**** Vancouver FAQ Thread **** A few updates in main post!

[trimix]

Originally Posted by gmark2000

Re-posted from another thread:


I grew up in Vancouver and return regularly.

These lists really sum up the highlights:

I wouldn't miss going up to Grouse Mountain (weather permitting).

I heartily agree!
For the insane / idiotic / overcompetitive, or for those of us who have something to prove, take the gondola one way - down!
The climb is only 1.8 miles, but it is a 2800 foot elevation gain - a 30 degree continuous uphill slope!

You can't imagine how much it hurts if you haven't done it. But, then again, you can't imagine the sense of accomplishment and personal pride you feel from accomplishing what most people are too lazy to try!

[RedSox68]

This is a terrific thread. Thanks for starting it.

However, that suspension bridge pic made my heart stop

[HappyGrumpy]

the Suspension bridge and Canada Place?

We are going to fly in the day before and the flights I am seeing get us there at about 130pm. If we leave the AP get our luggage checked in:

#1 Will there be time to see those sights?
#2)Will we need a taxi?

Thanks Ya'll!

HG

[purplern]

Great information!! Thanks!!

[NCRedding]

We stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront when we did an Alaskan cruise 6 years ago. Awesome hotel and great location for sightseeing and for sailing out of Canada Place (unfortunately, we sailed from Ballantyne).

I loved Vancouver; if at all possible you should fly in early and see this beautiful town. It also helps get your body acclimated to the time change (if coming from the east coast).

[BLTOH]

after a nite and day of researching it looks like the cheapest way for us is to fly into washington and then take the amtrak to vancouver. my questions are 1. how close is the amtrak to the cruise terminals? walking distance or cab ride?
2. Does the amtrak ever get held up at the border or is it a pretty smooth ride?
3.How close is the skytrain to the cruise terminals? like walking distance or cab ride?
4. With us going over the US 4th of July holiday is it worth staying in washington for the 4th and then going to vancouver the day of the cruise?

Trying to plan when we would leave and return and the border crossings. would hate to travel on day of cruise to the port only to get held up at the border.

thought of more to add...lol the excursions.. my daughter will be 8 at time of cruise..there there many age restrictions to the excursions?

[trimix]

Originally Posted by HappyGrumpy

the Suspension bridge and Canada Place?

We are going to fly in the day before and the flights I am seeing get us there at about 130pm. If we leave the AP get our luggage checked in:

#1 Will there be time to see those sights?
#2)Will we need a taxi?

Thanks Ya'll!

HG

Canada Place is where the cruise ship terminal is, so I am sure you will see it regardless.
To visit the Capilano suspension bridge, your best bet would probably be a rental car.

[HappyGrumpy]

Canada Place is where the cruise ship terminal is, so I am sure you will see it regardless.
To visit the Capilano suspension bridge, your best bet would probably be a rental car.

Do you have an idea( approximate) of how long the drive is from the hotels are via rental car to the bridge? I may need to see if one of the hotels you listed has a rental company on the premises.

Thx,
HG

[Momrow]

Originally Posted by HappyGrumpy

Do you have an idea( approximate) of how long the drive is from the hotels are via rental car to the bridge? I may need to see if one of the hotels you listed has a rental company on the premises.

Thx,
HG

I would consider taking public transit to the bridge - a trip accross the water on the Seabus - which is at Canada Place - and then one bus. My husband and daughter took it to Grouse Mountain (which is on the same bus route, a few minutes uphill) and didn't have any problems. I've rented cars downtown, not at a hotel, but there is a rental car place at the Hotel Vancouver (which is very close to the Sutton Place) and probably at one of the Pan Pacific/Fairmont Waterfront. Downtown is not very large. If you do rent a car, about a 20 minute drive if it's not rush hour. Transit would be closer to 45 minutes, in my estimate.

[mousemom11]

Originally Posted by BLTOH

after a nite and day of researching it looks like the cheapest way for us is to fly into washington and then take the amtrak to vancouver. my questions are 1. how close is the amtrak to the cruise terminals? walking distance or cab ride?
2. Does the amtrak ever get held up at the border or is it a pretty smooth ride?
3.How close is the skytrain to the cruise terminals? like walking distance or cab ride?
4. With us going over the US 4th of July holiday is it worth staying in washington for the 4th and then going to vancouver the day of the cruise?

Trying to plan when we would leave and return and the border crossings. would hate to travel on day of cruise to the port only to get held up at the border.

thought of more to add...lol the excursions.. my daughter will be 8 at time of cruise..there there many age restrictions to the excursions?

Just an FYI, it is about 15 miles from SeaTac airport to the Seattle Amtrak station. A cab ride will run you about $40 and a shared-ride van (Shuttle Express) will be about $30.

On another thread, someone said that it was a short cab ride (about $7) from the Vancouver Amtrak station to the cruise terminal.

I looked on the Amtrak website, but I couldn't find anywhere where it said whether or not they stop the train at the border. My best guess, after looking at the train schedules, would be that you would go through customs when you get off the train in Vancouver.

It looks like the Skytrain Waterfront station is about a block from the Canada Place terminals from what I could tell on google.

I would be careful about going up to Vancouver from Washington the day of the cruise. Someone on another thread said that they were told by DCL that if you miss the boat in Vancouver, you will not be allowed to get on at any other port (it has to do with foreign port regulations). We live in Washington and will drive up to Vancouver, but because of that, we're going to drive up the day before. Any number of things could happen to delay you. Flat tire, lines at the border, traffic accidents, road construction.

[Momrow]

Originally Posted by BLTOH

after a nite and day of researching it looks like the cheapest way for us is to fly into washington and then take the amtrak to vancouver. my questions are 1. how close is the amtrak to the cruise terminals? walking distance or cab ride?
2. Does the amtrak ever get held up at the border or is it a pretty smooth ride?
3.How close is the skytrain to the cruise terminals? like walking distance or cab ride?
4. With us going over the US 4th of July holiday is it worth staying in washington for the 4th and then going to vancouver the day of the cruise?

Trying to plan when we would leave and return and the border crossings. would hate to travel on day of cruise to the port only to get held up at the border.

thought of more to add...lol the excursions.. my daughter will be 8 at time of cruise..there there many age restrictions to the excursions?

#1 - it's a couple minutes' walk t o the skytrain station, which goes to Canada Place.
#3 - skytrain is at the cruise ship terminal.
#4 - I would cross the day before, for the reasons the PP suggested unless you leave Seattle at 7am. But given the choice, I would cross the day before.

[jlmarr]

Originally Posted by mousemom11

I looked on the Amtrak website, but I couldn't find anywhere where it said whether or not they stop the train at the border. My best guess, after looking at the train schedules, would be that you would go through customs when you get off the train in Vancouver.

Yes, customs after you get off the train. Another tip - we paid a bit extra for business class on the Amtrak Cascades, and they let biz class off the train first. All of the other cars had to wait, presumably one-by-one, to disembark. Even though we weren't pushing it we happened to catch the first cab out of the train station for Ballantyne.

It looks like the Skytrain Waterfront station is about a block from the Canada Place terminals from what I could tell on google.

Yes, it's very close, an easy walk even with bags in tow. On our other cruise out of Vancouver we stayed in Burnaby and took the Skytrain to the end of the line near Canada Place. Yes, bags on the Skytrain. Wouldn't do that again, but that's another story.

[trimix]

Originally Posted by BLTOH

after a nite and day of researching it looks like the cheapest way for us is to fly into washington and then take the amtrak to vancouver. my questions are 1. how close is the amtrak to the cruise terminals? walking distance or cab ride?
2. Does the amtrak ever get held up at the border or is it a pretty smooth ride?
3.How close is the skytrain to the cruise terminals? like walking distance or cab ride?
4. With us going over the US 4th of July holiday is it worth staying in washington for the 4th and then going to vancouver the day of the cruise?

1) Too far to walk, so walk across the street and take a six minute ride on the Skytrain.
2) I've never heard of a holdup northbound, but be patient southbound. Customs and Border Patrol will not let the train move until every single person has been checked. Understandably, sometimes the southbound trains are held up.
3) The station is AT the cruise terminal!
4) Awesome fireworks at Lake Union! But, I like to take it easy so I would head north on the 4th.

Originally Posted by mousemom11

Just an FYI, it is about 15 miles from SeaTac airport to the Seattle Amtrak station.

This is outdated information. Seattle has opened light rail from downtown almost to the airport, and plans to finish the route by December - months before the Wonder heads north. It will be about a two block walk from the International District light rail station to the Amtrak station - here's a map. If you can get your luggage across the airport from baggage claim to the light rail station, getting from the other station to Amtrak will be trivial.

[delta0413]

So glad to see that DCL is joining the Alaska market. DW and I LOVE Vancouver, BC... it is one of our favorite cities in North America.

Big recommendation for Sutton Place. DW and I have had the pleasure of staying there twice and we have been blown away (in a good way) both times. We've didn't see any stars while we were there (quite frankly, I couldn't care less about them).

Aside from the great accommodations and service, its location is also top notch. It is one block away from the shopping/restaurant area of downtown. We've eaten at some really cool restaurants while there.

[WestCoaster]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned before, but the new Canada Line skytrain has been running for about a month now.

For those flying into YVR, the skytrain ride is about 25 minutes to downtown right to the Cruise Ship terminal at Waterfront.

This is my first post, so I can't post links yet, but you can search "Canada Line" on any search engine for more information.

I've lived in the Vancouver area all of my life, and welcome any questions any of you might have.