Vancouver Info if needed

[Putterdude]

Yes it is very doable and you should have time to spare, just watch your time at the attractions. Yes you will be checking your baggage with CDS, I wouldn't worry too much about the 4 pm aspect because to get out to the airport by 5 pm for your 7 pm flight you will to have it by then.

 

Yes you can take transit back from CSB or Grouse Mtn to the cruise terminal. From the cruise terminal you have the option of transit, the Airporter or cab.

 

Cab will under most circumstances will take 45 min but I would allow a full hour or more as you are heading in to the evening commute period. Cabs can be a bit hard to find in Vancouver so your best bet is to walk to the front of the Pan Pacific Hotel which is part of Canada Place or across the street to the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel where cabs will be more available.

 

The cab fare to YVR will be $35 to $40. Airporter charge is $13.50 per person. You can go out to YVR by transit and you can get the schedule from the TransLink link you have. If you have more than a bag each you may find transit awkward because you will be travelling on commuter busses during the commute period.

 

We do not celebrate Memorial Day in Canada; our holiday weekend is the weekend before which the Victoria Day weekend which was Qeen Victoria's Birthday and the observed birthday for the reigning King or Queen of Canada which of course at the present time is Queen Elizabeth II.

 

Here is the Airporter link. http://www.yvrairporter.com/

[TLSEVIN]

There's more to do downtown, and if you can get a good deal on a DT hotel, I'd stay DT. And you can still keep your costs down by taking public transport from the airport to DT.

 

 

Okay, we're down to the final leg of this hotel booking. I'm down to two choices. I've spoken with my mother and she does NOT want to hop on and off buses or chance standing somewhere to wait. She's also very excited about the trolley tour. She's willing to pay all the hotel and transport cost from the airport to ensure that she can get herself and her luggage into ONE vehicle and stay there until she exits to enter the hotel.

 

So, I'm looking only at hotels that provide area transportation - and will check that that means to Canada Place. There are four hotels that list area transportation and/or transport to CD PL. The Best Western, the Days Inn, Hampton Inn and Plaza 500. The BW and the DI are close to $200 a night and although I know this is normal for a DT hotel, I just can't see paying it for a room to sleep, shower and dress in during one overnight. I'm paying that this fall in Chicago, but I will be there 5 days and use the room and hotel to the max.

 

The Hampton Inn is one of my choices. It's $154 a night. I'm just not certain I want to stay that close to the BC Stadium. What's the area like? Any restaurants for supper closeby?

 

The most reasonable choice is the Plaza 500. It's only $117 for the night and the AAA tourbook shows it as providing area transportation -downtown. Its listing in a booking website does not state this, though. That listing indicates a free breakfast, but the AAA book doesn't. So, I guess I'm going to have to call. Checking hotel and location pix, the hotel seems to be in a decent and maybe attractive area. It wouldn't be a very long taxi ride. The reviews I've read have been positive. What do you think? It's farther from CD PL than others, but if they provide transport, who cares? We have plenty of time to get there Wed. We can check bags at CDS for less than $6 each & then go outside to catch the trolley.

 

Will appreciate your opinions and info. I hope to book the hotel before the end of the weekend and then I can relax - for a day or two.

 

Thanks again and again,

 

TLS

[Putterdude]

Plaza 500 is definitely out of the downtown area and an older hotel. You will be a little restaurant challenged up there but there is a White Spot (kind of like an Appleby’s) across the street and there are others on Broadway 3 blocks to the north.

Hampton Inn is a newer hotel in the downtown core and very close to BC Place but the BC Lions (CFL)only play 8 home games each year so if you did hit a night they play it would be a surprise. It is on the edge of the trendy Yaletown area with lots of restaurants and shops plus you can walk to lot of the sights.

For both of them I would double check on the local shuttle being offered. From the Plaza 500 you can certainly catch transit to downtown, allow a short 15 mins; cab fare to cruise terminals about $15. At Hampton you can walk to a number of sights in downtown in and about $10 cab fare to terminal.

I lean towards the Hampton with Plaza 500 a second choice. But if it comes down to $’s than there is nothing wrong with the Plaza 500.

[Urban trekker]

The Plaza 500 is not in the downtown core and in is the middle of a major construction project - the new rapid transit project linking the airport to the downtown core - they are building a station at the corner where the Plaza 500 is located - I believe that since most businesses are suffering from the disruption of the construction that the hotel is offering lower prices to get customers to stay. The area is okay - City Hall is across the street and there is a small shopping mall with fast food outlets on an other corner. It is a busy intersection and our largest hospital is only a few blocks away. You also will be looking at a lot more in cab and transportation charges if you want to go and see the many sites we have to offer here in Vancouver.

 

Take the Hampton Inns - yes it is close to BC Place stadium but the area around the hotel is generally okay - unless there is a football game on there won't be a lot of activity to create a lot of noise - A Hilton hotel is going to be built next door to the Hampton and you are only a couple of blocks from the trendy Yaletown restaurants.

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[carters4usm]

Several of you really know the lay of the land, so please help me! We will fly into Vancouver at 10:30 pm Saturday night before our Monday cruise, We'll basically have all day Sunday and maybe a little time on Monday to do some sightseeing. Would you recommend staying at the Blue Horizon ($170 @ night) or the Bestwestern Uptown ($125 @ night). Both have received really good reviews, so my question is - is the extra $100 worth the downtown location of the Blue Horizon? Thanks!

[Retired 07]

Several of you really know the lay of the land, so please help me! We will fly into Vancouver at 10:30 pm Saturday night before our Monday cruise, We'll basically have all day Sunday and maybe a little time on Monday to do some sightseeing. Would you recommend staying at the Blue Horizon ($170 @ night) or the Bestwestern Uptown ($125 @ night). Both have received really good reviews, so my question is - is the extra $100 worth the downtown location of the Blue Horizon? Thanks!

 

We stayed at the Blue Horizon for 2 nights pre-cruise last September. The view from our room (I believe it was on the 26th floor) alone was worth the extra money, and the location couldn't be beat. You are in the middle of everything, including a great variety of restaurants, and close to public transportation. Plus the front desk was extremely helpful and friendly. I would stay there again.

[Putterdude]

Several of you really know the lay of the land, so please help me! We will fly into Vancouver at 10:30 pm Saturday night before our Monday cruise, We'll basically have all day Sunday and maybe a little time on Monday to do some sightseeing. Would you recommend staying at the Blue Horizon ($170 @ night) or the Bestwestern Uptown ($125 @ night). Both have received really good reviews, so my question is - is the extra $100 worth the downtown location of the Blue Horizon? Thanks!

 

The BW – Uptown is in a rather non-descript neighbourhood that is transitioning to the good but you are going to spend a lot of time transiting to the downtown area and Vancouver’s sights. The Blue Horizon is going to put you at center ice among the fashionable shops and many restaurants of Robson St. plus you can walk to Stanley Park, Canada Place, Pacific Centre and the Art Gallery. If the extra money is not going to keep you awake at night I would go for the Blue Horizon. I would also check on what kind of pricing you can get on Priceline. You may also want to consider the BW-Downtown on Drake St., the Sandman on West Georgian and the Hampton Inn, all of which are downtown, but frankly the Blue Horizon is the better location.

[TLSEVIN]

For both of them I would double check on the local shuttle being offered. From the Plaza 500 you can certainly catch transit to downtown, allow a short 15 mins; cab fare to cruise terminals about $15. At Hampton you can walk to a number of sights in downtown in and about $10 cab fare to terminal.

I lean towards the Hampton with Plaza 500 a second choice. But if it comes down to $’s than there is nothing wrong with the Plaza 500.

 

As advised, I called the Plaza 500 and it seems they no longer transport around the downtown area. They would be "happy to call a taxi" for us!

I can't seem to find the $154-9 room rate for the Hampton Inn that I had earlier in the week. So, now, I'm thinking to use the airport shuttle provided by the Ramada on Westminster Hwy. It comes with great reviews and praise of the shuttle driver. I think it was Orchid7 who recommended nearby Chinese restaurants. And since we'll likely be up at the crack of dawn on Wed., we'll have ample time to get a taxi to CND PL. I'm not concerned about things to do in the area on Tues. evening b/c we'll be up at 4 (your time) on Tues., spend 10 hrs in transit from Indiana to YVR, be transported to the Ramada, settle in, go out for supper and walk back. By then, we'll be ready to put our feet up and read the rest of the day away. Early to bed, too early to rise.

The Ramada is only $115 for a room with a balcony and two beds. Free airport shuttle and free breakfast. It's reportedly clean and friendly. The lowest Hampton Inn rate I can find is $189.

A gazillion thanks to each of you who've braved this process with me.

TLS

[Putterdude]

I am happy that you have found a place to stay. You won't have any problem finding a good Chinese Restaurant out in Richmond. Richmond has become a favourite place for the new Chinese/Canadians to settle. Anyone at the desk will be able to recommend a restaurant to you.

[Terpnut]

I am happy that you have found a place to stay. You won't have any problem finding a good Chinese Restaurant out in Richmond. Richmond has become a favourite place for the new Chinese/Canadians to settle. Anyone at the desk will be able to recommend a restaurant to you.

Given that almost 20% of the population in the Greater Vancouver area is Chinese, I didn't think it was possible to NOT find a good Chinese restaurant in the area! :D

[Cruizn Mama]

Hi--

 

We are spending 2 nights in Vancouver--July 2nd-4th. I was also looking through hotels and locations. It seemed that I would have to pay lots to park if we were downtown. Or we'd have to add on the cost of breakfast. Or the rooms were small. And so on. I went through so many cruise critic threads and trip advisor commentaries that I was seeing blurry!

 

I finally decided that for the money, I should look at bed and breakfasts, and that too, proved to give lots of up and down (all over the place commentaries). So I decided to look at the ratings in terms of the higher the overall rating, the more satisfaction in general.

 

I have decided on a B & B, with free parking, breakfast, (not all have that!) and 3 separate rooms for our group of 5. However, I have 1 more day to settle on it and would appreciate any advice on neighborhood, experience with being there, and so on. It's Ashby House on Bute St., which is West Vancouver. It is also walking distance to many downtown places, or at least it looks like it. One thing I can't get a sense of from reviews is the size of the rooms.

 

Many thanks!

[Putterdude]

Given that almost 20% of the population in the Greater Vancouver area is Chinese, I didn't think it was possible to NOT find a good Chinese restaurant in the area! :D

 

Fair comment! Actually I believe the percentage is even higher in Richmond but no longer have the number in my head. We are not referred to as "Hongcouver" for nothing.

 

Vancouver has for 150 years had a significant Chinese population and today many Chinese/Canadians are very respected members of the community and held in the highest regard in areas such as business, law, medicine and education just to name a few.

 

However, like everything else there are great Chinese restaurants, good Chinese restaurants and so so Chinese restaurants.

[Putterdude]

Hi--

 

I have decided on a B & B' date=' with free parking, breakfast, (not all have that!) and 3 separate rooms for our group of 5. However, I have 1 more day to settle on it and would appreciate any advice on neighborhood, experience with being there, and so on. It's Ashby House on Bute St., which is West Vancouver. It is also walking distance to many downtown places, or at least it looks like it. One thing I can't get a sense of from reviews is the size of the rooms.

 

Many thanks![/quote']

 

I can't help you with the room sizes or its quality but it's location is good. It is a heritage house that would have been built in Vancouver's fashionable West End in the very early 1900. It would likely been a single family home to begin with, then maybe a rooming house and maybe even converted into apartments at one time. The West End has transitioned into a very dense concrete high rise residential neighbourhood over the past 50 years and this is one of the last of the old wood frame houses that have been saved from the wrecker's ball. It looks neat and I am sure you will enjoy it. It likely will not have A/C but that shouldn't be a problem in early July here on the coast, very few of our homes have it even today.

 

You will be able to walk to Stanely Park, English Bay, the Robson Street shops and restaurants, the harbour, Canada Place, Pacific Centre and almost anywhere downtown. Do inquire about parking as it can be pretty scarce in the West End. Also while the neighbourood is safe, please do not leave anything visable in your car as there are a lot of car breakins in the area.

It was the neighbourhood that I was brought to as a baby and later lived in before I was married....so it must be ok.

[Cruizn Mama]

Thanks Putterdude,

It sounds like we'll be fine there. Do you know what the address is for the port Carnival comes into? I'm trying to figure out where to have a rental car from that I can also return to the airport.

[Cruizn Mama]

There's off street parking, so I hope that will help. We will be sure to keep things out of temptation's view. Thanks for that reminder. Once we had a window broken on a trip when our car was packed and we were at a stop to view a tourist attraction--in St. Louis. Nothing much was taken, but it was a hassle and a mess (beads of glass everywhere), plus it held up our trip for at least a half a day to get the window fixed.

[Putterdude]

Thanks Putterdude' date='

It sounds like we'll be fine there. Do you know what the address is for the port Carnival comes into? I'm trying to figure out where to have a rental car from that I can also return to the airport.[/quote']

 

Here is a the Port of Vancouver's schedule and would appear that you will be departing from Ballantyne Pier which is several miles east of Canada Place. I wouldn't think that you need to return your car to the airport, I believe that all of the rental companies have either desk or shuttles at the terminal and if not then they will have locations downtown.....so I would speak with the rental company and see what kind of arrangements can be made. http://www.portvancouver.com/vanAlaCruise/content/schedule/index.php?

[Cruizn Mama]

Thanks for the port schedule link. Actually, we are arriving on July 2nd on Carnival Spirit, so I think the C code is for Canda Place, not Ballantyne. When I originally made my car rental reservation, I did not know which pier it was. I just looked back at my reservation, because it was for Ballantyne. I believe that the arrangements are different. From Ballantyne, we were going to take a taxi and be reimbursed for up to $15. I will need to change the pick up so that we will receive our car from the correct location. The actual spot is closed tomorrow (and the national location had no clue, obviously), so I will call during business hours next week and fix that.

 

Again, thanks!

[NefertariMalta]

:) My friends and i are looking for a hotel to stay in one night before we take our cruise to Alaska. The post cruise accomodation is already booked (a central appartment) but we are in search of a hotel for the one night prior imbarkation. Our cruise leaves from Canada Place and we were thinking of finding a hotel in the vicinity. My friend found the Ramada Downtown but i am not sure if it is in a good location or at the opposite side of Canada Place. We will be arriving by Greyhound bus from Jasper.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice and suggestions! :D

[NefertariMalta]

One other question if you do not mind. do you know which car hire operate at Canada place .. ie from which car hire company we can hire a car when we go down from the cruise ship?

 

Thanks

[Putterdude]

:) My friends and i are looking for a hotel to stay in one night before we take our cruise to Alaska. The post cruise accomodation is already booked (a central appartment) but we are in search of a hotel for the one night prior imbarkation. Our cruise leaves from Canada Place and we were thinking of finding a hotel in the vicinity. My friend found the Ramada Downtown but i am not sure if it is in a good location or at the opposite side of Canada Place. We will be arriving by Greyhound bus from Jasper.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice and suggestions! :D

 

If it is the Ramada-Downtown, it is on Granville St, 12 blocks from Canada Place and at the south end of the Granville Entertainment District which can get a little rowdy late at night and the early morning as the bars and clubs close down. If I you think that will bother you you might consider the Best Western Downtown which is off Granville on Drake Street or perhaps the Ramada Limited on Pender St. All of the major car rental companies have shuttles from Canada Place but I would recommend that you make your car reservation before you leave home as that will let you have time shop for the best deal on a rental.

 

http://www.ramadalimited.org/

 

http://www.bestwesterndowntown.com/

[orchid72]

:) My friends and i are looking for a hotel to stay in one night before we take our cruise to Alaska. The post cruise accomodation is already booked (a central appartment) but we are in search of a hotel for the one night prior imbarkation. Our cruise leaves from Canada Place and we were thinking of finding a hotel in the vicinity. My friend found the Ramada Downtown but i am not sure if it is in a good location or at the opposite side of Canada Place. We will be arriving by Greyhound bus from Jasper.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice and suggestions! :D

 

Hi,

 

Ramada Downtown Pender is in a not-so-bad location as far as proximity to the pier goes. I would say, though, that there are other hotels in the area that would be more centrally located and that are probably in the same price-range. Perhaps try the Days inn on West Pender, as it is in a better part of the city in terms of proximity to restaurants, sights, etc. It is also closer to Canada Place than the Ramada, although not by much (Days inn is 6 blocks west of the Ramada). Again, this is just my opinion. Others may disagree.

 

If you're referring to the Ramada on Granville, I would personally book somewhere else. Granville Street can get pretty rowdy at night. If you do not mind a massive bar scene (read: gong show), then the Ramada Granville would not be so bad. But again, that is just my personal opinion.

 

One other question if you do not mind. do you know which car hire operate at Canada place .. ie from which car hire company we can hire a car when we go down from the cruise ship?

 

Thanks

 

The only car rental location I could think of that operates right out of Canada Place Pier is National. Note, however, that some car rental companies in the downtown core have shuttle services that will pick you up from the terminal (of the two I know are Enterprise and Budget). There is also a Hertz car rental in the nearby Renaissance Hotel (about a 5 minute walk MAX) and an Avis on Hornby street, which is about a 5-10 minute walk from the pier.

[VT-HokieCruiser]

Hello! I have been reading the CruiseCritic site for months regarding our cruise and the ports and just today saw the suggestion to check on the Canada thread for helpful hints on hotel selection, transportation options, and things to see. Thank you for this thread!

 

We have reservations for 3 rooms (6 adults) at the Best Western Downtown Vancouver for pre- and post-cruise nights in late June 2008. We arrive in Vancouver around noon on the day before the cruise, and we fly out of Vancouver early the day after we return from the cruise. So, we only have long partial days on both ends. Our rate is @ $140 CAD/night. Is the Best Western Downtown Vancouver a good choice - bad choice? Is the location good-bad-indifferent? Is the rate good-bad-indifferent? Should we consider another hotel in another location?

[Putterdude]

Hello! I have been reading the CruiseCritic site for months regarding our cruise and the ports and just today saw the suggestion to check on the Canada thread for helpful hints on hotel selection, transportation options, and things to see. Thank you for this thread!

 

We have reservations for 3 rooms (6 adults) at the Best Western Downtown Vancouver for pre- and post-cruise nights in late June 2008. We arrive in Vancouver around noon on the day before the cruise, and we fly out of Vancouver early the day after we return from the cruise. So, we only have long partial days on both ends. Our rate is @ $140 CAD/night. Is the Best Western Downtown Vancouver a good choice - bad choice? Is the location good-bad-indifferent? Is the rate good-bad-indifferent? Should we consider another hotel in another location?

 

 

The Best Western Downtown is on Drake St, just off Granville St. it is close to Yaletown, you can walk over the Granville St Bridge to Granville Island, walk downtown to Pacific Centre, the Roson Street shopping area and Canada Place (about 12 blocks). Granville St is a major transit artery so you can catch a bus to almost anywhere. You can also walk to English Bay. So good location, sort of at the north end of the downtown area. Your rate of $140 at the end of June is good....probably couldn't improve on that now. You could move 8 blocks to the north into downtown proper but your rate would likely be $200 to $300.

[Bpos]

Have just booked a room at the Moda Hotel for 2 nights 17/18 May at what seems a great price for downtown Vancouver at that time of the year. We have other friends who are travelling with us who at staying at the Grand Westin (for a whole lot more $$)

 

Is the Moda Hotel well situated to all the restaurants etc and how is it located in regards to the Grand Westin.

 

We are all really looking forward to visiting Vancouver after our cruise to Alaska and the information you have been providing to visitors to your fair city has been very helpful.

 

Many thanks Putterdude in anticipation of your reply on ongoing help to us.

[Putterdude]

The Moda is about a block west and 2 blocks south of the Weston Grand. You will be be able to walk into the trendy Yaletown area and join your friends at any of the restaurants there. In fact there is a restaurant almost right across from the Grand called Rosie's on Robson which is quite a popular meeting place. The Moda itself is a redo of a much older hotel which has been quite popular to do in recent years, but it is in a good area.