Vancouver answers from a Vancouverite (part 2)

[martincath]

So it's easy to find the flat fare info from the airport but what isn't clear is what to do if you have more than 4 people plus luggage? On one flight we'll have 5, each of us with one large bag and one carryon. On a later flight there will be 6 from our group, each with the same luggage amounts.

 

Does it make sense at that point to just do a car service for each group or do we just divide into two cabs per group at the airport?

 

Thanks for any recommendations!

Two cabs is still a bit cheaper than a limo big enough for 5 or 6 (NB: prices do not include 5% tax or 15% tip, and towncars only hold 4 - you need the 'Large SUV' column to compare, e.g. to Downtown is $61+20% vs. 2 cabs at $62+discretionary tip). You also have to add $50 for a Meet & Greet if you book - the limo pricing linked is for walkup fares, same as cabs. Personally given the small extra cost, I'd look at which queue is shorter and join that one.

[xlxo]

So it's easy to find the flat fare info from the airport but what isn't clear is what to do if you have more than 4 people plus luggage? On one flight we'll have 5, each of us with one large bag and one carryon. On a later flight there will be 6 from our group, each with the same luggage amounts.

 

Does it make sense at that point to just do a car service for each group or do we just divide into two cabs per group at the airport?

Thoughts...

• $35 or $31 ($28 USD) cab carload to downtown. You appear to be counting passengers... however cruise luggage may force you into two cab anyways for space. The thing about cabs is you don't need to make reservations. This keeps your schedule flexible if there are flight/custom delays.
  
• car service cost about the same as two cabs $64/$77/$104 depending on luggage. You get to stay together. You can decide on the car service when you get to the taxi stand. Aerocar is 10 feet from the taxi stand.
  http://aerocar.ca/rates/flat-rates/
  
• you can take the subway for $9 per person. Which hotel are you staying at? You will need to drag your luggage to the hotel.
  

[Kamloops50]

We use a van taxi for four people from the airport to the pier.

 

 

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[cpl100]

Do the taxi's take credit cards?

 

Do you have Uber? How does it compare with taxi rates?

 

Thanks very much!

[Kamloops50]

Do the taxi's take credit cards?

 

Do you have Uber? How does it compare with taxi rates?

 

Thanks very much!

 

All major credit cards and debt cards as well.

 

No Uber anywhere in Vancouver area .

 

Taxi's from the airport to different parts of Vancouver and area are fixed rate.

Sometimes from the cruise pier to the airport is a fixed rate.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Kamloops50

[Putterdude]

Do the taxi's take credit cards?

 

Do you have Uber? How does it compare with taxi rates?

 

Thanks very much!

 

Vancouver taxis will take Visa & MasterCard but not Discovery. There is no Uber, the taxi operators have a very strong lobby against it.

[ibeplato]

Hi All,

We're staying at the Hampton Inn downtown the night before our Royal Caribbean cruise in August. I have a few questions:

 

1. what's the best way to get to the hotel from the airport (family of four, likely to have a good amount of luggage)

 

2. can you recommend a local place to eat that evening (we arrive at the airport around 3 PM on a Thursday)

 

3. What's the best way to get from the hotel to the Royal Caribbean terminal? I assume we'll want to be there around 11 AM?

 

Is there a place at the terminal to grab a snack if we get hungry waiting to board?

 

Thanks in advance!!

[Kamloops50]

Hi All,

We're staying at the Hampton Inn downtown the night before our Royal Caribbean cruise in August. I have a few questions:

 

1. what's the best way to get to the hotel from the airport (family of four, likely to have a good amount of luggage) Ask for Van Taxi (same price as a regular taxi) . Taxi from airport to downtown are fixed rate .

 

2. can you recommend a local place to eat that evening (we arrive at the airport around 3 PM on a Thursday) There are plenty of places to eat in the downtown for all budgets.

 

3. What's the best way to get from the hotel to the Royal Caribbean terminal? I assume we'll want to be there around 11 AM? Ask the hotel to order you a Van Taxi

 

Is there a place at the terminal to grab a snack if we get hungry waiting to board? I would pick up some snacks the day before . There aren't any food places in the cruise terminal.

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

Hope this answers the questions. There probably will be a few more answers.

[martincath]

Answers in red

Hi All,

We're staying at the Hampton Inn downtown the night before our Royal Caribbean cruise in August. I have a few questions:

 

1. what's the best way to get to the hotel from the airport (family of four, likely to have a good amount of luggage)

Minivan taxi - same price as regular cabs, fixed at CAD$31 to Hampton, but big enough to fit all your stuff and people. Expect about a 5 min wait for a minivan as over 80% of cabs are small Prius and similar.

2. can you recommend a local place to eat that evening (we arrive at the airport around 3 PM on a Thursday)

Yes - there are dozens of restos within a ten minute walk of the Hampton, from noodle spots to steakhouses. I don't recommend Bogarts in the hotel - they gussied up the menu but under-deliver in food quality and service. Where I would recommend depends on your budget and tastes - what do you like and how much are you happy to spend on dinner?

3. What's the best way to get from the hotel to the Royal Caribbean terminal? I assume we'll want to be there around 11 AM?

There's only one cruise pier - Canada Place - and it's walkable depending on your luggage and fitness levels (a mile). Hampton does have a free downtown drop shuttle, so if you can get on that at a convenient time, great - if not, expect to pay $10 for a cab.

 

And you do NOT want to arrive at 11am - shortest queues are always late, after 2pm. Peak queue probably a little after noon when Amtrak pax start rolling in - but it's going to be busy with a lot of hanging around from 11-2. If you NEED to be onboard ASAP, get there between 10 and 10:30am.

 

Is there a place at the terminal to grab a snack if we get hungry waiting to board?

There's a food court under the pier you could hit on your way in, but once you're in the queue, you can't leave it (well, you could but then you'd have to start again at the beginning!) Depending how many ships are in on your embarkation day, the process can vary - but you move from waiting zone to queue to waiting zone to queue and there is no opportunity to go buy lunch. If you have Status, your cruiseline should have some snacks out for you - for regular folks there is water available and perhaps some token nibbles. Like I said - go late, after having lunch!

Thanks in advance!!

You're obviously unfamiliar with Vancouver - so why not maximise your time to see it? Boarding later gives you the entire morning to sightsee, so between that and your late-afternoon/evening the day before effectively almost a full day. There's more people and stuff here than all of Alaska's ports put together...

[ibeplato]

thanks martin and kaml for the tips/feedback. yes, I am unfamiliar with Vancouver and with boarding procedures at the pier. I appreciate your feedback.

[Putterdude]

ibeplato, my advice would be to talk to the front desk of the Hampton Inn as you arrive. Normally they maintain a booking system program for the shuttle and they should be able to accommodate your request. For family dining I would suggest Moxie's which is about a 1.5 blocks from the Hampton Inn. If you don't care to walk that far then there is Bogerts in the Hampton which I have eaten at several time and have enjoyed.

 

 

https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Hampton+Inn+%26+Suites,+Robson+Street,+Vancouver,+BC,+Canada/49.278974,-123.11316/@49.278463,-123.115806,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m8!4m7!1m5!1m1!1s0x5486717c4ccaf567:0xc22275a446b7a3cd!2m2!1d-123.113891!2d49.2779147!1m0

[Leslie K]

Very hard to read through so many pages so sorry if I'm asking something that's already been asked. We have an 11 pm flight out of Vancouver the day we get off the ship and are looking for ideas of what to do for the day. We have to consider that we will have all our luggage with us unless someone has recommendations of someplace to store our luggage while we spend the day touring Vancouver. Thanks for any suggestions

[ibeplato]

thanks for the tips

Edited June 25, 2016 by ibeplato

[Kamloops50]

Very hard to read through so many pages so sorry if I'm asking something that's already been asked. We have an 11 pm flight out of Vancouver the day we get off the ship and are looking for ideas of what to do for the day. We have to consider that we will have all our luggage with us unless someone has recommendations of someplace to store our luggage while we spend the day touring Vancouver. Thanks for any suggestions

 

 

There is a luggage storage service at the pier. I think they close at 5pm

 

 

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[martincath]

Very hard to read through so many pages so sorry if I'm asking something that's already been asked. We have an 11 pm flight out of Vancouver the day we get off the ship and are looking for ideas of what to do for the day. We have to consider that we will have all our luggage with us unless someone has recommendations of someplace to store our luggage while we spend the day touring Vancouver. Thanks for any suggestions

For a flight that late, the perfect luggage solution is to send it to the airport ahead of you. CDS Baggage has a place at the pier, which does close early (you have to collect again by 4pm) BUT they also offer a transfer to YVR, where they have two more spots. For $40, they'll send up to 4 bags - $10ea for extras - you tell them which terminal you're flying out of, they'll send it to the relevant YVR location both of which stay open later than your flight time.

 

As to what to do - without more info about the kind of things YOU like to do, all I can suggest aside from perusing the boards (or Searching) is throw out the very popular, very Vancouvery things that almost everyone seems to enjoy - and frankly for this sort of untargeted advise then simply reading Tripadvisors lists of 'things to do in Vancouver' is about the simplest thing to do!

 

Walk or bike through Stanley Park and along the Seawall; take an Aquabus over to Granville Island to shop; a walking tour (TourGuys are popular and free); walk the cobbles around Gastown, the original Vancouver site, and see our first mayor, Gassy Jack, and the SteamClock; visit the highest point in Vancouver and see the gardens at Queen Elizabeth Park; visit Chinatown and Dr Sun Yat-Sen Scholars Garden; ride a HOHO to get basic info about the city and a stop near many of the downtown sites; jump a free shuttle over to the North Shore attractions of Capilano Bridge or Grouse Mountain.

[xlxo]

Very hard to read through so many pages so sorry if I'm asking something that's already been asked. We have an 11 pm flight out of Vancouver the day we get off the ship and are looking for ideas of what to do for the day. We have to consider that we will have all our luggage with us unless someone has recommendations of someplace to store our luggage while we spend the day touring Vancouver. Thanks for any suggestions

It's been mentioned the cruise terminal would like luggage to be extracted by 4pm so they can close for the night.

 

Here's a possible itinerary....

• 7am dock (varies with the boat)
  
• 8am enjoy your last breakfast in leisure with your new friends and crew
  
• 9:15am stroll off plank to locate your luggage and enter customs
  
• 9:30am look for CDS baggage (next to the car rentals) and request your luggage be shipped to the airport location for evening pickup for $40 ($32 USD)
  
• 10am out of the cruise terminal and look for the Grouse Mountain shuttle
  
• 3pm off the mountain and ask the return shuttle driver if there is a complimentary drop off at Capilano Suspension Bridge on the return. If not.... take public transit or cab (do not double back to downtown as it waste time)
  
• 4pm enter Capilano to enjoy the park
  
• 5:30pm catch one of the last shuttles to return downtown
  
• 6pm.... Fly Over Canada at the cruise terminal (North End?)
  
• 7pm..... Canada Line out to the airport. Do not get on the Brighouse train.... it will take you to China (Richmond)
  
• 7:40am pickup your luggage at the CDS location in International Arrivals
  
• 7:55am elevator up one floor and a short walk to US departures.
  
• 8pm check-in for your flight. It's recommend you are there 3hrs preflight for check-in, customs and security (hand, body, carry-on, checked, liquids, weapons, ULU's, and WMD's)
  
• 11pm wheels up with dreams on your return to Vancouver because you didn't budget enough time!
  

 

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[martincath]

• 9:30am look for CDS baggage (next to the car rentals) and request your luggage be shipped to the airport location for evening pickup for $40 ($32 USD)

Minor correction - pricing in USD is same as CAD as of this year. Pay in CAD if you want to save money. Or with credit card - if you ask to pay in CAD your CC provider should do the change for you behind the scenes, and even the worst FTF ever won't come close to eating up the current exchange rate savings...

[Leslie K]

Thanks xixo and martincath!

[cpl100]

Where is a good place to have breakfast near the Westin Grand on embarkation day? Need to have more than pastries but don't want to spend an hour waiting/eating. This will be on a Sunday in late July.

 

Thank you very much!

[martincath]

Where is a good place to have breakfast near the Westin Grand on embarkation day? Need to have more than pastries but don't want to spend an hour waiting/eating. This will be on a Sunday in late July.

 

Thank you very much!

You're right around the corner from Medina, which should not have too much of a queue at 9am but does tend to leisurely service - in and out in under an hour would be a challenge, but they are ridiculously good so maybe you'd consider a slightly more relaxed schedule?

 

If you want to stick to a quick meal, you could do a lot worse than Tim Hortons right under your hotel. Many and varied brekky sandwiches & wraps these days.

 

The only alternative I can think of that doesn't involve a long enough walk time to and from the hotel that you may as well have just gone to Medina early is Gutenbergs - not fancy, but decent value (caveat - it's been literally years since I ate here, although the menu looks just the same!)

[Urban trekker]

Is Gutenberg's still in business - last time I walked down that way to BC Place stadium it looked like it wasn't opened and possibly even out of business.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

[cpl100]

You're right around the corner from Medina, which should not have too much of a queue at 9am but does tend to leisurely service - in and out in under an hour would be a challenge, but they are ridiculously good so maybe you'd consider a slightly more relaxed schedule?

 

If you want to stick to a quick meal, you could do a lot worse than Tim Hortons right under your hotel. Many and varied brekky sandwiches & wraps these days.

 

The only alternative I can think of that doesn't involve a long enough walk time to and from the hotel that you may as well have just gone to Medina early is Gutenbergs - not fancy, but decent value (caveat - it's been literally years since I ate here, although the menu looks just the same!)

 

Thanks! Medina looks good but it will have to be a different day as I am determined to get to the port between 10 and 10:30 to hopefully be at the front of the line. My first time in Concierge Class and I do want to attend the special lunch, so no 2pm arrival for us. (And it's my understanding that arriving between 12 - 2 is a nightmare in this port.)

Edited June 30, 2016 by cpl100

[Urban trekker]

"And it's my understanding that arriving between 12 - 2 is a nightmare in this port."

 

Usually only a problem when three ships are in port and that only happens early and late in the season and it usually involves not enough US customs agent on hand to handle the extra cruisers boarding those three ships.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

[ORV]

"And it's my understanding that arriving between 12 - 2 is a nightmare in this port."

 

Usually only a problem when three ships are in port and that only happens early and late in the season and it usually involves not enough US customs agent on hand to handle the extra cruisers boarding those three ships.

 

Cheers!

 

Dennis

 

Sure, blame it on the Americans. ;)

[xlxo]

When I did a trip from Vancouver to LA in December.... Boarding in Vancouver was so quick.... debarking at San Pedro was a multi-hour mess.

 

Yep... the worst of the delay is US customs and insufficient staff for a cruise ship dump. Or the staff are working hard for their Xmas overtime.