Urban trekker

Also remember that Santa Barbara is a tender port.

Dennis

I have been to Juneau three times in a little over a year on the Jewel and not once did we tender in Juneau. NCL usually docks at the pier furthest from town - a short shuttle bus ride. I think perhaps the only time that NCL might tender is if there are two NCL ships in town at the same time.

Dennis

Amtrak uses  a bus from near the Ferry terminal over to Emeryville to connect with the Coast Starlighter.

When booking your ticket - your starting point is San Francisco and not Emeryville - that way it shows the connecting bus.

So book it as San Francisco to Olympic Washington.

Hope this helps.

Dennis

Yes that would be it - soon as I saw the name Ascent this oldish brain remembered the name.

Dennis.

There is one located in the Pan Pacific/convention center which is above the cruise port disembarking area - but it's name escapes me. Will try and see if i can find the name of it. 

Yes there is a McDonald's and Timmy's across the street from the Pan Pacific along with a Subway, Fat Burger etc. in the Waterfront Mall - you don't even have to go outside to access them as there is an underground walkway to them.

Since the previous poster didn't notice that you are on a European cruise and didn't post the rest of that link in print. Here is your answer.

Europe sailing permits young adults 18 to 20 to purchase and personally consume alcohol while onboard.

Dennis

The Jewel still has a viewing area of the bridge on Deck 11 forward - if they don't want you taking pictures they just close the blinds.

Dennis

And then yesterday there was a fire at a building two doors down from the Belmont and in guests were asked to evacuate the building in the middle of the night and while transit buses were brought in to help keep the guests warm it wouldn't be until later in the day that they could return to their rooms.

This hotel is located right in the heart of the entertainment district - some 2000 bar seats in a three block radius and is likely to be very noisy from the street action.

It is not a new hotel - recently revamp and returning to a previous name.

So unless you like a busy and noisy street scene I wouldn't recommend this hotel especially if you are staying on a weekend.

Just my view - I lived a block away from this hotel for two years and spent 12 years living in the downtown core so this is how I shaped my view.

Dennis

What about many Canadians who smoked a little weed back in the 60's and 70's and were caught and can't enter the US even to this day legally without applying for an pardon.

Royal Caribbean owns Celebrity so it make sense that they would use the same check-in system.

Dennis

They were definitely on the Jewel earlier this year and had shirts that said lifeguard.

Dennis

The Accent Inn runs their shuttle to Bridgeport Station so no surcharge getting on there.

Dennis

The issue about not being able to drive down into the Canada Place parking area might have to do with the need for the bus, taxis etc. and their drivers to have a Port Pass.

A friend of mine use to drive the tour buses and each year he had to go through the procedure of getting a new pass.

You are correct - the large tour bus regularly drive down and park in the parkade.

Dennis 

Just a FYI - the Vancouver International Marathon with close to 20,000 runners is happening the weekend you are in Vancouver - the marathon date is Sunday May 4, 2025 and the finish line is only a couple of blocks from the cruise port - Canada Place.

I would suggest booking your hotel as soon as they open up - unlikely to get any real bargains - the Y would be a good one as it is away from the Marathon route.

Dennis

You will be docking at Smith's Cove , aka, Pier 91 a couple of miles from the downtown core.

Here's a link to the Port of Seattle cruise schedule: https://www.portseattle.org/sites/default/files/2023-06/2023 Sailing Schedule Updated 6.6.23.pdf

Hope this helps - some of the Seattle regulars should be able to answer the second part of your question.

Dennis

Vancouver native here - where to start.

First of all - welcome to Vancouver - your choice of your hotel on Georgia St is smack in the middle of the downtown core.

You have our largest downtown Mall - Pacific Center a little over a block away. While Nordstrom's is now closed there are many well known American retailers located there.

There is also a food court located there.

As for best places to eat I will leave that topic to my friend MartinCath.

A couple of unique eating and shopping area would be Yaletown and Gastown.

Granville Island Public Market is one of the most popular visited places in the city.

There are free shuttles to both the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain which you can board either at the cruise port or around the corner behind the Hyatt Hotel which is across the street from your hotel.

You are about a dozen blocks to the entrance of Stanley Park - rated one of the best urban parks in North America.

You haven't indicated what time of the year you will be cruising.

Hope this gets you started and I am sure that some more of us locales will be along with more suggestions.

Dennis

FYI - you might want to check and see what the driver's license regulations are for driving a 15 passenger van in both Alaska and the Yukon and if my memory serves me correct I think you also cross into BC on your way to Emerald Lake. In BC your regular Class 5 license - the one use by most drivers doesn't allow you to drive a 15 passenger van - anything over a 10 passenger van requires a different license category.

Hope this helps.

Dennis

That's the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver - which bus are you taking from Seattle - Quick Shuttle, Amtrak bus, Greyhound or some other bus line.

Dennis

As Milhouse posted - there are three Fairmont hotels downtown - the Waterfront and Pacific Rim are only a couple of blocks apart and close to Canada Place while the hotel Vancouver is three or four blocks uphill from the port.

Tell us which one you have booked and one of us locals will be able to answer your question properly,.

A search of google tells me that the street elevation at Georgia and Thurlow is 32 M or 105 feet above sea level.

Canada Place would be near 0 but let's say 20 ft. above sea level.

That to me isn't flat - I get off at the Sky Train Burrard Station and walk up Burrard to go to my favourite gym and I can tell you there are times that I am huffing and puffing by the time I reach Georgia. Mind you I am 75 years old.

Dennis

FYI - the walk from the Convention Center to the Paradox will be uphill all the way - mind you it will be downhill going to the ship.

Dennis 

I am also taking the Bliss to those ports in March. Sailing the week of March 24, 2024.

Anyone 12 and under travels free - just walk them through the turnstile with one of the paying adults. This applies to Skytrain, buses and sea buses.

Hope this answer your question.

Dennis