Vancouver questions......

[seadancer]

This will be our first time in Canada and DH and I had several questions:

 

1) Should we exchange US dollars for CAD? For tips for taxi to hotel, dock and airport?

 

2) We are supposed to tip at restaurants, etc. right? We know some Europeans don't so we didn't want to insult anyone.

 

3) What is the norm for tipping housekeeping at a hotel?

 

I know some of these questions might sound silly but I know that different cultures have different ideas and opinions about how to do certain things (customs). I'd like to follow the correct customs while we are visiting Vancouver.

 

Thank you!

[Urban trekker]

I will get the discussion going.

 

While Vancouver is a embarkation port for Alaska cruises you will probably get more answers if you were to post this to the West Coast ports or Canada/Alaska boards as these questions are asked and answered often there.

 

While US $$$ are widely accepted you aren't likely to get a good exchange rate - a couple of other things to note - Canada no longer uses pennies - all cash purchases are either rounded up or down to the nearest 0 or 5.

There are no one and two dollar bills in Canada - we use a dollar coin called the Loonie and a two dollar coin called the twoonie.

 

Transit ticket machines will only accept Canadian bills and your credit card is likely to need both a chip and a pin which needs to be 4 digits.

 

As for tipping and customs we very much use the American model and you will notice many of the same store names as you have in the US.

 

What you won't see are any Dunkin Donuts but what you will see are Tim Horton's or Timmies are we locals call it on just about everyother corner in the downtown core - their menu is somewhat akin to Dunkins as I have only been to a Dunkins a couple of times.

 

Hope this helps getting you started and that you have a great cruise and enjoy Vancouver and the TRUE NORTH STRONG AND FREE.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

 

:):):)

[midwestchick]

We exchanged $100 for CAD for taxis, tips, etc. We had two days in Vancouver and one day in Victoria. Most things we put on a credit card. We did use every bit of the CAD. You won't need a lot if you're just doing things I mentioned. I think we tipped the housekeeping staff $5.00 per day at our pre cruise hotel in Vancouver.

[xlxo]

In general... I recommend a credit card for most transactions.... the cabs allow you to tip with the fare. Warning... Visa and MasterCard is widely accepted. American Express less so. Much less so with other cards.

 

Most restaurants in the area accept credit cards. Those that don't will have a sign out front.

 

Here's a tipping guide from a nearby city...

http://www.tourismvictoria.com/plan/travel-tips/tipping/

 

Here's an interesting read on tipping from locals and the generation gap...

http://www.news1130.com/2017/03/16/despite-bad-service-many-british-columbians-still-tip-poll/

 

Please don't tip the border agents. Then again they may offer the private VIP "secondary" experience.

[bUU]

I suppose a core question I have is whether we need more than petty cash. We're planning on arriving the day before the cruise. I would expect to choose a hotel with 24 hour shuttles from the airport, or perhaps one right there at the airport. (Suggestions?) We don't need to be downtown because we will probably do a private pre-approved cruise excursion (Grouse mountain?). That Excursion will get us to the ship. On the other side, we'll take a private post-cruise excursion tour of the city, which ends at the airport.

 

Throughout that it seems to me that the only places I will need cash, the only places that wouldn't take my credit card, are the Porters and or other Service staff for whom I would just provide a cash tip, in US dollars, thought having to worry about an exchange rate. So as long as we have credit cards with chips we should be good. Right?

 

Someone said I need a PIN with the credit card. I need to check into that and see if I can figure out how to set that up. Does anyone know what that's called other than PIN? I don't want the person I asked about it two things that I'm talking about making a debit transaction. I guess I could just say PIN for credit transaction.

 

However that was with regard to purchasing a Transit card. Will the PIN be needed for anything I'm likely to need it for based on my story above? Hotel, restaurants? Presumably the excursions would be prepaid and all I have to worry about there would be tips which again would be cash, US dollars, with no issue regarding exchange rate.

 

I suppose since there's no Dunkin Donuts there's no Waffle Houses either. :) (Perhaps this is a joke with only limited applicability. Down here in the South we do have some Dunkin Donuts but not many. What we have are Waffle Houses. There are so many down here that the National Weather Service actually tracks when these 24-hour shops close as part of their tracking how severe a storm is.)

 

Does anyone accept Discover Card up north?

 

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[VennDiagram]

3) What is the norm for tipping housekeeping at a hotel?

We usually tip around $5 Cdn total per night to housekeeping, for the two of us.

[Coral]

How long will you be in Vancouver?

[bUU]

How long will you be in Vancouver?

Me? Just overnight before the cruise and during the day after the cruise.

 

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[Coral]

Me? Just overnight before the cruise and during the day after the cruise.

 

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I probably wouldn't for just overnight.

 

If I was spending 3 days there, I would.

[bUU]

Thanks!

 

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[xlxo]

I would expect to choose a hotel with 24 hour shuttles from the airport, or perhaps one right there at the airport. (Suggestions?) We don't need to be downtown because we will probably do a private pre-approved cruise excursion (Grouse mountain?). That Excursion will get us to the ship. On the other side, we'll take a private post-cruise excursion tour of the city, which ends at the airport.

to clarify... when is your flight arriving the day before the cruise?

 

Airport suburb hotels will have shuttles.

 

Also who is the "private" tour operator? Most will need a downtown hotel for pickup.

 

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[seadancer]

Thank you for all your input. We arrive at 6pm the day before the cruise and leave at 1pm the day the cruise arrives.

 

Our plans are dinner around 7:30, breakfast the next morning, taxi from airport to hotel, taxi from hotel to dock and taxi from dock to airport. Someone mentioned taxi drivers can accept credit cards. What is the norm for a tip for the taxi driver?

[xlxo]

OK.... Just realizing there are two discussions in this thread.

 

@BUU : When are you arriving? Trying to understand how you fitting that Grouse tour into your plans in making a hotel suggestion.

[bUU]

to clarify... when is your flight arriving the day before the cruise? Airport suburb hotels will have shuttles. Also who is the "private" tour operator? Most will need a downtown hotel for pickup.

Of course, it's all speculative right now...we're way more than 330 day prior to the cruise. However, based on this year's flight schedules, I estimate that we will arrive in Vancouver 4:10 PM local time the day before the cruise.

 

I am not sure we're allowed to mention private tour operators... are we? Regardless, we haven't booked with them yet. I'll post a question to them right now on their Facebook page about whether they have restrictions on hotels they'll pick us up from.

 

OK.... Just realizing there are two discussions in this thread.

My fault... I'm sorry for that. I didn't think my question would balloon.

[seadancer]

Of course, it's all speculative right now...we're way more than 330 day prior to the cruise. However, based on this year's flight schedules, I estimate that we will arrive in Vancouver 4:10 PM local time the day before the cruise.

 

I am not sure we're allowed to mention private tour operators... are we? Regardless, we haven't booked with them yet. I'll post a question to them right now on their Facebook page about whether they have restrictions on hotels they'll pick us up from.

 

My fault... I'm sorry for that. I didn't think my question would balloon.

 

 

 

We have 76 days to go! [emoji322][emoji16] We can't wait! Any other suggestions would be welcome! We're thinking about eating breakfast at the boulevard kitchen and oyster bar. Then, grab a taxi to go to the dock to board the Celebrity Infinity!

 

Thank you all for all your feedback!

[martincath]

OP - if you're in the Sutton (or a nearby pricier hotel like the Fairmont) Boulevard might be convenient/cheaper than a hotel buffet. Not somewhere I'd be going to as a breakfast destination though. Medina, Twisted Fork, and Catch 122 are the great brekkie spots I recommend as worth going out of your way for; if it's just one convenient to the pier then De Dutch pancake house or Scoozies are the relatively good bang for your buck options.

 

Tip your cabbie, maid, airport porters as you would in the US; you don't have to tip at the pier (the Longshoremen are very well-paid and signage is in place attesting to the No Tip policy). Given your short stay, I wouldn't bother with getting CAD.

 

Buu - by default if you hand over a Credit Card for payment, the waitron will bring a wireless POS terminal to your table. Again by default, that machine will assume you have a PIN on any card with a Chip - an experienced waitron who spots an old-school US card without a chip may swipe the card instead. If you're buying stuff at a checkout, the only difference is the POS terminal is on a wire and sitting next to the till, so you put the card in yourself - either way, a Chip card assumes you have a PIN and will default to asking for it.

 

If you don't have a PIN ask if you can sign instead - most staff will know how to override the terminal, we have plenty of US tourists and many of you still have cards without a Chip at all. If your card is set up for it - almost all Canadian cards now are, but you guys have godawfully out-of-date banking - 'tap & go' payment is also commonly available at almost every POS terminal up here now. Since that is always verification-free up to a limit, then needs a signature for verification above that limit ($ amount varies by store), simply tapping the card is always your best option.

 

Your only real issue is automated payments - like the Ticket Vending Machines for transit or parking. With my Canadian cards, I'm never asked to verify the PIN for small amounts - but with a US card you may not get that 'grace' amount, so you're definitely best to have a PIN card.

 

Discover is accepted rarely - fancy hotels, the occasional fancy resto, and big chain stores like Nordstrom are the only places likely to have a Discover sticker in the window. Bring Mastercard or Visa if you can..

 

Waffle Houses (the chain) we do lack - but we do have some of the best waffles anywhere (including Belgium), with a handful of local spots having imported equipment that enables authentic reproduction of even Liege-style awesomeness. Medina still does the best waffles in town IMO - their sauces are just outstanding.

[travelbug11]

I tip the porter at the airport to get my bags off the trolley and take them out to AEROCAR. I tip the bellman at the hotel who takes my bags when I get out of the car. Again when they bring them to my room. And finally, when the bellman picks them up from my room to take down to the ship (Pan Pacific Hotel)

 

The rest of the time, I use my credit card.

[bUU]

Thanks!

 

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[jimicaj]

I suppose a core question I have is whether we need more than petty cash. We're planning on arriving the day before the cruise. I would expect to choose a hotel with 24 hour shuttles from the airport, or perhaps one right there at the airport. (Suggestions?) We don't need to be downtown because we will probably do a private pre-approved cruise excursion (Grouse mountain?). That Excursion will get us to the ship. On the other side, we'll take a private post-cruise excursion tour of the city, which ends at the airport.

 

Throughout that it seems to me that the only places I will need cash, the only places that wouldn't take my credit card, are the Porters and or other Service staff for whom I would just provide a cash tip, in US dollars, thought having to worry about an exchange rate. So as long as we have credit cards with chips we should be good. Right?

 

Someone said I need a PIN with the credit card. I need to check into that and see if I can figure out how to set that up. Does anyone know what that's called other than PIN? I don't want the person I asked about it two things that I'm talking about making a debit transaction. I guess I could just say PIN for credit transaction.

 

However that was with regard to purchasing a Transit card. Will the PIN be needed for anything I'm likely to need it for based on my story above? Hotel, restaurants? Presumably the excursions would be prepaid and all I have to worry about there would be tips which again would be cash, US dollars, with no issue regarding exchange rate.

 

I suppose since there's no Dunkin Donuts there's no Waffle Houses either. :) (Perhaps this is a joke with only limited applicability. Down here in the South we do have some Dunkin Donuts but not many. What we have are Waffle Houses. There are so many down here that the National Weather Service actually tracks when these 24-hour shops close as part of their tracking how severe a storm is.)

 

Does anyone accept Discover Card up north?

 

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We did not have good luck with discover when we were in Vancouver. Honestly we haven't had luck with our discover anywhere outside of the states

 

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[xlxo]

However, based on this year's flight schedules, I estimate that we will arrive in Vancouver 4:10 PM local time the day before the cruise.

 

I am not sure we're allowed to mention private tour operators... are we? Regardless, we haven't booked with them yet. I'll post a question to them right now on their Facebook page about whether they have restrictions on hotels they'll pick us up from.

If you were thinking of going up Grouse after 6pm.... I think the summer shows will have ended for the day. I recommend substituting Capilano for Grouse to explore the city for the evening. The only reason I would recommend someone up to Grouse after 6pm is to ride the free gondola for dinner.

 

Check the Grouse website in late May to get an idea on when the shows will be operating.

[bUU]

The excursion would be the next day... Pick up at our hotel, ending at the port.

 

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[xlxo]

@BUU: OK.... I tracked down LandSea (Vancouver Tours) which operates a 9am pre-Cruise tour to Capilano and Grouse. Is this what you are planning?

https://vancouvertours.com/tour/pre-cruise-northshore-tour/

 

If so, there have something like 8 screens of hotels options to choose for pickup. At this time, I'm going to say you can choose ANY downtown hotel based on your budget. Blue Horizon is a popular value choice recommendation on this forum. Arriving late afternoon.... you have time to explore Gastown and Fly Over Canada before going to bed.

 

I notice they indicate an 8am pickup at Richmond Hotels. They even have my fav Raddison Vancouver Airport!

Edited March 20, 2017 by xlxo

[seadancer]

OP - if you're in the Sutton (or a nearby pricier hotel like the Fairmont) Boulevard might be convenient/cheaper than a hotel buffet. Not somewhere I'd be going to as a breakfast destination though. Medina, Twisted Fork, and Catch 122 are the great brekkie spots I recommend as worth going out of your way for; if it's just one convenient to the pier then De Dutch pancake house or Scoozies are the relatively good bang for your buck options.

 

Tip your cabbie, maid, airport porters as you would in the US; you don't have to tip at the pier (the Longshoremen are very well-paid and signage is in place attesting to the No Tip policy). Given your short stay, I wouldn't bother with getting CAD.]

 

Thank you for the above suggestions for breakfast. I'll have to look at google maps to see if any of them are walking distance from our hotel. We didn't want to have to take a taxi to breakfast and then to the dock.

 

You've all helped a lot. We really appreciate it! Any further suggestions would always be welcome. [emoji16]

[midwestchick]

@BUU: OK.... I tracked down LandSea (Vancouver Tours) which operates a 9am pre-Cruise tour to Capilano and Grouse. Is this what you are planning?

https://vancouvertours.com/tour/pre-cruise-northshore-tour/

 

If so, there have something like 8 screens of hotels options to choose for pickup. At this time, I'm going to say you can choose ANY downtown hotel based on your budget. Blue Horizon is a popular value choice recommendation on this forum. Arriving late afternoon.... you have time to explore Gastown and Fly Over Canada before going to bed.

 

I notice they indicate an 8am pickup at Richmond Hotels. They even have my fav Raddison Vancouver Airport!

 

 

We did the City Highlights tour with Vancouver tours and I highly recommend this group. We also stayed at the Blue Horizon in one of the corner rooms...if I remember correctly, we were on the 24th floor and the views were wonderful. The room had been recently renovated. The staff was excellent and they have a restaurant and bar on site with daily happy hour specials. We were quite satisfied with breakfast. I wouldn't hesitate to stay at Blue Horizon again. There were plenty of shops and restaurants close to the hotel.

[bUU]

Blue Horizon is a popular value choice recommendation on this forum. ... They even have my fav Raddison Vancouver Airport!

Thanks! I'll keep those in mind. I might even be able to get my brother to do some groundwork with me at Radisson, since he work at their corporate parent.

 

 

 

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