Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite

[msg_girl]

Thanks for the helpful information on public transport. We travel in early May (not sure when Labor Day is but assume it's later in the year) so I think we'll use the limo service to the hotel and then buy day tickets for travelling around. G.

[HillbillyInBC]

Thanks for the helpful information on public transport. We travel in early May (not sure when Labor Day is but assume it's later in the year) so I think we'll use the limo service to the hotel and then buy day tickets for travelling around. G.

 

Labour Day here is the same as Labor Day in the States: first Monday in September.

[AkSusan]

AkSusan

 

I also won 3 rooms at the Bayshore on Priceline. Thats the one I wanted but was nervous until my acceptance screen poped up! I called to make a couple room requests and found out that they will pick you up at the airport for like $13.00...not sure if thats US or Cd $$.... but a nice deal either way.

That's great, thanks for the information. I know how you feel on Priceline and for some reason when I bid this time the one page just kept saying - Hold on we're out there looking, and then again and again and again and then finally either No success or the Bayshore.

 

Did you have any problems with your room requests? I have to call and ask for 2 double beds. I love my Mom but don't want to have to share a bed :D

 

Susan :)

[Putterdude]

That's great, thanks for the information. I know how you feel on Priceline and for some reason when I bid this time the one page just kept saying - Hold on we're out there looking, and then again and again and again and then finally either No success or the Bayshore.

 

Did you have any problems with your room requests? I have to call and ask for 2 double beds. I love my Mom but don't want to have to share a bed :D

 

Susan :)

 

Don't take this as gospel but I have no trouble phoning the hotel after I have booked on Priceline and making a specific request. They have always accomodated our request.:)

[AkSusan]

Don't take this as gospel but I have no trouble phoning the hotel after I have booked on Priceline and making a specific request. They have always accomodated our request.:)

I have never had a problem either (okay hopefully we won't jinx it now :D)but always like to hear that a hotel is accomodating.

 

Susan :)

[dunaldo]

Is this worth doing if you only have one afternoon in Vancouver?

[Putterdude]

If the weather is nice...ie you can see the top of the mountain, then yes it is worth doing. However there are many other things that you can do in Vancouver in an afternoon. Things like Stanley Park, Granville Island, Gastown, just to name a few. The other thing that I would recommend is one of the HOHO excursions which will allow you to see a lot in a little time.

http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/

http://www.bigbus.ca/

[RKMJDJ]

Hi , thanks in advance for answering my question. Wife and I are sailing Coral Princess from Whittier to Vancouver. We would like to stay 1 or 2 nights post in Vancouver but have to catch a 12:35 pm flight out of Seattle. Can you recommend a mid priced hotel and also the best way to travel from Vanc. to Seattle to make the 12:35 pm flight? Many thanks.

[Putterdude]

If I understand you correctly you are flying out of Seattle at 12:35 pm the day after you arrive in Vancouver. That being the case I would suggest that you check your luggage with CDS Baggage Service at Canada Place then perhaps take one of the HOHO tour buses around the city. After which your options to get to Seattle would be either Amtrak or Quick Coach. I am going to provide you with some links below to help you.

I would suggest that you send the night in Seattle perhaps out by the SeaTac airport and if you started a thread on this board perhaps a Seattle poster could help you with a hotel/motel recommendation.

 

http://www.cdsbaggage.ca/CDS/Home.html

http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/

http://www.bigbus.ca/

http://www.quickcoach.com/

http://www.amtrakcascades.com/index.aspx

[AZgolfergal]

Vicki: We are sailing roundtrip Vancouver out of the Ballantyne Pier. What are the best arrangements to make for a car rental on our return? We may need to rent a car there and turn it in at Seattle airport. We love to visit Vancouver and find the market at Granville to be very interesting and fun. Thanks for your help.

[Urban trekker]

I saw your other post first regarding car rentals from Ballantyne Pier and posted an answer there.

 

Here's the post again - taken from the Port's web site

 

Car Rentals

 

Rental car kiosks are only available at Canada Place. They include: Avis, Budget, and National. There are no rental car kiosks at Ballantyne. Passengers need to pre-arrange pick-up or drop-off with the rental company in advance.

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

Vicki: We are sailing roundtrip Vancouver out of the Ballantyne Pier. What are the best arrangements to make for a car rental on our return? We may need to rent a car there and turn it in at Seattle airport. We love to visit Vancouver and find the market at Granville to be very interesting and fun. Thanks for your help.

 

You will find that all of the large car rental companies will pick you up and shuttle you to their downtown location(s). Dropping a car in Seattle that has been rented in Vancouver is no big deal, with perhaps the exception of Enterprise, it is done all the time. I would just get the best deal I could and then go from there.

[ukbballfan]

That's great, thanks for the information. I know how you feel on Priceline and for some reason when I bid this time the one page just kept saying - Hold on we're out there looking, and then again and again and again and then finally either No success or the Bayshore.

 

Did you have any problems with your room requests? I have to call and ask for 2 double beds. I love my Mom but don't want to have to share a bed :D

 

Susan :)

 

The guy told me to just make my request known at check-in as they don't assign rooms until day of check-in. We could have gotten by with 2 rooms but I didn't want to chance having to sleep in the bathtub! Besides for $75 a room, I got 3 cheaper then I could have booked 2 anywhere else.

[Lookingforfacts]

I'm considering getting the Vancouver Entertainment book. It has BOGO coupons for the Capilano suspension bridge and a couple of things in Stanley Park.

 

Am I likely to use any of the restaurant coupons?

[Putterdude]

I don't see where the Capilano Suspension Bridge is listed on their website and you may what to find out if the Vancouver Trolley has black out dates during the summer. There certainly are some pretty good restaurants listed....but at the end of the day it just depends on your taste and the amount of time that you are going to be in Vancouver. There may be a poster who has purchased the book that can provide more details.

http://www.entertainment-savings-offers.com/vancouver/book/

[Lookingforfacts]

http://vancouver.entertainment.com/discount/Capilano_Suspension_Bridge/coupon/02509278025RED00166889EPC00496999PRD00000001.html

 

There are two books, one for Vancouver Island and a more expensive book for Vancouver.

 

Vancouver aquarium, Vancouver Lookout, Stanley Park Horse Drawn Trolly...I figure I'll break even if I use one or two coupons and get a good deal if I try a restaurant. Stonegrill is listed. Book wouldn't have made sense at full price.

[pizzalady1]

I'm considering getting the Vancouver Entertainment book. It has BOGO coupons for the Capilano suspension bridge and a couple of things in Stanley Park.

 

Am I likely to use any of the restaurant coupons?

 

Last year the cost went down to $12 in April--worth waiting for if you won't be needing it until May/June or later.

[Minoushka]

We got the Plaza 500 hotel in Vancouver on Priceline

Is it a safe place ?

Is is far from cruise terminal?

Can we hop on busses or water taxi to visit

We will be spending 3 days In Vancouver in July

All info appreciated

[Putterdude]

We got the Plaza 500 hotel in Vancouver on Priceline

Is it a safe place ?

Is is far from cruise terminal?

Can we hop on busses or water taxi to visit

We will be spending 3 days In Vancouver in July

All info appreciated

 

Yes it is in a safe area, kitty corner from city hall in an area known as Mount Pleasant. You have a shopping centre across the street called City Square that has a Safeway in it so you can stock up on those last minute things. There is also a White Spot restaurant across the street as well which is kind of an upscale Applebies. The big knock on the P500 for the past 2 years it has been in the middle of a construction scene for the rapid transit system to the airport, but the construction is now pretty much over.

You will be about 3 miles or so to the cruise terminal and your cabfare will be about $15.

There is lots of transit on both Cambie and Broadway that will take you almost anywhere in metro-Vancouver. Here is a transit link:

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

[Podie]

OK, I think I probably know the answer to this one, but I can now get a room at the Marriott Pinnacle for the same price as the Best Western Downtown. Should I switch to the Marriott?

[Minoushka]

Yes it is in a safe area, kitty corner from city hall in an area known as Mount Pleasant. You have a shopping centre across the street called City Square that has a Safeway in it so you can stock up on those last minute things. There is also a White Spot restaurant across the street as well which is kind of an upscale Applebies. The big knock on the P500 for the past 2 years it has been in the middle of a construction scene for the rapid transit system to the airport, but the construction is now pretty much over.

You will be about 3 miles or so to the cruise terminal and your cabfare will be about $15.

There is lots of transit on both Cambie and Broadway that will take you almost anywhere in metro-Vancouver. Here is a transit link:

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

 

Thank you

 

I'm sure this has been asked but here goes

 

What should we NOt miss in our 3 day in Vancouver ..first time west for this Eastern Canadian how about that will use my $$$$ without 30+++exchange LOL!!!!

 

Thinking Stanley Park -Feasable by bus .metro or water taxi ?

Aquarium ?

Whale watch?Orcas? who is good and not too expensive

Day in VIctoria possible or too far ?

Very pleased to visit Western Canada before our cruise

 

 

 

Other sites

Open to all suggestions ...what not to miss

We will use public transportation

 

Thanks for all input

We got our hotel I think cheap on Priceline 75$ US plus tax

[Putterdude]

OK, I think I probably know the answer to this one, but I can now get a room at the Marriott Pinnacle for the same price as the Best Western Downtown. Should I switch to the Marriott?

 

I would in a heartbeat, it just puts you closer to centre ice in terms of the downtown plus you will have some view potential of the harbour and the north-shore mountains that you won't have at the BW.

[Putterdude]

Thank you

 

I'm sure this has been asked but here goes

 

What should we NOt miss in our 3 day in Vancouver ..first time west for this Eastern Canadian how about that will use my $$$$ without 30+++exchange LOL!!!!

 

Thinking Stanley Park -Feasable by bus .metro or water taxi ?

Aquarium ?

Whale watch?Orcas? who is good and not too expensive

Day in VIctoria possible or too far ?

Very pleased to visit Western Canada before our cruise

 

 

 

Other sites

Open to all suggestions ...what not to miss

We will use public transportation

 

Thanks for all input

We got our hotel I think cheap on Priceline 75$ US plus tax

 

To begin with we do accept Montreal dollars at par in Vancouver...to bad about those Canadiens though.:rolleyes:

You will be able to see all of the major sites in the region on transit. I would suggest that you consider purchasing an all day pass for transit for $9. They can be bought at most convenience stores and at Skytrain stations.

As you will be in the city during the summer there is a free shuttle that runs thru Stanley Park which you can baord once in the park. The park is a place where you can spend the better part of the day without seeing it all. The Aquarium is in the park.

You will also want to visit Granville Island where you can spend a half a day walking around this Festival Market.

You may also want to go over to the North Shore and take in the Capilano Suspension Bridge and the Grouse Mountain Skyride. Even a trip across the harbour by SeaBus is fun. These jaunts will take you more than a half day.

Then you throw in things like Gastown, Yaletown, Robson St., Chinatown, English Bay....and you will burn't up your 3 days.

A trip to Victoria or Whistler are always a good idea but they do require a full day each...

Whale watching out of Vancouver is not the greatest and frankly I wouldn't spend my money on it. Alaska or Victoria for sure I would.

www.capbridge.com/

http://www.grousemountain.com/Winter/

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

http://www.granvilleisland.com/en

http://www.gastown.org/

[Hogladyrider]

Putterdude you are a wealth of GREAT information, thanks.

 

We arrive in Vancouver the evening before our cruise departs (Carnival Spirit May 6th) and we are staying at the Blue Horizon.

 

Since our ship departs 5 pm I plan on utilizing some of the day on the 6th to explore Vancouver. I see you recommended the Trolley Tour or Big Bus tour.

 

I have looked at both web sites, but I am asking your opinion which you would utilize the Trolley or the Bus. I realize we could purchase public transit pass and do our own but as a tourist I like the idea of the commentary as we ride.

 

I am sure we will be up bright and early the morning of departure so we could easily catch the early departure of either tour.

 

Thanks for sharing your knowledge with all of us.

Susan

[Urban trekker]

Since you only have the day of the cruise I would go with the either Trolley or Big Bus rather than the city bus - actually I believe it is the Vancouver Trolley that has a sales kiosk outside the Blue Horizon so you won't have far to go to catch it - since the free shuttle isn't running that early in the year in Stanley Park and the regular city bus only takes you to the entrance of the park - the hop on hop off will let you see more of the Park without having to walk or bike the whole time. The Big Bus uses open air buses in the good weather which is an advantage over the trolleys

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

Edited March 28, 2009 by Urban trekker