Victoria - Most cost effective way round trip to Butchart Gardens from Cruise dock

In going for a one day stop in Victoria in May, I am wondering what the most cost effective way there is to get to Butchart Gardens?

Rental car?

Taxi ?

City Bus? And how do you find it?

Tour through cruise line is $80.00 per person and you only get 3 hours there and our cruise is there all day. I don't want to be rushed.

Thank you for your help

I would go with the bus for most economical way.

Last time we were there we saw it right near the Empress Hotel at the corner.

Keith

Thank you Keith.

Do you happen to know if it is better to do whale watching out of Victoria or Vancouver?

Is May 12 too early for the whales in that area? Don't want to spend the money to whale watch when it isn't a good time.

Thank you.

Sherry

I won't mention the whales again... but the bus Keith's referring to is likely CVS Tours, which runs from outside the Empress to the Butterfly garden and Butchart for fewer CAD than your cruiseline is charging in USD. Depending on age (kids or not) your saving could be enough to pay for lunch or more...

If you have a long port day, public bus is feasible ($5pp total for a day pass to get you there and back, plus approx $35pp Butchart ticket). The 75 runs from downtown to Butchart, and on the way back even turns into a different service that takes you all the way out to the cruise terminal (well, Dallas Road right next to it - 30/31 if memory serves). Again, all in CAD so saving you another chunk of cash. You can hop on that same bus going into town and transfer to the 75, or if you're already downtown walking around just find a 75 stop directly. All info is correct on Google Maps for transit in Victoria, just like Vancouver, but if you prefer the horses mouth check out the BC Transit trip planner here.

Taxis, if packed with bums on all seats, run about the same total cost as CVS - less if traffic is nice to you, potentially more if you get stuck in delays. Rental car is definitely cheaper - but like most Victoria businesses, they close early so unless your port stop is morning/afternoon you will not be able to formally return the car (6pm is as late as I've seen any office open). If you trust that you won't get billed for extra fees without being physically present to argue about it you can do the 'key drop return' after hours of course, but personally I've experienced enough a**holery from car rental places all over the world to never ever run that risk...

Thank you Keith.

 

Do you happen to know if it is better to do whale watching out of Victoria or Vancouver?

 

Is May 12 too early for the whales in that area? Don't want to spend the money to whale watch when it isn't a good time.

 

Thank you.

 

Sherry

Sherry you are welcome.

Whale watching is excellent in Victoria and the prime season is May thru October.

Keith

Thank you all very much.

These questions were all for daughter and her husband. She is soooo excited to be going on the Emerald Princess from LA to Vancouver with a full day stop in Victoria. She was last at Butchart Gardens in 1999 so is really looking forward to going with her husband who loves photography so he will probably take plenty of pictures in the gardens.

She was hoping to fit in whale watching also if she can.

She has never done cruise critic before. I am hoping to teach her how later today so she can watch the threads herself.

That is terrific that you are assisting here with this.

The gardens will be wonderful for photography.

Keith

Car rental seems to be much cheaper and gives you more control. Public transit is an hour and a half each way while driving is about half that -- if you're good at navigating. I found car rentals at the port for under $30 for the day.

How close to the cruise port are the car rentals?

How close to the cruise port are the car rentals?

The main offices you'll have heard of are downtown, maybe 20-30 mins on foot. I know Enterprise will come get you, it's their whole thing, but I haven't rented a car in Victoria (we drive our own over) so no idea if there are any other 'pick you up' offerings.

If you search for Western Stevedoring or the Beaver Gift Shop on Google Maps it brings up the area where you'd be walking through the secure area of the pier after getting off your ship - so plug in directions from one of these to see exact routing/distances to get places in Victoria, e.g. National Car Rental behind the Empress.

There are several car rental agencies in the area behind or near the Fairmont Empress hotel. Just takes a few minutes to do the research, contact them via e-mail, contact form, or their toll-free phone number, and make a decision. :)

Thanks for this info. We are on this same cruise in May and will be in Victoria for a full day on the 12th. I haven't been to Butchart and we would like to go but not on the cruise tour. Just not enough time to explore. We are checking out the options listed here.

CruisinEars we will be there same day! Just booked the HOHO. They have a shuttle that goes to the garden specifically (not the city tour HOhO bus) you schedule you time which i liked so you are assured a seat instead of waiting in a long cue. Its $60 for transfer AND park entrance per person. I thought this was a good deal so we could sight see on our way, not worry abt parking, traffic, etc

Groupon has a HOHO for the city tour abt $22 per person.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Forums mobile app

We are on the Ruby Princess which is only in Victoria from 7-midnight, want to do the gardens would it be safe to try and get there on your own, or do we need to do a bus from the ship with that short of time frame

Cruise bus - or a cab you pay to wait for you. No car rentals available (offices all shut by 6pm). But unless you KNOW you will never return, consider putting off until another trip... best case is getting to gardens a little before 8pm, sunset is at best going to give you less than 90mins with good light.

Cruise bus - or a cab you pay to wait for you.....

Just curious - how much do you think that would run? I mean, out to the Gardens alone is at least $50+ one way. And wait time plus return? It'd be expensive. ;p

But I agree - another time would be better if possible, OR a ship's tour. That is the only way to guarantee on-time return and not be sick with worry!

Just curious - how much do you think that would run? I mean, out to the Gardens alone is at least $50+ one way. And wait time plus return? It'd be expensive. ;p

 

But I agree - another time would be better if possible, OR a ship's tour. That is the only way to guarantee on-time return and not be sick with worry!

Cab wait time is set by law just like distance traveled Karen - IIRC it's a silly number like $31.43 an hour, but it's definitely just over $30. You can find it on the PTSB website if you want to check the exact amount. While it would be cheaper to go one way then call a new cab for the return trip, my concern with these very late night visits is how many cabs are free and willing to go out to Butchart for zero payment on the outward leg if there's any work downtown?

That's a long ride for a pickup, and there will be absolutely nobody going TO the gardens late in the evening to let them keep the meter running... Plus, even letting it sit for 3 hours (virtually impossible on a short port visit like this - 2 hours at the gardens is probably the realistic limit) and running up a ~$200 total cab fare (plus ~$35 Butchart admission pp) is cheaper than a cruise excursion if divided by 4 people.

Even with very, very generous tips racking up the total spend to say CAD$350 (~US$260) is still less than cruise bus costs - and with such a short sail to Seattle from Victoria, your cab just needs to beat the LAST cruise bus to get you safely back in time, the ship does not need to leave much before 5 am to make it to Seattle after all.

So for folks who are truly doing a bucket list, one-and-done AK cruise so visiting Butchart late evening is the only possible option, I'd risk cabbing - but would not be keen to risk finding a cab quickly for the return trip! Cutting a deal with the cabbie on the way out, 'be back here at 10pm and there's an extra $20 in it for you' sort of thing could also work - that way he can plan his evening and try to take a fare to somewhere not too far from Butchart about the time you want him back... but that's still more trust than I would have in many cabbies I've met!!! I have not booked a cab in advance in Victoria myself, so have no idea how trustworthy the dispatchers/apps are about actually getting a cab to you when you want it rather than plus or minus a half hour or so...