Help...Victoria excursions

[CruzerKat]

Hi everyone,

I am posting this in a couple of spots on this site to get feed back.

We will be in Victoria from about 5:00 till midnight From the Sapphire Priness cruise.

There are only two shore excursions I am interested in but do not have time to do both.

One is Buchart Gardens and the other is the Horse drawn trolley tour.

I really want to see the gardens but it won't be in the prime day light hours in order to get good pictures of all the colors etc.

But if I do the gardens then I feel like I'm only seeing a small part of this beautiful city.

Please help with this!! :eek:

 

The trolley tour and Gardens is described below:

 

Experience the beauty of Victoria by horse-drawn trolley and take a trip back to “Victorian Times.”

 

Your fully narrated journey begins at the ship and heads along the waterfront, giving you time to enjoy the majestic and ever changing views across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Olympic Mountains. Travel through historic James Bay and into Beacon Hill Park, the natural heart of Victoria. The 154 acres of carefully preserved trees, gardens and wildflower meadows provide a peaceful haven amidst a bustling community.

 

Continue on to Government Street, past wonderfully maintained heritage homes and into downtown. Return through Victoria’s Old Town, enjoying a view of the landmark Legiress Hotel. You may choose to remain downtown for shopping and sighing or return to your

cruise ship pier. of the landmark Legislative Buildings and the Empress Hotel. You may choose to remain downtown for shopping and sightseeing or return to your

cruise ship pier.

 

Enchanting Butchart Gardens

An extraordinary world emerges at dusk as hundreds of hidden lights transform famous Butchart Gardens into a fairyland scented with summer blooms.

 

This vibrant wonderland of flowers, rare trees and winding paths takes on an enchanted aspect with its magical lighting display. The magnificent Ross Fountain, the centerpiece of these lush gardens, dances with creative lighting effects. Enjoy cascading fountains, footbridges, music and outdoor

entertainment while you learn how a barren rock quarry was transformed into a world renowned

horticultural attraction.

[Texasbob]

instead of the trolley tours. Most of that you can walk. There will be light for quite a long time in summer, so you should still be able to get some good shots. The gardens are very nice.

 

I would consider NOT taking a cruise tour. Go on your own, and you won't be rushed around.

[Starbuck1]

Hey CruzerKat -

 

You don't mention your date in Victoria. If it isn't for a few more months, it will be light till 9-10ish. So, if you do Butchart Gardens, you should have a few afternoon sun hours, then gorgous twilight for some special photo ops. It's really beautiful there at dusk - beautifully lit, colored pools and waterfalls.

 

The Trolly tour is fine if you want a guided tour and a history lesson. It's slow going, so you get to see only a small portion of the city's core and downtown /waterfront/Beacon Hill Park area. Which, is great if that's what you're looking for. The trolly's hold maybe 30 people and have open air sides.

 

If you want to see more of the city - some high vantage points etc., go for the double decker bus tour. You'll get to tour through beautiful residential areas like Rocklands and Uplands and get to see alot more of the scenic drive route. In the summer, some busses have open air tops - so you can sit way up high and have a convertible feeling!

 

Oh no, now another option - that probably didn''t make your decision easier!!

 

:cool: Starbuck

[CruzerKat]

Hi Texasbob and starbuck1!

Thanks for the info....we will be in Victoria the first week of July 05.

How much daylight will we have then?

Texasbob, you said we could walk? Is it that close to the cruise ship?

Do either of you have any other reccomendations?

[tetleytea]

I did the beginning leg of my honeymoon in Victoria, and this is a no-brainer: do Butchart Gardens! It's very likely the prettiest garden in the world. I'd expect the sun to set close to 10:30pm on July 5, and one thing about the sunsets up north: it takes freakin forever for the sun to make up its mind whether it wants to go up or down.

 

I think near twilight is the absolute BEST time to do Butchart, because you get to see the gardens in the daytime--and then walk it AGAIN to see it lit up at night! If you're lucky you may even catch some fireworks. If you manage to rent your own car, you can stop by the Butterfly Gardens along the way as well.

 

Not to knock the trolley tours, though. If you have multiple days in Victoria, definitely do that. Man, that place is such a chick magnet. My wife owes me a few dates to some basketball games for that one.

:p

[Starbuck1]

Hi again!

 

Ogden Point where the ship docks is about a 15-20 min walk to the inner harbour to the the Empress Hotel. It's pretty flat all the way. I'd suggest catching a shuttle bus from the pier to the inner harbour instead - and save your walking strength for exploring downtown.

 

It'll be light till 10ish. When ships are in port, the whole downtown/inner harbour area is hopping! Lots of sidewalk cafes, pubs restaurants on Government and Wharf street and all little side streets in-between. Most of the shops are open.

 

From the Empress...

 

...walk up Government St - great shopping & sidewalk cafes, Starbucks, trendy and fun places. Probably the majority of the ship will be there. At Pandora St turn left and walk down to Wharf St. where Market Square and lots of other shops, pubs and cafes are. Or, go one block just past Pandora, turn left to go into Chinatown. Look for Fan Tan Alley - the narrowest alley in North America! It's neat.

 

Have posted some suggestions on another thread - here's the link to it! Another Victorian, Steve, also had alot of good ideas.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=139778&highlight=spinnakers

 

Geez, sorry - I wrote you a novel! Hope the info helps make the decision easier!

 

:cool: Starbuck

[Starbuck1]

Tetley - maybe it's you who are the chick magnet!! :D

 

There are lots of 'guy' things to do here too! You must've missed the pub run!

 

:cool: Girly Girl - Starbuck

[Budget Queen]

With the interest, Butchart Gardens is a highlight and a top tour out of Victoria. I suggested on the Princess board you consider reading up on low light photography. A whole new world of art. :)

[cruiseryyc]

Definitely do Butchart's and since you are only in Victoria for such a short time, I would suggest taking the ship's tour. That way you won't miss the ship leaving. Although if you're going to get stuck somewhere, Victoria ain't a bad place to be left behind!!

[tetleytea]

If the boat's next stop after Victoria is Seattle or Vancouver, you're just one ferry ride away anyway. Hee hee hee you want to cruise on a budget, take the Vancouver<->Victoria BC ferries. :D Worked for us. :D

[mii]

I would also do the Butchard Garden tour. Beautiful place.

 

marilyn

[russak]

We are renting a car in Victoria off the Sapphire Princess on June 4. Both Budget and National (but none of the other car rental places) are open till 8pm on Saturday and will send a shuttle bus to pick up our party at the cruise ship and take us to their downtown location. Car rental is about $25 US plus tax (much cheaper than a cruise excursion if you are more than one person) and this will give us an opportunity to see Victoria and also do the Gardens (which we are told are about a 12 mile easy drive from Victoria). Admission to the Gardens is $18 Cdn and $2 for kids in early June. Gates close at 9:30, later after June 15. We will drop off the car at 10 or 11pm and then it is a 1 mile walk or $5 cab ride back to the ship.

[russak]

Note that even if you rent a car in Victoria you won't be able to stop off at the Butterfly Gardens if you are on the Sapphire, as they close at 5 pm (as does virtually everything in Victoria except Butchart Gardens).

[Blamar]

Okay, here is my suggestion. Do the ship's excursion to the gardens. It is not the best way to do bucharts but it is the best way for you as a cruise passenger. The traffic getting to and from the gardens, especially if it is a saturday can be awful. But if you go as a cruise excursion, your ship won't leave without you if you are late. Don't worry about going at night, it is prettier in the evening than it is during the day. The best time to go is a summer evening when it is still daylight, around 6pm and then stay until after dark and see the gardens again in the evening lights.

 

We live in Victoria, and going out to the gardens is one of our special treats.