## ibouncetoo

Anybody have a ballpark figure for a TAXI from the Pan Pacific to the airport?  (about 11AM on a weekday)

Thanks!


----------



## mellers

ibouncetoo said:


> Anybody have a ballpark figure for a TAXI from the Pan Pacific to the airport?  (about 11AM on a weekday)
> 
> Thanks!



According to one website I saw, approx. $30-$35 CAD.


----------



## ibouncetoo

mellers said:


> According to one website I saw, approx. $30-$35 CAD.


 
Thanks...with a 3 way split that will be VERY worth it.



note to self....remember...need some Canadian coin!


----------



## plutojudy

We are beginning to second guess our pre-cruise plans. 
We are arriving in Vancouver Sunday morning and renting a car at the airport and returning it Tuesday morning and using Disney transfers to and from the airport. We are staying at La Quinta/Airport. 
Should we stay near the port/cancel transfers/cancel rental car?

We would appriciate any suggestions and advice. Thanks.


----------



## mellers

ibouncetoo said:


> Thanks...with a 3 way split that will be VERY worth it.
> 
> 
> 
> note to self....remember...need some Canadian coin!



Just saw your "note to self".  Don't bother changing Canadian money before you leave.  Take your ATM card, head for the nearest ATM at the airport (or the hotel, or the local 7-11---you get the picture) and take out some Canadian money.  You'll get a much better exchange rate from the bank.


----------



## mellers

plutojudy said:


> We are beginning to second guess our pre-cruise plans.
> We are arriving in Vancouver Sunday morning and renting a car at the airport and returning it Tuesday morning and using Disney transfers to and from the airport. We are staying at La Quinta/Airport.
> Should we stay near the port/cancel transfers/cancel rental car?
> 
> We would appriciate any suggestions and advice. Thanks.



First off--you'll love the La Quinta airport and the Lansdowne area--we always stay in that area when we're in the Vancouver area.  Don't bother staying nearer to the port--it isn't worth the money.

That said, unless you have a big group (and, in that case, I would recommend contacting http://www.ridebooker.com/ for a 10-passenger van from the airport), don't bother taking Disney transportation unless there's only 1 or two of you.  Otherwise, you'd be better off taking a taxi from the airport to the port.

Depending upon what you want to do, and your tolerance for public transit, the rental car may not be necessary--there is a SkyTrain station about 1/4-1/2 mile from your hotel.  Still, I don't see that you need to cancel it unless you want to.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

plutojudy said:


> We are beginning to second guess our pre-cruise plans.
> We are arriving in Vancouver Sunday morning and renting a car at the airport and returning it Tuesday morning and using Disney transfers to and from the airport. We are staying at La Quinta/Airport.
> Should we stay near the port/cancel transfers/cancel rental car?
> 
> We would appriciate any suggestions and advice. Thanks.



It depends on what you plan on doing from Sunday to Tuesday? You will be a good 30 mins from any tourist stuff, so if you don't mind that, t hen it would work out ok for you. How much are the transfers? Would it be more worth it to skip renting the car and just use that money and the transfer money to pay for a room downtown and be close to stuff? Use public transit around town (very easy) and walk places vs. renting the car/using transfers. Grab a cab into downtown on Sunday and stay downtown - personally that is what I would do, but its ultimately up to you.


----------



## plutojudy

Thank you so much! We are just a couple, no kids (well, they are adults and don't travel with us).


----------



## mellers

plutojudy said:


> Thank you so much! We are just a couple, no kids (well, they are adults and don't travel with us).



In that case, Disney transportation's not a bad choice.  

Advantages of the Richmond Area:

Incredible Chinese Food (although, it may be a little adventurous for some)
Lansdowne Shopping Center--Zellers (This is like Target.  VERY handy for last-minute items)
If you like your beer and wine, there is also a state-run liquor store in the Lansdowne Shopping Center, so you can pick it up before you go to the port.
Lansdowne SkyTrain Station--takes you quickly into downtown Vancouver proper.  From there, you can get to pretty much anything in the city you want to do
Lansdowne Shopping Center--Food Court:  Inexpensive, pretty decent meals
Lansdowne Shopping Center--local community performances are sometimes held in the mall
Price:  It costs MUCH less to stay in Richmond.  We usually stay at either the La Quinta Airport or the Four Points Sheraton by Lansdowne.  The La Quinta Airport has A LOT of amenities for the price.  The Four Points Sheraton only costs 3,000-4,000 SPG reward points to stay there.
The International Buddhist Temple--they have incredible gardens:  http://www.buddhisttemple.ca/

Advantages of Downtown Vancouver:

Closer to the port
Closer to the water, with correspondingly better views
Closer to the usual tourist attractions--you don't have to start your day with a SkyTrain ride, or a drive to where you want to go.

For us, we always stay in Richmond.  It's cheaper, and we don't mind the morning and evening SkyTrain or bus ride.  We can't drive, and I'm in a wheelchair, and we still didn't have any real trouble getting around.


----------



## llkoolj40

We will be on the Wonder Alaska cruise May 3rd and are staying Vancouver before,but it is the marathon weekend.  Not a lot of hotels to choose from.The hotels that are available that we are looking at are:

Time Square Suites
Ramada limited
Ramada Inn and Suites
Executive Hotel Vintage Park (booked this one as a place holder)
Blue Horizon
Century Plaza (curious why this one is still open considering its location)
Burrard Inn ( will re-open renovated in May) any news on this?
Inn at the Quay(but is not close to downtown)

Any feedback on these would be appreciated.

Lj


----------



## ibouncetoo

mellers said:


> Just saw your "note to self". Don't bother changing Canadian money before you leave. Take your ATM card, head for the nearest ATM at the airport (or the hotel, or the local 7-11---you get the picture) and take out some Canadian money. You'll get a much better exchange rate from the bank.


 
THANKS! 

.


----------



## KYDIZFAN

We are going to Seattle after our Alaska cruise. Anyone have recommendations for places to stay? Thanks in advance


----------



## mellers

KYDIZFAN said:


> We are going to Seattle after our Alaska cruise. Anyone have recommendations for places to stay? Thanks in advance



It really depends upon what you want to do.  If you want to do the touristy things, and you need transportation back to Seattle, the Best Western Executive Inn is a good, inexpensive place, and you can take the Quick Shuttle (http://www.quickcoach.com/ ) directly there from the Port.

If you're looking for a more upscale place, the Mayflower Park is a good location--it's right on the light rail and by the monorail.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

llkoolj40 said:


> We will be on the Wonder Alaska cruise May 3rd and are staying Vancouver before,but it is the marathon weekend.  Not a lot of hotels to choose from.The hotels that are available that we are looking at are:
> 
> Time Square Suites
> Ramada limited
> Ramada Inn and Suites
> Executive Hotel Vintage Park (booked this one as a place holder)
> Blue Horizon
> Century Plaza (curious why this one is still open considering its location)
> Burrard Inn ( will re-open renovated in May) any news on this?
> Inn at the Quay(but is not close to downtown)
> 
> Any feedback on these would be appreciated.
> 
> Lj



Executive or Centry Plaza for sure.
I wouldn't stay at those Ramadas - ick. Never heard of time square suites or the burrard inn. Have to look those up. Use tripadviser! Reviews are very accurate for Vancouver.


----------



## cindy18

KYDIZFAN said:


> We are going to Seattle after our Alaska cruise. Anyone have recommendations for places to stay? Thanks in advance



We are going to Seattle for 3 nights after our cruise too.  We decided among the three Kimpton hotels, all of which looked terrific, all of which were in the perfect neighborhood, all of which were priced well and all of which had nicely sized rooms big enough for the 4 of us.  Worth a look (I think we chose the Alexis).


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

You can also get great deals on seattle hotels on priceline - I booked the Westin for $68 a night recently!


----------



## soonerfan2008

KYDIZFAN said:


> We are going to Seattle after our Alaska cruise. Anyone have recommendations for places to stay? Thanks in advance



We like the Westin (just because it is neat and nicely located directly across from the monorail that goes to the Space Needle area). You can get it very cheaply on priceline. 

We also like either of the Marriotts in downtown (Renaissance or Waterfront). 

The airport hotels (at least the nicer ones) are very cheap, nice amenities, and you can take the light rail into downtown. It stops right by the Macy's that is about 2 or 3 blocks from the Market.


----------



## megsablue

For those who are thinking of flying out of Bellingham or Seattle after their cruise, my DH & I found that Avis does a reasonable rental one way rental from YVR (the Vancouver airport) to the Bellingham or Seattle airport locations. From the cruise terminal, one can take the Canada Line to YVR so you don't necessarily have to taxi it to YVR.

Our one way rental from YVR to the Bellingham Airport was under $100 and I just checked and from YVR to Seattle, it's around $160 for a compact (that's without any discounts). It may be cheaper for some to do that than take the train or any shuttles.


----------



## adedward

Thanks for the Mayflower Park recommendation.  After looking it up and seeing reviews, costs, and that it was next door to light rail station to and from the airport for $1.25 each, I cancelled my other two hotels and am staying here day of arrival and day before departure. Appreciate the heads up!


----------



## llkoolj40

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Executive or Centry Plaza for sure.
> I wouldn't stay at those Ramadas - ick. Never heard of time square suites or the burrard inn. Have to look those up. Use tripadviser! Reviews are very accurate for Vancouver.



Thanks for the input. i think we will stay with the Executive


----------



## jlwhitney

Has anyone stayed at or know much about the Days Inn Downtown Vancouver? It is 2 blocks from Canada Place and so much cheaper than the Pan Pacific.


----------



## mellers

jlwhitney said:


> Has anyone stayed at or know much about the Days Inn Downtown Vancouver? It is 2 blocks from Canada Place and so much cheaper than the Pan Pacific.



I've never stayed at that specific Days Inn, but I've had bad luck at Days Inn in general.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

jlwhitney said:


> Has anyone stayed at or know much about the Days Inn Downtown Vancouver? It is 2 blocks from Canada Place and so much cheaper than the Pan Pacific.



I wouldn't stay there - I can't stress enough to people to just pay the extra in Vancouver, if it is a $69 special it is that for a reason! Unless its hotwire/priceline! 
If you are spending thousands on a vacation, just spend an extra $200 for your hotel and you will be grateful in the end. Hotels here are pricey in cruise ship season, but you can get deals on hotwire and priceline!


----------



## poohj80

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Hotels here are pricey in cruise ship season, but you can get deals on hotwire and priceline!



Does anyone have any tips to have a good idea which hotel you are getting on Hotwire or Priceline before booking?  I know there are some tips on the DIS Boards to help book the Hyatt in the Orlando airport, but haven't found anything yet to help know about Vancouver.

Thanks!


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

I had put this in first faq post - amazing site - www.betterbidding.com - lists all the hotels that come up on both sites.


----------



## poohj80

Lollipop's Mom said:


> I had put this in first faq post - amazing site - www.betterbidding.com - lists all the hotels that come up on both sites.



Thanks!  I'll dig through the threads for info on finding a specific hotel.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Its easy - just go directly to http://www.betterbidding.com/index.php?showforum=162&
then you can see these too..
http://www.betterbidding.com/index.php?showtopic=92&
and
http://www.betterbidding.com/index.php?showforum=166&

No 'digging' needed- very well organized.


----------



## poohj80

Those list the possible hotels but not necessarily how to tell one from the other when bidding especially when the amenities are very similar in some cases.  For example, one might show 500+ reviews while another 100+ reviews.  I found some of this info in specific threads, but not much.


----------



## jlwhitney

Lollipop's Mom said:


> I wouldn't stay there - I can't stress enough to people to just pay the extra in Vancouver, if it is a $69 special it is that for a reason! Unless its hotwire/priceline!
> If you are spending thousands on a vacation, just spend an extra $200 for your hotel and you will be grateful in the end. Hotels here are pricey in cruise ship season, but you can get deals on hotwire and priceline!



Well, it is not a 69 dollar deal, its about 200 dollars less and its easier to get a refunable rate there. I really do not like booking non refunable rates at all. They think I like the most is free internent and the valet parking is 10 less a day. I am not looking for fancy just clean and safe. I have stayed at days inn before and they were fine.


----------



## poohj80

Pan Pacific offers refundable rates.  We booked a AAA rate similar to its non-refundable rate.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

It takes you through each hotel for hotwire and what most of them are based on amenities - so it says suite, non-smoking, pool, free breakfast 3*, so then it shows you what hotels that could possibly be.
I use hotwire a LOT and that site is 99.9% dead on right!


----------



## poohj80

Lollipop's Mom said:


> It takes you through each hotel for hotwire and what most of them are based on amenities - so it says suite, non-smoking, pool, free breakfast 3*, so then it shows you what hotels that could possibly be.
> I use hotwire a LOT and that site is 99.9% dead on right!



Thanks again!  Specifically looking for a deal at Pan Pacific but it lists same amenities as Sutton Place:

5* The Pan Pacific Hotel Vancouver
Amenities: Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Spa
(can be same as Sutton Place)

5* The Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver (previously 4.5*)
Amenities: Restaurant, Pool, Fitness, Hi-Speed Internet, Business, Spa
(same as Pan Pacific)

So was hoping to find some other distinguishing feature.


----------



## richmo

Just adding a parking update.  The official Vancouver (YVR) airport site has a coupon for $45 a week parking in the long term lot at YVR.  There appear to be some pretty hefty taxes in addition, but still way under the $20-$30/day rates elsewhere.  Remember, if you drop a car at YVR, at least one person will need to get back to Canada Place, but I understand that's pretty simple with the SkyTrain.

If you're interested, go to the YVR website www.yvr.ca and you'll see a link for 'Long Term Parking Coupon'.  I believe it goes into September...


----------



## Evette

poohj80 said:


> Does anyone have any tips to have a good idea which hotel you are getting on Hotwire or Priceline before booking? I know there are some tips on the DIS Boards to help book the Hyatt in the Orlando airport, but haven't found anything yet to help know about Vancouver.
> 
> Thanks!


I was lucky and ended up with the Pan Pacific on Hotwire.com.  I chose a 5* Hotel for $200 (before taxes of course) and an area around Canada Place. I was very happy when the Pan Pacific came up as the Hotel. I spent a few dollars extra for the Trip Insurance for our one night stay since you pay upfront.


----------



## poohj80

Evette said:


> I was lucky and ended up with the Pan Pacific on Hotwire.com.  I chose a 5* Hotel for $200 (before taxes of course) and an area around Canada Place. I was very happy when the Pan Pacific came up as the Hotel. I spent a few dollars extra for the Trip Insurance for our one night stay since you pay upfront.



Thanks for the feedback!  That's not much cheaper than we booked directly with Pan Pacific so think I'll just keep what we have to be sure.


----------



## tink&cinderella

Sorry if this has been posted before..

Does anyone know anything about Club Intrawest in Vancouver? We traded in our DVC points to stay there for 4 nights prior to the cruise. 

Thanks


----------



## poohj80

tink&cinderella said:


> Sorry if this has been posted before..
> 
> Does anyone know anything about Club Intrawest in Vancouver? We traded in our DVC points to stay there for 4 nights prior to the cruise.
> 
> Thanks



I hadn't thought about that possibility.  I'd love to hear about Club Intrawest too.


----------



## NWmom

I know Club Intrawest Vancouver is related to the one in Whistler. Beyond that I do not know specifics.

I do not recommend the one in Whistler. If you are DVC you have been spoiled by DIsney and will not be pleased by Whistler.

Holes in furniture, cigarette burns, dust everywhere.
Let's just say my then 10 yr old son is the one that showed me how much his room needed dusting.


----------



## NWmom

I would love an opinion. I am located north of Seattle, have my own car. No rental, no airfare involved.

We are debating just getting up early day of cruise and driving to the port and parking the car. Customs usually involves a smile and a wave through when driving, but it has been awhile.

or

Taking Amtrack up. Having to go through customs timewise after the train arrival around noon.

The main reason I am considering Amtrack is wondering about safety of leaving the car. Price for both is close enough not to be a factor in deciding.

On the way home, having the car to explore for the day would be nice.

Also thinking having a hotel the day before would be harder than just leaving early in the morning. If we leave from here and miss something it will still be here when we get back.


----------



## Momof3greatkids

Looking for someone to pick us up after disembarking, and give us a tour of North Shore, and downtown, with a drop off at Airport Hotel. I am having no luck, anyone know of a company or person who does this??


----------



## richmo

NWmom said:


> I would love an opinion. I am located north of Seattle, have my own car. No rental, no airfare involved.
> 
> We are debating just getting up early day of cruise and driving to the port and parking the car. Customs usually involves a smile and a wave through when driving, but it has been awhile.
> 
> or
> 
> Taking Amtrack up. Having to go through customs timewise after the train arrival around noon.
> 
> The main reason I am considering Amtrack is wondering about safety of leaving the car. Price for both is close enough not to be a factor in deciding.
> 
> On the way home, having the car to explore for the day would be nice.
> 
> Also thinking having a hotel the day before would be harder than just leaving early in the morning. If we leave from here and miss something it will still be here when we get back.



It's great you don't have to deal with a car rental!

I like the timing of Amtrak going north, but I don't like Amtrak's times going south, after the cruise.  You'd miss the early train, and the late one gets you back to Seattle pretty late.  (Of course, you're much more familiar with the area than I am, so that may not be as big an issue with you).

What I'm planning on is dropping the car at YVR (rates are about $50 + taxes for the week), then take the short SkyTrain ride to the port.  Of course, you could also drop everyone and the luggage at the port, then take the car to YVR and SkyTrain back.  Just a thought...


----------



## sheri117

Evette said:


> I was lucky and ended up with the Pan Pacific on Hotwire.com.  I chose a 5* Hotel for $200 (before taxes of course) and an area around Canada Place. I was very happy when the Pan Pacific came up as the Hotel. I spent a few dollars extra for the Trip Insurance for our one night stay since you pay upfront.



I just got two rooms at the Pan Pacific for May 9 for $143 each through Hotwire.  I am very excited!

The website says that the Canada Line will take you within one block of the hotel.  We're not arriving until late (after 10:30 p.m.)  Is it safe to walk that block at that hour (which will likely be closer to midnight by the time we get our luggage and take the train).


----------



## mellers

sheri117 said:


> I just got two rooms at the Pan Pacific for May 9 for $143 each through Hotwire.  I am very excited!
> 
> The website says that the Canada Line will take you within one block of the hotel.  We're not arriving until late (after 10:30 p.m.)  Is it safe to walk that block at that hour (which will likely be closer to midnight by the time we get our luggage and take the train).



Check here:  http://tripplanning.translink.ca/hiwire?.a=iTripPlanning&.s=8150c080 to make sure the schedule is conducive to your arrival.  I know the SkyTrain does not run 24/7.


----------



## NWmom

richmo said:


> It's great you don't have to deal with a car rental!
> 
> I like the timing of Amtrak going north, but I don't like Amtrak's times going south, after the cruise.  You'd miss the early train, and the late one gets you back to Seattle pretty late.  (Of course, you're much more familiar with the area than I am, so that may not be as big an issue with you).
> 
> What I'm planning on is dropping the car at YVR (rates are about $50 + taxes for the week), then take the short SkyTrain ride to the port.  Of course, you could also drop everyone and the luggage at the port, then take the car to YVR and SkyTrain back.  Just a thought...



I like that idea- much cheaper. Any idea of how long the ride would be from YVR to port?
and cost per person?

Also wondering if the traffic in the morning might make it worth taking everyone on the SkyTrain as the kids would love it and think think hauling luggage is fun too.


----------



## sheri117

mellers said:


> Check [link removed because I'm a newbie]  to make sure the schedule is conducive to your arrival.  I know the SkyTrain does not run 24/7.




The last train runs at about 12:30 or so - so we should be fine (unless the plane is very late, then we'll have to catch a taxi).  Thanks for the link!


----------



## Yensidfan

Can someone tell me the different ways to get from the cruise port (after the cruise) to the airport?  Our flight leaves around 1:00pm on the day we disembark.

Cost of Taxi for four of us?  
Is there a train and if there is, the cost?
And how far is the airport from the port in distance and time?

Thanks in advance,
Faith


----------



## megsablue

NWmom said:


> I like that idea- much cheaper. Any idea of how long the ride would be from YVR to port?
> and cost per person?





Yensidfan said:


> Is there a train and if there is, the cost?
> And how far is the airport from the port in distance and time?



There's actually two different "train" systems in Vancouver. The Canada Line (which goes from downtown Vancouver to Richmond and YVR) and the SkyTrain (which goes from downtown Vancouver into the outer suburbs of Metro Vancouver and into the Lower Mainland). I don't want you trying to find a SkyTrain at YVR when there will only be signs for the Canada Line. 

The ride on the Canada Line from the Port to YVR (end to end) is about 30 minutes according to Translink (the company that runs transit service in Vancouver) once you get going. However, there may be a bit of a wait (anywhere from 5-20 minutes) depending on when you arrive. For an idea of the schedule, the website is http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/hiwire?.a=iScheduleLookupSearch&LineName=999&LineAbbr=999 
(Scroll down to the Canada Line). I usually give myself 45-60 minutes when heading to the airport from downtown (but I'm almost always early!).

To understand cost, it's helpful to understand that the bus/SkyTrain/CanadaLine systems are divided into zones. Vancouver is one zone, Richmond (where YVR is located) is another zone. So to travel from Vancouver to Richmond, one pays for a two zone ticket.

As for cost:
From Waterfront (Canada Place) to YVR (two zones)
- Weekdays from start of service to 6:30 p.m. it would be $3.75 for adults and $2.50 for children (4 and under are free).
- Weekdays after 6:30 p.m. and all day Saturday, Sunday and Holidays it would be $2.50 for adults and $1.75

From YVR to Waterfront (two zones)
- Take the above fares and add $5 to them.
- Note: Daypasses ($9) are exempt from this YVR Add-on Fare, so if you're going to do some sightseeing the same day, it may be worth it to just get a DayPass. FareSaver tickets (a booklet of individual prepaid tickets bought at a discount) are also exempt. If you're going to be sightseeing in Vancouver and utilizing the bus/Skytrain/CanadaLine systems a lot, it may be worth while to purchase this instead. What you can do is buy the tickets for one zone (all of Vancouver) and then "upgrade" to a two zone ticket at YVR (that gets you around the $5 add-on).

Hope that helps - I know it can be confusing!


----------



## Candy Apple

megsablue said:


> There's actually two different "train" systems in Vancouver. The Canada Line (which goes from downtown Vancouver to Richmond and YVR) and the SkyTrain (which goes from downtown Vancouver into the outer suburbs of Metro Vancouver and into the Lower Mainland). I don't want you trying to find a SkyTrain at YVR when there will only be signs for the Canada Line.
> 
> The ride on the Canada Line from the Port to YVR (end to end) is about 30 minutes according to Translink (the company that runs transit service in Vancouver) once you get going. However, there may be a bit of a wait (anywhere from 5-20 minutes) depending on when you arrive. For an idea of the schedule, the website is http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/hiwire?.a=iScheduleLookupSearch&LineName=999&LineAbbr=999
> (Scroll down to the Canada Line). I usually give myself 45-60 minutes when heading to the airport from downtown (but I'm almost always early!).
> 
> To understand cost, it's helpful to understand that the bus/SkyTrain/CanadaLine systems are divided into zones. Vancouver is one zone, Richmond (where YVR is located) is another zone. So to travel from Vancouver to Richmond, one pays for a two zone ticket.
> 
> As for cost:
> From Waterfront (Canada Place) to YVR (two zones)
> - Weekdays from start of service to 6:30 p.m. it would be $3.75 for adults and $2.50 for children (4 and under are free).
> - Weekdays after 6:30 p.m. and all day Saturday, Sunday and Holidays it would be $2.50 for adults and $1.75
> 
> From YVR to Waterfront (two zones)
> - Take the above fares and add $5 to them.
> - Note: Daypasses ($9) are exempt from this YVR Add-on Fare, so if you're going to do some sightseeing the same day, it may be worth it to just get a DayPass. FareSaver tickets (a booklet of individual prepaid tickets bought at a discount) are also exempt. If you're going to be sightseeing in Vancouver and utilizing the bus/Skytrain/CanadaLine systems a lot, it may be worth while to purchase this instead. What you can do is buy the tickets for one zone (all of Vancouver) and then "upgrade" to a two zone ticket at YVR (that gets you around the $5 add-on).
> 
> Hope that helps - I know it can be confusing!


 

So, if I'm reading this right, to get from the airport to the cruise terminal would be $8.75 for adults and $7.50 for children (since it is a Tuesday cruise).  If so, that is cheaper than the $50 per person roundtrip that Disney wants to charge for the bus.  How convenient is it to get to the train station at the airport?  How convenient is it to get from the train station to the port?  If these are just a short walk, this is definitely something to consider.


----------



## chernabogfamily

Candy Apple said:


> So, if I'm reading this right, to get from the airport to the cruise terminal would be $8.75 for adults and $7.50 for children (since it is a Tuesday cruise).  If so, that is cheaper than the $50 per person roundtrip that Disney wants to charge for the bus.  How convenient is it to get to the train station at the airport?  How convenient is it to get from the train station to the port?  If these are just a short walk, this is definitely something to consider.



I am also interested in this info.  We are on the Jun 7 cruise, and are looking to get to the Pan Pacific Hotel from YVR the evening beforehand.


----------



## Pocahantas

sheri117 said:


> I just got two rooms at the Pan Pacific for May 9 for $143 each through Hotwire.  I am very excited!



What info did Hotwire use to describe the hotel?  I am curious because I am seeing a 5* for my dates listed at $160 but I am having a hard time telling if it is the Pan Pacific or Sutton Place.


----------



## poohj80

Pocahantas said:


> What info did Hotwire use to describe the hotel?  I am curious because I am seeing a 5* for my dates listed at $160 but I am having a hard time telling if it is the Pan Pacific or Sutton Place.



I'm curious too as I am only finding 4* hotels on Hotwire, no 5*.

Thanks!


----------



## megsablue

Candy Apple said:


> So, if I'm reading this right, to get from the airport to the cruise terminal would be $8.75 for adults and $7.50 for children (since it is a Tuesday cruise).  If so, that is cheaper than the $50 per person roundtrip that Disney wants to charge for the bus.  How convenient is it to get to the train station at the airport?  How convenient is it to get from the train station to the port?  If these are just a short walk, this is definitely something to consider.





chernabogfamily said:


> I am also interested in this info.  We are on the Jun 7 cruise, and are looking to get to the Pan Pacific Hotel from YVR the evening beforehand.



Correct - it would be $8.75 and $7.50 respectively. On the way back from Waterfront Station (near Canada Place) to YVR it would be $3.75 and $2.50 respectively because the YVR add-on fares only apply to fares leaving YVR.

At YVR, the Canada Line station is fairly close. You walk out from the International Arrivals area - cross the taxi lanes (there's a crosswalk guard there) and the station is right across the street. You go up the escalators or elevator to the station.

At Waterfront Station there's two exits - if you exit through the main exit, it's around a block and a half to Canada Place/Pan Pacific. If you exit from the side exit (Howe Street) as you exit, you'll be looking at Canada Place/Pan Pacific and it's not even half a block from there.

I've found it pretty easy to use the Canada Line when I need to head to the airport, but I'd pack as light as you can. If you have more than 1 piece of luggage each, it can make it harder to navigate (though my DH has done it before).  

As a side note, rush hour for transit is from 7:30am - 9:00am (coming into Vancouver) and from 4:40pm - 6:00pm (going to Richmond/YVR). If you can avoid these times, I would!  If you can't you can't, just be aware that it will be busier during these times.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

I just updated the first post with this map - this shows the walking route/distance from skytrain station to port. We did this when we went on a weekend cruise on NCL and it wasn't bad with a small suitcase.


----------



## DenverVal

Pocahantas said:


> What info did Hotwire use to describe the hotel?  I am curious because I am seeing a 5* for my dates listed at $160 but I am having a hard time telling if it is the Pan Pacific or Sutton Place.



Choose the zone it's in, choose 5 stars, and no more than two occupants. If you enter more, it doesn't come up. I booked through the Pan Pacific's website and noticed that there is a surcharge for additional adults ( I have an 18yo), but not for children. However, if you include the kids in your search, it won't work. Sutton Place has the same amenities; there's no way to tell.


----------



## plutojudy

Just rechecked with Dreams. Transfers are $50. per person.


----------



## sheri117

DenverVal said:


> Choose the zone it's in, choose 5 stars, and no more than two occupants. If you enter more, it doesn't come up. I booked through the Pan Pacific's website and noticed that there is a surcharge for additional adults ( I have an 18yo), but not for children. However, if you include the kids in your search, it won't work. Sutton Place has the same amenities; there's no way to tell.



I entered two rooms and 8 occupants (4 in each room), and it came up.  It was the only 5 star showing, and for my date (05/09) it was $143.  I wasn't positive, but ended up lucky!  So, for me, more than two occupants didn't make a difference (although we have two adults and two kids in each room).


----------



## sheri117

Pocahantas said:


> What info did Hotwire use to describe the hotel?  I am curious because I am seeing a 5* for my dates listed at $160 but I am having a hard time telling if it is the Pan Pacific or Sutton Place.



I wasn't sure which it was - but I took a chance, and it was the Pan Pacific. I was the only 5 star listed for my date. I think the two hotels are described exactly the same, and you just have to hope for the best!  

I figured even if it was Sutton Place, we'd work it out anyway, and at least I'd know it was a nice hotel.


----------



## Pocahantas

sheri117 said:


> I wasn't sure which it was - but I took a chance, and it was the Pan Pacific. I was the only 5 star listed for my date. I think the two hotels are described exactly the same, and you just have to hope for the best!
> 
> I figured even if it was Sutton Place, we'd work it out anyway, and at least I'd know it was a nice hotel.



Did you notice if it was 80% Hotwire customer recommended or 90%??  I have read in a few places that people who won the Pan Pacific had the 90% rating and Sutton Place was usually around 80%.  So I am really curious.


----------



## sheri117

Pocahantas said:


> Did you notice if it was 80% Hotwire customer recommended or 90%??  I have read in a few places that people who won the Pan Pacific had the 90% rating and Sutton Place was usually around 80%.  So I am really curious.



It was 90%.


----------



## nanaguide

A newbie here - I have never used Hotwire or Priceline. Do they immediately charge your credit card for the room? We are going on the August 2 cruise and rooms are pretty expensive then. I thought I might try these sites.


----------



## Evette

nanaguide said:


> A newbie here - I have never used Hotwire or Priceline. Do they immediately charge your credit card for the room? We are going on the August 2 cruise and rooms are pretty expensive then. I thought I might try these sites.


 
I used Hotwire.com to book the Pan Pacific for the night before our cruise on the June 7th sailing and they DO charge your credit card immediately. For my date of June 6 for three adults the cost of the room was $200.00 before taxes etc. This was my first time using the site and I was very happy we got the Pan Pacific.


----------



## Pocahantas

sheri117 said:


> It was 90%.



Thanks that is what I needed to know.


----------



## poohj80

nanaguide said:


> A newbie here - I have never used Hotwire or Priceline. Do they immediately charge your credit card for the room? We are going on the August 2 cruise and rooms are pretty expensive then. I thought I might try these sites.



But, you do not know which hotel you are getting until after you pay so you are taking a risk that you may not get exactly where you want.  if you're flexible, it can be a great tool!


----------



## DenverVal

nanaguide said:


> A newbie here - I have never used Hotwire or Priceline. Do they immediately charge your credit card for the room? We are going on the August 2 cruise and rooms are pretty expensive then. I thought I might try these sites.


The boards over at betterbidding.com will help guide you through the process. Read the stickys on the home page.


----------



## mellers

For those heading to Seattle, there's a great deal on a Groupon for a Deception Pass Jet Boat Tour, but it's only available for about 2.5 more hours:

http://www.groupon.com/deals/deception-pass-tours-seattle?utm_campaign=deception-pass-tours-seattle


----------



## mellers

Clipper Vacations is offering some Spring sales--May visitors to Seattle may want to take note:

http://www.clippervacations.com/


----------



## dkmjgal

Looking for suggestions for our upcoming trip.  We are sailing on the August 16th Alaska cruise.  We are flying into Seattle on Sat. Aug. 13th and taking Amtrak to Vancouver on Sunday.  We should arrive in Vancouver around noon on Sunday.  We are staying at the Marriott Pinnacle.   

1) What is the best way to get to our hotel?  I'm thinking a taxi probably?
2) What would you say are the not to be missed things while in Vancouver?
3) Best options for getting around?  I'm thinking public transportation and good old fashioned walking?
4) Best way to get to port on Tuesday?  Taxi?

Any and all suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks-
Kelly


----------



## adnil530

mellers said:


> For those heading to Seattle, there's a great deal on a Groupon for a Deception Pass Jet Boat Tour, but it's only available for about 2.5 more hours:
> 
> http://www.groupon.com/deals/deception-pass-tours-seattle?utm_campaign=deception-pass-tours-seattle



I missed that deal, dang!  But thanks for the great tip/reminder  I didn't even think about checking groupon.  I'll now check Seattle and Portland since we are driving up and will be taking our time coming back.  

Linda


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

dkmjgal said:


> Looking for suggestions for our upcoming trip.  We are sailing on the August 16th Alaska cruise.  We are flying into Seattle on Sat. Aug. 13th and taking Amtrak to Vancouver on Sunday.  We should arrive in Vancouver around noon on Sunday.  We are staying at the Marriott Pinnacle.
> 
> 1) What is the best way to get to our hotel?  I'm thinking a taxi probably?
> 2) What would you say are the not to be missed things while in Vancouver?
> 3) Best options for getting around?  I'm thinking public transportation and good old fashioned walking?
> 4) Best way to get to port on Tuesday?  Taxi?
> 
> Any and all suggestions are appreciated.
> Thanks-
> Kelly



1 - yes probably a taxi
2-4 - see the very first post of this entire thread - lots of info on all of these questions. (And yes, Marriott Pinnacle is a short taxi ride to the port)


----------



## LocustPoint

My family is on the inaugural cruise and staying at the Fairmont Waterfront upon our arrival in Vancouver on 4/30.  My question is regarding the Vancouver Marathon the next day.  How is traffic around town on the day of the marathon.  I'm trying to figure out what attractions we are going to visit that day, but I'm unsure of how the marathon will affect our plans.  I live in Baltimore City on the marathon route and we know on marathon day not to plan anything until the afternoon.  Any insight will be appreciated.


----------



## goslingl

LocustPoint said:


> My family is on the inaugural cruise and staying at the Fairmont Waterfront upon our arrival in Vancouver on 4/30.  My question is regarding the Vancouver Marathon the next day.  How is traffic around town on the day of the marathon.  I'm trying to figure out what attractions we are going to visit that day, but I'm unsure of how the marathon will affect our plans.  I live in Baltimore City on the marathon route and we know on marathon day not to plan anything until the afternoon.  Any insight will be appreciated.



I hope youwill do a trip report!  We are on the August 23 cruise and would appreciate any info and tips.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

LocustPoint said:


> My family is on the inaugural cruise and staying at the Fairmont Waterfront upon our arrival in Vancouver on 4/30.  My question is regarding the Vancouver Marathon the next day.  How is traffic around town on the day of the marathon.  I'm trying to figure out what attractions we are going to visit that day, but I'm unsure of how the marathon will affect our plans.  I live in Baltimore City on the marathon route and we know on marathon day not to plan anything until the afternoon.  Any insight will be appreciated.



Here is the website for the marathon and there are some maps on there.
http://www.bmovanmarathon.ca/race_info/marathon.php
You will still be able to travel around, just might be a big slower getting to places.


----------



## BelleProfHP

First, I have to thank everyone that has posted. I'm leaving for Vancouver in less that 2 weeks to spend Spring Break in Vancouver and Whistler. I found DISboards thanks to my DH who recommended them for planning for our Fantasy Cruise in 2012 and I just stumbled onto this thread. But you guys have been INCREDIBLY helpful and I've spent the past two days immersed, soaking up your collective knowledge and wishing that I could go with you. 

However, one thing that I haven't seen too much discussion on is the zip line tours. We have been debating whether or not to go. If it were just us, we would go - no problem. But our DS, who is 8, is very timid and so we can't decide. One thing that would help is if we knew for sure if there was a way to slow down the speed as you're traveling across the zip line. Anyone have any experience with these?

Also, any locals with recommendations?

Thanks in advance for all your help!


----------



## mellers

BelleProfHP said:


> First, I have to thank everyone that has posted. I'm leaving for Vancouver in less that 2 weeks to spend Spring Break in Vancouver and Whistler. I found DISboards thanks to my DH who recommended them for planning for our Fantasy Cruise in 2012 and I just stumbled onto this thread. But you guys have been INCREDIBLY helpful and I've spent the past two days immersed, soaking up your collective knowledge and wishing that I could go with you.
> 
> However, one thing that I haven't seen too much discussion on is the zip line tours. We have been debating whether or not to go. If it were just us, we would go - no problem. But our DS, who is 8, is very timid and so we can't decide. One thing that would help is if we knew for sure if there was a way to slow down the speed as you're traveling across the zip line. Anyone have any experience with these?
> 
> Also, any locals with recommendations?
> 
> Thanks in advance for all your help!



The first thing I would look into is whether or not an 8 year old will meet their minimum age requirements--if not, that may make the decision for you right there.


----------



## nanaguide

We are going to do ziplining with our grandson in Whistler before we go on our August 2 cruise. I'm sorry I don't know the name of the company recommended here in this thread. I did all my research on them way back in January but have been so busy haven't gotten back to it. My grandson is 8 and he qualified for 2 of their adventures. We are excited about it. He isn't really athletic but he does swim and snow skis so I think he'll do OK - there was a minimum weight limit. Hope you can find it in this thread. It would be back at the beginning. We love Whistler and right now I'm looking for lodging for our 2 nights there. Have a great time!


----------



## jlwhitney

In Regards to the zipline....

Www.ziptrek.com 
Www.wildplay.com

Are the two companies in whistler. We r going to so the one with zip trek in may and can not wait.

Ziptrek has two courses bear and eagle. Bear has the training course part of it and better for people who aren't as sure about it.

There is a zipline on grouse mt. In Vancouver as well.


In terms of speed: you can't control it and you do not have to worry About breaking yourself (which is a good thing). Something to consider is that a small kid that just makes the weight requirement will not go as fast as an adult.


----------



## BelleProfHP

mellers said:


> The first thing I would look into is whether or not an 8 year old will meet their minimum age requirements--if not, that may make the decision for you right there.



We've already checked out that part. Thanks though!



nanaguide said:


> We are going to do ziplining with our grandson in Whistler before we go on our August 2 cruise. I'm sorry I don't know the name of the company recommended here in this thread. I did all my research on them way back in January but have been so busy haven't gotten back to it. My grandson is 8 and he qualified for 2 of their adventures. We are excited about it. He isn't really athletic but he does swim and snow skis so I think he'll do OK - there was a minimum weight limit. Hope you can find it in this thread. It would be back at the beginning. We love Whistler and right now I'm looking for lodging for our 2 nights there. Have a great time!



Thanks so much! My DS swims as well, and will be learning to ski on this trip. When I get back, I'll try to remember to let you know how he did. We leave in 11 days.  



jlwhitney said:


> (SNIPPED to remove links)
> In terms of speed: you can't control it and you do not have to worry About breaking yourself (which is a good thing). Something to consider is that a small kid that just makes the weight requirement will not go as fast as an adult.



Thanks for the note about the weight. He's pretty light for his age (although he's gotten heavier through the winter), so that might help to reassure him.

Next question for those in the know...

I've looked all over and can only find full-day or longer ski lessons at Whistler. Do they offer *any* drop-in lessons or half-day lessons? We had thought that we might sign up DS8 for a morning half-day lesson and me for a drop-in refresher (since it's been 10+ years since I've been skiing and *that* was in North Carolina - completely different ski conditions!). But no matter how many Google searches I do, I still get the same results.


----------



## mellers

> Next question for those in the know...
> 
> I've looked all over and can only find full-day or longer ski lessons at Whistler. Do they offer *any* drop-in lessons or half-day lessons? We had thought that we might sign up DS8 for a morning half-day lesson and me for a drop-in refresher (since it's been 10+ years since I've been skiing and *that* was in North Caroline - completely different ski conditions!). But no matter how many Google searches I do, I still get the same results.



Have you tried Grouse Mountain?--I can't tell exactly from the web page, but it looks like it may be what you're looking for:  http://www.grousemountain.com/Winte...ool/ski-snowboard-lessons-drop-in-lessons.asp

They also have a zipline, if your son is 70 lbs. or greater:

http://www.grousemountain.com/Winter/adrenaline-adventures/mountain-ziplines-vancouver.asp


----------



## mellers

For those heading to Seattle before Vancouver, there's a group offering discounted rafting tours in the Seattle area:

http://www.groupon.com/deals/the-ou...=seattle&d=deal&s=featured_deal&date=20110323

But it's a Groupon, so it only lasts for 14 more hours.


----------



## animalx

Check this link http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/lastminute/index.htm
When we usually go we book from this site. I got the Chateau Whistler for $149.00  reg $299.00  last year.

Regarding Ziplines.  If your 8 year old is timid, i would NOT recommend this even if he meets the weight limit. I don't think you can do tandems on this but maybe check with them. I'm not sure.

Have Fun. Hopefully the Tube Park will be open still . Your 8 year old would love that.


----------



## jodeja

I tried to search this thread for info on this hotel, but couldn't find anything. Has anyone stayed at Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites? https://www.coasthotels.com/rates/results
Any reviews?


Thanks!


----------



## jlwhitney

animalx said:


> Check this link http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com/lastminute/index.htm
> When we usually go we book from this site. I got the Chateau Whistler for $149.00  reg $299.00  last year.
> 
> Regarding Ziplines.  If your 8 year old is timid, i would NOT recommend this even if he meets the weight limit. I don't think you can do tandems on this but maybe check with them. I'm not sure.
> 
> Have Fun. Hopefully the Tube Park will be open still . Your 8 year old would love that.



Tandem zipping can be done with any kid over 6 and under 65 pounds on the bear course at ziptrek


----------



## BelleProfHP

Thank you to everyone who has responded to my various requests for information. We booked today with the company that has the Bear course - they actually do tandem zips for 2 of the 5 for those withing 5lbs of the weight requirement, so my DS may end up with someone for part of the ride.

Regarding ski lessons, we booked a day-long lesson for DS at Whistler and I will watch YouTube videos and then "throw myself down the mountain"  for the first morning. If that doesn't seem to be working, then I'll see what I can do about joining the lesson that begins at 12h45...assuming I'm still around by that time.  

Thanks again! I'm sure I'll have more questions before we actually leave. When I get back (April 10), I'll be sure to come back and repay the favor.


----------



## poohj80

Just booked our Amtrack tickets from Seattle to Vancouver.  Now, to book the airline tickets to Seattle.


----------



## everafter1

We booked somehwat last minute for our Alaska cruise, so we chose DCL transfers and and hotel through DCL (I know it's more expensive, but it was what was easiest for us). Does anyone know the process for this? I'm just wondering if there is a set time they'll pick us up at the hotel for the port. We used DCL transfers in Spain, but went right to the port, so I wasn't sure how this worked outside of Florida.


----------



## jodeja

animalx said:


> I've stayed at the Landis.  Hotel itself was o.k. but the area i don't recommend. Depending on your budget, there would be better places to stay. When are you going?  i can keep an eye out for any good deals.



I am wondering what is it about the area that the Landis is in that you do not recommend? Is it because of safety issues, or just lack of nearby things to do? Or something else? I have never been to Vancouver, so I only know what I've read online about the neighborhoods.
We are a party of 5 and I am finding it hard to find a room that will fit all of us. The ones I have found so far seem to have good-to-mixed reviews: The Landis and Coastal Plaza. 
Of course the Pan Pacific would be most convenient and seems to be highly recommended, but I am worried about the size and would like to avoid getting 2 rooms, if possible. Pan Pacific would not even let me book the room for 5 online, but I called and asked if we could fit 5 in the Premium room with 2 double beds + the pull-out couch. He said "Yes, you can do that, but it will be tight!"

Thanks for any advice!


----------



## nzdisneymom

everafter1 said:


> We booked somehwat last minute for our Alaska cruise, so we chose DCL transfers and and hotel through DCL (I know it's more expensive, but it was what was easiest for us). Does anyone know the process for this? I'm just wondering if there is a set time they'll pick us up at the hotel for the port. We used DCL transfers in Spain, but went right to the port, so I wasn't sure how this worked outside of Florida.



We've done the DCL transfers from airport to hotel to cruiseship (and back) both in Barcelona and London. We're doing it again for Alaska.

When you arrive at the hotel, you will have a packet from DCL (or else they will deliver it to you later that day) or check with the DCL people who usually have a desk in the lobby area (or just off) after you arrive - they will make sure you get the info you need about how to handle your luggage for cruise day and what time / where to be for getting to the port. They make it so easy.  You can also do your cruise check-in at the hotel with them so you don't have to do that at the port that morning - which is a nice perk.

The pick-up at the airport is very similar to what you've experienced already - when you arrive, look for the DCL person(s) who will pick you up and take you to the hotel.  You'll get your luggage yourself from the airport and meet your driver just after that.  At least that's how it's worked for us both times we've done it in Barcelona and London.

FWIW, we've found that by the time we factored in transportation from the airport to the hotel and then the cruise terminal (and back) plus airfare, travel insurance (which you have to get separate for airfare from what you buy with DCL for the cruise if you don't do air with them), that it really doesn't cost that much more than doing it yourself - plus you don't have the headaches when the airlines change your "bargain flight" or the company you've arranged transportation with goes out of business or you have flight delays, etc.  The no-headache part has been worth whatever extra $$ it has cost us to do air / hotel / transfers through DCL for our non-Florida departures.


----------



## Flitter

We are planning on arriving in Vancouver 4 days prior to our sailing on June 21st and I am looking for a hotel/motel, in a good area that could offer me 2 queen size beds and possibly a breakfast and close to public transportation.  I have found 3 but, I'm not sure how good/bad they would be.  I have been trying to stay with the "chain" type.  The three are:  Best Western Plus - Langley Inn, Howard Johnson's - No. Burnabys Botique Hotel and Days Inn - Vancouver Metro.  Any input would be appreciated.


----------



## mellers

Flitter said:


> We are planning on arriving in Vancouver 4 days prior to our sailing on June 21st and I am looking for a hotel/motel, in a good area that could offer me 2 queen size beds and possibly a breakfast and close to public transportation.  I have found 3 but, I'm not sure how good/bad they would be.  I have been trying to stay with the "chain" type.  The three are:  Best Western Plus - Langley Inn, Howard Johnson's - No. Burnabys Botique Hotel and Days Inn - Vancouver Metro.  Any input would be appreciated.



Two others you may want to consider are the La Quinta Inn Vancouver Airport (free breakfast, although I think it has full beds, along with a fitness center and small indoor pool)  http://www.lq.com/lq/properties/pro...&searchType=GEO&lat=49.163469&lon=-123.137766

and the Four Points Sheraton (queen beds, no breakfast, but good, inexpensive nearby options):  http://www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=213

Both are next door to the Lansdowne Shopping Centre, a mall with a Zellers (similar to Target), a small grocery store, a Toys R Us, a state liquor store, multple ATMs to get Canadian money, and an inexpensive (but good) food court for meals.  Next door to the mall is the Lansdowne Station of the Canada Line, which will take you right into Vancouver proper.  We're staying at the Four Points (got it free for points) before our cruise--we really like that neighborhood.  

Another advantage to these two places is, while you will have to take a taxi to the port, they will transport you free from the airport to the hotel.


----------



## ykmom

Flitter said:


> We are planning on arriving in Vancouver 4 days prior to our sailing on June 21st and I am looking for a hotel/motel, in a good area that could offer me 2 queen size beds and possibly a breakfast and close to public transportation.  I have found 3 but, I'm not sure how good/bad they would be.  I have been trying to stay with the "chain" type.  The three are:  Best Western Plus - Langley Inn, Howard Johnson's - No. Burnabys Botique Hotel and Days Inn - Vancouver Metro.  Any input would be appreciated.



I wouldn't go to Langley.  It is quite far out.  There's a hilton in Burnaby which is right across from metrotown - a very large mall  with a skytrain station and bus loop.


----------



## everafter1

Thanks, nzdisneymom! I really appreciate it! I totally agree with you, we booked kind of last minute and just wanted to enjoy our vacation, so we let DCL handle most of it. I booked the air myself this time, but it's because I needed the flights a certain way. Thanks again for the information! It's really helpful!


----------



## richmo

Flitter said:


> We are planning on arriving in Vancouver 4 days prior to our sailing on June 21st and I am looking for a hotel/motel, in a good area that could offer me 2 queen size beds and possibly a breakfast and close to public transportation.  I have found 3 but, I'm not sure how good/bad they would be.  I have been trying to stay with the "chain" type.  The three are:  Best Western Plus - Langley Inn, Howard Johnson's - No. Burnabys Botique Hotel and Days Inn - Vancouver Metro.  Any input would be appreciated.



There's also a Days Inn out by the airport.  The rates seem pretty good and it has decent reviews on TripAdvisor.  I believe it is also near a SkyTrain stop...


----------



## DisFor20

Hi everyone!

I have a question about taxis.  We are a family of 4 and it looks like the best way to get to our hotel (Pan Pacific) from the airport is a taxi.

Are there mini van taxis at the airport all the time?  Or should we have one waiting for us?


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

DisFor20 said:


> Hi everyone!
> 
> I have a question about taxis.  We are a family of 4 and it looks like the best way to get to our hotel (Pan Pacific) from the airport is a taxi.
> 
> Are there mini van taxis at the airport all the time?  Or should we have one waiting for us?



Always lots of van taxis around, and if there isn't one, have a cabby call for one and it will take 5 mins.


----------



## DisFor20

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Always lots of van taxis around, and if there isn't one, have a cabby call for one and it will take 5 mins.



Excellent!  Thanks Lollipop's Mom!


----------



## Flitter

Thanks everyone for the input on the less expensive hotels/motels.


----------



## jodeja

I hope it's not poor DIS-etiquette to ask the same question again 
But I've noticed some really helpful hotel advice on here, and I was wondering if anyone has any opinions on The Landis Hotel vs. The Coastal Plaza? Pros/cons of each?
I truly appreciate any input. Thanks so much!


----------



## BlackFrank

I've lived/worked in Vancouver for most of my life; it's a wonderful city, but there are a few things you should watch out for:

1. If you've got a limited amount of time, or absolutely have to be somewhere at a certain time (cruise ship terminal, airport, etc.), I'd suggest limiting your sightseeing to the city core. I know a lot of people are interested in sites like Grouse Mountain, Whistler, and the Capilano Suspension Bridge, but all it takes is one car accident on the Lions Gate Bridge to cause considerable traffic delays. Also, the estimated travel times I've seen posted in some guidebooks are essentially the work of fiction (10 minutes from downtown Vancouver to the Capilano Suspension Bridge? Not in this universe [it's more like 30 on a typical day]). 

2. Downtown East Side (Main & Hastings area). Unless you want your family's most vivid memory of your trip to be of an underage, drug-addicted prostitute overdosed in an alley with a needle sticking out of her arm, avoid this area. It's not particularly dangerous (imho), but I've seen some vastly disturbing things that haunt me to this day (including the above).


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

BlackFrank said:


> I've lived/worked in Vancouver for most of my life; it's a wonderful city, but there are a few things you should watch out for:
> 
> 1. If you've got a limited amount of time, or absolutely have to be somewhere at a certain time (cruise ship terminal, airport, etc.), I'd suggest limiting your sightseeing to the city core. I know a lot of people are interested in sites like Grouse Mountain, Whistler, and the Capilano Suspension Bridge, but all it takes is one car accident on the Lions Gate Bridge to cause considerable traffic delays. Also, the estimated travel times I've seen posted in some guidebooks are essentially the work of fiction (10 minutes from downtown Vancouver to the Capilano Suspension Bridge? Not in this universe [it's more like 30 on a typical day]).
> 
> 2. Downtown East Side (Main & Hastings area). Unless you want your family's most vivid memory of your trip to be of an underage, drug-addicted prostitute overdosed in an alley with a needle sticking out of her arm, avoid this area. It's not particularly dangerous (imho), but I've seen some vastly disturbing things that haunt me to this day (including the above).



Very good advice!!! I second what he said!!!


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

jodeja said:


> I hope it's not poor DIS-etiquette to ask the same question again
> But I've noticed some really helpful hotel advice on here, and I was wondering if anyone has any opinions on The Landis Hotel vs. The Coastal Plaza? Pros/cons of each?
> I truly appreciate any input. Thanks so much!



I don't know these really well - I would rely on tripadvisor for these. Tripadvisor is always your best friend


----------



## BelleProfHP

BlackFrank said:


> I've lived/worked in Vancouver for most of my life; it's a wonderful city, but there are a few things you should watch out for:
> 
> [SNIPPED]
> 
> 2. Downtown East Side (Main & Hastings area). Unless you want your family's most vivid memory of your trip to be of an underage, drug-addicted prostitute overdosed in an alley with a needle sticking out of her arm, avoid this area. It's not particularly dangerous (imho), but I've seen some vastly disturbing things that haunt me to this day (including the above).



I'm in Vancouver as we speak (staying at the Granville Island Hotel) and I completely third this advice! We started on Frommer's Gastown, Chinatown and Yaletown Walking Tour this afternoon. As we got closer to Chinatown, we read the note that walking through this particular section was only recommended during daylight because it would be crowded enough to not worry about the prostitutes, meth heads and homeless people. But because it's Sunday, it didn't feel all that crowded. So we bailed. 

Unfortunately, rather than just turn around and go back the way we came , we decided to try our own shorter route back. MISTAKE!  We have our DS with us (8), which completely racheted up our stress level. We made it back fine, with no problems, other than seeing LOTS of "transactions" and sad situations. We were finally able to get a cab back to the island and we're not leaving again tonight. 

BlackFrank - any recommendations for dinner? I REALLY want fresh seafood - actually, fish and chips.


----------



## BlackFrank

BelleProfHP said:


> I'm in Vancouver as we speak (staying at the Granville Island Hotel) and I completely third this advice! We started on Frommer's Gastown, Chinatown and Yaletown Walking Tour this afternoon. As we got closer to Chinatown, we read the note that walking through this particular section was only recommended during daylight because it would be crowded enough to not worry about the prostitutes, meth heads and homeless people. But because it's Sunday, it didn't feel all that crowded. So we bailed.
> 
> Unfortunately, rather than just turn around and go back the way we came , we decided to try our own shorter route back. MISTAKE!  We have our DS with us (8), which completely racheted up our stress level. We made it back fine, with no problems, other than seeing LOTS of "transactions" and sad situations. We were finally able to get a cab back to the island and we're not leaving again tonight.
> 
> BlackFrank - any recommendations for dinner? I REALLY want fresh seafood - actually, fish and chips.



Provided you watch your back and keep to yourself, I don't think the area is particularly dangerous; however, there are a lot of desperate, and at times, strung out people, so the potential is there. 

As far as seafood goes, I must confess that I don't have any recommendations for *great* seafood restaurants downtown (I used to go to an amazing all you can eat seafood buffet in North Vancouver, but that closed down almost 10 years ago). Most of the sit-down restaurants offer decent fish and chips; however, I seem to recall that there's a take out restaurant in the Granville Island public market that has very very good (but not fancy( fish and chips.


----------



## bigAWL

I just booked a Hertz rental car from Seattle Tacoma Airport to Vancouver Canada Place pier. We'll be staying three days in Seattle and driving to Vancouver on the morning of the cruise.  It's pretty expensive (about $430), but Hertz allows drop-offs at Canada Place.  Hertz doesn't have an office there, but apparently will support drop-offs.  Has anyone here ever done that?

For the return trip, we need to get back to Seattle for a flight out the next morning.  I'm thinking Amtrak, but the morning train leaves too early (like 6:30 am), and the late train gets in pretty late (like 10:30 pm).  But all the mid-day options seem to be bus routes and I'd rather take the train.  What's the best way to get around Vancouver for a few hours and then to the Amtrak station for an evening train... at reasonable cost?


----------



## PBader

We are planning on taking the quick shuttle from Seattle into Vancouver. When I was reading the 1st post here they mention there is a coupon in the Entertainment book for 50% off for 2 people. RT is $99 each. Entertainment has a deal right now for $15 a book, additional ones are $10 with free shipping. I verified there is an online coupon for this. You pay for the shuttle and then you have to mail it in for the refund. But a great deal to save $99. I ordered 3 books to have enough for my party.

http://www.entertainment.com/discoun...EAL11_BTB_FOOT


----------



## Ajojo

I just booked last minute so I went with Disney hotel (Fairmont Waterfront) and transfers.  Looking at the map, the Fairmont Waterfront is across the street from the cruise terminal.  The cost of the transfer from hotel to ship was $19.  I figured that I can walk across the street for that much and tow my bag.

Was this a good idea, or should I have gotten the transfer?

Thanks


----------



## mellers

Ajojo said:


> I just booked last minute so I went with Disney hotel (Fairmont Waterfront) and transfers.  Looking at the map, the Fairmont Waterfront is across the street from the cruise terminal.  The cost of the transfer from hotel to ship was $19.  I figured that I can walk across the street for that much and tow my bag.
> 
> Was this a good idea, or should I have gotten the transfer?
> 
> Thanks



I'd cancel the transportation--it is very close--at worst, if luggage becomes a problem, you could take a $5-$6 cab ride.


----------



## Mom2PrincessesLinSy

LocustPoint said:


> My family is on the inaugural cruise and staying at the Fairmont Waterfront upon our arrival in Vancouver on 4/30.  My question is regarding the Vancouver Marathon the next day.  How is traffic around town on the day of the marathon.  I'm trying to figure out what attractions we are going to visit that day, but I'm unsure of how the marathon will affect our plans.  I live in Baltimore City on the marathon route and we know on marathon day not to plan anything until the afternoon.  Any insight will be appreciated.



Hey! We are in Havre de Grace!  Funny to see other Baltimore-ans heading to the great NorthWest!

Looking forward to hearing all about your trip, including the trip out there from BWI!!

PS, what has airfare been running for you? What are you flying out and are you going to Seattle or Vancouver??


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

mellers said:


> I'd cancel the transportation--it is very close--at worst, if luggage becomes a problem, you could take a $5-$6 cab ride.



The fairmount waterfront would laugh if you got a cab! It is literally 15 or 20 steps to Canada place! Bring it up on google earth!


----------



## Mom2PrincessesLinSy

OK, part of me wanted to be the 1000 post on this thread 

The other part is wondering if I should change my reservation from the Pacific Rim to the Waterfront....

My brain is spinning!!


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

I still can't figure out how dcl is charging $19 to go across a street??? Lmao. I think someone has set that up without knowing the distance!!!!  Pacific rim is really new and 5*! I would stay there!


----------



## docbrown

bigAWL said:


> I just booked a Hertz rental car from Seattle Tacoma Airport to Vancouver Canada Place pier. We'll be staying three days in Seattle and driving to Vancouver on the morning of the cruise.  It's pretty expensive (about $430), but Hertz allows drop-offs at Canada Place.  Hertz doesn't have an office there, but apparently will support drop-offs.  Has anyone here ever done that?
> 
> For the return trip, we need to get back to Seattle for a flight out the next morning.  I'm thinking Amtrak, but the morning train leaves too early (like 6:30 am), and the late train gets in pretty late (like 10:30 pm).  But all the mid-day options seem to be bus routes and I'd rather take the train.  What's the best way to get around Vancouver for a few hours and then to the Amtrak station for an evening train... at reasonable cost?



One way car rental are really really expensive. We rented the car for 2 weeks from Seattle Tacoma Airport for $366, taxes incl., add to that $120-170 for the parking right at Canada place for the week of the cruise and it came out cheaper that the one way Amtrak for our family of 4. Plus we will have the car before and after the cruise.


----------



## LocustPoint

Mom2PrincessesLinSy said:


> Hey! We are in Havre de Grace!  Funny to see other Baltimore-ans heading to the great NorthWest!
> 
> Looking forward to hearing all about your trip, including the trip out there from BWI!!
> 
> PS, what has airfare been running for you? What are you flying out and are you going to Seattle or Vancouver??



We are flying out of BWI using United and flying into Vancouver.  We decided to fly directly into Vancouver for the convenience factor.  As for the cost we are adding on a trip to Disneyland so our airfare cost won't help you a bit.  I was satisfied with the cost and thought it was reasonable.


----------



## PPFQP

Lollipop's Mom said:


> I still can't figure out how dcl is charging $19 to go across a street??? Lmao. I think someone has set that up without knowing the distance!!!!  Pacific rim is really new and 5*! I would stay there!



The charge is probably more for the transporting of the luggage than the people.


----------



## richmo

docbrown said:


> One way car rental are really really expensive. We rented the car for 2 weeks from Seattle Tacoma Airport for $366, taxes incl., add to that $120-170 for the parking right at Canada place for the week of the cruise and it came out cheaper that the one way Amtrak for our family of 4. Plus we will have the car before and after the cruise.



That's what I found too.  Renting the car for the whole time at SEA and adding parking in Vancouver is much less expensive than two one way rentals, although I'll keep poking around as we get closer to see if that changes.  Just to add a comment from a few weeks ago, parking is available at YVR airport for quite a bit less than around Canada Place...there's coupons for parking at YVR on the official website (www.yvr.ca).  Of course, at least one person would have to get to/from Canada Place from YVR, but that's pretty easy with SkyTrain.


----------



## bigAWL

docbrown said:


> One way car rental are really really expensive. We rented the car for 2 weeks from Seattle Tacoma Airport for $366, taxes incl., add to that $120-170 for the parking right at Canada place for the week of the cruise and it came out cheaper that the one way Amtrak for our family of 4. Plus we will have the car before and after the cruise.


 
I'd love to have the car both ways.  But I just looked at rates for doing that, and for the car I reserved (mid-size SUV), I can't find anything under $800.  I could get a full-size car on Hotwire for $480 which is a great deal, but I'm not going to be able to get all our cruise luggage into a full-size car with 5 people.


----------



## richmo

bigAWL said:


> I'd love to have the car both ways.  But I just looked at rates for doing that, and for the car I reserved (mid-size SUV), I can't find anything under $800.  I could get a full-size car on Hotwire for $480 which is a great deal, but I'm not going to be able to get all our cruise luggage into a full-size car with 5 people.



Car rentals are expensive.  Right now I'm at $330 base/$502 total for 12 days at SEA for a standard (that's with Alamo and a Costco discount).  I think I booked it back in January, and rates have gone up since then.  I do expect once we get inside a month to go (our cruise is late July), the rates should go down..at least I hope so.  Of course, minivans are considerably higher...but sometimes I see Alamo and others have minivan specials for $199 a week.  However, we're too far out for that.

If you're committed to a rental, I'd go ahead and reserve something, but don't go for a prepaid or anything like that.  I'm thinking you'll see some discounts in late May or early June, but its better to have something reserved, just in case that doesn't happen.


----------



## docbrown

richmo said:


> That's what I found too.  Renting the car for the whole time at SEA and adding parking in Vancouver is much less expensive than two one way rentals, although I'll keep poking around as we get closer to see if that changes.  Just to add a comment from a few weeks ago, parking is available at YVR airport for quite a bit less than around Canada Place...there's coupons for parking at YVR on the official website (www.yvr.ca).  Of course, at least one person would have to get to/from Canada Place from YVR, but that's pretty easy with SkyTrain.


"although I'll keep poking around" is the executive word here 
I had a first rental for $410 and checked it every 2 weeks, recently it went down to $366, I rebooked it and cancelled the original one.


----------



## plutojudy

Need tips from the Vancouver people. We will be in Vancouver (in July) for half of Sunday and all of Monday. We will have a car. What are the "must do/see" things and "don't miss" places to eat? No kids, just two adults. Thanks!!!!


----------



## philnphyl

Sorry if this has been posted before - but where do we rent a car getting off the boat in Vancouver?  Is there a place nearby?  Thank you!


----------



## jlwhitney

Alamo and National both have locations at Pan Pacific and at Canada Place


----------



## cwdefouw

You can also do Avis. They are supposed to have a shuttle from Canada Place to their Hormby St. location, downtown. You would need to configure your rental to pickup from that location.


----------



## philnphyl

How easy is it to get to the airport from Canada Place?  Can we easily take the sky train with all of our luggage and two kids?


----------



## richmo

docbrown said:


> "although I'll keep poking around" is the executive word here


Absolutely, by "poking around", I mean checking right up to the day of departure.


----------



## hockeymom944

philnphyl said:


> Sorry if this has been posted before - but where do we rent a car getting off the boat in Vancouver?  Is there a place nearby?  Thank you!



We ending up renting a car from Budget located on W. Georgia. It is a little less than a mile from the pier and they will pick us up. They were about $40 cheaper for a three day rental then anyone else.


----------



## tanyaewa

If you use one of the YVR airport hotels to stay overnight before your cruise, many have *Park & Cruise* or *Park & Fly* rates.  The cost of stay & parking can often be the same as just longterm parkin at the airport.  We always stay overnight at the Delta Airport Inn and park for up to 2 weeks free wth our overnight stay.  A shuttle drops us and picks up at airport for seemless, price concious travel. 

Our cruise leaves Vancouver on Sept 20 and then we fly back into YVR on Sept 29- after 5 day repo & 4 nights at DL!  We will take cab to Cruise ship and shuttle back to our car after flight - def the best option considering my 45 years of local info


----------



## BlackFrank

philnphyl said:


> How easy is it to get to the airport from Canada Place?  Can we easily take the sky train with all of our luggage and two kids?



Yes. There's a SkyTrain terminal essentially at Canada Place (Waterfront). You can catch a SkyTrain directly to the airport from there. If possible, try to avoid the morning/afternoon rush hours (7-10 AM, 3-6 PM), as the Skytrain can get quite crowded.


----------



## DenverVal

We are arriving several days before our cruise in June, and were planning on visiting Grouse Mountain. My family would like to zipline and DH keep making noise about hang gliding, and both are offered there. I was wondering if it's advisable to reserve our spots ahead of time, or are they available if I show up that day? I was hoping someone local to Vancouver might know. Thanks!


----------



## Perdita&Pongo

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Pacific rim is really new and 5*! I would stay there!



We are booked at the Fairmont Pacific Rim!  We used the American Express New Hotels Program offer to get our 3rd night free!  We even splurged and booked a Fairmont Gold room (concierge level).  With the 3rd night free it's about the same price as our original club level ressie at Pan Pacific (which we've now cancelled).

So if you have an AmEx card, you might want to check this out if you are gonna be in Vancouver at least 3 nights:

http://www.amexnewhotels.com/canada_fairmont_pacific_rim.php


----------



## 2littlestitches

Hi everyone...

I've been looking for some recommendations for family friendly fishing excursions from Vancouver.  Just half-day type guided fishing for our family, including a 9 and 11 year old.  Anybody have companies they've used before and loved??

Thanks so much!


----------



## Jessebuggy

Evette said:


> I used Hotwire.com to book the Pan Pacific for the night before our cruise on the June 7th sailing and they DO charge your credit card immediately. For my date of June 6 for three adults the cost of the room was $200.00 before taxes etc. This was my first time using the site and I was very happy we got the Pan Pacific.


 
Thanks for the great information.  We've had our June 7th cruise booked for a while now but I am just now finding time to do my hotel/airfare research!


----------



## jilljill

2littlestitches said:


> Hi everyone...
> 
> I've been looking for some recommendations for family friendly fishing excursions from Vancouver.  Just half-day type guided fishing for our family, including a 9 and 11 year old.  Anybody have companies they've used before and loved??
> 
> Thanks so much!



Have you looked over on cruisecritic.com in their Vancouver boards for more fishing charter info?


----------



## 2littlestitches

jilljill said:


> Have you looked over on cruisecritic.com in their Vancouver boards for more fishing charter info?



I'll try that....thanks!


----------



## FourM's

I have looked online and can't seem to find an answer. Does anyone know what it costs to take the Skytrain from the Vancouver airport to the cruise port? Trying to compare it to the cost of a shuttle or transfer through DCL. TIA!


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Skytrain fares...
http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/Single-Fares.aspx


----------



## I<3EvilQueen

FourM's said:


> I have looked online and can't seem to find an answer. Does anyone know what it costs to take the Skytrain from the Vancouver airport to the cruise port? Trying to compare it to the cost of a shuttle or transfer through DCL. TIA!



I found the fares here:
http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/Single-Fares.aspx


----------



## I<3EvilQueen

Opps.  I see Lolipop's Mom beat me to it.


----------



## gohogs34

delete


----------



## littleprince

is it better to rent a car for 3 days touring vancouver or is there public transportation?


----------



## rsjj

i'm sorry if this has been discussed prior...but are our plans "do-able"?

our plans are...stay at richmond for couple days before the cruise, to explore vancouver.

should i rent a car?  if so, is there car rental at the port (cananda place) where i can return our car before getting on the ship?

or maybe i don't need a car to visit vancouver...the transportation is pretty good?  i don't know.  and do your public transportation allow us to carry our luggage onto the various bus/train/skytram?  

thanx in advance!


----------



## littleprince

Avis & National are located at Canada Place Port.
I'm wondering the same thing about car rental. But I hear Victoria is a nice place to visit so it might be worth renting a car for the day to take a trip there.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

FYI on the entertainment card - usually you can buy 'just' the card for 3-5 bucks on ebay, put the number online, get the coupon for the quick shuttle


----------



## BelleProfHP

rsjj said:


> i'm sorry if this has been discussed prior...but are our plans "do-able"?
> 
> our plans are...stay at richmond for couple days before the cruise, to explore vancouver.
> 
> should i rent a car?  if so, is there car rental at the port (cananda place) where i can return our car before getting on the ship?
> 
> or maybe i don't need a car to visit vancouver...the transportation is pretty good?  i don't know.  and do your public transportation allow us to carry our luggage onto the various bus/train/skytram?
> 
> thanx in advance!


My family just got back from 3 days in Vancouver over Spring Break (me, DH and DS8). We left the car mostly, although we did use it to drive slightly out of town to visit the Atkinson Lighthouse. That being said, other than the water taxis, we walked mostly (one cab when we had had enough and just wanted back to the hotel). 

My observation was that busses seemed to be everywhere. If you were willing to take the time to study the bus schedules, I would imagine that it would the bus service could take you anywhere you wanted.


----------



## E&Cmom

Even if going on a day trip to Victoria, I suggest going through a bus company (Pacific Coach) than renting a car. Ferry prices with a car is very expensive for just a day not to mention rening a car. The bus leave from the downtown terminal to the Victoria terminal which is walking distance from alot of attractions. You can get a round trip ticket. I live outside Vancouver and have done that a few times and it was a lot more relaxing and cheaper driving. I wouldn't suggest public transit to the ferry terminal and then downtown Victoria since it is super slow. Did it once and never again.


----------



## rsjj

thanx everyone, for your input!  back to the drawing board!!  

anyone know what would be the best choice of transportation for me if i need to take a public transportation from richmond to canada place?  i'm just wondering...b/c all the sightseeing stuff in vancouver, we can leisurely do at our own time.  but i'll need to have a definite plan as far as getting to our port from our hotel.  again, your expertise is much appreciated!!


----------



## mellers

littleprince said:


> is it better to rent a car for 3 days touring vancouver or is there public transportation?



Public transportation is readily available--I have gone all the way from Richmond to Grouse Mountain in a wheelchair on public transit (takes a little bit of planning, and a few transfers, but very doable).  Whether or not it's better depends upon your tolerance for public transit and where you're located. If you want to find out how and how long to get to where you're going, look here:

http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/


----------



## mellers

rsjj said:


> thanx everyone, for your input!  back to the drawing board!!
> 
> anyone know what would be the best choice of transportation for me if i need to take a public transportation from richmond to canada place?  i'm just wondering...b/c all the sightseeing stuff in vancouver, we can leisurely do at our own time.  but i'll need to have a definite plan as far as getting to our port from our hotel.  again, your expertise is much appreciated!!



It depends on where you are staying, but you can take the Canada Line to the port--there's the Lansdowne stop, near the La Quinta Vancouver Airport and the Four Points Sheraton Vancouver Airport, or directly from the airport (although I believe that is more expensive--anybody know for sure?)

Try the trip planner I just posted for times/fares/etc.

In all honesty, though, I'm going to splurge and get a car service from Richmond to the port on cruise day--the public transportation is quite reliable, and surprisingly wheelchair-friendly, but our party has a lot of health issues and it's just too hard to schlep all the luggage.


----------



## littleprince

any recommendations of good tourist activities? will be traveling with an infant. 
also, any recommendations of hotels? i was told to stay around the richmond area.


----------



## mellers

littleprince said:


> Hotels in Richmond:
> 
> La Quinta Vancouver Airport:
> http://www.lq.com/lq/properties/pro...&searchType=GEO&lat=49.163469&lon=-123.137766
> Four Points Sheraton Vancouver Airport
> http://www.fourpointsvancouverairport.com/



I should probably add, the reason I recommend these two places is that they are both clean, in a good neighborhood, and next door to a large shopping center with a Zellers--think Target.  You'll be able to buy baby formula, diapers, or anything else you need for the baby there without having to schlep it on the plane.  The mall also sits next to a Canada Line station, so it's easy and relatively cheap to get into Vancouver proper to sightsee.


----------



## Diannah

Does anyone know if you can use the long term parking even if you're not flying into or out of the airport?


----------



## mellers

Diannah said:


> Does anyone know if you can use the long term parking even if you're not flying into or out of the airport?



The website doesn't say it's prohibited, and how would they tell whose car is whose?  There's a coupon here:

http://www.yvr.ca/en/getting-to-from-yvr/Parking/longtermlot.aspx


----------



## bigAWL

littleprince said:


> Avis & National are located at Canada Place Port.
> I'm wondering the same thing about car rental. But I hear Victoria is a nice place to visit so it might be worth renting a car for the day to take a trip there.


 
I see a National location location at Canada Pl.  The closest Avis site I can find is about 5-6 blocks away on Hornby St.  Is that the one you're talking about?


----------



## adedward

I could use some help/advice from locals!  We have a couple of days only after the cruise, then flying out of Seattle.  We will have "done" Vancouver the three days before the cruise.  Would like to get off the ship, go straight across to Pacific Rim park for a night, then down to Victoria for a night and over to Seattle to spend the night before our flight.  Logistics to get to Pacific Rim and then Victoria? Don't want to rent a car in Vancouver because of high cost to drop it in Seattle.  Would love some experienced local suggestions on the best way to do this. Thanks!


----------



## megsablue

Thought I'd post this just incase anyone wanted to do a whale-watching trip while in Victoria.

Groupon has a 1/2 off deal right now, but it's fairly limited in how many can purchase. http://www.groupon.com/vancouver/


----------



## Perdita&Pongo

megsablue said:


> Thought I'd post this just incase anyone wanted to do a whale-watching trip while in Victoria.
> 
> Groupon has a 1/2 off deal right now, but it's fairly limited in how many can purchase. http://www.groupon.com/vancouver/



We will be in Victoria pre-cruise and I am thinking about whale watching, but here's a question:

Will we see whales on the DCL cruise?  If so, I'd rather not spend the money/time on whale watching in Victoria if we are probably going to see them while on the Alaska cruise.

Anyone have any input?  Thanx!


----------



## mellers

adedward said:


> I could use some help/advice from locals!  We have a couple of days only after the cruise, then flying out of Seattle.  We will have "done" Vancouver the three days before the cruise.  Would like to get off the ship, go straight across to Pacific Rim park for a night, then down to Victoria for a night and over to Seattle to spend the night before our flight.  Logistics to get to Pacific Rim and then Victoria? Don't want to rent a car in Vancouver because of high cost to drop it in Seattle.  Would love some experienced local suggestions on the best way to do this. Thanks!



This is a good description of how to get from Vancouver to Vancouver Island:  http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g...umbia:Getting.From.Vancouver.To.Victoria.html

From Victoria to Seattle, your best bet is the Victoria Clipper:
http://www.victoriaclipper.com

It's comfortable, fast, and will get you home quickly.  The state ferries out of Sidney are cheaper, and much more scenic, but it is a long slog back to Seattle.


----------



## smeecanada

adedward said:


> I could use some help/advice from locals!  We have a couple of days only after the cruise, then flying out of Seattle.  We will have "done" Vancouver the three days before the cruise.  Would like to get off the ship, go straight across to Pacific Rim park for a night, then down to Victoria for a night and over to Seattle to spend the night before our flight.  Logistics to get to Pacific Rim and then Victoria? Don't want to rent a car in Vancouver because of high cost to drop it in Seattle.  Would love some experienced local suggestions on the best way to do this. Thanks!



Rent a car in Vancouver and drop in Victoria.  Either fly to Seattle or take the Victoria Clipper (highspeed catamaran) from downtown Victoria to downtown Seattle.


----------



## BlackFrank

smeecanada said:


> Rent a car in Vancouver and drop in Victoria.  Either fly to Seattle or take the Victoria Clipper (highspeed catamaran) from downtown Victoria to downtown Seattle.



This is good advice. Although it might be doable, getting from Vancouver, to the Pacific Rim Park, to Victoria without your own car could prove to be quite challenging.


----------



## 890537

This is fantastic - thanks for putting it all together.


----------



## adedward

I will check into a rental to drop in Victoria, thanks.


----------



## richmo

Diannah said:


> Does anyone know if you can use the long term parking even if you're not flying into or out of the airport?



That's exactly what I'm planning on doing. The coupon on the YVR site represents quite a saving over parking over Canada Place.


----------



## nanaguide

Question for locals. We live in Orlando, Florida. My grandson loves theme parks. Every vacation we take him (8 years old) we try to do 1 theme park so he can compare them to Disney/Universal/Sea World. He googled theme parks in Vancouver. I checked it out with him and I wasn't overly impressed. Any of you have information about the theme park there? It didn't sound like it was in a really good area and most of the rides sounded like roller coasters? We have lots of plans for Vancouver but I did tell him I would get the opinion of the disboard. Thanks in advance for any information you can share with us.


----------



## disneydance

nanaguide said:


> Question for locals. We live in Orlando, Florida. My grandson loves theme parks. Every vacation we take him (8 years old) we try to do 1 theme park so he can compare them to Disney/Universal/Sea World. He googled theme parks in Vancouver. I checked it out with him and I wasn't overly impressed. Any of you have information about the theme park there? It didn't sound like it was in a really good area and most of the rides sounded like roller coasters? We have lots of plans for Vancouver but I did tell him I would get the opinion of the disboard. Thanks in advance for any information you can share with us.



I've visited Playland Theme park in Vancouver in the past and it's nothing more than a carnival with roller coasters. I wouldn't reccomend it personally it's really nothing that special. Here in the Pacific NW we don't really have alot of great amusment parks. Sadly, we all tend to flock to Playland or Wild Waves a little past Seattle which is a not so great Six's Flag's park. But it's all we have so we go


----------



## disneydance

mellers said:


> This is a good description of how to get from Vancouver to Vancouver Island:  http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g...umbia:Getting.From.Vancouver.To.Victoria.html
> 
> From Victoria to Seattle, your best bet is the Victoria Clipper:
> http://www.victoriaclipper.com
> 
> It's comfortable, fast, and will get you home quickly.  The state ferries out of Sidney are cheaper, and much more scenic, but it is a long slog back to Seattle.



I would recommend taking the Victoria Clipper also if you want to get straight back to Seattle, personally the state feries are perfect for us due to the fact we live near Anacortes but to get from Anacortes to Seattle after a good 2 1/2 ferry ride expect 2 1/2 more hours. Unless you want a scenic route and want to stop at Seattle Premium Outlets for some 'great' shopping as our Canadian friends would say or in Mt. Vernon I would say it's not worth your time.


----------



## lmcarr

gohogs34 said:


> I hope you read that you sign up for the yearly auto ship for these books. They will charge you $5.00 if you stop it. Just FYI
> 
> 
> 
> 
> which entertainment book is it?  seattle or vancouver?  thanks in advance for the response! lc


----------



## BlackFrank

richmo said:


> That's exactly what I'm planning on doing. The coupon on the YVR site represents quite a saving over parking over Canada Place.



I've used the long term parking at YVR a number of times. From what I recall, there's no checks to see if you're actually "using" the airport or not. As long as you pay the fee, I don't see why you couldn't use lng term parking for whatever.


----------



## SteffyLou

We are staying at the Pan Pacific. Can anyone tell me where the best place would be to buy wine for the cruise?

Thank you!


----------



## BlackFrank

SteffyLou said:


> We are staying at the Pan Pacific. Can anyone tell me where the best place would be to buy wine for the cruise?
> 
> Thank you!



There's a government liquor store in the lower level of Harbour Center mall (555 West Hastings Street), which is about 2 blocks from the Pan Pacific. The Harbour Center building is fairly unmistakable, as it has a revolving restaurant on top. It's essentially across the street from the Seabus terminal (the old, brick railway station). You essentially walk out of the Pan Pacific, hang and immediate left, take the first turn (on Howe street), take the next turn (on W Cordova Street), walk 2 1/2 blocks, and there you are. 

(Do a search on google maps from Pan Pacific Hotel to Harbour Center). 
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sou...23.109967&sspn=0.024186,0.064759&ie=UTF8&z=17


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

lmcarr said:


> gohogs34 said:
> 
> 
> 
> I hope you read that you sign up for the yearly auto ship for these books. They will charge you $5.00 if you stop it. Just FYI
> 
> 
> 
> 
> which entertainment book is it?  seattle or vancouver?  thanks in advance for the response! lc
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Vancouver book.
> Or just buy an entertainment card on ebay for 3-4 bucks, punch the number into the website and download the coupon
Click to expand...


----------



## BelleProfHP

nanaguide said:


> We are going to do ziplining with our grandson in Whistler before we go on our August 2 cruise. I'm sorry I don't know the name of the company recommended here in this thread. I did all my research on them way back in January but have been so busy haven't gotten back to it. My grandson is 8 and he qualified for 2 of their adventures. We are excited about it. He isn't really athletic but he does swim and snow skis so I think he'll do OK - there was a minimum weight limit. Hope you can find it in this thread. It would be back at the beginning. We love Whistler and right now I'm looking for lodging for our 2 nights there. Have a great time!



*NanaGuide*, we are back and here is my report for you as promised. 

We did the ziplining with ZipTrek in Whistler, which meets and registers in the lower level of the Carlton Lodge. Our DS8 was perfectly within both age and weight limits. 

On our drive to Whistler from Vancouver, it was raining. To be perfectly honest, I was not at all excited about the ziplining at that point. Freezing cold in the pouring rain with a stiff breeze from the zipline did NOT sound like my idea of a good time.   BUT, by the time we got to Whistler, the rain had changed to snow. Now, being a Southern girl through and through, snow is still magical to me. So ziplining in the snow was something else entirely. 

We checked in and got fitted for our harnesses. There were 5 people total in our group (my fam of 3 plus two singletonnes) and we had 3 guides. They took us out first to a little test line off to the side of the ski slope. I was nervous about how DS would react - and DH, since he was starting to act squirrley and very nervous. However, they were both fine. 

We went on to do 4 other ziplines, going back and forth between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, over the creek. The longest line was 1100 ft.  We went on the "Bear" course, but they offer another (the "Eagle") about which I know nothing.  It snowed the entire time. At the end of the day, our DS rated it as "AWESOME".  As I said, he's fairly timid but LOVED it. So my mama's heart is happy. 

If you have any other questions about our experience, just ask. I'll be happy to help if I can.   So jealous of all of you going on the AK cruise...and even more of those of you who live in Vancouver. I could easily move there...just need jobs for DH and me.  :


----------



## lmcarr

thanks so much! lc


----------



## nanaguide

OH, Thanks so much for the information on the ziplining. I am so excited. My grandson has no idea what it is all about. I think he will love it. He loves to try new activities. I am going to make reservations this week after I make all my Alaska excursions on the 19th. Any good restaurants you can recommend? We will be there for 2 days before heading to Vancouver. Yes, my husband and I absolutely love Canada and especially Vancouver. I think it is the most beautiful city in the world. We fly into Calgary and have a rental car for a week. We will spend 3 nights at Lake Louise (my favorite). Grandson and I will hike to the 2 tea houses and also do the icefields before heading to Whistler. Anything else you think we should do in Whistler? We plan to spend a day at Grouse Mountain doing the Treetops Adventure/Suspension bridge and the hatchery. Also want him to experience taking the tiny boats to Granville Island to the Kids Market - another favorite of mine. Again my thanks for sharing. So glad you had a good time.


----------



## docbrown

Thank you, Thank you for the zipline info.
We are doing it in Ketchican with our dds and can't wait. On  Alaska Toursaver there is a coupon 2x1 for it.


----------



## DenverVal

docbrown said:


> Thank you, Thank you for the zipline info.
> We are doing it in Ketchican with our dds and can't wait. On  Alaska Toursaver there is a coupon 2x1 for it.


Could you share the link to that? I don't see it, and that sounds like something worth checking out. Thanks!


----------



## cwdefouw

bigAWL said:


> I see a National location location at Canada Pl.  The closest Avis site I can find is about 5-6 blocks away on Hornby St.  Is that the one you're talking about?



When I talked to the AVIS on Hormby St. a couple of months ago, they said they run a shuttle from Canada Place to their location. I didn't ask about vice versa but they may do that as well.


----------



## BelleProfHP

nanaguide said:


> OH, Thanks so much for the information on the ziplining. I am so excited. My grandson has no idea what it is all about. I think he will love it. He loves to try new activities. I am going to make reservations this week after I make all my Alaska excursions on the 19th. Any good restaurants you can recommend? We will be there for 2 days before heading to Vancouver. Yes, my husband and I absolutely love Canada and especially Vancouver. I think it is the most beautiful city in the world. We fly into Calgary and have a rental car for a week. We will spend 3 nights at Lake Louise (my favorite). Grandson and I will hike to the 2 tea houses and also do the icefields before heading to Whistler. Anything else you think we should do in Whistler? We plan to spend a day at Grouse Mountain doing the Treetops Adventure/Suspension bridge and the hatchery. Also want him to experience taking the tiny boats to Granville Island to the Kids Market - another favorite of mine. Again my thanks for sharing. So glad you had a good time.



We didn't get to do the Suspension Bridge (ran out of time and money), but it wasn't that big of a deal since we got to learn about the forest and walk on smaller suspension bridges during the ziplining.  We stayed on Granville Island and so were able to do lots of things there, without having to make a special trip. The Kids Market was great and DS had a great time looking and playing for about 45-60 minutes. It was raining that day, so it was a good indoor activity.  Anytime we left the island, we took the boats, which DS just loved. 

Since we were in Whistler to ski, we devoted almost all of our time to that. The first day of skiing though, my DS got sick and so we went to the movies that evening. The next day, we ended skiing about the time he got done with ski school so that we could do the Peak-to-Peak gondola. VERY cool, if a little scary. It takes about an hour to do all told - the actual P2P is only 22 minutes, but you have to ride a different gondola to the peak and then ride it back down again afterwards. 

As far as restaurants go, we went to Old Spaghetti Factory and a pizza place (can't remember the name but it was right by the Olympic rings). There was someplace else as well, but I can't even remember what kind of food it was.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

cwdefouw said:


> When I talked to the AVIS on Hormby St. a couple of months ago, they said they run a shuttle from Canada Place to their location. I didn't ask about vice versa but they may do that as well.



Car rental places will pick up or drop off.


----------



## littleprince

any suggestions for a good hotel in richmond to stay at?


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

littleprince said:


> any suggestions for a good hotel in richmond to stay at?



Just depends on your price point. Use tripadvisor for reviews on these - very accurate.
Hotwire usually has good deals. I know you should stay away from the Quality Inn, and a friend of mine recently stayed at the travelodge and said it was trashy. Also reports of the comfort inn being icky.

The Sandman Signature has a big 250' indoor waterslide that is really fun!
I have stayed at the delta and it was nice. Most hotels there are just fine, so go with what fits in your budget, and check tripadvisor!


----------



## catislander

Just wanted to let anyone know who has reserved parking with CruisePark that I just received a letter that they will not be operating this cruise season. VinciParking, which operates at CanadaPlace will be respecting their prices, but you need to make a reservation with them.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

catislander said:


> Just wanted to let anyone know who has reserved parking with CruisePark that I just received a letter that they will not be operating this cruise season. VinciParking, which operates at CanadaPlace will be respecting their prices, but you need to make a reservation with them.



I will update the first post with this info - thanks!


----------



## DCLInauguralXmas

I have a PAID reservation at cruisepark for our 31 motorhome during our cruise in June.  now what????  I tried Canadaplace but they said that they could not take large RVs.  Any suggestions?


----------



## mellers

DCLInauguralXmas said:


> I have a PAID reservation at cruisepark for our 31 motorhome during our cruise in June.  now what????  I tried Canadaplace but they said that they could not take large RVs.  Any suggestions?



Try YVR.  You could drop the family and the suitcases off at the cruise terminal, drive the RV to YVR, and take the SkyTrain back to the cruise terminal.  It's not a perfect solution, but it might work.  If that doesn't, try calling the Four Points Sheraton Vancouver Airport--I noticed that they had paid parking in the parking lot (we always come by public transit, so I don't know anything about rates or restrictions).  You could drop everyone off at the cruise terminal, or at the Lansdowne Canada Line Station just before you park the RV, and then you could walk over to the Lansdowne Canada Line from the hotel and get to the cruise terminal.

The only other thing I could think of is that you could contact the Lansdowne Shopping Centre and see if they would let you pay to park in their lot for the days of your cruise, and then you could take the Canada Line to the cruise terminal.

This is just off the top of my head, though, so I don't know which, if any of these, would work.  Be sure to call before you make plans.


----------



## docbrown

DenverVal said:


> Could you share the link to that? I don't see it, and that sounds like something worth checking out. Thanks!



here is the link:
http://www.toursaver.com/

happy travel.


----------



## smeecanada

mellers said:


> The only other thing I could think of is that you could contact the Lansdowne Shopping Centre and see if they would let you pay to park in their lot for the days of your cruise, and then you could take the Canada Line to the cruise terminal.



Not a safe location to leave your RV for a week.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

There is a campground in north vancouver - you could possibly park the rv there for a week and take a cab to the port- its just over the bridge.
http://north-vancouver.travel.bc.ca/listings/capilano-rv-park/21866/

http://capilanorvpark.com/


----------



## smeecanada

DCLInauguralXmas said:


> I have a PAID reservation at cruisepark for our 31 motorhome during our cruise in June.  now what????  I tried Canadaplace but they said that they could not take large RVs.  Any suggestions?



Found this one cruise storage package $435.00 CDN - includes three nights stay and 7 days storage for cruise passengers.  http://www.bcrv.com/rates.html

The park'n fly at the Airport - there is a contact email that you could see if RV parking is allowed.
http://www.parknfly.ca/vancouver/en/vancouver.aspx

Someone posted this on an RV board:

We did this same thing 3 years ago; leaving our RV at the Capilano RV park which is at the foot of the Lion's Head Bridge in Vancouver. Took a cab to the airport and returned 3 weeks later. They let us stay in the overflow area in front of the office. We did NOT have electrical hookups, however. We felt that the cost for a site was a bit steep since we were not going to be actually staying there so we opted to use the gas setting for the refrigerator. Bad choice. During the time we were gone, we ran out of propane and we came back to a very snelly situation...yuck. You can email them and ask about cost for one of their off-sites as it may have changed. 
http://www.capilanorvpark.com/ 


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hope that gives you a start to finding a location.


----------



## mellers

smeecanada said:


> Not a safe location to leave your RV for a week.



Sorry--didn't know.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

I put a few updates in the main post. I can't believe I started this in Sept 09 and it felt sooooooooooooo far away - and  here we are 2 weeks out from the first cruise!


----------



## poohj80

Quick question about taking the train to Vancouver...are there cabs waiting outside the train station similar to an airport or do we need to schedule one ahead of time?

Also, the Quick Shuttle information states there is a restroom in the customs building, but is there a restroom on the bus?  We'll be traveling with a 5 year old and that's a long ride with no bathroom.


----------



## mellers

poohj80 said:


> Quick question about taking the train to Vancouver...are there cabs waiting outside the train station similar to an airport or do we need to schedule one ahead of time?
> 
> Also, the Quick Shuttle information states there is a restroom in the customs building, but is there a restroom on the bus?  We'll be traveling with a 5 year old and that's a long ride with no bathroom.



There's a restroom on the bus, but no snacks or bottled drinks, so you'll want to make sure to either get a take-out meal or some snacks and some bottled water or juices.

My suggestion, if you're going directly to the QuickShuttle after your flight, is to send one adult to pick up the luggage, and the other adult to the food court behind security in Sea-Tac to get take-out meals and bottled drinks.  (BTW, if you want Fish and Chips, Anthony's is better than Ivar's)

There are tables by the QuickShuttle waiting area where you can eat, or, if you have to get straight on the bus, you can eat on the bus.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

poohj80 said:


> Quick question about taking the train to Vancouver...are there cabs waiting outside the train station similar to an airport or do we need to schedule one ahead of time?
> .



TONS of cabs there!


----------



## mellers

littleprince said:


> any suggestions for a good hotel in richmond to stay at?



I'd recommend the La Quinta Vancouver Airport or the Four Points Sheraton Vancouver Airport.  They're both close to a large shopping mall where you can pretty much get anything you want or need for your cruise, and they're next door to the Lansdowne Canada Line Station, so if you want to go into Vancouver proper, it's easy to do.  You can also take the Canada Line to the cruise terminal, if you don't have much luggage.


----------



## littleprince

does anyone know if you take the skytrain to the canada place port, how far is the walk from the train stop to the actually cruise port?


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

littleprince said:


> does anyone know if you take the skytrain to the canada place port, how far is the walk from the train stop to the actually cruise port?



Go to the first post of this whole thread -I put a map that shows the walk!


----------



## littleprince

thanks for the info


----------



## poohj80

mellers said:


> There's a restroom on the bus, but no snacks or bottled drinks, so you'll want to make sure to either get a take-out meal or some snacks and some bottled water or juices.



Thanks!  We plan to take the train to Vancouver and the bus back so we will pack some snacks form the ship for the ride back.


----------



## rosiep

I would very much like to stay at the Pan Pacific the night before our cruise in Sept., Checking now the best price I can find seems to be $270 USD including taxes. 

Should I wait until I am a bit closer to my date? Is there a possibility that the price might come down a bit? Or do i run the risk of the hotel selling out?

Thanks for any advice.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

rosiep said:


> I would very much like to stay at the Pan Pacific the night before our cruise in Sept., Checking now the best price I can find seems to be $270 USD including taxes.
> 
> Should I wait until I am a bit closer to my date? Is there a possibility that the price might come down a bit? Or do i run the risk of the hotel selling out?
> 
> Thanks for any advice.



More of a chance of it getting higher! I would book now. For my May 17th sailing the cheapest room the night before is around $400!


----------



## animalx

Try Priceline as well. I've had good luck using them.


----------



## rosiep

animalx said:


> Try Priceline as well. I've had good luck using them.



As in Name Your Own Price?

The Opening posts rates this hotel as a 5*, there are no 5 star hotels in the name your own price area so I am leery.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Hotwire often gets the Pan Pacific.


----------



## rosiep

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Hotwire often gets the Pan Pacific.



I was hoping for the Pan, just Hotwired it and got the Sheraton for $152 USD inc. tax. I'm happy with it.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

It's a nice hotel and also where they hid Robert pattinson and Taylor lautner during filming of eclipse for a while!! Lol


----------



## jlacobb3

rosiep said:


> I was hoping for the Pan, just Hotwired it and got the Sheraton for $152 USD inc. tax. I'm happy with it.



We've never used Hotwire to book hotels.  Did the one you selected show up as a 4 star hotel?  When I enter in our dates, it doesn't give me an 5 star options.


----------



## rosiep

Lollipop's Mom said:


> It's a nice hotel and also where they hid Robert pattinson and Taylor lautner during filming of eclipse for a while!! Lol



My daughter will flip. She loves Robert Patterson...


----------



## rosiep

jlacobb3 said:


> We've never used Hotwire to book hotels.  Did the one you selected show up as a 4 star hotel?  When I enter in our dates, it doesn't give me an 5 star options.



Yes, it showed up as a 4 star, Vancouver West, for $125 a night.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

rosiep said:


> My daughter will flip. She loves Robert Patterson...



haha too funny - we saw him coming out of there one time - and there is a coffee shop right there he went to a lot


----------



## nordkin

I have not seen this question posted but I may have missed it.  I need to rent a scooter for my mother and was wondering if there are any companies other than the one at the cruise terminal that rent them?  Any help would be appreciated.


----------



## rosiep

I see that taxi's take USD, CAD and Credit Cards. When a driver tells you the fare will it be in CAD?


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

rosiep said:


> I see that taxi's take USD, CAD and Credit Cards. When a driver tells you the fare will it be in CAD?



Fare will be in CAD dollars, but you can use a US credit card - it just does the exchange for you through your bank/credit card - its fine.

Also, in Vancouver, if you plan on using a credit card for a cab, you have to tell them this when you get in - there are signs in the cab that say this. Not sure why, but you just have to mention you are using a CC.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

nordkin said:


> I have not seen this question posted but I may have missed it.  I need to rent a scooter for my mother and was wondering if there are any companies other than the one at the cruise terminal that rent them?  Any help would be appreciated.



I don't believe it has been asked. I did google and found this place...
http://www.bcscooter.com/

I am betting if you google scooter rental Vancouver you will find options - if you find a good place, let me know so I can add it to the FAQ first post for everyone.


----------



## rosiep

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Fare will be in CAD dollars, but you can use a US credit card - it just does the exchange for you through your bank/credit card - its fine.
> 
> Also, in Vancouver, if you plan on using a credit card for a cab, you have to tell them this when you get in - there are signs in the cab that say this. Not sure why, but you just have to mention you are using a CC.



Thank you! You've been so very helpful.


----------



## Evette

nordkin said:


> I have not seen this question posted but I may have missed it. I need to rent a scooter for my mother and was wondering if there are any companies other than the one at the cruise terminal that rent them? Any help would be appreciated.


 
I am renting a wheelchair for my daughter for the June 7th cruise from www.specialneedsatsea.com They also have scooters. They are delivering the wheelchair to our hotel (Pan Pacific) the day before our cruise and when the cruise is over we will just leave it in the stateroom. I did pay $50 extra for the hotel delivery but they will deliver it to the ship without the extra charge. Hope this helps.


----------



## DisneyBasket

Hi all, I used Hotwire to book our hotel, and got Sutton Place when I selected a 5 star hotel.  I am fine with it, but was hoping for the Pan Pacific also.  We could not afford the going rates there, but wanted something close and higher end because of the occasion we are celebrating...I've used both Priceline and Hotwire with mixed results in the past, but it seemed like worth the gamble after all of the excellent information posted here.

Thank you, Lollipop's Mom!


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

DisneyBasket said:


> Hi all, I used Hotwire to book our hotel, and got Sutton Place when I selected a 5 star hotel.  I am fine with it, but was hoping for the Pan Pacific also.  We could not afford the going rates there, but wanted something close and higher end because of the occasion we are celebrating...I've used both Priceline and Hotwire with mixed results in the past, but it seemed like worth the gamble after all of the excellent information posted here.
> 
> Thank you, Lollipop's Mom!



No problem! You will LOVE the sutton place-  it is the place where all the celebs stay while filming, because they have a ton of those little suite apartment type places. Keep your eyes peeled - never know who you are going to run into there!


----------



## Candy Apple

For you locals, any good ideas for restaurants (both quick serve and sit-down) that have gluten-free menus?  We will be there for a few days before the cruise, so I need to start researching where DS13 can eat.  TIA!


----------



## Flitter

When visiting the www.tourismvancouver.com website they are offering a $125 gift card when you stay 2 nites at selected hotels between now and September 30.


----------



## mellers

Candy Apple said:


> For you locals, any good ideas for restaurants (both quick serve and sit-down) that have gluten-free menus?  We will be there for a few days before the cruise, so I need to start researching where DS13 can eat.  TIA!



Try here:

http://www.urbanspoon.com/t/14/1/Vancouver/Gluten-Free-Friendly-restaurants


----------



## littleprince

$125 gift card sounds great but all those rooms are $$$


----------



## DenverVal

Flitter said:


> When visiting the www.tourismvancouver.com website they are offering a $125 gift card when you stay 2 nites at selected hotels between now and September 30.


I'm wondering if it has to be a new booking. I had booked a few weeks back when one of the participating hotels was running a special.


----------



## nordkin

Thank you for the help with renting a scooter for my mother.  I am still investigating rates and waiting to hear back from one of the companies before I make my decision, but I think it will be from specialneeds.com. I contacted the other suggested site two weeks ago via email and have not heard anything back from them.  That makes me a little nervous about using them.


----------



## SteffyLou

Hi Everyone,

We were able to book the Pan Pacific on Travelocity for $159 a night.  Every other website I checked, including the actual hotel, was much more expensive than this.  We are going in June and staying for 2 nights.

Might be something to check if you want to stay there.


----------



## poohj80

SteffyLou said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> We were able to book the Pan Pacific on Travelocity for $159 a night.  Every other website I checked, including the actual hotel, was much more expensive than this.  We are going in June and staying for 2 nights.
> 
> Might be something to check if you want to stay there.



Thanks for the tip!  For our dates in August, it's still $236 but I'll keep checking as we get closer to our cruise date.


----------



## jlacobb3

SteffyLou said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> We were able to book the Pan Pacific on Travelocity for $159 a night.  Every other website I checked, including the actual hotel, was much more expensive than this.  We are going in June and staying for 2 nights.
> 
> Might be something to check if you want to stay there.



When are you going?  I just checked and it's $300+ for our nights in July.  I'll keep checking.


----------



## rosiep

SteffyLou said:


> Hi Everyone,
> 
> We were able to book the Pan Pacific on Travelocity for $159 a night.  Every other website I checked, including the actual hotel, was much more expensive than this.  We are going in June and staying for 2 nights.
> 
> Might be something to check if you want to stay there.



  I wanted to stay there in Sept. and couldn't find anything less than $270 USD (inc. taxes)!!!  Good for you!!!


----------



## I<3EvilQueen

rosiep said:


> I wanted to stay there in Sept. and couldn't find anything less than $270 USD (inc. taxes)!!!  Good for you!!!



We are staying at the Cascadia Hotel & Suites on Hornby.  My room-mate said it was a good price.


----------



## rosiep

I<3EvilQueen said:


> We are staying at the Cascadia Hotel & Suites on Hornby.  My room-mate said it was a good price.



I just couldn't bite that bullet....Hotwire put me in the Sheraton Center for $152 USD inc taxes...I can live with that.


----------



## SteffyLou

I'm staying there June 12-14.  We got it for $159, but I think the price is now up to $180 for those 2 days.

Tip too- I kept checking everyday on Travelocity to see if it changed. Well one day the price went down about $1 a day (seriously that is all it was).  Well they have a price guarantee that you get the best price. So I filled out the forms and low and behold, receive an email back saying I am correct and they are refunding me $50 and giving me a $50 credit for the future.  Something to think about if you use them.


----------



## rosiep

SteffyLou said:


> I'm staying there June 12-14.  We got it for $159, but I think the price is now up to $180 for those 2 days.
> 
> Tip too- I kept checking everyday on Travelocity to see if it changed. Well one day the price went down about $1 a day (seriously that is all it was).  Well they have a price guarantee that you get the best price. So I filled out the forms and low and behold, receive an email back saying I am correct and they are refunding me $50 and giving me a $50 credit for the future.  Something to think about if you use them.



Wow! Good to know!


----------



## ruzer28

Just bumping, any chance of making a sticky for this thread?


----------



## nbrmommy2005

I looked at staying at one of the hotels near the port, but they were expensive.   I decided to use hotel points and stay at the Hampton Inn downtown.  From what I can tell it will be a short 5 minute cab ride to Canada Place.  Does anyone know?


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Yes it's a quick cab ride from that hotel!


----------



## Schachteles

nbrmommy2005 said:


> I looked at staying at one of the hotels near the port, but they were expensive.   I decided to use hotel points and stay at the Hampton Inn downtown.  From what I can tell it will be a short 5 minute cab ride to Canada Place.  Does anyone know?



That is where we are staying...they have a free shuttle to the port, so that is nice.  But if you are staying there after the cruise, you have to get your own transportation to the hotel.


----------



## littleprince

anyone know if it's better to use the atm machine in Vancouver to get cash or to exchange money in the U.S. first before going?


----------



## mellers

Better to use the ATM


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

littleprince said:


> anyone know if it's better to use the atm machine in Vancouver to get cash or to exchange money in the U.S. first before going?



You can also use US cash easily. Or use a credit card - you will get a decent exchange rate that way too.


----------



## bigAWL

Lollipop's Mom said:


> You can also use US cash easily. Or use a credit card - you will get a decent exchange rate that way too.


 
Do you mean restaurants, vendors, taxis, etc. all accept US dollars?


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

bigAWL said:


> Do you mean restaurants, vendors, taxis, etc. all accept US dollars?



Yes!


----------



## smeecanada

bigAWL said:


> Do you mean restaurants, vendors, taxis, etc. all accept US dollars?



Yes, some of them will - not everyone.  Just like not every US place will accept Canadian dollars.   Also, the exchange rate will not be good.  Better to have Canadian dollars or use your credit card.


----------



## poohj80

Lollipop's Mom said:


> *Seattle, USA:*
> 
> The Quick Shuttle:
> www.quickcoach.com
> This is a coach service between Seattle and Vancouver with stops along the way. Be prepared for approximately a 4-hour journey and occasionally a long wait at customs, as each passenger must be processed individually. The website contains schedule and rate information. Hotel pick-ups are offered from most major downtown Hotels.
> *Updated info...*
> I have used quick shuttle many times and have to say this is the easiest way to get from Seatac airport or Bellingham airport to Vancouver without a car. The bus will pick you up right outside baggage claim and drop you at the cruise port. No cabs and fussing around at all.
> _Heading South to Bellingham/Seattle..._
> There are 2 ways this might be done - if you have just gotten off the cruise ship and the entire bus is ONLY cruise ship passengers, the bus will pull up and no one has to get off at customs. Since you have technically just gone through customs, they just let you stay on the bus and do a quick check.
> Now if you are on the bus with non-cruise ship passengers, the driver will take all the luggage off the bus and place it outside the building. A dog sniffs it all and then you get off the bus, grab your own luggage and proceed inside. This is where you will have your passport out and customs card they give you on the bus to fill out. After you go through, you have to place your own luggage and all other items on the xray machine, and then once cleared, you can take it back out to the bus. There are washrooms in this building too that you can use.
> It takes about 20-30 mins total.



Are the time estimates on the Quick Shuttle web site pretty accurate?  The first bus shows arriving SEATAC around 2:15 PM which doesn't give us much time to catch a flight to the East Coast since the latest we can find is on Southwest departing at 3:15 PM. Might there be a faster way besides flying out of Vancouver instead?


----------



## mellers

poohj80 said:


> Are the time estimates on the Quick Shuttle web site pretty accurate?  The first bus shows arriving SEATAC around 2:15 PM which doesn't give us much time to catch a flight to the East Coast since the latest we can find is on Southwest departing at 3:15 PM. Might there be a faster way besides flying out of Vancouver instead?



The time estimates usually are pretty accurate, but I would give myself at least 3 hours before catching a flight.  Something can go wrong at the airport and security protocols could change at the border or in the airport which could delay you unexpectedly.  1 hour cuts it too close, IMHO.

You might also contact Seattle Green Limo (http://www.seattlegreenlimo.com/).  They do cross-border pickups.  It will be more expensive than the QuickShuttle, but it probably will be faster, and you could choose your pickup time at the docks.  You would still probably pay less than flying out of YVR.

DON'T USE AMTRAK IF YOU'RE PRESSED FOR TIME!  They are notorious for delays.


----------



## poohj80

mellers said:


> The time estimates usually are pretty accurate, but I would give myself at least 3 hours before catching a flight.  Something can go wrong at the airport and security protocols could change at the border or in the airport which could delay you unexpectedly.  1 hour cuts it too close, IMHO.
> 
> You might also contact Seattle Green Limo (http://www.seattlegreenlimo.com/).  They do cross-border pickups.  It will be more expensive than the QuickShuttle, but it probably will be faster, and you could choose your pickup time at the docks.  You would still probably pay less than flying out of YVR.
> 
> DON'T USE AMTRAK IF YOU'RE PRESSED FOR TIME!  They are notorious for delays.



Thanks for the tips!  I looked at Green Limo web site but didn't find anything about service to Vancouver so I sent them an e-mail.


----------



## LAWalz23

Does anyone know if it is possible to see the Capilano Suspension Bridge in half a day? We would like to do that and Stanely Park and the trolley tour in one day and only have two days in Vancouver. Thanks!


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

LAWalz23 said:


> Does anyone know if it is possible to see the Capilano Suspension Bridge in half a day? We would like to do that and Stanely Park and the trolley tour in one day and only have two days in Vancouver. Thanks!



Yes the Cap Bridge is a good half day activity! I couldn't spend a full day there really. Some could maybe, but you can see it all in a half day.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

poohj80 said:


> Thanks for the tips!  I looked at Green Limo web site but didn't find anything about service to Vancouver so I sent them an e-mail.



I fly out of Seattle a lot and usually arrive 90 mins before my flight and we are always fine. Make sure you have trip interruption insurance in case there are any hold ups at the border that make you miss your flight. I wouldn't travel without it across the border like that!


----------



## LAWalz23

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Yes the Cap Bridge is a good half day activity! I couldn't spend a full day there really. Some could maybe, but you can see it all in a half day.



Thanks for the info! Is the trolley tour worth the money?


----------



## PBader

poohj80 said:


> Are the time estimates on the Quick Shuttle web site pretty accurate?  The first bus shows arriving SEATAC around 2:15 PM which doesn't give us much time to catch a flight to the East Coast since the latest we can find is on Southwest departing at 3:15 PM. Might there be a faster way besides flying out of Vancouver instead?



The latest flight for us was 2:15 on Southwest, so I just booked a hotel for the night in Seattle. I figured it really wasn't worth the stress of trying to make a flight.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

PBader said:


> The latest flight for us was 2:15 on Southwest, so I just booked a hotel for the night in Seattle. I figured it really wasn't worth the stress of trying to make a flight.



That's a good idea and Seattle airport hotels are dirt cheap on priceline!!


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

LAWalz23 said:


> Thanks for the info! Is the trolley tour worth the money?


I honestly don't know sorry!


----------



## LAWalz23

Lollipop's Mom said:


> I honestly don't know sorry!



Thats okay, thank you for answering.


----------



## poohj80

PBader said:


> The latest flight for us was 2:15 on Southwest, so I just booked a hotel for the night in Seattle. I figured it really wasn't worth the stress of trying to make a flight.



Unfortunately, that's not an option as DD needs to be in school the next day.  Someone did suggest we rent a car so we can leave as soon as we can disembark and not have to make all the stops of a Shuttle.  It's about the same price as the Shuttle bus for all of us.


----------



## PBader

Pj I hope you all don't run into any issues and have plenty of time to make your flight.  If ours would have been at 3, I think we probably would have tried for it.  It sure would be cheaper than 3 rooms for the night in Seattle.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

poohj80 said:


> Unfortunately, that's not an option as DD needs to be in school the next day.  Someone did suggest we rent a car so we can leave as soon as we can disembark and not have to make all the stops of a Shuttle.  It's about the same price as the Shuttle bus for all of us.



You daughter looks pretty young, why not just pull her for the day of school? She will probably be exhausted anyway - I know I always used to let my daughter have a 'down day' at home after we got back from vacation!
I seriously would not chance it. You can priceline a hotel at seatac for $45 for a nice 3.5*.


----------



## rsjj

anyone here know about the "night market" in richmond?  any details/info?  a friend of mine mentioned it...just curious what exactly it was.  tia!


----------



## mellers

rsjj said:


> anyone here know about the "night market" in richmond?  any details/info?  a friend of mine mentioned it...just curious what exactly it was.  tia!



I'd be interested as well--I've been to Richmond several times and have not heard of it.


----------



## tanyaewa

The Night Market is a sort of Asian food and wares flea market.  
It is set up on a big blacktop parking lot in the industrial area - right near IKEA
Richmond has a very large Asian population and this is a collection of vendors for them.


----------



## rsjj

tanyaewa said:


> The Night Market is a sort of Asian food and wares flea market.
> It is set up on a big blacktop parking lot in the industrial area - right near IKEA
> Richmond has a very large Asian population and this is a collection of vendors for them.



any good?  worth going/checking it out?  do you know the price for admission?  or is it free?  flea market...so i'm envisioning a mess/crowd?  is this something for children?  like a fun place to find little "knick knacks"/souvenirs?  or maybe i'm totally off?  

i read that there's a huge chinatown in vancouver!


----------



## mellers

rsjj said:


> any good?  worth going/checking it out?  do you know the price for admission?  or is it free?  flea market...so i'm envisioning a mess/crowd?  is this something for children?  like a fun place to find little "knick knacks"/souvenirs?  or maybe i'm totally off?
> 
> i read that there's a huge chinatown in vancouver!



Richmond IS a huge, upscale Chinatown.  It's bigger, and nicer for the most part, than Vancouver's Chinatown.  (I know this because my husband's cousins who left Hong Kong live there)


----------



## littleprince

vancouver night market: http://www.vcma.shawbiz.ca/home_e.htm
Date: May 20, 2011 to Sep. 11, 2011. Every Fri., Sat. & Sun.
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Venue: Keefer St. / Main St.
(Between Main & Columbia St.)


----------



## Perdita&Pongo

Thanx for the info!

But now I'm confused.

Is there a night market both in Richmond AND in Vancouver?


----------



## mellers

PacificCoach has a service which will take you to the cruise terminal from Victoria or to Victoria from the cruise terminal:

http://www.pacificcoach.com/Travel-with-PCL/Vancouver-Cruise-Ship-Terminals-Service


----------



## my three girls

Is it better to take Amtrak or the Quick Shuttle from Seattle to Vancouver and back? TIA


----------



## mellers

my three girls said:


> Is it better to take Amtrak or the Quick Shuttle from Seattle to Vancouver and back? TIA




It depends.  The QuickShuttle is usually quicker and less expensive than Amtrak, Amtrak is generally more scenic.  The QuickShuttle is MUCH more likely to be on time, and leaves right out of SeaTac, whereas the Amtrak station is more convenient to the downtown hotels, and, quite frankly, you need to budget substantial extra time for delays.  (Also, be aware, the train station is all torn up for renovations, and it is difficult to find the entrance.)

The QuickShuttle is more convenient to hotels near the Space Needle.

Amtrak wheelchair accessibility, ahem, stinks. (If this were not a family board, I would use another word )  If you have a wheelie in your party, don't even consider it.

Remember that with Amtrak, you will usually need to pay for transportation from the station to the hotel.  The QuickShuttle will take you to YVR where you can pick up transportation to the airport hotels, or it will take you directly to most of the popular hotels in Vancouver--this is both an extra savings and an additional convenience.  The QuickShuttle will also pick up and drop off directly from the port.

I believe you do not need to remove your luggage at the border with Amtrak, whereas you do with the QuickShuttle (unless you are in a wheelchair).  You show your passport at the border, they scan your luggae, and they reboard the bus with you and your luggage, and continue on to Vancouver.

Both the QuickShuttle and Amtrak have a "fast track" at the border, so long delays will not slow them down as much as a car.

The QuickShuttle has no food or drinks available for purchase, and it is a long ride.  If you take it from the airport, I would recommend getting a take-out meal and some bottled water, or at least some snacks and bottled water.  Amtrak (as I recall) has food available. Get something from the port to take on the QuickShuttle to go home.

If you are desperate, and wind up at Sea-Tac before 8:30 a.m. on your cruise morning, take the QuickShuttle.  They will drop you off directly at the cruise terminal, and you have a good chance of making your boat.   (I don't recommend this as a plan--too much can go wrong;this is only if you're STUCK doing this.)  Don't ever take Amtrak if you're pressed for time.

One quick hint--if you're taking the QuickShuttle from downtown, take a taxi to the Best Western Executive Inn, and pick the QuickShuttle up there.  It's less expensive to go from the Best Western than Sea-Tac, and it's a much shorter taxi ride from downtown.


----------



## my three girls

Great info. Thanks!


----------



## marlaymike

thanks for the info!


----------



## mellers

Perdita&Pongo said:


> Thanx for the info!
> 
> But now I'm confused.
> 
> Is there a night market both in Richmond AND in Vancouver?



Richmond is technically the city in which YVR is located--the night market is probably in Richmond, but there isn't much of a border between Richmond and Vancouver.


----------



## mellers

marlaymike said:


> thanks for the info!





my three girls said:


> Great info. Thanks!



You're both very welcome!


----------



## mellers

mellers said:


> It depends.  The QuickShuttle is usually quicker and less expensive than Amtrak, Amtrak is generally more scenic.  The QuickShuttle is MUCH more likely to be on time, and leaves right out of SeaTac, whereas the Amtrak station is more convenient to the downtown hotels, and, quite frankly, you need to budget substantial extra time for delays.  (Also, be aware, the train station is all torn up for renovations, and it is difficult to find the entrance.)
> 
> The QuickShuttle is more convenient to hotels near the Space Needle.
> 
> Amtrak wheelchair accessibility, ahem, stinks. (If this were not a family board, I would use another word )  If you have a wheelie in your party, don't even consider it.
> 
> Remember that with Amtrak, you will usually need to pay for transportation from the station to the hotel.  The QuickShuttle will take you to YVR where you can pick up transportation to the airport hotels, or it will take you directly to most of the popular hotels in Vancouver--this is both an extra savings and an additional convenience.  The QuickShuttle will also pick up and drop off directly from the port.
> 
> I believe you do not need to remove your luggage at the border with Amtrak, whereas you do with the QuickShuttle (unless you are in a wheelchair).  You show your passport at the border, they scan your luggae, and they reboard the bus with you and your luggage, and continue on to Vancouver.
> 
> Both the QuickShuttle and Amtrak have a "fast track" at the border, so long delays will not slow them down as much as a car.
> 
> The QuickShuttle has no food or drinks available for purchase, and it is a long ride.  If you take it from the airport, I would recommend getting a take-out meal and some bottled water, or at least some snacks and bottled water.  Amtrak (as I recall) has food available. Get something from the port to take on the QuickShuttle to go home.
> 
> If you are desperate, and wind up at Sea-Tac before 8:30 a.m. on your cruise morning, take the QuickShuttle.  They will drop you off directly at the cruise terminal, and you have a good chance of making your boat.   (I don't recommend this as a plan--too much can go wrong;this is only if you're STUCK doing this.)  Don't ever take Amtrak if you're pressed for time.
> 
> One quick hint--if you're taking the QuickShuttle from downtown, take a taxi to the Best Western Executive Inn, and pick the QuickShuttle up there.  It's less expensive to go from the Best Western than Sea-Tac, and it's a much shorter taxi ride from downtown.



Forgot to add--both have restrooms


----------



## Politzania

Thanks for posting all this good info!  We're planning on flying into Portland OR a few days early to visit friends, then taking Amtrak from   Portland to Vancouver the day before our cruise.  (Aug 29) 

 Their schedule has us arriving in Vancouver at 10:50p; but given the statements above - it sounds like we should plan for an even later arrival! 

 Will it be a problem getting to our hotel?  (probably going to stay at the Holiday Inn Express on Hastings) - are there likely to be cabs still at the station or should we get a few cab co phone numbers, just in case?


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Politzania said:


> Thanks for posting all this good info!  We're planning on flying into Portland OR a few days early to visit friends, then taking Amtrak from   Portland to Vancouver the day before our cruise.  (Aug 29)
> 
> Their schedule has us arriving in Vancouver at 10:50p; but given the statements above - it sounds like we should plan for an even later arrival!
> 
> Will it be a problem getting to our hotel?  (probably going to stay at the Holiday Inn Express on Hastings) - are there likely to be cabs still at the station or should we get a few cab co phone numbers, just in case?



It is a busy train and bus station, there will be tons of cabs out front at all hours!!


----------



## EdTreo

I've an 11 AM flight back to Florida. What is the fastest way to get to the airport?


----------



## richmo

EdTreo said:


> I've an 11 AM flight back to Florida. What is the fastest way to get to the airport?



I'm guessing SkyTrain?


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

EdTreo said:


> I've an 11 AM flight back to Florida. What is the fastest way to get to the airport?



I would probably catch a cab rather than walking to the skytrain, etc... It will be much faster if you are getting off the ship at 8am and have to get to the airport right away.


----------



## rsjj

does anyonoe know if there are car rental places from canada place?  i'm thinking of renting a car for our days prior to the cruise from the airport, but returning it to canada place?  not even sure if that's an option?


----------



## jlwhitney

rsjj said:


> does anyonoe know if there are car rental places from canada place?  i'm thinking of renting a car for our days prior to the cruise from the airport, but returning it to canada place?  not even sure if that's an option?



Alamo and National have locations at Canada Place and Pan Pacific Vancouver


----------



## rsjj

jlwhitney said:


> Alamo and National have locations at Canada Place and Pan Pacific Vancouver



thank you!!  do you know if rental car places allow us to rent from one place, and return at another place?


----------



## mmmears

Does anyone have a good & reliable towncar service to recommend?

I'm thinking it might be easier to have a car "reserved" to take us to and from the airport instead of trying to get a taxi with all the "commotion" when we disembark from the ship.


----------



## jlwhitney

rsjj said:


> thank you!!  do you know if rental car places allow us to rent from one place, and return at another place?



Both National and Alamo you can, I am booked through Alamo going from Airport to Pan Pacific. I got a better rate/discount through Alamo.

Look for discounts through AAA/BJ's/Costco/Entertainment books.


----------



## rsjj

jlwhitney said:


> Both National and Alamo you can, I am booked through Alamo going from Airport to Pan Pacific. I got a better rate/discount through Alamo.
> 
> Look for discounts through AAA/BJ's/Costco/Entertainment books.



thanx for the info!  just looked it up...boy, it's quite pricey!!  i don't normally rent cars, so when i priced it out, from airport to canada place, it said it was $600 for 2 nights!  that's a lot, no?  or is this how much it costs for renting out of states?


----------



## littleprince

keep looking. even check out if they have special weekend deals. my sister got one for $3xx for 4 nights


----------



## richmo

rsjj said:


> thanx for the info!  just looked it up...boy, it's quite pricey!!  i don't normally rent cars, so when i priced it out, from airport to canada place, it said it was $600 for 2 nights!  that's a lot, no?  or is this how much it costs for renting out of states?



Are you renting from SEA or YVR?  If either, you could always drop the car at YVR and SkyTrain it to Canada Place.  

In my case (flying into and out of SEA), I found it less expensive, by quite a bit, to rent the car roundtrip from/to SEA and park the car during the cruise.


----------



## jlwhitney

rsjj said:


> thanx for the info!  just looked it up...boy, it's quite pricey!!  i don't normally rent cars, so when i priced it out, from airport to canada place, it said it was $600 for 2 nights!  that's a lot, no?  or is this how much it costs for renting out of states?



I am paying 73 dollars for 2 days,  night from YVR to Pan Pacific. If you are coming from Seattle that sounds about right since you are crossing the border.


----------



## Perdita&Pongo

Here's a question for the oh-so-helpful Canadians on this thread (and also any Americans who may have experience with this).

I saw on a taxi website that the H.S.T. (tax) is refundable "at the border" for Non-Canadian residents.

Anyone have any info on this?  Is it for taxi fares only?


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Perdita&Pongo said:


> Here's a question for the oh-so-helpful Canadians on this thread (and also any Americans who may have experience with this).
> 
> I saw on a taxi website that the H.S.T. (tax) is refundable "at the border" for Non-Canadian residents.
> 
> Anyone have any info on this?  Is it for taxi fares only?



Here is the info on that for you:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/bsnss/tpcs/gst-tps/rbts/vstrs/fctp-eng.html


----------



## mellers

If you're flyng into Sea-Tac, it might be cheaper to rent a car for the Seattle area, take the QuickShuttle to YVR, and then rent a separate car for the Vancouver area.


----------



## M&C

Wonderful thread! Just subscribing so I can come back and read all the wonderful info!


----------



## DenverVal

jlwhitney said:


> I am paying 73 dollars for 2 days,  night from YVR to Pan Pacific. If you are coming from Seattle that sounds about right since you are crossing the border.


I thought that the price tag couldn't be right, and tried it out for kicks - Alamo really was asking for $600 for two nights for a compact car to pick up at YVR and drop off at Canada Place. They wanted $200 for two nights if you picked up and dropped off at Canada Place.


----------



## Ginamarie

Does anyone know what the taxi fare would be from the airport to downtown area hotels (we're staying at the Hyatt Regency)?

I see that there's a skytrain, and was considering it, but I'm afraid we'll have too much luggage (and too high a kid to adult ratio) to easily get on and off of the train; not to mention, I'm not sure there would be enough room to store all of our luggage.

I also saw that there's a "shared ride" van that will take us from the airport to the hotel, but it only leaves once an hour and takes 45 minutes to get to our hotel.  So I'm wondering if a taxi would be much more expensive (we'd need three taxis with our sized group).

Also, does anyone know how to handle infants in a taxicab?  We have young children and will not have a carseat.


----------



## SoCalDCLfan

Ginamarie said:


> Does anyone know what the taxi fare would be from the airport to downtown area hotels (we're staying at the Hyatt Regency)?
> 
> I see that there's a skytrain, and was considering it, but I'm afraid we'll have too much luggage (and too high a kid to adult ratio) to easily get on and off of the train; not to mention, I'm not sure there would be enough room to store all of our luggage.
> 
> I also saw that there's a "shared ride" van that will take us from the airport to the hotel, but it only leaves once an hour and takes 45 minutes to get to our hotel.  So I'm wondering if a taxi would be much more expensive (we'd need three taxis with our sized group).
> 
> Also, does anyone know how to handle infants in a taxicab?  We have young children and will not have a carseat.



here's a site that calculates taxi fares:

http://www.worldtaximeter.com/vancouver/yvr/downtown

It says YVR to downtown is about $25 Canadian.  Also read that mini-vans taxis are readily available, just ask at the taxi stand.  We're planning on this option for our family of 5.  we were also worried about all of our luggage on the SkyTrain.  $25 for the 5 of us is a pretty good deal I think.


----------



## mmmears

mmmears said:


> Does anyone have a good & reliable towncar service to recommend?
> 
> I'm thinking it might be easier to have a car "reserved" to take us to and from the airport instead of trying to get a taxi with all the "commotion" when we disembark from the ship.



Anyone have any experience with this???


----------



## rsjj

jlwhitney said:


> I am paying 73 dollars for 2 days,  night from YVR to Pan Pacific. If you are coming from Seattle that sounds about right since you are crossing the border.



no, it was the price from yvr to canada place!


----------



## rsjj

another option i was looking into was to stay a night in vancouver, rent a car from canada place after the cruise, and returning it to yvr the next day.  but the cars are all sold out!  i guess i'm late in the game.

now...since i won't be able to check into our hotel around 3pm after the cruise...and we get off the ship around 8am.  we can sight see, but might be a bit difficult w/our luggages in tow.  any suggestions/ideas?  really can't think this thing thru...


----------



## rsjj

DenverVal said:


> I thought that the price tag couldn't be right, and tried it out for kicks - Alamo really was asking for $600 for two nights for a compact car to pick up at YVR and drop off at Canada Place. They wanted $200 for two nights if you picked up and dropped off at Canada Place.



crazy, right?!!?  i thought i did something wrong!!  and i had to do it several times, to make sure i input the info correctly.


----------



## smeecanada

rsjj said:


> now...since i won't be able to check into our hotel around 3pm after the cruise...and we get off the ship around 8am.  we can sight see, but might be a bit difficult w/our luggages in tow.  any suggestions/ideas?  really can't think this thing thru...



Not sure where you are staying, but you can most likely check in to your hotel earlier.  Your room won't be ready, but they will hold your luggage for you until it is available.  We've done this many times when travelling.


----------



## Shanny145

rsjj said:


> another option i was looking into was to stay a night in vancouver, rent a car from canada place after the cruise, and returning it to yvr the next day.  but the cars are all sold out!  i guess i'm late in the game.
> 
> now...since i won't be able to check into our hotel around 3pm after the cruise...and we get off the ship around 8am.  we can sight see, but might be a bit difficult w/our luggages in tow.  any suggestions/ideas?  really can't think this thing thru...


You can check into the hotel early and they will let you stow your luggage until your room is ready at 3:00....we have done this several times.


----------



## jlwhitney

rsjj said:


> no, it was the price from yvr to canada place!



So, I plugged in my dates again and got quoted $700 something for 2 days including taxes. I have no idea what made the price go way up like that. I am so thankful I made my reservation a few months ago, just can't change it at all or I would lose the wonderful price I have.

In regards to doing pick up and drop off at YVR, did you check all the car rental companies there:

National /Alamo
Avis 
Budget 
Hertz 
Dollar/Thrifty 
Enterprise (off site with a shuttle)

I wish you good luck on getting all of the logistics to your trip planned out.


----------



## mellers

rsjj said:


> does anyonoe know if there are car rental places from canada place?  i'm thinking of renting a car for our days prior to the cruise from the airport, but returning it to canada place?  not even sure if that's an option?



Given the expense you're quoting for two days use of the car (if I understand correctly), I would not bother renting a car.  You would be better off taking a taxi to your hotel, and then taking public transportation around town, with perhaps a taxi thrown in here and there.

If you have a lot of people, try http://www.ridebooker.com/  (somebody else also posted a good link for a car service).  They have 10-passenger vans you can reserve, at decent prices.


----------



## littleprince

Has anyone done the Big Bus Hop On Hop Off deal? Is it worth the money?


----------



## Pooh667

Hi,

I have read the whole thread over the last couple of months but I didn't print info up and have forgotten.  We will be flying into the Vancouver airport and staying at the Pan Pacific.  We are 18 people. Is it better for us to take a couple of taxis or the train? My immediate family is 4 people so money wise is it cheaper to take the train or taxi? I have gone to the skytrain site but I don't understand what the fare is? It says fare then concession fare , do you add those 2 up for the fare price? Really I am not a stupid person but I don't get it.  Also today I was told that I have to go to Victoria Gardens.  I thought that was in Victoria, Canada.  When I researched it it says Vancouver Island.  Is that off of Vancouver?   Thanks for any info you can give me.


----------



## mellers

Pooh667 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have read the whole thread over the last couple of months but I didn't print info up and have forgotten.  We will be flying into the Vancouver airport and staying at the Pan Pacific.  We are 18 people. Is it better for us to take a couple of taxis or the train? My immediate family is 4 people so money wise is it cheaper to take the train or taxi? I have gone to the skytrain site but I don't understand what the fare is? It says fare then concession fare , do you add those 2 up for the fare price? Really I am not a stupid person but I don't get it.  Also today I was told that I have to go to Victoria Gardens.  I thought that was in Victoria, Canada.  When I researched it it says Vancouver Island.  Is that off of Vancouver?   Thanks for any info you can give me.



With that many people, I would try http://www.ridebooker.com  When you're talking about 18 people, given the airport surcharge, I don't think you would save a lot taking the SkyTrain.

Vancouver Island is quite a ways away from Vancouver--it is the same island on which Victoria, and Butchart Gardens, are located.   Are you sure it is Victoria Gardens, and not Butchart Gardens?  I would recommend trying to organize a charter bus if you need to go there with 18 people.


----------



## Pooh667

Mellers,

Thank you so much for your reply and for all your replies on the baord.  You have been so helpful.  I will look into ridebooker.  This woman was going on and on about how Victoria Gardens is the must see in Alaska, so I think that is what she met.  About how long is it from Vancouver to Vancouver Island? We only have 2 days in Vancouver.


----------



## Pooh667

Sorry duplicate post


----------



## mellers

Pooh667 said:


> Mellers,
> 
> Thank you so much for your reply and for all your replies on the baord.  You have been so helpful.  I will look into ridebooker.  This woman was going on and on about how Victoria Gardens is the must see in Alaska, so I think that is what she met.  About how long is it from Vancouver to Vancouver Island? We only have 2 days in Vancouver.



If you plan to see Victoria, it will take all day.  This would be a good choice for this kind of tour, although, with that many people, I would try to negotiate a discount:

http://www.pacificcoach.com/Sightseeing-Tours/Vancouver/Royal-Victoria-Excursion

There are also some beautiful, albeit less well-known gardens in the Vancouver area.  My favorite is:

The Interntional Buddhist Temple in Richmond:  http://www.buddhisttemple.ca/

and I also like:

The VanDusen Botanical Gardens:
http://www.vandusengarden.org/


----------



## Pooh667

Hi Mellers,

Again , thank you so much for the information.  I think we will skip Victoria, just too many things we want to do in Vancouver, though I think I will check out one of the gardens you mentioned.


----------



## rsjj

thanx everyone for your suggestions/ideas!  really appreciate you taking the time to answer!

still working on the details...but one more question...sounds like vancouver has a very good public transportation system.  is this the same case w/richmond?  i think we are going to be staying in that area.  oh, i wish we have everything set!  but i'm still "planning"...feel so behind!! 

again, thank you for all your wonderful/helpful responses!!


----------



## mellers

rsjj said:


> thanx everyone for your suggestions/ideas!  really appreciate you taking the time to answer!
> 
> still working on the details...but one more question...sounds like vancouver has a very good public transportation system.  is this the same case w/richmond?  i think we are going to be staying in that area.  oh, i wish we have everything set!  but i'm still "planning"...feel so behind!!
> 
> again, thank you for all your wonderful/helpful responses!!



It depends upon where you are staying in Richmond.  If you're staying near Lansdowne Shopping Centre (which is where I usually stay), you'll have no problems at all--there is a Canada Line station right next to the shopping centre.  The FourPoints Sheraton Vancouver Airport and the La Quinta Vancouver Airport are in this neighborhood--there may be others as well. 

Also, remember, most Richmond-area hotels have free shuttles to the airport--if you prepurchase FareSaver tickets on the Canada Line, I don't think you have to pay the airport surcharge:  http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/FareSaver-Tickets.aspx

(BTW--I should have thought to post this before--if you are primarily planning to use public transit during your trip, these books are worth getting.)

That should get you around nicely.


----------



## PE_TCR

We are gettign in on the train about 11:40 the day before the cruise.  We also are planning a group meet for our group that night at about 6.  Fort the locals - will we have enough time to get to Grouse Mountain.  Just to ride the gondola and maybe do Eye of the Wind and get back in time?  Looks like dinner will be at Red Robin so we won't necessarily need to do any more than just freshen up.


----------



## mellers

If you are taking the Canada Line from the airport, and if this is not behind security--you want to go here first:

Pharmasave #22
Vancouver International Airport, Domestic Terminal Bld Level 1
Richmond, BC
V7B 1X8
(604) 303-7033

And purchase a FareSaver book for the Canada Line--this will eliminate the airport surcharge.

I was just looking for dealers in Richmond when I came across this.


----------



## mellers

PE_TCR said:


> We are gettign in on the train about 11:40 the day before the cruise.  We also are planning a group meet for our group that night at about 6.  Fort the locals - will we have enough time to get to Grouse Mountain.  Just to ride the gondola and maybe do Eye of the Wind and get back in time?  Looks like dinner will be at Red Robin so we won't necessarily need to do any more than just freshen up.



If the train is pretty much on time and you don't dally at the hotel, you might be able to do it (although you'll be pretty rushed).  You'd basically have to high-tail it to the hotel, drop your stuff and hustle, though.


----------



## rsjj

mellers said:


> It depends upon where you are staying in Richmond.  If you're staying near Lansdowne Shopping Centre (which is where I usually stay), you'll have no problems at all--there is a Canada Line station right next to the shopping centre.  The FourPoints Sheraton Vancouver Airport and the La Quinta Vancouver Airport are in this neighborhood--there may be others as well.
> 
> Also, remember, most Richmond-area hotels have free shuttles to the airport--if you prepurchase FareSaver tickets on the Canada Line, I don't think you have to pay the airport surcharge:  http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/FareSaver-Tickets.aspx
> 
> (BTW--I should have thought to post this before--if you are primarily planning to use public transit during your trip, these books are worth getting.)
> 
> That should get you around nicely.



thanx mellers!  one more question...are there costco in canada?  specificly, in richmond?  i saw it on a google map, but it wasn't listed on the costco website.  maybe it's not there anymore?  again, thanx for taking the time!!


----------



## mellers

rsjj said:


> thanx mellers!  one more question...are there costco in canada?  specificly, in richmond?  i saw it on a google map, but it wasn't listed on the costco website.  maybe it's not there anymore?  again, thanx for taking the time!!



There probably is a Costco, but I don't know where.  You would probably do well to make a shopping run to Zellers in the Lansdowne Shopping Centre--it's like Target.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

rsjj said:


> thanx mellers!  one more question...are there costco in canada?  specificly, in richmond?  i saw it on a google map, but it wasn't listed on the costco website.  maybe it's not there anymore?  again, thanx for taking the time!!



We definately have costco in Canada and there is one not far from the airport. 
9151 Bridgeport Road
Richmond.

There is also one downtown Vancouver.


----------



## rsjj

mellers said:


> There probably is a Costco, but I don't know where.  You would probably do well to make a shopping run to Zellers in the Lansdowne Shopping Centre--it's like Target.



thanx, mellers!  it's really not for any shopping purposes.  it's really for DH.  you see, he loves costco!  and whenever we go anywhere, it's his one stop!  he jsut loves to see what stuff they carry at the many different costcos.  it's a "must do" on our list...actually on his list!    i think it's a guy thing!  maybe it's just "my DH" thing!!  

again, thanx!


----------



## rsjj

Lollipop's Mom said:


> We definately have costco in Canada and there is one not far from the airport.
> 9151 Bridgeport Road
> Richmond.
> 
> There is also one downtown Vancouver.



thanx!  i just looked it up again!  ooohhh...DH will be so excited!!


----------



## rsjj

ok...more questions...

i'm thinking of going to grouse mountain.  looks like an interesting place filled w/many different activities.  our DSs (who will be 12 & 9) might be interested.  the sky gondola thing in itself is thrilling enough!  any thoughts on this is much appreciated.  

so i mapped out on the translink website, going from our hotel to grouse mountain.  it says we need to take the sky train, then the sea bus, than another bus.  sounds a lot, but it actually only takes around an hour.  anyways, the fare for adult says $2.50.  for all 3 different types of transportation?!!?  am i reading it correctly?

ok...now to my questions...
1) approximately how many hours do i need to spend up on the mountain?  
2) all those "activities"...i'm assuming we need to pay for, on top of the grouse mountain admission?  or do they come included.  (not talking about the zipline & such, but just the stuff we can see, like the wood chopping thing, the wild nature thing, the sled ride (which is in winter time, but in summer, i think it's something else)
3) is it safe to ride public transportation in the early evening?  (around 6 pm)...i'm just asking, b/c i'll have kids w/me. and if it's not safe, maybe i shouldn't even think about this.  

the idea of taking public transportation (which we don't do back at home, really), w/all these different types of transfers (from a sky train, to a sea bus, to a regular bus) is really exciting to me, and i think our boys would get a kick out of it!  

again, thank you so much for taking the time to ease my mind, and answering all my endless questions.  pls forgive me, as our trip is getting closer, i'm getting more anxious about "planning"...


----------



## mellers

rsjj said:


> ok...more questions...
> 
> i'm thinking of going to grouse mountain.  looks like an interesting place filled w/many different activities.  our DSs (who will be 12 & 9) might be interested.  the sky gondola thing in itself is thrilling enough!  any thoughts on this is much appreciated.
> 
> so i mapped out on the translink website, going from our hotel to grouse mountain.  it says we need to take the sky train, then the sea bus, than another bus.  sounds a lot, but it actually only takes around an hour.  anyways, the fare for adult says $2.50.  for all 3 different types of transportation?!!?  am i reading it correctly?
> 
> ok...now to my questions...
> 1) approximately how many hours do i need to spend up on the mountain?
> 2) all those "activities"...i'm assuming we need to pay for, on top of the grouse mountain admission?  or do they come included.  (not talking about the zipline & such, but just the stuff we can see, like the wood chopping thing, the wild nature thing, the sled ride (which is in winter time, but in summer, i think it's something else)
> 3) is it safe to ride public transportation in the early evening?  (around 6 pm)...i'm just asking, b/c i'll have kids w/me. and if it's not safe, maybe i shouldn't even think about this.
> 
> the idea of taking public transportation (which we don't do back at home, really), w/all these different types of transfers (from a sky train, to a sea bus, to a regular bus) is really exciting to me, and i think our boys would get a kick out of it!
> 
> again, thank you so much for taking the time to ease my mind, and answering all my endless questions.  pls forgive me, as our trip is getting closer, i'm getting more anxious about "planning"...



I'd recommend being off public transit by 8-8:30 (mainly because that's usually about the time that schedules change--although local Vancouverites would know better than me).  I'm not sure about the prices, but the transit site should be right.  You also might want to try to pick up the transit books at the airport or a drugstore.

Kids love the SkyTrain and SeaBus--even I love them, and I'm 41! 

As far as the cost of various activities go, I'd check their website:

http://www.grousemountain.com/

Same goes for time--it depends upon how many, and what type of, activities you want to do.


----------



## rsjj

mellers said:


> I'd recommend being off public transit by 8-8:30 (mainly because that's usually about the time that schedules change--although local Vancouverites would know better than me).  I'm not sure about the prices, but the transit site should be right.  You also might want to try to pick up the transit books at the airport or a drugstore.
> 
> Kids love the SkyTrain and SeaBus--even I love them, and I'm 41!
> 
> As far as the cost of various activities go, I'd check their website:
> 
> http://www.grousemountain.com/
> 
> Same goes for time--it depends upon how many, and what type of, activities you want to do.



thanx for the heads up on schedule changes!  the transit books you mentioned, is that the same as the faresaver books you mentioned previously?  

i'm so excited!!  just ran the idea to DH...about taking the various transportations & checking out grouse mountain.  

thanx for taking the time!!  it is much appreciated!!


----------



## mellers

rsjj said:


> thanx for the heads up on schedule changes!  the transit books you mentioned, is that the same as the faresaver books you mentioned previously?



Yes, exactly the same.  (Also, you're very welcome--enjoy your cruise!)


----------



## disney_guest

We are planning on doing grouse mountain and the suspension bridge.  From what I can gather the bridge is a 2-3 hours trip and the mountain is basically as long as you want (probably 4 hours+).  I would like to know about the cost of activities as well - if you hear anything can you post.  Also, we were thinking of doing the aquarium and park.  Any ideas on how long this would be?  Specifically how long to see the aquarium?


----------



## mellers

disney_guest said:


> We are planning on doing grouse mountain and the suspension bridge.  From what I can gather the bridge is a 2-3 hours trip and the mountain is basically as long as you want (probably 4 hours+).  I would like to know about the cost of activities as well - if you hear anything can you post.  Also, we were thinking of doing the aquarium and park.  Any ideas on how long this would be?  Specifically how long to see the aquarium?



The aquarium takes my family and me about 2-4 hours, depending upon whether or not we eat lunch there.  As to the cost of activities, my suggestion is to go to the Grouse Mountain website.


----------



## disney_guest

Thanks for the quick reply


----------



## DenverVal

mellers said:


> If you are taking the Canada Line from the airport, and if this is not behind security--you want to go here first:
> 
> Pharmasave #22
> Vancouver International Airport, Domestic Terminal Bld Level 1
> Richmond, BC
> V7B 1X8
> (604) 303-7033
> 
> And purchase a FareSaver book for the Canada Line--this will eliminate the airport surcharge.
> 
> I was just looking for dealers in Richmond when I came across this.


So if I "pre-purchase" the Fare-Saver book at this location, then the fare charged will be the normal $2.50, but if I bought tickets at the train station it will be $7.50? What is it talking about when it says they must be validated before use, and where do you have this done? 

We are staying a few days at Canada Place and I was wondering if carting the luggage on the train would be a problem. Where do you stow it? Can a day pass be purchased to take the SkyTrain from YVR to Canada Place and then used to tour the city for the rest of the day?

Along the same "lines" (  ), if I were to use tickets from the book to get to the aquarium and spend a couple of hours there, then head to the Capilano Bridge or Grouse Mountain or wherever, because the break in travel was longer than 90 minutes, it will require an additional fare? In that case, would a day pass be cheaper and less brain damage? 

Bus service where I live is just not a way of life, so I'm a little unfamiliar with the ins and outs.

Here is a link to the airport maps: http://www.yvr.ca/en/navigating-yvr/terminal-maps.aspx
Pharmasave is in the domestic terminal, outside security. There's also a 7-11, which should sell them too, if I read the website right.


----------



## mmmears

*Vancouver Aquarium*:

Any must sees / must dos while visiting?

Any suggestions as to how we should get there from Canada Place?


----------



## mellers

DenverVal said:


> So if I "pre-purchase" the Fare-Saver book at this location, then the fare charged will be the normal $2.50, but if I bought tickets at the train station it will be $7.50? What is it talking about when it says they must be validated before use, and where do you have this done?
> 
> We are staying a few days at Canada Place and I was wondering if carting the luggage on the train would be a problem. Where do you stow it? Can a day pass be purchased to take the SkyTrain from YVR to Canada Place and then used to tour the city for the rest of the day?
> 
> Along the same "lines" (  ), if I were to use tickets from the book to get to the aquarium and spend a couple of hours there, then head to the Capilano Bridge or Grouse Mountain or wherever, because the break in travel was longer than 90 minutes, it will require an additional fare? In that case, would a day pass be cheaper and less brain damage?
> 
> Bus service where I live is just not a way of life, so I'm a little unfamiliar with the ins and outs.
> 
> Here is a link to the airport maps: http://www.yvr.ca/en/navigating-yvr/terminal-maps.aspx
> Pharmasave is in the domestic terminal, outside security. There's also a 7-11, which should sell them too, if I read the website right.



In that case, a day pass would probably be better (along with a hefty bottle of asprin  ), but I don't know if day passes are available at the airport or not.


----------



## mellers

mmmears said:


> *Vancouver Aquarium*:
> 
> Any must sees / must dos while visiting?
> 
> Any suggestions as to how we should get there from Canada Place?



I like it all, quite honestly--my one "must see" would probably be the sea otters.

As to how to get there, try this link:  http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/


----------



## DenverVal

mellers said:


> In that case, a day pass would probably be better (along with a hefty bottle of asprin  ), but I don't know if day passes are available at the airport or not.


Found it:
Canada Line YVR AddFare
The $5 Canada Line YVR AddFare is applicable to travel departing from any of the stations on Sea Island (YVR-Airport, Sea Island Centre and Templeton) destined for Bridgeport Station or points beyond. The Ticket Vending Machines (TVMs) at the three Sea Island Stations are programmed to charge the additional YVR AddFare automatically on applicable transactions.

Canada Line customers who buy their fare zone ticket from a TVM using cash, debit or credit card must pay the $5 YVR AddFare. This includes Concession (seniors and student) fares. Children under the age of five can ride transit for free and are not subject to the YVR AddFare.

Exemptions 
*Customers who use prepaid fares such as DayPasses, Monthly FareCards, FareSaver tickets, West Coast Express weekly and 28-day passes, U-Passes, Employer Passes and Government Bus Passes are exempt from the Canada Line YVR AddFare. If you are at the airport, DayPasses can be purchased at the 7-Eleven or the Pharmasave on Level 1, Arrivals. *DayPasses and FareSavers don't have specific dates for travel, so they can be purchased in bulk for future travel dates.

http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/Canada-Line-YVR-AddFare.aspx


----------



## mmmears

mellers said:


> I like it all, quite honestly--my one "must see" would probably be the sea otters.
> 
> As to how to get there, try this link:  http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/



Thanks for the quick answer -- you're always very helpful and I appreciate it.


----------



## DenverVal

Video of train from YVR to Waterfront Station: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgH5zIkztX0


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

mellers said:


> I like it all, quite honestly--my one "must see" would probably be the sea otters.
> 
> As to how to get there, try this link:  http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/



Here are the famous Vancouver Aquarium Holding Hands Otters!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno


----------



## mmmears

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Here are the famous Vancouver Aquarium Holding Hands Otters!
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno



Very cute!


----------



## mellers

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Here are the famous Vancouver Aquarium Holding Hands Otters!
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno



So cute!  That made my day.  Life is always better with a friend.


----------



## littleprince

anyone know of a reasonable priced taxi/shuttle/limo service from the port to the airport for 10 people?


----------



## mellers

littleprince said:


> anyone know of a reasonable priced taxi/shuttle/limo service from the port to the airport for 10 people?



http://www.ridebooker.com has a 10 passenger van available for about $89 + tax and gratuity.  You might need to pay a little extra for a luggage trailer, though.


----------



## Candy Apple

I had been thinking of booking here for our 3 nights prior to our July cruise but I looked at the "terrible" reviews on trip advisor and a few mentioned it was in a high crime area.  The address is 8811 Bridgeport Road, Richmond.  Is this a bad area?  They have a rate of around $160 US which is about the most I usually spend for hotels.  I'd like to stay in downtown Vancouver but the hotel rates seem quite high.  For you locals who have been so helpful in our planning, what is the best plan for a moderately priced hotel that is not in a bad location?  TIA!


----------



## smeecanada

Candy Apple said:


> I had been thinking of booking here for our 3 nights prior to our July cruise but I looked at the "terrible" reviews on trip advisor and a few mentioned it was in a high crime area.  The address is 8811 Bridgeport Road, Richmond.  Is this a bad area?  They have a rate of around $160 US which is about the most I usually spend for hotels.  I'd like to stay in downtown Vancouver but the hotel rates seem quite high.  For you locals who have been so helpful in our planning, what is the best plan for a moderately priced hotel that is not in a bad location?  TIA!



It is a few hotels in what is mainly an industrial area.  Costco, etc.  If you are just going for a night a the hotel and not looking to walk around, it should be okay.  I'd try and get something downtown, if you can find something affordable.  Will alleviate the hassle of try to get there to do things.

There a few hotels downtown that are not so expensive.  Go to tripadvisor.ca
and type in Vancouver, BC and select hotels.  It'll come up with a little google map with a search the interactive map icon below.  It'll give you an idea where all the hotels are located.  Anything in  the main downtown area is fairly accessible to all activities.


----------



## mellers

Candy Apple said:


> I had been thinking of booking here for our 3 nights prior to our July cruise but I looked at the "terrible" reviews on trip advisor and a few mentioned it was in a high crime area.  The address is 8811 Bridgeport Road, Richmond.  Is this a bad area?  They have a rate of around $160 US which is about the most I usually spend for hotels.  I'd like to stay in downtown Vancouver but the hotel rates seem quite high.  For you locals who have been so helpful in our planning, what is the best plan for a moderately priced hotel that is not in a bad location?  TIA!



You might try the Four Points Vancouver Airport hotel or the La Quinta Vancouver Airport hotel.  My family and I always stay there, and we have never had a problem.  The hotels are next door to a large shopping centre (Lansdowne), which sometimes has neat cultural events put on by local organizations.  The mall is also right next door to the Lansdowne Canada Line station, so it's easy to get into Vancouver proper.  We find it to be a pleasant neighborhood.


----------



## mellers

mellers said:


> You might try the Four Points Vancouver Airport hotel or the La Quinta Vancouver Airport hotel.  My family and I always stay there, and we have never had a problem.  The hotels are next door to a large shopping centre (Lansdowne), which sometimes has neat cultural events put on by local organizations.  The mall is also right next door to the Lansdowne Canada Line station, so it's easy to get into Vancouver proper.  We find it to be a pleasant neighborhood.



One other item of note--the FourPoints Vancouver Airport has a "Park and Fly" option which might be helpful to those who need to park during the cruise.  It's easy to drop the family off at the Canada Line station at Lansdowne, go park the car, and walk back.


----------



## jilljill

Candy Apple said:


> I had been thinking of booking here for our 3 nights prior to our July cruise but I looked at the "terrible" reviews on trip advisor and a few mentioned it was in a high crime area.  The address is 8811 Bridgeport Road, Richmond.  Is this a bad area?  They have a rate of around $160 US which is about the most I usually spend for hotels.  I'd like to stay in downtown Vancouver but the hotel rates seem quite high.  For you locals who have been so helpful in our planning, what is the best plan for a moderately priced hotel that is not in a bad location?  TIA!



I used Priceline for our hotel in Vancouver.  I bid $110US/night and got the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center at 1088 Burrand Street.  The rate I paid is less than half the price on their website.  A friend was also able to get the same rate at the same hotel.  They have even confirmed that both our rooms will have 2 beds since we are traveling with children.


----------



## M&C

jilljill said:


> I used Priceline for our hotel in Vancouver.  I bid $110US/night and got the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Center at 1088 Burrand Street.  The rate I paid is less than half the price on their website.  A friend was also able to get the same rate at the same hotel.  They have even confirmed that both our rooms will have 2 beds since we are traveling with children.


I'd like to try priceline.  Can you tell me how many stars you bid on and how you got the 2 beds?  We have 2 kids as well.

Thanks!


----------



## poohj80

We used Hotwire to get the Pan Pacific for $134 over the weekend which was $100 less per night than the AAA rate we had booked..


----------



## msbiscuit

Can anyone tell me if the stations have elevators? I'll be alone and would like to take the SkyTrain, but am worried about hauling my luggage around. Is it doable, or would I be better off taking a taxi? Thanks in advance!


----------



## M&C

poohj80 said:


> We used Hotwire to get the Pan Pacific for $134 over the weekend which was $100 less per night than the AAA rate we had booked..



That's an awesome deal!  How many stars was it? Any other clues to figure out you're getting Pan Pacific?

Thanks!


----------



## mellers

msbiscuit said:


> Can anyone tell me if the stations have elevators? I'll be alone and would like to take the SkyTrain, but am worried about hauling my luggage around. Is it doable, or would I be better off taking a taxi? Thanks in advance!



Depending upon how much luggage you have, it's probably worth considering taking a taxi.  That said, the SkyTrain does have elevators, but riders with wheelchairs and mobility aids take precedence over strollers, luggage and packages.  (As a wheelie, the courtesy is appreciated--I've had so many people crowd around me and keep me out of an elevator  )


----------



## PBader

M&C said:


> That's an awesome deal!  How many stars was it? Any other clues to figure out you're getting Pan Pacific?
> 
> Thanks!



It was listed as 5 star in Downtown and had a 90% rating.


----------



## msbiscuit

mellers said:


> Depending upon how much luggage you have, it's probably worth considering taking a taxi.  That said, the SkyTrain does have elevators, but riders with wheelchairs and mobility aids take precedence over strollers, luggage and packages.  (As a wheelie, the courtesy is appreciated--I've had so many people crowd around me and keep me out of an elevator  )



I will go with the taxi or shuttle option then. Thank you!


----------



## joycsk

smeecanada said:


> There are a couple of special things that happen in Vancouver that people might be interested in doing.....
> 
> 
> *Theater Under the Stars*
> 
> Outdoor theatre performance in Stanley Park.  Tickets are required.  Plays and dates will be announce by Feb. 1
> 
> http://www.tuts.ca/content/2011-information
> 
> 
> *Celebration of Light*
> 
> 3 nights of incredible fireworks set to music in English Bay in Vancouver.
> July 30 / Aug 3 / Aug 6.  Free.  Usually starts around 9:30/10.  This is a competition that has been held annually for years.
> 
> 
> In Victoria....
> 
> *The Symphony Splash*
> 
> The Victoria Symphony puts on a very popular outdoor concert.  The Symphony performs on a floating barge in the Inner Harbour in front of the Empress Hotel.
> 
> Usually held the Sunday of the August Long Weekend.  Which is July 31 this year.  They plays various selections, a couple of young guest performers, and they finish with the 1812 Overture complete with canons.  Free - they have donation barrels if you want to contribute to the Symphony.



Please forgive me.  I am reading this thread in chronological order.  I cannot believe the information in this post, since we are on the Aug 2 sailing.  We are 2 parents and 2 kids - 7 and 10.  We will arrive in Vancouver on July 30, just in time to see the Chinese fireworks.  I had fully intended to put the kids (and myself) to bed early, but I think I'd kill myself if I didn't see these fireworks.  We are staying at the Hotel at Terminal City near Canada Place.  Can anyone local recommend a place from which to watch this firework extravaganza?

Second question.  I had planned to spend Sunday July 31 at Grouse Mt and Stanley Island - and was trying to be out of town to avoid explaining the Pride Parade to my 7 yr old.  (Please know that I personally support those who will be marching and celebrating, I'm just not ready to have this conversation with my not so mature 7 yr old.)  Anyway, when I read this post, I nearly flipped.  It is one of my "life goals" to see the 1812 performed live with bells and cannons.  I had not intended to try to get to Victoria on this trip since there is so much to do in Vancouver.  I think my questions are:  Where do people go for this concert?  Would I be able to get back to Vancouver when the concert was over if we took public transit?  If I had to rent a car, where would I park?

I greatly appreciate any info and/or suggestions.  I didn't expect to be considering the things I'm now considering.


----------



## FergusBC

joycsk said:


> It is one of my "life goals" to see the 1812 performed live with bells and cannons.  I had not intended to try to get to Victoria on this trip since there is so much to do in Vancouver.  I think my questions are:  Where do people go for this concert?  Would I be able to get back to Vancouver when the concert was over if we took public transit?  If I had to rent a car, where would I park?
> 
> I greatly appreciate any info and/or suggestions.  I didn't expect to be considering the things I'm now considering.



The Symphony Splash takes place down in the Inner Harbour (right downtown in Victoria) but it's in the evening/night. There are usually events that start earlier in the day. I've heard it's wonderful but it turns the inner harbour area into quite the zoo  I've never had the ambition to brave the crowds to experience it myself. You would have to stay overnight in Victoria as there's no  late night ferry back to Vancouver. I don't know if there's still flights at the time of the night but it'd be a 45 minute drive back to the airport in any case. There are buses that run right from the downtown bus terminal (very close to the Inner Harbour) to the Vancouver bus terminal so easy enough to get back the next day, and a chance to experience a no-frills cruise compliments of BC Ferries ...


----------



## megsablue

joycsk said:


> We will arrive in Vancouver on July 30, just in time to see the Chinese fireworks.  I had fully intended to put the kids (and myself) to bed early, but I think I'd kill myself if I didn't see these fireworks.  We are staying at the Hotel at Terminal City near Canada Place.  Can anyone local recommend a place from which to watch this firework extravaganza?
> 
> Second question.  I had planned to spend Sunday July 31 at Grouse Mt and Stanley Island - I think my questions are:  Where do people go for this concert?  Would I be able to get back to Vancouver when the concert was over if we took public transit?  If I had to rent a car, where would I park?
> 
> I greatly appreciate any info and/or suggestions.  I didn't expect to be considering the things I'm now considering.



1) One of the best places to watch is English Bay, but be aware that you'll be sharing the beach with up to 100k of your closest friends.  (And just be aware, there are many teenagers and many people who "brown bag" their drinks during the event - but it's still considered a family event) We live 2 blocks away from the beach and usually the beach gets crowded several hours beforehand, so I'd recommend getting to the beach quite early. There's lots of places to eat on Denman St. that do take out, so you could make a picnic dinner of it.

2) I'd recommend renting a car to go to Victoria - but like FergusBC said there's no late night ferries, so you'd have to stay the night. I've never been brave enough to try taking public transit to Victoria, so I can't comment on that (usually in the interest of time, we just take our car). And just so you know, that Monday (if you stayed overnight) is BC Day (a long weekend in BC). If you do decide to drive, I'd highly recommend making ferry reservations ($15 each way through BC Ferries website) because the ferries can get VERY busy on long weekends. (Otherwise you may be waiting for several sailings until you can get on).


----------



## smeecanada

Getting to Victoria for the Symphony Splash is fairly straight forwarded from Downtown Vancouver.  There is a bus that leaves downtown Vancouver and drop you off about a block from where the concert is helded in the Inner Harbour.  You just do the reverse to go back.  With it being a holiday weekend - that would be your least hassle option.  You don't have to worry about picking up a rental vehicle or space on the ferry - it's all taken care of.  You can easily walk to the Vancouver bus depot and to the Inner Harbour.  There are a few inexpensive hotels - Days Inn, etc in the area.   

While it's a fun thing to do - it is a very festive atmosphere - the kids might find it a bit boring as the evening wears on.  I'd personally go to the fireworks in Vancouver and do Grouse Mountain/Stanley Park/Aquarium.  We've been many times right in English Bay with kids and never had a problem with the alcohol.  There will be police patrolling and confiscating any alcohol.  Just get there fairly early and stake out a spot.  Take a deck of cards or something and enjoy.  There are lots of porta potties and food vendors in the area.


----------



## joycsk

megsablue said:


> 1) One of the best places to watch is English Bay, but be aware that you'll be sharing the beach with up to 100k of your closest friends.  (And just be aware, there are many teenagers and many people who "brown bag" their drinks during the event - but it's still considered a family event) We live 2 blocks away from the beach and usually the beach gets crowded several hours beforehand, so I'd recommend getting to the beach quite early. There's lots of places to eat on Denman St. that do take out, so you could make a picnic dinner of it.
> 
> 2) I'd recommend renting a car to go to Victoria - but like FergusBC said there's no late night ferries, so you'd have to stay the night. I've never been brave enough to try taking public transit to Victoria, so I can't comment on that (usually in the interest of time, we just take our car). And just so you know, that Monday (if you stayed overnight) is BC Day (a long weekend in BC). If you do decide to drive, I'd highly recommend making ferry reservations ($15 each way through BC Ferries website) because the ferries can get VERY busy on long weekends. (Otherwise you may be waiting for several sailings until you can get on).



I'm grateful for the firework info.  That gives me a good idea of what to expect.  

I'm especially grateful for the Victoria info.  I hadn't realized I couldn't get out of Victoria.  We've already gone overboard  on this trip, and another hotel seems out of the question.  I have no desire to move out of our current hotel, into one in Victoria and then back - nor do I want to pay for two hotel rooms and only use one.  

My very great thanks to you for helping me answer these questions so quickly!


----------



## Anjelica

Question(s) for all you Vancouver experts.  We are staying at the Pan Pacific the night before our May 31st cruise.  We will be driving up from Seattle that Monday, May 30th.  At this time I have no idea what time we will get there but I suspect it will be close to late afternoon/early evening.  My brother uses a wheelchair most of the time so I am looking at places that are easily accessible from the Pan Pacific to have dinner.  I'm not sure how HA Vancouver and more specifically that area is.

If push came to shove I guess we could eat at the Pan Pacific but we don't want to "have" to get dressed up after 4-5 hours of driving if we can help it.


----------



## rsjj

ok...where is english bay in vancouver?  is there public transportation that will get us there?  we will be arriving that saturday (the last day of the firework/celebration of lights), and we won't have a car that day.  might be a good thing to wrap up the evening...thanx for the info!


----------



## joycsk

megsablue said:


> 1) One of the best places to watch is English Bay, but be aware that you'll be sharing the beach with up to 100k of your closest friends.  (And just be aware, there are many teenagers and many people who "brown bag" their drinks during the event - but it's still considered a family event) We live 2 blocks away from the beach and usually the beach gets crowded several hours beforehand, so I'd recommend getting to the beach quite early. There's lots of places to eat on Denman St. that do take out, so you could make a picnic dinner of it.



Someone else had stated that the viewing angle is pretty wide.  Do I need to travel as far west as Denham St.?  Would the fireworks still be awesome closer to Granville Island?  We're staying close to Canada Place and I'm assuming that we'll HAVE to walk home, so I'm trying to stay closer to the Sunset Beach area.

Thanks again!


----------



## joycsk

MN Dis Fans said:


> Thanks all of you for the great information. Yes, I was aware of the Annual Pride Parade taking place that same weekend. I researched all of the suggestions you folks gave. 2x of them really stood out at me, and the DW & I are currently mulling the choices over. I really like the Terminal City Club Hotel for its location. From all of the reviews I read on Trip Advisor, etc. it seems like a quaint & quiet place. We could walk over to the cruise terminal on embarkation day. The other one that caught my eye, was the Time Square Suites. Main reason for looking at this one, was the washers & dryers in each unit. We'll definitely want to start the cruise with a complete wardrobe of "clean" clothes. Thanks again for everyone's input.



Hi.  I'm still reading through this thread chronologically.  We are staying at the TC from July 30 - Aug 1.  If you're on the Aug 2 sailing, you might want to come on over to our cruise meet.  There is another family on that sailing staying at TC as well!


----------



## smeecanada

joycsk said:


> Someone else had stated that the viewing angle is pretty wide.  Do I need to travel as far west as Denham St.?  Would the fireworks still be awesome closer to Granville Island?  We're staying close to Canada Place and I'm assuming that we'll HAVE to walk home, so I'm trying to stay closer to the Sunset Beach area.
> 
> Thanks again!



The fireworks are set to music.  So, while you'll be able to see the fireworks from several vantage points, if you want to hear the music you should be in English Bay.  Don't know exact distant, but a cab from the hotel shouldn't be much.


----------



## joycsk

smeecanada said:


> The fireworks are set to music.  So, while you'll be able to see the fireworks from several vantage points, if you want to hear the music you should be in English Bay.  Don't know exact distant, but a cab from the hotel shouldn't be much.



Thanks.  I am not worried about getting to English Bay, but I'm assuming that getting _back_ to the hotel will be a nightmare.  I assumed that taxis and public transit would be nigh impossible to find late at night with the aforementioned 100k people all leaving the beach at the same time.  I don't mind paying cab fare, but I'm not presuming that I'll be able to catch one.


----------



## mellers

Anjelica said:


> Question(s) for all you Vancouver experts.  We are staying at the Pan Pacific the night before our May 31st cruise.  We will be driving up from Seattle that Monday, May 30th.  At this time I have no idea what time we will get there but I suspect it will be close to late afternoon/early evening.  My brother uses a wheelchair most of the time so I am looking at places that are easily accessible from the Pan Pacific to have dinner.  I'm not sure how HA Vancouver and more specifically that area is.
> 
> If push came to shove I guess we could eat at the Pan Pacific but we don't want to "have" to get dressed up after 4-5 hours of driving if we can help it.



I am in a mobility scooter, and while I usually stay in a different part of the city, Gastown is nearby and they have some decent, inexpensive "not fancy" places to eat, including (if it's still there) an Old Spaghetti Factory that we liked a lot.


----------



## megsablue

rsjj said:


> ok...where is english bay in vancouver?  is there public transportation that will get us there?  we will be arriving that saturday (the last day of the firework/celebration of lights), and we won't have a car that day.  might be a good thing to wrap up the evening...thanx for the info!



English Bay is west of Canada Place - if you look on the map in the first post on this thread, it's at the mid-left and upper-left of the screen. There is public transportation that will get you there, but be aware that as it's the first night (and a Saturday night, which is always busier), getting out of the area is harder than getting in. Depending on where you're going, it may be faster to just walk back, or walk to the nearest SkyTrain or Canada Line station (though be aware they will be very busy as well).



joycsk said:


> Someone else had stated that the viewing angle is pretty wide.  Do I need to travel as far west as Denham St.?





joycsk said:


> Thanks. I am not worried about getting to English Bay, but I'm assuming that getting _back_ to the hotel will be a nightmare.  I assumed that taxis and public transit would be nigh impossible to find late at night with the aforementioned 100k people all leaving the beach at the same time.  I don't mind paying cab fare, but I'm not presuming that I'll be able to catch one.



Like smeecanada said, around English bay is the best area because of the music that goes along with the fireworks. Getting back to the hotel may be a challenge - the public transit and cabs are VERY busy after the fireworks let out. Depending on where your staying, it most likely will be faster to walk, or to walk to a SkyTrain or Canada Line station (which will also be busy).


----------



## littleprince

is it better to reserve a shuttle bus ride to the airport from the port on disembarkation day? or are there plenty of taxis & transportation options?


----------



## Politzania

Ok - so am looking at Hotwire.com & finding the following for Downtown Vancouver West on Aug 29....  

5 star for $134/night  - 90% rating - Probably Pan Pacific or Farimont?
4 star for  $125.night - 90% rating - maybe Pacific Rim?

The prices are comparable/cheaper with what I was looking at for midrange chain hotels - but I'm not quite sure what to do about breakfast. The hotel buffets are PRICEY  and we don't care to dress "smart casual" that early in the AM. Are there restaurants in the area that would be a better deal? 

Also - we'll be coming in quite late (Amtrak arrival - 10:50p) - if we book thru Hotwire, can we still contact the hotel to inform them that we'll be arriving late?


----------



## poohj80

Politzania said:


> Ok - so am looking at Hotwire.com & finding the following for Downtown Vancouver West on Aug 29....
> 
> 5 star for $134/night  - 90% rating - Probably Pan Pacific or Farimont?



That's what I got when I booked Pan Pacific.


----------



## M&C

I keep checking Hotwire, but all I get for our dates is 4 stars, $131 w/ 90% satisfaction.  I don't think Pan Pacific is available for our dates.

Any idea what hotel that might be?


----------



## PredzMan

Politzania said:


> Ok - so am looking at Hotwire.com & finding the following for Downtown Vancouver West on Aug 29....
> 
> 5 star for $134/night  - 90% rating - Probably Pan Pacific or Farimont?
> 4 star for  $125.night - 90% rating - maybe Pacific Rim?
> 
> The prices are comparable/cheaper with what I was looking at for midrange chain hotels - but I'm not quite sure what to do about breakfast. The hotel buffets are PRICEY  and we don't care to dress "smart casual" that early in the AM. Are there restaurants in the area that would be a better deal?
> 
> Also - we'll be coming in quite late (Amtrak arrival - 10:50p) - if we book thru Hotwire, can we still contact the hotel to inform them that we'll be arriving late?



We are doing the pre-excursion package before our Alaskan cruise.  We're staying at the Fairmount Waterfront and they provide free transportation to the cruise terminal.  The manager told me over the phone that it's under 100 meters from their front door.  The Waterfront also has a honey bee garden with free tours (great for the kids) and surrounded by at least 7 food trucks within 3 blocks walking distance.  I just Googled up "food truck Vancouver" and a ton of sites came back.  

I'll submit a review after our trip in June.

Jerry


----------



## Geaux Disney

First...we have 20 days until we sail  

I need some advice.  We are flying into Seattle 3 days before the cruise and then taking the train to Vancouver 2 days before sailing.  We were going to take the Amtrak bus back to Seattle, but when I went to book it was sold out .  I need help with what is the best way back to Seattle.  I have looked at the option of the Quick Shuttle and renting a car.  I guess I just don't know what is best.  Our plane doesn't leave until 6:59 pm from Seattle, so time is on our side.  Can someone help.. please


----------



## poohj80

Geaux Disney said:


> First...we have 20 days until we sail
> 
> I need some advice.  We are flying into Seattle 3 days before the cruise and then taking the train to Vancouver 2 days before sailing.  We were going to take the Amtrak bus back to Seattle, but when I went to book it was sold out .  I need help with what is the best way back to Seattle.  I have looked at the option of the Quick Shuttle and renting a car.  I guess I just don't know what is best.  Our plane doesn't leave until 6:59 pm from Seattle, so time is on our side.  Can someone help.. please



We were going to do Quick Shuttle, but the timing scared us with an earlier flight than yours.  We found a great rate with Alamo at the Canada Place location to SEATAC for $100 total one way for an SUV which is much less than the $50ish each for the bus.


----------



## Geaux Disney

duplicate post...


----------



## Geaux Disney

poohj80 said:


> We were going to do Quick Shuttle, but the timing scared us with an earlier flight than yours.  We found a great rate with Alamo at the Canada Place location to SEATAC for $100 total one way for an SUV which is much less than the $50ish each for the bus.



Thanks for the info!   Was that directly through the Alamo website?


----------



## poohj80

Geaux Disney said:


> Thanks for the info!   Was that directly through the Alamo website?



Yes, but I had to login is a frequent renter to get the better rates.


----------



## Politzania

PredzMan said:


> We are doing the pre-excursion package before our Alaskan cruise.  We're staying at the Fairmount Waterfront and they provide free transportation to the cruise terminal.  The manager told me over the phone that it's under 100 meters from their front door.  The Waterfront also has a honey bee garden with free tours (great for the kids) and surrounded by at least 7 food trucks within 3 blocks walking distance.  I just Googled up "food truck Vancouver" and a ton of sites came back.
> 
> I'll submit a review after our trip in June.
> 
> Jerry



Thanks!    I found there's a McDonald's around the corner on Burrard St, so that's one option for breakfast - don't know if I'm adventurous enough to try a food truck breakfast!


----------



## MN Dis Fans

joycsk said:


> Hi.  I'm still reading through this thread chronologically.  We are staying at the TC from July 30 - Aug 1.  If you're on the Aug 2 sailing, you might want to come on over to our cruise meet.  There is another family on that sailing staying at TC as well!



*Hi Joy:* We are that other family staying at the TC.  We're on the cruise meet board & FB thread with you folks already.   although I haven't been very active on either recently. There's this funny thing called work that keeps getting in the way.


----------



## PBader

Politzania said:


> Thanks!    I found there's a McDonald's around the corner on Burrard St, so that's one option for breakfast - don't know if I'm adventurous enough to try a food truck breakfast!



Tracey, that's where we will probably end up for breakfast also


----------



## joycsk

MN Dis Fans said:


> *Hi Joy:* We are that other family staying at the TC.  We're on the cruise meet board & FB thread with you folks already.   although I haven't been very active on either recently. There's this funny thing called work that keeps getting in the way.



However, I wasn't going to get there from your Dis name.  Did you see the thing about the fireworks???


----------



## docbrown

Geaux Disney said:


> First...we have 20 days until we sail
> 
> I need some advice.  We are flying into Seattle 3 days before the cruise and then taking the train to Vancouver 2 days before sailing.  We were going to take the Amtrak bus back to Seattle, but when I went to book it was sold out .  I need help with what is the best way back to Seattle.  I have looked at the option of the Quick Shuttle and renting a car.  I guess I just don't know what is best.  Our plane doesn't leave until 6:59 pm from Seattle, so time is on our side.  Can someone help.. please



First, If you have 20 days left you are on our sailing!   Welcome. we have a thread about it, if you want to join:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2295605
Also we rented a car from Thrifty from the Sat before to the Sat after, at SeaTac for $295, and reserved a parking spot at canada place for $150.
There is 4 of us in our family and, we think for the convenience of having a car to drive around before and after the cruise, and the transportation to the airport, the price is right.


----------



## mellers

Geaux Disney said:


> First...we have 20 days until we sail
> 
> I need some advice.  We are flying into Seattle 3 days before the cruise and then taking the train to Vancouver 2 days before sailing.  We were going to take the Amtrak bus back to Seattle, but when I went to book it was sold out .  I need help with what is the best way back to Seattle.  I have looked at the option of the Quick Shuttle and renting a car.  I guess I just don't know what is best.  Our plane doesn't leave until 6:59 pm from Seattle, so time is on our side.  Can someone help.. please



I would take the QuickShuttle.  The busses get to go through a faster lane at the border, and they are pretty comfortable.  You should, however, purchase or bring some snacks and bottled water before you get on.  There is no meal stop, and no food or drink is available aboard for purchase.  There are restrooms, however.  I would make the recommendation even stronger if you have someone in a wheelchair in your party.


----------



## Ajojo

Dont' know if I have seen this question yet....But to the Canadians, how safe is Stanley Park for a single female?

I will be travelling solo and I like to walk/hike so I plan to spend my pre-cruise day exploring the park.

Thanks!


----------



## bbangel

Ajojo said:


> Dont' know if I have seen this question yet....But to the Canadians, how safe is Stanley Park for a single female?
> 
> I will be travelling solo and I like to walk/hike so I plan to spend my pre-cruise day exploring the park.
> 
> Thanks!



The main areas are quite safe - the outside seawall and around the Aquarium and other attractions in particular. I would probably avoid the inner paths if i was by myself. The walk around the seawall is quite long and should give you a good taste of the park.


----------



## DisneyCruisin

Question: If you booked one of the Disney recommended hotels on your own (because Disney's block was full) can you still take advantage of checking in  for the cruise at the hotel?


----------



## DisneyBasket

In preparing to pack I've discovered that I do not have fleece pullovers at all.  In reading some articles this week, some previous Alaskan cruisers have asserted that fleece articles are available at the ports for reasonable cost and recommend that instead of buying new fleece at home, cruisers should wait and pick them up in port.  They also indicated that these would be more unique than what I might be able to get at home, including some designs that might not be available anywhere else.  Do any of you locals or past cruisers know anything about this?

I'm thinking I'm more likely to need a fleece pullover on Tracy Arm day, which is prior to port stops, of course!!  Is there any similar place in Vancouver where I could pick up a nice fleece pullover that won't cost an arm and a leg??  (Can you tell I'm packing and identifying what's lacking at this point??)

Thanks!


----------



## KatiezMom

I think there is a prerequisite that you must wear fleece to live in Vancouver, that or a Canucks jersey    A short walk from the terminal is Gastown, there are lots of stores there but its a lot of touristy places.   You can also get onto the skytrain at Waterfront Station which is right at the terminal and take it to Granville Station which lets you out at Pacific Centre Mall and there are lots of places there.  H&M, the Gap and Banana Republic and also The Bay (Canadian Macy's basically).  Lots of places


----------



## ibouncetoo

Just left Vancouver today.  Taxi from Pan Pacific (which would be the same as leaving from the pier) to the airport was $34 Canadian...three people, lots of luggage.

Also took a cab from the hotel over to The Old Spaghetti Factory (53 Water street...and a great place for a group meal as they can easily accomodate large parties and the price is reasonable) $6.40 on the way over and $5 something on the way back (due to one way streets).

Also for those staying at the Pan Pacific who don't want to spend resort prices on food scared1 there is a very large (and busy) food court that you can access without going outside.

These things may have been mentioned in the thread but I just wanted to post in case this info is burried.

.


----------



## vpalmer

Thank you Jackie!  We will also be staying at the Pan Pacific with three people and lots of luggage.  I was a little worried the luggage would all fit in a cab actually.  May I ask how much is a lot of luggage?




ibouncetoo said:


> Just left Vancouver today.  Taxi from Pan Pacific (which would be the same as leaving from the pier) to the airport was $34 Canadian...three people, lots of luggage.
> 
> Also took a cab from the hotel over to The Old Spaghetti Factory (53 Water street...and a great place for a group meal as they can easily accomodate large parties and the price is reasonable) $6.40 on the way over and $5 something on the way back (due to one way streets).
> 
> Also for those staying at the Pan Pacific who don't want to spend resort prices on food scared1 there is a very large (and busy) food court that you can access without going outside.
> 
> These things may have been mentioned in the thread but I just wanted to post in case this info is burried.
> 
> .


----------



## lenzs4

I just started loking at what I have planned and what was left for later and I realize that I have forgotten (and can no longer find the reserach I had gathered) about the to and from aspect...
We are tacking Amtrack to Vancouver from Bellingham.  We are staying at the Sutton Place.  What is the best - least expensive way to travel between the two?  Is there a shuttle or should I taxi...
Also, I remember (again lost research) a link to a place that holds luggage after the cruise until you need it.  If someone bookmarked that and can repost it, that would be nice, otherwise I will go back and reread to find it.  (honestly I forgot to look on post 1 to see if it was there.  I will go look now.)
Thanks


----------



## poohj80

ibouncetoo said:


> Also for those staying at the Pan Pacific who don't want to spend resort prices on food scared1 there is a very large (and busy) food court that you can access without going outside.



Thanks for mentioning this!  Is the food court in the Pan Pacific or Canada Place?  What types of options do they have?

We're taking Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver (also looking for Shuttle or Taxi suggestions) and will need a place for dinner the night prior to the cruise.


----------



## ibouncetoo

vpalmer said:


> Thank you Jackie! We will also be staying at the Pan Pacific with three people and lots of luggage. I was a little worried the luggage would all fit in a cab actually. May I ask how much is a lot of luggage?


 


poohj80 said:


> Thanks for mentioning this! Is the food court in the Pan Pacific or Canada Place? What types of options do they have?
> 
> .


 
vpalmer, the bellman got us a minivan type cab. There are cabs lined up outside the hotel/convention center all the time.  We had about eight pieces of luggage.

poohj, the hotel and convention center are all of one piece, so to speak. You have access to the food court from your hotel room without going outside (it's underground).  There were LOTS of options.  Our gang used McDonalds (breakfast the morning we left), Subway (my lunch) and Tim Hortons but there were all kinds of other choices.

You also have access to the hotel from the ship terminal without being out from 'under cover' though you are technically outside.  You can use the terminal luggage carts up to the entrance to the hotel, then you must have the bellman take your luggage (or take it into the hotel yourself).  We had four rooms and tons of luggage that we were checking in, so we let them handle it.  Also odds are pretty good that your room will NOT be ready, so you can leave your luggage with them, check in and then go off and explore Vancouver (our gang did the hop on/hop off bus).  Your luggage will be taken to your room when it is ready.

We had one room ready right away for our group (mine, and possibly because I had an upgraded view ), so we used that as 'command central' if folks needed to make contact during the day.

.


----------



## sabrecmc

We stayed a night post-cruise at the Fairmont Waterfront.  This was very nice and right across the street from the port.  Since we booked throught DCL, we met the rep holding the "Fairmont Waterfront" sign after we got our luggage and went through customs.  They took our luggage and had it delivered to the hotel.  The rep walked us over with our day bags.  Everything was very smooth and the hotel was great.  The food court mentioned above is very convenient.  We went to the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park that afternoon and then just rested in our room.  It was really nice.  Cab to the airport was about $45 with tip.


----------



## Ajojo

> We stayed a night post-cruise at the Fairmont Waterfront. This was very nice and right across the street from the port. Since we booked throught DCL, we met the rep holding the "Fairmont Waterfront" sign after we got our luggage and went through customs. They took our luggage and had it delivered to the hotel. The rep walked us over with our day bags. Everything was very smooth and the hotel was great. The food court mentioned above is very convenient. We went to the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park that afternoon and then just rested in our room. It was really nice. Cab to the airport was about $45 with tip.



I'l be leaving in a few days and staying at the Waterfront pre-cruise.
Did you walk to Stanley Park? 
Did you access the food court from Canada Place or from the Waterfront?

Thanks


----------



## plutojudy

Is there a place in the Vancouver airport where we can ship things home if we buy too many souvenirs? I hope so, since this is a once in a lifetime trip for us, we will be buying a lot of things.


----------



## sabrecmc

Ajojo said:


> I'l be leaving in a few days and staying at the Waterfront pre-cruise.
> Did you walk to Stanley Park?
> Did you access the food court from Canada Place or from the Waterfront?
> 
> Thanks



We did walk to Stanley Park using the seawall.  It was very pleasant, but did take us about 45 minutes to get to the Aquarium.  The bell services guy said about 25.  He clearly did  not do the lazy American who doesn't walk anywhere conversion on that estimate.  We used US dollars most places, or credit cards.  Only issue was trying to take the 19 bus from Stanley Park back to the hotel (get on/off at Burrard street about 2 blocks up from the hotel).  The nice bus driver just let us ride free b/c we were tired and couldn't think straight and had a 5 year old about to drop.  

We were outside the hotel when we went to the food court, but it is to the left about 30 feet outside the Waterfront's doors and down some steps.  I think the hotel elevator will take you down there, but we weren't using it when we were heading to the food court.  

The hotel had a heated pool and exercise room, though we didn't use them.  Bell services was great with the bags and they had our room ready prior to check-in (though not immediately when we got off the ship at 9am or whatever).  Rooms were very comfy.  Internet cost money.  Good coffee at the Heron restaurant, which you can get to go.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

plutojudy said:


> Is there a place in the Vancouver airport where we can ship things home if we buy too many souvenirs? I hope so, since this is a once in a lifetime trip for us, we will be buying a lot of things.



http://www.yvr.ca/en/shopping-dining-services/postal.aspx

http://www.yvr.ca/en/shopping-dining-services/Personal-Services/Priority-baggage.aspx


----------



## jilljill

ibouncetoo said:


> Just left Vancouver today.  Taxi from Pan Pacific (which would be the same as leaving from the pier) to the airport was $34 Canadian...three people, lots of luggage.
> 
> Also took a cab from the hotel over to The Old Spaghetti Factory (53 Water street...and a great place for a group meal as they can easily accomodate large parties and the price is reasonable) $6.40 on the way over and $5 something on the way back (due to one way streets).
> 
> Also for those staying at the Pan Pacific who don't want to spend resort prices on food scared1 there is a very large (and busy) food court that you can access without going outside.
> 
> These things may have been mentioned in the thread but I just wanted to post in case this info is burried.



Was the taxi priced a set rate or a metered rate?  At that price it would be more convenient for us to take a taxi rather than book DCL transfers.
Now another option to think about.


----------



## buddywesley

I just wanted to add that since we are DVC members and needed to use our points anyway, we decided to book 3 nights post cruise at Club Intrawest (on the top of Sheraton Wall Centre) in Vancouver thru an exchange with Buena Vista Trading Company. In case anyone has points to use, that is always an option. 
Pre cruise they didn't have any availability (we tried for that too) so we're staying at Fairmont Airport thru DCL for 2 days. Speaking of which...does anyone else have Disney transfers from there? I'm wondering how long it'll take and when we'll get to port to board?


----------



## mellers

buddywesley said:


> I just wanted to add that since we are DVC members and needed to use our points anyway, we decided to book 3 nights post cruise at Club Intrawest (on the top of Sheraton Wall Centre) in Vancouver thru an exchange with Buena Vista Trading Company. In case anyone has points to use, that is always an option.
> Pre cruise they didn't have any availability (we tried for that too) so we're staying at Fairmont Airport thru DCL for 2 days. Speaking of which...does anyone else have Disney transfers from there? I'm wondering how long it'll take and when we'll get to port to board?



If there is more than one person going to the port, and fewer than 5, I would take a taxi, and forget about DCL transfers.  If there are 5-10, I would get a 10-passenger bus through http://www.ridebooker.com/, perhaps adding a luggage trailer if there are a whole bunch of you.  This will almost certainly be cheaper, per person, than DCL transfers.


----------



## buddywesley

mellers said:


> If there is more than one person going to the port, and fewer than 5, I would take a taxi, and forget about DCL transfers.  If there are 5-10, I would get a 10-passenger bus through http://www.ridebooker.com/, perhaps adding a luggage trailer if there are a whole bunch of you.  This will almost certainly be cheaper, per person, than DCL transfers.



thanks for the info. I'll check out the site. There are 4 of us (7 total in our party but we wont meet them until the port) We just did Disney for the ease of it. I know it's more pricey ($100 for the 4 of us)


----------



## ibouncetoo

jilljill said:


> Was the taxi priced a set rate or a metered rate? At that price it would be more convenient for us to take a taxi rather than book DCL transfers.
> Now another option to think about.


 

Taxi is metered (just like the U.S.)

.


----------



## plutojudy

Lollipop's Mom said:


> http://www.yvr.ca/en/shopping-dining-services/postal.aspx
> 
> http://www.yvr.ca/en/shopping-dining-services/Personal-Services/Priority-baggage.aspx



Thank you!


----------



## jilljill

ibouncetoo said:


> Taxi is metered (just like the U.S.)



Thanks.  Since our flight doesn't leave until 2:30 I think we'll be safe with taking a taxi to save a little bit of money over DCL transfers - there's 3 of us.


----------



## ibouncetoo

jilljill said:


> Thanks. Since our flight doesn't leave until 2:30 I think we'll be safe with taking a taxi to save a little bit of money over DCL transfers - there's 3 of us.


 
Our flight was also 2:30 and it was great to be able to stay in the hotel till noon....just called bell services about 11:45PM and jumped in the cab.  Made it in plenty of time (airport was NOT busy at that time on a Wednesday, which is good, because you have to check in about three different places!).  Our gate was in the "E" section and there were cute shops, a Starbucks and a place that made fresh sandwiches to order near buy.  (Think we were like E89)  They also have money exchange booths that opened at 1:30PM if you need to change (or change back) and money.

.


----------



## poohj80

In another thread I read a post about exchanging money.  We will only be in Vancouver the night before the cruise so wondering if we really need to exchange at all.  Can anyone tell me if the food places in the Canada Place food court I have read about accept US dollars or credit cards at least?

Thanks!


----------



## thej

We are planning on taking the Amtrak cascades down to Seattle the day after the cruise so we can visit family in Everett. The train gets in to Seattle late, around 10 pm. We were hoping to get a rental car, but is there going to be anyplace open by the station to get one at that hour?


----------



## cruisenow01

*** UPDATED INFO 4/11*** DISNEY TRANSFERS
DCL offers transfers from hotels -they are even offering this from the Fairmont Waterfront - DO NOT BUY TRANSFERS FROM THERE! It is literally ACROSS the street from the port - whoever set this up had no idea how close it is! Also, in most cases, a cab is going to be MUCH cheaper than these transfers.

We are staying at the Fairmont Waterfront and DCL refunded most of our money for this transfer.  They will still pick up our luggage, but only for a nominal fee not the full transfer fee.  We had no idea when we originally booked this over a year ago, but I am glad that Disney knew and was fair with this nearby transfer.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

cruisenow01 said:


> *** UPDATED INFO 4/11*** DISNEY TRANSFERS
> DCL offers transfers from hotels -they are even offering this from the Fairmont Waterfront - DO NOT BUY TRANSFERS FROM THERE! It is literally ACROSS the street from the port - whoever set this up had no idea how close it is! Also, in most cases, a cab is going to be MUCH cheaper than these transfers.
> 
> We are staying at the Fairmont Waterfront and DCL refunded most of our money for this transfer.  They will still pick up our luggage, but only for a nominal fee not the full transfer fee.  We had no idea when we originally booked this over a year ago, but I am glad that Disney knew and was fair with this nearby transfer.



The fairmont waterfront will take your bags for free! They have always had this service because they are so close to the ships. That sucks that DCL is charging people!


----------



## Swalkerwoman

Has anyone recently stayed at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver?  I have seen many posts about Fairmont Waterfront , Pan Pacific, etc, but not this hotel.  Can anyone please give me some info about their stay there, please?

We booked transfers through Disney for our May 24th cruise and Disney notified us over a month ago that we will be reimbursed for the transfer fee between the hotel and the port, since it is in walking distance. I'm not sure how we will be reimbursed because I have not seen the credit yet.

We were also told that there will be a Disney Cruise Line courtesy desk at the hotel .  It is my understanding that all pre-paperwork for the cruise can be done at that point.  Anyone have comments regarding this?


----------



## mellers

thej said:


> We are planning on taking the Amtrak cascades down to Seattle the day after the cruise so we can visit family in Everett. The train gets in to Seattle late, around 10 pm. We were hoping to get a rental car, but is there going to be anyplace open by the station to get one at that hour?



If you have kids with you, I would take the QuickShuttle instead.  The train station area that late at night can be questionable, and you will definitely be able to get a rental car from the airport.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Swalkerwoman said:


> Has anyone recently stayed at the Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel in Vancouver?  I have seen many posts about Fairmont Waterfront , Pan Pacific, etc, but not this hotel.  Can anyone please give me some info about their stay there, please?
> 
> We booked transfers through Disney for our May 24th cruise and Disney notified us over a month ago that we will be reimbursed for the transfer fee between the hotel and the port, since it is in walking distance. I'm not sure how we will be reimbursed because I have not seen the credit yet.
> 
> We were also told that there will be a Disney Cruise Line courtesy desk at the hotel .  It is my understanding that all pre-paperwork for the cruise can be done at that point.  Anyone have comments regarding this?



It is a brand new and gorgeous 5 star hotel! I would love to stay there sometime - its very pricey though, so wont be in the near future. lol
You will love it.
I will be staying at the Pan pacific on monday night and will report in about the check in at the dcl desk in the hotel - I am hoping we can even get our key cards at that desk and just go down and walk through customs and onto the ship.


----------



## NWmom

thej said:


> We are planning on taking the Amtrak cascades down to Seattle the day after the cruise so we can visit family in Everett. The train gets in to Seattle late, around 10 pm. We were hoping to get a rental car, but is there going to be anyplace open by the station to get one at that hour?




Everett is north of Seattle. The same train stops there around 9pm. Saves you an hour each way back and forth.

Enterprise comes out to get you, but not sure of their hours of operation.
If family could pick you up at the train station you could get the rental the next day.

If car rental is a necessity to also get to the airport when you fly out, try the quick shuttle to get to the airport car rental agencies.


----------



## mmmears

Lollipop's Mom said:


> I will be staying at the Pan pacific on monday night and will report in about the check in at the dcl desk in the hotel - I am hoping we can even get our key cards at that desk and just go down and walk through customs and onto the ship.



Really?  We're staying there in June, and I had no idea that there was a DCL desk there.  If it works, please let us know.  My DM has mobility issues and anything to make the wait time less at the pier (even if we're in our hotel longer) would be helpful.


----------



## Swalkerwoman

Lollipop's Mom said:


> It is a brand new and gorgeous 5 star hotel! I would love to stay there sometime - its very pricey though, so wont be in the near future. lol
> You will love it.
> I will be staying at the Pan pacific on monday night and will report in about the check in at the dcl desk in the hotel - I am hoping we can even get our key cards at that desk and just go down and walk through customs and onto the ship.



Thanks so much for the info!    I'm hoping, too that we can just walk through customs and by pass all the other stuff at the port.  Enjoy your vacation !


----------



## GrumpyBelle

I booked the Pan Pacific for the night before our cruise . I dont seem to see a shuttle from the airport to the hotel. Am I correct in thinking I will have to book other transportation options.


----------



## ibouncetoo

GrumpyBelle said:


> I booked the Pan Pacific for the night before our cruise . I dont seem to see a shuttle from the airport to the hotel. Am I correct in thinking I will have to book other transportation options.


 

Taxi $35-40 Canadian...easy!

.


----------



## disneydance

NWmom said:


> Everett is north of Seattle. The same train stops there around 9pm. Saves you an hour each way back and forth.
> 
> Enterprise comes out to get you, but not sure of their hours of operation.
> If family could pick you up at the train station you could get the rental the next day.
> 
> If car rental is a necessity to also get to the airport when you fly out, try the quick shuttle to get to the airport car rental agencies.



Agreed! Everett's station is alot nicer than the Seattle one, also it's near the Holiday Inn and a Best Western I believe. I would reccomend asking your family to pick you up in Everett that late at night or calling a cab since I don't think that any car rentals are available that late at night.


----------



## thej

disneydance said:


> Agreed! Everett's station is alot nicer than the Seattle one, also it's near the Holiday Inn and a Best Western I believe. I would reccomend asking your family to pick you up in Everett that late at night or calling a cab since I don't think that any car rentals are available that late at night.




Yeah, after some digging, we decided the best way for us was the Quick Shuttle to Bellingham Airport, and get a car there. It's an easy drive from there to Mukilteo where we are staying, and we don't have to travel at the extreme end of the day. 

I was stunned how expensive it can be to get a car in Vancouver and drop off in Seattle. Even the "cheap" ones are ~$700 CAD for our 4 day rental, and you still have to get to the airport to get that ! By doing the shuttle/Bellingham we save almost $200.


----------



## cinderellanprince

can anyone recommend a taxi or car service in vancouver that will supply car seats? i dont want to take car seats just to ride from the airport to the port (staying at the pan pacific) then back to the airport.  I dread lugging them on the ship and storing them since i have 2 kids in carseats, still!


----------



## buddywesley

Today's groupon is for $50 for $100 towards Harbour Air Tours or merchandise. Could be fun if you are spending extra time in vancouver...

http://www.groupon.com/r/uu7245055


----------



## Pocahantas

Has anyone had any luck recently getting the Pan Pacific through Hotwire??  I am looking for a couple of nights at the end of June.  A 5* comes up for my dates with an 85% recommendation but I know Sutton Place has similar ratings as Pan Pacific.  I know most time Sutton comes up with an 80% recommended rating and Pan Pacific is usually more around 90% so I am hesitant to try for it.  We really want the Pan Pacific.  I have been stalking betterbidding.com but nothing definative lately so I am hoping someone here can help out.


----------



## PBader

If you are interested in taking the Big Bus tour in Vancouver.  There is a groupon for it that is good through tomorrow to purchase.  It is good through the end of September.

http://www.groupon.com/deals/big-bus-vancouver-2?c=dnb&p=1


----------



## jilljill

PBader said:


> If you are interested in taking the Big Bus tour in Vancouver.  There is a groupon for it that is good through tomorrow to purchase.  It is good through the end of September.
> 
> http://www.groupon.com/deals/big-bus-vancouver-2?c=dnb&p=1



Thanks for the info.  I also read in the link:  _Groupon purchasers can pay Big Bus an extra $5 to upgrade to a two-day pass_.


----------



## I<3EvilQueen

Back from the Cruise.  We stayed at the Cascadia.  It is under renovation on the outside of the building so the views were bad but the price was affordable and it only about a 15 min walk to Canada Place, probably a really cheap taxi ride too.


----------



## Jessebuggy

Very excited! Finally found decent airfare into Vancouver for family of 7 and booked our hotel! We are cruising on June 7th but will be arriving in Vancouver on June 4th. Staying at The Hotel at Terminal City Club one block from Canada Place. Got 2 Junior Suites for 3 nights for what it would normally cost for 1 room for 1 night. Woo-Hoo! I love a great deal!!


----------



## nanaguide

Woohoo! Just bought 3 groupon tickets for the Big Bus in Vancouver. Thanks for the info - saved me $$$$$$. This is a good way to get around Vancouver on our free day there.


----------



## nanaguide

OK - newbie question here. It sounds like everyone thinks Pan Pacific is the place to stay. I've never used priceline/hotwire so I'm new to this stuff. Is Pan Pacific rated as a 5 star on both priceline/hotwire? I have an offer of $208 for a 4 star with 95% approval in downtown Vancouver. How do you guys figure out which hotel this is? Any info/suggestions you can give me would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.


----------



## I<3EvilQueen

We didn't do the Big Bus Tours but we did the Vancouver Trolley Tour.  It has that same Hop On - Hop Off feature.  It cost us $35 for a two day fare as we bought it at the hotel (which just happened to be one of our stops).

Downtown Vancouver is very walkable only a few miles across in either directions.  If you are used to walking you will find yourself walking more than riding.  I do however high recogmend a bus tour for Stanley Park as that is as big (or bigger) than downtown itself.

If you love Sushi you will find tons of resturants in town.   We ate a place caled Jako's on Davie St.  It was very good and very affordable.   We also had greek at Stepho's (also on Davie St). Apparently it is a popular local place as there was always a line outside it for people who wanted to get in.  If you go I suggest getting there about 5:30 or so.  We didn't wait that long and the food was really good.


----------



## PBader

nanaguide said:


> Woohoo! Just bought 3 groupon tickets for the Big Bus in Vancouver. Thanks for the info - saved me $$$$$$. This is a good way to get around Vancouver on our free day there.



Glad you could use it, I have 6 in my party


----------



## buck4568

nanaguide said:


> Woohoo! Just bought 3 groupon tickets for the Big Bus in Vancouver. Thanks for the info - saved me $$$$$$. This is a good way to get around Vancouver on our free day there.



Yeah, just bought four for the day we get off the Wonder!  Saved the money needed to send our luggage ahead to the airport for the late flight out of Vancouver.


----------



## PBader

Pocahantas said:


> Has anyone had any luck recently getting the Pan Pacific through Hotwire??  I am looking for a couple of nights at the end of June.  A 5* comes up for my dates with an 85% recommendation but I know Sutton Place has similar ratings as Pan Pacific.  I know most time Sutton comes up with an 80% recommended rating and Pan Pacific is usually more around 90% so I am hesitant to try for it.  We really want the Pan Pacific.  I have been stalking betterbidding.com but nothing definative lately so I am hoping someone here can help out.





nanaguide said:


> OK - newbie question here. It sounds like everyone thinks Pan Pacific is the place to stay. I've never used priceline/hotwire so I'm new to this stuff. Is Pan Pacific rated as a 5 star on both priceline/hotwire? I have an offer of $208 for a 4 star with 95% approval in downtown Vancouver. How do you guys figure out which hotel this is? Any info/suggestions you can give me would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.




We got the Pan Pacific as a 5 star 90% recommendation on Hotwire.   The Sutton Place is supposed to be 5 star with 80% on Hotwire.   I learned that from reading the posts.


----------



## PPFQP

We just got 4 of the Vancouver HOHO bus Groupons also! Great deal - thanks for letting us know about it.


----------



## joycsk

Jessebuggy said:


> Very excited! Finally found decent airfare into Vancouver for family of 7 and booked our hotel! We are cruising on June 7th but will be arriving in Vancouver on June 4th. Staying at The Hotel at Terminal City Club one block from Canada Place. Got 2 Junior Suites for 3 nights for what it would normally cost for 1 room for 1 night. Woo-Hoo! I love a great deal!!



I booked Hotel at TC through priceline and didn't get NEARLY that good a deal!  Congratulations!


----------



## lbgraves

Pocahantas said:


> Has anyone had any luck recently getting the Pan Pacific through Hotwire??  I am looking for a couple of nights at the end of June.  A 5* comes up for my dates with an 85% recommendation but I know Sutton Place has similar ratings as Pan Pacific.  I know most time Sutton comes up with an 80% recommended rating and Pan Pacific is usually more around 90% so I am hesitant to try for it.  We really want the Pan Pacific.  I have been stalking betterbidding.com but nothing definative lately so I am hoping someone here can help out.



I just used Hotwire tonight and got Pan Pacific for our July cruise.  It was listed as a 5 star and 90% at $142.  Last night it came up at $135 but I wasn't sure which day we were going to arrive so I waited.  I checked many dates in July and August trying to find Sutton with 80% and 5 stars from posts but I did not see it at all.  Every listing with 5 stars was at the rate of $142.  HTH!


----------



## Pocahantas

lbgraves said:


> I just used Hotwire tonight and got Pan Pacific for our July cruise.  It was listed as a 5 star and 90% at $142.  Last night it came up at $135 but I wasn't sure which day we were going to arrive so I waited.  I checked many dates in July and August trying to find Sutton with 80% and 5 stars from posts but I did not see it at all.  Every listing with 5 stars was at the rate of $142.  HTH!



Yes, that does help.  The 5* for our dates keeps coming up at 85% and the price tonight is $149.  Most of what I have read says Pan Pacific is the one with 90% and Sutton Place is 80%.  I will hold out and keep waiting for the 90%.  We have Pan Pacific booked now for $250 per night so I am hoping to get that down a bit.  Thanks for the info!!


----------



## deltadinah

Don't know if I missed this previously, but has anyone parked their car at the Canada Place cruise ship terminal? Any difficulty with being full or any way to get cheaper rates?


----------



## lbgraves

Pocahantas said:


> Yes, that does help.  The 5* for our dates keeps coming up at 85% and the price tonight is $149.  Most of what I have read says Pan Pacific is the one with 90% and Sutton Place is 80%.  I will hold out and keep waiting for the 90%.  We have Pan Pacific booked now for $250 per night so I am hoping to get that down a bit.  Thanks for the info!!



Glad to help.  Good luck getting the rate there!  I am still needing a room for Saturday.  The best that comes up is a 4 star with 90% downtown west at $128.  I have no idea what that could be since there aren't many recent posts on that bidding website.  I am trying to go through this thread to figure it out.  Have you seen anything for that range?


----------



## mellers

deltadinah said:


> Don't know if I missed this previously, but has anyone parked their car at the Canada Place cruise ship terminal? Any difficulty with being full or any way to get cheaper rates?



If you book the night before at the FourPoints Sheraton Vancouver Airport, they sometimes have a deal where, for $189, you can get the room night plus up to 7 nights parking (the park and fly deal).

You could drop the family off at the port, return the car to the hotel, walk over to the Lansdowne Canada Line station and go back ot the pier.

Here's their website:  http://deals.fourpoints.com/Four-Po...13/so.htm?IM=PP_LHN_SOP_US_4P_213&iATANumber=


----------



## tanyaewa

lbgraves  - it could well be the Westin Bayshores  It comes up often and fits the criteria
It's a pretty great hotel too


----------



## tanyaewa

Actually FWIW-  any downtown west hotel is SO close to the cruise port & any 4-5* under $150 is a great deal!!


----------



## ClaireinTN

We are thinking about ziplining in Vancouver.  Is Grouse Mountain the place to go?


----------



## everafter1

This was probably already mentioned, but I thought it was nice to know... When you fly out of the Vancouver Airport, they had us go through United States customs before departing. This was really helpful since we didn't have a long connection time once we were back in the U.S.


----------



## carolmb

ClaireinTN said:


> We are thinking about ziplining in Vancouver.  Is Grouse Mountain the place to go?



We are planning on ziplining @ Grouse Mountian too.  I hope the snow has melted.


----------



## jlwhitney

carolmb said:


> We are planning on ziplining @ Grouse Mountian too.  I hope the snow has melted.



We went to Whistler for ziplining and it was awesome. We did the eagle tour at Ziptrek and I couldnt imagine doing anything else. They have the longest line in all of Canada. Highly recommend it if you can get to whistler.

Also if in whislter look into the Monkido Course at Wild Play (A total blast)


----------



## deltadinah

Actually the $23 per day is a discounted rate for parking at Canada Place cruise terminal  if you register ahead. Apparently the regular rate is $32.  So for the 8 days it will cost $161. Parking is so much cheaper at the airport, but for a  change we won't have to pay air fare to get to a ship.


----------



## lbgraves

tanyaewa said:


> lbgraves  - it could well be the Westin Bayshores  It comes up often and fits the criteria
> It's a pretty great hotel too



I booked it for Saturday night and it was the Sheraton Wall.  Just .83 miles down the road to the Pan Pacific for Sunday & Monday nights!


----------



## lbgraves

tanyaewa said:


> Actually FWIW-  any downtown west hotel is SO close to the cruise port & any 4-5* under $150 is a great deal!!



Honestly, after doing some searching and finding the Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express at $170 or more I figured that any of the 4 star hotels listed would be great so decided not to be greeding trying to hold out for a third night at the Pan Pacific.  We have waited so late to book I am surprised I have found anything that close!  I just booked our flight into Vancouver today too.  All the travel DH has done over the years helped out with that.


----------



## jilljill

lbgraves said:


> I booked it for Saturday night and it was the Sheraton Wall.  Just .83 miles down the road to the Pan Pacific for Sunday & Monday nights!



I went thru Priceline and got the Sheraton Wall Center for $111 for 2 nights before our August cruise.  Another family on the same cruise was able to get it for that rate as well.  
I emailed them asking for 2 beds in the room and got a very quick reply that we would be getting a room with 2 beds.  I used the contact info on the hotel's website.


----------



## sunshine1259

I know that this is posted here somewhere, but am too lazy to search the whole thread.

Anyway, my question is this:  How long does it take to get from the airport to Canada Place?  What is the earliest DCL shuttle that leaves from there?

Thanks for you alls help!


----------



## parrothead365

Does anyone know if there is a money exchange office at the Vancover Airport? I need to get some Canadian cash for tips and such for our upcoming cruise.
Thanks
Doug


----------



## I<3EvilQueen

sunshine1259 said:


> I know that this is posted here somewhere, but am too lazy to search the whole thread.
> 
> Anyway, my question is this:  How long does it take to get from the airport to Canada Place?  What is the earliest DCL shuttle that leaves from there?
> 
> Thanks for you alls help!



We took the Canada Line
$7.50 from the Airport to the WaterFront Station (Around the corner from Canada Place)  

$2.50 from Waterfront Station back to the Airport. It took us about 25 mins to get to the airport from the port.


----------



## I<3EvilQueen

parrothead365 said:


> Does anyone know if there is a money exchange office at the Vancover Airport? I need to get some Canadian cash for tips and such for our upcoming cruise.
> Thanks
> Doug



There is both a money exchange and an ATM near the baggage claim area, near where you exit for the ground transportation and the Skytrain.


----------



## sunshine1259

sunshine1259 said:


> I know that this is posted here somewhere, but am too lazy to search the whole thread.
> 
> Anyway, my question is this:  How long does it take to get from the airport to Canada Place?  What is the earliest DCL shuttle that leaves from there?
> 
> Thanks for you alls help!




Bump.


----------



## sunshine1259

I<3EvilQueen said:


> We took the Canada Line
> $7.50 from the Airport to the WaterFront Station (Around the corner from Canada Place)
> 
> $2.50 from Waterfront Station back to the Airport. It took us about 25 mins to get to the airport from the port.



Thanks, I can budget that in.  But how far is the airport from Canada Place?


----------



## buddywesley

parrothead365 said:


> Does anyone know if there is a money exchange office at the Vancover Airport? I need to get some Canadian cash for tips and such for our upcoming cruise.
> Thanks
> Doug



I'm on your cruise and posted on that board in regards to this but I also discovered on Trip Advisor that YES YVR has a money exchange but you will probably get a better rate if you use an ATM in the airport. Just a thought...


----------



## buddywesley

sunshine1259 said:


> What is the earliest DCL shuttle that leaves from there?


I'm wondering about this part of the question? We booked transportation with DCL from the Fairmont Airport and I wondered what time they get you to the port? Anyone know? THANKS


----------



## parrothead365

I<3EvilQueen said:


> There is both a money exchange and an ATM near the baggage claim area, near where you exit for the ground transportation and the Skytrain.



Many Thanks!!!!


----------



## vpalmer

I<3EvilQueen said:


> We didn't do the Big Bus Tours but we did the Vancouver Trolley Tour.  It has that same Hop On - Hop Off feature.  It cost us $35 for a two day fare as we bought it at the hotel (which just happened to be one of our stops).



What did you think about the trolley?  We are planning on doing this and I was wondering if you would do it again.  What were the best stops for hopping off?


----------



## I<3EvilQueen

vpalmer said:


> What did you think about the trolley?  We are planning on doing this and I was wondering if you would do it again.  What were the best stops for hopping off?




Yes I think I would do it again.  We were in Vancouver for three days before the cruise, and we didn't have a car.  So the Trolley was a great way to see the city (that and walking as it is really a nice walking city).  The best stops to take advantage of is the one near Granville Island, Stanley Park (as it is as big a downtown), and Canada Place (as from there you can get a shuttle up to the Suspension Bridge and other tourist locations).

We got our two day ticket at our hotel and we got it for the price of one day.  $36.  You also get a coupon booklet with the tour and we used a few of those coupons as well ($5 free to spend at one of the local casinos).


----------



## tanyaewa

Grouse Mtn ziplining is pretty amazing.  The snow is rapidly disappearing - but there may well be some still.  Which makes it rather fun too!

jlwhitney - Glad you had a great time in my hometown!


----------



## DenverVal

Should I reserveve Grouse Mountain zip lining ahead of time, or is there daily availability during the summer?


----------



## HiMagicFan

parrothead365 said:


> Does anyone know if there is a money exchange office at the Vancover Airport? I need to get some Canadian cash for tips and such for our upcoming cruise.
> Thanks
> Doug



Hmmm...I thought I had read that US$ was acceptable...should I be concerned about changing money for tips for the land portion? I was just gonna tip US$.

Airport, Cab, Restaurant etc...


----------



## I<3EvilQueen

HiMagicFan said:


> Hmmm...I thought I had read that US$ was acceptable...should I be concerned about changing money for tips for the land portion? I was just gonna tip US$.
> 
> Airport, Cab, Restaurant etc...



When I was growing up I used to go to Canada all the time and they used to take US$ all the time with no problem.  But with the US$ being weaker now you might have some blow back.   

I didn't want to risk it, so just took out about $60 out of the ATM, so that I had Canadian money to spend during my time there.

Otherwise I used my debit card for gifts, resturants, and Skytrain fare.


----------



## staffieri

carolmb said:


> We are planning on ziplining @ Grouse Mountian too.  I hope the snow has melted.





ClaireinTN said:


> We are thinking about ziplining in Vancouver.  Is Grouse Mountain the place to go?




Hope you all have a great time. Would love to hear any reviews of GROUSE MOUNTAIN!!! We are planing on going there when we get off the ship.


----------



## rsjj

I<3EvilQueen said:


> We took the Canada Line
> $7.50 from the Airport to the WaterFront Station (Around the corner from Canada Place)
> 
> $2.50 from Waterfront Station back to the Airport. It took us about 25 mins to get to the airport from the port.



if i may ask...why is going one way more expensive than the other way around?  or maybe i'm just not reading it correctly?


----------



## mellers

rsjj said:


> if i may ask...why is going one way more expensive than the other way around?  or maybe i'm just not reading it correctly?



There's a special fee for departing the airport if you don't have a day pass purchased from an outside vendor (there are a couple in the airport.)


----------



## rsjj

mellers said:


> There's a special fee for departing the airport if you don't have a day pass purchased from an outside vendor (there are a couple in the airport.)



ok...i recall something like that.  and i think you answered questions for me as well.  so remind me, to bypass the fee, i needed to purchase that booklet from a vendor (cvs type pharmacy?) in the airport, right?


----------



## HiMagicFan

I<3EvilQueen said:


> When I was growing up I used to go to Canada all the time and they used to take US$ all the time with no problem.  But with the US$ being weaker now you might have some blow back.
> 
> I didn't want to risk it, so just took out about $60 out of the ATM, so that I had Canadian money to spend during my time there.
> 
> Otherwise I used my debit card for gifts, resturants, and Skytrain fare.



Thanks! Didn't think about the dying dollar.

Sounds good $60....gotta make note of that. 

I am definitely using credit card for the rest just hadn't thought about the tips.  Appreciate it!


----------



## jilljill

HiMagicFan said:


> Thanks! Didn't think about the dying dollar.
> 
> Sounds good $60....gotta make note of that.
> 
> I am definitely using credit card for the rest just hadn't thought about the tips.  Appreciate it!



Don't forget to notify your bank you will be travelling out of the country.  Also, many credit cards charge a 1-3% conversion fee for all foreign charges.  You'll want to check with your issuing back to see what their fees are.


----------



## buddywesley

Anyone ever been to Playland? Or know anything about it? Is it worth going?
THANKS


----------



## mellers

rsjj said:


> ok...i recall something like that.  and i think you answered questions for me as well.  so remind me, to bypass the fee, i needed to purchase that booklet from a vendor (cvs type pharmacy?) in the airport, right?



PharmaSave #22 in Terminal Bldg Level 1.  Someone else also mentioned a 7-11.


----------



## mmmears

jilljill said:


> Don't forget to notify your bank you will be travelling out of the country.  Also, many credit cards charge a 1-3% conversion fee for all foreign charges.  You'll want to check with your issuing back to see what their fees are.



Very true.  My MasterCard charges 3% on all transactions, but my AMEX charges nothing.  It can make a big difference, depending on how much you spend.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

buddywesley said:


> Anyone ever been to Playland? Or know anything about it? Is it worth going?
> THANKS



Its 'ok' - fair type rides - its all we have for a theme park here. If you are looking for top notch attractions, this is not the place - but if you want a wooden roller coaster and 'fair' rides, it can be fun. We live here and never go, if that says anything.


----------



## HiMagicFan

jilljill said:


> Don't forget to notify your bank you will be travelling out of the country.  Also, many credit cards charge a 1-3% conversion fee for all foreign charges.  You'll want to check with your issuing back to see what their fees are.





mmmears said:


> Very true.  My MasterCard charges 3% on all transactions, but my AMEX charges nothing.  It can make a big difference, depending on how much you spend.



Thank you both...was gonna take my Disney card but will check to see which one has the lessor %...thanks for the heads up


----------



## richmo

rsjj said:


> if i may ask...why is going one way more expensive than the other way around?  or maybe i'm just not reading it correctly?



You're reading it correctly.  From SkyTrains originating from the airport, there's a $5 surcharge.  The reverse isn't true.  If you're planning on getting some kind of multi-ride pass, you can get around the surcharge by buying the pass at an airport vendor (I think I remember reading there's a 7-11 and a drug store in YVR that sells them)

And a question a few posts back, I understand that the time it takes to get from YVR to Canada Place by SkyTrain is about 25 minutes.


----------



## richmo

jilljill said:


> Don't forget to notify your bank you will be travelling out of the country.  Also, many credit cards charge a 1-3% conversion fee for all foreign charges.  You'll want to check with your issuing back to see what their fees are.



Good point!  I found that out when I prepaid a night at Whistler and a $5 foreign transaction charge showed up on my Amex.  I think I'll have to take a look at the terms on my credit cards to see if I have any that don't have that.


----------



## wdhinn89

About 4 years ago the Disney Visa had a 3% charge and Discover had no fee for Canadian transactions.  Not sure now though.  Will call in July again.


----------



## jilljill

wdhinn89 said:


> About 4 years ago the Disney Visa had a 3% charge and Discover had no fee for Canadian transactions.  Not sure now though.  Will call in July again.



Disney Visa is still 3% for foreign transactions.


----------



## jodeja

Are credit card charges on the ship considered foreign transactions?


----------



## buddywesley

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Its 'ok' - fair type rides - its all we have for a theme park here. If you are looking for top notch attractions, this is not the place - but if you want a wooden roller coaster and 'fair' rides, it can be fun. We live here and never go, if that says anything.



Thanks! We'll be in Vancouver for a day and 1/2 before the cruise and 3 days after. Since we're staying in Richmond (at The Fairmont Airport) before the cruise I thought we might pop over there for a bit and check it out. It does say a lot that you never go there though  

Any suggestions for things to do by the airport? We'll be staying at Club Intrawest post cruise and plan to do all the downtown/ Stanley Park stuff then... Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions!


----------



## MinnieDiva

jodeja said:


> Are credit card charges on the ship considered foreign transactions?



No.


----------



## Bookworm Belle

Hi all!
We booked out flights yesterday! Air Canada was having a sale so we jumped on the deal. The only problem is that our flight back to the East Coast leaves Vancouver at 6 am. 

Dave and I don't mind getting up early...it's getting to the airport in time that concerns me.  We *could* stay the the Fairmont Airport, but it is a little pricey ($244.00 tax included).  The big advantage is that we just have to walk down the stairs and we are on the concourse.

Honestly, I'm leaning toward this, just for the convenience, plus Dave would LOVE watching the planes take off and land.  We've already spent A LOT on this vacation (but it is worth it!!) so what's a little more?

Any thoughts?


----------



## joycsk

Bookworm Belle said:


> Hi all!
> We booked out flights yesterday! Air Canada was having a sale so we jumped on the deal. The only problem is that our flight back to the East Coast leaves Vancouver at 6 am.
> 
> Dave and I don't mind getting up early...it's getting to the airport in time that concerns me.  We *could* stay the the Fairmont Airport, but it is a little pricey ($244.00 tax included).  The big advantage is that we just have to walk down the stairs and we are on the concourse.
> 
> Honestly, I'm leaning toward this, just for the convenience, plus Dave would LOVE watching the planes take off and land.  We've already spent A LOT on this vacation (but it is worth it!!) so what's a little more?
> 
> Any thoughts?



I'm doing the _same_ thing in reverse.  Our Air Canada flight leaves Newark at 7:05, meaning 5 am or earlier arrival at the airport.  We are staying at the Newark Marriott the night before for the exact same reason.  (Not that our room is quite as pricey.)  I sound like my father's daughter when I say that convenience can be worth paying for.  

Also, we've stayed at the Marriott MCO before and it _is_ fun to watch the planes.

On the other hand, it's taken my months, along with the kind dis-er who posted the photos of port to convince my father to cancel his Disney transfers from the Fairmont Waterfront.  

And if it helps at all, I'm also consoling myself with the thought that I have "pre-paid" for nearly all of this trip.  We booked excursions privately, so they are done, the cruise fare and airfare are paid.  In my warped and twisted mind, I'm not spending as much on this trip as I _really_ am since I've "dollar-cost-averaged" it.


----------



## Bookworm Belle

joycsk said:


> And if it helps at all, I'm also consoling myself with the thought that I have "pre-paid" for nearly all of this trip.  We booked excursions privately, so they are done, the cruise fare and airfare are paid.  In my warped and twisted mind, I'm not spending as much on this trip as I _really_ am since I've "dollar-cost-averaged" it.



That's how I'm looking at it, too!  It kind of helps with the sticker shock!


----------



## cwdefouw

Bookworm Belle said:


> Hi all!
> We booked out flights yesterday! Air Canada was having a sale so we jumped on the deal. The only problem is that our flight back to the East Coast leaves Vancouver at 6 am.
> 
> Dave and I don't mind getting up early...it's getting to the airport in time that concerns me.  We *could* stay the the Fairmont Airport, but it is a little pricey ($244.00 tax included).  The big advantage is that we just have to walk down the stairs and we are on the concourse.
> 
> Honestly, I'm leaning toward this, just for the convenience, plus Dave would LOVE watching the planes take off and land.  We've already spent A LOT on this vacation (but it is worth it!!) so what's a little more?
> 
> Any thoughts?



We are doing this as well, although our flight is not until 9:30 AM. We decided that staying at the airport would be worth it for an early flight. Especially since we have heard that getting through US Immigration and Customs in Vancouver pre-flight can take some time. We ended using our AMX membership rewards points to buy a Fairmont Ovation certificate for one night and breakfast at the Airport Hotel. That way we have no out of pocket expenses for the last night.


----------



## wdhinn89

Our flight leaves JFK at 22:40 and arrives in YVR at 1:30am.  We booked the Fairmont Airport for the convenience too.  I feel it is definitely worth it.  My mind is at ease not worrying about renting a car and driving or catching a shuttle bus at 2:00 am in the morning.


----------



## buddywesley

Just thought I'd pass this info on. We can't do it because my DD is only 4 (they have to be 6), but looks like fun. Today's living social deal for Vancouver is a walking Tour of Gastown & Chinatown. http://livingsocial.com/deals/33317-walking-tour-of-gastown-and-chinatown-for-two


----------



## tanyaewa

Fairmont Airport is a fantastic hotel - and you absolutely *cannot* beat walking downstairs to the departure level.  For a 6am flight - it's the best option.
And that's a decent price.

Lately we have been staying at the Delta Airport Inn because they have 14 day free parking - so we'll do that since we need to leave a car in Vancouver- just skytrain to port on departure day - then fly back to YVR after the repo to LA.

Grouse MTN ziplining - no need to book ahead.  Just call moring of to confirm bookig - ask for a deal or where to find a coupon.

Richmond thngs to do - what is your group interested in?  PLayland is fun as a local carnival but doesn't compare to US themeparks.

US dollar - most places will take your US cash with no problesm - we are a tourist based economy - and give you a relatively good exchange.  Pulling cash from ATM is your best bet if you get $100+ to avoid surcharges with your bank.
Currency exchange kiosks (like at the airport)  make $ by charging percentages - as do credit cards


----------



## buddywesley

tanyaewa said:


> Richmond thngs to do - what is your group interested in?  PLayland is fun as a local carnival but doesn't compare to US themeparks.



We are a family of four ( DS is almost 9 and DD is 4.5  ) We like to do just about anything we can with those age restrictions!!!! Sight-seeing, adventure, etc  We'll do the downtown stuff post cruise and just thought if there was something to do in another area by Richmond we could do that for a day.
THANKS for any ideas!


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

I put the Alaska navigators in the main first post for anyone looking for them.


----------



## rosiep

I booked Air Canada yesterday too! 
I found it was cheaper to book 2 one way tickets than a multi-leg ticket for the repo cruise. So, it's Air Canada into Vancouver, Jetblue out of LBG. Used Jetblue Trublue points for that fare so for 2 people my round trip fare was 
$275!!! (From Portland OR)

If I'm not mistaken, neither airline charges for the first checked bag....is that right?


----------



## DenverVal

tanyaewa said:


> Grouse MTN ziplining - no need to book ahead.  Just call moring of to confirm bookig - ask for a deal or where to find a coupon.


Thank you!


----------



## tanyaewa

Richmond things to do:

check out this link and then I can comment.

http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/SightsActivitiesEvents/Richmond.htm

Steveston is really a cool little town - if it's nice renting bikes might be fun  - but walking around is good too.  My kids liked the beach area and we bought a kite at a funky toy store
Will you have a car?  How long are you staying.

FWIW - my kid are DS 9 and DS 6 so I am sort of where you at with activity things


----------



## buddywesley

tanyaewa said:


> Richmond things to do:
> 
> check out this link and then I can comment.
> 
> http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/SightsActivitiesEvents/Richmond.htm
> 
> Steveston is really a cool little town - if it's nice renting bikes might be fun  - but walking around is good too.  My kids liked the beach area and we bought a kite at a funky toy store
> Will you have a car?  How long are you staying.
> 
> FWIW - my kid are DS 9 and DS 6 so I am sort of where you at with activity things



Thanks for the link. I'll check it out tonight when I have more time

We wont have a car (or at least we weren't planning on it) We get into YVR at midnight on Sunday so we'll have all day/night Monday to explore before we leave on the ship Tuesday.


----------



## jodeja

MinnieDiva said:


> No.



Oh good! Thank you


----------



## smeecanada

Bookworm Belle said:


> Hi all!
> We booked out flights yesterday! Air Canada was having a sale so we jumped on the deal. The only problem is that our flight back to the East Coast leaves Vancouver at 6 am.
> 
> Dave and I don't mind getting up early...it's getting to the airport in time that concerns me.  We *could* stay the the Fairmont Airport, but it is a little pricey ($244.00 tax included).  The big advantage is that we just have to walk down the stairs and we are on the concourse.
> 
> Honestly, I'm leaning toward this, just for the convenience, plus Dave would LOVE watching the planes take off and land.  We've already spent A LOT on this vacation (but it is worth it!!) so what's a little more?
> 
> Any thoughts?



I would bit the bullet and stay at the airport.  The peace of mind will out way the worry of having to get there in time, the taxi cost and whatever cost you have for a downtown hotel.  Enjoy the extra sleep and watching the planes.


----------



## buddywesley

Bookworm Belle said:


> Hi all!
> We booked out flights yesterday! Air Canada was having a sale so we jumped on the deal. The only problem is that our flight back to the East Coast leaves Vancouver at 6 am.
> 
> Dave and I don't mind getting up early...it's getting to the airport in time that concerns me.  We *could* stay the the Fairmont Airport, but it is a little pricey ($244.00 tax included).  The big advantage is that we just have to walk down the stairs and we are on the concourse.
> 
> Honestly, I'm leaning toward this, just for the convenience, plus Dave would LOVE watching the planes take off and land.  We've already spent A LOT on this vacation (but it is worth it!!) so what's a little more?
> 
> Any thoughts?



We are staying at the Fairmont Airport thru DCL from LATE Sunday night till we leave Tues for cruise. Our flight comes in after midnight so the idea of just being steps away from a bed is comforting AND worth the price IMHO  Did you check the price thru DCL? Can't remember what we paid for it...


----------



## Meskamooska

Hi All,

We will be on the July 19th Alaska cruise and will be driving to Vancouver from Southern California.  I have never been to Canada before and the last time my DH was there he was most excited about the fact that the legal drinking age was 18 (and that was quite a while ago .  So suffice it to say that neither of us are in any way experts.

What I am trying to decide is if we would be better off staying in an inexpensive hotel (somewhere in the $50 to $60 range) in Washington near the border the night before embarkation or if we should come into Canada and try to find something there.

And, if we decide to do the cross the border the night before plan, does anyone have any suggestions for where we could find an inexpensive hotel or recommendations for one?  I have looked into the Motel 6 in Washington and would ideally be looking for something along those lines.  

I would rather spend my extra $ on goodies in Alaska or on the ship than on a one night stay.

Thanks in advance.  All advice or suggestions/recommendations will be appreciated.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a "Wonder"ful day!

Tisza


----------



## buddywesley

So after looking around at everything to do we are even MORE confused  
We were told NOT to miss Victoria/Butchart Gardens and having tea at the Empress Hotel there. After looking around I found the Prince of Whales Ultimate day tour that includes travel to/from Vancouver and butchart gardens Admission. It is pretty pricey though.  I'm wondering if anyone knows any other ways to do the trip (we are staying at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel pre cruise so thought it might be easy to do the trip then getting transportation from the airport to ferries, etc.) ANY help would be appreciated 

Also we LOVE sushi and heard there are lots of options for this in Vancouver...any recommendations?


----------



## Cerberus9

buddywesley said:


> So after looking around at everything to do we are even MORE confused
> We were told NOT to miss Victoria/Butchart Gardens and having tea at the Empress Hotel there. After looking around I found the Prince of Whales Ultimate day tour that includes travel to/from Vancouver and butchart gardens Admission. It is pretty pricey though.  I'm wondering if anyone knows any other ways to do the trip (we are staying at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport hotel pre cruise so thought it might be easy to do the trip then getting transportation from the airport to ferries, etc.) ANY help would be appreciated
> 
> Also we LOVE sushi and heard there are lots of options for this in Vancouver...any recommendations?



How long will you be in Vancouver? Are you considering staying in Victoria overnight (or for a few days), or does all of this need to be done in one day?

I'm not sure a "day trip" to Victoria would be worth it. There's plenty to do and see around Vancouver. If you're dead set on afternoon tea and whale watching, couldn't you do these on the cruise (e.g. tea at Palo and whale watching in Alaska?). 

As far a sushi in Vancouver, there's a *ton* of restaurants. My favorite is Shabusen (http://www.shabusen.com/) which is "all you can eat".


----------



## buddywesley

Cerberus9 said:


> How long will you be in Vancouver? Are you considering staying in Victoria overnight (or for a few days), or does all of this need to be done in one day?
> 
> I'm not sure a "day trip" to Victoria would be worth it. There's plenty to do and see around Vancouver. If you're dead set on afternoon tea and whale watching, couldn't you do these on the cruise (e.g. tea at Palo and whale watching in Alaska?).
> 
> As far a sushi in Vancouver, there's a *ton* of restaurants. My favorite is Shabusen (http://www.shabusen.com/) which is "all you can eat".



Pre-cruise we'll be in Vancouver for one FULL day staying at Fairmont Airport (we arrive late night Sunday have all day Monday in Vancouver and board Wonder on Tuesday) Post cruise we'll be in Vancouver for 3 full days (staying at Club Intrawest)
We didn't care about whale watching (we'll be doing enough of that on board ship and excursions in AK) but wanted a tour to Victoria to see Butchart Gardens and maybe have tea at Empress Hotel (personally I think it's overpriced and would MUCH rather do tea at Palo but my DH was told by a friend it was not to be missed) We wouldn't spend the night in Victoria. Is Butchart Gardens worth a day of our Vancouver stay? We are already set to do the Hop on Hop off Big bus thingy (got a groupon) for 2 days post cruise.

THANKS for the sushi recommendation!


----------



## ibouncetoo

buddywesley said:


> Pre-cruise we'll be in Vancouver for one FULL day staying at Fairmont Airport (we arrive late night Sunday have all day Monday in Vancouver and board Wonder on Tuesday) Post cruise we'll be in Vancouver for 3 full days (staying at Club Intrawest)
> We didn't care about whale watching (we'll be doing enough of that on board ship and excursions in AK) but wanted a tour to Victoria to see Butchart Gardens and maybe have *tea* at Empress Hotel (personally I think it's overpriced and would MUCH rather do tea at Palo but my DH was told by a friend it was not to be missed) We wouldn't spend the night in Victoria. Is *Butchart Gardens* worth a day of our Vancouver stay? We are already set to do the Hop on Hop off Big bus thingy (got a groupon) for 2 days post cruise.
> 
> THANKS for the sushi recommendation!


 
Actually Butchart Gardens is where you should have tea!  I think it was the best tea I've ever done...better than Palo and Grand Floridian.  

.


----------



## wdhinn89

buddywesley said:


> *Pre-cruise we'll be in Vancouver for one FULL day staying at Fairmont Airport (we arrive late night Sunday have all day Monday in Vancouver and board Wonder on Tuesday)* Post cruise we'll be in Vancouver for 3 full days (staying at Club Intrawest)
> We didn't care about whale watching (we'll be doing enough of that on board ship and excursions in AK) but wanted a tour to Victoria to see Butchart Gardens and maybe have tea at Empress Hotel (personally I think it's overpriced and would MUCH rather do tea at Palo but my DH was told by a friend it was not to be missed) We wouldn't spend the night in Victoria. Is Butchart Gardens worth a day of our Vancouver stay? We are already set to do the Hop on Hop off Big bus thingy (got a groupon) for 2 days post cruise.
> 
> THANKS for the sushi recommendation!



We are also staying at the Fairmont Airport and will have the same amount of time as you.  We still have not figured out what to do on Monday.  We really don't want to rent a car. 

  Our plane leaves at 10:50pm on the day we get off the ship and we are renting a car for the day. We figured we would go to the Aquarium and Stanley Park and then head to the airport afterward.


----------



## buddywesley

wdhinn89 said:


> We are also staying at the Fairmont Airport and will have the same amount of time as you.  We still have not figured out what to do on Monday.  We really don't want to rent a car.
> 
> Our plane leaves at 10:50pm on the day we get off the ship and we are renting a car for the day. We figured we would go to the Aquarium and Stanley Park and then head to the airport afterward.



yeah, we dont want to rent a car either. We were going to do something in the Richamond area but a friend of ours said we should go to Victoria and see Butchart Gardens while we are there. We were thinking about trying to do it that Monday. Still not sure...part of me doesn't even care if we relax and hang at the pool and room and relax to be ready for the cruise


----------



## wdhinn89

buddywesley said:


> yeah, we dont want to rent a car either. We were going to do something in the Richamond area but a friend of ours said we should go to Victoria and see Butchart Gardens while we are there. We were thinking about trying to do it that Monday. Still not sure...part of me doesn't even care if we relax and hang at the pool and room and relax to be ready for the cruise



We are debating on this tour around Vancouver
http://www.vancouvertours.com/vancouver-tour 
 but hanging around the pool also sounds good too.  We land at 1:30am Vancouver time but we are from NY so the time for us will be 5:30am. I hate to waste the day though.  Too many decisions to make


----------



## mellers

Meskamooska said:


> Hi All,
> 
> We will be on the July 19th Alaska cruise and will be driving to Vancouver from Southern California.  I have never been to Canada before and the last time my DH was there he was most excited about the fact that the legal drinking age was 18 (and that was quite a while ago .  So suffice it to say that neither of us are in any way experts.
> 
> What I am trying to decide is if we would be better off staying in an inexpensive hotel (somewhere in the $50 to $60 range) in Washington near the border the night before embarkation or if we should come into Canada and try to find something there.
> 
> And, if we decide to do the cross the border the night before plan, does anyone have any suggestions for where we could find an inexpensive hotel or recommendations for one?  I have looked into the Motel 6 in Washington and would ideally be looking for something along those lines.
> 
> I would rather spend my extra $ on goodies in Alaska or on the ship than on a one night stay.
> 
> Thanks in advance.  All advice or suggestions/recommendations will be appreciated.
> 
> Take care all, help lots of people and have a "Wonder"ful day!
> 
> Tisza



Try the La Quinta Vancouver Airport in Richmond.

(Adding with edit--realized I missed something)

If you are driving, you are going to need parking.  What I would suggest, in this case, is to check out the FourPoints Sheraton Vancouver Airport Park N' Fly deal:  http://deals.fourpoints.com/Four-Po...13/so.htm?IM=PP_LHN_SOP_US_4P_213&iATANumber=

You could either drop your family off at the cruise terminal, return to the hotel to park, walk over to the Lansdowne Canada Line and return to the cruise terminal, or, if you don't have a lot of luggage to haul and you don't mind a 1/4-1/2 mile walk, all of you could walk over to the Canada Line (or you could drop people at the station, return the car, and walk back to the station).

You could also take the hotel's shuttle to the airport, and then all take the Canada Line from there, or take a taxi (VERY short ride) from the hotel to the Lansdowne Canada Line.


----------



## Caropooh

wdhinn89 said:


> We are debating on this tour around Vancouver
> http://www.vancouvertours.com/vancouver-tour
> but hanging around the pool also sounds good too.  We land at 1:30am Vancouver time but we are from NY so the time for us will be 5:30am. I hate to waste the day though.  Too many decisions to make


Not a big deal, but it the west coast is only 3 hours earlier than the east coast, not 4! It's either the first night or 2nd night of the cruise when change time zones. Alaska is one hour earlier than Vancouver!


----------



## buddywesley

wdhinn89 said:


> We are debating on this tour around Vancouver
> http://www.vancouvertours.com/vancouver-tour
> but hanging around the pool also sounds good too.  We land at 1:30am Vancouver time but we are from NY so the time for us will be 5:30am. I hate to waste the day though.  Too many decisions to make



Looks like a decent tour. You could also do the "Hop on Hop off" bus http://bigbus.ca/home/   It takes you all over and you get off where/when you want. 
Which cruise are you on? We are June 28th


----------



## mellers

I do love Butchart Gardens but I'm not sure I'd go for a day trip to Victoria.  If you're looking for a beautiful garden to see in the Richmond area, check with the temple to find out which hours their garden is open.  While not quite as impressive as Butchart Gardens, it is truly beautiful:

http://www.buddhisttemple.ca/


----------



## DisneyBasket

buddywesley said:


> Looks like a decent tour. You could also do the "Hop on Hop off" bus http://bigbus.ca/home/   It takes you all over and you get off where/when you want.
> Which cruise are you on? We are June 28th



As an alternative, we took the Hop On Hop Off Trolley, which is slightly less expensive than the bus, and I believe covers the same territory.  We found the trolleys charming, and enjoyed our tour around Vancouver.

http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/tours/hop-on-hop-off


----------



## buddywesley

mellers said:


> I do love Butchart Gardens but I'm not sure I'd go for a day trip to Victoria.  If you're looking for a beautiful garden to see in the Richmond area, check with the temple to find out which hours their garden is open.  While not quite as impressive as Butchart Gardens, it is truly beautiful:
> 
> http://www.internationalbuddhisttemple.ca/



I couldn't get that link to work but found it at www.buddhisttemple.ca. It looks like they only give tours to groups of 15 or more? Looks beautiful though. I think we will probably not do Victoria. It's too much to pack into a day considering we'll be starting the cruise the next day. Still looking


----------



## mellers

buddywesley said:


> I couldn't get that link to work but found it at www.buddhisttemple.ca. It looks like they only give tours to groups of 15 or more? Looks beautiful though. I think we will probably not do Victoria. It's too much to pack into a day considering we'll be starting the cruise the next day. Still looking



I'm sorry for posting the wrong URL.  I would call the temple--there are usually some days which are open to the public--we were able to go, just as a family, about a year ago.  The VanDusen botanical gardens are also nice.


----------



## Doingitagain

mmmears said:


> Very true.  My MasterCard charges 3% on all transactions, but my AMEX charges nothing.  It can make a big difference, depending on how much you spend.



I have Amex Platinum, and they quoted me 2.7% fee.


----------



## nzdisneymom

DisneyBasket said:


> As an alternative, we took the Hop On Hop Off Trolley, which is slightly less expensive than the bus, and I believe covers the same territory.  We found the trolleys charming, and enjoyed our tour around Vancouver.
> 
> http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/tours/hop-on-hop-off



We were trying to decide between the bus and the trolley for our day of official sight-seeing.  Did you have to wait any for the trolleys (as in were they full and bypass you?).


----------



## DisneyBasket

nzdisneymom said:


> We were trying to decide between the bus and the trolley for our day of official sight-seeing.  Did you have to wait any for the trolleys (as in were they full and bypass you?).



No, they always were able to stop for us.  I don't believe the trolley was ever full.  Our longest wait for one was 15 minutes, but usually was much less.  They run every 20 minutes, so we timed our stops to match up with that schedule.


----------



## staffieri

Can anyone help me with GROUSE MOUNTIAN??? I really want to do this when we get off the boat. We have a late flight 5pm. So Would love to know best way to get there. Any advice on storing luggage, or is there a way to get luggage to airport? Best way to make this happen. We are going to try to hang glide. There are four of us. THANK YOU!!!


----------



## PBader

kimberly, I found this online.  I would give them a call  Baggage Storage Services Baggage storage services are provided at Canada Place by CDS Baggage. Tel:             604.303.4500      Here's their website, http://www.prioritybaggage.ca/services-cruiseterminalbaggagestorageservice


----------



## buddywesley

mellers said:


> I'm sorry for posting the wrong URL.  I would call the temple--there are usually some days which are open to the public--we were able to go, just as a family, about a year ago.  The VanDusen botanical gardens are also nice.



No worries! Thanks for the info. It looks like you can just walk around on your own from9:30 to 5:30. Just can't get tour unless 15  we might try it!
Saw those other gardens too. Maybe. I think we'll just wing it that day and see what we feel like doing when we wake up


----------



## megsablue

I thought I'd just post that today's Groupon for Vancouver is a Harbour Cruise for $29 (for two adults). You can also spend a bit more and get a lunch cruise or dinner cruise. I've never done this cruise myself so I can't vouch for it, but seeing Vancouver by water can be a great experience! It might be something to look into if you're interested seeing the city that way...

http://www.groupon.com/vancouver/


----------



## wdhinn89

Caropooh said:


> Not a big deal, but it the west coast is only 3 hours earlier than the east coast, not 4! It's either the first night or 2nd night of the cruise when change time zones. Alaska is one hour earlier than Vancouver!



Thanks for the info.  An hour can mean alot in sleep time 



buddywesley said:


> Looks like a decent tour. You could also do the "Hop on Hop off" bus http://bigbus.ca/home/   It takes you all over and you get off where/when you want.
> Which cruise are you on? We are June 28th



Thanks!  I am going to check it out now.  Does the trolley have a stop at the airport?

 We are on the July 19th cruise.  I hope you will be writing a cruise report.


----------



## poohj80

Caropooh said:


> It's either the first night or 2nd night of the cruise when change time zones. Alaska is one hour earlier than Vancouver!



Does the ship stay on the same time even when the ports switch time or does it stay with port time?  Hadn't thought about time zones until you mentioned it.  Thanks!


----------



## Bookworm Belle

poohj80 said:


> Does the ship stay on the same time even when the ports switch time or does it stay with port time?  Hadn't thought about time zones until you mentioned it.  Thanks!



I believe that the the ship does move the clock ahead when it gets to Alaska.  Several of the blogs of the first cruise mention that they got reminders in their cabins telling them that they needed to turn clocks and watches ahead an hour.


----------



## tanyaewa

For Stay/Park & Fly/cruise you can also check out the Comfort Inn.
$139 per night includes up to 14 nights parking!


----------



## mellers

tanyaewa said:


> For Stay/Park & Fly/cruise you can also check out the Comfort Inn.
> $139 per night includes up to 14 nights parking!



That is cheaper than the Four Points, no question.


----------



## tanyaewa

I did a google of stay & park at YVR and there are about 6 diff hotels that have a special deal.  
We usually use the Delta Airport Inn Hotel when we fly out of YVR but last time I noticed that they share a shuttle with the Comfort Inn.  Saves $50+ 
So we will do that this cruise - and take the Skytrain to the Port for departure like you mentioned.


----------



## Caropooh

poohj80 said:


> Does the ship stay on the same time even when the ports switch time or does it stay with port time?  Hadn't thought about time zones until you mentioned it.  Thanks!


They stay with port times. You will lose one hour going from Vancouver to Tracy Arm and then gain the hour back going from Ketchikan back to Vancouver. There will be a reminder in your room the night the time changes and it will also be in your Daily Navigator.


----------



## jilljill

staffieri said:


> Can anyone help me with GROUSE MOUNTIAN??? I really want to do this when we get off the boat. We have a late flight 5pm. So Would love to know best way to get there. Any advice on storing luggage, or is there a way to get luggage to airport? Best way to make this happen. We are going to try to hang glide. There are four of us. THANK YOU!!!



Check with your airline to see what they recommend for airport arrival for your flight.  Usually international flights say you should arrive at the airport 3 hours before flight time - that would be 2pm for your flight.  It roughly 30-40 minutes from the port to the airport, I'm not sure I'd risk going to Grouse Mtn between debarkation and flight time - but that's just me.


----------



## buddywesley

wdhinn89 said:


> Thanks for the info.  An hour can mean alot in sleep time
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks!  I am going to check it out now.  Does the trolley have a stop at the airport?
> 
> We are on the July 19th cruise.  I hope you will be writing a cruise report.



I just might write one this trip  Haven't ever done one but after getting so much help on here I think I'll pay it forward


----------



## Bookworm Belle

We made reservations at the Vancouver Fairmont at the airport for the night before our return flight.  Yay!

Now we are looking at the Blue Horizon on Robson Street for our stay before the cruise. We like the reviews that we have seen on Trip Advisor and other places.  We have reservations there, but they can be canceled.  Does anyone have any recent reveiws of this property?  (We booked a "Superior King" room, so we will be higher up.)  

It seems like there is A LOT going on in Vancouver that weekend (August 6 & 7)...fireworks, music festival...it should be bustling!


----------



## I<3EvilQueen

Bookworm Belle said:


> We made reservations at the Vancouver Fairmont at the airport for the night before our return flight.  Yay!
> 
> Now we are looking at the Blue Horizon on Robson Street for our stay before the cruise. We like the reviews that we have seen on Trip Advisor and other places.  We have reservations there, but they can be canceled.  Does anyone have any recent reveiws of this property?  (We booked a "Superior King" room, so we will be higher up.)
> 
> It seems like there is A LOT going on in Vancouver that weekend (August 6 & 7)...fireworks, music festival...it should be bustling!



Robson Street is Vancouver's "big" street. There are a ton of dining and shopping options there.  Also I belive that the Blue Horizon is one of the Stops on the Hop-on/Hop-off trolley tour.  Ask at the front desk when you are there and you should be able to get a very good deal.  Our hotel the Cascadia was a stop on the route and we got two days for the price of one.


----------



## Bookworm Belle

I<3EvilQueen said:


> Robson Street is Vancouver's "big" street. There are a ton of dining and shopping options there.  Also I believe that the Blue Horizon is one of the Stops on the Hop-on/Hop-off trolley tour.  Ask at the front desk when you are there and you should be able to get a very good deal.  Our hotel the Cascadia was a stop on the route and we got two days for the price of one.



We are planning on using the trolley and we are going to purchase our 2 days for 1 tickets on the internet before we go.  The trolley stop was one of the reasons we picked the Blue Horizon! (That and the free internet!)


----------



## Candy Apple

Any good ones near Canada Place?


----------



## I<3EvilQueen

Candy Apple said:


> Any good ones near Canada Place?



One place you can try... there is a large food court across the street, and down the stairs.  They might have something there, not sure.


----------



## DisneyBasket

The city is full of coffee shops which will give you free wifi time for the cost of a cup of coffee.  Starbucks and Blenz come to mind, and I don't think we could go a block without seeing one of them.  There was a Blenz across the street from our hotel where we went for coffee each morning and  a bit of internet time.


----------



## goslingl

This may be a strange questions but did any of you that are from the east coast have an issue with the time difference?


----------



## DisneyBasket

goslingl said:


> This may be a strange questions but did any of you that are from the east coast have an issue with the time difference?



We were glad we went out a few days early!  (We are from the Philadelphia area.)  We slept about 14 hours the first night!  But we were good after that.  I have had more adjustment issues coming home, surprising to say.  Usually I adjust well west to east, and have more trouble east to west.  

Just build in enough time to rest, you should be OK.


----------



## lbgraves

I was surprised that I had an issue adjusting to flying from NC to CA when we went on the PC repo.  We got up at 5 a.m. NC time to drive to the airport and were eating dinner at Rainforest Cafe in DTD at 6:30 p.m. CA time.  The fireworks went off late at DL and I heard those when I was trying to fall asleep. Thankfully we had 5 days to adjust before getting on the ship.  We will have 2 1/2 days in Vancouver before our Alaskan cruise next month.  Also, the kids are a bit older and it was their first time on a plane that they could remember anyway so we were a bit hyped up with all the excitement.


----------



## goslingl

DisneyBasket said:


> We were glad we went out a few days early!  (We are from the Philadelphia area.)  We slept about 14 hours the first night!  But we were good after that.  I have had more adjustment issues coming home, surprising to say.  Usually I adjust well west to east, and have more trouble east to west.
> 
> Just build in enough time to rest, you should be OK.



Thanks!  We are staying on Vacover a coupe of days before the cruise so that should help


----------



## Pocahantas

Well, Hotwire finally came through for us.  I booked Le Grande Residences at Sutton Place for our the two nights before our cruise for $152 per room per night and finally had a 5* with 90% recommendations (which is the Pan Pacific) for the two nights after our cruise for $136 per room per night.

22 days left before we leave and all of our hotels are taken care of!!!


----------



## goslingl

lbgraves said:


> I was surprised that I had an issue adjusting to flying from NC to CA when we went on the PC repo.  We got up at 5 a.m. NC time to drive to the airport and were eating dinner at Rainforest Cafe in DTD at 6:30 p.m. CA time.  The fireworks went off late at DL and I heard those when I was trying to fall asleep. Thankfully we had 5 days to adjust before getting on the ship.  We will have 2 1/2 days in Vancouver before our Alaskan cruise next month.  Also, the kids are a bit older and it was their first time on a plane that they could remember anyway so we were a bit hyped up with all the excitement.



I have not been to the west coast in years and was not sure how I would do.  We are not leaving Ky unti 4:30 PM and will get into Vancover at 8:30PM their time so I am hoping that wi help


----------



## goslingl

Pocahantas said:


> Well, Hotwire finally came through for us.  I booked Le Grande Residences at Sutton Place for our the two nights before our cruise for $152 per room per night and finally had a 5* with 90% recommendations (which is the Pan Pacific) for the two nights after our cruise for $136 per room per night.
> 
> 22 days left before we leave and all of our hotels are taken care of!!!



Congrats


----------



## jlwhitney

jilljill said:


> Check with your airline to see what they recommend for airport arrival for your flight.  Usually international flights say you should arrive at the airport 3 hours before flight time - that would be 2pm for your flight.  It roughly 30-40 minutes from the port to the airport, I'm not sure I'd risk going to Grouse Mtn between debarkation and flight time - but that's just me.



You can't check in at the airport till 3 hours before so there would be no reason to get there any earlier. We checked in around 10:45 and it took about 30 mins tops to get through check in/customs/security.

If you really wanted to go zipling, don't put your luggage out the night before and skip breakfast. Hand carry them off at 7:30am (thats when those who wanted to get off fast could get off). Rental car station should open around 7 or 8am, rent a car (alamo/national are right there).  The drive to grouse mt. is about 20 mins so you could easily be there by 9/9:30.  Allow 2 hours to zipline or so so that brings you to between 12 and 1 (I give big estimates, to allow cusion time). and from there head to the airport, and that drive close to an hour or a little under (not sure completely).

I have not been reading much about difficulty getting through vancouver airport, so if you got there by 2:30 I think you would be fine.


----------



## Beauty & the Best

Bookworm Belle said:


> We made reservations at the Vancouver Fairmont at the airport for the night before our return flight.  Yay!
> 
> Now we are looking at the Blue Horizon on Robson Street for our stay before the cruise. We like the reviews that we have seen on Trip Advisor and other places.  We have reservations there, but they can be canceled.  Does anyone have any recent reveiws of this property?  (We booked a "Superior King" room, so we will be higher up.)
> 
> It seems like there is A LOT going on in Vancouver that weekend (August 6 & 7)...fireworks, music festival...it should be bustling!



We've stayed at the Blue Horizon before.  It is very nice and the balcony views are great.  

Just a recommendation for anyone staying in Vancouver - Stanley Park is a must!  Also, they have a horse-drawn trolley that circles the park, it is really fun and would be good for children too.


----------



## seamour

Padres19 said:


> The announcement that DCL was sailing to Alaska in/out of Vancouver was like a dream come true for me.  We've sailed DCL twice before and my daughters LOVED IT, my wife and I have always talked about going on an Alaskan cruise, AND we have a second home in Vancouver (where we spend a total of about one month each year).  So this was absolutely perfect.
> 
> We have been taking our twin daughters to Vancouver since before they were one year old, they are now almost seven.  Vancouver is, bar none, THE most kid friendly city in the entire world.  There is an absolute TON of things for kids to do there, so do yourself a favor and try to spend a day or two there before and/or after your cruise.  While many of the obvious suggestions have already been posted and discussed, I cannot emphasize how much kids ages 2-8 will absolutely LOVE the *Kid's Market on Granville Island*.  It is a two story marketplace with arcades, playground and tons of great shops entirely devoted to kids.  Behind it is a terrific pond that is always full of ducks and to the side of the pond is a great waterpark that is FREE (waterslides, spray cannons, etc--all for free).  Granville Island is on the south side of False Creek.  On the far east side of False Creek is the *Vancouver Science World*.  It looks like a giant golf ball, but it is full of three stories of amazing things that your kids will love, and the hourly shows that they put on are fantastic.  Kids from 2-12 will all have age appropriate places to go to and things to do.  Kids (and grown ups) of all ages will really enjoy getting around False Creek on the water taxi's (False Creek Ferries or, my favorite, the *Aquabus*) which stops at Granville Island and at Science World.  Vancouver is a remarkably compact city and it is very walkable to get from almost any hotel that you will be staying in to the water taxi station on the city side of False Creek.  By far, THE best way to spend some time in Vancovuer as a family, is to *rent a bike and ride around Stanley Park*.  If you only have an hour or two, just ride around the Sea Wall.  If you have more time, stop off at the Aquarium (one of the world's best), visit the totem poles, stop at the water park or the pool, ride through the gardens, etc.  There are lots of bike shops all over town, so there will be one close to wherever you are staying.
> 
> I could, and over the next year, probably will go on and on about places to go and things to do in this wonderful city, but I wanted to post something to get started to truly encourage all of you to seriously consider spending a day or two or more in Vancouver, rather than just flying in, transfering to/from the boat and flying out.
> 
> I can absolutely promise you that whatever age your kids are, they will love Vancouver.



Would love ideas for teens as we will be there in August.   On my short list to be narrowed down still I have Granville island (would the water area be fun for 13 and 16 yr olds?), Science World (we can get a free admission from our local science museum membership), the Aquarium (as DD and I love any type of animals), a hop on hop off bus, Stanley Park.   Too much to do in the one day we have but would love some pointers for what the kids would enjoy.    The mountain and suspension bridge are not an option for me with health issues.


----------



## seamour

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Just added some airport hotel stuff to the first post. Going to add a few more things tonight too.




just a big thank you for all the awesome work you are doing, wow!    Totally impressive!


----------



## mellers

seamour said:


> Would love ideas for teens as we will be there in August.   On my short list to be narrowed down still I have Granville island (would the water area be fun for 13 and 16 yr olds?), Science World (we can get a free admission from our local science museum membership), the Aquarium (as DD and I love any type of animals), a hop on hop off bus, Stanley Park.   Too much to do in the one day we have but would love some pointers for what the kids would enjoy.    The mountain and suspension bridge are not an option for me with health issues.



Well, my teen loves the aquarium, and she also enjoyed the International Buddhist Temple Gardens in Richmond


----------



## staffieri

jlwhitney said:


> You can't check in at the airport till 3 hours before so there would be no reason to get there any earlier. We checked in around 10:45 and it took about 30 mins tops to get through check in/customs/security.
> 
> If you really wanted to go zipling, don't put your luggage out the night before and skip breakfast. Hand carry them off at 7:30am (thats when those who wanted to get off fast could get off). Rental car station should open around 7 or 8am, rent a car (alamo/national are right there).  The drive to grouse mt. is about 20 mins so you could easily be there by 9/9:30.  Allow 2 hours to zipline or so so that brings you to between 12 and 1 (I give big estimates, to allow cusion time). and from there head to the airport, and that drive close to an hour or a little under (not sure completely).
> 
> I have not been reading much about difficulty getting through vancouver airport, so if you got there by 2:30 I think you would be fine.



Thanks for the info. Do you know the code I put in for wanting to rent a car at the port?

BIG HELP!!!


----------



## rav4lcrv

Through ABD we received a free breakfast at the hotel in Barcelona. Is this also the case at the Waterfront hotel for the Alaska cruise?


----------



## jlwhitney

staffieri said:


> Thanks for the info. Do you know the code I put in for wanting to rent a car at the port?
> 
> BIG HELP!!!



For national/alamo just put in vancouver and they will give you a list of places in the area (don't know the code)...you want canada place-cruise ship, NOT canada place pan pacific


----------



## seamour

GrtWtNorth said:


> I can't resist posting this news.  A Grey Whale wandered into False Creek, a small inlet south of downtown Vancouver.  It wandered around between the tourist attractions for several hours before heading back to sea.
> 
> Sample of TV news coverage
> Sample of newspaper coverage
> 
> Grey whales are not rare in the region, but it is extremely rare for a whale to go into such a busy waterway, full of boats and surrounded by people.  An equivalent experience might be a moose walking through Times Square or an aligator waddling through Cinderella's Castle.



cool!


----------



## staffieri

jlwhitney said:


> For national/alamo just put in vancouver and they will give you a list of places in the area (don't know the code)...you want canada place-cruise ship, NOT canada place pan pacific



Thank you. Di it and the cost $75


----------



## Doingitagain

rav4lcrv said:


> Through ABD we received a free breakfast at the hotel in Barcelona. Is this also the case at the Waterfront hotel for the Alaska cruise?



Good question, we booked the Fairmont Pacific Rim through DCL for a prestay and were wondering if breakfast was included.


----------



## jlwhitney

staffieri said:


> Thank you. Di it and the cost $75



Awesome, have a great trip and wonderful day in vancouver. We spent three nights and loved the area and did a day in whistler.


----------



## kgsmith

rav4lcrv said:


> Through ABD we received a free breakfast at the hotel in Barcelona. Is this also the case at the Waterfront hotel for the Alaska cruise?



Oooh, I hope so. I haven't heard anything about a free breakfast at the Fairmont Waterfront. In fact, I'm having a difficult time getting any information about the ABD from DCL.


----------



## seamour

mmouse37 said:


> The hotel looks awesome but I just checked rates for our pre cruise stay next year and website says rooms start at $9,664.00 US a night.....that is some hotel or the website is having issues....certainly too rich for my blood!! LOL!!
> 
> MJ



yikers!  LOL  hope that was a website issue.


----------



## seamour

mellers said:


> Well, my teen loves the aquarium, and she also enjoyed the International Buddhist Temple Gardens in Richmond



oh that would be interesting (the Buddhist Gardens).  As we only have one day, would it be worth it to do a couple of hours at the aquarium or no?   We are not commando tourists so prefer to take things slow, quality over quantity if you know what I mean.  My concern is it wouldn't be enough time at the aquarium, so might be better to skip it all together.


----------



## rosiep

First I'd like to say Thank you to everyone contributing their knowledge to this thread...especially Lollipop's Mom for having started the whole thing!

Next, can someone please confirm or deny that the yellow taxis take credit cards?


----------



## vatchr

Thanks for all the info about Vancouver...we will be sailing in August and spending 3 nights precruise in Vancouver.  Can't wait!!  My question.....We will be arriving in Vancouver on Aug. 6 at 9 pm - right during the last night of Celebration of Light.  We will be staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim - how crazy will it be to get our rental car and drive to the Pacific Rim around 10 pm on Aug. 6?


----------



## mellers

seamour said:


> oh that would be interesting (the Buddhist Gardens).  As we only have one day, would it be worth it to do a couple of hours at the aquarium or no?   We are not commando tourists so prefer to take things slow, quality over quantity if you know what I mean.  My concern is it wouldn't be enough time at the aquarium, so might be better to skip it all together.



A couple of hours is a good amount of time to at least see the otters (who are so cute)


----------



## seamour

mellers said:


> A couple of hours is a good amount of time to at least see the otters (who are so cute)


Thanks it's back on the menu then!


----------



## seamour

I am not finding much information on the waterpark, as it's free not expecting too much but wondering if I should throw DD's swimsuit in our day bag when we visit (she will be 13).

Also DH and I want to sample the beer here, but I was also considering the restaurant at the brewery.    Does anyone have any feedback if the food is good?     Or any favorites in that area we should try instead?


----------



## DisneyBasket

rosiep said:


> First I'd like to say Thank you to everyone contributing their knowledge to this thread...especially Lollipop's Mom for having started the whole thing!
> 
> Next, can someone please confirm or deny that the yellow taxis take credit cards?



All the cabs we used accepted credit cards. I believe they are required to as a condition of doing business.


----------



## seamour

mmmears said:


> Well, in traditional Disney fashion it looks like they are giving out conflicting information.  I have heard that CP is much nicer than Ballantyne... sure hope they are using CP.



isn't that the truth, LOL!   Yet we all still love Disney.


----------



## seamour

GrtWtNorth said:


> IMO, the best way to determine the quality of a Vancouver Chinese restaurant is to look at the clientèle.  Caucasians typically avoid places that are dirty and/or waiters don't speak English, Asians avoid places that lack authenticity and/or value.  If you see a good mix of Asian and Caucasian locals in the restaurant, it likely has good food, services and value.



I like this tip, thanks!


----------



## Perdita&Pongo

vatchr said:


> Thanks for all the info about Vancouver...we will be sailing in August and spending 3 nights precruise in Vancouver.  Can't wait!!  My question.....We will be arriving in Vancouver on Aug. 6 at 9 pm - right during the last night of Celebration of Light.  We will be staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim - how crazy will it be to get our rental car and drive to the Pacific Rim around 10 pm on Aug. 6?



Hi Laura!  

We will also be at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Aug 6-9 and cruising on the 9th!!!


----------



## disneymath

rav4lcrv said:


> Through ABD we received a free breakfast at the hotel in Barcelona. Is this also the case at the Waterfront hotel for the Alaska cruise?


 


Doingitagain said:


> Good question, we booked the Fairmont Pacific Rim through DCL for a prestay and were wondering if breakfast was included.


 


kgsmith said:


> Oooh, I hope so. I haven't heard anything about a free breakfast at the Fairmont Waterfront. In fact, I'm having a difficult time getting any information about the ABD from DCL.


 
Count me in as another who wishes we had a bit more detail about the precruise, embarkation and debarkation logistics of the Alaska ABD.  (For some reason though, I'm not concerned about the logistics while we are cruising and in port.)


----------



## jilljill

disneymath said:


> Count me in as another who wishes we had a bit more detail about the precruise, embarkation and debarkation logistics of the Alaska ABD.  (For some reason though, I'm not concerned about the logistics while we are cruising and in port.)



Did you only book the AK ABD add on or did you also book the Vancouver ABD add on?  I'm getting confused with the questions on here regarding ABD.


----------



## Christy May

DisneyBasket said:


> All the cabs we used accepted credit cards. I believe they are required to as a condition of doing business.




All cabs take credit cards. You need to tell them up front that you are
using a credit card. You will still be charged the difference between
US money and Canadian money and you might be charged a fee from your
bank since its coming from Canada. The whole deal with currency difference
was quite confusing. good luck


----------



## HiMagicFan

disneymath said:


> Count me in as another who wishes we had a bit more detail about the precruise, embarkation and debarkation logistics of the Alaska ABD.  (For some reason though, I'm not concerned about the logistics while we are cruising and in port.)



Wouldn't that information be on the ABD Website and not on DCL since it is their program?

I hadn't seen anything on the DCL pre hotel that mentions breakfast but on the  ABD website they have more information there.  Interesting question re ABD.


----------



## disneymath

jilljill said:


> Did you only book the AK ABD add on or did you also book the Vancouver ABD add on? I'm getting confused with the questions on here regarding ABD.


 
We have just booked the AK ABD add-on.  We will arrive in Vancouver a few days before our cruise but we are not staying at a Disney pre-cruise hotel.  Our plan was (still is?) to just do our own thing and make our way to the ship on embarkation morning.

The mention by a PP about ABD things before the cruise actually starts (e.g. the breakfast at the hotel, plus some additonal info provided on a thread on the ABD board) got me to wondering about the whole boarding and leaving the ship process for those of us participating in the ABD.

In other words, I'm confused too! 



HiMagicFan said:


> Wouldn't that information be on the ABD Website and not on DCL since it is their program?
> 
> I hadn't seen anything on the DCL pre hotel that mentions breakfast but on the ABD website they have more information there. Interesting question re ABD.


 
You're right, and I have checked the ABD website.  Part of the problem, for me anyway, is that the "general info" on the ABD website indicates that tranfers to/from the airport are included as part of every ABD package ... however, this is not mentioned in the DCL Alaska Add-On information, so it's a bit confusing.  Also, the number that is listed on the to call for the add-on is a DCL number.  So it's a bit of a case of hoping that the left hand knows what the right is doing.

The first ABD cruise to AK leaves this Tuesday ... hopefully people will report back about the process.  If not, or if I still have questions, then I will call DCL and/or ABD.


----------



## HiMagicFan

It seems like they are still working out kinks in all this. 

I am curious because when i called everyone in the cabin must do the ABD and my parents don't want to.  So, I am already thinking I will do Alaska in 2013 and may do the ABD then.

I hope you get your answers.

Have a wonderful time too!


----------



## jilljill

disneymath said:


> We have just booked the AK ABD add-on.  We will arrive in Vancouver a few days before our cruise but we are not staying at a Disney pre-cruise hotel.  Our plan was (still is?) to just do our own thing and make our way to the ship on embarkation morning.
> 
> The mention by a PP about ABD things before the cruise actually starts (e.g. the breakfast at the hotel, plus some additonal info provided on a thread on the ABD board) got me to wondering about the whole boarding and leaving the ship process for those of us participating in the ABD.
> 
> In other words, I'm confused too!
> 
> 
> 
> You're right, and I have checked the ABD website.  Part of the problem, for me anyway, is that the "general info" on the ABD website indicates that tranfers to/from the airport are included as part of every ABD package ... however, this is not mentioned in the DCL Alaska Add-On information, so it's a bit confusing.  Also, the number that is listed on the to call for the add-on is a DCL number.  So it's a bit of a case of hoping that the left hand knows what the right is doing.
> 
> The first ABD cruise to AK leaves this Tuesday ... hopefully people will report back about the process.  If not, or if I still have questions, then I will call DCL and/or ABD.


When you look at the included meals for the ABD AK add-on for Day 1 it only says Lunch and Dinner, b'fast is not mentioned anywhere for that day.  I also don't see transfers included either.  I'll go over to the ABD board to see what info has been posted there.  I just wish someone on the 6/7 sailing was posting on the DCL boards so we could know what they rec'd in their ABD packet.




HiMagicFan said:


> It seems like they are still working out kinks in all this.
> 
> I am curious because when i called everyone in the cabin must do the ABD and my parents don't want to.  So, I am already thinking I will do Alaska in 2013 and may do the ABD then.
> 
> I hope you get your answers.
> 
> Have a wonderful time too!


When my TA added the ABD add-on to our ressie when it first came out she was told not everyone in the cabin had to book it.  Did you call DCL or ABD?


----------



## disneymath

jilljill said:


> When you look at the included meals for the ABD AK add-on for Day 1 it only says Lunch and Dinner, b'fast is not mentioned anywhere for that day. I also don't see transfers included either. I'll go over to the ABD board to see what info has been posted there. I just wish someone on the 6/7 sailing was posting on the DCL boards so we could know what they rec'd in their ABD packet.
> 
> 
> 
> When my TA added the ABD add-on to our ressie when it first came out she was told not everyone in the cabin had to book it. Did you call DCL or ABD?


 

I'm with you on the wish for posts from June 7th ABDers .... hopefully they will post after their cruise.

I booked direct with DCL/ABD (the phone number on the printable itineray that is answered as a DCL line) and was asked how many in our cabin wanted the add-on.  I was surprised since I thought everyone had to add it, but the CM said that wasn't the case.


----------



## LAWalz23

Can someone please tell me the approximate distance between the Pan Pacific Hotel and Stanely Park and the easiest way to get there? Also Gas Town is a few blocks (6-10) from this hotel right?

Are there any grocery type stores within walking distance (about a mile) of the Pan Pacific where I could buy Hershey/Nestle type chocolates? I like to bring some to give to cast members but would rather not pack it from home because of the extra weight in the suitcase.

Finally what is ABD?

Thanks very much for ay info!


----------



## jilljill

LAWalz23 said:


> Can someone please tell me the approximate distance between the Pan Pacific Hotel and Stanely Park and the easiest way to get there? Also Gas Town is a few blocks (6-10) from this hotel right?
> 
> Are there any grocery type stores within walking distance (about a mile) of the Pan Pacific where I could buy Hershey/Nestle type chocolates? I like to bring some to give to cast members but would rather not pack it from home because of the extra weight in the suitcase.
> 
> Finally what is ABD?
> 
> Thanks very much for ay info!



ABD is Adventures By Disney.  There's an ABD add-on package for the AK cruise that covers all excursions in each port and several other activities onboard.


----------



## LAWalz23

jilljill said:


> ABD is Adventures By Disney.  There's an ABD add-on package for the AK cruise that covers all excursions in each port and several other activities onboard.



Thanks! I have heard about but didn't connect.


----------



## rav4lcrv

I believe that there are roughly 2000 guest on every cruise with about 30 being on the ABD program. With this ratio, the ABD group is in the minority so the information is not shared very well. You will be taken care of by the ABD cast members for a life long memory.


----------



## HiMagicFan

jilljill said:


> When my TA added the ABD add-on to our ressie when it first came out she was told not everyone in the cabin had to book it.  Did you call DCL or ABD?



I talked to DCL ~ maybe I should have called ABD, was told everyone in the cabin must have the ABD (you know just like the Dining Plan).

Oh well,   I have just resolved to myself that I am just gonna have to take another DCL Alaska cruise so that I can add the ABD.


----------



## HiMagicFan

disneymath said:


> I'm with you on the wish for posts from June 7th ABDers .... hopefully they will post after their cruise.
> 
> I booked direct with DCL/ABD (the phone number on the printable itineray that is answered as a DCL line) and was asked how many in our cabin wanted the add-on.  I was surprised since I thought everyone had to add it, but the CM said that wasn't the case.



Okay ~ that isn't fair.  I think I am gonna have to call again...because if that truly is the case then maybe I need to rethink all my plans  Oh My


----------



## disneymath

HiMagicFan said:


> Okay ~ that isn't fair. I think I am gonna have to call again...because if that truly is the case then maybe I need to rethink all my plans Oh My


 
Well, the downside is definitely the inconsistent info ... which you are right is not fair!  The upside is that if you choose to do so, you should be able to add the ABD for the people in your party who want it.  (Although I would imagine the whole reworking the plans things is a bit overwhelming ... even if you are a planner by nature!)

Good luck in whatever you decide to do!  I'm sure you will have an awesome cruise either way!  (Do post back what DCL/ABD tells you if you opt to call back.)


----------



## HiMagicFan

disneymath said:


> Well, the downside is definitely the inconsistent info ... which you are right is not fair!  The upside is that if you choose to do so, you should be able to add the ABD for the people in your party who want it.  (Although I would imagine the whole reworking the plans things is a bit overwhelming ... even if you are a planner by nature!)
> 
> Good luck in whatever you decide to do!  I'm sure you will have an awesome cruise either way!  (Do post back what DCL/ABD tells you if you opt to call back.)



Well, ended up talking it over with my parents and rechecking the activities on the ABD versus what we were gonna do, and for just me to do the ABD overlaps too much with the time we were gonna spend together. Soooo I guess I am just gonna have to rebook another DCL Alaska trip to add my ABD then.

Thanks the for information on this.


----------



## Billybob7

What time does the port open, and when do they start letting us on the ship?

Thanks!


----------



## Weedy

seamour said:


> I am not finding much information on the waterpark, as it's free not expecting too much but wondering if I should throw DD's swimsuit in our day bag when we visit (she will be 13).
> 
> Also DH and I want to sample the beer here, but I was also considering the restaurant at the brewery.    Does anyone have any feedback if the food is good?     Or any favorites in that area we should try instead?



I found this site. We plan on trying it out is the weather is nice. My kids are 13 and 15. Or we may just walk around the shops.

http://family.go.com/travel/things-...e-island-water-park-and-adventure-playground/


----------



## buddywesley

Weedy said:


> I found this site. We plan on trying it out is the weather is nice. My kids are 13 and 15. Or we may just walk around the shops.
> 
> http://family.go.com/travel/things-...e-island-water-park-and-adventure-playground/



Here's another site too. http://vancouver.ca/parks/cc/falsecreek/website/waterpark.cfm  gives you opening days/times and there is a picture so you can see it.


----------



## parrothead365

Ok Vancouver experts, what should I expect to pay for cab fair from the airport to the Pan Pacific Hotel???


----------



## joycsk

Someone was asking about arriving on the last night of Celebration of Light and getting to their hotel (Pacific Rim?).

I'm on the 8/2 sailing and eagerly looking to attend the first night of Celebration.  From what I can tell, I don't think people will have trouble getting from the airport to Canada Place.  The fireworks are on the OTHER side of Vancouver, kinda near Granville Island.  While I'm not a local and can't be certain, I assume that things like road closures wouldn't be anywhere near Canada Place.

Best of luck!


----------



## kris3kid

Billybob7 said:


> What time does the port open, and when do they start letting us on the ship?
> 
> Thanks!



I was on the May 17th cruise.  I stayed at the Pan Pacific and was able to watch the ship come in.  We walked around the area, had breakfast and about 9:45 headed down to the port, it was a bit cold outside.  We were the second in line.  They opened the reg. and customs about 11:15 and we boarded about noonish.  The peson who was running the boarding (just happen to talk with him) said that the people were getting off real slow so we were later than the other groups getting on.  I told him that we were excited and were one of the first in line that day.  He offered us the family of the day but we gave it to our new found friend who was in line first.  He did let us go on after them.  It was strange going on an empty ship, but lots of fun. Depending on how long you mind waiting the lines are open. They do not look at your boarding time in your paperwork.  Have a great time.


----------



## seamour

buddywesley said:


> Here's another site too. http://vancouver.ca/parks/cc/falsecreek/website/waterpark.cfm  gives you opening days/times and there is a picture so you can see it.



and 

I found this site. We plan on trying it out is the weather is nice. My kids are 13 and 15. Or we may just walk around the shops.

http://family.go.com/travel/things-t...re-playground/

Thank you both!


----------



## n8tivecaligirl

HiMagicFan said:


> I talked to DCL ~ maybe I should have called ABD, was told everyone in the cabin must have the ABD (you know just like the Dining Plan).
> 
> Oh well,   I have just resolved to myself that I am just gonna have to take another DCL Alaska cruise so that I can add the ABD.



I know when I looked at booking the ABD I had originally called ABD but was told all ABD add ons are booked and run through DCL so you need to talk to DCL about any ABD add on.


----------



## Doingitagain

I emailed shoreside concierge and found out that our prestay at the Fairmont Pacific Rim does include breakfast.  Please note that this is a DCL prestay, not ABD.


----------



## ibouncetoo

parrothead365 said:


> Ok Vancouver experts, what should I expect to pay for cab fair from the airport to the Pan Pacific Hotel???


 

I think we paid between $35-40, but you'd better wait for somebody to confirm that range, as I wasn't the person in charge that day! 

.


----------



## DisneyBasket

ibouncetoo said:


> I think we paid between $35-40, but you'd better wait for somebody to confirm that range, as I wasn't the person in charge that day!
> 
> .



That sounds right, with tip.  The posted rate is $34, I believe.  It is posted at the airport.


----------



## mom_rules

joycsk said:


> Someone was asking about arriving on the last night of Celebration of Light and getting to their hotel (Pacific Rim?).
> 
> I'm on the 8/2 sailing and eagerly looking to attend the first night of Celebration.  From what I can tell, I don't think people will have trouble getting from the airport to Canada Place.  The fireworks are on the OTHER side of Vancouver, kinda near Granville Island.  While I'm not a local and can't be certain, I assume that things like road closures wouldn't be anywhere near Canada Place.
> 
> Best of luck!



I believe the fireworks are on the west side of town (English Bay Beach area)  starting around 10pm-There will be road closures but not the main streets in downtown. From their site-
"Public Transit, cycling or walking are the best ways to enjoy the Celebration of Light from the prime viewing areas! Prime viewing areas include English Bay, Kits Point, Vanier Park, and various locations around the West End, Sunset Beach and Stanley Park. Additional transit services will be put into place to help with the large volume of transit users on event nights. Please visit Translink to learn more about routes and schedules 
Help keep the Fireworks Green by bringing your bike and beating the crowds! We will be expanding the popular Bike Valet program this year and adding more convenient locations -- check back for updates!
"Vehicle access into the West End will be limited to residents who can prove residency through car registration or a resident permit parking decal from 7:30PM on event nights. Vehicle access into Kits point will be limited to residents who can prove residency through car registration or a resident permit parking decal, from 6:00PM on event nights.
All other vehicles will not be allowed vehicle access into these two areas on event nights after closures.  There will be strict enforcement of parking regulations in Resident Permit areas.  Please pay close attention to all parking restrictions or your vehicle will be towed and thats never a nice way to end your night. Please refer to the Road Closures map for resident access points into the restricted areas.  All Traffic Barricades will be controlled by volunteers  please be nice and remember theyre doing their best to make this a safe experience for everyone!"


----------



## smeecanada

seamour said:


> I am not finding much information on the waterpark, as it's free not expecting too much but wondering if I should throw DD's swimsuit in our day bag when we visit (she will be 13).
> 
> Also DH and I want to sample the beer here, but I was also considering the restaurant at the brewery.    Does anyone have any feedback if the food is good?     Or any favorites in that area we should try instead?



It's more geared to the under 6 crowd.  There is also one near the Aquarium in Stanley Park.  Exit the Aquarium and turn right and head towards the water.  It's right there - about a 5-10 minute walk.  Both are free.


----------



## seamour

that have a place in the airport and then near Canada Place?  Any recomondations?

okay have found Budget has a station near Canada Place, and Alamo/National should have one right at Canada Place.    Back to searching


----------



## Doingitagain

I keep reading great things about Butchart Gardens in Victoria.  We are staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim for four nights before the cruise.  Would it be worth the long day trip to Victoria?  

Has anyone done it?

Any recommendations on the best way?

Thanks!


----------



## MrsG

Doingitagain said:


> I keep reading great things about Butchart Gardens in Victoria.  We are staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim for four nights before the cruise.  Would it be worth the long day trip to Victoria?
> 
> Has anyone done it?
> 
> Any recommendations on the best way?
> 
> Thanks!



We are staying in Victoria for a few days after the cruise.  Any idea how to get to Buchart Gardens from downtown Vctoria?  I know there are bus trips, but not sure who to contact.


----------



## TravelinCyn

As an fyi, if you are staying in Vancouver for a bit and are planning on hitting the aquarium, they have additional 'behind the scenes' experiences, which are an additional charge.  We did the sea otter encounter.  Short presentation in a hilariously cramped little education room, a tour through back of house (including food prep and all the toys), and then we got to go into the otter enclosure and feed the otters (aaaand then we got to experience their slop sinks, washing raw fish off).  It certainly was in line, price wise, with some of the 1.5-2 hour port adventure tour type experiences, but was totally fun and completely worth it. They have animal encounters with other species as well- some do get pricey (dolphin encounter!), and they do sell out fast in summer season.  Call asap if you are interested.


----------



## smeecanada

MrsG said:


> We are staying in Victoria for a few days after the cruise.  Any idea how to get to Buchart Gardens from downtown Vctoria?  I know there are bus trips, but not sure who to contact.



You could take a taxi.  Would probably cost about $30 each way.  There are bus tours that go out there from in front of the Empress.  You could take a public bus or rent a car.  There is a hop on/hop off bus that is operating around town now, but I'm not sure if it goes all the way out to Butchart's.

It's about a 30 minute drive from town.  Make sure you see it both during the day and in the early evening when they turn the lights on.  It's beautiful.  There is also nightly entertainment - if you go on a Saturday there is a fireworks show set to music.  Go to the Butchart Gardens website - the summer entertainment schedule will be listed there.


----------



## mellers

Doingitagain said:


> I keep reading great things about Butchart Gardens in Victoria.  We are staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim for four nights before the cruise.  Would it be worth the long day trip to Victoria?
> 
> Has anyone done it?
> 
> Any recommendations on the best way?
> 
> Thanks!



Butchart Gardens is really incredible, and you won't be sorry if you take the long day trip; however, there are some lovely gardens in the Vancouver area, too, and if you feel pressed for time, you might take them in instead.

My favorite is the International Buddhist Temple Gardens, but I also like the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, and the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden

As to the best way to do it, I suppose it would depend upon which airport you fly into.  If you fly into Seattle, my suggestion would be to take a taxi from the airport to the Victoria Clipper (making sure you arrive in time to catch the boat, of course), go to Victoria, spend the night (if you have time, catch the nighttime fireworks at Butchart Gardens), and then try this  tour, and cut one night off your Vancouver stay.

You could also rent a car in Victoria, go see the gardens yourself, then drive out to Swartz Bay and take the ferry to Tsawassen, then drive over to Vancouver, but you'd want to check out rental prices.  I know Enterprise will pick you up at the Victoria Clipper ferry terminal.

If you're flying into Vancouver, you'd probably want to try something like the Royal Victoria Excursion and leave out the overnight--however, this makes for a LOONG day--I wouldn't make any big plans for the evening before or the morning after.  You can also make the trip to Tsawassen and drive it yourself in a rental, but again, it's a long day and would make for a tired driver.

For a decent sized group, in terms of comfort, it's better to take the clipper and/or tour, but for cheapness, probably better to cross into Canada then rent a car.  It depends upon what you want.


----------



## mellers

MrsG said:


> We are staying in Victoria for a few days after the cruise.  Any idea how to get to Buchart Gardens from downtown Vctoria?  I know there are bus trips, but not sure who to contact.



If you're actually staying in Victoria and have three-four people (or more) in your group, you'd probably be better off calling a taxi and taking the taxi out to Butchart--depending upon the time of day, the cost is about $35-$45 each way (at least it was the last time I went).  If you want to do a fancy tea in Victoria, Butchart is the place to do it (although the Empress Hotel is better known), however we prefer to eat in the Blue Poppy Restaurant (a quick service place).   The food is very good, and it often has a view of the indoor garden.


----------



## bigAWL

Is there an address which we can use to send a box ahead to our stateroom?


----------



## poohj80

We're taking Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver the day before the cruise and staying at Pan Pacific so will really only have one afternoon/evening in Vancouver.  Can anyone recommend where we might want to go to get a taste from Vancouver?  DM will be with us and she doesn't like to walk too far so cab or bus may need to be involved.

Thanks for any suggestions!


----------



## G'sMaman

MrsG said:


> We are staying in Victoria for a few days after the cruise.  Any idea how to get to Buchart Gardens from downtown Vctoria?  I know there are bus trips, but not sure who to contact.



We are staying in Victoria before the cruise and here are a couple of options we found:

http://bigbusvictoria.ca/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 (Buchart is an add on option)

http://www.pacificcoach.com/Sightseeing-Tours/Victoria

The third option was Greyline, but they went out of business in Victoria last month.

We ultimately decided to rent a car.  We're staying at the Empress Hotel downtown and there's a Budget rental office next door.  The rate we got was $75 CAD including tax.  The office closes around 7pm so you'll need to include overnight parking fees if you plan to keep the car later, which you might want to do since the Gardens are open until 10 pm in the summer.  Here's a link to various driving itineraries from the Buchart site:

http://www.butchartgardens.com/planning-your-visit/suggested-itineraries/suggested-itineraries.html

Hope that helps!


----------



## G'sMaman

Doingitagain said:


> I keep reading great things about Butchart Gardens in Victoria.  We are staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim for four nights before the cruise.  Would it be worth the long day trip to Victoria?
> 
> Has anyone done it?
> 
> Any recommendations on the best way?
> 
> Thanks!



Pacific Coach has a day tour from downtown Vancouver to Victoria that includes a visit to Buchart Gardens:

http://www.pacificcoach.com/Sightseeing-Tours/Vancouver/Royal-Victoria-Excursion

But you should know that it will take you about 4 hours to get from Vancouver to Victoria, so it's 8 hours of total travel time.   You have to include getting from the city centers to the ferry terminal and the ferry ride itself (which is 95 minutes) so that's a lot of traveling time.  Another option is a tour via floatplane or helicopter (only 35 minutes travel time each way), but I'm not sure what your budget is as they can be a bit pricey.  But if you're intersted, I have some info on that and the pro's and con's of floatplane vs. helicopter rides.

Good luck!


----------



## 890537

MrsG said:


> We are staying in Victoria for a few days after the cruise.  Any idea how to get to Buchart Gardens from downtown Vctoria?  I know there are bus trips, but not sure who to contact.



There is public transport, taxi and CruiseVictoria has tours as well as transport only. We went to Buchart from Victoria in early May and didn't realize that there were a variety of options with Cruise Victoria. We ended up a little behind for our other plans and took a taxi ($45) instead of planned public transport.  Turns out that Cruise Victoria has tours departing near the Empress as well as one way only transportation to Buchart.  We found out about the one way transportation when we got to Buchart and it would have been a much better deal than the taxi (I think it was under $15 a person). Enjoy your time at Buchart - it was a nice way to spend part of the day. 

Pam


----------



## scoutsmom99

Doingitagain said:


> I emailed shoreside concierge and found out that our prestay at the Fairmont Pacific Rim does include breakfast.  Please note that this is a DCL prestay, not ABD.


Oh that is good to know, we have the Pacific Rim booked before our July 19th cruise.



Doingitagain said:


> I keep reading great things about Butchart Gardens in Victoria.  We are staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim for four nights before the cruise.  Would it be worth the long day trip to Victoria?
> 
> Has anyone done it?
> 
> Any recommendations on the best way?
> 
> Thanks!


We are doing this tour to Victoria and Butchart Gardens:

http://www.vancouvertours.com/victoria-tour-details


----------



## jilljill

bigAWL said:


> Is there an address which we can use to send a box ahead to our stateroom?



I suggest emailing DCL to ask this question since you are dealing with an international package delivery.  Haven't seen anyone mention mailing a box ahead of sailing.


----------



## vatchr

Perdita&Pongo said:


> Hi Laura!
> 
> We will also be at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Aug 6-9 and cruising on the 9th!!!



Can't wait - it is going to be a great vacation!


----------



## PE_TCR

We are taking the Amtrack the day before too.  We get in about 11.  Look up Vancouver Trolley.  If you buy tickets online you get 2 days of tickets for the price of one.  We are touring the afternoon and evenign the day before we leave for the cruise and then we have the day after we get back because we are taking the evening train.  It is a narrated trolly ride where you get on and off at any stop you want.  They have trolleys running until aout 6 and they are each stp about every 15-20 minutes.


----------



## Doingitagain

G'sMaman said:


> Pacific Coach has a day tour from downtown Vancouver to Victoria that includes a visit to Buchart Gardens:
> 
> http://www.pacificcoach.com/Sightseeing-Tours/Vancouver/Royal-Victoria-Excursion
> 
> But you should know that it will take you about 4 hours to get from Vancouver to Victoria, so it's 8 hours of total travel time.   You have to include getting from the city centers to the ferry terminal and the ferry ride itself (which is 95 minutes) so that's a lot of traveling time.  Another option is a tour via floatplane or helicopter (only 35 minutes travel time each way), but I'm not sure what your budget is as they can be a bit pricey.  But if you're intersted, I have some info on that and the pro's and con's of floatplane vs. helicopter rides.
> 
> Good luck!



Thanks for the help, let me check with DH!  Just wondering if Butchart Gardens is worth that travel time.


----------



## DisneyBasket

PE_TCR said:


> We are taking the Amtrack the day before too.  We get in about 11.  Look up Vancouver Trolley.  If you buy tickets online you get 2 days of tickets for the price of one.  We are touring the afternoon and evenign the day before we leave for the cruise and then we have the day after we get back because we are taking the evening train.  It is a narrated trolly ride where you get on and off at any stop you want.  They have trolleys running until aout 6 and they are each stp about every 15-20 minutes.



We purchased our trolley tickets at our hotel.  I believe the two days for the price of one is their standard rate, as we received that the day we bought our tickets at our hotel.  They were well worth it, though!!


----------



## G'sMaman

Doingitagain said:


> Thanks for the help, let me check with DH!  Just wondering if Butchart Gardens is worth that travel time.



It is a lot of traveling time, and with this particular tour package you will only get 2 hours at the garden (but that actually seems to be the standard amount of time with many of the various tour operators).  The tour then drops you off at Victoria harbour downtown for some sightseeing there.  I think the gardens and the harbour are both utterly charming.  Downtown Victoria is more European in flavor than a lot of cities in Europe!  The first time I visited Victoria, it was a very rushed visit - mostly because I didn't know very much about it and didn't allot enough time.  I felt like I only brushed the surface, but it was enough for me to know that I definitely wanted to return and spend some quality time there.   Having said all that,  Vancouver is a wonderful city as well with a different feel so you can't go wrong spending time in either city.


----------



## teriyaki

Perdita&Pongo said:


> Hi Laura!
> 
> We will also be at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Aug 6-9 and cruising on the 9th!!!



Not that anyone asked, but DH and I, along with twin DDs will also be there, too!


----------



## vatchr

teriyaki said:


> Not that anyone asked, but DH and I, along with twin DDs will also be there, too!



How old are your daughters?  Mine are 9 and 11....


----------



## disdel

bigAWL said:


> Is there an address which we can use to send a box ahead to our stateroom?





jilljill said:


> I suggest emailing DCL to ask this question since you are dealing with an international package delivery.  Haven't seen anyone mention mailing a box ahead of sailing.



We looked into this ourselves, bigAWL. Our pre-cruise hotel was willing to accept and hold it pending our arrival. I don't know if DCL has a receiving agent like they do in Port Canaveral.
But, when we contacted the major consumer shippers (FedEx, UPS), we were cautioned about the possibility of packages being held up in the Canadian Customs process. We originally thought sending items two weeks early would be sufficient, but they felt otherwise. The hotel (Coast Coal Harbour)said they would accept it "a few days" before our arrival, so we didn't want to cause a problem there. And international pricing was more expensive than we planned, so we will be checking bags on our flights.  Hope that helps.


----------



## dkmjgal

Also I think I read on another thread here that the Canadian Postal service is on strike...so that could cause even more problems.


----------



## bigAWL

disdel said:


> We looked into this ourselves, bigAWL. Our pre-cruise hotel was willing to accept and hold it pending our arrival. I don't know if DCL has a receiving agent like they do in Port Canaveral.
> But, when we contacted the major consumer shippers (FedEx, UPS), we were cautioned about the possibility of packages being held up in the Canadian Customs process. We originally thought sending items two weeks early would be sufficient, but they felt otherwise. The hotel (Coast Coal Harbour)said they would accept it "a few days" before our arrival, so we didn't want to cause a problem there. And international pricing was more expensive than we planned, so we will be checking bags on our flights. Hope that helps.


 
Thanks for the info. I actually did end up contacting DCL directly and this is the reply I got:



> I would be happy to assist with package delivery to the Disney Wonder in
> Vancouver.
> 
> Packages and boxed gifts with a value of under $250.00 USD and less than
> 50 pounds can be delivered to the ship via TMS Anchor.
> 
> Items that cannot be shipped to TMS Anchor and delivered to the ship
> include: food products (all and any food products including baby
> food/formula), beverages (liquor, water, etc.), chemicals and luggage.
> These items will not be accepted and will be returned.
> 
> For cruises leaving on Tuesday, packages must be received by Monday at
> 3:00pm.
> 
> The following information needs to be listed on the package being
> delivered:
> -Name
> -Sail Date
> -Ship
> -Stateroom Number
> -Packing slip that details contents of the package (for prescriptions, a
> copy of the prescription is sufficient)
> 
> Here is the address:
> Disney Wonder/Guest Name, Stateroom Number, Departure Date
> C/O TSM Anchor
> CS Level, 999 Canada Place
> Vancouver, BC, Canada V6C 3E1
> 
> I hope this information has been helpful. If you require further
> assistance in planning your visit, please feel free to contact us.
> 
> We look forward to sailing with you!
> 
> Have a Magical Day!
> 
> Stephanie
> Reservations Department
> Disney Cruise Line
> 
> *If applicable, please include your full name, reservation number, and
> phone number on all correspondence.


 
As far as cost and customs delays goes, I haven't figured that out yet. I supposed from what is quoted above that they will hold things if they arrive early (if customs doesn't take such a long time). My problem is that I'm spending a few days with friends in Seattle before the cruise and then driving a rental car to Vancouver. Truck space will be very limited.


----------



## Perdita&Pongo

vatchr said:


> How old are your daughters?  Mine are 9 and 11....



Who'd a thunk it?  Teriyaki, Vatchr and Perdita&Pongo all staying at Fairmont Pacific Rim pre-8/9 cruise and each has 2 DDs!!  Mine are 8 and 14.


----------



## rosiep

Just got this email and thought I'd post it for others:

 At Air Canada, in the event of a strike, we are fully committed to taking care of our customers. 

Dear customer,

We are committed to averting a strike and are hard at work to reach a settlement with the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), the union representing Air Canada's call centre and airport customer service agents in Canada.

What will happen if a strike occurs?

Rest assured that we will continue to operate our regular schedule. Existing bookings will be honoured and future bookings welcomed. We are also implementing a contingency service plan to minimize impact to our customers in the event of a strike.

Use our self-service tools

Our call centres are currently experiencing call volumes that are higher than normal. To avoid unnecessary wait time, please visit aircanada.com or contact your travel agent, to manage or book your flights. 
We strongly encourage you to check-in within 24 hours of flight departure, online at aircanada.com or on a mobile device at mobile.aircanada.com 
Flight updates are also available at aircanada.com 
We look forward to welcoming you on board. It's business as usual, while we work things out on the ground. 

For up-to-date information visit aircanada.com. 


Sincerely,

Air Canada


----------



## mom_rules

Will let you know - we fly Air Canada tomorrow.


----------



## rosiep

mom_rules said:


> Will let you know - we fly Air Canada tomorrow.



Email today said negotiations failed and the Canadian workers are striking. They strongly suggest you check in online and print your boarding passes at home.

Good luck!


----------



## disneymath

rosiep said:


> Email today said negotiations failed and the Canadian workers are striking. They strongly suggest you check in online and print your boarding passes at home.
> 
> Good luck!


 
They are also suggesting that, if possible, do not check bags.  And, expect longer than usual lines at self-check-in kiosks.  That said, a co-worker's husband flew home from Toronto-Pearson today (carryon only) and experienced no delays.


The following is from the Air Canada website: http://www.aircanada.com/en/news/trav_adv/labour_updates.html

*Important information for all Air Canada customers*

We are very disappointed that an agreement with the CAW leadership has not been reached, leading call centre and airport customer service agents in Canada to take strike action.
Please take note, however, that our full flight schedule will remain in operation during the strike.
To avoid longer queues at airport check-in kiosks, and to expedite airport processes, we urge you to do the following: 

Check in online or on your mobile device at any time *within 24 hours* of your flight's departure.
If at all possible, avoid travelling with checked baggage.
*A message to our customers*

Our first priority is to take care of our customers and to ensure that everyone gets to their destination safely, with particular attention given to customers with special requirements.
*A message to our customers* 
*Frequently asked questions*

Find out more about the strike and what we're doing to minimize disruptions to our customers.
*Frequently asked questions* 
*Be prepared*

*Check-in*

Check in online or on your mobile device at any time within 24 hours of your flight's departure.
Although more than 500 self service kiosks for check-in and baggage tagging are available at the nine Canadian airports that will be affected by the strike (Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto Pearson, Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax and St. John's NL), *lines will be longer than usual with limited available personnel*.
Take a few minutes to view our *tutorial* on self-service check-in tools. You'll learn everything you need to know about online, mobile and kiosk check-in.
Make sure you arrive at the airport in advance of recommended check-in and boarding gate deadlines to avoid problems associated with summer travel congestion.
*Flight status*

You can check your flight's status up to three days before departure. The easiest way to do this is to: Check your flight status online In the event that your flight is delayed or cancelled, you may be eligible to rebook your flight using our self-serve delayed and cancelled flight service.
*Baggage and travel documents*

If at all possible, avoid travelling with checked baggage.
Take the time to familiarize yourself with carry-on baggage rules and travel requirements and regulations for international flights.

Over 22,000 Air Canada employees remain on duty, including over 1,700 available at the nine airports to help our customers. We are all focused on mitigating inconvenience to the best of our ability and, more importantly, getting everyone to their destination safely.


----------



## mom_rules

Waiting on the phone for 2 hours because online would not allow me to check in.


----------



## DenverVal

I hope you get through soon. That really sucks.


----------



## mom_rules

DenverVal said:


> I hope you get through soon. That really sucks.



Thanks


----------



## MrsMork

VINCI parking is much more expensive than Cruise Park was.  I had made reservations with Cruise Park for our vehicle ($120), but not for the second vehicle arriving with our group of 7.  VINCI is honoring my rate for our vehicle, but the cost of our friend's vehicle is $184.  This may have already been covered in this thread as I have not read all the posts.


----------



## rosiep

mom_rules said:


> Waiting on the phone for 2 hours because online would not allow me to check in.



 Sending you good vibes.

2 weeks ago, when I booked my ticket I tried phoning the call center with a question and I was told the wait was 60 minutes!  That was before they were striking!

The website is awful too, I tried setting up a frequent flyer # and after several failed attempts gave up.


----------



## seamour

rosiep said:


> Sending you good vibes.
> 
> 2 weeks ago, when I booked my ticket I tried phoning the call center with a question and I was told the wait was 60 minutes!  That was before they were striking!
> 
> The website is awful too, I tried setting up a frequent flyer # and after several failed attempts gave up.



that's too bad, and too bad that Canadian Airlines had to crumble to AC.   hope you are all able to get where you are going safely and on time.


----------



## teriyaki

Long wait times at self serve kiosks?  Possible cancelled flights? Try to avoid checked luggage? 

Pixie dust to everyone traveling now. Hope all goes well. I'll be watching to see how it goes before our August 9 cruise.


----------



## teriyaki

vatchr said:


> How old are your daughters?  Mine are 9 and 11....



I have twins who just turned 16. However, in keeping with the (im)maturity of their mother, they are still kids at heart and haven't turned snarky yet (much).
If you see 2 girls taking pictures with and of Perry the Platypus all over the ship, you'll know it's us.


----------



## richmo

Glad I'm not in Vancouver today.  I thought they were more civilized than that.


----------



## rsjj

Should I b concerned w/this air Canada strike thing?!!?


----------



## lbgraves

richmo said:


> Glad I'm not in Vancouver today.  I thought they were more civilized than that.



What happened in Vancouver is something that could happen anywhere in the world with a few bad apples in the group to instigate, even in the U.S.  I am not concerned with our trip next month and will not be judging Vancouver based on this incident.


----------



## seamour

richmo said:


> Glad I'm not in Vancouver today.  I thought they were more civilized than that.



happens everywhere when there are big sporting events.    Compared to many Europeon cities this was pretty tame!


----------



## dkmjgal

richmo said:


> Glad I'm not in Vancouver today.  I thought they were more civilized than that.



It was very unfortunate what happened but I can't wait to visit Vancouver this summer!


----------



## richmo

lbgraves said:


> What happened in Vancouver is something that could happen anywhere in the world with a few bad apples in the group to instigate, even in the U.S.  I am not concerned with our trip next month and will not be judging Vancouver based on this incident.





seamour said:


> happens everywhere when there are big sporting events.    Compared to many Europeon cities this was pretty tame!





dkmjgal said:


> It was very unfortunate what happened but I can't wait to visit the Vancouver this summer!



I'm not concerned either, but this is a huge blemish on a city with such a good reputation, especially after such a successful winter Olympics last year.  I wouldn't say this happens everywhere after a big sporting event, although it does happen...Detroit after the Pistons won years ago being a prime example.  It was just surprising and the Vancouver police just seemed so unprepared.

I'm still looking forward to visiting Vancouver next month, but I'd agree with the advice I saw on another thread: leave your Bruins gear at home.  (For that matter, I'd leave anything Boston/New England at home...)


----------



## Caropooh

lbgraves said:


> What happened in Vancouver is something that could happen anywhere in the world with a few bad apples in the group to instigate, even in the U.S.  I am not concerned with our trip next month and will not be judging Vancouver based on this incident.


Very true. It's unfortunate that it happens, but it does all over the world after major sporting events.


----------



## rosiep

Any updates or experiences with Air Canada?


----------



## angelkk

The CAW Reaches Tentative Agreement with Air Canada 

http://www.caw.ca/en/10397.htm


----------



## bbangel

richmo said:


> I'm still looking forward to visiting Vancouver next month, but I'd agree with the advice I saw on another thread: leave your Bruins gear at home.  (For that matter, I'd leave anything Boston/New England at home...)



The idiots who were most involved in the disgraceful actions last night were not hockey fans. Most of the incidents were begun by a small group of angry young men who used the large crowd to their advantage. Please do not think you will be hassled for wearing your team colours proudly! (Some of my closest friends are Red Sox fans)

While last night was awful, I am proud of my fellow Vancouverites for the great response in volunteering to help with the clean up this morning.


----------



## disdel

angelkk said:


> The CAW Reaches Tentative Agreement with Air Canada
> 
> http://www.caw.ca/en/10397.htm



Thanks for the update, that's great news
We're flying our homeward flights with them on July 5, and I was quite anxious - other carriers YVR-NYC were booked pretty solid, and even creative routing wasn't helping.

Let's hope the "tentative" holds up.


----------



## rosiep

disdel said:


> Thanks for the update, that's great news
> We're flying our homeward flights with them on July 5, and I was quite anxious - other carriers YVR-NYC were booked pretty solid, and even creative routing wasn't helping.
> 
> Let's hope the "tentative" holds up.



 Please keep us posted!


----------



## dkmjgal

bbangel said:


> The idiots who were most involved in the disgraceful actions last night were not hockey fans. Most of the incidents were begun by a small group of angry young men who used the large crowd to their advantage. Please do not think you will be hassled for wearing your team colours proudly! (Some of my closest friends are Red Sox fans)
> 
> While last night was awful, I am proud of my fellow Vancouverites for the great response in volunteering to help with the clean up this morning.



Well said.  I had heard that many people had already stepped up to get things cleaned up.  That's great.


----------



## MrsMork

bbangel said:


> The idiots who were most involved in the disgraceful actions last night were not hockey fans. Most of the incidents were begun by a small group of angry young men who used the large crowd to their advantage. Please do not think you will be hassled for wearing your team colours proudly! (Some of my closest friends are Red Sox fans)
> 
> While last night was awful, I am proud of my fellow Vancouverites for the great response in volunteering to help with the clean up this morning.



  Thanks to those helping with the cleanup.  Thanks for posting this.


----------



## Bookworm Belle

I just found a really good Hotwire rate for a 5 star in Vancouver...booked it and it turned out to be the Sutton Place.  Any reviews?  I was hoping for the Pan Pacific, but alas, it was not to be.
Meg


----------



## BLTOH

Does anyone know how the status of the Air Canada info is affecting the flights? Are they still running on time? Check-ins still stable or should we plan on going even earlier for our flight? 

Last I heard was they had a tempory agreement and will be voting and such in the next couple of weeks but thats about the time frame we leave to fly out to Vancouver.


----------



## angelkk

BLTOH said:


> Does anyone know how the status of the Air Canada info is affecting the flights? Are they still running on time? Check-ins still stable or should we plan on going even earlier for our flight?
> 
> Last I heard was they had a tempory agreement and will be voting and such in the next couple of weeks but thats about the time frame we leave to fly out to Vancouver.


The workers went back to work on Friday. 
http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/loc...a-strike-ends-110617/20110617/?hub=OttawaHome


----------



## DisneyBasket

Bookworm Belle said:


> I just found a really good Hotwire rate for a 5 star in Vancouver...booked it and it turned out to be the Sutton Place.  Any reviews?  I was hoping for the Pan Pacific, but alas, it was not to be.
> Meg



We did the same thing - I was hoping for the Pan Pacific, but ended up with Sutton Place.  Compounding that was not such great reviews from those who booked through Hotwire.  We checked in with trepidation!  And were very pleased!  Our room was lovely, we were very comfortable, and were situated right in the middle of downtown.  You will enjoy this hotel!  We were there May 15-17, right before our cruise.


----------



## Bookworm Belle

DisneyBasket said:


> We did the same thing - I was hoping for the Pan Pacific, but ended up with Sutton Place.  Compounding that was not such great reviews from those who booked through Hotwire.  We checked in with trepidation!  And were very pleased!  Our room was lovely, we were very comfortable, and were situated right in the middle of downtown.  You will enjoy this hotel!  We were there May 15-17, right before our cruise.



Thanks, DisneyBasket, I was having the same fears!  Glad to know that it was a good choice.


----------



## ariel39

Any reviews on the Pan Pacific?


----------



## mousemom11

Tip for visiting the Aquarium. Buy your tickets ahead of time online to avoid the line. We waited about 20 minutes yesterday (Saturday) in line to buy entrance tickets. The prepaids just walked right up. The line was just as long when we came out. The aquarium is fantastic!


----------



## Fivepin

Hi-

We will be staying at the Marriott Pinnacle pre cruise.  I was wondering if anyone knows if that was walkable to the port?  There are 6 of us and didn't know what would be our best option to get to the port.

Thanks.


----------



## tanyaewa

fivepin.  Try google maps.
I think it is walking distance  - but depends on how much luggage.  I would have the belldask call you a minivan cab.  Easy-peasy


----------



## booger73

It's very close
I've linked it for you here

http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=1...IdQm-p-CGexbvBydAbUQ&mra=pd&dirflg=w&t=h&z=17

We're actually staying there also and probably walking


----------



## cruisenow01

mousemom11 said:


> Tip for visiting the Aquarium. Buy your tickets ahead of time online to avoid the line. We waited about 20 minutes yesterday (Saturday) in line to buy entrance tickets. The prepaids just walked right up. The line was just as long when we came out. The aquarium is fantastic!



It is the same way at the New Orleans Aquarium, so when we decided to visit the Vancouver Aquarium after seeing your post, I bought tickets online!  Thanks for the tip.  We are so excited that we only have 14 more days until we are in Vancouver.


----------



## denise

Fivepin said:


> Hi-
> 
> We will be staying at the Marriott Pinnacle pre cruise.  I was wondering if anyone knows if that was walkable to the port?  There are 6 of us and didn't know what would be our best option to get to the port.
> 
> Thanks.



Hey Judy!!!
.....it's a couple of blocks. That is where we are staying but we are the week before you...  :-(
We are just going to take a taxi...easier then dragging it all! But with 6 of you that would be hard.
Call the hotel and ask.
Hope you are all doing well...
Maybe we will see you when we get off the ship and you are getting on!!!
denise


----------



## UK-Simon

Bookworm Belle said:


> I just found a really good Hotwire rate for a 5 star in Vancouver...booked it and it turned out to be the Sutton Place.  Any reviews?  I was hoping for the Pan Pacific, but alas, it was not to be.
> Meg



While the Pan is obviously closer to the port, the Sutton Place is a beautiful hotel.  I spent my wedding night there in 2008 and they were wonderful to us.

Enjoy!


----------



## Fivepin

denise said:


> Hey Judy!!!
> .....it's a couple of blocks. That is where we are staying but we are the week before you...  :-(
> We are just going to take a taxi...easier then dragging it all! But with 6 of you that would be hard.
> Call the hotel and ask.
> Hope you are all doing well...
> Maybe we will see you when we get off the ship and you are getting on!!!
> denise



Hi Denise-

I would love any tips you may have.  I still trying to figure out what all to pack since we get cold so easily being from Florida.
If there weren't so many of us we would do the taxi. It's hard to determine how big those blocks are. Thought Ray and I would go with one child the first leg with some luggage and my mom could stay with the other 2.  I would stay at the port to start the check in process.  We're renting a van for 2 night post stay.  Gotta love those Mariott points, but Ray loses his Gold status June 30th.  He is going to be short by 7 nights!!
Tell the family hi.


----------



## Fivepin

tanyaewa said:


> fivepin.  Try google maps.
> I think it is walking distance  - but depends on how much luggage.  I would have the belldask call you a minivan cab.  Easy-peasy





booger73 said:


> It's very close
> I've linked it for you here
> 
> http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=1...IdQm-p-CGexbvBydAbUQ&mra=pd&dirflg=w&t=h&z=17
> 
> We're actually staying there also and probably walking



Thanks-sometimes it's just so deceiving looking at those maps.  I remembering on the Baltic trip last year, I thought something was within walking distance and it was quite a hike.   I think we're going to try the walk.  We are planning on taking 2 large wheeled suitcases and 3 carryons with wheels and our 3 boys will just have their backpacks.  Thinking the older 2 could pull the carryons.


----------



## discruiser

Fivepin said:


> Hi-
> 
> We will be staying at the Marriott Pinnacle pre cruise.  I was wondering if anyone knows if that was walkable to the port?  There are 6 of us and didn't know what would be our best option to get to the port.
> 
> Thanks.



We are in Vancouver right now, boarding the Wonder this morning.  I think my sister is at the Marriott Pinnacle.  The hotel is definitely within walking distance of the port, but it might be difficult with luggage.  I do know that the cabs here will only allow a maximum of 4 people in a cab.  You could always send your luggage and a few people over in a cab, while the rest of your party walks.  We arrived on the Amtrak yesterday, and rather than getting 2 cabs for our party of 6, my husband took 3 kids and all the luggage in a cab while my daughter and I took the Skytrain to our hotel.


----------



## poohj80

discruiser said:


> We are in Vancouver right now, boarding the Wonder this morning.  I think my sister is at the Marriott Pinnacle.  The hotel is definitely within walking distance of the port, but it might be difficult with luggage.  I do know that the cabs here will only allow a maximum of 4 people in a cab.  You could always send your luggage and a few people over in a cab, while the rest of your party walks.  We arrived on the Amtrak yesterday, and rather than getting 2 cabs for our party of 6, my husband took 3 kids and all the luggage in a cab while my daughter and I took the Skytrain to our hotel.



How was the train ride?  We are doing that in August.  Are there no mini-van cabs in Vancouver?


----------



## ariel39

discruiser said:


> We are in Vancouver right now, boarding the Wonder this morning.  I think my sister is at the Marriott Pinnacle.  The hotel is definitely within walking distance of the port, but it might be difficult with luggage.  I do know that the cabs here will only allow a maximum of 4 people in a cab.  You could always send your luggage and a few people over in a cab, while the rest of your party walks.  We arrived on the Amtrak yesterday, and rather than getting 2 cabs for our party of 6, my husband took 3 kids and all the luggage in a cab while my daughter and I took the Skytrain to our hotel.



How fun, have an awesome cruise.....Bring back info  We go on ours in 5 weeks!


----------



## discruiser

poohj80 said:


> How was the train ride?  We are doing that in August.  Are there no mini-van cabs in Vancouver?



The train was great!  Of course, we lucked out with our seat assignments.  We were one of the first groups in line for seat assignments and the man giving out the assignments gave our party of 7 (my sister was with us) the only 2 tables for four in the whole car.  So we had a table on either side of the train, which was great with the kids.  There was free wi-fi on the train and outlets along the floor.  (I didn't check to see if all the seats had outlets or if they were just by the tables.)  Since we had tables and a water view, we never felt the need to go to the lounge car.

My husband and kids did take a minivan taxi, but he said the back seat was removed for luggage so there was only seating for 4 people.


----------



## Fivepin

discruiser said:


> We are in Vancouver right now, boarding the Wonder this morning.  I think my sister is at the Marriott Pinnacle.  The hotel is definitely within walking distance of the port, but it might be difficult with luggage.  I do know that the cabs here will only allow a maximum of 4 people in a cab.  You could always send your luggage and a few people over in a cab, while the rest of your party walks.  We arrived on the Amtrak yesterday, and rather than getting 2 cabs for our party of 6, my husband took 3 kids and all the luggage in a cab while my daughter and I took the Skytrain to our hotel.



Thank you-I may do what you did from the airport as well. I still need to find out the how long the skytrain runs.  We get in late night.
Have a great time!! Thank you for taking the time to post.


----------



## denise

Fivepin said:


> Hi Denise-
> 
> I would love any tips you may have.  I still trying to figure out what all to pack since we get cold so easily being from Florida.
> If there weren't so many of us we would do the taxi. It's hard to determine how big those blocks are. Thought Ray and I would go with one child the first leg with some luggage and my mom could stay with the other 2.  I would stay at the port to start the check in process.  We're renting a van for 2 night post stay.  Gotta love those Mariott points, but Ray loses his Gold status June 30th.  He is going to be short by 7 nights!!
> Tell the family hi.



I just called the hotel, we are at the Renaissance not the Pinnacle, they said it is a flat 5 minute walk to Canada Place. (the hotels are next door to each other)

I also asked about the Canada Line (skytrain) She said it's about a 6 minute walk from the waterfront station on flat streets. She said Waterfront is the best exit station. 

Maybe he can call and beg  to stay gold? He can explain that in July he will be adding 3 nights right off. Never know, he might get a nice person. 

If you are renting a car, what company? We had a parking problem when we got off from the repo cruise. If your rental company is off property let me know so you will not have the same problem.

Where are you staying post cruise? We stayed at Marriott in Richmond closer to the airport. We are going to stay there again post cruise. The Avis rental is right next door and the hotel has a free shuttle to the airport, it was perfect. The people are so nice there. Mall across the street. It is very easy to drive around in Vancouver. We did it without a map and did just fine!

The boys would love the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Very easy to drive to and lots of fun. We never got to do Grouse Mountain, which is just up the same street, because it was raining and snowing on top and there was zero visibility. Eleni and I were going to do the zipline. We really wanted to see things and not feel like we were in Jurassic Park.  Maybe this time, but we are only staying one night this time. Stanley Park is fun to drive around too. Tell me what you think your plans are...we might have done it.

We board in just 2 weeks now....really have no clue what to pack. I guess lots of layers? On the repo cruise we had sweatshirts and a windbreaker only and were fine. It was cold coming into SF, about 45 I think, but so nice when we got off the ship. I even got a sunburn in SF! In Vancouver we wore only a sweatshirt at times. It really wasn't that bad.
 We are going to be HOT here today...103!!! Just a couple weeks ago it was rain/thunder/hail this is so weird.

How's Ray's camera? Tell him to bring lots of memory cards!
talk to you soon,
denise


----------



## buddywesley

I have a weather question. I know there are water areas in Stanly Park and Granville Island but is it actually WARM enough to do it now? I see temps will be in the low 60's for the day we are there next week and am assuming they'll be the same for the 3 post cruise days we're there the following week. What are people wearing in Vancouver right now? (seeing if we should pack any different for here than Alaska)   THANKS


----------



## mom_rules

Friday Jun 24  15C
SaturdayJun 25 15C
SundayJun 26 18C
MondayJun 27 20C
TuesdayJun 28 	 18C
WednesdayJun 29 17C

POP 50-80% for these 6 days.
Yesterday they were at the beach wearing shorts and bathing suits.
Looks like a bit of unseasonably cool weather coming up. 

It can really be hit and miss so bring a bit of both.


----------



## buddywesley

mom_rules said:


> Friday Jun 24  15C
> SaturdayJun 25 15C
> SundayJun 26 18C
> MondayJun 27 20C
> TuesdayJun 28 	 18C
> WednesdayJun 29 17C
> 
> POP 50-80% for these 6 days.
> Yesterday they were at the beach wearing shorts and bathing suits.
> Looks like a bit of unseasonably cool weather coming up.
> 
> It can really be hit and miss so bring a bit of both.


thanks.
Guess that takes me back to where I started from 
LOL... I packed a few warmer weather choices...


----------



## Fivepin

denise said:


> I just called the hotel, we are at the Renaissance not the Pinnacle, they said it is a flat 5 minute walk to Canada Place. (the hotels are next door to each other)
> 
> I also asked about the Canada Line (skytrain) She said it's about a 6 minute walk from the waterfront station on flat streets. She said Waterfront is the best exit station.
> 
> Maybe he can call and beg  to stay gold? He can explain that in July he will be adding 3 nights right off. Never know, he might get a nice person.
> 
> If you are renting a car, what company? We had a parking problem when we got off from the repo cruise. If your rental company is off property let me know so you will not have the same problem.
> 
> Where are you staying post cruise? We stayed at Marriott in Richmond closer to the airport. We are going to stay there again post cruise. The Avis rental is right next door and the hotel has a free shuttle to the airport, it was perfect. The people are so nice there. Mall across the street. It is very easy to drive around in Vancouver. We did it without a map and did just fine!
> 
> The boys would love the Capilano Suspension Bridge. Very easy to drive to and lots of fun. We never got to do Grouse Mountain, which is just up the same street, because it was raining and snowing on top and there was zero visibility. Eleni and I were going to do the zipline. We really wanted to see things and not feel like we were in Jurassic Park.  Maybe this time, but we are only staying one night this time. Stanley Park is fun to drive around too. Tell me what you think your plans are...we might have done it.
> 
> We board in just 2 weeks now....really have no clue what to pack. I guess lots of layers? On the repo cruise we had sweatshirts and a windbreaker only and were fine. It was cold coming into SF, about 45 I think, but so nice when we got off the ship. I even got a sunburn in SF! In Vancouver we wore only a sweatshirt at times. It really wasn't that bad.
> We are going to be HOT here today...103!!! Just a couple weeks ago it was rain/thunder/hail this is so weird.
> 
> How's Ray's camera? Tell him to bring lots of memory cards!
> talk to you soon,
> denise



Hi Denise-

I wish I would have noticed the airport Mariott-there are no rooms to book on points now.  I would have done our last night there.  Our flight is at 6:30am  I just realized we can't get our car rental from the airport.  I had it booked via Budget.  I guess I didn't read the fine print for that location-only deplaning passengers that same day can pick up from the airport.  There is a location in downtown Vancouver close to the hotel, but we can't return at the airport. It would have to be returned there and we still would need a taxi to airport.  Nothing is ever easy.  I spoke to conceriege at Pinnacle and there's a limo car service for $50 to the airport for the 6 of us.  We just may rent the car for one day now and use the hoho the last day. 

I would love to do the zipline.  We were planning on Grouse Mountain and the suspension bridge the day with the rental car.

Ray has 2 8 gigs and one 16 gig card.  He should be fine.  He's also bringing his ipad if he needs it download.

On a side note-were you the one who posted about the Alaskan Starbucks that carries the city mugs?  If so, which port was it again.  I forgot to write it down.  No Hard Rocks this time for us.


----------



## denise

it wasn't me I will look thru my notes and let you know...(starbucks)
you will be surprised when you see how many there are in Vancouver. One corner we saw 3! They just needed to put one on the last corner to make it perfect!! hahaha
can't believe it's 12 days for us now!
Sucks about the car...the Hard Rock closed up there.  :-(


----------



## denise

from my notes:
Starbucks 
   Ketchikan: in the Safeway
   Skagway: walking distance from the ship
   Juneau: I found one by the airport but don't know how close it is to the dock

I could have this all wrong but will look for the post


----------



## Doingitagain

We are from the US and will have a prestay in Canada.  Will we need an adaptor to plug in our devices?


----------



## denise

Doingitagain said:


> We are from the US and will have a prestay in Canada.  Will we need an adaptor to plug in our devices?



Nope  We were there for the Repo cruise and just plugged everything in without any adapters!!! No problems....


----------



## NurseNash

A special "thank you" to Lollipop's Mom for all her wonderful advice!  Back from the June 14th Alaska Cruise with a three day stay in Vancouver pre cruise and a one day stay post.  We ate at White Spot and Veras Burgers (both recommended by her) and they were perfect for our family!  We flew into Vancouver and easily took the SkyTrain to our hotel (Pan Pacific- also recommended by Lollipop's Mom and a perfect hotel for us).  We never had to rent a car or take a taxi.  We either walked or rode the Sky Train.  We biked in Stanley Park (loved it so much we did it a second day)!  Visited the Aquarium, took the kids to Science World, spent a lot of time in Gastown and China Town.  It was an all-around beautiful, wonderful, perfect vacation.  Lollipop's advice on this thread made our planning easy and decreased our stress significantly!


----------



## DisneyCruisin

Back from 6/14/11 sailing...so sad it'sover.  Spent 3 days in Vancouver pre-cruise.  Booked Fairmont Waterfront on our own.  Woke up to a view of the the Wonder waiting for us!!! It was great.  You cant check in at the DCL desk, like you could in Barcelona, but we did arrange for DCL to take our luggage for us.  The Food court under the hotel is convenient for a quick breakfast, and has a lot of options.  

Gastown was adorable, and fun at night.

Did the hop on hop off Trolly, got a discount buying the tickets at the hotel.  It was fun, and takes you all over. Stanley Park was beautiful, and loved seeing the Canuck's jersey on the girl in the wetsuit!  Trolly even gives you a free pass for the ferry to Gransville Island.  Loved it there.  

Also did the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which was fun too. 

Watched game 6 from one of our rooms with a great view of the group doing the same at Canada Place...that was a lot of fun, even if they lost.  

Recommend the shuttle from the port to the airport.  It was only $14 a person and so convenient.  Driver gave a little tour too.


----------



## mellers

Doingitagain said:


> We are from the US and will have a prestay in Canada.  Will we need an adaptor to plug in our devices?



No.  They use the same outlets as we do.  My daughter has a CPAP, so electricity is VERY important to us.


----------



## Candy Apple

NurseNash said:


> A special "thank you" to Lollipop's Mom for all her wonderful advice! Back from the June 14th Alaska Cruise with a three day stay in Vancouver pre cruise and a one day stay post. We ate at White Spot and Veras Burgers (both recommended by her) and they were perfect for our family! We flew into Vancouver and easily took the SkyTrain to our hotel (Pan Pacific- also recommended by Lollipop's Mom and a perfect hotel for us). We never had to rent a car or take a taxi. We either walked or rode the Sky Train. We biked in Stanley Park (loved it so much we did it a second day)! Visited the Aquarium, took the kids to Science World, spent a lot of time in Gastown and China Town. It was an all-around beautiful, wonderful, perfect vacation. Lollipop's advice on this thread made our planning easy and decreased our stress significantly!


 
Was it quite walkable from the SkyTrain to the hotel?  We are staying at the Fairmont Waterfront and are planning on walking from the Skytrain to the hotel, but I'm a little concerned about doing this with luggage.  Did it work out okay for you?


----------



## LAWalz23

NurseNash said:


> A special "thank you" to Lollipop's Mom for all her wonderful advice!  Back from the June 14th Alaska Cruise with a three day stay in Vancouver pre cruise and a one day stay post.  We ate at White Spot and Veras Burgers (both recommended by her) and they were perfect for our family!  We flew into Vancouver and easily took the SkyTrain to our hotel (Pan Pacific- also recommended by Lollipop's Mom and a perfect hotel for us).  We never had to rent a car or take a taxi.  We either walked or rode the Sky Train.  We biked in Stanley Park (loved it so much we did it a second day)!  Visited the Aquarium, took the kids to Science World, spent a lot of time in Gastown and China Town.  It was an all-around beautiful, wonderful, perfect vacation.  Lollipop's advice on this thread made our planning easy and decreased our stress significantly!



Glad to hear you had great vacation!
We are also staying at the Pan Pacific pre-cruise. Could you please tell me how far Veras Burgers and White Spot are from there? Are they both walkable  (about 1 mile each way)? Is SkyTrain wheelchair friendly? Thanks for any info!


----------



## seamour

DisneyCruisin said:


> Back from 6/14/11 sailing...so sad it'sover.  Spent 3 days in Vancouver pre-cruise.  Booked Fairmont Waterfront on our own.  Woke up to a view of the the Wonder waiting for us!!! It was great.  You cant check in at the DCL desk, like you could in Barcelona, but we did arrange for DCL to take our luggage for us.  The Food court under the hotel is convenient for a quick breakfast, and has a lot of options.
> 
> Gastown was adorable, and fun at night.
> 
> Did the hop on hop off Trolly, got a discount buying the tickets at the hotel.  It was fun, and takes you all over. Stanley Park was beautiful, and loved seeing the Canuck's jersey on the girl in the wetsuit!  Trolly even gives you a free pass for the ferry to Gransville Island.  Loved it there.
> 
> Also did the Capilano Suspension Bridge, which was fun too.
> 
> Watched game 6 from one of our rooms with a great view of the group doing the same at Canada Place...that was a lot of fun, even if they lost.
> 
> Recommend the shuttle from the port to the airport.  It was only $14 a person and so convenient.  Driver gave a little tour too.



by shuttle do you mean DCL transfers or something else?  THANKS!


----------



## mellers

LAWalz23 said:


> Glad to hear you had great vacation!
> We are also staying at the Pan Pacific pre-cruise. Could you please tell me how far Veras Burgers and White Spot are from there? Are they both walkable  (about 1 mile each way)? Is SkyTrain wheelchair friendly? Thanks for any info!



I can't answer your other questions, but I know the SkyTrain is wheelchair friendly (I'm a wheelie.)


----------



## poohj80

discruiser said:


> The train was great!  Of course, we lucked out with our seat assignments.  We were one of the first groups in line for seat assignments and the man giving out the assignments gave our party of 7 (my sister was with us) the only 2 tables for four in the whole car.



Guess I need to find more info on Amtrak seat assignments.  Didn't realize you got assignments, just thought we picked seats once on board.  Can you tell us more please how it works?  How early dd you arrive?

Thanks again for all the tips!


----------



## poohj80

NurseNash said:


> We ate at White Spot and Veras Burgers (both recommended by her) and they were perfect for our family!  We flew into Vancouver and easily took the SkyTrain to our hotel (Pan Pacific- also recommended by Lollipop's Mom and a perfect hotel for us).  We never had to rent a car or take a taxi.  We either walked or rode the Sky Train.



Just curious if these restaurants are within walking distance of Pan Pacific or did you have to take the Sky Train?


----------



## lbgraves

poohj80 said:


> Guess I need to find more info on Amtrak seat assignments.  Didn't realize you got assignments, just thought we picked seats once on board.  Can you tell us more please how it works?  How early dd you arrive?
> 
> Thanks again for all the tips!



Amtrak always assigns seats when you board the train.  They try to prevent people from rushing onboard and snagging all the window seats and also try to keep families together.  There will also be people staying onboard who boarded at a stop before yours so they count to make sure they know how many will fit on each car.


----------



## LAWalz23

mellers said:


> I can't answer your other questions, but I know the SkyTrain is wheelchair friendly (I'm a wheelie.)



Thanks! One less thing we have to worry about for my Mom.


----------



## DisneyCruisin

seamour said:


> by shuttle do you mean DCL transfers or something else?  THANKS!



Not DCL transfer.  This was something else, I think the Vancouver Shuttle.  Their desk was in the terminal, just after you get through customs with your luggage.  It was easy to find, signs directing you to the airport shuttle.  I read about it here, and found the website online.  I cant remember the site, but found it easily on google.


----------



## rav4lcrv

Do they check you in at the hotel, so you have everything set when you get to the ship?


----------



## Caropooh

DD12 has Celiac Disease and needs to eat gluten-free. Do any of you locals know of restaurants that have gluten-options? We're staying at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, but don't necessarily need ones only in that area. I know Spaghetti Factory has a GF menu.


----------



## mellers

Caropooh said:


> DD12 has Celiac Disease and needs to eat gluten-free. Do any of you locals know of restaurants that have gluten-options? We're staying at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre, but don't necessarily need ones only in that area. I know Spaghetti Factory has a GF menu.



The Old Spaghetti Factory is in Gastown, and as I recall, that's not too far away.  This might also be helpful:

http://www.theceliacscene.com/map98-British-Columbia-Vancouver--Downtown.html


----------



## Pooh667

Hi,

 I am  sorry if my questions are going to be redundant. We will be flying into Vancouver Airport and staying at the Pan Pacific before our cruise. We will be 18 people with one being in a wheelchair. We would like to go to Stanley Park, Capilano Bridge, Gastown, ChinaTown, plus some mall nearby. We would also need to get from Canada Place to the airport. We would like to do all this using mass transit. The wheelchair is collapsible and my mom is able to walk up the couple of steps on and off the bus. We will be there for 2 days. Should we buy daypasses? Will that be good enough to get to all these places or will we be crossing zones? Also where in the airport could we buy the day passes? Also someone said that there are luggage carts that you can use in the airport and Canada Place for free and you can take them to the train station, is that info correct. Thanks for any advice you can give me.


----------



## mom_rules

Pooh667 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am  sorry if my questions are going to be redundant. We will be flying into Vancouver Airport and staying at the Pan Pacific before our cruise. We will be 18 people with one being in a wheelchair. We would like to go to Stanley Park, Capilano Bridge, Gastown, ChinaTown, plus some mall nearby. We would also need to get from Canada Place to the airport. We would like to do all this using mass transit. The wheelchair is collapsible and my mom is able to walk up the couple of steps on and off the bus. We will be there for 2 days. Should we buy daypasses? Will that be good enough to get to all these places or will we be crossing zones? Also where in the airport could we buy the day passes? Also someone said that there are luggage carts that you can use in the airport and Canada Place for free and you can take them to the train station, is that info correct. Thanks for any advice you can give me.



Hope this helps-we find the day passes very useful-you can buy them in the airport at the 7/11 or pharmacy (same downtown usually London Drugstore)-Last time they were $9 for the day - good for all zones.

http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/DayPass.aspx


----------



## PURTYPAT1

Can someone help??  I just found out that I will need to take the train from Seattle July 4th (hopefully at night) 

Does anyone know the website for the train?

Thank you


----------



## Pooh667

mom_rules said:


> Hope this helps-we find the day passes very useful-you can buy them in the airport at the 7/11 or pharmacy (same downtown usually London Drugstore)-Last time they were $9 for the day - good for all zones.
> 
> http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/DayPass.aspx



Thank you so much for the information!


----------



## mom_rules

Pooh667 said:


> Thank you so much for the information!



 the airport

Pharmasave #22
Vancouver International Airport, Domestic Terminal Bld Level 1
Richmond, BC
V7B 1X8
(604) 303-7033

Seven Eleven 7-11
13 - 3880 Grant McConachie WAY
Richmond
(604) 207-9795


----------



## Pooh667

HI

You went above and beyond, thanks again for the information!





mom_rules said:


> the airport
> 
> Pharmasave #22
> Vancouver International Airport, Domestic Terminal Bld Level 1
> Richmond, BC
> V7B 1X8
> (604) 303-7033
> 
> Seven Eleven 7-11
> 13 - 3880 Grant McConachie WAY
> Richmond
> (604) 207-9795


----------



## Pooh667

Hi,

I have another question.  I like to give guest services some candy when I ask them to have my itmes autographed.  I also give a small bag to the servers, stateroom host, etc. Is there any place near the Pan Pacific Hotel that I could buy hershey chocolates? Thank you.


----------



## Caropooh

PURTYPAT1 said:


> Can someone help??  I just found out that I will need to take the train from Seattle July 4th (hopefully at night)
> 
> Does anyone know the website for the train?
> 
> Thank you


http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/HomePage

There is one train at 6:50PM and another one at 10;15pm. The 10:15 one is actually the Amtrak bus service vs. train.


----------



## mom_rules

Pooh667 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have another question.  I like to give guest services some candy when I ask them to have my itmes autographed.  I also give a small bag to the servers, stateroom host, etc. Is there any place near the Pan Pacific Hotel that I could buy hershey chocolates? Thank you.



MMMMM..chocolate. One of my fav subjects.
Not Hershey's but Purdy's Chocolate in Vancouver.
They have a ton of locations.
http://www.purdys.com/


----------



## MN Dis Fans

I posted this on the main cruise forum and never got an answer. Perhaps I'll be more lucky here? 


I see an Imax Theatre listed on several of the Vancouver visitor websites at Canada Place, but when I go to the Imax website, it's not listed.  I also saw on a website that this closed 2009. Can anyone tell me if it's open or closed? 

I see that there are several in Vancouver, including one at Science World. So, if the Canada Place one is closed, we may go there. 

TIA.


----------



## Pooh667

mom_rules said:


> MMMMM..chocolate. One of my fav subjects.
> Not Hershey's but Purdy's Chocolate in Vancouver.
> They have a ton of locations.
> http://www.purdys.com/



Thanks again!! I went to the website and they chocolates look yummy! I may be purchasing some for myself, lol.


----------



## PURTYPAT1

Caropooh said:


> http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/HomePage
> 
> There is one train at 6:50PM and another one at 10;15pm. The 10:15 one is actually the Amtrak bus service vs. train.



*"Thank you so........much"* I'm booked on the 6:50 pm Amtrack train July 4


----------



## NurseNash

Candy Apple said:


> Was it quite walkable from the SkyTrain to the hotel?  We are staying at the Fairmont Waterfront and are planning on walking from the Skytrain to the hotel, but I'm a little concerned about doing this with luggage.  Did it work out okay for you?



We walked and it was just fine.  I think we took a longer route than necessary so I'd call the hotel before hand and ask specifically the easiest way to walk.  But even taking the "long-cut", it was manageable with our luggage (all our luggage has wheels which made it very easy).


----------



## NurseNash

LAWalz23 said:


> Glad to hear you had great vacation!
> We are also staying at the Pan Pacific pre-cruise. Could you please tell me how far Veras Burgers and White Spot are from there? Are they both walkable  (about 1 mile each way)? Is SkyTrain wheelchair friendly? Thanks for any info!



Veras Burgers and White Spot were not longer than one mile each way.  Ask the Concierge the best route to take- they were very helpful for us.  We like to walk and it is all in the downtown area with lots of other walkers and well timed streetlights/crosswalks.I believe the SkyTrain is wheelchair friendly.  We had to use the elevator at the airport to get from the airport to the train platform (due to all our luggage) and I remember an elevator to get you up to the platform the day we took it out to Science World.


----------



## NurseNash

poohj80 said:


> Just curious if these restaurants are within walking distance of Pan Pacific or did you have to take the Sky Train?



All of these restaurants were within walking distance.  Another great restaurant that is very close (and we liked it so much we ate dinner there twice) was "Steamworks".  It is in Gastown and everybody knows it (we had the young kids who ran the bike rental recommend it and we overheard some people talking on the SkyTrain about it.  Great atmosphere, a very busy and popular restaurant every time we were there.  Excellent food with a varied menu (kids had fish and chips or cheeseburgers; I had the Butter Chicken-YUM- one night and one of their specialty pizzas the other night... pesto with prawns- YUM again; husband had a specialty pizza one night and the lamb burger the other- he loved both).


----------



## NurseNash

MN Dis Fans said:


> I posted this on the main cruise forum and never got an answer. Perhaps I'll be more lucky here?
> 
> 
> I see an Imax Theatre listed on several of the Vancouver visitor websites at Canada Place, but when I go to the Imax website, it's not listed.  I also saw on a website that this closed 2009. Can anyone tell me if it's open or closed?
> 
> I see that there are several in Vancouver, including one at Science World. So, if the Canada Place one is closed, we may go there.
> 
> TIA.



We asked the concierge about this as my husband had seen one advertised.  They USED to have one there but no longer do.  We did go to Science World despite the many bad reviews we had read.  We LOVED the Imax show there (it was about Hubble and is kind of a cross between an Imax and a planetarium- AWESOME)!  Beware- there was only ONE showing a day when we went and we almost missed it- I THINK it was at 11am.  The kids spent a good two hours in the museum after the show and many reviews trashed the museum as boring.  My sons are ages 7 and 9 and they had a great time (keep in mind it is geared to kids, not adults and your expectations will be realistic).  We also saw an Imax show about the Ocean when we went to the aquarium and very, very much enjoyed this one too.


----------



## nzdisneymom

Pooh667 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have another question.  I like to give guest services some candy when I ask them to have my itmes autographed.  I also give a small bag to the servers, stateroom host, etc. Is there any place near the Pan Pacific Hotel that I could buy hershey chocolates? Thank you.



There is an Urban Fare (like Earth Fare) grocery store / market that is about three blocks from the Pan Pacific - and also up a block from there is a drug store that is like a CVS that has a variety of items you might find suitable. That's actually where I picked up the "Canadian" candy I brought back for my office mates (rule was it had to be made in Canada).  For directions, ask concierge - or google maps - you'll see that if you are coming out of the hotel onto the street in front of Canada Place, you would go to the right (towards the Olympic torch thing)... from there it's probably more like four blocks as we were staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim and it was maybe 10 minutes to walk there.


----------



## nzdisneymom

Re: restaurants within walking distance - we ate at the Old Spaghetti Factory in GasTown and found it to be good, and easy to get to.  We also ate at the Red Robin at the corner of Thurlow and Robson - it's uphill going as are most things from Canada Place.  There is a food court directly across from the Pan Pacific that has a variety of fast-food places and also a diner inside that make for quick meals if you need that - Subway, McD's, Tim Hortons, several others I can't think of right now. It's adjacent to the Fairmont Waterfront.


----------



## buddywesley

Just wanted to post on here for anyone staying at the fairmont airport that you can get free wi fi in the airport terminal but it will cost you $15/day in the hotel. So you can just go down the escalator from hotel and log in for free 

Also there is a White Spot in the airport in the domestic terminal before security check.


----------



## wdhinn89

buddywesley said:


> Just wanted to post on here for anyone staying at the fairmont airport that you can get free wi fi in the airport terminal but it will cost you $15/day in the hotel. So you can just go down the escalator from hotel and log in for free
> 
> Also there is a White Spot in the airport in the domestic terminal before security check.



How is the Fairmont Airport Hotel?  Were you happy with it?  Can you give some info on how the transfers from the hotel to pier were handled?  We will be there in 3 weeks 

Enjoy you cruise!!!!!!


----------



## buddywesley

wdhinn89 said:


> How is the Fairmont Airport Hotel?  Were you happy with it?  Can you give some info on how the transfers from the hotel to pier were handled?  We will be there in 3 weeks
> 
> Enjoy you cruise!!!!!!



We liked it. It was very similar to the hyatt at orlando airport for ease  of everything. I am sitting waiting for bus in disney transfer area as i type this (we are boarding today) so i'll let you know when we return.


----------



## poohj80

Hi all,

I was looking on Google Maps of the Canada Place surrounding area and saw this park which looks pretty close.  We are staying at Pan Pacific...is it an easy walk to Portside Park?  Looks like the most direct path is along Waterfront Rd, but it looks like a pretty busy road and can't tell if there are sidewalks.

After a train ride, our DD will need to do a bit of running.

Thanks!
PJ


----------



## MN Dis Fans

Thank you very much for confirming my suspicions. 
and thanks for the additional information about Science World and the Aquarium. I'll have to show this to the troops to see what they think. 




NurseNash said:


> We asked the concierge about this as my husband had seen one advertised.  They USED to have one there but no longer do.  We did go to Science World despite the many bad reviews we had read.  We LOVED the Imax show there (it was about Hubble and is kind of a cross between an Imax and a planetarium- AWESOME)!  Beware- there was only ONE showing a day when we went and we almost missed it- I THINK it was at 11am.  The kids spent a good two hours in the museum after the show and many reviews trashed the museum as boring.  My sons are ages 7 and 9 and they had a great time (keep in mind it is geared to kids, not adults and your expectations will be realistic).  We also saw an Imax show about the Ocean when we went to the aquarium and very, very much enjoyed this one too.


----------



## mom_rules

poohj80 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I was looking on Google Maps of the Canada Place surrounding area and saw this park which looks pretty close.  We are staying at Pan Pacific...is it an easy walk to Portside Park?  Looks like the most direct path is along Waterfront Rd, but it looks like a pretty busy road and can't tell if there are sidewalks.
> 
> After a train ride, our DD will need to do a bit of running.
> 
> Thanks!
> PJ



http://www.yelp.ca/biz/crab-park-vancouver
Same area


----------



## wdhinn89

buddywesley said:


> We liked it. It was very similar to the hyatt at orlando airport for ease  of everything. I am sitting waiting for bus in disney transfer area as i type this (we are boarding today) so i'll let you know when we return.



Thanks!!  We enjoyed the convenience of the Hyatt.  Excited to hear your report when you return.   

ENJOY!!!


----------



## poohj80

mom_rules said:


> http://www.yelp.ca/biz/crab-park-vancouver
> Same area



Thanks for the link.  It all looks like one big grassy area on the map.  Are they really separate?  Any tips on the best walking path?


----------



## Pooh667

nzdisneymom said:


> There is an Urban Fare (like Earth Fare) grocery store / market that is about three blocks from the Pan Pacific - and also up a block from there is a drug store that is like a CVS that has a variety of items you might find suitable. That's actually where I picked up the "Canadian" candy I brought back for my office mates (rule was it had to be made in Canada).  For directions, ask concierge - or google maps - you'll see that if you are coming out of the hotel onto the street in front of Canada Place, you would go to the right (towards the Olympic torch thing)... from there it's probably more like four blocks as we were staying at the Fairmont Pacific Rim and it was maybe 10 minutes to walk there.



Thank you so much for the answer to this question and for answering the other questions too.


----------



## DenverVal

We are just back from our 6/21 cruise, and wanted to pass on some things we learned from our experience:
1. We bought day passes when we arrived at the airport. The easiest way to find the pharmasave and 7-11 was to go to the train platform, leave someone with the luggage, and as you face the train, turn right and head back into the airport. It's right there. We used them to ride the busses and seabus the rest of the day.
2. Taking the Sky Train from the Airport to the Pan Pacific (and from the port back to the airport) was easy and quick. It was less than a half hour each way. There is about a quarter-mile or so walk from the skytrain to the lobby, but with wheeled luggage (one per person), not a big deal. As you come from the port to the skytrain, there is a signed entrance with a staircase to the train, but there is no elevator or escalator - you have to carry your bags down the stairs. We elected to continue to the street, hang a left, go under the bridge there and go into the building to get to the elevator. Not a big deal, just a short walk.
3. The food court near the Pan Pacific is BORING. Head out on the SeaBus to Lonsdale Quay - there is much more variety there. Food seemed expensive wherever we went.
4. Pan Pacific charges for wi-fi, but the wi-fi at Starbucks next door (street level), and McDonalds (underneath in the food court) is free.

Thanks to Lollipop's Mom for starting this thread and to everyone else for their great tips. Vancouver is a beautiful city. We had a great stay.


----------



## smeecanada

Pooh667 & a few others

Most of the Transit buses are kneeling buses.  Meaning that wheelchairs/scooters/strollers just wheel right on - no need to collapse the wheelchair.  Vancouver is a very wheelchair friendly city.  Mainly due to Rick Hansen and his advocacy efforts.

There is a mall not far from Pan Pacific - Pacific Centre Mall - it's underground.  Ask at the front desk for best directions to the closest entrance for you.

Hershey's chocolate is hard to come by in Canada.  It's American.  Purdy's is a local company - factory is not too far outside of downtown.  It is wonderful chocolate however, it is pricey and you buy in bulk.  There are some packages premade up though.  

Ask at the front desk for directions to the closest London Drugs.  It is a really good drug store and comparable to your CVS one I think.  You'll be able to get a good candy selection there, if you are still looking for some.

Science World is really neat place to visit with kids.  Lots to do.  The Aquarium is another neat place as well.

White Spot.  They have a special pirate pack meal for the kids.  Comes in a cardboard pirate ship.  Fish & Chips/ Burger/ etc.  For us adults.  They are known for their Legendary Burger and their chocolate milkshakes are awesome.


----------



## LAWalz23

NurseNash said:


> Veras Burgers and White Spot were not longer than one mile each way.  Ask the Concierge the best route to take- they were very helpful for us.  We like to walk and it is all in the downtown area with lots of other walkers and well timed streetlights/crosswalks.I believe the SkyTrain is wheelchair friendly.  We had to use the elevator at the airport to get from the airport to the train platform (due to all our luggage) and I remember an elevator to get you up to the platform the day we took it out to Science World.



Thanks for the info! One mile will be a nice walk.


----------



## Pooh667

DenverVal said:


> We are just back from our 6/21 cruise, and wanted to pass on some things we learned from our experience:
> 1. We bought day passes when we arrived at the airport. The easiest way to find the pharmasave and 7-11 was to go to the train platform, leave someone with the luggage, and as you face the train, turn right and head back into the airport. It's right there. We used them to ride the busses and seabus the rest of the day.
> 2. Taking the Sky Train from the Airport to the Pan Pacific (and from the port back to the airport) was easy and quick. It was less than a half hour each way. There is about a quarter-mile or so walk from the skytrain to the lobby, but with wheeled luggage (one per person), not a big deal. As you come from the port to the skytrain, there is a signed entrance with a staircase to the train, but there is no elevator or escalator - you have to carry your bags down the stairs. We elected to continue to the street, hang a left, go under the bridge there and go into the building to get to the elevator. Not a big deal, just a short walk.
> 3. The food court near the Pan Pacific is BORING. Head out on the SeaBus to Lonsdale Quay - there is much more variety there. Food seemed expensive wherever we went.
> 4. Pan Pacific charges for wi-fi, but the wi-fi at Starbucks next door (street level), and McDonalds (underneath in the food court) is free.
> 
> Thanks to Lollipop's Mom for starting this thread and to everyone else for their great tips. Vancouver is a beautiful city. We had a great stay.



Thank you for your tips.  I hope you had a great trip!!


----------



## Pooh667

smeecanada said:


> Pooh667 & a few others
> 
> Most of the Transit buses are kneeling buses.  Meaning that wheelchairs/scooters/strollers just wheel right on - no need to collapse the wheelchair.  Vancouver is a very wheelchair friendly city.  Mainly due to Rick Hansen and his advocacy efforts.
> 
> The is a mall not far from Pan Pacific - Pacific Centre Mall - it's underground.  Ask at the front desk for best directions to the closest entrance for you.
> 
> Hershey's chocolate is hard to come by in Canada.  It's American.  Purdy's is a local company - factory is not too far outside of downtown.  It is wonderful chocolate however, it is pricey and you by in bulk.  There are some packages premade up though.
> 
> Ask at the front desk for directions to the closest London Drugs.  It is a really good drug store and comparable to your CVS one I think.  You'll be able to get a good candy selection there, if you are still looking for some.
> 
> Science World is really neat place to visit with kids.  Lots to do.  The Aquarium is another neat place as well.
> 
> White Spot.  They have a special pirate pack meal for the kids.  Comes in a cardboard pirate ship.  Fish & Chips/ Burger/ etc.  For us adults.  They are known for their Legendary Burger and their chocolate milkshakes are awesome.



Thank you Wendy for the information!!!


----------



## mellers

smeecanada said:


> Pooh667 & a few others
> Most of the Transit buses are kneeling buses.  Meaning that wheelchairs/scooters/strollers just wheel right on - no need to collapse the wheelchair.  Vancouver is a very wheelchair friendly city.  Mainly due to Rick Hansen and his advocacy efforts.



As a wheelie, I second this.  It is a very wheelchair friendly city.  I am in a mobility scooter and I have had no trouble getting around there.

Getting into the Seattle Amtrak station, however, is another story   It can be done, but it isn't much fun (take it from somebody who just took Amtrak from Seattle to Klamath Falls).  It is easier for wheelies to go North from Seattle on the QuickShuttle than Amtrak, in my opinion, although I must say they have greatly improved their ability to get wheelies on the train since the last time I rode with them.  Getting into the station, however, is a nightmare.


----------



## DenverVal

Pooh667 said:


> Thank you for your tips.  I hope you had a great trip!!


Thanks, we did! One more thing - we went ziplining at Grouse Mountain and I was surprised that the cost was less than I expected. It turns out that the two lines higher up on the mountain were damaged by snow over the winter and need to be repaired, and won't be back in operation for another week or two. The reduced cost is for three lines.


----------



## richmo

I think I'm going to park in the YVR long term lot while on the cruise (they have some pretty impressive discounts, by the way) and plan on taking the SkyTrain Canada line to Canada Place.

My question is this: from the long term lot, do I need to take the shuttle bus to YVR, then pick up the Canada Line, or can I take what looks like a short walk to the Sea Island Centre station and pick up the Canada Line there?


----------



## mellers

richmo said:


> I think I'm going to park in the YVR long term lot while on the cruise (they have some pretty impressive discounts, by the way) and plan on taking the SkyTrain Canada line to Canada Place.
> 
> My question is this: from the long term lot, do I need to take the shuttle bus to YVR, then pick up the Canada Line, or can I take what looks like a short walk to the Sea Island Centre station and pick up the Canada Line there?



If you're planning to do that, you might want to consider spending the night before at one of the YVR-area hotels that have park-n-fly deals.  I know that the Four Points Sheraton has one, and somebody else posted about another hotel.  From those hotels, you can take a shuttle to the airport, or, in the case of the Four Points Sheraton, it's a short walk to the Lansdowne Canada Line station.  It might save you some money in the long haul.


----------



## Gilland18

Just got off the Wonder 6/28. We were unpleasantly surprised to find that the porters at YVR with the big baggage carts don't work for tips. They have a fee that they charge and it was at least a couple dollars a bag. I was planning to tip but not as much as they insisted on. Carried our own on the trip home.


----------



## smeecanada

richmo said:


> I think I'm going to park in the YVR long term lot while on the cruise (they have some pretty impressive discounts, by the way) and plan on taking the SkyTrain Canada line to Canada Place.
> 
> My question is this: from the long term lot, do I need to take the shuttle bus to YVR, then pick up the Canada Line, or can I take what looks like a short walk to the Sea Island Centre station and pick up the Canada Line there?



I emailed my sister who lives in Richmond and they use YVR alot.  From the sounds of things the Sea Island (Templeton) station is quite possibly accessible to employees of the Airport only.  It's only a short ride back to YVR via the shuttle bus.


----------



## LAWalz23

Gilland18 said:


> Just got off the Wonder 6/28. We were unpleasantly surprised to find that the porters at YVR with the big baggage carts don't work for tips. They have a fee that they charge and it was at least a couple dollars a bag. I was planning to tip but not as much as they insisted on. Carried our own on the trip home.



Out of curiosity, can you please tell me how much the porters charged per bag? Thanks!


----------



## richmo

smeecanada said:


> I emailed my sister who lives in Richmond and they use YVR alot.  From the sounds of things the Sea Island (Templeton) station is quite possibly accessible to employees of the Airport only.  It's only a short ride back to YVR via the shuttle bus.



Thats what I thought, which is too bad because the station appears to be right at the end of the parking lot.  Thanks for the info!


----------



## smeecanada

richmo said:


> Thats what I thought, which is too bad because the station appears to be right at the end of the parking lot.  Thanks for the info!



That terminal is for the employee parking area.  Just not sure if it is accessble from the long term parking area.


----------



## Gilland18

LAWalz23 said:


> Out of curiosity, can you please tell me how much the porters charged per bag? Thanks!



I think they had about 10 suitcases, all stacked on one cart and pretty much demanded $30. When we returned, we had 3 suitcases and they wanted $10 to take them in the terminal and a very short distance to the airline desk. We carried our own that time.


----------



## BLTOH

Ok i need a quick answer as to carry - on luggage for air canada. their web site gives specific demensions l x w x h for carry- ons. does that mean i have to be in that realm or am i ok with the linear measurements of what they list? i need to know asap as i may have to change our carry=on before we leave tomorrow. thank you


----------



## LAWalz23

Gilland18 said:


> I think they had about 10 suitcases, all stacked on one cart and pretty much demanded $30. When we returned, we had 3 suitcases and they wanted $10 to take them in the terminal and a very short distance to the airline desk. We carried our own that time.



Thanks for the info. It sounds like they charge NY prices.


----------



## CarolAnnC

Gilland18 said:


> I think they had about 10 suitcases, all stacked on one cart and pretty much demanded $30. When we returned, we had 3 suitcases and they wanted $10 to take them in the terminal and a very short distance to the airline desk. We carried our own that time.



Was their price for Canadian $$?  I believe the exchange rate is in their favor now.  They probably do a flat rate as they may get burned by US $$ that do not exchange in their favor.


----------



## disneymath

BLTOH said:


> Ok i need a quick answer as to carry - on luggage for air canada. their web site gives specific demensions l x w x h for carry- ons. does that mean i have to be in that realm or am i ok with the linear measurements of what they list? i need to know asap as i may have to change our carry=on before we leave tomorrow. thank you


 
Not sure how much help this will be, but I would think that with this being a very busy travel weekend (July 1st for us Canadians and the 4th for the folks south of the border) you would want to be in the realm of their lwh specifications.  (I imagine that they are based on overhead bin space and/or under seat space, which will be at a premium.)

That said, I fly Air Canada Jazz pretty regularly (regional routes branch of Air Canada - much smaller planes) and they are not super strict about carry on luggage .... I've never seen them take out a ruler and measure or anything like that.  I've never experienced this on our regular AC flights either.  (My trips always include Pearson in Toronto in some way shape or form, so if they aren't too strict about it, I wouldn't imagine other airports would be either.)

Have a great trip!


----------



## HermanTriplets+1

Is there anyone who might be able to start a "Halifax FAQ" or a "Saint John FAQ" thread????? Just like this great one for Vancouver? PULEESE!!


----------



## DenverVal

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2694937 is one that is started.


----------



## Gilland18

CarolAnnC said:


> Was their price for Canadian $$?  I believe the exchange rate is in their favor now.  They probably do a flat rate as they may get burned by US $$ that do not exchange in their favor.



I don't remember them specifying but the tip I offered and was refused was in Canadian $. Because of the colors of the bills, I'm sure he knew I was carrying Canadian.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Gilland18 said:


> Just got off the Wonder 6/28. We were unpleasantly surprised to find that the porters at YVR with the big baggage carts don't work for tips. They have a fee that they charge and it was at least a couple dollars a bag. I was planning to tip but not as much as they insisted on. Carried our own on the trip home.



Porter services are different in every city/airport.  Here's the deal at YVR (Vancouver).  

Rates (As of June 1, 2008):
$10.00 flat fee for up to three items 
$2.00 for each additional item (Tipping optional)
Additional $5.00 for: 
Moving baggage from International arrivals to Domestic departures
Moving baggage from International arrivals to car parkade
Moving baggage from Domestic arrivals to International Departures
Moving baggage from International arrivals to Rental Car pick-up offices
All prices are in Canadian dollars. 

Inquiries: Jagdish Chand 
tel. (604) 834-5916 
fax. (604) 303-3787 
email vancouverskycap@hotmail.com


----------



## Doingitagain

For those of you staying at Fairmont hotels, I encourage you to sign up for the Fairmont President's Club.  It is free, and gave us the following benefits:
1.  Special line at registration desk
2.  Free Internet (saved 13.95 CAD per day)
3.  Free daily newspaper
4.  Access to hotel's BMW bikes (see below)
5.  Access to hotel's BMW car drop off; they will give you a ride on a "first come" basis to downtown Vancouver if the car is available; we didn't use this service.

You can register on-line and write down your member number in case your card doesn't arrive before you leave.  Just give the number to them when you check in.  We had one night on our own and three nights with DCL, and had the benefits all four nights because we added the reservation number to both reservations (which they linked so we could stay in the same rooms).

We stayed at the Fairmont Pacific Rim.  The DCL rate was better than the on-line rate, but DCL couldn't do more than three nights.  DCL's rate looked even better after they added over 15% in taxes to our one night booking.  I know, this is different for those of you who used Hotwire or other services to book your room.

We contacted the hotel prior to our stay using the "contact us" on the website for Fairmont Pacific Rim.  The concierge desk responded and we used that email address for future correspondence.

We booked four BMW bikes for Saturday morning and rode around Stanley Park.  Great bikes, great route!  We enjoyed it so much we did it again on Monday when my sister could join us.  All for free, only cost was the tip we left for bell services.  Note that we booked the Saturday ride weeks in advance, and the Monday ride only two days before.


----------



## joycsk

Please forgive what will seem like a silly question.  I've noted the presence of the state owned liquor store in Harbour Centre.  I have two questions, related to the fact that I live in Pennsylvania which has some of the dumbest liquor laws on earth.

1)  Can wine be purchased only in liquor stores, or can it be bought in other places - groceries, etc.

2)  Are Wine "boxes" available in Canada?  Although I'm likely to 'waste' some, the ease and non-breakability of a box seems extremely useful.

Thanks!


----------



## mom_rules

joycsk said:


> Please forgive what will seem like a silly question.  I've noted the presence of the state owned liquor store in Harbour Centre.  I have two questions, related to the fact that I live in Pennsylvania which has some of the dumbest liquor laws on earth.
> 
> 1)  Can wine be purchased only in liquor stores, or can it be bought in other places - groceries, etc.
> 
> 2)  Are Wine "boxes" available in Canada?  Although I'm likely to 'waste' some, the ease and non-breakability of a box seems extremely useful.
> 
> Thanks!



Dumbest liquor laws?-wait until you get up here.

In British Columbia, the Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) is one of two branches of government responsible for the beverage alcohol industry. The Liquor Distribution Act gives the LDB the sole right to purchase beverage alcohol both within BC and from outside the province, in accordance with the federal Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act.

Reporting to the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, the LDB:

    Handles importation and distribution of beverage alcohol in BC
    Operates government liquor stores and distribution centres
    Has a General Manager who is responsible for administering the Liquor Distribution Act, which includes the oversight of government liquor stores, subject to direction from the minister.
Now having said that:
VANCOUVER  Everything is fine at Everything Wine, the newest and largest wine store in Canada.

The North Vancouver store located at 899 Marine Drive is an amazing, 12,000-square-foot private wine shop and it contains a staggering inventory of just under 3,000 different wines.
everythingwine.ca


----------



## richmo

Question on SkyTrain FareSaver tickets:

You can buy a book of 10 SkyTrain/Translink tickets (2-zone) for $31.50.  Are these really 10 individual paper tickets, that could be given to more than one person, or, is it some kind of card that gives one rider 10 trips?


----------



## joycsk

mom_rules said:


> Dumbest liquor laws?-wait until you get up here.
> 
> In British Columbia, the Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) is one of two branches of government responsible for the beverage alcohol industry. The Liquor Distribution Act gives the LDB the sole right to purchase beverage alcohol both within BC and from outside the province, in accordance with the federal Importation of Intoxicating Liquors Act.
> 
> Reporting to the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, the LDB:
> 
> Handles importation and distribution of beverage alcohol in BC
> Operates government liquor stores and distribution centres
> Has a General Manager who is responsible for administering the Liquor Distribution Act, which includes the oversight of government liquor stores, subject to direction from the minister.
> Now having said that:
> VANCOUVER  Everything is fine at Everything Wine, the newest and largest wine store in Canada.
> 
> The North Vancouver store located at 899 Marine Drive is an amazing, 12,000-square-foot private wine shop and it contains a staggering inventory of just under 3,000 different wines.
> everythingwine.ca



However, I don't think I'll make it to this store.  We are staying near Canada Place and hoping to use public transit.  We do plan to go to Grouse Mt., but I don't imagine us making it to North Vancouver.  I _do_ thank you for your time and information in posting.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

joycsk said:


> Please forgive what will seem like a silly question.  I've noted the presence of the state owned liquor store in Harbour Centre.  I have two questions, related to the fact that I live in Pennsylvania which has some of the dumbest liquor laws on earth.
> 
> 1)  Can wine be purchased only in liquor stores, or can it be bought in other places - groceries, etc.
> 
> 2)  Are Wine "boxes" available in Canada?  Although I'm likely to 'waste' some, the ease and non-breakability of a box seems extremely useful.
> 
> Thanks!



1) Wine can be purchased at government owned and operated liquor stores, private liquor stores, specialty wine stores, and vineyards. No alcohol is sold in convenience stores, grocery stores or Costco. (Beer and liquor can only be purchased at government liquor stores and private liquor stores.) 

2) Wine "boxes" are available, but downtown shops tend to stock primarily bottles and higher margin wines.  For most comprehensive selection, I suggest shopping at a government "Signature BC Liquor Store".  There's one about six blocks from the cruise ship terminal at Alberni street and Bute street.  There's an even bigger store at Cambie and 39th Avenue (41st Avenue Station on Canada Line Skytrain). 

Note: Liquor taxes (included into the sale price) make BC one of the most expensive places to purchase alcohol.  In neighbouring Washington state, you can buy beer at gas stations or convenience stores for $10-15 per case.  The same case of beer costs about $20 in a BC liquor store, plus 12% sales tax.  
If you are travelling from the US, you're allowed to import two bottle of wine (2 x 750 ml / 26 oz. = 1.5l), a case of beer (12 x 355 ml / 12 oz. = 8.5 l), or one bottle of liquor (1 x 1.14 l / 40 oz.) per adult (age 19) without paying duty.  Exceeding these limits requires paying duty, which typically works out to 90-100% of the original product cost.


----------



## mom_rules

joycsk said:


> However, I don't think I'll make it to this store.  We are staying near Canada Place and hoping to use public transit.  We do plan to go to Grouse Mt., but I don't imagine us making it to North Vancouver.  I _do_ thank you for your time and information in posting.



You could try this one-maybe call and ask them?
Harbour Centre
555 W Hastings
Vancouver, BC V6B 4N5
(604)660-4574

which is only a block away from Canada Place.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

richmo said:


> Question on SkyTrain FareSaver tickets:
> 
> You can buy a book of 10 SkyTrain/Translink tickets (2-zone) for $31.50.  Are these really 10 individual paper tickets, that could be given to more than one person, or, is it some kind of card that gives one rider 10 trips?



They are a booklet of 10 individual tickets that you can share with the rest of your group.  You rip out the ticket and stick it in validation machines which stamps it with zone information plus an expiry time (90 minutes).  

Note: If you're travelling on weekends or after 6:30 pm, you will only need 1-zone tickets.  I would suggest buying only 1-zone tickets, and purchasing 1-to-2 zone upgrades at vending machines when required.


----------



## richmo

Just to update an earlier post, you can park for $40 a week at YVR's long term lot (then take SkyTrain, Disney transfer, or whatever to Canada Place).  For those interested, here's a link:

http://www.yvr.ca/Libraries/PGT_documents/LTL_Super_Summer_Special2011.sflb.ashx

(But read the fine print, there are 21% in taxes added on.  Still, a pretty good deal)


----------



## buddywesley

wdhinn89 said:


> Thanks!!  We enjoyed the convenience of the Hyatt.  Excited to hear your report when you return.
> 
> ENJOY!!!



Just Returned and are staying a few days in Vancouver at club intrawest in sheraton wall centre.  The transfers were great. We left our luggage in our room before 10am and went to area off the lobby (just above escalators to fairmont airport) to check in with Disney desk they had set up that am. At 10:45 we went down and waited outside doors to wait for bus. It arrived at 11am and we were in first bus (I think a second bus came right after we left). We arrived at port about 11:30 (after the Disney DVD they show on the way and a "mini tour" of Vancouver by bus driver on the way) and got right into customs line, then check in line (castaway club line was too long so we checked in the regular line). We got number 16 (and they were in order. I heard someone say they were random but they weren't ) and that was just enough time to stand in line to take pic with Mickey and sit for 5 minutes before they called our number. Another picture, swipe of our key to world cards and we were on board before 12:15. Dare I say I thought it was smooth and quicker than canaveral? Although it doesn't have all Disney touches 

I'm glad we took transfer. It started trip out right(and my kids love to watch the bus movie they show)

Have a great trip!


----------



## teriyaki

Doingitagain said:


> For those of you staying at Fairmont hotels, I encourage you to sign up for the Fairmont President's Club.  It is free, and gave us the following benefits:
> 1.  Special line at registration desk
> 2.  Free Internet (saved 13.95 CAD per day)
> 3.  Free daily newspaper
> 4.  Access to hotel's BMW bikes (see below)
> 5.  Access to hotel's BMW car drop off; they will give you a ride on a "first come" basis to downtown Vancouver if the car is available; we didn't use this service.
> 
> You can register on-line and write down your member number in case your card doesn't arrive before you leave.  Just give the number to them when you check in.  We had one night on our own and three nights with DCL, and had the benefits all four nights because we added the reservation number to both reservations (which they linked so we could stay in the same rooms).
> 
> We stayed at the Fairmont Pacific Rim.  The DCL rate was better than the on-line rate, but DCL couldn't do more than three nights.  DCL's rate looked even better after they added over 15% in taxes to our one night booking.  I know, this is different for those of you who used Hotwire or other services to book your room.
> 
> We contacted the hotel prior to our stay using the "contact us" on the website for Fairmont Pacific Rim.  The concierge desk responded and we used that email address for future correspondence.
> 
> We booked four BMW bikes for Saturday morning and rode around Stanley Park.  Great bikes, great route!  We enjoyed it so much we did it again on Monday when my sister could join us.  All for free, only cost was the tip we left for bell services.  Note that we booked the Saturday ride weeks in advance, and the Monday ride only two days before.



Thanks! We just joined
Laurie


----------



## joycsk

buddywesley said:


> Just Returned and are staying a few days in Vancouver at club intrawest in sheraton wall centre.  The transfers were great. We left our luggage in our room before 10am and went to area off the lobby (just above escalators to fairmont airport) to check in with Disney desk they had set up that am. At 10:45 we went down and waited outside doors to wait for bus. It arrived at 11am and we were in first bus (I think a second bus came right after we left). We arrived at port about 11:30 (after the Disney DVD they show on the way and a "mini tour" of Vancouver by bus driver on the way) and got right into customs line, then check in line (castaway club line was too long so we checked in the regular line). We got number 16 (and they were in order. I heard someone say they were random but they weren't ) and that was just enough time to stand in line to take pic with Mickey and sit for 5 minutes before they called our number. Another picture, swipe of our key to world cards and we were on board before 12:15. Dare I say I thought it was smooth and quicker than canaveral? Although it doesn't have all Disney touches
> 
> I'm glad we took transfer. It started trip out right(and my kids love to watch the bus movie they show)
> 
> Have a great trip!



In Vancouver, do they still photograph you for facial recognition the way they do in Canaveral?  I'm not sure if I've seen that posted or not?

Thanks!


----------



## RoE_Earth_Globe

joycsk said:


> In Vancouver, do they still photograph you for facial recognition the way they do in Canaveral?  I'm not sure if I've seen that posted or not?
> 
> Thanks!



For our cruise on June 21st they did.  At check-in, each person in the party was asked to step to the counter and the CM used a web cam attached to their laptop to take a photo.  I noticed when we swiped on and off the ship that I could see just my face on the security computer.


----------



## nzdisneymom

RoE_Earth_Globe said:


> For our cruise on June 21st they did.  At check-in, each person in the party was asked to step to the counter and the CM used a web cam attached to their laptop to take a photo.  I noticed when we swiped on and off the ship that I could see just my face on the security computer.



We had sailed with Disney last summer in the Baltic - they still had our pictures from then so they didn't retake them even though our children have grown and changed - they said it wasn't enough to warrant a retake.


----------



## wdhinn89

buddywesley said:


> Just Returned and are staying a few days in Vancouver at club intrawest in sheraton wall centre.  The transfers were great. We left our luggage in our room before 10am and went to area off the lobby (just above escalators to fairmont airport) to check in with Disney desk they had set up that am. At 10:45 we went down and waited outside doors to wait for bus. It arrived at 11am and we were in first bus (I think a second bus came right after we left). We arrived at port about 11:30 (after the Disney DVD they show on the way and a "mini tour" of Vancouver by bus driver on the way) and got right into customs line, then check in line (castaway club line was too long so we checked in the regular line). We got number 16 (and they were in order. I heard someone say they were random but they weren't ) and that was just enough time to stand in line to take pic with Mickey and sit for 5 minutes before they called our number. Another picture, swipe of our key to world cards and we were on board before 12:15. Dare I say I thought it was smooth and quicker than canaveral? Although it doesn't have all Disney touches
> 
> I'm glad we took transfer. It started trip out right(and my kids love to watch the bus movie they show)
> 
> Have a great trip!



OOOO  I am so excited now!!!! 

 Thank you for the information!!!  It is good to know how smooth everything went and you like the hotel.  I love smooth!!  

Trip report!!!!


----------



## LAWalz23

nzdisneymom said:


> We had sailed with Disney last summer in the Baltic - they still had our pictures from then so they didn't retake them even though our children have grown and changed - they said it wasn't enough to warrant a retake.



It would be great if our photos from our Nov 2010 cruise on the Wonder could be used.


----------



## buddywesley

joycsk said:


> In Vancouver, do they still photograph you for facial recognition the way they do in Canaveral?  I'm not sure if I've seen that posted or not?
> 
> Thanks!



Yes they do but they took our picture as a whole family and then I guess must have separated us after? I did see just me when they swiped the card exiting/entering the boat.


----------



## seamour

mom_rules said:


> You could try this one-maybe call and ask them?
> Harbour Centre
> 555 W Hastings
> Vancouver, BC V6B 4N5
> (604)660-4574
> 
> which is only a block away from Canada Place.



maybe we could put in a big ole order?   LOL!


----------



## mmouse37

mom_rules said:


> Hope this helps-we find the day passes very useful-you can buy them in the airport at the 7/11 or pharmacy (same downtown usually London Drugstore)-Last time they were $9 for the day - good for all zones.
> 
> http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/DayPass.aspx



Thanks for the link

Could someone see if I figured this out correctly.  We will be in Vancouver for 4 days pre cruise.  From looking at the TransLink website it seems there are different options for transportation tickets.  We have 12 people in our group and I am trying to find the least expensive way for us to get around on Skytrain, Bus and SeaBus for the 4 days.  This is what I found:

Daypass tickets:  $9.00 pp per day
12 people x $9.00 per day = $108.00 per day x 4 days = $432 total for 4 days

Faresaver ticket:   Booklet of 10 paper tickets cost $31.50 each which covers 2 zone travel.

If you break it down we need 48 tickets to cover our 4 days for the 12 people.  If we buy 5 ticket booklets that would give us 50 tickets (2 extra).  I read in another post that these can be shared among people are not limited to one person.  If that is true then it would be great.

12 people x 4 days = 48 tickets that we would need.  If we buy the 2 zone FareSaver tickets at $31.50 a booklet (10 tix in each) for 5 booklets that would equal only $157.50....could it really be that much cheaper over the daypass fares of $432.00 for the 4 days or have I not figured correctly.  Seems like a huge difference...I feel I have forgotten something.  Did I mess up the math somewhere???  I see something about regular fares are up until 6:30 pm.  What happens after 6:30 pm.....can we still use the FareSaver tickets at night?

The Daypass fare covers 3 zones but I don't think we will need more than the 2 zones and if we did I think we can just add on for the 3rd zone when needed.

Any advice???  Help!!!

MJ


----------



## DenverVal

We bought day passes for the four of us at the pharmasave at the airport and took the Sky Train to the Pan Pacific then used them to ride bus and seabus the rest of the day. That actually was cheaper than buying a two-zone ticket with the airport add-on and then a few more for riding the bus and seabus later. We also used them to go to Grouse Mountain and the Capilano Bridge the next day.

My husband viewed it as cheaper than renting a car (and the cost of valet parking) and just bought day passes for our stay.   

The only place where we actually used them was to ride the bus. No one ever asked for our tickets when we rode the train or seabus. It seemed to be on the honor system, but I didn't want to be the one to test it out, and I really appreciated the ability to easily get wherever I wanted to go. It was worth the few dollars it cost.

Also, my husband found the visitor's information booth at Canada Place, (or he might have picked it up at the hotel concierge) and one of the flyers there had a list of the most popular sites and how to get there from Canada Place, i.e. which bus/train/ferry. VERY helpful!


----------



## Shanny145

mmouse37 said:


> Thanks for the link
> 
> Could someone see if I figured this out correctly.  We will be in Vancouver for 4 days pre cruise.  From looking at the TransLink website it seems there are different options for transportation tickets.  We have 12 people in our group and I am trying to find the least expensive way for us to get around on Skytrain, Bus and SeaBus for the 4 days.  This is what I found:
> 
> Daypass tickets:  $9.00 pp per day
> 12 people x $9.00 per day = $108.00 per day x 4 days = $432 total for 4 days
> 
> Faresaver ticket:   Booklet of 10 paper tickets cost $31.50 each which covers 2 zone travel.
> 
> If you break it down we need 48 tickets to cover our 4 days for the 12 people.  If we buy 5 ticket booklets that would give us 50 tickets (2 extra).  I read in another post that these can be shared among people are not limited to one person.  If that is true then it would be great.
> 
> 12 people x 4 days = 48 tickets that we would need.  If we buy the 2 zone FareSaver tickets at $31.50 a booklet (10 tix in each) for 5 booklets that would equal only $157.50....could it really be that much cheaper over the daypass fares of $432.00 for the 4 days or have I not figured correctly.  Seems like a huge difference...I feel I have forgotten something.  Did I mess up the math somewhere???  I see something about regular fares are up until 6:30 pm.  What happens after 6:30 pm.....can we still use the FareSaver tickets at night?
> 
> The Daypass fare covers 3 zones but I don't think we will need more than the 2 zones and if we did I think we can just add on for the 3rd zone when needed.
> 
> Any advice???  Help!!!
> 
> MJ


Well If you are only going to use the transportation once per person per day then yes but the day pass covers all transportation all day.....at least that is my understanding....maybe a local can chime in


----------



## richmo

buddywesley said:


> Yes they do but they took our picture as a whole family and then I guess must have separated us after? I did see just me when they swiped the card exiting/entering the boat.



I'm thinking this thing is getting overanalyzed, but here goes...

You actually get photographed twice as you board.  Once is for the facial recognition picture so they can ID you when you get off and on the ship.  Why there's an issue of whether they use a picture from a previous cruise is beyond me.

The second picture is one of the ship's photographers taking a family picture that you can buy later, if you like.  That one is not used for security.


----------



## 3princessMommy

Our family is taking the Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle on the evening of August 2 after our cruise. We've been wondering what we could do during that day - given that we have 3 kids and 5 suitcases. I thought others might be in a similar situation, so figured I'd post what I've found here:

There is luggage storage at Canada Place:
http://www.prioritybaggage.ca/servic...storageservice

It costs $6 per bag per day for your average suitcase size.

From Canada Place http://www.canadaplace.ca/ you have several options if you dont want to do the guided tour thing:
- You can walk about 2 miles along the sea wall and visit Stanley Park http://vancouver.ca/parks/parks/stanley/ and the Vancouver Aquarium http://www.vanaqua.org/.
- If you are going to walk to Stanley Park, you can also visit the Klahowya Village http://www.aboriginalbc.com/klahowya-village for a visit into Aboriginal life, legends, and artistry. You can also take the #19 bus to get here or the aquarium.
- You can take the shuttle to the Capilano Suspension Bridge http://www.capbridge.com/index.php. The shuttles are free and start at 9am. They start returning at 10:45am.
- You can take a free shuttle to Grouse Mountain http://www.grousemountain.com/. You must purchase a general admission ticket ($39.95/adult) to ride the shuttle.

There are also several tour companies that operate out of Canada Place:
West Coast Sightseeing (aka GreyLine) offers a 4-hour Highlights of Vancouver Tour especially for Post (and Pre) Cruise travelers. 
http://www.vancouversightseeing.com/...ghlights-tour/
They will take you and your luggage and drop you at the Train Station following the tour.
The website says they also offer other tours, but I havent heard back from them to see if any would work Post-Cruise. For example the site suggests adding on the Aquarium Post-cruise, but not sure about the logistics on this one yet.

Landsea Tours & Adventures http://www.vancouvertours.com/tours also offers various city tours. They will pick-up at the Pan Pacific, which is across the street from Canada Place, and drop you at the Train Station. They tour they recommended for this was their 2-hour Vancouver Snap Shots tour, which departs the Pan Pacific at 11am. I have asked them if there are any other options, but havent heard back yet.

If you want to do your own private tour, you can book a private car through http://www.ridebooker.com/. They will pick you and your luggage up at the terminal and take you anywhere you want to go for $90/hour. You can choose from stretch limos to 10 pax vans to luxury sedans on this site.

I hope this is helpful to everyone!  (A lot of it I gleaned from this thread - so thanks!  I just thought it would be helpful all in one place for anyone interested.)  Anyone else, please feel free to add on or correct anything here.

Joann


----------



## joycsk

Couldn't quite see this in a quick search.  I've read that we can purchase 2 day transit passes at the airport - pharmacy or 7-11.  Do the passes activate at purchase, or do they not activate until first use?

We arrive in YVR on Saturday and I'm contemplating taking a cab to our hotel and being quite most of that day.  I'd love to purchase the two day passes to be used on Sunday and Monday, but I'm not sure if I can do that.

Thanks for your help!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

mmouse37 said:


> Daypass tickets:  $9.00 pp per day
> 12 people x $9.00 per day = $108.00 per day x 4 days = $432 total for 4 days
> 
> Faresaver ticket:   Booklet of 10 paper tickets cost $31.50 each which covers 2 zone travel.
> 
> If you break it down we need 48 tickets to cover our 4 days for the 12 people.  If we buy 5 ticket booklets that would give us 50 tickets (2 extra).  I read in another post that these can be shared among people are not limited to one person.  If that is true then it would be great.
> 
> 12 people x 4 days = 48 tickets that we would need.  If we buy the 2 zone FareSaver tickets at $31.50 a booklet (10 tix in each) for 5 booklets that would equal only $157.50....could it really be that much cheaper over the daypass fares of $432.00 for the 4 days or have I not figured correctly.  Seems like a huge difference...I feel I have forgotten something.  Did I mess up the math somewhere???  I see something about regular fares are up until 6:30 pm.  What happens after 6:30 pm.....can we still use the FareSaver tickets at night?


Faresaver Tickets are good for only 90 minutes of travel time.  Most travellers will require two tickets per person per day, assuming they are travelling between their hotel and their destination at the beginning and end of the day.  
12 people x 4 days x *2 directions* = *96 tickets*.  

It will still be cheaper to use 2-zone tickets than to buy day-passes.  However, if you plan to 'hop' to another destination mid-day or in the evening, day-passes are a better deal.  A day pass is very close to the cost of three 1-zone tickets.  If you're planning to cross multiple zones, it's an even better deal.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

joycsk said:


> Couldn't quite see this in a quick search.  I've read that we can purchase 2 day transit passes at the airport - pharmacy or 7-11.  Do the passes activate at purchase, or do they not activate until first use?
> 
> We arrive in YVR on Saturday and I'm contemplating taking a cab to our hotel and being quite most of that day.  I'd love to purchase the two day passes to be used on Sunday and Monday, but I'm not sure if I can do that.
> 
> Thanks for your help!



Vancouver's public transit system (Translink) only has daily and monthly passes.  However, some of the tourist bus systems (Grayline) have multi-day passes.  

You can buy Translink daily passes at many convenience stores (including the 7-Eleven in the airport), as well as at the vending machines in every Skytrain Station.  (The Skytrain stations on airport may charge a $5 surcharge, like they do for basic 1-zone and 2-zone tickets, but you won't pay this at any other station.)  The skytrain ticket vending machines are super-efficient and they take virtually every type of payment.  (I personally prefer using Skytrain vending machines to buying from the people who work in convenience stores.)

If you want to take a cab downtown, I wouldn't buy passes at the airport.  On Sunday, you can drop in the nearest convenience store or Skytrain station and purchase your day passes.  You will have to repeat this on Monday.


----------



## richmo

GrtWtNorth said:


> ...The Skytrain stations on airport may charge a $5 surcharge, like they do for basic 1-zone and 2-zone tickets, but you won't pay this at any other station.



My understanding is that if you buy a day pass or Faresaver, you do not get hit with the YVR surcharge.  According to the website (translink.ca):

_Customers who use prepaid fares such as DayPasses, Monthly FareCards, FareSaver tickets, West Coast Express weekly and 28-day passes, U-Passes, Employer Passes and Government Bus Passes are exempt from the Canada Line YVR AddFare._


----------



## richmo

Arriving in SEA and driving north: what/where is a good way to exchange US$ for CAD$?  Same question in reverse also.


----------



## 3princessMommy

richmo said:


> Arriving in SEA and driving north: what/where is a good way to exchange US$ for CAD$?  Same question in reverse also.



I've heard go to an ATM upon arrival on the Canadian side is the best way.  Don't know how to change it back though except at a change place, which charge too much IMHO.


----------



## Candy Apple

GrtWtNorth said:


> Vancouver's public transit system (Translink) only has daily and monthly passes. However, some of the tourist bus systems (Grayline) have multi-day passes.
> 
> You can buy Translink daily passes at many convenience stores (including the 7-Eleven in the airport), as well as at the vending machines in every Skytrain Station. (The Skytrain stations on airport may charge a $5 surcharge, like they do for basic 1-zone and 2-zone tickets, but you won't pay this at any other station.) The skytrain ticket vending machines are super-efficient and they take virtually every type of payment. (I personally prefer using Skytrain vending machines to buying from the people who work in convenience stores.)
> 
> If you want to take a cab downtown, I wouldn't buy passes at the airport. On Sunday, you can drop in the nearest convenience store or Skytrain station and purchase your day passes. You will have to repeat this on Monday.


 


richmo said:


> My understanding is that if you buy a day pass or Faresaver, you do not get hit with the YVR surcharge. According to the website (translink.ca):
> 
> _Customers who use prepaid fares such as DayPasses, Monthly FareCards, FareSaver tickets, West Coast Express weekly and 28-day passes, U-Passes, Employer Passes and Government Bus Passes are exempt from the Canada Line YVR AddFare._


 
Can you buy a faresaver at the airport 7-11? We arrive in Vancouver on Saturday and plan to take the Canada line to the Fairmont Waterfront. I'm not sure if we will be doing any more public transport on the day we arrive, so I'm trying to figure out what is the cheapest way to get from the airport to the hotel that day. For Sunday and Monday, we'll do the day passes.


----------



## joycsk

GrtWtNorth said:


> Vancouver's public transit system (Translink) only has daily and monthly passes.  However, some of the tourist bus systems (Grayline) have multi-day passes.
> 
> You can buy Translink daily passes at many convenience stores (including the 7-Eleven in the airport), as well as at the vending machines in every Skytrain Station.  (The Skytrain stations on airport may charge a $5 surcharge, like they do for basic 1-zone and 2-zone tickets, but you won't pay this at any other station.)  The skytrain ticket vending machines are super-efficient and they take virtually every type of payment.  (I personally prefer using Skytrain vending machines to buying from the people who work in convenience stores.)
> 
> If you want to take a cab downtown, I wouldn't buy passes at the airport.  On Sunday, you can drop in the nearest convenience store or Skytrain station and purchase your day passes.  You will have to repeat this on Monday.



This is what I needed.  Out of curiosity, I'll go out on a limb and ask if you can tell me anything about the Festival of Light?  We arrive on the 29th, which is the first night.  Since China is up, I really want to go.  However, that is the reason we are planning a _quite_ afternoon when we arrive.  We're from the east coast and will be pulling a 24 hr day.    But I just can't imagine passing this up.  (Planning also to drug self and kids on the plane ride.  I HATE that Newark considers CA to be an "international" flight - I mean I _know_, but _really?)

Apologies for the ramble.


----------



## buddywesley

richmo said:


> Arriving in SEA and driving north: what/where is a good way to exchange US$ for CAD$?  Same question in reverse also.



Check with your bank. We were able to order CAD$ before we left for no extra fees. also we found here (we are still in Vancouver) when using Amex travelers checks they pretty much used them as if they were Canadian!? (we got right change back)


----------



## DisneyBasket

buddywesley said:


> Check with your bank. We were able to order CAD$ before we left for no extra fees.



I would agree with this advice.  We used ATMs and were hit with international fees from our bank.  We would have had NONE if we had gone to the branch and picked up CAD before our trip.  In the future, I plan to put "visit the bank" on my pre-travel list of errands!


----------



## mom_rules

joycsk said:


> This is what I needed.  Out of curiosity, I'll go out on a limb and ask if you can tell me anything about the Festival of Light?  We arrive on the 29th, which is the first night.  Since China is up, I really want to go.  However, that is the reason we are planning a _quite_ afternoon when we arrive.  We're from the east coast and will be pulling a 24 hr day.    But I just can't imagine passing this up.  (Planning also to drug self and kids on the plane ride.  I HATE that Newark considers CA to be an "international" flight - I mean I _know_, but _really?)
> 
> Apologies for the ramble.



Saturday July 30th
10:00 - 10:25PM
Celebration of Light Fireworks Show

China:  "China Storm"


Wednesday August 3rd
10:00 - 10:25PM
Celebration of Light Fireworks Show

Spain:  "Odyssey"


Saturday August 6th
10:00 - 10:25PM
Celebration of Light Fireworks Show

Canada:  "Then and Now"

Bleacher seating-
Guarantee the best seats and view at the 2011 Celebration of Light!

So you want to enjoy the fireworks but dont have time to head down to the beach hours ahead of the big show?

This is your exclusive opportunity to secure a limited number of reserved seats in the new Celebration of Light grandstand, located at the heart of the action in English Bay! From your reserved bleacher seat you will enjoy a fantastic view of the fireworks while listening to the musical simulcast through our bleacher sound system.  Get your friends together, head to the beach, and enjoy your reserved seat, front and centre, as we celebrate the Spectacular 21st Annual Celebration of Light fireworks festival!


Net proceeds from the sale of these tickets go directly to the Vancouver Fireworks Festival Society to help keep this event alive for years to come.

Limited Early Bird tickets are only $35 plus tax and service charge, and are available through Tickets Tonight.


----------



## DenverVal

richmo said:


> My understanding is that if you buy a day pass or Faresaver, you do not get hit with the YVR surcharge.  According to the website (translink.ca):
> 
> _Customers who use prepaid fares such as DayPasses, Monthly FareCards, FareSaver tickets, West Coast Express weekly and 28-day passes, U-Passes, Employer Passes and Government Bus Passes are exempt from the Canada Line YVR AddFare._


I believe you are not exempt from the surcharge if you buy them from the airport kiosk. You do not pay the surcharge if you buy them from the pharmasave or the 7-11 in the airport. The least confusing way to find these shops is to go to the train platform, and as you face the train, turn right and go back into the airport.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

joycsk said:


> Out of curiosity, I'll go out on a limb and ask if you can tell me anything about the Festival of Light?  We arrive on the 29th, which is the first night.  Since China is up, I really want to go.  However, that is the reason we are planning a _quite_ afternoon when we arrive.  We're from the east coast and will be pulling a 24 hr day.



Celebration of Light is amazing to watch.  The challenge is that there will literally be hundreds of thousands of locals also trying to watch the fireworks from the beaches, plus hundreds (or thousands) watching from small boats.  It is very crowded.  Locals stake out spots hours in advance.  Many roads are closed, both in the vicinity of English Bay and Kitsilano Point.  Parking is severely restricted.  Bus and taxi service in these areas will be slow. 

When I was living 'out east' and I travelled to Vancouver on business, I thought about trying to catch one of these shows, but I was too exhausted to venture out of my hotel.

Years later, when I lived in Vancouver, we would watch the show from Kitsilano Point, which was much less crowded than English Bay.  See this map.  The arrow in the water marks the approximate location of the fireworks barge. 

If you do want to spend a few hours at a beach and watch the fireworks in the evening, pay attention to the tides.  Some foolish people claim what appear to be choice spots during the day, only to realize that the tide is coming in and they will be under a several feet of water by the time the fireworks start.   Some of my friends think watching these people is more entertaining than the fireworks.


----------



## nzdisneymom

DisneyBasket said:


> I would agree with this advice.  We used ATMs and were hit with international fees from our bank.  We would have had NONE if we had gone to the branch and picked up CAD before our trip.  In the future, I plan to put "visit the bank" on my pre-travel list of errands!



And we found our ATM cards would not work even when processed as a credit card. I had called the bank before we left to confirm use and put a travel notification and specifically said we were going to Canada. Thankfully I had taken enough US cash which was accepted readily and when I did need Canadian money, we had accumulated enough in change. I called the bank from Canada and they told me oh Canada is on a restricted list for the debit card. Gggrrrrrr.


----------



## joycsk

GrtWtNorth said:


> Celebration of Light is amazing to watch.  The challenge is that there will literally be hundreds of thousands of locals also trying to watch the fireworks from the beaches, plus hundreds (or thousands) watching from small boats.  It is very crowded.  Locals stake out spots hours in advance.  Many roads are closed, both in the vicinity of English Bay and Kitsilano Point.  Parking is severely restricted.  Bus and taxi service in these areas will be slow.
> 
> When I was living 'out east' and I travelled to Vancouver on business, I thought about trying to catch one of these shows, but I was too exhausted to venture out of my hotel.
> 
> Years later, when I lived in Vancouver, we would watch the show from Kitsilano Point, which was much less crowded than English Bay.  See this map.  The arrow in the water marks the approximate location of the fireworks barge.
> 
> If you do want to spend a few hours at a beach and watch the fireworks in the evening, pay attention to the tides.  Some foolish people claim what appear to be choice spots during the day, only to realize that the tide is coming in and they will be under a several feet of water by the time the fireworks start.   Some of my friends think watching these people is more entertaining than the fireworks.



We are planning to play it by ear, though it does sound like a very special opportunity that won't come around too often.  I had read about the tides, but also thank you for the warning.  We are staying near Canada Place, and if we can move, I was considering trying the Burrard Street Bridge, so we can mostly see, but still get "home."

You are a wonderful wealth of information!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

joycsk said:


> I was considering trying the Burrard Street Bridge, so we can mostly see, but still get "home."



The Burrard Street might be a decent location to watch Celebration of Light for adults, but I wouldn't suggest it for children under 10.  The bridge deck is several stories high. You would not be able to see any of the lower fireworks unless you were in the first one or two rows against the railing.  But bridge is very crowded and everyone is looking for the best view. While I've never been up there for fireworks myself, I expect it is like a mosh pit -- not a place I would bring little kids.


----------



## joycsk

I feel like a dummy just now learning this.  TD Bank is a Canadian Bank.  They were perfectly happy to order CA dollars for me.  I'm not sure how widespread they are in the USA, but I know they have a large mid-Atlantic presence.  I thought this might be useful to someone besides me.


----------



## wdhinn89

I just ordered some Canadian money today from my bank.  (Chase)  There was no fee and it is another thing I can check off my list of things needed to be done.


----------



## mgibson301

We probably need to order some funds too here fairly soon.  Not sure how much I will get though as it's probably easier to pay with my credit card at most places and really don't want any left over.  That was how we traveled in Europe.  Can't wait...it's getting close!


----------



## DenverVal

I finished my Canadian $$ in the airport buying sandwiches and sodas for lunch. I handed over the Canadian money and they recalculated the balance for US $$ and I paid with exact change. Most places there will calculate the charges for either currency on the cash register.


----------



## Pooh667

DenverVal said:


> I finished my Canadian $$ in the airport buying sandwiches and sodas for lunch. I handed over the Canadian money and they recalculated the balance for US $$ and I paid with exact change. Most places there will calculate the charges for either currency on the cash register.



I did not know this, thanks for posting.


----------



## geoffrey

GrtWtNorth said:


> (The Skytrain stations on airport may charge a $5 surcharge, like they do for basic 1-zone and 2-zone tickets, but you won't pay this at any other station.)  The skytrain ticket vending machines are super-efficient and they take virtually every type of payment.  (I personally prefer using Skytrain vending machines to buying from the people who work in convenience stores.).



Just got back from our Alaska cruise. 

We parked in the airport long-term parking lot. We had hoped to be able to board the sky train at the nearest station, but there was no way to do that. the station is inside of a fenced off area. So we had to take the free shuttle back to the airport and board the sky train at the terminal. 

bought 2-zone tickets at the kiosk. seems there was a $5/ticket surcharge added. for 2 adults/1 child it came out to $25. this was a surprise! It was only $10 to return.


----------



## cinderellanprince

other than dcl transfers, i wanted to see if anyone had recommendations for transportation to and from the airport with 2 kids in car seats, still.  i don't want to rent a car so i am looking for suggestions! thanks in advance.


----------



## 1DisneyQueen

We are travelling from Seattle to Vancouver via Amtrak on Sunday 8/21/11.  There are 18 of us (Adults and Children)  We are staying at the Marriott Limited on W Pender St.  What is the best way to get from the Amtrak station to the hotel.  I have searched this thread, but did not see any groups doing this.  The Taxi's are limited to 4 people and the vans are 4 and a wheelchair.  We have a 2, 5,11,11,11,15 year old children.

I found that bus 19 goes near the hotel, but was not sure how that works with luggage.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated.


----------



## mom_rules

cinderellanprince said:


> other than dcl transfers, i wanted to see if anyone had recommendations for transportation to and from the airport with 2 kids in car seats, still.  i don't want to rent a car so i am looking for suggestions! thanks in advance.



A cab should cost you about $30 (plus tip) 

or
http://www.limos.com/limo-price-guide


----------



## ibouncetoo

cinderellanprince said:


> other than dcl transfers, i wanted to see if anyone had recommendations for transportation to and from the airport with 2 kids in car seats, still. i don't want to rent a car so i am looking for suggestions! thanks in advance.


 
I think our cab from the Pan Pacific (right at the port) to the airport was about $35 plus tip.

,


----------



## mgibson301

geoffrey said:


> Just got back from our Alaska cruise.
> 
> We parked in the airport long-term parking lot. We had hoped to be able to board the sky train at the nearest station, but there was no way to do that. the station is inside of a fenced off area. So we had to take the free shuttle back to the airport and board the sky train at the terminal.
> 
> bought 2-zone tickets at the kiosk. seems there was a $5/ticket surcharge added. for 2 adults/1 child it came out to $25. this was a surprise! It was only $10 to return.



Someone mentioned buying it instead from the Airport 7 eleven.  Wonder if that would save the $5 surcharge?  Honestly it defeats the purpose of not taking a cab if the skytram charge ends up being too awfully much.  We aren't staying near the port either (Metrotown Hilton), so we have a couple of transfers on the skytrain as it is.  Does anyone know what the downtown traffic is like in the morning?  We are flying in super early 7:15 so we should be in commuter traffic?  Where I live our traffic is HORRIBLE that time of the day!


----------



## Pooh667

mgibson301 said:


> Someone mentioned buying it instead from the Airport 7 eleven.  Wonder if that would save the $5 surcharge?  Honestly it defeats the purpose of not taking a cab if the skytram charge ends up being too awfully much.  We aren't staying near the port either (Metrotown Hilton), so we have a couple of transfers on the skytrain as it is.  Does anyone know what the downtown traffic is like in the morning?  We are flying in super early 7:15 so we should be in commuter traffic?  Where I live our traffic is HORRIBLE that time of the day!



Hi,

From what I have been told you can get the train tickets at the 7-11 or pharmasave at the airport and if you buy a day pass or a book of tickets there you do save the surcharge.


----------



## DenverVal

A single book of tickets can be shared by all members of the family, and if you buy it at the pharmasave or 7-11 you avoid the surcharge.


----------



## lilsonicfan

mgibson301 said:


> Someone mentioned buying it instead from the Airport 7 eleven.  Wonder if that would save the $5 surcharge?  Honestly it defeats the purpose of not taking a cab if the skytram charge ends up being too awfully much.  We aren't staying near the port either (Metrotown Hilton), so we have a couple of transfers on the skytrain as it is.  Does anyone know what the downtown traffic is like in the morning?  We are flying in super early 7:15 so we should be in commuter traffic?  Where I live our traffic is HORRIBLE that time of the day!



So you're going to need to take the Canada Line from the airport into Vancouver, then transfer in downtown to the Skytrain (Expo Line) to get to Metrotown, right?  The Canada Line does get quite busy in the mornings, but there are so many trains that you shouldn't feel like it's too insane.  The traffic driving into downtown is a little nuts though.

If you buy a Faresaver book of adult 2-zone tickets from 7-11 then you won't have to pay a surcharge - you just take your ticket to the machine at the station and get it validated (ie stamped with expiration time.)  Kids don't have to pay as much as adults, but I'm guessing you won't need one full book of adult tickets and one full book of kid ones!  Faresavers are cheaper than the tickets you buy at the station anyway, since you're buying 10 at a time.  I believe the 2-zone faresaver book is about $31.50, whereas if you bought 10 2-zone tickets at a non-airport station it would cost you $37.50.

Someone asked earlier about regular fares ending at 6:30.  What that means is that after 6:30pm, the zones don't apply any more and you can pay for a one zone ticket (or use a one zone Faresaver ticket) from, say, Metrotown to downtown, whereas before 6:30 PM, that would be two zones of travel.


----------



## tinker1bell

mgibson301 said:


> Someone mentioned buying it instead from the Airport 7 eleven.  Wonder if that would save the $5 surcharge?  Honestly it defeats the purpose of not taking a cab if the skytram charge ends up being too awfully much.  We aren't staying near the port either (Metrotown Hilton), so we have a couple of transfers on the skytrain as it is.  Does anyone know what the downtown traffic is like in the morning?  We are flying in super early 7:15 so we should be in commuter traffic?  Where I live our traffic is HORRIBLE that time of the day!



Okay, I am really gonna date myself.  Hubby and I lived in Hawaii from 1971 to 1973 and even then I remember how bad the traffic was.  We lived in Navy housing just outside of Pearl Harbor and would go to visit our dog since he was in quarantine  and if we hit that one traffic light wrong, it would take forever just to cross over.   But also it would take half an hour to get anywhere on the island!!!!   I loved living there.


----------



## Doingitagain

We used our Capital One card in Vancouver because there are no foreign currency fees. 

Capital One called today with a fraud alert, someone was using our number on the Internet for small charges.  It had to be from somewhere in Vancouver or Alaska, those are the only places we used the card since we only use it while traveling.  We only used it at hotels and stores, not outside vendors.  Several places made a point of not taking our card, making us stay with it, etc.

The fraudulent charges didn't start until about five days after we returned and Capital One called the same day. 

Capital One will take those charges off the card and cancel the account and send new cards.  Great customer service, getting on top of it this quickly!

I am glad we use a different card for travel so that any recurring charges aren't impacted and it isn't a big hassle.

Thank you, Capital One!


----------



## denise

Doingitagain said:


> We used our Capital One card in Vancouver because there are no foreign currency fees.
> 
> Capital One called today with a fraud alert, someone was using our number on the Internet for small charges.  It had to be from somewhere in Vancouver or Alaska, those are the only places we used the card since we only use it while traveling.  We only used it at hotels and stores, not outside vendors.  Several places made a point of not taking our card, making us stay with it, etc.
> 
> The fraudulent charges didn't start until about five days after we returned and Capital One called the same day.
> 
> Capital One will take those charges off the card and cancel the account and send new cards.  Great customer service, getting on top of it this quickly!
> 
> I am glad we use a different card for travel so that any recurring charges aren't impacted and it isn't a big hassle.
> 
> Thank you, Capital One!



Same thing happened to us from the Repo Cruise. But it was a CITI bank card. They called a couple of days after we were back. We had used the card two times. Once at a very reputable jewelry store and the other at the parking at the pier at Canada Place. Citi Bank wouldn't tell us where they thought it was compromised but just issued a new card...
Citi Bank has always been on top of this...not the first time this has happened but always caught by them....


----------



## LAWalz23

denise said:


> Same thing happened to us from the Repo Cruise. But it was a CITI bank card. They called a couple of days after we were back. We had used the card two times. Once at a very reputable jewelry store and the other at the parking at the pier at Canada Place. Citi Bank wouldn't tell us where they thought it was compromised but just issued a new card...
> Citi Bank has always been on top of this...not the first time this has happened but always caught by them....



Thanks for the reminder to always check credit card statements. I am also going to call the credit cards that I plan to use and let them know the dates that I will be away.


----------



## joycsk

$29 - Big Bus Tour, Lookout Pass & Gourmet Gelato, Reg. $58

http://www.travelzoo.com/ca/local-deals/deal/3618

First off, I wanted to post the above offer, which someone put on our facebook group.

Secondly, my family of 4 will be in Vancouver for Saturday afternoon, all Sunday and all Monday.  I've been reading about the Big Bus, the Hop On/Off Bus, and the SkyTrain public transit.  We know we'll be traveling around town - Stanley Park, Granville Is, and _possibly_ out to Grouse Mt.  Can someone give me a "best guess" as to what my best options might be?  (Planning to take a cab from airport to hotel, and maybe not do too much on Saturday.)

I appreciate any and all suggestions.  I've read the posts, but somehow, I just can't seem to synthesize the information into a cohesive whole!

Thanks So much!


----------



## DenverVal

We also arrived on a Saturday afternoon. We took the sky train to the Pan Pacific, walked the seawall to Stanley Park, explored the park a bit, and hopped a bus back. We spent the entire morning and early afternoon at the aquarium the next day, thoroughly enjoyed that, and wandered around downtown, Gastown, and Lonsdale Quay the rest of the day. We went back to photograph the Olympic cauldron after it finally got dark about 11 pm. Monday we took public transit to Grouse Mountain, spent the morning there, and spent the afternoon at the Capilano Bridge. We enjoyed both parks. If I were to do it again, renting bikes to explore Stanley Park would have been great, because it's huge! We pretty much wore our feet out! I would also have liked to have made a trip to the museum at the University of BC to see the native people's exhibits, but there just wasn't enough time.


----------



## Padres19

joycsk said:


> $29 - Big Bus Tour, Lookout Pass & Gourmet Gelato, Reg. $58
> 
> http://www.travelzoo.com/ca/local-deals/deal/3618
> 
> First off, I wanted to post the above offer, which someone put on our facebook group.
> 
> Secondly, my family of 4 will be in Vancouver for Saturday afternoon, all Sunday and all Monday.  I've been reading about the Big Bus, the Hop On/Off Bus, and the SkyTrain public transit.  We know we'll be traveling around town - Stanley Park, Granville Is, and _possibly_ out to Grouse Mt.  Can someone give me a "best guess" as to what my best options might be?  (Planning to take a cab from airport to hotel, and maybe not do too much on Saturday.)
> 
> I appreciate any and all suggestions.  I've read the posts, but somehow, I just can't seem to synthesize the information into a cohesive whole!
> 
> Thanks So much!



Joy,

Like any city, what you do with your family will depend in great part on how old your children are.  I live in San Diego, but have been spending about a month in Vancouver every year for the past 12 years, as my wife has a family home there.  It is a truly GREAT city.  My twin daughters are now 8, so I can tell you what they have LOVED doing in Vancouver at each stage since they were infants.

The BEST things to do in Vancouver are as follows:

1) *Rent a bike and ride around the Stanley Park Seawall*.  This is a tremendous experience, especially if the weather is sunny.  I would suggest doing this on Monday, as most of Vancouver will be riding, skating, jogging, playing, etc. along the Seawall if it's sunny on Saturday and Sunday.

2) Hit as many of the following places as possible: *Vancouver Aquarium *(and do NOT miss the 4D movie), *Science World *(kids of all ages LOVE this place, but know that they are undergoing extensive construction renovation.  Still, the "shows" that are put on at 20 minutes past the hour all day are absolutely worth the admission alone), *Granville Island(If your kids are 10 or under (and especially if they are in the 4-8 range) be sure to go to the Kids Market), and if the weather is nice, be sure to go to the FREE water park on Granville Island.  NOTE: Try to take one of the water taxis (Aquabus or False Creek Ferries) when you visit Science World and/or Granville Island.  With the exception of the water park, you can do any of these activities no matter what the weather may be.

3) If the weather is clear and sunny, then go to either Grouse Mountain OR the Lookout (no need to go to both, since the primary purpose is the view).  Grouse Mountain is expensive, but they have a fantastic lumberjack show that is every bit as good (and many feel is actually better) than the one that is performed in Ketchikan.  Although Vancouver has had an unusually rainy and cool Summer thus far, IF it happens to be WARM/HOT when you are there, then head to the Bloedel Conservatory at the top of Queen Elizabeth Park.  The Conservatory is terrific, but for kids of all ages, the real highlight is playing in the water fountains behind the conservatory.  There is NOTHING more fun for a kid to do on hot day in Vancouver than to run through these fountains.  The gardens at Queen Elizabeth Park are beautiful (although the Van Dusen Gardens are certainly better), and there is a wonderful view of Vancouver from the area around the conservatory.

4) There are lots of kid friendly places to eat in Vancouver, and I won't bother to repeat those that have already been posted here.  But, in my personal opinion, the TWO best kid friendly restaurants in Vancouver are: Rocky Mountain Flatbread (which is on 1st Avenue in Kitsilano) and Yaletown Brewing Company (which is in the heart of Yaletown).  The food is GREAT at both places so the the grown ups will love it and the kids will too (LOTS of choices on the kids menus at both places).  But the real draw is this: On Sunday and Monday nights at Rocky Mountain Flatbread, kids get to make their own pizzas (any kid, even teenagers, will LOVE this); and on Thursday to Sunday nights at Yaletown Brewing, they have a magician named Yuri who goes table to table doing absolutely incredible close up magic.  I promise you that he will do things that you will NOT be able to figure out how he does it.  Kids from 3 to 93 will love his magic.

I hope this helps a little.  Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.  I'm glad that you are spending a few days in Vancouver before the cruise.  You will be very glad that you did.

Brian*


----------



## mom_rules

You can buy a hop-on-hop off trolley special pass-if you buy online you get 2 days for the price of one - then if you combine it with a Vancouver Smartpass you can get into most attractions with it.  you can buy 1, 2 or 3 day.  we opted for 3 day-you can take a bus trip to Whistler using it also.


----------



## Bullseyebaby

Just got back from our Vancouver stay (5 days) then Disney Cruise (July 12th-19th).  

In our opinion.... best thing we did..... rented a car and went to Whistler for the day and rode the peak to peak gondola & chair lifts.  Absolutely one of the most beautiful places (views) we have ever seen.  Even caught pictures of bears out on the trails.  Fun day for kids too!

Other things we did:  Aquarium (okay...we have Sea World close, so this was very small to us).  Stanley Park... beautiful.  Capilano Suspension bridge...fun but scared me (personally) but I did it!. Shopping on Robson street...lots of great stores.  Our hotel was Hotel Le Soliel on Hornby.  Great location, comfortable rooms, excellent staff, able to walk 4 blocks to port.... but no gym.  Access to gym was $11 at the YWCA next door (but it was super nice).  Steamworks Brewery Restaurant down by the waterfront (dock).... probably the best meal we had, but not sure if it's because we were drinking too.  Also.... Vancouver is expensive.  10% tax plus the exchange rate & prices were higher than what we're used to.  Plan accordingly.


----------



## WDWLVR

We were in Vancouver from Saturday afternoon until we boarded the Wonder on Tuesday afternoon.  Here's what we did:

Saturday - checked into the Pan Pacific and basically chilled.  We had a great view from our room and got to see two cruise ships leave.

Sunday - we booked a tour with Landsea Tours to go to Victoria for the day.  It was fantastic.  Got picked up at our hotel at 8am in a small mini-bus (I think it held 24 people).  Made a few stops at other hotels and then drove down to the Ferry.  Got to see a bit of the country before we drove onto the Ferry.  The BC Ferry was great.  It had restaurants, lots of seating, a gift shop, and the hour and a half passes quickly.  We spent most of it outside looking at the views and weren't disappointed.  Once we got to Victoria it was back on the bus and off the Ferry.  Got to tour of the Victoria area and then given tickets that we could use at one of 5 locations.  We opted for the Royal BC Museum.  We were then on our own for 3 hours (roughly).  We did some shopping, ate at a great Irish Pub, and then toured the museum.  After that it was back on the bus and off to Butchart Gardens.  This place is amazing!  So beautiful.  Those of you who have been to Epcot and gone to eat at LeCellier - the gardens there are modeled after Butchart.  After about 2 hours there it was back on the bus, back to the Ferry (another great ride where we saw whales) and then back to our hotel.  13 hours in all and worth every penny we paid for it.

Monday we bought tickets for the Hop On/Hop Off bus.  It was a great way to see the city and Stanley Park.  At the first stop at Stanley Park we were able to Hop Off our bus and then onto a special Stanley Park bus for a complete tour of the park, then back on the regular bus.  When we got to the Aquarium we were able to buy tickets from our bus driver that not only saved some money but let us skip the long line to get in.  Our other stop was Gastown to do some more shopping.

Tuesday after we turned in our luggage at the hotel (we were on the cruise package and they took our luggage right to the ship for us) we walked over to the Vancouver Lookout.  Great views of the area and the Wonder!


----------



## GW45

We also had a few days in Vancouver before the July 12th cruise. While we were exhausted and jetlagged after 2 long  flights (first was transatlantic) we managed to walk to most places in Vancouver. We stayed on Hornby street too but further up I think -while it was tiring at times I liked getting the feel of the city on foot. We took a taxi to Grousse Mt (about $25-30 for the four of us) and did the same the next day to Capilano suspension bridge but got the free shuttle back which was very convenient.

I agree with a the pp who said that the lumberjack show on Grousse Mt was better than the one in Ketchikan. Maybe because the gags were new to us or that the beautiful backdrop scenery made it more pleasant or maybe because it didn't cost us extra but when you see a very similar show in Ketchikan with the exact same gags but at a hefty price once Disney get through with charging a full adult price for a 10 yr old kid....you wish you'd just strolled around the port instead.


----------



## smeecanada

Bullseyebaby said:


> Also.... Vancouver is expensive.  10% tax plus the exchange rate & prices were higher than what we're used to.  Plan accordingly.



Sorry, about the tax unfortunately it's 12%.

WDWLVR glad you liked your trip to Victoria.  It's a great place to live.  The whales you saw are a local pod that are in the Gulf Islands area in the summer.  I saw about 12 of them a few weeks ago while on the ferry.  You see them around Active Pass quite frequently from the ferry in the summer.


----------



## M&C

We're planning on staying in Vancouver for 3 nights after our cruise.  I thought it might be nice to stay in a Bed and Breakfast.  Any suggestions?


----------



## ariel39

After our cruise, our flight isn't until 6pm. Any ideas on how we can spend the day in Vancouver?  I don't really want to sit at the airport.  There are 11 of us, 2 handicapped grandparents.


----------



## 3princessMommy

We are taking the West Coast Sightseeing (Grey Line) post-cruise tour of Vancouver.  They will pick us and our luggage up at the pier at 10am.  Then they are dropping us off at the train station at 3:15.  I think they will also drop at the airport.  You make reservations via e-mail and pay with credit card when they pick you up at the pier.

Here's the website: http://www.vancouversightseeing.com/

You can also check my previous post on this thread and our cruise meet thread with other ideas.

Joann


----------



## ariel39

3princessMommy said:


> We are taking the West Coast Sightseeing (Grey Line) post-cruise tour of Vancouver.  They will pick us and our luggage up at the pier at 10am.  Then they are dropping us off at the train station at 3:15.  I think they will also drop at the airport.  You make reservations via e-mail and pay with credit card when they pick you up at the pier.
> 
> Here's the website: http://www.vancouversightseeing.com/
> 
> You can also check my previous post on this thread and our cruise meet thread with other ideas.
> 
> Joann



Wow thank you....Sounds pretty good!


----------



## Bullseyebaby

smeecanada said:


> Sorry, about the tax unfortunately it's 12%.
> 
> WDWLVR glad you liked your trip to Victoria.  It's a great place to live.  The whales you saw are a local pod that are in the Gulf Islands area in the summer.  I saw about 12 of them a few weeks ago while on the ferry.  You see them around Active Pass quite frequently from the ferry in the summer.



You're right..... I knew it was high!  Yikes, 12%.


----------



## kandt

My husband wants to drop me and my daughters off with our luggage at Canada Place and then return the rental car by himself.  Does anyone know if it is easy to drop off passengers and luggage, and where exactly you do this?  Thanks in advance for your help!


----------



## Fivepin

For any of you staying at the Marriott Pinnacle.  Just an FYI-if you have a gropu of more than 5...Marriott must have a contract with Aerocar.  We couldn't get the minivan to come to the hotel so would have  had to take 2 cabs to the airport.  Went to conceriege and we were able to get an 8 passenger limo from Aerocar for $50 plus tax.  All of our luggage fit in the trunk no problem.  There were 6 of us with 3 large suitcases and 3 carry ons.

I thought that price was reasonable.


----------



## parkaroo

kandt said:


> My husband wants to drop me and my daughters off with our luggage at Canada Place and then return the rental car by himself.  Does anyone know if it is easy to drop off passengers and luggage, and where exactly you do this?  Thanks in advance for your help!




Yes it is easy to drop off. We dropped off some of our group and then parked the rental car at the airport and took the sky train back to the port. 

Drive to Canada Place and where the people are directing traffic you drive down the right hand side of the garage. Tell the attendant you want to drop off for the cruise and they will direct you to back into a space right at the terminal to unload your luggage. The porters will take your luggage to the ship.


----------



## dkmjgal

Fivepin said:


> For any of you staying at the Marriott Pinnacle.  Just an FYI-if you have a gropu of more than 5...Marriott must have a contract with Aerocar.  We couldn't get the minivan to come to the hotel so would have  had to take 2 cabs to the airport.  Went to conceriege and we were able to get an 8 passenger limo from Aerocar for $50 plus tax.  All of our luggage fit in the trunk no problem.  There were 6 of us with 3 large suitcases and 3 carry ons.
> 
> I thought that price was reasonable.



We are staying at the Pinnacle for a couple of nights before our cruise.  How did you like the hotel?  Did you stay here prior to the cruise also?  Just wondering how we are going to get to the port on the morning we cruise.
Thanks!


----------



## Mom2PrincessesLinSy

OK, we have everything figured out for our cruise next week *squeal*  except for how to get from the Amtrak Station to our hotel ( Pacific Rim, across from Canada Place).  My DH says we can just call a cab when we get there, but I am uncomfortable with not having a "set plan" trying to get ourselves and 2 young children from the train to the hotel.  Any suggestions from those who have done it?


----------



## Fivepin

dkmjgal said:


> We are staying at the Pinnacle for a couple of nights before our cruise.  How did you like the hotel?  Did you stay here prior to the cruise also?  Just wondering how we are going to get to the port on the morning we cruise.
> Thanks!



We liked it.  We stayed pre and post.  It was in a good location.  We even got a rollaway bed for no extra cost.  We actually walked to the port with our luggage-very walkable.  My DH pulled 2 big suitcases, and I pulled one big one.  The kids had their backpacks and 2 of them pulled the 2 carry on bags.  We walked pretty slow with them and it took a good 10-15 minutes.  A taxi would have been $10, but we would have needed 2.  We cut through the hotel/convention center and took the elevator down to where the entrance of the terminal was.  We also walked back to the hotel after the cruise-everything seemed heavier!!  We bought our water for onboard the ship at Urban Fare-a mini grocery store and cafe one block away from the hotel.  It as $1 for the Nestle 1 liter bottle.  My kids are picky about water. Our room was clean and the beds were comfy, but they were double beds.  We are spoiled in the US with those queen size beds in the room.  Hope that helps.


----------



## dkmjgal

Fivepin said:


> We liked it.  We stayed pre and post.  It was in a good location.  We even got a rollaway bed for no extra cost.  We actually walked to the port with our luggage-very walkable.  My DH pulled 2 big suitcases, and I pulled one big one.  The kids had their backpacks and 2 of them pulled the 2 carry on bags.  We walked pretty slow with them and it took a good 10-15 minutes.  A taxi would have been $10, but we would have needed 2.  We cut through the hotel/convention center and took the elevator down to where the entrance of the terminal was.  We also walked back to the hotel after the cruise-everything seemed heavier!!  We bought our water for onboard the ship at Urban Fare-a mini grocery store and cafe one block away from the hotel.  It as $1 for the Nestle 1 liter bottle.  My kids are picky about water. Our room was clean and the beds were comfy, but they were double beds.  We are spoiled in the US with those queen size beds in the room.  Hope that helps.



Thanks so much!  Very helpful!


----------



## poohj80

Mom2PrincessesLinSy said:


> OK, we have everything figured out for our cruise next week *squeal*  except for how to get from the Amtrak Station to our hotel ( Pacific Rim, across from Canada Place).  My DH says we can just call a cab when we get there, but I am uncomfortable with not having a "set plan" trying to get ourselves and 2 young children from the train to the hotel.  Any suggestions from those who have done it?



I had the same question earlier and was told there are plenty of cabs waiting outside the Amtrak station.  We have 5 people so will need to take 2 cabs from what I have been told.  If you find out anything better, please let me know.


----------



## Rat-a-too-ee

I didn't realize that the term "Skid Row" comes from Hastings Street in Vancouver.

For those familiar with the area, please let me know if it is safe to walk the following path on Monday morning:

Walk from Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden (578 Carrall Street),

to Vancouver Lookout (555 West Hastings Street), and then to Canada Place.

Or, should play it safe and go with a cab?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## kandt

parkaroo said:


> Yes it is easy to drop off. We dropped off some of our group and then parked the rental car at the airport and took the sky train back to the port.
> 
> Drive to Canada Place and where the people are directing traffic you drive down the right hand side of the garage. Tell the attendant you want to drop off for the cruise and they will direct you to back into a space right at the terminal to unload your luggage. The porters will take your luggage to the ship.



Thank you!  I'm hoping I can go sit somewhere with my daughters until my husband gets back, or go for a walk outside.  Any idea if it would be easy to get outside from this location?  Where did you meet back up with your group?


----------



## Balmacara

Rat-a-too-ee said:


> I didn't realize that the term "Skid Row" comes from Hastings Street in Vancouver.
> 
> For those familiar with the area, please let me know if it is safe to walk the following path on Monday morning:
> 
> Walk from Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden (578 Carrall Street),
> 
> to Vancouver Lookout (555 West Hastings Street), and then to Canada Place.
> 
> Or, should play it safe and go with a cab?
> 
> Thanks in advance.



I must admit that DW & I felt a bit "uncomfortable" around this area particularly with 2 children. We decided not to walk too far from the garden and headed back to to the bus stop just outside as we had 24hr tickets for the open top bus "The Big Bus". We merely jumped back on this and headed towards Canada Place. I am pretty sure the bus stops around the Vancouver Lookout as well. 

This is the only area of Vancouver we felt unsafe in - this is truly a wonderful city and our stay (3 nights each both pre & post cruise) were fantastic


----------



## Fivepin

kandt said:


> Thank you!  I'm hoping I can go sit somewhere with my daughters until my husband gets back, or go for a walk outside.  Any idea if it would be easy to get outside from this location?  Where did you meet back up with your group?



Right out front of the connvention center entrance there were a couple of sitting areas where my mom waited with the kids while my DH checked if the hotel was ready.  The kids ran around and burnt off some energy chasing the birds.


----------



## staffieri

I am staying at the Marriott Reniaissance and would love ANY HELP. I am way behind in figuring this out and have had some extend family to care for. Any info or thoughts would be wonderful. We me, my mom 65, DD 5 and DS 13 will be arriving the day before around 5pm. hoping to go to Grouse Mountain the day of cruise. CRAZY... but only day and we will get to boat by 2:45.

So transportation form Airport to Hotel..cost of taxi. Think public transport maybe to hard with luggage and kids.

Where to eat? that night for dinner. We have no transportation.

Grouse Mountain: Thinking of getting cab and being there by 9am and cab back picking us up at 1:45. Will have cab swing by hotel for luggage.


----------



## vacationsitis

GrtWtNorth said:


> Vancouver's public transit system (Translink) only has daily and monthly passes.  However, some of the tourist bus systems (Grayline) have multi-day passes.
> 
> You can buy Translink daily passes at many convenience stores (including the 7-Eleven in the airport), as well as at the vending machines in every Skytrain Station.  (The Skytrain stations on airport may charge a $5 surcharge, like they do for basic 1-zone and 2-zone tickets, but you won't pay this at any other station.)  The skytrain ticket vending machines are super-efficient and they take virtually every type of payment.  (I personally prefer using Skytrain vending machines to buying from the people who work in convenience stores.)
> 
> If you want to take a cab downtown, I wouldn't buy passes at the airport.  On Sunday, you can drop in the nearest convenience store or Skytrain station and purchase your day passes.  You will have to repeat this on Monday.



If I bought a the booklet of 10 for a single zone, could I use two tickets to travel to airport from Canada Place?  
Thanks


----------



## lilsonicfan

vacationsitis said:


> If I bought a the booklet of 10 for a single zone, could I use two tickets to travel to airport from Canada Place?
> Thanks



Technically no, because that crosses a zone line, so you are supposed to carry a two zone ticket (not two one-zone's.)  One thing you could do is to get out at the Marine Drive station of the Canada Line (which is the first station in Zone 1, Vancouver) and validate your second one-zone ticket and get back on. But that could be a bit of a hassle.


----------



## lilsonicfan

Mom2PrincessesLinSy said:


> OK, we have everything figured out for our cruise next week *squeal*  except for how to get from the Amtrak Station to our hotel ( Pacific Rim, across from Canada Place).  My DH says we can just call a cab when we get there, but I am uncomfortable with not having a "set plan" trying to get ourselves and 2 young children from the train to the hotel.  Any suggestions from those who have done it?



You should have no trouble at all calling a cab, if there aren't some already waiting outside.  Yellow Cab is probably the most popular, and the number is 604-681-1111, easy to remember


----------



## lilsonicfan

staffieri said:


> I am staying at the Marriott Reniaissance and would love ANY HELP. I am way behind in figuring this out and have had some extend family to care for. Any info or thoughts would be wonderful. We me, my mom 65, DD 5 and DS 13 will be arriving the day before around 5pm. hoping to go to Grouse Mountain the day of cruise. CRAZY... but only day and we will get to boat by 2:45.
> 
> So transportation form Airport to Hotel..cost of taxi. Think public transport maybe to hard with luggage and kids.
> 
> Where to eat? that night for dinner. We have no transportation.
> 
> Grouse Mountain: Thinking of getting cab and being there by 9am and cab back picking us up at 1:45. Will have cab swing by hotel for luggage.



I haven't been to Grouse in a LONG time so I'm not even really sure what there is to do there!  If you're wanting to experience some local scenery that isn't quite as far, you can also do the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Stanley Park/seawall.

As for where to eat, there should be lots of stuff available in that area.  What kind of food are you interested in?  Chain restaurants, ethnic cuisines, etc?


----------



## HiMagicFan

staffieri said:


> I am staying at the Marriott Reniaissance and would love ANY HELP. I am way behind in figuring this out and have had some extend family to care for. Any info or thoughts would be wonderful. We me, my mom 65, DD 5 and DS 13 will be arriving the day before around 5pm. hoping to go to Grouse Mountain the day of cruise. CRAZY... but only day and we will get to boat by 2:45.
> 
> So transportation form Airport to Hotel..cost of taxi. Think public transport maybe to hard with luggage and kids.
> 
> Where to eat? that night for dinner. We have no transportation.
> 
> Grouse Mountain: Thinking of getting cab and being there by 9am and cab back picking us up at 1:45. Will have cab swing by hotel for luggage.



Hey Kimberly!  You might want to consider the taxi ($35-40) to downtown since it is you, your Mom and two kids - lots of luggage for you to be responsible for if you use the train.  My parents ixnayed the skytrain because they didn't want to have to take their lugagge too far and so we are taking a taxi from the airport.

Don't forget that there may be traffic and I read somewhere else that if there is an accident or some such then to cross the bridge might be longer than expected.

Hoping this helps.


----------



## mom_rules

lilsonicfan said:


> I haven't been to Grouse in a LONG time so I'm not even really sure what there is to do there!  If you're wanting to experience some local scenery that isn't quite as far, you can also do the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Stanley Park/seawall.
> 
> As for where to eat, there should be lots of stuff available in that area.  What kind of food are you interested in?  Chain restaurants, ethnic cuisines, etc?



I was really surprised at the cost of Grouse mountain-what do you get for you $40?


----------



## staffieri

mom_rules said:


> I was really surprised at the cost of Grouse mountain-what do you get for you $40?




A General Admission ticket includes round-trip Skyride, the Lumberjack Show, Ranger Talks at the Grizzly Bear Habitat, movies in our Theatre in the Sky, Bird show, amazing view and access to all our summer activities and more. 
Adults are $39.94
Youth are  23.95
Child are 13.95

Extra cost are paragliding and zipline. However, I think the cost includes your admission.

I have been told it is 30 minutes from downtown. You can take public transportation, or there a free shuttle that goes there direct, or a taxi cost $30

This was the info I found out yesterday.


----------



## geffric

From their website:

A General Admission ticket includes round trip Skyride, Lumberjack Show, Birds in Motion, Ranger Talks at the Bear Habitat, movies in our Theatre in the Sky, plus access to alpine shopping, dining and more.

Ziplining is $105 and includes General admission..


----------



## tanyaewa

If you can find  a CHEVRON gas station they currently have coupon booklets for the *Vancouver Top 10 Attractions*
vancouverattractions.com
The coupons are for the listed attractions - each for a free admission with one purchased

capilano suspension bridge
stanley park horse drawn carriage
harbour cruise
science world
vancouver lookout
Dr Sun Yat-Sen Gardens
Burnaby Village Museum
Minter gardes
Hells gate airtram

And FWIW - there is a Chevron on Georgia St - right almost at the entrance to Stanley Park.  Near the Westin Bayshores hotel


----------



## DizC1288

geffric said:


> From their website:
> 
> A General Admission ticket includes round trip Skyride, Lumberjack Show, Birds in Motion, Ranger Talks at the Bear Habitat, movies in our Theatre in the Sky, plus access to alpine shopping, dining and more.
> 
> Ziplining is $105 and includes General admission..



So...if your going to zipline you don't also pay for admission?
~ does anyone know for sure????


----------



## HiMagicFan

staffieri said:


> A General Admission ticket includes round-trip Skyride, the Lumberjack Show, Ranger Talks at the Grizzly Bear Habitat, movies in our Theatre in the Sky, Bird show, amazing view and access to all our summer activities and more.
> Adults are $39.94
> Youth are  23.95
> Child are 13.95
> 
> Extra cost are paragliding and zipline. However, I think the cost includes your admission.
> 
> I have been told it is 30 minutes from downtown. You can take public transportation, or there a free shuttle that goes there direct, or a taxi cost $30
> 
> This was the info I found out yesterday.



Now you have me thinking!  We weren't sure what to do with our one day after the trip in Vancouver so this might be a good idea.  thanks!


----------



## geffric

DizC1288 said:


> So...if your going to zipline you don't also pay for admission?
> ~ does anyone know for sure????


 
it says it is included.


----------



## staffieri

HiMagicFan said:


> Now you have me thinking!  We weren't sure what to do with our one day after the trip in Vancouver so this might be a good idea.  thanks!



MagicalFan,  were on the same cruise. I'm going the day of we board. We come in on Monday and Tuesday is our only day in Vancouver. We are heading out at 8:15 and heading back at 1:45. Its a 30 minute drive. Taking a taxi. I read lots of great reviews on this. And the lumberjack show is rated better. Ask me on the ship how it went and I can let you know. Everything I read looks great. And my son and I are going to try the paragliding.


----------



## Shanny145

Does anyone have any info on the grouse mountain zip lines? We have an 8 and 10 year old that are just under 70 lbs which of course is their min weight to zip.  One is 64 lbs and the other 67 lbs.......do they check your weight.....has anyone else brought kids to do this?


----------



## hawaiian mickey

staffieri said:


> A General Admission ticket includes round-trip Skyride, the Lumberjack Show, Ranger Talks at the Grizzly Bear Habitat, movies in our Theatre in the Sky, Bird show, amazing view and access to all our summer activities and more.
> Adults are $39.94
> Youth are  23.95
> Child are 13.95
> 
> Extra cost are paragliding and zipline. However, I think the cost includes your admission.
> 
> I have been told it is 30 minutes from downtown. You can take public transportation, or there a free shuttle that goes there direct, or a taxi cost $30
> 
> aloha,
> We did Grouse Mtn the day before our cruise. What we did was made dinner reservation at the Restaurant Observatory. An as along as each of us order one entree at dinner our admission was free. They do take a credit card # at the time of reservation. Entrees start at $30.
> It was a great deal and had a beautiful view.
> 
> aloha,
> hawaiian mickey


----------



## HiMagicFan

hawaiian mickey said:


> staffieri said:
> 
> 
> 
> aloha,
> We did Grouse Mtn the day before our cruise. What we did was made dinner reservation at the Restaurant Observatory. An as along as each of us order one entree at dinner our admission was free. They do take a credit card # at the time of reservation. Entrees start at $30.
> It was a great deal and had a beautiful view.
> 
> aloha,
> hawaiian mickey
> [/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So, if we make dinner ressies we can get in free?  We can get in, say in the am and stay all day, have dinner and then split?
> 
> Did you use the free transportation?  I am wondering why pay for a taxi if they offer free transportation?  I gotta do some better research but mahalo from one kanaka to another.
Click to expand...


----------



## hawaiian mickey

HiMagicFan said:


> hawaiian mickey said:
> 
> 
> 
> So, if we make dinner ressies we can get in free?  We can get in, say in the am and stay all day, have dinner and then split?
> 
> Did you use the free transportation?  I am wondering why pay for a taxi if they offer free transportation?  I gotta do some better research but mahalo from one kanaka to another.
> 
> 
> 
> aloha,
> We made this reservation through open table. The only caveat is that they will give your admission tickets 3 hrs prior to your reservation.
> Our reservation was at 6:00pm. The 3 hrs we had was more than enough time to do all the free events (birds of prey,lumberjack show,ski lift ride and short movie).
> We had a rental van an drove to Grouse Mtn. There is a free shuttle in downtown. Check their website.
> It was a great place to go.The view was really spectacular. It is really worth the price.
> 
> aloha,
> hawaiian mickey
Click to expand...


----------



## Rat-a-too-ee

Rat-a-too-ee said:


> I didn't realize that the term "Skid Row" comes from Hastings Street in Vancouver.
> 
> For those familiar with the area, please let me know if it is safe to walk the following path on Monday morning:
> 
> Walk from Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden (578 Carrall Street),
> 
> to Vancouver Lookout (555 West Hastings Street), and then to Canada Place.
> 
> Or, should play it safe and go with a cab?
> 
> Thanks in advance.





Balmacara said:


> I must admit that DW & I felt a bit "uncomfortable" around this area particularly with 2 children. We decided not to walk too far from the garden and headed back to to the bus stop just outside as we had 24hr tickets for the open top bus "The Big Bus". We merely jumped back on this and headed towards Canada Place. I am pretty sure the bus stops around the Vancouver Lookout as well.
> 
> This is the only area of Vancouver we felt unsafe in - this is truly a wonderful city and our stay (3 nights each both pre & post cruise) were fantastic




Thanks so much!  Wasn't sure if we should attempt to walk it.  It's the only area we need to find transporation in... our hotel shuttle will drop us off at the Gardens and then we are getting a rental car at Canada Place for 24 hours so we can see the rest of the town and drop ourselves off at Canada Place the next day for the cruise.


----------



## staffieri

HiMagicFan said:


> hawaiian mickey said:
> 
> 
> 
> So, if we make dinner ressies we can get in free?  We can get in, say in the am and stay all day, have dinner and then split?
> 
> Did you use the free transportation?  I am wondering why pay for a taxi if they offer free transportation?  I gotta do some better research but mahalo from one kanaka to another.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> We have to use a taxi, which cost $25 -30 because I need to be there at 9am.the free shuttle starts at 9:30am getting people there between 10 an 10:10.
> 
> We going the day of the cruise, so have to make things as easy as possible. but was told the shuttle was great and made three stops to pick people up. two are at hotels and one somewhere downtown.
Click to expand...


----------



## Rat-a-too-ee

hawaiian mickey said:


> staffieri said:
> 
> 
> 
> Aaloha,
> We did Grouse Mtn the day before our cruise. What we did was made dinner reservation at the Restaurant Observatory. An as along as each of us order one entree at dinner our admission was free. They do take a credit card # at the time of reservation. Entrees start at $30.
> It was a great deal and had a beautiful view.
> 
> aloha,
> hawaiian mickey
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for the tip! I just made a reservation for dinner.  Entrees went up to $39 each, but still a good value.
> 
> The only thing that worries me is this:
> *"Please respect the smart casual dress code and note we do not allow hiking apparel or hats in the restaurant."*
> 
> We will be out ALL day, with an aggressive plan to see the Chinese Gardens, the Lookout, Gastown, the Capilano Bridge, and then Grouse Mountain.  I'll be wearing a t-shirt and jeans and will look like hell warmed over by the time we get there at 7pm.  Hope they let me in!
Click to expand...


----------



## GrtWtNorth

vacationsitis said:


> If I bought a the booklet of 10 for a single zone, could I use two tickets to travel to airport from Canada Place?
> Thanks


Use a one-zone ticket, then pay to upgrade to a 2-zone fare.  You can do this at any skytrain station or on any bus.  You will need both your validated one-zone ticket and the upgrade ticket as proof of payment.


----------



## PBader

staffieri said:


> HiMagicFan said:
> 
> 
> 
> We have to use a taxi, which cost $25 -30 because I need to be there at 9am.the free shuttle starts at 9:30am getting people there between 10 an 10:10.
> 
> We going the day of the cruise, so have to make things as easy as possible. but was told the shuttle was great and made three stops to pick people up. two are at hotels and one somewhere downtown.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Kimberly you are going to have a busy, but fun cruise day
Click to expand...


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Rat-a-too-ee said:


> I didn't realize that the term "Skid Row" comes from Hastings Street in Vancouver.
> 
> For those familiar with the area, please let me know if it is safe to walk the following path on Monday morning:
> 
> Walk from Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden (578 Carrall Street),
> 
> to Vancouver Lookout (555 West Hastings Street), and then to Canada Place.
> 
> Or, should play it safe and go with a cab?
> 
> Thanks in advance.



Chinatown is vibrant and fun.  It's just a shame that between Chinatown and the Vancouver Lookout is the sketchiest three blocks in all of Canada. It's rough. It's like a mini Tijuana. You would be walking through a throng of drunks, druggies, mentally ill, homeless as well as countless volunteer and professional services providers. Many rough-looking characters will ask for change, and a few will be verbally abusive. Victory Park is where they sleep off their fix. Crackheads are common on Hastings and Vancouver Police are never more than a block or two away. As a healthy adult, I would walk there, but only in daylight.  I wouldn't take my toddler there (too many discarded needles), but I might take my 13-year-old nephew -- it would be an educational "this is why you don't do drugs" experience.  My parents are very adventurous tourists, who enjoyed meeting impoverished locals in Honduras and Cuba, but that Vancouver neighbourhood makes them very, very uncomfortable.

If your group is all adults, and you want a bit of culture shock, go ahead and walk that route.  If your ideal vacation is a little more sheltered or if there are young kids involved, take a cab.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Rat-a-too-ee said:


> I'll be wearing a t-shirt and jeans and will look like hell warmed over by the time we get there at 7pm.  Hope they let me in!


You should probably call ahead to verify the dress code (which may change slightly week to week). Clean jeans may be OK, but you should probably have a collared shirt instead of a T-shirt.  The Observatory on Grouse Mountain is comparable to WDW Signature Dining restaurants like Jinko, Citricos, or Artist Point.


----------



## kandt

GrtWtNorth said:


> It's just a shame that between Chinatown and the Vancouver Lookout is the sketchiest three blocks in all of Canada. QUOTE]
> 
> We were hoping to drop off our luggage at Canada Place and then walk over to the Vancouver Lookout with our 2 young daughters.  Is the area between Canada Place and the Lookout safe?  Thanks for your help!


----------



## cwdefouw

kandt said:


> GrtWtNorth said:
> 
> 
> 
> It's just a shame that between Chinatown and the Vancouver Lookout is the sketchiest three blocks in all of Canada. QUOTE]
> 
> We were hoping to drop off our luggage at Canada Place and then walk over to the Vancouver Lookout with our 2 young daughters.  Is the area between Canada Place and the Lookout safe?  Thanks for your help!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Going to the Vancouver Lookout from Canada Place, I don't believe you will get into this area. A local can confirm, but we originally looked at staying at the Delta Suites across the street from the Lookout and I think this area is west of the problem areas.
Click to expand...


----------



## GrtWtNorth

kandt said:


> We were hoping to drop off our luggage at Canada Place and then walk over to the Vancouver Lookout with our 2 young daughters.  Is the area between Canada Place and the Lookout safe?  Thanks for your help!


Yes, you and your family will be fine.  

If you take a look at the map on the first page of this thread, you can see the Delta Vancouver dot at Hastings and Seymore.  The Vancouver Lookout is in the Harbour Centre, just across Hastings from the Delta.  

The western edge of skid row is at Homer and Hastings.  The sketchy area extends east along Hastings as far as Main Street.  It is a relatively confined area, easy enough to avoid with a bit of planning.


----------



## vacationsitis

GrtWtNorth said:


> Use a one-zone ticket, then pay to upgrade to a 2-zone fare.  You can do this at any skytrain station or on any bus.  You will need both your validated one-zone ticket and the upgrade ticket as proof of payment.



Thank you.  That is good to know.

Regards,
Sumita


----------



## vacationsitis

lilsonicfan said:


> Technically no, because that crosses a zone line, so you are supposed to carry a two zone ticket (not two one-zone's.)  One thing you could do is to get out at the Marine Drive station of the Canada Line (which is the first station in Zone 1, Vancouver) and validate your second one-zone ticket and get back on. But that could be a bit of a hassle.



Thanks for the information.


----------



## Inkmahm

We are staying at the Pan Pacific the night before our DCL Alaska cruise.  For those of you who know the area, where is the closest place I can get a case of purified water?  Nestle, Aquafina, etc.  - any of them would be fine.  I want to take a case with me on the ship but I don't want to have to carry it for blocks to get it back to the hotel.


----------



## PBader

In the 1st post, Liz listed a lot of places.

I would imagine you could get it here,


> WHERE CAN I BUY ALCOHOL BEFORE THE CRUISE???
> Thanks BlackFrank for posting this info...
> There's a government liquor store in the lower level of Harbour Center mall (555 West Hastings Street), which is about 2 blocks from the Pan Pacific. The Harbour Center building is fairly unmistakable, as it has a revolving restaurant on top. It's essentially across the street from the Seabus terminal (the old, brick railway station). You essentially walk out of the Pan Pacific, hang and immediate left, take the first turn (on Howe street), take the next turn (on W Cordova Street), walk 2 1/2 blocks, and there you are.
> 
> (Do a search on google maps from Pan Pacific Hotel to Harbour Center).
> http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...9&ie=UTF8&z=17


----------



## Rat-a-too-ee

GrtWtNorth - thanks for your help with my questions/concerns about walking between Chinatown and the Vancouver Lookout and the dress code at Grouse Mtn.

We are just (2) adults, but have a feeling we should just pay a few bucks for a cab through that part just in case.  I feel more confident walking from the Lookout to Canada Place.

Also, I will probably take an extra shirt for my DH and I just in case at the restaurant at Grouse Mountain.


----------



## smeecanada

PBader said:


> In the 1st post, Liz listed a lot of places.
> 
> I would imagine you could get it here,



No, not going to get it at a Government Liquor store.  They are strictly liquor/wine/beer.  Might be able to buy a single bottle of water, but definitely not a case.


----------



## richmo

A few post-cruise observations:

(Great trip by the way!!)

- Skytrain between YVR and Canada Place worked just fine for us.  Very nice train and quite convenient.  We bought a pack of 10 two zone tickets for the four of us at London Drugs in Richmond and avoided the $5 YVR add-on.  Earlier posts mention you can buy one zone tickets and upgrade them, so you can also do that.  There is a short walk from the Waterfront station to Canada Place, but it isn't far, even if pulling luggage (I wouldn't recommend it if you have to carry it).  Also, be aware that when you are leaving Canada Place after the cruise to take the SkyTrain back to the airport, the first SkyTrain station you encounter is NOT the Canada Line.  You have to walk past that to the traffic light and turn left onto Cordova St., then you'll see the station on the left.

- Parked at YVR using the coupon on the YVR.ca website, for $40/week.  With the additional day and taxes, it came to about CA$65, maybe a little less.  That's a pretty hefty discount over the Canada Place lots...and I heard some people saying some of those lots were full.  If you do want to park near the cruise terminal, I would strongly encourage you to make reservations.

- In Vancouver, if its a nice day, I'd highly recommend renting a bike and do the Stanley Park loop.  There's several rental places near the entrance to the park (I believe near Denman and Alberti/Georgia).  We used Spokes (a little over $10/hour for a 7 speed single bike), but there are others.  You'll need a minimum of an hour, a little more if you want to look at the totems, take pictures, etc.

Slightly off topic, but related to the trip:

- If you forget or choose to leave home raingear/fleece jackets, there are several shops in all three Alaskan ports that sell jackets that are quite nice for about $20.  They're not Lands End/North Face quality by any means, but I was surprised how nice they were for the price.  (One disclaimer: the Tracy Arm day, which occurs before any of the ports, can be the coldest of the trip...it was on ours).  When you get on the cruise ship in Vancouver, you'll also get a coupon book for stores in all three ports and my daughter picked up a nice fleece for $10.  Also, don't overpack t-shirts and long sleeve T's.  Nice ones can be had for $10 or less.  Overall, I was surprised at the low prices... the first shop you'll see in Skagway (Alaska Shirt Co.) is a good one.  They're also in Juneau and maybe Ketchikan.

- Tracy Arm observations: people start claiming chairs on deck 10 after breakfast on Tracy Arm day, even though you don't get to Tracy Arm until about 1:00.  Observation #1: you can see just as well on deck 4 and there aren't many people there.  Plus you're a lot closer to the icebergs. #2: Deck 10 is quite crowded until you get to Sawyer glacier and turn around.  On the way back, everyone leaves and the deck is virtually empty.  But the view is identical coming back.  #3: You are a little more protected from the cold/weather on deck 9.  I don't like this as much because you're looking thru plexiglas.

- A popular inexpensive souvenir you'll see all over Alaska is a semi-circular knife called an Ulu.  If you do buy one, be aware that you won't be able to bring it back on the ship.  When you return to the ship, they'll confiscate it and give you a claim check and you can claim it when you get back to Vancouver.

- This is just personal opinion, but unless you have little kids, I'd recommend the second dinner seating.  A couple of the port stops went to 7 or 7:30 in the evening and it was nice to have a little extra time in those ports to walk around town, especially if you have an excursion that lasts a good part of the day.  Also, the second seating makes it far less rushed on disembarkation morning.  While the first seating breakfast people were crowded into lounges after they ate, waiting for their luggage tags to be called, the second seating could pretty much just leave with very short lines after finishing breakfast.  (Of course, if you have an early flight to catch or need to get off the ship fast, ignore all that)

Have fun!


----------



## Shanny145

richmo said:


> A few post-cruise observations:
> 
> (Great trip by the way!!)
> 
> - Skytrain between YVR and Canada Place worked just fine for us.  Very nice train and quite convenient.  We bought a pack of 10 two zone tickets for the four of us at London Drugs in Richmond and avoided the $5 YVR add-on.  Earlier posts mention you can buy one zone tickets and upgrade them, so you can also do that.  There is a short walk from the Waterfront station to Canada Place, but it isn't far, even if pulling luggage (I wouldn't recommend it if you have to carry it).  Also, be aware that when you are leaving Canada Place after the cruise to take the SkyTrain back to the airport, the first SkyTrain station you encounter is NOT the Canada Line.  You have to walk past that to the traffic light and turn left onto Cordova St., then you'll see the station on the left.
> 
> - Parked at YVR using the coupon on the YVR.ca website, for $40/week.  With the additional day and taxes, it came to about CA$65, maybe a little less.  That's a pretty hefty discount over the Canada Place lots...and I heard some people saying some of those lots were full.  If you do want to park near the cruise terminal, I would strongly encourage you to make reservations.
> 
> - In Vancouver, if its a nice day, I'd highly recommend renting a bike and do the Stanley Park loop.  There's several rental places near the entrance to the park (I believe near Denman and Alberti/Georgia).  We used Spokes (a little over $10/hour for a 7 speed single bike), but there are others.  You'll need a minimum of an hour, a little more if you want to look at the totems, take pictures, etc.
> 
> Slightly off topic, but related to the trip:
> 
> - If you forget or choose to leave home raingear/fleece jackets, there are several shops in all three Alaskan ports that sell jackets that are quite nice for about $20.  They're not Lands End/North Face quality by any means, but I was surprised how nice they were for the price.  (One disclaimer: the Tracy Arm day, which occurs before any of the ports, can be the coldest of the trip...it was on ours).  When you get on the cruise ship in Vancouver, you'll also get a coupon book for stores in all three ports and my daughter picked up a nice fleece for $10.  Also, don't overpack t-shirts and long sleeve T's.  Nice ones can be had for $10 or less.  Overall, I was surprised at the low prices... the first shop you'll see in Skagway (Alaska Shirt Co.) is a good one.  They're also in Juneau and maybe Ketchikan.
> 
> - Tracy Arm observations: people start claiming chairs on deck 10 after breakfast on Tracy Arm day, even though you don't get to Tracy Arm until about 1:00.  Observation #1: you can see just as well on deck 4 and there aren't many people there.  Plus you're a lot closer to the icebergs. #2: Deck 10 is quite crowded until you get to Sawyer glacier and turn around.  On the way back, everyone leaves and the deck is virtually empty.  But the view is identical coming back.  #3: You are a little more protected from the cold/weather on deck 9.  I don't like this as much because you're looking thru plexiglas.
> 
> - A popular inexpensive souvenir you'll see all over Alaska is a semi-circular knife called an Ulu.  If you do buy one, be aware that you won't be able to bring it back on the ship.  When you return to the ship, they'll confiscate it and give you a claim check and you can claim it when you get back to Vancouver.
> 
> - This is just personal opinion, but unless you have little kids, I'd recommend the second dinner seating.  A couple of the port stops went to 7 or 7:30 in the evening and it was nice to have a little extra time in those ports to walk around town, especially if you have an excursion that lasts a good part of the day.  Also, the second seating makes it far less rushed on disembarkation morning.  While the first seating breakfast people were crowded into lounges after they ate, waiting for their luggage tags to be called, the second seating could pretty much just leave with very short lines after finishing breakfast.  (Of course, if you have an early flight to catch or need to get off the ship fast, ignore all that)
> 
> Have fun!


Thanks!!!


----------



## Inkmahm

PBader said:


> In the 1st post, Liz listed a lot of places.
> 
> I would imagine you could get it here,



But I'm not looking for alcohol, only a case of water.  The stores that sell alcohol where I live don't also sell water.


----------



## Bookworm Belle

richmo said:


> - This is just personal opinion, but unless you have little kids, I'd recommend the second dinner seating.  A couple of the port stops went to 7 or 7:30 in the evening and it was nice to have a little extra time in those ports to walk around town, especially if you have an excursion that lasts a good part of the day.  Also, the second seating makes it far less rushed on disembarkation morning.  While the first seating breakfast people were crowded into lounges after they ate, waiting for their luggage tags to be called, the second seating could pretty much just leave with very short lines after finishing breakfast.  (Of course, if you have an early flight to catch or need to get off the ship fast, ignore all that)
> 
> Have fun!



I have a question for you.  We have the early seating for dinner, but we don't have to leave  the ship wicked early because we are staying overnight and flying out the next day.  Would there be any way we could have the second breakfast seating?


----------



## smeecanada

Bookworm Belle said:


> I have a question for you.  We have the early seating for dinner, but we don't have to leave  the ship wicked early because we are staying overnight and flying out the next day.  Would there be any way we could have the second breakfast seating?



You can go at anytime to Beach Blanket Buffett.  You don't have to go to assigned seating in the main restaurant.


----------



## richmo

smeecanada said:


> You can go at anytime to Beach Blanket Buffet.  You don't have to go to assigned seating in the main restaurant.



This is correct.  They don't really advertise it, but Beach Blanket is open.  A lot of folks don't go to their assigned breakfast the last day, but it would be a little difficult for you to switch seatings because the folks that are in your table the rest of the cruise may correctly be sitting there.  Your best alternative would be Beach Blanket.


----------



## tksbaskets

GrtWtNorth said:


> Chinatown is vibrant and fun.  It's just a shame that between Chinatown and the Vancouver Lookout is the sketchiest three blocks in all of Canada. It's rough. It's like a mini Tijuana. You would be walking through a throng of drunks, druggies, mentally ill, homeless as well as countless volunteer and professional services providers. Many rough-looking characters will ask for change, and a few will be verbally abusive. Victory Park is where they sleep off their fix. Crackheads are common on Hastings and Vancouver Police are never more than a block or two away. As a healthy adult, I would walk there, but only in daylight.  I wouldn't take my toddler there (too many discarded needles), but I might take my 13-year-old nephew -- it would be an educational "this is why you don't do drugs" experience.  My parents are very adventurous tourists, who enjoyed meeting impoverished locals in Honduras and Cuba, but that Vancouver neighbourhood makes them very, very uncomfortable.
> 
> If your group is all adults, and you want a bit of culture shock, go ahead and walk that route.  If your ideal vacation is a little more sheltered or if there are young kids involved, take a cab.



I so agree with your informative comments.  We walked from Gastown (four adults) to the Police Museum and then back to our hotel St. Regis.  If I wouldn't have been walking with three strapping fellas in the middle of the day I would have been uncomfortable.

We were very surprised and taken aback by the boldness of the panhandlers in both Gastown and by Chinatown.  I had read in "Vancouver Top 10" about panhandlers and we have traveled extensively but have never seen it to this extent.

We found Stanley Park, the aquarium, and Granville Island beautiful places to visit.  Wish we would have spent a more time at Granville Island.


----------



## ariel39

richmo said:


> This is correct.  They don't really advertise it, but Beach Blanket is open.  A lot of folks don't go to their assigned breakfast the last day, but it would be a little difficult for you to switch seatings because the folks that are in your table the rest of the cruise may correctly be sitting there.  Your best alternative would be Beach Blanket.



BBB is open but I think it closed at 8 or 830.........We had second seating and it worked great....we didn't fly out until 6pm (well scheduled, but delayed) so we took our time at breakfast and got off the ship as one of the last.  We even had time to take last minute pictures with the Ariel statue....I would suggest talking to your dining team to see if you can come later.


----------



## rsjj

not sure if i read it here...or elsewhere...

but does anyone know where i can get good, fresh sushi in vancouver?    there was a restaurant that i read about, but now i can't remember! (either on this thread or another one)...that served fresh sushi...and i think it was all you can eat?  if this rings a bell...pls let me know.  thanx!


----------



## adedward

Doing a thread search I can only find notes to "take a taxi" from Amtrak station to hotel, in our case, the Pan Pacific.  How far is Amtrak Station from the nearest skytrain stop (and which one is that), and how far frim Amtrak to Pan Pacific?  Thanks for any help!


----------



## rsjj

does anyone know if i am allowed to bring food into grouse mountain?  planning to visit there...and trying to schedule the various activities/shows that they offer.  many of them are around lunch time, or soon after.  i assume we'll need to get in line, etc.  would be nice if i can pack some sandwiches or something so that they are not grumbly, while we are in line for this show or that show.  i understand there are food vendors & such up on the mountain, but not sure how far away each place is.  and i guess i'm trying to save some money as well...

thought i'd ask, if anyone here might know.  or maybe you've done it, and it was not a problem...or maybe you've done it, and it was a problem...?  tia!


----------



## LDM

So glad I found this site!!  I have a ton of reading to do!  

We're off in a couple of weeks and had a couple questions.....

1- Formal and Semi-formal dinners - We are not a formal family at all!!  Are they strict on attire?  Are there other dining options or do we have to attend the dinner siting?  I'd rather not purchase a dress if I don't have to.  

2- What time can we board the boat?  I see the sailing time is 3pm, but what time should we be on board for?

Thanks!!!!!


----------



## E&Cmom

rsjj said:


> does anyone know if i am allowed to bring food into grouse mountain?  planning to visit there...and trying to schedule the various activities/shows that they offer.  many of them are around lunch time, or soon after.  i assume we'll need to get in line, etc.  would be nice if i can pack some sandwiches or something so that they are not grumbly, while we are in line for this show or that show.  i understand there are food vendors & such up on the mountain, but not sure how far away each place is.  and i guess i'm trying to save some money as well...
> 
> thought i'd ask, if anyone here might know.  or maybe you've done it, and it was not a problem...or maybe you've done it, and it was a problem...?  tia!



You definitely can bring your own picnic lunch.


----------



## tanyaewa

there are sushi restuarants every 50ft in Vancouver 
The busier it is  - the better.
Robson street has some great ones.
TanPoPo at Denman & Davie - across from English Bay - has all you can eat and is SUPER yummy


----------



## tinker1bell

LDM said:


> So glad I found this site!!  I have a ton of reading to do!
> 
> We're off in a couple of weeks and had a couple questions.....
> 
> 1- Formal and Semi-formal dinners - We are not a formal family at all!!  Are they strict on attire?  Are there other dining options or do we have to attend the dinner siting?  I'd rather not purchase a dress if I don't have to.
> 
> 2- What time can we board the boat?  I see the sailing time is 3pm, but what time should we be on board for?
> 
> Thanks!!!!!



There is one semi-formal night but you do not have to dress up.   Not everybody does.  

When Stephanie and I were doing the online check-in we noticed  that there were half hour increments.  That is the first time I have seen that.  You usually just showed up and stood in line and that was how you got the number 1,2,3 etc boarding pass depending what time you arrived to the port.  Not sure how that impacts those that used a TA.


----------



## rsjj

E&Cmom said:


> You definitely can bring your own picnic lunch.



thank you!!  so good to know!


----------



## rsjj

tanyaewa said:


> there are sushi restuarants every 50ft in Vancouver
> The busier it is  - the better.
> Robson street has some great ones.
> TanPoPo at Denman & Davie - across from English Bay - has all you can eat and is SUPER yummy



thank you!!  will look into tanpopo...what a cute name!


----------



## ariel39

LDM said:


> So glad I found this site!!  I have a ton of reading to do!
> 
> We're off in a couple of weeks and had a couple questions.....
> 
> 1- Formal and Semi-formal dinners - We are not a formal family at all!!  Are they strict on attire?  Are there other dining options or do we have to attend the dinner siting?  I'd rather not purchase a dress if I don't have to.
> 
> 2- What time can we board the boat?  I see the sailing time is 3pm, but what time should we be on board for?
> 
> Thanks!!!!!



Just got off the ship yesterday....
1st formal was Wednesday Sea Day.  Not everyone dressed up....
2nd formal (semi) was Sunday - Ketchikan night.  And hardly anyone dressed up

we were at the dock at 1030.....Customs didn't open until 11am and we boarded right at noon.  Your times you choose on the online checkin have NOTHING to do with when you can check in


----------



## rsjj

as our trip is coming up...i'm thinking of our "logistics", and along w/that comes questions!!

so i understand we need to travel thru 3 different zones when taking public transportation from richmond/yvr into vancouver & beyond.  but on the weekend, we can use the 1 zone ticket from the booklet, since we're only paying for one zone fee?  do i have this right?  or not?

and if i have to make a transfer...everytime i transfer, i use one ticket?  from a skytrain to a bus, i would need 2 tickets, since it's 2 different transportation?

i plan to use public transportation from richmond to either capilano suspension bridge, stanley park, or grouse mountain...(on a saturday or sunday, but haven't decided which attraction to visit), just trying to figure out how to get there, and what i would need ticket wise.

any help you may provide is much appreciated!!  thanx!


----------



## HiMagicFan

rsjj said:


> and if i have to make a transfer...everytime i transfer, i use one ticket?  from a skytrain to a bus, i would need 2 tickets, since it's 2 different transportation?



Hmmm...I kinda thought you could use the one ticket - get a transfer as long as it was within a certain amount of time? 

We are planning on taking the bus to the waterfront and then taking the ferry to north vancouver and I was only planning on using one ticket one way and another ticket on the return.  Based on what you are saying I will now have to use 4 tickets?  Yes please, someone help!


----------



## mom_rules

For those heading to the fireworks this weekend- CBC News article

Fireworks fans will descend on Vancouvers West End once again Wednesday night for the second show in this years Celebration of Light.

A team from Spain will put on a 25-minute display entitled Odyssey, starting at 10 p.m.

The fireworks are launched from a barge anchored in English Bay, 300 metres offshore from the intersection of Denman Street and Beach Avenue.

The Celebration of Light, now in its 21st year, typically draws hundreds of thousands spectators to each of it events. The July 30 crowd was estimated at 300,000.

That show featured a display put on by the team from China. On Saturday night, its Canadas turn in the final event.
Road closures

Traffic restrictions come into effect at Kits Point at 6:00 p.m. PT and in the West End at 7:30 p.m.

Vehicles owned by local residents and authorized commercial vehicles will still have access to the restricted areas.

City officials have issued a reminder that consumption of alcohol in city park areas is prohibited.

There were more than 600 liquor pour-outs, two dozen liquor seizures, and 10 drug seizures at last weekend's show, said Const. Lindsey Houghton of Vancouver police.

Police also confiscated 26 weapons, including three sets of brass knuckles, eight cans of pepper spray, four knives, and an ice pick.

Two people suffered minor injuries in a knife incident following the event.


----------



## rsjj

HiMagicFan said:


> Hmmm...I kinda thought you could use the one ticket - get a transfer as long as it was within a certain amount of time?
> 
> We are planning on taking the bus to the waterfront and then taking the ferry to north vancouver and I was only planning on using one ticket one way and another ticket on the return.  Based on what you are saying I will now have to use 4 tickets?  Yes please, someone help!



i really wasn't stating a fact or anything...was just thinking outloud...since i honestly don't know how it all works.  so yes, if anyone reading this has any info, pls help us!!  thanx!


----------



## mom_rules

rsjj said:


> i really wasn't stating a fact or anything...was just thinking outloud...since i honestly don't know how it all works.  so yes, if anyone reading this has any info, pls help us!!  thanx!



Find a pharmacy or a convenience store that sells a 24 hour -day pass-think it's $9 per person.  Good for all zones.


----------



## rsjj

mom_rules said:


> Find a pharmacy or a convenience store that sells a 24 hour -day pass-think it's $9 per person.  Good for all zones.



i don't think i need a day pass.  since i just need a 1 zone fee (if i'm paying cash at the station) on a weekend/holiday, can i use the 1 zone ticket from the faresaver booklet?  would that work on a weekend/holiday?  maybe i'm not really getting this in my head...

again, thank you for all your help!


----------



## LDM

ariel39 said:


> Just got off the ship yesterday....
> 1st formal was Wednesday Sea Day.  Not everyone dressed up....
> 2nd formal (semi) was Sunday - Ketchikan night.  And hardly anyone dressed up
> 
> we were at the dock at 1030.....Customs didn't open until 11am and we boarded right at noon.  Your times you choose on the online checkin have NOTHING to do with when you can check in



Excellent!  Thanks so much. 

We're so excited, the kids can't stop talking about it.  

Another question I have is what documents do we need to bring?  We didn't receive any official tickets from the travel agent, just an invoice with all the information.  We received the booklet from the cruise as well.  What else is needed?  (other then passports and the customs info we'll print from the website).

I contacted our Travel Agent with these questions, but she is horrible at getting back to us.    Guess we won't be using her for our trip in the Spring!


----------



## mom_rules

LDM said:


> Excellent!  Thanks so much.
> 
> We're so excited, the kids can't stop talking about it.
> 
> Another question I have is what documents do we need to bring?  We didn't receive any official tickets from the travel agent, just an invoice with all the information.  We received the booklet from the cruise as well.  What else is needed?  (other then passports and the customs info we'll print from the website).
> 
> I contacted our Travel Agent with these questions, but she is horrible at getting back to us.    Guess we won't be using her for our trip in the Spring!



Sent you a PM


----------



## ariel39

LDM said:


> Excellent!  Thanks so much.
> 
> We're so excited, the kids can't stop talking about it.
> 
> Another question I have is what documents do we need to bring?  We didn't receive any official tickets from the travel agent, just an invoice with all the information.  We received the booklet from the cruise as well.  What else is needed?  (other then passports and the customs info we'll print from the website).
> 
> I contacted our Travel Agent with these questions, but she is horrible at getting back to us.    Guess we won't be using her for our trip in the Spring!



if you checked in online, then you would need to print your signature documents, passports, and credit card.  If you didn't print the documents, its ok, they will have you sign them at the port.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

rsjj said:


> not sure if i read it here...or elsewhere...
> 
> but does anyone know where i can get good, fresh sushi in vancouver?    there was a restaurant that i read about, but now i can't remember! (either on this thread or another one)...that served fresh sushi...and i think it was all you can eat?  if this rings a bell...pls let me know.  thanx!



There are sliding scales of sushi in Vancouver.  

Most places sell sushi a-la-cart, and it's relatively inexpensive. $4-6 for a single roll cut into 4 pieces.  $12-15 for a combo plate with several varieties.  It's hard to walk a block in downton Vancouver and not come across two or three of these restaurants.  

All-you-can-eat sushi restaurants are a little harder to find.  I've eaten at Tanpopo (good) and Richmond Sushi (very good).  The food quality isn't much better than the a-la-cart restaurants, but all-you-can-eat restaurants usually have better seating and drink options. Expect to pay $13-16 per person, plus drinks and gratuity. 

The top notch sushi is prepared and sold in many fancy and expensive restaurants.   If you want real 'Japanese' sushi, with a Japanese trained sushi-chef, you have to look at one of these places.  I was about to recommend Yoshi Japanese Restaurant on Denman, but it appears that it has closed.  Vancouver.com has a top-five sushi restaurants list here.


----------



## HiMagicFan

rsjj said:


> i don't think i need a day pass.  since i just need a 1 zone fee (if i'm paying cash at the station) on a weekend/holiday, can i use the 1 zone ticket from the faresaver booklet?  would that work on a weekend/holiday?  maybe i'm not really getting this in my head...
> 
> again, thank you for all your help!



Well I hope you get your answer because I think I got mine and may be able to use the day pass (we arent buying the booklet - at least not yet)

still curious tho if someone out there can help us....


----------



## mom_rules

FareSaver Tickets are a book of ten TransLink tickets that can be used on the Bus, SeaBus or SkyTrain. They offer savings over buying single fares.

For example, buying 10 single fare tickets for 1 zone will cost you $25, while using FareSaver tickets costs only $21, saving 16%. On a daily basis, travel to and from work in one zone will cost you $5.00 per day paying with cash, or $4.20 using FareSaver tickets.

Each FareSaver lets you travel for up to 90 minutes across Metro Vancouver. You can hop off for errands and then hop back on again.

You can travel for one, two or three zones by Bus, SeaBus or SkyTrain. Tickets for the West Coast Express must be purchased separately as they are priced differently.

You can travel up to 90 minutes for each single fare or FareSaver ticket in the zone(s) purchased. You can transfer between bus, SkyTrain and SeaBus in any direction.

Fare receipts and validated FareSaver tickets also serve as transfers.

Single fare passengers travelling more than one zone should always request a transfer when boarding and keep it as proof of payment.


----------



## mom_rules

If you have bought a one-zone fare but need to travel through two or three zones, you can upgrade your ticket on the bus or at SkyTrain or SeaBus ticket vending machines with a proof of payment transfer.


----------



## mgibson301

HiMagicFan said:


> Well I hope you get your answer because I think I got mine and may be able to use the day pass (we arent buying the booklet - at least not yet)
> 
> still curious tho if someone out there can help us....



Are you all using public transportation from the airport too?  Piikea, we are getting day passes as well since we aren't staying close to the port (Hilton Metrotown..DH's free points).  Someone said that it saved a surcharge to buy them from one of the convenience stores in the airport rather than the machines?  Think I read $5 savings?  Anyone know about this?


----------



## LDM

ariel39 said:


> if you checked in online, then you would need to print your signature documents, passports, and credit card.  If you didn't print the documents, its ok, they will have you sign them at the port.


----------



## LDM

mom_rules said:


> Sent you a PM



Got it!  Thank you!!


----------



## lbgraves

We stayed at the Sheraton Wall Center 7/23, the Pan 7/24 & 25, then the Westin at the airport on 8/2.  All of them were fantastic.  The room at the Westin the last night was just as nice or better than the Pan, and the bathroom was bigger too.  Staff at all hotels were very helpful.  The Pan was extremely convenient being right at the port.  We walked everywhere, even to and from Stanley Park one morning.  That was a hike!!!

I wish that we had gotten a taxi from the airport to the Sheraton the first day.  We took the train.  It ended up costing us over $30 with only one zone on the weekend getting the tickets at the kiosk at the station because we couldn't find the 7-11 and after traveling for over 12 hours we just wanted to get out and to our hotel.  The guy at the station told us to take the train, then transfer to a bus with the same ticket.  We had 3 48 pound bags and 4 carryons.  Didn't think we would get on a bus so we opted to go to the Central station and walk 6 blocks.  It wouldn't have been as bad if it hadn't been uphill to the hotel the last couple blocks.  We also lost a wheel on one of the big bags.  We took a taxi from the Pan to the Westin at the Airport and it was just under $30...and we got there in 15 minutes.  IMO that was worth the little extra with two zones.

None of us liked the Spaghetti Warehouse.  YUCK!   We did like another Italian place on the same side of the street a bit closer to the Pan though.  Big portions and good food!  It was Pablo or something like that.  You had to get to the entrance by taking a left between two brick buildings and it had a green awning over the door.


----------



## Shanny145

lbgraves said:


> We stayed at the Sheraton Wall Center 7/23, the Pan 7/24 & 25, then the Westin at the airport on 8/2.  All of them were fantastic.  The room at the Westin the last night was just as nice or better than the Pan, and the bathroom was bigger too.  Staff at all hotels were very helpful.  The Pan was extremely convenient being right at the port.  We walked everywhere, even to and from Stanley Park one morning.  That was a hike!!!
> 
> I wish that we had gotten a taxi from the airport to the Sheraton the first day.  We took the train.  It ended up costing us over $30 with only one zone on the weekend getting the tickets at the kiosk at the station because we couldn't find the 7-11 and after traveling for over 12 hours we just wanted to get out and to our hotel.  The guy at the station told us to take the train, then transfer to a bus with the same ticket.  We had 3 48 pound bags and 4 carryons.  Didn't think we would get on a bus so we opted to go to the Central station and walk 6 blocks.  It wouldn't have been as bad if it hadn't been uphill to the hotel the last couple blocks.  We also lost a wheel on one of the big bags.  We took a taxi from the Pan to the Westin at the Airport and it was just under $30...and we got there in 15 minutes.  IMO that was worth the little extra with two zones.
> 
> None of us liked the Spaghetti Warehouse.  YUCK!   We did like another Italian place on the same side of the street a bit closer to the Pan though.  Big portions and good food!  It was Pablo or something like that.  You had to get to the entrance by taking a left between two brick buildings and it had a green awning over the door.


How was the Sheraton Wall Center? We are staying there 3 nights pre cruise.


----------



## 85SLE

We had lunch in the Granville Market.  Food was great and a lot of vendors to choose from.  Lots of seating inside and outside the market.

Cost was around $30 for the three of us.


----------



## lbgraves

Shanny145 said:


> How was the Sheraton Wall Center? We are staying there 3 nights pre cruise.



It was nice and clean.  We were in the South tower.  If you do the train from the airport you have to either try to get on the bus with all your stuff and then walk 3 blocks or go to the Central stop and walk 8 blocks.  The hotel itself was pretty nice.  There was something weird with the A/C there though because I woke up the next morning with my throat burning when I swallowed.  It had to be allergies though because that feeling went away after a couple hours and never returned during our trip.  The hall was a bit loud during the night.  I was woken up around 2 am by people having a good old time going back to their rooms.  It is an 8 block hike to the waterfront area from there.  We took a taxi to the Pan due to the broken wheel and it was $7.00 for two of us to go with the bags -- it was a small cab so DH & DD walked to the Pan.


----------



## HiMagicFan

mgibson301 said:


> Are you all using public transportation from the airport too?  Piikea, we are getting day passes as well since we aren't staying close to the port (Hilton Metrotown..DH's free points).  Someone said that it saved a surcharge to buy them from one of the convenience stores in the airport rather than the machines?  Think I read $5 savings?  Anyone know about this?



Hi there!  We were thinking about it but my Mom and Dad would rather have the door to door service and hearing about the person having to walk we are pretty certain we will do a taxi from the airport.

However, we will be at the Wall for 3-1/2 days prior to the cruise and are planning to do the public transportation to get around.  Mom and Dad can't really walk 8 blocks to the waterfront.

Your information is correct from what I remember from the boards.  Look for the 7-11.

It feels like it is coming like a roller coaster - fast!


----------



## lbgraves

If I had bothered to research where the 7-11 was before the cruise that may have helped, but with customs and then luggage and another check I didn't see it anywhere.  Like I said though, the Wall is not close to any of the train stops and you would need to transfer to a city bus [using the same ticket for the train].  There is a station around the corner from the Pan so if you are staying there just get off at the Waterfront stop and walk about 2 blocks to get to the Pan.  There were a lot of people pulling luggage around on the streets each day we were there.  When our friends posted asking about the train and that the 3 of them had 4 big bags, I told them to just take a taxi.


----------



## lbgraves

Also, to let those of you still going know that DCL messed up big time on the merchandising this time.  On the 7/26 cruise they only had a few of the Alaska Plutos left.  None of the other characters are available.  The only pins they have left are the basic Alaska ones, and those are already marked down to $4.99 and $5.99 from $11.99.  They have NONE of the ones for the ports.  The navigators say that each person can purchase 2 of each pin per day, so that is 14 of the same pin per person each 7 night cruise.  Sure they are on Ebay.  I did find smaller lapal pins in Juneau and Ketchikan.  I didn't see them in Skagway but a friend is going to look for them there.  The kids were happy with those and I got one for my own collection.  The special fleece blankets are nice.  They are $30 with a $40 purchase.  The tops are priced outrageously IMO.  We were on the 2008 PC repo and it was one of only 2 cruises that did that repo that year.  They also had a shirt for each of those cruises that was only sold for the crossing day.  I bought each of us a repo T and a crossing T so I KNOW that they were not $25 for kid Ts and $35 for adult Ts.  The zippered hoodies with the inaugural Alaska season were $55 for adults!!!!  Someone asked me if they had the Disney totems and they did have the brighter and bigger ones, along with a smaller more muted colored one with a clip for a photo on top.  The smaller one was $13 or so.  They were selling the red LA to Vancouver repo Ts for $7 & $9 on sale.


----------



## PBader

Lisa, I kept meaning to ask you if they stocked back up the gifts after I talked with you, but I am guessing by your post they didn't   I


----------



## HiMagicFan

lbgraves said:


> Also, to let those of you still going know that DCL messed up big time on the merchandising this time.
> 
> The only pins they have left are the basic Alaska ones, and those are already marked down to $4.99 and $5.99 from $11.99.  They have NONE of the ones for the ports.
> 
> The special fleece blankets are nice.  They are $30 with a $40 purchase.
> 
> Someone asked me if they had the Disney totems and they did have the brighter and bigger ones, along with a smaller more muted colored one with a clip for a photo on top.  The smaller one was $13 or so.  They were selling the red LA to Vancouver repo Ts for $7 & $9 on sale.



Thanks for the info!

I will be very disappointed if they don't get a new shipment of the pins in! 

Are the fleece blanket DCL or AK or a mix of both?  I am thinking of getting one and was just curious.  

Do you happen to remember what the bigger totems ones cost?

PS thanks for the info on the Wall - we will be staying there as well for our pre and post cruise.


----------



## discruiser

lbgraves said:


> Also, to let those of you still going know that DCL messed up big time on the merchandising this time.  On the 7/26 cruise they only had a few of the Alaska Plutos left.  None of the other characters are available.  The only pins they have left are the basic Alaska ones, and those are already marked down to $4.99 and $5.99 from $11.99.  They have NONE of the ones for the ports.  The navigators say that each person can purchase 2 of each pin per day, so that is 14 of the same pin per person each 7 night cruise.  Sure they are on Ebay.  I did find smaller lapal pins in Juneau and Ketchikan.  I didn't see them in Skagway but a friend is going to look for them there.  The kids were happy with those and I got one for my own collection.  The special fleece blankets are nice.  They are $30 with a $40 purchase.  The tops are priced outrageously IMO.  We were on the 2008 PC repo and it was one of only 2 cruises that did that repo that year.  They also had a shirt for each of those cruises that was only sold for the crossing day.  I bought each of us a repo T and a crossing T so I KNOW that they were not $25 for kid Ts and $35 for adult Ts.  The zippered hoodies with the inaugural Alaska season were $55 for adults!!!!  Someone asked me if they had the Disney totems and they did have the brighter and bigger ones, along with a smaller more muted colored one with a clip for a photo on top.  The smaller one was $13 or so.  They were selling the red LA to Vancouver repo Ts for $7 & $9 on sale.



Lisa, the last couple cruises we've been on, the merchandise selection has been poor.  (I was actually going to write a letter after our Alaska cruise but forgot!)  They had an Alaska shirt/hat combo on the mannequin right by the display table as you enter Treasure Ketch.  I think the price for both was $20 or $25.  Naturally, since it's it the first thing you see as you enter the store and because the price wasn't too bad, the item garnered a lot of interest.  But they had no size Large on board and this was the first night of the cruise.  If I remember correctly, most of the sizes were M.  Apparently, they never received any Large shirts while in Vancouver.  I complained to a couple people and they did eventually remove the shirt from the display and replace it with something else.  But, there were several other Alaska shirts which were also never available in Large, and we noticed the same thing while on our Christmas cruise....very few Large t-shirts!  Seems to me that they are missing out on a lot of sales by not having merchandise available.


----------



## HiMagicFan

discruiser said:


> Lisa, the last couple cruises we've been on, the merchandise selection has been poor.  (I was actually going to write a letter after our Alaska cruise but forgot!)  They had an Alaska shirt/hat combo on the mannequin right by the display table as you enter Treasure Ketch.  I think the price for both was $20 or $25.  Naturally, since it's it the first thing you see as you enter the store and because the price wasn't too bad, the item garnered a lot of interest.  But they had no size Large on board and this was the first night of the cruise.  If I remember correctly, most of the sizes were M.  Apparently, they never received any Large shirts while in Vancouver.  I complained to a couple people and they did eventually remove the shirt from the display and replace it with something else.  But, there were several other Alaska shirts which were also never available in Large, and we noticed the same thing while on our Christmas cruise....very few Large t-shirts!  Seems to me that they are missing out on a lot of sales by not having merchandise available.



Well darn, let's hope someone from Disney gets the message cuz that means it is money I am gonna spend elsewhere...especially if they don't have the right sizes, pins and such....this is not good


----------



## princess81499

We were on the 7/12 sailing and could only get the Vancouver, Juneau, and Tracy arm pins on the first night. As soon as I had Internet service on my phone in the first port I had to buy the other 2 off of eBay for double the price. At least I now have a complete set that I framed along with the 8 X 10 photo they had in the store.


----------



## lbgraves

PBader said:


> Lisa, I kept meaning to ask you if they stocked back up the gifts after I talked with you, but I am guessing by your post they didn't   I



No, I asked two different CMs the first night and they said everything that was still available was out.  



HiMagicFan said:


> Thanks for the info!
> 
> I will be very disappointed if they don't get a new shipment of the pins in!
> 
> Are the fleece blanket DCL or AK or a mix of both?  I am thinking of getting one and was just curious.
> 
> Do you happen to remember what the bigger totems ones cost?
> 
> PS thanks for the info on the Wall - we will be staying there as well for our pre and post cruise.



The pins were a limited edition of 1000 each.

The fleece is the image that is on the back of the shirts with the inagural cruise season.  It is a dark green background.

I didn't look at the price of the bigger totems since we have the one from the House Party a couple years ago.  Sorry.



HiMagicFan said:


> Well darn, let's hope someone from Disney gets the message cuz that means it is money I am gonna spend elsewhere...especially if they don't have the right sizes, pins and such....this is not good



I had planned on getting at least the hoodies for DH and myself and shirts for all of us.  The only shirt we got for Alaska on the ship was the combo pack that Kim mentioned for $25 with the hat that has the ports embroidered on the back.  That was the only thing that was a deal besides those LA to Vancouver shirts that were being clearanced.  On past cruises I had to narrow my choices down but this time I was really disappointed.

Oh, the matted picture of the ports was $17 or $18.  I had the Captain sign it and he marked the route on the fold out map in the book they sold about cruising Alaska.  He also signed DS's hat.


----------



## HiMagicFan

Thank you Lisa for all your information!


----------



## rsjj

In Vancouver!! Thank u all for answering all my questions and proving info, etc.  We did the pub transit.  Went to stanley park.  Very easy!  Will have car today.  Weather is nice!  Shorts & t-shirts!    can answer some questions if u have any!


----------



## poohj80

rsjj said:


> In Vancouver!! Thank u all for answering all my questions and proving info, etc.  We did the pub transit.  Went to stanley park.  Very easy!  Will have car today.  Weather is nice!  Shorts & t-shirts!    can answer some questions if u have any!



So excited for you!  Where are you staying?


----------



## rsjj

poohj80 said:


> So excited for you!  Where are you staying?



We're in Richmond.  Around 20 minutes to get to Vancouver on pub transit.  If u take it from the waterfront station to wherever...c if u can sit right in the front.  The boys absolutely LOVED it!!  Get a great view!  Mostly the dark tunnel...but it was a thrill for them!  Like riding on a roller coaster, minus the speed!


----------



## HiMagicFan

rsjj said:


> In Vancouver!! Thank u all for answering all my questions and proving info, etc.  We did the pub transit.  Went to stanley park.  Very easy!  Will have car today.  Weather is nice!  Shorts & t-shirts!    can answer some questions if u have any!



How wonderful for you that the weather is nice!

Is the aquarium close to the public bus stop and the hop on off hop stanley park trolley?  Worried that it will be too far for my parents to walk.

When you say public transport did you do the train and bus or just bus or combo?

I am so exited  and happy for you to finally be there!


----------



## rsjj

HiMagicFan said:


> How wonderful for you that the weather is nice!
> 
> Is the aquarium close to the public bus stop and the hop on off hop stanley park trolley?  Worried that it will be too far for my parents to walk.
> 
> When you say public transport did you do the train and bus or just bus or combo?
> 
> I am so exited  and happy for you to finally be there!



We didn't do the Stanley park hop on/off trolley.  Just walked.  Pub transit...I meant the train (Canada line) and bus (#19 to Stanley park).  The aquarium is near the middle of the park.  Where the bus (#19) drops u off (I think it's like a loop where all the buses go to?), the aquarium is maybe 5 minutes or less!! Very close!  And there r lots of shade all around!  And benches too!  So I'm sure ur parents can do it.  I think.  Oh...u had to walk up a little hill from the train (waterfront station) to bus #19.  2 short blocks to bender(pender?) st.  Very short, but a little uphill...

Hope this helps!  Btw...we were in shorts and t-shirts again.  Did grouse mt!


----------



## 85SLE

HiMagicFan said:


> Is the aquarium close to the public bus stop and the hop on off hop stanley park trolley?  Worried that it will be too far for my parents to walk.
> 
> When you say public transport did you do the train and bus or just bus or combo?
> 
> I am so exited  and happy for you to finally be there!



We did the hop on/off trolley.  It is about a 5 min walk from the Stanley Park stop but the path to the Aquarium is not marked well at all.  Just ask the driver and you should be good to go.

For a small aquarium it is really worth going to.  Lots to see that you will not see elsewhere.


----------



## poohj80

I'm looking for info on driving from Vancouver to SEATAC after the cruise.  I remember reading something about two possible border crossing spots, but now can't find that information.  Can anyone who has done this PM me any tips you may have or direction suggestions?

Thanks so much!


----------



## richmo

poohj80 said:


> I'm looking for info on driving from Vancouver to SEATAC after the cruise.  I remember reading something about two possible border crossing spots, but now can't find that information.  Can anyone who has done this PM me any tips you may have or direction suggestions?
> 
> Thanks so much!



We wound up using the Peace Arch crossing, which is the direct route to I-5.  A few minutes before you get to the Canada US border, there will be an electronic sign indicating the wait times at the two crossings, so you can pick then.  Ours said 70 minutes and I don't think it was quite that long.


----------



## poohj80

richmo said:


> We wound up using the Peace Arch crossing, which is the direct route to I-5.  A few minutes before you get to the Canada US border, there will be an electronic sign indicating the wait times at the two crossings, so you can pick then.  Ours said 70 minutes and I don't think it was quite that long.



Thanks so much!  What is the other crossing called?  What time did you get there?  How long did the other crossing show?


----------



## richmo

poohj80 said:


> Thanks so much!  What is the other crossing called?  What time did you get there?  How long did the other crossing show?



I think the other crossing showed 60 minutes and we wanted to see the Peace Arch, so we went for it.

I don't recall what the other crossing was called, but it is listed on the sign and the exit for it is marked.

It was a Tuesday, since thats when the cruise ended.  We left the ship around 9:00, took the SkyTrain to pick up our car in the YVR parking lot probably around 10 and we picked up enough gas to get back to the US, so I'd guess we got there somewhere between 10:30 and 11:30 AM.

Oh, and by the way, the going rate for gas in Canada seemed to be around CA$1.30 a liter.  That translates to close to CA$5 per gallon, so if you're going up and back from Washington, I'd recommend getting enough gas in the US so you don't have to buy it in BC.


----------



## poohj80

richmo said:


> I think the other crossing showed 60 minutes and we wanted to see the Peace Arch, so we went for it.
> 
> I don't recall what the other crossing was called, but it is listed on the sign and the exit for it is marked.
> 
> It was a Tuesday, since thats when the cruise ended.  We left the ship around 9:00, took the SkyTrain to pick up our car in the YVR parking lot probably around 10 and we picked up enough gas to get back to the US, so I'd guess we got there somewhere between 10:30 and 11:30 AM.



Thanks again!  We are flying out of SEATAC the same day so hope the wait time at the border will be less if we arrive earlier.  We're picking our car up at CAnada Place so hope to be on the road by 9.

Where is the sign which tells you the wait time?  Is it on HWY 99?  How far ahead of the border?


----------



## HiMagicFan

rsjj said:


> We didn't do the Stanley park hop on/off trolley.  Just walked.  Pub transit...I meant the train (Canada line) and bus (#19 to Stanley park).  The aquarium is near the middle of the park.  Where the bus (#19) drops u off (I think it's like a loop where all the buses go to?), the aquarium is maybe 5 minutes or less!! Very close!  And there r lots of shade all around!  And benches too!  So I'm sure ur parents can do it.  I think.  Oh...u had to walk up a little hill from the train (waterfront station) to bus #19.  2 short blocks to bender(pender?) st.  Very short, but a little uphill...
> 
> Hope this helps!  Btw...we were in shorts and t-shirts again.  Did grouse mt!


We are doing grouse mt also - so will wait to hear about your post for that!  Glad the weather is good for you ~ bet you can see forever and the views gorgeous!



85SLE said:


> We did the hop on/off trolley.  It is about a 5 min walk from the Stanley Park stop but the path to the Aquarium is not marked well at all.  Just ask the driver and you should be good to go.
> 
> For a small aquarium it is really worth going to.  Lots to see that you will not see elsewhere.




Thank you both very much!  This helps me plenty!  I appreciate the information and suggestions.  

I would so love to have shorts weather - then no jacket!  but for me 60s and 70s is starting to already get a little cold.


----------



## MinnieDiva

poohj80 said:


> T
> Where is the sign which tells you the wait time?  Is it on HWY 99?  How far ahead of the border?



It's just before Bellingham on I-5.  The alternate route is marked and labeled a few miles before the main crossing.  Haven''t taken it, but it always seems to be a shorter wait.  Might want to break out a map and look at highway access. At the end of June there was road construction between Burlington and Bellingham as well as in Canada.  Not sure how long it was supposed to last.


----------



## rsjj

We had a great time!  Our boys r 12 & 9.  They really enjoyed it.  Lots to do up there.  The gondola ride itself was a wonderful fun thing for them!  We got there around 10:30.  Took us maybe 30 minutes to get there w/a car ( from Richmond).  Enjoyed the lumber jack show and the bird show.  1st lumber jack show was @ 12 noon.  Then, had lunch (@ the BBQ place right next to the lumber jack show area), and went to the bird show (@1:30).  Timing wise, it all worked for us.  We went to eat right after the lumber jack show.  Good thing, b/c as we were leisurely eating, people started coming, and the line was getting quite long.  We were originally going to pack lunches/sandwiches for a picnic, but ended up not doing it.  Worked out, b/c I got to try poutine!  Got the pulled pork poutine was really good, we thought.

The chair lift was another fun thing for the boys!!  Although I was really scared!!  Am afraid of heights!!  So I was gripping onto the bar so tight!  And was worried about our 9 yo slipping out!  the view up there was magnificent!!  Saw Canada place!  Had our binoculars w/us!  Oh, and we saw the hangliders taking off from up there!!  Was spectacular!!  Especially when they first open up the rectangular parachute!!  

All of us enjoyed grouse Mtn!  Even w/me being afraid of heights!!  The things I do for my family's enjoyment!  Lol!

Might want to bring a light jacket.  A bit cold up there!  We had our hoodies/zippered sweatshirts on.  Not hubby!  Again, shorts and t-shirts.  I get cold easy!  And I was fine w/just my jacket.  

Did capilano suspension bridge today!  Hotter today!  Shorts and t-shirts again.


----------



## rsjj

Does Canada place has a service where they will store our luggage for couple hrs?  Thought I read that they do for a fee...but now I can't remember where.  Does anyone know?  Our flight home is not till the evening, and we want to just explore the vicinity for a bit, grab lunch and then head to the airport.  Tia!


----------



## HiMagicFan

rsjj said:


> Does Canada place has a service where they will store our luggage for couple hrs?  Thought I read that they do for a fee...but now I can't remember where.  Does anyone know?  Our flight home is not till the evening, and we want to just explore the vicinity for a bit, grab lunch and then head to the airport.  Tia!



I am not sure how accurate this is price wise but i do know there is a storage area at Canada place.

"At the cruise ship terminal there is a luggage storage area that provides short term luggage storage service for travelers. 
For security reasons, on-site same-day baggage storage is available at Canada Place and Ballantyne cruise terminals, for cruise passengers only. You can leave your luggage there after you get off your cruise or before you get on. Baggage storage services are provided at Canada Place by CDS Baggage. Carry-ons are $4.5, suitcase $5.5 and oversize items $7 a day. Luggage storage is available from 5am to 1am. Their phone number is 604-303-4500."

I had found this for our trip but have yet to contact them or anything.  These guys do YVR airport luggage storage.


----------



## HiMagicFan

rsjj said:


> We had a great time!  Our boys r 12 & 9.  They really enjoyed it.  Lots to do up there.  The gondola ride itself was a wonderful fun thing for them!  We got there around 10:30.  Took us maybe 30 minutes to get there w/a car ( from Richmond).  Enjoyed the lumber jack show and the bird show.  1st lumber jack show was @ 12 noon.  Then, had lunch (@ the BBQ place right next to the lumber jack show area), and went to the bird show (@1:30).  Timing wise, it all worked for us.  We went to eat right after the lumber jack show.  Good thing, b/c as we were leisurely eating, people started coming, and the line was getting quite long.  We were originally going to pack lunches/sandwiches for a picnic, but ended up not doing it.  Worked out, b/c I got to try poutine!  Got the pulled pork poutine was really good, we thought.
> 
> The chair lift was another fun thing for the boys!!  Although I was really scared!!  Am afraid of heights!!  So I was gripping onto the bar so tight!  And was worried about our 9 yo slipping out!  the view up there was magnificent!!  Saw Canada place!  Had our binoculars w/us!  Oh, and we saw the hangliders taking off from up there!!  Was spectacular!!  Especially when they first open up the rectangular parachute!!
> 
> All of us enjoyed grouse Mtn!  Even w/me being afraid of heights!!  The things I do for my family's enjoyment!  Lol!
> 
> Might want to bring a light jacket.  A bit cold up there!  We had our hoodies/zippered sweatshirts on.  Not hubby!  Again, shorts and t-shirts.  I get cold easy!  And I was fine w/just my jacket.
> 
> Did capilano suspension bridge today!  Hotter today!  Shorts and t-shirts again.



Thanks for the update!  I am really looking forward to this.


----------



## lbgraves

We spent quite a while watching the bears at the top of the mountain.  They nap between 12 and 2 usually so plan your time to watch them either before or after.  We lucked out and got to do both.   They really like eating apple and watermelon the trainers gave them.


----------



## E&Cmom

poohj80 said:


> Thanks so much!  What is the other crossing called?



Hope I am not late to answer.  Funny enough we just came back from Seattle today. The other crossing is called Pacific Hwy Crossing. It is also the Truck crossing. Generally but not always the wait is shorter than Peace Arch. I like Peace Arch better since you have a nicer view while you wait going down to the US but the majority of the time it is busier.

If going to Pacific Hwy crossing from 99, get off at 8th ave and go east to hwy 15 (pacific hwy), turn right ( south) to the border. Lots signs so you can't miss it.


----------



## poohj80

E&Cmom said:


> Hope I am not late to answer.  Funny enough we just came back from Seattle today. The other crossing is called Pacific Hwy Crossing. It is also the Truck crossing. Generally but not always the wait is shorter than Peace Arch. I like Peace Arch better since you have a nicer view while you wait going down to the US but the majority of the time it is busier.
> 
> If going to Pacific Hwy crossing from 99, get off at 8th ave and go east to hwy 15 (pacific hwy), turn right ( south) to the border. Lots signs so you can't miss it.



Thanks so much!  Is the sign shows similar wait times, we'll probably stick with Peace Arch.  If there is a significant difference, we'll try the truck crossing as we don't want to miss our flight.


----------



## LDM

This may be a silly question, but is there internet access on the cruise?  Should I bother bringing my laptop?

Only 6 more sleeps!!


----------



## poohj80

LDM said:


> This may be a silly question, but is there internet access on the cruise?  Should I bother bringing my laptop?
> 
> Only 6 more sleeps!!



Yes there is but it's pretty expensive.  I say leave your laptop home and enjoy unplugging for awhile!


----------



## HiMagicFan

LDM said:


> This may be a silly question, but is there internet access on the cruise?  Should I bother bringing my laptop?
> 
> Only 6 more sleeps!!



or

there are internet places at port that you can head to if you need to get on the internet.

I bring my netbook so I can download my pics.


----------



## stsomewhere

Which is better   Big Bus or Vancouver trolley ?

Thanks


----------



## HiMagicFan

stsomewhere said:


> Which is better   Big Bus or Vancouver trolley ?
> 
> Thanks



They are both about the same but I read on another board that one has a "live" commentary versus a "recorded" one.  I think the trolley was the live (probably meaning the driver was also the guide or they had another person on the mike) versus the big bus (which I think means the driver is just gonna flip a switch). 

We will be taking the big bus only because groupon had coupon deals.  I usually prefer the "live" commentary as it is easier to as questions.


----------



## richmo

HiMagicFan said:


> or
> 
> there are internet places at port that you can head to if you need to get on the internet.
> 
> I bring my netbook so I can download my pics.



I can't remember where, but I do recall seeing internet access signs at one of the ports and its close to the ship, because I remember seeing it from the deck.  I'm thinking Ketchikan, but I'm not sure.  And I think I also remember seeing a bar/restaurant fairly close to the port in Ketchikan where people were sitting outside on a porch with laptops, so I assume they had access.  I would guess there's access nearby at all the ports, but in most cases, I doubt its free.


----------



## staffieri

rsjj said:


> We had a great time!  Our boys r 12 & 9.  They really enjoyed it.  Lots to do up there.  The gondola ride itself was a wonderful fun thing for them!  We got there around 10:30.  Took us maybe 30 minutes to get there w/a car ( from Richmond).  Enjoyed the lumber jack show and the bird show.  1st lumber jack show was @ 12 noon.  Then, had lunch (@ the BBQ place right next to the lumber jack show area), and went to the bird show (@1:30).  Timing wise, it all worked for us.  We went to eat right after the lumber jack show.  Good thing, b/c as we were leisurely eating, people started coming, and the line was getting quite long.  We were originally going to pack lunches/sandwiches for a picnic, but ended up not doing it.  Worked out, b/c I got to try poutine!  Got the pulled pork poutine was really good, we thought.
> 
> The chair lift was another fun thing for the boys!!  Although I was really scared!!  Am afraid of heights!!  So I was gripping onto the bar so tight!  And was worried about our 9 yo slipping out!  the view up there was magnificent!!  Saw Canada place!  Had our binoculars w/us!  Oh, and we saw the hangliders taking off from up there!!  Was spectacular!!  Especially when they first open up the rectangular parachute!!
> 
> All of us enjoyed grouse Mtn!  Even w/me being afraid of heights!!  The things I do for my family's enjoyment!  Lol!
> 
> Might want to bring a light jacket.  A bit cold up there!  We had our hoodies/zippered sweatshirts on.  Not hubby!  Again, shorts and t-shirts.  I get cold easy!  And I was fine w/just my jacket.
> 
> Did capilano suspension bridge today!  Hotter today!  Shorts and t-shirts again.





lbgraves said:


> We spent quite a while watching the bears at the top of the mountain.  They nap between 12 and 2 usually so plan your time to watch them either before or after.  We lucked out and got to do both.   They really like eating apple and watermelon the trainers gave them.




THANK FOR THE INFO. We only have the day of the cruise to go  to Grouse. I am very excited to go. We are going to take a taxi over at 8:30 in the morning and play there until 1:45. Thinking this is worth our time since it looks like the cruise is sold out. No port upgrades. Love the info about the bears nap. LOL  We are hoping to paraglide in morning. Any more info or advice would be great. What time did the BBQ place open for lunch?


----------



## mgibson301

Did anyone rent bikes at Stanley Park?  I was thinking we may do that OR do the trolley.  We only have one day in Vancouver and we really just want to take it easy.


----------



## HiMagicFan

staffieri said:


> THANK FOR THE INFO. We only have the day of the cruise to go  to Grouse. I am very excited to go. We are going to take a taxi over at 8:30 in the morning and play there until 1:45. Thinking this is worth our time since it looks like the cruise is sold out. No port upgrades. Love the info about the bears nap. LOL  We are hoping to paraglide in morning. Any more info or advice would be great. What time did the BBQ place open for lunch?



Kimberly ~ you are planning to leave there at 1:45p?  What is the latest time we can get on the ship?  I thought we all had to be on at about 2pm.


----------



## HiMagicFan

mgibson301 said:


> Did anyone rent bikes at Stanley Park?  I was thinking we may do that OR do the trolley.  We only have one day in Vancouver and we really just want to take it easy.



Melissa, are you doing this pre cruise?  We will be doing the trolley in Stanley park on 8/28 after we do the aquarium in the morning.


----------



## smeecanada

staffieri said:


> THANK FOR THE INFO. We only have the day of the cruise to go  to Grouse. I am very excited to go. We are going to take a taxi over at 8:30 in the morning and play there until 1:45. Thinking this is worth our time since it looks like the cruise is sold out. No port upgrades. Love the info about the bears nap. LOL  We are hoping to paraglide in morning. Any more info or advice would be great. What time did the BBQ place open for lunch?



Staying at Grouse until 1:45 on the day of the cruise is cutting it pretty close.  I would do the sightseeing stuff on Grouse, then leave and have lunch on the Ship.


----------



## richmo

mgibson301 said:


> Did anyone rent bikes at Stanley Park?  I was thinking we may do that OR do the trolley.  We only have one day in Vancouver and we really just want to take it easy.



Yes!! We rented bikes.  On a nice day, its a great thing to do.  There are several rental places near the entrance to the park.  One of the biggest seems to be Spokes.  If you google spokes vancouver, I'm sure you'll pull up their website.


----------



## msnoble

richmo said:


> Yes!! We rented bikes.  On a nice day, its a great thing to do.  There are several rental places near the entrance to the park.  One of the biggest seems to be Spokes.  If you google spokes vancouver, I'm sure you'll pull up their website.



Thanks for this--we will be there this weekend, and are hoping that it will be nice enough on Sunday to explore the park that way.


----------



## mgibson301

HiMagicFan said:


> Melissa, are you doing this pre cruise?  We will be doing the trolley in Stanley park on 8/28 after we do the aquarium in the morning.



Yep!  We are getting in super early on the 29th, like 7am.  I've been meaning to ask you when you all are flying.  I think we may do the same as you...aquarium and trolley.  DH has been working hard and really wants a laid back vacation.  We are staying in an out of the way area...by Metrotown mall at the Hilton (using points for a free night).  Getting excited it's around the corner!!


----------



## mgibson301

richmo said:


> Yes!! We rented bikes.  On a nice day, its a great thing to do.  There are several rental places near the entrance to the park.  One of the biggest seems to be Spokes.  If you google spokes vancouver, I'm sure you'll pull up their website.



Super!  DH likes to be active so we will see.  I think I'll see how the weather is when we go to decide between that or the trolley.  Thanks for the info on the website!!!


----------



## lbgraves

staffieri said:


> THANK FOR THE INFO. We only have the day of the cruise to go  to Grouse. I am very excited to go. We are going to take a taxi over at 8:30 in the morning and play there until 1:45. Thinking this is worth our time since it looks like the cruise is sold out. No port upgrades. Love the info about the bears nap. LOL  We are hoping to paraglide in morning. Any more info or advice would be great. What time did the BBQ place open for lunch?



You need to be careful about your timing when leaving here.  We were on the last free shuttle of the day back to Canada Place, but it left at 5:20 and it took us nearly an hour to get back.  It had been a much shorter time to drive there that morning.  This was on a Sunday.  It also took us around 45 minutes once we got in the line for the tram to get to the bottom.  You need to be on the ship no later than 4 pm.  If you will have to go to the hotel, get your luggage the trek to Canada Place, I wouldn't plan on staying up there past.  You would need to get in the line to go down by then.  We were there from 9:30 until we got in line at 4:20.  We ate lunch in the lodge, but I don't know what time it opened.



mgibson301 said:


> Did anyone rent bikes at Stanley Park?  I was thinking we may do that OR do the trolley.  We only have one day in Vancouver and we really just want to take it easy.



We rented bikes on the waterfront, just on the other side of the cauldron...think 2 city blocks.  That is just down the street from Canada Place [we stayed at the Pan].  It was $8 hour for adults and $4 for kids.  It takes about 90 minutes to ride the bikes to Stanley Park from there and then ride all the way around the park.  There is a place with sprinklers for kids and a beach area.  You can rent locks with the bikes if you want to stop.  You will pass by the totems also.



mgibson301 said:


> Yep!  We are getting in super early on the 29th, like 7am.  I've been meaning to ask you when you all are flying.  I think we may do the same as you...aquarium and trolley.  DH has been working hard and really wants a laid back vacation.  We are staying in an out of the way area...by Metrotown mall at the Hilton (using points for a free night).  Getting excited it's around the corner!!



If I had it to do over, we would have skipped the aquarium.  I was not impressed with it.


----------



## joycsk

If I had it to do over, we would have skipped the aquarium.  I was not impressed with it.[/QUOTE]

I understand Lisa's comment, but feel the need to add clarification.  I'm from near Philadelphia.  I have been to the NJ State Aquarium (now Adventure Aquarium) and the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD.  If you have been to either of there, or possibly the Atlanta Aquarium, you will find the Vancouver Aquarium to be extremely small in comparison.  However, I was entranced by the Beluga whales, which were worth the price of admission for me.  I think the ticket is knowing that the aquarium is _small_.


----------



## joycsk

HiMagicFan said:


> They are both about the same but I read on another board that one has a "live" commentary versus a "recorded" one.  I think the trolley was the live (probably meaning the driver was also the guide or they had another person on the mike) versus the big bus (which I think means the driver is just gonna flip a switch).
> 
> We will be taking the big bus only because groupon had coupon deals.  I usually prefer the "live" commentary as it is easier to as questions.



We got a "deal" on Big Bus, and it was a mistake.  It stops running at 5pm.  That was a horrible surprise.  I also did not like the "odd" route that it took, though I'm told the other routes are similar.  There is also the Pink Bus, which donates some profits to breast cancer research.


----------



## joycsk

GrtWtNorth said:


> There are sliding scales of sushi in Vancouver.
> 
> Most places sell sushi a-la-cart, and it's relatively inexpensive. $4-6 for a single roll cut into 4 pieces.  $12-15 for a combo plate with several varieties.  It's hard to walk a block in downton Vancouver and not come across two or three of these restaurants.
> 
> All-you-can-eat sushi restaurants are a little harder to find.  I've eaten at Tanpopo (good) and Richmond Sushi (very good).  The food quality isn't much better than the a-la-cart restaurants, but all-you-can-eat restaurants usually have better seating and drink options. Expect to pay $13-16 per person, plus drinks and gratuity.
> 
> The top notch sushi is prepared and sold in many fancy and expensive restaurants.   If you want real 'Japanese' sushi, with a Japanese trained sushi-chef, you have to look at one of these places.  I was about to recommend Yoshi Japanese Restaurant on Denman, but it appears that it has closed.  Vancouver.com has a top-five sushi restaurants list here.



GreatWhiteNorth,

You've been so helpful, I wanted to share that a bus driver recommended Toyama (?)  I think that was the name, but now that it's been nearly 2 weeks, I'm not positive.  It wasn't the best sushi I ever ate, but we thought it was an amazing value.  In our area, the only all you can eat sushi we can find is rolls, or a buffet.

Thanks!


----------



## buddywesley

joycsk said:


> We got a "deal" on Big Bus, and it was a mistake.  It stops running at 5pm.  That was a horrible surprise.  I also did not like the "odd" route that it took, though I'm told the other routes are similar.  There is also the Pink Bus, which donates some profits to breast cancer research.



I thought the routes were OK but you had to figure out where to get it so you were riding where you wanted without being on it too long (we were at Club Intrawest at Sheraton Wall Centre so there were a few places we could get on it). The biggest complaint we had about it was that one it was sunny and they had a lot of open cars running...the next day it was raining and they STILL had the open cars running. The comment we got from the tour guide (sometimes they do have LIVE guides on the bus...it's all pretty random- we had live guides 2x and the rest were taped) was "hey you'da been mad if we had the closed busses yesterday!?"...really? that was their response to the wet seats that were not even being wiped off!!!!!!
Would NOT do the Big Bus next time...I'd try the trolly...


----------



## buddywesley

joycsk said:


> If I had it to do over, we would have skipped the aquarium.  I was not impressed with it.



I understand Lisa's comment, but feel the need to add clarification.  I'm from near Philadelphia.  I have been to the NJ State Aquarium (now Adventure Aquarium) and the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD.  If you have been to either of there, or possibly the Atlanta Aquarium, you will find the Vancouver Aquarium to be extremely small in comparison.  However, I was entranced by the Beluga whales, which were worth the price of admission for me.  I think the ticket is knowing that the aquarium is _small_.[/QUOTE]

I agree! The aquarium was nice and the belugas (and even the frog exhibit) were nice but to take that much out of our stanley park experience for it, not sure if it's worth it. depends on how many days you'll be there. We also have a really nice Aquarium in Southern California (Aquarium of the Pacific) and it wasn't as big as it. Although the 4D movie was included here and at our aquarium it was NOT (you pay extra for it) so that was good.


----------



## lbgraves

joycsk said:


> If I had it to do over, we would have skipped the aquarium.  I was not impressed with it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I understand Lisa's comment, but feel the need to add clarification.  I'm from near Philadelphia.  I have been to the NJ State Aquarium (now Adventure Aquarium) and the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD.  If you have been to either of there, or possibly the Atlanta Aquarium, you will find the Vancouver Aquarium to be extremely small in comparison.  However, I was entranced by the Beluga whales, which were worth the price of admission for me.  I think the ticket is knowing that the aquarium is _small_.
Click to expand...


We live in a very small town in NC but the aquarium nearby is just as nice if not better than the one in Vancouver IMO, and charges much less for admission.  We can get a yearly membership for our family of four for $50 that allows us admission to many other aquariums across the country.  We have been to the one in Baltimore...MUCH nicer than the one here...so I have other places to compare it to as well.  I did not feel that the Vancouver Aquarium was worth the price and was very disappointed, considering the size and the number of exhibits offered.  We did enjoy the whales; however, when we left I wished that we had used the money we spent there to do something else in town.  Thankfully, DH refrained from saying "told you so."


----------



## tksbaskets

We enjoyed our time at the aquarium and took advantage of the dolphin and whale shows.  We don't live near any aquarium and felt it was money well spent.

We took the Trolley company bus and were very happy with it.  No open bus for us.

TK


----------



## LDM

poohj80 said:


> Yes there is but it's pretty expensive.  I say leave your laptop home and enjoy unplugging for awhile!



thanks!  I think I'll bring for picture uploading, but that's it.


----------



## LDM

Question about the Character Breakfast (on the 7 night cruise)....

Do we need to sign up for it?  Or is already arranged for us?

Also, is all the food on the cruise included in the price???


Thanks!!  Only two more sleeps!!!


----------



## poohj80

LDM said:


> Question about the Character Breakfast (on the 7 night cruise)....
> 
> Do we need to sign up for it?  Or is already arranged for us?
> 
> Also, is all the food on the cruise included in the price???
> 
> 
> Thanks!!  Only two more sleeps!!!



All normal food is included, but meals at Palo or snacks you might purchase before a show are not.


----------



## LDM

poohj80 said:


> All normal food is included, but meals at Palo or snacks you might purchase before a show are not.



Excellent!  Thank you. 

Any idea on the character breakfast?

I'm so glad I found this site, you have all been more help then our Travel Agent.


----------



## poohj80

LDM said:


> Excellent!  Thank you.
> 
> Any idea on the character breakfast?
> 
> I'm so glad I found this site, you have all been more help then our Travel Agent.



I believe the character breakfast is already set based on your dining rotation, but this will be our first 7 day cruise as well so you may want someone more knowledgable to respond.


----------



## tinker1bell

poohj80 said:


> I believe the character breakfast is already set based on your dining rotation, but this will be our first 7 day cruise as well so you may want someone more knowledgable to respond.




My BFF and I were on the 14 day WBTA and the Character breakfast is on a set day so I would think it would be the same on the seven day.  It is based on your dining rotation.   It was on a sea day.


----------



## TravelinCyn

Yes, it's assigned for you, it will say on the bottom of your dining ticket and your server will remind you (several times) the night before.


----------



## CruisingSarah

Just to say we arrived in Vancouver yesterday for our pre-cruise stay and had one night in the Delta Vancouver hotel and it was great.  So if anyone has yet to book an airport hotel I recommend the Delta.  All staff were extremely friendly and welcoming, the food at Pier 73 was great, there was a lovely complimentary continental breakfast with free full breakfast for kids, the room was well appointed and there is a nice heated outdoor pool with pool toys for the kids.  A really great airport stopover


----------



## Schachteles

joycsk said:


> If I had it to do over, we would have skipped the aquarium.  I was not impressed with it.



I understand Lisa's comment, but feel the need to add clarification.  I'm from near Philadelphia.  I have been to the NJ State Aquarium (now Adventure Aquarium) and the National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD.  If you have been to either of there, or possibly the Atlanta Aquarium, you will find the Vancouver Aquarium to be extremely small in comparison.  However, I was entranced by the Beluga whales, which were worth the price of admission for me.  I think the ticket is knowing that the aquarium is _small_.[/QUOTE]

We found that it was PACKED the day we were there, you could barely move and it took a lot of the fun out of the day.  It was disappointing since it was terribly expensive to get in!  The kids did enjoy the beluga whales since you don't get to see those everywhere.


----------



## LDM

TravelinCyn said:


> Yes, it's assigned for you, it will say on the bottom of your dining ticket and your server will remind you (several times) the night before.




Excellent!  Thank you.

One more sleep!

Is anyone else boarding tomorrow as well?


----------



## HiMagicFan

LDM said:


> Excellent!  Thank you.
> 
> One more sleep!
> 
> Is anyone else boarding tomorrow as well?



Ohhh! Have fun!  I just need to wait two more weeks and then it will be my turn.

Has anyone heard about the merchandising?  Did they replenish?


----------



## HiMagicFan

joycsk said:


> We got a "deal" on Big Bus, and it was a mistake.  It stops running at 5pm.  That was a horrible surprise.  I also did not like the "odd" route that it took, though I'm told the other routes are similar.  There is also the Pink Bus, which donates some profits to breast cancer research.



Thanks for the heads up on the 5pm bit.  For that day we just plan to ride and maybe get off once or twice.



buddywesley said:


> I thought the routes were OK but you had to figure out where to get it so you were riding where you wanted without being on it too long (we were at Club Intrawest at Sheraton Wall Centre so there were a few places we could get on it).
> We are at the Sheraton Wall - where would you recommend getting on?  My understanding is you can get on anywhere and pay the driver.  I hope so cuz Mom and Dad can't walk that far.
> 
> The biggest complaint we had about it was that one it was sunny and they had a lot of open cars running...the next day it was raining and they STILL had the open cars running. The comment we got from the tour guide (sometimes they do have LIVE guides on the bus...it's all pretty random- we had live guides 2x and the rest were taped) was "hey you'da been mad if we had the closed busses yesterday!?"...really? that was their response to the wet seats that were not even being wiped off!!!!!!
> Would NOT do the Big Bus next time...I'd try the trolly...



Well, that doesn't sound good about the open cars.  Were there any seats that were covered? Mom can't take the sun for very long so will need covered seating.

I only did the bus because of the great groupon deal but am slowly wishing we had just decided there what we wanted to do.  But thanks for the tips!


----------



## HiMagicFan

tksbaskets said:


> We enjoyed our time at the aquarium and took advantage of the dolphin and whale shows.  We don't live near any aquarium and felt it was money well spent.
> 
> We took the Trolley company bus and were very happy with it.  No open bus for us.
> 
> TK



Glad to have your opinion.  I am looking forward to the shows.  Not too happy to hear that the bus is so open - was kinda thinking there was an open upstairs and covered downstairs.


----------



## Shanny145

Jealous! No I am going on the 23rd sailing....we will be getting on as you are getting off.  Have a super wonderful time with tons of pixie magic!


----------



## WDWLVR

We did the big bus and enjoyed it.  We bought our tickets the night before from the concierge at the hotel (Pan Pacific).  Caught the big bus right out front.  The front half was covered while the back half was open.  We had beautiful weather so sat in the open areas.  When we got to Stanley Park we were told we could get off and get on the other big bus waiting for a trip around Stanley Park and that it was included in our ticket.  We loved this.  After the tour we got back on the regular big bus and took that to the aquarium stop.  Found out we got a discount for buying our aquarium tickets on the bus.  This not only saved us some money but saved us having to wait in a long line.  It was great.  We live right outside of Chicago which has a magnificent aquarium including Beluga whales.  We still loved the Vancouver Aquarium  and were glad we stopped.  After it was a hop back on the big bus for a tour of the rest of the city.


----------



## HiMagicFan

WDWLVR said:


> We did the big bus and enjoyed it.  We bought our tickets the night before from the concierge at the hotel (Pan Pacific).  Caught the big bus right out front.  The front half was covered while the back half was open.  We had beautiful weather so sat in the open areas.  When we got to Stanley Park we were told we could get off and get on the other big bus waiting for a trip around Stanley Park and that it was included in our ticket.  We loved this.  After the tour we got back on the regular big bus and took that to the aquarium stop.  Found out we got a discount for buying our aquarium tickets on the bus.  This not only saved us some money but saved us having to wait in a long line.  It was great.  We live right outside of Chicago which has a magnificent aquarium including Beluga whales.  We still loved the Vancouver Aquarium  and were glad we stopped.  After it was a hop back on the big bus for a tour of the rest of the city.



Just wanna be sure I am not confused.  You did the Big Bus (not the vancouver trolley co or the pink bus) and you were able to sit in covered areas (although you sat in the open part) and you could buy the aquarium tickets on the bus.  Do I have this right?

I am surprised to read that you were able to get on the stanley park trolley as it is a different co from the big bus - it is affiliated with the vancouver trolley co.  so I want to be sure i was reading you correctly.  Because if you were able to get on the stanley park trolley without the $10 cost I am gonna be a very happy camper! Unless there is a bus that goes around stanley park that I don't know of? Hmm


----------



## stsomewhere

Shanny145 said:


> Jealous! No I am going on the 23rd sailing....we will be getting on as you are getting off.  Have a super wonderful time with tons of pixie magic!



We are on the 23rd cruise,too!


----------



## Shanny145

stsomewhere said:


> We are on the 23rd cruise,too!


WhooHoo!!!!!!


----------



## WDWLVR

HiMagicFan said:


> Just wanna be sure I am not confused.  You did the Big Bus (not the vancouver trolley co or the pink bus) and you were able to sit in covered areas (although you sat in the open part) and you could buy the aquarium tickets on the bus.  Do I have this right?
> 
> I am surprised to read that you were able to get on the stanley park trolley as it is a different co from the big bus - it is affiliated with the vancouver trolley co.  so I want to be sure i was reading you correctly.  Because if you were able to get on the stanley park trolley without the $10 cost I am gonna be a very happy camper! Unless there is a bus that goes around stanley park that I don't know of? Hmm



Yes we took the Big Bus and it looks like a big old school bus.  The front half was covered and the back half was open.  Our bus looked like this.






We did not get on the Stanley Park Trolley.  Instead we got another Big Bus.  The first one we were one only made two stops in Stanley Park.  One right when you entered and one near the aquarium.  The second bus just goes around Stanley Park and makes two 15 minutes stops, one at the Totem Poles (where there is also a rest room and gift shop) and one at Prospect Point (again where there is a rest room, gift shop and some places to get ice cream, etc.).  The whole tour around Stanley Park took about an hour.  We were then back at the first Stanley Park stop and got on the regular Big Bus.  Hope that clears things up.  At both buses we just had to show our original ticket.

Our driver on the regular Big Bus (not the Stanley Park one) was also able to sell us discounted tickets for the aquarium.  I don't remember the actual savings (a couple of dollars) but getting them there and not having to wait in line was great.


----------



## disneymath

Our big bus experience was similar to wdwlvr's ... We didn't do the aquarium but did the included park tour.  Big bus has multiple types ... Traditional fully covered school bus types, the half open ones and traditional double decker ones ... We rode the first two types and saw the third.


----------



## lbgraves

HiMagicFan said:


> Glad to have your opinion.  I am looking forward to the shows.  Not too happy to hear that the bus is so open - was kinda thinking there was an open upstairs and covered downstairs.



Just so you aren't expecting a real show for either the dolphins or the whales where they have a set choreographed show and they jump out of the water and through hoops, they don't do that there.  The "shows" are basically the trainers going to the tank and checking the animals out.  They do a few tricks like nodding and turning around in place.  When we were there one of the dolphins jumped out of the water one time.  This was the case for both the dolphins and the whales.  I understand their reasons for doing this and the animals are still cute to see.


----------



## dkmjgal

We absolutely LOVE Vancouver!  As excited as I am to be getting on the Wonder in a little while I will miss this city...we definitely want to come back.  I highly recommend the Vancouver Trolley..buy the 1st day get the 2nd day free.  The tour guides are full of information and they run every 15-20 minutes.  Stanley Park is not to be missed...it's beautiful!
We look forward to coming back to Vancouver!


----------



## rosiep

I am just loving the customer service of Canada!

I had really wanted to stay at the Pan Pacific for an upcoming cruise, but I just couldn't swallow the price. I ended up using Hotwire and got the Sheraton Wall Center. Wrote them yesterday to ask about an airport shuttle, and while they don't have one, their response was immediate and thorough. I was really impressed! They listed several options and prices. When I wrote back to thank them for the quick reply, they wrote me again and thanked me!

It's funny cause I also visited the Vancouver Airport website and was extremely impressed with it's layout and user friendliness. I wrote their customer service department to compliment them and they wrote me back too!


----------



## HiMagicFan

WDWLVR said:


> Yes we took the Big Bus and it looks like a big old school bus.  The front half was covered and the back half was open.  Our bus looked like this.
> 
> We did not get on the Stanley Park Trolley.  Instead we got another Big Bus.  The first one we were one only made two stops in Stanley Park.  One right when you entered and one near the aquarium.  The second bus just goes around Stanley Park and makes two 15 minutes stops, one at the Totem Poles (where there is also a rest room and gift shop) and one at Prospect Point (again where there is a rest room, gift shop and some places to get ice cream, etc.).  The whole tour around Stanley Park took about an hour.  We were then back at the first Stanley Park stop and got on the regular Big Bus.  Hope that clears things up.  At both buses we just had to show our original ticket.
> 
> Our driver on the regular Big Bus (not the Stanley Park one) was also able to sell us discounted tickets for the aquarium.  I don't remember the actual savings (a couple of dollars) but getting them there and not having to wait in line was great.





disneymath said:


> Our big bus experience was similar to wdwlvr's ... We didn't do the aquarium but did the included park tour.  Big bus has multiple types ... Traditional fully covered school bus types, the half open ones and traditional double decker ones ... We rode the first two types and saw the third.



Thank You Both Very Very Much!
This will definitely help me with planning!  I appreciate the information.  Looking forward to my time in two weeks!


----------



## HiMagicFan

lbgraves said:


> Just so you aren't expecting a real show for either the dolphins or the whales where they have a set choreographed show and they jump out of the water and through hoops, they don't do that there.  The "shows" are basically the trainers going to the tank and checking the animals out.  They do a few tricks like nodding and turning around in place.  When we were there one of the dolphins jumped out of the water one time.  This was the case for both the dolphins and the whales.  I understand their reasons for doing this and the animals are still cute to see.



Ahhh...thanks for the heads up.  I was kinda expecting a "show".  Appreciate all your information.


----------



## HiMagicFan

dkmjgal said:


> We absolutely LOVE Vancouver!  As excited as I am to be getting on the Wonder in a little while I will miss this city...we definitely want to come back.  I highly recommend the Vancouver Trolley..buy the 1st day get the 2nd day free.  The tour guides are full of information and they run every 15-20 minutes.  Stanley Park is not to be missed...it's beautiful!
> We look forward to coming back to Vancouver!



Whoo Hooo

You're on the Wonder...You're on the Wonder 

Have a great time and looking forward to your comments after.
One question if you get this while you are on board.  Would be interested to know if the navigators have changed a lot since the first cruise and how the merchandise is (replenished?).

Have a blast!


----------



## staffieri

smeecanada said:


> Staying at Grouse until 1:45 on the day of the cruise is cutting it pretty close.  I would do the sightseeing stuff on Grouse, then leave and have lunch on the Ship.



I was told it was an 30 minutes away. I was planning on taking a taxi and giving us an hour being at the boat no later then 3pm. The lumber jack show doesn't start until 12:30. SO we were going to leave after that. So bummed we arrive late Monday. It doesn't give us much time. And our flight our it the day we get back at 4pm.



lbgraves said:


> You need to be careful about your timing when leaving here.  We were on the last free shuttle of the day back to Canada Place, but it left at 5:20 and it took us nearly an hour to get back.  It had been a much shorter time to drive there that morning.  This was on a Sunday.  It also took us around 45 minutes once we got in the line for the tram to get to the bottom.  You need to be on the ship no later than 4 pm.  If you will have to go to the hotel, get your luggage the trek to Canada Place, I wouldn't plan on staying up there past.  You would need to get in the line to go down by then.  We were there from 9:30 until we got in line at 4:20.  We ate lunch in the lodge, but I don't know what time it opened.
> 
> 
> This is helpful info. We were going to be taking a taxi there and back. I called the mountain and they explained this was possible. We will be there on Tuesday. But didn't think about line to take tram down. How long was just the tram ride? Wondering if there will be lines for it on a Tuesday at 1:15. Any more info is great. Was really trying to make this happen.
> 
> This is our plan so far from info I have received. Might have to change it and not go.
> 
> 8:30 taxi there. Leave luggage at baggage claim at hotel.
> 9:10 There. Meet Paraglide Tour
> 10:00 Me and DS Paraglide. Grandma and DD look around
> 11:00 Everyone look around see bears
> 11:45 Eat
> 12:30 Lumberjack show
> 1:15  Tram
> 1:45 at base of mountain
> 2:00 Taxi it stops by hotel and then takes us to Boat.


----------



## HiMagicFan

staffieri said:


> I was told it was an 30 minutes away. I was planning on taking a taxi and giving us an hour being at the boat no later then 3pm. The lumber jack show doesn't start until 12:30. SO we were going to leave after that. So bummed we arrive late Monday. It doesn't give us much time. And our flight our it the day we get back at 4pm.
> 
> This is our plan so far from info I have received. Might have to change it and not go.
> 
> 8:30 taxi there. Leave luggage at baggage claim at hotel.
> 9:10 There. Meet Paraglide Tour
> 10:00 Me and DS Paraglide. Grandma and DD look around
> 11:00 Everyone look around see bears
> 11:45 Eat
> 12:30 Lumberjack show
> 1:15  Tram
> 1:45 at base of mountain
> 2:00 Taxi it stops by hotel and then takes us to Boat.



1.  Will keep my fingers crossed for you that your plan works.  
2.  If you plan to get to the ship by 3p you are gonna miss our gathering!

Yeah it is too bad that you won't have a lot of time there.  

For me ~ that is cutting it close (I would be very nervous ~ am nervous now for you).  Especially when not knowing if there will be traffic, weather or accident delays coming back.  I don't mean to be a downer but I don't want you to miss the ship!!!!!  Gotta have all our friends on board.


----------



## HiMagicFan

staffieri said:


> 12:30 Lumberjack show
> 1:15  Tram
> 1:45 at base of mountain
> 2:00 Taxi it stops by hotel and then takes us to Boat.



Just a thought ~ wonder if the Mountain has lockers for you to store luggage? Then you could go straight to the ship from the mountain.

If push came to shove, I would consider a plan b about not doing the show since you also don't know for sure if you will make it on the tram down the mountain.  I understand sometimes the lines can be long.

I am NOT trying to rain on your parade BUT am trying to help you with a plan B ~ just in case.
Just tell me if you have had enough of my "help" ~ no problems.


----------



## Shanny145

rosiep said:


> I am just loving the customer service of Canada!
> 
> I had really wanted to stay at the Pan Pacific for an upcoming cruise, but I just couldn't swallow the price. I ended up using Hotwire and got the Sheraton Wall Center. Wrote them yesterday to ask about an airport shuttle, and while they don't have one, their response was immediate and thorough. I was really impressed! They listed several options and prices. When I wrote back to thank them for the quick reply, they wrote me again and thanked me!
> 
> It's funny cause I also visited the Vancouver Airport website and was extremely impressed with it's layout and user friendliness. I wrote their customer service department to compliment them and they wrote me back too!


So how did you decide to get to the wall center from the airport? We are staying there as well!


----------



## lbgraves

rosiep said:


> I am just loving the customer service of Canada!
> 
> I ended up using Hotwire and got the Sheraton Wall Center. Wrote them yesterday to ask about an airport shuttle, and while they don't have one, their response was immediate and thorough.



You will like the Wall Center.  We stayed there the first night.  We found that the CS in general around Vancouver was very friendly and helpful.  DD wants us to go back NOW! 



HiMagicFan said:


> Ahhh...thanks for the heads up.  I was kinda expecting a "show".  Appreciate all your information.



They believe in letting the animals life in a more natural environment and not be required to do certain things.  They start out the time by saying the animals may or may not do what is requested of them but they will reward them either way.  You want to get to the dolphin area a bit before the time.  When you walk down into the area, the water area to your right is where the trainers interacted with the dolphins.  Since you just stand around, it gets crowded and kids aren't able to see if they aren't right up front.  I had a difficult time seeing before someone moved to allow my DD to stand at the fence.



staffieri said:


> This is helpful info. We were going to be taking a taxi there and back. I called the mountain and they explained this was possible. We will be there on Tuesday. But didn't think about line to take tram down. How long was just the tram ride? Wondering if there will be lines for it on a Tuesday at 1:15. Any more info is great. Was really trying to make this happen.




The tram ride down itself is a little over 4 minutes.  It takes around 6 minutes to go up.  We were leaving at the end of the day when lots of others were leaving as well, so there was a 45 minute wait to get onto the tram.  I don't know what that line is like mid-day.  We got there without traffic in 25-30 minutes but it did take at least an hour going back and we stopped on Lions Gate Bridge a few times.  I would definitely find out if you need to call for a cab when you get in line for the tram back down to make sure there is one waiting for you.


----------



## lbgraves

Shanny145 said:


> So how did you decide to get to the wall center from the airport? We are staying there as well!



We stayed at the Wall Center the first night and took the train, then walked 8 blocks to the hotel.  We could have gotten a bit closer to the hotel if we had transferred to the bus, but to squeeze our three large pieces of luggage and 4 carryons, 2 computer bags and a backpack onto the city bus did not seem like a great idea.  If I had planned for this better, I would have just taken a taxi from the airport to the hotel.  It would have been faster and less stressful.  We did take a taxi from the Pan after the cruise to the Westin at the airport.  We were there in 15 minutes and the $30 was well worth it, IMO.


----------



## rosiep

Shanny145 said:


> So how did you decide to get to the wall center from the airport? We are staying there as well!



Here is Cathy's reply in full. We decided to just take a taxi.

Thank you for your interest in the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre.
Unfortunately there is no complimentary shuttle service from the airport to our hotel. These are the following transport options. 
Aeroshuttle offers service between Vancouver International Airport (YVR) and Downtown Vancouver. One way service is $14.00 CAD including taxes and round trip service is $24.64 CAD including taxes. Reservations are not required for shuttle service from YVR to our hotel. For a copy of their schedule, please visit  http://aeroshuttleyvr.ca/yvr-shuttle-schedule. Please note that reservations are required if you would like a shuttle to YVR from our hotel. For more information, please visit http://aeroshuttleyvr.ca/reserve-now/
The Skytrain Canada Line is an automated driverless light rapid transit system running from the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to downtown Vancouver. It leaves YVR from about 5:10 AM to 12:57 AM. The frequency is about every 12 minutes. Please check their website (www.translink.ca) for any changes or updates. The nearest station to the Sheraton Wall Centre Hotel is Vancouver City Centre (corner West Georgia and Granville St). It is located 6 blocks from the hotel and is about 10-12 minutes walk to the station. One way fare is $7.50 CAD. 

Alternatively, Vancouver taxis are available 24 hours. It would be a 30 minute ride or less to the hotel and would cost about $30-35 Canadian but there is no flat fixed rate.

If you wish to have a limo do a "Meet & Greet", where the driver will be there with a sign with your name on it, the cost of that service would be $125 (taxes and tip included). We can call the limo company and make arrangements on your behalf--we would require your flight information and credit card in advance to secure the booking.

A limo transfer from the hotel to the airport would cost approximately $80-90 including tax & tip.
If I may be of further assistance, please feel free to contact me directly.
With warm regards,
Cathy


----------



## rosiep

lbgraves said:


> We stayed at the Wall Center the first night and took the train, then walked 8 blocks to the hotel.  We could have gotten a bit closer to the hotel if we had transferred to the bus, but to squeeze our three large pieces of luggage and 4 carryons, 2 computer bags and a backpack onto the city bus did not seem like a great idea.  If I had planned for this better, I would have just taken a taxi from the airport to the hotel.  It would have been faster and less stressful.  We did take a taxi from the Pan after the cruise to the Westin at the airport.  We were there in 15 minutes and the $30 was well worth it, IMO.



I dread the thought of traveling on public transportation while toting luggage!!  

One of my most favorite perks of staying onsite in WDW is the whole DME and handling of luggage. 

For the cruises I feel it's important to arrive a day early (if traveling from out of state/country) and it's a shame Disney doesn't account for that. I'd gladly pack an overnight back and send my luggage ahead!


----------



## Shanny145

Thank you!


----------



## smeecanada

staffieri said:


> This is our plan so far from info I have received. Might have to change it and not go.
> 
> 8:30 taxi there. Leave luggage at baggage claim at hotel.
> 9:10 There. Meet Paraglide Tour
> 10:00 Me and DS Paraglide. Grandma and DD look around
> 11:00 Everyone look around see bears
> 11:45 Eat
> 12:30 Lumberjack show
> 1:15  Tram
> 1:45 at base of mountain
> 2:00 Taxi it stops by hotel and then takes us to Boat.




Too close for comfort for me.  Too many variables.  It there is any problem with traffic (backup/accident on or near the bridge) you will be in deep trouble time wise and it's a long way around to the other bridge option.  I'd skip lunch and the lumberjack show.  Maybe do the show in Ketchikan.


----------



## staffieri

It looks like we may not be able to do Grouse. I really want to. But want to see the lumber jack show at 12:30 too. Its expensive and that makes the price worth it more.  I did plan on a taxi each way.  I may have to look into other ideas.


----------



## lbgraves

It would be best to have a backup plan either way.  The day we went to Grouse the skies were clear and you could see everywhere!  The next day was overcast and we could see that the clouds were halfway up Grouse across the water from the Pan.  We would not have gone up that day as it just wouldn't have been the same.  As you say, it isn't cheap.  Will you have time the day you get off the ship?


----------



## richmo

staffieri said:


> It looks like we may not be able to do Grouse. I really want to. But want to see the lumber jack show at 12:30 too. Its expensive and that makes the price worth it more.  I did plan on a taxi each way.  I may have to look into other ideas.



I agree that you'd be pushing your luck with that schedule.  I've only driven in Vancouver for one day, but I recall coming back from Whistler in early afternoon the day before the cruise and there was quite a bit of bridge traffic getting back into town (not the bridge itself, but the approach to it).

If you're set on a lumberjack show, could you catch one of the shows in the ports?  I think Ketchikan has at least a couple and you might even be able to walk up if you haven't reserved it.  Or, could you catch a lumberjack show the day the cruise gets back to Vancouver?


----------



## staffieri

richmo said:


> I agree that you'd be pushing your luck with that schedule.  I've only driven in Vancouver for one day, but I recall coming back from Whistler in early afternoon the day before the cruise and there was quite a bit of bridge traffic getting back into town (not the bridge itself, but the approach to it).
> 
> If you're set on a lumberjack show, could you catch one of the shows in the ports?  I think Ketchikan has at least a couple and you might even be able to walk up if you haven't reserved it.  Or, could you catch a lumberjack show the day the cruise gets back to Vancouver?



We have a float plane in Ketchikan planned. But not a bad idea to remember if we have time we could just walk up. 

I thought we didn't need to check in on the boat until 3pm? So Tuesday the day we embark gives us the most time. The day we get off the ship our flights at 4pm. but the drive longer and we have to be at the airport by 2pm I think.

Having a back up play is a good Idea. Maybe we could leave the Mountain at 1:30. I thought that would give us lots of time using a taxi. 

I so love the feedback!!!!


----------



## richmo

staffieri said:


> We have a float plane in Ketchikan planned. But not a bad idea to remember if we have time we could just walk up.



For our cruise, the schedule changed enroute and we arrived at Ketchikan several hours early (I want to say about 9:00 instead of 12:00, depart time stayed the same).  An excursion of ours also was moved up 2 hours, so we could have added another, but we walked around town a little instead.  Whether upcoming cruises are able to get additional time in Ketchikan, I would have no idea.  I also recall a tour guide saying one of the lumberjack shows was in easy walking distance of the port, but I can't confirm that.  You might want to start googling around and see where the independent lumberjack operators are and when the shows happen.  You might just be able to squeeze it in.


----------



## lbgraves

Here is the location that DCL uses for their excursion.  It is right near the port and we walked by when we were in town.
http://www.alaskalumberjackshows.com/

FWIW while the kids thought that the show was funny at Grouse, and they especially liked the fact that I ended up participating in it, that was not the highlight of our day there.  DD loved the bears and I couldn't look at the view enough, especially from the top of the mountain which you get to via the ski lift.


----------



## rsjj

just got back from our cruise yesterday...

wanted to thank everyone here for your posts, answers, ideas, suggestions, etc. you have all been very kind & helpful!!  

our cruise was fabulous, scenery simply amazing!!  our stay in vancouver...way too short!  told DH that we'll have to plan a trip to vancouver, and stay longer!!  

happy to answer any questions, for those of you who have yet to go on your cruise/trip.  fyi...our family consists of 2 adults, 2 DSs (12 & 9).  stayed at vancouver 3 nights prior to cruise.  did stanley park, grouse mtn, capilano suspension bridge.  stayed in richmond.  took public transportation the first day in vancouver, had a rental car for 2 days after that, and took the skytrain to board the ship (very easy, even w/our 4 luggages!!), and also took public transportation to stanley park on the day we disembarked, and back to yvr.  very very simple!!


----------



## ratt1345

rsjj, I have to second what you said about Vancouver.  DW and I liked it a lot.  We would like to take a long vacation there, too.


----------



## rsjj

vancouver is a beautiful city, w/friendly people!!  we took the bus from stanley park back to yvr after our bike riding around the park, & lunch.  we had made sure we had enough candian money left for the bus fare...since we needed 2 zone ticket, and on the bus, they didn't take credit cards like the machines they have at a major station (at waterfront).  anyways, so we had $12.50 (exact change for our fare, but in $10 bill and $2 coin & 2-25c coins).  apparently we didn't think that buses do not take bills, only coins!!  and i seriously thought we were not going to be able to get on the bus!!  even though we had "exact" amount, just not all in coins!!  but the driver said, just buy your ticket at the waterfront station before you board the skytrain!  how nice is that?  i'm thinking that won't happen here at home...although i don't really take public transportation at home...but...

yes, we'll have to take a longer trip there.  next vacay!!


----------



## breced

This thread is very helpful!


----------



## HiMagicFan

I appreciate the feedback and the tips!  Thank you


----------



## staffieri

Love all the help. We are going to Grouse Mountain and will now probably not stay for lunch. This was good advice. You all have been great!!!!

When we get off the ship we have a 4pm flight. Questions???

1. How early has people been getting to the airport? 
2. I have a soon to be 5 yr and 13. What can we squeeze in to do? Thinking no on aquarium. We live close to 2.

I have not begun to plan this day.


----------



## lbgraves

The ship pulled into port at 6:50 and was next to the pier [downstairs outside our hotel window] by 7:00.  It took a while for our group to be called for luggage - we were the third character called.  We may have been off with our luggage by around 9-9:30.  Give you time to store your luggage and you will have from around 10-12:30 to do something in town.  We got to the airport 2 hours before our flight to Phoenix, but it was a 7:30 flight.  I could see how the lines going through customs and the checkins would be longer as the day goes on, so you might want to add on 30 minutes.  The drive from Canada Place to the airport Westin took us 15-20 minutes in a cab, but it was the day after a holiday, and the driver said many people took that day off as well.  We drove there after 6 pm, so leaving mid-day could take 45-60 minutes.

If you take a right leaving Canada Place and head along the waterfront, you will find a couple of bike rental places.  They rent them by the hour [The first one is $8 hr adults/ $4 hour kids].  It takes 1 1/2 - 2 hours to ride to Stanley Park and go all the way around it.  That gives you a little time to stop at the totem park and take pictures along the way.


----------



## HiMagicFan

staffieri said:


> Love all the help. We are going to Grouse Mountain and will now probably not stay for lunch. This was good advice. You all have been great!!!!
> 
> Yeah!  I am so glad you decided to still do this!
> 
> When we get off the ship we have a 4pm flight. Questions???
> 
> 1. How early has people been getting to the airport?
> 2. I have a soon to be 5 yr and 13. What can we squeeze in to do? Thinking no on aquarium. We live close to 2.
> 
> I have not begun to plan this day.



Another thing besides the biking (as your younger one might get tired sooner) may be to check out Granville Island.  If you store your luggage and go down Hornsby Street you can catch an Aquabus ferry to the island.  There is lots to do ~ just google it.  I know there are kid stuff there.


----------



## lbgraves

I did see some bikes built for 2, some 2 adults and some an adult with a child.  Not sure which shop/stand rents them, but that might help you.  It was pretty level around the park with no hills.


----------



## staffieri

Love the advice. Is Granville island the same as some kid market I remember reading about. I should have taken notes. I remember Lollipop mom saying something about a kid market.

Also, How early do I need to get to the airport? I hate being there super early. 
Ibgraves are you saying be at the airport 2 hours before and it is a 30 minute cab ride?


----------



## lbgraves

It took us 15-20 minutes to get to a hotel outside of the airport with no traffic.  The drive from the hotel the next morning took us about 10 minutes so 25-30 total time with no traffic.  You driving there from downtown mid-day with traffic on a work day I would allow 45-60 minutes driving time with stops.  You don't want to get to the airport less than 2 hours before your flight.  After you check in and take your checked luggage to the ramp where you put it yourself, you will need to go through security and then customs.  This was the nice thing about it.  We did not have to touch our luggage again from Vancouver to our final destination, three flights later.  We had an hour or less between flights and always had to race from one end of the airport to the other.   It did take longer for us to arrive at the gate for our flight though.  It was not crowded when we arrived at the airport at 5:30 a.m. -- at least not all of the line was filled in.  When it gets busier I can imagine a longer wait for each step, so would allow more time to make sure you don't miss your flight.  Check the airline to see when they cut off boarding/check in for international flights.


----------



## E&Cmom

staffieri said:


> Love the advice. Is Granville island the same as some kid market I remember reading about. I should have taken notes. I remember Lollipop mom saying something about a kid market.



The kids Market is on Granville Island. It has lots of fun stores and an indoor play area. Outside their is a splash park. It is fun. I love Granville Island. Besides the Kids market, you have the regular public market and lot of little stores and artist studios.


----------



## 85SLE

We found that Granville Market had great food at a reasonable price.  Lunch was around $25 for the three of us.


----------



## staffieri

Great we will to the Kids Market, Granville. Sounds great. Thanks for the advice about traffic to the airport. 

Anyone head to the airport on Tuesday? How long did it take you?

What was the latest time someone got of the boat? I am in no rush.

Any reviews on storing your luggage? where they long line? too long to get back?


----------



## smeecanada

Can anyone confirm what time the ship actually sails from Vancouver?

Have family who want to go down and watch from Stanley Park, but can't locate an actual sailing time.


----------



## 85SLE

smeecanada said:


> Can anyone confirm what time the ship actually sails from Vancouver?
> 
> Have family who want to go down and watch from Stanley Park, but can't locate an actual sailing time.



I believe that the boarding time starts at 12:30 and the ship sails at 4.
I know someone else will hve the correct time.


----------



## richmo

staffieri said:


> Anyone head to the airport on Tuesday? How long did it take you?


We took the SkyTrain back to the airport.  From Canada Place, the walk to the SkyTrain station is less than 5 minutes.  On the downside, you do have to pull your luggage, but the trains run frequently and auto traffic is never a factor.  I think from the time we left Canada Place to the time we arrived at YVR was about 35 minutes.  In our case, we had the late breakfast seating, started leaving the ship around 9:15 and arrived at YVR a little after 10:30...that includes customs.  (If you're not in a hurry, leaving the ship a little later is much easier...the early breakfast folks wind up sitting in lounges waiting for their luggage tag to be called.  If you have the late breakfast, they're all called by the time you're done eating and the mad rush is over).

I do also recommend biking Stanley Park if you have some time and its a reasonably nice day (sorry, I can't give advice on storing luggage...we did the bike ride prior to the cruise).  The "official" bike rental place is Spokes, which means they're probably a little more expensive, but they had lots of different types of bikes available.  We rented a tandem and the two kids each had their own.  If you google Spokes Vancouver, you can check out their website and even call them.  They had a really nice staff.


----------



## RedSox68

Okay, I have been faithful in reading this whole thread.  Some of the best instructions I have gotten are how to use Hotwire and how to narrow down the specific hotel you hope to get.  Everyone is trying to get Pan Pacific and many have mentioned that if you look on Trip Advisor for their percent rating, you can use that to narrow down the choices.  

However, I cannot find anywhere in Pan Pacific's review on Trip Advisor where it says 90% anything.    Where is one to look to find the rating in order to use it on Hotwire?

Thanks tons


----------



## lbgraves

I didn't use that.  I was just told by several people to book the 5 start that had a 90% approval rating.  It worked.


----------



## lbgraves

smeecanada said:


> Can anyone confirm what time the ship actually sails from Vancouver?
> 
> Have family who want to go down and watch from Stanley Park, but can't locate an actual sailing time.



We went back to the port the day we got off the Wonder to watch it sail away.  We saw our server on deck 4 with the lifeboat drill.   I told David from entertainment that it wasn't as much fun that week.  The ship actually pulled away from the dock around 5 pm.


----------



## RedSox68

lbgraves said:


> I didn't use that.  I was just told by several people to book the 5 start that had a 90% approval rating.  It worked.



No five star hotels come up at all on Hotwire   Oh well, guess I'll wait to see if it changes.


----------



## smeecanada

lbgraves said:


> We went back to the port the day we got off the Wonder to watch it sail away.  We saw our server on deck 4 with the lifeboat drill.   I told David from entertainment that it wasn't as much fun that week.  The ship actually pulled away from the dock around 5 pm.



Thanks, Lisa.  Exactly what I was looking for.  Less than 24 hours to go.


----------



## lbgraves

How many rooms & people are you trying to find and what are the dates?  I know that multiple rooms sometimes mixed things up.  I would check throughout the day as I found the rooms being offered changed frequently.  I kept refreshing every 30 minutes or so when trying to book a room at the Westin airport for the night we got off the ship.


----------



## staffieri

richmo said:


> We took the SkyTrain back to the airport.  From Canada Place, the walk to the SkyTrain station is less than 5 minutes.  On the downside, you do have to pull your luggage, but the trains run frequently and auto traffic is never a factor.  I think from the time we left Canada Place to the time we arrived at YVR was about 35 minutes.  In our case, we had the late breakfast seating, started leaving the ship around 9:15 and arrived at YVR a little after 10:30...that includes customs.  (If you're not in a hurry, leaving the ship a little later is much easier...the early breakfast folks wind up sitting in lounges waiting for their luggage tag to be called.  If you have the late breakfast, they're all called by the time you're done eating and the mad rush is over).
> 
> I do also recommend biking Stanley Park if you have some time and its a reasonably nice day (sorry, I can't give advice on storing luggage...we did the bike ride prior to the cruise).  The "official" bike rental place is Spokes, which means they're probably a little more expensive, but they had lots of different types of bikes available.  We rented a tandem and the two kids each had their own.  If you google Spokes Vancouver, you can check out their website and even call them.  They had a really nice staff.




Thanks. Great info!!!


Anyone know if you don't have to get off the ship early if they will let you get the sit down late breakfast even if you were early seating?


----------



## richmo

staffieri said:


> Thanks. Great info!!!
> 
> 
> Anyone know if you don't have to get off the ship early if they will let you get the sit down late breakfast even if you were early seating?



Probably not.  The reason is that you get the same table and server for breakfast that you usually have.  So, whoever has the late sitting might be sitting there.  You might be able to arrange something, but a better option would be to go to Beach Blanket Buffet, which will be open (not for too long).  Its not really advertised as open, but it is.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

lbgraves said:


> The tram ride down itself is a little over 4 minutes.  It takes around 6 minutes to go up.  We were leaving at the end of the day when lots of others were leaving as well, so there was a 45 minute wait to get onto the tram.



One cable connects two trams -- one goes up just as fast as it's partner goes down.  However, the staff adjust the speed depending on the crowd levels.  It can take as long as 10 minutes, if it's a slow time of day.  When it's busy and running fast (3-4 minutes), riders get butterflies as the trams crest the upper tower.  

Another FYI, if you plan to visit Grouse Mountain during busy times -- there is very limited seating on the tram.  The bench seats under the front and rear windows fit 20-25 people, but staff fill the trams to capacity (150 passengers) whenever there's a line.  Be prepared to be up-close-and-personal with a few sweaty hikers.  

It's even more chaotic in winter, when everyone is carrying skis and snowboards.  My most memorable ride was at closing time after a long night of skiing.  A few craft services staff were wedged in among ~120 skiers and a dozen skaters (background actors).  They had finished catering a TV show set (Men in Trees, figure skating scenes).  The craft services leader held up her tray and said, "It's a shame that all this good food needs to go in the garbage as soon as we reach the bottom.  I don't suppose anyone would like some?"  I swear their food trays were empty in less than 20 seconds.


----------



## rsjj

staffieri said:


> THANK FOR THE INFO. We only have the day of the cruise to go  to Grouse. I am very excited to go. We are going to take a taxi over at 8:30 in the morning and play there until 1:45. Thinking this is worth our time since it looks like the cruise is sold out. No port upgrades. Love the info about the bears nap. LOL  We are hoping to paraglide in morning. Any more info or advice would be great. What time did the BBQ place open for lunch?



Not sure if anyone answered this, but when we finished the lumber jack show (around 12:45), it was already open.  But not busy @ all!!  Got really busy around 1 though!


----------



## lbgraves

Thanks!  That makes sense.  LOL!  I knew that.  You are right about the butterflies.  We got to the front of the tram for the trip down for good pictures.  I turned on the video of my camera.  The time of the trip was 4 m 14 s.  The cable was at an angle as we approached the tower, then as the weight of the tram went onto the cable, it seemed to go straight down and the trip was much faster.  LOL!  Several people in the tram screamed as if they were on a roller coaster as we were coming off the towers.  Yet I wouldn't go near the Capilano bridge.  LOL!  That was probably milder than the tram ride down.


----------



## mom_rules

lbgraves said:


> Thanks!  That makes sense.  LOL!  I knew that.  You are right about the butterflies.  We got to the front of the tram for the trip down for good pictures.  I turned on the video of my camera.  The time of the trip was 4 m 14 s.  The cable was at an angle as we approached the tower, then as the weight of the tram went onto the cable, it seemed to go straight down and the trip was much faster.  LOL!  Several people in the tram screamed as if they were on a roller coaster as we were coming off the towers.  Yet I wouldn't go near the Capilano bridge.  LOL!  That was probably milder than the tram ride down.



Capilano was awesome-thought it would be really scary (some people did freak out) but for the 8 of us it was wonderful.
They also have a really nice little restaurant and outdoor patio across the street called the Bridge House. Great food.


----------



## rsjj

Some asked about this...
They have a service where they will transport ur luggages straight to yvr from the same place u store ur luggages for the day!  We did that...super convenient!! $10 per luggage, w/a minimum of 4 luggages.  The only catch is, they will arrive @ yvr by 4 pm. So ur flight have to b later than that.  

We had a 7pm flight.  Worked out for us!  After leaving our luggages w/them, we took pub transportation (bus #19) to Stanley park, rented bikes, and rode along the seawall.  We've already visited the park prior to our cruise...the trails, totem poles, etc.  So it was truly a leisure ride!!  Then had lunch around the area (lots of eatery where the bike rental place (spokes) is located).  Took the skytrain back to yvr.  Picked up our luggages there, and proceeded to check ourselves into the airport/flight.


----------



## poohj80

A friend mentioned something about a park in Vancouver with totem poles.  Does anyone know which park this might be?

Thanks!


----------



## WDWLVR

poohj80 said:


> A friend mentioned something about a park in Vancouver with totem poles. Does anyone know which park this might be?
> 
> Thanks!


 
That would be Stanley Park which is right near downtown.  The Big Bus and Trolley both serve Stanley Park and others have walked or taken bikes over there.


----------



## poohj80

WDWLVR said:


> That would be Stanley Park which is right near downtown.  The Big Bus and Trolley both serve Stanley Park and others have walked or taken bikes over there.



Thanks, I thought that might be it but wasn't sure.


----------



## RedSox68

Okay, so I gave up on Hotwire as there were no five stars and, I must admit, I don't like not knowing what I'm getting or where it is located until payment.

After looking around on the different hotel discount sites, I was finding that all the Pan Pacific prices were higher than what they offered me when I contacted them via email as a AAA member, AND the room selections were limited as many categories said "SOLD OUT" for the dates I need.  In addition, the cheapest price I could find on Hotwire was for a four star for $273/night in an unknown location and unknown room type (or view), and that was only for two adults.   Granted, their site changes every day and deals come up, but I didn't want to lose my chance at Pan Pacific as they are selling out very fast.  (They are HAL's main hotel and our cruise is sold out, so everyone is heading there.)

So I contacted Pan Pacific directly and worked with an absolutely lovely reservation rep who got me a terrific AAA package that includes breakfast and free luggage assistance to the port.  It is a harbor view room with 2 beds and even though the breakfast deal is for two, she included my daughter in the package.  After much research, we are very happy with the price since it's three adults AND she threw in the third breakfast for my daughter.  So for $60 more per night than the 4-star prices on Hotwire, we got the room of our choice at a 5-star notel, with the view of our choice and breakfast (which will save us money on lunch ).  And hey, we'll be saving on tax fare as we can walk to the terminal 

I know from everything written here that THIS is an ideal hotel and location and we are thrilled with the deal.  Now I just have to book hotels in Seattle and airfare


----------



## lbgraves

It is the PERFECT location.  Did she tell you where the ship docks?  When you are facing the hotel with the conference center to your left, it is the side of the hotel that looks away from the center -- the the right.  You will have an open dock and be able to see the ferry dock on that side.  You will be able to watch the Wonder turn the corner and dock.  She showed up around 6:50 the morning we were there.   DS had woken up at 4 am to watch, so DH took him out to the waterfront to get breakfast and watch.


----------



## rosiep

RedSox68 said:


> Okay, so I gave up on Hotwire as there were no five stars and, I must admit, I don't like not knowing what I'm getting or where it is located until payment.
> 
> After looking around on the different hotel discount sites, I was finding that all the Pan Pacific prices were higher than what they offered me when I contacted them via email as a AAA member, AND the room selections were limited as many categories said "SOLD OUT" for the dates I need.  In addition, the cheapest price I could find on Hotwire was for a four star for $273/night in an unknown location and unknown room type (or view), and that was only for two adults.   Granted, their site changes every day and deals come up, but I didn't want to lose my chance at Pan Pacific as they are selling out very fast.  (They are HAL's main hotel and our cruise is sold out, so everyone is heading there.)
> 
> So I contacted Pan Pacific directly and worked with an absolutely lovely reservation rep who got me a terrific AAA package that includes breakfast and free luggage assistance to the port.  It is a harbor view room with 2 beds and even though the breakfast deal is for two, she included my daughter in the package.  After much research, we are very happy with the price since it's three adults AND she threw in the third breakfast for my daughter.  So for $60 more per night than the 4-star prices on Hotwire, we got the room of our choice at a 5-star notel, with the view of our choice and breakfast (which will save us money on lunch ).  And hey, we'll be saving on tax fare as we can walk to the terminal
> 
> I know from everything written here that THIS is an ideal hotel and location and we are thrilled with the deal.  Now I just have to book hotels in Seattle and airfare



Congratulations!!! Looks like your hard work paid off!


----------



## RedSox68

lbgraves said:


> It is the PERFECT location.  Did she tell you where the ship docks?  When you are facing the hotel with the conference center to your left, it is the side of the hotel that looks away from the center -- the the right.  You will have an open dock and be able to see the ferry dock on that side.  You will be able to watch the Wonder turn the corner and dock.  She showed up around 6:50 the morning we were there.   DS had woken up at 4 am to watch, so DH took him out to the waterfront to get breakfast and watch.



We're sailing on HAL, not Disney.  But I did see pictures on their photo gallery that not only included HAL docked there, but also the Wonder!  

what I found really "odd" was that if you booked this through HAL, they wanted $499/night "with transfers".  Ummmm, you don't need transfers to go down an escalator to the cruise terminal!  The deal I got is $150 cheaper AND includes breakfast. Their's didn't include anything but "transfers"    And since we're doing a cruise tour, our transportation is included at the end of the tour to the airport anyway.


----------



## HiMagicFan

Just wanted to send a shout out (sorry so late) to EVERYONE for sharing their advice and experiences!

It was so very helpful in all my planning and in making the trip so great!

You are all Da Best!


----------



## NWmom

bumping this up for those asking questions
NW


----------



## tinker1bell

When we stayed in Vancouver for one night, we stayed at the Landis Hotel & Suites.  We got a fantastic rate of about $240 for the four of us.  We had a two bedroom suite with living area, full kitchen, dining area and little breakfast nook.  They have a free shuttle to the port.  I would definitely stay there again.


----------



## ratt1345

DW and I stayed at Hotel Le Soleil back in June.  We had a great experience there.  Most everything was in walking distance, except Stanley Park.  We took a trolley to Stanley Park.  I highly suggest going to Stanley Park and go to the aquarium!!!  We thoroughly enjoyed Vancouver.  The people who live there should be proud of having such a great city.


----------



## mellers

If you're looking for a different experience, try the Four Points Sheraton Vancouver Airport in Richmond, BC.  The International Buddhist Temple Gardens in Richmond are amazing.  (However, please, those who go there, remember that this is a place of worship and be respectful, whether or not it is your religious tradition.  I saw a lot of people discarding bottles and trash in the temple.)

The hotel is next door to a large shopping mall (Lansdowne shopping center) with a Toys R Us, a nice little bookstore, and a Zellers (very like Target) where you can pick up last-minute items.  It also has a nice food court, and it is close to a laundromat.  The mall is next door to the Canada Line of the SkyTrain, so it is very easy to get into Vancouver proper, and the hotel has a free shuttle from the airport.  Getting to the cruise generally requires a taxi, but for two or more people, it is probably less expensive than Disney transportation, and for three or more, it definitely is.  It isn't hard to get to the port from there--we had no problems when we went last August.


----------



## geoffrey

mom_rules said:


> Capilano was awesome-thought it would be really scary (some people did freak out) but for the 8 of us it was wonderful.
> They also have a really nice little restaurant and outdoor patio across the street called the Bridge House. Great food.


 +1 for the Bridge House. Have eaten there twice and really enjoyed it both times.

And oh yeah, going over the top tower can be quite a trip!


----------



## jilljill

With the new cruises for 2013 that just opened, might as well bring this thread back to life since there's so much good info already posted.


----------



## mellers

Be very careful that this will work for you, but there is a deal on the Pan Pacific Hotel available through Groupon right now--read the restrictions carefully, and make sure you can book it before you buy the certificate, but it is a great deal:

http://www.groupon.com/deals/ga-m-p...=ga-m-pan-pacific-vancouver&p=1&c=deal_button


----------



## poohj80

mellers said:


> Be very careful that this will work for you, but there is a deal on the Pan Pacific Hotel available through Groupon right now--read the restrictions carefully, and make sure you can book it before you buy the certificate, but it is a great deal:
> 
> http://www.groupon.com/deals/ga-m-p...=ga-m-pan-pacific-vancouver&p=1&c=deal_button



Many of us were able to book the Pan Pacific last year through Hot Wire for about $140 US per night which I believe is an even better deal, but not guaranteed.


----------



## queenbee99

This thread is super long but I am hoping to get to reading it soon.  We are doing the Alaskan out of Seattle but want to do Seattle for a few days and Vancouver too.  So many questions,  I saw the deal for the Pan Pacific and haven't booked our flights yet.  We would fly into Seattle and then go to Vancouver.  Which is most cost effective? Renting a car and driving or taking the train? I thought I had read somewhere that AAA gets business class upgrade on Amtrak but can't find anything.  The parking is expensive at the hotels so I didn't know if we could rent and turn in the car, then rent after we return.  I have heard that the public transportation is great in Vancouver.  What is the best way to get from the train station in Vancouver to Pan Pacific hotel? Not sure if we will be staying here but possible.  I have an 8 year old that would love to see snow.  Is our only option for that in Whistler?  It seems that the June calendar of events is not available for Whistler.  This is very overwhelming to plan and hope to get some advice.  Between hotels, transportation, flights, cruise...HELP!!


----------



## queenbee99

What month did you get this deal?  I really would love to stay there.  Does hotwire work like Priceline? I have never done it.  Do you bid on a room or do you just find a deal on it?





poohj80 said:


> Many of us were able to book the Pan Pacific last year through Hot Wire for about $140 US per night which I believe is an even better deal, but not guaranteed.


----------



## mellers

queenbee99 said:


> This thread is super long but I am hoping to get to reading it soon.  We are doing the Alaskan out of Seattle but want to do Seattle for a few days and Vancouver too.  So many questions,  I saw the deal for the Pan Pacific and haven't booked our flights yet.  We would fly into Seattle and then go to Vancouver.  Which is most cost effective? Renting a car and driving or taking the train? I thought I had read somewhere that AAA gets business class upgrade on Amtrak but can't find anything.  The parking is expensive at the hotels so I didn't know if we could rent and turn in the car, then rent after we return.  I have heard that the public transportation is great in Vancouver.  What is the best way to get from the train station in Vancouver to Pan Pacific hotel? Not sure if we will be staying here but possible.  I have an 8 year old that would love to see snow.  Is our only option for that in Whistler?  It seems that the June calendar of events is not available for Whistler.  This is very overwhelming to plan and hope to get some advice.  Between hotels, transportation, flights, cruise...HELP!!



Your cheapest, easiest transportation to the Vancouver Pan Pacific would probably be to take the QuickShuttle (http://www.quickcoach.com/ ) from the Best Western Executive Inn, if you are staying downtown, or from the airport, if you are staying near the airport.  The Best Western Executive Inn is near the Space Needle, and the QuickShuttle will drop you off directly at the Pan Pacific.  If you're leaving for Vancouver directly from the airport, the QuickShuttle is definitely the best bet, although you will want to get snacks or take-out meals and bottled drinks, because they do not have food onboard and it is a long ride.

Amtrak is a beautiful ride, from everything I've heard, and, if you don't have much luggage to haul, you can probably take the light rail from downtown to the station.  If you have a lot of luggage, don't even try it--take a taxi.  You'll also need to take a taxi ride to the Pan Pacific when you reach Vancover, but as I recall, it's a relatively short trip.

However, if you have a person traveling with you in a wheelchair, I would strongly recommend the QuickShuttle over Amtrak.  I have never had a good experience riding Amtrak in my wheelchair, and they will sometimes split up your family, if there are more than two of you.  They won't do that on the QuickShuttle.

As to your 8-year-old, I'm not sure if there'll be snow in Whistler during the summer, but it is a beautiful area.


----------



## queenbee99

Thanks! It's myself, dh and dd.  not sure how much luggage is alot since we are flying and limited to 2 per person plus carryons.  Believe you me that is minimal for me! LOL We usually drive to PC as we are from LA.  I am not yet sure since the flight we are looking at arrives late in Seattle.  We might have to spend the night in Seattle and leave for Vancouver the next day.  I was thinking my dd might like the train ride as we have never done that before.  The tentative pricing for both Amtrak and QS is about the same.  Has anyone done Amtrak and QS to Vancouver and have a preference for one over the other?

I was searching the Whistler site and it said something about tubing in the summer but nothing is available for the month of June yet.  Crossing fingers as we live in Louisiana and hardly ever see snow.

Thanks for info.





mellers said:


> Your cheapest, easiest transportation to the Vancouver Pan Pacific would probably be to take the QuickShuttle (http://www.quickcoach.com/ ) from the Best Western Executive Inn, if you are staying downtown, or from the airport, if you are staying near the airport.  The Best Western Executive Inn is near the Space Needle, and the QuickShuttle will drop you off directly at the Pan Pacific.  If you're leaving for Vancouver directly from the airport, the QuickShuttle is definitely the best bet, although you will want to get snacks or take-out meals and bottled drinks, because they do not have food onboard and it is a long ride.
> 
> Amtrak is a beautiful ride, from everything I've heard, and, if you don't have much luggage to haul, you can probably take the light rail from downtown to the station.  If you have a lot of luggage, don't even try it--take a taxi.  You'll also need to take a taxi ride to the Pan Pacific when you reach Vancover, but as I recall, it's a relatively short trip.
> 
> However, if you have a person traveling with you in a wheelchair, I would strongly recommend the QuickShuttle over Amtrak.  I have never had a good experience riding Amtrak in my wheelchair, and they will sometimes split up your family, if there are more than two of you.  They won't do that on the QuickShuttle.
> 
> As to your 8-year-old, I'm not sure if there'll be snow in Whistler during the summer, but it is a beautiful area.


----------



## mellers

queenbee99 said:


> Thanks! It's myself, dh and dd.  not sure how much luggage is alot since we are flying and limited to 2 per person plus carryons.  Believe you me that is minimal for me! LOL We usually drive to PC as we are from LA.  I am not yet sure since the flight we are looking at arrives late in Seattle.  We might have to spend the night in Seattle and leave for Vancouver the next day.  I was thinking my dd might like the train ride as we have never done that before.  The tentative pricing for both Amtrak and QS is about the same.  Has anyone done Amtrak and QS to Vancouver and have a preference for one over the other?
> 
> I was searching the Whistler site and it said something about tubing in the summer but nothing is available for the month of June yet.  Crossing fingers as we live in Louisiana and hardly ever see snow.
> 
> Thanks for info.



I would definitely take the taxi to Amtrak, then, if you choose to use it--you won't be able to haul your bags and an 8-year-old on the light rail.  http://www.eastsideforhire.com/ has less expensive taxicabs, and they will take reservations--we've had good luck with them.

Without a wheelchair, you probably won't have any problems no matter which you take, but if the costs are about the same for transport, you will probably, overall, pay slightly less for the QuickShuttle because you won't need to pay for a taxi to your hotel.

However you get from here to there, have a wonderful time


----------



## Caropooh

FYI about Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver...
remember, the only 2 runs that actually use the train ar the 7:40AM and the 6:50PM runs, everything else you are on a bus. The bus is not nearly as scenic as you are going up I-5 and not up the coast.


----------



## queenbee99

Have you done the train ride? Is it worth it do that or would you rent a car and drive?  We would be leaving for Vancouver when we get off the cruise so we will have to do the 650 run.  It's still light up there then right? Other wise we might have to spend the night and do the 740 run the next day.





Caropooh said:


> FYI about Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver...
> remember, the only 2 runs that actually use the train ar the 7:40AM and the 6:50PM runs, everything else you are on a bus. The bus is not nearly as scenic as you are going up I-5 and not up the coast.


----------



## mellers

queenbee99 said:


> Have you done the train ride? Is it worth it do that or would you rent a car and drive?  We would be leaving for Vancouver when we get off the cruise so we will have to do the 650 run.  It's still light up there then right? Other wise we might have to spend the night and do the 740 run the next day.



In the summer, it will be light until after 9 p.m.


----------



## poohj80

queenbee99 said:


> Thanks! It's myself, dh and dd.  not sure how much luggage is alot since we are flying and limited to 2 per person plus carryons.  Believe you me that is minimal for me! LOL We usually drive to PC as we are from LA.  I am not yet sure since the flight we are looking at arrives late in Seattle.  We might have to spend the night in Seattle and leave for Vancouver the next day.  I was thinking my dd might like the train ride as we have never done that before.  The tentative pricing for both Amtrak and QS is about the same.  Has anyone done Amtrak and QS to Vancouver and have a preference for one over the other?
> 
> I was searching the Whistler site and it said something about tubing in the summer but nothing is available for the month of June yet.  Crossing fingers as we live in Louisiana and hardly ever see snow.
> 
> Thanks for info.



We took Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver last summer and it was a beautiful ride and our DD enjoyed it as her first real train ride.  We splurged for Business class (which wasn't much more) which I highly recommend!  Not only are the seats bigger and more comfortable, you get to get off first in Vancouver so it's not as much of a cattle call.  We just grabbed a cab from there to the Pan pacific...it was all pretty easy.


----------



## Pinocchio #1 Fan

So much information in this thread! I think my brain is gonna explode!

I'm trying to figure out the best place to rent a car in Vancouver, as we are planning on staying a few days there at the end of our cruise.  I'm trying to get through this whole thread, but I'm afraid I'll miss the one piece of information I'm looking for!


----------



## richmo

Pinocchio #1 Fan said:


> So much information in this thread! I think my brain is gonna explode!
> 
> I'm trying to figure out the best place to rent a car in Vancouver, as we are planning on staying a few days there at the end of our cruise.  I'm trying to get through this whole thread, but I'm afraid I'll miss the one piece of information I'm looking for!



You can pick up a car right at or near the cruise terminal (see Alamo).  However, you might find it less expensive (if you care) to pick up a car at the Vancouver airport (YVR).  There's plenty of options to get you to the airport; one fun and inexpensive one is to take the SkyTrain...its about a half hour ride on the train and you pick up the train about a block and a half from the cruise terminal.


----------



## Caropooh

queenbee99 said:


> Have you done the train ride? Is it worth it do that or would you rent a car and drive?  We would be leaving for Vancouver when we get off the cruise so we will have to do the 650 run.  It's still light up there then right? Other wise we might have to spend the night and do the 740 run the next day.


It looks like you are going around the beginning of June. Sunset will be around 9:00 then, so it would still be light most of the way up the coast. I think watching the sun set over the ocean could be awesome! Once you cross the border into Canada, it's not as much on the coast.
We did the train up to Vancouver this past August and loved it! It's really pretty going along the coast and this is coming from someone who has lived up here almost 18 years!


----------



## TLPL

I have a question: how do you get to/from the Seattle airport from/to Amtrak station?


----------



## mellers

TLPL said:


> I have a question: how do you get to/from the Seattle airport from/to Amtrak station?



If you don't have much luggage, you can walk to the light rail, but it's a bit of a hike, and I wouldn't do it after dark.  In the daytime it's fine, but at night, the neighborhood can be a little sketchy.

In most cases, you're best off taking a taxi.  You have to know how to get from "here" to "there", and it could be very frustrating if you're trying to make a train and navigate the maze.  If you know somebody from the area who could walk you over, or if you've scouted it out yourself in the past, it would be easier.


----------



## poohj80

queenbee99 said:


> What month did you get this deal?  I really would love to stay there.  Does hotwire work like Priceline? I have never done it.  Do you bid on a room or do you just find a deal on it?



We cruised in August. Hotwire is similar to Priceline but they give you more info about the hotel before you book so you can sometimes figure out what it is. I recommend www.biddingfortravel.com for tips.


----------



## poohj80

TLPL said:


> I have a question: how do you get to/from the Seattle airport from/to Amtrak station?



We used a private car service since we had 5 people plus luggage (would have taken 2 taxis).


----------



## richmo

mellers said:


> If you don't have much luggage, you can walk to the light rail, but it's a bit of a hike, and I wouldn't do it after dark.  In the daytime it's fine, but at night, the neighborhood can be a little sketchy.
> 
> In most cases, you're best off taking a taxi.  You have to know how to get from "here" to "there", and it could be very frustrating if you're trying to make a train and navigate the maze.  If you know somebody from the area who could walk you over, or if you've scouted it out yourself in the past, it would be easier.



As one who usually tries to save a few bucks to take good mass transit (see my SkyTrain post above), I have to agree with mellers on this one.  Your best bet from SEA to Amtrak is a taxi.


----------



## tink1963

TLPL said:


> I have a question: how do you get to/from the Seattle airport from/to Amtrak station?



We used a car service. Quick and easy.


----------



## 890537

richmo said:


> As one who usually tries to save a few bucks to take good mass transit (see my SkyTrain post above), I have to agree with mellers on this one.  Your best bet from SEA to Amtrak is a taxi.



I'm glad you posted this - we took the train from Vancouver last year had booked a hotel near the airport that provided transport to the train station. When I realized that the train station where we'd be arriving wasn't the same one that was next to the airport, I thought we could use the light rail between the two and was really disappointed when we took a limo.  Thanks  for helping me feel better about that choice!


----------



## poohj80

TLPL said:


> I have a question: how do you get to/from the Seattle airport from/to Amtrak station?



It depends on how many people are in your group and home much luggage you have.  We had 5 people plus luggage so it would have taken two taxis to get around so we opted for a private car as it was cheaper.


----------



## RedSox68

queenbee99 said:


> Thanks! It's myself, dh and dd.  not sure how much luggage is alot since we are flying and limited to 2 per person plus carryons.  Believe you me that is minimal for me! LOL We usually drive to PC as we are from LA.  I am not yet sure since the flight we are looking at arrives late in Seattle.  We might have to spend the night in Seattle and leave for Vancouver the next day.  I was thinking my dd might like the train ride as we have never done that before.  The tentative pricing for both Amtrak and QS is about the same.  Has anyone done Amtrak and QS to Vancouver and have a preference for one over the other?
> 
> I was searching the Whistler site and it said something about tubing in the summer but nothing is available for the month of June yet.  Crossing fingers as we live in Louisiana and hardly ever see snow.
> 
> Thanks for info.



We opted to fly into Seattle instead of Vancouver for our cruise on HAL in May.  Saved us big bucks.  We are flying in the day before and staying one night at Inn at the Market. Chose it because it is right across the street from Pike Place Market and figured we could spend the afternoon.  (FYI -- they close EARLY -- like 6 p.m., which really surprised me).  

We are booked on the Amtrak train the next morning at 7:40 a.m. and plan on getting to the station by 6 a.m. to get our luggage checked and our seat assignments.  Debating on whether to upgrade to business class.  

Post-cruise we are taking Amtrak back to Seattle and spending four nights then flying home from there.  I absolutely love trains and this was an easy decision between renting a car or car service or taking Amtrak.  

We are also staying at Pan Pacific, but booked it with AAA discount and got a terrific package deal that includes the breakfast buffet every morning (normally $30/pp) and porter service to the terminal downstairs.  We booked it in early January and I don't see that offer any more on their website.  HOWEVER, they do have an offer right now for a decent price for harbor view rooms, but you have to pay in full and it does not include breakfast.


----------



## poohj80

RedSox68 said:


> We opted to fly into Seattle instead of Vancouver for our cruise on HAL in May.  Saved us big bucks.  We are flying in the day before and staying one night at Inn at the Market. Chose it because it is right across the street from Pike Place Market and figured we could spend the afternoon.  (FYI -- they close EARLY -- like 6 p.m., which really surprised me).
> 
> We are booked on the Amtrak train the next morning at 7:40 a.m. and plan on getting to the station by 6 a.m. to get our luggage checked and our seat assignments.  Debating on whether to upgrade to business class.
> 
> Post-cruise we are taking Amtrak back to Seattle and spending four nights then flying home from there.  I absolutely love trains and this was an easy decision between renting a car or car service or taking Amtrak.
> 
> We are also staying at Pan Pacific, but booked it with AAA discount and got a terrific package deal that includes the breakfast buffet every morning (normally $30/pp) and porter service to the terminal downstairs.  We booked it in early January and I don't see that offer any more on their website.  HOWEVER, they do have an offer right now for a decent price for harbor view rooms, but you have to pay in full and it does not include breakfast.



We did the same thing last year for our Alaska cruise.  I highly recommend Business Class on Amtrak.  It wasn't much more and one perk we didn't know ahead of time is that Business Class gets off first in Vancouver which means a shorter wait through customs and for a taxi.

We had also booked Pan Pacific with AAA rate first but then ended up getting it on Hotwire for half the price closer to our cruise.  Porter service for your bags to the terminal is included for all guests and does not cost anything extra.


----------



## RedSox68

Quick question:  any recommendations for cab/car services in Vancouver?  We only need it from Amtrak station to Pan Pacific.  Thanks.


----------



## RedSox68

poohj80 said:


> We did the same thing last year for our Alaska cruise.  I highly recommend Business Class on Amtrak.  It wasn't much more and one perk we didn't know ahead of time is that Business Class gets off first in Vancouver which means a shorter wait through customs and for a taxi.
> 
> We had also booked Pan Pacific with AAA rate first but then ended up getting it on Hotwire for half the price closer to our cruise.  *Porter service for your bags to the terminal is included for all guests and does not cost anything extra*.



Pooh: Actually, I have to "slightly" disagree with the highlighted comment above.  I had several conversations with them about this very fact because some of their online packages include this service as a bonus.  The service is free, but the gratuity is not.  If the service is included in your package, then it is "free" because the gratuity is also included.  So basically the service is free overall, you just have to tip them if it's not part of your package  

Also, Pooh, how did you narrow it down on Hotwire to be sure you got Pan Pacific?  That's why I didn't try it because I want Pan Pacific.  Thanks.


----------



## poohj80

RedSox68 said:


> Actually, I have to slightly disagree with the highlighted comment above.  I had several conversations with them about this very fact because some of their online packages include this service as a bonus.  The service is free, but the gratuity is not.  If the service is included in your package, then it is "free" because the gratuity is also included.  So basically the service is free overall, you just have to tip them if it's not part of your package



Well, you don't HAVE to tip them, but it is customary.


----------



## RedSox68

poohj80 said:


> Well, you don't HAVE to tip them, but it is customary.



I know I know -- you're right.  Funny thing is, even if I had gotten the package that included that service, I'd probably tip them again anyway


----------



## tink1963

RedSox68 said:


> We opted to fly into Seattle instead of Vancouver for our cruise on HAL in May.  Saved us big bucks.  We are flying in the day before and staying one night at Inn at the Market. Chose it because it is right across the street from Pike Place Market and figured we could spend the afternoon.  (FYI -- they close EARLY -- like 6 p.m., which really surprised me).
> 
> We are booked on the Amtrak train the next morning at 7:40 a.m. and plan on getting to the station by 6 a.m. to get our luggage checked and our seat assignments.  *Debating on whether to upgrade to business class.*
> 
> Post-cruise we are taking Amtrak back to Seattle and spending four nights then flying home from there.  I absolutely love trains and this was an easy decision between renting a car or car service or taking Amtrak.
> 
> We are also staying at Pan Pacific, but booked it with AAA discount and got a terrific package deal that includes the breakfast buffet every morning (normally $30/pp) and porter service to the terminal downstairs.  We booked it in early January and I don't see that offer any more on their website.  HOWEVER, they do have an offer right now for a decent price for harbor view rooms, but you have to pay in full and it does not include breakfast.



I agree with poohj80, go for the business upgrade. It is so worth it.  And if I recall the upgrade is not much more $$$.


----------



## poohj80

tink1963 said:


> I agree with poohj80, go for the business upgrade. It is so worth it.  And if I recall the upgrade is not much more $$$.



I wanna say it was only $14 pp or so for the upgrade when we booked.  With Business Class, you also don't need to get to the train station quite so early either.


----------



## jilljill

RedSox68 said:


> We opted to fly into Seattle instead of Vancouver for our cruise on HAL in May.  Saved us big bucks.  We are flying in the day before and staying one night at Inn at the Market. Chose it because it is right across the street from Pike Place Market and figured we could spend the afternoon.  (FYI -- they close EARLY -- like 6 p.m., which really surprised me).
> 
> We are booked on the Amtrak train the next morning at 7:40 a.m. and plan on getting to the station by 6 a.m. to get our luggage checked and our seat assignments.  Debating on whether to upgrade to business class.
> 
> Post-cruise we are taking Amtrak back to Seattle and spending four nights then flying home from there.  I absolutely love trains and this was an easy decision between renting a car or car service or taking Amtrak.
> 
> We are also staying at Pan Pacific, but booked it with AAA discount and got a terrific package deal that includes the breakfast buffet every morning (normally $30/pp) and porter service to the terminal downstairs.  We booked it in early January and I don't see that offer any more on their website.  HOWEVER, they do have an offer right now for a decent price for harbor view rooms, but you have to pay in full and it does not include breakfast.



I wouldn't plan on getting to the station at 6am, that's a long time to stand around and wait to check bags and get seat assignments.  We arrived just around 7am, checked our bags and the line to start the seat assignments didn't open until 7:10.  We had no problem getting seats for 7 of us together.
You should check what time the station opens and what time they will start accepting checked luggage.


----------



## RedSox68

jilljill said:


> I wouldn't plan on getting to the station at 6am, that's a long time to stand around and wait to check bags and get seat assignments.  We arrived just around 7am, checked our bags and the line to start the seat assignments didn't open until 7:10.  We had no problem getting seats for 7 of us together.
> You should check what time the station opens and what time they will start accepting checked luggage.



Station in Seattle opens at 6 a.m. and checked baggage starts at 6:15 a.m.  

As for business class, I spoke with Amtrak twice today and the ONLY amenities it provides is larger seating area and leg room and electrical outlets and comp newspaper and beverage -- and fewer passengers in the car.  Although some said previously that they got early boarding and were the first to get off, I was told by two different agents that business class DOES NOT provide early boarding or disembarking from the train.  They said that business class and regular class are boarded and let off the train at the same time. They did say, however, that depending on where the business class car is located, (like if it is the first car) then you might have a step ahead of the back cars in getting into the station and to customs first.  

When I called, the business class from Seattle to Vancouver for our day was already sold out.  But since both our trains originate at the stations and will be empty, I don't see the benefit of upgrading for a four hour trip.  They said just get there at least 45-50 minutes ahead and once luggage is checked, get in line and we should have no problem.


----------



## poohj80

RedSox68 said:


> Station in Seattle opens at 6 a.m. and checked baggage starts at 6:15 a.m.
> 
> As for business class, I spoke with Amtrak twice today and the ONLY amenities it provides is larger seating area and leg room and electrical outlets and comp newspaper and beverage -- and fewer passengers in the car.  Although some said previously that they got early boarding and were the first to get off, I was told by two different agents that business class DOES NOT provide early boarding or disembarking from the train.  They said that business class and regular class are boarded and let off the train at the same time. They did say, however, that depending on where the business class car is located, (like if it is the first car) then you might have a step ahead of the back cars in getting into the station and to customs first.
> 
> When I called, the business class from Seattle to Vancouver for our day was already sold out.  But since both our trains originate at the stations and will be empty, I don't see the benefit of upgrading for a four hour trip.  They said just get there at least 45-50 minutes ahead and once luggage is checked, get in line and we should have no problem.



I never saw anything in writing about business class loading/unloading perks, but they most definitely boarded first in Seattle and disembarked first in Vancouver and it was not the first car.  In fact, we were more toward the back behind the dining car.  Did you speak to someone in Seattle or just the Amtrak 800 number?


----------



## RedSox68

poohj80 said:


> I never saw anything in writing about business class loading/unloading perks, but they most definitely boarded first in Seattle and disembarked first in Vancouver and it was not the first car.  In fact, we were more toward the back behind the dining car.  Did you speak to someone in Seattle or just the Amtrak 800 number?



Both.  Doesn't matter -- since the business class is sold out from Seattle, I'm not going to worry about getting it the other way.  But thanks


----------



## poohj80

RedSox68 said:


> Both.  Doesn't matter -- since the business class is sold out from Seattle, I'm not going to worry about getting it the other way.  But thanks



Keep checking.  It originally showed sold out on ours too but some seats opened up later - I guess some folks changed their plans.


----------



## tomoyo

You might want to call for more info, but I read on another forum that Amtrak is switching the Cascades out for a Superliner in May, which means no business class.


----------



## towels

It may vary from station to station. I know for a fact when DW took a train trip PDX to Tacoma last weekend they had Business class board first. When she came back I think they all disembarked at the same time, but I could easily see it being based on the setup and operations in each city.

Hopefully the switch out is just a rumor. A little extra room goes a long ways.


----------



## tomoyo

Sorry, I should've clarified, the person that started the post said she was contacted by Amtrak about change for the month of May. It's only temporary.


----------



## mkladypink

We are on the repo that leaves out of Vancouver and returns to Seattle.  My question is: our embarkation day is the Victoria Day Holiday...what will be closed because of the holiday?   I am most curious about the wine/liquor stores as I want to get a bottle of 'something' for the stateroom.  From my research it looks like the store in Harbor Centre will be closed (also on Sunday, when we arrive).  Does anyone know where else we might 'shop'?  Thanks!


----------



## mellers

mkladypink said:


> We are on the repo that leaves out of Vancouver and returns to Seattle.  My question is: our embarkation day is the Victoria Day Holiday...what will be closed because of the holiday?   I am most curious about the wine/liquor stores as I want to get a bottle of 'something' for the stateroom.  From my research it looks like the store in Harbor Centre will be closed (also on Sunday, when we arrive).  Does anyone know where else we might 'shop'?  Thanks!



Most public services will be closed on Victoria Day, as I recall.  That would include all liquor stores, I believe.  Maybe somebody knows more, but that is how it was on Canada Day when we visited.  

If it's your embarkation day, this probably isn't a concern, but many shops and restaurants will close early for the holiday, I would suspect.


----------



## LeslieG

tomoyo said:


> You might want to call for more info, but I read on another forum that Amtrak is switching the Cascades out for a Superliner in May, which means no business class.



I checked the Saturday, Sunday and Monday before the cruise, and the morning trains have no business class, but the evening trains do.   I guess they don't use the same train for both.    

Does anyone know what the difference is between the Cascades and Superliner?   Besides no business class of course.


----------



## poohj80

For those who have asked about airport shuttle vs taxis vs  private car service in Seattle...

We used www.seattleairportexpress.com since we had 5 people and a lot of luggage (would have required 2 taxis).  They picked us up promptly, had the booster seat we requested, and were very professional.  They had the best rates at the time last year.  We used them for airport pick-up to hotel then hotel to Amtrak station.


----------



## Epcotopia

Does anyone know if the 2012 Entertainment Book for Vancouver has the 50% off for Quick Coach? And BOGO for the Trolley Company? 

Thanks! We're so excited!


----------



## jilljill

Epcotopia said:


> Does anyone know if the 2012 Entertainment Book for Vancouver has the 50% off for Quick Coach? And BOGO for the Trolley Company?
> 
> Thanks! We're so excited!



Not to give you a smart answer, but did you check the entertainment.com website?

I found this info for the Trolley Company on the website:

*Discount Description*

 Enjoy one complimentary CITY ATTRACTIONS ADMISSION when a second CITY ATTRACTIONS ADMISSION of equal or greater value is purchased 


Not Valid July & August; Not valid with any other discounts or coupons


----------



## Epcotopia

jilljill said:


> Not to give you a smart answer, but did you check the entertainment.com website?
> 
> I found this info for the Trolley Company on the website:
> 
> *Discount Description*
> 
> Enjoy one complimentary CITY ATTRACTIONS ADMISSION when a second CITY ATTRACTIONS ADMISSION of equal or greater value is purchased
> 
> 
> Not Valid July & August; Not valid with any other discounts or coupons



I appreciate your answer. I couldnt find anything about the Quick Coach which I had read about on this board that was available in previous years. I'm looking forward to that trolley though.

Thanks again!


----------



## trimix

tomoyo said:


> You might want to call for more info, but I read on another forum that Amtrak is switching the Cascades out for a Superliner in May, which means no business class.



The Amtrak Cascades website doesn't mention anything about this, and they are still selling business class tickets for the summer.
I live north of Seattle and take the Cascades train whenever I go to a Mariners game (I only go for a 12:30 or 1 PM start). They are still selling business class tickets for the July and August games.

I don't know about boarding on less crowded days, but when I board southbound in Bellingham the whole train opens at once and there isn't any order to the boarding. In Seattle on the busy game days the same thing tends to happen because of how full the train is.


----------



## LeslieG

trimix said:


> The Amtrak Cascades website doesn't mention anything about this, and they are still selling business class tickets for the summer.
> I live north of Seattle and take the Cascades train whenever I go to a Mariners game (I only go for a 12:30 or 1 PM start). They are still selling business class tickets for the July and August games.
> 
> I don't know about boarding on less crowded days, but when I board southbound in Bellingham the whole train opens at once and there isn't any order to the boarding. In Seattle on the busy game days the same thing tends to happen because of how full the train is.




I am taking the train from Seattle to Vancouver on May 20, and they switched me from business class back to coach because of a change in equipment.  I am on the morning train.   I noticed the evening train still offered business class, so it must just be the morning.


----------



## tomoyo

It was confirmed on another board that in late March to late May, a few of the Cascades train are being refurbished, so they're using a Superliner instead.  It sounds like it's only affecting the morning route, though.


----------



## caitlinsdad

Thanks so much for this thread,  Those of us going in 2013 will make use of this thread, just like the 2011 team did.


----------



## RedSox68

Ah shucks -- after going back and re-reading the last 3 pages, y'all convinced me to try for business class on Amtrak.  While the Seattle to Vancouver one is sold out of business class, we did upgrade for the return trip!  I started thinking that might be the best alternative since that one leaves at 6:40 a.m. and I realized that is going to cause quiet a scramble at the train station.  

And on top of that, after I confirmed it and paid the upgrade, we were able to go to the Amtrak station nearby and print out all our boarding passes for May for both trips!  So now we don't have to go to the ticket windows!  

Thanks all -- tons and tons of great info on this thread that has come in very handy!


----------



## Chilly

Phew i've just spent a few days reading the entire thread. Thanks for all the info. We're staying in Vancouver for 4 nights before the 21st May sailing.


----------



## Luv2Diz

Thanks for the information.  I am glad I found this thread! We are considering a cruise out of Vancouver in September.  This will be invaluable in planning for pre-cruise.


----------



## DisneyDream2B

We're cruising on the Sept 3 departure from Seattle, debarking in Vancouver.  We plan to spend 3-4 days in Vancouver, then return to Seattle to fly home.  I found the Amtrak info, and quickshuttle info on this thread (Vancouver to Seattle), but wondered about a 1 night cruise from Vancouver to Seattle?  I checked with Holland America and Princess, and didn't find anything in mid-September.  Any ideas on other cruise lines?
Thanks!


----------



## mellers

DisneyDream2B said:


> We're cruising on the Sept 3 departure from Seattle, debarking in Vancouver.  We plan to spend 3-4 days in Vancouver, then return to Seattle to fly home.  I found the Amtrak info, and quickshuttle info on this thread (Vancouver to Seattle), but wondered about a 1 night cruise from Vancouver to Seattle?  I checked with Holland America and Princess, and didn't find anything in mid-September.  Any ideas on other cruise lines?
> Thanks!



I don't think you'll have much luck on a Vancouver-Seattle cruise, but you might want to try staying at a hotel that has an arrangement with the QuickShuttle for your 3-4 days.  Then they'll pick you up right at your Vancouver hotel and drop you off at Sea-Tac, if you're leaving on an afternoon flight, or you can leave a day early and stay the night before at a Sea-Tac airport hotel.


----------



## Epcotopia

Epcotopia said:


> Does anyone know if the 2012 Entertainment Book for Vancouver has the 50% off for Quick Coach?



Is anyone able to check this for me? Thanks!


----------



## trimix

DisneyDream2B said:


> We're cruising on the Sept 3 departure from Seattle, debarking in Vancouver.  We plan to spend 3-4 days in Vancouver, then return to Seattle to fly home.  I found the Amtrak info, and quickshuttle info on this thread (Vancouver to Seattle), but wondered about a 1 night cruise from Vancouver to Seattle?  I checked with Holland America and Princess, and didn't find anything in mid-September.  Any ideas on other cruise lines?
> Thanks!



Here's another idea - spend your last night in Victoria. You can find public transit to the Tswassan ferry terminal south of Vanvouver, and another line from the ferry terminal in Swartz Bay to Victoria. The Victoria Clipper leaves Victoria at 11:20 am, arriving in downtown Seattle at 2:05.

Staying on the mainland, I highly recommend Amtrak. The route spends a lot of time along the shore, and the Seattle station is about a block from the light rail line that takes you to the airport. The Amtrak views are far better than views from the freeway.


----------



## tomoyo

Epcotopia said:


> Is anyone able to check this for me? Thanks!



http://vancouver.entertainment.com/discount/atoz.shtml


----------



## RedSox68

*FYI *-- Pan Pacific in Vancouver is having a special sale right now with rooms as low as $245/night.  The catch though is you have to pay the total hotel stay up front.  Not sure what the cancellation fees are.


----------



## SgtClaymore

gmark2000 said:


> http://govancouver.about.com/od/top10attractions/tp/Top-10-Attractions.htm
> 
> http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2801686-vancouver_things_to_do-i
> 
> http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g154943-Activities-Vancouver_British_Columbia.html




Great pictures! Thanks for all the info...


----------



## ThePhantomsGirl

Thank you for this thread!  

My head is spinning as I've read the entire thread in the last few days.  I'm going on the 8/19/13 cruise and this has been invaluable!


----------



## DisneyDream2B

Does anyone know if there is a Catholic Church near the port, for weekday/weekend Mass?
Thanks.


----------



## trimix

I recall a church within half a mile of the terminal, but can't tell you exactly where. That's what google maps is for.


----------



## disneyholic family

RedSox68 said:


> Ah shucks -- after going back and re-reading the last 3 pages, y'all convinced me to try for business class on Amtrak.  While the Seattle to Vancouver one is sold out of business class, we did upgrade for the return trip!  I started thinking that might be the best alternative since that one leaves at 6:40 a.m. and I realized that is going to cause quiet a scramble at the train station.
> 
> And on top of that, after I confirmed it and paid the upgrade, we were able to go to the Amtrak station nearby and print out all our boarding passes for May for both trips!  So now we don't have to go to the ticket windows!
> 
> Thanks all -- tons and tons of great info on this thread that has come in very handy!



did you already get your seat assignments for the business seats?


----------



## trimix

I live near the Cascades route and take it to Seattle occasionally. The only times I have had assigned seats is when business class is full or close to it, and haven't found out until i board.


----------



## poohj80

disneyholic family said:


> did you already get your seat assignments for the business seats?



You will still get your seat assignments the day of the train ride.


----------



## Caropooh

----


----------



## Smokey91

The cruise we are taking is leaving out of Seattle, and debarks in
Vancouver.   We would like to spend time in Seattle prior to the trip, some
time in Vancouver after the trip, and also go to Victoria on our own as
this cruise does not stop there.

We have not booked air yet, and although I would prefer to fly non-stop in to
Seattle and out of Vancouver it appears it's less expensive to do the air
round trip to/from Seattle.

My problem and questions:
1.  Where to stay in Seattle that would be easy and accessible for us to
get from airport to hotel, hotel convenient to sights to see, and getting
to the port in Seattle, without renting a car.
2.  Getting from port in Vancouver to hotel that is convenient to sights,
and then getting back to Seattle if we do not fly out of Vancouver, without renting a car.
3.  Are we better of seeing and getting to Victoria from Seattle or
Vancouver?

I appreciate any information that you can provide to me in advance to
assist in making this process easier.


----------



## trimix

Smokey91 said:


> My problem and questions:
> 1.  Where to stay in Seattle that would be easy and accessible for us to
> get from airport to hotel, hotel convenient to sights to see, and getting
> to the port in Seattle, without renting a car.
> 2.  Getting from port in Vancouver to hotel that is convenient to sights,
> and then getting back to Seattle if we do not fly out of Vancouver, without renting a car.
> 3.  Are we better of seeing and getting to Victoria from Seattle or
> Vancouver?



I can't help with 2, but:
1) I would suggest the airport Hilton. They will pick you up, are right across the street from the light rail station, and you could use DCL transfers or a shuttle service to get to the port. Light rail will get you downtown where walking, a bus, or the monorail will get you to the downtown attractions. The museum of flight is accessible with the light rail and a bus. 

3) with your luggage, go to Seattle first and use the Victoria Clipper. The mainland ferry terminal is over 20 miles from downtown Vancouver, and the island terminal is over 20 miles from downtown Victoria.


----------



## mellers

Smokey91 said:


> 1.  Where to stay in Seattle that would be easy and accessible for us to
> get from airport to hotel, hotel convenient to sights to see, and getting
> to the port in Seattle, without renting a car.



Any airport hotel is good for this, or, if you want to go more upscale, the Mayflower Park Downtown is good.  I would recommend, if you have more than 2 in your party, forget about DCL transfers to the cruise and hire a car.  If you don't mind going for more of a "taxicab" vibe, go for http://www.eastsideforhire.com/ - they are usually cheapest.  Otherwise, I've had good luck with http://www.seattlegreenlimo.com/ .  

To get to downtown from the airport, just take a shuttle to the airport and hop on the light rail.  If you want to go to Pike Place Market or the Space Needle, get off at Westlake Center--it's about a 1/2 mile walk to Pike Place from there, or, if you take an elevator to the top of Westlake Center, you can catch the monorail over to Seattle Center, which is where the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, Experience Music Project, and Ride the Ducks are.  Ride the Ducks also leaves from Westlake Center now, I believe.



> 2.  Getting from port in Vancouver to hotel that is convenient to sights,
> and then getting back to Seattle if we do not fly out of Vancouver, without renting a car.



Take the QuickShuttle http://www.quickcoach.com/.  They have a pickup schedule with several hotels in the  Vancouver area.  We're planning to take a taxi from the port to the Westin Bayshore, stay at the hotel for a few days, and take the QuickShuttle back to Seattle.  It goes directly to Sea-Tac.

Another possibility, depending upon what airline you like to fly, is flying out of Bellingham, WA.  You can also take the QuickShuttle there, and it is closer to Vancouver than Seattle.



> 3.  Are we better of seeing and getting to Victoria from Seattle or
> Vancouver?



Either way works.  You would probably want to take the Victoria Clipper ( http://www.clippervacations.com/ ) if you plan to go from Seattle.

If you plan to go from Vancouver, the Crosswater may be a good choice:

http://www.pacificcoach.com/Bus-Coach-Travel/Crosswater/Vancouver-to-Victoria

If you take the Crosswater, you can go from Vancouver to Victoria, and then take a one-way on the Clipper to Seattle, or go in the opposite direction.  They do have service to-from the cruise terminal, as I recall.

Have a wonderful trip!


----------



## jilljill

Smokey91 said:


> The cruise we are taking is leaving out of Seattle, and debarks in
> Vancouver.   We would like to spend time in Seattle prior to the trip, some
> time in Vancouver after the trip, and also go to Victoria on our own as
> this cruise does not stop there.
> 
> We have not booked air yet, and although I would prefer to fly non-stop in to
> Seattle and out of Vancouver it appears it's less expensive to do the air
> round trip to/from Seattle.
> 
> My problem and questions:
> 1.  Where to stay in Seattle that would be easy and accessible for us to
> get from airport to hotel, hotel convenient to sights to see, and getting
> to the port in Seattle, without renting a car.
> 2.  Getting from port in Vancouver to hotel that is convenient to sights,
> and then getting back to Seattle if we do not fly out of Vancouver, without renting a car.
> 3.  Are we better of seeing and getting to Victoria from Seattle or
> Vancouver?
> 
> I appreciate any information that you can provide to me in advance to
> assist in making this process easier.



Here's the link to the 'Official Seattle' thread on DIS:  http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2838598

We did the DCL AK cruise last summer and flew into Seattle, since it was cheaper, and then flew out of Vancouver since it was the same price as leaving from Seattle.
In Seattle we stayed at the Sheraton near the Westlake and in Vancouver we stayed at the Sheraton Wall Center.  I was able to get the Vancouver hotel on Priceline for around $140 US/night for the 2 nights before our cruise.  Both hotels were very convenient to the sights.


----------



## RedSox68

disneyholic family said:


> did you already get your seat assignments for the business seats?



They don't assign seats.  I was just able to print the boarding passes so I don't have to wait until the ticket window opens (or wait in line).  They don't have a ticket kiosk at either Seattle or Vancouver I was told.

As for Seattle hotels, we are staying at the Inn at the Market the one night pre-cruise (which is right across from Pike Place Market) and upon our return post-cruise, we are spending 4-nights at the Silver Cloud Inn-Lake Union.  Very reasonable rates, high marks on Trip Advisor and they have a free shuttle all day to and from downtown.


----------



## poohj80

RedSox68 said:


> They don't assign seats.  I was just able to print the boarding passes so I don't have to wait until the ticket window opens (or wait in line).  They don't have a ticket kiosk at either Seattle or Vancouver I was told.



If you have printed your boarding passes, you will need to stand in line for a seat assignment in Seattle, but there's only 1 business class car so you don't have to get there super early.


----------



## trimix

poohj80 said:


> If you have printed your boarding passes, you will need to stand in line for a seat assignment in Seattle, but there's only 1 business class car so you don't have to get there super early.



Actually, that is not completely accurate. If you have printed your boarding passes, you MIGHT have to stand in line for a seat assignment in Seattle, but only if business class is full.

I take the Cascades to Seattle any time I can attend a Mariners game starting in the noon or 1 PM hour, and prefer business class because coach on a train full of M's fans can get noisy. If business class is full or close to it they assign seats. Otherwise it is open seating for business class customers.

They also assign seats in coach class - on the rare occasion that coach class is full. I have seen that happen twice.


----------



## poohj80

trimix said:


> Actually, that is not completely accurate. If you have printed your boarding passes, you MIGHT have to stand in line for a seat assignment in Seattle, but only if business class is full.
> 
> I take the Cascades to Seattle any time I can attend a Mariners game starting in the noon or 1 PM hour, and prefer business class because coach on a train full of M's fans can get noisy. If business class is full or close to it they assign seats. Otherwise it is open seating for business class customers.
> 
> They also assign seats in coach class - on the rare occasion that coach class is full. I have seen that happen twice.



Thanks for the update!  I have only been on Cascades for the Alaskan cruise and business class was full of other cruisers so we did get seat assignments.


----------



## queenbee99

We are doing the train to Vancouver as well and this reminded me to make reservations...so does anyone know if there is any discount for business class?  Also we were planning on doing it the day we get off the boat but it either leaves at 740 am or 640pm.  We would not make the 740 but what would we do with our luggage if we did the 640pm and wanted to sight see in Seattle during the day?


----------



## poohj80

queenbee99 said:


> We are doing the train to Vancouver as well and this reminded me to make reservations...so does anyone know if there is any discount for business class?  Also we were planning on doing it the day we get off the boat but it either leaves at 740 am or 640pm.  We would not make the 740 but what would we do with our luggage if we did the 640pm and wanted to sight see in Seattle during the day?



We got a slight AAA discount, but that's all we found.


----------



## RedSox68

queenbee99 said:


> We are doing the train to Vancouver as well and this reminded me to make reservations...so does anyone know if there is any discount for business class?  Also we were planning on doing it the day we get off the boat but it either leaves at 740 am or 640pm.  We would not make the 740 but what would we do with our luggage if we did the 640pm and wanted to sight see in Seattle during the day?



We all got a nice AAA discount.  However, I just went on Amtrak to see if business class opened for Seattle to Vancouver (which was sold out since January), and discovered the prices have really gone up.  And still no business class for the one-way, but have it for the Vancouver to Seattle return.


----------



## jilljill

RedSox68 said:


> They don't assign seats.  I was just able to print the boarding passes so I don't have to wait until the ticket window opens (or wait in line).  They don't have a ticket kiosk at either Seattle or Vancouver I was told.



Seattle does have the ticket kiosks, I printed our's there last August.


----------



## queenbee99

Does anyone have any suggestions on what we could do either with our luggage till we leave that evening of the train or what we could do while we have our luggage with us till we leave that evening on the train? Make sense? LOL


----------



## mellers

queenbee99 said:


> Does anyone have any suggestions on what we could do either with our luggage till we leave that evening of the train or what we could do while we have our luggage with us till we leave that evening on the train? Make sense? LOL



You might want to eat in a hotel restaurant and ask if you could check your luggage for awhile after your meal.  Then it would be safe and you wouldn't be encumbered with it.


----------



## Donna3271

Can someone recommend a hotel for 5? Me, DH, and 3 children 10, 7, and 7. I don't want to have to get 2 rooms, but I want to be close to Canada Place.

THANKS!!


----------



## queenbee99

I would love some recommendations for a moderately place to stay here as well that is close to public transportation and sight seeing.  It's just 3 people here though.


----------



## mellers

queenbee99 said:


> I would love some recommendations for a moderately place to stay here as well that is close to public transportation and sight seeing.  It's just 3 people here though.



My family and I usually stay in Richmond--it's a really interesting little city just outside Vancouver.  We usually stay at the Four Points Sheraton Vancouver Airport.  They have a free shuttle from the airport, and are across the street from a mall with a nice food court, a Zellers (think Target), a Toys R Us, a provincial liquor store, and a "Farm Market"--kind of a small grocery store.

The Lansdowne Shopping Centre (the name of the mall) has a Canada Line Skytrain stop, so it's pretty easy to get into downtown Vancouver, and there is a laundromat about a block away.

The Richmond area is kind of neat to explore in and of itself--it is very like Hong Kong.  A lot of immigrants from Hong Kong came to BC in the 80's and 90's in advance of Hong Kong returning to the Chinese.  Most of the shopping malls have signs in both English and Chinese, and you'll hear Chinese spoken everywhere.  

One of my favorite places to visit in the area is the International Buddhist Temple Gardens They are a wonder, but please be respectful.  There are areas in which photography is not allowed, and some people have littered in the temple area.  This is an active place of worship--some of our cousins are members.  This is not necessarily a place for the tour books, but I love it.

You'll probably want to hire a car or take a taxi to the ship, but that's not hard to do.


----------



## queenbee99

Thanks for that info! We are actually sailing out of Seattle but going to Vancouver afterwards so it would not really have to be near Canada Place...just centrally located to the sites.  





mellers said:


> My family and I usually stay in Richmond--it's a really interesting little city just outside Vancouver.  We usually stay at the Four Points Sheraton Vancouver Airport.  They have a free shuttle from the airport, and are across the street from a mall with a nice food court, a Zellers (think Target), a Toys R Us, a provincial liquor store, and a "Farm Market"--kind of a small grocery store.
> 
> The Lansdowne Shopping Centre (the name of the mall) has a Canada Line Skytrain stop, so it's pretty easy to get into downtown Vancouver, and there is a laundromat about a block away.
> 
> The Richmond area is kind of neat to explore in and of itself--it is very like Hong Kong.  A lot of immigrants from Hong Kong came to BC in the 80's and 90's in advance of Hong Kong returning to the Chinese.  Most of the shopping malls have signs in both English and Chinese, and you'll hear Chinese spoken everywhere.
> 
> One of my favorite places to visit in the area is the International Buddhist Temple Gardens They are a wonder, but please be respectful.  There are areas in which photography is not allowed, and some people have littered in the temple area.  This is an active place of worship--some of our cousins are members.  This is not necessarily a place for the tour books, but I love it.
> 
> You'll probably want to hire a car or take a taxi to the ship, but that's not hard to do.


----------



## queenbee99

Thank you for that idea, I didn't think of that.  I think we might just stay that night in Seattle and then go that morning so that gives us the whole day there to sight see.   Can someone recommend to me, where they would stay an extra day?  We have 3 days in Seattle and the 3 day in Vancouver but one day left over.  We have considered Whistler.  Has anyone been?  Will they have snow in June?  We have got to find some snow on this trip for my dd. LOL





mellers said:


> You might want to eat in a hotel restaurant and ask if you could check your luggage for awhile after your meal.  Then it would be safe and you wouldn't be encumbered with it.


----------



## discruiser

Donna3271 said:


> Can someone recommend a hotel for 5? Me, DH, and 3 children 10, 7, and 7. I don't want to have to get 2 rooms, but I want to be close to Canada Place.
> 
> THANKS!!



We are a family of six and last summer we stayed at the Comfort Inn Downtown at 654 Nelson St.  It was nothing fancy, but it was clean and it was close to public transportation.  It was maybe 1/2 mile from Canada Place, not really within walking distance with bags.  We wound up having to take 2 cabs to Canada Place the morning of our cruise.  I had the hardest time finding a room that would accommodate 6 people, but I found a room at the Comfort Inn that had 2 queen beds and a sofabed.  The price wasn't outrageous (compared to a lot of other hotels I had looked at), but probably one of the best things about the Comfort Inn was the free continental breakfast which was offered each day in the pub connected to the restaurant.  I feel that alone saved us a lot of money!  

I was looking for a clean place that wouldn't break the bank, and I was not disappointed with the Comfort Inn.  I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again with my family.

Kim


----------



## RedSox68

jilljill said:


> Seattle does have the ticket kiosks, I printed our's there last August.



Huh, interesting.  When I checked on the Amtrak site, it said no kiosk and I even printed the page to remind me.  Then when I called to check with Amtrak, they said no kiosk.  Someone needs to update their staff


----------



## jilljill

RedSox68 said:


> Huh, interesting.  When I checked on the Amtrak site, it said no kiosk and I even printed the page to remind me.  Then when I called to check with Amtrak, they said no kiosk.  Someone needs to update their staff



Sounds like they have the same training staff that DCL uses.  I think there were 2 or 3 kiosks over by the baggage check in area, which is by the ticket windows.


----------



## poohj80

jilljill said:


> Sounds like they have the same training staff that DCL uses.  I think there were 2 or 3 kiosks over by the baggage check in area, which is by the ticket windows.



We saw them too, but had already printed as well.


----------



## Epcotopia

Hello all,

I noticed the exchange rate from USD to CAD is almost 1:1 (actually 1 to .9923). Forgive my ignorance as I've never been to Canada but should we exchange currency or is the exchange rate close enough that USD are accepted everywhere? 

Thanks all!


----------



## trimix

Just about every place will take your credit cards; living just south of the border I have noticed that a lot of shops are not willing to take US currency. 

I always carry Canadian currency when I am crossing the border, and have suggested to everybody on my cruise meet thread that they get some Canadian cash before our cruise - if you are going to Alaska this summer, you won't find any banks open in Victoria on a Sunday evening!


----------



## mellers

Epcotopia said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I noticed the exchange rate from USD to CAD is almost 1:1 (actually 1 to .9923). Forgive my ignorance as I've never been to Canada but should we exchange currency or is the exchange rate close enough that USD are accepted everywhere?
> 
> Thanks all!



My suggestion, if you want the best exchange rate, is to use your ATM card at an ATM as soon as you get to Canada.


----------



## poohj80

Epcotopia said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I noticed the exchange rate from USD to CAD is almost 1:1 (actually 1 to .9923). Forgive my ignorance as I've never been to Canada but should we exchange currency or is the exchange rate close enough that USD are accepted everywhere?
> 
> Thanks all!



Depends on how long you are staying.  We were only in Vancouver one night before our cruise so didn't worry about exchanging currency and we were fine, but know the exchange rate before you go as some places accepted US dollars but tried to overcharge us or not give us back enough change.


----------



## LeslieG

I'm thinking I would use my credit card for everything, except would probably need cash for taxi fare.   I think I'll call my AAA office.  I thought they did currency exchange.


----------



## trimix

Leslie, you can probably get a good exchange rate at your local bank. Just expect them to take a few days to get the foreign currency in.


----------



## tksbaskets

LeslieG said:


> I'm thinking I would use my credit card for everything, except would probably need cash for taxi fare.   I think I'll call my AAA office.  I thought they did currency exchange.



Hi,
I found it easier just to withdraw cash from the ATM at the airport and then around town if you find a need for cash.  We used our CC for most things.

TK


----------



## RedSox68

tksbaskets said:


> Hi,
> I found it easier just to withdraw cash from the ATM at the airport and then around town if you find a need for cash.  We used our CC for most things.
> 
> TK



Probably a dumb question , but are the ATMs in Canada the same key pad as in the states?  I know in Europe they are different.  Thanks.


----------



## ThePhantomsGirl

Just an FYI for those who want to use a Debit card to take cash out of an ATM, (and not a regular credit card) some banks will not allow one to use a debit card in Canada, saying it's on a restricted list.  Check with your bank first.  

Again, I am talking about debit cards with the M/C or Visa logo.   It may NOT be a problem, but it is best to check.


----------



## LeslieG

tksbaskets said:


> Hi,
> I found it easier just to withdraw cash from the ATM at the airport and then around town if you find a need for cash.  We used our CC for most things.
> 
> TK




I rarely use ATMs, so I'm not real familiar with the fees, but using one in Canada, would it be just a few dollars for the fee, plus whatever my bank charges?


----------



## trimix

RedSox68 said:


> Probably a dumb question , but are the ATMs in Canada the same key pad as in the states?  I know in Europe they are different.  Thanks.



The keypads are the same as in the US, with the usual variation between banks.



LeslieG said:


> I rarely use ATMs, so I'm not real familiar with the fees, but using one in Canada, would it be just a few dollars for the fee, plus whatever my bank charges?



Expect the Canadian bank to charge a dollar or three as a non-customer fee, your bank to do the same as a non-bank ATM fee, and additional foreign transaction and/or currency exchange fees.

Just as when traveling to any other country, if you use your bank card in Canada Visa or MasterCard will add a bit to each transaction to charge you for the currency exchange. And your bank may also charge a foreign transaction fee, just because they can.


----------



## richmo

trimix said:


> ...if you use your bank card in Canada Visa or MasterCard will add a bit to each transaction to charge you for the currency exchange. And your bank may also charge a foreign transaction fee, just because they can.



This is true.  Its for that reason I did a cash exchange.  I should add that some American Express and Discover cards also have a foreign transaction fee, in addition to Visa and MC.  If you have some time before you go and you plan on using your charge card a lot in Canada, there are some credit cards that don't charge the fee, and I think some of them are free (I want to say the Capitol One card may be one of them and I think Chase has one too...its not Freedom though)


----------



## tksbaskets

I called my bank (and Visa company) before our trip and they flagged our accounts so we could use them in Canada.  There was a slight fee but as I recall no more than when we use a non-home-bank ATM.

I think I used the ATM twice on our entire trip (airport and once in the middle of our stay).  I didn't want to go home with foriegn currency and most everywhere accepted Visa.

TK


----------



## Chilly

The football (soccer) team my DH supports got through to the Champions League Final tonight, the final is on May 19th when we'll be in Vancouver. Does anyone know where they'll show the match?


----------



## RedSox68

I saw lots of recommendations on this thread about how to be sure to get Pan Pacific on Hotwire, the star ratings and percentage -- but they were from 2011.  Has anyone booked this year and do you know if it is still 5 star and 90%?  Thanks.


----------



## RedSox68

trimix said:


> Actually, that is not completely accurate. If you have printed your boarding passes, you MIGHT have to stand in line for a seat assignment in Seattle, but only if business class is full.
> 
> I take the Cascades to Seattle any time I can attend a Mariners game starting in the noon or 1 PM hour, and prefer business class because coach on a train full of M's fans can get noisy. If business class is full or close to it they assign seats. Otherwise it is open seating for business class customers.
> 
> They also assign seats in coach class - on the rare occasion that coach class is full. I have seen that happen twice.



Okay, here's the most important question of the day (), what time do you recommend we arrive for a 7:30 a.m. train?  We do not have business class tickets and will have luggage to check.  Thanks.


----------



## mellers

RedSox68 said:


> Okay, here's the most important question of the day (), what time do you recommend we arrive for a 7:30 a.m. train?  We do not have business class tickets and will have luggage to check.  Thanks.



If you are taking the light rail, and have not been there before, arrive an hour early because it will take you awhile to find your way through the maze.  If you're taking a taxi, 30 minutes beforehand should be good enough.


----------



## jilljill

RedSox68 said:


> Okay, here's the most important question of the day (), what time do you recommend we arrive for a 7:30 a.m. train?  We do not have business class tickets and will have luggage to check.  Thanks.



In Seattle we arrived about 6:50-6:55 for our 7:40 train.  DH stood in line while DD & I printed our tickets and then checked in luggage.  There was probably around 50-60 people in line in front of us.


----------



## RedSox68

jilljill said:


> In Seattle we arrived about 6:50-6:55 for our 7:40 train.  DH stood in line while DD & I printed our tickets and then checked in luggage.  There was probably around 50-60 people in line in front of us.



Terrific info.  I was wondering if someone could stand in line while someone else checked the baggage!


----------



## Caropooh

jilljill said:


> In Seattle we arrived about 6:50-6:55 for our 7:40 train.  DH stood in line while DD & I printed our tickets and then checked in luggage.  There was probably around 50-60 people in line in front of us.


and even with that many people in front of us we still had no problem getting 7 seats together in coach class.

One word of caution! If you take one of the DL/WDW/DCL wheeled duffel bags with you and have it as checked luggage on the train, make sure the one you pick up is YOURS!!! If there are numerous cruisers on the train, there can be numerous bags looking very similar! You don't want to spend part of the first day tracking down your bag.......


----------



## RedSox68

Caropooh said:


> and even with that many people in front of us we still had no problem getting 7 seats together in coach class.
> 
> One word of caution! If you take one of the DL/WDW/DCL wheeled duffel bags with you and have it as checked luggage on the train, make sure the one you pick up is YOURS!!! If there are numerous cruisers on the train, there can be numerous bags looking very similar! You don't want to spend part of the first day tracking down your bag.......



We just bought new luggage (High Sierra) that is bright orange with gray and black trim.  Hoping it will stand out in the crowd of luggage


----------



## jilljill

Caropooh said:


> and even with that many people in front of us we still had no problem getting 7 seats together in coach class.
> 
> One word of caution! If you take one of the DL/WDW/DCL wheeled duffel bags with you and have it as checked luggage on the train, make sure the one you pick up is YOURS!!! If there are numerous cruisers on the train, there can be numerous bags looking very similar! You don't want to spend part of the first day tracking down your bag.......



Ah yes....that poor man that has to sit with the girls.  I think he thought we were all totally bonkers.


----------



## MinnieDiva

RedSox68 said:


> We just bought new luggage (High Sierra) that is bright orange with gray and black trim.  Hoping it will stand out in the crowd of luggage



Be careful....I had a wheeled High Sierra Duffel that ripped the first use out.  the handles on the front weren't well secured to the top/front of the bag and ripped a hole in the case when the handle pulled off.  In comparing their construction to the Eagle Creek case I exchanged it for, I saw where the problem lay.  Really look at your case...


----------



## RedSox68

MinnieDiva said:


> Be careful....I had a wheeled High Sierra Duffel that ripped the first use out.  the handles on the front weren't well secured to the top/front of the bag and ripped a hole in the case when the handle pulled off.  In comparing their construction to the Eagle Creek case I exchanged it for, I saw where the problem lay.  Really look at your case...



Not what I want to hear this late in the game   How long ago was that?  Hoping they've improved them by then.  The set I got received such great reviews


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## MinnieDiva

RedSox68 said:


> Not what I want to hear this late in the game   How long ago was that?  Hoping they've improved them by then.  The set I got received such great reviews



2 years ago. I hope they've improved.....


----------



## RedSox68

MinnieDiva said:


> 2 years ago. I hope they've improved.....



So do I!  I went home and checked the handles and the stitchery and binding seem pretty intense. I know I'm stuffing them to the weight allowed, so here's hoping they can take it


----------



## RedSox68

I tried a search but too many posts come up.  Anyone with a quick recommendation for taxi service in Vancouver?  We have to get from Amtrak to Pan Pacific.  Thanks.


----------



## poohj80

RedSox68 said:


> I tried a search but too many posts come up.  Anyone with a quick recommendation for taxi service in Vancouver?  We have to get from Amtrak to Pan Pacific.  Thanks.



There are taxis lined up right out front.  We just grabbed one and went.  They can only carry a max of 4 persons so our party of 5 had to take two cabs.


----------



## RedSox68

poohj80 said:


> There are taxis lined up right out front.  We just grabbed one and went.  They can only carry a max of 4 persons so our party of 5 had to take two cabs.



Thanks!  Any idea how much luggage they can take per cab?


----------



## poohj80

RedSox68 said:


> Thanks!  Any idea how much luggage they can take per cab?



We asked for a mini-van cab and it carried all luggage for 5 of us.


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## jilljill

There were 3 of us in a mini van and there was plenty of room for our luggage.  Our friends were a family of 4 and their mini van had plenty of room for them and their luggage.  The funny thing was, they left before us and got to the same hotel after us.  Our driver took the short route and drove fast. 
After the cruise the 3 of us took a cab to the airport and we fit in a Prius with our luggage.    It was tight, but the driver made it work.


----------



## RedSox68

jilljill said:


> There were 3 of us in a mini van and there was plenty of room for our luggage.  Our friends were a family of 4 and their mini van had plenty of room for them and their luggage.  The funny thing was, they left before us and got to the same hotel after us.  Our driver took the short route and drove fast.
> After the cruise the 3 of us took a cab to the airport and we fit in a Prius with our luggage.    It was tight, but the driver made it work.



Trying to envision that......


----------



## jilljill

RedSox68 said:


> Trying to envision that......



The 3 of us in the back seat, 2 large suitcases in the back and 1 small suitcase and 2 carry on's in the front seat.  Yes it was a sight.


----------



## DizMagic

I apologize if this has already been asked, but i admit i did not read all 115 pages of posts.

We are looking to cruise next September and will be flying into Seattle a couple of days early.  we want to rent a Jeep Wrangler and drop it off in Vancouver - but cant seem to find a rental agency that offers this specific vehicle with these pick up and drop off locations. 

i was thinking that being this area is known for its "outdoorsiness" that this wouldn't be a problem.  any locals know anywhere i could check?


----------



## jilljill

DizMagic said:


> I apologize if this has already been asked, but i admit i did not read all 115 pages of posts.
> 
> We are looking to cruise next September and will be flying into Seattle a couple of days early.  we want to rent a Jeep Wrangler and drop it off in Vancouver - but cant seem to find a rental agency that offers this specific vehicle with these pick up and drop off locations.
> 
> i was thinking that being this area is known for its "outdoorsiness" that this wouldn't be a problem.  any locals know anywhere i could check?



Try asking this question on the Seattle thread:  http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2838598


FYI - one way rentals can be very costly when renting in Seattle and dropping off in Vancouver.  Keep in mind you are crossing borders and that could be why you are having a problem.


----------



## richmo

DizMagic said:


> I apologize if this has already been asked, but i admit i did not read all 115 pages of posts.
> 
> We are looking to cruise next September and will be flying into Seattle a couple of days early.  we want to rent a Jeep Wrangler and drop it off in Vancouver - but cant seem to find a rental agency that offers this specific vehicle with these pick up and drop off locations.
> 
> i was thinking that being this area is known for its "outdoorsiness" that this wouldn't be a problem.  any locals know anywhere i could check?



Are you also flying back home from Seattle?  I was looking into one way rentals last year, but found it was much less expensive to just keep the car (parked it at YVR (Vancouver) cheap!) and drive back to Seattle.  Of course, flying back out of Seattle is most likely less expensive too.  Your requirement of a specific vehicle makes it that much tougher.  I remember that some agencies wouldn't show vehicles as available if doing a one-way, yet they were available for round trips.


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## ljhayes

I'm sorry if this has already been discussed, but I just wanted to double check whether the personal entitlement limits for alcohol when entering Canada are per person or per family.  Thanks!!


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## danacath

Our family of 5 will be in Vancouver from June 29-July 1.  If possible, we'd like to find a place that has a refrigerator and microwave.  I was interested in trying to bid on a place near Yaletown, but it looks like Hotwire and Priceline won't let me search for units that accommodate a family of 5.  Is there a website that allows a person to bid on a room/suite for 5?  If not, any hotel suggestions that are near Yaletown?  (Our "kids" are 21, 16 and 13.) Other suggestions for alternate locations are welcome too!


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## DizDays

Subbing


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## Mackie Mouse

Thanks to the DISers, as always, for starting this awesome thread!  We are booked to travel to Alaska in 2013 (about a year and a month from today)...so let the planning begin.  

2011 Alaska cruisers - when were you able to start booking a hotel stay for Vancouver?  I am definitely on-board with the idea of using Hotwire or Priceline, but have never done so before.  You've given me such great tips in this thread...would love any info you can offer so we get a good deal at the right time.  Our cruise leaves Monday, July 1, 2013 - and we'll likely be arriving on Friday, June 28.  

Assuming we have three nights in Vancouver...what are your must-do activities?  It will be just DH and myself, so restaurant recommendations for foodies, outdoor excursions, etc. are all welcome.  Right now I'm thinking of taking in Grouse Mountain for a day...but the planning has just begun.


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## mellers

Mackie Mouse said:


> Assuming we have three nights in Vancouver...what are your must-do activities?  It will be just DH and myself, so restaurant recommendations for foodies, outdoor excursions, etc. are all welcome.  Right now I'm thinking of taking in Grouse Mountain for a day...but the planning has just begun.



We love the Vancouver Aquarium, and, if you're willing to head out to Richmond (or stop off on your way from the airport), the International Buddhist Temple Gardens in Richmond are another favorite.  The new museum out by UBC is great too, I've heard, but I've never been.


----------



## Mackie Mouse

mellers said:


> We love the Vancouver Aquarium, and, if you're willing to head out to Richmond (or stop off on your way from the airport), the International Buddhist Temple Gardens in Richmond are another favorite.  The new museum out by UBC is great too, I've heard, but I've never been.



Buddhist Temple Gardens sound super-cool!  Aquarium might be skippable, though, as being from Philly we are within driving distance of both the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ and the National Aquarium in Baltimore (both cool if you ever wind u on the east coast!).  What specific sights should we hit in Stanley Park and/or Granville Island...?


----------



## mellers

Mackie Mouse said:


> Buddhist Temple Gardens sound super-cool!  Aquarium might be skippable, though, as being from Philly we are within driving distance of both the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ and the National Aquarium in Baltimore (both cool if you ever wind u on the east coast!).  What specific sights should we hit in Stanley Park and/or Granville Island...?



If you're interested in totem poles, they have a bunch of neat ones in Stanley Park, and there are various gardens.  There's also a neat little train, and as mentioned, the aquarium.

Granville Island I'm not as familiar with.

You'll love the Buddhist Temple Gardens--it's not a well-known attraction, but when relatives took us there a few years ago, I walked around with my mouth dropped open the whole time--it was my favorite thing.  Be aware, though, that parts of the garden may not be photographed, as this is a real, working Buddhist temple (some of our relatives are members.)

You also might be interested in Richmond in general--picture a city-sized Chinatown.  The dim sum is the best in North America.


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## Tehanna

If you're spending a day in the city of Vancouver, I definitely suggest the Hop-on-Hop-Off Trolley tours in Vancouver.

We spent part of Memorial day weekend there, and it was a great way to see and learn about the city.  Stanley Park had ridiculous traffic, and buses and trolleys have their own lane, which made the trip up to the aquarium from the entrance 15 minutes instead of 30-45.

The drivers were entertaining and informative, and we learned a lot about the city.  The staff seemed very well organized in making sure that enough trolleys were running.

http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/


----------



## smiley_face2

danacath said:


> Our family of 5 will be in Vancouver from June 29-July 1.  If possible, we'd like to find a place that has a refrigerator and microwave.  I was interested in trying to bid on a place near Yaletown, but it looks like Hotwire and Priceline won't let me search for units that accommodate a family of 5.  Is there a website that allows a person to bid on a room/suite for 5?  If not, any hotel suggestions that are near Yaletown?  (Our "kids" are 21, 16 and 13.) Other suggestions for alternate locations are welcome too!



Hi there, I live just a short ferry ride outside of Vancouver so welcome to my city! Keep in mind that July 1 is Canada day, so like the 4th of july, will be very busy with people, parades, etc. and hotel accomodations will be harder to come by, and higher priced so the sooner you can book the better. somewhere we have stayed and have been very happy is The Century Plaza hotel and spa on Burrard Street. It is right next door to a hospital I have to attend some time for my cancer treatments thus the reason for our stays. They have very spacious suites with small kitchens, are very clean and modern. And it is easy walking distance to downtown, and short taxi rides away from places like Granville island and Stanley Park. they are located very near Yale town if not right in it. They also have a good restaurant. they are also right across the street from The Sheraton Wall Center where there are more good restaurants. A trip through Gas Town is very cool, and when you go to Granville island there are little ferry's you can take to get aroung and one place to stop is to see the Vancouver museum, Maritime museum and Planetarium which are all together in Vanier Park. And of course the Museum of Anthropology out at University of BC is amazing!! but a bit more of a drive from the downtown area.


----------



## kgsmith

Mackie Mouse said:


> Assuming we have three nights in Vancouver...what are your must-do activities?  It will be just DH and myself, so restaurant recommendations for foodies, outdoor excursions, etc. are all welcome.  Right now I'm thinking of taking in Grouse Mountain for a day...but the planning has just begun.



I highly recommend the Landsea Tours in Vancouver. We chose this over the hop-on hop-off tour. It was definitely worth the money.

http://www.vancouvertours.com/

We did the North Shore tour in the morning (Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain) and the Vancouver tour in the late afternoon/evening. It was a wonderful way to spend our free day in Vancouver before the cruise. If we had another day, we would have taken another Landsea Tour to either Whistler or Victoria.

Our driver/guide was wonderful! He truly loved his job -- We learned so much! He picked us up from our hotel (Fairmont Waterfront). At the end of the North Shore tour, he dropped us off at a restaurant for lunch and then came back for us to begin the downtown Vancouver tour.


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## richmo

One of the highlights of our pre-cruise day in Vancouver was to rent bikes and ride around Stanley Park.  If its a nice day, its a lot of fun...


----------



## poohj80

Mackie Mouse said:


> 2011 Alaska cruisers - when were you able to start booking a hotel stay for Vancouver?  I am definitely on-board with the idea of using Hotwire or Priceline, but have never done so before.  You've given me such great tips in this thread...would love any info you can offer so we get a good deal at the right time.  Our cruise leaves Monday, July 1, 2013 - and we'll likely be arriving on Friday, June 28.



We booked the Pan Pacific with a AAA discount first to ensure we had a room there.  I think it was May before we found the room on Hotwire for 1/2 the price (we sailed in late August).


----------



## Mackie Mouse

richmo said:


> One of the highlights of our pre-cruise day in Vancouver was to rent bikes and ride around Stanley Park.  If its a nice day, its a lot of fun...



This kind of afternoon is definitely up our alley!  Are there places to rent bikes right in the park?


----------



## lbgraves

We rented bikes near the Pan Pacific.  There are several places along that street that rent bikes.  It was easy to get to Stanley Park from there.


----------



## richmo

Mackie Mouse said:


> This kind of afternoon is definitely up our alley!  Are there places to rent bikes right in the park?



Very close to the entrance.  If you Google: Spokes Vancouver, you'll get the idea.  Spokes isn't the only place, and they're probably slightly more expensive, but they're very good.


----------



## JOANNEL

richmo said:


> One of the highlights of our pre-cruise day in Vancouver was to rent bikes and ride around Stanley Park.  If its a nice day, its a lot of fun...



We did too!! Had a ball. Go early it gets very crowded. We stayed at the Coastal Coal Harbor. Very reasonable and only a block off the water. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Rooms were spotless!!


----------



## Chilly

renting bikes was one of our highlights as well. We also loved the suspension bridge and Grouse Mountain.


----------



## Mackie Mouse

JOANNEL said:


> We did too!! Had a ball. Go early it gets very crowded. We stayed at the Coastal Coal Harbor. Very reasonable and only a block off the water. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Rooms were spotless!!



Very cool!  Sounds like I really need to just start keeping my eyes peeled for good deals on any nice hotels in the downtown area near Canada Place.  I'm thinking if I look hard enough I can find something for $150/night or less...


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## lbgraves

Research hotwire.com.  We booked our rooms at Pan Pacific for less than that.


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## mellers

Mackie Mouse said:


> Very cool!  Sounds like I really need to just start keeping my eyes peeled for good deals on any nice hotels in the downtown area near Canada Place.  I'm thinking if I look hard enough I can find something for $150/night or less...



If you have some starwood points, the Westin Bayshore is a mile from Canada Place, and it's a stop on the Quick Shuttle back to Sea-Tac--we're staying there for 4,000 pts. + $60.


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## RedSox68

Just returned from a 20-day CruiseTour with Holland America (7-day cruise and 12 days on land up into the Yukon).  I know Disney does not offer this, but I cannot recommend this type of trip highly enough.  You will go places you could not go on your own (or would want to drive on your own I should say) and see things that are phenomenal.

Anyway, here's a synopsis of what we did and learned.  Loved going in May -- lots of ice and snow still left and we did not experience any temps above mid-70's in any city or port.  

AMTRAK:  We flew into Seattle for one night and took Amtrak the next morning to Vancouver.  I cannot say enough about this terrific ride.  We did not buy business class, but were in line at the station by 6:30 a.m. for our 7:40 departure and got three seats together on the recommended left side (water views) with no problem.  I will definitely say get there early though.  We arrived at 6 a.m. when baggage check in opened and there was a line.  As soon as we got our bags checked, we got in line at the booth that assigns seats, which opened a little before 7 a.m.  

In Ketchikan we had opted to do a day on our own, but when we departed the ship (another non-rainy day for us), we saw an opportunity for a shuttle tour that was discounted by $10/pp and we were glad we took it.  We were taken out to the totem poles, to a village and along the waterways where we stopped to watch harbor seals.  It was a 4-hour tour and we had a great time with our local driver Justin.  

Favorite port:  Skagway.  We did the full day excursion with Chilkoot Tours that started with the incredible/extraordinary/phenomenal ride on the White Pass Yukon Express (http://www.chilkootcharters.com/yukonrail.htm).  We had the most beautiful day and could see for miles.  The train ride is just so relaxing and full of views of wildlife, rivers, lakes, snowcapped mountains, etc.  When we arrived at the end of the line, our bus driver met us (Terrell from Texas -- you were the best) and we continued on to Caribou Crossing Trading Post for our lunch and a visit with husky puppies!  Now granted, the place looks like a western front for a movie, but it was fun and the food was delicious:  BBQ chicken, baked potato, rolls, cole slaw and homemade donuts.  Sodas were extra, but iced tea, coffee and tea included.  We stayed there about 90 minutes because they also have a wildlife museum and a petting zoo (all included).  Then we went on to Emerald Lake and Carcross and Lake Bennett.  I loved this choice vs. the ship's excursion  because Terrell would stop anywhere you wanted, pull over for pictures or animal sightings, and was so personable and knowledgeable.  There were only about 18 of us and it was great fun.  We left at 8 a.m. and returned at about 4 p.m.  He made several stops dropped people off wherever they wanted in town, or taking them back to the ship. Worth every single penny.

Upon return we bought tickets ($5/pp) at the Red Onion Saloon for a tour and it was great fun -- lots of original wallpaper, dresses, etc.  Then we walked back to the ship (a truly nice walk along a paved pathway) while Eagles flew overhead.  

Juneau:  Only excursion we booked through the ship (for the cruise portion) was Best of Juneau.  What a terrific excursion.  I must start out by saying that I have read voluminous reviews of this excursion with a lot of people complaining about there not being enough time at Mendenhall Glacier.  I couldn't understand that statement as we felt an hour was more than enough time.  Granted, we knew we were not going to walk to the waterfall, but there was an incredible waterfall fully visible from the land's edge next to the glacier!  We spent about 40 minutes out at the glacier, walking around the viewing platforms and on the beach.  We had 15 minutes to shop inside which was more than enough time.  We felt very satisfied.  

Then we went on the whale watching vessel which was a surprise to all of us as we didn't expect it to be so big and comfy.  It sets more than 400 and has huge windows on both floors and we were very satisfied even sitting in the middle row because you are constantly getting up and down.  We spent a good 3 hours onboard plus another hour at the Orca Lodge for lunch.  Now let me tell you, this lunch was awesome.  It was a beautiful pavilion with views all around of the water and the beach.  They had chicken skewers, salmon, rice, potato salad, rolls and brownies.  Lemonade, ice and hot tea and coffee were included.  Sodas and alcohol were extra.  

Vancouver: We stayed at the Pan Pacific Vancouver for our pre-cruise nights.  We had opted for the harbor/mountain view and it was so so worth it.  We watched seaplanes taking off and landing and our room was literally right above where the ships dock.  So we could look down onto the pool decks of the ships as they docked and got ready for their next departure.  The hotel is gorgeous, the rooms were large and very well decorated. We did not eat in any of their restaurants as they were pricey, but there is a food mall underneath the hotel that can be reached by inside escalator. 

What was so convenient about this hotel is that the entrance to the cruise terminal is a ride down in their elevator to the basement!  We called a porter to come and get our luggage and he told us you will see it in your stateroom. We then took the elevator and got off and there it was -- no having to go outside or call a cab or anything.  They had reps all along the way directing us to the HAL check in. 

Now here is where Disney could REALLY learn something about embarkation.  Once you checked in, a rep took you to the waiting room next door where you were directed to the next empty row of seats, which you filled in from end-to-end.  Within 10 minutes, a rep comes and starts directing the rows to go onboard.  So organized, no hassle, no clogs of crowds blocking doorways and no tripping over people and suitcases.  We were onboard by 11:30 a.m.!  

Anyway, while in Vancouver we bought the Big Pink Bus tickets (they are merged with the Big Red Bus).  The station stop was right outside the Pan Pacific main door!  We always tried to get the pink bus though as they had a live narrator whereas the red buses were pre-recorded narrations that never seemed to be on the right area when we passed.  The combo ticket for two days was so reasonable.  The first day we just rode the bus the full route, and then got off at Granville Island.  We then got back on and took it to Chinatown where we did the gardens and then had dinner at Hon's on the recommendation of our driver.  The next day we took it to Stanley Park and then inside the park took the (included) park tour on a different bus.  Very convenient.  When done, they dropped us off at the bus stop and we waited for the red or pink bus.  On the way back to town, we jumped off at Gastown and did a little touring there and watched the steam clock, then went up into the tower there (similar to the Seattle Needle type of thing).  There were some terrific restaurants across the plaza from the hotel that we ate in (one Italian, one Irish) and they were very good and reasonable.  For breakfast try Scoozie's on Howe street -- Greek restaurant with amazing breakfast dishes.  

I can also highly recommend the Fairmont Airport Vancouver Hotel.  We were put up there by HAL on the last night of our land tour.  What a gorgeous hotel.  Our room had a view of the mountains and runway.  Totally sound proof (never heard one plane coming in or taking off).  And the hotel entrance goes right down into the airport with a short distance to the food court.  We really liked that the food court at this airport was BEFORE security.  We had lunch (chinese) and dinner (burgers) there.  If we ever fly into Vancouver, I would definitely stay here again.  

In Seattle we stayed at the Inn at the Market pre-cruise -- literally at the top of the hill of the Pike Place Market.  It was a townhouse (all they had available for three) and was beautiful.  The beds were comfortable and the views of the city and Pike Place were great.  Very convenient for the area and we were able to finish the market that day before leaving the next morning.  The people there were very helpful and kind.  No complaints about this place either.  

For the four nights post-trip we stayed at the Silver Cloud Inn at Lake Union.  We found this hotel to be one of our top favorites for all that was included with such a reasonable per night price.  Our room was a lake view and on the top floor so that you could see the seaplanes taking off and the boats and yachts coming and going.  They also provide a free extensive continental breakfast that includes hot items like scrambled eggs, sausage, waffles and ham, plus toast, bagels, cereals, yogurts, etc.  They also provide a free (although we tipped the driver each time) shuttle to and from three drop off points in town -- the Needle, Pioneer Square and Pike Place.  All you had to do was call them when you were ready to be picked up.  They ran from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.  We were also within walking distance of the boat harbor and ate at Duke's on the water for lunch one day.  We were also able to walk to the Marriott around the corner to rent a car for one day to drive to Oregon.  They provide free parking and the garage is inside with access to both the upstairs elevator or the lobby without having to go outside.  

They also have an indoor pool and jacuzzi, and a business center where you can go on the computers to print out documents and boarding passes -- also free.  And FREE INTERNET.  That was a huge plus for us.  

Of all the hotels we stayed at, this would be a no-brainer one if we go back to Seattle.  The thoughtful layout, convenience, decor, ambiance and outgoing staff were wonderful.  When we checked in and got to our room, we were disappointed with the view as there was a building obstructing the lake view.  I called down to the desk and they immediately told us to come back down and they would prepare a room on the upper floors.  They took all our luggage and we walked down the street for lunch.  When we returned, the room was ready and our luggage was moved.  I honestly have nothing bad to say about this place and would highly recommend it.  With all they provide for FREE (highly unusual these days), it was a gem find for us.  

Can't think of anything else, but please feel free to ask questions or pick my brain!    I slam dunked this down in writing very fast so that I wouldn't forget anything.  I apologize in advance if it is confusing or slightly out of order!


----------



## mellers

RedSox68 said:


> For the four nights post-trip we stayed at the Silver Cloud Inn at Lake Union.  We found this hotel to be one of our top favorites for all that was included with such a reasonable per night price.  Our room was a lake view and on the top floor so that you could see the seaplanes taking off and the boats and yachts coming and going.  They also provide a free extensive continental breakfast that includes hot items like scrambled eggs, sausage, waffles and ham, plus toast, bagels, cereals, yogurts, etc.  They also provide a free (although we tipped the driver each time) shuttle to and from three drop off points in town -- the Needle, Pioneer Square and Pike Place.  All you had to do was call them when you were ready to be picked up.  They ran from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.  We were also within walking distance of the boat harbor and ate at Duke's on the water for lunch one day.  We were also able to walk to the Marriott around the corner to rent a car for one day to drive to Oregon.  They provide free parking and the garage is inside with access to both the upstairs elevator or the lobby without having to go outside.
> 
> They also have an indoor pool and jacuzzi, and a business center where you can go on the computers to print out documents and boarding passes -- also free.  And FREE INTERNET.  That was a huge plus for us.
> 
> Of all the hotels we stayed at, this would be a no-brainer one if we go back to Seattle.  The thoughtful layout, convenience, decor, ambiance and outgoing staff were wonderful.  When we checked in and got to our room, we were disappointed with the view as there was a building obstructing the lake view.  I called down to the desk and they immediately told us to come back down and they would prepare a room on the upper floors.  They took all our luggage and we walked down the street for lunch.  When we returned, the room was ready and our luggage was moved.  I honestly have nothing bad to say about this place and would highly recommend it.  With all they provide for FREE (highly unusual these days), it was a gem find for us.



We've had very good luck staying locally at the Silver Clouds as well.  One thing I would add is that the hotels (at least the Redmond one) also has free laundry.  Our friends who came into town loved that fact.


----------



## aboveH20

We'll be sailing out of Vancouver and have decided to arrive the day before since we're coming from NY and want to make departure time!

Any suggestions for hotels? (We have Holiday Inn points and would love to stay, but can't figure out which one, but aren't commited to HI.)

If we book a hotel on our own I guess we're responsbile for fare from airport to hotel and hotel to pier?

THANK YOU!


----------



## Gigi22

If you are only coming in the day before the cruise, you might want to consider staying at the Fairmont Hotel at the airport.  DH and I stayed there about 5 years ago, and it was really wonderful.  It is considered to be one of the best airport hotels.  Completely soundproof, never heard any of the airplane take offs or landings.

On the other hand, Vancouver is a really beautiful city.  If this is your only chance to see even a small part of it--stay at a hotel downtown, and enjoy!  

As for the fare from the airport to hotel and the hotel to pier, DH and I found taxi fare quite reasonable compared to fares where we live--but our home city is notorious for the high taxi fares (and poor service), so YMMV.


----------



## jilljill

aboveH20 said:


> We'll be sailing out of Vancouver and have decided to arrive the day before since we're coming from NY and want to make departure time!
> 
> Any suggestions for hotels? (We have Holiday Inn points and would love to stay, but can't figure out which one, but aren't commited to HI.)
> 
> If we book a hotel on our own I guess we're responsbile for fare from airport to hotel and hotel to pier?
> 
> THANK YOU!



Lots of info in the posts before your's.  The first post has some good info as well.
Cab fare from airport to hotel won't be that bad.  We paid around $35 from the port to the airport and our taxi ride from our hotel to the port was around $10.  Much cheaper options than DCL's transport, especially when paying for 3 people.


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## bumbershoot

We've been to Vancouver quite a bit recently, and figured I might have good info, so I'm reading the thread from the back to the front.  



smiley_face2 said:


> somewhere we have stayed and have been very happy is The Century Plaza hotel and spa on Burrard Street. It is right next door to a hospital I have to attend some time for my cancer treatments thus the reason for our stays. They have very spacious suites with small kitchens, are very clean and modern. And it is easy walking distance to downtown, and short taxi rides away from places like Granville island and Stanley Park.



It IS a good hotel.

However, they are ever-so-slowly renovating it, and it's possible (especially if you're booking a bargain rate) to get a non-renovated room.  Now, there's nothing wrong with the non-renovated rooms, *as long as you don't see* the renovated rooms, LOL.  

Either way, good hotel, incredibly friendly staff, and easy walking distance to, well, everywhere.  Plus, go out on Burrard, face north, and look at the mountains down the city street-scape...sigh....



RedSox68 said:


> I tried a search but too many posts come up.  Anyone with a quick recommendation for taxi service in Vancouver?  We have to get from Amtrak to Pan Pacific.  Thanks.



Every taxi I've taken in Vancouver, since '01, has been clean, friendly, and good.


----------



## bumbershoot

We seem to only use one machine in Vancouver.  It's a "Green Machine" ATM, on Burrard just before Robson.  Good rates, low fee.  We bank with Chase and a WA credit union, and it has been good for both of those cards.  

It's just down (towards Canada Place) from the Sutton Place Hotel, by the way.  




********
In case people are interested....

We love going to JapaDog.  We are vegetarian so we get the veggie dogs, but they'll do most of their dogs veggie-style.  Very tasty.  When it's just DS who wants one, though, since he gets them plain with mustard we go to the Yves stand on Burrard and Robson, just outside of Blenz on the corner, because the veggie dog there is cheaper than the plain JapaDog veggie dog.

The JapaDog stand near Canada place can be very very busy!  (it can also be invisible, as they sometimes pack up and go when you're least expecting it)  It's right in front of the A&W burger/float place, so if you have people not interested in a Japanese style dog, they can run in there. 

JD doesn't take cards, FYI, but they will, if necessary, take US$.  

Lastly, get a crepe!  DS would live off of Cafe Crepe's nutella crepes if we'd let him.    So tasty.  And there are a ton of different storefronts for that company.


Not-so-lastly, it turns out.  If you like a family style restaurant, Red Robin is good for that.  And if you want take-out pizza, MegaBytes is tasty.


----------



## bumbershoot

Caropooh said:


> FYI about Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver...
> remember, the only 2 runs that actually use the train ar the 7:40AM and the 6:50PM runs, everything else you are on a bus. The bus is not nearly as scenic as you are going up I-5 and not up the coast.



Another FYI is *pay attention to emails/calls from Amtrak* in the days before your train trip, and check the website.

We were in Vancouver, expecting a lovely ride home on Amtrak.  I wasn't paying any attention, and when we got to the station (with minimal food and water b/c I was expecting to use the Club Car) we found out that there had been a slide almost 48 hours before.  When there's a slide, putting dirt/mud on the tracks, they shut it down for 48 hours to make sure it's stable.  This one was just outside of White Rock.  When there's a slide, you get to be on a bus.  And while I hear the actual Amtrak buses aren't bad, when it's a situation like that, they charter buses, and they aren't that nice. 

No food, no water, and you have to stop at the border, wait, get out when told, and then stand in line with your carryons to go through customs.  NOT as nice as being on a train at all.

As we were coming into Seattle, the conductor announced that fact, and told the people who were taking a day trip down to Seattle that the schedule going back up that evening would be *on the train*, since it would have passed 48 hours by then.  If he had told us *in Vancouver* that it would be clear-for-the-train that evening, we would have waited in Vancouver and taken the TRAIN.

So be on the lookout for landslide info, know when it happened, and if you're looking at a bus ride instead of the train, ask if it will be clear later on and if you can get on that instead.  

If we had booked Business class they would have refunded that upcharge, by the way.


----------



## bumbershoot

I've seen requests for info on hotels that can sleep more than 4.  While this *can* be expensive, we once found a great deal through hotels.com for it...  

It's connected to the Sutton, and it's called La Grande Residence Vancouver at The Sutton Place Hotel.  I don't know if it's apartments or timeshares or what, but it's awesome.  It's like being in an apartment, with a full kitchen and a dining room table and a living room, it's lovely.  You also get housekeeping and shampoo and whatnot.  You can use the Sutton pool (and the Sutton umbrellas if you need one, LOL), etc etc.  

When we first stayed at the Sutton (with a great deal) we remember looking out of our hotel room at someone standing on a balcony on a building that looked like it was connected to the hotel. We were jealous.  Then we figured out that it was La Grande Residence, and stayed there, and WE got to be the ones out on the balcony.  

It's also fabulous to stay there, because you can look down and see if there's a huge line for Japadog.  

It's also just a crosswalk away from the IGA grocery store for whatever you might need (except for alcohol! no beer, wine, or liquor at grocery stores!), and immediately downstairs is a wine (and a few beers) shop.


----------



## NWmom

buming as this port will be used in 2013 and this info is too great not to share


----------



## TLPL

Does anyone has any idea on estimating the earliest departure time from Vancouver International Airport on Debarkation Day?


----------



## mellers

TLPL said:


> Does anyone has any idea on estimating the earliest departure time from Vancouver International Airport on Debarkation Day?



I wouldn't plan on flying out before 12 p.m. from Vancouver or before 5 p.m. from Seattle.  If you need transportation to the Vancouver airport, there's always Disney Transportation, or http://www.ridebooker.com/ if you have a large group.  Somebody earlier posted a direct recommendation for a transportation company--you might want to check that out as well.

If you are planning to go to the Seattle or Bellingham airport, you can either rent a car or there is direct transportation available from the cruise terminal to Sea-Tac via QuickShuttle.  Their check-in point is right next to Disney's transportation at Canada Place, with a MUCH shorter line--that is how we came home from the cruise last week.  Their prices are quite reasonable.

They are also very good about last-minute changes--my husband had a bad blood-pressure episode on our last cruise , and we had to take him home right after the cruise to see his cardiologist, cutting out our planned post-cruise stay.  We changed our QuickShuttle departure time to 9 a.m. on debarkation day, and our departure location to Canada Place via email the day before, figuring we would certainly be off the ship by then, but no such luck--there was a huge slowdown in unloading the cruise.  By the time we were off the ship, the 9 a.m. bus had left, and it was well past 10 a.m.  They quickly rebooked us on the 10:45 a.m. bus, and we were dropped off in downtown Seattle (the bus continues to Sea-Tac), home (across Lake Washington), and sitting in our comfy chairs by 3:30 p.m.  They never charged us for any of the changes, even though we were originally scheduled to take the bus from the Westin Bayshore rather than Canada Place.  They even made arrangements for my wheelchair.  We were quite pleased.  Kudos to the Westin Bayshore as well for cancelling our reservations online quickly, and the staff at the medical center for getting my husband's blood pressure under control so he could at least enjoy part of his cruise.  

Hubby has clean bill of health from doc and is now fine.


----------



## kgsmith

TLPL said:
			
		

> Does anyone has any idea on estimating the earliest departure time from Vancouver International Airport on Debarkation Day?



We had no trouble making our 12:00 PM flight from Vancouver International. We let DCL know our flight time, and they put us in one of the first groups to leave the ship (so we weren't able to eat breakfast at our assigned time). Our DCL bus to the airport left fairly quickly once we were off the ship.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards


----------



## TLPL

I guess a 11:15 flight from Vancouver will be cutting too close? 
We are from Niagara Falls, so it will take like 4.5 hours + 3 hours different = we will get home really late. Flying home from Seattle will be an overnight flight.... that doesn't sound too good anymore.
Also, Air Canada VS Westjet which airline would you prefer? 
Thanks for answering my questions.


----------



## disneyholic family

here's a hotel to add to your list of Vancouver hotels.

It's within walking distance of Canada Place, but with luggage, you'll need to take a cab.

This is the nicest hotel in Vancouver in my opinion - it's a boutique hotel.

It has free breakfast, free wifi and free international telephone calls (a big plus for us).

It's called the *St. Regis Hotel*.

It's currently ranked #7 on trip advisor and won the 2012 Traveler's Choice award for best service (and indeed, their service is amazing).

Here's the website:

http://www.stregishotel.com/

.


----------



## mellers

TLPL said:


> I guess a 11:15 flight from Vancouver will be cutting too close?
> We are from Niagara Falls, so it will take like 4.5 hours + 3 hours different = we will get home really late. Flying home from Seattle will be an overnight flight.... that doesn't sound too good anymore.
> Also, Air Canada VS Westjet which airline would you prefer?
> Thanks for answering my questions.



I wouldn't, but if you try, I'd suggest you walk off the ship with all your luggage at the earliest possible time, book it through customs and catch a taxi (if there are two of you) or arrange for a car (if there are more of you).  I would also make sure you have travel insurance which covers a missed connection which is that tight.

There was a delay in deboarding on our last Alaska cruise, and I don't think you would make it if something similar happened to you.


----------



## son3disfan

http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/vancouver/yvrdt/hoteldetail

Here is another hotel I found downtown for a family of 5..( or 6 )

HOLIDAY INN AND SUITES
1110 Howe street

Would love to hear any reviews from someone in Vancouver...
Reviews online were all favorable.

Pretty good rate( considering the area) using the entertainment card.


----------



## son3disfan

disneyholic family said:


> here's a hotel to add to your list of Vancouver hotels.
> 
> It's within walking distance of Canada Place, but with luggage, you'll need to take a cab.
> 
> This is the nicest hotel in Vancouver in my opinion - it's a boutique hotel.
> 
> It has free breakfast, free wifi and free international telephone calls (a big plus for us).
> 
> It's called the *St. Regis Hotel*.
> 
> It's currently ranked #7 on trip advisor and won the 2012 Traveler's Choice award for best service (and indeed, their service is amazing).
> 
> Here's the website:
> 
> http://www.stregishotel.com/
> 
> .



FYI,
This hotel is giving me a rate of $275 a night.... For 2adults .
That's pretty steep. In fact more then Pan pacific

Did you get a better rate closer to the date?


----------



## emasmom

Subscribing to this post, thank you for starting this


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## disneyholic family

son3disfan said:
			
		

> FYI,
> This hotel is giving me a rate of $275 a night.... For 2adults .
> That's pretty steep. In fact more then Pan pacific
> 
> Did you get a better rate closer to the date?



It's not a cheap hotel but a very good one and includes free breakfast, free wifi and free international phone calls (which is great for us)
I think we paid $300/night, a bargain in comparison to WDW hotels. This is a truly deluxe hotel.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards


----------



## LindaBabe

Anyone have a feel for whether it's better to rent a car for a 1 day trip to Victoria or take a tour?


----------



## mellers

LindaBabe said:


> Anyone have a feel for whether it's better to rent a car for a 1 day trip to Victoria or take a tour?



If it were me, and I didn't know the area, I would take a tour.  As I recall, there's one that will pick you up in Victoria and take you to the cruise terminal, and vice versa.  You might try here:  http://www.pacificcoach.com/Bus-Coach-Travel/Crosswater/Vancouver-to-Victoria.

If you're flying into/out of Seattle, you can book a trip on the Victoria Clipper which will take you from Seattle's waterfront to Victoria.


----------



## DizDays

LindaBabe said:


> Anyone have a feel for whether it's better to rent a car for a 1 day trip to Victoria or take a tour?



That depends on what you want to do.  First, is this a port stop or will this be before or after the cruise and will you have to get there from Vancouver?  Second, will you just stay in Victoria or will you want to explore more of Vancouver Island?

We rented a car in Vancouver and we took the ferry over to Victoria.  It costs quite a bit more to take a car with you (but we had it for multiple days in Vancouver).  It was very handy to have in the Victoria area, plus we drove up the eastern coast to Nanaimo.  It's a very pretty drive.


----------



## smeecanada

LindaBabe said:


> Anyone have a feel for whether it's better to rent a car for a 1 day trip to Victoria or take a tour?



Depends on what you are wanting to do in Victoria.


----------



## coloradocutie

Hello. Wondering about the aquarium. How is it and how does it compare to, say, the National aquarium in Baltimore?  How far is it from the cruise terminal?  Thanks in advance.


----------



## LindaBabe

Buchart Gardens


----------



## mellers

coloradocutie said:


> Hello. Wondering about the aquarium. How is it and how does it compare to, say, the National aquarium in Baltimore?  How far is it from the cruise terminal?  Thanks in advance.



I haven't been to any aquariums on the East Coast, but I think it's fantastic!


----------



## OrcaPotter

My family is planning to take the June 3rd sailing to Alaska next year and this thread has been great--even if I wish it could be categorized by topic for easier/faster reading!

Anyway, I'm thinking that the cheapest option to get to Vancouver is to fly in to Seattle and take the train up.  Has anyone done the math to determine if this is indeed cheaper, even with the cost of an overnight hotel and train fare, versus flying directly into Vancouver?  This is just one of my million questions as we prepare to book!


----------



## smeecanada

LindaBabe said:


> Buchart Gardens



If you are only wanting to do Butchart Gardens.  I would look into a day trip through a tour company.  Saves you a lot of hassle - renting a car / ferry lines ups / how to get there.  Etc.  

If you are already going to have a car.  It's a fairly easy route - you will just have to watch times for the ferry.  If it's in the summer - end of June until after Labour Day - they basically run every hour on the hour from 7am until 9 pm.  Cost is approximately $120 one way for car / driver and three adult passengers. You can make a reservation for a cost of about $17.50 one way to guarantee a spot on the ferry.  You will also have your admission cost into Butchart's.  Butchart's is about a 20 minute drive from the ferry terminal. A little under half way between the ferry terminal and downtown Victoria.

The ferry ride (approx. 1.5 hours) is an experience as well.  Beautiful scenery.  If you are lucky in the summer - around Active Pass at dusk you might see killer whales.  The crew is good at alerting passengers over the loudspeakers.  The ferries are really nice with a couple of snack bars/counter service, buffett and gift shop available.

From downtown Vancouver, it's approximately just over an hour's drive to the ferry terminal - but depending on the time of day - rush hour you will have to allow more time to get through the Deas Tunnel.


----------



## LindaBabe

smeecanada said:


> If you are only wanting to do Butchart Gardens.  I would look into a day trip through a tour company.  Saves you a lot of hassle - renting a car / ferry lines ups / how to get there.  Etc.
> 
> If you are already going to have a car.  It's a fairly easy route - you will just have to watch times for the ferry.  If it's in the summer - end of June until after Labour Day - they basically run every hour on the hour from 7am until 9 pm.  Cost is approximately *$120 one way for car / driver and three adult *passengers. You can make a reservation for a cost of about $17.50 one way to guarantee a spot on the ferry.  You will also have your admission cost into Butchart's.  Butchart's is about a 20 minute drive from the ferry terminal. A little under half way between the ferry terminal and downtown Victoria.
> 
> The ferry ride (approx. 1.5 hours) is an experience as well.  Beautiful scenery.  If you are lucky in the summer - around Active Pass at dusk you might see killer whales.  The crew is good at alerting passengers over the loudspeakers.  The ferries are really nice with a couple of snack bars/counter service, buffett and gift shop available.
> 
> From downtown Vancouver, it's approximately just over an hour's drive to the ferry terminal - but depending on the time of day - rush hour you will have to allow more time to get through the Deas Tunnel.



I guess the tour price isn't SO outrageous after all.  And leave the driving to THEM.  Thank you!


----------



## LindaBabe

smeecanada said:


> If you are only wanting to do Butchart Gardens.  I would look into a day trip through a tour company.  Saves you a lot of hassle - renting a car / ferry lines ups / how to get there.  Etc.
> 
> If you are already going to have a car.  It's a fairly easy route - you will just have to watch times for the ferry.  If it's in the summer - end of June until after Labour Day - they basically run every hour on the hour from 7am until 9 pm.  Cost is approximately *$120 one way for car / driver and three adult *passengers. You can make a reservation for a cost of about $17.50 one way to guarantee a spot on the ferry.  You will also have your admission cost into Butchart's.  Butchart's is about a 20 minute drive from the ferry terminal. A little under half way between the ferry terminal and downtown Victoria.
> 
> The ferry ride (approx. 1.5 hours) is an experience as well.  Beautiful scenery.  If you are lucky in the summer - around Active Pass at dusk you might see killer whales.  The crew is good at alerting passengers over the loudspeakers.  The ferries are really nice with a couple of snack bars/counter service, buffett and gift shop available.
> 
> From downtown Vancouver, it's approximately just over an hour's drive to the ferry terminal - but depending on the time of day - rush hour you will have to allow more time to get through the Deas Tunnel.



I guess the tour price isn't SO outrageous after all.  And leave the driving to THEM.  Thank you!


----------



## smeecanada

LindaBabe said:


> I guess the tour price isn't SO outrageous after all.  And leave the driving to THEM.  Thank you!




Yes, unfortunately our ferry costs have risen quite a bit in the last few years.  The cost to get into Butchart's is quite high as well - approx. $30 per adult - but well worth it.  Butchart's is beautiful.  Remember to leave time to browse through the gift shop at the end - there is some really nice things in there.  There are a couple of restaurants and snack bars available as well.


----------



## Gigi22

Just a quick warning.  Listening to radio report of consistent (during the past year) problems with Budget rent a car in Vancouver.  According to report, over 100 consumer complaints have been received against the company for making repairs to undetectable damage on cars after the consumer has returned the car.  

The local consumer protection agency suggests that customers take photographs of the rental cars on pickup and on return.  I gather there have been a number of problems with the company replacing windshields instead of repairing minor chips.


----------



## OrcaPotter

For those who flew into Seattle then took the train up the next day to Vancouver, where did you stay?  I'd like to be pretty close to the train station to save on cab fare.


----------



## OrcaPotter

I've been searching for tips for the past few days and haven't found anything, so I will try posting here before I start a new thread.

I'm trying to determine the best, most convenient, and cheapest way to get to Vancouver from Orlando for my June 3rd, 2013 Alaska cruise.  So far, I can determine 3 options:

- Fly direct into Vancouver and take out a loan to afford doing so
- Fly into Seattle and take the shuttle bus the same day
- Fly into Seattle and stay overnight, then take the train into Vancouver the next day

My parents will be with me and it will already be a very long trip, so I'm trying to break up the travel time but save cash.  The second option seems to be the cheapest, saving us over $500, but it would be too hard on my parents to travel for up to 15 hours.  So, I'm trying to come up with some numbers for the third option and am having some difficulty.

There appears to be no hotels in the vicinity of the train station in Seattle who have a shuttle from the airport, or are within a very easy walking distance of the train station.  So, we'll need cabs.  I could book a private car from the airport to the hotel for $122, but the taxi website doesn't have a flat rate and I can't figure out how much it'll cost (never taken a taxi before)--so I don't know if a cab would be much cheaper.

So!  Has anyone stayed overnight in Seattle first, then taken the train up to Vancouver, and how did you do it?  How much did it cost you?


----------



## mellers

OrcaPotter said:


> I've been searching for tips for the past few days and haven't found anything, so I will try posting here before I start a new thread.
> 
> I'm trying to determine the best, most convenient, and cheapest way to get to Vancouver from Orlando for my June 3rd, 2013 Alaska cruise.  So far, I can determine 3 options:
> 
> - Fly direct into Vancouver and take out a loan to afford doing so
> - Fly into Seattle and take the shuttle bus the same day
> - Fly into Seattle and stay overnight, then take the train into Vancouver the next day
> 
> My parents will be with me and it will already be a very long trip, so I'm trying to break up the travel time but save cash.  The second option seems to be the cheapest, saving us over $500, but it would be too hard on my parents to travel for up to 15 hours.  So, I'm trying to come up with some numbers for the third option and am having some difficulty.
> 
> There appears to be no hotels in the vicinity of the train station in Seattle who have a shuttle from the airport, or are within a very easy walking distance of the train station.  So, we'll need cabs.  I could book a private car from the airport to the hotel for $122, but the taxi website doesn't have a flat rate and I can't figure out how much it'll cost (never taken a taxi before)--so I don't know if a cab would be much cheaper.
> 
> So!  Has anyone stayed overnight in Seattle first, then taken the train up to Vancouver, and how did you do it?  How much did it cost you?



I live in Seattle, and this is what I would probably do if I were trying to save money:

Try Eastside for Hire (http://www.eastsideforhire.com/)  for flat rate taxi service from the airport to the Best Western Executive Inn in Seattle  (http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/selectRoom.do?stdRateFlag=false ).  It is within walking distance of Seattle Center (Space Needle, EMP, etc.), and, more important, it is a terminal point for the Quick Shuttle (http://www.quickcoach.com/ ).  Spend the night at the Best Western, and you can pick up the Quick Shuttle directly from that hotel, and they will drop you off directly at most of the Vancouver, BC downtown hotels the next day.  Technically, you can take the QuickShuttle straight from the Executive Inn to Canada Place, but I wouldn't do that.  I'd be a little nervous crossing the border the same day--we always cross the night before.

It's actually a lot cheaper to take the Quick Shuttle from the Executive Inn (it's what we always do) than it is to take it from the airport.


----------



## OrcaPotter

mellers said:


> I live in Seattle, and this is what I would probably do if I were trying to save money:
> 
> Try Eastside for Hire (http://www.eastsideforhire.com/)  for flat rate taxi service from the airport to the Best Western Executive Inn in Seattle  (http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwestern/selectRoom.do?stdRateFlag=false ).  It is within walking distance of Seattle Center (Space Needle, EMP, etc.), and, more important, it is a terminal point for the Quick Shuttle (http://www.quickcoach.com/ ).  Spend the night at the Best Western, and you can pick up the Quick Shuttle directly from that hotel, and they will drop you off directly at most of the Vancouver, BC downtown hotels the next day.  Technically, you can take the QuickShuttle straight from the Executive Inn to Canada Place, but I wouldn't do that.  I'd be a little nervous crossing the border the same day--we always cross the night before.
> 
> It's actually a lot cheaper to take the Quick Shuttle from the Executive Inn (it's what we always do) than it is to take it from the airport.



Thanks so much for the reply!  Good to have another option.


----------



## RedSox68

OrcaPotter said:


> I've been searching for tips for the past few days and haven't found anything, so I will try posting here before I start a new thread.
> 
> I'm trying to determine the best, most convenient, and cheapest way to get to Vancouver from Orlando for my June 3rd, 2013 Alaska cruise.  So far, I can determine 3 options:
> 
> - Fly direct into Vancouver and take out a loan to afford doing so
> - Fly into Seattle and take the shuttle bus the same day
> - Fly into Seattle and stay overnight, then take the train into Vancouver the next day
> 
> My parents will be with me and it will already be a very long trip, so I'm trying to break up the travel time but save cash.  The second option seems to be the cheapest, saving us over $500, but it would be too hard on my parents to travel for up to 15 hours.  So, I'm trying to come up with some numbers for the third option and am having some difficulty.
> 
> There appears to be no hotels in the vicinity of the train station in Seattle who have a shuttle from the airport, or are within a very easy walking distance of the train station.  So, we'll need cabs.  I could book a private car from the airport to the hotel for $122, but the taxi website doesn't have a flat rate and I can't figure out how much it'll cost (never taken a taxi before)--so I don't know if a cab would be much cheaper.
> 
> So!  Has anyone stayed overnight in Seattle first, then taken the train up to Vancouver, and how did you do it?  How much did it cost you?



We flew into Seattle, stayed a night and took the Amtrak train to Vancouver.  It was AWESOME.  If you don't want to stay overnight, they also have an evening train.  

As for previous questions about what to do in Vancouver, we bought the Pink Bus 3-day pass -- which is a bus that you can get on and off all day and it afforded us tons of options of areas of visit (including Granville Island, Stanley Park, Chinatown) and we loved it.  We thought Vancouver was a fantastic city and is now one of our favorites!  And don't forget to visit the Olympic torch in the waterfront place (next to Pan Pacific).  

We, too, stayed at the Pan Pacific and at first booked with a AAA rate.  But keep an eye on their site as specials are constantly being offered.  We ended up with a deal where we paid everything up front (no refunds) the week before we left and saved hundreds over the AAA deal!


----------



## mellers

RedSox68 said:


> We flew into Seattle, stayed a night and took the Amtrak train to Vancouver.  It was AWESOME.  If you don't want to stay overnight, they also have an evening train.



Two small cautions with Amtrak:

1.  Given that this poster is traveling with older parents, if one is in a wheelchair, take it from a wheelie--Amtrak stinks.  Wheelies will only be allowed to sit with one other member of the party, and they will not have access to most of the train.  Also, getting into the station can be tough in a chair because it's all torn up.  

2.  Be sure that you are taking the Amtrak train and not the Amtrak bus.  If you take the bus, you may as well take the Quick Shuttle.  You'll pay a lot less, and the terminals are more convenient to access.

If you have a wheelchair user in your party, take the Quick Shuttle.  So long as you notify them in advance, they are GREAT about lifts, and their drivers are all well trained in how to use them.  

If you don't, however, I've heard the trip on Amtrak is beautiful.


----------



## CruznLexi

I am coming from Fl too. For me to fly into Canada was nearly $1000. On SW I could go free. My flight arrives early enough to get the bus or train to Vancouver that night. I will arrive at 1030pm. I wanted to take the train but the added expense of getting to DT and getting from the train to hotel and late at night made my choice to take quick shuttle and can have lunch at seatack and still have plenty of time to get to Vancouver as I may have 3 hours from when I get off the plane until it leaves.


----------



## OrcaPotter

mellers said:


> Two small cautions with Amtrak:
> 
> 1.  Given that this poster is traveling with older parents, if one is in a wheelchair, take it from a wheelie--Amtrak stinks.  Wheelies will only be allowed to sit with one other member of the party, and they will not have access to most of the train.  Also, getting into the station can be tough in a chair because it's all torn up.
> 
> 2.  Be sure that you are taking the Amtrak train and not the Amtrak bus.  If you take the bus, you may as well take the Quick Shuttle.  You'll pay a lot less, and the terminals are more convenient to access.
> 
> If you have a wheelchair user in your party, take the Quick Shuttle.  So long as you notify them in advance, they are GREAT about lifts, and their drivers are all well trained in how to use them.
> 
> If you don't, however, I've heard the trip on Amtrak is beautiful.



Thanks for the reply!  My parents are, fortunately, nowhere near mobility limited.



CruznLexi said:


> I am coming from Fl too. For me to fly into Canada was nearly $1000. On SW I could go free. My flight arrives early enough to get the bus or train to Vancouver that night. I will arrive at 1030pm. I wanted to take the train but the added expense of getting to DT and getting from the train to hotel and late at night made my choice to take quick shuttle and can have lunch at seatack and still have plenty of time to get to Vancouver as I may have 3 hours from when I get off the plane until it leaves.



How lucky to be able to fly free!  If that were our situation, there'd be no question that we would go through Seattle.  We actually discussed our plans with some extended family that did the same kind of trip a few years ago, and while they went through Seattle, they told us that they wish they had just bit the bullet and paid to go through Vancouver.  Trekking all the luggage through all the extra steps in Seattle was exhausting, they said.  Granted, they had more luggage 'cause their cruise was 2 weeks long.  Also, they opted to rent a car and drive to Vancouver themselves.

So now, I'm still so unsure.  Save a few hundred and go through Seattle, or just pay for the least hassle and go through Vancouver?  The latest airfare deal went through June 4th, so I'm hoping that if I wait just a little bit longer, a great fare will pop to make the decision for me.


----------



## mellers

OrcaPotter said:


> So now, I'm still so unsure.  Save a few hundred and go through Seattle, or just pay for the least hassle and go through Vancouver?  The latest airfare deal went through June 4th, so I'm hoping that if I wait just a little bit longer, a great fare will pop to make the decision for me.



Quite honestly, if you take either the Quick Shuttle or Amtrak, I don't think you'll find things to be that bad.  I really wouldn't drive it.

If you're worried about schlepping things to too many different places (and, to be honest, with all of our medical equipment, we really sympathize with that), make sure you buy cruise insurance (and not through Disney) just in case something goes wrong at the border, take the Eastside for Hire to the Best Western Executive Inn, and then take the QuickShuttle the next morning all the way to the Cruise Terminal.  If you take the 7:05 a.m. bus, you should be at Canada Place by 11:30 a.m.--minimal schleppage.

Bus service is much less likely to be interrupted by a problem than car service at the border, so it's very unlikely you'd have a problem.  If you plan to leave for the cruise terminal on the same day you're cruising, however, don't take the train--you'll be better served by the QuickShuttle.

Again, if schlepping stuff is an issue, take the QuickShuttle back from the cruise.  They pick up right at the cruise terminal--it's very easy.--and will drop you off either at the Executive Inn or Sea-Tac.

The one thing I would suggest, however, is to bring snacks or meals and drinks onto the bus.  Sometimes they make a snack stop, sometimes they don't.  There is a restroom available on the bus, if needs be.


----------



## TinkTatoo

Amtrack Question

How easy is it to get from the ship to the train station, would we need a taxi?

Also, is it worth paying extra for the business class seats

Thanks for the help


----------



## mellers

TinkTatoo said:


> Amtrack Question
> 
> How easy is it to get from the ship to the train station, would we need a taxi?
> 
> Also, is it worth paying extra for the business class seats
> 
> Thanks for the help



Can't help you with the business class seats, but you'd probably need a taxi.


----------



## Mackie Mouse

Just booked the Westin Grand through Priceline for June 28-July 1 before this summer's cruise!  

Location-wise, it seems to be very accessible to some great dining/nightlife.  If we are interested in seeing Stanley Park or Grouse Mountain during our time in the city, can anyone make a recommendation for how to get there?  How close are we to trains/public transport?  Would you recommend it, or recommend cabbing it wherever we need to go, or renting a car?  Parking at the hotel seems to be a bit pricey ($20-something per day)...would love to hear everyone's thoughts.


----------



## NWmom

Bumoing this up in response to some questions as the summer Alaska season is approaching.
Thanks again Lollipop's mom

NW


----------



## lorimay

Hi
I havent read thru the entire thread so if this has been discussed I apologize.

I'm thinking of flying to Seattle then taking the train over to Vancouver.
is it thru Amtrak?
How long will this take?
Is it scenic?

Thanks, Lori


----------



## NWmom

lorimay said:


> Hi
> I havent read thru the entire thread so if this has been discussed I apologize.
> 
> I'm thinking of flying to Seattle then taking the train over to Vancouver.
> is it thru Amtrak?
> How long will this take?
> Is it scenic?
> 
> Thanks, Lori


 Train is amtrak. It is scenic.

The Seattle thread has a link for the train and more details.


----------



## lorimay

NWmom said:


> Train is amtrak. It is scenic.
> 
> The Seattle thread has a link for the train and more details.



Thanks!!!


----------



## OrcaPotter

Has anyone had any luck naming your own price using Priceline to get the Pan Pacific?


----------



## MinnieDiva

OrcaPotter said:


> Has anyone had any luck naming your own price using Priceline to get the Pan Pacific?



In 2011 I used Hotwire and got the Pan Pacific.


----------



## Mackie Mouse

OrcaPotter said:


> Has anyone had any luck naming your own price using Priceline to get the Pan Pacific?



I have not seen anything on Hotwire (what people used in 2011, as far as I have read) that resembles the Pan Pacific.  However, I was able to get the Westin Grand for less than $150/night on Priceline - it is an all-suite hotel that isn't walking distance from Canada Place, but it is right downtown.  I got this price for Canada Day/4th of July weekend, which I learned might be the most expensive time of the summer.  Maybe I could have waited longer and gotten an even better deal, but I'm happy with what I've found. 

There is a four-star hotel on Hotwire right now that I believe is the Hyatt Regency (very near the port). Someone on our cruise thread booked that hotel for almost exactly what I got the Westin Grand for....again, this is during 4th of July/Canada Day time, so relatively expensive part of the summer for travel.


----------



## OrcaPotter

Mackie Mouse said:


> I have not seen anything on Hotwire (what people used in 2011, as far as I have read) that resembles the Pan Pacific.  However, I was able to get the Westin Grand for less than $150/night on Priceline - it is an all-suite hotel that isn't walking distance from Canada Place, but it is right downtown.  I got this price for Canada Day/4th of July weekend, which I learned might be the most expensive time of the summer.  Maybe I could have waited longer and gotten an even better deal, but I'm happy with what I've found.
> 
> There is a four-star hotel on Hotwire right now that I believe is the Hyatt Regency (very near the port). Someone on our cruise thread booked that hotel for almost exactly what I got the Westin Grand for....again, this is during 4th of July/Canada Day time, so relatively expensive part of the summer for travel.



Thanks!  Did you take a cab to the port?  How much did that cost you?


----------



## Mackie Mouse

OrcaPotter said:


> Thanks!  Did you take a cab to the port?  How much did that cost you?



We haven't taken our trip yet - sorry if my post sounded misleading!  We will likely take a cab to the port, and will take a cab from the airport to our hotel.  (Our flight gets in after the trains stop running...so really late at night ) 

This website should help with approximate cab fare calculations, though! http://www.taxifarefinder.com/main.php?city=Vancouver

Right now, it's estimating about $40 for fare from the airport to our hotel, and less than $10 to the port, since the Westin Grand is only about a mile away.  (Again...just not walking distance while lugging all our baggage!)


----------



## jilljill

OrcaPotter said:


> Thanks!  Did you take a cab to the port?  How much did that cost you?



We stayed at the Sheraton Wall Center, which wasn't that far from the port but didn't want to walk it with luggage, and took a cab to the port and it was around $6 or $7 if that much.
Our cab from the port to the airport was $35.  
This was in 2011 so the prices may increase slightly for this year.


----------



## lilpooh108

Random note for anyone not familiar w/Canadian law re alcohol---my family members were not aware that they could not buy alcohol unless they were at a Government store or wine shop. 

They kept searching and searching in drugstores/supermarkets, to be told that they needed to go specific stores that sold alcohol.  They were specifically looking for wine.

I didn't go on this trip so I don't have details, but just something to keep in mind.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

I guess we are getting close to Vancouver season again!  I will keep better watch on this thread. I will also update the first post in the next week or so.


----------



## SG101

Mackie Mouse said:


> We haven't taken our trip yet - sorry if my post sounded misleading!  We will likely take a cab to the port, and will take a cab from the airport to our hotel.  (Our flight gets in after the trains stop running...so really late at night )
> 
> This website should help with approximate cab fare calculations, though! http://www.taxifarefinder.com/main.php?city=Vancouver
> 
> Right now, it's estimating about $40 for fare from the airport to our hotel, and less than $10 to the port, since the Westin Grand is only about a mile away.  (Again...just not walking distance while lugging all our baggage!)



Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!  This was so easy to use and helped me estimate what transportation should cost my family,


----------



## amandaroseziegler

lilpooh108 said:
			
		

> Random note for anyone not familiar w/Canadian law re alcohol---my family members were not aware that they could not buy alcohol unless they were at a Government store or wine shop.
> 
> They kept searching and searching in drugstores/supermarkets, to be told that they needed to go specific stores that sold alcohol.  They were specifically looking for wine.
> 
> I didn't go on this trip so I don't have details, but just something to keep in mind.



You have to buy at the liquor store, you buy at groceries stores in the states?


----------



## IBelieveInTheMagic

Lollipop's Mom said:


> I guess we are getting close to Vancouver season again!  I will keep better watch on this thread. I will also update the first post in the next week or so.



I've been thinking about you and your daughter and hope you are back home now and your daughter is feeling much better!! 

Thanks to you and all the other wonderful posters full of helpful info 

Take care,
Heather


----------



## lilpooh108

amandaroseziegler said:


> You have to buy at the liquor store, you buy at groceries stores in the states?



Yes.  In the US you can buy alcohol in grocery stores, supermarkets, drugstores, even farmer market type stores as long as the vendor has a liquor license.

There are entire aisles in grocery stores/Whole Foods/Trader Joe's dedicated to wines, beers, etc.


----------



## stepknees

lilpooh108 said:


> Yes.  In the US you can buy alcohol in grocery stores, supermarkets, drugstores, even farmer market type stores as long as the vendor has a liquor license.
> 
> There are entire aisles in grocery stores/Whole Foods/Trader Joe's dedicated to wines, beers, etc.



This is only partially true. Where you can buy what type of alcohol depends on the state. For instance, you can't buy beer/wine/liquor in Pennsylvania at any of the places listed above.


----------



## lilpooh108

stepknees said:


> This is only partially true. Where you can buy what type of alcohol depends on the state. For instance, you can't buy beer/wine/liquor in Pennsylvania at any of the places listed above.



Ok this is true.  Pardon me for generalizing.  I lived in Arlington, TX and that was a dry town so after 10pm we couldn't buy anything.  I'd imagine it depends on where you live but for the most part, you can.

Does what you're saying apply to the entire state of Pennsylvania or a certain City?  I've visited UPenn before and I don't remember specifically . . .


----------



## Silly Little Pixie

Anyone know if there is a florist/gift basket place we can use like The Perfect Gift in Port Canaveral? I would like to order some flowers for my cabin, and maybe a gift basket for my kids' cabin. The ones on DCL's website aren't that appealing. 

Also, can we ship packages to the port?


----------



## Silly Little Pixie

stepknees said:


> This is only partially true. Where you can buy what type of alcohol depends on the state. For instance, you can't buy beer/wine/liquor in Pennsylvania at any of the places listed above.



I do think in the majority of states you can buy in stores, although when you can buy depends on the locality. 

In California you can buy every day, and in any retailer with a liquor license. Even Walmart and Target!


----------



## jilljill

Silly Little Pixie said:


> Anyone know if there is a florist/gift basket place we can use like The Perfect Gift in Port Canaveral? I would like to order some flowers for my cabin, and maybe a gift basket for my kids' cabin. The ones on DCL's website aren't that appealing.
> 
> Also, can we ship packages to the port?



You would have to order from DCL if you want those types of items in your cabin to be there when you arrive.  DCL does not allow any vendors to deliver to the ship in any port, The Perfect Gift is the only exception to this rule.

Not sure about shipping a package to the Vancouver port, but the shipping charges would be high if shipping from the US.


----------



## OrcaPotter

Mackie Mouse said:


> We haven't taken our trip yet - sorry if my post sounded misleading!  We will likely take a cab to the port, and will take a cab from the airport to our hotel.  (Our flight gets in after the trains stop running...so really late at night )
> 
> This website should help with approximate cab fare calculations, though! http://www.taxifarefinder.com/main.php?city=Vancouver
> 
> Right now, it's estimating about $40 for fare from the airport to our hotel, and less than $10 to the port, since the Westin Grand is only about a mile away.  (Again...just not walking distance while lugging all our baggage!)



Thanks so much!

We're still waiting to book the hotel, as we really want to stay at the Pan Pacific but the price tag makes me dizzy.  I might take a gamble with the name your own price on Priceline.

And now for something completely different, but I was printing the reservation confirmations for one of our excursions in Skagway and with the 7:30 departure time, realized ... what do we do for breakfast?  Kind of a silly question, but how early is breakfast served on the ship?  I never paid attention before because we always get room service for coffee and pastries first before going to breakfast later in the morning.


----------



## kgsmith

OrcaPotter said:
			
		

> Thanks so much!
> 
> We're still waiting to book the hotel, as we really want to stay at the Pan Pacific but the price tag makes me dizzy.  I might take a gamble with the name your own price on Priceline.
> 
> And now for something completely different, but I was printing the reservation confirmations for one of our excursions in Skagway and with the 7:30 departure time, realized ... what do we do for breakfast?  Kind of a silly question, but how early is breakfast served on the ship?  I never paid attention before because we always get room service for coffee and pastries first before going to breakfast later in the morning.



We ordered room service for breakfast in Skagway. I think we had it delivered between 6:00 and 6:30 (can't remember exactly -- it was two years ago!), so we could eat as we got ready. It worked out great for us.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards


----------



## Mackie Mouse

OrcaPotter said:


> Thanks so much!
> 
> We're still waiting to book the hotel, as we really want to stay at the Pan Pacific but the price tag makes me dizzy.  I might take a gamble with the name your own price on Priceline.
> 
> And now for something completely different, but I was printing the reservation confirmations for one of our excursions in Skagway and with the 7:30 departure time, realized ... what do we do for breakfast?  Kind of a silly question, but how early is breakfast served on the ship?  I never paid attention before because we always get room service for coffee and pastries first before going to breakfast later in the morning.



Priceline wound up working well for us - I got $145/night at the Westin Grand downtown (near Granville/Yaletown/Robson St.) for the 4th of July/Canada Day weekend.  Since it's an all-suite hotel, I think it's a pretty good deal. I don't think we're going to be seeing the rates people got in 2011 at the Pan Pacific...at least maybe not until very close to sailing time.  

As far as breakfast...I agree with room service


----------



## OrcaPotter

Mackie Mouse said:


> Priceline wound up working well for us - I got $145/night at the Westin Grand downtown (near Granville/Yaletown/Robson St.) for the 4th of July/Canada Day weekend.  Since it's an all-suite hotel, I think it's a pretty good deal. I don't think we're going to be seeing the rates people got in 2011 at the Pan Pacific...at least maybe not until very close to sailing time.
> 
> As far as breakfast...I agree with room service



After doing some research, some folks lucked out last summer getting the Pan for $135/night using Hotwire.  It's so hard this year since they sailed out of Seattle last year, so asking DIS folks what happened last year doesn't really help those of us going out of Vancouver.  I'm a little nervous about waiting long enough for last minute deals.


----------



## Mackie Mouse

OrcaPotter said:


> After doing some research, some folks lucked out last summer getting the Pan for $135/night using Hotwire.  It's so hard this year since they sailed out of Seattle last year, so asking DIS folks what happened last year doesn't really help those of us going out of Vancouver.  I'm a little nervous about waiting long enough for last minute deals.



I agree - I didn't want to wait that long.  I'm a little confused about your comments re: last year, as we are going this year and staying in Vancouver from June 28-July 1.  I hoped that posting what i had found so far for this ear would be helpful.


----------



## OrcaPotter

Mackie Mouse said:


> I agree - I didn't want to wait that long.  I'm a little confused about your comments re: last year, as we are going this year and staying in Vancouver from June 28-July 1.  I hoped that posting what i had found so far for this ear would be helpful.



I mean in regards to hotel deals in Vancouver that DCL cruisers got last year.  Since the cruises were out of Seattle, there's no feedback on deals last year for the Pan Pacific from those who cruised Disney.  I found a site that apparently tries to figure out what hotels go with what criteria when trying to make a bid or do the blind deals through Hotwire and someone managed to snag the Pan last July for $130/night.  But I don't know when they booked.  The deal you got is great, though.  I'll keep it in mind!


----------



## Mackie Mouse

OrcaPotter said:


> I mean in regards to hotel deals in Vancouver that DCL cruisers got last year.  Since the cruises were out of Seattle, there's no feedback on deals last year for the Pan Pacific from those who cruised Disney.  I found a site that apparently tries to figure out what hotels go with what criteria when trying to make a bid or do the blind deals through Hotwire and someone managed to snag the Pan last July for $130/night.  But I don't know when they booked.  The deal you got is great, though.  I'll keep it in mind!



That's good info, as well!  Best of luck finding your hotel.


----------



## RedSox68

TinkTatoo said:


> Amtrack Question
> 
> How easy is it to get from the ship to the train station, would we need a taxi?
> 
> Also, is it worth paying extra for the business class seats
> 
> Thanks for the help



We did Amtrak round trip from Seattle and Vancouver, but only bought business seats for the trip to Vancouver (mostly because it was such an early train and we wanted less hassle by getting the special car with fewer people).  If we could have afforded it, we would have gotten it both ways.  The seats are more comfortable with wider seats and more leg room and a leg rest.  The cars don't hold as many people so it is much quieter and our car was only half full.  Plus it was only one car away from the cafe car.


----------



## RedSox68

Duplicate


----------



## RedSox68

lorimay said:


> Hi
> I havent read thru the entire thread so if this has been discussed I apologize.
> 
> I'm thinking of flying to Seattle then taking the train over to Vancouver.
> is it thru Amtrak?
> How long will this take?
> Is it scenic?
> 
> Thanks, Lori



We did this last year and it was one of our best decisions.  The flights into Seattle saved us hundreds, and the train ride was spectacular.  It goes alone the water (be sure to sit on the left side going up) and we saw seals and eagles along the way.  It was very comfortable and we were very relaxed.  As an example of how much we liked it -- because of that experience and loving the train so much, we are taking a 10-1/2 train trip from NYC to Montreal rather than fly!  More great scenery and 1/3 the price of flying.  

*RE:  PAN PACIFIC *   We got a great deal last year by going on their website and looking for deals.  We did the one that you pay up front.  We waited until the month before we left to book it and got a great deal, plus AAA.  We got a fantastic room for 3 on a higher floor with the bay & mountain view with two queen beds and a sitting area.


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

You will find the Pan Pacific puts their stuff on hotwire fairly late - 2 weeks out, sometimes only a week to 10 days 
The Sutton Place (the other 5*) puts thiers out on there further in advance, especially lately because they rely on the film industry to fill their rooms, and our film industry here is in trouble right now.


----------



## amandaroseziegler

Lollipop's Mom said:
			
		

> You will find the Pan Pacific puts their stuff on hotwire fairly late - 2 weeks out, sometimes only a week to 10 days
> The Sutton Place (the other 5*) puts thiers out on there further in advance, especially lately because they rely on the film industry to fill their rooms, and our film industry here is in trouble right now.



Thanks, that helps alot!


----------



## OrcaPotter

Lollipop's Mom said:


> You will find the Pan Pacific puts their stuff on hotwire fairly late - 2 weeks out, sometimes only a week to 10 days
> The Sutton Place (the other 5*) puts thiers out on there further in advance, especially lately because they rely on the film industry to fill their rooms, and our film industry here is in trouble right now.



Exactly what I wanted to know--thanks so much!


----------



## jenna7394

Has anyone had luck with the Priceline "Name Your Own Price"?  I placed a bid for $100 for a 5 star hotel yesterday in downtown Vancouver and got it.  It does make me nervous because that is so cheap.  Has anyone else done this?  Were you happy/unhappy with the result?  Thanks so much!


----------



## OrcaPotter

jenna7394 said:


> Has anyone had luck with the Priceline "Name Your Own Price"?  I placed a bid for $100 for a 5 star hotel yesterday in downtown Vancouver and got it.  It does make me nervous because that is so cheap.  Has anyone else done this?  Were you happy/unhappy with the result?  Thanks so much!



When your bid was accepted, which hotel were you given?  (I've never bidded before)


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

I am going to guess she got sutton place? I wouldn't be nervous with any 4-5 star in Vancouver -they are all fantastic.


----------



## jenna7394

OrcaPotter said:
			
		

> When your bid was accepted, which hotel were you given?  (I've never bidded before)



I didn't purchase it so I didn't find out what hotel it was. I chickened out after they told me i could have a room at that price. Made me nervous because I saw that Priceline only guarantees double occupancy and we have 4 total for the room. I am holding off for now. May end up going with Hotwire. At least they know how many will be in the room.


----------



## OrcaPotter

I'm starting to get antsy over booking my hotel pre-cruise.  I'm curious to hear more about where people are staying this year and how much per night you're paying.  I'm flying in 6/1 and cruising 6/3.


----------



## Mackie Mouse

OrcaPotter said:


> I'm starting to get antsy over booking my hotel pre-cruise.  I'm curious to hear more about where people are staying this year and how much per night you're paying.  I'm flying in 6/1 and cruising 6/3.



Two families from our cruise just found the Sheraton Wall Center on Hotwire for $91/night.  A total steal!

Edit: I am seeing it there at that rate, still, but only for the one single night before the cruise.  If you stay more than just Sunday night, the price goes up considerably.  This is for the night of June 30.


----------



## OrcaPotter

Mackie Mouse said:


> Two families from our cruise just found the Sheraton Wall Center on Hotwire for $91/night.  A total steal!
> 
> Edit: I am seeing it there at that rate, still, but only for the one single night before the cruise.  If you stay more than just Sunday night, the price goes up considerably.  This is for the night of June 30.



Nice!  Thanks for he heads up!


----------



## AZMermaid

I have not read the whole thread, so forgive me if this was answered- but what are the carseat laws in Vancouver? We would like to avoid bringine one for my 2.5 year old if we can, but not sure how that works with cabs/shuttle/subway etc. We have not booked a hotel yet and are hoping for one that offers a shuttle to either the airport or the port (both would be awesome if available!). We are staying one night before the cruise and one night after.


----------



## kiddisney

loved the sheraton wall centre - we went concierge & the concierge lounge was fantastic - great views - and transport into the city was so easy -


----------



## MissySprng

I noticed on Groupon today there is a park and fly deal in Vancouver. Not sure if the hotel is nice but you can't beat the price only $99 (canadian) for the night plus 7 days of parking. It's near the Skytrain so easy access to the port too.


----------



## Mackie Mouse

FYI - I got the Sheraton Wall Centre for a one-night stay after our cruise for $93 today on Hotwire.  

Some 5-start hotels are showing up for a one-night stay for that night was well...I saw something downtown for $130-ish/night.  Not sure what hotel it was.  This would have been for the night of July 8.


----------



## emilyann415

My family wants to go to Grouse Mountain the day before we sail.  DH and DD (who is only 6.5) want to do the parasailing/paragliding thing.  I am terrified for them to do it.  How safe is it and should we buy tickets in advance or do I have to worry about it selling out?


----------



## smiley_face2

emilyann415 said:


> My family wants to go to Grouse Mountain the day before we sail.  DH and DD (who is only 6.5) want to do the parasailing/paragliding thing.  I am terrified for them to do it.  How safe is it and should we buy tickets in advance or do I have to worry about it selling out?



Don't blame you for being terrified! I know I would not let my 6 year old do it! There is the new attraction opening right at the Cruise ship terminal, it's called Flyin Over Canada, built and run by the same people who have done the Soarin over California attraction at California Adventure at Disneyland. I think that's about all the paragliding/hangliding type thing I would let my kids do! lol... Have you ridden the Soarin at Disneyland? it is really amazing! Can't wait for this to open here!


----------



## jilljill

smiley_face2 said:


> Don't blame you for being terrified! I know I would not let my 6 year old do it! There is the new attraction opening right at the Cruise ship terminal, it's called Flyin Over Canada, built and run by the same people who have done the Soarin over California attraction at California Adventure at Disneyland. I think that's about all the paragliding/hangliding type thing I would let my kids do! lol... Have you ridden the Soarin at Disneyland? it is really amazing! Can't wait for this to open here!



Do you have more info on this or know when it will open?  Sounds fun.


----------



## smiley_face2

AZMermaid said:


> I have not read the whole thread, so forgive me if this was answered- but what are the carseat laws in Vancouver? We would like to avoid bringine one for my 2.5 year old if we can, but not sure how that works with cabs/shuttle/subway etc. We have not booked a hotel yet and are hoping for one that offers a shuttle to either the airport or the port (both would be awesome if available!). We are staying one night before the cruise and one night after.



Car seats are not required on busses or shuttles, Taxis are another thing. Here is a link to a bcaa brochure on the topic. I am not actually sure if it against the law for them to ride in a taxi without a car seat or not, but it is certainly not recommended. 
http://www.bcaaroadsafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/CLICK_edu_May10.pdf
I think you could get away with just using the shuttles and busses, and avoid taxis depending on where you stay.


----------



## smiley_face2

jilljill said:


> Do you have more info on this or know when it will open?  Sounds fun.



http://www.flyovercanada.com/
they also have a facebook page, that has a lot more information than their website does! lol.... 
https://www.facebook.com/#!/flyovercanada?fref=ts
Unlike the Soarin over California ride, they will also have a preshow, so the whole thing is about 1/2 hour. I am so excited that a little bit of Disney magic, well magic they are using, is coming to my hometown!
hope it is ok to have the links here?


----------



## Linda67

smiley_face2 said:


> http://www.flyovercanada.com/
> they also have a facebook page, that has a lot more information than their website does! lol....
> https://www.facebook.com/#!/flyovercanada?fref=ts
> Unlike the Soarin over California ride, they will also have a preshow, so the whole thing is about 1/2 hour. I am so excited that a little bit of Disney magic, well magic they are using, is coming to my hometown!
> hope it is ok to have the links here?



I am really hoping that this is open in June.
We've been checking the website for a long time now and it still just says 'open spring 2013' 
fingers crossed it will be open because we would love to do it


----------



## Never to old

smiley_face2 said:


> http://www.flyovercanada.com/
> they also have a facebook page, that has a lot more information than their website does! lol....
> https://www.facebook.com/#!/flyovercanada?fref=ts
> Unlike the Soarin over California ride, they will also have a preshow, so the whole thing is about 1/2 hour. I am so excited that a little bit of Disney magic, well magic they are using, is coming to my hometown!
> hope it is ok to have the links here?



Thanks for sharing, adding this to my list.  We sail in July


----------



## jilljill

smiley_face2 said:


> http://www.flyovercanada.com/
> they also have a facebook page, that has a lot more information than their website does! lol....
> https://www.facebook.com/#!/flyovercanada?fref=ts
> Unlike the Soarin over California ride, they will also have a preshow, so the whole thing is about 1/2 hour. I am so excited that a little bit of Disney magic, well magic they are using, is coming to my hometown!
> hope it is ok to have the links here?



Thanks so much.

Yes, the links are fine to post.


----------



## TwingleMomFl

Just booked my hotel for Vancouver and got the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel. It says its a 4 star. Has anyone ever stayed here? It was 119 per night.  My friend also did it and for the Hyatt for 149.00.


----------



## GoofyMam

TwingleMomFl said:


> Just booked my hotel for Vancouver and got the Coast Coal Harbour Hotel. It says its a 4 star. Has anyone ever stayed here? It was 119 per night.  My friend also did it and for the Hyatt for 149.00.



That's a good rate for the Coast Coal Harbour - how did you find it?


----------



## TwingleMomFl

GoofyMam said:


> That's a good rate for the Coast Coal Harbour - how did you find it?



I found it on Hotwire... Have you stayed there before? I usually stay at marriott brands.


----------



## GoofyMam

TwingleMomFl said:


> I found it on Hotwire... Have you stayed there before? I usually stay at marriott brands.



I haven't, but I've stayed at another hotel in that chain and it was comfy.  We're looking at the Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites (which is a little further away) because they have a rate that includes parking for the week, but I'm still looking for a good deal (aren't we all! )


----------



## Lollipop's Mom

Ive stayed at the Coast Coal Harbour and its a gorgeous full service hotel! You will love it! The beds are sooooooooooooooooooooo comfy!


----------



## Never to old

Lollipop's Mom said:


> Ive stayed at the Coast Coal Harbour and its a gorgeous full service hotel! You will love it! The beds are sooooooooooooooooooooo comfy!



Is this close to the port?


----------



## TwingleMomFl

Never to old said:


> Is this close to the port?



According to map quest a half mile or 10 min walk. I called the hotel and they said taxi is about 5-8$


----------



## Never to old

TwingleMomFl said:


> According to map quest a half mile or 10 min walk. I called the hotel and they said taxi is about 5-8$



Thanks


----------



## tink too

smiley_face2 said:


> http://www.flyovercanada.com/
> they also have a facebook page, that has a lot more information than their website does! lol....
> https://www.facebook.com/#!/flyovercanada?fref=ts
> Unlike the Soarin over California ride, they will also have a preshow, so the whole thing is about 1/2 hour. I am so excited that a little bit of Disney magic, well magic they are using, is coming to my hometown!
> hope it is ok to have the links here?



Thank you for providing the links.  I've just added this to my list of things to do in Vancouver. 

According to a comment on their FB page, online sales are beginning in June.


----------



## topsy

This has probably been asked before, but trawling through 100+ pages of this thread is proving very time consuming! What's the best way for two ladies (mid/late twenties) to get from Vancouver airport to the Ramada Downtown? We'll each have a large case and carry on. Woyld prefer comfort and an easy journey. Thanks!


----------



## jilljill

topsy said:


> This has probably been asked before, but trawling through 100+ pages of this thread is proving very time consuming! What's the best way for two ladies (mid/late twenties) to get from Vancouver airport to the Ramada Downtown? We'll each have a large case and carry on. Woyld prefer comfort and an easy journey. Thanks!


Taxi for about $35 or so.


----------



## Linda67

jilljill said:


> Taxi for about $35 or so.



That's good to know 
DH said we should get the sky train (we are heading to the Sutton Place Hotel) but I don't like the idea of taking the train, then walking to the hotel with all of our luggage after a 9 hour flight!
Is it a flat rate from the airport and are cabs easy to get curb side?


----------



## jilljill

Linda67 said:


> That's good to know
> DH said we should get the sky train (we are heading to the Sutton Place Hotel) but I don't like the idea of taking the train, then walking to the hotel with all of our luggage after a 9 hour flight!
> Is it a flat rate from the airport and are cabs easy to get curb side?



We went from the port to the airport and it was a metered rate.  I would think cabs would be plentiful at the airport since they were at the port.  We'll be doing a cab again in June from the port to our airport hotel since it's the easiest way.


----------



## IBelieveInTheMagic

Linda67 said:


> That's good to know
> DH said we should get the sky train (we are heading to the Sutton Place Hotel) but I don't like the idea of taking the train, then walking to the hotel with all of our luggage after a 9 hour flight!
> Is it a flat rate from the airport and are cabs easy to get curb side?



Hi fellow cruiser  

We are also just taking the taxi from the airport to our hotel downtown.  If it's around $35 that still saves us $70 from what we would have paid for the Disney transfers to the port, had we gone that route and we're "used to" paying that.  I'm leaning very heavily to just taking a taxi on the way home as well.

Did any of you experienced Vancouver travelers have any issues catching a taxi after getting off the ship and heading to the airport?  I thought it would be quicker than waiting for a bus to fill up and it would save us about $70 for the 3 of us since Disney charges $35 per person each way.

Thanks,
Heather


----------



## DillWaters

IBelieveInTheMagic said:


> & it would save us about $70 for the 3 of us since Disney charges $35 per person each way.



Disney is only charging $25 pp each way in Vancouver, but still significant savings.


----------



## IBelieveInTheMagic

DillWaters said:


> Disney is only charging $25 pp each way in Vancouver, but still significant savings.


I didn't know that - thank you so much for letting me know!!  

Heather


----------



## jilljill

IBelieveInTheMagic said:


> Hi fellow cruiser
> 
> We are also just taking the taxi from the airport to our hotel downtown.  If it's around $35 that still saves us $70 from what we would have paid for the Disney transfers to the port, had we gone that route and we're "used to" paying that.  I'm leaning very heavily to just taking a taxi on the way home as well.
> 
> Did any of you experienced Vancouver travelers have any issues catching a taxi after getting off the ship and heading to the airport?  I thought it would be quicker than waiting for a bus to fill up and it would save us about $70 for the 3 of us since Disney charges $35 per person each way.
> 
> Thanks,
> Heather



We didn't have any problems, might have had a couple minute wait.


----------



## IBelieveInTheMagic

jilljill said:


> We didn't have any problems, might have had a couple minute wait.



Awesome - thanks! 

Heather


----------



## IBelieveInTheMagic

I completely forgot to ask you all this yesterday - how did you guys pay for the taxi's?  Did you pay cash in Canadian or US dollars or through a credit card?  I remember reading if you do use a credit card to make sure they accept them and to ask upfront. I have a credit card that doesn't charge a currency conversion fee so that would be fine by me.  Just curious what is most preferred while in Vancouver and if we should get more Canadian money for the trip (which will cost us a little to order).

Thanks again,
Heather


----------



## Chilly

IBelieveInTheMagic said:


> I completely forgot to ask you all this yesterday - how did you guys pay for the taxi's?  Did you pay cash in Canadian or US dollars or through a credit card?  I remember reading if you do use a credit card to make sure they accept them and to ask upfront. I have a credit card that doesn't charge a currency conversion fee so that would be fine by me.  Just curious what is most preferred while in Vancouver and if we should get more Canadian money for the trip (which will cost us a little to order).
> 
> Thanks again,
> Heather



We paid is USA$ for our taxi to the port as we'd run out of Canadian.


----------



## Linda67

IBelieveInTheMagic said:


> Hi fellow cruiser
> 
> We are also just taking the taxi from the airport to our hotel downtown.  If it's around $35 that still saves us $70 from what we would have paid for the Disney transfers to the port, had we gone that route and we're "used to" paying that.  I'm leaning very heavily to just taking a taxi on the way home as well.
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> Heather



We have to stop meeting like this  
I think we are going to get a taxi from the airport to our hotel
No matter how easy the sky train is I just don't fancy doing it after a long flight with all that luggage


----------



## AZMermaid

We have a party of 6 with a 2 year old and a 1 year old. We are trying to avoid needing a carseat for my 2 year old (the baby will use one on the plane, so we'll have hers anyway). Our plan is to send the Grandparents with all of our luggage in a cab and we will take the Sky Train with the kids- unless anyone has a simplier suggestion! I know you don't HAVE to have one in a cab, but I don't like that option. Likewise, we will all walk to the port and they will take a cab with the majority of the luggage. 

We are likely staying at either the Delta Suites or the Fairmont the night before and after. I am assuming there are valets who can take all the luggage from the cab to the room. We are okay if it all goes to their room to start- DH can go get it once we get there!


----------



## Plucker001

FINALLY got through this whole thread!! Thanks to everyone's awesome advice, I booked our pre cruise night on Hotwire. I got Sutton Place for $127/night on August 18.  Not sure if I should have waited for prices to go lower??? 

Anyhoo, what is the cheapest way for 8 people to get to Canada Place from Sutton Place? Taxi? Ridebooker?

Also,we are taking QuickShuttle up from Seattle prior to the cruise. How long will the ride take from SeaTac to Sutton Place approximately?


----------



## TwingleMomFl

Plucker001 said:


> FINALLY got through this whole thread!! Thanks to everyone's awesome advice, I booked our pre cruise night on Hotwire. I got Sutton Place for $127/night on August 18.  Not sure if I should have waited for prices to go lower???
> 
> Anyhoo, what is the cheapest way for 8 people to get to Canada Place from Sutton Place? Taxi? Ridebooker?
> 
> Also,we are taking QuickShuttle up from Seattle prior to the cruise. How long will the ride take from SeaTac to Sutton Place approximately?



That's a great rate for the sutton place. It looks fancy!


----------



## amandaroseziegler

AZMermaid said:


> I have not read the whole thread, so forgive me if this was answered- but what are the carseat laws in Vancouver? We would like to avoid bringine one for my 2.5 year old if we can, but not sure how that works with cabs/shuttle/subway etc. We have not booked a hotel yet and are hoping for one that offers a shuttle to either the airport or the port (both would be awesome if available!). We are staying one night before the cruise and one night after.



I've been in contact with a bunch of taxi and car services trying to figure that out and was told its not required in taxis and car services, so we are leaving ours behind and hoping for the best


----------



## Silly Little Pixie

We are also taking Quick Shuttle from SeaTac to Vancouver. Has anyone seen any discount codes or coupons? We are a family of 4 on the way up but 6 on the way back, so any discounts at all would help!


----------



## IBelieveInTheMagic

Chilly said:


> We paid is USA$ for our taxi to the port as we'd run out of Canadian.


Sorry for the delay in thanking you! 



Linda67 said:


> We have to stop meeting like this
> I think we are going to get a taxi from the airport to our hotel
> No matter how easy the sky train is I just don't fancy doing it after a long flight with all that luggage



Hi there! 

I especially don't blame you guys for taking a taxi!  We will be up since 3:00am EST and by the time we arrive in Vancouver it will be at least 12 hours later so we're going for convenience.  Plus, if it's raining, I'd rather just stay in the taxi and go from point A to point B.  

See you in June 
Heather


----------



## chickamu

Has anyone heard of accent hotels?
Are they ok?


----------



## chickamu

I just got some great rates with hotwire.. 2 nights 159..


----------



## CruznLexi

Anyone have any input about China town? It seems they have a night festival on the weekends.


----------



## dizzyr

chickamu said:


> Has anyone heard of accent hotels?
> Are they ok?



Which one? Is is right downtown?


----------



## dizzyr

CruznLexi said:


> Anyone have any input about China town? It seems they have a night festival on the weekends.



They have the night market in Richmond (not anywhere near the port) but I haven't heard about the night festival at china town. I'll ask around and see if anyone I know has been to it and get back to you.


----------



## dizzyr

Silly Little Pixie said:


> We are also taking Quick Shuttle from SeaTac to Vancouver. Has anyone seen any discount codes or coupons? We are a family of 4 on the way up but 6 on the way back, so any discounts at all would help!



I got one emailed a couple of weeks ago or actually it may have been a code on the radio - I'll keep an eye out.


----------



## dizzyr

Plucker001 said:


> FINALLY got through this whole thread!! Thanks to everyone's awesome advice, I booked our pre cruise night on Hotwire. I got Sutton Place for $127/night on August 18.  Not sure if I should have waited for prices to go lower???
> 
> Anyhoo, what is the cheapest way for 8 people to get to Canada Place from Sutton Place? Taxi? Ridebooker?
> 
> Also,we are taking QuickShuttle up from Seattle prior to the cruise. How long will the ride take from SeaTac to Sutton Place approximately?



That's an awesome rate for the sutton place. It's right across the street from my office - nice place  good location. We used to go to the spa there regularly until it changed owners and made it to pricey o be our regular go to place. 

It can take anywhere from 30 min to an hour or more to get there from peace arch depending on the traffic on the bridges. Best way is to take the hwy all the way to first - up first and over the Georgia street viaduct. Look up the directions online and if that's not what comes up let me know and I'll get you the exact ones from my hubby that knows all the best routes.


----------



## dizzyr

mellers said:


> Can't help you with the business class seats, but you'd probably need a taxi.



Do you mean the train station at waterfront in Vancouver? They are basically beside each other - you go up the stairs and you're there.

If you mean the one at main and terminal then you can either take a cab or walk across the street onto the sky train and take it 4 stops to waterfront and you're there.


----------



## dizzyr

I live in Vancouver so I'll I through this thread and answer as many questions as possible. I started at 2013 questions and this is just a note to myself to remind me I'm on page 141


----------



## bumbershoot

Plucker001 said:


> FINALLY got through this whole thread!! Thanks to everyone's awesome advice, I booked our pre cruise night on Hotwire. I got Sutton Place for $127/night on August 18.  Not sure if I should have waited for prices to go lower???
> 
> Anyhoo, what is the cheapest way for 8 people to get to Canada Place from Sutton Place? Taxi? Ridebooker?
> 
> Also,we are taking QuickShuttle up from Seattle prior to the cruise. How long will the ride take from SeaTac to Sutton Place approximately?




That is an AMAZING rate for Sutton.  Sutton is rather luxurious and very lovely.  When you walk in you will be astonished at how low that rate is for the place.

And you have Japadog just outside the hotel, and you're a walk down the street and a left turn away from Cafe Crepe and Lush.  (I love Robson street)  And unless my brain is fried, you're a right turn away from a grocery store as well!


Cheapest way would be to walk.    But that's a long way to drag your bags.  Gorgeous walk, though!

Of all the places I've taken taxis in, Vancouver is my absolute favorite.  They aren't over-priced, they are courteous, they drive safely and sanely.  I have never had a bad experience in a cab in Vancouver.  So I say cab.


----------



## son3disfan

So, why haven't I read very much about renting a car in Vancouver?
Lots about taxis and trains...... Why not car rentals?

I understand that the transportation system in Vancouver is very efficient and for those who are staying a day might not want or need a car, but.......

We are a family of 5 and plan to stay in Vancouver for 4 days.
I got a pretty good rate ( National) for $118.00 for  3 days.
I understand parking can be 15-20 dollars a day at our hotel as well ( maybe cheaper if we find an overnight parking garage.) 
But by the time we factor in roundtrip fares on a bus or taxi for 5 to and from the airport, site seeing excursions like Grosse  Mountain, Capp Bridge, Stanley Park, and different markets around the downtown....wouldn't it be cheaper to just rent the car? I like the convinience of going to a grocery store/ liquor store or a restaurant off the beaten path.
We are used to big city traffic ( we are close to Toronto, On) I just don't understand why no one seems to recommend a renting a car.
What am I missing?


----------



## Mackie Mouse

dizzyr said:


> I live in Vancouver so I'll I through this thread and answer as many questions as possible. I started at 2013 questions and this is just a note to myself to remind me I'm on page 141



Great to have you here!  Since you're a native, the bit of planning I have yet to do for our trip - which includes some time in Vancouver - involves food.  We are staying at the Westin Grand (on Robson St., near Yaletown) and are looking for a couple of cool spots to have dinner.  We do plan to hit Gastown, Granville Island, Grouse Mountain, the Capilano Suspension Bridge, and Stanley Park...maybe more if we can find the time (we have three full days).  

So, given those geographic areas...where to eat?  DH and I consider ourselves "foodies," so anything that you think is a must-eat works for us.  We love Sushi, Indian, seafood, and a good gastropub.  In fact, I'd say a place to grab an awesome Pacific Northwest craft beer, and a place to grab some awesome sushi would be our top two requests.  The only thing we really don't like is chains...why eat exactly what you can get at home if you're visiting someplace new? Does anything in particular come to mind?


----------



## manqvu

Sorry if this has been answered. Does Sutton place have a shuttle to the cruise terminal. If ao, does anyone know the rate?


----------



## dizzyr

Mackie Mouse said:


> Great to have you here!  Since you're a native, the bit of planning I have yet to do for our trip - which includes some time in Vancouver - involves food.  We are staying at the Westin Grand (on Robson St., near Yaletown) and are looking for a couple of cool spots to have dinner.  We do plan to hit Gastown, Granville Island, Grouse Mountain, the Capilano Suspension Bridge, and Stanley Park...maybe more if we can find the time (we have three full days).
> 
> So, given those geographic areas...where to eat?  DH and I consider ourselves "foodies," so anything that you think is a must-eat works for us.  We love Sushi, Indian, seafood, and a good gastropub.  In fact, I'd say a place to grab an awesome Pacific Northwest craft beer, and a place to grab some awesome sushi would be our top two requests.  The only thing we really don't like is chains...why eat exactly what you can get at home if you're visiting someplace new? Does anything in particular come to mind?



I'm actually working on a food recommended response for someone else as well so I will keep your requests in mind as well. I'll try and work on it tomorrow. One thing we do have is lots of sushi places!


----------



## dizzyr

manqvu said:


> Sorry if this has been answered. Does Sutton place have a shuttle to the cruise terminal. If ao, does anyone know the rate?



It's no more than a 5 min drive - 10 with lots of traffic from sutton to the cruise ship. Not sure if they have a shuttle but unless its a free one a cab would be just as cheap.


----------



## dizzyr

son3disfan said:


> So, why haven't I read very much about renting a car in Vancouver?
> Lots about taxis and trains...... Why not car rentals?
> 
> I understand that the transportation system in Vancouver is very efficient and for those who are staying a day might not want or need a car, but.......
> 
> We are a family of 5 and plan to stay in Vancouver for 4 days.
> I got a pretty good rate ( National) for $118.00 for  3 days.
> I understand parking can be 15-20 dollars a day at our hotel as well ( maybe cheaper if we find an overnight parking garage.)
> But by the time we factor in roundtrip fares on a bus or taxi for 5 to and from the airport, site seeing excursions like Grosse  Mountain, Capp Bridge, Stanley Park, and different markets around the downtown....wouldn't it be cheaper to just rent the car? I like the convinience of going to a grocery store/ liquor store or a restaurant off the beaten path.
> We are used to big city traffic ( we are close to Toronto, On) I just don't understand why no one seems to recommend a renting a car.
> What am I missing?



People in Vancouver don't like to drive! Parking downtown is expensive and not always easy to find. The bridges can be a pita to cross in traffic and lots of vancouverites don't know how to drive lol! That being said it can come in handy if you are leaving the downtown core. If you are doing grouse and capilano I'd go for the car for sure. Stanley park is easy to get to without one but if you have one I'd use it. Parking is pay parking throughout the park but you don't have to wait for a bus and after a long day it's easier to just hop in the car and drive 5 min to your hotel. 

Where are you staying? In the downtown core the grocery stores and liquor stores are pretty close.


----------



## dizzyr

bumbershoot said:


> And you have Japadog just outside the hotel, and you're a walk down the street and a left turn away from Cafe Crepe and Lush.  (I love Robson street)  And unless my brain is fried, you're a right turn away from a grocery store as well!.



Japadog ALWAYS has a lineup. I've worked across the street from it for 10 years now and not once have I seen it without people in line. I LOVE street meat but have only had it once - not a fan but I'm in the clear minority! They just opened up a second cart/location.


----------



## bumbershoot

dizzyr said:


> People in Vancouver don't like to drive! Parking downtown is expensive and not always easy to find. The bridges can be a pita to cross in traffic and lots of vancouverites don't know how to drive lol!



Not to mention that many people going up there for a cruise aren't actually staying in the area for all that long.

Or aren't comfy driving with kilometers.  er, kilometres.  



dizzyr said:


> Japadog ALWAYS has a lineup. I've worked across the street from it for 10 years now and not once have I seen it without people in line. I LOVE street meat but have only had it once - not a fan but I'm in the clear minority! They just opened up a second cart/location.



Oh definitely it has a line.    We stayed at the Sutton once, and at La Grande Residence another time, and the awesome thing about the latter was that we had a balcony that looked over the street, and we could see when the line was not huge.  

We get their veggie dogs with things like umeboshi and pickled veggies...so tasty.  DS always gets his veggie dog plain with just mustard; we keep trying to tell him he can get it cheaper and easier at the Yves stand up the road, but he loves the ambience of Japadog.

They have several locations, in case you don't know!  We found a sitdown one on our last Vancouver trip.  Pretty cool!  Also one just around the corner from Canada Place, though they tend to close that one up on a whim.

We are huge Psych fans, and found out about japadog from one of their episodes where "Santa Barbara" not only looks just like the Vancouver area, but suddenly sprouted a Japadog as well.  Someday they'll go out for TimBits in "Santa Barbara" and my life will be complete.


----------



## Never to old

dizzyr said:


> People in Vancouver don't like to drive! Parking downtown is expensive and not always easy to find. The bridges can be a pita to cross in traffic and lots of vancouverites don't know how to drive lol! That being said it can come in handy if you are leaving the downtown core. If you are doing grouse and capilano I'd go for the car for sure. Stanley park is easy to get to without one but if you have one I'd use it. Parking is pay parking throughout the park but you don't have to wait for a bus and after a long day it's easier to just hop in the car and drive 5 min to your hotel.
> 
> Where are you staying? In the downtown core the grocery stores and liquor stores are pretty close.



Dizzyr, Sorry jumping in here.  I haven't booked our hotel yet.  I was looking at Pan Pacific.  Is this considered the downtown area?  I really didn't want to rent a car.  We don't mind walking.  I thought I saw somewhere that there was a bus you could take to get to grouse and Capilano.  Do you know if there is one?  And how much is bus fare?  Do I need coins or paper money?  Can I walk to Stanley Park from Pan Pacific?  Last question, any idea how much cab fare would be from the airport to hotel?  Or is there another public transportation system to use?  Thanks Vicki


----------



## Silly Little Pixie

dizzyr said:


> I got one emailed a couple of weeks ago or actually it may have been a code on the radio - I'll keep an eye out.



Thank you!!


----------



## richmo

Just wanted to jump in with a tip that we used a couple years ago.  We flew into SEA, rented a car, spent a couple of days there, then the night before the cruise at Whistler.  After the cruise, we flew back home from SEA (the day after the cruise; I wouldn't recommend it the day the cruise ends).  

Rather than do two one way rentals, it worked out better for us to keep the car the whole time.  We parked it at YVR and took the SkyTrain to and from YVR and the port.  In case you're looking at doing something like this, you should go to the YVR website (www.yvr.ca) and get a parking coupon.  Just took a look and you can park there for CA$45 a week.  Not bad.

We found the SkyTrain to be quite convenient and a fun ride.  The walk from the SkyTrain station to Canada Place is only about 5 minutes.  If your luggage is on wheels, it's not bad at all.  If you have to carry much stuff, I wouldn't recommend it.


----------



## CruznLexi

Can you tell me about the area around the Pan and Canada Place. Places to eat, both sit down and quick service. Any quick marts? Bakery? We have 4 birthdays while we are on vacation and would like to get some sort of cake or desert for Sunday. Hop on off trolly worth it?


----------



## emilyann415

Never to old said:


> Dizzyr, Sorry jumping in here.  I haven't booked our hotel yet.  I was looking at Pan Pacific.  Is this considered the downtown area?  I really didn't want to rent a car.  We don't mind walking.  I thought I saw somewhere that there was a bus you could take to get to grouse and Capilano.  Do you know if there is one?  And how much is bus fare?  Do I need coins or paper money?  Can I walk to Stanley Park from Pan Pacific?  Last question, any idea how much cab fare would be from the airport to hotel?  Or is there another public transportation system to use?  Thanks Vicki




We are staying at Pan Pacific and I, too, read that there is a free shuttle that picks up at Canada Place and takes you to Grouse Mountain and another one that takes you to the suspension bridge.  I hope that is the case cause we aren't renting a car because it's seems so easy to get around without one.


----------



## Never to old

emilyann415 said:


> We are staying at Pan Pacific and I, too, read that there is a free shuttle that picks up at Canada Place and takes you to Grouse Mountain and another one that takes you to the suspension bridge.  I hope that is the case cause we aren't renting a car because it's seems so easy to get around without one.



Thanks- that might be where I read it.  When are you sailing?  We sail July 29.


----------



## emilyann415

Never to old said:


> Thanks- that might be where I read it.  When are you sailing?  We sail July 29.



We leave the week after you!  Can't wait!


----------



## Never to old

emilyann415 said:


> We leave the week after you!  Can't wait!



Bummer, I was hoping we would be sailing at the same time


----------



## dizzyr

Never to old said:


> Dizzyr, Sorry jumping in here.  I haven't booked our hotel yet.  I was looking at Pan Pacific.  Is this considered the downtown area?  I really didn't want to rent a car.  We don't mind walking.  I thought I saw somewhere that there was a bus you could take to get to grouse and Capilano.  Do you know if there is one?  And how much is bus fare?  Do I need coins or paper money?  Can I walk to Stanley Park from Pan Pacific?  Last question, any idea how much cab fare would be from the airport to hotel?  Or is there another public transportation system to use?  Thanks Vicki



Yes Pan Pacific is definitely in the downtown core. You can easily get by without a vehicle there. 

To get to grouse you would take the seabus right at waterfront station (which is only a minute or two from the hotel) to Lonsdale Quay (takes about 10 min) and then bus #236 right to Grouse Mountain skyride (half an hour or so).

To get to Capilano it's the same route but you would get off the bus a few stops before Grouse. Easy Peasy!

The adult fare is $4.00 and child is $2.75 - it's good for the seabus, skytrain and bus any direction for 90 minutes. An all day pay is good on all three zones for the whole day for $9.75 or child $7.50

Stanley Park is about a 3km walk from the Pan Pacific. It's a really easy route basically you walk to Georgia Street and take it all the way to Stanley Park - maybe half an hour?


----------



## dizzyr

emilyann415 said:


> We are staying at Pan Pacific and I, too, read that there is a free shuttle that picks up at Canada Place and takes you to Grouse Mountain and another one that takes you to the suspension bridge.  I hope that is the case cause we aren't renting a car because it's seems so easy to get around without one.



It looks like the Grouse Mountain shuttle is run by Grouse not the Pan Pacific - I found this info on the Grouse Mountain website

_We are pleased to offer a free shuttle from downtown Vancouver with the purchase of a Peak Experience ticket throughout the summer. Pickup/drop-off point is Canada Place. 

Our complimentary shuttle service has now ended for the summer season. It will be available again in late May._


----------



## peyjax

richmo said:


> Just wanted to jump in with a tip that we used a couple years ago.  We flew into SEA, rented a car, spent a couple of days there, then the night before the cruise at Whistler.  After the cruise, we flew back home from SEA (the day after the cruise; I wouldn't recommend it the day the cruise ends).



How was Whistler? We are going before our cruise but are debating if we should spend 1 full day or 2 there. Was is it 2 day worthy in the summer? Planning on hitting Stanley park for a few hours on the way up as nothing else in Vancouver really peaked our interest, so thinking to devote time to Whistler?


----------



## dizzyr

peyjax said:


> How was Whistler? We are going before our cruise but are debating if we should spend 1 full day or 2 there. Was is it 2 day worthy in the summer? Planning on hitting Stanley park for a few hours on the way up as nothing else in Vancouver really peaked our interest, so thinking to devote time to Whistler?



What kinds of things were you looking to do in Whistler?


----------



## Never to old

dizzyr said:


> Yes Pan Pacific is definitely in the downtown core. You can easily get by without a vehicle there.
> 
> To get to grouse you would take the seabus right at waterfront station (which is only a minute or two from the hotel) to Lonsdale Quay (takes about 10 min) and then bus #236 right to Grouse Mountain skyride (half an hour or so).
> 
> To get to Capilano it's the same route but you would get off the bus a few stops before Grouse. Easy Peasy!
> 
> The adult fare is $4.00 and child is $2.75 - it's good for the seabus, skytrain and bus any direction for 90 minutes. An all day pay is good on all three zones for the whole day for $9.75 or child $7.50
> 
> Stanley Park is about a 3km walk from the Pan Pacific. It's a really easy route basically you walk to Georgia Street and take it all the way to Stanley Park - maybe half an hour?



Thank you for all of the great information.  My only question is regarding money for the bus fares.  Will they take US dollars or should we convert to Canadian currency?


----------



## HealthyDisneyGuide

There IS a free shuttle from downtown to Capilano.

http://www.capbridge.com/visit/shuttle-service/


----------



## nzdisneymom

Never to old said:


> Thank you for all of the great information.  My only question is regarding money for the bus fares.  Will they take US dollars or should we convert to Canadian currency?



Convert to Canadian currency.  What we found was that many places will accept US dollars and give you your change back in Canadian, so that's how we ended up getting Canadian currency when we found our US-issued ATM card wouldn't work ( eek ). Thank goodness we had taken some US cash and our credit card would work but not the ATM (something to do with our bank - I was aggravated because I called the bank before we left and told them we were going to be in Canada and they didn't mention that the ATM wouldn't work even though it's Mastercard branded).


----------



## peyjax

dizzyr said:


> What kinds of things were you looking to do in Whistler?



Peak to Peak and do some hiking. Hit the village and let the kids do a couple of activities (summer bob sled, etc) Mostly hike and take in scenery. Perhaps if the older two feel adventurous go on atv tour? In all not sure exactly that was why I was debating it or just heading over to Vancouver island (victoria) earlier than planned.


----------



## richmo

peyjax said:


> How was Whistler? We are going before our cruise but are debating if we should spend 1 full day or 2 there. Was is it 2 day worthy in the summer? Planning on hitting Stanley park for a few hours on the way up as nothing else in Vancouver really peaked our interest, so thinking to devote time to Whistler?



Whistler was beautiful and part of the fun was the ride up there.  The "Sea to Sky" highway is very nice and in excellent shape since the Olympics were there recently.  I would think one day would be sufficient.  You can take various tram rides on the ski slopes and its fun walking around the village.

Stanley Park is also very nice.  If its a nice day, you might want to rent a bike and do a loop around the park.  Allow a couple of hours for that...


----------



## mildop

Hello all! We are spending a couple of nights in Whistler before our Vancouver cruise departure. 

We had planned on leaving Whistler early the morning of the cruise, but now I'm second guessing my decision. Do you think it's doable to make that drive on a Monday morning and still not have to rush to the ship?


----------



## Mackie Mouse

Mackie Mouse said:


> Great to have you here!  Since you're a native, the bit of planning I have yet to do for our trip - which includes some time in Vancouver - involves food.  We are staying at the Westin Grand (on Robson St., near Yaletown) and are looking for a couple of cool spots to have dinner.  We do plan to hit Gastown, Granville Island, Grouse Mountain, the Capilano Suspension Bridge, and Stanley Park...maybe more if we can find the time (we have three full days).
> 
> So, given those geographic areas...where to eat?  DH and I consider ourselves "foodies," so anything that you think is a must-eat works for us.  We love Sushi, Indian, seafood, and a good gastropub.  In fact, I'd say a place to grab an awesome Pacific Northwest craft beer, and a place to grab some awesome sushi would be our top two requests.  The only thing we really don't like is chains...why eat exactly what you can get at home if you're visiting someplace new? Does anything in particular come to mind?



Bumping to see if dizzyr or anyone else have food recs for us  Thanks!


----------



## bumbershoot

> The only thing we really don't like is chains...why eat exactly what you can get at home if you're visiting someplace new?



Just wanted to talk about that...there are two chain places we've been to in Vancouver.  One was worth it, one was not.  Neither was actually the food we can get at those chains at home.

The one that wasn't worth it was Spaghetti Factory.  Thought it would be what we could get at home, and we like that place, but the menu was all different.  The really good stuff wasn't there.

The place we'd go to again was Red Robin.  They have *even better* stuff on the menu there than in the US.  The mac&cheese on the kid's menu is not the Kraft mac they have in the states; there's real cheese and it's different macaroni.  

So just because it's a chain doesn't mean it will be the exact same.  


DH found a fabulous but hole in the wall Indian place a few years ago in the vicinity of Stanley Park-ish.  It was walking distance from the Listel Hotel.  And that's all I know about it.  


Other than that we tend to eat veggie JapaDogs and have crepes for dessert while in Vancouver.  Healthy!


----------



## son3disfan

peyjax said:


> Peak to Peak and do some hiking. Hit the village and let the kids do a couple of activities (summer bob sled, etc) Mostly hike and take in scenery. Perhaps if the older two feel adventurous go on atv tour? In all not sure exactly that was why I was debating it or just heading over to Vancouver island (victoria) earlier than planned.



I just booked an ATV tour at Whistler for our Aug. cruise!!!
We have 4 days in Vancouver and have been told Whistler is definately a must see!!!


----------



## son3disfan

mildop said:


> Hello all! We are spending a couple of nights in Whistler before our Vancouver cruise departure.
> 
> We had planned on leaving Whistler early the morning of the cruise, but now I'm second guessing my decision. Do you think it's doable to make that drive on a Monday morning and still not have to rush to the ship?



We have been told that the drive is 1.5 -2 hrs to downtown. With time to park ( or return your rental) you should be fine, as long as you leave early enough, like by 8 am latest?
The earliest port arrival time for our check in online  was 11:00 am so I am assuming that is when the port opens.....


----------



## dizzyr

Vancouver Restaurants 

Ok Im warning you this post will be long! Ive also tried to include websites where possible, Im typing this in a word document and then copy and pasting so not sure how the links will be affected  if I need to I can edit them once posted. 

There are no shortages of restaurants in the downtown core. You cant walk a block without coming across at least a few on each block and something new for Vancouver this summer will be the food trucks. We have always had a few here and there but this year they rolled out a new program and issued more licenses and changed the guidelines around them so I think they will be a much bigger presence than they have been in the past.

Two main areas that have pretty much wall to wall restaurants are Robson (between Burrard and Broughton mostly and then again as you get closer to Stanley Park) and Denman Street (which is by Stanley Park, Lost Lagoon and 2nd Beach). 

There are way too many restaurants to list here and although I have been to quite a few as a percentage of how many there actually are its very small! Ill list the ones I particularly like or have heard good things about. For the record I will say Im not what you would call a fine dining kind of gal, if anything Im worried the food on our cruise will be too fancy for me. Also our  kids are not picky eaters so some of the places I would take my kids may not be appropriate for all kids  there are many restaurants I take mine that my friends wouldnt. That being said heres my recommendations 

*Before going into the Robson restaurants there are a couple on at little street just off Burrard (steps away from the Hyatt and Burrard Skytrain) that has a strip of restaurants and they are worth a visit. *

1. Kobes Japanese Steakhouse  1042 Alberni Street - is lots of fun. Its one of those places where the chef cooks the food in front of you and does the fancy knife work. Some of them are better showmen than others but even if you get one that doesnt do the fancy stuff the shrimp makes up for it! You sit at tables for 12 I think it was (its a square with the chef and grill in the center) so you will be seated with other people on a first come first served basis (on weekends leave time for a wait).  Definitely order the shrimp  its awesome. (you also get an appetizer of the shrimp included but three isnt enough for me!)  If you are used to maritime lobster then dont order the lobster. It was tasty but nothing compared to steamed Altantic lobster, a little too chewy for me.  They also have sushi which Ive never had but I imagine it must be pretty good. I read a bunch of reviews that talk about long wait times. Weve been twice and didnt have to wait more than 20 minutes or so either time so I dont know if we just lucked out or if the long waits were an anomaly. Its not cheap but Im still craving the shrimp! Because you are spread out in a square with a grill and chef in the middle this is not a place to have a quite intimate dinner.  Its also not a good place if you want to be able to have a full on conversation but if you are looking for something different, fun and tasty its a good choice. It is pricy  for us its a big splurge and we always use an Entertainment Guide coupon (you may still be able to pick up some 2013 ones before they are gone for good  so sad they went under) www.koberestaurant.com

2. Coast Seafood  1054 Alberni Street  I have never been here, a little too pricey for me but I have heard its really really good. If you like Seafood and price is not an issue this may be the place for you. http://www.glowbalgroup.com/coast/

3. Sambas Brazilian Steakhouse  1122 Alberni Street - I just saw that the location is now being developed into a highrise so they are looking for a new location. I am leaving it up here because its worth a visit if they find a new location in the downtown core. Its a meat fest!! If you are a vegetarian  stay away! LOL  Its all you can eat bar-b-que and you get a little disc to put beside you that says more on one side and Im full on the other and men with skewers of meat walk around the tables and cut off a slab of meat for you as often as you want. There are all sorts of different things to try and they usually have at least one out of the ordinary one to try as well. There is a big salad bar to go with it. On the weekends they have entertainment, dancing showgirls. This one is also pricy and a treat for us. Its $32 a plate (I believe kids were half price) so make sure to go hungry. We went with a few other couples who left their kids at home because they thought they wouldnt like it but we brought ours and they ask to go back at least a couple times a month.  http://www.thaihouse.com/samba/ 

4. Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie Café  1059 Alberni Street  Ive never been here but someone was asking about bakeries and this place sounds yummy! http://www.thierrychocolates.com/

*Ok moving on to Robson Street (all of the choices Im listing here are around the Red Robin price range and all are family/kid friendly unless otherwise noted) *

5. Thai House - 1116 Robson Street (upstairs, easy to miss look for the pink sign)  this is one of my favourite restaurants. The spring rolls are nice and crispy and full of flavour. The Pad Thai is well done and the cashew chicken is just the perfect amount of spicy. I tend to order the same thing every time so whenever we have a group we make a point of ordering one or two different dishes to try and Ive never been disappointed. Everyone Ive brought here has liked it as well. http://thaihouse.com/

6. Cactus Club  1136 Robson Street  I love the Cactus Club. The Bellinis alone are worth the trip! The yam fries are nice and crispy and the teriyaki chicken and rice bowl or the fish tacos are my two personal favorites. It is a chain restaurant but I dont know how many locations they have outside of Canada (if any) so it may not be as well known as I think. I have taken my kids but I probably wouldnt again  a little too pricey for kids and no kids menu at all. They will make the pasta in smaller portions for them but thats about it. (there are multiple locations in the downtown core as well) http://www.cactusclubcafe.com/

7. Chong Qing  1260 Robson Street  I have never been to this location (only recently found out they have one there!) but they have another location across the street from my office and I go there a couple of times a month. Really good Szechuan food. We have all our staff celebration lunches there because everyone loves it (and we have a staff of approx 40 so thats a lot of opinions). Good prices and portion sizes. Lots of choices for dim sum as well.  http://www.cqrestaurant.com/

8. Kalypso Restaurant & Tapas Bar  1323 Robson Street  Good greek food and Tapas. Not usually a wait and service is pretty quick. Ive mostly done lunch here so dinner may be different. Its also right above a Starbucks in case you want an after dinner coffee fix on your way back to the hotel. 

*Onwards to Denman Street (close to Stanley Park and the seawall)  These places would mostly fall into the quick dining category I think and again all are kid friendly unless otherwise noted. Denman street is just off the beach so the restaurants tend to be beachwear appropriate rather than fancier sit down restaurants. *

9. Ponchos Mexican  827 Denman Street  They have been around for about 25 years. Yummy Mexican food, I havent been in a long time but we used to go quite regularly, decent prices and good ambiance with live music Fridays through Sunday.  http://ponchosvancouver.com/

10. Akira Sushi  1069 Denman Street  I have never been here (not a sushi fan) but I know some of you were asking for Sushi places (which you will not have a problem finding  they are EVERYWHERE!) but this one got quite a few good reviews and seem to have a wide variety of specialty items that you may not find at the corner sushi place. 

11. Nats New York Pizza  1080 Denman Street  I have personally never been there but MANY people I know have told me its the best pizza in town http://www.natspizza.com/

12. Fatburger  1101 Denman Street  This is my dh and kids favorite burger place. I like it but Im not a huge burger fan so I find the rest of the menu to be a bit limiting. The onion rings are good and the yam fries are crispy. The Caesar salad is usually really good but once or twice we have gotten a not so good one. The burgers are very tasty and cooked to order. The milkshakes are delicious.  http://www.fatburger.com/

13. Espana  1118 Denman Street - This place is fairly new and Ive never been there but my friend who lives near Denman loves it and highly recommends it. She said they have really good tapas. http://www.espanarestaurant.ca/

14. Cupcakes 1168 Denman Street - If you have ever seen Cupcake Girls on TV this is the place the show is about. I LOVE the coconut cupcakes. http://cupcakesonline.com/

15. Veras Burger Shack  1181 Denman Street - Funky burger place.  Lots of different burger, hot dog and side options. I prefer this place to Fat Burger because of that.  Its a perfect place after a day at the beach. You can also get it to go and eat it on the beach (be prepared to wait though - they cook the burgers to order so it will be about 15 minutes or so). http://www.verasburgershack.com/

16. Milestones - 1210 Denman Street  I remember coming here on my first night in Vancouver almost 20 years ago! They make awesome Bellinis. The food is good and the price is about average for a similar restaurant (trendy after work crowd but you could also bring kids  more of a sit down restaurant than the others in this area). They also have a weekend brunch. http://www.milestonesrestaurants.com/

17. The Boathouse: 1795 Beach Ave  Seafood place, a little pricey but the food is good and the view from the deck is awesome. I have taken my kids to one of their other locations and it was not a problem but this location is quite busy so not sure I would bring them. Its also not great if youre looking for a quiet intimate meal  (traditionally the Boathouse is what I would consider an upscale restaurant but I think this location is a little more casual than the other locations)  http://boathouserestaurants.ca/

There are lots more than I mentioned as well  you will easily find something to your liking just by walking up and down the street. 

A couple of other quick mentions  Granville Street between Robson and Davie has a ton of quick serve, fast food type of places if you are looking for a quick snack or lunch on the go. 

If you are staying at the Wall Centre or Sutton Place there are two little out of the way places that are inexpensive and yummy for a quick service meal:
18. Tokyo Joes (Sushi and Japanese) - 955 Helmcken St 
19. One Saigon (Vietnamese)  979 Hornby Street


20. Roque Kitchen and Wetbar  - Inside Waterfront Station at the terminal - really yummy  not so much kid friendly although I think you could take them http://www.roguewetbar.com/

21. Joeys - Saving the best for last my favourite place is Joeys  there are a couple of different ones but I always go to the one on Burrard just up from Robson 820 Burrard Street  The lettuce wraps are sooooo good. The butter chicken is awesome. I also love the lobster grilled cheese, yam fries, souvlaki and most of the appetizers! (dont order the gyoza though bleh). Two of my coworkers order the Ahi Tuna club and Baja fish tacos every time and swear by it.  http://www.joeyrestaurants.com/burrard

Phew that should keep you guys eating for awhile!


----------



## dizzyr

For anyone interested in Stanley Park - I did a huge post on it in another thread - here is the link

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=48166695&postcount=19


----------



## dizzyr

mildop said:


> Hello all! We are spending a couple of nights in Whistler before our Vancouver cruise departure.
> 
> We had planned on leaving Whistler early the morning of the cruise, but now I'm second guessing my decision. Do you think it's doable to make that drive on a Monday morning and still not have to rush to the ship?



It's easily doable time and distance wise. The only thing to consider would be if the Sea to Sky highway was shut down for any reason you would be stuck. That being said since the Olympics that's less of a problem because the highway has been widened and now even with most accidents traffic can still move through. It used to be an accident on the highway could stop traffic in both directions for a couple of hours. It's about an hour and a half drive so if you left early in the morning you have lots of time and even time for a delay if needed.


----------



## dizzyr

peyjax said:


> Peak to Peak and do some hiking. Hit the village and let the kids do a couple of activities (summer bob sled, etc) Mostly hike and take in scenery. Perhaps if the older two feel adventurous go on atv tour? In all not sure exactly that was why I was debating it or just heading over to Vancouver island (victoria) earlier than planned.



I think if those are things that interest you (hiking, scenery etc) then Whistler is definately the place to do it. If you were looking for more touristy things I would say it's not the place for that but scenery and hiking is what Whistler is all about! The village is nice to walk around in and look at the stores but it's a few hours kind of thing. I do find Whistler to be very pricey so I've only gone 4 or 5 times in the 18 years or so I've lived here but I enjoyed it each time.


----------



## dizzyr

Mackie Mouse said:


> Bumping to see if dizzyr or anyone else have food recs for us  Thanks!



I just posted a bunch of food recommendations but found this place you might get the West Coast beer at 

http://www.lukescornerbar.com/

It's not in the downtown core but it's easily accessible by transit.


----------



## dizzyr

bumbershoot said:


> Just wanted to talk about that...there are two chain places we've been to in Vancouver.  One was worth it, one was not.  Neither was actually the food we can get at those chains at home.
> 
> The one that wasn't worth it was Spaghetti Factory.  Thought it would be what we could get at home, and we like that place, but the menu was all different.  The really good stuff wasn't there.
> 
> The place we'd go to again was Red Robin.  They have *even better* stuff on the menu there than in the US.  The mac&cheese on the kid's menu is not the Kraft mac they have in the states; there's real cheese and it's different macaroni.
> 
> So just because it's a chain doesn't mean it will be the exact same.
> 
> 
> DH found a fabulous but hole in the wall Indian place a few years ago in the vicinity of Stanley Park-ish.  It was walking distance from the Listel Hotel.  And that's all I know about it.
> 
> 
> Other than that we tend to eat veggie JapaDogs and have crepes for dessert while in Vancouver.  Healthy!



could the Indian Place have been this one?

Desi Place Downtown - 909 Denman Street. It won't let me post the link to the google map but it's in between a tanning salon and dental place  in the same block as a Flight Center

https://www.google.ca/maps?q=&layer...a=X&ei=RQOUUZviC8iZiQK1p4CYDQ&ved=0CDEQxB0wAA


----------



## Freesia123

The drive is at least two hours! Give yourself three and a half if you are boarding on a weekday. Bridge traffic can be nasty!

Msg me if you want. In a vancouverite!


----------



## Mackie Mouse

dizzyr - these are GREAT tips!  Coast seems like it will be up our alley for a nice dinner, if we feel like it...and Luke's and Joey's also sound awesome.  However...we may find ourselves saving money and touring the food trucks, which seems excellent.  I know trying a Japadog was on our agenda, so food trucking it all weekend could be perfect  

I read your post about Stanley Park, and it is awesome! We will be missing the fireworks competition by about a month, but it did occur to me that our cruise leaves on Canada Day.  Do you know if any fireworks/celebrations happen around the city and are work checking out?


----------



## IBelieveInTheMagic

dizzyr said:


> Vancouver Restaurants
> 
> Ok Im warning you this post will be long! Ive also tried to include websites where possible, Im typing this in a word document and then copy and pasting so not sure how the links will be affected  if I need to I can edit them once posted.
> 
> There are no shortages of restaurants in the downtown core. You cant walk a block without coming across at least a few on each block and something new for Vancouver this summer will be the food trucks. We have always had a few here and there but this year they rolled out a new program and issued more licenses and changed the guidelines around them so I think they will be a much bigger presence than they have been in the past.
> 
> Two main areas that have pretty much wall to wall restaurants are Robson (between Burrard and Broughton mostly and then again as you get closer to Stanley Park) and Denman Street (which is by Stanley Park, Lost Lagoon and 2nd Beach).
> 
> There are way too many restaurants to list here and although I have been to quite a few as a percentage of how many there actually are its very small! Ill list the ones I particularly like or have heard good things about. For the record I will say Im not what you would call a fine dining kind of gal, if anything Im worried the food on our cruise will be too fancy for me. Also our  kids are not picky eaters so some of the places I would take my kids may not be appropriate for all kids  there are many restaurants I take mine that my friends wouldnt. That being said heres my recommendations
> 
> *Before going into the Robson restaurants there are a couple on at little street just off Burrard (steps away from the Hyatt and Burrard Skytrain) that has a strip of restaurants and they are worth a visit. *
> 
> 1. Kobes Japanese Steakhouse  1042 Alberni Street - is lots of fun. Its one of those places where the chef cooks the food in front of you and does the fancy knife work. Some of them are better showmen than others but even if you get one that doesnt do the fancy stuff the shrimp makes up for it! You sit at tables for 12 I think it was (its a square with the chef and grill in the center) so you will be seated with other people on a first come first served basis (on weekends leave time for a wait).  Definitely order the shrimp  its awesome. (you also get an appetizer of the shrimp included but three isnt enough for me!)  If you are used to maritime lobster then dont order the lobster. It was tasty but nothing compared to steamed Altantic lobster, a little too chewy for me.  They also have sushi which Ive never had but I imagine it must be pretty good. I read a bunch of reviews that talk about long wait times. Weve been twice and didnt have to wait more than 20 minutes or so either time so I dont know if we just lucked out or if the long waits were an anomaly. Its not cheap but Im still craving the shrimp! Because you are spread out in a square with a grill and chef in the middle this is not a place to have a quite intimate dinner.  Its also not a good place if you want to be able to have a full on conversation but if you are looking for something different, fun and tasty its a good choice. It is pricy  for us its a big splurge and we always use an Entertainment Guide coupon (you may still be able to pick up some 2013 ones before they are gone for good  so sad they went under) www.koberestaurant.com
> 
> 2. Coast Seafood  1054 Alberni Street  I have never been here, a little too pricey for me but I have heard its really really good. If you like Seafood and price is not an issue this may be the place for you. http://www.glowbalgroup.com/coast/
> 
> 3. Sambas Brazilian Steakhouse  1122 Alberni Street - I just saw that the location is now being developed into a highrise so they are looking for a new location. I am leaving it up here because its worth a visit if they find a new location in the downtown core. Its a meat fest!! If you are a vegetarian  stay away! LOL  Its all you can eat bar-b-que and you get a little disc to put beside you that says more on one side and Im full on the other and men with skewers of meat walk around the tables and cut off a slab of meat for you as often as you want. There are all sorts of different things to try and they usually have at least one out of the ordinary one to try as well. There is a big salad bar to go with it. On the weekends they have entertainment, dancing showgirls. This one is also pricy and a treat for us. Its $32 a plate (I believe kids were half price) so make sure to go hungry. We went with a few other couples who left their kids at home because they thought they wouldnt like it but we brought ours and they ask to go back at least a couple times a month.  http://www.thaihouse.com/samba/
> 
> 4. Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie Café  1059 Alberni Street  Ive never been here but someone was asking about bakeries and this place sounds yummy! http://www.thierrychocolates.com/
> 
> *Ok moving on to Robson Street (all of the choices Im listing here are around the Red Robin price range and all are family/kid friendly unless otherwise noted) *
> 
> 5. Thai House - 1116 Robson Street (upstairs, easy to miss look for the pink sign)  this is one of my favourite restaurants. The spring rolls are nice and crispy and full of flavour. The Pad Thai is well done and the cashew chicken is just the perfect amount of spicy. I tend to order the same thing every time so whenever we have a group we make a point of ordering one or two different dishes to try and Ive never been disappointed. Everyone Ive brought here has liked it as well. http://thaihouse.com/
> 
> 6. Cactus Club  1136 Robson Street  I love the Cactus Club. The Bellinis alone are worth the trip! The yam fries are nice and crispy and the teriyaki chicken and rice bowl or the fish tacos are my two personal favorites. It is a chain restaurant but I dont know how many locations they have outside of Canada (if any) so it may not be as well known as I think. I have taken my kids but I probably wouldnt again  a little too pricey for kids and no kids menu at all. They will make the pasta in smaller portions for them but thats about it. (there are multiple locations in the downtown core as well) http://www.cactusclubcafe.com/
> 
> 7. Chong Qing  1260 Robson Street  I have never been to this location (only recently found out they have one there!) but they have another location across the street from my office and I go there a couple of times a month. Really good Szechuan food. We have all our staff celebration lunches there because everyone loves it (and we have a staff of approx 40 so thats a lot of opinions). Good prices and portion sizes. Lots of choices for dim sum as well.  http://www.cqrestaurant.com/
> 
> 8. Kalypso Restaurant & Tapas Bar  1323 Robson Street  Good greek food and Tapas. Not usually a wait and service is pretty quick. Ive mostly done lunch here so dinner may be different. Its also right above a Starbucks in case you want an after dinner coffee fix on your way back to the hotel.
> 
> *Onwards to Denman Street (close to Stanley Park and the seawall)  These places would mostly fall into the quick dining category I think and again all are kid friendly unless otherwise noted. Denman street is just off the beach so the restaurants tend to be beachwear appropriate rather than fancier sit down restaurants. *
> 
> 9. Ponchos Mexican  827 Denman Street  They have been around for about 25 years. Yummy Mexican food, I havent been in a long time but we used to go quite regularly, decent prices and good ambiance with live music Fridays through Sunday.  http://ponchosvancouver.com/
> 
> 10. Akira Sushi  1069 Denman Street  I have never been here (not a sushi fan) but I know some of you were asking for Sushi places (which you will not have a problem finding  they are EVERYWHERE!) but this one got quite a few good reviews and seem to have a wide variety of specialty items that you may not find at the corner sushi place.
> 
> 11. Nats New York Pizza  1080 Denman Street  I have personally never been there but MANY people I know have told me its the best pizza in town http://www.natspizza.com/
> 
> 12. Fatburger  1101 Denman Street  This is my dh and kids favorite burger place. I like it but Im not a huge burger fan so I find the rest of the menu to be a bit limiting. The onion rings are good and the yam fries are crispy. The Caesar salad is usually really good but once or twice we have gotten a not so good one. The burgers are very tasty and cooked to order. The milkshakes are delicious.  http://www.fatburger.com/
> 
> 13. Espana  1118 Denman Street - This place is fairly new and Ive never been there but my friend who lives near Denman loves it and highly recommends it. She said they have really good tapas. http://www.espanarestaurant.ca/
> 
> 14. Cupcakes 1168 Denman Street - If you have ever seen Cupcake Girls on TV this is the place the show is about. I LOVE the coconut cupcakes. http://cupcakesonline.com/
> 
> 15. Veras Burger Shack  1181 Denman Street - Funky burger place.  Lots of different burger, hot dog and side options. I prefer this place to Fat Burger because of that.  Its a perfect place after a day at the beach. You can also get it to go and eat it on the beach (be prepared to wait though - they cook the burgers to order so it will be about 15 minutes or so). http://www.verasburgershack.com/
> 
> 16. Milestones - 1210 Denman Street  I remember coming here on my first night in Vancouver almost 20 years ago! They make awesome Bellinis. The food is good and the price is about average for a similar restaurant (trendy after work crowd but you could also bring kids  more of a sit down restaurant than the others in this area). They also have a weekend brunch. http://www.milestonesrestaurants.com/
> 
> 17. The Boathouse: 1795 Beach Ave  Seafood place, a little pricey but the food is good and the view from the deck is awesome. I have taken my kids to one of their other locations and it was not a problem but this location is quite busy so not sure I would bring them. Its also not great if youre looking for a quiet intimate meal  (traditionally the Boathouse is what I would consider an upscale restaurant but I think this location is a little more casual than the other locations)  http://boathouserestaurants.ca/
> 
> There are lots more than I mentioned as well  you will easily find something to your liking just by walking up and down the street.
> 
> A couple of other quick mentions  Granville Street between Robson and Davie has a ton of quick serve, fast food type of places if you are looking for a quick snack or lunch on the go.
> 
> If you are staying at the Wall Centre or Sutton Place there are two little out of the way places that are inexpensive and yummy for a quick service meal:
> 18. Tokyo Joes (Sushi and Japanese) - 955 Helmcken St
> 19. One Saigon (Vietnamese)  979 Hornby Street
> 
> 
> 20. Roque Kitchen and Wetbar  - Inside Waterfront Station at the terminal - really yummy  not so much kid friendly although I think you could take them http://www.roguewetbar.com/
> 
> 21. Joeys - Saving the best for last my favourite place is Joeys  there are a couple of different ones but I always go to the one on Burrard just up from Robson 820 Burrard Street  The lettuce wraps are sooooo good. The butter chicken is awesome. I also love the lobster grilled cheese, yam fries, souvlaki and most of the appetizers! (dont order the gyoza though bleh). Two of my coworkers order the Ahi Tuna club and Baja fish tacos every time and swear by it.  http://www.joeyrestaurants.com/burrard
> 
> Phew that should keep you guys eating for awhile!




Thank you so much for taking the time to share all this info!!

Heather


----------



## RedSox68

CruznLexi said:


> Anyone have any input about China town? It seems they have a night festival on the weekends.



It was okay.  Very large.  Much better than the one in Maui.  But I cannot recommend eating there.  The restaurant we tried (Hon --from a suggestion from the bus driver) was awful and most of the food was unidentifiable. 

However, the gardens there are just gorgeous and we really enjoyed that!  The store has some beautiful items as souvenirs also.  

We used the Pink Bus -- pay one flat price and get on and off all day.  Best thing we did!  And do not miss Granville Island -- also along the route.


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## RedSox68

dizzyr said:


> Yes Pan Pacific is definitely in the downtown core. You can easily get by without a vehicle there.
> 
> To get to grouse you would take the seabus right at waterfront station (which is only a minute or two from the hotel) to Lonsdale Quay (takes about 10 min) and then bus #236 right to Grouse Mountain skyride (half an hour or so).
> 
> To get to Capilano it's the same route but you would get off the bus a few stops before Grouse. Easy Peasy!
> 
> The adult fare is $4.00 and child is $2.75 - it's good for the seabus, skytrain and bus any direction for 90 minutes. An all day pay is good on all three zones for the whole day for $9.75 or child $7.50
> 
> Stanley Park is about a 3km walk from the Pan Pacific. It's a really easy route basically you walk to Georgia Street and take it all the way to Stanley Park - maybe half an hour?



Right out front of Pan Pacific they have booths for the Big Red Bus and the Pink Bus.  You buy one ticket and jump on and off all day.  Day one we took the bus all the way around to see everything, then decided where to start.  We got to Stanley Park this way.  Great because you get off, get the free Stanley Park shuttle and then get back to your bus stop and wait to go back to Pan.  We got a great deal of a two-day ticket and it was soooo worth it.

Food:  We ate at Bellaggio Cafe at the Convention Center for dinner -- excellent; Mahoney & Sons Pub -- also excellent.  And for breakfast one morning we ate at Scoozi's.  It's a Greek restaurant but the breakfast was amazing, and it was an easy walk from Pan Pacific.

And Japadog does have a sit down location -- it was far from Pan pacific, but can't remember the street.


----------



## dizzyr

Mackie Mouse said:


> dizzyr - these are GREAT tips!  Coast seems like it will be up our alley for a nice dinner, if we feel like it...and Luke's and Joey's also sound awesome.  However...we may find ourselves saving money and touring the food trucks, which seems excellent.  I know trying a Japadog was on our agenda, so food trucking it all weekend could be perfect
> 
> I read your post about Stanley Park, and it is awesome! We will be missing the fireworks competition by about a month, but it did occur to me that our cruise leaves on Canada Day.  Do you know if any fireworks/celebrations happen around the city and are work checking out?



There will be some but they will all be on the 1st so if you leave that day you will miss them. 

You may also be interested in Granville island - that's the next post I'm working on so be sure to check it out when it's done. Love love love Granville island


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## TwingleMomFl

My kids and I want to do some zip lining while in Vancouver. Is one place better than the other? We are also renting a car and going up to whistler.


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## dizzyr

TwingleMomFl said:


> My kids and I want to do some zip lining while in Vancouver. Is one place better than the other? We are also renting a car and going up to whistler.



A friend of mine just went - I'll find out which one she used and let you know.


----------



## smiley_face2

Mackie Mouse said:


> Great to have you here!  Since you're a native, the bit of planning I have yet to do for our trip - which includes some time in Vancouver - involves food.  We are staying at the Westin Grand (on Robson St., near Yaletown) and are looking for a couple of cool spots to have dinner.  We do plan to hit Gastown, Granville Island, Grouse Mountain, the Capilano Suspension Bridge, and Stanley Park...maybe more if we can find the time (we have three full days).
> 
> So, given those geographic areas...where to eat?  DH and I consider ourselves "foodies," so anything that you think is a must-eat works for us.  We love Sushi, Indian, seafood, and a good gastropub.  In fact, I'd say a place to grab an awesome Pacific Northwest craft beer, and a place to grab some awesome sushi would be our top two requests.  The only thing we really don't like is chains...why eat exactly what you can get at home if you're visiting someplace new? Does anything in particular come to mind?



Dizzyr had some great suggestions! especially the Kobe  Japanese Steak house! We are not big fans of Cactus Club though, prefer The Keg for that type of food and atmosphere. In Stanley Park there is The Teahouse which has outstanding food for "foodies" lol... a bit pricey but excellent! Also The Fishhouse, and the view and locations are just unreal. There is another spot there, in the park, for lunch only, more of a fish and chips and burger place, we don't like much, but the location is cool, like dining in a giant tree fort! There are so many good places to eat on Granville Island, you should just walk around and see what takes your fancy, It's an extremely popular trendy spot, you really can't go wrong with anywhere you eat there. And it is the home of the Granvillle Island Brewery (Cypress honey lager yummmm) they do tours and tastings. In the downtown core, there is Gotham Steakhouse, again pricey but OMG good! You can't go up Grouse mountain and not eat at The Observatory!! it is pricey but includes the price of the gondola ride up the mountain, so is actually a good deal. Just make sure to reserve ahead. In Gastown The Old Spaghetti Factory is fun to eat at, a real Gas Town institution, pretty standard food though. L'Abattoir is where to go for really good food. I will keep thinking and add more as I come up with them


----------



## Mackie Mouse

dizzyr said:


> There will be some but they will all be on the 1st so if you leave that day you will miss them.
> 
> You may also be interested in Granville island - that's the next post I'm working on so be sure to check it out when it's done. Love love love Granville island



Can't wait to read it when it's done!  I'm definitely looking forward to spending some time there.  A friend of a friend who's a Vancouver native recommended the bistro (Bistro 101) run by a culinary school there for an amazing meal...definitely looking forward to that.  Would love to hear what you have to say about good places to browse out there.  

It's OK if we miss the fireworks - my thinking was that sometimes out here fireworks happen the weekend before the 4th of July, depending on the place, and that we might get lucky.

In seeking general advice, here's how I envisioned our three days looking.  Let me know if this seems reasonable or if you have other suggestions: 

Day 1 (Sat, June 29): Bus ourselves up to Grouse Mountain and the Capilano Suspension Bridge; eat the expense because hey, we're tourists.  (Supposedly the Grouse Grind would be somewhat doable for us, but I worry about a pulled muscle or an achy back kicking off our whole trip! I also know that there is another suspension bridge that's free nearby...but it's not as accessible without a car, as far as I can tell.) Head back downtown for dinner...somewhere.  

Day 2 (Sun, June 30): Rent a bike and spend a ton of time in Stanley Park, rain or shine (hopefully shine).  Maybe get lunch there, or back near our hotel (The Westin Grand), or in Gastown if for some reason we get an early enough start.  Spend the late afternoon/evening exploring Gastown.  Again, grab dinner...somewhere. 

Day 3 (Monday, July 8 - after the cruise): Debark ship, check into our post-cruise hotel (The Sheraton Wall Centre), and spend the day on Granville Island. Do lunch or dinner at Bistro 101.  

Thoughts? Input? Other things we should look into doing, especially in the evenings?  Keep in mind me are traveling sans kids and are relatively young (late 20's/early 30's).


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## Mackie Mouse

smiley_face2 said:


> Dizzyr had some great suggestions! especially the Kobe  Japanese Steak house! We are not big fans of Cactus Club though, prefer The Keg for that type of food and atmosphere. In Stanley Park there is The Teahouse which has outstanding food for "foodies" lol... a bit pricey but excellent! Also The Fishhouse, and the view and locations are just unreal. There is another spot there, in the park, for lunch only, more of a fish and chips and burger place, we don't like much, but the location is cool, like dining in a giant tree fort! There are so many good places to eat on Granville Island, you should just walk around and see what takes your fancy, It's an extremely popular trendy spot, you really can't go wrong with anywhere you eat there. And it is the home of the Granvillle Island Brewery (Cypress honey lager yummmm) they do tours and tastings. In the downtown core, there is Gotham Steakhouse, again pricey but OMG good! You can't go up Grouse mountain and not eat at The Observatory!! it is pricey but includes the price of the gondola ride up the mountain, so is actually a good deal. Just make sure to reserve ahead. In Gastown The Old Spaghetti Factory is fun to eat at, a real Gas Town institution, pretty standard food though. L'Abattoir is where to go for really good food. I will keep thinking and add more as I come up with them



Awesome advice!  We were definitely hoping to hit up the Granville Island Brewery  Eating at the Observatory sounds like a great idea, actually, especially if it will save us money on the tickets to Grouse Mountain!  How far in advance would I need to make a reservation?  

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the suggestions!!

Evening activities worth checking out would also be welcome


----------



## smiley_face2

Mackie Mouse said:


> Awesome advice!  We were definitely hoping to hit up the Granville Island Brewery  Eating at the Observatory sounds like a great idea, actually, especially if it will save us money on the tickets to Grouse Mountain!  How far in advance would I need to make a reservation?
> 
> Thank you, thank you, thank you for the suggestions!!
> 
> Evening activities worth checking out would also be welcome



Considering it's a long holiday weekend, I would book asap, you can always cancel if you change your mind! Then you can be assured of reserving a table with an awesome view too  Sun sets pretty late in July, but if you can be having your dinner up there and catch the sunset it will be magical 
Also by then the new Flyin Over Canada attraction (same as the Soarin over California ride at Disneyland's California Adventure) will be open so don't miss that! it's right at the Canada Place cruise ship terminal.
Oh...and I don't know if you know about the little "water taxi" type boats that you can catch at Granville Island and will take you to I think 3 different stops where you can get off see the sites then catch the next boat. One stop is the Vancouver Museum and Maritime Museum which are pretty interesting. Even just boating around the bay enjoying the sights and hopefully warm sunny day is awesome!


----------



## Mackie Mouse

smiley_face2 said:


> Considering it's a long holiday weekend, I would book asap, you can always cancel if you change your mind! Then you can be assured of reserving a table with an awesome view too  Sun sets pretty late in July, but if you can be having your dinner up there and catch the sunset it will be magical
> Also by then the new Flyin Over Canada attraction (same as the Soarin over California ride at Disneyland's California Adventure) will be open so don't miss that! it's right at the Canada Place cruise ship terminal.



I went online just now and made the reservation through OpenTable, before you even responded  

I also e-mailed, since it looks like the complimentary tickets might only be good for the time after our dinner.  I really would love to see Grouse for the afternoon, and then have dinner (we could easily bring a change of clothes with us) - do you think this is possible, or would we lose out on the free ticket this way?  

The Flyin' Over Canada attraction does look like fun...we'll have to check it out.


----------



## dizzyr

smiley_face2 said:


> :
> Also by then the new Flyin Over Canada attraction (same as the Soarin over California ride at Disneyland's California Adventure) will be open so don't miss that! it's right at the Canada Place cruise ship terminal.



I need more info on this!!


----------



## smiley_face2

Mackie Mouse said:


> I went online just now and made the reservation through OpenTable, before you even responded
> 
> I also e-mailed, since it looks like the complimentary tickets might only be good for the time after our dinner.  I really would love to see Grouse for the afternoon, and then have dinner (we could easily bring a change of clothes with us) - do you think this is possible, or would we lose out on the free ticket this way?
> 
> The Flyin' Over Canada attraction does look like fun...we'll have to check it out.



Well they are open for dinner from 5 to 10, the skyride which is the gondola up the mountain, is included with your advance reservation. When you arrive at the base of the mountain, they will have a list with your names/reservation so up you go for free. You should head up at least 30 minutes before your dinner reservation time. The meals to have the free ticket start at 39. but when you factor in the fact that the ticket to get up the mountain on the gondola alone is $39. it's one of those wow things! lol and I do not believe there is a time limit on how early you can go up, as long as you have your advance dinner reservation. so yes taking a change of clothes would work!
edited to add the direct phone number for them in case you want to make sure your reservation through open table is showing with them so you get your free $39 tickets up the mountain! 
1.604.980.9311


----------



## Mackie Mouse

dizzyr said:


> I need more info on this!!



Here are some links: 
http://www.flyovercanada.com/

http://www.hellobc.com/activitylist...nada.aspx?KWDS=&LOCID=3&NBY=False&FLID=3&PN=1

https://www.facebook.com/flyovercanada

The Facebook page in particular has some really cool updates.


----------



## smiley_face2

dizzyr said:


> I need more info on this!!



I made a post on it a few pages back, but here is the link again to both their website and their facebook page 
http://www.flyovercanada.com/
https://www.facebook.com/flyovercanada
Can't wait for this!!


----------



## Mackie Mouse

smiley_face2 said:


> Well they are open for dinner from 5 to 10, the skyride which is the gondola up the mountain, is included with your advance reservation. When you arrive at the base of the mountain, they will have a list with your names/reservation so up you go for free. You should head up at least 30 minutes before your dinner reservation time. The meals to have the free ticket start at 39. but when you factor in the fact that the ticket to get up the mountain on the gondola alone is $39. it's one of those wow things! lol and I do not believe there is a time limit on how early you can go up, as long as you have your advance dinner reservation. so yes taking a change of clothes would work!
> edited to add the direct phone number for them in case you want to make sure your reservation through open table is showing with them so you get your free $39 tickets up the mountain!
> 1.604.980.9311



Thanks!  I'm hesitant to call as I would definitely be charged for making a call internationally, so hopefully they will get back to me via e-mail that we can show up early afternoon, enjoy the attractions for a few hours, and then change for dinner.  The website recommended showing up "15-20 minutes before your dinner reservation" for the Skyride, which is what made me nervous about spending the day there beforehand.  Makes it seem like the discount is just too good to be true!  ...But apparently it's not!


----------



## smiley_face2

Mackie Mouse said:


> Here are some links:
> http://www.flyovercanada.com/
> 
> http://www.hellobc.com/activitylist...nada.aspx?KWDS=&LOCID=3&NBY=False&FLID=3&PN=1
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/flyovercanada
> 
> The Facebook page in particular has some really cool updates.



Lol....you beat me to it!


----------



## smiley_face2

Mackie Mouse said:


> Thanks!  I'm hesitant to call as I would definitely be charged for making a call internationally, so hopefully they will get back to me via e-mail that we can show up early afternoon, enjoy the attractions for a few hours, and then change for dinner.  The website recommended showing up "15-20 minutes before your dinner reservation" for the Skyride, which is what made me nervous about spending the day there beforehand.  Makes it seem like the discount is just too good to be true!  ...But apparently it's not!



If you don't hear back soon, let me know and I will call for you!


----------



## Mackie Mouse

smiley_face2 said:


> If you don't hear back soon, let me know and I will call for you!



You are way too kind!  I just got a response (great customer service already - now I'm definitely on board with going): 

"Hello Heather,

Greetings from the Peak of Vancouver!

Your Skyride tickets can be picked up at the Ticket Center by the
Skyride entrance or in Guest Services. As you have already made
reservations, they will have a list with the names that you have
reserved for and be able to provide you with your tickets. You are
welcome to visit as early as 3 hours before your reservation time.
However, they only get the reservations list at the base of the mountain
around 4pm so they may not see your name if you arrive earlier than
that. The worst case scenario if you arrive earlier would be for you to
purchase an admission ticket and they can reimburse the price of the
ticket through your meal at the restaurant. Please keep in mind that
each person will need to enjoy an entree at the restaurant in order to
cover the cost of the Skyride.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.

Kind Regards,

Ady Tang
Guest Services Representative
Phone: 604.980.9311 
Fax: 604.984.6360"

The best of all possible answers!  Thanks so much for this recommendation.


----------



## smiley_face2

Mackie Mouse said:


> You are way too kind!  I just got a response (great customer service already - now I'm definitely on board with going):
> 
> "Hello Heather,
> 
> Greetings from the Peak of Vancouver!
> 
> Your Skyride tickets can be picked up at the Ticket Center by the
> Skyride entrance or in Guest Services. As you have already made
> reservations, they will have a list with the names that you have
> reserved for and be able to provide you with your tickets. You are
> welcome to visit as early as 3 hours before your reservation time.
> However, they only get the reservations list at the base of the mountain
> around 4pm so they may not see your name if you arrive earlier than
> that. The worst case scenario if you arrive earlier would be for you to
> purchase an admission ticket and they can reimburse the price of the
> ticket through your meal at the restaurant. Please keep in mind that
> each person will need to enjoy an entree at the restaurant in order to
> cover the cost of the Skyride.
> 
> Please feel free to contact us if you have any further questions.
> 
> Kind Regards,
> 
> Ady Tang
> Guest Services Representative
> Phone: 604.980.9311
> Fax: 604.984.6360"
> 
> The best of all possible answers!  Thanks so much for this recommendation.



 awesome!! have you looked online at their menu? This has me wanting to go again, it has been far too long! Hubby always get the "steak" and I always get the seafood, like now it's scallops, then we share and both have "surf and turf" lol.... have you looked online also at pictures from up there? such an amazing view!!


----------



## Spart02

We are staying at the Pan Pacific and planning on sending our luggage down, so will plan on tipping per bag for that.  When we return from the cruise, we will be picking up a rental car at Canada Place.  For those of you who have done that, can you please describe how that process works?  Are there porters there that will handle our bags, or is it just easier if we do it on our own?  Is it easy to find the rental car area?  Also, what other uses of Canadian money can you think of that we would have?  We hope to charge all dining on a Visa that does not have a foreign transaction fee.  
Also, on the way to the Pan Pacific, we will be using the Skytrain to get from the Vancouver Airport to the Pan Pacific.  I read that most of the Skytrain terminals have ticket machines that you can use a credit card to purchase your tickets.  Would you please verify this for me?
Thanks for all of the info!  We are less than a month away and it's beginning to get very real!  We're trying to iron out all of the little details.


----------



## dizzyr

Spart02 said:


> We are staying at the Pan Pacific and planning on sending our luggage down, so will plan on tipping per bag for that.  When we return from the cruise, we will be picking up a rental car at Canada Place.  For those of you who have done that, can you please describe how that process works?  Are there porters there that will handle our bags, or is it just easier if we do it on our own?  Is it easy to find the rental car area?  Also, what other uses of Canadian money can you think of that we would have?  We hope to charge all dining on a Visa that does not have a foreign transaction fee.
> Also, on the way to the Pan Pacific, we will be using the Skytrain to get from the Vancouver Airport to the Pan Pacific.  I read that most of the Skytrain terminals have ticket machines that you can use a credit card to purchase your tickets.  Would you please verify this for me?
> Thanks for all of the info!  We are less than a month away and it's beginning to get very real!  We're trying to iron out all of the little details.



You can definitely use credit cards on the skytrain machines but not on the buses so if there is a bus portion of your trip and you won't be starting at a skytrain have some change. (The actual ticket is good for both bus and skytrain for  90 min any direction)


----------



## dizzyr

Also if you are going to eat from any of the food trucks or street meat (hot dog vendors  ) then you'll prob need cash for that too. Not sure they are all (if any) set up to take credit cards.


----------



## mouselike-harrier

Would you recommend exchanging US dollars for Canadian dollars?  We will be staying in Vancouver 2 days before and 2 days after the cruise.


----------



## msbiscuit

mouselike-harrier said:


> Would you recommend exchanging US dollars for Canadian dollars?  We will be staying in Vancouver 2 days before and 2 days after the cruise.



I didn't have any trouble in Vancouver using US dollars. Most places charged a little more due to the exchange rate, but willingly took the cash. When tipping, I added a few more dollars to make up the difference.


----------



## bumbershoot

mouselike-harrier said:


> Would you recommend exchanging US dollars for Canadian dollars?  We will be staying in Vancouver 2 days before and 2 days after the cruise.



While we have never had anyone turn down our American dollars if for some reason it's all we had, and they figure out the exchange rate in their heads and give you Canadian money in change, we usually just get cash out.  

For the life of me I cannot remember the name of the ATM we use, but it's on the street Sutton Place is on, just before Robson.  It's a green signed ATM, and it has very low fees (on our credit union end, too).  It's WELL worth it to stop by there and get some cash, for us at least.

After changing money at the airport once (seatac) and being ripped off beyond belief (especially when coming home and changing it back), getting the cash out of the ATM has been WAY better for us.


----------



## dizzyr

That ATM is TD/Canada Trust. 

It used to be my bank and when I went to the states I always did the reverse - used a US ATM to get out US cash so I know it's on the same system as the US and you can find the green machines everywhere as they are one of the top 5 banks in Canada. Now I'm with a credit union and my card doesn't work everywhere in the US so I bring US cash with me. 

Pretty much everyone will take US cash but they will often just pull a figure out of their head for the exchange and you can take it or leave it. Not all of them will be accurate!


----------



## mouselike-harrier

Thank you! I never thought of just pulling money out of an ATM.  That's what I will definitely do!


----------



## richmo

mouselike-harrier said:


> Would you recommend exchanging US dollars for Canadian dollars?  We will be staying in Vancouver 2 days before and 2 days after the cruise.



Might not be a bad idea to do that.  Also keep in mind that most US issued credit cards will hit you with a foreign transaction fee for each time you charge something.  If there's still time, there are cards available that do not have that transaction fee.  I think Discover has one and I think Chase has one.  In any event, before you leave, check the fine print on any credit card you may be using in Canada to see what are the terms of foreign transactions.


----------



## mouselike-harrier

richmo said:


> Might not be a bad idea to do that.  Also keep in mind that most US issued credit cards will hit you with a foreign transaction fee for each time you charge something.  If there's still time, there are cards available that do not have that transaction fee.  I think Discover has one and I think Chase has one.  In any event, before you leave, check the fine print on any credit card you may be using in Canada to see what are the terms of foreign transactions.


----------



## emilyann415

We are staying at the Pan Pacific, but I remember reading somewhere a while back that the Fairmont has a rescue bulldog that they adopted and it wears a bellman uniform.  My DD-6 would love this and we would be willing to go to brunch across the road just to see him.  Is he still there?  Did I dream the whole thing?  Anyone know?


----------



## msbiscuit

emilyann415 said:


> We are staying at the Pan Pacific, but I remember reading somewhere a while back that the Fairmont has a rescue bulldog that they adopted and it wears a bellman uniform.  My DD-6 would love this and we would be willing to go to brunch across the road just to see him.  Is he still there?  Did I dream the whole thing?  Anyone know?



I stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront in September and asked at the concierge desk about the dog. I was told he'd 'retired', but the dog at the Fairmont Downtown was still 'working'.


----------



## meajuly5

msbiscuit said:


> I stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront in September and asked at the concierge desk about the dog. I was told he'd 'retired', but the dog at the Fairmont Downtown was still 'working'.



Did you have. The bellman bring your bags to the cruise ship? I am to,d they will do this from the waterfront ? How did you lie the hotel?


----------



## msbiscuit

meajuly5 said:


> Did you have. The bellman bring your bags to the cruise ship? I am to,d they will do this from the waterfront ? How did you lie the hotel?



Yes, bell services took my 2 suitcases over to Canada Place. 
I loved the hotel. I stayed on their Gold Floor and was blown away by the terrace, the quality and quantity of the food offerings (it was a full breakfast!) and the genuine friendliness of the staff. My room overlooked Canada Place and I could watch the seaplanes taking off, as well as the cruise ships departing. Can't wait to go back next year!


----------



## meajuly5

msbiscuit said:


> Yes, bell services took my 2 suitcases over to Canada Place.
> I loved the hotel. I stayed on their Gold Floor and was blown away by the terrace, the quality and quantity of the food offerings (it was a full breakfast!) and the genuine friendliness of the staff. My room overlooked Canada Place and I could watch the seaplanes taking off, as well as the cruise ships departing. Can't wait to go back next year!



Thanks so much!!! Sounds great.


----------



## KelseyLaPerle

We are staying at the delta Vancouver airport. They have a shuttle service for $15 per person to get us from the hotel to the cruise terminal. Is this a fair price? Would we save money by using a taxi instead? Are there other options that I may be overlooking?
Thanks!

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards


----------



## Cmbar

KelseyLaPerle said:


> We are staying at the delta Vancouver airport. They have a shuttle service for $15 per person to get us from the hotel to the cruise terminal. Is this a fair price? Would we save money by using a taxi instead? Are there other options that I may be overlooking?
> Thanks!
> 
> Sent from my iPad using DISBoards



Bumping because I would love to know the answer to this!  Thanks


----------



## jilljill

KelseyLaPerle said:


> We are staying at the delta Vancouver airport. They have a shuttle service for $15 per person to get us from the hotel to the cruise terminal. Is this a fair price? Would we save money by using a taxi instead? Are there other options that I may be overlooking?
> Thanks!
> 
> Sent from my iPad using DISBoards





Cmbar said:


> Bumping because I would love to know the answer to this!  Thanks



We took a taxi from Canada Place to the Sheraton Vancouver Airport on Westminster Hwy and the cost was a little over $37 - we just got off the Wonder on 6/3/13.  If you have 3 or 4 in your party it would be cheaper to take a taxi, but 2 will be cheaper to use the hotel shuttle.


----------



## scottrob

jilljill said:


> We took a taxi from Canada Place to the Sheraton Vancouver Airport on Westminster Hwy and the cost was a little over $37 - we just got off the Wonder on 6/3/13.  If you have 3 or 4 in your party it would be cheaper to take a taxi, but 2 will be cheaper to use the hotel shuttle.



We took a taxi from the Vancouver Airport to Canada Place on the same cruise (awesome cruise by the way) and the cost was about the same plus tip.

Enjoy your cruise.


----------



## april1401

Hello
We are going on the Alaska cruise at the end of next month.  Once the cruise is over, we have paid for ground transportation to take us to the airport from the cruise terminal.  But our plane does not leave until late, late, late that evening.  Does anyone know if we can check our luggage in early at the airport and then tour Vancouver before the plane leaves to go home?  I would like to do that as our flights do not depart until around 10pm.  
Thanks!


----------



## NWmom

emilyann415 said:


> We are staying at the Pan Pacific, but I remember reading somewhere a while back that the Fairmont has a rescue bulldog that they adopted and it wears a bellman uniform.  My DD-6 would love this and we would be willing to go to brunch across the road just to see him.  Is he still there?  Did I dream the whole thing?  Anyone know?



We went looking for this dog in 2011 and was also told he was retired. We did go to the other hotel mentioned and did see that dog "working"

He had a hard job being loved on by people that missed their dog like us.


----------



## modisneychick

april1401 said:


> Hello
> We are going on the Alaska cruise at the end of next month.  Once the cruise is over, we have paid for ground transportation to take us to the airport from the cruise terminal.  But our plane does not leave until late, late, late that evening.  Does anyone know if we can check our luggage in early at the airport and then tour Vancouver before the plane leaves to go home?  I would like to do that as our flights do not depart until around 10pm.
> Thanks!



You can check in three hours prior to your flight.  There were a lot of us waiting around in the airport to check in last week.  It takes about an hour to get through all the security/immigration if you are flying back to the US.


----------



## bumbershoot

> Does anyone know if we can check our luggage in early at the airport and then tour Vancouver before the plane leaves to go home?



Unless there's a way to have your bags checked without going to the airport (I have NO idea if DCL does that remote checkin like they do in Florida), I would do something else with your bags.  Most people touring Vancouver aren't touring the area near the airport, so you would be wasting quite a bit of your time getting to and from the airport, without much time after checking bags to do any touring.


----------



## KittyKat1978

I haven't read through the 152 pages so I don't know if this question has been ask/answered.

I am wondering if any Canadians have used their Nexus cards at the Vancouver port?  Is there a special line?  Was it faster?

Thanks


----------



## smiley_face2

april1401 said:


> Hello
> We are going on the Alaska cruise at the end of next month.  Once the cruise is over, we have paid for ground transportation to take us to the airport from the cruise terminal.  But our plane does not leave until late, late, late that evening.  Does anyone know if we can check our luggage in early at the airport and then tour Vancouver before the plane leaves to go home?  I would like to do that as our flights do not depart until around 10pm.
> Thanks!



What Bumbershoot said is correct. It is approximately a 30 min. Drive to the airport from the cruise ship terminal, it is not something I would choose to do knowing the city well as I do. Hopefully you can arrange to have your luggage sent on without you, or have them held somewhere at the cruise ship terminal until you are ready to fly out.


----------



## dizzyr

If you are not going to be driving around Vancouver it's totally doable. You could take ground transportation and luggage to the airport and try to check in your bags. If you are unable to check in then there is a luggage storage place both in the domestics and international terminals. It's starts at $8 per item for 24 hours. 

Once your luggage is taken care of you can hop on the sky train and head back downtown and spend the day in the city looking around or take in Stanley park or Granville island.


----------



## tink too

april1401 said:


> Hello
> We are going on the Alaska cruise at the end of next month.  Once the cruise is over, we have paid for ground transportation to take us to the airport from the cruise terminal.  But our plane does not leave until late, late, late that evening.  Does anyone know if we can check our luggage in early at the airport and then tour Vancouver before the plane leaves to go home?  I would like to do that as our flights do not depart until around 10pm.
> Thanks!



I'm sure that there's a luggage storage service at the port - I read about it in a TR on here and on another popular cruise board.


----------



## Never to old

Just saw on face book that they have started selling tickets online for the fly over Canada attraction at Canada Place


----------



## *pixie*

Never to old said:


> Just saw on face book that they have started selling tickets online for the fly over Canada attraction at Canada Place



Thanks for the info!  Can't wait to try this!


----------



## Debbru

Never to old said:


> Just saw on face book that they have started selling tickets online for the fly over Canada attraction at Canada Place



Thanks for the heads up!  Just bought priority boarding tickets for the day before our July cruise.


----------



## smiley_face2

Never to old said:


> Just saw on face book that they have started selling tickets online for the fly over Canada attraction at Canada Place



this is so great for people to be able to make sure they can ride the attraction when they are in port before or after their cruise  For us, it's a matter of looking up the cruise ship schedule and going on a day when there is not a ship in port!


----------



## Missnanc

I've been racking my brain on what to do once we leave the ship in Vancouver. Unfortunately our flight does not leave until 10:45 pm, so we have quite a while to hang out. And I do not want to hang out in the airport. We could store our bags at $8.00 a piece (x 6), then pay $30-40or more (x 3) for some tour. This is what I've come up with.........rent a car, throw our luggage in the trunk and do our own sightseeing.  What do ya'll think?


----------



## son3disfan

This is what we have planned. National rental ( and Alamo) are right at the cruise terminal. We might tour Stanley park and have a late lunch.
We were able to get a standard car for $56.00.
Dropping it off at the airport for our 6 pm flight.


----------



## Missnanc

After looking at the prices, I think that might just be what we should do. What site did you book your car through?


----------



## son3disfan

Missnanc said:


> After looking at the prices, I think that might just be what we should do. What site did you book your car through?



National, with the entertainment card discount and free upgrade.


----------



## april1401

dizzyr said:


> If you are not going to be driving around Vancouver it's totally doable. You could take ground transportation and luggage to the airport and try to check in your bags. If you are unable to check in then there is a luggage storage place both in the domestics and international terminals. It's starts at $8 per item for 24 hours.
> 
> Once your luggage is taken care of you can hop on the sky train and head back downtown and spend the day in the city looking around or take in Stanley park or Granville island.





tink said:


> I'm sure that there's a luggage storage service at the port - I read about it in a TR on here and on another popular cruise board.



Thanks for all the responses and the help!  I really do appreciate it.


----------



## Spart02

I feel as if I should say something regarding Granville Island.  It's a cute touristy spot, but apparently they are having an issue with theft there that I thought I should warn you about.  On our recent trip, we parked our rental Dodge Grand Caravan right near one of the Information booths in a very busy area.  It was broken into and we had a ton of stuff stolen.  Before the security officer even saw our vehicle, he asked if it was a Grand Caravan.  I guess they have had a lot of them broken into recently.  He also said that day that a bike rack that was bolted to the ground was removed and all of the bikes were taken.  From what the security guy told us, it sounds like they are having a lot of problems with theft.  

Also, just an FYI...trip insurance (or at least, ours) doesn't covered items left in an unattended vehicle regardless of whether or not it is locked.


----------



## IBelieveInTheMagic

Spart02 said:


> I feel as if I should say something regarding Granville Island.  It's a cute touristy spot, but apparently they are having an issue with theft there that I thought I should warn you about.  On our recent trip, we parked our rental Dodge Grand Caravan right near one of the Information booths in a very busy area.  It was broken into and we had a ton of stuff stolen.  Before the security officer even saw our vehicle, he asked if it was a Grand Caravan.  I guess they have had a lot of them broken into recently.  He also said that day that a bike rack that was bolted to the ground was removed and all of the bikes were taken.  From what the security guy told us, it sounds like they are having a lot of problems with theft.
> 
> Also, just an FYI...trip insurance (or at least, ours) doesn't covered items left in an unattended vehicle regardless of whether or not it is locked.



Again, so very sorry to hear this happened to you guys!!    Mean people suck however it's nice to warn others as well.  

Take care,
Heather


----------



## quarkwright

Spart02 said:


> Also, just an FYI...trip insurance (or at least, ours) doesn't covered items left in an unattended vehicle regardless of whether or not it is locked.



If you have homeowners or renters insurance, check with them.  I used to be an insurance rep in Canada, and our policies covered theft of items away from home --- I think anywhere worldwide, but for sure anywhere in North America.


----------



## Missnanc

Just got back from Alaska...our original plan for us was to rent a car as sight see in Vancouver while waiting for our flight back.  Instead, we placed our luggage in a holding area at the airport (can't think of the name right now, on the second floor in domestic claim area, $32 for 6 pieces).  Then took a 15 minute cab ride to Stevenston village. Very pretty little town, there is a really nice park with large playground and water playground for the kids (wish I had known and I would have taken DGD swim suit). McDonalds is across the street along with lots of quaint shops, down the road is the Museum/post office. Here we learned the town is actually the town "Storybrook" from Once upon a time. I've never watched the show, but the postmaster said the village street scenes are filmed there.  There is a fish cannery museum nearby and fisherman's wharf, lots of shops and diners on the boardwalk.  Be sure to check out Timothy's for great ice cream in a delicious "made while you wait" waffle cone.  We had a great time there and didn't cost that much.


----------



## Mackie Mouse

We returned from the July 1 Alaskan cruise this week, and I wanted to share a bit of what we did in Vancouver, since we had a very enjoyable time in the city both before and after our cruise. 

Hotels: We stayed at the Westin Grand before our cruise (booked through Priceline for $146/night).  This really was a great hotel for the price.  We had a one-bedroom suite with a kitchenette and a fold-out sofa that was more than adequate for the two of us and would have been a great arrangement for a family of up to four.  The hotel had a very nice outdoor (!!) pool on the 3rd floor in a well-appointed patio area (they have live music and appetizers out there a couple of times a week - very swanky!).  The concierge at the hotel was a humongous help, as well.  Overall, a terrific experience and we wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.  The hotel is located right on Robson Street (only a few blocks away from the famous downtown shipping district) and is right nextdoor to the Vancouver Public library, which is a pretty well-known landmark downtown.  

After our cruise, we stayed for one night at the Sheraton Wall Centre, which we booked on Hotwire for only $97/night.  Admittedly, we liked the amenities at the Westin a bit more, but the view from the Sheraton was quite nice and it definitely was nice for the price.  Finding the pool here after a long day of walking was quite a chore, though. 

Seawall and Stanley Park: It was about a ten-block walk from the Westin Grand out to the seawall - very reasonable.  We started out near the floatplane dock and strolled all the way down to Stanley Park, which took us less than an hour.  From there we stopped at Spokes (on the corner of Denman St. - you can't miss it!) and rented two bikes.  We spent the next two hours biking the entire perimeter of Stanley Park, which took about two hours.  The scenery was stunning and this was truly my favorite experience anywhere in Vancouver.  Would HIGHLY recommend doing this!  For those with small children, tandem bikes and bikes with infant seats were available.  The biking was very flat all the way around and many children were biking with their families all day long.  

Gastown: Worth a stroll around.  Be aware - although this is a touristy area, the homeless are very prevalent here, and if you wander too far east you will stray out of Gastown basically onto skid row.  The steam clock is worth stopping at around the top of the hour to see and hear, and there are lots of great restaurants around aside from the Old Spaghetti Factory.  We ate at The Flying Pig, which was absolutely delicious and not too expensive.  They had some great local brews on tap, and the short ribs I ate were to die for!  It was a terrific first dinner in the city, and was recommended to us by the concierge at the hotel.  

Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain: Well worth the cost.  It is very easy to see these both in the same day, as they are geographically close.  There is a free shuttle to Capilano that runs from a number of spots downtown (Canada Place, a hotel on Robson St., to name two) and will get you there in less than a 1/2 hour.  The drive is quite pretty and takes you up over the Lions Gate Bridge.  There is a similar free shuttle to Grouse Mountain which runs only from Canada Place. Take yoru pick as to which you visit first. To get from Capilano to Grouse, the #236 bus will cost you only a dollar or two and will take you between the two directly.  Additionally, the Grouse Shuttle will sometimes drop you off at Capilano on the way back to downtown, if things aren't too busy.  

We got an early start up to Capilano and actually wound up way ahead of schedule for the day, so we decided to take the free shuttle back downtown, stroll Robson St., eat lunch at Japadog, and then walk to Canada Place and shuttle up to Grouse again for free.  This wound up being a bit of extra walking, but it helped eat up the day. 

At Grouse Mountain, you can waive the (pretty expensive) fee to ride the skyride to the top in two ways: 1) You can endure the Grouse Grind (a pretty challenging hike up the mountain that will take about 1 1/2-2 hours), or you can agree to eat an entree at the Observatory Restaurant at the top of the mountain.  We went for the latter, which wound up being a nice value.  We arrived about three hours before our scheduled 5:30 dinner and saw most everything there was to see up at Grouse (the bird show, the Lumberjack show, the Grizzly bears).  Dinner was typical upscale "touristy" fare, but the food was good and the fact that we had somewhat spendy dinners planned for vacation anyway made it a good value, since we didn't have to pay to get up the mountain. 

The Grouse shuttle stops running at 5:30, so return trip home involved a very easy ride on the 236 bus and a trip on the Seabus from Lonsdale Quay back downtown.  The trip sounds complicated at first, but is in fact very easy.  A very worthwhile day!  

Granville Island: Would highly recommend walking here if you can over the Burrard Bridge - beautiful views!  Otherwise, you can easily walk in general to the False Creek area and hop a small Aquabus (they are so cute!), which will take you all around this part of town and drop you off right at the public market.  

The food at the market is plentiful, and it reminded me a lot of Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia.  There are no bad options for food here - just eat whatever looks good to you at the time!  I would definitely recommend grabbing a pastry form one of the bakeries and/or some fresh fruit for dessert...everything is absolutely mouth-watering.  If you have small children, they can wear bathing suits under their clothes and wander over to the park and water play area on the Island if the weather is good!

As adults, we also stopped in at the Granville Island Brewery for a tasting.  The beer wasn't particularly special, but it was tasty!  Worth the $6 for three samples, for sure.  

If we had more time, we would have loved to stop at Kitsilano Beach for a bit or visit the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden in Chinatown.  Maybe nextime


----------



## Tsunami

msbiscuit said:


> Yes, bell services took my 2 suitcases over to Canada Place.
> I loved the hotel. I stayed on their Gold Floor and was blown away by the terrace, the quality and quantity of the food offerings (it was a full breakfast!) and the genuine friendliness of the staff. My room overlooked Canada Place and I could watch the seaplanes taking off, as well as the cruise ships departing. Can't wait to go back next year!



We are staying there in a few weeks as well and glad to hear you enjoyed it!  Is there a charge for bringing bags to Canada Place and where do they leave them?  We have 6 people and a whole lot of luggage!


----------



## Never to old

Mackie Mouse said:


> We returned from the July 1 Alaskan cruise this week, and I wanted to share a bit of what we did in Vancouver, since we had a very enjoyable time in the city both before and after our cruise.
> 
> Hotels: We stayed at the Westin Grand before our cruise (booked through Priceline for $146/night).  This really was a great hotel for the price.  We had a one-bedroom suite with a kitchenette and a fold-out sofa that was more than adequate for the two of us and would have been a great arrangement for a family of up to four.  The hotel had a very nice outdoor (!!) pool on the 3rd floor in a well-appointed patio area (they have live music and appetizers out there a couple of times a week - very swanky!).  The concierge at the hotel was a humongous help, as well.  Overall, a terrific experience and we wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.  The hotel is located right on Robson Street (only a few blocks away from the famous downtown shipping district) and is right nextdoor to the Vancouver Public library, which is a pretty well-known landmark downtown.
> 
> After our cruise, we stayed for one night at the Sheraton Wall Centre, which we booked on Hotwire for only $97/night.  Admittedly, we liked the amenities at the Westin a bit more, but the view from the Sheraton was quite nice and it definitely was nice for the price.  Finding the pool here after a long day of walking was quite a chore, though.
> 
> Seawall and Stanley Park: It was about a ten-block walk from the Westin Grand out to the seawall - very reasonable.  We started out near the floatplane dock and strolled all the way down to Stanley Park, which took us less than an hour.  From there we stopped at Spokes (on the corner of Denman St. - you can't miss it!) and rented two bikes.  We spent the next two hours biking the entire perimeter of Stanley Park, which took about two hours.  The scenery was stunning and this was truly my favorite experience anywhere in Vancouver.  Would HIGHLY recommend doing this!  For those with small children, tandem bikes and bikes with infant seats were available.  The biking was very flat all the way around and many children were biking with their families all day long.
> 
> Gastown: Worth a stroll around.  Be aware - although this is a touristy area, the homeless are very prevalent here, and if you wander too far east you will stray out of Gastown basically onto skid row.  The steam clock is worth stopping at around the top of the hour to see and hear, and there are lots of great restaurants around aside from the Old Spaghetti Factory.  We ate at The Flying Pig, which was absolutely delicious and not too expensive.  They had some great local brews on tap, and the short ribs I ate were to die for!  It was a terrific first dinner in the city, and was recommended to us by the concierge at the hotel.
> 
> Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain: Well worth the cost.  It is very easy to see these both in the same day, as they are geographically close.  There is a free shuttle to Capilano that runs from a number of spots downtown (Canada Place, a hotel on Robson St., to name two) and will get you there in less than a 1/2 hour.  The drive is quite pretty and takes you up over the Lions Gate Bridge.  There is a similar free shuttle to Grouse Mountain which runs only from Canada Place. Take yoru pick as to which you visit first. To get from Capilano to Grouse, the #236 bus will cost you only a dollar or two and will take you between the two directly.  Additionally, the Grouse Shuttle will sometimes drop you off at Capilano on the way back to downtown, if things aren't too busy.
> 
> We got an early start up to Capilano and actually wound up way ahead of schedule for the day, so we decided to take the free shuttle back downtown, stroll Robson St., eat lunch at Japadog, and then walk to Canada Place and shuttle up to Grouse again for free.  This wound up being a bit of extra walking, but it helped eat up the day.
> 
> At Grouse Mountain, you can waive the (pretty expensive) fee to ride the skyride to the top in two ways: 1) You can endure the Grouse Grind (a pretty challenging hike up the mountain that will take about 1 1/2-2 hours), or you can agree to eat an entree at the Observatory Restaurant at the top of the mountain.  We went for the latter, which wound up being a nice value.  We arrived about three hours before our scheduled 5:30 dinner and saw most everything there was to see up at Grouse (the bird show, the Lumberjack show, the Grizzly bears).  Dinner was typical upscale "touristy" fare, but the food was good and the fact that we had somewhat spendy dinners planned for vacation anyway made it a good value, since we didn't have to pay to get up the mountain.
> 
> The Grouse shuttle stops running at 5:30, so return trip home involved a very easy ride on the 236 bus and a trip on the Seabus from Lonsdale Quay back downtown.  The trip sounds complicated at first, but is in fact very easy.  A very worthwhile day!
> 
> Granville Island: Would highly recommend walking here if you can over the Burrard Bridge - beautiful views!  Otherwise, you can easily walk in general to the False Creek area and hop a small Aquabus (they are so cute!), which will take you all around this part of town and drop you off right at the public market.
> 
> The food at the market is plentiful, and it reminded me a lot of Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia.  There are no bad options for food here - just eat whatever looks good to you at the time!  I would definitely recommend grabbing a pastry form one of the bakeries and/or some fresh fruit for dessert...everything is absolutely mouth-watering.  If you have small children, they can wear bathing suits under their clothes and wander over to the park and water play area on the Island if the weather is good!
> 
> As adults, we also stopped in at the Granville Island Brewery for a tasting.  The beer wasn't particularly special, but it was tasty!  Worth the $6 for three samples, for sure.
> 
> If we had more time, we would have loved to stop at Kitsilano Beach for a bit or visit the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden in Chinatown.  Maybe nextime



Thank you so much for this info.  We fly into Vancouver on the 25th of this month.  We have 3 days to do things before we sail.  We were thinking about Grouse, Capilano and Stanley Park too.  Did your dinner deal at Grouse include the wind mill?  Did you book that when you got to Grouse or did you do it ahead?   I am concerned about booking ahead and not knowing about the weather.  Was fly over Canada open at the pier when you were there?  Do you think we would have enough time to Ferry over to Victoria or skip it on this trip?  Granville island you wrote about sounds nice too.


----------



## Mackie Mouse

Never to old said:


> Thank you so much for this info.  We fly into Vancouver on the 25th of this month.  We have 3 days to do things before we sail.  We were thinking about Grouse, Capilano and Stanley Park too.  Did your dinner deal at Grouse include the wind mill?  Did you book that when you got to Grouse or did you do it ahead?   I am concerned about booking ahead and not knowing about the weather.  Was fly over Canada open at the pier when you were there?  Do you think we would have enough time to Ferry over to Victoria or skip it on this trip?  Granville island you wrote about sounds nice too.



Would definitely recommend all the things we got done during our three days there.  We also purposefully underplanned our time in Vancouver, so you may be able to fit in even more than we did, depending on how "go-go-go" you feel like making your three days.  As for Victoria, I would say that going depends on your preferences, but that you should find plenty to occupy you in Vancouver for three days without ferrying over there.  My understanding is that the trip takes a solid 3-4 hours each way, so in my opinion if you want to go there you should plan on staying overnight to make the trek worth your while.  One family on our cruise did tea at the Empress there one day and said the trip back and forth was definitely a pain to do in one day.  That said, if you want to go early one morning, take in tea at the empress and Butchart Gardens, then ferry back the following morning...it will probably be very enjoyable!  You could easily see either Stanley Park or Granville Island with the time you'd have left that following afternoon, weather permitting. 

I did also completely forget to mention that we did Fly Over Canada on the morning of our cruise!  We bought tickets for that ahead of time to save a few bucks, and while it was almost exactly like Soarin' Over California, it was a worthwhile way to kill some time until we were able to embark.  We cabbed it to the port that morning with all our stuff, and Fly Over Canada took our luggage for us while we went on the ride.  We only needed to lug our baggage down to the end of Canada Place to get on the ride, and then through the convention center (back up the pier) to the cruise ship terminal.  Very convenient.  I would definitely do this first thing one morning if you can, since the line got very backed up by mid-afternoon and people were waiting for an hour and a half to ride, as reported by the staff there.  Again, the morning that you embark is a good time to fit it in 

As for Grouse, the only thing we did ahead of time was to make our dinner reservation through OpenTable.  There is a policy about canceling in advance (I think it's 24 hours? Just check), but you should be fine since you'll know what the weather will be like by that time.  At the Skyride ticket booth, the clerk called up to the restaurant to verify that we had reservations, and then we printed our ticket for us.  We could have paid the difference in price and spent a little more to ride the air lift up to the peak of the mountain and/or taken in the view from the windmill (the price difference is about $15/ticket for those two experiences), but I didn't find that necessary.  Had we arrived a little earlier, we could have done a 45-minute guided walk with a ranger up there, but that's about all I felt we missed.  Don't book anything ahead of time, since it doesn't save you any money and you can choose what you want to do at the ticket booth. 

One last ProTip: I think we did the two attractions in that area (Capilano and Grouse) in the right order - we got to Capilano around 9 AM, and by 10:30 or 11 when we left it was PACKED and there was a huge line to get across the bridge.  First thing in the morning, we walked right across.   So If I had it to do all over again, I would have done things in exactly the same order.


----------



## Never to old

Mackie Mouse said:


> Would definitely recommend all the things we got done during our three days there.  We also purposefully underplanned our time in Vancouver, so you may be able to fit in even more than we did, depending on how "go-go-go" you feel like making your three days.  As for Victoria, I would say that going depends on your preferences, but that you should find plenty to occupy you in Vancouver for three days without ferrying over there.  My understanding is that the trip takes a solid 3-4 hours each way, so in my opinion if you want to go there you should plan on staying overnight to make the trek worth your while.  One family on our cruise did tea at the Empress there one day and said the trip back and forth was definitely a pain to do in one day.  That said, if you want to go early one morning, take in tea at the empress and Butchart Gardens, then ferry back the following morning...it will probably be very enjoyable!  You could easily see either Stanley Park or Granville Island with the time you'd have left that following afternoon, weather permitting.
> 
> I did also completely forget to mention that we did Fly Over Canada on the morning of our cruise!  We bought tickets for that ahead of time to save a few bucks, and while it was almost exactly like Soarin' Over California, it was a worthwhile way to kill some time until we were able to embark.  We cabbed it to the port that morning with all our stuff, and Fly Over Canada took our luggage for us while we went on the ride.  We only needed to lug our baggage down to the end of Canada Place to get on the ride, and then through the convention center (back up the pier) to the cruise ship terminal.  Very convenient.  I would definitely do this first thing one morning if you can, since the line got very backed up by mid-afternoon and people were waiting for an hour and a half to ride, as reported by the staff there.  Again, the morning that you embark is a good time to fit it in
> 
> As for Grouse, the only thing we did ahead of time was to make our dinner reservation through OpenTable.  There is a policy about canceling in advance (I think it's 24 hours? Just check), but you should be fine since you'll know what the weather will be like by that time.  At the Skyride ticket booth, the clerk called up to the restaurant to verify that we had reservations, and then we printed our ticket for us.  We could have paid the difference in price and spent a little more to ride the air lift up to the peak of the mountain and/or taken in the view from the windmill (the price difference is about $15/ticket for those two experiences), but I didn't find that necessary.  Had we arrived a little earlier, we could have done a 45-minute guided walk with a ranger up there, but that's about all I felt we missed.  Don't book anything ahead of time, since it doesn't save you any money and you can choose what you want to do at the ticket booth.
> 
> One last ProTip: I think we did the two attractions in that area (Capilano and Grouse) in the right order - we got to Capilano around 9 AM, and by 10:30 or 11 when we left it was PACKED and there was a huge line to get across the bridge.  First thing in the morning, we walked right across.   So If I had it to do all over again, I would have done things in exactly the same order.



I will definitely use your pro tips.

I agree with you about Victoria-  I have been on the fence about for the past year.  I think that should be another trip.
I just want to clarify 2 things 

Grouse mountain- open table- did you book at home? Or once you were in Vancouver using a electronic device?  If I am understanding you correctly you only booked dinner and then the rest when you got there?

Fly over Canada-  do you remember how long the ride lasted?  Our port check in time is 11:00.  Just trying to figure out what time to try and buy.  Did they really go by the ticket time or are you still waiting some?

Just 13 days-  I think I will burst with excitement til then.


----------



## Mackie Mouse

Never to old said:


> Grouse mountain- open table- did you book at home? Or once you were in Vancouver using a electronic device?  If I am understanding you correctly you only booked dinner and then the rest when you got there?
> 
> Fly over Canada-  do you remember how long the ride lasted?  Our port check in time is 11:00.  Just trying to figure out what time to try and buy.  Did they really go by the ticket time or are you still waiting some?
> 
> Just 13 days-  I think I will burst with excitement til then.



I made a dinner reservation online at home before we left on our trip. That said, our flight into Vancouver was delayed and I called to change the reservation once we got to our hotel...and they still had reservations for 2 for the following day.  Since your trip is less than two weeks away, you should be able to make the dinner reservation now with no problem, and know that you can change it if you need to.  

I'd say the whole ride experience lasted about a half-hour.  Our boarding time at the port was 11:30, and we definitely had time to putz around the waiting area before we were allowed to board.  (I think we showed up somewhere around 10 or 10:30, went through customs, and wound up with boarding number 5 or 6.) I debated on a time, too, and just went with 9:00 because we embarked an Canada Day and I knew the crowds would be nuts.  We wound up waiting until about 9:30 to get on the ride because they waited for a bit of a crowd to show up - we were the first ones there when it opened!  

If you choose the "priority boarding" ticket, you are given a one-hour window during which you will be let into the ride.  So, for example, our tickets said 9-10 AM...meaning we would be let in by 10.  Keep in mind that if you choose a time later in the day, say, 3-4 PM (know you won't do this, but it just makes for a good example) and then show up at 3, you may not be let in until 4, depending on the crowds.  

Don't overthink it too much - just go for the earliest time that makes sense for your family.  We were able to drop off our bags right away when we got to the port and had a bit of a wait to board, but I preferred that to rushing around through the Canada Day crowds.  Keep in mind as well that FlyOver Canada was by far the least exciting thing we did in Vancouver (it was cool, but it really was just like Soarin'), and that if you show up at the port later than your specified board time you will be assigned the next boarding number and be able to get on right away.  You'll be fine


----------



## richmo

Mackie Mouse said:


> ...From there we stopped at Spokes (on the corner of Denman St. - you can't miss it!) and rented two bikes.  We spent the next two hours biking the entire perimeter of Stanley Park, which took about two hours.  The scenery was stunning and this was truly my favorite experience anywhere in Vancouver.  Would HIGHLY recommend doing this!  For those with small children, tandem bikes and bikes with infant seats were available.  The biking was very flat all the way around and many children were biking with their families all day long.



Absolutely second this!


----------



## Never to old

Mackie Mouse said:


> I made a dinner reservation online at home before we left on our trip. That said, our flight into Vancouver was delayed and I called to change the reservation once we got to our hotel...and they still had reservations for 2 for the following day.  Since your trip is less than two weeks away, you should be able to make the dinner reservation now with no problem, and know that you can change it if you need to.
> 
> I'd say the whole ride experience lasted about a half-hour.  Our boarding time at the port was 11:30, and we definitely had time to putz around the waiting area before we were allowed to board.  (I think we showed up somewhere around 10 or 10:30, went through customs, and wound up with boarding number 5 or 6.) I debated on a time, too, and just went with 9:00 because we embarked an Canada Day and I knew the crowds would be nuts.  We wound up waiting until about 9:30 to get on the ride because they waited for a bit of a crowd to show up - we were the first ones there when it opened!
> 
> If you choose the "priority boarding" ticket, you are given a one-hour window during which you will be let into the ride.  So, for example, our tickets said 9-10 AM...meaning we would be let in by 10.  Keep in mind that if you choose a time later in the day, say, 3-4 PM (know you won't do this, but it just makes for a good example) and then show up at 3, you may not be let in until 4, depending on the crowds.
> 
> Don't overthink it too much - just go for the earliest time that makes sense for your family.  We were able to drop off our bags right away when we got to the port and had a bit of a wait to board, but I preferred that to rushing around through the Canada Day crowds.  Keep in mind as well that FlyOver Canada was by far the least exciting thing we did in Vancouver (it was cool, but it really was just like Soarin'), and that if you show up at the port later than your specified board time you will be assigned the next boarding number and be able to get on right away.  You'll be fine



Thanks I will check with DH.  I can actually pass on fly over Canada.  I wasn't a fan of soaring.  But I would tough it out for him, if he wants.
I will book the dinner from home 
Thanks again


----------



## bumbershoot

We were just up in Vancouver over the 4th for fun, and it just reminded me how CLOSE things are.

Pan Pacific and the two Fairmonts are one camera pan away from each other.  Just turn in a semi-circle and there they all are.  We stayed at Sutton Place and were reminded of what a great hotel it is, and again, how close it is to everything.  Sheraton Wall Centre and Century-Plaza are just up the street.  Things look distant on a map, but it's all so very walkable.  While I wouldn't want to walk my stuff to the ship, a close walk = inexpensive taxi ride.


I don't know how long it will be there, but there's an interesting War of 1812 exhibit going on at Canada Place.  Always neat to see things from the perspective of the *other* country.


----------



## meajuly5

We have priority boarding flyover Canada at 10-11. We are planning on being there right at 10 when it opens and not having luggage. If we are there early to stand in line, do you think we can make our 11:00 am pat?


----------



## Mackie Mouse

meajuly5 said:


> We have priority boarding flyover Canada at 10-11. We are planning on being there right at 10 when it opens and not having luggage. If we are there early to stand in line, do you think we can make our 11:00 am pat?



I would say almost definitely.  And again, if you for some reason wind up being a few minutes late, you'll probably be given the very next board number called after that point and will be able to board as soon as you arrive at the port and go through customs.


----------



## socababy

I'm curious what everyone has done for transportation to your hotel from the airport.  It will be me and my 3 kids and we are flying in 4 days early.  If I don't arrange any transportation ahead of time, are cabs easily accessible at the air port? And are there shuttle taxis?  I need enough room for us and luggage.  Hopefully not having a car seat won't be a problem for my 5 year old.  How much should I expect a taxi to be from the airport to the Pan Pacific?

I know about the Skytrain option but I don't want to have to worry about whether or not my kids are going to be able to help with pulling the luggage.


----------



## Mackie Mouse

socababy said:


> I'm curious what everyone has done for transportation to your hotel from the airport.  It will be me and my 3 kids and we are flying in 4 days early.  If I don't arrange any transportation ahead of time, are cabs easily accessible at the air port? And are there shuttle taxis?  I need enough room for us and luggage.  Hopefully not having a car seat won't be a problem for my 5 year old.  How much should I expect a taxi to be from the airport to the Pan Pacific?
> 
> I know about the Skytrain option but I don't want to have to worry about whether or not my kids are going to be able to help with pulling the luggage.



We had no kids with us, but we were easily able to cab it from the airport to our hotel (the Westin Grand).  I would guesstimate about $30-40 for the cab ride - and yes, they will take American cash or your credit card for the most part (just check before you get in).  If you have kids/lots of luggage, make sure you grab a cab that's a van rather than a standard Prius.  There were also towncars waiting at the Vancouver airport, if you'd rather a comfier ride.  They cost somewhere near $50 each. There was a VERY long line of ground transportation just waiting to get people where they wanted to go at the airport...I wouldn't worry!


----------



## meajuly5

Mackie Mouse said:


> I would say almost definitely.  And again, if you for some reason wind up being a few minutes late, you'll probably be given the very next board number called after that point and will be able to board as soon as you arrive at the port and go through customs.



Thank you!!!


----------



## Never to old

Emailed Grouse Mountain tonight regarding discounts.  They offer a 10% discount for AAA and BCAA.  You need to show proof of membership at guest services.


----------



## Sandysbuddy

We are interested in the Alaskan cruise for next summer but have some questions.  It would be cheaper for us to fly into Seattle rather than Vancouver.  I read the first few posts in the thread on getting from Seattle to Vancouver but this information was from several years ago.  I also read through the last few pages but didn't see any info that applied.

Can you tell me what our options are for transportation?  We are a family of five.  Is it easier to take Amtrak or to rent a car?  What is better for crossing the border?  Which would be cheaper?

Also, we have never been across the border to Canada.  What do we need to know/do to make this as easy as possible?

Thanks so much!


----------



## topsy

Mackie Mouse said:


> We returned from the July 1 Alaskan cruise this week, and I wanted to share a bit of what we did in Vancouver, since we had a very enjoyable time in the city both before and after our cruise.
> 
> Hotels: We stayed at the Westin Grand before our cruise (booked through Priceline for $146/night).  This really was a great hotel for the price.  We had a one-bedroom suite with a kitchenette and a fold-out sofa that was more than adequate for the two of us and would have been a great arrangement for a family of up to four.  The hotel had a very nice outdoor (!!) pool on the 3rd floor in a well-appointed patio area (they have live music and appetizers out there a couple of times a week - very swanky!).  The concierge at the hotel was a humongous help, as well.  Overall, a terrific experience and we wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.  The hotel is located right on Robson Street (only a few blocks away from the famous downtown shipping district) and is right nextdoor to the Vancouver Public library, which is a pretty well-known landmark downtown.
> 
> After our cruise, we stayed for one night at the Sheraton Wall Centre, which we booked on Hotwire for only $97/night.  Admittedly, we liked the amenities at the Westin a bit more, but the view from the Sheraton was quite nice and it definitely was nice for the price.  Finding the pool here after a long day of walking was quite a chore, though.
> 
> Seawall and Stanley Park: It was about a ten-block walk from the Westin Grand out to the seawall - very reasonable.  We started out near the floatplane dock and strolled all the way down to Stanley Park, which took us less than an hour.  From there we stopped at Spokes (on the corner of Denman St. - you can't miss it!) and rented two bikes.  We spent the next two hours biking the entire perimeter of Stanley Park, which took about two hours.  The scenery was stunning and this was truly my favorite experience anywhere in Vancouver.  Would HIGHLY recommend doing this!  For those with small children, tandem bikes and bikes with infant seats were available.  The biking was very flat all the way around and many children were biking with their families all day long.
> 
> Gastown: Worth a stroll around.  Be aware - although this is a touristy area, the homeless are very prevalent here, and if you wander too far east you will stray out of Gastown basically onto skid row.  The steam clock is worth stopping at around the top of the hour to see and hear, and there are lots of great restaurants around aside from the Old Spaghetti Factory.  We ate at The Flying Pig, which was absolutely delicious and not too expensive.  They had some great local brews on tap, and the short ribs I ate were to die for!  It was a terrific first dinner in the city, and was recommended to us by the concierge at the hotel.
> 
> Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain: Well worth the cost.  It is very easy to see these both in the same day, as they are geographically close.  There is a free shuttle to Capilano that runs from a number of spots downtown (Canada Place, a hotel on Robson St., to name two) and will get you there in less than a 1/2 hour.  The drive is quite pretty and takes you up over the Lions Gate Bridge.  There is a similar free shuttle to Grouse Mountain which runs only from Canada Place. Take yoru pick as to which you visit first. To get from Capilano to Grouse, the #236 bus will cost you only a dollar or two and will take you between the two directly.  Additionally, the Grouse Shuttle will sometimes drop you off at Capilano on the way back to downtown, if things aren't too busy.
> 
> We got an early start up to Capilano and actually wound up way ahead of schedule for the day, so we decided to take the free shuttle back downtown, stroll Robson St., eat lunch at Japadog, and then walk to Canada Place and shuttle up to Grouse again for free.  This wound up being a bit of extra walking, but it helped eat up the day.
> 
> At Grouse Mountain, you can waive the (pretty expensive) fee to ride the skyride to the top in two ways: 1) You can endure the Grouse Grind (a pretty challenging hike up the mountain that will take about 1 1/2-2 hours), or you can agree to eat an entree at the Observatory Restaurant at the top of the mountain.  We went for the latter, which wound up being a nice value.  We arrived about three hours before our scheduled 5:30 dinner and saw most everything there was to see up at Grouse (the bird show, the Lumberjack show, the Grizzly bears).  Dinner was typical upscale "touristy" fare, but the food was good and the fact that we had somewhat spendy dinners planned for vacation anyway made it a good value, since we didn't have to pay to get up the mountain.
> 
> The Grouse shuttle stops running at 5:30, so return trip home involved a very easy ride on the 236 bus and a trip on the Seabus from Lonsdale Quay back downtown.  The trip sounds complicated at first, but is in fact very easy.  A very worthwhile day!
> 
> Granville Island: Would highly recommend walking here if you can over the Burrard Bridge - beautiful views!  Otherwise, you can easily walk in general to the False Creek area and hop a small Aquabus (they are so cute!), which will take you all around this part of town and drop you off right at the public market.
> 
> The food at the market is plentiful, and it reminded me a lot of Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia.  There are no bad options for food here - just eat whatever looks good to you at the time!  I would definitely recommend grabbing a pastry form one of the bakeries and/or some fresh fruit for dessert...everything is absolutely mouth-watering.  If you have small children, they can wear bathing suits under their clothes and wander over to the park and water play area on the Island if the weather is good!
> 
> As adults, we also stopped in at the Granville Island Brewery for a tasting.  The beer wasn't particularly special, but it was tasty!  Worth the $6 for three samples, for sure.
> 
> If we had more time, we would have loved to stop at Kitsilano Beach for a bit or visit the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden in Chinatown.  Maybe nextime



Thanks for the tips - all look excellent and most of it is on our list for September. 

Just curious, will you be writing a TR?!


----------



## richmo

Sandysbuddy said:


> We are interested in the Alaskan cruise for next summer but have some questions.  It would be cheaper for us to fly into Seattle rather than Vancouver.  I read the first few posts in the thread on getting from Seattle to Vancouver but this information was from several years ago.  I also read through the last few pages but didn't see any info that applied.
> 
> Can you tell me what our options are for transportation?  We are a family of five.  Is it easier to take Amtrak or to rent a car?  What is better for crossing the border?  Which would be cheaper?
> 
> Also, we have never been across the border to Canada.  What do we need to know/do to make this as easy as possible?
> 
> Thanks so much!



This is what we did too...saved a lot flying into SEA.  Actually, what we did was fly into SEA, spent a full day there, then drove up to Whistler, BC, did an overnight, then spent the night before the cruise near the Vancouver airport (YVR).  In our case, it was less expensive to keep the car and pay for parking at YVR (surprisingly cheap there...I think it was about $50 for the week) than to do two one way rentals (SEA to YVR, then YVR to SEA).  To get between Canada Place and YVR, we used the SkyTrain, which was kinda fun.  We also had some Vancouver time the afternoon before the cruise and biked around Stanley Park.

Anyway, there are tons of options besides that.  What we did was a little unusual, but it worked fine for us.  I did look into Amtrak and the only drawback for us was the times of the trains (I think getting into Vancouver late at night, etc.).  That was two years ago, so I imagine the times may be different now. (Also, the Seattle train station was a mess with construction...I imagine that should be done now too).

Driving, we had no issues with the border either direction.  Leaving Seattle in the morning, we only had a car in front of us going into Canada.  Coming back, it was close to an hour wait to get back into the US at the Peace Arch.  I understand there is a truck customs that you can use that is quicker on the return, but we wanted to make a stop at the Peace Arch anyway.  As long as you have your documentation (passports for everyone), there shouldn't be any issue.

My main piece of advice would be, that if you do drive, do not drive from Seattle to Vancouver the morning of the cruise.  While I had no problems getting across the border into Canada, you shouldn't assume that.  Get yourself somewhere in the Vancouver area the night before.


----------



## emilyann415

Sandysbuddy said:


> We are interested in the Alaskan cruise for next summer but have some questions.  It would be cheaper for us to fly into Seattle rather than Vancouver.  I read the first few posts in the thread on getting from Seattle to Vancouver but this information was from several years ago.  I also read through the last few pages but didn't see any info that applied.
> 
> Can you tell me what our options are for transportation?  We are a family of five.  Is it easier to take Amtrak or to rent a car?  What is better for crossing the border?  Which would be cheaper?
> 
> Also, we have never been across the border to Canada.  What do we need to know/do to make this as easy as possible?
> 
> Thanks so much!



When we looked at renting a car it was VERY expensive to do the one way thing because it's getting rented in one country and left in another.  As PP mentioned it's typically cheaper to rent the car for the entire week and pay for the parking.  Just my experience I guess.


----------



## chickamu

I have a quick question.. how much is gas in vancouver bc.. should I fill up in washington?  Is the gas the same as u.s.
Thanks


----------



## richmo

chickamu said:


> I have a quick question.. how much is gas in vancouver bc.. should I fill up in washington?  Is the gas the same as u.s.
> Thanks



When I was there two years ago, gas was significantly more in Vancouver.  I'd fill up in Washington.


----------



## comet1

chickamu said:


> I have a quick question.. how much is gas in vancouver bc.. should I fill up in washington?  Is the gas the same as u.s.
> Thanks



1.48 per liter Canadian. Which if my calculations are correct $5.40 per gallon US


----------



## Sandysbuddy

Thanks for the info on flying into Seattle.  Does anyone have current information on the bus transportation from Seattle to Vancouver that is mentioned on the first page of this thread?  Is this a decent option or is it better/easier to drive?


----------



## Mackie Mouse

topsy said:


> Thanks for the tips - all look excellent and most of it is on our list for September.
> 
> Just curious, will you be writing a TR?!



I probably could write a trip report...but I'm way too lazy   (And by lazy, I mean, taking some continuing ed. classes for teaching from 8-5 for the next two weeks..., so not really lazy at all!  

That said, I spent a whole afternoon sifting through photos and uploading them to Facebook for friends/family, and I'd be more than happy to share my album with you, answer questions, talk a bit some evening if you'd like.  Just send me a PM and let me know if you'd like the link to my album! (Not to stir the DIS/Facebook pot that came up in a thread over the weekend, but I do also like that my photos are more secure there, as well... :/) 

Happy to help in any way I can, and thanks for the kind words!


----------



## smiley_face2

Mackie Mouse said:


> I did also completely forget to mention that we did Fly Over Canada on the morning of our cruise!  We bought tickets for that ahead of time to save a few bucks, and while it was almost exactly like Soarin' Over California, it was a worthwhile way to kill some time until we were able to embark.


So awesome to read your trip report after having read about your planning, and I am so happy you enjoyed your visit to our fair city!  It's too funny that you were not that overwhelmed by flyin over Canada because it is exactly like Soarin with different scenery....we poor Disney deprived Canadians are soooooo thrilled with it because it is exactly the same!  We always end up riding Soarin several times when we are down south as it is one of our favourite attractions.
We decided to stay home this summer and do the touristy things here we have not done in years and reading about it through a strangers eyes really is fun!


----------



## Mackie Mouse

smiley_face2 said:


> So awesome to read your trip report after having read about your planning, and I am so happy you enjoyed your visit to our fair city!  It's too funny that you were not that overwhelmed by flyin over Canada because it is exactly like Soarin with different scenery....we poor Disney deprived Canadians are soooooo thrilled with it because it is exactly the same!  We always end up riding Soarin several times when we are down south as it is one of our favourite attractions.
> We decided to stay home this summer and do the touristy things here we have not done in years and reading about it through a strangers eyes really is fun!



Too funny to hear it from your perspective!  I am sure that Soarin'-deprived Canadians (and huge fans of the ride in Epcot) will love it.  I think I was just hoping for a bit more of a novel twist on a favorite ride at WDW (and I did also ride it just in March in DCA, so that could have something to do with it!).  Thanks so much for the kind words...I'm glad a local appreciates it!  

Feel free to make it down to Kitsilano and the Chinatown garden to tell me what I missed  I also desperately wish we'd had one more lunch so we could have eaten at Meat and Bread - we heard great things about it from at least 3 or 4 people while we were in town.


----------



## TwingleMomFl

I have to say how much I loved, loved Vancouver! We stayed at the coal coast harbour hotel pre cruise and it was in a fantastic location! Walking distance to everything! The people are super friendly every where! The people are also so good looking too! We took ferries and busses and trains. Super easy to get around and navigate. 

I did find food pricey. And cabs are not easy if you are a family of 5 or larger. They can only accommodate up to 4. And they and mostly all priuses. 

We took the taxi from Amtrak (2 of them) to the city and with tip aBout $10 each. My husband took the taxi with all our luggage, to he airport and it was about $35.00. No highway just side streets. I took the kids in the train and it was so super easy and only cost us less than $10.00. Great view on the train. And puts you out across the street from the terminal. 

We rented a car and went to whistler which was amazing!! We went to grouse mountain and zip lined. We also did the 2 day big bus toyr for pre and post cruise. It is good for two weeks. We also went to the Lynn suspension bridge because its free.  

I wish I had more time. I would have taken the ferry to one of the island about 2.5 hours away. I guess I will have to return!!! 

Post cruise we stayed at the Renaissance but the people were friendlier at the coast coal harbour.


----------



## bumbershoot

TwingleMomFl said:


> I did find food pricey. And cabs are not easy if you are a family of 5 or larger. They can only accommodate up to 4. And they and mostly all priuses.
> 
> We took the taxi from Amtrak (2 of them) to the city and with tip aBout $10 each.



When we've cabbed it from the train station there are generally taxi-vans that are either there in line or that you can request.  They might not have been there for you, but it is something others can see if they can work out.  




Sandysbuddy said:


> Thanks for the info on flying into Seattle.  Does anyone have current information on the bus transportation from Seattle to Vancouver that is mentioned on the first page of this thread?  Is this a decent option or is it better/easier to drive?



Quickcoach and Amtrak are still good answers.  Now there's Bolt Bus, but I'm not sure where exactly it picks up.  I think it drops off in the International District of Seattle, which is somewhat convenient to transit continuing on to the airport.


----------



## TwingleMomFl

bumbershoot said:


> When we've cabbed it from the train station there are generally taxi-vans that are either there in line or that you can request.  They might not have been there for you, but it is something others can see if they can work out.
> 
> I saw the mini van taxi's , even took one myself to the airport. They only have 4 seats in them.the driver said its a law they can't have 5seats in the van/car.  So you can't assume because its a mini van that it has more seats in this city.


----------



## DisneyDream2B

smeecanada said:


> Sorry, about the tax unfortunately it's 12%.
> 
> WDWLVR glad you liked your trip to Victoria.  It's a great place to live.  The whales you saw are a local pod that are in the Gulf Islands area in the summer.  I saw about 12 of them a few weeks ago while on the ferry.  You see them around Active Pass quite frequently from the ferry in the summer.



Do you know if the whale pods are likely to still be there in late summer (last week of August)?


----------



## bumbershoot

I meant to update!

I was talking with a cabbie in Vancouver a few weekends ago, and he said that when they get a larger group at Amtrak, it's recommended that the group ask the person at the cab stand to call a local limo company.  That it's always (his words) going to be cheaper than using two cabs.  So there we go.  Make sure you find the person at Amtrak who does that, and do it.  



OK I did not mean to EDIT my post, I meant to quote it.  Here's what WAS in this space until today, LOL.




> When we've cabbed it from the train station there are generally taxi-vans that are either there in line or that you can request. They might not have been there for you, but it is something others can see if they can work out.
> 
> I saw the mini van taxi's , even took one myself to the airport. They only have 4 seats in them.the driver said its a law they can't have 5seats in the van/car. So you can't assume because its a mini van that it has more seats in this city.


----------



## Cmbar

TwingleMomFl said:


> bumbershoot said:
> 
> 
> 
> When we've cabbed it from the train station there are generally taxi-vans that are either there in line or that you can request.  They might not have been there for you, but it is something others can see if they can work out.
> 
> I saw the mini van taxi's , even took one myself to the airport. They only have 4 seats in them.the driver said its a law they can't have 5seats in the van/car.  So you can't assume because its a mini van that it has more seats in this city.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Just returned today and the cabs, no matter what size can only fit four people.  The Vans however can fit more luggage. So if you have a family of 5 or more you may want to look into town cars or shuttles.  All depends on where you hotel is in Vancouver how much it costs and whether you can take the light rail system.  The workers outside the Amtrak station convinced us to go the Train System but we ended up walking a very long distance with luggage.  I don't recommend it.
> 
> 
> After completing this vacation I would like to say that if we had to do it all again we would easily choose to fly directly into Vancouver.  The train to and from Seattle, was very time consuming and between every time we had to get a taxi to get to and from the train station it started really adding up.  The Seattle Train station worked much more smoothly than Vancouver.  It was exhausting pulling our luggage all around so much. In the Vancouver train station you have to load your own luggage and when on the arrival trip to Vancouver you have to retrieve your luggage.  Basically they line up all the luggage in No Order and they call you off by cars and then you search for your luggage.
Click to expand...


----------



## TwingleMomFl

The city of Vancouver has a taxi law of 4 max in a cab/taxi. That also includes the  area here Amtrak picks up. However, if you fly into YVR it is outside of the city limits and may find a taxi with more seats. 

I agree with the whole finding your luggage with Amtrak in Vancouver. It was very disorganized! 

We flew out from YVR and took the train from Canada place. It was super easy!!

In fact my son left his backpack with an iPad mini and an iPod in it. When we realized that we did not have I before going into the security check point, I let the rest of my family continue on to clear customs and I went back to the station. The person working the platform was so super helpful. He radioed every station and back to Canada place. Someone actually took the backpack to lost and found , back in downtown Vancouver. They had one of heir employees drive It back to the airport and they checked it in with my airline so I could make my flight. I could not believe that all electronic devices were  in the bag, when I got it at our home airport!!!

Everyone I encountered there were so super friendly! Not all tourists are taken advantage of everywhere.


----------



## Never to old

I wanted to post about our excursions.  Prior to sailing we spent 3 days in Vancouver.

1st day we did Capilano Suspension bridge and Grouse mountain.  Both were wonderful.  We caught the lumber jack show at Grouse mountain as it was included in our admission and skipped the one in Alaska.  We spoke to people who did the one in Alaska and it seemed simiar to the one we did.  My tip is take the first bus out in the am to Capilano.  Then go to their guest services to get exact change for bus fare to Grouse mountain.  Currently 2.75 per person.  Bus stop is just a few feet up the road from Capilano.  Make sure you take sunscreen for Grouse mountain.  If you will be up there at dusk, take bug spray.  Last free bus back to Canada place is 5:30.  Don't wait til the end, it is first come first serve.  The 5:00 bus was filled and we had to wait for the last one.

2n day-  Stanley park- this is a wonderful park.  It has a minature train, aquarium, 3 beaches, and a large swimming pool.  There is additonal fees for these things.  I don't think that they charged for the beach.  We spent the entire day at the park.  There is also food places within the park and a lovely sea wall to walk around.  You can also rent bikes and ride around the park.  I think you rent them elsewhere.

3rd day-  We walked around the city of Vancouver and also went to the Fly over Canada attraction.  That was really good.

If you are staying at the Pan Pacific or Waterfront Fairmont there is a food court underneath.  Highly recommed eating breakfast at the Pita Express.  He uses fresh eggs and no microwave.  You get omlet, hashbrown, toast, fruit and juice.  Cost for 2 people was 22.98 this included tax.  Cost for breakfast at the Pan is 30.00 per person.

Alaska

Skagway-  We did the best of Skagway tour-  The white pass train was great.  If you start at the top and go down the summit sit on the right side of the train. If you are going up the summit on the train, sit on the left side.  There was 32 people on our bus.  We were assigned 2 train cars.  There was only 12 people on our car.  Most everyone went to the second car.  So you might want to hang back and see where everyone goes before jumping on one.  I was able to move from side to side and go out on the platforms without difficulty.  There are 2 platforms one at the front and one at the end of the car.  Most everyone went on the front one.  Complmentary water in the back of the train car.  After the train we were taken to Liarsville.  We were served lunch, which was okay.  The show was hokey, we found 5 flecks of gold.  I do mean flecks.  Lots of bugs there including flies.  Next we went to the Red Onion salon.  We were offered complimentary beer, wine, lemonade and water.  It is a very small museum.  It was okay.  The only part of this excursion that I recommend is the White Pass train.

Juneau-  Enchanted Taku lodge-  I give this excursion 10 stars.  We took a floatplane to the lodge.  Flight was cool.  You have time to walk around the grounds before and after the meal.  We saw bears.  The food was great.  They provided a short hike with a guide after lunch.  They also provided bug spray if you wanted it.  It was buggy there, but we didn't use it.  I missed the story about the lodge.  There were 2 bears licking the salmon oil off of the sand, i went to watch them.  My husband said the story was very good.  

Forgot to mention that before this tour we did the Mount Robert tram on our own.  Just aheads up the tickets cost 2.00 more at the place than on the ship.  I didn't buy them on the ship because I didn't know what we were going to do.  I didn't feel like taking the bus back to the ship to buy tickets.  Disney did provide a complimentary bus from the dock to the town and back to the ship.

Ketichan- We walked around the city ourselves.  We saw creek street and the fish trying to swim up stream.  Noted it would be a very easy walk from the ship to the lumberjack show.  Our excursion this day was with a private company called Island wings of Ketichan.  We took a float plane to Misty Fjords.  There was a public dock there that we were able to get out and spend about 15 minutes on it before other planes arrived.  This trip was good unfortunately after our Taku lodge experience, it just didn't blow me away.  The company is very good and easy to work with.  I would fly with them again.  However, I would want to go on there bear trip instead of the Misty Fjords.


Just an observation-  I think the characters stuck to deck 4 during Tracy Arms.  We did not see any on deck 10.  Also people were reserving viewing spots early.  We were able to get a spot along the rail, but we did not have a great back drop for pictures.  There was this pole or part of the ship in it.  Just keep that in mind if you were hoping for good pictures.  On our trip the left side of the ship saw the glacier first, then the ship was turned and the right side saw the glacier next.

I hope that you find this information helpful.  Let me know if you have any questions.


----------



## MermaidsMom

Where are the best spots for glacier viewing? We really dislike 'jockeying' for space at things like this and would like to find an out of the way spot if possible. Thanks


----------



## Never to old

MermaidsMom said:


> Where are the best spots for glacier viewing? We really dislike 'jockeying' for space at things like this and would like to find an out of the way spot if possible. Thanks



On our sailing everyone went towards the front of the ship when the glacier came into view.  It was so deep with people I didn't try to get through.  I don't know what deck 4 was like but there was a lot of people on the upper deck no matter where you went.  But we were still able to get a spot along the rail


----------



## richmo

MermaidsMom said:


> Where are the best spots for glacier viewing? We really dislike 'jockeying' for space at things like this and would like to find an out of the way spot if possible. Thanks



In case you don't feel like jockeying for position, the second the ship gets all the way in and starts heading out, everyone (almost) runs away to their room or whatever.  You see just as much heading out as in, and  its far less crowded.


----------



## DisneyDream2B

About what time does the ship turn around in Tracy Arm?

Thanks


----------



## richmo

DisneyDream2B said:


> About what time does the ship turn around in Tracy Arm?
> 
> Thanks



I think it can vary.  Only one cruise ship is allowed in at a time, so it depends on other cruise lines itineraries, as well.  If I recall, on my cruise (and it was two years ago), turn around time was somewhere around 3:30-4:00.


----------



## DisneyDream2B

Does anyone know if its possible to get to Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge from Canada Place, using public transportation?  And then from Lynn Canyon to Grouse Mountain? 
Many thanks!


----------



## bumbershoot

Apparently I don't know Edit from Quote, so this is already in the post above, but I'll put it here for those reading only the most recent posts.




I meant to update!

I was talking with a cabbie in Vancouver a few weekends ago, and he said that when they get a larger group at Amtrak, it's recommended that the group ask the person at the cab stand to call a local limo company. That it's always (his words) going to be cheaper than using two cabs. So there we go. Make sure you find the person at Amtrak who does that, and do it.


----------



## Mackie Mouse

DisneyDream2B said:


> Does anyone know if its possible to get to Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge from Canada Place, using public transportation?  And then from Lynn Canyon to Grouse Mountain?
> Many thanks!



To get to Lynn Canyon, you will need to get to Lonsdale Quay using the Seabus, which leaves from the Waterfront Terminal - about an 8-10 minute walk along the Seawall east of Canada Place.  Then, from Lonsdale Quay you will want to pick up the 229 bus, which drops off right at Lynn Canyon. Looks like you should leave yourself about an hour total for travel.   

See: http://lynncanyon.ca/directions/

To get to Grouse from Lynn Canyon my guess would be to take the 229 bus back to Lonsdale Quay, then pick up the #236 bus, which take you directly to Grouse.  There may be another bus route that results in a slightly shorter ride, but that's the easiest way I know from my all of three days in Vancouver this summer


----------



## DisneyDream2B

Thanks, Mackie Mouse!


----------



## disneyfaninaz

Unfortunately, while I got a great rate at the Pan Pacific for the night before our cruise, I didn't get a harbor view room.

Where is the best place to watch The Wonder come into port in the morning?  Is there an observation deck that overlooks the harbor? TIA


----------



## C&Apriputin

MermaidsMom said:


> Where are the best spots for glacier viewing? We really dislike 'jockeying' for space at things like this and would like to find an out of the way spot if possible. Thanks



That's why we got a nav balcony... And loved every minute of it... Was room 7628 in 2012 and booked 7128 for 2014


----------



## piglet33

C&Apriputin said:


> That's why we got a nav balcony... And loved every minute of it... Was room 7628 in 2012 and booked 7128 for 2014



I have 7128 booked for Aug. 25, 2014.  Were you able to see everything from the Nav. Verandah?  This is our first one - we normally get a regular verandah, but price was an issue this time.  Thanks!


----------



## emilyann415

disneyfaninaz said:


> Unfortunately, while I got a great rate at the Pan Pacific for the night before our cruise, I didn't get a harbor view room.
> 
> Where is the best place to watch The Wonder come into port in the morning?  Is there an observation deck that overlooks the harbor? TIA



I would say the best thing to do is to exit out of the hotel out the convention side of the hotel and walk towards Flying Over Canada.  The farther down the dock you are at Canada Place the better to see her coming in.  

Hope that helps.
Emily


----------



## disneyfaninaz

emilyann415 said:


> I would say the best thing to do is to exit out of the hotel out the convention side of the hotel and walk towards Flying Over Canada.  The farther down the dock you are at Canada Place the better to see her coming in.
> 
> Hope that helps.
> Emily



Thanks!


----------



## DVC4US

richmo said:


> In case you don't feel like jockeying for position, the second the ship gets all the way in and starts heading out, everyone (almost) runs away to their room or whatever.  You see just as much heading out as in, and  its far less crowded.





richmo said:


> I think it can vary.  Only one cruise ship is allowed in at a time, so it depends on other cruise lines itineraries, as well.  If I recall, on my cruise (and it was two years ago), turn around time was somewhere around 3:30-4:00.



We were planning on getting chairs by the railing on Deck 10(if the weather is nice, might do Outlook Cafe if weather is bad) early in the morning and spending the day relaxing enjoying the sights and playing some cards.  There will be 8 of us so we can take turns sitting by the rail as the day goes on.  

Is this crazy and a waste of the day or is this what most people do?

Thanks!


----------



## Jrsy Boy

piglet33 said:


> I have 7128 booked for Aug. 25, 2014.  Were you able to see everything from the Nav. Verandah?  This is our first one - we normally get a regular verandah, but price was an issue this time.  Thanks!


Jumping into the conversation here...we had 7124 back in July and saw a lot from our navigators verandah.  On Tracy Arm day we spent half the day there just watching everything, including a seal sunning on a chunk of ice and a couple of bald eagles in a tree.


----------



## Ware Bears

We were in 7128 this August and spent half Tracy Arm day watching from our verandah.  The other half we spent on the not so secret deck 7, there was only a handful of other people there so not crowded at all.  

Loved our navigator's verandah, will be booking one of these for another cruise.


----------



## piglet33

Ware Bears said:


> We were in 7128 this August and spent half Tracy Arm day watching from our verandah.  The other half we spent on the not so secret deck 7, there was only a handful of other people there so not crowded at all.
> 
> Loved our navigator's verandah, will be booking one of these for another cruise.





Jrsy Boy said:


> Jumping into the conversation here...we had 7124 back in July and saw a lot from our navigators verandah.  On Tracy Arm day we spent half the day there just watching everything, including a seal sunning on a chunk of ice and a couple of bald eagles in a tree.



Thank you both very much!  Now I'm glad we booked this room.


----------



## C&Apriputin

this was the only cruise I've ever been on, so no way for me to compare -- but I loved it... was out there at every time of day and night, in and out of ports... we didn't get to go up Tracy Arm (it was frozen in still on May 22 2012) but which ever we did go up and see was incredible... my only regret is not having enough sense to order coffee from room service (I forgot all about it) and running back and forth to the machines upstairs for more coffee!!

Allison




piglet33 said:


> I have 7128 booked for Aug. 25, 2014.  Were you able to see everything from the Nav. Verandah?  This is our first one - we normally get a regular verandah, but price was an issue this time.  Thanks!


----------



## ydrj

Hi does anyone know about DCL transfers from the port to Vancouver airport - Are transfers offered for purchase?

I am at the planning stages and have booked my airfare, but now realize my flight back home is a red eye.  I am tossing around with booking the DCL transfers so they will transport my luggage to the airport, then take a cab back to do a day of sightseeing with my family.  

Does it matter that my flight is a red eye, I've heard airlines only accept luggage's 6 hours before a flight?  If I book a DCL transfer it wouldn't impact me right?  

Thanks all!


----------



## disneyfaninaz

Unlike Port Canaveral, using DCL transfers back to the airport does not include luggage service.  You are correct that you can only check bags so many hours before your flight.

However, I have read, and you can google it, that there are luggage facilities available at the port where you can leave your luggage and then tour the city for the day before you take a taxi back to the airport to check in for your flight.


To clarify, DCL does not offer onboard airline check-in service in Vancouver.  DCL will take luggage with you on the DCL bus to the airport.


----------



## richmo

DVC4US said:


> We were planning on getting chairs by the railing on Deck 10(if the weather is nice, might do Outlook Cafe if weather is bad) early in the morning and spending the day relaxing enjoying the sights and playing some cards.  There will be 8 of us so we can take turns sitting by the rail as the day goes on.
> 
> Is this crazy and a waste of the day or is this what most people do?
> 
> Thanks!



No, its not crazy.  I was just suggesting that it can get a little insane with people grabbing chairs, etc. in the morning and that its not *really* necessary to do that, since you see the same going back.  But, if its a nice day, that's a great way to spend the day. Just remember, even if its nice and warm, make sure to bring your jackets (or send someone back to get them) since the temperature can drop 20-30 degrees as you get further into the arm.


----------



## IBelieveInTheMagic

DVC4US said:


> We were planning on getting chairs by the railing on Deck 10(if the weather is nice, might do Outlook Cafe if weather is bad) early in the morning and spending the day relaxing enjoying the sights and playing some cards.  There will be 8 of us so we can take turns sitting by the rail as the day goes on.
> 
> Is this crazy and a waste of the day or is this what most people do?
> 
> Thanks!



Hi Leilani!   I don't think this is crazy, especially if this is important to you.  I had read prior to our cruise that people would be camped out pretty early but I knew we wouldn't last THAT long!  We ended up checking out the sites after lunch so 12-1230ish and yes there were people out there already and had been there.  We stayed more aft and clearly it was less crowded than being forward and to us, the sites are the same.  On our sailing in June the CM's removed all the loungers and chairs AWAY from the railings therefore people couldn't block them from people who wanted to stand there.  I had never heard this before our cruise so not sure they do that now or if they were just testing?  It worked a lot better and people still had chairs by the railing but it appeared to be people who were handicapped, older, etc.  We stayed out there for hours and waited until he made the turn and then went down to our Navigators Verandah and enjoyed the journey out.  I do agree - once he makes the turn A LOT of people leave.

Have fun,
Heather


----------



## ydrj

disneyfaninaz said:


> Unlike Port Canaveral, using DCL transfers back to the airport does not include luggage service.  You are correct that you can only check bags so many hours before your flight.
> 
> However, I have read, and you can google it, that there are luggage facilities available at the port where you can leave your luggage and then tour the city for the day before you take a taxi back to the airport to check in for your flight.



Wendy, thanks for your help!
BTW I enjoyed reading your 2011 Rockin' Canyon Tour - we did something very similar in 2010 except when you went to Page to do the Antelope Canyon we headed to Sedona - wow on how Antelope Canyon looks!


----------



## DVC4US

richmo said:


> No, its not crazy.  I was just suggesting that it can get a little insane with people grabbing chairs, etc. in the morning and that its not *really* necessary to do that, since you see the same going back.  But, if its a nice day, that's a great way to spend the day. Just remember, even if its nice and warm, make sure to bring your jackets (or send someone back to get them) since the temperature can drop 20-30 degrees as you get further into the arm.





IBelieveInTheMagic said:


> Hi Leilani!   I don't think this is crazy, especially if this is important to you.  I had read prior to our cruise that people would be camped out pretty early but I knew we wouldn't last THAT long!  We ended up checking out the sites after lunch so 12-1230ish and yes there were people out there already and had been there.  We stayed more aft and clearly it was less crowded than being forward and to us, the sites are the same.  On our sailing in June the CM's removed all the loungers and chairs AWAY from the railings therefore people couldn't block them from people who wanted to stand there.  I had never heard this before our cruise so not sure they do that now or if they were just testing?  It worked a lot better and people still had chairs by the railing but it appeared to be people who were handicapped, older, etc.  We stayed out there for hours and waited until he made the turn and then went down to our Navigators Verandah and enjoyed the journey out.  I do agree - once he makes the turn A LOT of people leave.
> 
> Have fun,
> Heather



Thanks for the info guys!!

Hi Heather!


----------



## luvmy2kids

bump.... hoping for more info...


----------



## DISNEY FANTASY

luvmy2kids said:


> bump.... hoping for more info...



What information are you looking for.


----------



## luvmy2kids

DISNEY FANTASY said:


> What information are you looking for.



Well we are going to do Stanley Park, Grouse Mtn, Cap Bridge. Some have mentioned Whistler trip.  A lot have talked about aquarium. We live near Sea World and wonder if it would be wise to spend time at an aquarium? I've read that we should get Canadian money... How much would be enough?  Hop on hop off bus/trolley is one better than the other. Should we prepurchase tickets on line or just wait and buy once in Vancouver?  Just really looking to add to the thread


----------



## mellers

ydrj said:


> Hi does anyone know about DCL transfers from the port to Vancouver airport - Are transfers offered for purchase?
> 
> I am at the planning stages and have booked my airfare, but now realize my flight back home is a red eye.  I am tossing around with booking the DCL transfers so they will transport my luggage to the airport, then take a cab back to do a day of sightseeing with my family.
> 
> Does it matter that my flight is a red eye, I've heard airlines only accept luggage's 6 hours before a flight?  If I book a DCL transfer it wouldn't impact me right?
> 
> Thanks all!



There is a service at the Vancouver port which will store your luggage, and you'll probably do better if you arrange for a car to take you from the port to the airport than through DCL if you have more than one or two people to go to the airport.


----------



## DISNEY FANTASY

luvmy2kids said:


> Well we are going to do Stanley Park, Grouse Mtn, Cap Bridge.
> 
> 
> *You can get Shuttles from Canada place but we did a private tour through Landsea Tours & Adventures
> 
> Landsea Tours & Adventures
> http://www.vancouvertours.com/
> 
> Stanley park can be walked to there is a shuttle and HOHO goes but they finished early say by 6 pm*
> 
> Some have mentioned Whistler trip.
> *
> I didn't have time to go there.
> *
> A lot have talked about aquarium. We live near Sea World and wonder if it would be wise to spend time at an aquarium?
> 
> *
> I have seen Seaworld in a couple of places and went to the San Francisco  aquarium, and others so didn't bother seen photos and reviewed website gave it a miss as we saw plenty of sealife on the cruise.*
> 
> I've read that we should get Canadian money... How much would be enough?
> 
> *Can't say as I do not know what you will do I paid by credit card in neatly all places and only Canadian dollars for small items it's the same price as USA IMHO
> *
> Hop on hop off bus/trolley is one better than the other. Should we prepurchase tickets on line or just wait and buy once in Vancouver?  Just really looking to add to the thread



*Both Hoho seemed good but go with the one that's there at that time, no need to ore book*


----------



## pjstevens

Avis (757 Hornby St, Vancouver) question.  Can someone tell me if they know if there are shuttles or a rough idea how much a taxi ride would be from the terminal to the Avis to pick up our rental?


----------



## ktsmama

TwingleMomFl said:


> I have to say how much I loved, loved Vancouver! We stayed at the coal coast harbour hotel pre cruise and it was in a fantastic location! Walking distance to everything! The people are super friendly every where! The people are also so good looking too! We took ferries and busses and trains. Super easy to get around and navigate.
> 
> I did find food pricey. And cabs are not easy if you are a family of 5 or larger. They can only accommodate up to 4. And they and mostly all priuses.
> 
> We took the taxi from Amtrak (2 of them) to the city and with tip aBout $10 each. My husband took the taxi with all our luggage, to he airport and it was about $35.00. No highway just side streets. I took the kids in the train and it was so super easy and only cost us less than $10.00. Great view on the train. And puts you out across the street from the terminal.
> 
> We rented a car and went to whistler which was amazing!! We went to grouse mountain and zip lined. We also did the 2 day big bus toyr for pre and post cruise. It is good for two weeks. We also went to the Lynn suspension bridge because its free.
> 
> I wish I had more time. I would have taken the ferry to one of the island about 2.5 hours away. I guess I will have to return!!!
> 
> Post cruise we stayed at the Renaissance but the people were friendlier at the coast coal harbour.



So you have a family of 5? I am having such a hard time finding a hotel to accommodate our family of 5 that doesn't break the bank. We only need it for one night!


----------



## TwingleMomFl

ktsmama said:


> So you have a family of 5? I am having such a hard time finding a hotel to accommodate our family of 5 that doesn't break the bank. We only need it for one night!



Yes , we are. I booked a room with Hotwire. Ended up at the coast Harbour hotel. Beautiful. But I booked and only put 4 on the reservation. They do have these corner rooms that have a king and pull out sofa. We usually make a bed out of blankets and someone has to sleep on the floor. For one night my kids will survive. 

There was a Marriott and Renaissance across the street. My friend stayed at the Hyatt and likes that too. She got that one on Hotwire. 

Good luck!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

pjstevens said:


> Avis (757 Hornby St, Vancouver) question.  Can someone tell me if they know if there are shuttles or a rough idea how much a taxi ride would be from the terminal to the Avis to pick up our rental?



Avis would be foolish not to offer a shuttle to cruise ship guests.  But I would suggest calling the Hornby Street office to confirm this. 604-606-286

It would be a very short cab ride, probably $5-6.  Without luggage, you could walk the 5-6 blocks (1/2 mile) just as fast as a cab could navigate the downtown traffic. But with luggage and family, a cab would be better for your sanity. There is a taxi stand at the port, and they are efficient at cycling through the cabs.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

luvmy2kids said:


> Well we are going to do Stanley Park, Grouse Mtn, Cap Bridge. Some have mentioned Whistler trip.  A lot have talked about aquarium. We live near Sea World and wonder if it would be wise to spend time at an aquarium? I've read that we should get Canadian money... How much would be enough?  Hop on hop off bus/trolley is one better than the other. Should we prepurchase tickets on line or just wait and buy once in Vancouver?  Just really looking to add to the thread



The Vancouver Aquarium is nice for people who don't have a good local aquarium.  It's probably the best in Canada, but would pale compared to Sea World or the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  It is very conservation focused and their shows are primarily to emphasize natural behaviors, not do tricks to entertain the public. 

Regarding Canadian $, how much you get depends on what you need.  All of the tourist places you listed will take US$ or credit cards. Most (but not all) taxis will take credit cards. You might be better off using your credit cards and paying the 2.5-3% exchange (check the fine print of your card-holder agreement).  The rate isn't that much different from what you would pay to get cash, and you won't find yourself getting more than you need.  
Where you might find cash more handy is for impulse purchases where credit card machines are not common, such getting on a trolley bus (if you haven't pre-purchased a ticket) or purchasing items from street vendors or the farmers market on Granville Island.  Prices are likely to be similar to the snack carts and souvenir stands around Disney World, if that helps you budget. 
FYI, most vendors, taxis, and restaurants will take US$. Most will likely take US$ at par, but some restaurants will post the daily exchange rate at their till (1.08 lately).  But in both cases, you will only get CAN$ for change, so use small bills.  
While you can use debit cards, I would suggest avoiding it if possible.  The fee structure for those is different than the fees for using credit cards.  When I use my Canadian debit card in the US, I pay $3 to $5 in transaction fees above and beyond the 2.5-3% exchange rate fees that apply to both debit card and credit card transactions. I would expect most US banks to have similar fees for their customers to use Canadian bank machines and in-store debit card terminals.

As for trolley bus recommendations, there were at least two companies that operated in Vancouver when I lived there (up to 2010).  One company operated up to 3x more frequently than the other, but I can't remember the name.  I would suggest taking a few minutes to watch the buses pass by, and selecting the one that operates most frequently.  The price difference isn't much (10%?). Your hotel concierge may have helpful tips or discounts.  There isn't much savings by booking in advance before arrival compared to buying in a hotel or gift shop near a pick-up location.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

disneyfaninaz said:


> Where is the best place to watch The Wonder come into port in the morning?  Is there an observation deck that overlooks the harbor? TIA



While this is impressive to watch, it is early in the morning. Click here to check the dock schedule on your specific date.  It will be just you and the morning joggers, so you can find a spot just about anywhere along the waterfront.  

The Harbour Centre has a lookout over the harbour, but it only opens at 8:30 am during the summer.  The cruise ships will likely be berthed by then. 

Canada Place has a public boardwalk down +80% of length of the cruise ship terminal.  You could just walk out there. 

When I lived in Vancouver, I loved to go to Stanley Park and watch the cruise ships pass under the Lions Gate Bridge in the afternoon, with the mountains of North Vancouver behind. Click here for a PDF map.  The sea wall near the parking lot near the north end of Pipeline Road offers good shore-level viewing, with the ship, bridge and mountains above you.  The view points near parking lots west of the bridge are up on a high point -- you would look down on the bridge and ship. If you and your family like early mornings, I think Stanley Park would offer the best vantage point.


----------



## pjstevens

A fellow cruiser had a question about going through customs when flying into Vancouver.  About how long does this typically take?  She's trying to decide what time flight to book (flying in the morning of the cruise).  I'm sure it's really varies but having only gone though customs after a cruise, I've no insight for her.


----------



## DISNEY FANTASY

pjstevens said:


> A fellow cruiser had a question about going through customs when flying into Vancouver.  About how long does this typically take?  She's trying to decide what time flight to book (flying in the morning of the cruise).  I'm sure it's really varies but having only gone though customs after a cruise, I've no insight for her.



Into Canada at airport 5 minutes for us.

On to ship at Canada place 40 mins.

White pass railway Canada side 5 mins. USA on train.

Canada place Canadian side, no one there. Walked out.

Vancouver airport USA border control just over an hour.


----------



## pjstevens

DISNEY FANTASY said:


> Into Canada at airport 5 minutes for us.
> 
> On to ship at Canada place 40 mins.
> 
> White pass railway Canada side 5 mins. USA on train.
> 
> Canada place Canadian side, no one there. Walked out.
> 
> Vancouver airport USA border control just over an hour.



Thanks for the speedy reply.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

pjstevens said:
			
		

> A fellow cruiser had a question about going through customs when flying into Vancouver.  About how long does this typically take?



While it can be quick, it can also be painfully slow. YVR is a major hub for flights coming from Asia, so while your flight from the US would likely be processed quickly, if you land a few minutes after a +500 passenger flight from Manila or Beijing, you could expect to wait up to an hour to be processed. These flights tend to be "red eye" flights landing in Vancouver in the morning.


----------



## Tenkawa

Followon from that, the big asia flights tend to arrive around 9am, 1pm, and 7pm roughtly.  It can get spread out, but that is the main stuff.

source: Worked at the airport for a few months.

YVR, like most airports, is shut down overnight. The last flight arrival is the 2am KLM flight inbound, with flights starting again around 6am. Before the KLM flight there is a 1am, but the rest end around midnight.


----------



## Mickdeb

Our plan at this time......fly into Seattle day before our Alaskan cruise, 7:40 Amtrak to Vancouver morning of our cruise.  
We plan to fly home from Vancouver the morning our cruise returns....
My questions for those of you who have done this before:

1. Where did you stay overnight in Seattle/ near the airport or near Amtrak station? Any hotel suggestions close to the Amtrak station, preferably accessible by light rail.

2. What is the earliest return flight we can book?  How far is the Vancouver airport from Canada Place? What is the best and cost effective way to get to the airport?
 Thank you for reading.
 Any help is greatly appreciated.


----------



## pjstevens

Mickdeb said:


> Our plan at this time......fly into Seattle day before our Alaskan cruise, 7:40 Amtrak to Vancouver morning of our cruise.
> We plan to fly home from Vancouver the morning our cruise returns....
> My questions for those of you who have done this before:



I read somewhere within all this info that taking Amtrak the morning of isn't recommended as there are often delays (it's a freight line).  I'd like to hear more from anyone who has done this (both good and bad) as this was our original plan.


----------



## TwingleMomFl

I agree taking the Amtrak on the morning of is risky. My friend and I and our families flew into Seattle and took the train up but left on different days. We has two different experiences. 

My train left on time and was smooth ride all the way to Vancouver . It's a very early morning train ride. And the train is about 30 mins from the port. 

My friend took it the next day, and there was a derailment that delayed her train and they had to take an alternate route to Vancouver. 

We stayed at the Marriott Waterfront, and it was a 10 min taxi ride to the amtrak station in Seattle. 

We flew home out of Vancouver and I believe the recommended time to schedule your flight is after 12:30. 

It was a beautiful scenic ride along the coast. I recommend going for the first class tickets. First to board, first to get off , better seats and less crowded cars. 

Remember in The city if Vancouver only 4 max in a taxi. Most are Prius's and there are some mini vans but they still only allow 4 only in the car/taxi. 

Very easy to get from Canada place to the airport , either taxi, cruise transfer or train.


----------



## Mickdeb

Thank you for the replies...we are a family of 3 so taxis should not be a problem.  We will likely only need one to/ from both Amtrak stations.  We will take the skyline/ canadaline from the port to the airport for our flight home.  Still trying to figure out where we can stay in Seattle near the Amtrak station. Oops, I see you mentioned you stayed at the Marriott, thank you.


----------



## pjstevens

TwingleMomFl said:


> I agree taking the Amtrak on the morning of is risky. My friend and I and our families flew into Seattle and took the train up but left on different days. We has two different experiences.
> 
> My train left on time and was smooth ride all the way to Vancouver . It's a very early morning train ride. And the train is about 30 mins from the port.
> 
> My friend took it the next day, and there was a derailment that delayed her train and they had to take an alternate route to Vancouver.



Can I ask how delayed your friends train was.  We are sailing out on a Monday and were thinking of taking that same 7:40 train from Seattle to Vancouver.  Read a few that said don't do it due to delays.  I have a car reserved but the train is 1/2 the price (and this is a very budget tight trip).


----------



## peachygreen

How early in the morning in June do you think it would be safe to run by yourself from Pan Pacific to Stanley Park - around the park and back?  It looks like an 8-9 mile run which would be perfect for many reasons.
I'd like to start early in the morning to be back in time for breakfast with the family.  Sunrise is around 5am.  Would 5:30 or 6am be relatively safe?


----------



## bumbershoot

Mickdeb said:


> Thank you for the replies...we are a family of 3 so taxis should not be a problem.  We will likely only need one to/ from both Amtrak stations.  We will take the skyline/ canadaline from the port to the airport for our flight home.  Still trying to figure out where we can stay in Seattle near the Amtrak station. Oops, I see you mentioned you stayed at the Marriott, thank you.



There's a Silver Cloud pretty close by.  Other than that there's not much right around, and the ones around tend to be pretty spendy.  

The problem with the whole area is that Seatac is a solid 30 minutes away from downtown Seattle (without worrying about traffic).  The airport hotels are right near the airport.  The Amtrak station is in downtown, in what used to be a pretty dodgy area and they just didn't have many hotels down there.  Now there is the lovely Mariners baseball field and the rugged and insanely loud Seahawks stadium, so they had to bring in something (Silver Cloud).  But most everything else is up in the business core area of downtown.  

And the big huge problem with Amtrak that morning is that Amtrak doesn't own the rails.  They are at total and complete mercy of the freight trains.  If freight needs the rails, the Amtrak gets to wait.  If there's a problem with a freight train, Amtrak has to wait.  

And there can also be landslides across the tracks.  If there's such a slide, the rails will be closed for a number of hours that basically translates into 3 days.  If such a thing happens while you're ON the train, you get to wait to be taken from the train and put onto a bus and then be driven.  

If it happens inside that 3 day window, you get to take a bus.  The bus takes longer.  There's no food.  There's no water.  There are no awesome views of the water and bald eagles and everything.  I'm assuming it's the same going TO Canada...coming home to the US we got to stop at the border, get off the bus with carryons, go through security there including xray machines for bags etc.  Took quite awhile on the way back to the US.  Not sure if it's the same going up.  

Now...how often does that happen?  I have absolutely no idea.  But if it happens it's very very annoying and I would be a nervous wreck.

And this is why I don't find myself suggesting the train to people anymore who are concerned about COST.  Because not only do you want to get to Seattle the day before the train, but I know that I really want to catch the train the day before my cruise.  So that's a day in the Seatac/Seattle area AND a day in Vancouver.  The savings of not flying straight to YVR start getting eaten away with all of that.

Do you have insurance on your cruise?



peachygreen said:


> How early in the morning in June do you think it would be safe to run by yourself from Pan Pacific to Stanley Park - around the park and back?  It looks like an 8-9 mile run which would be perfect for many reasons.
> I'd like to start early in the morning to be back in time for breakfast with the family.  Sunrise is around 5am.  Would 5:30 or 6am be relatively safe?



Apart from locals answering you, I would also email or phone the Running Room.  They have all sorts of running groups leaving out of there, and if you call the one right near Stanley Park they should be able to tell you info like that.


----------



## Tenkawa

I live in Vancouver and have taken the train up and down many times.

TLDNR:

Do NOT take the train the morning of the cruise, do NOT take a coach bus the morning of the cruise. Rent a car.

Longer post:

Train: It is about a 4 hour train trip, which means at best, you are arriving at 11:30am, after arrival you have to go through customs, which can take anywhere from 15min-1hr depending on the number of people. Since there is only one rail line, if anything happens (freight train taking too long, landslide, etc) it can add delays, which are a minimum of 30min.

It is on time about 90% of the time, but 10% is still a fair amount.

Coach bus:

Problem with these is that they are at the mercy of the border. Everyone gets off the bus and goes through customs. If anyone has a problem, EVERYONE gets delayed. So these take about 4-5 hours from Seattle once you factor the border in.


Both are great ways to get from one to the other, but can experience delays that could be problematic for you.


----------



## mellers

pjstevens said:


> Can I ask how delayed your friends train was.  We are sailing out on a Monday and were thinking of taking that same 7:40 train from Seattle to Vancouver.  Read a few that said don't do it due to delays.  I have a car reserved but the train is 1/2 the price (and this is a very budget tight trip).



If you're on a tight budget, stay at the Best Western Executive Inn and take the Quick Shuttle up to the cruise terminal--it is more reliable than the train.  If you stay at the Best Western, the Quick Shuttle picks you up right there and drops you off right at the cruise terminal.  I'd still recommend going up the night before, if you can afford it, but the Quick Shuttle's a safer option, and generally cheaper than the train.  The 7:15 should get you there by about 11:45, and even if you're an hour late, you won't miss the boat:

http://www.quickcoach.com/schedule.htm

You also might want to consider taking the QuickShuttle from the Seattle airport to the Vancouver Airport, and stay at the La Quinta Vancouver Airport.  It is usually pretty inexpensive, and has a breakfast and an indoor pool, and it has a free shuttle from the airport.  You can take the hotel shuttle to the SkyTrain and SkyTrain it over to the port, or cab it.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

peachygreen said:


> How early in the morning in June do you think it would be safe to run by yourself from Pan Pacific to Stanley Park - around the park and back?  It looks like an 8-9 mile run which would be perfect for many reasons.
> I'd like to start early in the morning to be back in time for breakfast with the family.  Sunrise is around 5am.  Would 5:30 or 6am be relatively safe?


Based on my experiences living in Vancouver, the waterfront areas are very safe during daylight hours in the summer.  There are a number of early risers who would be making laps around Stanley Park at the same time as you.


----------



## Tenkawa

There is really no "unsafe" time or area of Vancouver. Especially compared to most cities in the US.

I used to work security in downtown vancouver, including graveyard shifts and really there would be no problems. The worst I had to deal with is some skateboarders being stupid.

Yes there are some homeless people, but for the most part they are relatively nice and/or leave you alone.

The worst area is the downtown east side around 1am or so, but if you are in that area you are WAY out of the area that your hotel or run is taking you.  And even then, it is not unsafe, just more drunk/drugged up people in that area.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Salmon lovers rejoice: It could be a record year for Sockeye Salmon on the Fraser River.  The lower estimate is 7.2 million, or nearly double number of fish from last year's dismal season.  The upper estimate for this year is a surreal (and unrealistic) 72 million.  
http://bc.ctvnews.ca/record-breaking-year-predicted-for-fraser-river-sockeye-run-1.1717931
A record number of salmon could also attract a lot of the Orca's from around the Georgia Strait.


----------



## TheRichFam

Mickdeb said:


> Our plan at this time......fly into Seattle day before our Alaskan cruise, 7:40 Amtrak to Vancouver morning of our cruise. We plan to fly home from Vancouver the morning our cruise returns.... My questions for those of you who have done this before:  1. Where did you stay overnight in Seattle/ near the airport or near Amtrak station? Any hotel suggestions close to the Amtrak station, preferably accessible by light rail.  2. What is the earliest return flight we can book?  How far is the Vancouver airport from Canada Place? What is the best and cost effective way to get to the airport? Thank you for reading. Any help is greatly appreciated.



I live in Seattle and can see the Amtrac station from my office window as I type this!   What type of hotel are you looking for? Posh? Chic? Cheap? Let me know and I'll send you tons of recommendations with links!


----------



## mellers

Mickdeb said:


> Our plan at this time......fly into Seattle day before our Alaskan cruise, 7:40 Amtrak to Vancouver morning of our cruise.
> We plan to fly home from Vancouver the morning our cruise returns....
> My questions for those of you who have done this before:
> 
> 1. Where did you stay overnight in Seattle/ near the airport or near Amtrak station? Any hotel suggestions close to the Amtrak station, preferably accessible by light rail.



If you really want to take the train, I'd go for the Silver Cloud:  http://www.silvercloud.com/seattlestadium/ .  

If you're more concerned with getting to Vancouver, I would stay at the Best Western Executive Inn:  http://book.bestwestern.com/bestwes...e=SelectHotel&isMapOpen=false&selectedHotels= and take the Quick Shuttle:  http://www.quickcoach.com/

The reason I recommend this is that the Quick Shuttle picks up right in front of the Executive Inn, and will drop you off at most of the major Vancouver hotels, or the Canada Place Pier, so you don't have to pay for transportation to or from the train station on either end.

There is a restroom, but food and drinks are not available on the Quick Shuttle.  It's wise to pack drinks and snacks.


----------



## DisneyHeather

Mickdeb said:


> Our plan at this time......fly into Seattle day before our Alaskan cruise, 7:40 Amtrak to Vancouver morning of our cruise.
> We plan to fly home from Vancouver the morning our cruise returns....
> My questions for those of you who have done this before:
> 
> 1. Where did you stay overnight in Seattle/ near the airport or near Amtrak station? Any hotel suggestions close to the Amtrak station, preferably accessible by light rail.
> 
> 2. What is the earliest return flight we can book?  How far is the Vancouver airport from Canada Place? What is the best and cost effective way to get to the airport?
> Thank you for reading.
> Any help is greatly appreciated.



I'm not sure how close it is to the Amtrack station but I'm staying at the Holiday Inn Express City Centre my night in Seattle.


----------



## DISNEY FANTASY

Last year we only had one full day in Vancouver and we wanted to cram as much in as we could so booked a private tour for us, covering Vancouver, Stanley park, Callipino suspension bridge, Grouse Mountain we used .

http://www.vancouvertours.com/

We had a fantastic guide, Cheryl, she has worked on cruise ships and knew Vancouver very well, at each place she went ahead and got our tickets and was able to cut lines for us, say on the Gondola up to Grouse Mountain.

Overall for a family of four it wasn't far off the price of a tour coach doing a similar thing, and we were picked up and dropped off at our hotel and had some extra stops for photos.

For Alaska August Navigators and photos and information look at my link below.


----------



## Mickdeb

TheRichFam said:


> I live in Seattle and can see the Amtrac station from my office window as I type this!   What type of hotel are you looking for? Posh? Chic? Cheap? Let me know and I'll send you tons of recommendations with links!



Thanks so much for the offer, but since the recommendation has been to *not *take the train to Vancouver the morning of our cruise, we are now looking into flying directly into Vancouver, despite the exorbinant cost.  Also we waited for SWA to open for our travel dates and their prices were not that great, we were hopping to get at least a flight and a half on points.

I will continue to follow airfare prices for Vancouver, but appreciate all the info and assistance on this thread.


----------



## Mickdeb

DisneyHeather said:


> I'm not sure how close it is to the Amtrack station but I'm staying at the Holiday Inn Express City Centre my night in Seattle.



Thank you, how and when are you planning to get to Vancouver......I am having such a hard time planning this trip, there are so many variables.


----------



## DizDragonfly

Does anyone have a good suggestion for a Stay/Park/Cruise hotel in Vancouver?  We may just end up parking at the port, but it is _very_ expensive.


----------



## JAMWDW

DizDragonfly said:


> Does anyone have a good suggestion for a Stay/Park/Cruise hotel in Vancouver?  We may just end up parking at the port, but it is _very_ expensive.



I've researched this as we'll be driving up from California. I found the Accent Inn, in Richmond and Burnaby, both offer park/stay/cruise options that are extremely affordable. Parking at the port would cost us $186, but doing a stay/park/cruise runs about $100-$130. Well worth it!


----------



## richmo

DizDragonfly said:


> Does anyone have a good suggestion for a Stay/Park/Cruise hotel in Vancouver?  We may just end up parking at the port, but it is _very_ expensive.



What we did was park the car at the Vancouver (YVR) airport, even though we didn't fly in to there. (Flew in to SEA and drove...kept the rental round trip because it was way less than 2 one way rentals)

Parking at YVR is pretty cheap.  There's currently a coupon for $50/week on the airport's web site.  From the economy lot, you just take a shuttle, then take SkyTrain to a couple blocks from the port.  The walk isn't bad, as long as your luggage has wheels and is way less expensive than parking at the port.


----------



## mellers

Mickdeb said:


> Thanks so much for the offer, but since the recommendation has been to *not *take the train to Vancouver the morning of our cruise, we are now looking into flying directly into Vancouver, despite the exorbitant cost.  Also we waited for SWA to open for our travel dates and their prices were not that great, we were hopping to get at least a flight and a half on points.
> 
> I will continue to follow airfare prices for Vancouver, but appreciate all the info and assistance on this thread.



If it's still too expensive to fly into Vancouver, someone mentioned earlier on the thread that there is a "Park/Stay/Cruise" at the Accent inn in Richmond.  Richmond is the same city in which the Vancouver Airport is located, so a taxi from the airport to the inn isn't likely to be very expensive, and it's pretty cheap to take the Quick Shuttle from the Seattle Airport to the Vancouver Airport.  That would give you the night before your cruise and transportation to your cruise in one, and might save you some money over airfare to Vancouver.

If it's cheaper to fly home from Seattle, you'll want to make sure you take an evening flight (I wouldn't recommend earlier than 5 p.m., to be safe, assuming you take the 9 a.m. shuttle), but the Quick Shuttle also has a shuttle which picks up at the Canada Place Cruise Terminal and takes you directly back to Sea-Tac.  If you plan to stay in Seattle for a few days, get off in Downtown Seattle--you'll pay less, and it will put you close to the Space Needle.  It drops off and picks up at the Best Western Executive Inn, which is worth considering if you need lodging in Seattle.

If you're looking for a good deal on airfare to Seattle, it's a good idea to keep an eye on Alaska Airlines--they're the most common carrier here.  If you're coming from a long distance, you may also want to consider getting an Alaska Airlines credit card: http://www.alaskaair.com/content/credit-card/visa-signature.aspx 
The card comes with a $100 companion fare--if you're traveling from the East Coast, this can be a BIG savings.  Around Seattle, some of us (including my husband and me) have each person get the card solely for the coupon.  Alaska Air also flies to Vancouver, although it usually transfers through Seattle.

A few notes about the Quick Shuttle:

1.  They do have a bathroom, but no place to buy food or drinks, and they don't (usually) make food stops, so it's a good idea to bring water and snacks.

2.  If you have someone traveling with you in a wheelchair, they are much better about handling wheelchairs than Amtrak.  Just tell them that you need a wheelchair lift.  They are great. (so says the woman in a wheelchair.)


----------



## Riverhill

I just booked a flight in to Vancouver for our family of 4 from Detroit. Total cost was $2006 (Air Canada)  only $500 more than our flight into Orlando 2 years ago. I checked the airfare each day for the past few months, this was $1000 less than I had seen previously. 

I hope everyone can find reasonable rates out there  No fun when the flight can cost as much as the cruise


----------



## DizDragonfly

JAMWDW said:


> I've researched this as we'll be driving up from California. I found the Accent Inn, in Richmond and Burnaby, both offer park/stay/cruise options that are extremely affordable. Parking at the port would cost us $186, but doing a stay/park/cruise runs about $100-$130. Well worth it!





richmo said:


> What we did was park the car at the Vancouver (YVR) airport, even though we didn't fly in to there. (Flew in to SEA and drove...kept the rental round trip because it was way less than 2 one way rentals)
> 
> Parking at YVR is pretty cheap.  There's currently a coupon for $50/week on the airport's web site.  From the economy lot, you just take a shuttle, then take SkyTrain to a couple blocks from the port.  The walk isn't bad, as long as your luggage has wheels and is way less expensive than parking at the port.



Thanks for the suggestions and recommendations!  I appreciate it!


----------



## sorceressk

What is your favorite restaurant in Vancouver? We have limited time in town and want to make the best of it before the cruise


----------



## DisneyHeather

Mickdeb said:


> Thank you, how and when are you planning to get to Vancouver......I am having such a hard time planning this trip, there are so many variables.



My plan is to fly into Seattle on Saturday and spend a few hours exploring as I've never been there.  Then Sunday morning my son and I will take Amtrack into Vancouver where we will explore there and stay at the Pan Pacific that night.  After the cruise I'm taking the train again back to Seattle and it leaves at 5pm or so, so that gives me a little more time in Vancouver before leaving.  We're staying at an airport hotel and leaving from Seattle the next morning.

I had a companion pass for Delta and got both plane tickets for $300 total (couldn't use the pass to fly into Vancouver) and since it was looking like $400-$500 each to fly into Vancouver it's still cheaper to do it this way even with the Seattle hotels and the train cost.  I know it adds a couple days to the trip but I think my 3 year old and I will enjoy the train.


----------



## peachygreen

Does anyone know when the QuickCoach typically opens their schedule for the summer?  They've been out to the first week of May for what seems like forever now.


----------



## mellers

peachygreen said:


> Does anyone know when the QuickCoach typically opens their schedule for the summer?  They've been out to the first week of May for what seems like forever now.



I'm booking them for mid-May for a cruise, so I know what you mean, but I called them and they said their summer schedule will open up at the end of the month.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

richmo said:
			
		

> Parking at YVR is pretty cheap.  There's currently a coupon for $50/week on the airport's web site.  From the economy lot, you just take a shuttle, then take SkyTrain to a couple blocks from the port.  The walk isn't bad, as long as your luggage has wheels and is way less expensive than parking at the port.


FYI, the SkyTrain charges an extra $5 per person for all tickets purchased in the airport Skytrain stations. I am planning to buy all-day passes at another station before parking at the airport. (You can also avoid this by buying Fare Saver tickets from 7-Eleven in the airport.) Then we are going to either go for a harbour cruise on the Sea Bus, or maybe just hang out in Stanley Park before boarding time. 
Or I might plunk DD6 down in the "drivers seat" and ride the Skytrain around Vancouver. If you ride the Millennium or Expo lines, most of the route is above ground and you get nice views of the mountains and Fraser river. (More than half of the Canada line connecting the airport to the port is underground - views compromised.) The trains are driverless, just like the Orlando airport trains, so kids can sit right at the front window.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

mellers said:
			
		

> A few notes about the Quick Shuttle:
> 
> 1.  They do have a bathroom, but no place to buy food or drinks, and they don't (usually) make food stops, so it's a good idea to bring water and snacks.


Remember that you are crossing an international border. Don't pack any snacks that you would feel guilty about throwing in the garbage at the border. Most packaged snacks (like potato chips) are fine if they are unopened. But meats and dairy products can't cross either direction (exceptions are few, usually related to fish and game caught by anglers and hunters - lots of legal fine print). You can't legally bring any fruits and vegetables into the US. Some fruits can't come into Canada, usually the ones grown in Canada like cherries, peaches, blueberries, apples, grapes, etc.
The Canadian and US government web sites have lots if information about what you can and cannot take into each country. You can do some research. Or just eat everything before the border.


----------



## DISNEY FANTASY

sorceressk said:


> What is your favorite restaurant in Vancouver? We have limited time in town and want to make the best of it before the cruise



http://www.belaggiocafe.com/

This is opposite Canada place very good, I note their website is down.





image by Andrew D Porter, on Flickr


----------



## mellers

GrtWtNorth said:


> Remember that you are crossing an international border. Don't pack any snacks that you would feel guilty about throwing in the garbage at the border. Most packaged snacks (like potato chips) are fine if they are unopened. But meats and dairy products can't cross either direction (exceptions are few, usually related to fish and game caught by anglers and hunters - lots of legal fine print). You can't legally bring any fruits and vegetables into the US. Some fruits can't come into Canada, usually the ones grown in Canada like cherries, peaches, blueberries, apples, grapes, etc.
> The Canadian and US government web sites have lots if information about what you can and cannot take into each country. You can do some research. Or just eat everything before the border.



Good advice.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

sorceressk said:
			
		

> What is your favorite restaurant in Vancouver? We have limited time in town and want to make the best of it before the cruise


Carderro's is on the waterfront, and is usually quite good. It's slightly overpriced and leans from restaurant towards lounge atmosphere on weekend evenings after 8 pm. http://www.vancouverdine.com/carderos 

All of The Boathouse restaurants is a local chain that serves great food. The location in Horseshoe Bay has the best scenery, but you need a car (or a lot of cab fare) to get there. http://boathouserestaurants.ca/ 

I also love Vancouver's Chinese restaurants, many of which actually serve real Chinese cuisine, not deep-fried-and-covered-in-sweet-sauce excuses for Chinese food found elsewhere in North America. My favorite appears to be closed now - it was a Coquitlam location of the Kirin fine dining chain. Their other restaurants remain open and are likely good quality. http://www.kirinrestaurants.com/

Other dining experiences that are not fine dining, but are unique and worth checking out are:

Japa Dog - Japanese style hot dogs. Don't knock it until you've tried it.  http://www.japadog.com/ 

Fish and chips: My favorite was Mr. Pickwick's on Denman street (not far from Stanley Park), but C-Lovers and Pajo's are all good too. The busier the location, the more fresh your fish will be. 

Sushi: You can't walk two blocks in Vancouver without passing several sushi restaurants. They often serve a mix of traditional Japanese-style sushi, California-style sushi, and the occasional "what were they thinking?!?!" creations (like bacon avocado rolls). A local specialty is the BC roll: cooked salmon (with the crispy skin). Delicious. A few all-you-can eat restaurants are dotted around the city, plus some table-service restaurants, and a huge number of counter service restaurants.


----------



## twentytoez

GrtWtNorth said:


> Carderro's is on the waterfront, and is usually quite good. It's slightly overpriced and leans from restaurant towards lounge atmosphere on weekend evenings after 8 pm. http://www.vancouverdine.com/carderos  All of The Boathouse restaurants is a local chain that serves great food. The location in Horseshoe Bay has the best scenery, but you need a car (or a lot of cab fare) to get there. http://boathouserestaurants.ca/  I also love Vancouver's Chinese restaurants, many of which actually serve real Chinese cuisine, not deep-fried-and-covered-in-sweet-sauce excuses for Chinese food found elsewhere in North America. My favorite appears to be closed now - it was a Coquitlam location of the Kirin fine dining chain. Their other restaurants remain open and are likely good quality. http://www.kirinrestaurants.com/  Other dining experiences that are not fine dining, but are unique and worth checking out are:  Japa Dog - Japanese style hot dogs. Don't knock it until you've tried it.  http://www.japadog.com/  Fish and chips: My favorite was Mr. Pickwick's on Denman street (not far from Stanley Park), but C-Lovers and Pajo's are all good too. The busier the location, the more fresh your fish will be.  Sushi: You can't walk two blocks in Vancouver without passing several sushi restaurants. They often serve a mix of traditional Japanese-style sushi, California-style sushi, and the occasional "what were they thinking?!?!" creations (like bacon avocado rolls). A local specialty is the BC roll: cooked salmon (with the crispy skin). Delicious. A few all-you-can eat restaurants are dotted around the city, plus some table-service restaurants, and a huge number of counter service restaurants.



How about a great Dim sum?


----------



## Sonja99

Thanks for the dining tips in Vancouver! 
After our cruise we stay three nights in Vancouver and we will try some of your tips


----------



## mellers

twentytoez said:


> How about a great Dim sum?



Jade in Richmond near the airport: http://www.jaderestaurant.ca/


----------



## twentytoez

mellers said:


> Jade in Richmond near the airport: http://www.jaderestaurant.ca/



Thanks!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

twentytoez said:
			
		

> How about a great Dim sum?


Kirin serves great dim sum. The web site didn't indicate the hours, but it is usually weekend mornings (like brunch). Call to confirm.


----------



## sorceressk

Thx everyone! Great restaurant suggestions


----------



## twentytoez

GrtWtNorth said:


> Kirin serves great dim sum. The web site didn't indicate the hours, but it is usually weekend mornings (like brunch). Call to confirm.


Thanks!


----------



## LLOC33

We will be driving to Vancouver from Oregon (roughly 6 hours) so probably not arriving to our hotel until about 1:30 - 2 (Pan Pacific). Based on check-in, potty breaks, lunch, etc., I'm thinking we can do Grouse OR Cap Bridge but not both. We arrive on Sunday and thus won't have any other time. Which would you suggest? I have 3 kids (10, 6, 6).


----------



## jetskigrl

DisneyHeather said:


> My plan is to fly into Seattle on Saturday and spend a few hours exploring as I've never been there.  Then Sunday morning my son and I will take Amtrack into Vancouver where we will explore there and stay at the Pan Pacific that night.  After the cruise I'm taking the train again back to Seattle and it leaves at 5pm or so, so that gives me a little more time in Vancouver before leaving.  We're staying at an airport hotel and leaving from Seattle the next morning.
> 
> I had a companion pass for Delta and got both plane tickets for $300 total (couldn't use the pass to fly into Vancouver) and since it was looking like $400-$500 each to fly into Vancouver it's still cheaper to do it this way even with the Seattle hotels and the train cost.  I know it adds a couple days to the trip but I think my 3 year old and I will enjoy the train.



Our trip ended up expanding into almost two weeks because of the extra stays too    We are flying into Vancouver and staying at the Pan Pacific for 2 nights pre-cruise.  Then after the cruise, we are taking quick shuttle to Seattle and then staying there for two nights (none of us have been to Seattle before).   Then we are spending another two days (one night) taking the Amtrak Coast Starlight back down to LA.   We love the train so hopefully that will help cure the post-cruise blues just a bit.



mellers said:


> I'm booking them for mid-May for a cruise, so I know what you mean, but I called them and they said their summer schedule will open up at the end of the month.



Thanks for posting that.  I have been waiting for them also.   I have everything booked; pre and post cruise hotels, cruise, train, plane, excursions, etc.  That is all that I have left to book.


----------



## bumbershoot

jetskigrl said:


> Then we are spending another two days (one night) taking the Amtrak Coast Starlight back down to LA.   We love the train so hopefully that will help cure the post-cruise blues just a bit.



Just remember to not schedule anything vital for immediately after the train is slated to get in.  The further Amtrak goes on an itinerary the longer the delays get.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

LLOC33 said:
			
		

> We will be driving to Vancouver from Oregon (roughly 6 hours) so probably not arriving to our hotel until about 1:30 - 2 (Pan Pacific). Based on check-in, potty breaks, lunch, etc., I'm thinking we can do Grouse OR Cap Bridge but not both. We arrive on Sunday and thus won't have any other time. Which would you suggest? I have 3 kids (10, 6, 6).



Grouse Mountain is more "in your face", with a unique ride up the mountain, a scheduled lumberjack show, great views if the harbour and entire city, plus a very natural bear enclosure. It's a bit faster paced. 

Capillano Suspension Bridge includes the bridge / gorge, which let's you look about a half-mile up and down the gorge, plus numerous "walk and read a sign" experiences (both at ground level and 30 feet up in the trees) and the occasional live interactive exhibit, such as a totem pole carver or an expert with some rescued animals. I would compare it to exploring the trails at Animal Kingdom combined with Redwood Forest Trail at DCA - a place to explore at your own pace. 

I don't know your family, but after six hours in a car, do you think they want a more active and scheduled experience? Would they be impressed by seeing the harbour from the top of the mountain (maybe they see this in Portland)? If so, go to Grouse Mountain. If they look rebellious and don't want to be told what to do, send them to Capillano Suspension Bridge.

When I lived in Vancouver, I did both on a semi-regular basis, although only with much younger kids than yours.


----------



## MyYearWithTheMouse

What's the cheapest way for a family of 4 to get from the port to the airport?


----------



## mellers

MyYearWithTheMouse said:


> What's the cheapest way for a family of 4 to get from the port to the airport?



YVR or Sea-Tac?

For YVR, it's probably the SkyTrain, but you need to be a pretty hardy crew with very little luggage.  My (larger) family had good luck with http://www.ridebooker.com/ for transportation from Richmond to the port, but somebody may have a recommendation for a less expensive option.  They did a good job with the 5 of us, a bunch of luggage and a collapsible mobility scooter, and the price seemed fair.

For Sea-Tac, it's the QuickShuttle--they'll take you directly from the port to Sea-Tac.  They have a restroom, but they do not have food or drink available, so you'll want to bring water and packaged, safe-to-cross-the-border snacks with you from the ship, or from the Canada Place vending machines (remember, the vending machines only take Canadian money in Canada Place.)  They won't have their schedule available until the end of the month, however (but they're not hard to book) http://www.quickcoach.com/


----------



## MyYearWithTheMouse

Thank you! I should have been more specific, it's YVR. And I'm asking for a friend, so I suspect they'll be hauling a lot of baggage. What about the Disney transfers? Rip off?


----------



## disneyfaninaz

MyYearWithTheMouse said:


> Thank you! I should have been more specific, it's YVR. And I'm asking for a friend, so I suspect they'll be hauling a lot of baggage. What about the Disney transfers? Rip off?



We are looking into taking a van from YVR to Canada Place. You can get them right at the curb outside the airport.  It is about $66 for 6 people.  We are not flying in the day of the cruise.

DCL transportation only works the morning of the cruise.  I don't know what the rate is from YVR to Canada Place.


----------



## jetskigrl

bumbershoot said:


> Just remember to not schedule anything vital for immediately after the train is slated to get in.  The further Amtrak goes on an itinerary the longer the delays get.



That is why we are flying to Vancouver and taking the train home   I didn't want to book the train pre-cruise (even though that is a better direction - view wise) because I would be stressed if it runs too late.

We won't have a time worry on the way back so it can take as long as it wants.  We booked a bedroom suite for the 4 of us so we should have a pretty comfortable ride.   (I think I'm more excited than my train-loving DS on that part) 

Now to just keep my fingers crossed that the Pacific Parlour car is there.  We have been lucky and had it on all of our LA-San Jose trips.


----------



## mellers

MyYearWithTheMouse said:


> Thank you! I should have been more specific, it's YVR. And I'm asking for a friend, so I suspect they'll be hauling a lot of baggage. What about the Disney transfers? Rip off?



I imagine it would be a pretty good deal for smaller groups, but the 5 of us did better booking on our own.


----------



## richmo

MyYearWithTheMouse said:


> What's the cheapest way for a family of 4 to get from the port to the airport?



We took the SkyTrain (actually we drove to the airport and parked there...cheap!).  It goes quite close to the port, but you do have a short walk (5 minutes or so) from the station.  I did see your later comment about the amount of baggage and mellers was correct in saying that if you have a lot, it wouldn't be easy.  In our case, we each had a wheeled bag and maybe a backpack.  If you have more than that, you may have to do something else.


----------



## hoosier4luvwdw

We are going on the June 16th cruise and are currently booked at the Best Western. I'm looking on Hotwire at the 5 star hotels in Coal Harbor; what are the odds of it being the Pan Pacific? Anyone know tricks to know for sure? With taxes, the total comes to $247. What is the resort fee that could be added on at the hotel?
Thanks!


----------



## peachygreen

The Hotwire 5star hotel in Coal Harbor with an 85% approval rate is the PanPacific.  I believe it says that a resort fee of $0 is expected for this hotel.  (at least that is what it said when I booked it).


----------



## hoosier4luvwdw

peachygreen said:


> The Hotwire 5star hotel in Coal Harbor with an 85% approval rate is the PanPacific.  I believe it says that a resort fee of $0 is expected for this hotel.  (at least that is what it said when I booked it).



Thanks! We've never used Hotwire, so are a little leery of what we get or any hidden fees at check in time.


----------



## jetskigrl

hoosier4luvwdw said:


> We are going on the June 16th cruise and are currently booked at the Best Western. I'm looking on Hotwire at the 5 star hotels in Coal Harbor; what are the odds of it being the Pan Pacific? Anyone know tricks to know for sure? With taxes, the total comes to $247. What is the resort fee that could be added on at the hotel?
> Thanks!



This is the amenity set from when I booked it a couple of months ago:

Vancouver Downtown - Coal Harbour - Stanley Park Area
Hotwire - 85% recommended (273 reviews), overall statisfaction 4 1/2
Tripadvisor - 4.5 out of 5

Amenities included:
Pet Friendly
Fitness Center
Pool(s)
Restaurant(s)
Business Center
Self-service Laundry
Internet Access
Spa Services

Accesibility - Accessible for the deaf.

The first thing you do after selecting Vancouver and your dates is limit it to only 5-star hotes.  You will only get one entry.  Verify that the amenity set matches what is listed above.

The number of reviews is up to around 395 now.  If you get an entry that looks almost like this but includes "indoor pool" then it is probably the Four Seasons rather than the Pan.

Please keep in mind that there is always a chance that they will add different hotels to the list at any time.  But hopefully this helps up the odds for getting the Pan Pacific for you.   At worst case, you will still end up with a 5-star hotel for a great price.


----------



## hoosier4luvwdw

jetskigrl said:


> This is the amenity set from when I booked it a couple of months ago:
> 
> Vancouver Downtown - Coal Harbour - Stanley Park Area
> Hotwire - 85% recommended (273 reviews), overall statisfaction 4 1/2
> Tripadvisor - 4.5 out of 5
> 
> Amenities included:
> Pet Friendly
> Fitness Center
> Pool(s)
> Restaurant(s)
> Business Center
> Self-service Laundry
> Internet Access
> Spa Services
> 
> Accesibility - Accessible for the deaf.
> 
> The first thing you do after selecting Vancouver and your dates is limit it to only 5-star hotes.  You will only get one entry.  Verify that the amenity set matches what is listed above.
> 
> The number of reviews is up to around 395 now.  If you get an entry that looks almost like this but includes "indoor pool" then it is probably the Four Seasons rather than the Pan.
> 
> Please keep in mind that there is always a chance that they will add different hotels to the list at any time.  But hopefully this helps up the odds for getting the Pan Pacific for you.   At worst case, you will still end up with a 5-star hotel for a great price.



Thank you! We booked it and got the Pan Pacific for a total of $225.41with all taxes and fees!


----------



## jetskigrl

hoosier4luvwdw said:


> Thank you! We booked it and got the Pan Pacific for a total of $225.41with all taxes and fees!



  I'm so glad to hear that you got it!!


----------



## ksloane

Just booked our first Alaskan cruise for August 2015. Can't wait!  About to start reading this thread.


----------



## iluvdisney

If you decide to fly home the day of disembarking - what do you do with your luggage during that day since most flights to the east are at night - any suggestions would be appreciated - thanks!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

iluvdisney said:


> If you decide to fly home the day of disembarking - what do you do with your luggage during that day since most flights to the east are at night - any suggestions would be appreciated - thanks!


http://www.prioritybaggage.ca/ has baggage storage locations at both the port and the airport.  They may even have luggage transfer services.  Their web site was uncooperative for me this morning, but you should be able to call and confirm their rates and services @ 604-683-3696.


----------



## ahain

Hello, 
We will be a group of 5 (ages 80, 76, 58, 54, and 16 when we travel).  Grandma & Grandpa can still "get around," but prefer not to walk long dstances, if possible.  We hope to stay 2 nights pre-cruise at the PanPacific.  I've read here that Taxis are small and can only hold 3-4 people w/luggage.  

We will be traveling in early June from Michigan (Grand Rapids is the closest "large" airport).  We are on Eastern time.

So, several questions.....

1. Any tips on the best/most cost effective airline/airfare from GRR to YVR?  (I'm assuming round trip YVR is better for us than SeaTac to minimize transfers & too much walking for the "Grandparents" but please correct me if there's a better way!)

2. What is the best/most hassle-free way to get 5 of us (with "average" luggage) from YVR to Pan Pacific?  Limo?

3. What is the best way to get 5 of us (with "average" luggage) from back to YVR from the port on departure day?

4.  Should we plan on flying home the same day the cruise ends? or should we stay overnight at an airport hotel and try to fly out early next day?

5.  I have seen some tips on getting good Pan Pacific rates on Hotwire.  Is there any way to book a harbor-view room using Hotwire or other discount site? (Wishful thinking here...)

Thanks in advance!


----------



## Tenkawa

ahain said:


> 1. Any tips on the best/most cost effective airline/airfare from GRR to YVR?  (I'm assuming round trip YVR is better for us than SeaTac to minimize transfers & too much walking for the "Grandparents" but please correct me if there's a better way!)



No idea about cost effective from GRR. Most will be about the same, and I expect you'll have to change planes somewhere. That said, YVR is a beautiful airport.



ahain said:


> 2. What is the best/most hassle-free way to get 5 of us (with "average" luggage) from YVR to Pan Pacific?  Limo?



For the ages and number of people, I'd say you have two options. Limo or Taxi Van. When you exit the airport arrivals (bottom floor), you walk across the street (still under the overhang) and there is a taxi stand to the left and limo to the right.  If there are a bunch of people waiting for taxis, ask the attendant (there will be one there) how long the wait is for a taxi van (minivan). If short, you can do it, however the cost is almost as much as a limo.

If it is a wait, or you would like to have some fun, turn to your right, and there is the limo stand. ask for a limo. Often there is one right there, and downtown will cost you only slightly more than a taxi van.

Recommendation: Limo curbside.



ahain said:


> 3. What is the best way to get 5 of us (with "average" luggage) from back to YVR from the port on departure day?



Probably a taxi van, but I recommend talking to the Pan Pacific concierge when you check in. They will know all the secrets. Given the numbers of people getting off the ship and number of taxis around, it may take a little time for one to arrive, but enjoy the city if you have some time.



ahain said:


> 4.  Should we plan on flying home the same day the cruise ends? or should we stay overnight at an airport hotel and try to fly out early next day?



Either way works. Depends how much time you want to spend in Vancouver. It is a lovely city and there is plenty to see and do. If you do fly out same day, make sure it is an afternoon flight to give yourselves time to get to the airport.



ahain said:


> 5.  I have seen some tips on getting good Pan Pacific rates on Hotwire.  Is there any way to book a harbor-view room using Hotwire or other discount site? (Wishful thinking here...)



Nope. You want to specify the room, you pay the full rack rates


----------



## GrtWtNorth

April Fool's: Vancouver's airport and port have now switched to metric time.  See www.westjet.com/metrictime for details.  The videos explain it all.


----------



## pjstevens

grtwtnorth said:


> vancouver's airport and port have now switched to metric time.  See www.westjet.com/metrictime for details.  The videos explain it all.



lol!


----------



## mellers

iluvdisney said:


> If you decide to fly home the day of disembarking - what do you do with your luggage during that day since most flights to the east are at night - any suggestions would be appreciated - thanks!



You can pay to store your luggage at the cruise terminal.


----------



## mellers

ahain said:


> Hello,
> We will be a group of 5 (ages 80, 76, 58, 54, and 16 when we travel).  Grandma & Grandpa can still "get around," but prefer not to walk long dstances, if possible.  We hope to stay 2 nights pre-cruise at the PanPacific.  I've read here that Taxis are small and can only hold 3-4 people w/luggage.



It's also worth noting that taxis from the cruise terminal, regardless of size, will only take 2 people (or at least would only take 2 people the last time I was there, last summer.)  However, you can book cars which will hold more people.  We used Ridebooker and got a pretty good deal by booking a large (9 or 10 person) van, which held us, my folded mobility scooter, and all of our luggage.



> 1. Any tips on the best/most cost effective airline/airfare from GRR to YVR?  (I'm assuming round trip YVR is better for us than SeaTac to minimize transfers & too much walking for the "Grandparents" but please correct me if there's a better way!)



Alaska Airlines is probably the most common airline for this neck of the woods, and if you get their affinity credit card, you can get a companion airfare for $100 (or at least you could last time I checked--double-check).  You also generally get 25K miles when you apply, which might get you a free ticket.  Many of us who live in Seattle (including me) have the card, but I don't know if they go to Grand Rapids, so I'd check first.  As to whether or not YVR is better than SeaTac, not necessarily.  You would have a longish bus ride from SeaTac, but it is less difficult to go through customs on the bus than in the airport (my opinion as a mobility-challenged person).  If there is a big price difference in favor of Seattle, go to QuickShuttle.  They will take you directly from SeaTac to the Pan Pacific Hotel.

(Worth noting:  If you do take the QuickShuttle, either get a meal to go which you plan to eat before your reach the border, along with some water, or drinks and border-safe snacks, because it is a long ride and there isn't a meal stop.  There is, however, a restroom onboard.)

Alternatively, if you wanted to spend one night in Seattle and one night in Vancouver (while one technically can get up Canada Place on the day of the cruise, I wouldn't recommend it), if you stay at the Best Western Executive Inn, you can take the QuickShuttle directly from the hotel to the Pan Pacific, and the Executive Inn is located close to the Space Needle and several museums.



> 2. What is the best/most hassle-free way to get 5 of us (with "average" luggage) from YVR to Pan Pacific?  Limo?



We used Ridebooker, but somebody might have a cheaper, better option.  You'll definitely want to hire a car, though.



> 3. What is the best way to get 5 of us (with "average" luggage) from back to YVR from the port on departure day?



You definitely want to hire a car (either through Ridebooker or someone else's option).  You don't want to take a taxi.  If you're going to Sea-Tac, take the QuickShuttle.  It will take you directly to the airport.



> 4.  Should we plan on flying home the same day the cruise ends? or should we stay overnight at an airport hotel and try to fly out early next day?



If you're flying out of YVR, I'd book for after 3 p.m.  You should be fine.  However, I'd seriously consider staying overnight at Seattle and flying out the next morning, just in case there's a problem at the border.  That said, you're still probably safe if you fly out after 5 p.m. and catch the first QuickShuttle.



> 5.  I have seen some tips on getting good Pan Pacific rates on Hotwire.  Is there any way to book a harbor-view room using Hotwire or other discount site? (Wishful thinking here...)



Sometimes they have special rates for AAA or Entertainment members at the Fairmont Waterfront, as well as the Pan Pacific.  Both are close enough to the port to be very convenient.  I also noticed that the QuickShuttle offered some package deals--you might see what they have to offer, if you fly into Sea-Tac


----------



## rsjj

iluvdisney said:


> If you decide to fly home the day of disembarking - what do you do with your luggage during that day since most flights to the east are at night - any suggestions would be appreciated - thanks!



ok...it's been 3 years since we went on our alaska cruise...so pls forgive me if i can't recall specifics...

there was a company right at the port (can't remember the name) that took our luggages and delivered it to the airport!  was around $30-40 (?) each piece.  

our flight wasn't till late afternoon/early evening (around 5 or so), and we didn't want to go directly to the airport.  so we left our luggages w/this company and took the bus to stanley park.  rented bikes, rode around the park & enjoyed the park.  stopped at some place around the park to eat (walked.  there are many eateries w/in walking distance from the park!).  hopped back on the bus that took us back to the airport.  maybe it was a bus & a skytrain (?) back to the airport.  we just had our carryon/backpacks w/us during the day at stanley park.

again, i'm sorry for not remember the specifics...if it comes to me, i will be sure to post it.    

hope this helps.


----------



## jtkboston

mellers said:


> We used Ridebooker, but somebody might have a cheaper, better option.  You'll definitely want to hire a car, though.



I took a look at Aerocar, it seems cheaper than Ridebooker for 5 passengers.

Anybody have experience with Aerocar?  How are they--are they reliable/reputable/clean for city/port to airport?  It seems they have the concession for YVR->city/port limo services;


----------



## Ellester

mellers said:


> It's also worth noting that taxis from the cruise terminal, regardless of size, will only take 2 people (or at least would only take 2 people the last time I was there, last summer.)


  We were able to fit 6 people in two taxis from the terminal last September. I don't know if it was a special company or not but it was the standard little Priuses. We just went to the taxi stand. We also used two from the hotel (Delta Suites) to the terminal. My mom has knee problems and they let her sit in the front without a problem both times.


----------



## mellers

Ellester said:


> We were able to fit 6 people in two taxis from the terminal last September. I don't know if it was a special company or not but it was the standard little Priuses. We just went to the taxi stand. We also used two from the hotel (Delta Suites) to the terminal. My mom has knee problems and they let her sit in the front without a problem both times.



I'm glad they changed the policy.


----------



## Freesia123

The cars are very small! You
Might not get two big suitcases in. If you've got lots of luggage it is only slightly more to take a limo.


----------



## allbets

We'll also have six and we're getting a limo from airport to Granville island (staying two nights before cruise).  We'll have to take two taxis probably from hotel to cruise port.
And then after cruise we're staying at pan pacific one night and leaving early on Tuesday instead of staying hem at 2:00am Monday night.

I imagine your flight options are similar to ours...leave at noon and get home around 1:00am or leave at 8:00am on Tuesday and get home by dinner.


----------



## elvisdiddy808

Ellester said:


> We were able to fit 6 people in two taxis from the terminal last September. I don't know if it was a special company or not but it was the standard little Priuses. We just went to the taxi stand. We also used two from the hotel (Delta Suites) to the terminal. My mom has knee problems and they let her sit in the front without a problem both times.



Is the cruise terminal far away from Delta Suites?  We were planning on trying to walk it if it wasn't too far.


----------



## ILovePixieDust

jtkboston said:


> I took a look at Aerocar, it seems cheaper than Ridebooker for 5 passengers.
> 
> Anybody have experience with Aerocar?  How are they--are they reliable/reputable/clean for city/port to airport?  It seems they have the concession for YVR->city/port limo services;



I have used Aerocar many many times since i live in Vancouver. Always reliable, always prompt. Great service and I would highly recommend.


----------



## disneyfaninaz

ILovePixieDust said:


> I have used Aerocar many many times since i live in Vancouver. Always reliable, always prompt. Great service and I would highly recommend.



Great to hear.  We are planning on using their curbside van service when we arrive at YVR next month.


----------



## jetskigrl

ahain said:


> 5.  I have seen some tips on getting good Pan Pacific rates on Hotwire.  Is there any way to book a harbor-view room using Hotwire or other discount site? (Wishful thinking here...)
> 
> Thanks in advance!



I know I am answering an older post but just in case the OP is still watching.....

When you book the Pan Pacific on Hotwire, you are given a Standard City View room.   Once you have completed the booking however, you can contact Pan Pacific directly and ask if upgrades are availible.  If they are, they will quote you the price difference.   I was able to upgrade my standard hotwire-booked room to a Premier corner room for an extra $60 a night (Harbor View was much cheaper but there are none available for the nights we are staying there).   

I have not stayed there yet but I do have an email confirmation from the hotel indicating that the upgrade has been added and the balance will be due when I check in.


----------



## MaxiMax

Is there a car rental return at the port? Thanks!!


----------



## Tenkawa

MaxiMax said:


> Is there a car rental return at the port? Thanks!!



Only National has a booth there (and even then I think you need to pre-arrange it).

There are other car rental drop-off spots downtown, but not at the port (If you have never been to vancouver, the "Port" is literally in the heart of downtown.


----------



## Keyser

jetskigrl said:


> This is the amenity set from when I booked it a couple of months ago:
> 
> Vancouver Downtown - Coal Harbour - Stanley Park Area
> Hotwire - 85% recommended (273 reviews), overall statisfaction 4 1/2
> Tripadvisor - 4.5 out of 5
> 
> Amenities included:
> Pet Friendly
> Fitness Center
> Pool(s)
> Restaurant(s)
> Business Center
> Self-service Laundry
> Internet Access
> Spa Services
> 
> Accesibility - Accessible for the deaf.
> 
> The first thing you do after selecting Vancouver and your dates is limit it to only 5-star hotes.  You will only get one entry.  Verify that the amenity set matches what is listed above.
> 
> The number of reviews is up to around 395 now.  If you get an entry that looks almost like this but includes "indoor pool" then it is probably the Four Seasons rather than the Pan.
> 
> Please keep in mind that there is always a chance that they will add different hotels to the list at any time.  But hopefully this helps up the odds for getting the Pan Pacific for you.   At worst case, you will still end up with a 5-star hotel for a great price.



Yes, thanks from me, also!  I just booked and got the Pan Pacific for $190/night before tax, $235.60 after tax.  Some notes on slight differences: the amenity list was just what you said, but "resort" was listed as the first "amenity".  There were several more ratings (I think it was over 470 now) and the recommend rate was up to 90%.  All the scores were 4 1/2 except location, which was 5.  

I am pretty sure I saw the same hotel pop up on a separate search a couple of days ago for $5/night cheaper.  So, I don't know if rates went up, or Hotwire realized that I was interested and raised the rates a bit on my second visit (I know some websites do that, I don't know if Hotwire is one)...


----------



## GrtWtNorth

elvisdiddy808 said:
			
		

> Is the cruise terminal far away from Delta Suites?  We were planning on trying to walk it if it wasn't too far.


It is a relatively short distance (550 m, which is slightly less than the distance from Magic Kingdom to the Contemporary Resort). Google maps says it is an 8 minute walk. However, that part of the city is not entirely flat. I would suggest walking it first without your bags before deciding to make the treck with your luggage and family in tow.


----------



## stampinot

I cannot find the info on this thread
Is there a city bus or hop on hop off bus that will take us around the city and to the Grouse Mountain?
Thanks
JUlie


----------



## Tenkawa

stampinot said:


> I cannot find the info on this thread
> Is there a city bus or hop on hop off bus that will take us around the city and to the Grouse Mountain?
> Thanks
> JUlie



And, no. or, yes.

http://bigbus.ca/home/  That is a hop on and off bus.

For grouse mountain, public transportation is the BEST way as it gives you a number of things. From the port, just walk around the corner to the Seabus terminal (Part of the bus network) which takes you across the harbour (awesome views) to Lonsdale Quay (neat little market) and bus loop. There is a bus that leaves from there directly for Grouse Mountain.  head over to the Translink web site, there is a lot of great public transit information http://www.translink.ca.  It is one of the best transit sites out there (Visit the Trip Planning section and you can put in your start and end, it will give you various route options)


----------



## Jrsy Boy

GrtWtNorth said:


> It is a relatively short distance (550 m, which is slightly less than the distance from Magic Kingdom to the Contemporary Resort). Google maps says it is an 8 minute walk. However, that part of the city is not entirely flat. I would suggest *walking it first without your bags before deciding to make the treck* with your luggage and family in tow.


We did this and found the route was mostly downhill and didn't take very long.  Of course, all of our luggage is on wheels so, if you still have bags that aren't on wheels (and maybe still use a rotary phone?), you may not find it as easy.  Checking the route beforehand also gave us the opportunity to explore Canada Place as well as to figure out exactly where we needed to be the day we'd be leaving.


----------



## Ellester

Jrsy Boy said:


> We did this and found the route was mostly downhill and didn't take very long.  Of course, all of our luggage is on wheels so, if you still have bags that aren't on wheels (and maybe still use a rotary phone?), you may not find it as easy.  Checking the route beforehand also gave us the opportunity to explore Canada Place as well as to figure out exactly where we needed to be the day we'd be leaving.



Yes, it is a short walk. We were planning on walking with all the luggage but it was raining the morning we embarked. We didn't want the luggage to get wet and it was a bit slippery so we just got a cab. We were traveling with my elderly mother and four kids and it was just too much to handle our 8 pieces of luggage, carry-ons, and umbrellas! We just did it for simplicity on the way back to the hotel after the cruise. It was uphill back and my mom's knees were really bothering her. With not a bunch of luggage and nice weather, it would be an easy walk. We thought the Delta Suites was a great location!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Jrsy Boy said:


> We did this and found the route was mostly downhill and didn't take very long.  Of course, all of our luggage is on wheels so, if you still have bags that aren't on wheels (and maybe still use a rotary phone?), you may not find it as easy.  Checking the route beforehand also gave us the opportunity to explore Canada Place as well as to figure out exactly where we needed to be the day we'd be leaving.


I have stayed in that hotel before.  I remember having to be cautious with our stroller because of the slope of the street.  After looking at it again using Google Street View, I see that the slope is continuous, but not as steep as other locations downtown. However, if I had walk this distance with a family, I would limit children and/or grandparents to only 2-wheeled luggage - if they let go, the luggage will stop rolling. But 4-wheeled luggage and strollers not handled responsibly could run away and down into the street below. (Call me paranoid!)


----------



## basketrn

Can someone give me the dummy guide to getting around Capilano Bridge to Grouse and back. 

From what I understand...take the free bus from Canada Place to Capilano.  Then bus 236 from Capilano to Grouse (which costs around 2.75pp/cash only).  Then how do we get back to Canada Place?  We are staying at Pan Pacific so will be right there.

TIA!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

basketrn said:


> Can someone give me the dummy guide to getting around Capilano Bridge to Grouse and back.
> 
> From what I understand...take the free bus from Canada Place to Capilano.  Then bus 236 from Capilano to Grouse (which costs around 2.75pp/cash only).  Then how do we get back to Canada Place?  We are staying at Pan Pacific so will be right there.
> 
> TIA!


Grouse Mountain has a free shuttle from Canada Place (summer only), but TransLink buses work good too.  https://www.grousemountain.com/location-hours

Capilano Suspension Bridge offers a similar service. http://www.capbridge.com/visit/shuttle-service/

But these two tourist attractions are competitors and do not promote shuttle services directly between each other.  (Just like Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Florida.)

To connect between them, you can use TransLink (public bus).  In fact, it may be faster to use Translink to get to these locations directly, rather than taking their shuttle service.  I also like taking the Sea Bus for a unique view of the harbour and to see the cruise ships up close. 

Note: Vancouver's hop-on-hop-off bus services do not serve the north shore where Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain are located.  In fact, the Vancouver Trolley Company sells ticket packages that include their hop-on-hop-off bus services, admission to these attractions, and *detailed instructions on how to use the free shuttle services and the TransLink bus that connects them*.  

In my opinion, Translink, the local public transit service is the best option, and the free shuttles are only valuable if you want to avoid riding across the harbour in a Sea Bus.  Getting a day-pass for Translink will allow you also to ride the Sea Bus and SkyTrain as well as the buses that go from Lonsdale Quay to Grouse Mountain (via Capilano Suspension Bridge). $9.75 per day, which you can buy at any SkyTrain or Sea Bus station, including Waterfront Station at the Port of Vancouver. 

Hop-on-hop off buses operate throughout tourist destinations in Vancouver, but they don't go to North Vancouver, where Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge are Located.    
http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/ $40 for one day, $45 for two days.
http://bigbus.ca/home/ $40 for one day, $45 for two days. 
Vancouver Trolley company is the larger operation, with more frequent service. 

In general, the hop-on-hop-off bus services only serve the City of Vancouver (yellow on the map), while mountain tourist attractions in the City of North Vancouver and the international airport in the City of Richmond are in the red areas.  (Green areas in the east are other cities in the metro Vancouver area.)





Comparing Hop-on-hop-off buses with Translink options
* Translink offers most frequent service and service to more locations
* Translink views from the SkyTrain and Sea Bus are better than the other services
* Vancouver Trolley Company and Big Bus have Hop-on-hop-off buses around Stanley Park while TransLink has only one central bus stop. Vancouver Trolley Company has a $10 hop-on-hop-off service that only serves Stanley Park, for those that want to avoid the full city $40 hop-on-hop-off fare.  
* Translink is the only bus service directly between Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain. This same connecting bus also connects with the Sea Bus in Lonsdale Quay. The Sea Bus connects Lonsdale Quay with Waterfront station / cruise ship terminal / Pan Pacific hotel.
* All of the bus services connect with locations where Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain offer free shuttle services.


----------



## Tenkawa

Hi Basketrn, see my post about Transit.  visit http://www.translink.ca


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Here are links to information on the #236 route map, showing the bus that connects Lonsdale Quay, Capilano Suspension Bridge, and Grouse Mountain.  This bus runs very frequently (at least every 15 minutes) throughout the day all year round.  

Route Map: http://infomaps.translink.ca/Route_Diagrams/96/r236.pdf 
Full Schedule: http://infomaps.translink.ca/Public_Timetables/96/tt236.pdf

Fare to ride this bus only: $2.75 / $1.75
Fare to ride this bus plus the Sea Bus to Waterfront Station / cruise ship terminal: $4 $2.75 before 6:30 pm, $2.75 / $1.75 after 6:30 pm
Full day pass on all Translink buses, Sea Bus and Skytrain: $9.75 / $7.50
The discounted "concession fare" applies to children (age 5-13) and seniors (age 65+).


----------



## basketrn

Tenkawa said:


> Hi Basketrn, see my post about Transit.  visit http://www.translink.ca



Yes!  I saw it after I posted my question. Thanks for everyone's response!  I am going to def use the public transpo after everyone suggestions. Where can I purchase the all day passes?  Looks like I can't do it online prior to trip. 

Thanks again everyone!!!


----------



## ShelsGoingToDisney

I'm sorry if this has been asked somewhere on this thread but I can't find the answer here or a clear answer on the http://www.translink.ca/ site for my question.

We are arriving at the Vancouver airport on Friday, May 23 @ app. 6:30 PM. We are staying at the Pan Pacific at Canada Place. We plan to take the Skytrain. There are 5 of us. What is the best way to buy the ticket for the direct ride to Canada Place? We won't be going anywhere else on that day. We are getting on the cruise the next morning. We will plan to take the Skytrain directly back to the airport from Canada Place after disembarking from the cruise on June 2.

Suggestions on best ticket to purchase and where to purchase it?


----------



## Freesia123

There are machines right when you enter. It's very easy!


----------



## ILovePixieDust

ShelsGoingToDisney said:


> I'm sorry if this has been asked somewhere on this thread but I can't find the answer here or a clear answer on the http://www.translink.ca/ site for my question.
> 
> We are arriving at the Vancouver airport on Friday, May 23 @ app. 6:30 PM. We are staying at the Pan Pacific at Canada Place. We plan to take the Skytrain. There are 5 of us. What is the best way to buy the ticket for the direct ride to Canada Place? We won't be going anywhere else on that day. We are getting on the cruise the next morning. We will plan to take the Skytrain directly back to the airport from Canada Place after disembarking from the cruise on June 2.
> 
> Suggestions on best ticket to purchase and where to purchase it?



The sky train station is attached to the airport. THere should be signs or you can ask someone to point you in the right direction. You can walk there and buy your tickets directly from the kiosks. You can use a credit card, debit, or canadian cash to buy tickets. It is pretty self-explanatory once you reach the kiosk. There will be instructions there. (It's a touch screen, simple.) You will be getting off at Waterfront Station and then its a few minutes walk to Pan Pacific.

here is a link to the translink site:
http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/Paying-Your-Fare.aspx


----------



## ShelsGoingToDisney

Freesia123 said:


> There are machines right when you enter. It's very easy!



From reading the translink website it sounded like if I buy at the machines right there at the airport I would get hit with the $5 surcharge per ticket? That'll end up costing an extra $25 for the 5 of us. Is there a way I can pre-purchase the ticket from home? I just did this with my Metro Card for a trip to DC and have done it for the L in Chicago.


----------



## Jasrhon

ShelsGoingToDisney said:


> From reading the translink website it sounded like if I buy at the machines right there at the airport I would get hit with the $5 surcharge per ticket? That'll end up costing an extra $25 for the 5 of us. Is there a way I can pre-purchase the ticket from home? I just did this with my Metro Card for a trip to DC and have done it for the L in Chicago.



That is right there is an additional surcharge to Skytrain tickets purchased from the airport machines.


The prepaid tickets are sold in books of 10 called FareSaver tickets. They are sold at 7 - eleven. There is a 7 - eleven on the bottom floor of the domestic terminal at YVR.  The YVR website says that they carry the FareSaver passes.  If you want them for a round trip to the port and back to the airport this is your best deal.  It is 2 zones from YVR to downtown but that only applies during peak hours on week days.  If both your trips are on weekends or later in the evening you only have to pay for one zone.

When you arrive you can go downstairs and buy a FareSaver book.  There are machines to validate them right beside the ticket purchase machines at the Skytrain station.  Translink is supposed to be switching to a new card much like the metro card but I don't think it will be in place for several months.


----------



## Freesia123

Is there a 7-11 in the basement of the international terminal? I only remember seeing one in the domestic.


----------



## jtkboston

Jasrhon said:


> If both your trips are on weekends or later in the evening you only have to pay for one zone.


The sailings are Mondays (except first one), so they'll be arriving Sunday evening but departing the cruise terminal to the airport Monday morning during rush-hour.


----------



## Ellester

Jasrhon said:


> That is right there is an additional surcharge to Skytrain tickets purchased from the airport machines.  The prepaid tickets are sold in books of 10 called FareSaver tickets. They are sold at 7 - eleven. There is a 7 - eleven on the bottom floor of the domestic terminal at YVR.  The YVR website says that they carry the FareSaver passes.  If you want them for a round trip to the port and back to the airport this is your best deal.  It is 2 zones from YVR to downtown but that only applies during peak hours on week days.  If both your trips are on weekends or later in the evening you only have to pay for one zone.  When you arrive you can go downstairs and buy a FareSaver book.  There are machines to validate them right beside the ticket purchase machines at the Skytrain station.  Translink is supposed to be switching to a new card much like the metro card but I don't think it will be in place for several months.



We bought two books of train tickets from the 7-11 at the suggestion of the woman who pushed my mom's wheelchair from the plane to baggage claim. We had 7 people, two adults, four kids, and one senior. It was much cheaper to buy the books and I had tickets leftover!


----------



## GrtWtNorth

A quick note about buying tickets at 7-Eleven and travel zones required to go between the airport and the port. 1-zone is required on weekends or weekdays after 6:30 pm. 2-zone tickets are required on weekdays before 6:30 pm. If your round trip requires a 1-zone and 2-zone fare, just buy a book of 1-zone tickets. You can add purchase zone upgrades at the train platform without incurring the $5 surcharge.


----------



## Sorcerer Mom

ILovePixieDust said:


> The sky train station is attached to the airport. THere should be signs or you can ask someone to point you in the right direction. You can walk there and buy your tickets directly from the kiosks. You can use a credit card, debit, or canadian cash to buy tickets. It is pretty self-explanatory once you reach the kiosk. There will be instructions there. (It's a touch screen, simple.) You will be getting off at Waterfront Station and then its a few minutes walk to Pan Pacific.
> 
> here is a link to the translink site:
> http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/Paying-Your-Fare.aspx



Question about the walk to the Pan Pacific...we will have my MIL with us who has knee issues and uses a cane.  Is the walk too far for her?  Wondering if we should just grab a cab.


----------



## pjstevens

Arriving via Amtrak and staying at the Best Western Downtown Vancouver on Drake Street.  Is a taxi the easiest way to get to the hotel?  If so, are they easily available?


----------



## Tenkawa

Sorcerer Mom said:


> Question about the walk to the Pan Pacific...we will have my MIL with us who has knee issues and uses a cane.  Is the walk too far for her?  Wondering if we should just grab a cab.



It is about 1 block from Skytrain, and level. So not really an issue unless you have a ton of baggage.

From ship to PP (or vice versa)... you take the elevator and select the cruise ship level.


----------



## Tenkawa

pjstevens said:


> Arriving via Amtrak and staying at the Best Western Downtown Vancouver on Drake Street.  Is a taxi the easiest way to get to the hotel?  If so, are they easily available?



For the Best Western Plus downtown Vancouver on the corner of Granville and Drake, take a taxi.

Yes, the taxi's know the Amtrak's arrival time and stack up outside waiting for the passengers.

(Transit-wise, you would have to take skytrain downtown, then a bus along granville to the hotel, a bit of a pain. Plus until the end of this year, the skytrain station that services the amtrak is undergoing renos. Still open, but more difficult to get into and out of.


----------



## ShelsGoingToDisney

GrtWtNorth said:


> A quick note about buying tickets at 7-Eleven and travel zones required to go between the airport and the port. 1-zone is required on weekends or weekdays after 6:30 pm. 2-zone tickets are required on weekdays before 6:30 pm. If your round trip requires a 1-zone and 2-zone fare, just buy a book of 1-zone tickets. You can add purchase zone upgrades at the train platform without incurring the $5 surcharge.



Okay so it sounds like flying in at 6:30 PM on a Friday night I would only need the 1 zone to go from airport to Canada Place.

On Monday, 6/2 to return to airport from Canada Place at app. 11 AM I would need 2 zone tickets? 

Best deal would be to buy the packet of 10 faresaver tickets at the 7-11 in the airport?

Now I am flying into Vancouver on a flight from Chicago. Will I be able to get to a 7-11 in the airport?


----------



## Jasrhon

Freesia123 said:


> Is there a 7-11 in the basement of the international terminal? I only remember seeing one in the domestic.



There is only one on the domestic side.


----------



## Jasrhon

ShelsGoingToDisney said:


> Okay so it sounds like flying in at 6:30 PM on a Friday night I would only need the 1 zone to go from airport to Canada Place.  On Monday, 6/2 to return to airport from Canada Place at app. 11 AM I would need 2 zone tickets?  Best deal would be to buy the packet of 10 faresaver tickets at the 7-11 in the airport?  Now I am flying into Vancouver on a flight from Chicago. Will I be able to get to a 7-11 in the airport?



The 7-eleven is open 24 hours.  It is located downstairs in the domestic side of the YVR terminal.     

Yes, buy a book of 1 zone FareSaver tickets and use the machine to add fare to upgrade to 2 zones when you return to the airport.      

Enjoy your visit to Vancouver.


----------



## noahdove

I am hoping onboard here so that when I have time, I can start my note taking..This will be exciting


----------



## ShelsGoingToDisney

Jasrhon said:


> The 7-eleven is open 24 hours.  It is located downstairs in the domestic side of the YVR terminal.
> 
> Yes, buy a book of 1 zone FareSaver tickets and use the machine to add fare to upgrade to 2 zones when you return to the airport.
> 
> Enjoy your visit to Vancouver.



Will I be able to access that area if I am coming in on a flight from Chicago?


----------



## Tenkawa

ShelsGoingToDisney said:


> Will I be able to access that area if I am coming in on a flight from Chicago?



Yes. You will come out in the bottom floor of the international terminal. Here is how you get there:

Option 1: 

Go up the large escalator (to the departures level), continue straight ahead until you are in the domestic terminal (through the connector building).
Go down the escalator in the middle, then down the ramp or escalator in the middle of the domestic baggage area. The 7-11 is right there.

Option 2: (Through the Parkade)
Walk out of the terminal and cross the street into the parkade structure. Keep walking into the middle of it where there is a cross path (wide). Turn right 90 degrees and walk along that path and into the Domestic terminal. The 7-11 is right there.

To get to Skytrain, you go up to the Departures level of the International Terminal then across the street.  OR I believe there is an entrance with escalator/elevator from the arrivals level, outside. Just follow the signs, you can't miss them.


- I used to work at the airport a few years back, before the canada line was put in, but the terminals are still the same.


----------



## disneyfaninaz

ShelsGoingToDisney said:


> Okay so it sounds like flying in at 6:30 PM on a Friday night I would only need the 1 zone to go from airport to Canada Place.
> 
> On Monday, 6/2 to return to airport from Canada Place at app. 11 AM I would need 2 zone tickets?
> 
> Best deal would be to buy the packet of 10 faresaver tickets at the 7-11 in the airport?
> 
> Now I am flying into Vancouver on a flight from Chicago. Will I be able to get to a 7-11 in the airport?



Just so you know, Translink is in the process of phasing out Faresaver tickets.

http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/FareSaver-Tickets.aspx


----------



## pjstevens

Tenkawa said:


> For the Best Western Plus downtown Vancouver on the corner of Granville and Drake, take a taxi.
> 
> Yes, the taxi's know the Amtrak's arrival time and stack up outside waiting for the passengers.
> 
> (Transit-wise, you would have to take skytrain downtown, then a bus along granville to the hotel, a bit of a pain. Plus until the end of this year, the skytrain station that services the amtrak is undergoing renos. Still open, but more difficult to get into and out of.



Thank you so much for the info.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Sorcerer Mom said:
			
		

> Question about the walk to the Pan Pacific...we will have my MIL with us who has knee issues and uses a cane.  Is the walk too far for her?  Wondering if we should just grab a cab.



If you exit Waterfront Station at the main entrance on Cordova Street (nearest the elevators), it is a 350 m / 383 yard walk to the Pan Pacific. (Google maps says 4 minutes.) I have no idea whether that is reasonable for someone to walk with a cane. 

Note: There is at least one station entrance on Howe Street (even closer to the Pan Pacific), but I believe it has stairs and no elevator.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

disneyfaninaz said:
			
		

> Just so you know, Translink is in the process of phasing out Faresaver tickets.
> 
> http://www.translink.ca/en/Fares-and-Passes/FareSaver-Tickets.aspx


Have you heard if the Compass Cards can be used to purchase multiple tickets, like for a family? If they are designed for a single rider only, I guess I should stop directing travelers to 7-Eleven...


----------



## disneyfaninaz

GrtWtNorth said:


> Have you heard if the Compass Cards can be used to purchase multiple tickets, like for a family? If they are designed for a single rider only, I guess I should stop directing travelers to 7-Eleven...



It looks like it is one card per person.  I was actually looking at a Daypass for each of us as we will only need to use transit one day while we are there to get over to North Vancouver, Grouse Mountain and Capilano.


----------



## motheroftheyear

Anyone booking hotels in Vancouver for summer of 2014 yet?  We're on the August 25 sailing.

Anyone have a strong opinion one way or the other between Pan Pacific and Sutton Place?  What kind of rates have people managed to get at these two for this year's sailing?

Thanks!


----------



## jtkboston

motheroftheyear said:


> Anyone booking hotels in Vancouver for summer of 2014 yet?


If you or a family member works for a big company, check whether you can use negotiated corporate rates for personal travel. I've saved a bunch this way!


----------



## Tenkawa

motheroftheyear said:


> Anyone booking hotels in Vancouver for summer of 2014 yet?  We're on the August 25 sailing.
> 
> Anyone have a strong opinion one way or the other between Pan Pacific and Sutton Place?  What kind of rates have people managed to get at these two for this year's sailing?
> 
> Thanks!



Hey MotherOfTheYear.

Yup. Same cruise here. Welcome! There are several people who have booked so far, but the most helpful would be to join the facebook group for our cruise. We have more than 15 families already in the group and we can help answer questions.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/375041592628435/


----------



## motheroftheyear

Thanks!  I actually requested to join earlier today!  I'll be looking forward to it!


----------



## mommy2allyandaveri

2 questions.  I'm so sorry if this has been covered but this thread is super long.

How far is it from the pier to the Vancouver airport?

Does anyone think we could make a 10:40 flight?  It's either 10:40 or 5:30pm.  yuck


----------



## Freesia123

It's about ten miles. You can take the sky train directly there or a taxi.

You won't make the morning flight. The pier is downtown and there are a zillion things to do in Vancouver until you need to head out to get the later flight. Check your bag and get walking!


----------



## mommy2allyandaveri

Freesia123 said:


> It's about ten miles. You can take the sky train directly there or a taxi.
> 
> You won't make the morning flight. The pier is downtown and there are a zillion things to do in Vancouver until you need to head out to get the later flight. Check your bag and get walking!



Thank you!

Where could we check them?  We will have 1 big ones and 4 carry ons.


----------



## Freesia123

There is a place at the port. When r u sailing?


----------



## mommy2allyandaveri

Not until June 2015.  I'm a bit of a planner...


----------



## Keyser

motheroftheyear said:


> Anyone booking hotels in Vancouver for summer of 2014 yet?  We're on the August 25 sailing.
> 
> Anyone have a strong opinion one way or the other between Pan Pacific and Sutton Place?  What kind of rates have people managed to get at these two for this year's sailing?
> 
> Thanks!



I posted above that I managed to get the Pan Pacific via Hotwire for $190/night (plus tax), though I saw it earlier for $185.  This is for early August, and we needed two nights.  It was going for $276 from the hotel's website.

Iv'e been to Vancouver before but haven't stayed at either of these.  We wanted the Pan Pacific since the idea of just taking an elevator down to the cruise terminal the day of departure sounded a whole lot nicer than having to arrange a cab to take us there, or walking several blocks with luggage.


----------



## love280mickey

Does anyone know the process and rates for checking bags on the return day of the cruise?  We'll be all day as we have the red eye back home, not leaving till sometime around 11 pm.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

love280mickey said:
			
		

> Does anyone know the process and rates for checking bags on the return day of the cruise?  We'll be all day as we have the red eye back home, not leaving till sometime around 11 pm.


Priority Baggage is the company that provides storage services at the port. They also operate at the airport, so they may be able to deliver your luggage. I don't know how much it costs - their web site is not very informative. But they do have phone numbers posted on their "contact us" page. 
http://www.prioritybaggage.ca/contact.html

When you learn the details, please share them here.


----------



## love280mickey

love280mickey said:


> Does anyone know the process and rates for checking bags on the return day of the cruise?  We'll be all day as we have the red eye back home, not leaving till sometime around 11 pm.



We are staying at the Renaissance for 2 days pre cruise.  I called and asked them what we should do with our luggage till we fly out....they said they'd be happy to store it for us on that day, yay!!!


----------



## RedSox68

Keyser said:


> I posted above that I managed to get the Pan Pacific via Hotwire for $190/night (plus tax), though I saw it earlier for $185.  This is for early August, and we needed two nights.  It was going for $276 from the hotel's website.
> 
> Iv'e been to Vancouver before but haven't stayed at either of these.  We wanted the Pan Pacific since the idea of just taking an elevator down to the cruise terminal the day of departure sounded a whole lot nicer than having to arrange a cab to take us there, or walking several blocks with luggage.



We stayed at the Pan Pacific for three nights pre-cruise.  We booked through their website and got a fantastic special that was going on with a free upgrade to a water/bridge view.  We loved that hotel, the location, the rooms.  And yes, be sure to pre-arrange with the front desk to have a porter pick up your luggage at your specified time on morning of embarkation.  He gives you a ticket, you tip him and you don't see your luggage again until you are onboard!  It was awesome.  We took the elevator down with just our carry-ons and were checked in in less than 30 minutes!  Didn't even have to go outside!


----------



## Katipilrgrl

Aloha. I'm taking a one day Vancouver to Seattle on another cruiseline ( I know, I know but what's a girl to do when there's not enough vacay time to do any other on Disney). Here's my question, it leaves from the other pier, Ballantyne, and I am wondering if anyone has a hotel recommendation for this pier versus Canada Place. I'm very bummed that it's not leaving from Canada Place because it would be the perfect excuse to stay at the Pan Pacific. I love staying there. 

TIA!


----------



## richmo

Katipilrgrl said:


> Aloha. I'm taking a one day Vancouver to Seattle on another cruiseline ( I know, I know but what's a girl to do when there's not enough vacay time to do any other on Disney). Here's my question, it leaves from the other pier, Ballantyne, and I am wondering if anyone has a hotel recommendation for this pier versus Canada Place. I'm very bummed that it's not leaving from Canada Place because it would be the perfect excuse to stay at the Pan Pacific. I love staying there.
> 
> TIA!



I don't think Ballantyne and Canada Place are all that far from each other (maybe a mile?).  If you like the Pan Pacific that much, why not just stay there and take a quick cab ride over to Ballantyne?


----------



## disneyfaninaz

richmo said:


> I don't think Ballantyne and Canada Place are all that far from each other (maybe a mile?).  If you like the Pan Pacific that much, why not just stay there and take a quick cab ride over to Ballantyne?



Our cruise leaves from Ballantyne and we are staying at the Pan Pacific.  We are taking private transportation to the pier.  It takes about 6 minutes from the hotel.  There are no hotels directly at Ballantyne so you would have to stay downtown and take transportation over anyway.


----------



## mraviator

Has anyone covered Vancouver cell usage in this thread? ATT Canada plan versus SIM card swapping. I suspect the latter is the cheaper/better route, but has any posted details regarding that in Vancouver?


----------



## Tenkawa

mraviator said:


> Has anyone covered Vancouver cell usage in this thread? ATT Canada plan versus SIM card swapping. I suspect the latter is the cheaper/better route, but has any posted details regarding that in Vancouver?



Always better to have an unlocked phone and pick up a SIM card, but in case you were wondering about general costs of using your AT&T phone.

Normally around $1/minute for calls and $2/MB for data when roaming, but you can add packages to help with this, http://www.att.com/att/global/

For Pay As You Go (aka: sim card option), I think you can get that stuff at 7-11. Be sure to confirm that your phone support the spectrum you will be using.


----------



## mraviator

Tenkawa said:


> ... and $2/MB for data when roaming



For $2/MB, I'll gladly go the SIM card swap route (I don't care about voice). Thanks for the info.


----------



## pjstevens

mraviator said:


> Has anyone covered Vancouver cell usage in this thread? ATT Canada plan versus SIM card swapping. I suspect the latter is the cheaper/better route, but has any posted details regarding that in Vancouver?



What is SIM card swapping?


----------



## Tenkawa

pjstevens said:


> What is SIM card swapping?



If your phone is unlocked (by default it is not unlocked if you are from the US or Canada, some providers allow you to call and will unlock for a small fee as long as you have been on contract for X amount of time, or there are places online that sell unlock codes), it allows you to put in a SIM card (identity card) from another cell provider.

This means that when you go international, you could go into 7-11 (or whatever convenience store) and buy a pay as you go plan & SIM card for a local provider, and put it in your phone. Then you use that phone number and data.

It is much cheaper if you are using it over the long term, especially so when data is involved. But the phone number is different, so people calling you would be long distance.

One thing to be careful of: Cell phones have certain Spectrums (or Bands) that they can communicate on. Different providers use different spectrums. Make sure your phone has the right ones for where you are going, as that may limit the providers you can use a SIM card from.

Oh, 2nd thing to be careful of: Not really possible with many Verizon phones, as they use different technologies and spectrums.


----------



## pjstevens

Tenkawa said:


> If your phone is unlocked (by default it is not unlocked if you are from the US or Canada, some providers allow you to call and will unlock for a small fee as long as you have been on contract for X amount of time, or there are places online that sell unlock codes), it allows you to put in a SIM card (identity card) from another cell provider.
> 
> This means that when you go international, you could go into 7-11 (or whatever convenience store) and buy a pay as you go plan & SIM card for a local provider, and put it in your phone. Then you use that phone number and data.
> 
> It is much cheaper if you are using it over the long term, especially so when data is involved. But the phone number is different, so people calling you would be long distance.
> 
> One thing to be careful of: Cell phones have certain Spectrums (or Bands) that they can communicate on. Different providers use different spectrums. Make sure your phone has the right ones for where you are going, as that may limit the providers you can use a SIM card from.
> 
> Oh, 2nd thing to be careful of: Not really possible with many Verizon phones, as they use different technologies and spectrums.



Thanks for the info.


----------



## goofynut41

Canada Place... How big is the cruise terminal? If you choose to stay in it overnight before your cruise is that ok?


----------



## richmo

goofynut41 said:


> Canada Place... How big is the cruise terminal? If you choose to stay in it overnight before your cruise is that ok?



Wow, I haven't heard that one before.  I could be mistaken, but I don't think the Canada Place passenger terminal is a 24 hour facility.  Since they know when ships are coming in and out, I would imagine they close after the last ship has left overnight until shortly before the next one comes in.  I don't think you're allowed to stay there (like you could at an airport)


----------



## goofynut41

richmo said:


> Wow, I haven't heard that one before.  I could be mistaken, but I don't think the Canada Place passenger terminal is a 24 hour facility.  Since they know when ships are coming in and out, I would imagine they close after the last ship has left overnight until shortly before the next one comes in.  I don't think you're allowed to stay there (like you could at an airport)



Oh OK I'm new to Cruising...


----------



## Tenkawa

richmo said:


> Wow, I haven't heard that one before.  I could be mistaken, but I don't think the Canada Place passenger terminal is a 24 hour facility.  Since they know when ships are coming in and out, I would imagine they close after the last ship has left overnight until shortly before the next one comes in.  I don't think you're allowed to stay there (like you could at an airport)



Correct. it is only open from about 10:30am-4:30pm on days that cruise ships are docking. Not possible to do an overnighter.

Keep in mind that US customs are there as well, so yeah, double no on that one.

It is in the core of downtown, and there a plenty of places which are relatively cheap if you need to stay somewhere.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

I just received the Vancouver Official Visitors' Guide with my CAA (AAA) TripTik. This guide and the associated web site (www.TourismVancouver.com) has some useful information. If you haven't requested a copy by mail, you can get one at the office in downtown Vancouver (200 Burrard St). _Edit: I previously manipulated a couple of their images to help visitors landmark around the cruise ship terminal, but these were removed from my Flickr account. I recently replaced the links to my edited photos with links directly to original tourism-related sources. I can't resize them for this forum without risking having them pulled off my Flickr account again. _

*Coal Harbour, looking west*




Note: Tourism Vancouver's office is located at 200 Burrard Street, just a block west of the cruise ship terminal. Their office also has exclusive discounts, including attractions and entertainment. 

*Stanley Park, looking northeast*


----------



## Freesia123

It's not 24 hours. A cheap clean place to stay is the YWCA. You can get your own dorm style room with private bath for about $100. 

Also check out the youth hostel. It's about a teni ute taxi or 20 minute bus ride, but it's right on the beach and awesome.


----------



## Canucks

Hi:  we are coming to Vancouver for the Hawaii cruise.  We live close enough to fly in that day.  How do you recommend getting from the airport to the ship and then back again?


----------



## disneyfaninaz

How many people?  Taxis will run about $40 to Canada Place from the airport.  They mostly have Priuses but some vans are available.  If you have a large party, I can recommend Aerocar Service.  They provide curbside van and limo service from the airport.


----------



## mellers

disneyfaninaz said:


> I can recommend Aerocar Service.  They provide curbside van and limo service from the airport.



I second Aerocar--they are not only good quality, but darn nice, too.

I was feeling a little under-the-weather when I was traveling from my hotel room to my last cruise about three weeks ago, and what I didn't know is that I had a serious kidney problem.  I am usually the one who double-checks that we have all of the luggage, and unfortunately, my husband left a bag with his CPAP and his extensive (and expensive) collection of heart medications in the lobby of our hotel.

He figured this out when we reached Ballantyne, and our hotel was by the airport.  The driver saw our distress, called his dispatcher, quoted us a reduced rate and took my husband all the way back to our hotel and then back to Ballantyne with the CPAP and medicines.  We were VERY grateful.

http://www.aerocar.ca/

If you're going to SeaTac, and not Vancouver, go for QuickShuttle:  http://www.quickcoach.com/


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Canucks said:
			
		

> Hi:  we are coming to Vancouver for the Hawaii cruise.  We live close enough to fly in that day.  How do you recommend getting from the airport to the ship and then back again?


For sheer convenience, don't discount the Skytrain. It is a bit expensive coming from the airport ($9 per person on weekdays), but is more reasonable from the port ($4 per person on weekdays). You can pay by credit card at the machines on the station platforms. 

Of course the convenience also depends on how comfortable you are handling your own luggage. Walking distances are short (minimal at the airport, and 2 blocks from Waterfront station main entrance to the port). But if you're wrangling kids and their luggage, a shuttle may be a more practical option.


----------



## albumlady

I would love some help finding a hotel for our family of 5.  We live in Seattle and are coming up for the alaska cruise in August.  We want to drive up Saturday morning and spend the weekend in Vancouver before the cruise.  I am having trouble finding hotels that accomodate 5 in a room.  Here in the states we LOVE the springhill suites for this but it doesn't appear that they operate in Vancouver.  We are not opposed to staying out by the airport especially if that gives us a cheaper option for parking the car while we are cruising.  Any suggestions?


----------



## yukongirl123

There are several downtown...Ramada, Sheraton Wall Centre, Best Westen Chateau Granville, Coast Plaza, Sunset inn And Suites. Near the airport, which is actually Richmond you have the a Executive Suite Hotel. There are several others also, but may not be as convenient... we have a party of 6 going in July, so had to do a little research on this very thing!


----------



## whistlinmickey

albumlady said:


> I would love some help finding a hotel for our family of 5.  We live in Seattle and are coming up for the alaska cruise in August.  We want to drive up Saturday morning and spend the weekend in Vancouver before the cruise.  I am having trouble finding hotels that accomodate 5 in a room.  Here in the states we LOVE the springhill suites for this but it doesn't appear that they operate in Vancouver.  We are not opposed to staying out by the airport especially if that gives us a cheaper option for parking the car while we are cruising.  Any suggestions?



We are in a similar situation. We are a family of six. We also will be driving a minivan with a hard-sided rooftop luggage carrier that won't fit into typical parking garages.  So far it seems that our family's situation is not at all compatible with downtown Vancouver and its hotels. We too really like hotels like Springhill Suites. One of our other favorites is Holiday Inn Express. Comparable options in Vancouver seemed to be quite expensive. 

So in order to find a room that sleeps six, doesn't have a low-clearance parking garage, and that is reasonably-priced, we found that we had to look outside of Vancouver.  We will be staying in the Holiday Inn Express in Langley.  During light traffic, it's about 35 minutes from Canada Place, a little longer if you wish to avoid the Port Mann Bridge Toll.  It's not as convenient as a place closer to the port terminal would be.  But it seemed among the best options for our needs.

Also, if you happen to choose a place to the east of Vancouver like Langley, and would like to choose the convenience of using Highway 1 and the Port Mann Bridge, you can pre-register your vehicle at the TReO web site.  It can help in avoiding some of the extra fees they charge. treo.ca/tolls-and-fees/ways-to-save#AvoidFees


----------



## goofynut41

Whats the best way to get from the Port to the airport? How far is it? We will be coming from Hawaii to Vancouver....


----------



## canadiandisneycruise

mellers said:


> I second Aerocar--they are not only good quality, but darn nice, too.  I was feeling a little under-the-weather when I was traveling from my hotel room to my last cruise about three weeks ago, and what I didn't know is that I had a serious kidney problem.  I am usually the one who double-checks that we have all of the luggage, and unfortunately, my husband left a bag with his CPAP and his extensive (and expensive) collection of heart medications in the lobby of our hotel.  He figured this out when we reached Ballantyne, and our hotel was by the airport.  The driver saw our distress, called his dispatcher, quoted us a reduced rate and took my husband all the way back to our hotel and then back to Ballantyne with the CPAP and medicines.  We were VERY grateful.  http://www.aerocar.ca/  If you're going to SeaTac, and not Vancouver, go for QuickShuttle:  http://www.quickcoach.com/



So, after looking at their website, you don't actually have to reserve them. Is this correct?  Will they also be available from the cruise terminal back to the airport without a reservation?


----------



## canadiandisneycruise

albumlady said:


> I would love some help finding a hotel for our family of 5.  We live in Seattle and are coming up for the alaska cruise in August.  We want to drive up Saturday morning and spend the weekend in Vancouver before the cruise.  I am having trouble finding hotels that accomodate 5 in a room.  Here in the states we LOVE the springhill suites for this but it doesn't appear that they operate in Vancouver.  We are not opposed to staying out by the airport especially if that gives us a cheaper option for parking the car while we are cruising.  Any suggestions?



We booked the Delta. Can't wait!!!


----------



## The Hunchback

Suggest you consider the Radisson Airport if coming in for a an early day.  We took their airport shuttle from the airport and stored luggage.  Take a local phone number for the shuttle to call them for a pick-up. Then took sky train from hotel front door to all sights downtown.  Then took shuttle next day to airport.  Drop off point is near where Disney will be ready to show you to their shuttles.  Easy transition.  

Radisson Shuttle is free but we did tip their driver.  Radisson runs good deals on Travelocity.


----------



## richmo

goofynut41 said:


> Whats the best way to get from the Port to the airport? How far is it? We will be coming from Hawaii to Vancouver....



If you're going to the port from the airport (YVR), the SkyTrain is a good method.  You will have a short walk once you get off the train, so if its not a nice day or you don't have luggage on wheels, you might not want to do that.  But it is a nice, efficient ride.  (I forget some of the details, but if you pick up tickets in the convenience store within the airport, you can avoid the airport surcharge)


----------



## goofynut41

richmo said:


> If you're going to the port from the airport (YVR), the SkyTrain is a good method.  You will have a short walk once you get off the train, so if its not a nice day or you don't have luggage on wheels, you might not want to do that.  But it is a nice, efficient ride.  (I forget some of the details, but if you pick up tickets in the convenience store within the airport, you can avoid the airport surcharge)



But can you do this in reverse??  I hope.. do you have to have tickets to ride the train?


----------



## dsnydaddy

To Lollipop's Mom:  I notice the picture of the map on your first post is broken.  If I may, can I suggest a YouTube video that a DIS'er made of the short walk between the drop-off of the sky-tram to the cruise port.   I found this video very helpful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMKXjXWDh2o


----------



## Tenkawa

dsnydaddy said:


> To Lollipop's Mom:  I notice the picture of the map on your first post is broken.  If I may, can I suggest a YouTube video that a DIS'er made of the short walk between the drop-off of the sky-tram to the cruise port.   I found this video very helpful.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMKXjXWDh2o


I was the one who made that video. feel free to ping me if you have some more specific questions.

There are ticket machines inside Waterfront station (that big brick building) before you go to the trains and they take Credit Cards to buy tickets, or Canadian change.


----------



## disneyfaninaz

canadiandisneycruise said:


> So, after looking at their website, you don't actually have to reserve them. Is this correct?  Will they also be available from the cruise terminal back to the airport without a reservation?



Aerocar is a sole provider the airport to provide curbside van/limo/SUV service. They do not have vans waiting at the cruise terminal.  However, you can arrange with them to pick you up.  Also, there are plenty of taxi vans waiting outside Canada Place to take you back to the airport.  The cost or our taxi van to the airport was $37.00 CSD.


----------



## richmo

goofynut41 said:


> But can you do this in reverse??  I hope.. do you have to have tickets to ride the train?



My Alaskan cruise was 3 years ago, so some of the details are foggy, but, as I recall, we were able to buy a book of the number of SkyTrain tickets we would need for the entire trip.  Since there were four of us, we would need 8 tickets for the round trip, so I suspect we purchased a book of ten.  (May seem wasteful, but it was still less than paying the surcharge added on to a YVR to port ride).


----------



## ShelsGoingToDisney

richmo said:


> If you're going to the port from the airport (YVR), the SkyTrain is a good method.  You will have a short walk once you get off the train, so if its not a nice day or you don't have luggage on wheels, you might not want to do that.  But it is a nice, efficient ride.  (I forget some of the details, but if you pick up tickets in the convenience store within the airport, you can avoid the airport surcharge)





goofynut41 said:


> But can you do this in reverse??  I hope.. do you have to have tickets to ride the train?



We went on the Wonder 5/24-6/2 cruise and used the Skytrain from YVR to the Pan Pacific which is right at the port and then from the port after disembarking to YVR to go home.

We followed the directions from earlier in this thread to go to from the International terminal to the 7-11 in the Domestic terminal to purchase a book of 10 Faresaver Tickets for approximately $20. Since it was after 6:30 on a Friday evening it didn't matter how many zones we were going through so we only needed to use one ticket per person from the book (there were 5 of us) to get from the airport to the port.

_(Go up the large escalator (to the departures level), continue straight ahead until you are in the domestic terminal (through the connector building).
Go down the escalator in the middle, then down the ramp or escalator in the middle of the domestic baggage area. The 7-11 is right there.)_

After getting off the Wonder we walked back to the Waterfront station and we had to go to the machines and "upgrade" the remaining 5 tickets we had because it was about 10:30 AM on a Monday so the zones counted and we were going through 2 zones from port to airport. We inserted the ticket into the machine and added a zone for the price of $1.16 per ticket (you need to do this separately for each ticket). This validated the ticket to be good for the 2 zone trip back to the airport.

So basically the 5 of us traveled round trip from airport to port for a total of $26. The trains were clean and large enough for us to bring our luggage and we had no problems at all. I would recommend it unless you had very young children or someone who had mobility issues and luggage.


----------



## DisneyHelen

We went from the port to airport for 12 dollars for three people last week. It was so easy ,just leave the terminal and go to the left and follow the signs. The train was not busy in the morning.I highly recommend the skytrain if you can take your own suitcase.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

ShelsGoingToDisney said:
			
		

> We went on the Wonder 5/24-6/2 cruise and used the Skytrain from YVR to the Pan Pacific which is right at the port and then from the port after disembarking to YVR to go home.
> 
> We followed the directions from earlier in this thread to go to from the International terminal to the 7-11 in the Domestic terminal to purchase a book of 10 Faresaver Tickets for approximately $20. Since it was after 6:30 on a Friday evening it didn't matter how many zones we were going through so we only needed to use one ticket per person from the book (there were 5 of us) to get from the airport to the port.
> 
> (Go up the large escalator (to the departures level), continue straight ahead until you are in the domestic terminal (through the connector building).
> Go down the escalator in the middle, then down the ramp or escalator in the middle of the domestic baggage area. The 7-11 is right there.)
> 
> After getting off the Wonder we walked back to the Waterfront station and we had to go to the machines and "upgrade" the remaining 5 tickets we had because it was about 10:30 AM on a Monday so the zones counted and we were going through 2 zones from port to airport. We inserted the ticket into the machine and added a zone for the price of $1.16 per ticket (you need to do this separately for each ticket). This validated the ticket to be good for the 2 zone trip back to the airport.
> 
> So basically the 5 of us traveled round trip from airport to port for a total of $26. The trains were clean and large enough for us to bring our luggage and we had no problems at all. I would recommend it unless you had very young children or someone who had mobility issues and luggage.


It was great that his worked for you. However, those "Faresaver" tickets books are being discontinued some time this summer. Depending on when Translink (public transit operator) transitions to the new fare card system, visitors may or may not be able to buy tickets at the 7-Eleven. 

The new fare card system will require buying reloadable fare cards for each rider, and each card has a deposit. This system basically makes it extremely difficult for infrequent visitors to avoid the $5 per person surcharge added to regular transit fares at the airport Skytrain stations. 

The 7-Eleven Faresaver tickets may work now, but will cease to be a viable option in the coming weeks.


----------



## Tenkawa

GrtWtNorth said:


> It was great that his worked for you. However, those "Faresaver" tickets books are being discontinued some time this summer. Depending on when Translink (public transit operator) transitions to the new fare card system, visitors may or may not be able to buy tickets at the 7-Eleven.
> 
> The new fare card system will require buying reloadable fare cards for each rider, and each card has a deposit. This system basically makes it extremely difficult for infrequent visitors to avoid the $5 per person surcharge added to regular transit fares at the airport Skytrain stations.
> 
> The 7-Eleven Faresaver tickets may work now, but will cease to be a viable option in the coming weeks.


This is more than a bit incorrect.

The Compass Card system has been delayed many times. It was supposed to be this summer, but due to technical difficulties, it hasn't moved beyond the initial test groups of people. It is likely near the end of the year before it gets fully phased in at this point, and may delay into next year.

It is not a problem for this cruise season at all. 

Source: Live in Vancouver, have friends in the testing program.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

Tenkawa said:


> This is more than a bit incorrect.
> 
> The Compass Card system has been delayed many times. It was supposed to be this summer, but due to technical difficulties, it hasn't moved beyond the initial test groups of people. It is likely near the end of the year before it gets fully phased in at this point, and may delay into next year.
> 
> It is not a problem for this cruise season at all.
> 
> Source: Live in Vancouver, have friends in the testing program.



Thanks for the clarification.  The last Translink info I read (a couple months ago) said "summer 2014", but I see that they have back-peddled on that implementation date.  Since leaving Vancouver, there's a few things that I miss.  Translink bureaucracy isn't one of them.


----------



## shanhop

Family of 5  - check the Hyatt Regency. We stayed there in early June 2014 booked through Hotwire for $145 a night (plus tax). When we checked in they said we could have a roll-away bed at no extra charge (did not take them up on it). 

Cabs - we took a cab from the airport to the hotel. We were given a hatchback/stationwagon that gave us plenty of room for the four of us and our five bags plus carry-ons. 

We rolled our bags ourselves from the hotel to the terminal. 

On the way out, we had pre-booked with Vancouver Shuttle, $15 a head for the adults, $11 for the kids. We wanted  a no-fuss way off the ship to the airport as we expected to be tired and cranky. They were very good. You don't have to pre-book, you can walk up and get the same price (as several did on our bus).


----------



## piglet33

If I read the SkyTrain website correctly, it says - *After 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and all day Saturday, Sunday and Holidays, discount fares apply and purchasing a one-zone ticket will allow you to travel through all zones.*  So since we're flying into Vancouver on a Sunday and leaving on Labor Day, we only have to pay for 1 zone, correct?

So for 2 adults and 1 child, it would cost 22.25 from Airport to Waterfront Station and 10.75 from Waterfront Station back to the Airport if I paid per ticket.  If I buy a booklet of 10, it would just cost me 21.00, correct?

I think I'm overthinking this and confusing myself.

Thanks!


----------



## disneyfaninaz

Does Canada celebrate labor day?


----------



## piglet33

disneyfaninaz said:


> Does Canada celebrate labor day?



I didn't think of that so I just googled it.  Here's what I found:



> Labour Day in Canada is celebrated on the first Monday of September and it is a federal statutory holiday. It is also observed in the United States on the same day. Many other countries celebrate Labour Day on May 1st.
> 
> This holiday officially celebrates workers and the labour union movement, however, most of us only think of it as the last long weekend of the summer, a perfect occasion for one last BBQ or canoe trip. Many seasonal attractions and vendors close after the labour day long weekend and it is generally the start of the fall shoulder season.
> 
> Note: In the Commonwealth Countries it is spelled "labour", in the United States is spelled "labor".  In 2014 Labour Day is Monday September 1.


----------



## disneyfaninaz

Well, there you go then.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

piglet33 said:
			
		

> If I read the SkyTrain website correctly, it says - After 6:30 p.m. on weekdays and all day Saturday, Sunday and Holidays, discount fares apply and purchasing a one-zone ticket will allow you to travel through all zones.  So since we're flying into Vancouver on a Sunday and leaving on Labor Day, we only have to pay for 1 zone, correct?
> 
> So for 2 adults and 1 child, it would cost 22.25 from Airport to Waterfront Station and 10.75 from Waterfront Station back to the Airport if I paid per ticket.  If I buy a booklet of 10, it would just cost me 21.00, correct?
> 
> I think I'm overthinking this and confusing myself.
> 
> Thanks!



A book of 10 faresaver tickets is $21.
But there's a flaw in your math for the cash price of tickets purchased at waterfront station.

From waterfront to airport on Sunday:
$2.75 + $2.75 + $1.75 = $7.25 (not $10.75)


From airport to waterfront on Labour Day:
$2.75 + $5 + $2.75 + $5 + $1.75 + $5 = $22.25 (your math was correct)

Even if you were traveling on normal weekdays, using 1-zone faresaver tickets and paying a "add zone" add-fare (at any ticket vending machine in any station) would be better financially than any option where you have to pay the $5 per person airport surcharge. 

We are all going to miss those faresaver tickets when they go away (date TBD).


----------



## GrtWtNorth

News today: Vancouver bars and restaurants can finally offer "happy hour" drink specials. But minimum drink prices limit discount potential.
http://www.theprovince.com/touch/story.html?id=9959709


----------



## dismiss

Has anyone stayed or heard about this hotel. It is in Richmond near the 
Airport.Trip Advisor has Good and Not so Good ratings.
Anybody have any opinions. Right now I have a 2 bedroom Condo Apartment booked for around $200 a night plus tax
Thanks for any info


----------



## Tenkawa

dismiss said:


> Has anyone stayed or heard about this hotel. It is in Richmond near the
> Airport.Trip Advisor has Good and Not so Good ratings.
> Anybody have any opinions. Right now I have a 2 bedroom Condo Apartment booked for around $200 a night plus tax
> Thanks for any info


Yes, I've dealt with Executive hotels before.

It is well kept and a nice hotel. It is designed mainly around the business traveller rather than a family, so not a ton of frills, but it is a nice hotel.


----------



## sunryzez

Just an FYI, the PanPacific finally opened up their booking window for next June. Prices were higher then I was expecting but I still booked with them. With my aaa discount it came out to 237.00 a night (usd) with taxes and fees 553.00 for 2 nights. As it gets closer I might do some more research to see if there is anything better at a different hotel ( especially since there is 6 of us so we needed to rooms) which came up to 1100.00 for a two night stay. But, I have heard so many great things about Pan Pacific I will probably just splurge and hopefully all the rave reviews are true =)


----------



## wallawallakids

Has anyone stayed at the L' Hermitage?  Thoughts on it?  Thank you!


----------



## SG101

Just got back from Vancouver....4 of us stayed at Hyatt Regency...got it for $143 per night off Hotwire.  Rooms weren't ready in the morning when we arrived so they held our bags, and we grabbed lunch down the street.  Free wifi in the lobby and the starbucks which is in the hotel.  McDonalds is right next door --- easy for breakfast with 2 kids.  

Since it was a clear day, we hauled all 4 of us with 4 rolling bags down to the Terminal...easy walk with comfortable shoes and a 7 and 10 year old.  If I had little ones or with yucky weather, we would have grabbed a cab ($10 at the most one way).  

We signed up on the ship for the Vancouver Excursion (there is a minimum of 30....so we had to be on the waitlist until they filled the minimum, then Disney issued tickets and with tags to get off the boat first).  It was a chartered bus that held all of our luggage, it took us around the city, then to Stanley Park (very short stay -- 20 min at the most), and then headed to Capilano Suspension Bridge (the price includes admission to the Bridge).  We only had 1.5 hours, and I wish we had more time because I loved it and it was really relaxing and calm there --- even with all the tourists.  We were at the YVR (Vancouver) airport before 1:30pm and easily made our 4:15pm flight back home.  We had just enough time to grab some food and drinks.


----------



## peachygreen

We had a wonderful time in Vancouver precruise.

We flew into Seattle and rented a minivan from Alamo.  There were 6 of us luggage and a wheelchair and we made it easily to Vancouver.  It took 20-30 minutes to cross the border but other than that there were no problems and we were in no rush.

We stayed at the Pan Pacific.  It was a nice hotel and very convenient.  

If anyone is interested I ran from the Pan Pacific to Stanley Park and around the seawall and back.  It is a beautiful and safe run of about 9-1/4 miles.  Its a great way to do some sightseeing and get a good long run in.






After my run we returned the minivan to the Alamo at the Sandman hotel and walked back to the Pan Pacific.  

We then took the Big Bus Hop on Hop Off tour stopping at the Aquarium in Stanley Park.  

Lovely day.  I wish we had longer to spend in Vancouver.


----------



## wallawallakids

peachygreen said:


> We had a wonderful time in Vancouver precruise.
> 
> We flew into Seattle and rented a minivan from Alamo.  There were 6 of us luggage and a wheelchair and we made it easily to Vancouver.  It took 20-30 minutes to cross the border but other than that there were no problems and we were in no rush.
> 
> We stayed at the Pan Pacific.  It was a nice hotel and very convenient.
> 
> If anyone is interested I ran from the Pan Pacific to Stanley Park and around the seawall and back.  It is a beautiful and safe run of about 9-1/4 miles.  Its a great way to do some sightseeing and get a good long run in.



Thank you for this information.  Both on the rental car and the run.  Did you have any issues with the rental?   Getting it from Seattle and then returning it in Canada?  Did you rent again on departure?  

If you do not mind me asking, about how much was the rental for the van?  There are 6 of us as well and I am trying to determine the most cost effective way for us to get from Maine to Vancouver BC and flying into Seattle or Portland OR may be the best option plus driving up.  Thank you!!


----------



## richmo

wallawallakids said:


> ..If you do not mind me asking, about how much was the rental for the van?  There are 6 of us as well and I am trying to determine the most cost effective way for us to get from Maine to Vancouver BC and flying into Seattle or Portland OR may be the best option plus driving up.  Thank you!!



These are some of the same issues we dealt with when we came from the east coast (PHL) to Vancouver 3 years ago.  My findings at the time were:
- Although less convenient, it was much less expensive flying into Seattle than Vancouver.
- We explored the possibility of flying into Seattle, then taking Amtrak to Vancouver.  The cost wasn't bad, but as I remember, the timing of the train wasn't too our liking.  I imagine the schedules may be different now.
- We wound up renting a car from Alamo for the entire trip (Seattle to Seattle), meaning we had to park it in Vancouver during the cruise.  This was still less expensive than two one way rentals or the train one way and car the other.  The other nice benefit of having the car the entire time was that we spent a few days prior to the cruise in Seattle and Whistler, so stuff we didn't need to bring onboard (like laundry) we could just leave in the trunk of the car.
- The above point brings up parking.  Parking near the port can be quite expensive, so we drove the car to the airport.  The airport often has discounted parking coupons (www.yvr.com)...I just looked and there's one now for $54/week plus taxes.  Pretty inexpensive.  Then you can just take the SkyTrain from the airport to a short walk from the port.  If you wanted to save even more $, you could drop the family and luggage at the port, drive to the airport and SkyTrain back and meet the family at the port.  (SkyTrain is fun for the kids though!).  I should point out that the walk from the SkyTrain station to the port is about 5 minutes...an easy walk on a nice day, but it would be best if your luggage is easily mobile (on wheels).


----------



## wallawallakids

richmo said:


> These are some of the same issues we dealt with when we came from the east coast (PHL) to Vancouver 3 years ago.  My findings at the time were:
> - Although less convenient, it was much less expensive flying into Seattle than Vancouver.
> - We explored the possibility of flying into Seattle, then taking Amtrak to Vancouver.  The cost wasn't bad, but as I remember, the timing of the train wasn't too our liking.  I imagine the schedules may be different now.
> - We wound up renting a car from Alamo for the entire trip (Seattle to Seattle), meaning we had to park it in Vancouver during the cruise.  This was still less expensive than two one way rentals or the train one way and car the other.  The other nice benefit of having the car the entire time was that we spent a few days prior to the cruise in Seattle and Whistler, so stuff we didn't need to bring onboard (like laundry) we could just leave in the trunk of the car.
> - The above point brings up parking.  Parking near the port can be quite expensive, so we drove the car to the airport.  The airport often has discounted parking coupons (www.yvr.com)...I just looked and there's one now for $54/week plus taxes.  Pretty inexpensive.  Then you can just take the SkyTrain from the airport to a short walk from the port.  If you wanted to save even more $, you could drop the family and luggage at the port, drive to the airport and SkyTrain back and meet the family at the port.  (SkyTrain is fun for the kids though!).  I should point out that the walk from the SkyTrain station to the port is about 5 minutes...an easy walk on a nice day, but it would be best if your luggage is easily mobile (on wheels).



Thank you so much!  This is such helpful information.  Thanks!


----------



## ahain

I'm certain this has been posted many times, but I've not been able to locate the info.  We will fly out early Tuesday morning after the cruise.  What hotel do you recommend staying at that is either AT or VERY near YVR?  Many thanks!


----------



## LKFan

oops


----------



## Tenkawa

ahain said:


> I'm certain this has been posted many times, but I've not been able to locate the info.  We will fly out early Tuesday morning after the cruise.  What hotel do you recommend staying at that is either AT or VERY near YVR?  Many thanks!


Well I'd recommend starting here: http://www.yvr.ca. It is one of the best airport web sites out there. The Fairmont Vancouver Airport is the only hotel directly attached to the airport, and is very nice (and commensurately expensive).

There are courtesy shuttles from many hotels in Richmond, found here: http://yvr.ca/en/getting-to-from-yvr/courtesy-shuttles.aspx at a lot of different price points.

The airport also happens to be on a Rapid Transit line (Canada Line), so downtown hotels are very doable if you don't have tons and tons of luggage. The first train to the airport leaves downtown at 4:48am (and takes about 20min). More information here: http://www.translink.ca


----------



## peachygreen

We rented from Alamo from Seattle to Vancouver and Avis from Vancouver to Seattle.  

The price for the minivan was $195 from Seattle to Vancouver and $235 from Vancouver to Seattle.  Gas was less than $100 each way.  (both prices are in USD)

We returned the car to  the Sandman Hotel in downtown (about 3/4 of a mile from Canada Place).  We rented from the Cruise Terminal on the way back.  They had a shuttle to take us to the office where we got the car.  Avis gave us a 12 Passenger Van on the way back for the price of a minivan because they needed to move it to Seattle.  So we had much more room on the way back.  

The only problem we ran into was that I rented the vans and my dad wanted to pay.  They kept the car in my name until we returned.  The only issue was switching cards and that was my dad's CC company because he forgot to tell them he was going to Canada.  

Otherwise it was very easy to do.  

I have a lot of Southwest rewards points so my husband, girls and I flew to Seattle for free and my parents tickets were about $500 less total for the 2 of them to Seattle instead of Vancouver.  We definately made up the travel cost difference by flying in to Seattle even adding an extra hotel night in Seattle.  

We could have taken the QuickShuttle for about the same price but this gave us the flexibility to stop for potty and food breaks when we wanted to.  The train's schedule was definately not convienent and would have added more travel time to our schedule.


----------



## SG101

wallawallakids said:


> Thank you for this information.  Both on the rental car and the run.  Did you have any issues with the rental?   Getting it from Seattle and then returning it in Canada?  Did you rent again on departure?
> 
> If you do not mind me asking, about how much was the rental for the van?  There are 6 of us as well and I am trying to determine the most cost effective way for us to get from Maine to Vancouver BC and flying into Seattle or Portland OR may be the best option plus driving up.  Thank you!!



We flew into Seattle, stayed the night, and took the AMTRAK from Seattle to Vancouver.  They offer buy an adult, get a child half off, plus AAA discount on top of that.  I think we spent less than $100 for all 4 of us one way.  We did however fly back from Vancouver because I couldn't stand the thought of doing the QuickShuttle and the possibility of getting stuck at the border --- I am a very impatient person when traveling back home.  I spent $315 in airfare per person to and from LAX --- not bad in my opinion.


----------



## for my family

peachygreen said:


> We rented from Alamo from Seattle to Vancouver and Avis from Vancouver to Seattle.
> 
> The price for the minivan was $195 from Seattle to Vancouver and $235 from Vancouver to Seattle.  Gas was less than $100 each way.  (both prices are in USD)
> 
> We returned the car to  the Sandman Hotel in downtown (about 3/4 of a mile from Canada Place).  We rented from the Cruise Terminal on the way back.  They had a shuttle to take us to the office where we got the car.  Avis gave us a 12 Passenger Van on the way back for the price of a minivan because they needed to move it to Seattle.  So we had much more room on the way back.
> 
> .


We did something very similar, except we rented from National both ways. Our prices were approximately $140 from Seattle to Vancouver and $100 from Vancouver to Seattle. Gas each way was approximately $40.  We renterd minivans, but they gave us a Yukon in Vancouver.  It was about the size of our ship.  

Picking up our car at Canada Place on the return trip was a pain. I think the people working the National counter were very new. 

The drive between both cities is very easy, although we did have a bit of a wait coming back into the US.


----------



## scrapycruiser

Can anyone recommend a good restaurant near Canada Place for families ?
Also, other than Fly Canada, what's there to do at night ?


----------



## richmo

peachygreen said:


> ...
> The price for the minivan was $195 from Seattle to Vancouver and $235 from Vancouver to Seattle.  Gas was less than $100 each way.  (both prices are in USD)



I would hope gas was < $100 each way!  It's only 150 miles or so.



peachygreen said:


> ...The only problem we ran into was that I rented the vans and my dad wanted to pay.  They kept the car in my name until we returned.  The only issue was switching cards and that was my dad's CC company because he forgot to tell them he was going to Canada.



Which brings up a minor thing that has probably been covered several times in this thread, but there's 170+ pages at this point.  Be aware that when you use a credit card in Canada, it is considered an international transaction.  Most, but not all, credit cards have some kind of fee for international transactions.  I think most are around two or three percent, but some may have a fixed charge for smaller amounts.  If you are staying in hotels, renting cars, buying gas,etc., from locations in Canada, that surcharge can add up.  If you have sufficient time before you leave, you might want to acquire a credit card that doesn't charge the fee...they do exist. (And a comment on gas: if things haven't changed since I was there, gas in Washington is significantly less expensive than British Columbia)

Also be careful with ATM's.  Your financial institution may well have a surcharge for cash obtained in a foreign country.


----------



## wallawallakids

richmo said:


> I would hope gas was < $100 each way!  It's only 150 miles or so.
> 
> 
> 
> Which brings up a minor thing that has probably been covered several times in this thread, but there's 170+ pages at this point.  Be aware that when you use a credit card in Canada, it is considered an international transaction.  Most, but not all, credit cards have some kind of fee for international transactions.  I think most are around two or three percent, but some may have a fixed charge for smaller amounts.  If you are staying in hotels, renting cars, buying gas,etc., from locations in Canada, that surcharge can add up.  If you have sufficient time before you leave, you might want to acquire a credit card that doesn't charge the fee...they do exist. (And a comment on gas: if things haven't changed since I was there, gas in Washington is significantly less expensive than British Columbia)
> 
> Also be careful with ATM's.  Your financial institution may well have a surcharge for cash obtained in a foreign country.



Thank you for this tip.  Does anyone know how you can find a card that does not charge a fee?  Do I call the cards I have.  I mostly use AMX but I do remember them charging us a fee on our cruise when we purchased something in Cozumel.


----------



## richmo

wallawallakids said:


> Thank you for this tip.  Does anyone know how you can find a card that does not charge a fee?  Do I call the cards I have.  I mostly use AMX but I do remember them charging us a fee on our cruise when we purchased something in Cozumel.



I believe Amex still charges fees, at least they do for the lower end cards.  Maybe if you have gold or above they might not.  I think one that does not charge is Capital One, but if you Google "Credit card international fees" you can probably find a link to cards that don't charge.


----------



## wallawallakids

richmo said:


> I believe Amex still charges fees, at least they do for the lower end cards.  Maybe if you have gold or above they might not.  I think one that does not charge is Capital One, but if you Google "Credit card international fees" you can probably find a link to cards that don't charge.



Thank you!


----------



## for my family

scrapycruiser said:


> Can anyone recommend a good restaurant near Canada Place for families ?
> Also, other than Fly Canada, what's there to do at night ?



My family enjoyed walking down some of the main streets: Robson Street (lots of shopping and people), Granville Street and the Coal Harbour area which is on the waterfront.  Vancouver is a very clean city that appeared to be very safe.  The Granville Street area in downtown is a bit grungy (think East Village) but it has a lot of shopping and restaurants.


----------



## ahain

Tenkawa said:


> Well I'd recommend starting here: http://www.yvr.ca. It is one of the best airport web sites out there. The Fairmont Vancouver Airport is the only hotel directly attached to the airport, and is very nice (and commensurately expensive).
> 
> There are courtesy shuttles from many hotels in Richmond, found here: http://yvr.ca/en/getting-to-from-yvr/courtesy-shuttles.aspx at a lot of different price points.
> 
> The airport also happens to be on a Rapid Transit line (Canada Line), so downtown hotels are very doable if you don't have tons and tons of luggage. The first train to the airport leaves downtown at 4:48am (and takes about 20min). More information here: http://www.translink.ca



Thank you!


----------



## Jrsy Boy

richmo said:


> Which brings up a minor thing that has probably been covered several times in this thread, but there's 170+ pages at this point.  Be aware that when you use a credit card in Canada, it is considered an international transaction.  Most, but not all, credit cards have some kind of fee for international transactions.  I think most are around two or three percent, but some may have a fixed charge for smaller amounts.  If you are staying in hotels, renting cars, buying gas,etc., from locations in Canada, that surcharge can add up.  If you have sufficient time before you leave, you might want to acquire a credit card that doesn't charge the fee...they do exist. (And a comment on gas: if things haven't changed since I was there, gas in Washington is significantly less expensive than British Columbia)
> 
> Also be careful with ATM's.  Your financial institution may well have a surcharge for cash obtained in a foreign country.



Another thing to note, too, if you have prepaid Visa or Amex gift cards...some of those are not accepted outside of the US.  We found that out before our cruise while in Vancouver.  The vendor will only know that it was rejected, not why.  Read the fine print.


----------



## shanhop

FYI - Target Visa has no international fees.


----------



## Tenkawa

Some quick tips:

Check if your bank has an arrangement with a bank in Canada. eg: Bank of America is partnered with Scotiabank, so you can use Scotiabank's ATMs to pull out Canadian money without extra fees (Normally if you use an ATM there are several additional fees)

While Canada has debit cards, they are not tied to credit cards, so don't expect to see the credit or debit prompt on the terminal like you do in the US at some places.


----------



## peachygreen

richmo said:
			
		

> I would hope gas was < $100 each way!  It's only 150 miles or so.
> 
> Which brings up a minor thing that has probably been covered several times in this thread, but there's 170+ pages at this point.  Be aware that when you use a credit card in Canada, it is considered an international transaction.  Most, but not all, credit cards have some kind of fee for international transactions.  I think most are around two or three percent, but some may have a fixed charge for smaller amounts.  If you are staying in hotels, renting cars, buying gas,etc., from locations in Canada, that surcharge can add up.  If you have sufficient time before you leave, you might want to acquire a credit card that doesn't charge the fee...they do exist. (And a comment on gas: if things haven't changed since I was there, gas in Washington is significantly less expensive than British Columbia)
> 
> Also be careful with ATM's.  Your financial institution may well have a surcharge for cash obtained in a foreign country.



Sorry that was less than $100 total.   It was $48 cad when we returned it in Vancouver.   It cost less than that coming home


----------



## wallawallakids

shanhop said:


> FYI - Target Visa has no international fees.



Really?  That is good to know.  Are they accepted pretty much everywhere?  I guess I just assumed they were a store card and could only be used in Target.  Might have to look into that one.


----------



## richmo

wallawallakids said:


> Really?  That is good to know.  Are they accepted pretty much everywhere?  I guess I just assumed they were a store card and could only be used in Target.  Might have to look into that one.



Nope, the Target Visa is a regular Visa card that can be used anywhere Visa is accepted.  I believe Target also has (or had) a store card which is not Visa branded, and of course, could not be used anywhere else.

If you apply for a Target Visa card, be sure to read the fine print on the international usage fees.  It may be that they still don't have a surcharge, but I believe Target recently switched the card provider to TD Bank, so the rules may have changed.


----------



## laceltris3

One benefit of the United Airlines card (in addition to the free checked bags and priority boarding) is that it does not charge any foreign transaction fees. (all of those benefits together make the annual fee well worth it in checked bag fees alone or you could just cancel it with a year and not have a fee). All of my other cards charge the fee. May be worth it for those of you who live in or near United hubs. I will also be able use miles for 3 out of 5 of us to go to Vancouver, so it worked for us.


----------



## dsnydaddy

laceltris3 said:


> One benefit of the United Airlines card (in addition to the free checked bags and priority boarding) is that it does not charge any foreign transaction fees. (all of those benefits together make the annual fee well worth it in checked bag fees alone or you could just cancel it with a year and not have a fee). All of my other cards charge the fee. May be worth it for those of you who live in or near United hubs. I will also be able use miles for 3 out of 5 of us to go to Vancouver, so it worked for us.



I just wrote a post about this on my wife's travel blog.  The recent changes in United's FF program is causing me to abandon it altogether.  I, too, hold the United Card and I will be closing it promptly after our planned trips.  Since, I am no longer incentivized to stick to United, I can now feel free to try the competition, some of which offer free luggage as a standard perk.  The Card will no longer pay for itself for me.


----------



## laceltris3

dsnydaddy said:


> I just wrote a post about this on my wife's travel blog.  The recent changes in United's FF program is causing me to abandon it altogether.  I, too, hold the United Card and I will be closing it promptly after our planned trips.  Since, I am no longer incentivized to stick to United, I can now feel free to try the competition, some of which offer free luggage as a standard perk.  The Card will no longer pay for itself for me.



Don't get me started on the United bashing. I was a loyal Continental person pre-merger. United offers poor service at much higher prices and has no regard for the customer experience. And I agree their new ff policy is terrible (which is why I am using my 150k accumulated miles on this Vancouver trip). After this, I will have to see whether it makes sense. Unfortunately, with 3 young kiddos I put a premium on direct flights and from Houston there aren't many non-United options. I would be interested in reading your post if you PM me the link.


----------



## DizDragonfly

Anyone have a recommendation for a casual sit down restaurant with awesome food that would be good for a group and have gluten free offerings?


----------



## Tenkawa

DizDragonfly said:


> Anyone have a recommendation for a casual sit down restaurant with awesome food that would be good for a group and have gluten free offerings?



This is Vancouver. You can get GF anywhere pretty much. Heck, even the Old Spaghetti Factory does Gluten Free.

You'll need to refine your query for what kind of food.

My personal thoughts are:

In downtown:
Dunn's (Seymour and Robson st.) - Montreal Smoked meat is their specialty
Shabusen (Burrard & Robson) Japanese hot pot restaurant
Carderos (Hastings and uhm... I forget, but like 2 blocks from port) West Coast Seafood. Slightly more upscale, but they won't blink about jeans and t-shirts.

There are tons and tons more options, both in downtown and outside of it.


----------



## DizDragonfly

Tenkawa said:


> This is Vancouver. You can get GF anywhere pretty much. Heck, even the Old Spaghetti Factory does Gluten Free.
> 
> You'll need to refine your query for what kind of food.
> 
> My personal thoughts are:
> 
> In downtown:
> Dunn's (Seymour and Robson st.) - Montreal Smoked meat is their specialty
> Shabusen (Burrard & Robson) Japanese hot pot restaurant
> Carderos (Hastings and uhm... I forget, but like 2 blocks from port) West Coast Seafood. Slightly more upscale, but they won't blink about jeans and t-shirts.
> 
> There are tons and tons more options, both in downtown and outside of it.



Thanks!  I think part of why I'm having trouble is that there are so many options.    We're going to end up at Cathedral Square after dinner.  If that makes any difference to your recommendations?


----------



## DizDragonfly

Looks like the first two suggestions are a pretty short walk.  Thanks!


----------



## maburke

wallawallakids said:


> Thank you for this tip.  Does anyone know how you can find a card that does not charge a fee?  Do I call the cards I have.  I mostly use AMX but I do remember them charging us a fee on our cruise when we purchased something in Cozumel.



I just got a message in the last couple of months that my Amex (Delta Skymiles Platinum) no longer charges international fees. So it's worth checking if yours has changed, too.


----------



## jofo

Can anyone recommend a good place to try poutine that's walking distance from Canada Place?  Looking for basic poutine, not the pastrami/chicken/whatever ones.  Thanks.


----------



## DizDragonfly

jofo said:


> Can anyone recommend a good place to try poutine that's walking distance from Canada Place?  Looking for basic poutine, not the pastrami/chicken/whatever ones.  Thanks.



Tenkawa mentioned Dunn's above.  They have poutine on their menu and are about a 16 minute walk from Canada Place.


----------



## GrtWtNorth

scrapycruiser said:
			
		

> Can anyone recommend a good restaurant near Canada Place for families ?


A very family friendly restaurant nearby is The Old Spaghetti Factory. The food quality is just ok, but the price and quantity is good. Other restaurants in the area are more adult-friendly bistro style selections. Your hotel concierge may be more helpful.


----------



## sunryzez

FYI - I booked the Pan Pacific just this week for June 13th-15th of 2015 the day the rates came out. I thought it was pricey then at 237.00 USd and after taxes it came out to around 553.00, but Ijust checked again to see if a package would be cheaper and the rate has already gone up about 45.00 a night USD. So if you are thinking about planning on booking that hotel for 2015 I would book sooner rather then later...it seems like a very large jump in just a few days.


----------



## MaxiMax

We are planning to come into Vancouver a couple of days early. We want to rent a car but is there anywhere close to the port to return it? And if so, what company it is?
Thanks!!


----------



## peachygreen

Alamo has a site at the port and 3/4 miles away.   Avis is  nearby and has a shuttle.   I used both for one-way rentals in June.


----------



## lafa

peachygreen said:


> Alamo has a site at the port and 3/4 miles away.   Avis is  nearby and has a shuttle.   I used both for one-way rentals in June.



Hi!

How far in advance did you make the reservation?  Did you call direct or book it online?

Thank you so much!  Trying to figure out a way back to Seattle.  The train gets in so late.


(Just went back and read earlier posts...You used Avis from Vancouver to Seattle)


----------



## pjstevens

lafa said:


> Hi!
> 
> How far in advance did you make the reservation?  Did you call direct or book it online?
> 
> Thank you so much!  Trying to figure out a way back to Seattle.  The train gets in so late.
> 
> 
> (Just went back and read earlier posts...You used Avis from Vancouver to Seattle)



We used Avis from Vancouver to Seattle as we had a flight out that evening.  I tried contact Avis numerous times to find out about a shuttle and could NEVER get an answer.  So we stood in the VERY LONG taxi line but still managed.


----------



## peachygreen

lafa said:
			
		

> Hi!
> 
> How far in advance did you make the reservation?  Did you call direct or book it online?
> 
> Thank you so much!  Trying to figure out a way back to Seattle.  The train gets in so late.
> 
> (Just went back and read earlier posts...You used Avis from Vancouver to Seattle)



I booked Alamo several months in advance online both ways.  The return price was high so I'd check prices frequently.   Eventually I found a deal on the return trip with Avis on line.  Avis did have a shuttle and a kiosk at Canada Place.


----------



## elvisdiddy808

went to a restaurant called Nuba which offered a great meal for $23 per person (small children free).  Array of hot and cold appitizers (all you can eat) along with choice of a main (very small portion but the all you can eat appetizers more than made up for it).


----------



## lafa

peachygreen said:


> I booked Alamo several months in advance online both ways.  The return price was high so I'd check prices frequently.   Eventually I found a deal on the return trip with Avis on line.  Avis did have a shuttle and a kiosk at Canada Place.



Thank you!


----------



## Keyser

Sorry if I've missed a prior post/thread, but I'm wondering about how phone service is in Vancouver (and the rest of the cruise, also...).  I

'm sure this varies by carrier, but has anyone had a good experience just using their normal carrier (I have AT&T)?  I guess I can look up rates, but I'm wondering how expensive it is?  I normally have unlimited talk+text plus more data than I can use, so I'm wondering how much I will need to just shut off the phone.

What about buying a new sim card - are they easy to find, and did you get good rates for phone/internet?  

I'd be curious as to peoples' experience on the ship, also - did you get reception in the ports or even while sailing (I think the ship stays close to shore)?


----------



## whistlinmickey

Keyser said:


> I'm wondering about how phone service is in Vancouver (and the rest of the cruise, also...)



We were in the Vancouver area for one night before the cruise and didn't do any significant activities. So we avoided signing up for an international plan for that brief time.  We looked into it a bit. But the cost just didn't make sense for our needs. I did use an AT&T/iPhone for GPS maps to get to the hotel and then to the port.  I turned off data roaming, so the Google maps app I used just relied on the cached data downloaded in the USA before driving to the hotel or in the hotel before going to the port terminal.  I couldn't keep the phone in airplane mode, or the GPS wouldn't work. The phone connected to the Rogers network while we were in Canada. But I didn't make any phone calls or text.  Hopefully others have more information about international plans or SIM cards local to Canada if you need that.  I suspect that if you want to go the route of swapping SIMs, you need to make sure your device is carrier unlocked by AT&T prior to traveling.

As for Alaska, I didn't have any trouble connecting to AT&T in the three ports. I actually forgot to turn on cellular data in Skagway, so I don't know for sure how it would have performed there.  But the data worked great in Juneau and Ketchikan, even from the ship in port.

I actually didn't try to connect to the AT&T network while at sea. We were always so busy with the many awesome activities onboard.  And honestly, it was so nice to just get off the grid for a while.  We did sign up for the free 50 MB of Connect @Sea WiFi data.  We had two staterooms, so we had a total of 100 MB we could use.  But we used it so rarely that we didn't even come close to using up that much data. Again, we were plenty occupied with activities on the ship that spending time online was one of the last things we were interested in doing.  The Connect @Sea connection was a little bit confusing to use at first. I just needed to figure out the difference between using the WiFi for Internet access versus for Navigator app access.  But once we got the hang of it, it did work quite well, and was only a bit sluggish for our uses.  We used it on an iPhone and an iPad.

We did make extensive use of the onboard WiFi to connect to the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app.  That worked very well for us.  It was great to be able to see maps of the ship, dinner menus, and activity schedules.  We used it to make sure we didn't miss any of our favorite character meet-and-greets and to keep our children updated on the current club/lab/Edge activities.

After the cruise, we drove straight from the port to the USA. I had cached map data on my phone from the shipboard WiFi prior to disembarkation. So, once again, we didn't really need international phone service at that time.


----------



## jtkboston

Verizon Wireless voice coverage was fine in Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, on the extended network (still part of my plan).  Data coverage was spotty in Skagway, fine in Juneau (LTE even at Mendenhall Glacier) and Ketchikan (LTE)


----------



## jtkboston

[reusing duplicate post for another topic]
A note of caution if you don't have your own phone to use for calls in Vancouver, and you're using a limo service for pickup at Canada Place:
The limo attendant was incompetent in handling reservations and notifying waiting limousines when we arrived in port on July 21st.  I gave her my name and limo company name so she could notify the company.  That was at 9:05am.  It wasn't until I bugged her again at about 10:00am that she actually called the dispatch lot to have our limo released to come into port!

So, if you're reserving a limo, wait at the attendant's stand until he/she gets the limo dispatched to come to port.


----------



## sqektoy

Regarding phone service.  We stayed at the Pan Pacific and had access to free wi-fi so that worked well over the 2 days there. We had one small "accident" when my husband turned ON data roaming to access his voicemail.  He didn't know that was a bad thing and I didn't know he turned it on.  Thankfully AT&T contacted me less than 2 hours later to alert me that his line had accessed international data roaming and we had accrued a charge of $504!!!!   They figured something was wrong, told us to turn off data roaming and reversed the charges.   (Lucky husband!!). They turned on an Intl Roaming package at $30 just in case we needed to use it again (he left his phone in the safe until we left!!) and I wasn't about to argue that since they spared us the 500!!!!   The guy who called said it happens more often than not and the worst he had seen was $40,000!!!!   That would have given me a heart attack.  
Just be aware of what you do.  Free wi-fi and if you're from the US, as soon as you get to the 3 port towns, AT&T just uses your regular data plan.


----------



## pmoments

Is there still such a thing as US Direct if you get the Disney transfer back to YVR?


----------



## linetbo

sunryzez said:


> FYI - I booked the Pan Pacific just this week for June 13th-15th of 2015 the day the rates came out. I thought it was pricey then at 237.00 USd and after taxes it came out to around 553.00, but Ijust checked again to see if a package would be cheaper and the rate has already gone up about 45.00 a night USD. So if you are thinking about planning on booking that hotel for 2015 I would book sooner rather then later...it seems like a very large jump in just a few days.



I was looking prices for July 17-20 and its almost $500.


----------



## GoofyLovingFamily

pmoments said:


> Is there still such a thing as US Direct if you get the Disney transfer back to YVR?



That was not available in 2014.


----------



## pmoments

GoofyLovingFamily said:


> That was not available in 2014.



Thank you!  That is the only reason I took Disney transfers the last time.


----------



## pmoments

I was able to get for $212 a night for the June 28th (one night) on the American Express travel site.


----------



## linetbo

I guess July is a expensive month to travel


----------



## bumbershoot

linetbo said:


> I guess July is a expensive month to travel



Absolutely.  Right in the middle of summer.  Gorgeous weather in the Pacific NW, the most likely to NOT have grey drizzle all the time.  Right in the middle of Alaska cruising season as well.  Pretty much peak travel time for that area!


I get that Pan Pacific is much desired because it's right there, but downtown Vancouver is wonderful and close together and taxis are very reasonable, and there's no reason to ONLY stay at the Pan.


----------



## linetbo

bumbershoot said:


> Absolutely.  Right in the middle of summer.  Gorgeous weather in the Pacific NW, the most likely to NOT have grey drizzle all the time.  Right in the middle of Alaska cruising season as well.  Pretty much peak travel time for that area!
> 
> 
> I get that Pan Pacific is much desired because it's right there, but downtown Vancouver is wonderful and close together and taxis are very reasonable, and there's no reason to ONLY stay at the Pan.



I guess its better to save that money for cruise excursions.  I am paying no more than $300 per night.


----------



## canadiandisneycruise

If you have a larger family, consider the Delta hotel.  They have family suites to fit up to six! We just couldn't justify paying for two rooms at the Pan Pacific.  It's not far- we walked to the dock with our luggage. Another family sent one member in a taxi and walked. We felt very safe!

It was also quick & easy to take the train back to the airport. A taxi was faster, but it was very inexpensive for our whole family to take it- I think only $10!


----------



## mollyclairesmom

We are staying a couple of blocks from Canada Place. What would be the best place nearby to pick up some wine for our carry-on?


----------



## bliscum

Ask the hotel. There is a liquor store not far from there where you can buy. I can not remember the name of the street.


----------



## xlxo

mollyclairesmom said:


> We are staying a couple of blocks from Canada Place. What would be the best place nearby to pick up some wine for our carry-on?



Which direction?  Which hotel?


There are several private liquor stores around downtown.
For better pricing look for "BC Liquor" stores that are operated by the government.
For better selection, look for the "signature" stores.  The only downtown store is Alberni & Bute.
For best pricing? Consider getting it at your duty free stores on the flight or driving across the border.


----------



## mollyclairesmom

xlxo said:
			
		

> Which direction?  Which hotel?
> 
> 
> [*]There are several private liquor stores around downtown.
> [*]For better pricing look for "BC Liquor" stores that are operated by the government.
> [*]For better selection, look for the "signature" stores.  The only downtown store is Alberni & Bute.
> [*]For best pricing? Consider getting it at your duty free stores on the flight or driving across the border.



Thanks! I totally forgot about the possibility of the duty free stores.


----------



## Debbie

bumbershoot said:


> Absolutely.  Right in the middle of summer.  Gorgeous weather in the Pacific NW, the most likely to NOT have grey drizzle all the time.  Right in the middle of Alaska cruising season as well.  Pretty much peak travel time for that area!
> 
> 
> I get that Pan Pacific is much desired because it's right there, but downtown Vancouver is wonderful and close together and taxis are very reasonable, and there's no reason to ONLY stay at the Pan.


 Got mine this year through Hotwire.com  Paid less than $200 a night. 



bliscum said:


> Ask the hotel. There is a liquor store not far from there where you can buy. I can not remember the name of the street.


 DH and I walked to one of the downtown towers and there was a BC liquor store right there.  (Can't remember the name of the tower, but it was about 2, maybe 3 blocks from the Pan Pacific.)


----------



## xlxo

Debbie said:


> DH and I walked to one of the downtown towers and there was a BC liquor store right there.  (Can't remember the name of the tower, but it was about 2, maybe 3 blocks from the Pan Pacific.)



You likely went East towards Gastown....The tower is likely the "LookOut".  One of the tourist attractions observation decks.  Open til 6pm Monday to Saturday... with Sunday closed all day.
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...AbUQ;FXIH8AIdXnip-A&dirflg=w&mra=ltm&t=m&z=18

A little further is to go South West towards Robson.  The Alberni & Bute signature BC Liquor location is open to 11pm Monday to Saturday with Sunday hours til 6pm.
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...nXgHGGVDHqUQfNL-Thzw&dirflg=w&mra=ls&t=m&z=16


----------



## Debbie

xlxo said:


> You likely went East towards Gastown....The tower is likely the "LookOut".  One of the tourist attractions observation decks.  Open til 6pm Monday to Saturday... with Sunday closed all day.
> https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...AbUQ;FXIH8AIdXnip-A&dirflg=w&mra=ltm&t=m&z=18



 That's it!


----------



## Donald & Daisy Duck

need to subscribe to this to help plan my alaska 2015 trip


----------



## 8timesblessed

I'm thinking of taking my 3 younger kids on the San Diego to Vancouver cruise. We did our first cruise in May on the Fantasy and had a great time. We will fly down and do LEGOLAND and Disneyland. My husband and other kids want to pick us up in Vancouver (we live in WA) but haven't been up to Canada for a long time. We own at ClubIntrawest and I think they have a hotel in Vancouver that my husband could stay at the night before so they can tour the city before we arrive the next morning.

What are the must see things to do for kids 11-16?? We thought of doing the DVC Alaska cruise but our older kids aren't out of school yet. Plus it was a lot more for our family of 10.


----------



## bumbershoot

8timesblessed said:


> We thought of doing the DVC Alaska cruise but our older kids aren't out of school yet. Plus it was a lot more for our family of 10.



Why not one of the regular alaska cruises, not the special one?  Assuming you bought direct you can still use your points.  I mean, it's definitely going to be more than the repo cruise, and I might be reading you wrong, but did you look at the other Alaska cruises?


It seems we never do anything exciting when we visit cities, so I'm no help there, LOL.  We just wander and see things, and I'm too nervous for a suspension bridge or skiing or anything, so we just enjoy the downtown.  The aquarium, while expensive, is very nice.


----------



## linetbo

Where can I buy some snacks and water near the Shangri la Hotel? Thanks!


----------



## xlxo

You have several options

7-Eleven South-East corner of hotel
Robson street has a few grocers, cafe's and AYCE eats. Many restaurants to choose for more than "snacks".  You can never go hungry along Robson
There's a IGA grocer a few blocks south
Costco is a short walk or ride away if you want to seriously load up water and snacks pre-cruise before the Alaskan mines.  How much space do you have in your cabin?


----------



## linetbo

xlxo said:


> You have several options
> -7 eleven South-East corner of hotel
> -robson street has a few grocers, cafe's and AYCE eats. Many restaurants to choose for more than "snacks"
> -there's a IGA grocer a few blocks south
> -Costco is a short drive/cab ride away if you want to seriously load up snacks pre-cruise before the Alaskan mines



Thank you so much!


----------



## xlxo

Just updated my previous posts with Google Map links for you to get a idea of distance to each suggestion.

Love those Costco $1.50 hot dogs.  Love the $1.50 polish dogs even more.

You might even want to check out the Japadog that started in Vancouver and can be found in other US cities.  During the Olympics people would wait 2hrs for a snack.


----------



## xlxo

8timesblessed said:


> I'm thinking of taking my 3 younger kids on the San Diego to Vancouver cruise. ..... We own at ClubIntrawest and I think they have a hotel in Vancouver that my husband could stay at the night before so they can tour the city before we arrive the next morning.
> 
> What are the must see things to do for kids 11-16?? We thought of doing the DVC Alaska cruise but our older kids aren't out of school yet. Plus it was a lot more for our family of 10.



Hmm... Club Intrawest appears to be the Sheralton Wall Centre (or close to it).

As mentioned before, Vancouver is much larger than all the Alaskan ports combined.  You can spend a month there.  Some ideas....

http://www.tourismvancouver.com/do/...ttractions/10-vancouver-must-see-attractions/
http://www.vancouverattractions.com/
http://vancouver.about.com/od/historylandmarks/tp/toptenattractions.htm
http://vancouver.about.com/od/sportsrecreation/tp/freethingstodo.htm

Sign up for a tour if time is limited to get to know the city better.


----------



## linetbo

WHERE CAN I FOUND BRITISH CHOCOLATE IN Vancouver?


----------



## xlxo

Hmm.... Doing a quick google...

There's a British Store in Surrey...  http://thebritishstore.ca
Downtown has the candy aisle... http://www.candyaisle.com

Might want to call ahead to double-check if they have what you want.

Otherwise.... do visit one of Vancouver's specialty chocolate providers...
http://www.insidevancouver.ca/2011/02/12/top-5-vancouver-chocolatiers-boutique-chocolate-shops/

Have you heard about Mink chocolates near the cruise ship terminal?
http://www.westender.com/eat-drink/...late-wins-world-s-top-chocolate-bar-1.1344959


----------



## xlxo

For those needing taxi/cab service in Vancouver....

Just heard on the news the local cab companies now have apps to request and track your cab.  You might want to download these apps to your phones.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=digital.dispatch.mobilebooker.YellowCabVancouver
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/yellow-cab-vancouver/id601437264?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=digital.dispatch.mobilebooker.VancouverTaxi
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vantaxi/id858781754?ls=1&mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mtdata.blacktopvancouver
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/black-top-vancouver/id898903908?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo=4

You aren't going to need these apps getting from the airport or cruise terminal.  But they are great for tourist attractions and restaurants.

There's a  bottleneck getting through dispatch to request a cab, especially peak hours.  Requesting a cab online or via app gives you direct connection to the drivers.


----------



## Larissa

As a Vancouver resident, may I recommend Japadog? It's a Japanese-style hotdog that can be found in their food trucks or in a tiny little restaurant downtown. Delicious and unique.

Or if you see a Beaver Tail's food truck....you gotta try one. YUM.


----------



## sassysocks

sub


----------



## Shercara

Just booked airfare for our June 1 - 8 Wonder Cruise - this is now getting real!
Will be traveling with my parents (70's) my hubby and our 2 sons 25 and 21.  Need a hotel for May 30 and 31 - then June 8th.  Also info on transportation options from airport to "said" hotel  Would need Min 2 rooms - with one having 2 beds ( pref queen ) and ability to add a roll-a-way...
Suggestions welcome -  Thanks in advance


----------



## xlxo

Shercara said:


> Just booked airfare for our June 1 - 8 Wonder Cruise - this is now getting real!
> Will be traveling with my parents (70's) my hubby and our 2 sons 25 and 21.  Need a hotel for May 30 and 31 - then June 8th.  Also info on transportation options from airport to "said" hotel  Would need Min 2 rooms - with one having 2 beds ( pref queen ) and ability to add a roll-a-way...
> Suggestions welcome -  Thanks in advance



Sounds like 6 people... I recommend two cabs for $35 each to get from airport to downtown hotels/cruise terminal.

Hotels?  Lots of choose from.  What's important to you?

What's your price range?  
How close do you want to be to the cruise terminal?
Are restaurants important to you?
Wanna a free trip to the Orient?  I like Richmond Airport hotels for some ethnic restaurants.
You want to book early to secure a spot ahead of Fifa women's coming to the city.


----------



## Shercara

xlxo said:


> Sounds like 6 people... I recommend two cabs for $35 each to get from airport to downtown hotels/cruise terminal.
> 
> Hotels?  Lots of choose from.  What's important to you?
> 
> What's your price range?
> How close do you want to be to the cruise terminal?
> Are restaurants important to you?
> Wanna a free trip to the Orient?  I like Richmond Airport hotels for some ethnic restaurants.
> You want to book early to secure a spot ahead of Fifa women's coming to the city.



Hi xlxo -  thanks for the reply and info on the cab.
Yes, we will be 6 people total.  We will probably have 6+pcs of luggage too.

*Price range - $120- $150 max - something clean and comfortable.  We'd love to be able to get a room with 2 queen beds and a roll-away for the 4 of us. ( and another room for my parents.)
We arrive late on the 31st -so we are really only in Vancouver for 1 full day pre cruise. We just need a place to sleep, doesn't need to be fancy and would like it to be in a nice area that we can explore for that one day.
*Yes, close to terminal would be good, but we would need to take a cab the morning of the cruise anyway - so it doesn't have to be.
*We do like good food, and are not picky about "good/fancy" restaurants. Places unique to Vancouver would interest us.  
*Would love a free trip to the Orient! ;-) ????

Thanks in advance for your help!
Sherri


----------



## sharksfinatic17

Shercara said:


> Hi xlxo -  thanks for the reply and info on the cab.
> Yes, we will be 6 people total.  We will probably have 6+pcs of luggage too.
> 
> *Price range - $120- $150 max - something clean and comfortable.  We'd love to be able to get a room with 2 queen beds and a roll-away for the 4 of us. ( and another room for my parents.)
> We arrive late on the 31st -so we are really only in Vancouver for 1 full day pre cruise. We just need a place to sleep, doesn't need to be fancy and would like it to be in a nice area that we can explore for that one day.
> *Yes, close to terminal would be good, but we would need to take a cab the morning of the cruise anyway - so it doesn't have to be.
> *We do like good food, and are not picky about "good/fancy" restaurants. Places unique to Vancouver would interest us.
> *Would love a free trip to the Orient! ;-) ????
> 
> Thanks in advance for your help!
> Sherri



I would try Last Minute Travel.  We booked the Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside Hotel (Marriot) for $134 a night.  It is one block from Canada Place.


----------



## sdjen

sharksfinatic17 said:


> I would try Last Minute Travel.  We booked the Renaissance Vancouver Harbourside Hotel (Marriot) for $134 a night.  It is one block from Canada Place.



I would second the Last Minute Travel suggestion. We are in Vancouver the last weekend of July/first of August and a lot of hotels were sold out or over $400 a night. I found a rate of $150 at the Hyatt downtown that is going for over $325 on their website. Its about 4-5 blocks to Canada Place.


----------



## Snowwhyt

I can't find opening prices for the Wonder ship after May 2015. I was looking for Alaska. Anybody here know where I can find that info? I want to see what they start out at so I can plan for 2016


----------



## jtba

Snowwhyt said:


> I can't find opening prices for the Wonder ship after May 2015. I was looking for Alaska. Anybody here know where I can find that info? I want to see what they start out at so I can plan for 2016



http://touringplans.com/disney-cruise-line/tools/fare-tracker


----------



## xlxo

For soccer (football?) fans wanting to make their Vancouver trip special....  Is your home team coming to Vancouver?

http://www.whitecapsfc.com/schedule..._type=all&op=Search&form_id=mls_schedule_form

Plan your cruise with a stop at BC Place Stadium.  Come and watch the Cascadia champions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQmrp2mF4ak
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCR4_iNPicc


----------



## AngelDisney

jtba said:


> http://touringplans.com/disney-cruise-line/tools/fare-tracker



Thanks for the link! It is very helpful!!


----------



## xlxo

Something new to try in Vancouver....

http://globalnews.ca/news/1763382/snorting-chocolate-comes-to-canada-at-vancouver-candy-shop/
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/01/08/snorting-chocolate-vancouver_n_6438940.html


----------



## Shercara

Just booked Blue Horizon Hotel for pre and post cruise through booking dot com
$145/night - any opinions/tips?
Thanks


----------



## disneyholic family

wallawallakids said:


> Thank you for this tip.  Does anyone know how you can find a card that does not charge a fee?  Do I call the cards I have.  I mostly use AMX but I do remember them charging us a fee on our cruise when we purchased something in Cozumel.





richmo said:


> I believe Amex still charges fees, at least they do for the lower end cards.  Maybe if you have gold or above they might not.  I think one that does not charge is Capital One, but if you Google "Credit card international fees" you can probably find a link to cards that don't charge.



the AMEX skymiles reserve card does NOT have international charges.
This may also be true of other AMEX cards.


----------



## Shercara

Hi all -   Does anyone know if:
1. Liquor Stores are open on Sunday in Vancouver?
2. Are there any Liquor Stores located near The Blue Horizon Hotel?
Thanks so much,
Sherri


----------



## xlxo

Alberni & Bute has a signature liquor store open til 6pm. Note it may be cheaper to get your liquor from your airport duty free store before you board.


----------



## Snowwhyt

jtba said:


> http://touringplans.com/disney-cruise-line/tools/fare-tracker


Best help I've had getting info thanks.


----------



## KatieMill

For Last Minute Travel do you have to sign up with your email?  I've looked at that site but didn't want to join something that started slamming me with promotions.
km


----------



## sharksfinatic17

KatieMill said:


> For Last Minute Travel do you have to sign up with your email?  I've looked at that site but didn't want to join something that started slamming me with promotions.
> km



You do have to register in order to see the hotel names. They send a few emails, but not a ton.


----------



## Shercara

xlxo said:


> Alberni & Bute has a signature liquor store open til 6pm. Note it may be cheaper to get your liquor from your airport duty free store before you board.



Thank you xlxo!  Any thoughts on The Blue Horizon Hotel?  Any restaurant recommendations nearby - Our one son is Vegan - if you have any tips on restaurants that offer Vegan options -that would be appreciated too!

Thanks for everyone's help and input !
~Sherri


----------



## pixie*duster

Can anyone tell me if the port arrival works the same as at PC?  Meaning...does boarding usually begin around 11:00, do you select a port arrival time when signing online documents, etc.?


----------



## noahdove

This is an awesome board!!!!! I already have a page of notes...Thank you all for your input..


----------



## xlxo

Shercara said:


> Thank you xlxo!  Any thoughts on The Blue Horizon Hotel?  Any restaurant recommendations nearby - Our one son is Vegan - if you have any tips on restaurants that offer Vegan options -that would be appreciated too!
> 
> Thanks for everyone's help and input !
> ~Sherri



Thoughts?  Haven't stayed there, but you can find online reviews... generally positive.
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Rev...Horizon_Hotel-Vancouver_British_Columbia.html
Love the location... liquor store is across the street!  Love Robson for a variety of restaurant and budget choices.  I recommend talking with the hotel desk for ideas too.
Vegetarian?  Wanna try something adventurous?  Hon's on Robson offers some good value eats.  It's Asian vegetarian, but what they are able to do with tofu (soy beans) is amazing.  After seating, look at the kitchen... it's actually two... a regular kitchen on one side, but a vegetarian kitchen on the other to not contaminate the cooking process.  One block West from Blue Horizon.

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...HJgHGGVDG6Vk89wu59Ag&oq=hon's&mra=ls&t=m&z=19
http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restauran...Wun_Tun_House-Vancouver_British_Columbia.html
http://dinehere.ca/vancouver/hons-wun-tun-house-robson
http://www.hons.ca/hons_english.htm
picture of split veggie kitchen... 
http://a3.urbancdn.com/w/s/KV/jx42cwTxwNTJfC-640m.jpg

Georgia Straight Best of Vancouver Reader's choices for Vegetarians...
1.The Naam Restaurant, 2724 W. 4th
2.Acorn, 3995 Main
3.Foundation, 2301 Main

Here's more vegetarian options...
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/01/best-vegetarian-and-vegan-restaurants-in-vancouver/


----------



## Flight

xlxo said:


> As mentioned before, Vancouver is much larger than all the Alaskan ports combined.  You can spend a month there.  Some ideas....
> 
> http://www.tourismvancouver.com/do/...ttractions/10-vancouver-must-see-attractions/
> http://www.vancouverattractions.com/
> http://vancouver.about.com/od/historylandmarks/tp/toptenattractions.htm
> http://vancouver.about.com/od/sportsrecreation/tp/freethingstodo.htm
> 
> Sign up for a tour if time is limited to get to know the city better.



The Capilano Suspension Bridge Park looks like fun! Is admission required just for the bridge or can you hike around the area without paying?  Also, does the hike in the park require several hours or most of the day?  Looks like there is free scheduled transportation from Canada Place to the park.


----------



## xlxo

once you pay the admission... it's unlimited crossings across the bridge and other park activities. I recommend 2hrs to enjoy yourself.

There is a regional park outside of the suspension bridge. There is no charge to explore the park that follows the river.

If you are serious about hiking. Go to the bottom of Grouse Mountain and ask for directions for the "Grouse Grind" trail. Called "mother nature's stairmaster". Budget 1 to 2hrs for the average walker to cover the 700meter ascent. Once at the top, there will be more trails to greet you. Warning, the grind should NOT be attempted with street shoes. There is no bathrooms or any place to get water once on the trail. Super athletes complete the trail in 30 minutes. This senior needs 5 hours.


----------



## xlxo

fyi.... here's a map of the Capilano trails...  If you look closely, you can see the paid suspension bridge area appears to be fenced off.

www.metrovancouver.org/about/maps/Maps/Capilanomap.pdf

Not sure when you plan to be coming, but Vancouver has two famous hiking challenges.

Seek the Peak where you start by the Lions Gate Bridge and end at the top of Grouse Mountain.
http://seekthepeak.grousemountain.com/
Knee Knackers... start from the West side of the North Shore and travel to the East with no roads... three mountain ranges!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knee_Knackering_North_Shore_Trail_Run


----------



## Keyser

pixie*duster said:


> Can anyone tell me if the port arrival works the same as at PC?  Meaning...does boarding usually begin around 11:00, do you select a port arrival time when signing online documents, etc.?



Yes - boarding is around 11, and you select the PAT when filling out the online documents when that window opens.  The terminal itself is laid out quite differently, of course.


----------



## Shercara

xlxo said:


> Thoughts?  Haven't stayed there, but you can find online reviews... generally positive.
> http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotel_Rev...Horizon_Hotel-Vancouver_British_Columbia.html
> Love the location... liquor store is across the street!  Love Robson for a variety of restaurant and budget choices.  I recommend talking with the hotel desk for ideas too.
> Vegetarian?  Wanna try something adventurous?  Hon's on Robson offers some good value eats.  It's Asian vegetarian, but what they are able to do with tofu (soy beans) is amazing.  After seating, look at the kitchen... it's actually two... a regular kitchen on one side, but a vegetarian kitchen on the other to not contaminate the cooking process.  One block West from Blue Horizon.
> 
> https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...HJgHGGVDG6Vk89wu59Ag&oq=hon's&mra=ls&t=m&z=19
> http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Restauran...Wun_Tun_House-Vancouver_British_Columbia.html
> http://dinehere.ca/vancouver/hons-wun-tun-house-robson
> http://www.hons.ca/hons_english.htm
> picture of split veggie kitchen...
> http://a3.urbancdn.com/w/s/KV/jx42cwTxwNTJfC-640m.jpg
> 
> Georgia Straight Best of Vancouver Reader's choices for Vegetarians...
> 1.The Naam Restaurant, 2724 W. 4th
> 2.Acorn, 3995 Main
> 3.Foundation, 2301 Main
> 
> Here's more vegetarian options...
> http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2013/01/best-vegetarian-and-vegan-restaurants-in-vancouver/



xlxo - Can I just say.... YOU ROCK!!!  Thank you thank you for your reply, and info, as well as all of the help and input you give to others.  Hon's sounds GREAT!
Off to check out your links!


----------



## arilvdc

Has anyone used Airbnb in the area? We see a condo we like but it's $600 for three nights. Is that average in Vancouver?


----------



## jk8

I would  be ever so grateful if anyone would help me make some decisions. 

We will be flying in on either Saturday or Sunday prior to our cruise and arriving 11am one of those days. We will be leaving on a redeye at about 11 PM post-cruise Monday night. This means roughly  two or three days of sightseeing. 

1. Do you recommend two or three days? It will be my husband and I and our 15-year-old son. 

2. Where to stay pre-cruise that is a good value. We don't need fancy. Also, i'm not accustomed to booking through Priceline or hotwire, but will if that's the best way to go. Do I need to book now for June 6 and 7th prior to June 8 departure? I'm finding some places have nonrefundable bookings to get a good price. 

3. What do you do with our luggage all day if we don't leave until 11 PM after the cruise? To be a link on the front page but I wasn't sure if that place was operational any longer. 

Thanks so much for any advice. 

Julie


----------



## xlxo

jk8 said:


> I would  be ever so grateful if anyone would help me make some decisions.
> 
> We will be flying in on either Saturday or Sunday prior to our cruise and arriving 11am one of those days. We will be leaving on a redeye at about 11 PM post-cruise Monday night. This means roughly  two or three days of sightseeing.
> 
> 1. Do you recommend two or three days? It will be my husband and I and our 15-year-old son.
> 
> 2. Where to stay pre-cruise that is a good value. We don't need fancy. Also, i'm not accustomed to booking through Priceline or hotwire, but will if that's the best way to go. Do I need to book now for June 6 and 7th prior to June 8 departure? I'm finding some places have nonrefundable bookings to get a good price.
> 
> 3. What do you do with our luggage all day if we don't leave until 11 PM after the cruise? To be a link on the front page but I wasn't sure if that place was operational any longer.
> 
> Thanks so much for any advice.
> 
> Julie



I recommend the longer option... go with 3 days pre-cruise.... especially for those coming from different timezones.  Vancouver is larger than all the Alaska ports combined.  You can spend 3 weeks there with various trips around Cascadia.  Note, if you fly in before the weekend (ie Tuesday/Wednesday), you might notice significant savings that can go to your hotel stays.

Normally you can book last minute with Vancouver as it has a hotel surplus.  However, that June weekend has Vancouver hosting FIFA Womens World. As  a result, hotels are very busy downtown.  Now's the time to look at your hotel.  I'm a budget traveller, so here's a few recommendations around $200 a night.  Check the location and reviews...

http://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/blue-horizon-hotel.en-gb.html?checkin=2015-06-07;checkout=2015-06-08
http://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/p-i...b.html?checkin=2015-06-07;checkout=2015-06-08
http://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/hol...b.html?checkin=2015-06-07;checkout=2015-06-08
http://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/d-vancouver-suites.en-gb.html?checkin=2015-06-07;checkout=2015-06-08
http://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/r-v...b.html?checkin=2015-06-07;checkout=2015-06-08

Luggage can be held at the cruise terminal for a fee when you get off the boat.


----------



## jk8

xlxo said:


> I recommend the longer option... go with 3 days pre-cruise.... especially for those coming from different timezones.  Vancouver is larger than all the Alaska ports combined.  You can spend 3 weeks there with various trips around Cascadia.  Note, if you fly in before the weekend (ie Tuesday/Wednesday), you might notice significant savings that can go to your hotel stays.
> 
> Normally you can book last minute with Vancouver as it has a hotel surplus.  However, that June weekend has Vancouver hosting FIFA Womens World. As  a result, hotels are very busy downtown.  Now's the time to look at your hotel.  I'm a budget traveller, so here's a few recommendations around $200 a night.  Check the location and reviews...
> 
> http://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/blue-horizon-hotel.en-gb.html?checkin=2015-06-07;checkout=2015-06-08
> http://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/p-i...b.html?checkin=2015-06-07;checkout=2015-06-08
> http://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/hol...b.html?checkin=2015-06-07;checkout=2015-06-08
> http://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/d-vancouver-suites.en-gb.html?checkin=2015-06-07;checkout=2015-06-08
> http://www.booking.com/hotel/ca/r-v...b.html?checkin=2015-06-07;checkout=2015-06-08
> 
> Luggage can be held at the cruise terminal for a fee when you get off the boat.


 
Thank you! I went ahead and booked the holiday inn. Now I just have to decide when to bite the bullet for airfare. It's hard not knowing what a good price from IND to YVR should be.


----------



## brendat22

jk8 said:


> Thank you! I went ahead and booked the holiday inn. Now I just have to decide when to bite the bullet for airfare. It's hard not knowing what a good price from IND to YVR should be.



We booked the Holiday Inn Downtown also before our cruise in August.  Please let me know if you like it when you get back.

Brenda


----------



## AcuraTL

Just booked through Hotwire for 2 nights stay from 8/1-8/3/15, the price they are showing $144/night near Coal Harbour is for Hyatt.  Very happy we got that price for that hotel.


----------



## canadiandisneycruise

xlxo said:


> Sounds like 6 people... I recommend two cabs for $35 each to get from airport to downtown hotels/cruise terminal.  Hotels?  Lots of choose from.  What's important to you?  [*]What's your price range? [*]How close do you want to be to the cruise terminal? [*]Are restaurants important to you? [*]Wanna a free trip to the Orient?  I like Richmond Airport hotels for some ethnic restaurants.  You want to book early to secure a spot ahead of Fifa women's coming to the city.


Last summer, we had five- too big for one cab. I asked for a car service for five, & they gave us a limo. No extra charge!  $65 to the delta hotel near the port. We had a room with two doubles and a pull out coach. Lots of room!  May work for you!


----------



## xlxo

jk8 said:


> Thank you! I went ahead and booked the holiday inn. Now I just have to decide when to bite the bullet for airfare. It's hard not knowing what a good price from IND to YVR should be.



Air fare can be very personal (depart times, arrival times, budget).

Using a fare calendar site.... you can see some savings by arriving Wednesday instead of Thursday/Friday.
http://www.fly.com/ca/Flywidgets/CalendarSearch.aspx


----------



## Skylarr29

Hello, anyone know if we can make an 11:00 a.m. flight on debarkation day? Last time we sailed the Wonder to Alaska, she was out of Seattle. Having a difficult time booking flights.


----------



## jk8

xlxo said:


> Air fare can be very personal (depart times, arrival times, budget).
> 
> Using a fare calendar site.... you can see some savings by arriving Wednesday instead of Thursday/Friday.
> http://www.fly.com/ca/Flywidgets/CalendarSearch.aspx



Thank, airfare dipped for a day and we bought. Now we are all set! Come on June!


----------



## jk8

Skylarr29 said:


> Hello, anyone know if we can make an 11:00 a.m. flight on debarkation day? Last time we sailed the Wonder to Alaska, she was out of Seattle. Having a difficult time booking flights.



Everything I've read says don't try it due to customs delays possible. We faced the same challenged and are doing a red eye out that night.


----------



## Skylarr29

jk8 said:


> Everything I've read says don't try it due to customs delays possible. We faced the same challenged and are doing a red eye out that night.



Thank you, we ended up booking a red eye out of Seattle. It was half price to fly into Seattle so we will take the train on the way to Vancouver and the quick shuttle on the way back.


----------



## xlxo

Skylarr29 said:


> Hello, anyone know if we can make an 11:00 a.m. flight on debarkation day? Last time we sailed the Wonder to Alaska, she was out of Seattle. Having a difficult time booking flights.


 
Looking at the timeline ...

11am wheels up
8:45am latest to arrive at YVR for check-in
8:10am for cab
7:30am exit Wonder... missing the breakfast you paid for
You are cutting it VERY close.  In 2015, I noticed the Wonder shares the terminal with other arriving ships to make it more busy.  Where are you flying to?  Perhaps budget an affordable room to check out Canada for the day.


----------



## Skylarr29

xlxo said:


> Looking at the timeline ...
> 
> 11am wheels up
> 8:45am latest to arrive at YVR for check-in
> 8:10am for cab
> 7:30am exit Wonder... missing the breakfast you paid for
> You are cutting it VERY close.  In 2015, I noticed the Wonder shares the terminal with other arriving ships to make it more busy.  Where are you flying to?  Perhaps budget an affordable room to check out Canada for the day.



Thank you. We thought it was too close so are going to fly out of Seattle at 10:30 p.m. We will rent a car and drive back, hopefully with some stops along the way, and some sightseeing, before returning the car to the airport and checking in.


----------



## richmo

Skylarr29 said:


> Thank you. We thought it was too close so are going to fly out of Seattle at 10:30 p.m. We will rent a car and drive back, hopefully with some stops along the way, and some sightseeing, before returning the car to the airport and checking in.



That makes more sense.  11 AM out of YVR would be stressful.

However, as you're planning things out, be sure to add in some time to cross the border.  Depending upon when you hit it, it can easily take an hour +.


----------



## xlxo

Skylarr29 said:


> Seattle so we will take the train on the way to Vancouver and the *quick shuttle* on the way back.


 


richmo said:


> That makes more sense.  11 AM out of YVR would be stressful.
> 
> However, as you're planning things out, be sure to add in some time to cross the border.  *Depending upon when you hit it, it can easily take an hour* +.


The Wonder arrives on a Monday (not the busy weekend).  Border congestion is not a problem, especially with a Quick Shuttle which has a priority lane at the border to keep to it's schedule.


----------



## dizzyr

Thought I would bump this up to the top since it's almost Vancouver cruising time - I did a huge dining post last year on page 112


----------



## linetbo

After the cruise we are going to Seattle, I am curious about  Leavenworth ,WA


----------



## Vegam060

Ok question time!!! We are taking the train into Vancouver the night before we sail into hawaii!!! We won't get into Vancouver till about 11 pm. So that being said I'm torn between booking the closest hotel which are $$$ only for a few hours or take a taxi to a cheaper hotel to just take a taxi back to Canada place the next morning. Anyone with Vancouver experience especially with safety and taxis around 11 pm I would appreciate your comments.

Thank you


----------



## xlxo

Perhaps it would help if you name your hotel choices.

My vote goes to taxi to a cheaper hotel like the Empire Landmark/Blue Horizon/Hampton Inn.  Then taxi to cruise terminal.

A $10 or $15 cost for a second taxi is preferred than the premium at staying at a cruise terminal hotel.
you are going to be so tired.... you don't want to get up at 6:30am to watch the Wonder dock below the Panny
Hmm... taxi on a Sunday night should be OK... don't wait until 1am when the bars are emptying.


----------



## bumbershoot

Vegam060 said:


> Ok question time!!! We are taking the train into Vancouver the night before we sail into hawaii!!! We won't get into Vancouver till about 11 pm. So that being said I'm torn between booking the closest hotel which are $$$ only for a few hours or take a taxi to a cheaper hotel to just take a taxi back to Canada place the next morning. Anyone with Vancouver experience especially with safety and taxis around 11 pm I would appreciate your comments.
> 
> Thank you



I personally would compromise.  I'm not sure I would want to stay right near the train station, but there's no need for the Pan Pacific, either (though IMO there's never a need for the Pan LOL, a view shared pretty much only by me and my family, since we have found so many very good hotels in Vancouver).  Find a decent place, stay there.  When the train gets in there will be taxis all in a line right in front of the station.


----------



## mellers

Vegam060 said:


> Ok question time!!! We are taking the train into Vancouver the night before we sail into hawaii!!! We won't get into Vancouver till about 11 pm. So that being said I'm torn between booking the closest hotel which are $$$ only for a few hours or take a taxi to a cheaper hotel to just take a taxi back to Canada place the next morning. Anyone with Vancouver experience especially with safety and taxis around 11 pm I would appreciate your comments.
> 
> Thank you



There are several ways you could do this.

First, as for me, I wouldn't necessarily go for the train that late.  I would probably take the Quick Shuttle (http://www.quickcoach.com/ ).  They will take you directly to several Vancouver hotels, unlike the train, saving you the extra taxi ride and the headache.  They are also, generally, cheaper than the train.  The Quick Shuttle leaves out of Sea-Tac and the Best Western Executive Inn in Seattle proper.  Another possibility is to take the QuickShuttle, get off at the airport, and go to the La Quinta Vancouver Airport or the Four Points by Sheraton Vancouver Airport--they both have airport shuttles.  We've stayed at both, and they're both fine--and quite cheap.  In the morning, there are places to get last-minute items before the cruise, and, while it's more expensive to take a taxi, they're pretty easy to get, and it's A LOT less expensive to stay in Richmond than in Vancouver, making the whole package much cheaper than staying by the cruise terminal.  Richmond is kind of an upscale Chinatown.  

If you do decide to take a taxi from the train, or the QuickShuttle (it's one of their direct stops) I like the Westin Bayshore a lot.  Both my husband and I would rather stay there than the hotels at the cruise terminal, because their beds are much more comfortable, and I have spinal damage.  It is only a short taxi ride to the cruise terminal, and it's a lot cheaper than the cruise terminal hotels (although not cheap).  

In the event you have a wheelchair traveler in your party (I am a wheelchair traveler), I would upgrade my opinion from "you might want to take the Quick Shuttle" to "Take the Quick Shuttle!"  While Amtrak has improved its wheelchair service, I think the QuickShuttle does a better job, in general, in that regard. 

That said, one of the drawbacks of the QuickShuttle is that they have no meal or drink service, so you will want to bring snacks and drinks, particularly if you're traveling with kids.


----------



## MelSpees

linetbo said:


> After the cruise we are going to Seattle, I am curious about  Leavenworth ,WA


Leavenworth is a great "Bavarian" village. We have a cabin near there and are involved with Leavenworth Summer Theatre there. It is a 2-our drive from Leavenworth over Steven's Pass (Hwy 2) to Seattle. If you really want to enjoy the area you need to spend a day or two. Have a great rip, whatever you do.


----------



## linetbo

MelSpees said:


> Leavenworth is a great "Bavarian" village. We have a cabin near there and are involved with Leavenworth Summer Theatre there. It is a 2-our drive from Leavenworth over Steven's Pass (Hwy 2) to Seattle. If you really want to enjoy the area you need to spend a day or two. Have a great rip, whatever you do.


We only have a day will drive from Seattle and back the same day. Thank you!


----------



## Vegam060

So I just booked the pinnacle hotel Vancouver harbourfront. How far from the Amtrak station and is it super close to Canada place that we can walk it. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks


----------



## xlxo

Vegam060 said:


> So I just booked the pinnacle hotel Vancouver harbourfront. How far from the Amtrak station and is it super close to Canada place that we can walk it. Any help would be appreciated.


It's a 9 minute walk with no luggage for the 1/2 mile.  How much luggage are you dragging?
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...V3ap-A&dirflg=w&mra=dme&mrsp=0&sz=17&t=m&z=17

Amtrak?  8 minute cab ride for 2 miles...  Longer if you are arriving during the Pride Parade.
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=...spHav03ow&oq=pacific+central&mra=ltm&t=m&z=15


----------



## Vegam060

There will be four of us each with 1 rolling suitcase and a carry on. so I will talk with the rest of my party to see what they want to do. And tha train gets in at 11pm so I doubt there will be a pride parade. Thank you for the info xlxo


----------



## sharksfinatic17

Vegam060 said:


> So I just booked the pinnacle hotel Vancouver harbourfront. How far from the Amtrak station and is it super close to Canada place that we can walk it. Any help would be appreciated.
> 
> Thanks


Can't answer your questions, but we are staying at the same hotel pre-cruise and taking the train.  I hope it works out for both of us!


----------



## poison ivy

dizzyr said:


> Thought I would bump this up to the top since it's almost Vancouver cruising time - I did a huge dining post last year on page 112


thanks for posting!  I've linked both your dining and Stanley Park posts to our cruise meet.  It will really help us all out.


----------



## linetbo

dizzyr said:


> Vancouver Restaurants
> 
> Ok Im warning you this post will be long! Ive also tried to include websites where possible, Im typing this in a word document and then copy and pasting so not sure how the links will be affected  if I need to I can edit them once posted.
> 
> There are no shortages of restaurants in the downtown core. You cant walk a block without coming across at least a few on each block and something new for Vancouver this summer will be the food trucks. We have always had a few here and there but this year they rolled out a new program and issued more licenses and changed the guidelines around them so I think they will be a much bigger presence than they have been in the past.
> 
> Two main areas that have pretty much wall to wall restaurants are Robson (between Burrard and Broughton mostly and then again as you get closer to Stanley Park) and Denman Street (which is by Stanley Park, Lost Lagoon and 2nd Beach).
> 
> There are way too many restaurants to list here and although I have been to quite a few as a percentage of how many there actually are its very small! Ill list the ones I particularly like or have heard good things about. For the record I will say Im not what you would call a fine dining kind of gal, if anything Im worried the food on our cruise will be too fancy for me. Also our  kids are not picky eaters so some of the places I would take my kids may not be appropriate for all kids  there are many restaurants I take mine that my friends wouldnt. That being said heres my recommendations
> 
> *Before going into the Robson restaurants there are a couple on at little street just off Burrard (steps away from the Hyatt and Burrard Skytrain) that has a strip of restaurants and they are worth a visit. *
> 
> 1. Kobes Japanese Steakhouse  1042 Alberni Street - is lots of fun. Its one of those places where the chef cooks the food in front of you and does the fancy knife work. Some of them are better showmen than others but even if you get one that doesnt do the fancy stuff the shrimp makes up for it! You sit at tables for 12 I think it was (its a square with the chef and grill in the center) so you will be seated with other people on a first come first served basis (on weekends leave time for a wait).  Definitely order the shrimp  its awesome. (you also get an appetizer of the shrimp included but three isnt enough for me!)  If you are used to maritime lobster then dont order the lobster. It was tasty but nothing compared to steamed Altantic lobster, a little too chewy for me.  They also have sushi which Ive never had but I imagine it must be pretty good. I read a bunch of reviews that talk about long wait times. Weve been twice and didnt have to wait more than 20 minutes or so either time so I dont know if we just lucked out or if the long waits were an anomaly. Its not cheap but Im still craving the shrimp! Because you are spread out in a square with a grill and chef in the middle this is not a place to have a quite intimate dinner.  Its also not a good place if you want to be able to have a full on conversation but if you are looking for something different, fun and tasty its a good choice. It is pricy  for us its a big splurge and we always use an Entertainment Guide coupon (you may still be able to pick up some 2013 ones before they are gone for good  so sad they went under) www.koberestaurant.com
> 
> 2. Coast Seafood  1054 Alberni Street  I have never been here, a little too pricey for me but I have heard its really really good. If you like Seafood and price is not an issue this may be the place for you. http://www.glowbalgroup.com/coast/
> 
> 3. Sambas Brazilian Steakhouse  1122 Alberni Street - I just saw that the location is now being developed into a highrise so they are looking for a new location. I am leaving it up here because its worth a visit if they find a new location in the downtown core. Its a meat fest!! If you are a vegetarian  stay away! LOL  Its all you can eat bar-b-que and you get a little disc to put beside you that says more on one side and Im full on the other and men with skewers of meat walk around the tables and cut off a slab of meat for you as often as you want. There are all sorts of different things to try and they usually have at least one out of the ordinary one to try as well. There is a big salad bar to go with it. On the weekends they have entertainment, dancing showgirls. This one is also pricy and a treat for us. Its $32 a plate (I believe kids were half price) so make sure to go hungry. We went with a few other couples who left their kids at home because they thought they wouldnt like it but we brought ours and they ask to go back at least a couple times a month.  http://www.thaihouse.com/samba/
> 
> 4. Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie Café  1059 Alberni Street  Ive never been here but someone was asking about bakeries and this place sounds yummy! http://www.thierrychocolates.com/
> 
> *Ok moving on to Robson Street (all of the choices Im listing here are around the Red Robin price range and all are family/kid friendly unless otherwise noted) *
> 
> 5. Thai House - 1116 Robson Street (upstairs, easy to miss look for the pink sign)  this is one of my favourite restaurants. The spring rolls are nice and crispy and full of flavour. The Pad Thai is well done and the cashew chicken is just the perfect amount of spicy. I tend to order the same thing every time so whenever we have a group we make a point of ordering one or two different dishes to try and Ive never been disappointed. Everyone Ive brought here has liked it as well. http://thaihouse.com/
> 
> 6. Cactus Club  1136 Robson Street  I love the Cactus Club. The Bellinis alone are worth the trip! The yam fries are nice and crispy and the teriyaki chicken and rice bowl or the fish tacos are my two personal favorites. It is a chain restaurant but I dont know how many locations they have outside of Canada (if any) so it may not be as well known as I think. I have taken my kids but I probably wouldnt again  a little too pricey for kids and no kids menu at all. They will make the pasta in smaller portions for them but thats about it. (there are multiple locations in the downtown core as well) http://www.cactusclubcafe.com/
> 
> 7. Chong Qing  1260 Robson Street  I have never been to this location (only recently found out they have one there!) but they have another location across the street from my office and I go there a couple of times a month. Really good Szechuan food. We have all our staff celebration lunches there because everyone loves it (and we have a staff of approx 40 so thats a lot of opinions). Good prices and portion sizes. Lots of choices for dim sum as well.  http://www.cqrestaurant.com/
> 
> 8. Kalypso Restaurant & Tapas Bar  1323 Robson Street  Good greek food and Tapas. Not usually a wait and service is pretty quick. Ive mostly done lunch here so dinner may be different. Its also right above a Starbucks in case you want an after dinner coffee fix on your way back to the hotel.
> 
> *Onwards to Denman Street (close to Stanley Park and the seawall)  These places would mostly fall into the quick dining category I think and again all are kid friendly unless otherwise noted. Denman street is just off the beach so the restaurants tend to be beachwear appropriate rather than fancier sit down restaurants. *
> 
> 9. Ponchos Mexican  827 Denman Street  They have been around for about 25 years. Yummy Mexican food, I havent been in a long time but we used to go quite regularly, decent prices and good ambiance with live music Fridays through Sunday.  http://ponchosvancouver.com/
> 
> 10. Akira Sushi  1069 Denman Street  I have never been here (not a sushi fan) but I know some of you were asking for Sushi places (which you will not have a problem finding  they are EVERYWHERE!) but this one got quite a few good reviews and seem to have a wide variety of specialty items that you may not find at the corner sushi place.
> 
> 11. Nats New York Pizza  1080 Denman Street  I have personally never been there but MANY people I know have told me its the best pizza in town http://www.natspizza.com/
> 
> 12. Fatburger  1101 Denman Street  This is my dh and kids favorite burger place. I like it but Im not a huge burger fan so I find the rest of the menu to be a bit limiting. The onion rings are good and the yam fries are crispy. The Caesar salad is usually really good but once or twice we have gotten a not so good one. The burgers are very tasty and cooked to order. The milkshakes are delicious.  http://www.fatburger.com/
> 
> 13. Espana  1118 Denman Street - This place is fairly new and Ive never been there but my friend who lives near Denman loves it and highly recommends it. She said they have really good tapas. http://www.espanarestaurant.ca/
> 
> 14. Cupcakes 1168 Denman Street - If you have ever seen Cupcake Girls on TV this is the place the show is about. I LOVE the coconut cupcakes. http://cupcakesonline.com/
> 
> 15. Veras Burger Shack  1181 Denman Street - Funky burger place.  Lots of different burger, hot dog and side options. I prefer this place to Fat Burger because of that.  Its a perfect place after a day at the beach. You can also get it to go and eat it on the beach (be prepared to wait though - they cook the burgers to order so it will be about 15 minutes or so). http://www.verasburgershack.com/
> 
> 16. Milestones - 1210 Denman Street  I remember coming here on my first night in Vancouver almost 20 years ago! They make awesome Bellinis. The food is good and the price is about average for a similar restaurant (trendy after work crowd but you could also bring kids  more of a sit down restaurant than the others in this area). They also have a weekend brunch. http://www.milestonesrestaurants.com/
> 
> 17. The Boathouse: 1795 Beach Ave  Seafood place, a little pricey but the food is good and the view from the deck is awesome. I have taken my kids to one of their other locations and it was not a problem but this location is quite busy so not sure I would bring them. Its also not great if youre looking for a quiet intimate meal  (traditionally the Boathouse is what I would consider an upscale restaurant but I think this location is a little more casual than the other locations)  http://boathouserestaurants.ca/
> 
> There are lots more than I mentioned as well  you will easily find something to your liking just by walking up and down the street.
> 
> A couple of other quick mentions  Granville Street between Robson and Davie has a ton of quick serve, fast food type of places if you are looking for a quick snack or lunch on the go.
> 
> If you are staying at the Wall Centre or Sutton Place there are two little out of the way places that are inexpensive and yummy for a quick service meal:
> 18. Tokyo Joes (Sushi and Japanese) - 955 Helmcken St
> 19. One Saigon (Vietnamese)  979 Hornby Street
> 
> 
> 20. Roque Kitchen and Wetbar  - Inside Waterfront Station at the terminal - really yummy  not so much kid friendly although I think you could take them http://www.roguewetbar.com/
> 
> 21. Joeys - Saving the best for last my favourite place is Joeys  there are a couple of different ones but I always go to the one on Burrard just up from Robson 820 Burrard Street  The lettuce wraps are sooooo good. The butter chicken is awesome. I also love the lobster grilled cheese, yam fries, souvlaki and most of the appetizers! (dont order the gyoza though bleh). Two of my coworkers order the Ahi Tuna club and Baja fish tacos every time and swear by it.  http://www.joeyrestaurants.com/burrard
> 
> Phew that should keep you guys eating for awhile!


Thanks!!  I am allergic to seafood and I didn't know where to eat.


----------



## havoc315

dizzyr said:


> Thought I would bump this up to the top since it's almost Vancouver cruising time - I did a huge dining post last year on page 112



Thank you for both your dining and Stanley park posts.  I've saved all the info.


----------



## Shercara

Hi all - we are a party of 6 adults, including my senior parents.  We will most likely have 6 pcs of luggage - possibly 7 plus carryons.  We are arriving at YVR on Saturday night 5/30 a little after 9pm.  
What would be the best and easiest transportation to The Blue Horizon Hotel on Robson?
Then what would be the best way to get to the port from the hotel on 6/1?
and of course - would that also be the best way to reverse the trip upon return to Vancouver on the 8th and back to the same hotel?, as we do not have a flight until 9am on the morning of the 9th.
Thanks in advance for your help


----------



## saintstickets

Has anyone stayed at the Shangri-La or Auberge Hotel in Vancouver?  TIA


----------



## linetbo

saintstickets said:


> Has anyone stayed at the Shangri-La or Auberge Hotel in Vancouver?  TIA


No, but we will in July. Awesome reviews on tripadvisor.


----------



## saintstickets

saintstickets said:


> Has anyone stayed at the Shangri-La or Auberge Hotel in Vancouver?  TIA





linetbo said:


> No, but we will in July. Awesome reviews on tripadvisor.



Let us know how they were please.  We are staying at the Shangri-La pre-cruise and the Auberge post-cruise.


----------



## linetbo

saintstickets said:


> Let us know how they were please.  We are staying at the Shangri-La pre-cruise and the Auberge post-cruise.





saintstickets said:


> Let us know how they were please.  We are staying at the Shangri-La pre-cruise and the Auberge post-cruise.


we are staying at the Shangri la pre cruise.


----------



## Donald & Daisy Duck

Anyone know how to get a decent deal at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport?  Least expensive I can find with taxes is around $320.00 for the night we disembark....any tips/hints on how to get a better price?

Thanks.


----------



## mellers

Donald & Daisy Duck said:


> Anyone know how to get a decent deal at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport?  Least expensive I can find with taxes is around $320.00 for the night we disembark....any tips/hints on how to get a better price?
> 
> Thanks.



Sometimes they'll have special rates for Washington State or British Columbia residents, and sometimes they'll have special rates for Microsoft employees.  Also, you can sometimes get an AAA deal.  You might want to consider a different hotel near the airport with a shuttle.  We like the Four Points Sheraton Airport Hotel.  It's near a very good Dim Sum place, and it's about half that price, although it is (obviously) not as fancy or luxurious as the Fairmont.


----------



## Donald & Daisy Duck

Its not about the luxury lol ..... its more about convenience to catch our early flight home


----------



## bcwife76

Donald & Daisy Duck said:


> Its not about the luxury lol ..... its more about convenience to catch our early flight home


There are several hotels in the vacinity of YVR that have a free shuttle to the airport, so you don't have to choose the most expensive one if you don't want to ;-)


----------



## noahdove

Shercara, we are doing the same thing in July. I'm sure someone will be able to help us out.. 
Thanks for asking this question..


----------



## Shercara

Shercara said:


> Hi all - we are a party of 6 adults, including my senior parents.  We will most likely have 6 pcs of luggage - possibly 7 plus carryons.  We are arriving at YVR on Saturday night 5/30 a little after 9pm.
> What would be the best and easiest transportation to The Blue Horizon Hotel on Robson?
> Then what would be the best way to get to the port from the hotel on 6/1?
> and of course - would that also be the best way to reverse the trip upon return to Vancouver on the 8th and back to the same hotel?, as we do not have a flight until 9am on the morning of the 9th.
> Thanks in advance for your help




Still looking for tips from the experts!  Our cruise is getting closer!!


----------



## xlxo

Shercara said:


> Hi all - we are a party of 6 adults, including my senior parents.  We will most likely have 6 pcs of luggage - possibly 7 plus carryons.  We are arriving at YVR on Saturday night 5/30 a little after 9pm.
> What would be the best and easiest transportation to The Blue Horizon Hotel on Robson?
> Then what would be the best way to get to the port from the hotel on 6/1?
> and of course - would that also be the best way to reverse the trip upon return to Vancouver on the 8th and back to the same hotel?, as we do not have a flight until 9am on the morning of the 9th.
> Thanks in advance for your help


 


Shercara said:


> Still looking for tips from the experts!  Our cruise is getting closer!!


My thoughts...

Two taxi's from airport to the Blue Horizon is the easiest at $35 a carload.  You might find an SUV service for about the price of two cabs.
Again two taxi's from the Blue Horizon to the cruise terminal
Two taxi's from cruise terminal to the airport
You are barely spending anytime in Vancouver.  It's a great bonus port to check out...


----------



## xlxo

bcwife76 said:


> There are several hotels in the vacinity of YVR that have a free shuttle to the airport, so you don't have to choose the most expensive one if you don't want to ;-)


I'm going to have to agree that for price sensitive travellers, there are several YVR airport hotels to choose from for a $10 cab ride if they can't wait for the free shuttle.


----------



## xlxo

saintstickets said:


> Has anyone stayed at the Shangri-La or Auberge Hotel in Vancouver?  TIA





linetbo said:


> No, but we will in July. Awesome reviews on tripadvisor.


I prefer the Shangri-la for close access to the Robson restaurants and shops if they are similar priced.  Auberge offers convenience to the cruise terminal (check out Mink Chocolates next door).

http://www.expedia.ca/Vancouver-Hotels-Shangri-La-Hotel.h2245179.Hotel-Information
http://www.expedia.ca/Vancouver-Hotels-Auberge-Vancouver-Hotel.h457766.Hotel-Information


----------



## Shercara

xlxo said:


> My thoughts...
> 
> Two taxi's from airport to the Blue Horizon is the easiest at $35 a carload.  You might find an SUV service for about the price of two cabs.
> Again two taxi's from the Blue Horizon to the cruise terminal
> Two taxi's from cruise terminal to the airport
> You are barely spending anytime in Vancouver.  It's a great bonus port to check out...



THANKS so much xlxo!!  I appreciate the info - I know - our schedule only gives us almost 2 full days -(1) prior, and almost (1) after the cruise.  I've got a spreadsheet with everything I want to try to fit in while we are in Vancouver and will be the tour guide with a whip in hand for our group - so we can try to see and do as much as possible.   Would you say that taxi's are readily available at the airport? or should we book something in advance?  Thanks again!


----------



## xlxo

Lots of taxi's at airport.
Blue Horizon desk may need to call a cab for you.  There are lots scatter around downtown.
Cruise terminal will likely be busy.  Join the queue.  Some say to take your luggage up to the Pan Pacific or the Fairmont Waterfront hotel where the lines may be shorter.


----------



## Garretts92

canadiandisneycruise said:


> Last summer, we had five- too big for one cab. I asked for a car service for five, & they gave us a limo. No extra charge!  $65 to the delta hotel near the port. We had a room with two doubles and a pull out coach. Lots of room!  May work for you!



 Questions for you...
Did you reserve the limo through a company or hire it at the airport?
How did you like the Delta? We're staying there for the upcoming member cruise. 
How did you get to the terminal from the hotel? It looks close but I figure we will need a taxi if it's too far away to drag luggage or if the weather turns rainy. 

Thanks!


----------



## mellers

Garretts92 said:


> Questions for you...
> Did you reserve the limo through a company or hire it at the airport?
> How did you like the Delta? We're staying there for the upcoming member cruise.
> How did you get to the terminal from the hotel? It looks close but I figure we will need a taxi if it's too far away to drag luggage or if the weather turns rainy.
> 
> Thanks!



We've had good luck using Aerocar in the past:  http://www.aerocar.ca


----------



## sharksfinatic17

Three days before the cruise leaves we are going to Granville Island, Stanley Park, Capilano and Grouse.  My question is what can we do the day we get back to Vancouver?  We have a day room at the airport Fairmont and a 4:30 flight. So my guess is we have late morning and early afternoon to do something.  Any suggestions?


----------



## xlxo

sharksfinatic17 said:


> My question is what can we do the day we get back to Vancouver?  We have a day room at the airport Fairmont and a 4:30 flight. So my guess is we have late morning and early afternoon to do something.  Any suggestions?


Reviewing your timeline...

7am Wonder docks
7:30am first walk off passengers come off.  Are you in this crowd?  Or are you going to enjoy that last breakfast that has you walking off 2hrs later?
45 minutes later you will be checking in the Fairmont Airport for that day room.


2pm YVR check in
4:30pm wheels up....
If you have a dayroom... do you plan to be sleeping in it?  Or are you going to be sightseeing... I'm confused.

Being you are by the airport... ideas can be....

Dim Sum in Richmond?
Ride the subways to check out public transit?
check out Storybrooke (Steveston)?
Doubling back to Vancouver...

Vanduzen gardens?
QE park?
If you want to delay your cruise terminal departure.... Fly Over Canada?  Otherwise, I recommend going pre-cruise when you land on the first day as it's open til 9pm.

A variation is this post cruise tour that takes your luggage..... you might not need that day room.
http://vancouvertours.com/tour/pre-cruise-vancouver-city-tour/


----------



## sharksfinatic17

xlxo said:


> Reviewing your timeline...
> 
> 7am Wonder docks
> 7:30am first walk off passengers come off.  Are you in this crowd?  Or are you going to enjoy that last breakfast that has you walking off 2hrs later?
> 45 minutes later you will be checking in the Fairmont Airport for that day room.
> 
> 
> 2pm YVR check in
> 4:30pm wheels up....
> If you have a dayroom... do you plan to be sleeping in it?  Or are you going to be sightseeing... I'm confused.
> 
> Being you are by the airport... ideas can be....
> 
> Dim Sum in Richmond?
> Ride the subways to check out public transit?
> check out Storybrooke (Steveston)?
> If you want to delay your cruise terminal departure.... Fly Over Canada?  Otherwise, I recommend going pre-cruise when you land on the first day as it's open til 9pm.



I pretty sure we will be eating breakfast on the ship.  We have early sitting, so we will be in the first round of breakfast.  We are not planning on sleeping in the day room.  We have the day room because my dad is on peritoneal dialysis and will need to do at least one exchange before our flight home. I was thinking we could also use the room to store our luggage and see a bit more of Vancouver if there was anything in the area.  If not, I am sure we can just hang out.


----------



## mellers

sharksfinatic17 said:


> Three days before the cruise leaves we are going to Granville Island, Stanley Park, Capilano and Grouse.  My question is what can we do the day we get back to Vancouver?  We have a day room at the airport Fairmont and a 4:30 flight. So my guess is we have late morning and early afternoon to do something.  Any suggestions?



If you are willing to do something "off the beaten track" go to the gardens at the International Buddhist Temple in Richmond.  They are amazing!  They're well worth the visit, and they aren't far from the airport, so you'd probably have time to do the gardens and have Dim Sum in Richmond (also well worth doing.)


----------



## DisneyBelle99

Hello, has anyone stayed at the Fairmont Pacific Rim? Any things not to miss while we are there? Thanks.


----------



## xlxo

Lots of reviews on travel sites.  Click on Guest Reviews on this link...
http://www.expedia.ca/Vancouver-Hotels-Fairmont-Pacific-Rim.h2847755.Hotel-Information

Things that come to mind...

at the South East hotel corner is Bella's go there's for their award winning ice cream.
http://www.news1130.com/2012/07/08/international-recognition-for-local-gelato-maker/
the hotel also offers cruise baggage services
http://www.fairmont.com/pacific-rim...rs/hotel-offers/promotions/sail-away-package/
This is a premium hotel that offers premium service.  For smaller budgets, the nearby Marriot chain and Robson street hotels are popular alternatives at that location.


----------



## xlxo

Vancouver summer construction projects have been announced...

http://globalnews.ca/news/1958248/va...road-closures/

https://www.facebook.com/GlobalBC/po...53238738282808

http://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=608327


----------



## MelSpees

xlxo said:


> Vancouver summer construction projects have been announced...
> 
> http://globalnews.ca/news/1958248/va...road-closures/
> 
> https://www.facebook.com/GlobalBC/po...53238738282808
> 
> http://bc.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=608327


Thanks!


----------



## LoveMickey

Good Morning Folks, I have a friend who is going on the Alaska cruise and I was telling her of the great deal we go at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Vancouver back in 2011.

Have any of you got this deal for your cruise? Back then, the criteria for narrowing down the hotel was different than it is now. I was wondering if anyone wanted to share the current criteria for the Pan Pacific. Is the hotel in the Coal Harbor area? Any other criteria, recommended percentage?

Thanks guys


----------



## xlxo

Depends on your definition of Coal Harbour and how far it stretches.  In my opinion... the Bayshore is the only hotel in Coal Harbour.  Travel sites may have a different defintion.


----------



## bcwife76

xlxo said:


> Depends on your definition of Coal Harbour and how far it stretches.  In my opinion... the Bayshore is the only hotel in Coal Harbour.  Travel sites may have a different defintion.



I agree, I think the Bayshore is truly the only hotel in Coal Harbour, but I think these travel websites are taking some 'liberties' as it were and trying to define neighbourhoods in other ways.


----------



## xlxo

Doing a quick search on Expedia.... 87 hotels were available on a July date.  Clicking View Map, I can see it's basically the majority of the West End hotels as far south as Davie.  East Hotels go until Carrall street.  Yes the Pan Pacific is included.


----------



## LoveMickey

Thank you guys, you're the best


----------



## mevans0000

Grouse Mountain or Whistler?

Will have 2 pre-cruise days in Vancouver. Had planned on Grouse for seeing the mountain, views, and zip lining but now I am wondering whether it'd be worth the extra drive time to go to Whistler instead of Grouse?

Any insight appreciated!


----------



## richmo

mevans0000 said:


> Grouse Mountain or Whistler?
> 
> Will have 2 pre-cruise days in Vancouver. Had planned on Grouse for seeing the mountain, views, and zip lining but now I am wondering whether it'd be worth the extra drive time to go to Whistler instead of Grouse?
> 
> Any insight appreciated!



I can't speak for Grouse, but we drove to Whistler for a night before the cruise.  Fun walking around town and the drive on the Sea to Sky highway is very nice.  We didn't do it, but you can take gondola rides to the top of the mountain.  I'd recommend doing that your first night in the area, then drive to Vancouver for the night before your cruise.  If I remember its about 2 hours back to Vancouver, but local Vancouver traffic can be pretty slow so I'd be a little nervous if I had a cruise to catch right away.


----------



## xlxo

mevans0000 said:


> Grouse Mountain or Whistler?
> 
> Will have 2 pre-cruise days in Vancouver. Had planned on Grouse for seeing the mountain, views, and zip lining but now I am wondering whether it'd be worth the extra drive time to go to Whistler instead of Grouse?


Both sites are unique in their own way... Grouse is more convenient, but Whistler is worth a visit in it's own way.

Can you clarify what time you are arriving on Friday in Vancouver?  We can help suggest an itinery to fit both in as sunset is around 9pm.


----------



## mevans0000

xlxo said:


> Both sites are unique in their own way... Grouse is more convenient, but Whistler is worth a visit in it's own way.
> 
> Can you clarify what time you are arriving on Friday in Vancouver?  We can help suggest an itinery to fit both in as sunset is around 9pm.




Arriving 10PM Friday. Staying downtown. Would probably go to either on Sunday, just for the day.

Thanks!


----------



## xlxo

OK Friday is a write-off.... possible itinery...

Saturday, go to Whistler.  This is an out of town day trip, it's safer to do this on Saturday if the highway has problems you won't be concerned about the cruise the next day.
http://vancouvertours.com/tour/whistler-tour/
Sunday, go to Grouse Mountain and Capilano bridge on the return.  If you start your day early, you can fit it in more sightseeing before the sun goes down at 9pm


----------



## sharksfinatic17

When do tickets for Grouse Mountain usually go on sale?  The website states late May or early June, but I am curious if historically the mountain opens for summer activities around a certain date. I would like to purchase our tickets ahead of time.


----------



## xlxo

No need to pre-purchase... lots of tickets avaialble when you get to the gondola base.

If the day you arrive is wet and cloudy... you will be glad you did not prepurchase.


----------



## The LK 4

I'm trying to estimate how much Canadian money we need to have on hand.  We'll be in Vancouver the day before and the day after our cruise.  I'm assuming credit cards will be fine for most restaurants and the hotel, but what about for taxis or public transportation?  We hope to spend the day at Granville Island post cruise, and probably walking around downtown and Gastown the day before the cruise.


----------



## xlxo

I would budget $15 a person per day for cash. Most restaurants and taxi's take credit cards. The subway machines take credit cards. Busses and I don't think the Granville Island ferries will take credit cards.  Small restaurants would want cash too. If you run out of cash, I would run out to an ATM to reload. Lots of coins at the end of the trip? I would spend it at a pop machine at the airport or hotel. What do others think about $15/day?


----------



## Dug720

One thing to double check with your card/bank on is if they charge a "foreign transaction fee" to each charge. Really wishing I'd used cash for a few things this weekend as that fee adds up quickly.


----------



## The LK 4

I have two cards that don't charge the fees.  Thanks for the $15/day suggestion.


----------



## Lando1

We will only be in Vancouver for one afternoon. We will be staying at the Pan Pacific. Would anyone recommend Grouse Mtn or Capilano as a better place to spend the afternoon? We are also hoping to squeeze in the Fly Over Canada experience as well. TIA.


----------



## sharksfinatic17

Are the free shuttles to Capilano and Grouse the same shuttles or are they different?  Capilano's first pick up at 8:30 AM and Grouse Mountain's first shuttle is showing at 9:00 AM.  They both pick up at Canada Place.  Thanks in advance! @xlxo


----------



## mollyclairesmom

Cross posted... Just found this thread 

Is there still a bag storage service at Canada Place? I found an old link, but the site hadn't been updated in quite a while and I was unable to reach by phone. Looking for a place to leave our bags while we dosome sightseeing on debarkation day... Suggestions?


----------



## MelSpees

Bump


----------



## xlxo

Lando1 said:


> We will only be in Vancouver for one afternoon. We will be staying at the Pan Pacific. Would anyone recommend Grouse Mtn or Capilano as a better place to spend the afternoon? We are also hoping to squeeze in the Fly Over Canada experience as well. TIA.


Fly Over Canada runs until 9pm... you can go there after after the two as it's just minutes away from your hotel elevator.  Grouse and Capilano are close to one another.


----------



## xlxo

sharksfinatic17 said:


> Are the free shuttles to Capilano and Grouse the same shuttles or are they different?  Capilano's first pick up at 8:30 AM and Grouse Mountain's first shuttle is showing at 9:00 AM.  They both pick up at Canada Place.  Thanks in advance! @xlxo


Yes they are different shuttles. The Grouse shuttle has an optional stop at Capilano as it's along the way down back to the city, saving you valuable time in not returning to the city.  If you are an early bird... you can hit Capilano first... especially since the Grouse shows don't start until later in the day.  You are likely going to need to take public transit or taxi to Grouse afterwards.  Not sure if the Grouse shuttle will stop at Capilano, especially if it's full.


----------



## xlxo

mollyclairesmom said:


> Cross posted... Just found this thread
> 
> Is there still a bag storage service at Canada Place? I found an old link, but the site hadn't been updated in quite a while and I was unable to reach by phone. Looking for a place to leave our bags while we dosome sightseeing on debarkation day... Suggestions?


Yes cruise terminal has storage til 4pm when they close.  Some say Pan Pacific will hold your luggage too for a fee.


----------



## KatieMill

Trying to get a game-plan together on our 1 1/2 days in Vancouver prior to cruise.  Thinking possibly Granville Island Saturday about 4 pm til it closes.  Eating dinner there.  Sunday going to Capilano Suspension Bridge and maybe Stanley Park area. Or perhaps (after typing this and seeing the schedule, lol) we will do the Bridge Sat afternoon, Granville Island on Sunday and Stanley Park to do the horse-drawn carriage.  Will want to sleep late Mon morning and get to port around 11 am.  Will be staying in the downtown area.  Anyone have any input?


----------



## xlxo

What time are you arriving at the airport and which hotel are you staying at... possible idea...

Sat noon arrival
sat 1pm arrive at hotel
sat 1:15pm ready for some sightseeing.... Capilano Bridge (however, I prefer hitting Grouse at this time)
sat 4pm go to Capilano Bridge
sat 6pm dinner... possibly Fly Over Canada before they close at 9pm
Sunday hop on service that covers both Stanley Park and Granville Island


----------



## Vanvmom

So I've read thru several pages of posts.... did I read correctly that there are taxis waiting at the AMTRAK station when the trains come in? We are flying into Seattle from CA and then taking the Amtrak to Vancouver the day before our cruise.  Trying to find out the best way to get from Amtrak station to the Marriott Residence Inn on Hornsby.  There are 7 of us inc. my daughter with a colapsable wheelchair.  We could divide into 2 cabs, but need to know if it is necessary to prearrange transportation.


----------



## xlxo

Vanvmom said:


> So I've read thru several pages of posts.... did I read correctly that there are taxis waiting at the AMTRAK station when the trains come in? We are flying into Seattle from CA and then taking the Amtrak to Vancouver the day before our cruise.  Trying to find out the best way to get from Amtrak station to the Marriott Residence Inn on Hornsby.  There are 7 of us inc. my daughter with a colapsable wheelchair.  We could divide into 2 cabs, but need to know if it is necessary to prearrange transportation.


If you don't see a cab... just call dispatch...
http://www.yellowcabonline.com/

Can she be moved from the wheelchair to a regular car seat?  Otherwise, you can request for a wheelchair vehicle.  You are likely going to need more than one vehicle with cruise luggage and 7 passengers


----------



## xlxo

mollyclairesmom said:


> Cross posted... Just found this thread
> 
> Is there still a bag storage service at Canada Place? I found an old link, but the site hadn't been updated in quite a while and I was unable to reach by phone. Looking for a place to leave our bags while we dosome sightseeing on debarkation day... Suggestions?


Give this number a call...
http://www.yvr.ca/en/shopping-dining-services/Personal-Services/Priority-baggage.aspx

I'm reading from another site that for $5 extra... your cruise terminal bags can be sent to the airport for pickup later in the day.


----------



## bumbershoot

A cab driver in Vancouver mentioned that for a party bigger than what one cab can carry will often do better by arranging for a limo, rather than two cabs.


----------



## KatieMill

We will have a family of 5...bigger than just a regular cab will carry.  Should I book a car service for a SUV or are there bigger cabs/vehicles available at the airport?


----------



## marisol72

We are on a tight Budget. Which ne would you choose Capilano or Grouse Mountain?


----------



## AngelDisney

There is a website offering discounted tickets to certain Vancouver attractions. 
But you need to book a minimum of two attractions to get the discounts. Click HERE.
Hope this helps!


----------



## marisol72

AngelDisney said:


> There is a website offering discounted tickets to certain Vancouver attractions.
> But you need to book a minimum of two attractions to get the discounts. Click HERE.
> Hope this helps!


thanks


----------



## xlxo

Pay attention to where and how you will get to some attractions...

Hell's Gate needs a car and 2.5 hours ONE WAY on a winding canyon road.
Museam of Anthropology is a very long walk from the bus loop or a low frequency community bus
Burnaby Village is a significant disance from downtown by transit


----------



## bcwife76

xlxo said:


> Pay attention to where and how you will get to some attractions...
> 
> Hell's Gate needs a car and 2.5 hours ONE WAY on a winding canyon road.
> Museam of Anthropology is a very long walk from the bus loop or a low frequency community bus
> Burnaby Village is a significant disance from downtown by transit



Agree, the Hells Gate tram isn't even in the Vancouver area so why would they even include that in that package? It's basically the same as the Grouse Mtn tram except you go up (then down) for Grouse and you go down (then up) for Hells gate lol


----------



## MouseMomx2

marisol72 said:


> We are on a tight Budget. Which ne would you choose Capilano or Grouse Mountain?



Capilano, definitely.  Grouse Mountain is very nice, but Capilano is breathtaking.


----------



## caramello

Which tram would you take and why?  We're planning on driving to Whistler after going to the Lynn suspension bridge, but also considering Grouse Mountain.  We have two kids (3 and 8) and they would probably only want to go on one tram.  Would you take the tram up Whistler or Grouse Mountain and why?

Thanks!


----------



## xlxo

To clarify..... Whistler is a series of trams when you purchase a Gondola ticket.

Whistler Gondola
Peak 2 Peak (ask for the silver cabins for that special service)
Peak Chairlift




 



 
Both Grouse and Whistler experiences are similar priced.  But Whistler takes 2.5 hours one way to get there...  Oh Queen Elsa leaves a little white stuff there in the summer if the kids haven't seen snow.

BTW... just opened last year.... the Sea to Sky Gondola that is located between Whistler and Grouse for those tram lovers!  If do go there, go check out the Sky Pilot suspension bridge.




 



 
Also, are you kids afraid of heights?

Finally check out Shannon and BrandyWine Falls on the trip to Whistler.  It's worthy of a rest stop.  Britannia Mines also offers a little train ride for kids.


----------



## marisol72

xlxo said:


> To clarify..... Whistler is a series of trams when you purchase a Gondola ticket.
> 
> Whistler Gondola
> Peak 2 Peak (ask for the silver cabins for that special service)
> Peak Chairlift
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Both Grouse and Whistler experiences are similar priced.  But Whistler takes 2.5 hours one way to get there...  Oh Queen Elsa leaves a little white stuff there in the summer if the kids haven't seen snow.
> 
> BTW... just opened last year.... the Sea to Sky Gondola that is located between Whistler and Grouse for those tram lovers!  If do go there, go check out the Sky Pilot suspension bridge.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Also, are you kids afraid of heights?
> 
> Finally check out Shannon and BrandyWine Falls on the trip to Whistler.  It's worthy of a rest stop.  Britannia Mines also offers a little train ride for kids.


Loved your videos xlxo. We will be there end of july 2016. Being from south america my kids have never seen/touched snow. They ar excited about the possibility of snow in Whistler. We are thinking of doing the glacier trek in Whistler, is it the only way of seeing snow that time of the year or the snow is everywhere on the peak in july?


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## xlxo

If your objective is to see falling snow.... not likely to happen.

They do make a large patch of snow by the Blackcomb gondola station for kids (an adults) to play in.  Not sure if the snow is man made or truck down from the alpine (Queen Elsa?).


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## bridgetmck

mollyclairesmom said:


> Cross posted... Just found this thread
> 
> Is there still a bag storage service at Canada Place? I found an old link, but the site hadn't been updated in quite a while and I was unable to reach by phone. Looking for a place to leave our bags while we dosome sightseeing on debarkation day... Suggestions?



Found this if you still need it....

http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/cruise/faqs/


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## marisol72

xlxo said:


> If your objective is to see falling snow.... not likely to happen.
> 
> They do make a large patch of snow by the Blackcomb gondola station for kids (an adults) to play in.  Not sure if the snow is man made or truck down from the alpine (Queen Elsa?).


Thanks for your response, they just wanted to touch snow. The glacier hike is a little expensive, glad to know they can touch the snow for free


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## xlxo

marisol72 said:


> The glacier hike is a little expensive, glad to know they can touch the snow for free


I would not say the snow is free when you include the cost of the Gondola and transportation to Whistler.

Are you going to the Mendenhall glacier and visitor centre?  They often retrieve chunks of ice for you to touch.  Please don't stuck your tongue on it.

When it Vancouver, see if you can get to La Casa in a cab.  There's 218 flavours waiting.
http://www.marthastewart.com/909325/visiting-la-casa-gelato-and-tasting-flavors#909325


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## scm

I may have seen the answer somewhere earlier but could someone clarify if the porters taking luggage on arrival are Disney employees or independent contractors who should be tipped?


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## xlxo

Neither... I think those are unionized cruise terminal staff.

everyone welcomes tips.... especially when the local currency has collapsed
they are not wearing any Disney character costumes
they are not wearing any DCL logo's
I find my luggage gets more damage on cruises than going through an airport.  Your call for tipping for spending 2 seconds taking your luggage from the cab to a cart.
Pan Pacific , Fairmont Waterfront and Fairmont Pacific Rim offer cruise luggage transfer.  You might want to tip well.  I've read online the luggage is bulk transferred, sometimes in the wrong pile going to the wrong ship.


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## marisol72

xlxo said:


> I would not say the snow is free when you include the cost of the Gondola and transportation to Whistler.
> 
> Are you going to the Mendenhall glacier and visitor centre?  They often retrieve chunks of ice for you to touch.  Please don't stuck your tongue on it.
> 
> When it Vancouver, see if you can get to La Casa in a cab.  There's 218 flavours waiting.
> http://www.marthastewart.com/909325/visiting-la-casa-gelato-and-tasting-flavors#909325


We were planning a couple of days in Whistler and the Peak to Peak anyway so  the snow part is a plus


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