Milhouse

Unfortunately, we were just too tired and woke up a bit late. We ended up just exploring Lijnbaan again and checking out the city hall building before checking out of the hotel and heading to the terminal. And then we were so excited to board that we skipped exploring the area around the terminal as originally planned. I was also cooking a bit in the sun. (Embarkation in Rotterdam was so efficient!). However, as others have mentioned, it would have been very easy to drop our luggage off and explore before heading in to finalize our check in.

Wanted to close the loop on the thread a bit by reviewing what we actually ended up doing on day 1. Initial thoughts: We love Rotterdam! The city just feels very comfortable to us. Felt very safe too. We took the 10:24am Eurostar train from Paris to Rotterdam, arriving at 1:32pm. After checking in at the Marriott across the street, we needed to rest a bit before heading out at 2:45pm. We leisurely explored up and down Lijnbaan before traversing to Beurstraverse (very lively) and finally to the Markthal some time after 3pm for just an initial assessment. The Markt Binnenrotte was still happening with stall not really heavily closing up shop until about 4pm. We quite enjoyed the Markt Binnenrotte as it reminded us of many local markets in Europe, there were ready to eat food vendors, and pricing was very reasonable. Next, we headed over to the Cube Houses which were just across the across the square. Although we wanted to head into them for a look, we skipped that since we got there around 4:45pm and didn't want to be rushed since they close at 5pm. The Cube Houses were convenient to get across the street to Oude Haven (thanks for the rec @FreestyleNovice) which was a really nice area. We didn't grab food there since our meal times are still a bit off from jetlag. Afterwards, we headed back to the Markthal for a more in depth aisle by aisle exploration (although we did forget to explore the lower level). The food selection was amazing and of course the architecture is so unique. After a bite in the Markthal, we kind of headed west to hit up a few art pieces, to check out Witte de Withstraat, and ended up at the Museumpark building which was another cool looking building. Lots of breaks along the way. We headed back to Witte de Withstraat to grab a snack and enjoy the vibe as it is definitely deserving of being on many "Coolest Streets in the World" list IMO. We walked back beside a canal, hitting up a few more art pieces, and making it back to the hotel around 9pm as we're pretty wiped from going pretty hard the first few days. I feel this central part of Rotterdam is very compact and very walkable. Easily covered in a day. Not sure what we'll end up doing tomorrow. I'd like to get a bit further out to the Euromast and Delfshaven area but I think we're ready to just jump on the ship! 🙂

Quickly jotting down some thoughts before I head to the airport to start my cruise vacay! 🤓 I don’t feel there’s any place in Vancouver that is unsafe per se (like I know I'm going to get mugged). The only place I’d really recommend avoiding is just outside the downtown core around Hastings Street by Chinatown and the eastern edges of Gastown which is complete street disorder. Gastown can get occasionally sketchy (eg I was waiting for some take-out when some guy walked by screaming his head off) but there are lots of people around. Beyond that, there are supportive housing and supervised usage sites here and there that can lead to pockets of sketchiness and disorder here and there. One pocket is near south Granville by Helmcken. Another is near Pender and Richards. Again, not unsafe per se IMO but can feel a bit sketchy. My thoughts on your list (location-wise, not quality of stay): Quality Inn on Granville: You’re kind of on the corner of Granville and Davie, both which overall have a lot of retail and eateries. But this area is not my favourite. There’s a supportive housing building down the block. The 7Eleven two blocks away apparently has to lock its refrigerators due to theft. Grand Park on Granville: Similar thoughts to the Quality Inn but you are a little further south on Granville. You’re closer to the bridge. It’s a bit quieter for pedestrian traffic. Days Inn at Pender & Hornby: It’s likely going to be fairly quiet at night in the immediate vicinity. However, you can walk a few blocks north along Burrard to Canada Place/seawall which is typically hopping with tourists (and locals if there’s an event happening or south along Burrard to get to Robson street which will be livelier. Sandman on Davie: Davie street is fairly lively with a lot of eateries. You can walk a few blocks south through residential to the beach/seawall or you can walk west along Davie to get to English Bay and Denman. Sandman near BC Place: The area is fine. You’ve got a few restaurants in the vicinity. Easy access to the eastern end of Robson street which you can use to launch deeper west into the downtown core. Somewhat easy access to the seawall along False Creek. Generally quieter at night (particularly on Georgia street) unless there’s some event happening at the arena or stadium but it’s lively as you get further west on Robson. Note also: @martincath usually recommends the YWCA around the corner. Time Square on Denman: Very good location. It’s behind/above the Starbucks I frequently go to for walks in the morning. Easy access to Stanley Park. Easy access to retail/eateries on both Robson and Denman. Quiet in the morning but a fairly busy area later in the day. English Bay: The area is nice. Easy access to retail and eateries on Denman and Davie.

If you are fairly mobile, the downtown core is fairly compact and walkable so most hotels are reasonable options location-wise with other factors aside. The Met is fairly central with some eateries and the Pacific Centre mall nearby but you'll need to walk a block or two to get to more lively streets (eg Granville Street or Robson Street) with shops and restaurants. The Bayshore is much more towards the west. As alluded to above, it's an easy launching point to Stanley Park and is along the water by the seawall which is fairly lively with people. There are a few (good) eateries in the vicinity but again, you need to walk two to three blocks to Denman Street or Robson street to get more of a cluster of food and retail activity. The Marriott Pinnacle is also central as mentioned above. It's closer to the water by Canada Place so it also has easy access to the seawall. But you're walking more like three to four blocks to Robson Street or Granville Street versus the one or two from the Met. There's also a Hilton in downtown close to where I used to work. It's on the eastern end of Robson street by the central library and getting near the stadium district. The immediate area is lively and has a lot of eateries. It's fine staying there and you'd likely begin exploring westward along Robson. You're just a bit further away from Canada Place, Stanley Park, English Bay, etc. if that's where you want to visit. I mention Robson, Granville, Denman, but also Davie Street as they form kind of a rectangular circuit around the downtown core that generally have a lot of foot traffic, retail, eateries, etc. Those aren't the only areas of course but it's kind of easy to identify on a map. I would caution the southern end of Granville by Davie though does kind of get a bit sketchy. And I suppose the northern end can get a bit sketchy too.

It is. The Renaissance/now Marriott we stayed at is three blocks west of this Courtyard.

FWIW, we used a Marriott free night cert for the Renaissance (which seems to have been converted to a Marriott) in downtown Long Beach pre-cruise in 2022. There's a small cluster of three Marriott hotels (Marriott, Westin, Courtyard) in downtown Long Beach that I wouldn't have minded using my cert to stay at location-wise. Felt pretty safe walking around the downtown area and areas closer to the water (like the Pike Outlets, Shoreline Village shopping area, etc) which were fairly lively.

Yep, it's always a risk that itineraries get adjusted due to weather (or other). But it doesn't mean it's any less disappointing that one's port of call plans then go off the rails a bit. Ditto, we're trying to declutter the house. The missus' general rule of thumb for me is that I can't buy anything unless I toss something in the house. 🤓

IIRC, I think your sailing was fairly full. We're jumping on Silhouette next week. Wondering how busy/crowded you're finding the public areas and theatre? IIRC, you'll be staying on for the next sailing too which we'll be on. If you've been eating in Blu, I'd enjoy hearing about any dishes you thought were particularly good as it'll be our first time in AQ/Blu. And a similar question to the above: How are you finding wait times for a table in Blu?

Yep, the hotels right along the waterfront while extremely convenient, are pretty steep. Since you were mentioning using Marriott points, I was thinking more like the Marriott Pinnacle. I can't speak to how good of a stay it is but it's about two blocks in from the water and still close to Canada Place. The area is somewhat quieter at night though in terms of activity so you need to walk a block or two to get into the thick of things.

During the day, it should be fine as it's a fairly busy area. I've dropped the missus off across the street at the Harbour Centre building (directly across the street from the Delta) in the morning for meetings there. I'm fine taking the bus home through the area late at night after meeting up with friends for beverages. If I were staying downtown for the night, I would consider staying at the Delta if convenient for what I was down there for, but stay somewhat on guard. There's a supportive housing building about a block away around the corner on Pender Street that appears to lead to some spillover issues. Eg. A while ago I recall a pizza place nearby that was on the news speaking out about theft among other issues. It is fairly close to Canada Place/cruise terminal and to Gastown as mentioned above. As a tourist, I'd probably lean towards wanting to stay at a (Marriott) property a bit further west to be a bit closer to sights I'm more interested in (YMMV): the seawall, Stanley Park, West End, etc. (but with possible caution to the Westin Bayshore as I mentioned above.)

I asked my friend who works for CBSA. She says the letter of the law is that it has to be in the original container with the drug name... but in all practicality (and depending on the CBSA officer), you should be able to explain your way through if they are in some kind of daily organizer. Probably wouldn't hurt to bring the original bottles if possible too.

There are a few similar historical threads (about what to do post cruise while waiting for a late flight) in the West Coast Departures forum that can provide some ideas and info. Just a few points to get you rolling: As alluded to above, there are a few different, reasonably priced luggage storage options in and around the port area so you aren't encumbered when sightseeing post cruise. I always want to cautioning about weather because some things are less fun in the rain. Granville Island just outside the downtown core is one of my favourite place around town. There are shopping and restaurant streets like Robson and Denman that are interesting to stroll through. The seawall is a fairly easy and pleasant walk. Stanley Park is worth exploring but it's a large park so you need to plan/identify the areas you want to visit. And yep, Gastown is close to Canada Place. They've limited traffic in the area this summer to make it more pedestrian friendly. There are further out attractions like Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain if interested in spending most of your time there as they have pricey admission.

I would think hurricane season in the Caribbean can be a slightly tougher sell. I recall South America having quite a bit of availability when we searched in the past but they may have trimmed back sailings. Agree that some of the Infinity sailings during the offseason in the Med can be a deal.

Also, have you considered taking the X80 express bus if you're in town when it's in season. WRT pick pockets, we were last in Piraeus/Athens in 2023. Personally, the metro felt a bit sketchy but we kind of just moved to more open areas of the car. FWIW, we were targeted by pick pockets when getting on a regular bus outside the Piraeus metro station for the last leg back to the port. I think that stop just outside of the metro station felt like kind of a hub and the pick pockets kind of just linger there looking for targets.

The cruise port at Canada Place in Vancouver is a pretty good launching point for various sightseeing options (better so if the weather is nice) if you are ok storaging your luggage for a few dollars. Just outside of the cruise port is a stop for the HoHo companies that will take you to most of the key attractions around the downtown core and vicinity. Not sure if you need to do a post cruise excursion through Princess unless they provide the added value of managing your luggage and delivering it to the airport. Also right in front is free shuttle bus transportation to some of the attractions further out on the north shore. The steep ticket prices for the attractions basically subsidize the shuttles. It's also a fairly enjoyable walk from Canada Place along the seawall to Stanley Park if the weather is nice. The downtown core overall is also quite walkable (apart from the odd sketchy parts).

No issues currently that I know of.

I've got to admit that based on what I've read, it's been one of the brands that I've wanted to try. Similarly, we also enjoy Celebrity but it's nice to experience a bit of variety now and then.

I would just caution to everyone researching hotels in Vancouver, to maybe check if there are any labour issues occuring at any hotels you may be considering. This is kind of anecdotal based on my local news feeds but I'm seeing a few hotels in downtown Vancouver and Richmond that seem to have some ongoing labour issues with varying degrees of job action that may or may not disrupt your stay; it's just a risk to consider. Here are a few articles: Hyatt Regency / Pinnacle Harbourfront / Westin Bayshore July 16 article: https://www.biv.com/news/hospitality-marketing-tourism/workers-picket-hyatt-regency-vancouver-in-one-day-strike-more-action-possible-9227441 Residence Inn Downtown July 30 article: https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/07/30/downtown-vancouver-hotel-marriot-strike/ Sheraton Hotel Richmond/Airport (and Hilton and Marriott in the same complex) June 14 article: https://www.richmond-news.com/local-business/richmond-hotel-workers-to-mark-one-year-on-strike-9086245

What's the itinerary?

I really enjoy eating breakfast in the buffet too. We may do one served breakfast and/or maybe one in the cabin via room service but I just apreciate the selection and convenience of the buffet. I don't need it to be rocket surgery. 🙂 WRT eggs, I was initially a bit disappointed that the bennies came hard poached as a default. But once I figured out I could request a runny yolk, that was my bingo moment. (FLW until I get salmonella lol.)

With thanks for the reviews and pictures earlier in the thread, does anyone have additional feedback on what appies and entrees in Blu are "must have" or "must avoid?" We're sailing in AQ class for the first time next month (Aug) on a 12 day itinerary aboard Silhouette and are looking forward to trying the food in Blu. I reviewed the daily Blu menus for a recent (Jul) 12 day itinerary on Silhouette via the app and assume the menus will be the same other than when the formal night menus slot in. If so, it looks like we'll be able to find something appealing enough (for us) to order off the Blu menu each night. We enjoy seafood so I think that kind of helps as it's the majority of the appies & entries that caught our eyes, with some beef/veal/lamb/duck, pasta, and veggie-focused dishes potentially rounding things out. Depending on feedback, we may still instead order the odd appie or entree from the MDR menu. Speaking of which, I was a little surprised (yet not) to see a few dishes (eg. Organic roasted red beets, Stuffed portobello mushrooms, etc) that appear on both the Blu & MDR menus, along with pretty much the entire dessert menu.

We're actually flying into Paris this August for a few days in between the Olympics and Paralympics before heading to Rotterdam to hop on our cruise which takes us to Le Verdon Sur Mer but marketed as Bordeaux. We've been to Paris before so we're doing a mix of a few common attractions, past fav's, and new things. And since Le Verdon is pretty far from Bordeaux, we're likely going to save it for future land trip (TBD tho). This is many years ago but we kind of took the train from Barcelona to Paris. It's not a completely fair comparison because there was a train strike in Spain so we have to bus it Montpellier to jump on the TGV. And then the TGV was delayed getting into Paris because of debris on the lines. Even without those issue, it would have been a long trip. With limited time, I'd probably want to fly. We have taken Vueling once from Rome to Barcelona post cruise. Although leg room was limited, for a short flight I think it's fine. I'd only warn that with low cost carriers (LCC's) in general, I'm always wary of delays and cancellations. (FWIW, our flight with Vueling was delayed by an hour.) With limited time in Paris, I'd say just quickly hit a selection of the big attractions and plan a longer trip/stay in the future. There are so many fantastic neighbourhoods. If mobile, I'd agree that some attractions are reasonable walking between them but in the summer, the sun/heat can be a drain. Our last visit was during late June during a bit of a heat wave and we melted. If you can afford to allocate a day, Versailles really is a fantastic attraction IMO, if not just the palace but the grounds also. If going in the summer, also try to plan for sun protection.

I kind of view it a bit differently. Obviously I don't care what activities others want to participate in. But there is only a limited number of activities staff, available space, dollars X wants to throw at activities, etc. While I don't expect every activity to appeal to me, I kind of hope that staff allocate time on some activities that I find interesting (which I usually do).

The Pan Pacific (level 2 and up) is basically above the cruise port/terminal (parking level 1). Both make up part of the Canada Place complex (which also includes the convention centre halls and Port Authority offices on level 1, Flyover Canada attraction, etc). Lately, I've seen signs directing cruise pax to walk on level 1, passing by the convention halls, to the north end of Canada Place to take escalators(?) down to the terminal level. The Fairmont Waterfront is literally across the street from Canada Place. The Fairmont Pacific Rim is one block west of the Fairmont Waterfront and an easy, slight uphill walk to Canada Place/the port/terminal. Taxi not required for these hotels. The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver is about five blocks south of the port/terminal. I think taking a taxi from the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver to the terminal would be fine if preferred/needed/in a pinch. But if you are mobile and the weather is ok, it is a pretty straight forward walk (either along Burrard Street which is generally busier but has slightly wider sidewalks or along Hornby Street which generally quieter, has slightly narrower sidewalks, and pass through an urban greenspace) to Canada Place.

Hi B&F! Thanks for the link! We did scan that site a few weeks ago but should give it another look as our cruise is getting closer. We discussed renting bikes and still might. But DW isn't a strong rider (she fell off and twister her ankle during a previous trip) so anywhere we go will have to be pretty easy riding. X did have a transport only option to Bordeaux but it sold out pretty quick. I think X's excursion department has been scrambling/struggling a bit due the change in ports from Pauillac to Le Verdon. Car rentals also seem limited around Le Verdon Sur Mer on top of some additional challenges (limited hours/closed Sunday/day 2, drivers license requirements, etc). If we do rent a car for day 1, it'll be an on the spot decision and likely only to tour the local region versus driving all the way down to Bordeaux.