Vancouver,ship portand the hotels

[travelnsee]

We are planning to stay in Vancouver for 2 nights before boarding princess. Which is the good area and hotel to stay. I dont plan to rent car.

Where do the city tour starts like hop and go kind of.

How far are they from the port where the cruise ships are docked

for boarding.

[modernscarlett]

We booked at the Days Inn Downtown Vancouver for our upcoming trip. It was recommended by Fodor's, and has a free shuttle to the cruise ship terminals. Probably won't be fancy, but hope it will be fine.

[Putterdude]

We are planning to stay in Vancouver for 2 nights before boarding princess. Which is the good area and hotel to stay. I dont plan to rent car.

Where do the city tour starts like hop and go kind of.

How far are they from the port where the cruise ships are docked

for boarding.

 

Princess uses Canada Place which is the good news. As for hotels there are any number of very good hotels in the downtown area close to Canada Place. My I suggest that you go on Priceline.com and bid for a room. I would recommend 3.5* plus in the Downtown-Vancouver area. We have been learning of some remarkable deals in the $100 to $150 range for hotels that would be easily $100 higher. I will attach a link to the HOHO's and you will see that they can be picked up in a variety of locations throughout the city. They will go down to the Canada Place area but they are not set up for taking luggage. You will find that most downtown hotels are only a $10 to $15 cab ride to CP. The Best Western - Downtown, the Hampton Inn on Robson and the 2 Westin hotels offer free shuttles.

 

http://www.vancouvertrolley.com/

http://www.bigbus.ca/

[Nachtswerg]

Both the Marriott and the Renaissance are walk-able to the port. I prefer the Ren, because it has a GREAT view of the bay.

[tulips*n*truffles]

The Best Western - Downtown, the Hampton Inn on Robson and the 2 Westin hotels offer free shuttles.

 

I'm staying at the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver prior to my cruise this summer, and I've been told by the hotel directly they do *not* have a shuttle to the pier. I've called twice about it. They have a shuttle to downtown, but will not take passengers to the pier. They will call a taxi, but that's it...however, we got a great great rate, so the cab fare is A-OK!! :-)

[travelnsee]

Thank you Putter, I booked in bestwestern and got better deal than days INN.My wife wants to go to the capilano bridge and Grouse mountain. is it worth to go there,since we will be seeing lots of nature in Alaska? Or I could skip city tour and take only northen tour?

[jff50]

The Best Western - Downtown, the Hampton Inn on Robson and the 2 Westin hotels offer free shuttles.

 

I'm staying at the Westin Bayshore in Vancouver prior to my cruise this summer, and I've been told by the hotel directly they do *not* have a shuttle to the pier. I've called twice about it. They have a shuttle to downtown, but will not take passengers to the pier. They will call a taxi, but that's it...however, we got a great great rate, so the cab fare is A-OK!! :-)

I had thought/recalled that the Westin Bayshore was very close (a couple of blocks) from Canada Place. Not sure how easy/practical it is to get a cab for such a short distance. Putterdude--am I recalling correctly?

[tulips*n*truffles]

Hey jff50! I mapped it a while back and it's right at 1 mile each direction. With all of our luggage, I can't imagine walking it. Is there an alternative to a cab?

[jff50]

Hey jff50! I mapped it a while back and it's right at 1 mile each direction. With all of our luggage, I can't imagine walking it. Is there an alternative to a cab?

I didn't think it was as far as a mile. I'm going by memory, which can be kind of shaky. That's why I asked for someone like Putterdude to weigh in.

[G&PT]

We cruise in May and chose the Best Western Downtown for both ends of the cruise. The hotel also has a bar/grill "The White Spot" and I found the web page for it and was able to view the menu.

[Anomia]

Do go to Grouse and Capilano. It is easy to get a city bus to both locations - you can take a sea bus across the water to the north shore, and busses are easy peasy from there. I think both of these sites are great - but don'e bother going up Grouse if it is rainy/foggy. It is a great place to view the city, not so much if it is cloudy!!

[Putterdude]

I had thought/recalled that the Westin Bayshore was very close (a couple of blocks) from Canada Place. Not sure how easy/practical it is to get a cab for such a short distance. Putterdude--am I recalling correctly?

 

The Bayshore is some distance from Canada Place, 2 miles or so and about a $12 to $15 cab fare. I have seen their shuttle with a block or so of Canada Place and I suspect a nice tip to the driver will get you there.;)

[jff50]

The Bayshore is some distance from Canada Place, 2 miles or so and about a $12 to $15 cab fare. I have seen their shuttle with a block or so of Canada Place and I suspect a nice tip to the driver will get you there.;)

I guess I wasn't remembering correctly. Sorry for any confusion.

[mensababe]

Booked Westin for $100 through Priceline by bidding for a 4 star in waterfront area -- it is a great hotel -- a few blocks from Stanley Park -- you might get it for less now because the Canadian $$ down -- start with a $90 bid for 4 star. Good luck --

[jnv]

we are staying at the Bayshore in June, 4 of us. Never been to Vancouver but anxious to see some sights, does anyone know about the trolley tour? it looks as though we can jump on it at the Bayshore and if we stay on the trolley it takes about 2 hours. We will be flying in late evening, so only have the early am to see some sights before we head to the pier. Thanks for any info.

[Putterdude]

we are staying at the Bayshore in June, 4 of us. Never been to Vancouver but anxious to see some sights, does anyone know about the trolley tour? it looks as though we can jump on it at the Bayshore and if we stay on the trolley it takes about 2 hours. We will be flying in late evening, so only have the early am to see some sights before we head to the pier. Thanks for any info.

 

The HOHO's are a great way to see the city but don't have luggage capability so as an alternative may I suggest Vancouver Tours. They have a tour that is specificaly for crusers, they pick you and you luggage up your hotel in the morning and then deliver you to your cruise terminal at the end of the tour. Here is a link for your convenience:

http://www.vancouvertours.com/

[tulips*n*truffles]

The HOHO's are a great way to see the city but don't have luggage capability so as an alternative may I suggest Vancouver Tours. They have a tour that is specificaly for crusers, they pick you and you luggage up your hotel in the morning and then deliver you to your cruise terminal at the end of the tour. Here is a link for your convenience:

http://www.vancouvertours.com/

 

Putterdude, you are an amazing wealth of information!! :-)

 

This tour sounds so great! Do you know what they do with your luggage during the tour? I saw a couple of pictures of their buses and I can't for the life of me figure out where it is stored. Do you drop it off somewhere? Forgive me if I'm being overly cautious - I have visions of my luggage just never making it to the cruise ship between transfer, plane, tour, transfer, yadda yadda. :-)

 

Thanks again!

[Putterdude]

Putterdude, you are an amazing wealth of information!! :-)

 

This tour sounds so great! Do you know what they do with your luggage during the tour? I saw a couple of pictures of their buses and I can't for the life of me figure out where it is stored. Do you drop it off somewhere? Forgive me if I'm being overly cautious - I have visions of my luggage just never making it to the cruise ship between transfer, plane, tour, transfer, yadda yadda. :-)

 

Thanks again!

 

Just leave your bag with the jewelry and liquor with me and I will look after it for you.;)

Seriously, they operate full size coaches and your luggage goes into the cargo/baggage area under the seating deck. So it comes along with you...no problem.

[joanne1]

For those trying to book their hotel . . . I just got the Hyatt Regency - we have stayed there before and it's a great location, walking distance to the pier and Robson Street - for $75, 4* downtown area. Great price!!!!! but it got accepted on the first try . . . maybe I should have started lower as it's all about the hunt :D

[skedman]

For those trying to book their hotel . . . I just got the Hyatt Regency - we have stayed there before and it's a great location, walking distance to the pier and Robson Street - for $75, 4* downtown area. Great price!!!!! but it got accepted on the first try . . . maybe I should have started lower as it's all about the hunt :D

 

 

I'm assuming that that was with Priceline???

[Putterdude]

First off the Hyatt Regency in my mind is a great hotel and secondly IMO it is absolutley "centre ice" in Vancouver. It is certainly where I would stay if I needed to stay over night and at $75 it is a great deal....that is motel pricing for Hyatt quality in an urban setting.:D

[jina]

We stayed at the Westin in '06 before our cruise. The distance to port was deceiving as we had a great view of our ship from our room and it seemed to be less than a mile away -we were wrong. We decided to hoof it and found the walk was long and complicated- not sure about now, but at the time there was tons of construction and we were constantly wandering trying to find ways to get across various streets, through construction sites, parking garages, etc. We did get a great rate on the hotel and would stay there again - but would definitly take cab to port. I think we ended up getting the hotel through hotwire- at the time everyone on trip advisor said they used hotwire so we knew what parameters to enter and were not suprirsed when it indeed was the Westin.

[primrosegypsy]

For those trying to book their hotel . . . I just got the Hyatt Regency - we have stayed there before and it's a great location, walking distance to the pier and Robson Street - for $75, 4* downtown area. Great price!!!!! but it got accepted on the first try . . . maybe I should have started lower as it's all about the hunt :D

 

Hi I've been reading about the great deals you are getting using hotwire and priceline.

We don't have any sites like this in Australia, I'd like some help.

How do you know if the hotel you get will be in the area you want to be? Is just choosing "downtown" good enough? Is there a way you can request something like "near Canada place". I want to stay two nights in Vancouver and would love to use this system but am worried I may end up in a "rough" part of Vancouver. If I bid 4* will I be sure to in a safe part of the city?

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Regards, primrosegypsy:confused:

[Putterdude]

On Priceline.com the closest you can get is "#4, Downtown Vancouver" I would suggest that you bid 4* and start your bidding at about $75 (which is US).

[jff50]

If you are looking for the Pan Pacific, it is one of the 5* used by Hotwire. If you enter downtown Vancouver, and get a 5* with no golf course symbol--that is the Pan Pacific. Should be about $164--that is what we got it for for the evening of June 5th. Looks like Hotwire only has one other 5* in downtown Vancouver. Believe it is Sutton Place, it gets a golf course symbol and it comes in at about $120.