Vancouver hotel and transport

We are flying into Vancouver for our AK Cruise later in July. We are arriving late (10pm) so would like a hotel close to the port if possible. Assume taxis would be available from hotel to port too? Or would it be better to stay closer to airport? First time there so completely clueless. :confused::confused:Any guidance is greatly appreciated! :):)

We are flying into Vancouver for our AK Cruise later in July. We are arriving late (10pm) so would like a hotel close to the port if possible. Assume taxis would be available from hotel to port too? Or would it be better to stay closer to airport? First time there so completely clueless. :confused::confused:Any guidance is greatly appreciated! :):)

yes you can stay near the airport but you'll have to get there the next .

You could check out the Fairmont Vancouver Airport . It is part of the airport itself ( higher end hotel) .

If you check some of the sites that price hotels there is a number that have shuttles (24 hr) to them. These same sites can give you prices for hotels near the pier.

Check this site for hotels near the pier

http://www.pre-cruisehotels.com/

Taxi's from YVR are fixed rate to different parts of Vancouver.

yes you can stay near the airport but you'll have to get there the next .

You could check out the Fairmont Vancouver Airport . It is part of the airport itself ( higher end hotel) .

If you check some of the sites that price hotels there is a number that have shuttles (24 hr) to them. These same sites can give you prices for hotels near the pier.

Check this site for hotels near the pier

http://www.pre-cruisehotels.com/

 

Taxi's from YVR are fixed rate to different parts of Vancouver.

Thanks Kamloops50! Checking out the website you gave. Do you know what VYR port RCI sails out of (I didn't even know there was more than one port!)

Use Canada Place. Ballantye pier has been closed.It doesn't really matter which one. The hotels are the same.

We are flying into Vancouver for our AK Cruise later in July. We are arriving late (10pm) so would like a hotel close to the port if possible. Assume taxis would be available from hotel to port too? Or would it be better to stay closer to airport? First time there so completely clueless. :confused::confused:Any guidance is greatly appreciated! :):)

With you landing at YVR at 10 pm by the time you have walk from the gate to the customs hall, cleared Canadian Customs, collected your luggage and exited the terminal plan that its going to be 10:45 pm. Personally, I would prefer to come downtown so that in the morning I could spend some time exploring a bit of Vancouver. A cab trip downtown at that time at night is going to take about 30 mins and there is a flat rate of $35.

Vancouver's downtown is quite compact so all of the downtown hotels are pretty much within a mile of Canada Place. However, here is a list of many 3*+ hotels that are within 6 to 8 blocks of Canada Place:

The Pan Pacific (part of Canada Place)

Fairmont Waterfront (across the street from Canada Place)

Fairmont Pacific Rim

Marriott Pinnacle

Renaissance

Hyatt Regency

The Shangri-la

Fairmont Vancouver Hotel

Auberge

Coast Coal Harbour

Delta Suites

The Metropolitan

Four Seasons

Rosewood Georgia

Sutton Place (about 8.5 blocks)

Sheraton at the Wall Centre (about 10 blocks)

le Soleil

The Wedgewood

You have left it a little late as Vancouver's hotels operate at a very high occupancy rate during the summer and the cruise season. You best plan that a room in one of the above hotels is going to start at $200 unless you can find a deal on something like Hotwire.com. If you decide you wish to stay out near YVR then you should be able to find something in the $125 to $200 range. One of the beauties of staying at the Pan Pacific or the Fairmont Waterfront is that they will transfer you luggage to the pier for you. I have not included the Blue Horizon hotel on my list as it is about a mile from Canada Place but it extremely popular with cruisers and a good option if available.

We are flying into Vancouver for our AK Cruise later in July. We are arriving late (10pm) so would like a hotel close to the port if possible. Assume taxis would be available from hotel to port too? Or would it be better to stay closer to airport? First time there so completely clueless. :confused::confused:Any guidance is greatly appreciated! :):)

I have a totally different suggestion! If we were getting into Vancouver at 10 PM, we'd book an airport hotel (Hampton Inn, i.e.) that has a shuttle to and from the airport. We'd book the cruise line's transfers for the next day (sailing day) and have the hotel take us back to the airport to catch the transfer.

In our case, after travelling all day we'd have no interest in "sightseeing" after 10 PM or the morning of the cruise.

JMHO,

I have a totally different suggestion! If we were getting into Vancouver at 10 PM, we'd book an airport hotel (Hampton Inn, i.e.) that has a shuttle to and from the airport. We'd book the cruise line's transfers for the next day (sailing day) and have the hotel take us back to the airport to catch the transfer.

 

In our case, after travelling all day we'd have no interest in "sightseeing" after 10 PM or the morning of the cruise.

 

JMHO,

Good idea. If the budget holds you could also stay at the Fairmont at Vancouver International.

We stay at the Hampton when we visit family in Vancouver. They have a decent breakfast. There is tea and coffee 24 hrs per day in the lobby.

I have a totally different suggestion! If we were getting into Vancouver at 10 PM, we'd book an airport hotel (Hampton Inn, i.e.) that has a shuttle to and from the airport. We'd book the cruise line's transfers for the next day (sailing day) and have the hotel take us back to the airport to catch the transfer.

 

In our case, after travelling all day we'd have no interest in "sightseeing" after 10 PM or the morning of the cruise.

 

JMHO,

I don't think this makes any sense. You often wait 15 minutes for the shuttle. In just a few more minutes, you could be in a nice downtown hotel near the cruise terminal and wouldn't face any hassle in the morning.

All the hotels in the city centre are close to the cruise port. You can leave your luggage at the hotel while you see a bit of the city. There is no point in trying to board before mid afternoon.

If you do decide to stay near the airport, it would be silly to go back to the airport to take the cruise ship transfer. You would have to wait for it and they are usually expensive. You would just take a taxi from the hotel but what would you do to fill in the time during the day?

I'm with ER on this one - even if you're late risers, with no interest in seeing Vancouver before boarding it's frankly ludicrous to go back to the airport even for free to then pay more and waste more time to get downtown. Cruise transfers run $29pp or more depending on line... from airport hotels, even with rush hour traffic you will almost certainly get change back from $40 - I've never seen the meter go over $35 myself.

Even for solo travelers who want to take a fixed price per person shuttle, you can go from any airport hotel to the pier for $15 on a 'milk run' shuttle that stops at several hotels then heads for the pier. If you're willing to spend the time getting back to YVR, cabs are now fixed price - CAN$35 to Canada Place - so for a couple or more they are cheaper, faster, and more convenient than shuttles.

If you're looking to simply do it as cheap as possible, the Skytrain will take up to ten people for CAN$21 total evenings and weekends.

I don't think this makes any sense. You often wait 15 minutes for the shuttle. In just a few more minutes, you could be in a nice downtown hotel near the cruise terminal and wouldn't face any hassle in the morning. That's true, but the downtown hotels are more expensive and we don't want to do anything after 10 PM or the next day before we board the ship.All the hotels in the city centre are close to the cruise port. You can leave your luggage at the hotel while you see a bit of the city. There is no point in trying to board before mid afternoon. We like to get to the port about 11 AM and are usually able to board soon after. We like to be onboard ASAP.If you do decide to stay near the airport, it would be silly to go back to the airport to take the cruise ship transfer. You would have to wait for it and they are usually expensive. We don't find them to be more expensive than a taxi + tip and they're very dependable. You would just take a taxi from the hotel but what would you do to fill in the time during the day? Board the ship :)!

I realize that different thing's are important to different people. Coming into YVR as late as 10 PM just makes me want to sleep and get to the ship as early as possible. Other's may want to tour and board much later.

I'm with ER on this one - even if you're late risers, with no interest in seeing Vancouver before boarding it's frankly ludicrous to go back to the airport even for free to then pay more and waste more time to get downtown. Cruise transfers run $29pp or more depending on line... from airport hotels, even with rush hour traffic you will almost certainly get change back from $40 - I've never seen the meter go over $35 myself.

 

Even for solo travelers who want to take a fixed price per person shuttle, you can go from any airport hotel to the pier for $15 on a 'milk run' shuttle that stops at several hotels then heads for the pier. What shuttle service would that be? If you're willing to spend the time getting back to YVR, cabs are now fixed price - CAN$35 to Canada Place - so for a couple or more they are cheaper, faster, and more convenient than shuttles.

Thanks for that option. I didn't know that cabs were that inexpensive. I'll look into it :).

 

If you're looking to simply do it as cheap as possible, the Skytrain will take up to ten people for CAN$21 total evenings and weekends.

Thanks for your suggestions :),

What works for you is always the best option. I am a person who when I arrive in a new city I want to be as close to things as I can be. I am pumped and want to get out early in the morning to explore. The whole idea of spending 30 to 35 mins of my valuable time back tracking or commuting into where I want to be and dealing with luggage, well personally I find quite unappealing. That's why there are different flavours of ice cream.:)

...What shuttle service would that be?... I didn't know that cabs were that inexpensive...

This shuttle service. Which for a couple staying at an airport hotel will actually work out cheaper than a cab - though if there are three or four of you cabs win again, even metered from the hotel rather than inbound-from-the-airport flat rates.

What works for you is always the best option. I am a person who when I arrive in a new city I want to be as close to things as I can be. I am pumped and want to get out early in the morning to explore. The whole idea of spending 30 to 35 mins of my valuable time back tracking or commuting into where I want to be and dealing with luggage, well personally I find quite unappealing. That's why there are different flavours of ice cream.:)

Thanks for understanding! We're not "early" people, so convenience is more important to us than rushing around to see everything ASAP :).

This shuttle service. Which for a couple staying at an airport hotel will actually work out cheaper than a cab - though if there are three or four of you cabs win again, even metered from the hotel rather than inbound-from-the-airport flat rates.

Some hotels if pre reserved will book the cruise shuttle as part of hotel rate.

Some hotels if pre reserved will book the cruise shuttle as part of hotel rate.

I think you mean as part of the "package" rate...normally these shuttles from Richmond to downtown are not free, you pay a premium hotel rate for them.

My suggestion would be the River Rock Casino Hotel. Very close to the airport. At that time of day and wanting to just get my room I would just take a taxi.

The skytrain is across the street from the hotel. You can grab a train to Waterfront station at be at the cruise terminal fairly quickly. A two zone trip on the Canada line is also quite economical.