Free hotel room in Vancouver - which one?

[DaveOKC]

In Dec we booked a free downtown hotel room promotion in Vancouver for our Sept 2009 cruise. I was just wondering which hotel HAL uses for this promotion (I know they ran this in 2008), as they never did give us a name.

DaveOKC

[hawgwildterry]

Sorry, I do not know the answer to your question. However, if you learn that you will be staying at the Pan Pacific Hotel @ Canada Place (Cruise Terminal) you will have a very nice stay. We were in a Junior Suite last May pre-cruise on the Veendam to Alaska. We were on the north side of the hotel and watched as the parade of cruise ships came in to Canada Place. If you would be interested in some photos that I took, I will try and find some and post them for you.

 

http://www.panpacific.com/Vancouver/Overview.html

 

You will also have a wonderful stay at the Fairmont Waterfront which is right across the street from Canada Place. Although we have never stayed there, it appears to be a wonderful property and gets very good reviews.

 

http://www.fairmont.com/waterfront/

[hawgwildterry]

OK, went back and found several photos taken from our Pan Pacific Hotel room last May. We were in a Junior Suite on the 21st. floor that looked out onto the harbor.

 

Here is a photo taken from the suite through the window of the Golden Princess and Holland America Veendam as they made their way towards Canada Place.

 

 

This is a photo of the Veendam as it passed under the Lion's Gate Bridge.

 

 

Norwegian Sun, Holland America Veendam and Golden Princess at Canada Place.

 

[sjmccmjs]

Beautiful pics!!!! I hope we are staying here in Sept with our free room.

 

OP - there is a very similiar post on the Alaska board. You might want to see that one also.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

More than likely it will be one of the two that hawgwildterry mentioned. A couple of years ago we booked almost a year in advance 2 different cruises out of Vancouver with the Free Hotel included. The first was a May Alaska Cruise. When my TA booked it we were told it was going to be the Pan Pacific but when the docs arrived it was for the Fairmont we were dissappointed because we had hoped for the Pan Pacific but when we saw the Fairmont we were thrilled because we were already booked for a repositioning cruise with the free night stay and were told it was the Fairmont so that was good right....No when we got those docs it was for the Pan Pacific :D But guess what we loved that hotel too, they gave us an unbelievable room with this amazing few that we could see ships from both sides. So let's just say it is a guessing game till you get your docs ;) But both are very good.

[DaveOKC]

Thanks for the responses so far. I guess I should have mentioned in the OP that I was just looking for the potential hotels (I really do not care which one as both of the ones everyone mentions appear to be great hotels). It is a special cruise and I just wanted it to be a nice experience.

DaveOKC

[hawgwildterry]

Thanks for the responses so far. I guess I should have mentioned in the OP that I was just looking for the potential hotels (I really do not care which one as both of the ones everyone mentions appear to be great hotels). It is a special cruise and I just wanted it to be a nice experience.

DaveOKC

 

Either the Pan Pacific or Fairmont Waterfront will be a great start to your special cruise. It is also our experience that the cruise lines choose the better class of hotels....again that has been OUR experience.

[geshaw30]

We took the same deal for our May trip on the Ryndam. It's the Fairmont Waterfront.

 

http://www.fairmont.com/waterfront/

[DutchByAssociation]

More than likely it will be one of the two that hawgwildterry mentioned. A couple of years ago we booked almost a year in advance 2 different cruises out of Vancouver with the Free Hotel included. The first was a May Alaska Cruise. When my TA booked it we were told it was going to be the Pan Pacific but when the docs arrived it was for the Fairmont we were dissappointed because we had hoped for the Pan Pacific but when we saw the Fairmont we were thrilled because we were already booked for a repositioning cruise with the free night stay and were told it was the Fairmont so that was good right....No when we got those docs it was for the Pan Pacific :D But guess what we loved that hotel too, they gave us an unbelievable room with this amazing few that we could see ships from both sides. So let's just say it is a guessing game till you get your docs ;) But both are very good.

 

 

Not surprised about this... These are the two properties that we have contracts with in the area. We also have contracts with the Vancouver Fairmont at the airport but that is not used for the free hotel promotion.

[hawgwildterry]

DutchByAssociation........quick sidebar: Great Blog you started and I posted a short comment to your latest addition.

 

Now back to your regular CC HAL reading.........

[rjm1cc]

We had a free room and it was at the Pan Pacific.

It is a very good location as the ship pulls up next to your room.

[solocanadian]

I live here and both hotels offer Lovely Rooms. Granted, you may be lucky if you get a room on the West side of the Pan Pacific because that is where the Hal ships dock. However the Fairmont Waterfront has equally nice rooms, a more reasonable restaurant (Herons) and a tunnel to connect you to the cruise ship termnial. They also have rooms on the North side that overlook the dock where HAL resides.

[dam1050]

I agree with solocanadian -- both of these are very beautiful hotels and you'd be doing well to stay at either one of them.

 

Excellent location right at Canada Place where HAL sails from, make sure you bring your camera!

[clogaltocruise]

All three of our past complimentary hotel rooms were at the Fairmont Waterfront. They were wonderful stays. We have another stay coming up in September and we will be thrilled at either ... can't wait!

Kathy

[DoggyDaddy]

We are thinking of a HAL Alaska Cruise-tour this summer and have a few questions.

 

If flying into Seattle, how do you get to Vancouver, esp. Canada Place. I have heard that there is a bus service from Seattle, but do not know the stops.

 

There will be three of us - two 60+ adults and a 23 year old daughter. What would be the best cabin on the various HAL ships? They are currently having a sale on the 3d and 4th person.

 

If flying into Vancouver, which airport is best, and what are the options for getting to a hotel at Canada Place?

 

Is July a good time for an Alaska Cruise-Tour, weather wise?

 

 

Thanks in advance for any replys,

 

DD