Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite

[Putterdude]

I confess that I am not that familiar with the Carmana..I suspect it is a time share or at least a partial time share. However I know the location and in the 1100 block of Alberini St., it is just a block off Robson St. which I am sure you will enjoy. Good quiet safe location.

The Time Square Hotel is also in Vancouvers West End and as you know is close to Stanley park. Very much a favourite amongst cruisers, it also is in a quiet safe location. You can walk along Denman St., Robson St. and too English Bay.

For what you are looking for I am sure that you have hit a home run in each case.:)

[barrywpg]

Going 1 week Alaska cruise leaving Van Jun 3 & thinking of

Cruisepark to leave the car for a week. Their site recommends reservation

but I want to avoid possibility of cancellation fees (one of the reason I booked a HAL cruise was their cancel for any reason up to 24 hr insurance

policy - who else would let you do that if your birds babysitter backed out

at the last minute) so wondering if I really need to reserve in advance.

Will be in Vancouver 2 days before so would that be enough time to

reserve?

[scottbee]

Going 1 week Alaska cruise leaving Van Jun 3 & thinking of

Cruisepark to leave the car for a week. Their site recommends reservation

but I want to avoid possibility of cancellation fees (one of the reason I booked a HAL cruise was their cancel for any reason up to 24 hr insurance

policy - who else would let you do that if your birds babysitter backed out

at the last minute) so wondering if I really need to reserve in advance.

Will be in Vancouver 2 days before so would that be enough time to

reserve?

 

Someone else had listed this, but if you're in town the day before, the Coast Plaza offer a stay and park package with a free shuttle to Canada Place. Probably cheaper to stay one night there w/ free parking than to park at Canada place or Cruise park for a week (typically $20/day)

[Putterdude]

As I read their website your cancellation cost will be $25 if you advise them of a cancellation after 7 days of your reservation...if you don't advise them you will be charged the full amount. Having observed their operation for many years, I have never seen them full and I wouldn't worry about a reservation until a day or 2 before you leave. It would appear that their daily rate is $20 plus tax.

You may care to consider the Coast Plaza option or perhaps Accents Inns in both Richmond and Burnaby who offer stay and park packages.

www.accentinns.com/

[barrywpg]

Thanks for the info. The Coast hotels package is a bit pricey plus , at least on line, they show no availability for June1/2 for that package

. I was thinking of a last minute priceline bid for a 4 star & hope I get

lucky. Good to know that cruisepark would probably be available if I need it.

[NoWhiners]

just wanted to say that 2 years ago when we took our first AK cruise, we brought 2 boxes (5L ea) of wine with us in our checked bags. We declared 3 L each on customs form :D and when we went thru customs, no one cared . My sweetie even tried to tell them (he is SOOO honest...), so we could pay duty, but they just waved us through. Don't know if this is normal but that's our story!!

 

We are planning on ding the same this time...

 

Putterdude--Choice of Steamworks ( good beer) vs samba (good food). What would you do??

 

Mary Lynn

[Putterdude]

Lots of folks like Samba's but my personal choice in most instances would be Steamworks for fun, beer and food.:D

As for the wine...there is the maximum per person is 1.5 lts per person so you were well over your limit. That said you likely ran into a reasonable customs officer who recognized that you and the wine were heading directly for Alaska and turned a blind eye, but it is hard to counsel someone to bring in 5 lts when you know the maximum is 1.5 because you just never know what the next c.o. is going to do.;)

[Choozin Croozin]

Wow, this is some thread to wade through. So very helpful. I have gained some very useful information. Made decisions, changed my mind, made some more, changed my mind etc. LOL So after discussion with the other 5 members in our party, we have come up with these options and would like some follow up information....please.:D

 

We are arriving the day before our cruise (11a), taking a limo from the airport and hope to be at the Renaissance Marriott by about 1 pm if all goes well. We are cruising on the Radiance (Ballentine pier) taking 2 taxis to the pier. A couple of people in our group are on a pretty tight budget so we are trying to accommodate them. We (22-60) are all physically fit and are not opposed to walking as long as it isn't say over 1.5 miles. With all that said, here is what we think we would like to do the day we get in and the morning before boarding, (planning on boarding about 12-1p)

 

Stanley Park (either take the free shuttle or rent bicycles)

Granville Island

Gastown

Walk around Canada Place pier ???? Is there a seawall or something to walk along?

or anything else inexpensive we can fit in (open to suggestions)

 

My questions:

1)Can we walk to all these places? If not, best way to get there?

2)When would be the best time to go to these places?

3)Where to eat lunch and dinner on Thursday? Under $20/per-local type cuisine preferred. (we were set to go to Steamworks but read bad reviews about food reheated etc. probably will go for beer though)

4) If we went to a White Spot, which one? Also read bad reviews about one near Stanely Park?

5) Any other suggestions are most welcome. (shopping is ok if for unique things, no $$ this trip for fashion :) )

 

Thanks for your help.

[NoWhiners]

Lots of folks like Samba's but my personal choice in most instances would be Steamworks for fun, beer and food.:D

 

As for the wine...there is the maximum per person is 1.5 lts per person so you were well over your limit. That said you likely ran into a reasonable customs officer who recognized that you and the wine were heading directly for Alaska and turned a blind eye, but it is hard to counsel someone to bring in 5 lts when you know the maximum is 1.5 because you just never know what the next c.o. is going to do.;)

 

 

thanks PD--I was leaning toward steamworks too! not sure what we will do about the wine. I thought you just paid duty on what you bring in (and we were going to plead confusion over metric vs us units)!! OK with me if they take the wine. we can always get wine cards. Is that the penalty--they confiscate it? I guess I have a hard time believing Canadian customs would punish tourists this way, especially considering global economy right now.

 

ML

[Tweedy]

My questions:

1)Can we walk to all these places? If not' date=' best way to get there?

2)When would be the best time to go to these places?

3)Where to eat lunch and dinner on Thursday? Under $20/per-local type cuisine preferred. (we were set to go to Steamworks but read bad reviews about food reheated etc. probably will go for beer though)

4) If we went to a White Spot, which one? Also read bad reviews about one near Stanely Park?

5) Any other suggestions are most welcome. (shopping is ok if for unique things, no $$ this trip for fashion :) )

 

Thanks for your help.[/quote']

 

You can get on one of the tours from Canada Place... either Vancouver Trolley or something similar that will allow you to hop on and off at your leisure. They do go to the places you've mentioned.

 

Canada Place, Stanley Park and Gastown are within walking distance of the Renaissance. There is a beautiful seawall to walk along. Tourism BC is located at 200 Burrard Street and is only a couple of blocks up from your Hotel by Canada Place. You could also catch the seabus from the Waterfront station and sail on over to the North Shore and visit Lonsdale Quay to get a different perspective of Vancouver. (www.translink.bc.ca)

 

For Food, there are a couple of new restaurants that have opened in the last year: Cactus Club (Burrard and Dunsmuir), Joey's Grill (Burrard and Pender) and Elephant & Castle (Burrard and Hastings). The Elephant & Castle is located on the main floor of the historic Marine Building and the food is quite good and can be busy on a Friday evening. The E&C would be my choice. The Water St Cafe in Gastown is good food as well.

[robinsegg]

3)Where to eat lunch and dinner on Thursday? Under $20/per-local type cuisine preferred. (we were set to go to Steamworks but read bad reviews about food reheated etc. probably will go for beer though)

4) If we went to a White Spot, which one? Also read bad reviews about one near Stanely Park?

 

I know Steamworks gets lots of good reviews on this page, but I find the food mediocre at best. Stick with the suggestions of Cactus Club, etc. Milestones, a BC-based chain, also serves great food along the same lines as Cactus Club. They have restaurants on Robson as well as right on English Bay.

 

Most of the chains have websites and you can check out the menus and prices on line.

[HillbillyInBC]

Another option very close to the Renaissance is Mill Marine Bistro, right on the seawall at the north end of Bute. Your usual pub grub with a great patio facing Stanley Park and the North Shore.

[Choozin Croozin]

 

You could also catch the seabus from the Waterfront station and sail on over to the North Shore and visit Lonsdale Quay to get a different perspective of Vancouver. (www.translink.bc.ca

Would you recommend this over going to Granville Island? Is it similar? I am assuming the nice part of going here would be to see the Vancouver skyline?

 

Thank you so much for all you suggestions. I googled all that had websites and that is exactly what I was looking for. You have been very helpful. Thank you also to Robinsegg and Hillbilly. I sure appreciate your help!!! :D I am so excited to see Vancouver. I only wish we had more time. Next time IT will be my destination!

[Tweedy]

Granville Island is a larger scale of the Lonsdale Quay. Same idea though.

[AkSusan]

Been researching to book a cancellable hotel room for three nights pre cruise as I'm planning to try Priceline, but always have a backup just in case. Boy, Vancouver's hotel prices are like our hotel prices here in Anchorage during the summer :eek:

 

I've found a pretty good AARP rate for the Best Western that's on 1100 Granville. So my question is that if I don't win one of the 4 star hotels on Priceline, will this be an okay property to stay at?

 

Thanks,

 

Susan

[Urban trekker]

PD will tell you no that is not the best property to stay at as it is closer to the noisy entertainment district - there is another Best Western in the 1300 block Granville - might actually have an 700 Drake address that is a much better property..

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[AkSusan]

PD will tell you no that is not the best property to stay at as it is closer to the noisy entertainment district - there is another Best Western in the 1300 block Granville - might actually have an 700 Drake address that is a much better property..

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

I had heard about the entertainment district just wasn't sure where this property was in regards to that. So looks like it rules that one out.

 

Looked up the one on Drake and unfortunately it says not available for the dates we are there.

 

Thanks much. I'll keep searching.

 

Susan :)

[Iam9a]

I had heard about the entertainment district just wasn't sure where this property was in regards to that. So looks like it rules that one out.

 

Looked up the one on Drake and unfortunately it says not available for the dates we are there.

 

Thanks much. I'll keep searching.

 

Susan :)

 

We are going to stay at the Blue Horizon for one night pre cruise in May, good reviews, booked for $143.00 U.S. through www.tourismvancouver.com and there were rooms for less, if you don't want to be above the 14th floor, at the time we did our booking. Maybe an option for you.

[ladyfox]

Hello All

My spouse and I will be disembarking in Vancouver Canada on the 8th of July.

Since this is our dream vacation :D we want to stay two nights in Vancouver and explore the city. We are looking for a nice but reasonably priced hotel/motel that has a shuttle services to the airport. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[AkSusan]

We are going to stay at the Blue Horizon for one night pre cruise in May, good reviews, booked for $143.00 U.S. through www.tourismvancouver.com and there were rooms for less, if you don't want to be above the 14th floor, at the time we did our booking. Maybe an option for you.

I had actually been looking at that site the other day. Trying not to spend that much a night.

So here's another -

Ramada Limited Downtown Vancouver - 435 West Pender Street. How's the location, near restaurants, etc.

Susan :)

[Putterdude]

Hello All

My spouse and I will be disembarking in Vancouver Canada on the 8th of July.

Since this is our dream vacation :D we want to stay two nights in Vancouver and explore the city. We are looking for a nice but reasonably priced hotel/motel that has a shuttle services to the airport. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

The only hotels/motels that offer a shuttle to YVR tend to be in Richmond out by the airport. The hotels out there will be more reasonably priced but you will have a 30 min commute back into the city at a cost of about $35 each way by cab or perhaps taking transit. I will provide a transit link at the bottom of this post. I would recommend that you bid for a room on Priceline.com, in the Downtown-West area,there have been lots of posts recently where people have been getting rooms in 4* hotels at prices in the range of $100 to $135. When going out to YVR your options will be a cab or the Airporter. I hope you have a wonderful cruise and teriffic visit in our city.:)

http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/hiwire?.a=iTripPlanning&.s={$SID}

http://www.yvrairporter.com/

[Putterdude]

I had actually been looking at that site the other day. Trying not to spend that much a night.

 

So here's another -

 

Ramada Limited Downtown Vancouver - 435 West Pender Street. How's the location, near restaurants, etc.

 

Susan :)

 

It is a remodel of a much older hotel on the eastern boundry of the downtown business district. It will work just fine for a night or two. There are a number of restaurants around it particularly as you move west. It is about 6 blocks to Canada Place and Pacific Centre and about 8 blocks to the shops of Robson St. It is an easy walk to Gastown. It will be a bit of walk to Stanley Park but there is excellent transit on Pender St.

http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/hiwire?.a=iTripPlanning&.s={$SID}

[eshop]

I don't see any reviews of Alfred's Guest Services. I'm traveling with 5 others so his private tour from hotel to ship on the day of embarkation seems great. I get nervous when I don't see any reviews of the company on any posts. Do you know anybody that has used them and with what results?

[AkSusan]

It is a remodel of a much older hotel on the eastern boundry of the downtown business district. It will work just fine for a night or two. There are a number of restaurants around it particularly as you move west. It is about 6 blocks to Canada Place and Pacific Centre and about 8 blocks to the shops of Robson St. It is an easy walk to Gastown. It will be a bit of walk to Stanley Park but there is excellent transit on Pender St.

 

http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/hiwire?.a=iTripPlanning&.s={$SID}

Thanks much for the information!

 

Susan :)

[partsman_ba]

What can you tell me about the St. Regis Hotel? There's a really good deal for our date (5/10) through a Kayak link.