lovetochill

We'll be arriving in Vancouver on a Saturday morning and will be taking the train to Seattle that afternoon at 5:35. How early should we get to the train station? We'll use the HOHO to see the sites of Vancouver until then. Does anyone have a suggestion as to where we can store our bags until we leave for the train?

Have you been on the train before? I've done the journey on that Amtrak train a couple of times. I'd recommend when you check in, asking for seats on the right hand side as it travels south, to get the best coastal views.

Taxi's available outside the station at Seattle. Seattle station is beautiful. Take a few minutes to take in the architecture inside, before rushing outside.

That's an amazing answer. Couldn't have put it better myself. Lol.

I can personally voucher for Vancouver trolley bus. I have done it several times now. You can get on and off wherever you want. This year they are doing two routes so I doubt if you'll have time do both, but I would suggest doing the one that covers Stanley Park as that is somewhere you definitely need to visit. I would stop off at the Totem Poles, Prospect Point, English Beach, Granville Island (you can get a free ferry ticket which takes about 5 mins or so) from near English beach over to Granville. Granville is great for lunch, with a food court at the market selling allsorts. You wont get it all done in a day on both tours as we usually take two days, that's why I suggest you do the one with Stanley Park in as that is a must visit on your journey.

Have fun. It's my favourite city.

LOL! Yes, as a matter of fact. Just moved to Washington after 44 years in Oregon :D.

 

We might just fly into Vancouver as it's looking cheaper than train, bus or car rental + 1 night hotel options....and much faster.

 

The bid type hotel sites won't work for us since they only guarantee bedding for 2. I like my friends but not THAT much.

 

So if we flew in the morning of cruise, I guess we would just take the one-way cruise transfers to the port.

 

Lot's of time to figure this all out. Thanks for all of the info, everyone!

 

Gina

Last year, if it helps at all we stayed at the Days Inn Vancouver Downtown. Its a small boutique holiday but clean and friendly. Rooms are only small but it's about a 5 minute walk to Canada Place. We used to walk there most days from the hotel. Offers free breakfast too in it's small basement breakfast room. Will be a lot cheaper than the bigger hotels. This year we are staying at the Delta Vancouver Suites which is even closer to Canada Place. We got a deal on ours in the UK but not sure how much it would be now.

We used shuttle express. And will again this year $55 one way. Pre book on Internet Pay on arrival. We stayed at La quinta Inn and Suites. 10 min or so walk to monorail space needle and Chihuly. Monorail takes you to downtown. About 5 min trip $2. Easy City to navigate.

Tip for the train. Going to seattle ask for the right hand side on train when you check in. That's the best views.

We used shuttle express. Good and efficient. Just across the way from arrivals. There's a little waiting area. Then they call your name. We Wales About 20 mins. We were taken in a minivan. About $55 for 4

I've used them in May last year and using them this year too. You walk across from arrivals. There's a little waiting area where you check in and then they call your name. We had about a 20 minute Wait. Very friendly driver who pointed out all the main sites to us. Good value.

Delta vancouver suites! Two blocks from Canada Place. Literally round the corner. A 5 minute walk. Nice hotel.

That's good news for us if its def canada place as we're at the delta vancouver suites just two blocks away!

Last year we stayed at the Ramada Inn downtown. A small boutique hotel. These year we choose the delta vancouver suites. One block from Canada Place. About 5 mins walk from gastown. 2 minutes to the train station. It's a great location and nice hotel.

We had booked this for last year but cancelled our cruise on the day of departure because my Dad died. But we are heading back again on 15th May and when we can booking this mystery dinner as we had so many good reviews about it from other people. I too don't like to be the center of attention and was assured this wouldn't be the case as you can participate as little or as much as you like.

I'm sure it will be great fun!

@ Maple Leaves - Thank you that is so helpful!

Too far to walk with more than one piece of luggage per person. The walk is not far 10 -15 minutes, but the luggage is what makes it too far to walk.

Thank you. We'll find out the cost of a taxi. We can leave our bags there and then go visit the town.

Is it a small town? Is there enough to see for about 4-5 hours until the train goes?

If you fly to Seattle, I would recommend that you take the Amtrac Cascades Train. My parents LOVED this as the scenery was stunning.

 

Last year we stayed in Seattle first and caught the Amtrak Cascades train from Seattle to Vancouver. It leaves just after 7am and takes 4 hours. The scenery is stunning. Ask for a seat on the left hand side as thats the best scenery.

Hotel wise, the Pan Pacific is right at Canada Place which is fine if your cruise is leaving from Canada place but if it goes from the next dock along its not so close. Last year we stayed at the Ramada Vancouver downtown but it was small and very hot, although a quaint hotel. This year we picked the Delta Vancouver Suites as they are in a great location just two blocks from the Pan Pacific and Canada place and much cheaper than the pan pacific.

You are walking distance (5 mins) to Gas town where there are some great restaurants to eat in.

I recommend the Vancouver Trolley Bus which leaves from Canada Place too and takes you all around Vancouver, through Stanley Park, English Beach, Gas Town, China Town and more. Well worth it. Stay on it at first, takes about 1hr 45 mins and decide where you want to get off. It stops at Dr Sun Yat Sen gardens too which is well worth the visit. Lots of TV shows/movies are filmed here too.

You can also get a bus from Canada place to Capillano Suspension bridge and grouse mountain. The bus is free. Grouse mountain is about 8 miles out of Vancouver and Capillano not much different. Both worth a day trip.

Hope that helps.

We are going on the 15th May too!

We were recommended last year to book for the Murder Mystery dinner at Giovanni's, as they said the food is good there, but I can't see where you can book it in advance at the moment. Are we too early?

We didn't make it last year as had to fly home the day of the cruise as my Dad died. So we are making it this year instead. We had it booked last year.

I've been able to drop my bags at the depot earlier, since they seem to open earlier. However, you will be checking your bags and NOT have further access to them until Anchorage. In the past they used to let me store some small bags on a shelf behind the counter. It is NOT locked up or "secure", but it was stuff I didn't care about and nothing valuable.

How far is it from the ship to the train station if we have bags to check in, in the morning?

I have tried to look for the speciality menus too. Last year we booked a murder mystery dinner in the Italian restaurant on the Radiance on our Alaska trip in May but I can't find anywhere to book it.

We are not sure if it is worth us buying a drinks package with beer and wine. I'm okay as I don't drink so the soft drinks package is fine for me.

What wine and beers are included in the package? We can't find the answer anywhere. Our men are English and like English beer and not american beer. My friend also likes a nice wine, so does the package just have the cheap stuff.

Any help and advice anyone can offer would be fantastic. Thanks.

What's a good reasonable hotel to stay at pre and post cruise? Good neighborhood with places to eat nearby. Flying in from east coast.

 

Thanks,

We stayed at the Ramada Inn Downtown on Pender. It was a small boutique hotel and the rooms are only small but adequate and very clean. The staff are very friendly. You can get breakfast in the basement, which was adequate for us. They have tea and coffee making facilities in the rooms. You have a bar/restaurant next door. Just around the corner (one block- 5 mins, you have the steamworks restaurant which is great. Just around the corner to that (about 8 mins walk from hotel) you have Gastown with a street full of restaurants. We loved the old Spaghetti house.

The hotel is about 10 mins walk from Canada Place.

The hotel gets some bad reviews about homeless people in the area, but they are in all areas of Vancouver and we even found some next to the Pan Pacific hotel, but if you tell them no thank you, they leave you alone.

The hotel can sort you a taxi to the airport which was a set fee last month of $28CAD. You can walk to Canada place where the ships normally go from but depends how much luggage you have. A taxi is normally $10CAD if you don't want to walk.

:D

We need a double and a triple room for our family of five in London before a cruise at the end of May. We would like to stay within waling distance to a subway tube station. I looked into the "waterloo" area just south of the Theme River, close to the London Eye. The problem is, a lot of hotels some folks on this board have suggested, do not have triple rooms in the property. Could anyone who has stayed in a reasonable hotel that has triple rooms, within the London City Centre area, please suggest a name. We don't need a fancy hotel, but it is important that it is clean and in a convenient location for transportation. Any other tips on London would be helpful as well. Thanks in advance.

Most Premier Inn's have a third bed. It's a sofa in the daytime and just converts to a full bed at night. It is comfy too, not like a normal sofa bed.

Try the Premier Inn at Tower Bridge as thats a great location. http://www.premierinn.com/en/hotel/LONTOW/london-tower-bridge?cmp=KNC_D_BND&mckv=sPiahIjkm_dc|pcrid|38246220939|kword|%2Bpremier%20%2Binn%20%2Btower%20%2Bbridge|match|b|plid|

I don't know if this is the correct board for this or not. I haven't been to London since 1998 and I have never been to Ireland or Scotland. I've been reading on some of the threads that Chip and Pin cards are necessary for this Itinerary. We don't currently have a Chip and Pin card. Wondering if we need to have one before we leave for Europe.

Generally in UK we all use chip and pin for the security point of view. Most places where there is a human involved, will take a card and get you to sign. Those that say they don't in shops etc. ask to speak to a supervisor as they can.

At the moment the tube stations do have ticket offices and will take your card even if it's not chip and pin. Buy a day ticket for the tube though if you're doing lots of travelling as it saves you having to pay for separate tickets each time. If you're there more than a day an Oyster card is worth getting as you just put credit on the card and you can use it each time you travel and it gives you discount off each journey.

Enjoy your trip!

Anybody know of good tour operators in Belfast?

There is a HoHo bus if you want to see just around Belfast itself, which is a beautiful city. https://belfastcitysightseeing.com/. It also offers free hotel pick ups at some hotels.

The Titanic museum at the Dockyard is well worth seeing. There are so many beautiful places just outside Belfast though too. It just depends how much time you have in Northern Ireland. Giants Causeway on the North Coast is very dramatic scenery and worth the trip.

I love Northern Ireland.:)

Just wondering if anyone has had the pleasure of enjoying the Welsh Banquet at Cardiff Castle in Wales?

I haven't personally, but I don't know if you've seen this review. http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUserReviews-g186460-d187964-r118623313-Cardiff_Castle-Cardiff_Southern_Wales_Wales.html

I'm looking for a private tour operator for the D-Day beaches from Le Havre.

 

Overlord doesn't have availability and there aren't open slots on any of the roll call tours.

 

I'm interested in knowing alternative private tour operators to check with. As a backup, I signed up for the Princess tour, but it's not our first choice

 

There are 2 of us, but we're traveling with friends, so I'm sure between them and our roll call we could fill a van of 8-16, which is my preferred your size.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks!

 

 

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When I was a travel agent in UK we always used Battlefield Tours. They will put together bespoke tours too, to fit your party. http://www.battlefieldtours.co.uk/ I know they are UK based but they may be able to offer something for you to meet them at a certain point in France.

Try also Normandy Battlefield Tours. I think they pick up in Le Havre http://www.normandy-battlefields.com

After 36 lengthy stays in London I would recommend the Raddison chain especially the Blu hotels. The are all in the Trafalgar/ Leicester Square areas.

Free wifi very well run old buildings with all mod cons and three Underground stops within a block or two. They are also walking distance to many sights I would never consider staying near, Eye, Tower of

Suites at the Radisson Blu Hampshire are fantastic as is the staff.

I completely agree! I go to London quite a lot and I have stayed at different Radisson Hotels and I think they are the best in London. Just come back from the Radisson Blu Edwardian Providence Wharf near Canary Wharf. We used to catch the tube to the O2 and have breakfast at Garfunkels, which was a quarter of the price of the hotel. We then got a day ticket for the river ferry which lets you get on and off where you want, and we saw the Cutty Sark (although being renovated at current time); The Tower Bridge, Tower of London, London Bridge, Hayes Galleria, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, HMS Belfast.

If you want a budget hotel, then a good one is the Premier Inn at Tower Bridge, Central and reasonably priced.

The thing is with London, wherever you stay, it is easy to get a day ticket on the tube, currently about £9 or so, or the river cruise ferry boat and travel around to anywhere you want to see. All the main attractions are only a tube ride away from each other.