Vancouver Info if needed

[ddean52]

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! :)

 

Shoppie,

Thank you for all this info!:) I do have a question for you. After spending several days in Vancouver, I will need to return an Alamo car rental, the morning of our cruise. The address for the return is 999a Canada Place, however, when I do a search, I cant find an Alamo listing there. In your travels around Canada Place can you recall seeing an Alamo at that address?

Dean:confused::cool:

[Urban trekker]

That address is Canada Place cruise terminal - Alamo has a kiosk there and possibly a drop point - perhaps PD or some others know if you can drop you rental there.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[ddean52]

That address is Canada Place cruise terminal - Alamo has a kiosk there and possibly a drop point - perhaps PD or some others know if you can drop you rental there.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

Thanks Dennis for the conformation/reply!!;)

Dean:cool:

[Putterdude]

The Alamo used to share a location with National on West Georgia but it was closed in October and they are now working exclusively out of the parkade at Canada Place. They have an office in the lobby of the Pan Pacific hotel and operate the kiosk next door in the lobby of Canada Place on cruise ship days. They tell me they will accept the return of cars at either location, you enter the parkade at park your car in one of their marked spaces.

[ddean52]

The Alamo used to share a location with National on West Georgia but it was closed in October and they are now working exclusively out of the parkade at Canada Place. They have an office in the lobby of the Pan Pacific hotel and operate the kiosk next door in the lobby of Canada Place on cruise ship days. They tell me they will accept the return of cars at either location, you enter the parkade at park your car in one of their marked spaces.

 

Thank you so much!! Tell me, would you know (roughly)the distance from there to where the cruise ships dock? Im thinking of dropping luggage off with the cruise line, then doping off our car, then walking back to our ship, with just carry on?? Again, thanks!;)

Dean:cool:

[Putterdude]

The pier, the parkade and the Pan Pacific are all part of the Canada Place complex. You have the option of dropping your travel companion(s) and luggage off at the curb at the Canada Place pier and giving the luggage to porters and then proceeding to the parkade or everyone/everything goes to the parkade and you come down to the pier by elevator...the total walking distance from parking space to elevator to kiosk would likey be something less 1000 feet. Everything is well marked.:)

Edited June 28, 2010 by Putterdude

[ddean52]

The pier, the parkade and the Pan Pacific are all part of the Canada Place complex. You have the option of dropping your travel companion(s) and luggage off at the curb at the Canada Place pier and giving the luggage to porters and then proceeding to the parkade or everyone/everything goes to the parkade and you come down to the pier by elevator...the total walking distance from parking space to elevator to kiosk would likey be something less 1000 feet. Everything is well marked.:)

 

I cant thank you enough! This detail had me worried thinking the whole process would be cumbersome and inefficient!;);)

Dean:cool:

[Putterdude]

You are very welcome, things should go smoothly for you. However as I tell people...if they don't, my name is Urban trekker.;) Have a great cruise.

[Urban trekker]

PD - I think that you mention recently that the restaurant at Waterfront Station has changed it name to Rogue - you are correct and here's a link to there web site - it actually a wetbar concept whatever that is:

 

http://www.roguewetbar.com/

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

Yes, I stuck my nose in it on Saturday when I was in Waterfront Station, it's for real...I didn't determine if it is owned by the Steamworks people or not but when you go onto the Steamworks TC site it transfers you over to the Rogue site. Now there is a mystery for Insp. Ut to solve.

[shizz]

Canada Day was good down at Canada Place. Got some great photos of the torch :)

 

Looks like there is finally a hot(for Van) week ahead of us in Vancouver, hitting the high twenties most of the week, even a whisper of some places over 30c.

 

Summer is finally here :cool:

[Putterdude]

Canada Day was good down at Canada Place. Got some great photos of the torch :)

 

Looks like there is finally a hot(for Van) week ahead of us in Vancouver, hitting the high twenties most of the week, even a whisper of some places over 30c.

 

Summer is finally here :cool:

 

Glad that you are having a good time in Vancouver, is has been a very long cool spring...so it's great to have nice weather finally.

[red knight]

Shh, don't scare it away!:p:D

[VTSKIandCRUISEGUY]

So is it possible to:

1. Get off the ship in the morning
   
2. Leave the luggage with CDS Baggage service at the pier (at Canada Place)
   
3. Get on the HOHO trolley right away (first Blue Loop leaves at 9:20)
   
4. Do the town for a few hours via the trolley
   
5. Get back to the pier via the trolley by 11:30
   
6. pick up luggage
   
7. get on the Airtrain at the pier by 12:00 (cost ~$5.00 pp)
   
8. Be at the airport by 12:30 for a 2:00PM flight
   

?????

 

The loop takes about an hour and 10 minutes, so we'd have about an hour to be off the trolley at stops.

Of course, if we don't get off the ship until 9:30, then we won't be able to get on a trolley until 10:00, which would allow us just 1 hop-off for 20 minutes max.

Am I crazy or does this make any sense?

.

[Urban trekker]

Don't you have to be at the airport at least 2 hours prior to departure?

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[scottbee]

So is it possible to:

1. Get off the ship in the morning
   
2. Leave the luggage with CDS Baggage service at the pier (at Canada Place)
   
3. Get on the HOHO trolley right away (first Blue Loop leaves at 9:20)
   
4. Do the town for a few hours via the trolley
   
5. Get back to the pier via the trolley by 11:30
   
6. pick up luggage
   
7. get on the Airtrain at the pier by 12:00 (cost ~$5.00 pp)
   
8. Be at the airport by 12:30 for a 2:00PM flight
   

?????

 

The loop takes about an hour and 10 minutes, so we'd have about an hour to be off the trolley at stops.

Of course, if we don't get off the ship until 9:30, then we won't be able to get on a trolley until 10:00, which would allow us just 1 hop-off for 20 minutes max.

Am I crazy or does this make any sense?

.

 

only partly. Problem is that you are flying internationally, and will need to clear US Immigration & Customs prior to entering the transborder wing of the airport. The wait can be anywhere from 15 min to 1+hrs to clear USA I&C.

[VTSKIandCRUISEGUY]

Ah, didn't realize that they do U.S. I&C in Canada.

Well that would add some time, and make my plan problematic.

Thanks for the info.

[Putterdude]

Working backwards, you need to be on the Canada Line heading for YVR by 1130 latest. So what you could do is get off the ship...even better if you can self-disembark so that you are the among the first off, clear Canadian customs, check your luggage (by the way it is now called Priority Baggage Service) and then get out on the street. At this point you have a couple of options...you could turn right and walk down to the cauldron from the Winter Olympics, then turn left and walk into Gastown where Vancouver had its roots, walking back you could stop at the Lookout in Harbour Centre and go up in it. If you didn't want the walking you could grab a cab for a couple of hours and have him drive you by some of the above and then a drive into Stanley Park.

Edited July 9, 2010 by Putterdude

[VTSKIandCRUISEGUY]

Hey Putterdude,

 

Now that I'm looking at a map, and I'm seeing the distances from Canada Place to Gastown, etc... it's looking good for self-disembarking, and walking as far as we want/can, and then grabbing a cab back to CP after.

 

Thanks for pushing me in that direction.

 

Any idea what they charge for the Priority Baggage Service?

 

Thanks.

[Putterdude]

Here is a link to Priority website, link It would appear that their fee for a large suitcase is $5.50 each and lesser amount for smaller bags...as an alternative you could go into the Pan Pacific or across the street to the Fairmont Waterfront and give the bell desk a nice tip to hold your luggage the Fairmont option will save you a bit of walking when you come back.

 

[shizz]

Got invited out with some friends this week on a local charter company called Golden Eagle Charters. They were near a casino?

 

How beautiful is this city! We had a great afternoon cruising around and even saw a few seals(otters aswel?) anyway either way it was a heap of fun and if you guys ever get a chance I highly recommend Golden Eagle , good folks running the show :)

[rockywater]

Not sure if anyone has posted this yet, sorry if this is a repost

 

Every year there is a firework competition at Vancouver's English Bay, here's the schedule, all in the month of July

 

http://www.celebration-of-light.com/event-information/

 

My cruise is arriving there on July 31st and so I will catch the last one, hope some of you can make to any of them, all of them should be spectacular~!

[Putterdude]

No, to my knowldge no one has posted the sked yet...we have been shown up by someone from LA.:o Thanks for the post.

[Tafky]

Not sure if anyone has posted this yet, sorry if this is a repost

 

Every year there is a firework competition at Vancouver's English Bay, here's the schedule, all in the month of July

 

http://www.celebration-of-light.com/event-information/

 

My cruise is arriving there on July 31st and so I will catch the last one, hope some of you can make to any of them, all of them should be spectacular~!

Wouldn't you know it? Our cruise leaves out of Vancouver at 5PM on the 21st ! Oh well ! Hope you all get to enjoy the celebration! Maybe we'll be able to see some from the Volendam on our way to Juneau!!LOL:)

[MMDown Under]

Looking for recommendations of best hotel location for a couple of days in Vancouver.

 

We will be arriving by VIA rail mid Oct and my friends may have to manage on their own in Vancouver and to the airport. (I've discovered my direct flights are either a couple of days before or after their booked flights.)

 

Is there now light rail (?) from the port to the airport, as they would enjoy Vancouver's beautiful harbour and port activity?

 

In addition, my friend is a shopper! :)

Edited July 15, 2010 by MMDown Under