Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite (part 2)

In 2015 during the cruise season they tired opening US Customs around 3:30AM for the early flights . I heard last Sept(2015) the employees complaining at Timmy Horton's that the morning was starting at 3AM instead of 4AM.

Answers in red.

Thanks for the info about the day pass for the train. I'll need to research a bit to see where to pick up the bus from the train station(s) downtown to get to Stanley Park, which I think will be our main destination. Does the day pass cover both train and bus fare?

Yes, the same transit company handles bus. SkyTrain, and SeaBus if you want to go over the water to North Van. Timetables are integrated with Google Maps - here's a quick route from Fairmont Airport to Stanley Park Bus Loop. NB: Google recommends going to the end of the line, Waterfront, as it's only a block to the bus stop. But Waterfront station is big & busy, and the walk is uphill. Getting off one stop early at City Centre means a two block downhill walk instead. The map should be zoomed-in where you can see the two stations.

 

NB: the park is BIG. Park Shuttle probably won't be running until further into summer. Other than HOHO, options to see the park without walking a lot are basically horse & carriage, hiring a cab to drive you around, or renting bikes. For any of these, getting off the bus at Denman St just outside the park is closer to where you'll find them than the bus stop in the middle.

 

If you can both handle riding a bike, it's definitely the best way to see the park - faster and easier than walking, but still able to get everywhere. Other methods are restricted to the actual roadways.

I was just reading some reviews of the hop on hop off options in town, and now I think we'll skip that. Since it's a holiday weekend for the U.S., I imagine it might be a busy weekend with tourists, and the HOHO buses get terrible marks for overcrowding. Hopefully the city buses won't be the same.

If you go out to the hotel quickly, there may still be a little rushhour commuter traffic on the way in - but since YVR is end of the line, and commuters aren't coming from there but the other 'spur' into residential parts of Richmond, you'll easily get seats. By the time you're downtown, the 19 should have plenty of seats - it's busy for commuters too, but they almost all get off where you'll be getting on or earlier. Not too many folks want to take the bus into the park on a Thursday morning except the occasional tourist - and commuting raccoons & squirrels maybe;-)

 

 

Given our low dollar, it's quite likely a lot of folks will be up over Memorial Day - fortunately this year Victoria Day is a week earlier so there won't be a doubling-up with local tourists too. HOHOs can get frustrating if you HO then can't HO because it's too busy to get a seat!

However, I would not go all the way out there, check my luggage and then come back to see the city, that is going to take up to 2 hours. I would be inclined to check my luggage over to the Fairmont Waterfront hotel which is across the street from Canada Place, give them a nice tip to hold it and get on with my touring

1. For $40, they will ship up to 4 pieces of luggage to the airport for you. Again this will save you 2.5 hrs in travelling back and forth to the airport.
   
2. When you are finished dinner, head to the airport to retrieve your luggage
   
3. your hotel is at the far East end of the airport.
   

^I second the above (although since the Fairmont is right at the airport, with no shuttle dependency, there's simply no way it can possibly take more than 90mins to go out and back even in horrific traffic).

The $40 bag transfer charge is basically the same as cab & tip out there so it's a wash; if you're getting Day Passes anyway the transit spend remains the same; and no need to trundle bags around anywhere except at YVR from the CDS office to the hotel - all indoors, with porters around if you need help.

OK. Although the luggage transfer is a great option, after much debate and some arguing, we have decided to stay downtown. Mom still wanted the "convenience" of the airport, but I won the debate. Now I need to find a nice hotel since we won't be at the Fairmont.

So far, I've found the Holiday Inn downtown for 228 CAD, or a bit of a splurge (but then again, so was the Fairmont) to stay at the Westin Bayshore for 313 CAD. I should mention that these are both prepaid rates, so once they are booked, there is no changing our minds. Both rates are before taxes, etc.

Other than price, any thoughts on pros/cons of these two hotels? I'm thinking about how to get to Stanley park. I suppose the money we'd save by staying at the Holiday Inn would easily cover cab fare.

The bicycle rental would sound like a great option if I wasn't traveling with my 74 year old Mom - I can't imagine her on a bike. lol. :eek:

If price is not a big consideration then I would certainly go with the Bayshore if only because of its location in relation to Stanley Park. The Holiday Inn on Howe Street is an older property (some 50 years ago I moonlighted as a busboy there and it was a Ramada then)...it is on a busy one way arterial route out of the downtown core, close to a major hospital so can be noisy. I would seriously look at the Blue Horizon on Robson St, it has large rooms, very clean, well situated in terms of restaurants and shops and is very popular with cruisers.

It's now a done deal. No going back. We are staying at the Westin Bayshore. I'm super excited.

I think I'll be glad we opted to stay downtown - it will save a lot of time since we only have the one day to explore.

I guess if it ends up being a pouring down thunderstorm kind of day, at least we'll have a nice hotel to hang out in. lol. :eek:

The main thing I wanted to do was walk around Stanley Park and take lots of photos. If we have for other things and decide to do something farther away, we can always take a taxi. The hotel is paid for, and will be paid off before we go, so that's one less thing to worry about.

That 3:30 a.m. wake up on Sunday will sure suck though :p

Thanks for all the helpful advice.

The Bayshore is a wonderful property. It will likely be closer to a $15 cab fare from Canada Place but aside from that I am certain that you will love it. When you arrive I would ask them if you can have a water/ park view....its really great. Enjoy!

So far, I've found the Holiday Inn downtown for 228 CAD, or a bit of a splurge (but then again, so was the Fairmont) to stay at the Westin Bayshore for 313 CAD. I should mention that these are both prepaid rates, so once they are booked, there is no changing our minds. Both rates are before taxes, etc

https://bluehorizonhotel.com/book-now

It's not far from the Westin.... but offers a lot more convenience in restaurants and shopping opportunities.

Ooops.... Just reread an earlier post and see you've already committed.

Now you're locked-in at the Bayshore, you might fin the info we've been posting for Poss in their thread useful too!

On the bike front - you can rent adult tricycles (very practical = big shopping basket!) if she's not too stable on a bike, or tandems if it's more about her not being up for the pedalling. Of course you'd have to do all the work then so you may not want to mention that option to her...;-)

Now you're locked-in at the Bayshore, you might fin the info we've been posting for Poss in their thread useful too!

 

On the bike front - you can rent adult tricycles (very practical = big shopping basket!) if she's not too stable on a bike, or tandems if it's more about her not being up for the pedalling. Of course you'd have to do all the work then so you may not want to mention that option to her...;-)

Thanks, I'll definitely check out that thread.

Things just keep getting better for Vancouver. Some friends I met through Cruise Critic on the Serenade of the Sea last year are going to pick us up in the afternoon after we're done exploring Stanley Park, and take us to Granville Island to explore and have dinner. Just one of many reasons I love Cruise Critic, and cruising. :)

What do Vancouverites think of these hotels: Are they clean? In a good neighborhood? Close to restaurants and bus stops?

• Ramada Limited Downtown Vancouver (435 W Pender Street)
  
• Ramada Vancouver Downtown (1221 Granville Street)
  
• Hotel Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre (1088 Burrard Street)
  

TIA! :)

Haven't stayed in any - visitors are much more useful resources than locals for hotel room quality & service standards info! But in terms of location for food, transit and general neighbourhoods...

What do Vancouverites think of these hotels: Are they clean? In a good neighborhood? Close to restaurants and bus stops?

• Ramada Limited Downtown Vancouver (435 W Pender Street)
  

Closest to pier, but also to dodgy parts of the city - a couple of blocks east and things start getting a lot scruffier... Gastown is however one of the best parts of town for restaurants, and you're in-between three SkyTrain stations, the last two of the Canada Line (City Centre and Waterfront) plus Granville on the Expo/Millennium Many bus routes pass within a couple of blocks too.

• Ramada Vancouver Downtown (1221 Granville Street)
  

Not so scruffy, but LOUD - Granville is the official party district, with nightclubs heavily concentrated here to enable more convenient policing. Plenty restos on Granville too, but average quality is low - drunken clubbers don't have the most sophisticated palates so cheap & cheerful pizzas and the like abound (there are some standouts though, like Shuraku for sushi or Twisted Fork for brunch). City Centre and Granville SkyTrain not far away, and also a lot of bus routes.

• Hotel Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre (1088 Burrard Street)
  

Quietest of the locations and nicest of the hotels by far, but the worst location for restos close by - you'll have a few blocks more to walk to most touristy spots, and SkyTrain is a bit further away too. Some buses do run right up Burrard. I'd be inclined to choose this over the others, due to higher hotel rating - downtown is very compact, so while a little more out of the way you're still within walking distance of pretty much everywhere when you're not toting luggage (e.g. it's less than 1.4 miles on foot to the Gassy Jack statue in the furthest part of Gastown from you that you'd want to see and if you can handle a half mile each way on foot there are more restos than you can shake a stick at).

TIA! :)

What do Vancouverites think of these hotels: Are they clean? In a good neighborhood? Close to restaurants and bus stops?

• Ramada Limited Downtown Vancouver (435 W Pender Street)
  
• Ramada Vancouver Downtown (1221 Granville Street)
  
• Hotel Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre (1088 Burrard Street)
  

TIA! :)

Absolutely no question in my mind, I would go immediately to the Sheraton at the Wall Centre. The 2 Ramadas are redos of much older properties and are 2* at best. The Sheraton is modern, well located and on one of the highest points of land in the downtown core...try to get a high, north facing room and your view should be stunning.

Another vote for the Wall Centre in Downtown Vancouver. While Robson street restaurants are 10 minute walk away.... Davie Village restaurants are 5 minutes away to the South.

If you get sick... the hospital is across the street.

Get a cab to or from the cruise terminal.

Maybe a weird question, but for our two days in Vancouver prior to leaving on our cruise, should I exchange for some Canadian dollars?

Maybe a weird question, but for our two days in Vancouver prior to leaving on our cruise, should I exchange for some Canadian dollars?

Not a weird question at all. If you were only going to be in the city for a couple of hours pre cruise I would say don't bother getting CAD. However, as you indicate that you are going to spend a couple of days in the city, I would recommend getting CAD. The USD is widely accepted in the Vancouver, except on transit, however you are not going to get the full benefit of the exchange rate at the time....plus you will get your change in CAD.

Most places in Vancouver accept US Dollars. Your change will be in in Canadian currency. In Canada anything from 2 dollars to a nickel are coins. Paper currency starts with the five dollar bill. We don't use the penny . The final price will rounded up or down. The best is use a credit card if you can. All tour operators has credit and debit card readers with them.

I would not use a credit card, you will be paying whatever the credit card issuer deems the exchange rate that day plus you will pay a foreign transaction fee. Capital One (US) claims not to charge a transaction fee however I am suspicious that the fee gets hidden in the exchange rate. Capital One (Canada) interesting does charge a foreign transaction fee if the card is used outside of Canada.

Just used my Capital One in California. Only the 2.5 percent surplus all bank cards charge on US Dollar transactions.

My husband and I will be ending our cruise in Vancouver on 5/6/16 and plan to stay one night in Vancouver. We fly out on 5/7/16 at 11:00 PM. Therefore, we will have 2 full days to do things.

We haven't determined a hotel yet and would like a suggestion based on the fact that we will need to have our luggage stored on 5/7 until we are ready to depart to the airport.

What is the best transportation to the hotel from the cruise port?

What is the best transportatin to the airport (YVR) after we retrieve our luggage from the hotel?

One of the things we were looking to do was the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. If we book on Viator, there is a free shuttle to and from these locations: 1.Canada Place, 2.Hyatt Regency, 3.Blue Horizon Hotel, 4.Westin Bayshore

We would like a hotel that wouldn't be too far from any of these shuttles above and also in a good location for other things to do.

Any help would be appreciated!

I will give a general answer to some of your questions - You don't need to use Viator to get the free shuttle to the Cap Bridge - it operates year round.

FYI - Canada Place is also the cruise terminal so in practice you could get off the ship - stow your luggage and then walk outside and grab the shuttle.

Downtown Vancouver is very compact - most hotels are within a mile of the cruise terminal and both the Pan Pacific which is atop the cruise terminal and the Fairmont Waterfront which is across the street and connected by a passageway and food court are popular places to stay.

As for getting to the airport depending on where you stay, how mobile you are and how much luggage you have, the there is the Canada Line rapid transit to the airport.

As you are flying out on a Saturday it would only be $2.75 per person - $1.75 for seniors.

Taxis are about $35.00 Canadian to the airport and the trip should take about 30 - 45 minutes.

Hope this helps - some of the other locals will be along with there suggestion.

Hope you enjoy you visit to Vancouver.

Cheers!

Dennis

I will give a general answer to some of your questions - You don't need to use Viator to get the free shuttle to the Cap Bridge - it operates year round.

 

FYI - Canada Place is also the cruise terminal so in practice you could get off the ship - stow your luggage and then walk outside and grab the shuttle.

 

Downtown Vancouver is very compact - most hotels are within a mile of the cruise terminal and both the Pan Pacific which is atop the cruise terminal and the Fairmont Waterfront which is across the street and connected by a passageway and food court are popular places to stay.

 

As for getting to the airport depending on where you stay, how mobile you are and how much luggage you have, the there is the Canada Line rapid transit to the airport.

 

As you are flying out on a Saturday it would only be $2.75 per person - $1.75 for seniors.

 

Taxis are about $35.00 Canadian to the airport and the trip should take about 30 - 45 minutes.

 

Hope this helps - some of the other locals will be along with there suggestion.

 

Hope you enjoy you visit to Vancouver.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

Thank you for your help. I'm not sure I understand what you mean by Canada Place. This is the cruise terminal name? And we can leave our luggage at the Cruise Terminal until we get to the hotel on 5/6?

That is great info on the shuttle to the Cap Bridge. Do we need to buy tickets ahead of time in order to get on the shuttle?

That is great info on the Canada Line rapid transit to the airport. We will have 2 pieces of luggage plus a carryon. We would have no problem walking some with our luggage. Is this rapid transit close to all hotels?

The Pan Pacific is attached directly to Canada Place Cruise port.

No need to tread on UTs toes repeating his answers, but here are my notes on your other points:

We haven't determined a hotel yet and would like a suggestion based on the fact that we will need to have our luggage stored on 5/7 until we are ready to depart to the airport.

Any hotel is going to be happy to store your bags, so I wouldn't even factor this in to my selection.

 

What is the best transportation to the hotel from the cruise port?

Walking - you already indicated you can walk with your luggage OK, so if you choose a hotel near the pier then just walk! Google Maps has excellent coverage, and accepts Canada Place as a real address, so it's easier to search for routes to hotels there than it is to sign up for a CC membership, even if you don't think of yourself as very 'tech savvy' you just need to input name of hotel in the To field here.

What is the best transportatin to the airport (YVR) after we retrieve our luggage from the hotel?

What Dennis said. Unless you're feeling swanky and want to hire a limo, SkyTrain and Cab are your only options from a downtown hotel. With an 11pm flight, I'd also recommend having dinner downtown and heading out to YVR at about 8:30pm - more than enough time to do all the security, check-in, CBP queuing and if you are in a cab you'll miss all the traffic so a faster/cheaper trip, while on SkyTrain the commuters will be mostly gone too so you'll definitely get seats. If a hotel is near the pier it's near the main SkyTrain terminus - there are also a couple of other downtown stations that have hotels within a few blocks, as long as you stay roughly south or east of the pier rather than down towards the park (e.g. Bayshore and Blue Horizon are not very close to SkyTrain)

 

One of the things we were looking to do was the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. If we book on Viator, there is a free shuttle to and from these locations: 1.Canada Place, 2.Hyatt Regency, 3.Blue Horizon Hotel, 4.Westin Bayshore

No need for advance tickets to ride the free shuttles to Cap or to Grouse. I would suggest that even if you are in one of the hotels though, be aware that at busy times all available seats might be filled at Canada Place, the first stop. By the time the bus gets to the Westin odds are that it will be totally full for the first few departures each day, since many cruisers get off the ship and go straight up to Cap... if you plan to go to your hotel, check-in, maybe putter around downtown a little then go up later it'll be quieter (and definitely quieter at the bridge, as EVERY tour bus heads up here in the morning, not afternoon - since you have spare time I'd factor that in to when you visit...)

 

All 4 of these shuttle stops are nice hotels (Pan Pacific is literally on top of Canada Place, which is indeed as Dennis stated the cruise pier) so if you can afford them you won't have any problems with their locations. I'd say that Bayshore is the most out-of-the-way, since it's right down by the Park - so if you plan to walk around the sites you probably want to take hotels closer to downtown core.

 

If Gastown (most historic district) and Chinatown are the areas you'd hang around in most, get a hotel a little further east than the pier (all of the above are west) like the Georgian or Westin Grand (fancy), Hampton Inn or Sandman (more basic), or the plain but excellent YWCA Hotel (very simple acommodation, but clean & safe and with handy kitchens and laundry in-house to save a few bucks).

Other stuff to do? What do YOU like to do? In general Stanley Park and the Seawall are no-brainer, everybody-loves-them attractions as the price is right at free! But everything else... I love many of our local museums and breweries, but if you're tee-totaler history-haters then my reccos would be dreadful for you! Tell us more about you & folks traveling with you and we can steer you to the attractions most likely to make YOU agree that Vancouver is awesome... ditto with restaurants, we have pretty much any kind you can imagine and I'm happy to suggest some - but my idea of the best meal in the city might be wildly different from yours, so $ budget and type(s) of food you love/hate really help narrow the field!