heretohavefun2#

My life has changed I have wanted to see Alaska...We were booked on a 10 day crusietour but my husband received a job offer so we had to cancel...Now we are settling in to a new home and a new city...we would like to go to Alaska next spring but he can not be gone but the 7 days...IS it worth JUST taking the cruise and not seeing Denali etc....AND if so should I just go out of Seattle and back to Seattle or Vancouver in...Thank you:cool:

thank you.

We just returned (thanksgiving) from our first cruise it was on Royal Caribbean and we loved it..We had a balcony and for the first trip we may be ruined...So while on board at Breakfast we spoke to people that had been to Alaska several couples and all of them said just get a balcony...MY QUESTION is ...in May other than the sights would it be too cool to have coffee on the balcony and would a room with a Virtual balcony give you the same views...Thank you in advance.:cool:

Just for the day? Or to stay overnight?

 

Storing your bags in Vancouver would work for either if you plan to return - only having a daypack opens up public transit as a viable method of getting to Victoria using the regular ferries. The folks who store at the pier, CVS, also have airport offices - for $40 they'll move up to 4 bags to the airport for you (and even store overnight/multiple days for extra cost).

 

 

Victoria is a bit British but not to the extent that it shuts down entirely on Sundays - like here in Vancouver it's common for opening hours to be a bit shorter, and a few restos shut Sun/Mon evenings, and transit generally runs a little less frequently as there's less demand. Parliament closes all weekend so Sat or Sun makes no diff.

 

The SIMPLEST (not cheapest) way to do a day on the island is to book a tour with e.g. LandSea. Just over $200pp will get you there and back same day and take in the Big Hits of Butchart and Victoria itself (although IMO not enough time at either to really experience them). If time is worth more to you than more, you can upgrade to floatplanes on one or both legs which save over 3 hours each. You can also add a Whalewatching cruise one way for a similar cost, so that your boat trip is more productive than just looking at the scenery from a ferry.

 

Personally I have done a single day Victoria visit once - but independently with floatplane both ways. We took a whalewatch in the morning (floatplanes land in same harbour as the boats leave from), then a shuttle bus to Butchart and back in the afternoon, then a late afternoon flight back in time for dinner. It was a fast pace, but we got a full 3 hours in Butchart and on the whaleboat, for a total time spend of only ~9 hours (and a cost that wasn't much more than the slow bus/ferry package). Now when we visit the island we spend at least 2 nights there and drive around more of the interior - there's plenty to see away from Victoria.

 

Overnighting is better IMO - and you still have ample options to return on the Sunday whether it's public transit, floatplane, V2V etc. you choose. But the first thing I'd recommend is checking what it would cost to swap your flights home to Victoria (YYJ) instead of Vancouver. If budget's not a concern and you plan to take floatplane, then it's actually quicker to get from downtown Victoria to YVR instead of taking a cab from Victoria to YYJ (and if you did leave your bags with CVS, you don't even need to come back to downtown Vancouver). If your budget is tight enough that regular ferry is all that's in the cards, then avoiding the 4hr total trip is a good idea though.

 

I think from your other posts this is all over a year away, so unfortunately there won't be any bookable flights to confirm $ cost - even hotels that let you book over a year away are light on the ground. The good news is you have a shedload of time to compare and contrast your various options, so there's no need to panic - it is quite feasible to get to Victoria from Vancouver whether for an overnight or a daytrip with multiple possible methods. Relax for now and figure out which is best for you when you have a firmer idea of comparative costs.

Thank you,, Thank you ...because of you I feel we can make a correct decision...we would like to stay over night.. but we shall see.

Being a local...let me share a couple of thoughts. It will be light quite late in the evening, so I would suggest a trip to Butchart Gardens. I know a previous post was less than enchanted with an evening visit but it coninues to draw rave reviews. The Saturday evening Fireworks show (summer months only) is INCREDIBLE. I felt it one of the best I had seen.

 

A stroll around the inner harbour after your BG stop is beautiful. Stop off at the historic Fairmont Empress. Have a drink in the Bengal Room. You don't have much time if you are here for only 6-12.

you are the person I need... We get off of the cruise In Vancouver on a Sat. in Sept...We want to go to Victoria so we will have our luggage...do you know how I can get there and spend the night and then head back to Vancouver on Sunday Afternoon to fly out on Monday... or are we just pushing it to much...we are 63 but run marathons so we are fine with being on our feet...

Some people have said things are shut down on Sundays ...if this is true maybe we need to rethink...thank you so much for your advise.

You're going to have to clarify what you mean here. No cruises end in Victoria, so my best guess is that you want to leave the cruise early instead of returning to Seattle?

 

If that's the case then the very first thing you absolutely have to do is clear it with your cruiseline. Canadian customs/immigration will not be expecting anyone to leave the ship with their possessions so won't be set up to allow it unless you have this cleared in advance. If you just get off and don't reboard and the cruiseline don't know about it, as well as hassle from CBSA you'll also get grief crossing back into the US as your names will be on the ship manifest and CBP will want to find out why you weren't onboard when it returned!

 

So, assuming that this is what you want to do, and cruiseline are OK with it, you'll meet with CBSA in Victoria to do Canadian immigration & customs. Assuming you're allowed in (we don't like things like DUIs which trips up a lot of US visitors...) then it's like any other vacation. Book a hotel in Victoria if you want to stay there. Getting to Vancouver has a few options:

 

 

• a fancy-but-expensive ferry (V2V) goes from downtown to downtown (at least $120pp);
  
• floatplanes and helicopters fly from downtown to downtown for less than the pricier seats on the above ferry (rates from $99pp)
  
• regular ferries cross from pretty far outside Victoria to the mainland pretty far outside Vancouver - either rent a car (in which case use any ferry route you like) or take the BC Ferry Connector coach service which for about $65pp will get you from downtown Victoria to downtown Vancouver
  

Back to the US from Vancouver you can fly to all major US airports, although to FL means at least one change of planes, or you can bus/train/car rental to Seattle where you'll have more flight options (including direct flights and usually a fair bit of $ saving due to the higher taxes & fees to fly across the border from Canada).

I am sorry I mean we will get off of the ship in Vancouver and then want to go to Victoria and we are at a loss of how to do that...Also do you know if everything Runs on Sundays some things I read say closed on Sunday...

We are booked for 2018 and will end up in Vancouver On a Saturday...Can ANYONE tell me what the best way to leave the ship and get over to Victoria for a night Please help us...we are 63 but run Marathons...so being on our feet is no problem...Thank you in advance.

We are from Seattle and love spending time in Victoria. Our favorite thing to do there is walk. We love walking the inner harbor and shopping at all of the little shops. We like taking the little water taxis around as well. Fisherman's Wharf is a cute little area with good fish and chip stands. Beacon Hill Park is massive and beautiful with duck ponds, a petting zoo, lots of sports fields and play areas, etc. We spend time there every visit and it is just a few blocks off the harbor. If you want a fun breakfast, my favorite is Blue Fox and there is always a line that I am willing to stand in.

PLEASE help me We will get off of our ship on a Saturday morning...at that time Can you tell us how do we just take our luggage and go to Victoria or get a hotel in Vancouver and go over for the day...We just need direction...thank you in advance

Honestly I'd tell you to either give me more info about you & yours - things you (dis)like to do, any mobility issues, and a ballpark budget for tours/sightseeing options - or point you to Tripadvisor which is great for ranking Things To Do as voted on by Joe Q Public. With only a day prioritization is an absolute requirement, and what I think is the best thing to do may be wildly different than what you would actually enjoy most!

 

A very short list of Stuff You Can Do here that is unique or at least very hard to do anywhere else:

 

• Parks & gardens - Stanley Park regularly ranks as the best urban park on the planet, with several specialized gardens within it; Dr Sun Yat-Sen Chinese garden is the best example of it's type anywhere outside Suzhou; Queen Elizabeth Park has the best views in the city, a couple of quarry gardens for a free Butchart-esque experience, an arboretum and a tropical conservatory chock full of exotic birds; the Seawall is not just a tidal/storm defense here, but a park in its own right with miles upon miles of walking/cycling and great views along pretty much the entire thing.
  
• Museums & galleries - we've got dedicated Maritime, Police, Biodiversity, Anthropological, Mineral, and Space museums as well as more general regional/local ones, plus First Nations/modern/more general art galleries. Depending what you have access to at home and on your other travels, any or all of these could be a new experience for you.
  
• More Outdoorsy Nature Stuff - plenty of free hiking & biking routes, two very close suspension bridges (Capilano is pricey as heck but has a free shuttle from downtown; Lynn Canyon is much less developed, has educational Ranger programs, and is free but is a hassle to get to without a car)
  
• Food/drink - if you're all 'food is fuel' people then your dollar will go very far at fastfood spots, but if food & drink is part of a vacation for you then we are possibly the single best non-Asian city for Asian food you could visit. Izakayas - Japanese 'tapas pubs' - for example are plentiful here and very rare on the rest of the continent, and given the huge number of Chinese immigrants you can track down some pretty obscure regional cuisine as well as the more common Cantonese/Szechuan. We have an actual First Nations resto in the city - almost none of them anywhere else - that's well worth trying if you enjoy game meat & fish. The locavore food movement is also huge here, as is good seafood. Really the only stuff I really enjoy when done well and cannot find a genuinely great version of locally is BBQ and I'm sure as a Floridian you have easy access to that at home! Craft beer is big - we're at the point where so many new breweries have opened that some of them are distinctly Meh, there aren't enough good brewmasters available - and the local cocktail scene is also very strong, with many bars making their own bitters/shrubs. While technically there are some wineries in the Lower Mainland (the urban areas in and close to Vancouver) the best grape growing areas are up around Kelowna - so do try drinking BC Wines, but I wouldn't recommend vineyard tours as good value for time or money on such a short stay.
  

Hopefully that screed shows I'm trying to ensure you get the best use of your time rather than just blowing you off with my request for more info if you want targeted advice!

Thank you...We are 63 and run Marathons...and we are from KC and go back Often and so we will stay away from the BBQ...LOL...you were a huge help We will not have a car so we will head to the suspension bridge...thank you.

Sorry, I can't give you exactly what you're after as living downtown I never need to stay in hotels, but in terms of location I'd be inclined to favour Sunset over Robson - the latter is on top of several small popular businesses so you'll get more street noise, while the former is still close to restos etc. but a block back from the main street (Davie) in the area. Robson Suites is closer to the park - especially the main entrance/totem poles side - but Sunset is closer to Yaletown and Granville Island and a little closer to Chinatown/Gastown (although if you were planning to use transit, there are more bus services running along Robson than Davie).

 

I do recall a few folks asking about Sunset before - they're one of very few places that offer free parking so for folks driving into town that's a big plus. Try Searching the phrase "Sunset Inn" with quotation marks and change the default search setting to 'Any Date' and you'll get plenty of hits - there are other folks staying this summer who won't be much use for reviews until after they've left but there are hits from last year, year before etc.

If I can pick your brain...We will get off of the cruise and spend the day the night and leave the next day...where would you tell us to go and enjoy the day since we only have the one...We have decided to stay in Vancouver area and not head to Victoria...what is the one thing or two that you would say go do this...we will be there in Sept. 2018..thank you in advance.

How are the Hop on Hop off busses? I am stayng at the Marriott residence Inn Downtown. ANy suggestions for a company ?

I am following this and we are going Sept. of 2018 and decided to stay a day and see the city and then fly out the next day...and we just don't know what to see... so thank you for letting me tag.:cool:

I have not seen much about the coffee but did see one post that said the coffee was instant. I find that hard to believe. I don't drink a ton of coffee so normally I would not need to purchase the coffee package. Anyone have any information?

 

Thanks.

 

Judy

I am following this whole thing...I didn't even know that coffee from syrup existed ...

so if my husband wants brewed we have to have the card... he drinks about 6 cups a day...O MY:o

So brewed coffee has a charge and the regular coffee is syrup...I had no idea...I wonder how many times in our regular life..we get coffee from syrup:D

I found it online...then called and talked to them....asked a lot of questions. Reviews on TripAdvisor said they had some problems with scalding hot water from the water heater and that concerned me. She explained what the problem was...and how they had rectified it. I was satisfied with the answer and booked on the phone. :) It's Buttes Bethel Farm B&B.

 

Oh...the other thing I liked is that they will take 1 night reservations during the week (2 nt minimum on weekends...) So many of the cabins with kitchens have a 2 nt minimum...some even 3 night....all the time. Though I'd LOVE to have 2-3 nights there, that just wasn't feasible for us.

thank you

I've finally put the finishing touches on our DIY land tour. We're not doing anything long and indepth as we have to get home and back to work..ugh! But, it's going to work for us... :)

 

We are actually getting OFF the ship and transporting to Anchorage - using A.C.T bus that I reserved at a discount because I bought the tickets back in Oct (Note to anyone planning a cruise for next year...buy those tickets early. They have a 45 day cancellation but that's a 'good' policy for Alaska) We're renting a car - and btw, on that, I have seen our rental rate go DOWN in price over $100 in the last few months. I just keep re-checking, cancelling and rebooking at the lower rate. Doing that takes some time, but $100 is significant.

 

We're spending our first 'land-based' night in Butte... Butte is off the beaten path. (about 10-12 miles off the main highway...but still on a paved road. ha!! ) Not only is "off the beaten path" one of the things I consider a 'plus' but its actually less expensive BECAUSE its 'out of the way' - and it also has a full kitchen and washer/dryer IN the cabin. We'll stop at WalMart in Anchorage for groceries...and I'll come off the ship with LOTS of laundry. This cabin will be exactly what we need that first night.

 

The next day, we'll drive north toward Denali - spend the next 2 nights in Healy and go to Denali N.P. Then we head back to Wasilla - a little time to relax (as those days getting to and through Denali will be long and very 'full'. I'd like to run by the Iditarod Headquarters. It's a small, low-key place but it's free and there's a small museum there about the race/winners, etc...and you can see the puppies. :)

 

We'll head down to Anchorage the next morning and will have some time to walk part of the Tony Knowles Trail...spend some time in Chugach St. Park...and get on a flight that night...

 

It will be somewhat of a whirlwind trip, but we'll see Denali and some of Alaska...and get home on Friday with the weekend to recoup before work on Monday morning....

It will work for us! :)

Thank you , Thank you Thank you....how did you find the cabin..

i agree, very simple to go on your own. I've been doing multiple times over 20+ years, every year. In my opinion a car is essential. You can see and do much more and real important- make the best use of time. One of my beefs- is the "down" time of some cruise tours, that frankly is at the very large expense of "alaska'. Most are already too short. Again just my opinion- a week isn't even enough. Go for as long as you can afford. Time is your best friend in alaska. Many underestimate distances and time needed at destinations.

 

Do your homework, before you start any "planning"/reservations. It's a lot easier to rework over and over on paper. Fine tuning is vital for the best trips.

thank you so much

Lots and lots of people do just that. It's the way I recommend it be done. You can put together a trip with advice from this forum. The TripAdvisor forum for Alaska is another good resource: https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g28923-i349-Alaska.html

A rental car is the most effective way to travel. It'll give you more options for lodging, dining and touring. The more time you have the better. To include Denali you'll want a minimum of 4 days.

If you are planning for 2017, you'll want to get on it. Car rental prices will be much higher at this late date. If you are planning for 2018, book your rental car in October.

Most people fly into Anchorage. You can do Fairbanks, but then you'll have a one way drop off fee. Cruise ships leave out of Whittier or Seward. You can drop the car in Anchorage and take a train or bus to the port. If you want to keep the car the whole time (and pay the one way drop off fee), Avis is the only rental in Whittier and Hertz is the only rental in Seward.

Thank you , Thank you Thank you.

Has anyone ever gone into Alaska and rented a car and driven to the Denali and then drove back to catch the ship...

We are looking at going up and doing it on our own instead of a cruise tours.. ANY advice is welcome..:cool:

Thanks. Were there a lot if children..we are also looking to fo the Denali before the cruise

I did but it was so negative. But also old

our friends are wanting to go On NCl but I am not finding good reviews for Alaska .. Can anyone just tell us what you would do if you did it again and why... thank you.:cool:

Thank you....

Will I be able to go into the Denali at the first of September...

Have you ever taken the tour before or After up to the Denali...so If I said to you right now lets book one would it be May or November ...I thought May was wetter.

Please help...We are 2 couples over 60 and we want to cruise either in May or September...which is better...also all we are looking for is a few days to see Denali and then catch a 7 day cruise..

I have heard lots of pros on Princess and several cons on Holland America

Please help any advise will be appreciated :cool: