Vancouver hotels

[CassCruise]

absolutely and don't you just love these boards;)

[a52wkhi@att.net]

Last year we stayed at the Fairmont, the one across the street from the Pan Pacific. Loved it.

 

Hey Sandy, have you been to the Fairmont in Santa Monica lately? We have personal experience that it is a very nice hotel! The stay at that hotel starts off much nicer when you get escorted there by two lovely people who cruised with you on the maiden voyage of the Diamond Princess!

 

How was your European cruise to the Greek Isles? Say Hi to Ira, and Happy Holidays! We love you!

 

Your friends in Philadelphia:D

[trixiee]

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I just booked The Westin Bayshore on Priceline for $60.00 June 30/06!

 

I'm a happy cruiser!

 

(Just booked flight and cruise, too, though not on Priceline!)

[CassCruise]

$60 must be the magic number at the moment - I just managed to get 4 nights post cruise accomm again at the Westin Bayshore and again at $60 - very happy (16th-20th Sept)!!!!

[Coral]

Last year, everyone seemed to be getting the Hyatt. This year, the Westin seems to be the clear winner :)

[pamwinn]

I am having really bad luck. I bid every 72 hours for 6/1 and then 6/17 and 18. I've only gone as high as 80 dollars. No luck so far. I know I can get the 17th alone for 60 as someone already has but I don't want to split those 2 days as it looks like I've done with the 1st and 2nd.

[Coral]

I am having really bad luck. I bid every 72 hours for 6/1 and then 6/17 and 18. I've only gone as high as 80 dollars. No luck so far. I know I can get the 17th alone for 60 as someone already has but I don't want to split those 2 days as it looks like I've done with the 1st and 2nd.

 

Pam - I would wait. It sounds like the other hotels have not released inventory yet. Lots of people last year got the Hyatt, the Sheraton and the Marriott. Since these hotels are not coming up, it sounds like just the Westin has released space for certain dates.

[pamwinn]

Yeah, I know you are right. The key to success in this is patience. I should not bid over 60 right now. I just got carried away. We are still not 100% firm in whether we will fly in to Seattle or Vancouver. Another couple is sailing with us this time and due to lack of communication, I missed a great airfare from Atlanta to Vancouver and I am really hoping that appears again between now and then. Now I have everyone's credit card numbers so I am in charge....just where I like to be.:D

[sashas_mom]

You can get even more free rebids if you start at the beginning a couple of times

1.Bid Downtown

if rejected

2.Bid Downtown and Delta

if rejected

Start the bidding process from the beginning

3.Bid Downtown and Surrey

if rejected

Start the bidding process from the beginning

4. Bid Downtown and Langley

if rejected

Start the bidding process from the beginning

5. Bid Downtown, Delta and Surrey

if rejected

Start the bidding process from the beginning

6. Bid Downtown, Delta and Langley

if rejected

Start the bidding process from the beginning

7. Bid Downtown, Surrey and Langley

if rejected

Start the bidding process from the beginning

8. Bid Downtown, Delta, Surrey and Langley

 

As you can see, this approach gives you many more free rebids and is especially useful if you need the room soon and don't have too many 72 hour waiting periods left.

 

By start the bidding process from the beginning, I mean go back to the hotel start page and enter all the info again from scratch instead of continuing with the current bid.

 

Hope this makes sense...it works!

:D

 

Well, I finally bit the bullet and tried Priceline. My blood pressure must have skyrocket...it was so exciting. It did take me a lot of tries, but Pam I can't thank you enough. We followed the instructions above and finally at $85.00 our bid was accepted for the Westin Bayshore (was hoping for $60.00 but we are still thrilled). We are very happy. LOVE this board.

Thanks again.

sasha'smom

[Coral]

Well' date=' I finally bit the bullet and tried Priceline. My blood pressure must have skyrocket...it was so exciting. It did take me a lot of tries, but Pam I can't thank you enough. We followed the instructions above and finally at $85.00 our bid was accepted for the Westin Bayshore (was hoping for $60.00 but we are still thrilled). We are very happy. LOVE this board.

Thanks again.

sasha'smom[/quote']

 

Congrats!

 

Once you get the hang of how Priceline works - it is a life saver! Looks like Pam gave you excellent instructions :)

[pamwinn]

Congratulations. Eighty Five dollars is still an excellent price. Can you tell me the dates. I am still working on 6/1.

[sashas_mom]

We're arriving 6/4 and checking out 6/5. It really took a lot of tries. In fact, I did it the ordinary way suggested first then was told I have to wait 72 hours before trying again. When my husband got home, we used his computer and a different credit card and his name (I was using my name) and tried it the way you suggested above. It took about 7 tries and when we made our way to 85.00 it was finally accepted. I checked another travel discount website and they are getting 285.00 for the same night. So you can see why I am so happy. Thanks again Pam, I hope you are successful.

Eileen

[sashas_mom]

pamwinn,

 

Did you get your rooms at the price you were hoping for? I keep checking to see how you made out. I certainly hope so, since you've helped us so much.

sasha'smom

[pamwinn]

Not yet, but it is very early. I am really surprised we have all been able to get some rooms this far out. I just bid today on 6/1 all the way up to 85 bucks rejected. It's okay though, I know I'll hit pay dirt before June.

[BSBWife]

wow! thank you all so much for your posts. I just got Westin Bayshore for $62 on May 26-28. I tried at $60, got rejected, added an area, rebid at $62 & was accepted! Now I just need to figure out how to get a room in the tower. :p

[CassCruise]

congrats!!! when you figure out how to get a tower room (I take it they are preferable) you'll have to share your tips;)

[winncove]

Do any of the 4-5 star hotels furnish shuttles to the pier or from the airport? I read here someplace that a cab from airport to downtown is $50 and hotel to pier $10. Sound right? What is it from pier to airport? Trying to gather info vs. RCL transfers. TIA :)

[cruise freak]

When I did a search and went to Mapquest it showed the Westin only a 1/2 mile from Pier so I can't imagine the cab costing too much.

[Coral]

Do any of the 4-5 star hotels furnish shuttles to the pier or from the airport? I read here someplace that a cab from airport to downtown is $50 and hotel to pier $10. Sound right? What is it from pier to airport? Trying to gather info vs. RCL transfers. TIA :)

 

Typically, no. The hotels I have stayed at have not had shuttles.

 

Though if you stay at the Pan Pacific or Fairmont Waterfront - you are right there at Canada Place and don't need a cab to the pier (if you are going to Canada Place). When we sailed RCCL, we sailed from Ballantyne Pier which is farther down from downtown but not too far.

[pamwinn]

I am still not having any luck on 6/1. There must be something going on in Vancouver that night. This time I went all the way to 90 dollars.:confused:

[Coral]

I am still not having any luck on 6/1. There must be something going on in Vancouver that night. This time I went all the way to 90 dollars.:confused:

 

Pam - I wouldn't bid much higher.

 

I seriously think that only a few hotels have released availability for the summer - especially since everyone is getting the same hotel and very few people are reporting the other hotels that usually come up. You have plenty of time. I would book a backup hotel just as a precaution.

[SEPyle]

wow! thank you all so much for your posts. I just got Westin Bayshore for $62 on May 26-28. I tried at $60, got rejected, added an area, rebid at $62 & was accepted! Now I just need to figure out how to get a room in the tower. :p

 

I just tried the same strategy starting at $55 ending at $66 for 5/18 and 5/19, and was rejected. Actually we're hoping for the Westin Bayshore, so we'll wait till Tuesday and try again.

 

I've had success before on Priceline, so I know it works. Perhaps Coral is right and it's just a bit too early for the cruise season. Last year I bid later and got the Hyatt Regency for $72 in late May.

[pamwinn]

She's right. It's too early for most hotels. It's very surprising that the Westin has opened up this far in advance for such a good rate. My problem is that I managed to get the Westin at 60 dollars for 6/2. That's when I thought we were flying in to Seattle on 6/1. Now we are considering flying in to YVR so I am trying to get 6/1 also. It is possible to get it for some days at 60 dollars but not others. I also need it for 6/17 and 6/18. I know I can get it for 60 on 6/17 only because someone on this thread already has, but when I try for both days, it's no go. I don't care if I have to change hotels for the precruise dates. But by postcruise, I know I am going to be tired of luggage schleping so I am only bidding for the 2 days.

 

Of course, this could be fate as I hesitated the one time I saw decent airfare from Atlanta to Vancouver because I have first time cruiser relatives going with me and the slacker wouldn't answer the phone. I now have the credit card numbers so that won't happen again. If the rates don't go down from almost 600 bucks pp, we'll still go to Seattle. If I end up getting 6/1, I figure we will just get off the plane and go straight to a rental car and drive to VC from the Seattle airport....will make for a long day.

 

However, all this planning keeps me out of trouble.:D

[kimiata]

We were trying to figure out where to stay in Vancouver for four nights after our cruise, from 8/30 to 9/3. We looked on the Starwood website and the rate for the Westin Bayshore was $299. Then I read this thread. I have never tried Priceline before, so figured, what the heck. Typed in $70 and got it! For 4 nights we are going to pay what we would have paid for one night! Wow. Thanks everyone!

[LINGBER]

I have been trying priceline for June 24-26 and have had no luck all the way up to $100 per night. We checked around and found out there is a jazz festival that week in Vancouver. The Westin Bayshore's website has no rooms available as well as some of the other 4 star hotels. Looks like we will end up Paying full board for the Fairmont.