After cruise Vancouver-Victoria excursions?

[NJCruisers]

Hi All,

 

I are trying to schedule our return flights from Vancouver. I keep reading that you should allow at least 3 hours to get through customs, security, etc. Because I am using miles, my only option is the 5:15 PM flight. Does anyone know if Princess offers after cruise excursions? I am sure they do, but I have not found any on their website. I have also looked at Viatours and can't seem to find the right excursion.

 

Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[xlxo]

Thoughts...

• there won't really be time for Victoria after arriving in Vancouver. It's about an hour to fly to Victoria and to fly back to Vancouver.
  
• 5:15pm flight to the USA means you should be at the airport at 2:15pm. You should be on a cab on train to the airport by 1:45pm.
  
• flying to Canada means being at the airport 2 hours before departure.
  
• Princess is likely partnering with LandSea for post cruise tours...
  http://vancouvertours.com/tour/pre-cruise-vancouver-city-tour/
  

[Putterdude]

First of all 3 hours to arrive at YVR pre-flight is an outside number, 2 hours is quite adequate. Princess normally offers excursions post cruise however they normally don't show up on the personalizer until about 75 to 90 days out. Vancouver Tours mentioned in the above previous post is an excellent option although you will have to meet their van outside the lobby of the East Convention Centre about 200 feet or so from the pier (Princess hates competition:eek:). The real beauty of Vancouver Tours is that they pick you and your luggage up post cruise and deliver you out to YVR post tour.

 

An alternative is to check your luggage at Priority Luggage Service at Canada Place or take it to either the Pan Pacific or the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel and tip the bell desk to hold it for you and take a HOHO trip around the city. I am inclined to recommend Vancouver Trolley which you will meet just east of the Canada Place entrance. Priority Luggage for a fee will transfer your luggage out to YVR but with a 5:30 flight it won't work for you. If you chose the HOHO option allow 35 to 40 mins to get from Canada Place to YVR.

[martincath]

If you're really keen to see Victoria, see if you can change your departure to YYJ instead of YYZ - that way you only need to travel one-way to Victoria instead of also getting back, which makes it much more feasible. Not as many flight options as YVR being smaller, but since you have a 'choice' of only one anyway you might even get a *better* departure time, and since most Vancouver-Florida flights have connections it may be no more inconvenient for you...

Edited September 22, 2015 by martincath
wrong state!

[NJCruisers]

Thanks for the suggestions. After all is said and done, it is a toss up between:

 

Land/Sea tour for 4hrs, pick up at port at 10:00am - Airport by 2:00pm. $75/pp

 

Princess excursion tour for 3hrs, pick up at port at 9:30 - Airport by 12:30. $40/pp

 

The airline keeps changing the time on flights. So now we will be leaving at 4:55pm.

 

Just thinking if the 4hr tour will have us running thru the airport.

[martincath]

While 3 hrs prior is the official line from YVR for US-bound flights, it's a very conservative number: 2 hours prior should be enough. I don't think 2:00pm is ETA at YVR though - unless they count the 30mins drive to YVR as part of the tour, in which case they're screwing everyone who gets off downtown out of 30mins tour time, 2:00pm is return to downtown time. Expect to be at YVR more like 2:30pm - still probably more than enough time, but getting tighter if it's a very busy day (e.g. three ships in town).

 

Given the price you're quoting though - even if Princess is USD as I expect, that's still a better rate than LandSea by quite a bit. I'd compare where the Princess tour takes you if it's possible to find that out - my best guess is that the only thing different is no included ticket to the Lookout, which saves about $15pp and at least 30mins. It sounds like you'll feel more comfortable with the Princess earlier ETA at YVR, and the saved money will buy a decent lunch for all even at inflated airport prices.

[Putterdude]

Thanks for the suggestions. After all is said and done, it is a toss up between:

 

Land/Sea tour for 4hrs, pick up at port at 10:00am - Airport by 2:00pm. $75/pp

 

Princess excursion tour for 3hrs, pick up at port at 9:30 - Airport by 12:30. $40/pp

 

The airline keeps changing the time on flights. So now we will be leaving at 4:55pm.

 

Just thinking if the 4hr tour will have us running thru the airport.

 

The Land/Sea tour will have you at YVR in plenty of time for your flight. However, in order to really compare you really need to determine what the 2 tours comprise. Land/Sea are excellent operators and may even be the tour vendor for Princess.

[NJCruisers]

Well the decision was made for us by Land/Sea. They told me that we could not take their tour because of our departure time. So it will be the tour offered by Princess. BTW, there were a couple of things on the Land/Sea that were not on the Princess. Not sure if it would have been worth the extra dollars, but our other friends who are staying in Vancouver would have been on that tour.

 

Thanks everyone!

[BCHappyGal]

Info on Vancouver from a local!

 

My favorite must do attractions are

 

1) Grouse Mountain – http://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 higher up the mountain to visit the wind turbine that generates approximately 30% of the power required for Grouse Mountain Resort and visit with 2 live Grizzly Bears. Thrill to a 2 hour Zip Line Tour. Enjoy a meal in any of the restaurants. Caveat only spend the money to go up on a clear day.

2) Capilano Suspension Bridge – http://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 originally erected in 1889 over the Capilano Gorge. This bridge stretches 450’ end to end and hovers 230’ above Capilano River. Wonder the trails thru the rain forest, walk thru the treetops on the new Tree Top Adventure, traverse a Cliff Top walk, 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 – http://www.lynncanyon.ca - 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. It is also free to visit this suspension bridge!

5) Stanley Park – http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/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, aquarium –http://www.vanaqua.org – many view points, and several restaurants.

6) Vancouver Aquarium – http://www.vanaqua.org – is Canada’s largest aquarium and is committed to the conservation of marine life and education. Located in Stanley Park this is a fun place for the family to visit.

7) Fly Over Canada incorporates state of the art technology in an Imax theatre to show you supernatural Canada, Fly from coast to coast taking in breath stealing views of Niagara Falls, Lake Louise, The Rockies & more. Spectacular! http://www.flyovercanada.com

8) 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.

9) At the start of Gas Town is the Harbor Centre Tower http://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.

10) 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 http://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com and also make sure you visit the world’s thinnest building it is only 6’ wide!

11) Granville Island – http://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. Many 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 – http://www.theaquabus.com

12) Burnaby Village Museum – http://www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca – is an open air museum with over 30 restored homes, shops, school, church and a 1912 carousel situated on 10 acres

13) Gulf of Georgia Cannery – http://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.

14) 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. http://www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com

15) Queen Elizabeth Park http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/parks/queenelizabeth 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.

16) 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. http://www.fortlangley.org

17) If you are a wine lover you might want to rent a car and spend a day visiting a few of the many (23 Licensed) 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. http://www.bcwine.com (click on the Fraser Valley button)

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. http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org There is also a treetop walk which is great for “fit” explorers who are not afraid of heights – however I would not recommend it for anyone who has any mobility issues. Also these gardens are not as well maintained as I would expect a botanical garden to be!

20) Enjoy FREE guided walking tours of Vancouver. The Gastown tour starts at the Howe & Georgia Street entrance to the Pacific Center Mall and ends at the statue of Gassy Jack in Gastown. The Downtown tour starts at the Howe & Georgia Street entrance to the Pacific Center Mall and ends at the Olympic Cauldron. The China Town tour starts at the Howe & Georgia Street entrance to the Pacific Center Mall and ends at the Chinese memorial statue. All of these tours start at 11amCheck these tours out at http://www.tourguys.ca The Tour Guys have added an afternoon walking tour of Granville Island and 2 evening tours….. The Granville Island Tour starts at 3pm at the bus stop just at the entrance to Granville Island.

21) For the FOODIES in the gang! Check out 2 companies that offer food tasting tours http://www.foodietours.ca and http://www.offtheeatentrack.ca – both offer an excellent tour!

http://www.foodietours.ca visit much more high end restaurants in the heart of the west end of Vancouver (tourist/hotel district)

while http://www.offtheeatentrack.ca concentrates on more casual independently owned eateries in various areas of Vancouver! (Gastown, Main Street Area, Vancouver East)

I just enjoyed Foodietours “Guilty Pleasures Gourmet Tour” and was very impressed with the organization, quality of restaurants & refreshments, guides knowledge of foods and the eateries we were visiting as well as the area we were walking in. Felt it was excellent value for the money provided you did not spend the extra $20. For the alcohol! This company also offers a tasting tour on Granville Island Public Market and of the Vancouver Street Food Carts.

As for Off the Eaten Track - this company offers culinary tasting tours of various areas of Vancouver. The brunch tour visits local establishments in East Vancouver while the dinner tour concentrates on the Main Street area and the Railtown Urban Eats tour is an area adjacent to GasTown. All are Fabulous! The Railtown Urban Eats tour would blend well with the free walking tour offered by http://www.tourguys.ca … you could easily do the free walking tour of GasTown and then meet up with this tour company for your lunch - the food is plentiful & wonderful you will not leave any of the tours hungry!

For the tourist in town you actually meet at Waterfront Station and the company drives you to the tour location and then of course back at the end. Just to give you a hint of what to expect - the Gems of Main Street tour started in a Chocolate Shoppe – how can it be anything but wonderful when one starts out with chocolate…. And of course we must mention the rum cocktail concoction at the Tiki Lounge paired with a pork slider & the Pizza Joint owned and run by a chef who actually worked at the Vatican making pizza for the Pope – now if it is good enough for the Pope it has to be good enough for us! After 5 great stops with the history of the area being shared by our guide Bonnie we were all absolutely stuffed! Great job Bonnie!

22) A new addition to the Vancouver scene. The Richmond Olympic Experience located at the Richmond Olympic Oval. Visitors are welcomed by a sculpture paying tribute to the volunteers who made the 2010 Vancouver Games possible. You will then be whisked away on an interactive journey that celebrates the Olympic spirit. A multimedia theatre takes you to the heart of the Olympic dream through a series of multimedia galleries evoking the triumphs, tragedies, controversies and celebrations of Olympic history. Thrilling interactive sport simulations including a virtual ski jump will get your heart racing. Outside the Oval, you can follow the incredible journey of the Olympic torch across Canada via a commemorative torch relay trail through the outdoor plazas.

23) Rogers Arena Get a behind-the-scenes look at one of the premier sports and entertainment facilities in North America with a Rogers Arena tour. See where, for over 15 years, we’ve thrilled and entertained fans from all over the world, staged the best of the best in entertainment and sports, and welcomed over 25 million fans through our doors. Experience first-hand the “cathedral of hockey” that brings in millions of fans coming to see the Vancouver Canucks live (Hockey), and where history was made when the Canadian women's and men's hockey teams marked their moments in history during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Stadium behind the scenes tours are Wed – Sat at 10;30am, 12 (noon) and 1:30pm!

24) BC Place is BC’s Premier multipurpose stadium, hosting sport, exhibitions and live entertainment, right in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. Home of the BC Lions Football Club, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (Soccer) and the BC Sports Hall of Fame. This state of the art facility intrigues with its retractable roof, 800 WIFI ports and 1,100 digital screens. The 36’ façade is lit up by thousands of individually- addressable LED lights that create colour animations bringing life to the Vancouver skyline.

 

 

 

Vancouver has a bunch of hop-on hop-off buses

 

http://www.vancouverpinkbustours.com/

 

http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/tours/hop-on-hop-off

 

http://bigbus.ca/home/

[Bimmie Girl]

Hi All,

 

I are trying to schedule our return flights from Vancouver. I keep reading that you should allow at least 3 hours to get through customs, security, etc. Because I am using miles, my only option is the 5:15 PM flight. Does anyone know if Princess offers after cruise excursions? I am sure they do, but I have not found any on their website. I have also looked at Viatours and can't seem to find the right excursion.

 

Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

We are taking a tour booked through Princess called the Capilano Canyon walk and City highlights approx. 4 hours right off the ship.

[Langley Cruisers]

Info on Vancouver from a local!

 

My favorite must do attractions are...

...

 

 

BCHappyGal, I have seen you post this many times before, and the information is appreciated and valuable to those visiting. :) I do have a little favour - I wonder if you might consider reformatting your text so that there are breaks between the paragraphs. As a wall of text, it is difficult to read.... just a space between each numbered paragraph would make it easier to read.

 

Many thanks.