Hotels in Vancouver and things to do

[mamamia2005]

We did a 7 night cruise in May of 2019 and had a blast spending a few days in Vancouver before the cruise. We flew direct to Seattle and took a scenic train ride from Seattle to Vancouver. We were able to use public transit the entire trip and did not need to rent a car. We stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront and had a fantastic room with access to their club area which had a good breakfast every morning and snacks and drinks throughout the day. We walked across the street and caught a bus to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Had a nice wine flight and dinner at the Cliff House restaurant, and headed back to the hotel. The next day, we rented bikes and rode around Stanley Park. I highly recommend the park. Tons of people watching and opportunities to stop along the way for pictures, snacks, and drinks. We had dinner at the Top of Vancouver revolving restaurant that evening. The next morning, I got coffee and walked across the street to the port to watch the ship come in. Got some great pictures of the Wonder. Inside the port building, there is an attraction that is extremely similar to the Soarin' ride at Epcot. Once the cruise returned, we took a ferry and explored Granville island before our 6:30 pm flight back to Seattle. We had such a great time in Vancouver before the cruise. It was the perfect way to start the vacation!

Can I ask please what did you do with your luggage before your flight home? I guess you didn't haul it around all day?! We will likely have a late flight home to the UK the day we get off the ship.
Thankyou

 

[Snowwhyt]

https://www.airwise.com/airports/canada/vancouver/luggage

 

[mamamia2005]

Thankyou!

 

[Jennx36]

Can I ask please what did you do with your luggage before your flight home? I guess you didn't haul it around all day?! We will likely have a late flight home to the UK the day we get off the ship.
Thankyou

We were able to store it at the Vancouver Waterfront, and I know of some other folks on the cruise that stored their luggage at the Pan Pacific.

 

[Geomom]

Can I ask please what did you do with your luggage before your flight home? I guess you didn't haul it around all day?! We will likely have a late flight home to the UK the day we get off the ship.
Thankyou

We did a post cruise excursion with LandseaTours. They picked us (and our luggage) up at port and brought us to the airport after the tour. Worked out great for us!

 

[Intr3pid]

While the Vancouver area itself has plenty to keep you busy, If you are coming in from the UK, consider spending an extra week to 10 days before your cruise to explore the Canadian Rockies. The national parks of Banff and Jasper are arguably the most spectacular in all of North America.

A typical itinerary would be to fly into Calgary, tour the Rockies for a few days, take a scenic train to Vancouver, spend a couple of days touring the Vancouver area, and then do the cruise. You can then stay for a couple of days after cruise to tour the city some more - or just relax at one of the Fairmont/downtown hotels before catching your flight back home.

 

[Pooh2]

We stayed at the Fairmont Pacific Rim and had a view from our room of the Wonder docking in the morning!
We only had the afternoon before for touristy stuff and did the trolley tour at Stanley Park, the suspension bridge park and had a nice dinner on the waterfront.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We have enjoyed the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia!

Queen Elizabeth Park has an excellent restaurant, Seasons.

We usually stay at the Pan Pacific.

 

[ninergrl6]

I haven't cruised out of Vancouver, but I've been there several times for other reasons. Last time I stayed at the Westin Bayshore with a gorgeous view overlooking the harbor and Stanley Park and easy walking distance the park too.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge is a popular attraction. I've been there with others but didn't go across it myself.

I second the suggestion of visiting Vancouver Island/Victoria if you have time. It's GORGEOUS and there are so many things to do. I first visited Victoria when I was about 14 years old and have loved it ever since.

Honestly, my favorite Vancouver (aka Hollywood North) activities were visiting movie/tv locations. (Yes, I'm *that*person) There are group tours like this one and also private tour guides who will take you anywhere you want. I did a group Once Upon a Time tour and a private Twilight/Supernatural tour, and both were SO FUN. Filmed in Vancouver is a good resource even if you're not into seeing filming locations because it lists popular spots in the area (museums, botanical gardens, nature viewpoints, etc.).

 

[ajo]

Can I ask please what did you do with your luggage before your flight home? I guess you didn't haul it around all day?! We will likely have a late flight home to the UK the day we get off the ship.
Thankyou

When we cruised in 2016 there was a service at the port where you checked in your luggage and they delivered it to their airport location where you picked it up later the same day. I don’t recall the cost but it wasn’t very expensive. And it was well worth it to be luggage free for the day!

 

[mamamia2005]

Thankyou for the idea about the luggage

 

[ladyofthetramp]

We blew the budget and stayed at the Pacific Rim. Amazing hotel. Right on the waterfront. Justin Trudeau was staying there when we were there. Made for a great photo op! Courtesy bikes etc. We loved just walking and exploring the city. Stanley park was amazing by bike and I could have spent way more time there. I wish I had an extra day in Vancouver. Once off the ship, there was a bag checking service that transported our luggage to the airport; we stayed at the Fairmont there for the evening before our flight. Highly recommend. Lovely. Not sure if that bag checking service is still in business as this was two years back, but a goggle search may help you find a replacement. I can't wait to go back to Vancouver and Alaska. My family loved it there. Good luck with your planning!

 

[mrp4352]

So, I would recommend splurging on Pan Pacific (with a corner view room) or the Fairmont Waterfront. Both made it ridiculously easy to board the ship! (Caveat - the next statement was pre-COVID, things may have changed because of that) Even though we hadn't booked the hotel through DCL, both hotels allowed us to arrange baggage service so they took our checked bags from our rooms to the ship for us. Our room at the Pan Pacific had a wonderful view of the ships coming and going under the bridge (the time change had me up around 5:30 the morning we sailed) and the float planes taking off all evening!

 

[Cruising Engineer]

Two cruises to Alaska so far for us. We've stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront and the Pan Pacific, Both are great hotels.
There is a great Hop-On Hop-Off bus that starts right in front of the Pan Pacific. This is a terrific way to see the city/parks and then decide where you want to spend more time.

 

[Blondie58]

Spent one day there when on an American Cruise Line trip. Loved it!!! Can't wait to go back and spend a few days! Have fun. (Glad you asked the question. I am taking notes.)

 

[DisneyConvert]

I have been to Vancouver many times for business, but I most enjoyed the 2 days following our Alaska cruise . . . Here's a partial list of the things we enjoyed doing:

Rent bicycles from the many proprietors near Denman St (approx 1km NW of Canada Place) and ride through and around Stanley Park. The whole loop is approx. 2 miles and there are lots of places to stop and tour.

The Museum of Anthropology is located on another magnificent peninsula on the Pacific, and contains everything one would ever want to know about the indigenous people of the Pacific Coast.

See the Vancouver Canadians, a minor, but enthusiastically-enjoyed, pro baseball team in a very nice city park about 2km south of downtown. You can take a bus!

There are a variety of walking tours of the different neighborhoods (same are safer than others, as like most PacCoast cities, there are A LOT of homeless).

Grouse Mountain is quintessentional touristy, but still ok. Bus to the site from Canada Place skyride or very ambitious walk up the mountain, various "shows" and "shopping/eating' at the "village" on top. Packed with tourists, but not terrible.

A flight to Victoria/Vancouver Island would be a more ambitious use of time (2days min.) and $$$'s. I've never been, but it's one of the great places to visit I have heard.

 

[ninergrl6]

A flight to Victoria/Vancouver Island would be a more ambitious use of time (2days min.) and $$$'s. I've never been, but it's one of the great places to visit I have heard.

There's also the ferry option, which takes about 90 minutes each way and is quite picturesque.
https://sandinmysuitcase.com/ferry-from-vancouver-to-victoria-bc/

 

[auntlynne]

We did the double decker bus tour. It would give you an orientation to the city. Strolled around Gastown. Have taken the bus/ferry (the bus goes on the ferry) to Victoria to visit Butchart Gardens. (Overnight at Fairmont Empress).

After watching a bunch of Hallmark Channel movies, I would love to visit the area north of Vancouver - the Sea to Sky Highway which goes to Whistler.

Have stayed at Pan Pacific and the YWCA. Used Hilton Honors points for my niece at the Hampton Inn across from the hockey arena (great use of points vs. cash).

AK cruise and Vancouver are both great. Have a wonderful trip.

 

[PaoDCL]

Thanks everyone for all those awesome tips. I really hope that very soon everything goes back to "normal" so we can go back and enjoy all the magic and the pixie dust that Disney Cruise gives to our family

 

[Colo17]

Hi everyone, we are so excited!!! We just got a verandah for our first Alaska cruise for May 2022!!!
We would love to get to Vancouver a couple of days before our cruise so we can explore the city.
Any recommendations for hotel and things to do in the city? TIA

We've stayed at several hotels downtown, including both the Fairmont waterfront and the Hyatt Marina closer to Stanley Park. The whole
waterfront area is very built up since the Olympics up there and has a lot of hotels. Several good hotels on Burrard, only a few blocks from
the pier (booked Hyatt Regency through Last Minute Travel for last cruise). Got HOHO ticket package through them as well, included visit
to an observation deck near the port. HOHO will get you to Granville and Stanley Park, although not the best for the Capilano bridge.
The aquarium in Stanley Park is one of the best we have seen anywhere and easy to get to from the HOHO bus. So is the totem pole viewing area.

We actually prefer to fly into Seattle, drive up to Vancouver and drop Avis car at the Fairmont on Burrard (7th sublevel). Cheaper than flying
in to Vancouver and nice drive up. The tiny harbor tour boats around Granville are fun - we took the train from Waterfront to the stadium and picked
up the tour boat there. Went by old Olympic Village. A few years back there was a sightseeing train that ran up the coast to Whistler Ski Area
with optional float plane back. Don't think the train runs any more but enjoyed the cable car between mountains is spectacular and the flight
back was right over the same mountains you saw in Olympic coverage on TV.

Check viator, tripadvisor and lastminutetravel for tour ideas. Lots to do and eat in Vancouver!