REDTOY

Appreciate all the input, have found that one way rental can be cost effective - just depends on the deal one gets.

 

We used to drive to the ports and park in the garages there, but my husband is very picky about where he parks the car and with the amount of traffic in and out, it just isn't a good option for us.

 

Looked at the mycruisebus.com and it isn't live yet - shows a Sarasota address - will check it out to see if there actually is a business with that name or a DBA for it.

 

Didn't know (and you would think I would having cruised with Princess a bunch) that I could reserve bus transpo with Princess.

 

Since we won't be cruising until Fall, there is time for the company to get up and running - or we will just do one way rentals - but it won't stop us from cruising - LOL

It's a bit in limbo now. Princess, and maybe other lines, HAD a contract with Gold Coast Tours after Cruise Connection sank but they canceled that contract in early June. There is a service <thefloridaexpressbus.com> that says they mimic the same route & stops as Cruise Connection. It's pricy, and their fares are listed as "one way". Be sure to read their very strict cancellation policy which I interpret as "no refund under any circumstances"! Some bad reviews, also.Then there is a new company that has a website "under construction" @ <mycruisebus.com> in Sarasota. Rumor has it that they are to be the genuine replacement for Cruise Connection, and plans a fall opening. More rumor has it that they will operate directly by or under Princess alone or in concert with several cruise lines. There is a phone number on the website. Our neighbors booked the bus with Princess months ago when there WAS a contract. Their TA says that her contact at Princess proclaimed that there WILL be a bus by fall!

REDTOY

Punta Gorda, FL

Last year, on our Antarctica voyage aboard the Golden, we won the crystal ship! Thrilled of course, and it was the icing on the cake after such an exciting "expedition"!

"Winning" is hardly in our vocabulary but for once.........!

REDTOY

There is a very good restaurant in the Pan Pacific that is seafoos based, it is called the 5 Sails, about 100 paces east of the PP is a great restaurant that is also seafood based called Aqua Riva. There is a super upscale mairne pub called Carderos that has a seafood menu; it would be about a $10 cab fare and over looks the Coal Harbour yacht basin. Then there is the Cannery which is in the east end of Vancouver, about a $15 cab ride from the PP, it is a great setting and has wonderful seafood. A full breakfast I would just do in the hotel but if not then maybe a walk to the White Spot at Georgia and Seymour would be a choice.

 

www.aquariva.com/

 

www.vancouverdine.com/carderos/

 

www.canneryseafood.com/

 

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you! A "gold mine" of valuable information and advice! We appreciate you sharing it all with fellow cruisers!

REDTOY

You are very welcome, you are also within a block or so of Robson and Thurlow where you will find Starbucks on 3 of the 4 corners. But do try Tim Horton's, it is a bit of Canadiana.

We'll be at the Pan Pacific for a couple days. Can you recommend a nearby (walk) or short cab ride to a casual seafood restaurant, and also an early morning full breakfast?

Thanks,

REDTOY

I would suspect that your luggage will have to travel with you because of security concerns when it will be loaded on the ship. When we boarded our cruises we were asked have you let the your baggage be out of sight for a certain period of time.:)

Now, that makes a lot of sense! I guess my thinking was "pre-911" when we were separated from our luggage on pre-cruise tours in Switzerland and Australia. Since then, we've been on several cruises but none that included a pre-cruise tour.

Thanks,

REDTOY

I believe that you have asked this question on another thread and while I suspect that all of your luggage will accompany you to Victoria, I really think to really get a difinative answer you would be better off asking Princess or having your TA ask Princess on your behalf. Unless you can connect with someone who has booked this tour in the past any answer is going to be a guess and even if you do, Princess's policy re luggage may have changed since they did the tour.

Yes, guilty as charged! But then I read the "I'll answer ?" post by shoppie in Vancouver.

Pardon my reluctance to ask Princess. It has been our past experience that the credibility of answers from their tour department leaves a bit to be desired. Not to fault their clerks who try their best; they just aren't "out in the field". We love Princess in every way, and this will be our 18th voyage on their ships. Our hope here, was to hear from someone who had taken this very tour, albeit last year, or maybe even this year.

Thank you for your post and sage advice.

REDTOY

Hi there..I live in Vancouver and have worked at several of the hotels in the city..and have also worked on cruise ships before, so I've done more Alaska cruises than I care to admit..I'll gladly answer any questions about the city, cruising or what have you! :)

Shoppie:

We have booked a Princess 3-day pre-cruise package in Vancouver, BC in July. It includes a trip from the Pan Pacific hotel to Butchart Gardens in Victoria and an overnight stay at the Empress Hotel in Victoria, then back to Vancouver to board ship the next day.

Our question: Does ALL our luggage stay with us during our trip to and overnight in Victoria or must we leave our major luggage back in Vancouver, and just have an overnight bag with us?

Packing will be much easier if we knew this answer.

Thanks,

REDTOY