Mom and kids traveling in Vancouver

[cmsnyder77]

I'm considering an Alaskan DCL cruise out of Vancouver. My DH may not go with us. I have travelled many times alone with my girls (will be ages 8 and 17) without an issue. How comfortable should I expect to be navigating Vancouver as a woman without a male companion?

 

[Geomom]

You should be pretty comfortable. That being said, make sure you book a hotel in one of the better neighborhoods (I was using the streetview of Google maps before booking a hotel and that did help me decide against a couple of hotels as we were going to be walking to places and taking public transit), and as usual in any city, be cautious at nighttime.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Don't forget to get a letting from your DH giving you permission to leave the country with your girls. You might not need it to enter/exit Canada, but better to have it than not.

 

[Drusilla99]

I did the dcl Alaskan cruise with my girls, 14 & 16, this summer. We drove into Vancouver on our own from Ca. My hubby did fly in and met us for the cruise, but I didn't feel uncomfortable entering the country, walking around the port, going to restaurants, or hanging out at our hotel before he arrived. We stayed at the Pan Pacific. I did not have, nor was I asked for, a letter from him about taking the girls out of the USA. Happy planning!

 

[jahber]

We felt very safe in Vancouver with elementary aged kids. Certainly safer than DC or new York or Boston, although we always take sensible precautions no matter where we are.

 

[Melissa_E]

Very comfortable. My daughter and I borrowed bikes from our hotel and rode for hours around the city. It was one of the highlights of the trip!

 

[Canooknic]

The waterfront/downtown area of Vancouver is very safe, I've spent a lot of time there with my little boys.
The Mariott Pinacle is a lovely hotel, close to lots of stores and restaurants and it's a lovely walk along the Sea wall to Stanley Park and the Aquarium.

 

[xlxo]

My DH may not go with us. ... How comfortable should I expect to be navigating Vancouver as a woman without a male companion?

Additional thoughts...

• It's amazing how well you can navigate Vancouver with google maps these days with confidence.
• if you plan to be on a hop on service or ride the shuttles to/from Cap/Grouse... navigation is super simple.
• if you provide a budget and your cruise dates..... we can suggest some hotels to consider.

 

[firepuppy]

We were in Vancouver for 2 days before our cruise last year and did not have any thing to make me feel unsafe. With that being said I keep watching everything and I also checked with the hotel to make sure I was in the safer area of town. Have fun plaining your vacation.

 

[Marc D]

Funny how subjective safety is. I have travelled to D.C., NYC, Boston, SF and Vancouver in the last few years and I've never felt unsafe but for one place : Vancouver, near Chinatown. The harbor, Canada Place, Stanley park are all perfectly fine, but a few streets east of Gastown and we felt like we were walking in Skid Row. Being Canadian, I'm quite aware of the drug problem they have in B.C. but I never thought it would be this obvious this close to the touristic area. We stayed at the Delta Vancouver Suites and concluded that next time, we would stay closer to Canada Place or Coal Harbor.

 

[cmsnyder77]

Funny how subjective safety is. I have travelled to D.C., NYC, Boston, SF and Vancouver in the last few years and I've never felt unsafe but for one place : Vancouver, near Chinatown. The harbor, Canada Place, Stanley park are all perfectly fine, but a few streets east of Gastown and we felt like we were walking in Skid Row. Being Canadian, I'm quite aware of the drug problem they have in B.C. but I never thought it would be this obvious this close to the touristic area. We stayed at the Delta Vancouver Suites and concluded that next time, we would stay closer to Canada Place or Coal Harbor.

Thanks. Good to know.

 

[cmsnyder77]

Additional thoughts...

• It's amazing how well you can navigate Vancouver with google maps these days with confidence.
• if you plan to be on a hop on service or ride the shuttles to/from Cap/Grouse... navigation is super simple.
• if you provide a budget and your cruise dates..... we can suggest some hotels to consider.

Looking at June 12, 2017. Not sure what to expect as far as prices, but probably something middle of the road as far as that goes.

 

[dclpluto]

Vancouver felt like a safe city to me. Of course no where is completly safe.

 

[tink1970]

We stayed at the Pan Pacific Canada Place and never felt unsafe. Of course, we didn't travel too far from there. I have to say, the 3 times I've flown with DD (9. 10 and 14) to Canada they asked to see the letter her father wrote AND took her aside to interview her. So I would err on the side of having some documentation. I don't know if different last names trigger something or not but I'm always glad I have her father's written permission (the Immigration Officers are always Very Official ...for lack of a better word and not wanting to offend anyone).

 

[bcwife76]

Chinatown, Gastown and the Downtown Eastside are places you'll want to avoid. The harbour area, Robson Street etc are full of tourists and bustling, quite safe.

 

[MunFam]

Funny how subjective safety is. I have travelled to D.C., NYC, Boston, SF and Vancouver in the last few years and I've never felt unsafe but for one place : Vancouver, near Chinatown. The harbor, Canada Place, Stanley park are all perfectly fine, but a few streets east of Gastown and we felt like we were walking in Skid Row. Being Canadian, I'm quite aware of the drug problem they have in B.C. but I never thought it would be this obvious this close to the touristic area.

This was EXACTLY our experience, too. I would not say we were "robbed" but en route from the train stop to Gastown Clock, we were approached by a transient who sort of cornered us and asked if we knew where we were going, we said yes and then he stepped in front of us, so we were cornered, and shoved a money collection cup in my very large, football lineman-sized husband's chest. When he tried to side step him, he got more aggressive, so he reached in his pocket and gave him all his change (~$10). The transient then demanded more and he said, all I have is a credit card and the transient huffed off in a tantrum. We traveled all over Columbia alone, Costa Rica and Mexico, too. Never have I felt that threatened before in my travels. I would avoid the whole Gastown area. Its a real dump anyways.

We stayed in Yaletown and LOVED the area. We loved Granville Island, the Waterfront and Stanley Park.

 

[brewcrew]

Vancouver was amazing when we went last year! I wouldn't hesitate to go with my children by myself!

 

[xlxo]

Looking at June 12, 2017

Looking at booking.com in USD with availability right now...

• $122 Days Inn » 3 blocks from cruise terminal. Check reviews for potential issues
• $152 Empire Landmark » love the location for restaurants
• $171 Best Western Plus Sands
• $182 Rosedale on Robson Suite
• $190 Blue Horizon » Popular forum budget choice. Great location for restaurants
• $239 Holiday Inn Vancouver Downtown & Suites
• $243 Metropolitan
• $248 Hotel BLU
• $253 Auberge
• $304 Century Plaza
• $309 Delta
• $327 Hampton Inn & Suites » fav for Hilton point collectors
• $350 Opus
• $350 Sutton Place
• $369 Grande Residence Sutton Place
• $388 Pan Pacific » you get to live above the cruise terminal
• $399 Trump
• $419 Shangri-La
• $456 Westin Grand
• $464 Hyatt
• $464 Marriot Pinnacle downtown
• $502 Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
• $510 Fairmont Waterfront
• $563 Fairmont Pacific Rim
• $590 Four Seasons

Thoughts

• Pan Pacific at under $400 is a good price when compared to the Fairmont Waterfront across the street.
• you can save money with the Blue Horizon
• I like the Rosedale as a suite.... the kids get a private area
• Delta offers suites with a higher price

 

[cmsnyder77]

Looking at booking.com in USD with availability right now...

• $122 Days Inn » 3 blocks from cruise terminal. Check reviews for potential issues
• $152 Empire Landmark » love the location for restaurants
• $171 Best Western Plus Sands
• $182 Rosedale on Robson Suite
• $190 Blue Horizon » Popular forum budget choice. Great location for restaurants
• $239 Holiday Inn Vancouver Downtown & Suites
• $243 Metropolitan
• $248 Hotel BLU
• $253 Auberge
• $304 Century Plaza
• $309 Delta
• $327 Hampton Inn & Suites » fav for Hilton point collectors
• $350 Opus
• $350 Sutton Place
• $369 Grande Residence Sutton Place
• $388 Pan Pacific » you get to live above the cruise terminal
• $399 Trump
• $419 Shangri-La
• $456 Westin Grand
• $464 Hyatt
• $464 Marriot Pinnacle downtown
• $502 Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
• $510 Fairmont Waterfront
• $563 Fairmont Pacific Rim
• $590 Four Seasons

Thoughts

• Pan Pacific at under $400 is a good price when compared to the Fairmont Waterfront across the street.
• you can save money with the Blue Horizon
• I like the Rosedale as a suite.... the kids get a private area
• Delta offers suites with a higher price

Wow! Thanks!

 

[cruisehopeful]

I was very comfortable in Vancouver with my 19 y/o daughter. I was worried about it before we went, but we stayed downtown and walked/took public transport everywhere. I found it to be very clean and safe. FWIW, I am used to downtown in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco - all which have very dirty sketchy places. Vancouver was by far cleaner and felt safer.