Vancouver Hotels for debarkation

[northernphoenix]

Leaving on AK , Inside Passage from Vancouver in '09. Any hotel recommendations?

[mr. godfredo]

We stayed at the Fairmount right across the street from the pier! It was the nicest hotel! It had a comfortable bed, a very spacious sitting area, a great view of the harbor and is very central to many shops and restaurants! They will gladly take your luggage to the pier the day of the cruise for you and all you do is walk across the street and check in! It was a bit pricey, but it was well worth the money! Have a great cruise!!!:D

[Vic The Parrot]

Pan Pacific Hotel right on the dock.

It's pricey like the Fairmont next door, but HAL usually offers good packages that include transfers.


Stayed there a few years ago, and loved it!
(And try the salmon omelette for breakfast ... ;) )

[boccismom]

I have to second the Pan Pacific. It's luxurious, 2 blocks away from Gastown, they will take your bags right to the ship. What more could you ask?

[PathfinderEss]

Make it 3 for the Pan Pacific. Love that hotel, right there over the dock, so cool, you can watch the ships come in and out. They have a wonderful cafe there also, I highly recommend it. I don't think you can go wrong but let me warn you it is a little pricey

[Vic The Parrot]

I don't think you can go wrong but let me warn you it is a little pricey



The prices in the Hawaii brochure look reasonable ... much better than booking a room direct thru Pan Pacifics website. And you get transfers, grats are included. Good deal. ;)

[robertmartha]

Northern

We are also sailing out of vancouver next summer and I have been researching hotels as well. Both hotels mentioned are a bit pricey as they stated. Was looking at the Westin Waterfront. A few blocks from the pier but it is recently renovated and has very good reviews on the hotel/travel sites.

When are you sailing?

[gg3]

I will add my vote to those already given. We have stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront and the Pan Pacific for pre and post cruises. We always use HAL transfers.....plane to hotel; hotel to ship; ship back to hotel (or airport if you leave day of disembarkation), then hotel to airport. Takes all the "fretting" out of a glorious trip. HAl just knows how to take care of you, esp. when you are in unfamiliar territory. HAL seems to only use (someone correct me if I am not correct) the PP, the Fairmont Waterfront, and the older Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. All are downtown Vancouver. Pan Pacific is on top of Canada Place and the Waterfront is across the street. Both have magnificent views of Stanley Park, the harbor, and the mountains. The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is just a very few blocks away. All have great locations to Stanley Park, the shopping district, great restaurants, close to HOHO buses that will take you all over Vancouver, etc. If you use HAL transfers, you leave your luggage inside your hotel room on cruise day, HAL picks it up and the next time you see it is in your cabin. You board a shuttle for a wonderful tour of Vancouver with great opportunities for awesome photo ops. If you don't want to use HAL transfers, you can go online to Priceline or the other bidding sites, and often get these hotels at a great price. They are expensive......but a wonderful treat for a special vacation. gg

[PathfinderEss]

The prices in the Hawaii brochure look reasonable ... much better than booking a room direct thru Pan Pacifics website. And you get transfers, grats are included. Good deal. ;)
Huh, you lost me on that one, what is the Hawaii brochure?

[RuthC]

I've stayed at both the Pan Pacific and Fairmont Waterfront (twice there), as well as a couple of hotels closer to Robson street.
I love both hotels right there at the dock.

My granddaughter was very impressed by the Waterfront---gave her a taste of the good life (and hopefully a little motivation for high aspirations for herself!).

[Vic The Parrot]

Huh, you lost me on that one, what is the Hawaii brochure?



The brochure from HAL that has Hawaii cruises in it? ;)

[PathfinderEss]

The brochure from HAL that has Hawaii cruises in it? ;)
There's a cruise that goes from Vancouver to Hawaii, or visa versa? Huh, I'll have to go look that one up........

[Vic The Parrot]

There's a cruise that goes from Vancouver to Hawaii, or visa versa? Huh, I'll have to go look that one up........


Try it ... you'll LOVE it!


Did that back in 1992 on Rotterdam V. 19 days from Vancouver to Los Angeles.


I'd love to do it again ... maybe next year! ;)

[northernphoenix]

Thanks to everyone for the info...we are sailing on Sept.3.09.

[sassyredhat]

We, too, stayed at the Fairmont. We really liked it.

They took care of all our transfers and luggage.

Pat

[Cal Cruiser]

The Four Seasons is a very nice hotel. Its also has a great dinning right in the hotel. I think the Four Seasons is a five star hotel so it is not cheap but the rooms are just the best, and the beds are wonderful.

[Jemima]

HAL used the Airporter Shuttle for our Vancouver transfers this summer. It amounted to using our vouchers to ride the Airporter. Going we had a very long and confusing wait outside the airport. The HAL reps simply gave directions to the waiting spot and the Airporter people then misdirected us to lines. Upon arrival at the Fairmont Waterfront, the driver just put everyone's bags down around the corner from the hotel entrance. We also stayed one day post-cruise at the Fairmont. We were directed by the HAL rep in the hotel to be outside with our bags at one of the 30 minute pick up times. Luggage had to go inside the vehicle on racks and the driver only gave assistance extremely grudgingly. I always tip for transfers and did not tip this time.

I will agree that the Fairmont Waterfront and the Pan Pacific are worth the extra expense pre and post cruise. We took our carryons over to the pier on embarkation day and spent time admiring and photographing the Veendam. We then proceded down to the terminal to check in. After the cruise, we were able to walk back over to the pier to see "our ship" loading new passengers. We stayed there to watch the life boat drill and later to watch the Veendam sail on the next cruise.

[northernphoenix]

I have taken a look at the Fairmont site; the daily rate appears to be approx. $320.00 per double occupancy. Does this price compare with the rate that HAL can include in the cruise package, and does our TA make these arrangements?

Marilyn

[Big Al B.]

The newest brochure for Hawaiian cruises just states "downtown Vancouver hotels" for the pre or post packages and lists $199 pp as the cost.

When we booked our 10/09 19-day trip, we were able to get the post-cruise in San Diego, but the pre in Vancouver is "on request" which I think means they have not made/renewed contracts with the hotels.

[gg3]

Yea.....the docs are in :D for our Sept. 17 Ryndam, RT Vancouver cruise to Alaska. And we found out we will be staying at the Fairmont Waterfront, 2 days pre and 2 day post. Very excited about that.
Question to Jemima: I noted you said that on cruise day you took your carryons and walked over to Canada Place and checked in. Did HAL get your bags in your hotel room and you just declined the shuttle tour prior to embarkation ?? We might like to skip the tour on cruise day, and take our time enjoying the ship more. Have done the tour two times and think its great....but thats enough. Although I do like the way the bus takes you right into the terminal area and HAl meets you there and guides you all the way through. comments..anyone (thanks Ruth for yours previously) :) gg

[kryos]

Pan Pacific Hotel right on the dock.

It's pricey like the Fairmont next door, but HAL usually offers good packages that include transfers.


Stayed there a few years ago, and loved it!
(And try the salmon omelette for breakfast ... ;) )
You're not kidding it's pricey. I'm staying there for one night before my Hawaii/South Pacific cruise in September.

Do you know if they offer free wireless internet from the rooms? For the prices they charge, they should.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[photomikey]

We booked the Sutton Place last night for our pre-cruise.... woohoo!

I'd have rather had the Pan Pacific, but not at twice the price. A $5 taxi ride will put me at the same place!

[RuthC]

Yea.....the docs are in :D for our Sept. 17 Ryndam, RT Vancouver cruise to Alaska. And we found out we will be staying at the Fairmont Waterfront, 2 days pre and 2 day post. Very excited about that.
The Fairmont will send your luggage to the ship, even if you don't have a HAL transfer.

It's just steps across a fairly narrow street to get to the terminal. If the weather doesn't cooperate there's an underground tunnel which also takes you there. Be aware, though, that's not as easy as it sounds. It's a longer walk, and there's a few (three or four) stairs on the Fairmont Hotel side of the tunnel. If you have mobility problems, or if your carry-on is as way too heavy as mine was, this is difficult.
Once on the Pan Pacific side, you have to go up an escalator (IIRC), then down an elevator. When you get down to the cruise area, however, you are pretty much right there.

[gg3]

The Fairmont will send your luggage to the ship, even if you don't have a HAL transfer.

It's just steps across a fairly narrow street to get to the terminal. If the weather doesn't cooperate there's an underground tunnel which also takes you there. Be aware, though, that's not as easy as it sounds. It's a longer walk, and there's a few (three or four) stairs on the Fairmont Hotel side of the tunnel. If you have mobility problems, or if your carry-on is as way too heavy as mine was, this is difficult.
Once on the Pan Pacific side, you have to go up an escalator (IIRC), then down an elevator. When you get down to the cruise area, however, you are pretty much right there.

Many thanks, Ruth. You are just the best at giving first rate, first hand information. And I do 'preciate it, as we say in Texas. gg

[Pleasure_Activist]

The Westin Bayshore is just down the waterfront right next to Stanley Park, also a beautiful hotel. It's cheaper, and a $5 cab fare.

There is also The Marriot and the Ramada about half way between the Westin and Pan Pacific. Both big nice hotels with somewhat lower prices. 4 star instead of 5 star.

[beatriz22]

we were just in Vancouver visiting there for a week,,,,we are taking a cruise from there next summer, just from my researching and calling I didnt think it worth the $400 a night the Holland rep quoted me for the Pan Paciifc, where the connecting deal between companies could be I dont see, usually companies referring each other offer discounts; We went to both the Pan Pacific and Fairmont across the street to see what they were like, both very nice and very very pricey..truthfully its more cost effective to pay a cab $5. or 10 $ from a nice more affordable hotel maybe downtown like the 4 Seasons or Hyatt or even the very nice Fairmont was it ?down near the water,just 15 minutes if that, away from the terminal and a more reasonable rate then to pay up just bec those hotels are right next to the terminal; also it was only about 30$ from the airport to the downtown hyatt. So I guess if you want to pay more and have HAL take care of it all it can be worth it to some;..

[codyody]

We stayed at the Marriott (make sure to ask for a corner room). We walked to Canada Place the evening we arrived, walked to the liquor store for wine, and awoke to watch seaplanes taking off and landing.
I think it was a $5 cab ride with our luggage to Canada Place. And, fewer $$ (US or CDN :) ) than hotels adjacent to the docks.

The rooms are NOT large, but they were very well appointed.

[capellirossi]

Before our recent HAL cruise, friends stayed at the smaller (and cheaper) Le Soleil and liked it very much. It is close enough to the port for a taxi or, if you don't have a lot of luggage, you could probably walk and avoid the line into the terminal. We were in Vancouver for several days before the cruise and so stayed at the Carmana Plaza, an apartment-hotel located a few blocks farther south. In fact, it's near the Fairmont. Same price range as Le Soleil but we had a full-service apartment. The Carmana's service was excellent and was in every respect like a hotel (free newspaper, concierge service, maid service, and so on) except that it doesn't have a restaurant. But there are many restaurants in the area. The living room was large enough to accommodate 8 adults to socialize before going out to dinner. Kitchen was nicely equipped. We found better rates for all Vancouver Hotels by checking several travel and hotel web sites and using discounts like AAA and AARP.

[duck tune]

DH and I stayed at the Marriott pre-cruise in May. The view was gorgeous and food in the restaurant was great. "Urban Fare" is a wonderful market just a block away that had all kinds of wonderful foods, pharmacy and just a fun place to wander. We picked up several items for the cruise. I would recommend the Marriott.

[Feresa]

The Westin Bayshore is lovely. We had a great view of the floatplanes taking off and landing, and it is steps from the seawall promenade that runs through Stanley Park in one direction and to Canada Place in the other. We jogged or strolled there every day.

[andeesue]

We had a nice 3-night stay at the Hampton Inn. Granted, it's not fancy, but included breakfast and free internet. Great gym and coin laundry. Free shuttle to cruise terminal. It's the best Hampton Inn I've stayed at. If you're a Hilton Honors member, use your points.