Airport transfer in Vancouver

[SailorKate]

We have booked an "Pre-Cruise" excursion with Hal prior to sailing on the Ryndam on July 16th and will be staying as part of that excursion at the Fairmount Waterfront. However we have booked our air transportation independently.

 

Do you know? Will HAL make arrangements for our transfer from the airport to the hotel? I'm kind of guessing that they will not. In that case...What method of trsportation would you suggest and do you have any idea as to the price.

 

At the other end of the land tour we will be staying as part of the HAL Cruise-tour in Fairbanks. We will be faced with the same situation there. Will HAL transport us to the airport? (We leave very early in the AM.) What choices do we have for transfer in Fairbanks?

 

I keep checking Ziggy's list and the ship Roll Call Boards. Are we all alone on this cruise-tour? July 16th - 28th? LOL

 

Thanks in advance for your help:)

[Stevesan]

We have booked an "Pre-Cruise" excursion with Hal prior to sailing on the Ryndam on July 16th and will be staying as part of that excursion at the Fairmount Waterfront. However we have booked our air transportation independently.

 

Do you know? Will HAL make arrangements for our transfer from the airport to the hotel? I'm kind of guessing that they will not. In that case...What method of trsportation would you suggest and do you have any idea as to the price.

 

At the other end of the land tour we will be staying as part of the HAL Cruise-tour in Fairbanks. We will be faced with the same situation there. Will HAL transport us to the airport? (We leave very early in the AM.) What choices do we have for transfer in Fairbanks?

 

Since you booked independent air you'll likely need to purchase HAL transfers, assuming that's what you want to do.

Did you book through a TA, or directly with HAL? Either way your travel rep will have answers to those questions immediately at hand.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Kathie, I think you booked the Fairmont thru HAL so YES you will get transfers. I did not think so because I used my own United airmiles this time. The transfers are actualy part of the Hotel Package. When you arrive there should be a Red Jacket HAL Rep in the airport. Our Rep was very helpful he walked us out to where the Vancouver Tranporter pickes you. (This will be after you get your luggage you will see the HAL Rep) They then take you tickets that are in your Documents and give you a ticket for the Transporter. Now this bus does make many stops a several hotels along the way. Your stop will be the very last stop and do not get off at the first Fairmont.

The next day is when they do the Tour of Vancouver prior to when you board. We DID NOT take this tour and I am glad we didn't. It ended up that the tour bus broke down and these poeple did not get on the Ryndam till 4:30 and missed the Life Boat Drill. We had a very nice tour the night prior by Aaron and Kim and were actually the first passenger to walk over the gang plank on to the ship:) We had tickets to the tour but when we chekc ed at the Fairmont Sunday morning with the HAL Rep we told her we would not be taking the tour. Also you MUST check in with the HAL Rep in the Fairmont Sunday morning because that will be where you Boarding Folder will be. I personally thought this was a waste of time, because you really need to again check in with the rest because you need your picture taken and turn in your credit card info.

[SailorKate]

:) Lisa and Stevesan,

 

Thank you so much for your prompt reply. The TA said she thought they would transport us but with the delay of so many document deliveries, I was nervous!

We are actually arrive in Vancouver on Friday at 11:30 AM their time (after over 8 hours of travel) and will be taking the tour to Buchart Gardens/Victoria on Saturday. We will probably do quite a bit of "touring" of Vancouver on our own on Friday so we may just skip the bus tour on Sunday and go directly to the ship on our own. I will remember to notify them though. Thanks for the reminder.

Now...if I can only figure out what to take, and what suitcases to use etc. I'll be OK. I'm fretting already because I hate the thoughts of lugging luggage and with Tuxedos, dresses and warm clothes and cool clothes, extra shoes to walk the glaciers and puddles, cameras, meds and insulin supplies, ad nauseum! I hope the laundry is working on the ship!

Thanks again. You folks are great!

[Stevesan]

:) Lisa and Stevesan,

 

Thank you so much for your prompt reply. The TA said she thought they would transport us but with the delay of so many document deliveries, I was nervous!

We are actually arrive in Vancouver on Friday at 11:30 AM their time (after over 8 hours of travel) and will be taking the tour to Buchart Gardens/Victoria on Saturday. We will probably do quite a bit of "touring" of Vancouver on our own on Friday so we may just skip the bus tour on Sunday and go directly to the ship on our own. I will remember to notify them though. Thanks for the reminder.

Now...if I can only figure out what to take, and what suitcases to use etc. I'll be OK. I'm fretting already because I hate the thoughts of lugging luggage and with Tuxedos, dresses and warm clothes and cool clothes, extra shoes to walk the glaciers and puddles, cameras, meds and insulin supplies, ad nauseum! I hope the laundry is working on the ship!

Thanks again. You folks are great!

 

Your TA THOUGHT HAL will transport you???? Boy, do you need a new TA.

Tell her to call HAL and ask. You deserve a definite answer, insist on it.

 

Good luck and happy cruising.

[Fblack]

Whatever you do, do not take the shuttle bus from Vancouver airport to your hotel. Last year I booked an RCl pre-cruise stay and transfers were included by the Airporter bus sytem. What a mistake. It took over 90 minutes to get the normal 20 minute ride to our hotel. The Airporter makes regular stops at every hotel on the way. Not only dropping off passenegrs but picking them up. We passed our hotel twice but we were on the wrong side of the street. So we just sat and were one of the last off. If you have two or more people, a taxi is about as cheap. I do not think any cruise line uses their own bus service for pre-cruise hotel stays.

[Tinknock50]

Agree....and the same is true for Seattle.......Take a taxi.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Your TA THOUGHT HAL will transport you???? Boy, do you need a new TA.

Tell her to call HAL and ask. You deserve a definite answer, insist on it.

 

Good luck and happy cruising.

 

Actually you are wrong. HAL has it set up that if you book the hotel thru them you get the transfer to the hotel via the Tranporter. We actually did not think it was that bad. WHile yes we did stop at hotels with the Fairmont Waterfront being the last stop it was actually nice to see where these other hotels were as well as see some of Vancouver. It definitely did not take 90 minutes I would say closer to 45 minutes.

[Stevesan]

Actually you are wrong. HAL has it set up that if you book the hotel thru them you get the transfer to the hotel via the Tranporter. We actually did not think it was that bad. WHile yes we did stop at hotels with the Fairmont Waterfront being the last stop it was actually nice to see where these other hotels were as well as see some of Vancouver. It definitely did not take 90 minutes I would say closer to 45 minutes.

 

You quoted:

 

Your TA THOUGHT HAL will transport you???? Boy, do you need a new TA.

Tell her to call HAL and ask. You deserve a definite answer, insist on it.

Good luck and happy cruising.

 

Where am I wrong? I didn't tell Sailorkate whether she did or did not have the transfer. Only told her to confirm with her TA.

 

Maybe you lifted the wrong post?

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Since you booked independent air you'll likely need to purchase HAL transfers, assuming that's what you want to do.

Did you book through a TA, or directly with HAL? Either way your travel rep will have answers to those questions immediately at hand.

 

 

My question to you is have you gone on Alaskan Cruise this year??? Have you stayed in Vancouver this year with hotel booked thru HAL??? Her TA's thoughts were RIGHT!!!

[SailorKate]

"Your TA THOUGHT HAL will transport you???? Boy, do you need a new TA.

Tell her to call HAL and ask. You deserve a definite answer, insist on it."

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Seems to me that if we depended on all of our information from our TA that we would not spend our time here on the Message Boards. Nothing speaks like experience!

 

I don't think this is the time to fire the Travel agent! But I will be meeting before the July 14th departure to go over the details. In the meantime, folks like Laffnvegas help keep me on the right track and calm! It's a lot of responsibiltity to plan a 2 1/2 week crusie and land tour for the first time. I really appreciate all the help and assistance I have gotten here.:)

 

By the way...that seemingly uninformed travel agent got me and partner a combined $400. in shipboard credit. :D

[Stevesan]

My question to you is have you gone on Alaskan Cruise this year??? Have you stayed in Vancouver this year with hotel booked thru HAL??? Her TA's thoughts were RIGHT!!!

 

My point was her TA should know, not just have "thought".

 

And don't yell at me. It's extremely rude!:confused:

[LAFFNVEGAS]

My point was her TA should know, not just have "thought".

 

And don't yell at me. It's extremely rude!:confused:

 

Since you booked independent air you'll likely need to purchase HAL transfers, assuming that's what you want to do.

 

No Yelling here I just like larger font so I can see it. If you cannot answer the questions I asked you above maybe you should not be giving advise (or your thoughts). Beings that we just went on a HAL cruise and stayed at the Fairmont thru HAL and booked our own air I do have first hand experience. Now if you also just did this and did NOT receive transferrs please speak and tell us about your recent Alaskan cruise.

It seems you have done the same as her TA but with the wrong advise.

[Songhee]

We took a taxi from the airport to within a block of the Fairmont and it was $28.00 canadian. Plus tip. Taxis are clean, good drivers. You'll love the Fairmont -- great hotel, great location, and I hope you love Vancouver and Victoria too.