Vancouver Non tour post cruise activities?

We have about 4 hours post cruise before we need to head to the airport for our flight home. First does the service that will store and transfer luggage only promise to have the luggage at YVR by 4 pm, or can you designate a time you need it there? Also, trying to decide an activity to "save" during our 2 days pre cruise for those 4 hours post cruise. We will have done a good overview of the city pre, so not really interested In the city tours we have seen offered. Would love ideas for that time frame. lastly... How cash-centric is Vancouver? Trying to decide if we need to get US dollars converted to Canadian prior to the trip... Don't want to have to fiddle with ATMs if not necessary. Plan to mainly use a no foreign transaction fee credit card. Sorry this is so long!! Thanks in advance!

Priority Baggage will not commit to a time earlier than 'around 4:30pm' - basically they shut up shop at 4pm then drive the bags to YVR. Now, if there are a LOT of bags going to YVR they *may* make additional ruins during the day but no guarantees - so unless your flight home is after 6pm at the earliest, their transfer service is not going to work for you.

If your flight is earlier, just store the bags at the pier (approx $7 a bag, varies a little on size) and collect before heading to the airport. Or pop into one of the nicer hotels near the pier and offer the bell staff a preemptive tip to hold your bags for the day - odds are $5 a bag will be accepted gladly if they have space, and the queue might be less than at the pier.

Small purchases (under C$5 almost 100%, some stores may have a higher minimum fro credit) you'll need cash. But barring some disastrous power failure, 99.9% of everywhere selling stuff takes at least the biggies - Mastercard, Visa. IME ~95% also take Amex.

Tips - anyone doing anything touristy is used to being tipped in US$ and may actually prefer it. A lot of shops will also take US$20 notes or smaller, at a crappy exchange rate, and give change back in CAN$. If you want to buy a few bottles of water, gum, snacks etc. it's probably worth just sucking up the poor exchange rate (prob around 1.10 instead of the actual 1.20-1.25) and breaking a twenty to get a little local cash rather than using an ATM unless you have a 'no fees' card to use for the withdrawal.

What to do with your four hours? I know nothing about you and what you like, but the fact you're taking a tour pre-cruise makes me think the best advice is simply to suggest you go back and actually visit one or more of the places that sounded interesting when the tour drove you past them?

Aside from a couple of stops in Stanley park, and on Granville Island, pre-cruise city tours don't really give you much of a chance to see inside anywhere - since we're very compact, there's basically nowhere that you could not easily get to and from and still have 3 hours to spend inside and that's enough for even the biggest attractions like the Aquarium, Science World, Art Gallery.

Using some imagination....

• Food is one idea to burn some time. Does the idea of a Dim Sum brunch interest you? Bags can be stored in Canada Place and then you can catch a cab with your bags to the airport later.
  
• Bella Gelato or La Casa for 218 flavours if you had a large breakfast and are only interested in a good desert.
  
• Fly Over Canada offers luggage service while you are at the cruise terminal
  
• ask a cab driver to long haul you around town on the way to the airport. Tell them your budget and let him get creative (take me to the QE park! Show me Cypress Highpoint lookout! Check out Storybrooke? Leave your luggage with the cab driver and keep the meter running for $35 an hour)
  
• did you hear about a new designer outlet mall at the airport that just opened... EXTREMELY popular. Free subway access from the airport!
  http://www.mcarthurglen.com/ca/mcarthurglen-vancouver/en/
  

With regards to cash centric....

• premium restaurants will take credit cards
  
• discount/budget restaurants may refuse cards to avoid merchant fees
  
• Visa/Mastercard is popular.... some may turn down American Excess. Forget Discovery.
  

I would likely take my luggage to either the Pan Pacific or the Fairmont Waterfront and give the bell desk a nice tip to hold it for me. From there, with only 4 hours your options are some what limited and would depend upon your interests...however you certainly could loose a couple of hours walking in historic Gastown and then perhaps about an hour on the way back at the Vancouver Lookout. If I still had and hour then a trip across the harbour on the SeaBus from Waterfront Station would be a good investment in time or perhaps a walk along the Seawall toward Stanley Park and back.

Thanks to all for the always wonderful info!! I think we will go with the luggage storage and fetch option! As far as our 4 hours... It is all weather dependent! I am now thinking about saving Granville Island Market or The big Gardens in China town (the name is currently escaping me) or maybe a seawall bike for post cruise rather than keeping them on the pre-cruise list of to do's. If the weather isn't stellar, I will certainly keep the new Mall in mind! I love the food idea, but the last time we got off the ship, we didn't want much food since we ALWAYS overindulge onboard!! Thanks again to all!!!

Granville Island Market or The big Gardens in China town (the name is currently escaping me) or maybe a seawall bike for post cruise rather than keeping them on the pre-cruise list of to do's. If the weather isn't stellar, I will certainly keep the new Mall in mind! I love the food idea, but the last time we got off the ship, we didn't want much food since we ALWAYS overindulge onboard!! Thanks again to all!!!

• You are referring to the Sun Yat-sen gardens. Note, the garden is relatively small. If you want to see flowers.... Vanduzen is my preferred choice.
  http://vancouverchinesegarden.com/
  
  
  
  
  
• there's always room for dessert for that overindulgance... this stuff will melt if you try taking it home....
  
  • La Casa offers 218 flavours...
    http://www.marthastewart.com/909325/visiting-la-casa-gelato-and-tasting-flavors#909325
    
  • Bella is award winning near the cruise terminal
    http://www.news1130.com/2012/07/08/international-recognition-for-local-gelato-maker/
    
  • award winning chocolate near cruise terminal
    http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2014/09/vancouvers-mink-chocolates-wins-best-chocolate-bar-world-award/
    

"If you want to see flowers.... Vanduzen is my preferred choice."

A google search came up empty for a Vanduzen but did lead to a VanDusen Botanical Gardens.

http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/vandusen-botanical-garden.aspx

Just wanted to make sure anyone wanting to visit that attraction could find it on the internet.

Cheers!

Dennis

Beautiful choice for the garden and lots of yummy treats to try!! Thanks All!! So very excited!