gagenie

I have a question please.....We are flying from Atlanta to Vancouver with a stopover in Toronto first. So do we go through customs in Toronto? or Vancouver or Atlanta? I'm so confused :confused:

Yup - as soon as bag drop opens, you can hand over your checked luggage (obviously keep anything that might be useful to you in a daypack, especially passports/documentation!). That happens before you do anything else (depending how many ships, there may be a different order of Cruiseline check-in, Security, and CBP - cruiseline check-in tends to be first on busy days but last on others).

 

Some touristy things open a bit earlier - HOHOs start running a little before 9am, some bike rentals open at 8am in summer and so on - but generally most places only open at 9, so there's not even much of a delay to getting your touring on by stopping by to drop bags first.

 

Of course, with your hotel so close to the pier you have the option of leaving bags there so you can get out and about even earlier - return to hotel after lunch and then walk down to the pier with your bags. Depending what you do, this may be just as convenient - if you're coming from south or east (Gastown, Chinatown, Yaletown, even Granville Island) the hotel is on your way to the pier.

Thank you martincath for all your help!! My son is going to be surprised when I know all this stuff! :D

Early or Late - avoid everything in-between like the plague! Since you go through US immigration & customs here, there's an extra step compared to boarding anywhere else. You can drop bags with longshoremen from ~9:30am and if you do, you'll be among the first batch of people to go through Security and CBP preclearance - but those cannot start until the vessel is 'zeroed out' with all current pax verified off the ship. One idiot on a B2B who ignores the notices to get off delays everyone waiting to board.

 

Usually boarding begins 11am-ish, earlier on a quieter day when there are fewer disembarking pax to process/luggage to remove. So best case for an early arrival is you sit around for 60-90mins, but then scoot right through boarding fast.

 

My preference is to come late instead - as late as you can. It's even more efficient - you still scoot through all the queues but the added advantage is that there is NO sitting around at all! Since we started boarding late, we've been spending ~20mins total from curb to cabin.

 

As a tourist, this has the huge advantage that you also get the entire morning to do more sightseeing, have lunch, and perhaps even squeeze in another short attraction (e.g. FlyOverCanada which is a 30min experience right at the pier) before you board. The only loss is your 'free' onboard lunch - and even if you are cruising with e.g. Princess who do a limited-hours sitdown dining room lunch, it's simply not worth the extra queuing time IMO. If you're happy with the buffet, it'll be open whenever you get on board whether that's noon or 3pm.

 

As long as you show 90mins before the ship leaves, you'll meet all the time requirements for boarding - so take advantage of all that extra available time! Walk over to the pier, drop your bags, then go a-wandering (Seawall scenic walk to Stanley Park is a very leisurely hour - or jump on a 19 bus, or even better hire bikes for half a day to maximise your travel speed while still letting you use the Seawall).

I like the idea of just checking in later then and see more of Vancouver.

So we can just drop our luggage off at the port without actually checking in then go site seeing?

I'm not interested in eating lunch earlier on the ship we can just get lunch before we board the ship or a snack after we board

Thank you for all your help!!

Could he pass for 13? Maybe with a backwards baseball cap and baggy pants? ;-)

 

Alternatively, if you yourself are >65 then Concession fares also apply (seniors pay the same as the kids rates I gave above).

 

Walking from the Delta to the pier is slightly downhill, good sidewalks the whole way, and distance is well under half a mile. It's an excellent hotel for SkyTrain since the station is just a couple of blocks. Here's a Google map with hotel, pier, and SkyTrain listed.

 

If you're heading out on foot when you arrive, Gastown is a good place to start since it's basically on your doorstep and has plenty of resto options for dinner. Water Street is probably the most popular tourist walking spot after the Seawall - it's got the Steam Clock (gives a show every 15mins) and Gassy Jack statue, with some of our most historic buildings all around the area.

 

Everything from Old Spaghetti Factory (maximum carbs for minimum price) to Bauhaus (helmed by the only michelin-star-winning chef in the city) and points in-between is available for your dining pleasure - since your son is an adult there are no issues dining anywhere you like (many Gastown restos are not child-friendly).

Nope, I'm not 65 either 55 :)

Thank you so much for the map!! This really helps to know where to go and places to eat. I definitely want to see the steam clock! and I think we will just walk to the pier, do have a suggestion on what time to arrive at the pier? we usually like to board early but don't want to be sitting in the terminal wasting time either though.

It's also the reason that some folks choose a southbound cruise ; they want to get that long flight out of the way.

 

These links provide suggested stopping points for the area just south of Anchorage. Hope they give you some good ideas.

http://www.alaska.org/guide/portage-valley

http://www.alaska.org/guide/turnagain-arm-drive

Well we thought about that but couldn't go on the Tracy Arm Fjord tour out of Juneau with the southbound.

Thank you so much for the links Mapleleaves and all your help!!

There are great boat rides out of Whittier the day you disembark. They will arrange for a fee transportation (train I think) back to Anchorage for you.

 

I am sure that is exactly what you want is to get on another boat ride :)

 

If it helps - I have done 2 RT Alaska trips, one out of Seattle and one out of Vancouver. I much prefer the one ways..... In the end, you will remember the vacation but will ultimately forget the flight back.

We did a roundtrip out of Seattle in 2014, I thought this time the one way would be better cause we would be able to stay in Alaska more! Just the flights is the pits getting back to GA!

Thank you Coral that does make me feel better!:)

Wheels down at 2:30pm.... means you will be out of the terminal around 3:15pm. About 45 minutes before the bridge gets busy.

 

Your call if you want $18 by subway (2 adults) vs $35 cab carload for door to door convenience.

 

Hmm.... you'll arrive at your hotel around 4pm. 4:30pm is just the right time to head over to the nearby cruise terminal for a shuttle to the Capilano Suspension Bridge to take advantage of the 5pm discount. Just remember that the last shuttles are around 6pm... you may need to take public transit back to your hotel.

 

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Oh gosh I am terrified to do the Suspension Bridge :eek:

But we will probably just get a cab to the hotel. And set out of foot for the evening. being it's will be a early flight for us and plus the time difference from GA to Vancouver

I provided info that AVIS is the only vendor in Whittier, but it's up to the OP to determine which option is "better". We don't know their circumstances or budget ....heck, some people wouldn't even consider driving in Alaska!

I am going to look at renting a car and just drive back to the airport that night giving us a day to look around Anchorage, now I know why people do round trips:) wouldn't be so bad if we didn't have to fly all the way across the US with difference time zones

You need to plan on an late afternoon flight at the earliest. By the tiime you get off the ship and transfer to Anchorage it will take at least 3 hours. You need to allow a minimum of two hours to check in and clear security in Anchorage.

 

The red eyes back to ATL are not that bad, but assuming you are on Delta, don't pay or use miles for business class, just go economy comfort. The benefits up from are not worth it and the seats are horrible (assuming they are using either the 757 or the 767 that they usually fly on that route).

I think we have found a nonstop flight from Anchorage to Atlanta leaving Anchoring at 7:50 arriving next morning in Atlanta and yes it with Delta

Already planning for our trip next summer and looks like we will run into the same issue travelling back to CT. I've been peeking at flight scenarios.

 

Please keep the thread updated as to what you decide to do. I would hope the cruise line (Princess) has an excursion that includes some sightseeing and then a drop off at the airport.

I sure will once we get it all figured out what we are going to do.

Looking at booking.com in USD rates with availability...

• $88 YWCA
  
• $146 Days Inn » 3 blocks from cruise terminal.... check reviews for potential issues
  
• $202 Blue Horizon » forum fav for budget travelers
  
• $217 Rosedale » suites!
  
• $222 Holiday Inn
  
• $226 Empire Landmark
  
• $259 Hotel BLU
  
• $262 Delta » 5 blocks from cruise terminal .... suites!
  
• $262 Georgia Court
  
• $262 Carmana Plaza » lots of restaurant choices nearby
  
• $276 Auberge » 3 blocks from cruise terminal
  
• $304 Metropolitan
  
• $321 Vancouver Marriott » 5 blocks from cruise terminal
  
• $322 Hampton Inn » fav for Hilton point collectors
  
• $346 Sutton Place » lots of restaurant choices
  
• $351 Pan Pacific » you get to sleep above the cruise terminal
  
• $353 Westin Grand
  
• $355 Shangri-La
  
• $375 Bayshore
  
• $413 Sheraton Wall Centre
  
• $426 Hyatt Regency
  
• $458 Rosewood
  
• $488 Fairmont Waterfront » across the street from the cruise terminal
  
• $563 Fairmont Pacific Rim » 3 blocks from cruise terminal
  
• $583 Four Seasons
  

 

Raddison Vancouver airport... $168 » $4 subway station across the street. Airport shuttle available.

 

Once you decide on a hotel... we can build a sightseeing itinerary for you.

Thank you for the list!! We chose Delta, flying in on Friday June 9 for our cruise on June 10th

Answers in red

My son is 34, so no discount for us :)

but can't wait to get there, never been to Vancouver before.

So you think we could just walk to the pier? We don't mind walking as long as it not several miles:)

Thank you so much for your help!!

Thoughts....

• I normally would get a cab from the airport to the hotel. However if you are arriving in the middle of afternoon rush hour... the train is attractive to the Delta.
  @gagenie: What time is your arriving flight?
  
• Restaurants? Gastown would likely be your choice. The Lookout observation deck is across the street and your dinner includes the elevator ride up. http://vancouverlookout.com/ I'll let others comment on the food.
  
• another idea is a sunset dinner cruise... https://www.boatcruises.com/tour.php?pv=p4
  
• Fly Over Canada is the main tourist activity North West of your hotel at the cruise terminal. It's open til 9pm.
  
• Vancouver sunset is 9:17pm.... great opportunity to explore the neighborhoods before it gets dark.
  
• most places will accept credit cards. You might want to check ahead of time with the cab driver to see their machine is not broken.
  

Our flight gets into Vancouver @ 2:30 PM.

Thank you so much for the suggestions!

Yikes, an 11am would be impossible even with a rental car!!

Instead of taking a red eye, do some sightseeing and catch that 11am flight the following morning..

We would do that but that still wouldn't put us into Atlanta until 11:55 PM and then we have a 2 hour drive from the airport and my son has to go back to work on Monday. I guess I am just going to find something late evening or night and arrive back in Atlanta on Sunday morning and we can just sightsee in Anchorage for the day and head to the airport that evening

Unless you're gettinb an expensive one-way rental car with Avis in Whittier, you are dependent on the schedule of whichever transfer vendor you use. Their schedule will determine your flight time.

Keep in mind that you go thru a tunnel just outside of whittier and it's only open once an hr in each direction.

Options incl cruiseline transfer, alaska railroad, park connection bus, seward buslines, and indepencent transfers.such as ACT Alaska Cruise Transportation https://alaskacruisetransfer.com

So I guess a 11:00 AM flight is out of the question then. Looks like we will have to take one of those redeye flights back to Atlanta

Thank you mapleleaves!

We are disembarking in Whitter with Princess what would be the earliest flight time you would feel comfortable booking? There is not a big selection that reasonable time to choose from.

Hello,

My son & I will be flying in to Vancouver June 9 for a cruise that leaves on June 10. I have a few questions. We will be staying at Delta Marriott Downtown.

1) Would the best way to get to our hotel be by cab? Also what would be the best way to get to Canada Place from the hotel?

2) Is this hotel close to any restaurants for dinner & breakfast?

3) We will only have afternoon, evening & next morning to see some of the sites around town. Anything thing walkable? Or should we get some sort of tour?

4) Do we need to get CAD to pay for Restaurants, cab fare & shopping or can we just use a credit card?

Thank you in advance!

Can anyone tell me where the smoking areas are on the Coral Princess?

I called and had a nice chat with Winona and I'm booked for May. They start tours May 13 so I just snuck in. She mentioned that Juneau has torn down the pier they normally use in preparation for bigger ships to dock so will be interesting to see where they board this year.

Oh great!! Now you can let me know when you go in May cause I don't go until June :)

Glad to hear you got everything figured out. Now that I know they are answering the phone I'll try and set up my trip this year. I'm on an early May cruise and not sure if they will be running yet

Yes I did and thank you so much. Yes, she told me she was answering phones daily from 8 am -8 pm pacific time!!

Doug and I did this way back when. I can't even remember the first year we did it together. Cruise ships were not doing small boat trips at that time and there was no report on CC about this.

 

Doug and I thought - either we were going to have a very long boring "10 hour tour" or "something amazing". We had found out about this as we had inquired about whale watching with a company and they booked other trips in Juneau and this was listed. We were on a B2B so we had the next week to do something in Juneau.

 

We were so impressed. On that trip, we did not make it all the way to the glacier due to the excessive ice and "our time constraints". We were the only 2 cruisers and we had to make it back to the ship. He would have gone forward more but due to our time, he headed back. While disappointed we didn't make it (this was early May), we were not disappointed at all with the trip. He took us to touch the large pieces of ice, he took us right up to water falls, we saw bears, we saw whales - it was like we were this small boat amongst these massive ice chunks. It was pretty cool. Captain Steve is so cool - this is the guy who knows Tracy Arm better than anyone else. He goes there daily. He let's people sit up front with him when he is steering the boat and will explain things. Coming back one year, we were just near where Princess docks and there was a pod of orcas. I want to say 20 of them. We stayed there for 30 minutes and just watched orcas and they were active! He could charge 2x as much for his tour but he is all about showing people how beautiful Alaska is and both him and his wife are so down to earth. I can't say enough about them.

It saved us about a little bit over $100.00 by booking with them! I just can't wait!! I had read on here about this tour so I knew that this time this was the cruise I wanted to do. I wanted to go to AK with Princess but they wasn't offering it as a tour out of Vancouver but thanks to you & Doug we can do both!! I hope we get to see has much as you did. We are going in June so maybe the ice won't be as bad as in May (hopefully)!

Have you called them. Even if they are on vacation, I would guess that they check their messages regularly.

 

DON

Yes, I called them and have booked our trip!! YAY!!

Last time I did this. I planned on being first off the ship and run down to their pier. I turned on my phone about 7:30 while in line to get off the ship (they were not letting people off yet) and she had left a message on my cell saying that she would meet me outside of Princess's pier. So I would advise that they have your cell and turn it on as soon as the ship docks in case Winona calls (she is really sweet).

 

I did recruit 2 more people to join me on that trip while in line :). They loved the excursion.

I told her two people on Cruise Critic highly recommend them and yes she took my cell phone # she said to call us once we docked and to call her back in a couple of months once she learned where the Coral would be docking and she would tell me exactly what to do!! Now I'm excited!! I've been wanting to do this tour since we went to AK the last time!!

Thank you both for all your help!! I just booked the Tracy Arm Fjord tour with Adventure Bound Alaska.

I messaged them on Facebook and she responded right away and told me to call her. Such a nice lady too! She told me getting in at 8:00 am to Juneau was not a problem! I told her that we would try and be first off the ship!:D

Did they charge for the shuttle? If so, do you recall how much?

Yes, they did and I think it was $30 or $35 from the airport and less to the cruise terminal