Recently off Wonder any Alaska/Vancouver questions?

[micknme]

Great idea about pre-arranging for the wheel chair. Thanks again so much for your help!!!

 

[xlxo]

wheelchair rentals are available across from CDS luggage. Personally I prefer my own chair as I am permitted to use it in the ports. The rental chairs are meant to be kept on board.

Wheelchairs are also handy when the seas are rough. Walking from the dining room back to the cabin can get interesting... even without the alcohol.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Walking from the dining room back to the cabin can get interesting... even without the alcohol.

I giggled when I read "interesting" I limp a little when I'm tired. Sometimes my body heads a little to the right as I catch my balance.
It took me 4 days to get my land legs back last week!

 

[micknme]

Yikes. The things you don't even think about...our senior trying to navigate rough seas. He hates using a wheel chair but I think we better have a little chat with him that it might be in his best interest to have one on board for him. Thank you for this info!

 

[Snowwhyt]

Yikes. The things you don't even think about...our senior trying to navigate rough seas. He hates using a wheel chair but I think we better have a little chat with him that it might be in his best interest to have one on board for him. Thank you for this info!

Most of the time, like over 75% of the time in Alaska, it was like watching a ripple on the water as the wonder glides through the channels. Just beautiful.
My Caribbean cruises were totally different. I had rocky sailing especially on one of those.
I advise you bring the wheel chair and on a day at sea or Tracy Arm/Enddicott he can go without. But take it to use when you are on your way to an adventure and on the way back. Once you get a CM you can trust you can find good intelligence on transportation issues that you will encounter. When you meet for your port adventures give the person who signed you in all the details of the problem your concerned about.
It's a little hard to plan rest on busy days though. Meal times are most difficult to maneuver, there's a time change and so many people with tummy trouble(like my whole family)
PM me if you want to talk about his current resting and dining habits. I can make some suggestions to work around his current life style.

 

[xlxo]

Yikes. The things you don't even think about...our senior trying to navigate rough seas. He hates using a wheel chair but I think we better have a little chat with him that it might be in his best interest to have one on board for him. Thank you for this info!

I brought a personal transport chair as an emergency. We did not use it much and the ship provided great exercise for a loved one. However as the ship started to rock back 'n forth on segments exposed to the Pacific. Having the chair to go between the room and trough was handy. Short distances inside the cabin isn't worth the hassle.

They say one of the worst thing for a senior is a fall. The wheelchair is good insurance when they need to travel significant distances. I'll add that the world is getting older.... having your personal chair is handy when a loved one needs to sit down and there is no available seats left.

The chair is also handy when you need to rush a loved one to a public restroom. Let them save their strength for inside the bathroom.

 

[xlxo]

We were hoping to use: http://www.cdsbaggage.ca vs. renting a car. Anyone know the cost? Any positive/negative experiences? We don't have to be at the airport until shortly before 5 after the cruise.

In addition to rental prices and parking.... theft is another concern in Vancouver. A lot of Vancouverites needs a way to pay for their medication....

http://globalnews.ca/news/2830640/tourists-lose-20000-in-property-from-vehicle-while-in-vancouver/

http://vancouver.ca/police/CrimeMaps/tfauto.pdf

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

Car rental ease in Vancouver depends on who you choose.

• National, Alamo, and Enterprise has a small fleet at the cruise terminal. You want to reserve those vehicles a few month in advance to secure availability. Luggage friendly minivans are the first to be sold out.
• Hertz likes you see luggage dragged three blocks to the Pacific Rim hotel
• Avis likes to see their customers wait for the shuttle.
• Others are best with a cab.

Suburb hotels offer free parking. I recommending planning days with and without a rental car to save money on parking.

CDS luggage is around 7 to 9 CDN dollars to hold bags at the cruise terminal til 4pm. CAN$10 a bag to sent to a hotel or airport (min 4 bags). If you want your bags sent to a hotel/airport.... the shipping occurs after 4pm (or when the truck is full).

Some have said the CDS line can be long as they are super popular.

Some say the nearby hotels will hold your bags for a little less.

Any idea as to why the minimum is 4 bags? I'm not sure we'll have that many. Three, yes. But not sure we'll have a 4th.

And that timing is very borderline for us. Ideally we'd like to check-in at 5. Will they be at the airport by then?

I suppose we can inquire with Hyatt (whom we're staying with pre-cruise) about holding our bags.

 

[xlxo]

And that timing is very borderline for us. Ideally we'd like to check-in at 5. Will they be at the airport by then?

For a 5pm check-in....

• you can ask whether they can get it to the airport prior to 4pm.
• If they can't commit to 4pm at the airport.... I would go back to the cruise terminal before 4pm closing and get it myself. There is no minimum bags being held at the cruise terminal.
• the Hyatt is too far from the cruise terminal

 

[CalDisneyMomof2]

For a 5pm check-in....

• you can ask whether they can get it to the airport prior to 4pm.
• If they can't commit to 4pm at the airport.... I would go back to the cruise terminal before 4pm closing and get it myself. There is no minimum bags being held at the cruise terminal.
• the Hyatt is too far from the cruise terminal

I don't mind a 10 minute walk (.4 miles) if it's free at the Hyatt But worse comes to worst we can pick it up by 4 like you said.

 

[Mrs Green]

Getting the car is easy but parking once you get it is a costly endeavor. There is no free space in Vancouver. Take a picture of your plates on your phone to carry it with you. You will park your car and locate a parking station where you will enter your plate and then your credit card. I only found a few that take money but it's $7-8 for about 3 hours. Your coins are of no use.

Thanks, we will actually be leaving Vancouver to drive immediately down to Seattle and later Portland. We are doing Vancouver sight seeing ahead of the cruise with no car.

 

[Bethanie1]

Thanks so much for the info, especially on seniors! How were purchases in Vancouver (use US currency), Canadian currency, or VISA?

 

[scgustafson]

Who were the Cruise Staff team members?

 

[xlxo]

Thanks so much for the info, especially on seniors! How were purchases in Vancouver (use US currency), Canadian currency, or VISA?

When caring for a loved one... it really educated me on where they needed help. Of course, your loved one will have similar or different requirements. Mom felt insulted being seen in a wheelchair. Over a few days, she accepted it as it allowed her to sit when she needed to and travel great distances when she needed to. I did splurge on the lighter aluminum model. This made it easier to pack into the car and travel with.

Most Vancouver purchases can be done by credit card (eg Taxi's). Some like to tip in US funds at tourist services. Canadian currency is the best thing to have around for other things.

My guess... $15 in Canadian currency per person per day? What do others think? If you are short... get a cash advance with a VISA card when in Vancouver. However be aware cash advances have high fees.

 

[DallasToDis]

Thanks, we will actually be leaving Vancouver to drive immediately down to Seattle and later Portland. We are doing Vancouver sight seeing ahead of the cruise with no car.

I'm guessing you have already worked this out, but note that the rental car companies only have a limited number of cars that are allowed to be taken across the border. We are Hertz Gold, but Hertz was sold out of them as was the Avis near the cruise ship terminal. We had to reserve one at a random Avis office 20 minutes away across the Cambie St bridge in order to find one that we could take into Washington.

 

[Mrs Green]

I'm guessing you have already worked this out, but note that the rental car companies only have a limited number of cars that are allowed to be taken across the border. We are Hertz Gold, but Hertz was sold out of them as was the Avis near the cruise ship terminal. We had to reserve one at a random Avis office 20 minutes away across the Cambie St bridge in order to find one that we could take into Washington.

I have a one way rental reserved from the cruise terminal and to be returned to sea-tac so I sure hope they give me the right type of car.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Thanks, we will actually be leaving Vancouver to drive immediately down to Seattle and later Portland. We are doing Vancouver sight seeing ahead of the cruise with no car.

Will you be talking the hop on hop off before?

 

[Snowwhyt]

Thanks so much for the info, especially on seniors! How were purchases in Vancouver (use US currency), Canadian currency, or VISA?

Well it was 3% of my purchase that the MC was going to get on each transaction. But I found I needed tip money.
I went to an ATM and took $200 from my account. Tomorrow I will find out what that cost me. So I'll come back to you on that. Right now for every $20 in US dollar I was getting 24.50 in Canadian. Of course they are willing to take US money it's worth more.

I paid $50 US dollars to get to my hotel, so really I paid almost $60. But I only paid $9 in Canadian to get to the port. So it was $50 more for a extra 15 minutes from the airport???? I should've known when I was looking for a meter and he didn't have one showing that he was a crook. The airport had a kiosk to exchange on my way home. I didn't see it on the way out of the airport though, but I may have been in La la land, I was going on a Disney cruise!

 

[Snowwhyt]

Who were the Cruise Staff team members?

Captain Roberts, Trent was the cruise director although it could be Peter again very soon. The assistant cruise director was a lady I think the Allison? but let me come back to that and see if I have the right name. Jamezy he was there also.

 

[scgustafson]

Captain Roberts, Trent was the cruise director although it could be Peter again very soon. The assistant cruise director was a lady I think the Allison? but let me come back to that and see if I have the right name. Jamezy he was there also.

So Jamezy would be one of the Cruise Staff team members, as they are the ones who work directly for the Cruise Director running the family and adult activities onboard. Do you remember anyone else that worked with Jamesy, probably wearing a red and blue horizontal shirt most of the time?
Thank you by the way.