Sailing into the harbor in Vancouver in the darkness of early morning is always a treat if you are willing to get up early. Since today is debarkation day, it was necessary for the majority of guests to be ready to go off starting before 8am. In transit folks like us could stay onboard for a little longer before debarking for the "zero clearance" count. We have been told that the upcoming 5-day coastal cruise is not sold out, and there have been some good deals out there to fill the ship. We expect a gambling/booze cruise, as some of these shorter treks become. There will be 722 total guests, where 300 will stay onward for the 56-day Tales of the South Pacific, while 422 folks will get off in San Diego. So with these numbers, about half of the rooms will be filled.
The Zaandam was bunkering fuel and loading supplies by the time we exited at 9:15am. The Coral Princess was also docked here, but she will be heading towards Seattle and not back to Alaska we understand. All aboard for us was 3:30pm, and it was recommended for those in transit to arrive back at the terminal at 2pm in order to have sufficient time to clear customs. We hoped there would not be a back-up like we have seen on past trips, but you cannot take a chance by returning later.
If you have more time here in Vancouver, the Big Bus (or Hop on – Hop off bus) offers tours to some major attractions including ferries to Victoria and Butchart Gardens, Whistler, The Capilano Suspension Bridge, and Grouse Mountain. And of course there are day city trips with 14 stops which start at $63 for 24 hours. We have done this in the past and saw a lot in a few days.
Following our usual path, we walked the Seawall with mostly locals who were out and about enjoying the pleasant morning or exercising their dogs. Commuters were arriving by floatplanes, and some boat owners were busy with the constant cleaning of their vessels. We made it as far as the beginning of Stanley Park but turned around knowing that we could take our time making it back to the terminal later. One stop was made at the Rexall Drug Store where we re-stocked our room snacks. Nuts and pub mix were on top of the list as well as some over-the-counter meds. The prices here in Vancouver were better than in Alaska, especially with the conversion.
Lunch was at 11:30am at the Steamworks Brewery once again. The restaurant was not filled, but the outdoor tables were occupied quickly. The weather was so nice today, and the locals took advantage of that. Ordering our usual Hawaiian pizza, one Lions Gate draft beer, and a soda, we finished the meal with a shared caramel apple galette. This is a specially-made treat baked fresh on the spot and can only be found here.
We had some spare time to head deeper into Gastown, one of the iconic spots in town. Many people filled the cafes and outdoor eateries while listening to the singing of a young "busker" or street corner entertainer. He was actually pretty good. One of the highlights in Gastown is the old steam clock that still works. Then we attempted to go to Chinatown, which was nearby, but there simply was not enough time.
Arriving back to the cruise terminal, we were pleasantly surprised to find no huge crowds there checking in with customs. Passing through x-ray, then completing the facial recognition, we were back onboard by 1:30pm. And guess what we had waiting for us in our room? Canapies, chocolate-covered strawberries, two bottles of sparkling wine (one on ice), a new fruit basket and our President's Club amenity of sodas for both of us…..compliments of the Mariner Society. The fourth time was a charm. We also had an invite for another exclusive gathering for the Mariners with 3,4, and 5 stars as well as President's Club members in the Crow's Nest once again. This event on the last three Alaska cruises was minimal with a dozen folks in attendance. Today was a different story. The entire venue was closed off and the place was wall-to-wall guests. Many of them were beginning the full 56-day journey like us. Two other President's Club members were there, as well as several star Mariners we recognized. Clare, our cruise director, asked if she could announce our names in her welcome talk and we said it was fine with us. The same was asked of the other couple and they also agreed as long as their names were pronounced correctly. The affair began at 1:45pm and lasted well beyond 3pm.
Captain Smit came on with the emergency drill reminder at 3:30pm. The new guests had to scan their room cards on the promenade deck, but we did not have to repeat that since we did it just 3 weeks ago. When we reach San Diego, there will be a "real" muster drill and all of us will have to go. The ship pulled away from Vancouver Place right on time, and we sailed under the Lions Gate Bridge for the final time this cruise. The Captain turned left instead of right, and the trek to San Francisco began. Later in the evening, we had 25 knot winds and an 8 foot swell. The Canadian pilot was dropped off as we neared Victoria on Vancouver Island at 10pm.
When we entered the upper dining room at 7:45pm as we always do, we found the place looked like a ghost town. Even deck four was about empty. It makes a difference having only half of the crowd, and our waiters admitted that the early seating was not full. We can tell you where the passengers were after dinner. That was in the bars, lounges, and casino. But mostly the casino where many were seriously gambling and too many were smoking. One good thing is that if you want to avoid the cigarette smoke, then you can get to the dining room on deck 5 by passing through the Shops on the starboard side.
The menu had not changed from the last few weeks. We ordered starters of salad, a seafood cocktail, tomatoes with mozzarella cheese, and an excellent hot bowl of the best chicken noodle soup so far. It was full of pulled chicken bits, carrots and celery al dente, and plenty of vermicelli pasta. Mains were one pork medallion meal and one alternate sirloin steak with crispy French fries. Dessert was watermelon and a berry tart. A good start to the Legendary Cruise.
Bill & Mary Ann
