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Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite

vickie_bernie

By vickie_bernie,
in West Coast Departures

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Urban trekker

Urban trekker

Posted
Posted

PD - the only problem with the free shuttle is that it is offered by the Vancouver trolley people and none of their buses are accessible so that might pose a problem for some members of the group if they want to go to the Bridge.

 

Hear from you when you get back from your cruise

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

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Caribensun

Caribensun

Posted
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Hello Vickie Bernie,

 

Can you tell me where the skytrain is at Canada Place and the Pan Pacific hotel or are they one in the same? Also, can you exchange US dollars for Canadian currency at the airport?

If you had a flight arriving at 11pm would you recommend a cab, car or skytrain?

 

Do you know of town cars that go to Canada Place from the airport, recommendations?

Thanks, Seadeck2

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Sally Forth

Sally Forth

Posted
Posted
Hello Vickie Bernie,

 

Can you tell me where the skytrain is at Canada Place and the Pan Pacific hotel or are they one in the same? Also, can you exchange US dollars for Canadian currency at the airport?

If you had a flight arriving at 11pm would you recommend a cab, car or skytrain?

 

Do you know of town cars that go to Canada Place from the airport, recommendations?

Thanks, Seadeck2

 

The train station is the Canada Line from the airport and you get off at the Waterfront Station. Both the Pan Pacific and Canada Place are just west of the station. I'd take the train, even late at night. The area where you get off is safe and a short walk to the Pan Pacific.

 

You can exchange US dollars for Canadian at the airport, but I'm not sure if all the currency booths will be open that late. You could just exchange them at your hotel or at a bank (which would probably be cheaper) the next day OR go to a bank ATM and take out Canadian dollars.

 

Sorry, I don't know of town cars anymore.

 

Viv

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wbmom401

wbmom401

Posted
Posted
The Caplilano Suspension Bridge also offers a free shuttle to and from Canada Place if it is only the bridge that you want to take in. link

 

Thank you Putterdude, your information is great. I was checking out this link and if I read their website correctly, we would have to catch a ride from Canada Place to Capilano Bridge by 1pm....and then we would have to catch a return shuttle by 3:15, is that correct? Will that allow us enough time to enjoy and complete this? We arrive at the airport about 11:15 and are currently scheduled to stay at the Best Western Downtown. We leave on our cruise the next day and we were hoping we would be able to fit this in. Any other suggestions for our short visit in Vancouver???

 

Thanks! wbmom

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scottbee

scottbee

Posted
Posted
Hello Vickie Bernie,

 

Can you tell me where the skytrain is at Canada Place and the Pan Pacific hotel or are they one in the same? Also, can you exchange US dollars for Canadian currency at the airport?

If you had a flight arriving at 11pm would you recommend a cab, car or skytrain?

 

Do you know of town cars that go to Canada Place from the airport, recommendations?

Thanks, Seadeck2

 

The Canada Line of Skytrain runs from the airport to Waterfront station (just east of Canada Place/Pan Pacific). However, if you're coming the airport to downtown, dont follow the signs to "Waterfront", instead, just behind you (not down the long corridor) take the "Granville Street" exit; which puts you out on the street about the same distance (maybe closer), but it's downhill to the cruise terminal (you'll be able to see your ship from here); whereas from Waterfront station, it's slightly uphill. While it seems closer, you'll actually walk about 2 blocks underground to take the Waterfront exit

http://picasaweb.google.com/vancouvercruise/CanadaLineYVRToCanadaPlaceWaterfrontStation#5371855348978723922

 

Also, while you'll see a set of escalators 1/2 block in front of Canada Place labeled "Skytrain"; they take to the platform of the Expo and Millenium line, not what you're looking for for the airport

 

transit map: (zoom in, you'll understand what I'm talking about more): http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=212770407613531027445.000467645fcda21dd87b2&ll=49.286115,-123.111076&spn=0.005354,0.016512&z=17

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Putterdude

Putterdude

Posted
Posted
Thank you Putterdude, your information is great. I was checking out this link and if I read their website correctly, we would have to catch a ride from Canada Place to Capilano Bridge by 1pm....and then we would have to catch a return shuttle by 3:15, is that correct? Will that allow us enough time to enjoy and complete this? We arrive at the airport about 11:15 and are currently scheduled to stay at the Best Western Downtown. We leave on our cruise the next day and we were hoping we would be able to fit this in. Any other suggestions for our short visit in Vancouver???

 

Thanks! wbmom

 

Sorry, I am on a cruise right now and haven't check the sked but I would suggest about 2hrs +/_ will do it for you.

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Putterdude

Putterdude

Posted
Posted
anyone have any idea about Renaisssance Vancouver Harbourside Hotel? i just wond bid $125 from priceline.com bid for 4* downtown vancouver we hope wo would get Pan Pacific but this is waht we got:p

 

We have stayed there in the past 18 mos, it is a very good hotel. It was completely remodeled for the Olympics and is in a great location. I knew the person who developed the building some 40 years ago and the man who owns it now. The first managers were Holiday Inn but the Renaissance people have had it for years and it has always been kept current. Just a few blocks from Canada Place you can walk to almost everything in the downtown area. I happen to be making this post from the Renaissance in Fort Lauderdale.

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lurvecruise

lurvecruise

Posted
Posted (edited)

PD thank you so much for info about hotel :). we will arrive YVR @ 11:45 am from Toronto;) . here are some questions for you:

1. how do we get to hotel from YVR other than taxi.. and how much?

2. stay @ hotel just one night pre cruise for our 1st time for Hawaii:D. what do u suggest what to do, to see ??

3. how much it will cost for taxi from hotel to CP?

4. we think about to saty @ Honolulu one night post cruise. where do you suggest to stay? and how to bid hotel in Honolulu since we follow your advise to bid from priceline 4* and its our first time for that site and we got a good deal cuz rack rate is 279 per night. and yesss we called hotel directly asked for early check in and habour view she said NO PROBLEM!!! WOW

Edited by lurvecruise
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dasey

dasey

Posted
Posted

First of all, thank you to those of you that are taking the time to answer all our questions on Vancouver!!!

 

DH and I are on the May 14 NCL Star and are planning to rent a car from Seattle, visit friends in Oak Harbor, overnight in Bellingham and then drive to the pier the morning of our cruise.

 

I have been told that the drive from Bellingham is about an hour or so but I am nervous about the border crossing. Is there a long delay in this crossing? Will I be cutting it to close by driving up that morning?

 

We are leaving from the Ballentyne Pier at 4pm. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated..

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scottbee

scottbee

Posted
Posted
PD thank you so much for info about hotel :). we will arrive YVR @ 11:45 am from Toronto;) . here are some questions for you:

1. how do we get to hotel from YVR other than taxi.. and how much?

Subway. From the airport on a single ticket it's $8.75/ea (3.75 + $5 airport surcharge), but if you're in town for a bit, the book of 10 two-zone tickets is only $31.50 (available from the Pharmasave or 7-11 in the airport). It drops you at Waterfront Station. If you exit at Waterfront, but use the elevator right on the platform it puts you on the street at W.Hastings & Granville, about 5 blocks from your hotel.(don't follow the long corridor into Waterfront station itself).

 

3. how much it will cost for taxi from hotel to CP?
$40+tip
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scottbee

scottbee

Posted
Posted
First of all, thank you to those of you that are taking the time to answer all our questions on Vancouver!!!

 

DH and I are on the May 14 NCL Star and are planning to rent a car from Seattle, visit friends in Oak Harbor, overnight in Bellingham and then drive to the pier the morning of our cruise.

 

I have been told that the drive from Bellingham is about an hour or so but I am nervous about the border crossing. Is there a long delay in this crossing? Will I be cutting it to close by driving up that morning?

 

We are leaving from the Ballentyne Pier at 4pm. Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated..

 

It will be a little more than an hour drive (maybe 1.5 hours). The crossing northbound is rarely more than 20-30 minutes (or about ½ of what it takes to enter the USA). The easy drive would be;

I5 north, take the US 543 exit to the Pacific Hwy/Truck crossing.

Hwy 15 north to Hwy 1, Hwy 1 east to the "McGill exit" and follow McGill to Ballantyne.

 

The caveat here is that there are no rental car places at Ballantyne (it's the overflow cruise terminal), and it's near NOTHING except commericial docklands. I suspect your rental car agency will want the car dropped downtown, and you'll need to grab a taxi (10-12$) from downtown back to Ballantyne.

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Poohx2

Poohx2

Posted
Posted

Hi,

 

I need some advice. We are going to be in Vancouver in August before we leave for our Alaska cruise. We are a group of 18 that include 3 children under 10 yrs. old and 6 seniors over 76 yrs. old. Several of the seniors have problems walking distances with one who needs a wheelchair (she can get in and out of it). We know that Alaska will be a busy cruise so we don't want to tire out the seniors getting to the transportation in Vancouver. We would like to to go to Capilano Bridge, Stanley Park and take the trolley around Vancouver. We currently have Pan Pacific booked. I have found out that we could get the Coal Coast Harbour for about $80 less a night. How are both of these hotels in relation to bus or train stations? I am looking for the one that is closest/easiest to transportation. We are staying for 2 nights so that makes a $160 price difference but if we have to hop into a cab just to get to the public transportation it may not be such a big difference. I hope I am explaining myself clearly.

 

Also how are the restaurants around each hotel? They have to be family friendly but I am not talking about an Applebees or Fridays.

 

If you read all this , thanks so much. I really appreciate any advice.

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SuzMate

SuzMate

Posted
Posted

We will be stopping in Vancouver in June during our Alaskan cruise. We are docked until midnight so we thought we would dine in the city that evening. I think I've narrowed it done to two restaurants: Seasons in the Park and The Salmon House Restaurant. Do you locals have a favorite between the two, or is there another restaurant we should consider.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Suzanne

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