question for putterdude or urban trekker or any other helpful opinion

[cos24]

We are arriving in Vancover on Sept 20 at 7am on the Golden Princess from a 1 day cruise. We have until the after noon until we have to be on the Norwegian Star for a 4pm sailing. We have never been to Vancouver and want to do some sightseeing at some key sites. What do you recommend, in what order? We will have our luggage with us.

Thanks, Rich

[Putterdude]

Th first thing I would do would be to see if the porters at Canada Place will accept your luggage...with the NCL tags on of course....for the Sun trip and if not then either check it with CDS Baggage service at the Canada Place or take it to either the Pan Pacific or the Waterfront Hotel across the street and give a bellman a nice tip to look after it for you.

Then it might be a walk into Gastown or a traip across the harbour on the SeaBus then transfer to a regular bus at Lonsdale Quay and go up to the Capilano Suspension Bridge and the Grouse Mountain SkyRide....that trip will chew up most of your day. You could head down to Stanley Park where you can easily spend several hours or more then head for Granville Island. All of these can be reached by transit and an all day pass can be purchased at the Waterfront Station or most convenience stores for $9. If the weather is not nice I would probably not do the CSB or the Skyride and would concentrate more on Stanley Park and Granville Is.

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

 

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

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/

[cos24]

Thanks putterdude. I saw another post by someone that quotes you saying..

There was a recommendation a few days ago (thanks putterdude!!) for the pre-cruise city tour of Vancouver - they pick you up with your luggage in the morning, then drop you off at your ship after the tour. It sounds really great - and of course the company thinks it's Here is the itinerary for the tour: (departs 9 a.m. and we arrive at our ship around 1:00 p.m.) The cost is just under $70 each.

 

*Gastown – Historic area of Vancouver.

*Chinatown – Vancouver’s cultural diversity in action.

*Robson Street – High fashion shopping area.

*Canada Place – Alaska cruise ship terminal.

*Stanley Park – With stops at the totem poles and Prospect Point.

*English Bay and Vancouver Harbour.

*Granville Island – Stop to see artists’ studios, craft galleries and the Granville Island Public Market.

*The Lookout! – Get a bird’s eye view of Vancouver from The Lookout viewing deck high atop Harbour Centre Tower (admission included).

 

What is the name of the tour compnay that does this? Do you think it is worth it?

[Putterdude]

Vancouver Tours/Land Sea Tours....very good operators.

http://www.vancouvertours.com/

[orchid72]

Thanks putterdude. I saw another post by someone that quotes you saying..

There was a recommendation a few days ago (thanks putterdude!!) for the pre-cruise city tour of Vancouver - they pick you up with your luggage in the morning, then drop you off at your ship after the tour. It sounds really great - and of course the company thinks it's Here is the itinerary for the tour: (departs 9 a.m. and we arrive at our ship around 1:00 p.m.) The cost is just under $70 each.

 

*Gastown – Historic area of Vancouver.

*Chinatown – Vancouver’s cultural diversity in action.

*Robson Street – High fashion shopping area.

*Canada Place – Alaska cruise ship terminal.

*Stanley Park – With stops at the totem poles and Prospect Point.

*English Bay and Vancouver Harbour.

*Granville Island – Stop to see artists’ studios, craft galleries and the Granville Island Public Market.

*The Lookout! – Get a bird’s eye view of Vancouver from The Lookout viewing deck high atop Harbour Centre Tower (admission included).

 

What is the name of the tour compnay that does this? Do you think it is worth it?

Just my 2 cents: I do not think that paying $70 per person is worth it to take this tour, unless you are not able to walk or unless you are going for quantity and not quality (in which case, why not take the HOHO?).

 

I personally would just pick a few sights that interest you the most and then visit them on your own. I suggest just storing your luggage with CDS (as suggested by PD) and hitting some of the sights listed above. You can walk to Gastown, which is practically next door to the Canada Place terminal. Then you can take the bus to Stanley Park if you want, or walk to Stanley Park along the coal harbour seawall. Once in stanley park, get on the $2 hop on hop off trolley then take it around the park where you can get off the totem poles, prospect point, and at 3rd or 2nd beach (instead of going to English Bay). Then, after the beach, either walk or take the trolley to Lost Lagoon and then walk up to Robson street. When you get to Robson near the Vancouver Art Gallery, walk back down towards the water back to Canada Place. If you have a short day in the city, I would skip Granville Island (which is a shame, but it will take up too much of your time), The lookout (not worth the time and $, IMHO), and maybe even Chinatown (you need to experience it, not just drive by it quickly to do it justice) because the best strategy is to just concentrate on the sights closest to you and that are "quintessentially" Vancouver. But then again, this is just the opinion of a cheap person, so some people may disagree with me.

[orchid72]

Vancouver Tours/Land Sea Tours....very good operators.

 

http://www.vancouvertours.com/

 

Here's a recent review:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1010092

[scottbee]

We are arriving in Vancover on Sept 20 at 7am on the Golden Princess from a 1 day cruise. We have until the after noon until we have to be on the Norwegian Star for a 4pm sailing. We have never been to Vancouver and want to do some sightseeing at some key sites. What do you recommend, in what order? We will have our luggage with us.

Thanks, Rich

 

You should be able to drop your luggage for the next cruise around 10am, so I would start hopping the local buses. From Canada Place, walk to your east, grab the seabus (part of the bus system) and for $2.50 ride it across Burrard inlet, hop on the Grouse Mtn bus and visit Capilano Suspension Bridge and/or Grouse Mtn (depending on weather). Coming back, you can grab a bus that will drop you in Stanley Park for a nice walk, and then back to Canada Place.

 

Buses in Vancouver (on Sundays like 20Sep) are $2.50 for a 90 minute ticket. For well under $10 you can see a good chunk of the city.

[cos24]

heu folks,

Thanks for the replys. You have given me several options. I like the less expensive one of course, but was worried about getting lost on the buses, etc and not being able to see as much I could with a tour operator in the 5 hours or so before I want on the ship.

[scottbee]

heu folks,

Thanks for the replys. You have given me several options. I like the less expensive one of course, but was worried about getting lost on the buses, etc and not being able to see as much I could with a tour operator in the 5 hours or so before I want on the ship.

 

Actually it's pretty hard to get lost. Flag down any bus and ask them "How do I get back to downtown". Or, download the translink app for your iPhone, or Google Maps fully supports "by Transit" in Vancouver, or (one of my faves), SMS text the bus stop number (5 digits on every stop) to "33333" and you get a text with the next few buses. The bus system in metro Vancouver is extensive and frequent (and fully wheelchair accessible too!).

 

http://translink.bc.ca/ has maps and way more than I could ever post here.

[gardener718]

OK, my bids are up to $90 for that 3 1/2-4 star hotel room in downtown Vancouver, for September 12, 2009. I realize it is a Saturday, but, what am I to do. Do I stop bidding and wait a week or two? Keep going till I get one. That would be scary. Only have that one day in Vancouver and want to make the best of it and see as much as I can.

Ideas?

Suggestions?

Help?

Someone in Vancouver have a spare bed??????

 

sign me,

sleepless in Vancouver

[Putterdude]

I would stop bidding for a few days then try again at about the $70 level. By 9/12 the Alaska season will be winding down so there should be some pretty sharp deals around....you have lots of time, be patient.:)

[gardener718]

I would stop bidding for a few days then try again at about the $70 level. By 9/12 the Alaska season will be winding down so there should be some pretty sharp deals around....you have lots of time, be patient.:)

 

 

Thanks!

 

Never have done priceline and don't know the ins and outs.

Really appreciate your help and encouragement.

I'll give it a rest and try to be patient.

 

OK, now I'll try to figure out the ports. On this b2b I get to visit them twice.

 

Thanks again for the support.

 

Marianne

[cos24]

For the bus..do they take U.S. currency? Is the HOHO that people mention the bus system in Vancouver?

[orchid72]

For the bus..do they take U.S. currency? Is the HOHO that people mention the bus system in Vancouver?

 

You will need Canadian currency to pay for your bus fare on public transit, and you will need to have exact change. If you are buying a day pass from a retail outlet like 7-Eleven, then they *may* accept US currency as payment.

 

As for the HOHO, I do not know if they do accept US$ or not. The HOHO buses (Vancouver Trolley and Big Bus) are not part of the public transit system.

[scottbee]

For the bus..do they take U.S. currency? Is the HOHO that people mention the bus system in Vancouver?

 

The buses themselves will take US coin at par, but not accept US bills. Best bet is to pop into anywhere that sells transit tickets (basically anyone who's selling newspapers etc), and buy a day pass for C$9 (about US$8) as most merchants will take US dollars. Failing that, pop into any virtually any store (or the hotel front desk), hand them a US$20 and they'll give you approx C$22 which will be more than enough for bus tickets all day Also the automatic ticket machines for skytrain and Seabus do take credit cards, but I think the 1st suggestion makes the most sense.

 

And no, this is just the regular bus system, it's not the HOHO. If you know where you want to be going, the local bus system is going to get you there a lot faster and a lot more regularly than the HOHOs will, at a lower cost.

[Putterdude]

Cost aside, you really can't compare transit with a HOHO excursion. Excursions are designed by the operators for tourists, the windows come down for pix, there is a friendly driver who provides narration and you don't have to do much in the way of planning.

[cos24]

In Vancouver, Where can I get more information on the HOHO?

 

In Victoria, how do you recommend a good city tour and trip to Butchart at a decent price?

[Urban trekker]

There are two main hop on hop off companies in Vancouver

 

Try http://www.vancouvertrolley.com

 

or http://www.bigbus.ca

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[Putterdude]

In Victoria, how do you recommend a good city tour and trip to Butchart at a decent price?

 

If going from Vancouver I would recommend Pacific Coach Lines. If you are arriving in Victoria aboard ship then CVS Cruise Victoria.

 

www.pacificcoach.com/

www.cvscruisevictoria.com/