Two Weeks in Three Styles

Other Features

Once checked into our cabin, we departed to see the Gastown section of Vancouver which is adjacent to the cruise ship dock area.

It was one of those fast-glance kinds of tours in that we had to be back at the ship within an hour and a half.

Of all the sights in Gastown, the most memorable was the steam clock. Every quarter hour it hisses steam and plays to the crowd.

We returned to our room to freshen up a bit. While Diann was in the bathroom, I enjoyed being introduced to the pleasures of the room’s private balcony.

My view was across the harbor to North Vancouver with rising mountains behind. In my foreground, a red bodied float plane began its takeoff.

Then more float planes used the water as a runway for arrival and departure. It was spectacular to be on board, to be surrounded by the luxury of the ship and to have such a dynamic view unfolding. And the trip was just beginning!

We left the privacy of our stateroom and found the stern of the ship to be alive with passengers awaiting the departure.

Diann chose to get a margarita at the pool side bar. Wearing a blue sun-suit, she sat on a blue and white striped lounge chair and looked out onto the vista of Vancouver harbor.

Her face showed the awe, and the appreciation she was experiencing for having the privilege of being there at that moment.

It was the same as I had felt while on the balcony. It would be a feeling which would reoccur often for us as the Alaska trip unfolded.

A couple we had met while on layover at the Dallas Airport was on the Vollendam, which was easing out of its berth. We could see it’s departure as our ship moved toward the bridge from Stanley Park. We would play tag with the Vollendam along the way, but we never again encountered the couple.

Passing under the suspension bridge, we had attempted to cross on foot the prior day, gave us an appreciation for just how far we had walked before being picked up by the bus. The bridge faded as our attention changed to the shore.

We returned to our room and as usual, Diann took first turn in the head. I took my position on our balcony and took a number of photos while the view "slid" by.

At 8:25PM a piano player rambled on the keys as we waited for the doors to dining in the Marquisa Room to open.  I observe and keep notes.

We were on the port side of deck level five and I noted that the windows had a slight amount of dried salt spray on them.

Overhead the polished metal ceiling of the room is highlighted by circles of birch. It is the look of modern luxury.

Across from us was a lady with a sensually large lower lip. She stood out as much for her black hat and red blouse as anything. I dub her- the hat girl.

Our first dinner was a seafood medley in puff pastry and a prime rib steak. The flavor was good though the pastry was a little thicker than my preference.

Coffee, cheese cake, and Grand Mariner was desert. As we finished diner, we were passed by the Valendam.

Tuesday we were fogged in. After breakfast, we napped until almost noon and awoke to see the sun out and mountains in the distance.

Gray tones- everything looked gray. The water, the rocks, and the mountains all blended into grays.

The sun set at 10:30Pm and the clouds were excellent for colors. Diann and I went to bed around 11:30.

At 3AM on Wednesday morning, Diann awoke to go to the bathroom which in turn got me up. The sliver of the "old man moon" was over the mountains. The sky was a pinkish color merged with a deep gray-blue. I was neither awake nor asleep.

Using timed photography, I was able to capture the moment. I changed lens on the 35mm camera and took a number of timed exposures. The digital didn’t perform well for the task when I tried it.

The ship was moving, but very slowly- we must have been close to Ketchikan. My feeling was of being strangely alert and tired at the same time. Knowing that I needed rest, I dropped off to sleep again.

Breakfast was delivered at 7:15 Wednesday morning so we were able to eat what we wanted and not have to leave our room. Fog enshrouded scenery passed as we munched on ham, hash browns and egg omelet. Toooooooooooo much fun!

Hip hop jam was on channel 33. The other music selection was elevator jazz.

The balcony turned out to be a worthwhile expense as the full width plate glass wall provides a view without having to be outside.

More noticeable when trying to type parts of this feature, the ship took little "jerkies" from the water. The ship’s TV indicated seas were going to be 4 to 8 feet today though swells look only 2 feet at most when reported.

We glided by an island with a lighthouse complex on the hillside. I would not have been surprised to have seen a red channel marker but the lighthouse was neat to see gliding by our personal window on the scene.

In selecting the cabin, I had paid attention to the ship's direction for the trip and had realized that the starboard side would yield the most land based scenery.

It was 52 degrees outside at 8AM with the wind blowing "force 4" due to the ships travel speed. I was glad to be able to sit and write in the comfort of our room.

I tried my cell phone as we approached Ketchikan. Sure enough it connected and thereby saved me at lease $80 on the phone call to the office in Hickory. Don’t bother with the ship’s long distance service. At $11 a minute and with poor reception- it isn’t worth it. Time your calls for being in port.

                    Link To Ketchikan Page