Vancouver Info if needed

[Urban trekker]

Unfortunately you will be docking at Ballantyne Pier - here's a link to the Ports Cruise ship schedule

 

http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/about/cruiseandtourism/cruiselineschedules.aspx

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

Edited July 9, 2009 by Urban trekker

[JkEw]

Blue Water Cafe in Yaletown is great, but might not fit the "mid-price" criterion. Just a few blocks down Helmcken from Wall Centre.

 

Agree! best seafood downtown :)

 

Also, Hapa Izakaya is great food, inexpensive and has a seafood based menu.

[verdl]

My son has been able to contact a guide in Vancouver who he like a lot...the price for 5 hrs would be a little less than I thought...closer to $400 then $500 .... if you want to persue this let me know and we will have to find some way to link the two of you.

 

That would be great, thanks Putterdude!! Please send contact info.

 

jj

[Putterdude]

That would be great, thanks Putterdude!! Please send contact info.

 

jj

 

I have asked my son for a contact for this guide and will post it as soon as I receive it.

[verdl]

I have asked my son for a contact for this guide and will post it as soon as I receive it.

 

Thanks Putterdude!! Really appreciate it.

 

As an aside, my brother is an avid golfer. He is meeting us on Vancouver Island and is staying at Bear Mountain Resort and plans to play golf for several days. He's at least agreed to break loose a evening or two and meet us at Brentwood Lodge and Spa or in Vicotoria for dinner. We are really looking forward to it.

 

jj

[newhips]

My wife and I are meeting my son & his girlfriend on Aug 29 to sail on the 7 day Alaska cruise on Celebrity Mercury on Aug 30.

 

They arrive at YVR at 11:45 AM and our flight gets in at 1:30 PM. What do you recommend as to how we meet up at the airport. We will be staying at the same hotel downtown, so I thought that it would be a good idea to share a Limo from YVR to the hotel.

 

Is there a place where they can get something to eat while they wait for us to arrive?

 

If necessary they can go ahead to the hotel on their own, but I thought if it wasn't to inconvenient they could wait for us to arrive.

 

I'd appreciate any suggestions from those of you who are familiar with the logistics of YVR.

 

Thanks.

[Putterdude]

Thanks Putterdude!! Really appreciate it.

 

As an aside, my brother is an avid golfer. He is meeting us on Vancouver Island and is staying at Bear Mountain Resort and plans to play golf for several days. He's at least agreed to break loose a evening or two and meet us at Brentwood Lodge and Spa or in Vicotoria for dinner. We are really looking forward to it.

 

jj

 

I have been up to Bear Mtn and looked at the course but haven't played it. I had a number of invitations to play it but its funny how those invites disappear once you have retired. However it is the hot ticket in Victoria. Another that he might care try is the Victoria Golf Club, it is private but they do accept some limited green fee play. What I like about it is the holes that are against the ocean, it is not modern golf course architecture but a great play if he can get on.

To the topic of fishing guides in Vancouver, the email address of the fellow is nvfishing@yahoo.ca ; I try very hard not to use names on these boards so you can tell him that you were refered to him by "Fish Assassin" in Courtenay and I think he will connect the dots.

[orchid72]

My wife and I are meeting my son & his girlfriend on Aug 29 to sail on the 7 day Alaska cruise on Celebrity Mercury on Aug 30.

 

They arrive at YVR at 11:45 AM and our flight gets in at 1:30 PM. What do you recommend as to how we meet up at the airport. We will be staying at the same hotel downtown, so I thought that it would be a good idea to share a Limo from YVR to the hotel.

 

Is there a place where they can get something to eat while they wait for us to arrive?

 

If necessary they can go ahead to the hotel on their own, but I thought if it wasn't to inconvenient they could wait for us to arrive.

 

I'd appreciate any suggestions from those of you who are familiar with the logistics of YVR.

 

Thanks.

 

Once they pass through Customs and Immigration, they can either go to the International/USA departures level 3 and hang out at the food court or one of the restaurants (there are 2 restaurants there - Hanami and another restaurant/bar- the name escapes me right now) or go to the Fairmont's Jetside Bar. Alternatively, if they do not mind walking about 5-10 minutes to the domestic departures level, they can either go to the White Spot/Legends or to the Milestones.

[Putterdude]

newips, there are lots of places to eat at YVR, here is a link for you.

http://www.yvr.ca/guide/todo/index.asp?id=2

[GROOVERS]

Unfortunately you will be docking at Ballantyne Pier - here's a link to the Ports Cruise ship schedule

 

http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/about/cruiseandtourism/cruiselineschedules.aspx

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

You say "unfortunately",:o I guess from that comment I have kind of screwed up, see NCL originally booked us from Seattle to Vancouver on the Pearl, then continue on back into the states, through L.A. and Panama Canal...But we are not allowed to do the Seattle trip up, without a fine, so I booked passage on Princess Star from Seattle, where I "thought" (that's what I get for thinking), both it and the Pearl would dock at Canada Place, now I find out The Pearl docks at Ballantyne, Huh Oh...What kind of trip is it from one pier to the other? I haven't did my final on Princess yet, but I am flying in the day before, if you were me would you look into something else, like a bus, or rental car, and then just book a night at Canada Place? I know Amtrak goes up, but we don't get in till 10:30 AM, Problems, Problems...Aw but the Cruise, awaits us!:D

[Putterdude]

You say "unfortunately",:o I guess from that comment I have kind of screwed up,

 

It is not the end of the world by any means. You would have to pack up and leave the ship in any event. The two piers are a short mile apart, a cab fare between the two will cost about $7 and take five minutes. It is just that Canada Place in a lovely facility in the downtwon core and Ballantyne is in a rather seedy industrial area.

[newhips]

Thanks Orchid & Putterdude.

 

One more question - I take it that if you go to the departures food court area, it is before the departure security area and there is no problem with dragging your luggage.

[Putterdude]

You will not have any opportunity to eat between the gate, customs and baggage areas so you will have to go up to the Deaprtures Level with all of your luggage after you have cleared customs and picked up your luggage. YVR does provide baggage carts for free.:)

[GROOVERS]

It is not the end of the world by any means. You would have to pack up and leave the ship in any event. The two piers are a short mile apart, a cab fare between the two will cost about $7 and take five minutes. It is just that Canada Place in a lovely facility in the downtwon core and Ballantyne is in a rather seedy industrial area.

 

 

 

Now, that's a lot better, five minutes apart I can handle, I was under the impression it was several miles...Heck, customs will take 3 hours!:o

[orchid72]

Thanks Orchid & Putterdude.

 

One more question - I take it that if you go to the departures food court area, it is before the departure security area and there is no problem with dragging your luggage.

 

no, no problem at all. The food court -and all other restaurants I mentioned - is in the pre-security area. You can get to the international/USA departures (pres-security) area either by taking the escalator one level up from arrivals, or if you have a lot of luggage, you can get a cart (for free from baggage claim) and take the elevator up one level to departures. Easy peasy.

Edited July 17, 2009 by orchid72

[newhips]

As a point of info, I just booked a 2 nights post cruise hotel on priceline for 9/6 - 9/8 for $70 per night through priceline and got the Hyatt Regency Vancouver on Burrard.

 

I AM VERY PLEASED - :):):)

 

I'm still working on the pre-cruise night of 8/29.

[scottbee]

Now, that's a lot better, five minutes apart I can handle, I was under the impression it was several miles...Heck, customs will take 3 hours!:o

 

It's just under 2 miles by road. However, Ballantyne is ONLY accessible via taxis and cruise shuttles, as it's located in a secure portion of the commercial docks. A taxi is well under $10, I think we paid $11 with a good tip last time, and that was from the other side of Canada Place.

 

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=canada+place,+Vancouver,+BC,+Canada&daddr=Ballantyne+Pier&hl=en&geocode=%3BFRYN8AIdFsup-CGhZUx3200fow&mra=pe&mrcr=0&sll=49.286894,-123.116087&sspn=0.033927,0.090895&ie=UTF8&z=15

[Kamloops50]

There are also elevators between Levels. Most transportation leaving YVR

is on the arrival's level.

If you have time there are some nice sculptures located thru out the

whole airport.

The city of Vancouver is very beautiful.

 

Note: Customs could take an hour or more depending on how many

international arrive at the same time.:cool:

[Urban trekker]

Also some more info on the pending start up of the Canada Line - on the news last night it was reported that service could now start as early as mid - August and that regardless of when it starts the first day will be free - that will be a zoo.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[verdl]

My son has been able to contact a guide in Vancouver who he like a lot...the price for 5 hrs would be a little less than I thought...closer to $400 then $500 .... if you want to persue this let me know and we will have to find some way to link the two of you.

 

Geez, for some reason I couldn't find this thread last night. I'll look here for your response.

 

Thanks again,

jj

[Putterdude]

Hi jj, please go back to the previous page and post #932 and you will find the contact info. :)

[ourfamilylovescruising]

Hi everyone I have been reading this blog for about an hour. so I still have a few questions,

My DH and I are staying 2 nights at the Metropolitan hotel but we have 8 friends going with us who are all in thier 70's. so what I need to know is what is the best things for them to do when they get off the ship we will be on the X Millie and they are taking the train at 5:45 to settle. Luggae is the problem I thought maybe they can bring it to our hotel? we are planing on doing the hop on hop off bus so any insight you can give me will be a help. our trip is in Sept.

Thanks Deanna

[West End]

Hi there..I live in Vancouver and have worked at several of the hotels in the city..and have also worked on cruise ships before, so I've done more Alaska cruises than I care to admit..I'll gladly answer any questions about the city, cruising or what have you! :)

 

Hi Shoppie,

I found this old post of yours about your knowledge of Vancouver. My wife and I will be leaving next Saturday out on the Sapphire. I was wondering we will be flying in Friday night. We will be staying at the Westin Bayshore. What is the best way to get from the hotel to the cruise terminal? Also, wanted to know once at the terminal, since we came in on Friday, will we need to go through Canadian Customs before boarding the ship? What is that process like?

 

Thanks for the help,

[orchid72]

Hi everyone I have been reading this blog for about an hour. so I still have a few questions,

My DH and I are staying 2 nights at the Metropolitan hotel but we have 8 friends going with us who are all in thier 70's. so what I need to know is what is the best things for them to do when they get off the ship we will be on the X Millie and they are taking the train at 5:45 to settle. Luggae is the problem I thought maybe they can bring it to our hotel? we are planing on doing the hop on hop off bus so any insight you can give me will be a help. our trip is in Sept.

Thanks Deanna

 

Since there are 10 of you, how about getting a Private limo or minibus tour? It may be more convenient than doing the HOHO tour - perhaps you can customize it so that they can pick you up at the port, drop off the luggage at your hotel, do your tour, and then and drop off your friends at the train station after? Try pricing it out because it may not be that much more $$ than 10 of you paying for your HOHO tours + cab rides from pier to hotel and hotel to train station. Also, you and your friends will need 3 cabs (depending on amount of luggage, and depending if you can get a minivan cab) to transport you from port to hotel then from hotel to train station.

[orchid72]

Hi Shoppie,

I found this old post of yours about your knowledge of Vancouver. My wife and I will be leaving next Saturday out on the Sapphire. I was wondering we will be flying in Friday night. We will be staying at the Westin Bayshore. What is the best way to get from the hotel to the cruise terminal? Also, wanted to know once at the terminal, since we came in on Friday, will we need to go through Canadian Customs before boarding the ship? What is that process like? Thanks for the help,

 

The best way to get to Canada Place from the Bayshore is to take a cab. It will cost about $10. Some hotels offer shuttle services to the pier, so you may want to check with your hotel to see if they offer this service.

 

No, you would not need to go through Canada Customs before boarding the ship, but you will go through US Customs and Immigration after you go through security.

 

If you are taking a cab, the cab will take you to Canada Place cruise ship terminal passenger drop off (underground parkade area). The porters will take your luggage, then you go through security. After security, you will go through US Customs and Immigration then you board your ship. The process is easy and painless. You may encounter some long lines if you get there during peak periods - I think between noon and 2 probably - but it is not that bad.

Edited July 18, 2009 by orchid72