best transportation from ship to Victoria Hotel

[redbeulah]

I will be arriving in Vancouver via Coral Princess on 6/5/06. I will be staying overnight in Victoria. What would be the best method of transportation from the ship to Victoria with ALL of our luggage? There are four of us traveling together. Also wonder if I could get input on The Grand Pacific verses The Fairmont Empress. Thanks in advance for your help!!

[cruiseryyc]

Best way would be to take the Pacific Coach Lines bus, departing from downtown Vancouver and will drop you at the bus depot in Victoria which is right behind the Empress Hotel. Check out their website (http://www.pacificcoach.com)

[redbeulah]

....thanks for the info on pacific coach. I called and it would be 80.50 per person round trip--that's a little steep! What about car rental at the pier? We will be staying at Victoria our first night and then will be staying in Vancouver for a couple of days. Thanks!

[cruiseryyc]

Well if you rent a car you need to factor in not only the cost of rental, insurance, etc. but the ferry ride over and back. Cost for rental car (not a van but a normal five passenger car) is $49.60 each way; adult passengers are $11.30 per person each way. Plus the time spent driving to the ferry terminal (at both ends) and waiting for ferry. Sometimes during the busy months you can wait for a couple of hours - buses have priority loading. Not trying to dissuade from renting - just giving some more information in order to make your decision. Suggest you contact one of the rental car agencies to find out what the cost of the car rental would be. Sorry but I don't know which of them would be closest to the port.

[redbeulah]

The above post was extremely helpful and informative--so nice to have people like you help us find our way!! Thanks again!

[captainron]

Red,

While both hotels are in the downtown core of Victoria, they are two different types of hotels completely, both being 5*.

 

The Grand has a newer decor and is more modern, whereas the Empress is the old Canadian Pacific type hotel similar in style to the Banff Springs and Chateau Lake Louise in the Victorian formal style. While many parts of the hotel (Empress) have been revamped, I believe the rooms are smaller than what you'd get at the Grand Pacific.

 

At either hotel, you should specify that you want a room at least three to four floors up with a view of the Inner Harbour.

 

Ciao for now!!!

[trixiee]

... great thread! Now, what is the best way to get from Victoria to the Vancouver airport?

[captainron]

Hi,

While you could take a taxi to the bus terminal and ferry to Tsawassen then taxi to YVR, it's time consuming, a long convoluted effort and not what you want to end your vacation.

Easiest connection is to actually take a shuttle to Victoria airport and fly into YVR for your connecting flight home. Remember to allow for connection times in YVR as you will be required to retrieve your luggage and pre-clear US Customs and Immigration at YVR prior to boarding your flight to the US.

 

Ciao for now!!!

[c-to-sea]

You could also take the Pacific Coach Lines bus. They offer a service right

to the Vancouver Airport via the ferry. If you decide to use it going to Victoria, it would be about the same price for the return as you have

already mentioned.

[sashas_mom]

I will be arriving in Vancouver via Coral Princess on 6/5/06. I will be staying overnight in Victoria. What would be the best method of transportation from the ship to Victoria with ALL of our luggage? There are four of us traveling together. Also wonder if I could get input on The Grand Pacific verses The Fairmont Empress. Thanks in advance for your help!!

 

I knew there must be someone else going on this cruise with us. Come by our roll call and say hi! It's actually listed as 6/4 because the originator of the roll call accidentally put that date there, but it is the 6/5 sailing on the Coral.

sasha'smom

 

oops! Misunderstood your post. I just realized 6/5 is when you will ARRIVE from the Coral, not getting on the Coral. Too bad,I was hoping we had another cc on our cruise.