Vancouver post cruise question

[cokecolect]

We arrive at Ballentyne pier on the Radiance and have the rest of the day in Vancouver. We leave early the next morning for the airport. Will want to either go to Victoria for the day or just explore Vancouver. Are we better off staying downtown and getting to the airport in the AM or staying near the airport and taking cab or other transport downtown for touring during the day. Is Ballantyne Pier near downtown? Any hotel recommendations?

Thanks for any help.

 

Bruce

[gg3]

If you will post on the Canada port board, you will probably get a lot of info from the great folks in Vancouver. We have the same post schedule as you. There is nothing in the airport area except a casino, I believe and little means of transportation. We stayed at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport and it was fabulous, but we flew in one evening prior to cruise, HAL picked us up at the hotel for a great tour of the city, then escorted us through check in, etc, handling our baggage etc. That was great. The last trip to Alaska, we stayed at the Westin Bayshore (I think its called), right on the water and watched our ship come in.....beautiful. We had one day precruise and really enjoyed Stanley Park, Granville Island, etc. This time, in July, we have two days post cruise and are staying at Fairmont Vancouver Hotel, because it is right downtown, close to everything most folks want to stay and do. I would stay there or the Pan Pacific, or the Westin Bayshore, or the Waterfront Fairmont. After cruise, we will stay downtown and arrange for a very early morning cab to take us to the airport. We have bought tickets on line for the hop on, hop off Vancouver Big Red Bus that picks you up at various locations and takes you on tours of all the cool places with narration: Chinatown, Gastown, Stanley Park and the Aquarium, Granville Island, Robson St. shopping district, Art Gallery, etc. You can find it on line. This ticket can be used for two days and costs about 35 dollars. Its the one with the pics of the double decker big red busses. I may have given you way more info than you asked for.......but heh, help me I am talking about the Great Northwest and I can't shut up. :D gg

[dirtgirl]

Stay downtown and get out to the airport in the morning. The airport is a ways away from downtown. The Westin Bayshore, Hyatt, Pan Pacific, Sylvia (older style), are a few of the hotels in the decent area of town. I know there are a lot more; if you do a search on this site, the West Coast Departures, and Canada board, there will be more there.

 

Ballantyne pier is not right downtown; unfortunately it is not in a nice area of town. It is too bad RCI got this pier! Do not stay in a hotel east of Howe St. - that is what I always recommend.

 

If you go to Victoria, it will take up your whole day, and you will come back late at night. It is a great city to visit, but you may be too tired from the cruise to travel even more. I would do it if you had an extra day, unless you have already seen Vancouver. You would really have only a few hours there, with the 2 ferry rides that you would need to do. If you do decide to do that with your own car, you should make reservations ahead of time. Reservations aren't mandatory, and they do cost extra, but many people spend hours waiting if it is busy. They do have bus tours as well, and they bypass the lineups at the ferry terminal.

[jessinphilly]

GG3, are these tickets for the trolley that goes around the city and lets you get off and on at many sightseeing spots? If so, could you please give the information for the site? Do you need to decide now which days to use them, or do they activate when you start use?

[dam1050]

GG3, are these tickets for the trolley that goes around the city and lets you get off and on at many sightseeing spots? If so, could you please give the information for the site? Do you need to decide now which days to use them, or do they activate when you start use?

 

Jess - The website for that particular tour is http://www.bigbus.ca/

[gg3]

GG3, are these tickets for the trolley that goes around the city and lets you get off and on at many sightseeing spots? If so, could you please give the information for the site? Do you need to decide now which days to use them, or do they activate when you start use?

 

The website is as previous poster stated http://bigbus.ca

This is an excellent site and by going through all the information offered, I found it to be the best sightseeing tour for us. They operate in Vancouver and Victoria. I purchased our tickets on line at this sight, printed them right out, and also got a free coupon for either fudge or gelato. The tickets are valid until 3/1/2008 and are two day boarding passes. A suggestion on this site was that you maybe ride the bus around the entire route, listening to the narration and getting an idea of where you want to stop. That takes 90 minutes. Or you can just get on at one of their 20 stops and get off and back on whenever you like. They list all the stops, the time schedule, reviews of others, etc. And to answer your question: they activate the first time you step on the bus. We are excited about this......since we have done the walking and the taxi bit in Vancouver.....this seems by far the best mode for us. gg