Secrets, Tips and Tricks for Alaska Cruises

[bigturkey12]

Yesterday I booked the Pan Pacific for May 31, 2015 for $216.00 plus tax. It is a CAA/AAA bed and breakfast rate. I have a deluxe double room city view with 2 buffet breakfasts. The buffet breakfast is $30/person if paying out of pocket. So in effect my room cost $156.00!! Now this rate did not show online. I only saw the $203.00 rate for CAA/AAA. I called the hotel directly not the toll free reservation number for Pan Pacific hotels. Their in house reservation agent asked if I new about the CAA/AAA bed and breakfast rate and offered it to me to book!! Yay to her great customer service. She also requested a high floor for us for a better view. Really impressed with this hotel already!!

 

[pepe3penelope]

Yesterday I booked the Pan Pacific for May 31, 2015 for $216.00 plus tax. It is a CAA/AAA bed and breakfast rate. I have a deluxe double room city view with 2 buffet breakfasts. The buffet breakfast is $30/person if paying out of pocket. So in effect my room cost $156.00!! Now this rate did not show online. I only saw the $203.00 rate for CAA/AAA. I called the hotel directly not the toll free reservation number for Pan Pacific hotels. Their in house reservation agent asked if I new about the CAA/AAA bed and breakfast rate and offered it to me to book!! Yay to her great customer service. She also requested a high floor for us for a better view. Really impressed with this hotel already!!

Congrats on the score!!!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Yesterday I booked the Pan Pacific for May 31, 2015 for $216.00 plus tax. It is a CAA/AAA bed and breakfast rate. I have a deluxe double room city view with 2 buffet breakfasts. The buffet breakfast is $30/person if paying out of pocket. So in effect my room cost $156.00!! Now this rate did not show online. I only saw the $203.00 rate for CAA/AAA. I called the hotel directly not the toll free reservation number for Pan Pacific hotels. Their in house reservation agent asked if I new about the CAA/AAA bed and breakfast rate and offered it to me to book!! Yay to her great customer service. She also requested a high floor for us for a better view. Really impressed with this hotel already!!

You'll love the Pan Pacific.

 

[LJC1861]

Just looked at the Pan Pacific website for next June and it says that there are no rooms available. Could it be sold out already, or could it be that they have not started booking yet. Advice?

 

[sunryzez]

Just looked at the Pan Pacific website for next June and it says that there are no rooms available. Could it be sold out already, or could it be that they have not started booking yet. Advice?

I already called them. rates are not available yet. They said they book about 11 months out so to check in July. Of course I keep checking once a week anyway...=)

 

[LJC1861]

Good to know! What sailing are you on?? We are on the 6/22/15.

 

[Marla Hellwig]

For the BBG during Tracy Arm - try not to get one of the first steaks or chicken - ours was not done - still raw and cold inside.

 

[Rambler5678]

For those that have stayed at the Pan Pacific, is there any where close by you can have a reasonable dinner etc.?

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Reasonable and Vancouver don't really match. Everything is expensive in Vancouver. However, the Bellagio is next door to the Pan Pacific. There are some places in the Gaslight District but you'd have to search for them. The Steamworks Brew Pub didn't look too bad and it was busy.

 

[Rambler5678]

What's in the food court across the street?

 

[RweTHEREyet]

For those that need to spend the return night in Vancouver before flying home, I highly recommend the Fairmont Airport for convenience. The hotel is right in the airport. The morning we flew out, we simply went down the escalator and we were right at the Alaskan Air and Delta ticket counters.

There are several places to eat in the airport, we had dinner at Koho and it was pretty good for airport food.

There is also a Tim Horton's on a lower level, which I am sorry we didn't get to try. There are many shops to pick up last minute gifts, like Wunderbars and Kinder Eggs and Maple Syrup.

Since our flight was at 6:00 AM, it was nice to not have to go outside or worry about transportation or traffic getting to the airport for an early flight.

And I might add that the rooms were pricey, but very, very nice, super comfy bed, huge bathroom with a great shower. Our view was of a landing strip and we watched planes land and take off with a view of mountains in the distance. They do have a business center where you can print out boarding passes, etc.

 

[Rambler5678]

Did you hear a lot of noise like from the planes etc. in the room?

 

[shoes99]

Did you hear a lot of noise like from the planes etc. in the room?

We also did the Fairmont Airport pre and post cruise in Vancouver. You do not hear the planes, and depending on the room, they supply you with binoculars so you can sit at the full glass window and watch the planes.
We also upgraded to include club level that included breakfast, snacks and beverages. After the cruise we took the DCL bus to the airport, checked in then put our luggage in the room and then took the sky train back to the city. We then booked the on/off bus and went to Stanley Park and Granville Island, then took the sky train back to the hotel and were able to get a light hot dinner in the lounge before they packed up the hot food. Breakfast the next day in the lounge was good and it was so easy to get down to the airport and check in with Air Canada our code share for United. We flew to Anaheim to continue our Disney themed vacation and went to Disneyland. We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel and had a Disney blast.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Did you hear a lot of noise like from the planes etc. in the room?

I think I heard one plane either landing or taking off, but that was it, and we checked in around 11:00 AM on Monday and checked out at 3:30 AM on Tuesday. We were not kept awake by any noise and even managed to sneak in a 3 hour nap on Monday before grabbing dinner.

 

[wallawallakids]

We also did the Fairmont Airport pre and post cruise in Vancouver. You do not hear the planes, and depending on the room, they supply you with binoculars so you can sit at the full glass window and watch the planes.
We also upgraded to include club level that included breakfast, snacks and beverages. After the cruise we took the DCL bus to the airport, checked in then put our luggage in the room and then took the sky train back to the city. We then booked the on/off bus and went to Stanley Park and Granville Island, then took the sky train back to the hotel and were able to get a light hot dinner in the lounge before they packed up the hot food. Breakfast the next day in the lounge was good and it was so easy to get down to the airport and check in with Air Canada our code share for United. We flew to Anaheim to continue our Disney themed vacation and went to Disneyland. We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel and had a Disney blast.

Wow!! That is my type of vacation! Sounds like a BLAST!!

 

[emdowens74]

Which is the better side of the ship to be on? Are the pools use-able and crowded? Any other tips, this is great!!

 

[TheChanClan]

subscribing to this thread to help prepare for our Sept 1st cruise. Keep the good tips coming!

 

[scrapycruiser]

Subscribing to the thread. We cruise Aug 4 !!!

 

[DindelsPA]

Subbing for 8/11/14.

 

[noahdove]

Keep this thread going... I don't cruise until July 2015...I have lots to learn...