Jump to content

      



























Photo

Victoria tourism issues and discussion


  • Please log in to reply
3426 replies to this topic

#1601 VicHockeyFan

VicHockeyFan
  • Suspended User
  • 52,121 posts

Posted 06 August 2014 - 09:16 AM

Overheard on Government at Yates:

 

"Wow, this place reminds me of Rodeo Drive."

"Yeah, weird how it looks like LA here."

 

Overheard on Government at Johnson:

"They've got quite the large downtown. I didn't think it would be this big and busy."

 

I guess for some people, especially those arriving by ship, they don't really do much research on this place.  It's like they discover us by accident.  I don't know, I guess that's good and bad.  I've been to Rodeo Drive, I'm not sure about that comparison.

 

Can anyone that's been on an Alaska cruise comment, how much info is around the ship or in your cabin about Victoria?


<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#1602 Greg

Greg
  • Member
  • 3,362 posts

Posted 06 August 2014 - 09:35 AM

Overheard on Government at Yates:

 

"Wow, this place reminds me of Rodeo Drive."

"Yeah, weird how it looks like LA here."

 

Overheard on Government at Johnson:

"They've got quite the large downtown. I didn't think it would be this big and busy."

 

If you have previously stopped on the cruise at Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway, then Victoria is a huge downtown.

 

As far as Rodeo Drive, the only plausible explanation is a passenger from Kansas whose only other trip out of the midwest was to LA. :)


  • Nparker likes this

#1603 aastra

aastra
  • Member
  • 20,649 posts

Posted 06 August 2014 - 09:40 AM

Many years ago I walked past some shutterbugs who were photographing the Eaton's Centre, and right then and there it occurred to them that the entire facade was just a replica. I'm not sure why I still remember this moment so vividly. I suppose it impressed me that tourists might be so savvy in this regard.



#1604 Nparker

Nparker
  • Member
  • 40,394 posts

Posted 06 August 2014 - 09:50 AM

Can anyone that's been on an Alaska cruise comment, how much info is around the ship or in your cabin about Victoria?

The Alaska cruise I took did not stop in Victoria. Our cruise began in Vancouver so we started in a "foreign" port.



#1605 Nparker

Nparker
  • Member
  • 40,394 posts

Posted 06 August 2014 - 09:54 AM

Many years ago I walked past some shutterbugs who were photographing the Eaton's Centre, and right then and there it occurred to them that the entire facade was just a replica. I'm not sure why I still remember this moment so vividly...

Much of "Old Town" in Warsaw (Poland) is a relatively recent (post-WWII) "replica". Of course, I suppose being re-built after a war is of more historical significance than redevelopment as an enclosed shopping centre.



#1606 HB

HB
  • Banned
  • 7,975 posts

Posted 06 August 2014 - 10:17 PM

There is a lot of info on each town.

 

The Shore Excursion team under the direction of the Shore Excursion manager markets each stop to the tourists.

It is done at the shore excursion counter in person, via pamphlets and in the theatre where talks are given along with videos and stills of each town and all the attraction that are marketed.

 

Passeneger are givenn the info on Victoria 2 days before arrival. They must decide by 24 hours pre arrivalat port.

 

When the shore excursion team has the numbers they call ahead to a transportation mangagement company (Such as TMS) who then utilises local carriers and operators.

 

Each venue willl then be given numbers as will the bus companys and others directly involved.

The ship gets a commision too

 

TMS used to be the local organizer


Edited by History Buff, 07 August 2014 - 05:27 AM.


#1607 VicHockeyFan

VicHockeyFan
  • Suspended User
  • 52,121 posts

Posted 07 August 2014 - 05:09 AM

^That all sounds right.  Some local friends of mine just came back from an Alaska tour that started in Seattle, but they made prior arrangements to get off and stay off here.  So they did not pay much attention to the Victoria info, but they said they got it 48 hours prior in their mailbox. 

 

And yes, the Wilson's GM tells me that they work with a shore excursion company (that is independent of the cruise ship, but has contracts with them all) that takes all the risk - ie. they order buses and drivers, and Wilson's charges them time and equipment.  If the bus only has 6 people on it to Butchart Gardens, Wilson's still make the same profit, as when it has 44 people on it.  But Wilson's has to be flexible, they might need 3 buses today, 6 tomorrow and only 2 Monday.  


<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#1608 HB

HB
  • Banned
  • 7,975 posts

Posted 07 August 2014 - 05:45 AM

The Shore excursion comapny that has the contract for Cruise passenegers in Victoria is called Intercruises their website is here ..    http://www.intercruises.com/

 

Shore excursions booked onboarad through the cruise lines tend to be far more expensive than if a person were to walk off the ship and hire a taxi etc or take public transport to their desired location.

 

Passenegers are generally treated like cattle and herded from place to place. If a shore excursion is cancelled at the last moment due to low numbers or a host of other reasons that can crop up the passenegr may not have any other trips to take from teh ship because they fill up fast.

 

It is far better in my opinion to research each destination before your cruise and decide where you want to go and what you want to see.

Taxi drivers van drivers etc can help people get places faster and also know of other place to see as well.

 

A chartered bus will go from A to B and thats it.

 

Bus drivers and Yes Victoria bus drivers and yes ones who  work for Wilsons tend to be racist against Asians and it is evidident when Asians are coming off ships in large number.

 

You will hear lots of grumbling and sad faces if you stand in the areas when the buses are being loaded.

I have personally heard some pretty harsh racist words from bus drivers down there and it is all to do with the fact that Asians tend not to tip.

I heard a Wilson driver last year blurt out loud infront of passenegers boarding his bus " Why am I getting all the Asians" The Shore Excursuion manager who was in teh area reported it to the shore excursion company on shore who then dealt with it via Wilsons but nothing semed to happen becasue Wilsons has a hard time getting enough drivers each year to fill the drivers seats of the buses.

 

There is a large mark up on tours compared to if you walk off the boat and make your own way to the destisnation and this is true in many places in the world.

 

Everyone involved in the shore excursions wants your money and they get it when you book from on board.


Edited by History Buff, 07 August 2014 - 05:46 AM.


#1609 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,167 posts

Posted 07 August 2014 - 06:57 AM

Bus drivers and Yes Victoria bus drivers and yes ones who  work for Wilsons tend to be racist against Asians and it is evidident when Asians are coming off ships in large number.

 

You will hear lots of grumbling and sad faces if you stand in the areas when the buses are being loaded.

I have personally heard some pretty harsh racist words from bus drivers down there and it is all to do with the fact that Asians tend not to tip.

I heard a Wilson driver last year blurt out loud infront of passenegers boarding his bus " Why am I getting all the Asians" The Shore Excursuion manager who was in teh area reported it to the shore excursion company on shore who then dealt with it via Wilsons but nothing semed to happen becasue Wilsons has a hard time getting enough drivers each year to fill the drivers seats of the buses.

 

Jeepers HB, one minute you're calling cruise passengers crass and cheap because some may not want to tip primarily Asian service workers on board the cruise ships, then you're calling presumably non-Asian bus drivers racist because they dislike large groups of Asian cruise ship passengers who you suggest are known in the industry as very poor tippers.

 

Bit of bias there, maybe?


Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#1610 HB

HB
  • Banned
  • 7,975 posts

Posted 07 August 2014 - 07:26 AM

I only post my obsevations of the local industry

I stated a favt earlier and that fact was that passengets are required to pay yhe tip which is added to their final bill before disembarkation


There is no way ouy


As for tipping your onboard bartender that's your choice and has nothing to do with the final bill

#1611 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,167 posts

Posted 07 August 2014 - 07:30 AM

I think you're inserting far more personal bias into your observations than you may realize.


Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#1612 Baro

Baro
  • Member
  • 4,317 posts

Posted 07 August 2014 - 12:52 PM

I had no idea you were supposed to tip a bus driver.


"beats greezy have baked donut-dough"

#1613 HB

HB
  • Banned
  • 7,975 posts

Posted 07 August 2014 - 01:47 PM

Which side do you feel I am biased

#1614 aastra

aastra
  • Member
  • 20,649 posts

Posted 08 August 2014 - 05:59 PM

Bard and Banker:

 

 

After leaving the Bengal Lounge we were strolling the streets of Victoria looking to do a little bar hopping. Maybe we chose the wrong street but we couldn't find a bar for the life of us...

 

 

This was the only bar we found on our wandering from the Empress hotel so we grabbed a few drinks here...


Edited by aastra, 08 August 2014 - 06:00 PM.


#1615 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,167 posts

Posted 08 August 2014 - 07:38 PM

That's gotta be fake right?

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#1616 LJ

LJ
  • Member
  • 12,701 posts

Posted 09 August 2014 - 07:17 PM

Yeah, even if they turned the wrong way out of the Bengal and went into James Bay they would have eventually come across the JBI.

But you would have to be pretty drunk to think that looked like a more promising venue than going north up Government.


Life's a journey......so roll down the window and enjoy the breeze.

#1617 aastra

aastra
  • Member
  • 20,649 posts

Posted 13 August 2014 - 11:04 AM

Those comments are from two different reviews. Might have been part of the same group but I'm not sure. Anyway, let's add "not enough places to drink" to the list of deficiencies in downtown Victoria.

 

By the way, the Rialto Hotel has been getting no end of very good reviews and the pictures of the rooms and such seem to back it all up. For some reason I had no idea.



#1618 Hotel Mike

Hotel Mike

    Hotel Mike

  • Member
  • 2,234 posts

Posted 13 August 2014 - 11:19 AM

^

Just had an old friend who stayed at the Rialto, a guy who could afford higher end. He liked it a lot. Said the staff was extremely friendly, and the room was great.


Don't be so sure.:cool:

#1619 Mike K.

Mike K.
  • Administrator
  • 83,167 posts

Posted 13 August 2014 - 01:30 PM

They do everything right at Rialto. It's a classy place for sure.

Know it all.
Citified.ca is Victoria's most comprehensive research resource for new-build homes and commercial spaces.


#1620 HB

HB
  • Banned
  • 7,975 posts

Posted 13 August 2014 - 05:00 PM

We stayed at the Surf Motel on Dallas on Sat night and that place is a hidden Gem right in the open
Retro building retro inside to
Very clean and the best view to wake up to in Victoria
All rooms face the Ocean

Edited by History Buff, 13 August 2014 - 05:01 PM.


You're not quite at the end of this discussion topic!

Use the page links at the lower-left to go to the next page to read additional posts.
 



0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users