A comment on the "other" site mentioned Regent
cruises use Canada Place now for Alaska cruises
out of Vancouver--can anyone confirm this?

My last RSSC cruise to Alaska was May 2001 and
our return in Vancouver was the Ballentine
Pier--unfortuately my 2 Ballentine pier
experiences have both been AWFUL!!!

Is this for ALL Alaska sailings or just some?

Thanks, see sic (Randy)

I will defer to someone smarter but pretty sure CP as we have all booked Pan Pacific at CP - August 30th -

When we cruised on the Mariner from LA to Vancouver, we went into Canada Place.

Betty

We sailed out of Canada Place, as well. If you're staying at the Pan Pacific, you're right there to embark! Couldn't be easier! Canada Place was quite nice.

Last Sept. it was out of Canada place...will advise if that has changed come May 24 th

Pretty sure it will be Canada Place because we are staying at the Pan Pacific and RSSC offered it including the bellman taking your luggage over to the ship for you.

We got the cruise package with the Pan Pacific. It includes luggage transfer to either pier. Hopefully we will use Canada Place but in the event that they don't, how far is the other pier from the Pan Pacific?

Editing to add, I just checked the cruise calendar and there is only one other ship in port with us that day, a Holland America ship.

Could someone clue me in on what the "Pan Pacific Package" is? since we are on MUSH, should we have booked that package? Maybe all this was done when we were on that long cruise last Fall. I think we are taking RSSC air; is that included??? Jean

Jean, I am not sure what the package includes when you book the Pan Pacific through Radisson as we booked straight through the hotel. The hotel package includes this:

ALASKA CRUISE PACKAGE
ALASKA CRUISE PACKAGE INCLUDES
LATE CHECK OUT OF 2PM
BREAKFAST FOR TWO IN THE CAFE PACIFICA
TRANFERS TO AND FROM BALLENTYE PIER OR LUGGUGE TRANSFER TO
CANADA PLACE
PIER

I posted about that it includes luggage transfer in the event that we need to catch the ship at Ballentye pier but it looks like it just includes the transfer and we have to lug our own luggage :)

Well, we are taking Regent (!) air so I don't know what comes with it. Guess I'd better call Ngaire tomorrow to find out. I thought we just flew into Vancouver the day of the cruise and that was it. Board ship, get champagne, go to suite, unpack meet LCTers and have fun!

Jean,

Some of us booked on our own to come up a day earlier to start the party.

You can go direct to Vancouver and board directly or You can book direct with RSSC and stay at the Pan Pacific as a pre-cruise to join us if you like or book the hotel on your own and pay deviated air fee.

Karen, Kathy: Thanks for the info. We haven't received any air info from Regent so I don't know what we'll do yet. Have to talk to Clyde and see what he wants to do. And Ngaire.

Well Jean, either way I like your outlook - just fly in,go to pier, board ship, get champagne, unpack and meet LCT'ers and start partying!!!

We too booked to come one day early on our own, and staying at Pan Pacific - especially needed the "jet lag" down time coming from the east coast, but you are also coming from the east right? Anyway, needed to start partying a day early, just to get into the mood. We booked the same package as Karen and Kathy and I think many others, so it won't matter which pier, but hopefully its Canada Place.

Has anyone dined out in Vancouver recently and can recommend good restaurant choices? I think there are several restaurants in the Pan Pacicic but I know nothing about them.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by KarenS:
Has anyone dined out in Vancouver recently and can recommend good restaurant choices? I think there are several restaurants in the Pan Pacicic but I know nothing about them.

Interested too - bet PC hotel restaurants are expensive - I am interested in good Italian in Vancouver -

That sounds great! We're up for good Italian in ANY city!

There was a very good restaurant located in Stanley Park (not Italian) in Vancouver. However, I can't recall the name.

We had dinner at Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House. The Copper River Salmon was TO DIE FOR!

Betty

Just remembered - The Teahouse

Teahouse Restaurant
Contemporary, C$12 to C$30, Stanley Park
Diner Rating: 5.0


The former officers' mess in Stanley Park is perfectly poised for watching sunsets over the water. The Pacific Northwest menu includes such specialties as roasted pear salad and lobster ravioli, as well as seasonally changing treatments of duck breast, B.C. salmon, and rack of lamb. In summer you can dine on the patio; afternoon tapas are served year-round. AE, MC, V. No afternoon tea Sun.

Address: 7501 Stanley Park Dr., Ferguson Point, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Phone: 604/669-3281

Oh Denise, that one sounds good! Is Stanley Park close to the Pan Pacific? I don't even know how large Vancouver is?

Editing to add, Betty, I do intend to get my fill of fresh Salmon while on MUSH, your suggestion sounds good as well!

Sorry to say, I can't recall how far Stanley Park is from Pan Pacific, Karen. Mapquest/Mapblast should give you the answer. With so many people going, I'm sure sharing cabs wouldn't be too bad. Alan and I took a hop on/off bus for a day's touring and made our last stop Stanley Park. We dined and then had the restaurant call a cab to drive us back to PP.

We also dined in a very good Chinese restaurant not terribly far from PP. Now I need to try and remember that one. When we dined there, they were preparing for a wedding party's reception. Very festive.

Stanley Park is really nice. If you all have the time, the Vancouver Aquarium was very enjoyable, too.

OOPS - This is the restaurant in Stanley Park! Sorry for the error!

Fish House in Stanley Park
http://www.fishhousestanleypark.com/

8901 Stanley Park Dr., near Stanley Park's Beach Ave. entrance, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Phone: 604-681-7275
C$13 to C$21,C$22 to C$32
Vancouver
Seafood

Tucked between Stanley Park's tennis courts and putting green, this 1930s former sports pavilion with a veranda and fireplace has a relaxed country-house ambience. Chef Karen Barnaby writes cookbooks, and the titles, Pacific Passions and Screamingly Good Food, say a lot about the food here, which is hearty, flavorful, and unpretentious. Good choices are the ahi tuna steak Diane or the cornhusk-wrapped salmon with a maple glaze. Before dinner head straight for the oyster bar, or arrive between 5 and 6 to take advantage of the early-bird specials. The Fish House also serves a traditional English afternoon tea between 2 and 4 daily. Reservations essential. AE, D, DC, MC, V.

This is the Chinese restaurant

http://www.imperialrest.com/aboutus.html

Imperial Chinese Seafood
355 Burrard St., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Phone: 604-688-8191
C$13 to C$21,C$22 to C$32,Over C$32
Vancouver
Chinese

The two-story floor-to-ceiling windows at this Cantonese restaurant in the art deco Marine Building have lovely views of Stanley Park and the North Shore Mountains across Coal Harbour. Any dish with lobster, crab, or shrimp from the live tanks is recommended, as is the dim sum, served daily 11 AM to 2:30 PM. Reservations essential. AE, DC, MC, V.

Stanley Park is right next door to Canada Place - though since we're talking about a park, it's about a 15-20 minute walk to get to the central portion. The aquarium is about there too.

We're foodies and the last time we were in Vancouver for pre-cruise, we went to Rob Feenie's restaurant, Lumiere - which while good, didn't blow me away completely (though I had the Penfolds Grandfather port there for the first time which was quite excellent).

http://www.lumiere.ca/

We were thinking about trying his more casual restaurant, Feenie's, while we were there.

http://www.feenies.com/

And we also visited the Kirin Seafood Restaurant on the way back from Whistler last time - critically acclaimed by many people and thumbs up approval from Amanda's father (who's from Shanghai) and mother (who's from Hong Kong). I have to admit, it was some of the best Cantonese food I've ever had.

http://www.kirinrestaurant.com/english/home.htm

Just some thoughts I'm tossing around ...

Masaki

(whoops, duplicate post)

Vancouver is a food town with huge selection of international specialities. Because of the Asian influence, I can imagine that any of the Pacific Rim cuisines would be fantastic.

We might want to look for something reasonable and near the hotel so that we can gather for drinks and those who want to spread out to places of their choice can gather for pre dinner drinks with those who want a larger group dining experience. And we might want to let that restuarnat in on the action so they'll be prepared for a party of 20 or 40 or 80!

Try Joe Fortes restaruant. It's about 4 blocks from Canada place. The seafood is excellent and so are the steaks. Ask to sit in the second floor outdoor section. It's covered and has space heaters if it's a bit chilly.

http://www.joefortes.ca/

Betty