xlxo

I enjoyed the Yukon train/bus combo.  I think it goes the furthest North (Cariboo crossing) compared to the other train combo's.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moNz-VKYYek

The summit return train return only showcases the East side of the Canyon.  The bus combo's showcases the West side of the Canyon.

On 5/26/2023 at 1:09 PM, donaldsc said:

Just my opinion but I think that Skagway is the worse port stop of any of the AK port stops.

My worst AK port is the one that rains.  So it changes each year I'm in Alaska.

In general, I love Skagway for the train combo's, Liarsville, and so many activities compared to the other ports.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF1l3vfKWAM

Right now, the biggest downer would be the RRA/RRF dock and needing to bus/tender into town.

13 hours ago, tucho said:

XIXO, yes first time, just two a young 64.

For a first time visitor...  I lean towards spending the day Capilano Suspension Bridge after your luggage drop.  Free bus shuttles pickup right outside the cruise terminal. 

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWm2vgMomrs

After the bridge, bus or taxi 7 minutes North to Grouse Mountain to check out the Gondola and wildlife if you are here between June and August.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx-ClLHK3Yg
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngyK9ct-u5Y
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59rl7FyI4fA

When you return on the Grouse Shuttle back to the cruise terminal, look at your time to see whether you need to retrieve your luggage.  If there's time, check out Fly Over Canada and/or explore Gastown.

Check websites for latest admission prices to Capilano and Grouse.

12 hours ago, tucho said:

What would be the best way to pass the day?

What is to see, do by the pier? Take pubic transportation to tour the city?

Is this your first time in Vancouver?  When are you visiting?  How big is your group?

24 minutes ago, decrepit old man said:

So the inside passage is really not that special. We went through most of it at night time.

• One of the biggest benefits at night are the calm protected waters trying to sleep.  The waters on the other side of Vancouver Island is much more rougher.
• at this time of the year, there's sunlight until 10pm.  The sunlight also returns around 4:30am.  Darkness is very limited near the land of the midnight sun.

On 4/4/2023 at 4:58 PM, PescadoAmarillo said:

Is this a certainty?  We are booked on a B2B on the Majestic but I have a hold on a cabin on the Sapphire too, based on your recommendation. We’ve done multiple cruises on both ships, so I know the ship offerings, but the Inside Passage would be a deal breaker, if we can count on that.

Check this link of the previous route from this morning... https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/shipid:4033390/zoom:7

The Majestic Princess came through the Graveyard of the Pacific instead of the South Inside Passage.

This Capilano shuttle schedule may be helpful... https://www.capbridge.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/20_Shuttle-Bus-Digital-Schedule-April-2023_v3.pdf

fyi... Vancouver has several alternative suspension bridges in the area...

• Lynn Valley https://lynncanyon.ca/
• SkyPilot at the Sea 2 Sky Gondola top https://www.seatoskygondola.com/
• Cascade Falls https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGZp_bJZQOc
• Lion's Gate Bridge
• Alex Fraser Bridge
• Port Mann Bridge
• Pitt River Bridge
• Whistler's Cloudraker is not a suspension bridge, but still impressive... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi_Nn8tX5MY

29 minutes ago, MBP&O2/O said:

What sort of feedback are the locals giving on " Chops " which seems to have opened up just down the road from Canada Place? Thanks

I haven't been there yet, but here's a yelp review... https://www.yelp.ca/biz/chop-steakhouse-and-bar-vancouver

For steaks...

1. Elisa https://elisasteak.com/
2. Gotham's https://www.gothamsteakhouse.com/
3. Hy's https://www.hyssteakhouse.com/
4. Victor https://www.parqvancouver.com/food-drink/the-victor/

The Porterhouse are my fav, followed by the Tomahawk.

2 hours ago, njsmom said:

I get the feeling there's no risk of going hungry in Vancouver!

If cost is a factor...

• Costco offers this incredible Polish Combo for $1.50 Canadian.  No longer available in the USA, it's still offered in Vancouver stores.  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/costco-getting-rid-of-polish-hot-dogs-from-menu-and-social-media-is-not-happy/
• lots of affordable Chinese food around
• Food courts offer value

If cost is not a factor...

• Elisa and Gotham's are the best steakhouses in the city.  Reservations are recommended.
• lots of ethnic foods and opportunities to explore.  May I recommended Dim Sum?
• yes we have seafood.  If there's a group of 6 to 8 of you, think about Alaskan King crab Vancouver style as it runs across your table.  Just don't ask for boil 'n butter.
  • we just launched our spot prawns season if you want to try something local the next few weeks.
  • what are your thoughts about trying a Geoduck?  Harvested locally in nearby waters, it looks like a big *****.
• For big eaters and want to warm up your belly to the ship buffet... have you heard about our many food challenges?

On 5/24/2023 at 7:34 PM, oakridger said:

Has HAL been asked why they changed the route out of Vancouver going north?  Is HAL only doing this temporarily for some specific reason?  I'd like to hear their official explanation

Yesterday's departure reverted back to the the South Inside passage Northbound...

One possbility for the one time detour sailing the Graveyard of the Pacific Northbound is to avoid congestion in the South Inside Passage.  
- while the Koningsdam is racing to Seymour Narrows this weekend 0527, there's three incoming ships racing to Vancouver... RCL Brilliance of the Seas, ms Noordam, Celebrity Eclipse. Does the Koningsdam need to stop at one point to allow these three ships to pass? Majestic Princess does the Graveyard of the Pacific Northbound and Southbound without restrictions at 19 knots.  But the extra distance puts the ship 3 hours behind Koningsdam going to Alaska.
- In addition to boats 'n ships, there may have been whales in the waters which would demand the ship to reduce speed and minimize sonar use in navigation.

On 5/24/2023 at 7:18 PM, Fairgarth said:

I was thinking - always dangerous - that Vancouver Island is almost 300  miles long.  So if you depart Vancouver port at 5:00pm, you travel the inside passage largely at night so you won't see anything.  Same thing coming southbound.  If you arrive Vancouver at 7:00am, you have travelled the inside passage all night.  Am I missing something?

I just tracked the Koningsdam activity the last two days for you...

sunset at this time of the year is 9pm, twilight for about 45 minutes afterwards so you get 50% of the South Inside passage segment in daylight.  Sunrise is 5:15am with twilight beginning around 4:30am.

• 0526 20:20 2 knots leaving Ketchikan
• 0526 00:00 13 knots just oustide of Prince Rupert and going into Haida Gwaii protected waters
• 0526 02:00 19 knots middle of Haida Gwaii
• 0526 07:30 exiting protected waters of South Tip of Haida Gwaii
• 0526 09:30 17 knots halfway between Haida Gwaii and South Inside Passage
• 0526 13:30 16 knots enters the South Inside Passage
• 0526 15:15 14 knots passing Port Hardy
• 0526 16:50 12 knots passing Port McNeil
• 0526 20:30 12 knots passing Sayward BC
• 0526 22:00 10 knots passing Rock Bay
• 0526 23:05 12 knots entering Seymour Narrows
• 0526 23:40 12 knots passing Campbell River
• 0527 01:35 14 knots passing Courtenay
• 0527 03:25 19 knots passing Parksville
• 0527 05:20 18 knots passing Bowen Island
• 0527 06:16 8 knots passing Lions Gate
• 0527 06:45 docked at cruise terminal

• 0527 17:00 departing cruise terminal
• 0527 17:40 10 knots passing Lion's Gate Bridge
• 0527 20:30 15 knots passing Lasqueti Island
• 0527 22:15 15 knots leaving Texada Island and Powell River
• 0527 00:20 11 knots at Campbell River
• 0527 01:00 13 knots at Seymour Narrows
• 0527 03:00 20 knots at Sayward
• 0527 05:00 20 knots at Alert Bay and Port McNeil at sunrise
• 0527 06:11 19 knots at Port Hardy
• 0527 07:50 17 knots exit the South Inside Passage
   

11 hours ago, Fairgarth said:

I was thinking - always dangerous - that Vancouver Island is almost 300  miles long.  So if you depart Vancouver port at 5:00pm, you travel the inside passage largely at night so you won't see anything.  Same thing coming southbound.  If you arrive Vancouver at 7:00am, you have travelled the inside passage all night.  Am I missing something?

Depends on which month you are cruising.  May to July, there is daylight until around 10pm.

• going Northbound, the ship travels very slowly through the South Inside passage allowing you to still see the Northern half in the morning.
• going Southbound, the ship travels much of the South Inside passage in evening with daylight for the scenery and the ship slows down around Parksville at bedtime as it meanders slowly for the 6am Lions Gate crossing the next morning.

fyi.... Looking https://www.marinevesseltraffic.com/vessels/KONINGSDAM/CURRENT-POSITION/9692557/244830547 and https://www.cruisemapper.com/?imo=9692557 it appears the Koningsdam is back to doing the South Inside Passage going Northbound.

I was on the Koningsdam the week before and yes we did the South Inside Passage both NorthBound and SouthBound.

On 5/19/2023 at 1:18 PM, copycat53 said:

Holland America Rotterdam for July

Can you confirm it's the Rotterdam for Alaska?  Or is it some other dam ship.  You are getting me excited.  The Rotterdam normally sails Northern Europe.

Depends on how long do you plan to be outside and how well can you tolerate the cold winds.

If you are watching the glaciers in the Lido or the MDR, you won't need to pack those heavy clothes.

Demographics can be a deciding factor...

• Holland America for 50 plus
• Princess for 40 plus and families

Look closely at this satellite image.  Both Holland America and Princess are owned by Carnival.  The HAL McKinely Chalet Resort and the Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge are just 0.2 miles or a 4 min walk apart.

Personally I like the Neiuw Amsterdam more.

Good Luck in your research...

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLJEnUZFhRI
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuiHjaYuKZU

I hope to visit both lodges one day.

Yep... right under the "Fly Over Canada" attraction.

Are you arriving by vehicle or are you walking into the cruise terminal?

Fyi.... Fireworks is permanently cancelled...

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canada-day-vancouver-fireworks-cancelled-permanently

On 5/22/2023 at 6:05 PM, martincath said:

or the trendy new drone shows which are replacing such things these days

There will never likely be a drone show around Canada Place.  There was one sponsored by Best Buy 5 months ago and on performance night... nearby interference from Seabus radio operations prevented the show from starting.  https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/drone-show-canada-place-cancelled-again

17 minutes on Google to cover 1.5km or 1 mile.

Yes, it's doable.  I do recommend going along Hastings to avoid the stairs along the seawall.

Hmm... 17 minutes walk might have you there faster than being stuck in traffic on the cruise ramp down into the cruise terminal.

Give these guys a call for details...  https://westcoastsightseeing.com/guided_tours/victoria-butchart-gardens-tour/.  These guys have an itinerary set and ferry reservations pre-booked.

Find out...

• what time does the tour end in Vancouver?
• what time is the return ferry the bus takes?
• do they have space to transport luggage destined for the airport in the evening?

Great list Milhouse...  I'll add...

• some of the pavilions were repurposed to River Road in Delta
• the McBarge has been moved around and can now found on the Fraser up river.
• https://heritagevancouver.org/top10-watch-list/2019-top10-watch-list/8-legacy-of-expo-86/
• https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/what-happened-expo-86-exhibits-photos

For those that are not familiar or don't remember Expo '86...

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxDeBW5erjw
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqrlo6AHvOI

I did a sailing out of Vancouver 3 weeks ago with my VeriFLY ready to go...  They never looked at the app and there was no line.

Very different than a year ago where VeriFLY saved me an hour in the embarkation lines.

On 5/17/2023 at 4:53 AM, BAMCPM said:

cleanest/newest ship with stuff for my kids. Good customer service on ship. A brand that has their act together who get us on and off the boat in a non chaotic manner

To clarify, how old are the kids?  My vote...

• Disney if you can afford it for those under 13
• Princess for more mature families as they have good kids clubs.  Royal, Majestic, Discovery ships are their newer ships.  Look closely at their routes around Vancouver Island.
• Older kids are going to like the NCL Encore with their go-karts and Glacier Bay

Seattle sailings will be less chaotic with the larger cruise terminals compared to Vancouver.  But Vancouver sailings offer a lot more bonus port activities and you sail the calm scenic waters of the South Inside Passage (vs Seattle's Graveyard of the Pacific).

You want to taxi out when your meal is over.

If you need Uber/Lyft, have the restaurant make the call.  It's not surprising to find ridesharing drivers cancelling pickups when they realize where you want to be picked up.