Question for Vancouverites - What to Do on Turnaround Day?

[Roz]

Next spring I'm doing a 6-day Coastal from San Diego to Vancouver, and then staying on the ship for its first Alaskan cruise of the season. After I change cabins, I want to get off the ship and spend a little time in Vancouver.

 

What is within walking distance of Canada Place? If I want to eat lunch off the ship, is there a good seafood restaurant nearby that you could recommend?

 

Do the cabs in Vancouver take credit cards? I don't want to have to exchange any US dollars for Canadian if I don't have to.

 

Roz

[em-sk]

Next spring I'm doing a 6-day Coastal from San Diego to Vancouver, and then staying on the ship for its first Alaskan cruise of the season. After I change cabins, I want to get off the ship and spend a little time in Vancouver.

 

What is within walking distance of Canada Place? If I want to eat lunch off the ship, is there a good seafood restaurant nearby that you could recommend?

 

Do the cabs in Vancouver take credit cards? I don't want to have to exchange any US dollars for Canadian if I don't have to.

 

Roz

 

Canada place is downtown Vancouver. Just walk out of the terminal and you are in the downtown core of the city.

 

All the taxi will take credit cards.

 

There is a wide range of restaurants within the 3 blocks of Canada Place. Everything from food trucks, fast food to fine-dinning.

 

Within walking distance:

- Kirin on Albertin St is good for Dim Sung.

- Coquille on Carroll St. specializes in sea food

- Miku is one of many Sushi places in that part of downtown.

- Pan Pacific Hotel is located above Canada Place (same building) its a hotel restaurant, very highly rates and expensive.

 

If you want to do a more tourist oriented thing, there is a revolving observation deck and restaurant at Harbour Centre. If you do the restaurant then you don't need to pay for the observation deck.

[Roz]

Thanks for the info, Em-Sk. Didn't know about the observation deck and restaurant at Harbour Centre. I went online and looked at Coquille's menu - interesting. I see that it just opened this year.

 

Roz

[Essiesmom]

I'm not a Vancouverite, but have had turnaround days in Van. The first time, a friend met me and took me to Grouse Mountain. When I went with my sistr, we flew in a couple of days early so we had a full day to tour. Right outside the Pan Pacific Hotel is a kiosk where you can book the Ho-Ho bus, or a tour to Grouse Mountain, or to Capilano...or Granville Island...

 

https://www.tourismvancouver.com/activities/attractions/secrets-of-granville-island/ EM

[Roz]

Thanks, Essiemom. How exactly does turnaround work? My understanding is that the crew will help me to move. Is that correct? When does that happen? Do I have to be assigned to a color group in order to debark? Will I be issued a new card in order to re-board?

 

Roz

[em-sk]

Thanks for the info, Em-Sk. Didn't know about the observation deck and restaurant at Harbour Centre. I went online and looked at Coquille's menu - interesting. I see that it just opened this year.

 

Roz

 

Yes, it is very new. It is a new restaurant by the same pair of chefs that do the LaBottorir (that is also a very good restaurant).

 

http://www.labattoir.ca/

 

Again it all depends on what your looking for. I have not been up to Harbour Centre in a while, but I seem the remember the food as good but not fantastic.

[em-sk]

I'm not a Vancouverite, but have had turnaround days in Van. The first time, a friend met me and took me to Grouse Mountain. When I went with my sistr, we flew in a couple of days early so we had a full day to tour. Right outside the Pan Pacific Hotel is a kiosk where you can book the Ho-Ho bus, or a tour to Grouse Mountain, or to Capilano...or Granville Island...

 

https://www.tourismvancouver.com/activities/attractions/secrets-of-granville-island/ EM

 

If you plan to head over to Granville Island (not within walking distance), then there are also a number of very good sea food restaurants there as well.

[skrufy]

If your up to walking Gastown is about a 1/2 mile from Canada Place. Lots of restaurants and shopping. A short walk. from Gastown is Chinatown.

[Roz]

Skrufy, I walk for exercise, so 1/2 mile is a church cake walk. :cool:

 

Essiesmom, I've been by Granville Island, but have never actually gone there. Looks like I have lots of possibilities. Will depend on when I get moved into my 2nd cabin, and when I need to be back onboard.

 

Roz

[DaveOKC]

Roz - there is a wine/liquor store in Harbour Plaza - about 2-3 blocks from the ship. Also the observation plaza already mentioned there offers an interesting view of the city. Gas Town is interesting - lots of shops and dining options and is a 10 minute walk (see the steam clock while there, its on the main street and you cannot miss it).

 

If you have time, a quick trip to Capilano Suspension Bridge might be an option. They have a free shuttle right from Canada Place. Check on details on it on the Canada board or their website.

 

Dave

[VibeGuy]

The foodie in me says to get on the Canada Line and head out to Richmond for Chinese food. I’m fond of Fisherman’s Terrace, Dinesty or HK BBQ Master, but the latter does not take cards so you’d need some cash, although I’ve used USD with no issue there when caught short.

[Essiesmom]

Both times in Seattle I was on Princess and we kept the same cabin. I have done B2B on Celebrity before, and I didn't find them as easy as it could be. On Millie in Miami, I got moved but they did not let me stay in my cabin to unpack. Stay out until cabins are released. Sort of defeats part of the purpose. The next cruise (it was a B2B2B) even though I wasn't moving, they didn't want to make it possible for me to be in my cabin. but I found a way in through the library. In FLL we had a limo waiting for a trip to HQ, and the new cabin wasn't ready, and finally I just took our luggage up and left it outside the cabin door and the new cabin steward got the hint. San Juan was a cluster...for another reason not Celebrity's fault. EM

[martincath]

Answers in red - sorry, totally missed seeing this yesterday!

 

What is within walking distance of Canada Place?

 

Depends how far you think 'walking distance' is... Google Maps are your friend - they accurately account for average walking speed up/downhill, delays at controlled intersections where you need to wait for lights, and have very good quality routing these days (no more missing shortcuts & staircases since they started using dudes wearing camera backpacks to do 'streetview' and log walkable-but-not-driveable paths). If you're happy to do a mile each way, just about all the above spots except Granville Island are easily walkable - 5 miles total and you can walk to GI or English Bay, into Stanley Park a bit, basically anywhere in the downtown core.

 

If I want to eat lunch off the ship, is there a good seafood restaurant nearby that you could recommend?

 

Lots of them - how much do you want to spend and what do you mean by 'seafood'? Just things in shells? Anything from the ocean? Is it OK to include sushi/sashimi, 'ethnic' eateries, or just cooked Western-style dishes? What about raw oysters? Is a menu with at least a few seafood dishes, but not JUST seafood dishes, OK by you? And where else do you want to go and sightsee? We have so many good seafood choices that you may as well do one that's convenient for your other plans...

Without knowing all this info it's impossible to point you at the best choice for you - though I'd certainly not hesitate to eat in any of the spots mentioned already (except Five Sails, the good resto inside the PP, which is dinner-only so no good for lunch - the other in-house resto options are distinctly less excellent). Harbour Centre resto is decent, just overpriced of course (as any rotating/high up resto is) - but if you're here on a weekend their brunch is far and away the best bargain as you can pick & choose all the high-value items and ignore the filler; they even have pretty nice sushi available.

 

 

Do the cabs in Vancouver take credit cards? I don't want to have to exchange any US dollars for Canadian if I don't have to.

 

Yes with a but - sometimes the machines to process cards are broken. Very, very occasionally that might actually be true but in 100% of my experience it just means the driver doesn't want to lose the processing fee and is scamming you into handing over cash. Say before you get in you have no cash and must pay by card. If you pay with USD they will happily take your cash, but give change in CAD and give you a subpar exchange rate so unless you carry lots of stripper money you'll get hosed every time (taxi fares downtown to downtown usually run under CAD$10).

 

 

Roz

[SadieN]

Thanks, Essiemom. How exactly does turnaround work? My understanding is that the crew will help me to move. Is that correct? When does that happen? Do I have to be assigned to a color group in order to debark? Will I be issued a new card in order to re-board?

 

 

 

Roz

 

 

 

You’ll get a letter informing you what to do. Each port and cruiseline does things differently. Talk to your room steward about moving your stuff. Some have had luck with packing up most things with the hanging stuff taken in a hotel cart. We’ve found it easier to pack up the whole Cabin, putting the second Cabin’s luggage tag on the suitcase. We’ve carried off our valuables, electronics, meds and passports.

[Roz]

Martincath, thank you for taking the time to provide such detailed answers.

 

I'm involved in something called volksmarching, and we regularly do 10K walks, so 5 miles is nothing.

 

As far as my definition of seafood, I intended it to cover fish, even if they're caught in a river like salmon. The operative word is FRESH. When I'm in the Pacific Northwest, I like to eat salmon or halibut, along with clams, mussels, crab, etc. I don't do sushi or sashimi. I used to eat raw oysters until my brother ended up on IVs in the emergency room after eating a bad one.

 

As far as budget, I'm willing to pay up to $50 for lunch, including a glass of wine.

 

Thanks for the tip about cabs. That's pretty much the case in the States. The credit card machines in cabs seem to be "broken" a lot. I'm familiar with paying with US dollars in Canada and getting Canadian change.

 

Thanks again.

 

Roz

[Roz]

You’ll get a letter informing you what to do. Each port and cruiseline does things differently. Talk to your room steward about moving your stuff. Some have had luck with packing up most things with the hanging stuff taken in a hotel cart. We’ve found it easier to pack up the whole Cabin, putting the second Cabin’s luggage tag on the suitcase. We’ve carried off our valuables, electronics, meds and passports.

 

Sadie,

 

I normally try to travel with only one suitcase, but in this instance, I'm pretty sure I'll be taking two. I'll be flying Southwest, and they allow 2 bags with no added fees. I'll be gone for 2 wks., starting out in San Diego where I'll need warm weather clothes as well as for some other ports in California. My thinking is to put the warm weather clothes and toiletries in my small suitcase, and just unpack that bag when I board in SD. My heavier clothes and extra shoes, etc. will go in the big suitcase for Alaska. When I have to change cabins, I can just re-pack the small bag and get everything moved. I'll post on the HAL board to see how they handle turnaround day.

 

Roz

[martincath]

...As far as my definition of seafood, I intended it to cover fish, even if they're caught in a river like salmon. The operative word is FRESH. When I'm in the Pacific Northwest, I like to eat salmon or halibut, along with clams, mussels, crab, etc. I don't do sushi or sashimi. I used to eat raw oysters until my brother ended up on IVs in the emergency room after eating a bad one.

 

As far as budget, I'm willing to pay up to $50 for lunch, including a glass of wine.

Alrighty - combining this info with your other replies above about what you've not seen and think you'd enjoy, I'm going to assume that you'll gravitate to Granville Island. It's popular, interesting (architecturally as well as for shopping & eating), and well within your limits even if you chose to walk the whole way (even if you only do the shorter 5km Volksmarches).

 

If heights don't bother you do the full walk one way over a bridge to the other side of False Creek (Granville Bridge goes right over the 'island' so is the most direct, but Burrard has better views over English Bay, edge of Stanley Park, and adds less than a quarter-mile to the ~2.5 mile walk as Granville Bridge has such a huge 'flyover' before hitting land again that you have to walk back on yourself several blocks).

 

After lunch, when a full tummy might make schlepping back uphill to a bridge more hassle than it's worth, take one of the little ferries instead to cross False Creek then walk back to the pier. If you've already done Chinatown, Gastown, Yaletown and don't need to repeat any of them you can just head straight up Hornby Street from the ferry dock back to the pier - a little over one and quarter miles. Or take a more leisurely route through one or more of the downtown 'hoods instead.

 

Resto options on the island with good seafood are all easily inside your budget, even if you mean CAD not USD. Ordinarily Edible Canada is my primary recco, but since their 'lunch' menu is more of a brunch you may not find enough fishy dishes to float your boat (check menu to see what they have - if you do see enough, go for it, as this is consistently the best kitchen on GI). Next choice, and VERY seafoody, is the Vancouver Fish Company, with Bridges the third-ranking for food IMO (but with by far the best patio on GI in case that's a factor, and again a very fishy menu). More casual eateries include Tony's (lots of fried fishy stuff), Go Fish (more of a shack than a resto - takeout from right next to the fishing fleet pier just at the back of GI), and many options inside the Public Market. On nice days many folks take lunch outside and watch the buskers while eating.

 

If it's a weekday there's another interesting dining option - Bistro 101 just off GI (you have to walk past it if you're coming from either Burrard or Granville bridge, or the HOHO stop). It's the kitchen of one of our culinary colleges, so there is a bit more randomness than a pro kitchen but the price point is extremely keen and the menus pretty fancy. Real chefs plan the menu and supervise, so nothing dreadful escapes the kitchen; usually flaws are in presentation rather than anything impacting taste.

 

Since you're an experienced walker I'll also throw out a more distant option - eating on Broadway instead of GI. The hill up this side of the creek is a pain, so heading up from bridge deck level rather than all the way from the water makes life easier. With many and varied ethnic eateries it's a good food street, but there are two restos in particular that will fit your Seafood desires and are genuinely top-notch.

 

Salmon & Bannock - one of a mere handful of First Nations restos anywhere - does, as the name suggests, several salmon dishes. Also great for game meats. In spring they occasionally even manage to source enough Ooligan to sell (a kind of smelt - very oily, a dish of Ooligan oil with bannock to dunk is the local equivalent of a fancy Italian 'bread & olive oil' combo). They cut out lunch and go dinner-only over the winter, waiting for the busy season to roll around before doing lunches again, so depending on your date it might not be possible to eat here. If you can though, it's tremendous value and a very unique experience.

 

Dynasty Seafood is possibly the best Chinese resto in the region (it's been racking up more awards than any other in the peer-voted local Chinese restaurant awards since it opened). All cooked fish & seafood so no sushi worries, nice view from the window end of the dining room, and I mdon't think anywhere else does as meany seafood-oriented dim sum options.

 

Since it's next year you're visiting, take all the above with a pinch of salt as restos and chefs change a lot round here! I'd double-check reviews again of your short list before cruising to see if you want to change your mind which to visit.

[em-sk]

Alrighty - combining this info with your other replies above about what you've not seen and think you'd enjoy, I'm going to assume that you'll gravitate to Granville Island. It's popular, interesting (architecturally as well as for shopping & eating), and well within your limits even if you chose to walk the whole way (even if you only do the shorter 5km Volksmarches).

 

If heights don't bother you do the full walk one way over a bridge to the other side of False Creek (Granville Bridge goes right over the 'island' so is the most direct, but Burrard has better views over English Bay, edge of Stanley Park, and adds less than a quarter-mile to the ~2.5 mile walk as Granville Bridge has such a huge 'flyover' before hitting land again that you have to walk back on yourself several blocks).

 

After lunch, when a full tummy might make schlepping back uphill to a bridge more hassle than it's worth, take one of the little ferries instead to cross False Creek then walk back to the pier. If you've already done Chinatown, Gastown, Yaletown and don't need to repeat any of them you can just head straight up Hornby Street from the ferry dock back to the pier - a little over one and quarter miles. Or take a more leisurely route through one or more of the downtown 'hoods instead.

 

Resto options on the island with good seafood are all easily inside your budget, even if you mean CAD not USD. Ordinarily Edible Canada is my primary recco, but since their 'lunch' menu is more of a brunch you may not find enough fishy dishes to float your boat (check menu to see what they have - if you do see enough, go for it, as this is consistently the best kitchen on GI). Next choice, and VERY seafoody, is the Vancouver Fish Company, with Bridges the third-ranking for food IMO (but with by far the best patio on GI in case that's a factor, and again a very fishy menu). More casual eateries include Tony's (lots of fried fishy stuff), Go Fish (more of a shack than a resto - takeout from right next to the fishing fleet pier just at the back of GI), and many options inside the Public Market. On nice days many folks take lunch outside and watch the buskers while eating.

 

If it's a weekday there's another interesting dining option - Bistro 101 just off GI (you have to walk past it if you're coming from either Burrard or Granville bridge, or the HOHO stop). It's the kitchen of one of our culinary colleges, so there is a bit more randomness than a pro kitchen but the price point is extremely keen and the menus pretty fancy. Real chefs plan the menu and supervise, so nothing dreadful escapes the kitchen; usually flaws are in presentation rather than anything impacting taste.

 

Since you're an experienced walker I'll also throw out a more distant option - eating on Broadway instead of GI. The hill up this side of the creek is a pain, so heading up from bridge deck level rather than all the way from the water makes life easier. With many and varied ethnic eateries it's a good food street, but there are two restos in particular that will fit your Seafood desires and are genuinely top-notch.

 

Salmon & Bannock - one of a mere handful of First Nations restos anywhere - does, as the name suggests, several salmon dishes. Also great for game meats. In spring they occasionally even manage to source enough Ooligan to sell (a kind of smelt - very oily, a dish of Ooligan oil with bannock to dunk is the local equivalent of a fancy Italian 'bread & olive oil' combo). They cut out lunch and go dinner-only over the winter, waiting for the busy season to roll around before doing lunches again, so depending on your date it might not be possible to eat here. If you can though, it's tremendous value and a very unique experience.

 

Dynasty Seafood is possibly the best Chinese resto in the region (it's been racking up more awards than any other in the peer-voted local Chinese restaurant awards since it opened). All cooked fish & seafood so no sushi worries, nice view from the window end of the dining room, and I mdon't think anywhere else does as meany seafood-oriented dim sum options.

 

Since it's next year you're visiting, take all the above with a pinch of salt as restos and chefs change a lot round here! I'd double-check reviews again of your short list before cruising to see if you want to change your mind which to visit.

 

I would have to agree with the suggestions of Dynasty. Every time I have been there it is have been excellent. However it is a Chinese sea food.

[Glaciers]

We did a b2b from Alaska with our turn in Vancouver. The cabin stewards moved everything to the new cabin and it was ready to go when we returned to the ship. As mentioned you’ll be given a letter explaining the process. We were given cards that identified us as “in transit” that allowed us to skip the regular boarding line with all the new passengers. We still had to check in with someone but it was more of a crew access line and it went quickly.

 

We went to Granville Island and spent several hours there.

[LeDemonBlond]

When we were in Vancouver last for a coastal cruise and there was a long delay before the ship came in, we ended up going to Granville Island by Bus. The bus stop was a stones throw from Canada Place.