Vancouver Info if needed

[scottbee]

Thank you Ellen - that sounds like a good plan for getting to the port! If we took the skytrain to Brighouse station after the cruise, would we be able to get a taxi from there to the hotel? Do taxi's queue up at the station or would we need to call one?

 

Am I right that we can buy tickets from the machine at the stations (Brighouse and the one near Canada Place - is it Waterfront station?) using a credit card?

 

Yes and yes

 

taxis are generally waiting at all of the major stations and yes you can use a cc to buy tickets.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Tweedy]

Thank you Ellen - that sounds like a good plan for getting to the port! If we took the skytrain to Brighouse station after the cruise, would we be able to get a taxi from there to the hotel? Do taxi's queue up at the station or would we need to call one?

 

Am I right that we can buy tickets from the machine at the stations (Brighouse and the one near Canada Place - is it Waterfront station?) using a credit card?

 

 

Having the taxi take you to the Canada Line is a good option. If you were to go that route, I would suggest having the taxi take you to the Bridgeport (where the River Rock Resort Hotel is) Station rather then the Brighouse Station. Reason being, the trains at the Bridgeport Station run every 3 1/2 minutes as opposed to the 7 minutes at Brighouse. You can catch a train that comes from the airport which will be less busy then the one coming from Brighouse. Also, catching a taxi at Brighouse station isn't as easy as it would be catching it at Bridgeport where the RRR Hotel is.

 

For convenience, I would stay in the taxi the entire way downtown (personal preference) when heading to the ship. At least you would get to see some of Vancouver since the Canada Line is underground all the way through Vancouver. After the cruise, you could experience the Canada Line train.

 

This is just another suggestion. I hope you enjoy your trip.

[scottbee]

Thank you for your response. Changing hotels is not an option. 1 night pre-paid (stupid mistake when I booked it). The other night is a free one. We get in at midnight pre-cruise so no time to kill except before boarding the ship the next day. After the cruise I guess we will leave our luggage at Canada Place, go to Grouse Mountain then take a taxi back to the hotel and fly out early the next a.m.

 

I would use Skytrain (Brighouse will be closest station) for the bulk of your transfers given how far you are from downtown. Someone mentioned $50 for a taxi to downtown/Canada Place, I wouldn't be surprised if it's more than that on a busy day.

[SeaTheWorldBySea]

I think we need to move to Vancouver. Texas has some great people but if everyone in Vancouver is like those of you who help out here - it's a great place to live!

 

We are meeting friends at the hotel and will transfer to the port with them the next morning. First choice will be share the cost of a taxi if we can get one big enough for 6 with luggage. Second choice the hotel will arrange a shuttle for $14 per person and we'll see a bit on our way in to Vancouver.

 

After the cruise it will be just be 3 of us for the return to the hotel. Weather permitting, we will leave our luggage at Canada Place and spend the day day at Grouse Mountain. Taking the Skytrain to Brighouse and a taxi from there to the hotel will give us the underground Canada Line experience. We could even take the skytrain all the way to the airport and call for the free hotel shuttle to pick us up there - assuming we would not have to drag our luggage very far to the shuttle pick up spot.

 

THANK YOU ALL!!

[scottbee]

I think we need to move to Vancouver. Texas has some great people but if everyone in Vancouver is like those of you who help out here - it's a great place to live!

 

We are meeting friends at the hotel and will transfer to the port with them the next morning. First choice will be share the cost of a taxi if we can get one big enough for 6 with luggage. Second choice the hotel will arrange a shuttle for $14 per person and we'll see a bit on our way in to Vancouver.

 

After the cruise it will be just be 3 of us for the return to the hotel. Weather permitting, we will leave our luggage at Canada Place and spend the day day at Grouse Mountain. Taking the Skytrain to Brighouse and a taxi from there to the hotel will give us the underground Canada Line experience. We could even take the skytrain all the way to the airport and call for the free hotel shuttle to pick us up there - assuming we would not have to drag our luggage very far to the shuttle pick up spot.

 

THANK YOU ALL!!

 

If there's a free airport pickup, then it's not far from the airport station to where the shuttles pick up, it'll just add a little bit of time to the process.

[robinboy]

I have to say Thank You to everyone on this board. I truly couldn't plan a trip with out it. I have a question tho: We are coming back from a cruise and we are going to spend the night in Vancouver. The only thing that we had planned on doing was the Hop on Hop off bus. Just wondering if the Best Western Plus Chateau Granville would be a good choice as far as location, any eating places close by and being able to get to/from it. Would we just take the Canada line from the pier to the hotel and then also take the Canada Line to YVR? Also, is the Hop on Hop off stops close to this hotel?

 

Thank you very much again

[lstrong]

Help! Unfamiliar with BC wines and would love to buy some dry reds and whites to take on our cruise. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks

[scottbee]

Help! Unfamiliar with BC wines and would love to buy some dry reds and whites to take on our cruise. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks

 

My number one suggestion if you like Bordeux/Meritage style blends or dry Merlots and CabSavs would be the Hester Creek Cabernet Franc. http://www.hestercreek.com/index.php/wine/reserve-cabernet-franc-2009-750ml.html The Inniskillin Dark Horse varietals are also excellent (they come from the better side of the valley), along with Burrowing Owl's Meritage (or Merlot). The best BC Reds generally come from the area between Okanagan Falls BC and Osoyoos BC. For a good bottle of BC Red or White, you're generally looking in the $20+ range as our taxation on wine is somewhat higher than it is in the USA.

 

I'm not normally a white wine drinker (he says while savouring an Argentinian Malbec), but there are some good whites too, try looking for some of the more northern Okanagan varieties such as those from Naramata valley. Recently I also had a Jackson Triggs White Meritage that was very good (although a strange name given Meritage means a Bordeux style red blend).

 

If you're coming from the airport on Skytrain, make the effort and get off half way into town at the BC Signature Liquor Store at Cambie and 40th Street (one block north of the 41st/Oakridge Skytrain stop). This store has the best selection, and some of the most knowledgeable staff in the province.

[martincath]

Help! Unfamiliar with BC wines and would love to buy some dry reds and whites to take on our cruise. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks

Nothing from Tantalus, Desert Hills, Burrowing Owl, Poplar Grove, Blasted Church, or Hester Creek has disappointed us so far - and I'd concur with SB about any local wine over $20 being a safe bet quality-wise.

 

I find big, bold, single varietals from the Okanagan work consistently well for me, and the terroir seems to really work well for making Merlot particularly flavoursome. I went several years not drinking straight Merlot (and no, not because of Sideways - although he was right there's a lot of very poor Californian Merlot!) until my first Okanagan wine trip a couple of years ago.

 

If you can find a bottle of the Tantalus Old Vines Riesling grab it. Most of it goes straight to the good restaurant wine cellars so it's a lot easier to get with a meal than off the shelf somewhere. It's a truly world class, Old World style wine that compares well with anything from anywhere under $40 a bottle.

 

But all of this is based on my palate - go speak to someone in a good liquor store (as well as the specific one SB mentioned, any Signature store should have decent advice available and most large private liquor stores have decent staff - Legacy & Liberty downtown especially).

[Putterdude]

I have to say Thank You to everyone on this board. I truly couldn't plan a trip with out it. I have a question tho: We are coming back from a cruise and we are going to spend the night in Vancouver. The only thing that we had planned on doing was the Hop on Hop off bus. Just wondering if the Best Western Plus Chateau Granville would be a good choice as far as location, any eating places close by and being able to get to/from it. Would we just take the Canada line from the pier to the hotel and then also take the Canada Line to YVR? Also, is the Hop on Hop off stops close to this hotel?

 

Thank you very much again

 

I would probably avoid the BW Chateau Granville, it has a history and is in what is known as the Entertainment District which can be a bit rowdy at night. However, it is about a 4 block walk from the Vancouver Centre Canada Line station. Other hotels that you may care to look at would include the BW Downtown on Drake St., Holiday Inn on Howe St. or the Blue Horizon on Robson St. Given the amount of time you have before your visit I would be inclined to watch Hotwire, you can often snag a 3*+ hotel on it for about $135 to $150.

[Putterdude]

Help! Unfamiliar with BC wines and would love to buy some dry reds and whites to take on our cruise. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks

 

Under $20 I would try Jackson-Triggs 2011 Reserve Merlot, we had a bottle the other evening and quite enjoyed it. We had some friends here last week from Oliver, BC, which is in the heart of BC's best grape growing region. These guests have Road 13 as tenants of theirs and they introduced us to Road 13's Merlot and their Stemwinder which is a blend of Chardonnay and Viognier. Depending where you are staying in Vancouver, you will find a large BC "Signature" liquor store at Alberni and Bute Sts. and a smaller store but nonetheless carries a wide variety of product at the corner of Seymour & Cordova Sts. about 3 blocks from Canada Place.

[lstrong]

Thank you all so much for the info onBC wines! I am printing this great info out and taking it with me. Staying at Blue Horizon for a couple days pre cruise. Let me know if you ever need info on San Diego.

[Putterdude]

Thank you all so much for the info onBC wines! I am printing this great info out and taking it with me. Staying at Blue Horizon for a couple days pre cruise. Let me know if you ever need info on San Diego.

 

Then you will find the large "Signature" liquor store almost around the corner from your hotel.

[Pisgah]

Putterdude,

 

We are staying in the Blue Horizon on Robson for 4 days Sept 13-16. Can you recommend any breakfast restaurants in walking distance. Nothing expensive maybe reasonable prices.

[Kugel]

We are thinking about Land and Seas tour to ate us to Whistler. Is the drive worth going?

[martincath]

We are thinking about Land and Seas tour to ate us to Whistler. Is the drive worth going?

I think that strongly depends on how long you have pre- or post-cruise (I'd always prioritize Vancouver sites unless you're here at least 3 days). Assuming you feel you have enough time in Vancouver and can spare the time: if you enjoy mountain scenery and/or want to do some active outdoorsy stuff (go walking, mountain-biking, zip-lining - ski season doesn't overlap with cruise season) Whistler would undoubtedly be a good place for you to visit. The Peak to Peak gondola gives tremendous views, but is definitely not recommended for anyone who isn't good with heights.

 

If you're taking a bus tour (you asked about Land Sea elsewhere...) they may include a stop in Squamish for refreshments (I recall being taken to the Howe Sound brewpub on our Whistler bus tour which was excellent) and they'll definitely stop at Shannon Falls which is pretty impressive - make a point of stopping here if you decide to rent a car & do it yourself. I see Land Sea also offer a visit to the Squamish-Lil'wat Cultural Centre as part of the tour - again, if you go by yourself I'd visit this, it's a very informative museum with a great cafeteria (try the venison stew & bannocks).

 

The ride itself along the Sea to Sky highway provides a lot of good views - if you're driving yourself though do pay attention to the curves and frequently-changing speed limits, try not to get distracted by the scenery!

[Kugel]

I think that strongly depends on how long you have pre- or post-cruise (I'd always prioritize Vancouver sites unless you're here at least 3 days). Assuming you feel you have enough time in Vancouver and can spare the time: if you enjoy mountain scenery and/or want to do some active outdoorsy stuff (go walking, mountain-biking, zip-lining - ski season doesn't overlap with cruise season) Whistler would undoubtedly be a good place for you to visit. The Peak to Peak gondola gives tremendous views, but is definitely not recommended for anyone who isn't good with heights.

 

If you're taking a bus tour (you asked about Land Sea elsewhere...) they may include a stop in Squamish for refreshments (I recall being taken to the Howe Sound brewpub on our Whistler bus tour which was excellent) and they'll definitely stop at Shannon Falls which is pretty impressive - make a point of stopping here if you decide to rent a car & do it yourself. I see Land Sea also offer a visit to the Squamish-Lil'wat Cultural Centre as part of the tour - again, if you go by yourself I'd visit this, it's a very informative museum with a great cafeteria (try the venison stew & bannocks).

 

The ride itself along the Sea to Sky highway provides a lot of good views - if you're driving yourself though do pay attention to the curves and frequently-changing speed limits, try not to get distracted by the scenery!

 

Thank you. We are not active at all. Two men just had hip replacements. 4 of us have been to a vancouver and done everything in our three trips prior. This is a van just for six of us. Thought it would be a nice ride with beautiful views and photo ops. Peak to peak is out for half of us. Figure a nice lunch, walk around the town a bit if there is a town to walk around, stop where you suggested and then back in time to clean up and maybe go to won's on Robson.

[BCHappyGal]

Yes I would definitely suggest Whistler for you as you have obviously done most of the Vancouver attractions.. The drive to & from Whistler is awesome... Take time to stop at Shannon Falls and in Squamish... enjoy all the viewpoints - these are best done on your southbound (return) trip as the pull outs are all on the west side of the highway.

Yes Whistler has a large pedestrian only village for you to wonder around with lots of restaurants. It is fun to spend a night in Whistler too! If you have the time the circle drive is very scenic that would be highway 99 to Whistler and then continue on to Pemberton, Lillooet, Lytton where you join highway 1 south back to Vancouver via the Fraser Canyon thru Hells GAte. Only I would suggest that you do this in reverse and maybe spend the night in Pemberton...

[Kugel]

Thank you so much for the information. a few more things. The limo company that is at the stand at the airport quoted me $110 for the 6 of us to the hotel on Howe Street (Holiday Inn Express). Does that sound right to you? A taxi is about $35 but we would need at least 2 and maybe 3 due to luggage. Any other suggestions for someone to drive us?

 

also my husband is set on going to Won's on Robson because we did that a few years ago and he loved it. Is it okay or stay clear?

 

Thanks so much.

[Putterdude]

Thank you so much for the information. a few more things. The limo company that is at the stand at the airport quoted me $110 for the 6 of us to the hotel on Howe Street (Holiday Inn Express). Does that sound right to you? A taxi is about $35 but we would need at least 2 and maybe 3 due to luggage. Any other suggestions for someone to drive us?

 

also my husband is set on going to Won's on Robson because we did that a few years ago and he loved it. Is it okay or stay clear?

 

Thanks so much.

 

If you want a Meet & Greet that will be about the rate but there will be lots of limos at YVR and on a walk up basis a 6 pax limo will run you $55 plus tax and gratuity . Aerocar has this as a contracted flat rate with YVR.

 

http://aerocar.ca/rates/flat-rates/

[ell52]

also my husband is set on going to Won's on Robson because we did that a few years ago and he loved it. Is it okay or stay clear?

 

Thanks so much.

 

I think you mean Hon's on Robson. If so, imho, it has gone downhill somewhat (e.g. smaller portions), but still gives pretty good value if you want something quick and inexpensive.

[martincath]

I'm 99% sure ell52 is correct that the hubster means Hon's (there is a chinese resto called Won More but that's down by English Bay). That branch of Hon's isn't one I've tried (I'm much closer to their Keefer branch) but in general the reviews for the whole chain (there are now 4 I think) are on a downward trend.

 

If you want noodles there are more options than you can shake a stick at downtown - many closer to your hotel than Hon's. Personally I think Jinya's pork broth makes it the best in town, and it's 300 metres closer to you

 

If it's a full-service Chinese restaurant you want, Kirin is slightly nearer the Holiday Inn than Hon's and is very well-respected. Pricier than Hon's though.

 

NB: you said Holiday Inn Express above but mentioned Howe St - the HI Express is waaaaaaay out east, almost outside the city. Be sure you name the hotel correctly to the driver, preferably giving the intersection (Howe & Helmcken for the 'Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Vancouver Downtown') to avoid any surprises - there's also the 'Holiday Inn Vancouver-Centre' on the other side of False Creek at Broadway & Heather as well as the Express out at Hastings & Renfrew.

[LeftcoastBC]

If you want a Meet & Greet that will be about the rate but there will be lots of limos at YVR and on a walk up basis a 6 pax limo will run you $55 plus tax and gratuity . Aerocar has this as a contracted flat rate with YVR.

 

http://aerocar.ca/rates/flat-rates/

 

With Apologies to PD new rates are $66 to Canada place or most hotels for a 6 PAX limo at the airport. You may have trouble with luggage but an 8 PAX is only $89

 

Hey back from the Point after more than a month and my first post is for you. lol gotcha

[Opus Voyage]

DH and I are arriving in Vancouver in Sept the day before we depart on Hal Volendam. Decided to take the FREE airport shuttle to the Ramada Airport Inn on Westminster in Richmond. The next morning after our breakfast we can walk to the Brighouse Station and take the Skytrain to Canada Place without having to pay the extra fee we would have to pay from the Airport.

[Tweedy]

DH and I are arriving in Vancouver in Sept the day before we depart on Hal Volendam. Decided to take the FREE airport shuttle to the Ramada Airport Inn on Westminster in Richmond. The next morning after our breakfast we can walk to the Brighouse Station and take the Skytrain to Canada Place without having to pay the extra fee we would have to pay from the Airport.

 

Just a quick note, the Ramada is about a 10-15 minute walk to the Brighouse Station. If it is raining and you do not feel like walking in the rain, you could catch the #407 or #401 bus that stops right in front of the hotel. Both these buses drop off passengers for the Canada Line and the ticket you would receive from the bus work for the train.