Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC

The next few posts show some photos taken on my morning 8-10 mile walk through Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia before boarding my ship.

Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC

Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC

Fairmont Waterfront Hotel

For years I have been booking my Alaska cruise clients in the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel and finally I get to stay here.  I was upgraded to a King Deluxe Suite Room.   As you can see I have a living room and a separate bedroom.  You can also see the Vancouver Bay view I have.   The other photos show how close the Canada Place Cruise Terminal is from the hotel.  In the morning I will simply walk across the street and board my cruise ship.  I've also included an exterior of the hotel, taken from the cruise terminal.  I give this hotel a 5 out of 5!

Vancouver Arrival

I have been to Vancouver many times. But something was new on this visit! There is now a train that goes from the airport to the Waterfront and points inbetween. Forget taxis and transfers! This is the way to go. For $10 CAD I got off my flight, got my bags, walked about 200 yards and entered the train. It took me directly to my hotel. I sat in the very front seat of the train. You can see the photos and one of the underground stations. Very clean. Very quiet. Very nice addition to Vancouver.

Beam Me Up, Scotty

Those of you who know me know that traveling is in my blood. I enjoy almost every part of visiting the seven continents….except the “getting there” part. How I wish we could be like the Star Trek crew where all we have to do is beam ourselves to the starting point and from the ending point of our trips.


As a person with a strong marketing and advertising background I often question how the airlines care so little about customer service. It is always remarkable to me when I find an airline employee who treats me like they really care about me. When I was a kid, everyone seemed to smile and act as though they wanted this flight to be your best yet. Unfortunately that is gone.


I apologize to my clients for their air endeavors. I have no control over airline policies and procedures. In fact I book them as a courtesy to my clients. They don’t even pay us as travel agents any more. As I hear clients tell me stories about “flying” adventures please note that not only have I heard them all…I’ve lived them all.


There was the 12-day luxury cruise when I had 40 clients with me and the airlines lost my bags…not for two days…for all 12 days of the cruise! Each time I called the airline I got someone reading from the same script. I resorted to, “Pretend it is YOU who is on a cruise and have no clothes to wear? How would YOU feel if no one would help you?” They always went back to their script. If one person had gone to the lost baggage room in the Milan airport like I suggested they would have seen my bag there on day two.


Just today as I checked in to this flight I’m on as I type this, I was told my bag was three pounds overweight. I was going to be charged $50 extra for the three pounds. So I had to open up my bag at the ticket counter and remove a pair of shoes…put it in my carryon and then re-submit my luggage. How ridiculous is that?


I could make this a record blog entry with regard to length but I think you get my point.

Alaska Bound

Well...here I go again.  I'm headed off to board the Celebrity Millennium for a 7-night Alaska cruise from Vancouver to Anchorge.  This is my seventh or eighth trip to Alaska so I've seen it all before...but I can't get enough of this great place.  Hopefully I will help those who read my blog with an Alaska cruise some day soon.