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Trip Reports

Dan, AJK here and here , Chapshnell, UshDadude, sam28, YudiG, Tzfas, mochada, jagstangz, Neil, dpk4588, BKYW, tzifanya54, stever, mordechain, nafnaf12, SLMYRCB, Friars500


Flight Options (as of 04/18)

Cathay Pacific flies directly to/from JFK (777-300ER).         

Final date for this route, 02/23/20

Economy:
12.5K BA OW
17.5K AS OW
20K CX OW (30K RT)

Premium Economy:
25K BA OW
20K AS OW
24K CX OW (36K RT)

Business Class:
37.5K BA OW
25K AS OW
25K CX OW (50K RT)

First Class:
50K BA OW
35K AS OW
40K CX OW (70K RT)
Air Canada flies directly to/from EWR (787-800).
Economy:
12.5K SQ, UA, AC OW

Premium Economy:
20K AC OW

Business Class:
20K SQ OW
25K UA, AC OW

There is also a Delta flight direct to/from JFK in the summer months (prices vary as expected from Delta).   

DP01 (07/13): CX availability becomes better closer to the flight. (MEIR613)
DP02 (04/18): CX availability disappears 3-5 days out on BA and AS. (SLMYRCB)
DP03 (08/18): CX availability can only show up on BA or AS if there is more than 1 seat remaining, if it's only 1 seat, it will only be available on CX.com Use CX.com to see actual # of seats available. (@Yehuda)


Food - BC Kosher List

Cafe Forty One (dairy - cholov yisrael) formerly Shuk Eat/Play
5750 Oak Street
Vancouver, BC
V6M 2V9, Canada
Tel: 604-563-4141
Delivery Service via Skip The Dishes (Fairmont Pacific Rim is not within the deliverable area)
"Really great, everything tasty good value, best Caesar Salad ever, and order pizza in advance for good "camp" like homemade yummyness." (shiframeir)
"Nice selection of pastries in addition to their dairy menu. The pizzas and sandwiches are very good." (SLMYRCB)

Nava Creative Cusine (dairy/pareve - non cholov yisrael)
950 West 41st Avenue
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 676-7579
Located at the JCC - right around corner from Cafe Forty One

Omnitsky's Kosher (meat)
5775 Oak Street,
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 321-1818
Just across the street from Cafe Forty One

Sabra Bakery (meat)
3844 Oak Street
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 733-4912
Two miles down Oak Street near the Sharei Tzedek Shul

Maple Grill (meat)
1967 W Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V6J 1Z3, Canada
Tel: (604) 568-4885

Mount Royal Bagels - North Vancouver
701 Queensbury Ave
North Vancouver, BC
V7L 3V9, Canada
Tel: (604) 904-1116

Real Canadian Superstore
Marine Drive
Has kosher products

Kosher Food Warehouse
612 Kingsway (rear)
Vancouver, BC
Tel: (604) 709-9889


Shabbos

Chabad Downtown - walkable from many hotels, no Eruv, Shacharis on Shabbos followed by Kiddush, Friday night Minyan last weekend each month.
TheKollel - in the community, yes Eruv, Holiday Inn Vancouver Centre only points hotel in the Eruv, Airbnb options, all Minyanim, free Shabbos meals. Some hotels downtown (outside the Eruv) are about an hour walk.
Eruv - https://goo.gl/maps/D2oLBC39GT72


Activities

Stanley park - trolley, rent bikes at Bayshore Bike/Spokes/lots of other places (Westin Bayshore provides 2 hours of free bikes), playground/water are, 9 o'clock gun
Aquarium in Stanley Park
Capilano suspension bridge - also tree walk and cliff walk
Capilano Salmon Hatchery
Lynn Canyon suspension bridge and hikes (Twin Falls, 30 Foot Pool) - free
Grouse Mountain - gondola up, can take chairlift even higher, then an elevator to top of windmill, view of Vancouver, ziplining, parasailing, lumberjack show, see grizzly bears, Grouse Grind - way to hike up the mountain instead
Granville island - market, street performers, kayaking, stand up paddleboat, false creek ferries, brewery tour, kids play area, rent a boat, can bike to here
Seaplane around Vancouver harbor or to Whistler -  http://www.harbour-air.com/index.php 
Whale watching
Victoria Island - ferry to the island/back, Butchart Gardens (expensive, underwhelming), Miniature World, Fisherman's Wharf, oldest Synagogue in Canada. Victoria seems to be very expensive, ferry $30, to bring a car $100, gardens $30.
Bowen Island
Seabus - cheap ferry across harbor and back
Deep Cove kayaking
UBC Garden - Greenheart TreeWalk (look for Groupon)
Zoo
Harbor boat tours - boatrent.ca, Harbor Cruises was terrible - dpk4588
Sea wall
Watch sea planes
Cypress Mountain
Seymour Mountain
Art Museum
Science center imax
Pacific Center Mall
See Olympic torch
"Tour Guys" free walking tour
Rivers to see salmon spawn (swim upstream)
Robson street
Denman street
Vancouver Convention Center - Olympics memorabilia
Kitsilano Beach
Kids Bowl Free
Takaya golf centre
Poets cove
Elizabeth gardens
Van dusen gardens - better than Elizabeth gardens
Canada Place - fly over canada ride experience
Brittania Mine Museum
Vancouver Lookout
Gastown - steam clock
Chinatown
Yaletown
http://scenicrush.com/ - exotic car drive up the Sea to sky highway
Dr SunYatSen Chinese Garden (Dan and a DDFer said not worth it)
Free Chinese Garden
Lighthouse park
Safari Eco Boat Tour and Seaplane flight  Sewellsmarina.com

On the way to Whistler: (see Whistler Master Thread)
Sea to sky highway
Sea to sky gondola in Squamish, can hike up and take gondola down
River rafting in Squamish
Shannon Falls
Brandywine Falls
Panorama Ridge Hike in Lake Garibaldi in between Squamish and Whistler

« Last edited by pointer on February 16, 2020, 11:32:24 PM »

Author Topic: Vancouver Master Thread  (Read 275916 times)

Offline Suz

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #600 on: June 23, 2015, 08:00:34 PM »
Meaning if it's on Cathay but not BA then it cannot be booked with AA miles?

Very possible.  But if its available on BA then it's available with AA points.

Offline reed

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #601 on: June 23, 2015, 08:04:16 PM »
Very possible.  But if its available on BA then it's available with AA points.

Sure but if BA is coming up empty would it not be prudent to check Cathays website for availability?

Offline Suz

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #602 on: June 23, 2015, 08:08:49 PM »
Sure but if BA is coming up empty would it not be prudent to check Cathays website for availability?

No, not if you are using AA points. Also, I find availability opens closer to departure date....especially for first class.  Are you looking for biz or first?  To Vancouver?  Busy in summertime due to cruises.

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #603 on: June 23, 2015, 10:28:54 PM »
Meaning if it's on Cathay but not BA then it cannot be booked with AA miles?
IME yes aa was a direct reflection of Ba availability.

Offline reed

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #604 on: June 23, 2015, 10:40:44 PM »
You're all missing the point. Yes, I understand that being on BA means it will also show up on AA. My question is there a possibility that if there is availability on CX but not on BA is there any chance that it can be booked with AA points?

Offline efflpetzel

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #605 on: June 23, 2015, 10:43:38 PM »
You're all missing the point. Yes, I understand that being on BA means it will also show up on AA. My question is there a possibility that if there is availability on CX but not on BA is there any chance that it can be booked with AA points?
No.

Offline Suz

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #606 on: June 23, 2015, 10:46:31 PM »
You're all missing the point. Yes, I understand that being on BA means it will also show up on AA. My question is there a possibility that if there is availability on CX but not on BA is there any chance that it can be booked with AA points?

We aren't missing the point.   Why don't you just call AA and see if they can book it if you see availability on CX since we all answered your question. 

Offline ddfried

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #607 on: June 23, 2015, 11:11:38 PM »
We aren't missing the point.   Why don't you just call AA and see if they can book it if you see availability on CX since we all answered your question.
And for that we sat "experience is the best teacher"

Offline tzifanya54

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #608 on: June 23, 2015, 11:38:17 PM »
IME yes aa was a direct reflection of Ba availability.
You're all missing the point. Yes, I understand that being on BA means it will also show up on AA. My question is there a possibility that if there is availability on CX but not on BA is there any chance that it can be booked with AA points?
Direct reflection-translation: If it appears on ba it can be booked by aa, if it doesn't appear it can't be booked with aa. Which part wasn't clear?

Offline reed

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #609 on: June 26, 2015, 12:57:21 AM »
Ahh found availabilty on DL

Offline ddfried

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #610 on: July 01, 2015, 01:43:10 PM »
Direct reflection-translation: If it appears on ba it can be booked by aa, if it doesn't appear it can't be booked with aa. Which part wasn't clear?
How about availability on aa can it be booked with avios??

Offline D93

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #611 on: July 01, 2015, 01:47:24 PM »
How about availability on aa can it be booked with avios??
Availability on AA over the phone? Yes.

AA.com doesn't show CX availability.

Offline ddfried

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #612 on: July 01, 2015, 04:35:48 PM »
Availability on AA over the phone? Yes.

AA.com doesn't show CX availability.
Through aa or ba?? Aa can't and ba doesn't have availability..

Offline Marco Polo

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #613 on: July 01, 2015, 04:47:20 PM »
Through aa or ba?? Aa can't and ba doesn't have availability..
If you see saver on AA, you can call BA to book it.
Quaerite et Invenietis.

Offline D93

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #614 on: July 01, 2015, 04:48:47 PM »
Through aa or ba?? Aa can't and ba doesn't have availability..
You can book CX through AA and BA.
AA.com doesn't show CX flights. Search on BA.com, and if you see availability, either book on BA.com using Avios or call AA to book it using AA miles.

If you see saver on AA, you can call BA to book it.
You will never see CX on AA.com

Offline Marco Polo

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #615 on: July 01, 2015, 04:50:03 PM »
English?
You will never see CX on AA.com
I didn't scroll that far up...
Quaerite et Invenietis.

Offline D93

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #616 on: July 01, 2015, 04:50:58 PM »
I didn't scroll that far up...
Figured  :)

Offline rileywiles23

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Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #617 on: July 01, 2015, 05:53:40 PM »
How many miles does AA charge for first nyc-Yvn ?
Life is as good as you make it...

Offline D93

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #618 on: July 01, 2015, 05:59:06 PM »
How many miles does AA charge for first nyc-Yvn ?
You mean YVR? 32.5k

Offline Chapshnell

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Re: Vancouver Master Thread
« Reply #619 on: July 01, 2015, 06:25:36 PM »
You mean YVR? 32.5k

CX via asia miles charges 30k IIRC, if you want the best option...