kodi

I will be flying to Vancouver in May to meet up with a friend, who will be getting off a cruise ship, having done the Alaska cruise. We will then spend some time in the mountains. I will go ahead and rent the car and will be waiting for her.<BR>Since neither of us is familiar with the area, can anyone suggest a meeting place? And is there somewhere to park the car, to walk to the 'meeting' place?<BR>Thanks for any help.

gary

There are two cruise ship docks in Vancouver. By far the most attractive and popular placre is the Canada Place Centre which is surrounded by three to five star hotels and is a wonderful place to drink in Vancouver's most beautiful sights. If your friend is docking at Canada place there are many wonderful places in which to 'meet and greet'.<BR><BR>The same cannot be said for Ballantine Pier which is about two K's East of Canada Place and to get there you go through the grungiest part of Vancouver. And the Ballantine area itself is pure Industrial waterfront. About one third of the ships dock there and the best suggestion for 'meeting and greeting' is to drive to the pier, (there's ample parking), and pick your friend up and get yourself to a nicer area in which to do your communicating.

kodi

Thaks very much Gary. I'll have to fine out where her ship is docking. Hopefully it will be at the Canada Place Centre. Any particular spot you can recommend that would be easy for my friend to find.. or a spot where I can see them disembarking?<BR>Thanks again.<BR>

gary

The ships generally dock around 7AM and the passengers are let off over the next 4 hours or so in order of urgency, (e.g. if they have morning flights or like your friend are staying in the city), so she probably won't be disembarked till around 11AM. You can park under Canada Place and up top there is a promenade right around Canada Place where you can stroll right alongside the ships. If you tell your friend you'll be alongside her ship at , say 9AM, she can talk to you from the ship and tell you when she's being disembarked. The Canada Place area is truly delightful so if you have to wait a couple of hours for her to get off you won't be bored. <BR><BR>The disembarkation area is down below where the parking lot is so you can pick her and her bags up there. One of the city's main tourist atrractions, (traps?), - Gastown-is only a block from Canada Place and has some delightful restaurants and shops where you can stroll.<BR><BR>Parking under Canada Place is pricey so maybe you'll want to move your car out of there once you pick her up and go park elsewhere. Be careful where you park though because car breakins are rampant in Vancouver.

kodi

Gary,<BR>Thank you so very much for the help and for taking the time to write so much info. I really appreciate it.<BR>I haven't ween my friend for a number of years , so it will be very exciting watching for her.<BR>Thanks again.