First time civilian cruiser's questions..

Are there coffee makers in the staterooms? We will be in cabin 5140 on the Westerdam.

If we don't get the Soft drink or any drink package is it possible to get one Diet Coke or Pepsi?

Are shower mats available?

Are the MDR meals included?

We will be driving to the Port of Vancouver BC. I assume that we drive up the ramp and unload our bags near the ship then Park the Car in the same building at Canada Place?

Is there a annual fee for the HAL CC?

Thx......Lite Seas

Coffee makers are only in the Neptune suites as I understand it

Only Coke products on ship. You can purchase cans or take from mini-fridge if you have that in your room

Shower mat will be in bathroom..if not ask your Cabin Stewart

MDR, Dive In, Pizza place and Lido/Marketplace, Rolls,sandwiches from Explorations Coffee area are free as well

don't know about Canada Place

No charge for Cruise Critic

Also join your roll call...it is very helpful. You will see "Find your Roll Call" on the blue bar at top of this page or use this link:

https://www.cruisecritic.com/rollcalls/

I think Hal CC refers to the credit card issued by Barclays ,

There is no annual fee.

All cabins on the Westerdam have a mini fridge.

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Are there coffee makers in the staterooms? We will be in cabin 5140 on the Westerdam.

 

I had to look up your stateroom on the deck plans. Looks like your in a verandah. Coffe makers are only in Neptune Suites and above.

 

If we don't get the Soft drink or any drink package is it possible to get one Diet Coke or Pepsi?

 

Of course. You can get as many and as often as you want. With a charge, of course ;). But soda is not that badly priced on HAL and you are also allowed to carry on your own if you wish.

 

Are shower mats available?

 

Yes.

 

Are the MDR meals included?

 

Absolutely. All dining venues are included (ie., Lido, Taco Bar, Dive In, Pizza spot, etc.). The only exception is the specialty restaurants which have a surcharge. In the case of your cruise that would be the Pinnacle Grill and the Canalletto as well as the odd "special event" held in the PG. as well.

 

We will be driving to the Port of Vancouver BC. I assume that we drive up the ramp and unload our bags near the ship then Park the Car in the same building at Canada Place?

It's at Canada Place but I have only disembarked there so hopefully someone can help you.

Is there a annual fee for the HAL CC?

 

 

 

Thx......Lite Seas

I addressed some of your questions in red above.

Have a wonderful first time cruise!

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You can purchase ANYTHING without a "package"...you simply will charge it to your cabin.

Here's a link to the Port of Vancouver website regarding parking: https://www.portvancouver.com/cruise/transportation-parking/

Are there coffee makers in the staterooms? We will be in cabin 5140 on the Westerdam.

 

If we don't get the Soft drink or any drink package is it possible to get one Diet Coke or Pepsi?

 

Are shower mats available?

 

Are the MDR meals included?

 

We will be driving to the Port of Vancouver BC. I assume that we drive up the ramp and unload our bags near the ship then Park the Car in the same building at Canada Place?

The besy at Canada Place is park the car and take your bags downstairs to the porters.

If to many bags or people , then drop bags and people with the ports then park the car. To do this you'll have to go around the block to get back to the parking garage.

Is there a annual fee for the HAL CC?

 

Thx......Lite Seas

Hope this helps

Hope this helps

The besy at Canada Place is park the car and take your bags downstairs to the porters.

If to many bags or people , then drop bags and people with the ports then park the car. To do this you'll have to go around the block to get back to the parking garage.

Thanks for the info. Not quite clear on the second option of having too many bags. Understand that I drop the bags with the Porters...not sure where the Porters are located? Then I have to leave the area where the Porters are and go around the block to get back into the parking garage.

Might help if I knew the names of the Streets to go around the building and come back to the parking garage.

(y)....Irv in Spokane.

Thanks all for the help !

If you have say two bags each ,assuming two people. Drop the bags with the porters that located on the lowest level of the package. They have separate ramp for entering. As you leave turn right , this Canada Place. Take the first left onto Burrard St. Then the first left onto West Cordova. Then take the first left onto Granville St. This gets you back to Canada Place and the parking ramp.

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Once you park the car you should be able to take half your bags to the porters and then return for the rest.

Roy

When we parked the car, not sure which lot we went to, they took our bags to the porters... we were 2 adults and three children, one suitcase each, but maybe it was too much to fit in their mini-van. The lot was next to the pier, right side when facing the water. it was very easy. We drove to the parking lot, parked and they took care of us from there! If you want me too I'll check my records for which lot it was but can't do that right now, have to head out to a meeting. later, m--

If you have say two bags each ,assuming two people. Drop the bags with the porters that located on the lowest level of the package. They have separate ramp for entering. As you leave turn right , this Canada Place. Take the first left onto Burrard St. Then the first left onto West Cordova. Then take the first left onto Granville St. This gets you back to Canada Place and the parking ramp.

Except Granville Street does not go north beyond Cordova, and even if it did you'd be a block too far east for the terminal. Howe Street is the one that leads to Canada Place.

Google Map here - and given the hassle of getting into and out of Canada Place on a cruise morning, I'd 100% be making two trips with luggage from parking rather than drive around the block!!!

When we parked the car, not sure which lot we went to, they took our bags to the porters... we were 2 adults and three children, one suitcase each, but maybe it was too much to fit in their mini-van. The lot was next to the pier, right side when facing the water. it was very easy. We drove to the parking lot, parked and they took care of us from there! If you want me too I'll check my records for which lot it was but can't do that right now, have to head out to a meeting. later, m--

If that was your 2009 HAL cruise in your sig, things have changed - there used to be a lot to the east of the pier for long-term cruise parking with a shuttle (and it was cheaper than the Canada Place/Convention Centre lots are) but it closed ~5 years ago IIRC. Now the pier garage has no real dedicated 'cruise parking' competition downtown. If you can afford the time, you can pay approx half the rate to park at the airport instead - dropping your pax and bags then driving to YVR allows the driver to return for a whopping $9.10 by SkyTrain! If you go and park at YVR then all come downtown together, a fixed-rate cab is $35+tip so more expensive but more time efficient for most - and still cheaper than pier parking for even a week at ~$13 a day.

If that was your 2009 HAL cruise in your sig, things have changed - there used to be a lot to the east of the pier for long-term cruise parking with a shuttle (and it was cheaper than the Canada Place/Convention Centre lots are) but it closed ~5 years ago IIRC. Now the pier garage has no real dedicated 'cruise parking' competition downtown. If you can afford the time, you can pay approx half the rate to park at the airport instead - dropping your pax and bags then driving to YVR allows the driver to return for a whopping $9.10 by SkyTrain! If you go and park at YVR then all come downtown together, a fixed-rate cab is $35+tip so more expensive but more time efficient for most - and still cheaper than pier parking for even a week at ~$13 a day.

Wow, things really have changed! You are correct that the last time we drove for a Vancouver departure was 2009, I didn't realize it was that long ago! We had used that lot then and previously for our fist cruise to Alaska, and it was perfect for us, but thank you for updating the info. m--

Except Granville Street does not go north beyond Cordova, and even if it did you'd be a block too far east for the terminal. Howe Street is the one that leads to Canada Place.

 

Google Map here - and given the hassle of getting into and out of Canada Place on a cruise morning, I'd 100% be making two trips with luggage from parking rather than drive around the block!!!

Thanks MartinCath,

Looks like I will be driving in to Canada Place to drop the luggage off and my other half, then I plan on driving to YVR to park the car, then I have to find a SKYTRAIN ticket machine and the SKYTRAIN headed to Canada Place from YVR...and if I don't get back to Canada Place in time, I will have to fly to Kauai to meet the ship (if they will let me board).

Is the new unofficial cruise parking downstairs or upstairs at Canada Place? and one more question for now...what streets if any are one way on the google map you so kindly attached?

Irv

Thanks MartinCath,

Looks like I will be driving in to Canada Place to drop the luggage off and my other half, then I plan on driving to YVR to park the car, then I have to find a SKYTRAIN ticket machine and the SKYTRAIN headed to Canada Place from YVR...and if I don't get back to Canada Place in time, I will have to fly to Kauai to meet the ship (if they will let me board).

Is the new unofficial cruise parking downstairs or upstairs at Canada Place? and one more question for now...what streets if any are one way on the google map you so kindly attached?

 

Irv

All those streets are two way on those blocks - some do become one-way a block further away though! Driving to YVR, the simplest thing is to turn left instead of right as Howe becomes one-way in the right direction, and feeds you onto Granville Bridge which is the most direct way to YVR from downtown. It also avoids any other turns on the busy streets right next to the pier. Google Map again.

There are always people guiding traffic in and out of Canada Place on cruise days, and there will likely be cones on the street separating traffic for the last few yards into folks going to parking levels (upstairs) and cruise level (downstairs) when you enter - I'd follow the cabs on the way in, since they are always going to cruise level. Despite the left turn going out, thanks to the traffic-directing people you'll be able to get out without having to sit and wait long - they like to feed folks in and out of the pier ASAP and nobody local would ever be stupid enough to want to drive along Canada Place (the street) on a cruise day, so there's very little cross-traffic it's virtually all coming in and out of the pier. If they force you to go right (e.g. they're letting a bunch of cabs in who came from the Burrard side) worst-case is to make 3 sides of the square, then turn right down Howe St.

At YVR, I'd suggest booking the lot in advance to confirm your spot, there's a link on the parking page here (JetSet lot). Rates are unfortunately going up from Aug 1st, so next April (I believe this is when you cruise from another post?) you're looking at $112.50 for a week/~$16 a day equivalent. There's a shuttlebus to the main terminal, when you get off that either go inside the terminal and head upstairs - you'll see signs to SkyTrain - or just walk over the pedestrian crossing to the short-term parking multi-level garage and use the escalators/elevators there to get up to SkyTrain level, it sits on top of the garage.

Skytrain Ticket machines are right next to the platform - just be sure to get your ticket before heading over the yellow lines in case there are any Transit PoPo around (not often, but a $150 fine is a lot pricier than the $9.10 SkyTrain ticket). The good thing about going this way is there's no chance of getting on the wrong train - you're going from one end to the other, no directions or destinations to worry about!

Thanks, your reply is what I was looking for. Maybe there should be a Sticky for cruise passengers driving to Canada Place. (yn)