Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite

[Putterdude]

I am looking at booking my own RT air from Vancouver, sailing the Radiance next June 5. I can save some money by booking an 11:00am return flight out of YVR. Will I have enough time to make that flight? TIA for your help.

 

Wish I could say yes but I can't. Hers are the logistics, your ship comes in about 7:00, the first people are off the ship about 8:00; they need to get their bags and clear customs and get a cab or a shuttle so by the time they have done that it is 8:45 or 9:00. YVR is a 35 min drive and you need to be there 2 hrs prior to an International Flight as you clear US customs in Vancouver. So it really can't be done. There is some remote chance that you could do it with the US Direct program but even that is tight.

 

http://www.portvancouver.com/vanAlaCruise/content/infoPassengers/usDirect.html

[songster2]

Not worth the risk. Too many variables. Book a later flight or fly out the following day on the 11:00 a.m.

 

Thanks for your help. Haven't been to Vancouver yet so I appreciate all guidance. Sounds like the 1:55pm flight isn't advisable, either? I had considered flying out the next day, but had hoped to get on home.

[Putterdude]

Thanks for your help. Haven't been to Vancouver yet so I appreciate all guidance. Sounds like the 1:55pm flight isn't advisable, either? I had considered flying out the next day, but had hoped to get on home.

 

While we would love to have spend the day in Vancouver, the 1:55 flight will be most doable either independently or by ships transfer and US Direct.

[scottbee]

I am looking at booking my own RT air from Vancouver, sailing the Radiance B2B next June 5. I can save some money by booking an 11:00am return flight out of YVR. Will I have enough time to make that flight? TIA for your help.

 

Probably not; as in Vancouver you need to clear US Customs/Immegration as well

[songster2]

While we would love to have spend the day in Vancouver, the 1:55 flight will be most doable either independently or by ships transfer and US Direct.

 

Thanks for all your help. I decided to spend another day in Vancouver, and will fly out 6/20. Now, for hotel info for one who's on a budget. I will go back to look through the thread, but if anyone has anything to add, go for it, and TIA. :D

[judynorth]

Thanks for all your help. I decided to spend another day in Vancouver, and will fly out 6/20. Now, for hotel info for one who's on a budget. I will go back to look through the thread, but if anyone has anything to add, go for it. :D

 

We stayed at the Best Western Downtown for about $130 per night. We liked it very much. VERY comfortable beds! It was a $27 taxi ride from the airport so it should be the same to the airport. (We stayed there 2 nights pre-cruise.)

[Putterdude]

We stayed at the Best Western Downtown for about $130 per night. We liked it very much. VERY comfortable beds! It was a $27 taxi ride from the airport so it should be the same to the airport. (We stayed there 2 nights pre-cruise.)

 

This is a good hotel at as good a rate as you are going to get in downtown Vancouver. Others in this range would be the Blue Horizon and Pacific Palisades on Robson St., Holiday Inn on Howe St., Hyatt Regency on Burrard St., Hampton Inn and Suites on Robson and the Sandman Inn on W. Georgia St. You may want to see how you can do with a Priceline latter in the year and bid for 4*. There are less expensive motels out by the airport but you will burn up any savings by commuting back and forth.

[songster2]

We stayed at the Best Western Downtown for about $130 per night. We liked it very much. VERY comfortable beds! It was a $27 taxi ride from the airport so it should be the same to the airport. (We stayed there 2 nights pre-cruise.)

 

I booked the BW Downtown after reading through the complete thread. It was a tad more than $130/nt, but it sounds like it's well located for lots of things to do. We have 1 nite pre cruise and 1 nite post cruise booked. I remember something like a $10-$15 cab ride to the pier, or is there a comp shuttle from the hotel to the pier?

[judynorth]

I booked the BW Downtown after reading through the complete thread. It was a tad more than $130/nt, but it sounds like it's well located for lots of things to do. We have 1 nite pre cruise and 1 nite post cruise booked. I remember something like a $10-$15 cab ride to the pier, or is there a comp shuttle from the hotel to the pier?

 

There is a free shuttle to the pier. Reserve it the night before. They start taking reservations at 7 PM for the following morning. We were there in May and I think we caught the tail end of the off season. It is a short walk to Yaletown. There is a drugstore 2 blocks away and a convenience store 1/2 block away. The Big Bus stop is a block away and you can buy tickets at the hotel. Public transportation is close by. The shuttle will take you to anywhere downtown but you have to get back on your own. The staff is very helpful. The White Spot restaurant on site is good (not great) but slooow.

[Putterdude]

I think you will be very happy at the Best Western-Downtown, I am sorry the Judy found the White Spot to be slow....I hope that it was just a slow crew they had on. Ordinarily White Spots are pretty quick and a gooc moderate priced family restaurant.

You could save some money to and from the airport by taking the Airporter which is currently $13.75 one way and offers a $21.50 rtn. rate, it also stops at your hotel.:)

[wwinfl91]

We enjoyed eating at the White Spot when we were in Vancouver and didn't find the service particularly slow. They had some good beers on tap and the food was good.

 

If you want another good place to eat try the Fish House at the edge of Stanley Park.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[Putterdude]

Forgot to give you the Airporter link:

www.yvrairporter.com/

[judynorth]

I think you will be very happy at the Best Western-Downtown, I am sorry the Judy found the White Spot to be slow....I hope that it was just a slow crew they had on. Ordinarily White Spots are pretty quick and a gooc moderate priced family restaurant.

 

You could save some money to and from the airport by taking the Airporter which is currently $13.75 one way and offers a $21.50 rtn. rate, it also stops at your hotel.:)

 

Our taxi fare from the airport was just $27 so for the 2 of us it was slightly cheaper. Of course, we tipped the driver in addition to the fare. It was a no hassle way to get directly from the airport to the hotel. We also didn't have to wait for a van to fill. We went immediately to the hotel and after being up since 4 AM East coast time, I was ready to get to the hotel and rest a while before setting out to see the sights.

 

The White Spot had good food at a reasonable price but we waited 5-10 minutes to be seated both mornings and they were not busy. The servings were huge. We split a breakfast the second morning and had more than enough food.

[ILoveScotland]

DH and I will arrive in Vancouver about noon next Thursday on Amtrak from Seattle. We're staying at the Holiday Inn on Howe. I've been to Vancouver, but it was many years ago, and DH has never been.

 

We'll only have that afternoon and evening as we board our ship the next day. We're thinking of taking one of the hop-on hop-off busses for an overview of the city.

 

But I'm also think we'll want to get off at one or perhaps two stops. Which should those be if we're to get a taste of what Vancouver is like?

[Putterdude]

DH and I will arrive in Vancouver about noon next Thursday on Amtrak from Seattle. We're staying at the Holiday Inn on Howe. I've been to Vancouver, but it was many years ago, and DH has never been.

 

We'll only have that afternoon and evening as we board our ship the next day. We're thinking of taking one of the hop-on hop-off busses for an overview of the city.

 

But I'm also think we'll want to get off at one or perhaps two stops. Which should those be if we're to get a taste of what Vancouver is like?

 

Well the good news first, if all holds well, we should have nice weather for you on Thursday.

Everyone has their own preferences but I would be thinking about Granville Is, Stanley Park, Gastown and perhaps Robson St.

[ILoveScotland]

Well the good news first, if all holds well, we should have nice weather for you on Thursday.

 

Everyone has their own preferences but I would be thinking about Granville Is, Stanley Park, Gastown and perhaps Robson St.

 

Great news about the weather. I'm not sure it's going to be so great once we head up the Inside Passage.

Can you say why those four places?

[judynorth]

DH and I will arrive in Vancouver about noon next Thursday on Amtrak from Seattle. We're staying at the Holiday Inn on Howe. I've been to Vancouver, but it was many years ago, and DH has never been.

 

We'll only have that afternoon and evening as we board our ship the next day. We're thinking of taking one of the hop-on hop-off busses for an overview of the city.

 

But I'm also think we'll want to get off at one or perhaps two stops. Which should those be if we're to get a taste of what Vancouver is like?

 

The Big Bus tickets are good for 2 days so if you aren't anxious to get on the ship as early as possible you could see a few sights the morning before you board the ship. The busses stop running at about 6 PM (maybe earlier) so your time would be limited the first day. Our favorite places were Granville Island and Stanley Park, either of which could fill an entire day. With your schedule I might be tempted to spend the afternoon in Stanley Park and then get up early and go to Granville Island on the Aquabus (I think we boarded it at the foot of Hornby St. one block over from Howe), have breakfast and look around a while before heading back to the hotel and going to the ship.

 

We ate at a really nice Italian restaurant in Gastown - Il Porto, I think. It was cool and quiet and the food was very good.

[judynorth]

Can you say why those four places?

 

I agree with Putterdude. We didn't go to Robeson St. except riding down it on the Big Bus mainly because we weren't interested in shopping and would rather spend our limited time at the other places. Gastown is quaint and definitely worth seeing. It is a good place for dinner since there are many restaurants. Granville Island is a beautiful market with lots to see and with beautiful views of the Vancouver waterfront. Stanley Park is a must see in my opinion. You could easily spend a day there and not see it all. There are great walking trails to all the points of interest and there is also a shuttle bus that makes a circuit of the park. It wasn't running when we were there in May so we did a lot of walking but the park is easily walkable. I have pictures of all three places at the link below if you are interested.

[Putterdude]

Stanely Park is a wonderful 1,000 acre natural but urban park, I have lived in Vancouver all my life and have not seen it all, you can burn up some serious time there. Granville Is. is a terrific Fesitival Market with great views over the downtown and north shore mountains. Gastown is where the city began and while a bit toruisty is well worth a visit. Robson St. has many lovely shops, some of which are international in nature; you could actually do Robson St. in the evening and have dinner there...it is just a short walk from your hotel.

As for hoho buses there is both the Big Red Bus and Vancouver Trolley with most tending to prefer Vancouver Trolley...but probably not a lot to choose between the two (being a local I don't take either).

I was just speaking this morning with a commerical fisherman pal of mine who fishing up in the Sitka area and he says the weather is lousy right now right down to Coos Bay, OR. but hope springs eternal.

[ILoveScotland]

Judy, thanks for the suggestions and also the pictures. I also enjoyed looking at several of your albums since you were in ports we'll be visiting after we leave Vancouver.

 

DH is in a wheelchair, but the Big Bus people have assured me that since he can get on and off the bus he should be fine with their tour. I suspect we'll go to Stanley Park and Gastown given his limitations, but Granville Island looks pretty good, too.

[ILoveScotland]

Putterdude, we're not hopeful about bright, sunny weather on our cruise, but that's okay. This is our first Alaska cruise, and we're going on the 7 night northbound only on the Radiance. I'm going to be happy whatever the weather.

 

And as I've already said I think we'll do the Big Bus because I've talked with both them and the Trolley and think Big Bus will work best for us.

 

Thanks for all the ideas. We'll be back in September 2009 as we're on the Pacific Princess to Hawaii out of Vancouver then. We'll just have to plan to stay longer next year.

[songster2]

I think you will be very happy at the Best Western-Downtown, I am sorry the Judy found the White Spot to be slow....I hope that it was just a slow crew they had on. Ordinarily White Spots are pretty quick and a gooc moderate priced family restaurant.

 

You could save some money to and from the airport by taking the Airporter which is currently $13.75 one way and offers a $21.50 rtn. rate, it also stops at your hotel.:)

 

"There is a free shuttle to the pier. Reserve it the night before. They start taking reservations at 7 PM for the following morning. We were there in May and I think we caught the tail end of the off season. It is a short walk to Yaletown. There is a drugstore 2 blocks away and a convenience store 1/2 block away. The Big Bus stop is a block away and you can buy tickets at the hotel. Public transportation is close by. The shuttle will take you to anywhere downtown but you have to get back on your own. The staff is very helpful. The White Spot restaurant on site is good (not great) but slooow."

 

Putterdude and Judy, Thank you both for all your help. It's been just in the past 1 1/2-2 years that I have felt confident enough to step out on my own and not depend completely on RCI to make all my arrangements. Cruise Critic members have helped boost my self confidence traveling outside the USA on my own. :D

[judynorth]

[quote name=songster2;15975915

Putterdude and Judy' date=' Thank you both for all your help. It's been just in the past 1 1/2-2 years that I have felt confident enough to step out on my own and not depend completely on RCI to make all my arrangements. Cruise Critic members have helped boost my self confidence traveling outside the USA on my own. :D[/quote]

 

Thanks. It's always nice to have someone who has "been there, done that" to give you advice when you are going to a new place. CC has been a priceless source for us since we discovered it AFTER our 1st Alaska cruise. Sure wish that we had known about it BEFORE our 1st cruise.

[Putterdude]

Thank you very much....the most important thing is for you to have a great cruise and too enjoy Vancouver. You will find that Vancouverites are very proud of their city and are extremely helpful so don't be afraid to come back and ask questions or to ask Vancouverites right on the street while you are here, they will be most happy to help you.:)

[scottbee]

....We're thinking of taking one of the hop-on hop-off busses for an overview of the city.....

 

The best hop on hop off bus service is the regular city buses. For $9/all day, you have your choice of any bus, Seabus, or Skytrain. There really isn't anywhere the city bus can't take you, they're clean, quick and really can't be beat. You can get the all day ticket at any convenience store, Translink's website has more details; http://translink.bc.ca/