Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite

[Putterdude]

I would try biding on Priceline, we have been learning of some great deals this season such as 3.5* to even 5* rooms going at <$100 pn. I am talking Marriotts, Hyatt, Westins, Sutton Place and even the Pan Pacific. Once on Priceline, go to the biding screen, then go to Downtown-Vancouver and 3.5*+ and start your biding at about $70. All of these hotels will be in good safe locations in the downtown core, close to everything and all but one will be less than a $10 cab fare to Canada Place with the Weston Bayshore maybe $15 max. I have used it myself last month and got the Marriott Renaissance for $75.:)

[StLouisCruisers]

Actually, I just bid on a room in downtown Vancouver today, and the bidding should be at 4 stars to get those fine hotels Putterdude mentioned. My win was the Delta Vancouver Suites. Only two areas in Vancouver have 4 star hotels (this is Priceline I'm talking about). One is Downtown Vancouver and the other is Vancouver International Airport. Do not add Vancouver Int'l Airport as a free rebid!!! All the other areas have 3 1/2 stars or less so can be used to bid up with the free rebids.

[Fenn4Him@comcast.net]

Hi. We're driving to Vancouver and want to spend a couple of days in Victoria before our cruise. Does anyone have suggestions on where to stay and what to do in either city? THanks!

[Putterdude]

Actually I would agree to a point but would not put the Hyatt Regency and the Marriotts in Vancouver much over 3.5*....some would argue 4* but if that is the case they would be be very low 4*, at least in my mind. All that said, you will not have any problem bidding 3.5*+ in Downtown-Vancouver.

[Putterdude]

Hi. We're driving to Vancouver and want to spend a couple of days in Victoria before our cruise. Does anyone have suggestions on where to stay and what to do in either city? THanks!

 

Wow, that is a huge question. A lot of what you ask depends on budget but in Victoria you will probably want to see Butchart Gardens, the Royal BC Museum, perhaps the Butterfly Gardens, some time on the unique shops of Government St., maybe a downtown pub-crawl, a visit to the our Legislature Buildings, whale watching excursion and one evening just enjoying the buskers on the causeway in front of the Empress Hotel. Hotels in Victoria...the Helms Inn, there is a Best Western close to the water downtown, Harbour Towers, Executive Place, the Grand Pacific and the Magnolia are all good hotels but frankly the list is endless.

http://www.butterflygardens.com/

www.butchartgardens.com/

http://www.causewayartists.ca/welcome.html

http://www.princeofwhales.com/

http://www.orcaspirit.com/

Moving on to Vancouver, I would suggest you review the above post concerning using Priceline for a hotel. As for sights that you may care to see: Stanley Park, Granville Island, Grouse Mtn Skyride, Capilano Suspension Bridge, Gastown, Robson Street, Chinatown, .........

www.capbridge.com/

http://www.grousemountain.com/Summer/summer-activities/

http://city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/parks/stanley/

http://www.granvilleisland.com/en

http://www.gastown.org/

[nymaineac]

My only question about priceline is that once you bid, then they add on all of these fees (varies per hotel), taxes, etc. so you really don't know the true price until after you have bought it. Any tips on how to get around this? Thanks!

[jenjens1023]

You're going to have taxes whether you book with Priceline, the hotel itself or another on-line hotel booking company. The fee is just something you've got to live with. But the fee is a small price to pay if it's a good deal. Only Hotwire lets you know the total cost before you book, but the prices aren't usually as good.

[StLouisCruisers]

When I bid on Priceline, it shows me a page with a summary including the taxes added, before I click on the button to make the actual purchase. So I guess you could back out at that point if you don't like the cost. On my $77 bid yesterday in Vancouver, they tacked on $20.01 for all the fees/taxes.

[Putterdude]

My fees in May were of the same magnitude. They dont't break it out but the tax in Vancouver would be 7% PST, 5% GST, and hotel tax of 1.5% so Pricelines fee was about $9.50. To my knowledge there is no way around it.

[candide333]

4* PAN PACIFIC VANCOUVER 9/18-9/20 (Precruise)

 

Site: Priceline

Winning Bid: US $95

Subtotal: US $190.00

Taxes & Service Fees: US $39.76

Total Charges: US $229.76

 

Purchase Date: 6/13

Bids: 1) $85 (2) $90 (3) $95

[Putterdude]

So again on that charge when you back out the tax at 13.5%, Priceline is collecting a fee of just over $14 or $7 per night....a great deal when you have saved at least $150 on the "rack rate". As an example, we have a son knows someone in sales with Fairmont and he has said he can't put friends and family up in their properties for what they are going for on Priceline and Hotwire.

[nymaineac]

I guess taxes was the wrong term. I was talking more about resort fees - some charge $10 per person per day, or other things like that. I do realize taxes are paid no matter what. Thanks for the different breakdowns though. Has anyone had a horrible experience booking through Priceline?

[Putterdude]

I know of what you speak of but no we haven't encountered resort fees with Priceline and we have booked thru them for Las Vegas, Fort Lauderdale, San Pedro and Vancouver, however I would expect if such a fee was the norm at the hotel you booked at you would pay it. I find the the "resort fees" annoying as they often cover the use of the phone, the pool, a morning newspaper and a host of other things that you either expect to be included in the rate or you don't use and really don't care about. I am waiting for the day when they ask, "Well you have the room for a $200 now would you like a bed to go with it, kings are......" There's my rant for today.:eek:

[natvtxn]

Vickie Bernie, I need help in planning our day and a half in Vancouver before boarding the Radiance. We arrive on August 13 around 11:30am. We are staying at the Holiday Inn downtown (free w/ points). We want to go to Gastown, Chinatown, see steam clock and to Stanley Park. We do not leave until 5pm on the 14th, so we have about 24+ hours to do these things. Also, we will not have a car. Can you tell me logistically where to go first? Will anything else fit into our schedule? Mode of transportation to use?

[Urban trekker]

" rate or you don't use and really don't care about. I am waiting for the day when they ask, "Well you have the room for a $200 now would you like a bed to go with it, kings are......" There's my rant for today."

 

Sound like they are following the lead of the cruise lines and nickel and diming everyone.

 

On a more serious note had a good morning down at the Dragon Boat races - and back again tomorrow morning.

 

Any one interested here's the link to the festivities.

 

http://dragonboatbc.ca/

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

Vickie Bernie, I need help in planning our day and a half in Vancouver before boarding the Radiance. We arrive on August 13 around 11:30am. We are staying at the Holiday Inn downtown (free w/ points). We want to go to Gastown, Chinatown, see steam clock and to Stanley Park. We do not leave until 5pm on the 14th, so we have about 24+ hours to do these things. Also, we will not have a car. Can you tell me logistically where to go first? Will anything else fit into our schedule? Mode of transportation to use?

 

I would be inclined to head for Stanley Park the afternoon you arrive...at 1000 acres you spend anywhere from a few hours to a few days there...the good news is that the free shuttle in the park has been reinstated so all you need to do is get there. You will need to be aboard your ship by 3 pm so you won't have a full day on the day of departure but things like Gastown and Chinatown will fit in well that day. You may also care to explore Granville Island...a festival market on your first day and have dinner there. You may also enjoy some time walking on Robson St. You will find that transit will get you pretty much any where that you want to go so will attach a trip planner here for you. Sounds like you have you time pretty much planed out but I am going to attach links to the 2 HOHOs which are a great way to see a lot of the city in a short time.

http://city.vancouver.bc.ca/parks/parks/stanley/

http://www.granvilleisland.com/en

http://www.gastown.org/

http://tripplanning.translink.bc.ca/hiwire?.a=iTripPlanning&.s={$SID}

http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/

http://www.bigbus.ca/

[Putterdude]

" rate or you don't use and really don't care about. I am waiting for the day when they ask, "Well you have the room for a $200 now would you like a bed to go with it, kings are......" There's my rant for today."

 

Sound like they are following the lead of the cruise lines and nickel and diming everyone.

 

On a more serious note had a good morning down at the Dragon Boat races - and back again tomorrow morning.

 

Any one interested here's the link to the festivities.

 

http://dragonboatbc.ca/

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

 

Yes is looked like a grand day from what I saw on the the news....was wondering where you were at but it finally dawned on me this afternoon. We had a birthing in the family last night...a grandson who will spend his life having his ears pinned back by his sister who is two years older....so we are heading into Woman's Hospital tomorrow morning to be sure he has 10 fingers and 10 toes and can make a fist to defend himself.:D

[natvtxn]

Thank you so much! That is JUST the kind of info I was looking (and hoping) for!

[Putterdude]

Thank you so much! That is JUST the kind of info I was looking (and hoping) for!

 

You are welcome; you could do things like the Capilano Suspension Bridge or the Grouse Mountain Skyride in the morning...but I would only do one, you don't really have time to do both. They are accessible by transit and I think that I would probably do the bridge as it is very popular with visitors.

www.capbridge.com/

http://www.grousemountain.com/Summer/summer-activities/

[jmps]

We just returned from the Zuiderdam and had a GREAT time. Thanks Puttedude and all the posters here for your advice on Vancouver. We loved Vancouver. We really liked walking along the shore, eating at Cardero's, the suspension bridge (via the free shuttle). The Marriot Pinnacle was marvelous and very close to everything. We walked with our bags to Canada Place.

 

Boarding and disembarking went very smoothly at Canada Place. No taxi lines on disembark that we saw. It did take a long time to go thru the airport so when US Direct gets going from the pier I would recommend it to avoid ending your cruise with long line waits if flying out on a Saturday.

[Urban trekker]

"free shuttle in the park"

 

Politically correct people at work this morning - if you have to pay $2.00 to use it it is not free but at our advance ages such slips are part of everyday life.

 

I worked down at the dock area where we load and unload the boats.

 

Congrats on being a grandpa - how many does this make

 

Let's see - a birthday around Father's day - wonder who will get all the attention, gifts etc.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

We just returned from the Zuiderdam and had a GREAT time. Thanks Puttedude and all the posters here for your advice on Vancouver. We loved Vancouver. We really liked walking along the shore, eating at Cardero's, the suspension bridge (via the free shuttle). The Marriot Pinnacle was marvelous and very close to everything. We walked with our bags to Canada Place.

 

Boarding and disembarking went very smoothly at Canada Place. No taxi lines on disembark that we saw. It did take a long time to go thru the airport so when US Direct gets going from the pier I would recommend it to avoid ending your cruise with long line waits if flying out on a Saturday.

 

Glad you had a good time, please hurry back....we are missing you and your money.:D

[Putterdude]

"free shuttle in the park"

 

Politically correct people at work this morning - if you have to pay $2.00 to use it it is not free but at our advance ages such slips are part of everyday life.

 

I worked down at the dock area where we load and unload the boats.

 

Congrats on being a grandpa - how many does this make

 

Let's see - a birthday around Father's day - wonder who will get all the attention, gifts etc.

 

 

picky, picky, picky....$2.00 is almost free....its just one of those coins. We now have 2 grandchildren plus one that ....shall I say came with the package...so I guess 3 so to speak.

Say I looked up the World....it seems to me that if you took back your empties and I took back my empties and we pooled our money....well we may just have about enough for 10 mins on her.

In any event I got to get back to change the filter in my gas mask...heading into Big Smoke to see the baby.....I know he will remember the occasion for rest of his life.

Edited June 21, 2009 by Putterdude

[natvtxn]

On a less serious note, but important still the same, where could we go to get our snacks to take on the ship. I don't want to have to put them in our luggage taking up valuable weight! Is there a Walmart/grocery store near Canada Place or near downtown?

[StLouisCruisers]

Congrats, Putterdude, on that new grandson! We have 4 grandsons and 2 granddaughters and they're pretty neat kids! Remember, we can always hand them back when they get cranky!