hotel and cab info for alaska cruise

[Dznypal]

theres 2 little details I need to book and then were all set for our Alaska cruise

first a reasonable priced hotel sort of near the airport and cruise port--I saw on here someone stayed at a

holiday Inn but I cant find the post--

also how easy is it to get a cab from the airport to the hotel and then from hotel to port ( we have Disney transfers from the port to airport

most of the time weve been getting a car service but were trying to save some money so wondering about the cabs

any other tips or advice would be appreciated it

thanks all

 

[xavier2001]

We stayed at the Hampton Inn on Robson street. We took a cab from the airport to hotel, was very easy, there is a cab line right outside baggage claim. Nice area to wander around by the hotel, near BC place, several restaurants and shops. Not right at the port but only a 10 minute drive. The nice thing is they have a free shuttle in the morning that will take you from the hotel to port. And they have the standard Hampton free breakfast. Lots of cruisers stayed there, was reasonably priced (compared to the hotels right at the port).

 

[bcwife76]

This is probably the Holiday Inn someone was mentioning:

https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hote...teldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-HI-_-CA-_-YVRDT

It's a short cab ride to the port. Super easy to get taxi's from the the airport to downtown, they are lined up right outside arrivals.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

Depending on where you stay (hotel) the public transportation system, SkyTrain, is a great way to get from the airport, to several stops along the way and end up at the Waterfront station which is near the port terminal: https://www.translink.ca/Schedules-and-Maps/SkyTrain.aspx
Hopefully you can find a reasonable hotel along the translink route. Easy on and off and the price is very reasonable (unless you have enough people to fill a cab for the price).
We use the SkyTrain whenever we go to Vancouver.

 

[dclpluto]

Taking a cab in Vancouver is cheap. Your not going that far. Plus you use Canada money. Remember to get some. No need to stay by the airport stay by the cruise port so you will have things to do. I forgot the hotel I stayed at it was cheap on Priceline. They would of gave me a free ride to the cruise ship in their car but our luggage wouldn’t all fit in the trunk. We wasn’t that far to the cruise port just had all that luggage. Took a taxi.

 

[bumbershoot]

also how easy is it to get a cab from the airport to the hotel and then from hotel to port ( we have Disney transfers from the port to airport

Easy.

This is probably the Holiday Inn someone was mentioning:

https://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hote...teldetail?cm_mmc=GoogleMaps-_-HI-_-CA-_-YVRDT

It's a short cab ride to the port. Super easy to get taxi's from the the airport to downtown, they are lined up right outside arrivals.

That’s absolutely it. We’ve stayed there and it’s a good hotel.

Plus you use Canada money. Remember to get some.

In our experience the taxis in Vancouver take credit cards.

While we do get cash during our trips (the “green machine” atm near Sutton Place is our fave), we don’t buy it ahead of time and we don’t use it for tacos.

 

[lilsonicfan]

While we do get cash during our trips (the “green machine” atm near Sutton Place is our fave), we don’t buy it ahead of time and we don’t use it for tacos.

mmmm, tacos. there are some good taco places in Vancouver, but they probably take credit cards too

 

[abayaflowers]

Depending on where you stay (hotel) the public transportation system, SkyTrain, is a great way to get from the airport, to several stops along the way and end up at the Waterfront station which is near the port terminal: https://www.translink.ca/Schedules-and-Maps/SkyTrain.aspx
Hopefully you can find a reasonable hotel along the translink route. Easy on and off and the price is very reasonable (unless you have enough people to fill a cab for the price).
We use the SkyTrain whenever we go to Vancouver.

We just returned from the June 4th to 11th, 2018 Alaskan cruise and staying in Vancouver until the 13th. We used the SkyTrain to the Vancouver City Center; then, took a bus to the hotel. I highly recommend using this instead of the taxi which is normally little Priuses. Then, we booked Excel limo from the hotel to the port and this was super easy and dropped us right below. We booked it as well going back to the hotel. If you are interested in the hotel name, please send me a PM and I will share the info.

 

[TJA]

Those are the same 2 details that took us a while. We haven't taken our cruise yet, but I ended up booking through Priceline (chose Port area and 4-1/2 star) and received Hyatt Regency for $235. So I'm set on the hotel. I'm thinking we'll take the SkyTrain for our airport transport...hoping it's easy to understand. We have used subway systems in DC, NYC, and Toronto, and always find them a bit confusing and actually not that cheap for a family of 4. This will be different, though, because we have one destination in mind, so take Canada Line from airport to waterfront....sounds easy?!

 

[lilsonicfan]

Those are the same 2 details that took us a while. We haven't taken our cruise yet, but I ended up booking through Priceline (chose Port area and 4-1/2 star) and received Hyatt Regency for $235. So I'm set on the hotel. I'm thinking we'll take the SkyTrain for our airport transport...hoping it's easy to understand. We have used subway systems in DC, NYC, and Toronto, and always find them a bit confusing and actually not that cheap for a family of 4. This will be different, though, because we have one destination in mind, so take Canada Line from airport to waterfront....sounds easy?!

It definitely is easy to do ...it’s basically riding the train from one end to the very last stop. Can’t get lost. However, are you travelling as a family of 4 this time? I ask because Canada line applies a $5 surcharge per person on the train leaving YVR (not on the way back). If you are travelling on a weekday that means the per person cost will be about $9-10. You could also get a day pass at the 7/11 inside the airport but this cost is also about $10. A taxi to downtown has a flat rate which is $37. (No flat rate from downtown back).

 

[TJA]

It definitely is easy to do ...it’s basically riding the train from one end to the very last stop. Can’t get lost. However, are you travelling as a family of 4 this time? I ask because Canada line applies a $5 surcharge per person on the train leaving YVR (not on the way back). If you are travelling on a weekday that means the per person cost will be about $9-10. You could also get a day pass at the 7/11 inside the airport but this cost is also about $10. A taxi to downtown has a flat rate which is $37. (No flat rate from downtown back).

Yes, family of 4 this time. I did read about that surcharge and I'm fine with it. But I also read of discounted fares and I think we may fall into that time frame. It will be a Sunday at about 7:30pm that we'd take the SkyTrain from airport to waterfront.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Yes, family of 4 this time. I did read about that surcharge and I'm fine with it. But I also read of discounted fares and I think we may fall into that time frame. It will be a Sunday at about 7:30pm that we'd take the SkyTrain from airport to waterfront.

Ah yes then it will be one zone which is about $1.50 cheaper I think. It’s an easy ride for sure. Enjoy Vancouver and your cruise!

 

[TJA]

Ah yes then it will be one zone which is about $1.50 cheaper I think. It’s an easy ride for sure. Enjoy Vancouver and your cruise!

Awesome, thank you so much. I fell bad that I hijacked this thread, but do appreciate all of the info. One more thing: where would be the most convenient place for us to buy our SkyTrain tickets? I just read about the tapping of credit card or iPhone, but I think I'd rather have a ticket this time since we're not experienced with this. Is the 7/11 inside the airport pretty easy to find, and is that the most convenient place to buy? Then all we'd have to do is find the right train (Canada Line) and we'd be all set.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

mmmm, tacos. there are some good taco places in Vancouver, but they probably take credit cards too

Feel free to list any here. Mmm

 

[lilsonicfan]

Awesome, thank you so much. I fell bad that I hijacked this thread, but do appreciate all of the info. One more thing: where would be the most convenient place for us to buy our SkyTrain tickets? I just read about the tapping of credit card or iPhone, but I think I'd rather have a ticket this time since we're not experienced with this. Is the 7/11 inside the airport pretty easy to find, and is that the most convenient place to buy? Then all we'd have to do is find the right train (Canada Line) and we'd be all set.

Quite honestly, I wouldn’t bother with the 7/11. I’m not sure tickets bought from there are actually exempt from the surcharge anyway and I seem to recall that the 7/11 might be in the domestic terminal. The easiest is definitely to tap with a credit card or to head straight to the Canada Line station and use one of the ticket vending machines there. You will only need a single use ticket, not a compass card. And the machine will easily dispense these. It will not be much effort to find the train, and not to worry - there isn’t any other train to get on!

 

[lilsonicfan]

Feel free to list any here. Mmm

Tacos: La Taqueria Pinche, Tacofino, Gringo. All great and all downtown too.

 

[bumbershoot]

The easiest is definitely to tap with a credit card or to head straight to the Canada Line station and use one of the ticket vending machines there.

For some reason I didn’t find the vending machine at the skytrain area to be that easy. If there’s an easier way to just tap a card I’d do that.

Except that I also didn’t enjoy riding the skytrain with luggage. At all. And we weren’t even packed for a cruise. Just a weekend.

I’d take a cab.



(Lest my precious post seem to be anti-tacos, I’m not. But I get those when visiting my brother in San Diego. Our main food group when in Vancouver is (veggie) JapaDogs. And crepes. )

 

[CyndiLouWho]

Tacos: La Taqueria Pinche, Tacofino, Gringo. All great and all downtown too.

Not the OP but we will be staying at the Hyatt. Thanks.

 

[CyndiLouWho]

(Lest my precious post seem to be anti-tacos, I’m not. But I get those when visiting my brother in San Diego. Our main food group when in Vancouver is (veggie) JapaDogs. And crepes. )

Ah we plan on Japadog too! Although good tacos are also welcome. (We’re from Chicago which has loads of Mom $ pop type Mexican restaurants, so tacos are not unusual)

 

[lilsonicfan]

For some reason I didn’t find the vending machine at the skytrain area to be that easy. If there’s an easier way to just tap a card I’d do that.

Except that I also didn’t enjoy riding the skytrain with luggage. At all. And we weren’t even packed for a cruise. Just a weekend.

I’d take a cab.

Tapping a credit card has just started here within the last couple of months. But not sure whether you can tap for kids or not ... the vending machine at the station is supposed to be user friendly but perhaps it needs a bit of a redesign which wouldn’t surprise me at all. I love Japadog. Mmm.