**** Vancouver FAQ Thread **** A few updates in main post!

[queenbee99]

Thanks for that info! We are actually sailing out of Seattle but going to Vancouver afterwards so it would not really have to be near Canada Place...just centrally located to the sites.

My family and I usually stay in Richmond--it's a really interesting little city just outside Vancouver. We usually stay at the Four Points Sheraton Vancouver Airport. They have a free shuttle from the airport, and are across the street from a mall with a nice food court, a Zellers (think Target), a Toys R Us, a provincial liquor store, and a "Farm Market"--kind of a small grocery store.

The Lansdowne Shopping Centre (the name of the mall) has a Canada Line Skytrain stop, so it's pretty easy to get into downtown Vancouver, and there is a laundromat about a block away.

The Richmond area is kind of neat to explore in and of itself--it is very like Hong Kong. A lot of immigrants from Hong Kong came to BC in the 80's and 90's in advance of Hong Kong returning to the Chinese. Most of the shopping malls have signs in both English and Chinese, and you'll hear Chinese spoken everywhere.

One of my favorite places to visit in the area is the International Buddhist Temple Gardens They are a wonder, but please be respectful. There are areas in which photography is not allowed, and some people have littered in the temple area. This is an active place of worship--some of our cousins are members. This is not necessarily a place for the tour books, but I love it.

You'll probably want to hire a car or take a taxi to the ship, but that's not hard to do.

 

[queenbee99]

Thank you for that idea, I didn't think of that. I think we might just stay that night in Seattle and then go that morning so that gives us the whole day there to sight see. Can someone recommend to me, where they would stay an extra day? We have 3 days in Seattle and the 3 day in Vancouver but one day left over. We have considered Whistler. Has anyone been? Will they have snow in June? We have got to find some snow on this trip for my dd. LOL

You might want to eat in a hotel restaurant and ask if you could check your luggage for awhile after your meal. Then it would be safe and you wouldn't be encumbered with it.

 

[discruiser]

Can someone recommend a hotel for 5? Me, DH, and 3 children 10, 7, and 7. I don't want to have to get 2 rooms, but I want to be close to Canada Place.

THANKS!!

We are a family of six and last summer we stayed at the Comfort Inn Downtown at 654 Nelson St. It was nothing fancy, but it was clean and it was close to public transportation. It was maybe 1/2 mile from Canada Place, not really within walking distance with bags. We wound up having to take 2 cabs to Canada Place the morning of our cruise. I had the hardest time finding a room that would accommodate 6 people, but I found a room at the Comfort Inn that had 2 queen beds and a sofabed. The price wasn't outrageous (compared to a lot of other hotels I had looked at), but probably one of the best things about the Comfort Inn was the free continental breakfast which was offered each day in the pub connected to the restaurant. I feel that alone saved us a lot of money!

I was looking for a clean place that wouldn't break the bank, and I was not disappointed with the Comfort Inn. I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again with my family.

Kim

 

[RedSox68]

Seattle does have the ticket kiosks, I printed our's there last August.

Huh, interesting. When I checked on the Amtrak site, it said no kiosk and I even printed the page to remind me. Then when I called to check with Amtrak, they said no kiosk. Someone needs to update their staff

 

[jilljill]

Huh, interesting. When I checked on the Amtrak site, it said no kiosk and I even printed the page to remind me. Then when I called to check with Amtrak, they said no kiosk. Someone needs to update their staff

Sounds like they have the same training staff that DCL uses. I think there were 2 or 3 kiosks over by the baggage check in area, which is by the ticket windows.

 

[poohj80]

Sounds like they have the same training staff that DCL uses. I think there were 2 or 3 kiosks over by the baggage check in area, which is by the ticket windows.

We saw them too, but had already printed as well.

 

[Epcotopia]

Hello all,

I noticed the exchange rate from USD to CAD is almost 1:1 (actually 1 to .9923). Forgive my ignorance as I've never been to Canada but should we exchange currency or is the exchange rate close enough that USD are accepted everywhere?

Thanks all!

 

[trimix]

Just about every place will take your credit cards; living just south of the border I have noticed that a lot of shops are not willing to take US currency.

I always carry Canadian currency when I am crossing the border, and have suggested to everybody on my cruise meet thread that they get some Canadian cash before our cruise - if you are going to Alaska this summer, you won't find any banks open in Victoria on a Sunday evening!

 

[mellers]

Hello all,

I noticed the exchange rate from USD to CAD is almost 1:1 (actually 1 to .9923). Forgive my ignorance as I've never been to Canada but should we exchange currency or is the exchange rate close enough that USD are accepted everywhere?

Thanks all!

My suggestion, if you want the best exchange rate, is to use your ATM card at an ATM as soon as you get to Canada.

 

[poohj80]

Hello all,

I noticed the exchange rate from USD to CAD is almost 1:1 (actually 1 to .9923). Forgive my ignorance as I've never been to Canada but should we exchange currency or is the exchange rate close enough that USD are accepted everywhere?

Thanks all!

Depends on how long you are staying. We were only in Vancouver one night before our cruise so didn't worry about exchanging currency and we were fine, but know the exchange rate before you go as some places accepted US dollars but tried to overcharge us or not give us back enough change.

 

[LeslieG]

I'm thinking I would use my credit card for everything, except would probably need cash for taxi fare. I think I'll call my AAA office. I thought they did currency exchange.

 

[trimix]

Leslie, you can probably get a good exchange rate at your local bank. Just expect them to take a few days to get the foreign currency in.

 

[tksbaskets]

I'm thinking I would use my credit card for everything, except would probably need cash for taxi fare. I think I'll call my AAA office. I thought they did currency exchange.

Hi,
I found it easier just to withdraw cash from the ATM at the airport and then around town if you find a need for cash. We used our CC for most things.

TK

 

[RedSox68]

Hi,
I found it easier just to withdraw cash from the ATM at the airport and then around town if you find a need for cash. We used our CC for most things.

TK

Probably a dumb question , but are the ATMs in Canada the same key pad as in the states? I know in Europe they are different. Thanks.

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

Just an FYI for those who want to use a Debit card to take cash out of an ATM, (and not a regular credit card) some banks will not allow one to use a debit card in Canada, saying it's on a restricted list. Check with your bank first.

Again, I am talking about debit cards with the M/C or Visa logo. It may NOT be a problem, but it is best to check.

 

[LeslieG]

Hi,
I found it easier just to withdraw cash from the ATM at the airport and then around town if you find a need for cash. We used our CC for most things.

TK

I rarely use ATMs, so I'm not real familiar with the fees, but using one in Canada, would it be just a few dollars for the fee, plus whatever my bank charges?

 

[trimix]

Probably a dumb question , but are the ATMs in Canada the same key pad as in the states? I know in Europe they are different. Thanks.

The keypads are the same as in the US, with the usual variation between banks.

I rarely use ATMs, so I'm not real familiar with the fees, but using one in Canada, would it be just a few dollars for the fee, plus whatever my bank charges?

Expect the Canadian bank to charge a dollar or three as a non-customer fee, your bank to do the same as a non-bank ATM fee, and additional foreign transaction and/or currency exchange fees.

Just as when traveling to any other country, if you use your bank card in Canada Visa or MasterCard will add a bit to each transaction to charge you for the currency exchange. And your bank may also charge a foreign transaction fee, just because they can.

 

[richmo]

...if you use your bank card in Canada Visa or MasterCard will add a bit to each transaction to charge you for the currency exchange. And your bank may also charge a foreign transaction fee, just because they can.

This is true. Its for that reason I did a cash exchange. I should add that some American Express and Discover cards also have a foreign transaction fee, in addition to Visa and MC. If you have some time before you go and you plan on using your charge card a lot in Canada, there are some credit cards that don't charge the fee, and I think some of them are free (I want to say the Capitol One card may be one of them and I think Chase has one too...its not Freedom though)

 

[tksbaskets]

I called my bank (and Visa company) before our trip and they flagged our accounts so we could use them in Canada. There was a slight fee but as I recall no more than when we use a non-home-bank ATM.

I think I used the ATM twice on our entire trip (airport and once in the middle of our stay). I didn't want to go home with foriegn currency and most everywhere accepted Visa.

TK

 

[Chilly]

The football (soccer) team my DH supports got through to the Champions League Final tonight, the final is on May 19th when we'll be in Vancouver. Does anyone know where they'll show the match?