Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite

[Putterdude]

I am also thinking the White Spot at Georgia & Seymour, about a 6 block walk from Canada Place.

http://www.whitespot.com/whitespot/locationslmjs.htm

[BIG4YA]

We will be staying at the Best Western - Uptown on Kingsway and was wondering if it is easy to catch the transit to gransville island?

Does the transit take US money?

Also what is the customary tipping there for a taxi ride from the airport?

[vickie_bernie]

We will be staying at the Best Western - Uptown on Kingsway and was wondering if it is easy to catch the transit to gransville island?

Does the transit take US money?

Also what is the customary tipping there for a taxi ride from the airport?

 

Take the #9 bus on Broadway or the #99 both stop at Main. Then get off at Granville. I would just walk North from Broadway and Granville the five blocks to Granville Island.

 

Cost is $2.50 each for adults and ticket is good for 90 minutes. $1.75 for seniors 65 and older or children under 18.

 

Re US money, I highly recommend that you get some Canadian Currency... most places will take US but it will be at a very poor rate. Transit does not take US and buses do not take bills. Now if you throw coin in the farebox on the bus it will read it because the box actually reads the coins based on size. People have thrown in fifty cent pieces and it reads as two dollar coin.

 

For taxi tip, well I usually tip 10% but tipping varies just about as much as each person out there.

 

Vickie

transit driver

[BIG4YA]

Take the #9 bus on Broadway or the #99 both stop at Main. Then get off at Granville. I would just walk North from Broadway and Granville the five blocks to Granville Island.

 

Cost is $2.50 each for adults and ticket is good for 90 minutes. $1.75 for seniors 65 and older or children under 18.

 

Re US money, I highly recommend that you get some Canadian Currency... most places will take US but it will be at a very poor rate. Transit does not take US and buses do not take bills. Now if you throw coin in the farebox on the bus it will read it because the box actually reads the coins based on size. People have thrown in fifty cent pieces and it reads as two dollar coin.

 

For taxi tip, well I usually tip 10% but tipping varies just about as much as each person out there.

 

Vickie

transit driver

 

You said that the fare is for 90 minutes. Do you go some kind of a ticket when you pay that gives the time purchased? Can you buy tickets somewhere to be used on the buses so you don't have to have the exact change?

[claridge]

Dear All

 

A big thank you,to all of you that answered our question on the Hilton

Metrotown, you have made us feel a lot better about it.

 

Thank you again

 

Peter and Karen

[Urban trekker]

Thanks for the kind words - they are appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[vickie_bernie]

You said that the fare is for 90 minutes. Do you go some kind of a ticket when you pay that gives the time purchased? Can you buy tickets somewhere to be used on the buses so you don't have to have the exact change?

 

 

We have electronic fare boxes that produce a ticket that has the time printed on them that shows when they expire and they all have magnetic strips on them, so when you get on the next bus and insert it into the machine the machine says whether ticket has expired or you need to upgrade ticket because you have travelled into one of the suburbs.

 

You can purchase day passes for $9 at many stores but not on the buses. You can purchase a book of ten tickets (called faresaver tickets) but unless you plan on uses all ten it isn't worth it.

 

machine doesn't give change, but you can put in five dollars in coins to cover two people, you don't need to put in exactly 2.50 each. Trust me you will get lots of loonies and twonies and will be glad to get rid of them.

[greenpony]

Just back from Alaska/Vancouver. Thanks to all for your great advice before we left.

 

We managed to take in a BC Lions game, spent some time at Stanley Park and got to see the baby Beluga whale at the Aquarium.Also spent a few hours on Granville Island.

 

I was a little disappointed with the Pan Pacific. It is a nice hotel on the waterfront but, it was not really at the level I expected. Fortunately, we had a good corporate rate so I don't feel I overpaid. The other issue with the hotel, which I have seen mentioned above is that dining is VERY expensive and it can be a long walk to any alternatives.

 

BTW, the food court at the Waterfront Center opens before noon on Sunday. My 10 yo DS insisted on breakfast at McDonald's on Sunday morning and they were open in time for breakfast.

[Urban trekker]

Hope you enjoyed our brand of football - have you seen the Canadian game before?

 

As for the Waterfront Center and its food court - I based my answer from their website - there is a good possibility that they are opening early during the cruise

ship season - did you notice if all the eateries were open?

 

Glad that you had a good cruise and enjoyed some of the sites here in Vancouver.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[vickie_bernie]

Just back from Alaska/Vancouver. Thanks to all for your great advice before we left.

 

We managed to take in a BC Lions game, spent some time at Stanley Park and got to see the baby Beluga whale at the Aquarium.Also spent a few hours on Granville Island.

 

I was a little disappointed with the Pan Pacific. It is a nice hotel on the waterfront but, it was not really at the level I expected. Fortunately, we had a good corporate rate so I don't feel I overpaid. The other issue with the hotel, which I have seen mentioned above is that dining is VERY expensive and it can be a long walk to any alternatives.

 

BTW, the food court at the Waterfront Center opens before noon on Sunday. My 10 yo DS insisted on breakfast at McDonald's on Sunday morning and they were open in time for breakfast.

 

I am so glad that you came back and reported on how things went.... it is very good to hear how things went.

 

I was downtown yesterday and I thought it was funny because i kept looking around for places that someone could eat that are close to the port.... see what this board is doing to me :eek:

 

I did notice quite a few places from sit down to coffee/muffin places.

 

When i was in the Waterfront Centre I saw that many fast food places are open early Sunday.

 

Another great day here, not too hot!

 

Off to celebrate my wedding anniversary, and to see Spam A Lot too.

[gracecarmo]

Thank you for all your information too....

 

Another question: you said 10% tip to taxi driver. How about the Airport Shuttle driver? We usually tip them here, around $5.00....am I undertipping?

 

We are staying at Sutton Place, and are trying to decide if we want to take A Limo or the Airport Shuttle.

[Putterdude]

Thank you for all your information too....

 

Another question: you said 10% tip to taxi driver. How about the Airport Shuttle driver? We usually tip them here, around $5.00....am I undertipping?

 

We are staying at Sutton Place, and are trying to decide if we want to take A Limo or the Airport Shuttle.

 

I think the driver would be extremely peased with a $5 tip. You certainly won't get a limo for the $27.50 you are going to pay on the Airporter...in fact it is likely going to be closer to $45 and a taxi about $35.

[Daycare Provider]

We are trying to find another tour company besides Land and Sea...I am basically trying to compare tours and prices....Since gas went up to 4.75 a gallon this Summer our budget has gotten a little smaller. If we have no other choice then that's fine...I was just trying to make our dollar stretch a little further...

Thank you for the help

Angela from California

[Urban trekker]

Here's another local tour company that has been around for anumber of years:

 

http://www.vancouversightseeing.com/

 

There's also: http://www.vancouvertrolley.com and http://www.bigbus.ca

 

I am sure that PD and others will have some more to offer.

 

You don't say what you want to see - is it just the local stuff or are you wanting Whistler or Victoria.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

I understand your plight, our gas is pretty much $6/gal.

But sorry other than the ones that Ut has mentioned, I have no further suggestions. There certainly are many other tour companies but those are the only ones I am familiar with and would feel comfortable in recommending to an out of town visitor.:)

[Daycare Provider]

:o We are hoping to go over to the North Shore and see the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain.

We were going to take a city tour with Land and Sea then have them drop us off at the cruise terminal. The cost of the tour is 68.00pp. I am hoping to find cheaper ways to do both of these tours. If we can't OH WELL:o we can trim the budget else where...

Thank you for the help.

Angela of California

[isles1]

:o We are hoping to go over to the North Shore and see the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain.

 

We were going to take a city tour with Land and Sea then have them drop us off at the cruise terminal. The cost of the tour is 68.00pp. I am hoping to find cheaper ways to do both of these tours. If we can't OH WELL:o we can trim the budget else where...

 

Thank you for the help.

 

Angela of California

So long as that tour price includes admission to Capilano and Grouse Mountain, I think you would have a hard time doing it cheaper on your own.

 

The Seabus from Waterfront Station with a transfer to a bus at Lonsdale is the cheapest way you would get to Capilano; not sure if public transporation is a viable option to Grouse Mountain when you are operating under time constraints. I's allow at least 4 hours R/T using public trans. to Capilano...that would give you 1.5-2 hours at the park.

 

Also, what time are you required to check-in for your cruise? I assume this is pre-cruise since you want a drop off back at the pier? I cannot imagine a tour involving both places would be anything less than a half-day event, so watch your time frames.

[cinnamon]

Have any Vancouverites seen the new hotel, L'Hermitage?

 

We have booked it for a post cruise night next May. It's description sounds good but I think it has only just opened so there are no reviews yet.

[Putterdude]

:o We are hoping to go over to the North Shore and see the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain.

 

We were going to take a city tour with Land and Sea then have them drop us off at the cruise terminal. The cost of the tour is 68.00pp. I am hoping to find cheaper ways to do both of these tours. If we can't OH WELL:o we can trim the budget else where...

 

Thank you for the help.

 

That pre-cruise tour at $65 while a bit on the expensive side is pretty good deal for all it takes in plus you have your luggage with you. The only other way that I can think of doing it is with the hoho trolley, but it doesn't take luggage so you would have to either check your bags with the bell desk at your hotel and then go back and get them or take them to the cruise terminal check them with CDS Baggage (at a cost) and either way you may incur a taxi fare, plus on the morning of your cruise you wouldn't want to get off the trolley and then find the next number of them were full and have to take a taxi back from wherever you were stranded.....soooo.

 

However on the day before you can do the suspension bridge and the skyride, and the fish hatchery and the Celeveland Dam all by transit and they are all one Capilano Rd. I would suggest a day pass for $9 which will let you get off and on all day. Your admisson at Grouse is $34.95 and at the suspension bridge is $28.95 so call it $64 plus a $9 bus pass the total is $73. You can catch a North Shore bus on Georgia St. that will take you to all of the above attractions and get on and off the bus at each one. Just tell your driver what you want and he/she will be most happy to tell you when to get off. Or for something different you can catch the SeaBus, sail across the harbour, get a bus at the Lonsdale Quay (which is worth spending a little time at in itself). I am sure that your have read that the day passes are available at convenience stores and at Skytrain stns, and at the SeaBus stn. Here is a link to our transits system's trip planner.

 

 

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

[Putterdude]

Have any Vancouverites seen the new hotel, L'Hermitage?

 

We have booked it for a post cruise night next May. It's description sounds good but I think it has only just opened so there are no reviews yet.

 

I have driven by it but have not been in. It is a boutique hotel with a condos adjoining, it is as you have said it is very new, but in a good safe downtown location. You will be able to walk to Gastown, Yaletown, Pacfic Centre, the shops on Robson, lots of restaurants around. You may find it a little bit of a hike to Stanley Park but you can take a bus either way on Georgia St. unfortunatley you will be too early for the free shuttle bus that goes around Stanley Park as it doesn't start operation until into June. A good choice.:)

[Deeg67]

Hey there. I'm going on a NCL Alaska trip that departs t 5:30 PM. I was thinking of flying into Seattle a day early and taking the Amtrak Cascades up the next day. Here's my worry. The train is scheduled to arrive at 11:35 - should be plenty of time for my 5:30 cruise, right? Given Amtrak's on-time record, would you feel pretty secure in pursuing that plan? As I understand it, the Amtrak terminal is a quick SkyTrain ride away from Canada Place (where I believe I'm departing from - do all NCL leave from there?) so even if it were a couple hours late, I'd still be OK...

 

Thanks for the advice!

Dan

[Putterdude]

Hi Dan;

I just answered this on your post on the other thread, but you should be just fine. Of course this comes with the normal 60/60 guarantee, 60 feet or 60 seconds, whichever occurs first.:)

[vickie_bernie]

Hey there. I'm going on a NCL Alaska trip that departs t 5:30 PM. I was thinking of flying into Seattle a day early and taking the Amtrak Cascades up the next day. Here's my worry. The train is scheduled to arrive at 11:35 - should be plenty of time for my 5:30 cruise, right? Given Amtrak's on-time record, would you feel pretty secure in pursuing that plan? As I understand it, the Amtrak terminal is a quick SkyTrain ride away from Canada Place (where I believe I'm departing from - do all NCL leave from there?) so even if it were a couple hours late, I'd still be OK...

 

Thanks for the advice!

Dan

 

Take skytrain right from train station (Main Street), take train that is going towards Waterfront Station. Fare is $2.50, ride train to the end of the line. When you get off turn left and up the stairs, then another right and up the escalator and there is Canada Place (and probably your ship if you are parted on the East side of the port).

[Daycare Provider]

It appears that land and sea will be offering the best choices for the price;) ....I was just trying to figure out a way to trim a few dollars from the budget....I appreciate all of the info that everyone shared with me.

Angela of California

[vickie_bernie]

It appears that land and sea will be offering the best choices for the price;) ....I was just trying to figure out a way to trim a few dollars from the budget....I appreciate all of the info that everyone shared with me.

 

Angela of California

 

No problem Angela, I am sure it will be a great tour... we would love to hear how the tour goes when you come back. Enjoy our great city