In case you missed it, I just started a new guest trip report. Deann recently sailed on the July 9, 2018 9 night Alaska itinerary and was kind enough to share her adventures with us. You can read the first installment here.
Pre-Cruise Stay in Vancouver
Friday, July 6 & Saturday, July 7
We planned our trip with two extra nights in Vancouver to sightsee. We purchased plane tickets on our own this year. Last year, we booked our airfare and hotel through Disney. It was OK, but we saved money this time doing it ourselves. I made reservations at a hotel near the cruise terminal that I could cancel with no penalty up to 48 hours ahead. Then, I watched Expedia for a room at Pan Pacific Hotel (located at Canada Place, right about the cruise terminal) and scored one a week before cruising for a lower price; I booked it and cancelled the other. We wanted to stay at the Pan Pacific because it is right on top of the cruise terminal, right next to free shuttle stops for sightseeing, has underground walkways to a food court, and on embarkation day, they will transfer our bags from our hotel room to the cruise terminal at no extra charge. To me, that is well worth a little extra in price.
Our Saturday started bright and early at 3:00 am. On the first leg of the flight, we got to DFW without a hitch and met up with my twin sister for the next leg to Vancouver. She had a breakfast sandwich waiting for us – yum! Everything was on time and we even met other passengers on our flight who were also sailing on the Wonder. Wow, already making friends! The flight to Vancouver was okay. We saw many peaks of the Rockies, as well as Mount Rainier and Mount Baker. The views flying into Vancouver were excellent. Since we had a wheelchair assist between gates (I walk with a cane), they had one waiting at the jet way. Lucky thing, as the jet way was a long steep incline that took us to the balcony walkway for arrivals. At the balcony walkway we were met by an electric car. The attendant loaded us all up and we drove along the balcony walkway. After an elevator ride downstairs, the car parked and we were escorted to a kiosk where they processed our passports, took our pictures and gave us our customs ticket. Then, it was back on the electric car and on to the customs officer desk. Our attendant bypassed the very long line of all the others going through customs. She said the average time at around noon to get through the process was 45 minutes to an hour and half – wow! In our electric car, it was less than 20 minutes. Then, surprise! We were driven up to the customs desk like at a takeout window, handed them our tickets, passports, answered a few questions and off we went to baggage claim. Our attendant got us a baggage cart (free), we found our bags, stacked them on the cart and were off to the last check point, where we turned in our last ticket and went outside to catch a taxi. It was all very fast, and with very friendly and helpful airport attendants. We were directed to a line across the street were everyone who wanted a taxi was waiting in a line on an island between traffic. Along the line was signage explaining the taxi rates according to zones, all color coded, so we knew how much the taxi would be (in Canadian dollars) before we got in the taxi. When we got to the front of the line, an attendant manning the line saw the amount of luggage we had and whistled for the appropriate size cab. We got loaded up, told the driver we were going to the Pan Pacific, and off we went. The whole taxi process took about 20 minutes. I had gotten Canadian money before we left home, enough for taxi rides to our hotel and sightseeing not accessed by the free shuttle. Our ride was around $40 CAD with tip and took about 20 minutes.
At the Pan Pacific, we rode the elevator (to the right of the entry lobby of Canada Place) up to the 3rd floor to the hotel lobby. As we checked in, I told them we were on the Disney Wonder Monday morning and they gave me instructions on how to get our baggage picked up the morning of embarkation. Then, it was up to our 11th floor room (with a view of the ferry dock, train yard and city center) to drop off our stuff before a late lunch. We then went over to a restaurant near the big rain drop statue (see picture) to get a salmon burger and ice cream cone. While we ate, we sat and watched sea planes take off and land and watched other cruise ships preparing to sail away.
After lunch, we hit a wall and went back to the hotel to take a nap. Later that evening, near 9:00 pm, the sun was still up and we went down to the underground walkway to the food court and had a light supper at Subway. Then, we went back to hotel to go to bed. We saw Mount Baker (in the US) in the aspen glow of the sunset from our hotel window before we hit the sack.
Sunday, July 8
With a 3 hour time change, you know we got up early. The sun came up around 4:00 AM. It was beautiful. We had 8:15 AM “Breakfast with the Bears'” tickets on Grouse Mountain, so we had to catch a cab. It was Sunday, so the free shuttle to Grouse Mountain didn’t start running until 9:00 AM, unlike weekdays when it starts earlier. So, at 7:30 AM, we got a cab out in front of Canada Place. Not knowing Sunday morning traffic, we gave ourselves plenty of time to get there. It took about 20 minutes to cross the Lion’s Gate Bridge and drive up to the Grouse Mountain gondola lift (it took twice as long to get back). We were instructed to meet up in front of the Starbucks no later than 8:15 AM. As people started to arrive, we noticed that many had Disney backpacks and bags, and eventually we found out that all 30 in our group were going on the Wonder the next day! Nobody planned it, it just happened – go figure. So, we made many new friends before we even got on the ship. Many were planning to do what we were doing – the Bear Breakfast at Grouse Mountain, and then go to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Going up the gondola with our group of 30, we had some room to move around but not much (this is important to remember when I talk about the trip down). We had a clear day with the high in the 70’s.
At the top, we were escorted to a blacktop walkway that had bear paw prints painted on it. Those paw prints, plus our guide, are how we found our way to the breakfast. We had the park to ourselves, since we were up there before it officially opened with this breakfast time. Along the bear paw path, the guide told us about the many tree carvings of very large and beautiful eagles, bears, loggers, miners, etc.
Then, we went to visit the two grizzly bears who were orphaned 16 years ago and began the first study group to return orphans to the wild. They live in a 5 acre electric fenced area and came out to see us near a pond. The guide told us all about the program: these two bears started it, and although they were not returned to the wild due to too much human contact, others have successfully done so because of what they learn from these two bears.
We then were led into a yurt on a viewing platform and had a buffet breakfast. There was a Q & A time during breakfast, and then we were told our tickets also include all the shows, the chair lift to the peak, and return ticket down the gondola. We saw a show about owls, a lumberjack show (like the one in Ketchikan), and rode the chair lift to the top peak – what a view! They also take a picture of you on the way up, so try not to look too scared. They even stop the chair lift for people who need assistance to get on and off. You have to climb down and up stairs to a platform at the top, and the ground is uneven, so if you use a cane then be careful. There are no ramps at the peak platform.
After the chair lift view, it was even better coming down, and then we went to the bird show and later sat on a bench to watch the paragliders from the peak. They rode air drafts down to the bottom of the mountain.
After that, we should have left to come down the mountain around noon, but it was a beautiful day and we decided to eat lunch at the chalet after seeing the movie. Our mistake – since it was a Sunday and a beautiful day, we had not realized how many people had come up in the morning and were now on the mountain. After we dilly-dallied over a great lunch, we found that it was an hour and half wait in a long line to go back down the gondola (and that is with putting 95 people on each ride down – that’s right – 95!). We were lucky to find a place near a window and not in the middle of the pack on the way down. Well, when all was said and done, it was after 5 PM when we got down and we got tickets for the free shuttle back to Canada Place. But, they were not good until 6 PM, so we had another wait. Cabs were grabbed as soon as they arrived, and were few and far between. Our plan was to ride the shuttle and be dropped off at the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park since it didn’t close until 9:00 PM. Then, we found out that the free shuttle was not allowed to drop us off – we would have to get a cab to do that. Being hot and tired, we decided against it and rode the free shuttle back to Canada Place, which took about 40 minutes in traffic. We grabbed a quick supper at the food court and hit the sack as we were still adjusting to our time change. So, those of you who plan to do both activities – do the early bear breakfast and follow the show schedule, (hint: leave the lumberjack show a little early to get in line for the chairlift and you’ll walk right on) and leave right after the bird show. Then, catch a cab from Grouse Mountain to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park and you can do both in one day.
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