Ricktan

On a previous visit we did the Grouse Mountain/Capilano tours but it was early in the season and too foggy to see anything! Will try again this year.

I can recommend Mink--the chocolates are good (and expensive) but the chocolate drinks are out of this world rich and delicious!

We also recommend a Vancouver Food Tour--walking tour of great good trucks. Exercise and food!:)

I've looked at that tour, sounds great ....thank you !

Ideas....

• Day 1: 2:30pm arrival means you will be free at 4pm to start your Vancouver experience. If you share your hotel location, we can target our responses for your neighborhood? Pan-Pacific
  
• Day 2: Fishing? Where are you fishing? What time does it start and end? If it starts early.... you can still do things in the evening. Should be done around 4. Start and end at Glanville Island
  
• What is your sailing date? June travellers can enjoy sunlight well past 9pm....Sept 17
  
• Day 3: This is your full day to tour the city. Focus on Capilano and Grouse. Others will spend the day on the hop on tours.
  
• Food wise..... Vancouver is a destination port for dining. Lots to choose from and the multi-cultural environment means you can eat the world by walking around some blocks. With a strong Asian influence in the city... many seek out a "Dim Sum" experience for brunch. Best described as an Oriental high tea where you can sample various kinds of food....have always wanted to try true Dim Sum, thank you !!
  
• Gelato? Bellas is award winning. La Casa offers 218 flavours
  
• Mink has a great chocolate bar a few blocks from the cruise terminal
  
• do consider changing your flights for additional days in Vancouver, as well as surrounding areas......wish we could!
   
   
   
  

 

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Thanks for all your help!

Definitely check out this thread on the West Coast departures board where lots of knowledgeable locals answer questions:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2203845

Great info, thanks !! I'll be reading for awhile!

Too many wonderful choices !! We will have 2 1/2 days. Arrive around 2:30 on an Wed and board on Sat. We are going on an 8-hour fishing trip Thurs so that leaves Wed afternoon and all day Fri. For the ones that have been there.....what would you suggest that we NOT miss? Also, are big foodies.....any place special we should eat?

Some people know no bounds. I would never ask a person what they paid as its none of my business, plus I might not like the answer! You should have told her that the PS was comped to you from your play last cruise in the casino - that would have floored her.

 

I hope you did not let her into your cabin, as she next would likely have wanted you to throw a party for her and her friends!

Oh, I so wish I would have thought of that answer! That would have got her goat, I'm sure!!:)

HAL is often slow to update its print and even online information. Trust us, lunch on embarkation day is open to everyone (if it is open at all - sometimes it is not).

Sorry DaveOKC, I think I was typing at the same time you posted !

While I do alot of searching to get a good deal on HAL, there is ALWAYS someone who got a better one, so I do not fret about it. I figure I am happy with my deal, so thats enough.

 

I sat with a fellow recently who got a great upsell to my category and he did nothing but complain about the cabin "perks". You just cannot make everyone happy I guess.

 

Remember also, by booking early you may not get the best deal, but very often you get a much better selection of cabins to chose from.

I wold never ask someone what room they are in, much less how much they paid! In Sept, while in the casino, someone at our table noticed our card color and said, "oh, you are in Neptune Suite. How is it? We thought about getting one......is the extra size worth it?" I just smiled but my DH said, "actually, we are in the PS" I wanted to kick him under the table because I could tell she had that personality that wouldn't allow her to stop with one question. :) Sure enough the next question out of her mouth was " do you mind if I ask you how much that cost?" I was floored! WHO asks questions like that???!!! And, why? The rates are on the website, if you really want to know. I just shrugged it off and changed the subject. On the 10th day of the cruise, she actually caught us at a table again and asked if she could see our room.:eek:

Interesting...HAL still shows "Welcome Back Embarkation Lunch" in the Main Dining Room from 12 to 1:30 as a Mariner benefit for all star levels, In addition to the "Complimentary Mariner Champagne Brunch."

As stated earlier, there have been a couple of threads in this. On our cruise in Sept, we were told there was no "special" lunch (MDR wasn't even open for us although that is not always the case). Instead, there is was an "invite" to a reception at a different time, which we didn't attend, fro other posts on here, it seems that that the MDR Marniers lunch is no longer and if the MDR is open on embarkment day, all all welcome. As we all know, the website is not always as up to date as the info that cruisers on here are currently posting. Hope this helps!

I have thought about all that I have described here and truly credited to cut backs and have changed my mind. I don't think that accurately states what HAL has been doing on the ships. I think they are close to totally remaking the product. The things we call cut backs and miss, they no longer value. They are interested in a very different product. As not only the long time cruisers age and stop cruising, their old time Hotel MANAGERS, CAPTAINS, MAITRE d's, CHIEF OFFICERS etc as well as bar staff, cabin and dining stewards and crew/staff in general are aging and retiring.

 

This seems to suit HAL just fine and I think I understand it.

The cruises have changed but mostly because the CRUISERS have changed. What their vast majority wanted and enjoyed is no longer what they want now.

 

If my DH had not passed away, I doubt I would have recognized it but I am now among those that no longer want some of those former way of doing things.

 

Of course, doing away with cocktail parties saves money and money is always the driving factor of all cruise line decisions but I think it is more than that.

 

They do not want the same Officer/guest interaction. The stewards are too short handed to have time to chat and be friendly with guests in the way we always enjoyed. We truly got to know many of them. We spend time ashore with many. We had friendships in whatever way you wish to define friends.

 

HAL has moved along as has the wants and needs of society in general.

It is a very different world we live in today than it was when DH and I started cruising.

 

Recessions, stock market crashes, wars, violence and terrorism, unemployment, Me, me, me values of some in the new generation, casual dress and the evolution of our culture have directed much of the change. HAL is responding.

 

JMO..

 

I do want to add I don't think it all bad. Some of it really does suit me fine. :)

I also want to mention I made those Officer titles Capital Letters as what was the need to change those long respected titles? There seemed to be another message in doing so.

 

 

 

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I think you are correct. My DH and I have loved the few cruises we have had and are finally at the point where we can do a little more. A lot of the things (complaints?) that I read on here, I shrug off because they don't affect us at all. And, because we don't know how it was done in the past, we aren't spending our cruise days comparing them to a previous standard. We only know what we experience now and we have been very happy. We couldn't care less about Captains and Officer parties, suite parties, VIP, etc. the very idea would send my DH running for the hills!:) Don't get me wrong.....we love meeting new and interesting people just don't care about planned gatherings so much. On our last cruise, we made several friends in the casino, struck up conversations with people everywhere, from the port waiting to board, at the bar waiting on drinks, in the NL. We even did a tour with someone I met on roll call (we still stay in touch) and then had another couple join up with us and ended having them all to dinner on our balcony. The Master Chef dinner introduced to several more great couples. Since we don't know any different, we don't see "cut backs" we just know that it fits our lifestyle and that we have a great time! JMO

OK, I will be the freak and admit that I love HMC and think it is one of the most beautiful beaches. And since we get there in February we are coming out of winter in New York, so it is a little bit of heaven on earth.

 

Great pic! I haven't been there (yet) but this makes me want to!:)

Thank you so much!!!

Everyone's suggestions have been great - thank you! We are definitely going to stay 2 nights, maybe longer if we can. The freedom trail looks a great idea. We will do the hop on hop off trolley the first day to get our bearings etc, then do more exploring the next day and head for a meal in the north end area.We will be on a tour on the West Coast of Canada, but hopefully will be able to visit the Bear Paw bakery during free time.Hopefully The Canadian wont be too delayed when we arrive in Toronto!We are hoping the train will provide some relax time, great scenery & chance to meet fellow passengers.:):cool:

I hope you let us know how your cruise goes.....would live some details as this cruise is one I would love to do!!:)

Catching a train to NYC from Boston is very easy. South Station, from which the train will leave, is 5 minutes from Black Falcon Cruise Terminal.

 

Hotels in Boston are costly but not more so than NYC. Both are very expensive cities. There is so much to see and do in Boston, so much history, culture, beauty, colleges, world class medicine, museums, shopping, restaurants, public Gardens........

 

Seems a shame for you to come so far, have an opportunity for a few days in Boston and not experience anything here.

 

Paul Revere's house is 15 minutes from where the ship docks.

Old North Church (from which the famous lantern was hung ....British will attack by land if one and two lanterns if by sea...... :)

USS Constitution - oldest war ship still in commission

Fanueil Hall

Quincy Market

JFK Library - his brother, former Senator Ted Kennedy, has museum nearby and has a full replica of the U.S. Senate chambers

Boston Public Library - gorgeous building and oldest in America

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

Fenway Park - much loved baseball park of Boston Red Sox

Harvard Yard :)

Try a New England Lobster dinner

Boston is a very walkable city.

etc

 

You likely will be a little early for fall foliage in Boston but may see some north when you sail from Quebec City.

 

Looking to hopefully do the Canada/NE in 2017. When is the best time to pick to see the most color? Will plan on staying a couple days since I've only drove the outskirts of Boston, haven't seen anything!!

R\T Vancouver Sept 17..... Any guesses on which days will be our "Gala" night? Trying to figure out my dining schedule. Thanks so much!

I remember when we went to Europe years ago, our dollar was very weak. I would look at the Euro price and mentally compute about 1 1/2 times that to figure my cost. It was about where the USD vs the CAD is now. It didn't keep us from doing anything or buying what we wanted while we were there but I totally understand how our Canadian friends feel. I did have to consider it when doing our budget. I'm sorry that it may keep some of you from cruising. I have to admit, though, it sure was nice when booking the Pan Pacific for next Sept to be able to get a great upgraded room at such a terrific price!

The concierge that I referred to in my earlier post also mentioned that they will spend a lot of weeks working on the ship together before the first guest ever steps on board. I'm sure Copper will know more about that but I found that interesting and it wasn't something I really realized until she told us.

Our neighbors returned from their cruise and onboard they were told the crew for the Koningsdam will be taken from other ships and only the best based on reviews will get to go. Has anyone else heard this?

On our cruise we had the BEST concierge in the NL. Both were great but one was really over the top wonderful! Talking one day, she told us that she was going to the Koningsdam. She said it is considered a great honor among the crew to be invited to the new ship. I would think it makes sense they want the best since you know there will be winkles and they need people that can handle that and keep customers happy.

Once, for a 4-day trip, I had packed my DH one set of PJs. Sounds reasonable.....on the first night, he spilled a drink on his lap so there went the PJs! After that, I always packed at least one more of everything! Now that my daughter is grown and doesn't travel with us as often, that isn't such an issue but that night he grumbled so much that I went to store in the hotel and paid 75.00 for a pair of sweat pants!

Thank you for posting! So glad you enjoyed your cruise. We loved our time in the NA this past Sept and can't wait until we get back on next Sept for Alaska (hoping to squeeze a Carribbean cruise in before then!). We loved our cruise, the food and the staff!

Hehe, isn't that the truth! Still trying to squeeze a cruise in for Feb but waiting on a few things so it will be a last minute thing.....

Bon voyage, Tanya & Rick, and Merry Christmas as well!

Thanks everyone for the well wishes but....I'm soooo sorry that I forgot to email Jacqui when I rescheduled this cruise! This is the one that ended up falling right when our "prize" heifer has to be AI'd so I had to scrap it!:eek: I had posted on here about it because I was getting opinions on which one to reschedule to but totally forgot to update Jacqui! oh, how I wish I was sailing away right now........

Ky Colonel, Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!:)

One of the reasons I love booking through my PCC is because I still have access to all my info instead of having to go through someone else.

OMG! Hilarious!!

Thank you. Not that I'm looking to book a PS, but inquiring minds want to know. :D

While on the NA, PS, we don't THINK, ;) after a lot of looking around, that at anyone could see us in the hot tub. (If you could, sorry!) Except, of course, while in port. Hope not, as we have the PS for Alaska and can't wait to get back into that hot tub!!!

Thank you for the review.....glad you enjoyed your cruise!