Recently off Wonder any Alaska/Vancouver questions?

[minniebeth]

I believe it is supposed to arrive at 6:45 but but was 45 minutes late I was told one of our fellow cruise members who is watching the ship come into port that morning. They were very late in calling off the first loading group. I believe it was near 12:00. I never found out why the delay. When we came back we had stopped to get fuel in the morning.

My daughter did go to the nature talks. But not the Vibe. She was kind of upset because the naturists second talk. He spoke about pets being eaten as if it were expected by wild animals. I think in the middle of our cruise we ended up with a different naturalist. I can't be sure though, because after that second talking my daughter got so upset she and my father never went again.

My daughter was most interested in doing the game shows offered for families.

Harv and Marv I booked on my own with a group from another social media chat site. The Bering Sea crab fishermen I booked through DCL and of course Tracy arm excursion.

Thanks so much for your replies to my questions!
Wow, I think my DD would be freaked out by the discussion of pets being eaten by wild animals too!

I appreciate your information and enjoy reading about all your thoughts and experiences!

 

[anricat]

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.

When I contacted them, I was not informed of any minimums. They told me (via email) that it would be $40 for 4 bags. They didn't indicate I needed to have 4. However, they did imply that it would be $40 for 3 bags, $40 for 2 bags, so basically, it's a flat fee and you can give them up to 4. I don't see why they would turn down your three bags. That doesn't seem like a viable business model to me.

 

[anricat]

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.

Oh, and just in case you want to contact CDS to get more information directly from the horse's mouth, here is their website, which has a phone number and email address: http://www.cdsbaggage.ca

 

[Mrs Green]

Will you be talking the hop on hop off before?

I am not sure yet. Do you recommend?

 

[DallasToDis]

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.

We returned ours at sea-tac too (a bit of a pain by the way as they have recently moved the rental cars offsite). Hertz online wouldn't even let us reserve the one way - kept saying they were out of cars which we couldn't believe and a call to them had it explained to us about only having a certain ones that can be taken to the US. Since it let you reserve it that way you should be all set. Have a blast - wish we still had our trip ahead of us

 

[Mrs Green]

We returned ours at sea-tac too (a bit of a pain by the way as they have recently moved the rental cars offsite). Hertz online wouldn't even let us reserve the one way - kept saying they were out of cars which we couldn't believe and a call to them had it explained to us about only having a certain ones that can be taken to the US. Since it let you reserve it that way you should be all set. Have a blast - wish we still had our trip ahead of us

Thank you! We are so excited for the trip!

 

[Snowwhyt]

I am not sure yet. Do you recommend?

We did the Hop On Hop Off. It takes a long time to get through town on the Hop On Hop Off. The time from Granville Island to the Steam clock was kinda long. But the driver gives information the whole way through so it was really nice.

We started using the HOHO at English Bay, took the False Creek-ferry to Granville Island, went to Stanley Park got off at Prospect point, got back on and rode back to English Bay where we started. That was just under 8 hours.

Because of the talk, I visited several of the places the driver spoke of when we rented a car.

We visited Dr. Sun Yet-Sen gardens.
Um... I wouldn't do that again. I only found one parking lot outside the garden and it had broken pottery and broken auto glass, one homeless man hidden in the bushes near where I parked my car. But I still have so much more to tell you.
As we entered the gardens we looked but couldn't find a place to pay. There were swarms of bugs inside the garden but it was beautiful, so you kinda stepped around the biggest swarms and looked past it. We're about a quarter of the way into the garden when a young man between 18 and 23 ran past us as if running for his life. He was looking over his shoulder and had blood coming from his cheek and a large gash. Nobody followed him so we continued. It's a small park with a lovely bridge in the middle we felt we were able to see the other half of the park well enough from where we were and we're starting to head back, still a little freaked out from the guy and not liking the bugs. Then we heard a young man begging for his life coming from the direction the runner had come from. Very loudly the young man cried out "it wasn't me, it wasn't me! Please You've got a believe me. I wouldn't do that" You hear that kind of thing on TV, but this made the hair on our neck and her arms stand up. My daughter and I looked at each other and walked very quickly into the store because we were scared to walk to the parking lot where we left our car because that was the direction the runner went. We left the store and headed toward our car. We didn't see the homeless man but he could still be somewhere in the bushes. I carefully navigated away from the broken pottery and auto glass and come upon two younger homeless people with full shopping carts of what looks to be the remnants of their apartment being pushed into the parking lot as I left.
So umm... Maybe skip that one. A picture is worth a 1000 lives,... I mean 1000 words. But a drive by with the trolley, that's enough.

 

[Snowwhyt]

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.

Chris was the head Bingo guy. Not sure if his title.

 

[scgustafson]

Chris was the head Bingo guy. Not sure if his title.

Yes, Chris as the bingo caller is the head of the Cruise Staff Team. Do you remember anyone else that worked bingo with him?

 

[xlxo]

We visited Dr. Sun Yet-Sen gardens.
Um... I wouldn't do that again. I only found one parking lot outside the garden and it had broken pottery and broken auto glass, one homeless man hidden in the bushes near where I parked my car. But I still have so much more to tell you.
As we entered the gardens we looked but couldn't find a place to pay.

Hmm.... if you didn't pay.... you went to the wrong garden. It's next door to the West.
http://vancouverchinesegarden.com/

With regards to parking..... it's better to go to the 6 level parkade South East of the garden.

Street parking? A lot of meters are broken or vandalized by the locals. They shove garbage in the coin slots and any coins you put in just sits there. They then remove the coins with tape and toothpicks.... you get a parking ticket later.

 

[Mrs Green]

We did the Hop On Hop Off. It takes a long time to get through town on the Hop On Hop Off. The time from Granville Island to the Steam clock was kinda long. But the driver gives information the whole way through so it was really nice.

We started using the HOHO at English Bay, took the False Creek-ferry to Granville Island, went to Stanley Park got off at Prospect point, got back on and rode back to English Bay where we started. That was just under 8 hours.

Because of the talk, I visited several of the places the driver spoke of when we rented a car.

We visited Dr. Sun Yet-Sen gardens.
Um... I wouldn't do that again. I only found one parking lot outside the garden and it had broken pottery and broken auto glass, one homeless man hidden in the bushes near where I parked my car. But I still have so much more to tell you.
As we entered the gardens we looked but couldn't find a place to pay. There were swarms of bugs inside the garden but it was beautiful, so you kinda stepped around the biggest swarms and looked past it. We're about a quarter of the way into the garden when a young man between 18 and 23 ran past us as if running for his life. He was looking over his shoulder and had blood coming from his cheek and a large gash. Nobody followed him so we continued. It's a small park with a lovely bridge in the middle we felt we were able to see the other half of the park well enough from where we were and we're starting to head back, still a little freaked out from the guy and not liking the bugs. Then we heard a young man begging for his life coming from the direction the runner had come from. Very loudly the young man cried out "it wasn't me, it wasn't me! Please You've got a believe me. I wouldn't do that" You hear that kind of thing on TV, but this made the hair on our neck and her arms stand up. My daughter and I looked at each other and walked very quickly into the store because we were scared to walk to the parking lot where we left our car because that was the direction the runner went. We left the store and headed toward our car. We didn't see the homeless man but he could still be somewhere in the bushes. I carefully navigated away from the broken pottery and auto glass and come upon two younger homeless people with full shopping carts of what looks to be the remnants of their apartment being pushed into the parking lot as I left.
So umm... Maybe skip that one. A picture is worth a 1000 lives,... I mean 1000 words. But a drive by with the trolley, that's enough.

Sounds like quite an experience. Did you call the police? If someone is begging for their life?!?

I was thinking we would spend most of our time at Stanley park, English bay, the hotel pool and eating good sushi. Our kids are young so they can be amused and entertained for a lot less money than a hoho bus will cost me.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Hmm.... if you didn't pay.... you went to the wrong garden. It's next door to the West.
http://vancouverchinesegarden.com/

With regards to parking..... it's better to go to the 6 level parkade South East of the garden.

Street parking? A lot of meters are broken or vandalized by the locals. They shove garbage in the coin slots and any coins you put in just sits there. They then remove the coins with tape and toothpicks.... you get a parking ticket later.

I walked in on Columbia Street. It had ponds and walk ways. One place in the photos from the website you sent looks exactly like what I remember with the railed walkway by the water. And that square/decorative pave cement tiles they used on the ground I think is where my daughter and I stood when the guy ran past us. While we were in that garden area we were able to see a large courtyard (it was empty) that went all the way to W. Pender. Maybe if we went farther toward Carrall St there would have been something different? The courtyard looking out to W.Pender looked like the Windows were covered with paper but I wasn't close so I couldn't be sure if it was remodeling to keep out gawkers or a very plain window choice. When we got that far was when we heard the guy cry out. Maybe we didn't go in far enough or maybe they are making some changes. If there was more I wish they would've put up signage so I would've known to go look for it. Do you tell me if you think we didn't go far enough. I'm going to feel bad if I missed a more extravagant part of the garden, but then at the same time I was way too scared to go any further into the park. They were just a few other people there but nobody reacted to the screaming, my daughter and I went into the store because we were scared.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Sounds like quite an experience. Did you call the police? If someone is begging for their life?!?

I was thinking we would spend most of our time at Stanley park, English bay, the hotel pool and eating good sushi. Our kids are young so they can be amused and entertained for a lot less money than a hoho bus will cost me.

I was caught off guard at the park, there were a few individuals in the area that didn't react, and I was still a uncomfortable about what I found in the parking lot. Normally I'm the first person to call the police in any situation, but this one caught me like a deer in the headlights.

I think your choice for the hop on hop off is a very doable plan. Especially if you can stay on just the one bus(green line) and not get into the one that crosses into the other side of the city(red line). If I had to do it again that's what I would do.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Yes, Chris as the bingo caller is the head of the Cruise Staff Team. Do you remember anyone else that worked bingo with him?

They were girls and guys both working with him. I'm not really good with names I could ask my daughter. Is there somebody you're looking for? There's a real nice thick dark-haired gal I liked but I don't remember her name at all either.

 

[scgustafson]

They were girls and guys both working with him. I'm not really good with names I could ask my daughter. Is there somebody you're looking for? There's a real nice thick dark-haired gal I liked but I don't remember her name at all either.

If you don't mind asking her. No one in particular that I am looking for, but just seeing if we have any friends from previous cruises now on Disney Wonder.

 

[Snowwhyt]

If you don't mind asking her. No one in particular that I am looking for, but just seeing if we have any friends from previous cruises now on Disney Wonder.

She said all she can remember right now is Mia. Do you remember any names that I can ask her if those were something she remembers from our trip?

 

[Snowwhyt]

Hmm.... if you didn't pay.... you went to the wrong garden. It's next door to the West.
http://vancouverchinesegarden.com/

With regards to parking..... it's better to go to the 6 level parkade South East of the garden.

Street parking? A lot of meters are broken or vandalized by the locals. They shove garbage in the coin slots and any coins you put in just sits there. They then remove the coins with tape and toothpicks.... you get a parking ticket later.

Well I went back to look at Tripadvisor to see just what did I see.
Turns out I did go into the free park of that site. So many of the photos from that site combined the paid and free area that I definitely did miss a smaller more authentic area with actual Chinese workmanship and materials. Sure wish they would have it marked it so people would know about it. It seems I'm not the only one that didn't know there was an entrance that you pay different then the free area. I drove all 4 streets around the block and this look like the entrance more than the other side.

 

[mrbudyhed]

We have two private excursions booked for our upcoming trip. Did you tip the captain of Harv and Marv? I don't mind tipping, I just didn't know if you were supposed to, especially if the tour operator/captain/pilot is also the owner.

 

[Snowwhyt]

We have two private excursions booked for our upcoming trip. Did you tip the captain of Harv and Marv? I don't mind tipping, I just didn't know if you were supposed to, especially if the tour operator/captain/pilot is also the owner.

I did. I had 4 people in our group of 17. We gave $20 to the pilot and $20 to the .... Loss for word....talker?
Heads a little messed up today. Went to get what I thought was a wood-tick off the dog, turned out to be cancer. Going to have surgery on Tuesday.
Guess Olive(dog) needs a little Pixie Dust now.

 

[scgustafson]

I did. I had 4 people in our group of 17. We gave $20 to the pilot and $20 to the .... Loss for word....talker?
Heads a little messed up today. Went to get what I thought was a wood-tick off the dog, turned out to be cancer. Going to have surgery on Tuesday.
Guess Olive(dog) needs a little Pixie Dust now.

Best of wishes to Olive on her surgery. Know how much it sucks to have a dog battling cancer.