Seattle,WA USA and home!

Up early to watch us come into port... hey it's the last day so why not :-) I went upstairs for some pictures and then headed to the promenade for our morning coffees (Seems I have not pulled my weight when it comes to getting said coffee... but Kelly is always up earlier... )

We slowly eased our way into the Smith Cruise Ship Terminal and once moored, the action began with fueling, garbage & baggage coming off, and more food going on. The ship will head out at 17:00 for a four day local cruise to Nanaimo and Victoria then start it's Alaska summer schedule.

Sun about to come up!

Downtown Seattle.

We showered up and got our bags finally packed up.  We tipped our Cabin Attendant Meetoua and thanked him for the great service he provided.  We then meet up with the Orr's at the Art Gallery at 7 AM to self disembark. We went down at 06:50 to beat them... didn't work!

After checking my bill we headed off the ship... no line up... just walked off ship without stopping.  Love the self disembark program! The plan was to grab a cab (van) and get our bags and four people to the Sea-Tac airport asap. Seems everyone else had the same idea so we ended up in a limo shuttle with another couple. Beat the rush and away we went.

Breakfast at the airport then a couple hour sit until our flight. We took Horizon's Q400 and arrived at our door at 13:20. Done! Cathy and Bryan headed home.

Kris had the lawns cut, patio furnature cleaned and arranged, deck washed, cars wash and the beer keg filled. What a son!  Even had a plant for Mother's day from the kids.

We should go away more often!

Sea Day #14

Our last day on the ship. The trip has been a great experience for us with visits to many new places but it's time for the dreaded packing of bags! We are both looking forward to getting home as this is the longest we have been away... a month!

We plan to self disembarking in the morning.... this is when we take our own luggage off the ship and then head to the airport for our flight to Victoria.  Much better than trying to find your bag onshore! So remember to NOT put our bags outside the cabin tonight!

I am a bit under the weather with a bug of some sort but will power through today. I did manage to text my mom in St. Albert a "Happy Mother's Day" message but they were off to the horse races with family! Nice!

We stopped the packing and went to see Leo Ward, our magician from last night, do some slight of hand in the Palace Theater. Again he dazzled the audience with his illusions.

Next was some lunch in the Windjammer buffet and then a walk on the pool deck. Lots of Australians bundled up in parka's as we sat in the warm sun in our shorts. Hey we are Canadian:-)

Position report...

Familiar territory!!

Back in the room to finish up the packing and then we just chilled on the deck. It was very nice as the weather has warmed up considerable.

Chillin on the deck.

Kelly preps while I watch hockey.

Headliner Show was a comedienne named Bruce Gold along with the ship's dance team and band. Got to admit that the live music the band put out night after night was excellent. These folks seemed to just gel with every act that came on the ship.

Dinner is at Chops Grill tonight as we used up the last of our Specialty Restaurant package. Perfect timing. We joined Jane, Ross, Cathy and Bryan for our final meal of the trip. Kelly ordered the Bacon Slab, Seafood Tower, and Petite Fillet for starters... just kidding... it was her whole meal. 

Tower of seafood!

Sunset

After dinner we stopped at the casino to cash in our chips (also gave our donation) and then headed up to the top deck to watch Victoria go by...  Here is a look down from the 13th deck to Deck 3.. ten stories!

Long way down.

Using Google maps, we plotted our position and from the deck, watch the City Of Victoria drift by our left side.  We dock early in the AM and will head to the airport for our flight home.

Sea Day #13

Only a couple more days left of the cruise... it's a bit of deja vu for us as the days seem to blend in and repeat themselves.

Coffee's thanks to Kelly as she was up at 8am this morning. I showered and headed off to see the Art Auction... for something to do while she got ready.  I watched a bit of it then went downstairs and watched the rehearsal for the Karaoke Final later today.

Kelly was off to sewing so I headed up to the Jammer for some lunch. After that it was back down for the Karaoke Final in the Palace Theater where Kelly joined me. It was very good with six singers belting out various songs in front of three judges.  Well done considering these folks are amateurs.

We cut out just before the finished as we had our final Black Jack Tournament at 14:00.   We had fun but did not make the final table this time. oh well.. next cruise:-)

Next was the final Forensic Lecture on the Perfect Crime. It featured a few idea's from guests on how to commit and get away with a murder. Several people came up and explained how they would do it... a bit macabre but interesting. One lady's idea even seemed possible!!

Back at the cabin we got a message from Jennifer and Craig (our dinner friends) to see if we were interested in seeing their Junior Suite. We said yes and headed up to their place. Very spacious as it was also a "high accessibility" cabin for someone who was in a mobility device.  We showed them our cabin as well.  Their cabin won, our deck won :-)

We watched the hockey game in the room as we relaxed before our final Formal night on board the ship.

Headliner Show is a magician Leo Ward who also does comedy. He was very good as he started with some amazing illusions making some some items, like a cane, disappear. He later moved on to making a grown woman disappear... great stuff.

Next was a stop at Dizzy's for a pre-dinner drink and then on to the Dining Room for our last night with the table guests (We have Chops booked for tomorrow). A great dinner featuring lobster & prime rib.  Two thumbs up by everyone. We gave our two servers Joseph and Rostan their tips for all the great service we have received over the past three weeks

A brief casino stop to add a few dollars to our pockets this time and then a brief stop at the bar for a water.... yep a water. We headed back to the room and found this guy hanging around.

Towel Monkey

 Our last full day on the ship tomorrow :-( 

Sea Day #12

Kelly did the coffee run this morning then we laid in bed watching the Daily Show with the cruise director and planned out the day. A cool morning at 15ºC.. the temperature is cooling considerably each day.

First up was Morning Trivia with the Orr's. I headed down while Kelly finished getting ready. We missed a few questions and didn't come close to winning the coveted RCI Pen! We wandered the shops as Kelly is looking at a Kate Spade clutch that will be going on sale later today. 

We decided on a lunch in the dinning room and enjoyed the fresh "made to order" salad bar. It was nice and relaxing with a great view from our table.

Our clocks moved ahead one hour at noon so next up on the agenda was the Blackjack Tournament in the Casino.  Things happen fast with the hour gone!  We both tried to make the final table but I needed a big card to go with my Ace.... didn't happen so I just missed the cutoff. We had the largest crowd to date and it was a lot of fun with so many playing. It went over 90 minutes to determine the winners so we missed out on the Forensic Lecture Series on Criminal Minds. (We hope to see it on the ships loop TV channel)

The hockey game is on so we stopped and watched the first period before heading back to prep for the Headliner show and dinner at Giovanni's Table. Kelly whipped down to the Kate Spade sale but the prices never changed... it's just a "showcase event" so No sale = no buy :-)  (I can get the same thing from my "personal" Beijing shopper at a fraction of the cost!)

The Capitols are dominating the second period as I hit the shower...  tough start for Tampa Bay!

Tonight's Headliner Show is a singer/musician named Hayden Smith (and his wife Alexa Jayne). It was very good and I can easily say that it was the best 45 minute show I have ever seen. Very talented saxophone player and his wife absolutely killed it. She belted out several songs but when she did "I Will Always Love You" just like Whitney Houston had done, she got a standing ovation... and deserved it.  He finished off the set with a Les Misérables piece. Standing Ovation to complete the evening. 

Kelly and I headed for dinner upstairs at Giovanni's Table and the lamb, yes the lamb again, was the best so far. Great dinner!

Next we grabbed at seat in the Star Lounge and along with the Orr's, proceeded to bomb on our attempts to identify and separate the truth from the lies in the Liars Club Game Show.  I guess we can be easily had!

Off to the rack.

Sea Day #11

My turn for the coffee run this morning ;-) The Cruise Compass schedule is filling up as we have lots going on today. Our turn for the ice show as well! Throw in Giovanni's Table for dinner somewhere in there too! Get the highlighter!!  Mayday!

Today's shipboard activities.

While Kelly got ready, I went down and took in the Lecture Series on Devil's Island. It was informative and I am sure glad I wasn't a crook in France back then... If they didn't execute you, your punishment was a horrendous term at this infamous place. I promise to be good!

Back at the cabin we modified the plan and went up to the Jammer for breakfast. Met the Orr's and then went to Visual Trivia in the Star Lounge. We did OK with a score of 24/29 but not even close for the coveted key chain prize... or whatever it was?

Kelly was now off to her sewing bee while I caught up on today's blog. Also did my bid for... wait for it... WORK! Arghh My June schedule is now bid for.

The Love & Marriage Show is up next  in the Palace Theater... always good for a laugh as people willing become the show!  Not us though! A couple from our dinner table went up and participated but I am pretty sure she wanted to be elsewhere! It was hilarious.

The Science Lecture follows so I don't even have to get up! He reviewed the infancy of rockets through to present day space exploration. Very interesting for anyone who likes this kind of stuff.

It was finally our turn for the Ice Show "Spirit of the Seasons". Due to limited seating, the admission was based on your Muster Station number and today was the day.  It was very well done and always amazing to see an Ice show in the middle of the pacific!

Ice Show Spectacular

Following the ice show we went up and watched the last period of the Winnipeg/Nashville game. It was great for those Canadian's rooting on our only Canadian Team!

Hockey action on the high seas!

 A quick shower and cleanup then off to the Headliner show featuring an "Elton John Show" It was very good as he sang all the big hits of EJ's career. 

Elton Impersonator

Off to dinner (we will go to Giovanni's Table tomorrow night) and I am happy to report our dinner mate Duncan was there and in good health today. We then went up to the British Party on the main Promenade... Beatles, Elton etc. with everyone enjoying the entertainment. 

Brits rock!

Sea Day #10

A nice sleep in as yesterday's activities caught up with us. Kelly headed off to get coffee as I checked the backs of my eyelids for any damage... none that I could find!

Off to the shower and then up to the bow of the ship for the 09:00 Forensic Lecture on Blood Spatter. Very interesting to see how a crime scene and the blood marks can lead to how the event unfolded.

Once back at the room,  blogging was on the agenda as I was way behind due to the large waves of Mai Tai's last night :-)

Next up was a sewing bee for Kelly while I went to a Science Lecture on Comets. Sadly the lady that did the sewing was under the weather (Mai Tai's??) and it was scrubbed.

After the comet lecture Kelly found me in the Palace Theater and we went up for a bite of lunch then back to the room to relaxed on our deck a bit as Kelly went through some tunes of her chanter.

The clocks had gone ahead one hour at midday so the day seemed to fly by even more. We readied for the Headliner Show but opted for the Top Tier Event in Studio B. With a bit of extra time we headed up to Dizzy's on Deck 14 for a drink. It was daylight so we actually got to see something! Cathy & Bryan joined us.

Formal night at dinner so most everyone was nicely dressed up. We looked fabulous of course :-)

Great views! It is usually dark when we go up here!

Dinner with the usual crowd but Duncan, one of our dinner people, retired mid dinner looking a bit off. I knew he was ill because he gave away his full glass of wine! Hope he's feeling better. We then a stop at the casino to drop off our fuel funds :-)  A walk about then a quick visit to the cabin to change and take in a hot tub. We were the only ones in there at this hour so it made it very relaxing.

Lahaina, Maui

Our last stop before Seattle!

At 06:30 we dropped anchor on the shores on Maui beside the town of Lahaina.  It's been 36 years since I was here last and I still recognized the hotel we stayed at! We can see Kaanapali to the north of us as well.

Lahaina panorama.

We met for breakfast and planned out our day. Part one will be a trip up to Kaanapali for some shopping and a lunch at one of Cathy & Bryan's favorite restaurants.  We headed down to join the throng of cruisers looking for a tender ride to shore. Big crowds and limited dock space on shore created a bit of a delay but we made it eventually. I even got a few pictures of our cabin location and telltale "marker" :-) as we puttered to shore. Cathy greeted us on arrival at 10:40.

Cabin location clearly marked!

Our greeter on Maui!

We wandered through a few shops then found a bus stop (and info) to get up to Kaanapali. We grabbed the #28 bus and although it was standing room only, managed to get to our destination after a couple stops along the way.

We arrived in Whaler's Village, a popular upscale shopping area with all the "good" stores, and proceeded to wander through some of the many shops. Lunch time approached so we went to "Leilani's On The Beach" as this was "the" place that the Orr's liked.

Whaler's Village

We all ordered similar items with a Ahi Poke Bowl for an appetizer followed by fresh fish tacos. A cold IPA washed it all down. It was fantastic and I would not hesitate in recommending this place... although the ambience was ruined a bit by some construction noises from above.   Worth it though!

Delicious!

We continued to wander back towards the bus for our return but on it's arrival, found it jammed full. No more room.. another in 20 minutes. Really?  Oh well we gave up and grabbed a cab with another couple and we were soon back at the strip in Lahaina for $3 bucks a head... cheap :-)

This fitted our cab driver's persona to a tee!

Back on the ship, we got cleaned up and changed into our touristy flower shirts and outfits. We did look good! A quick stop at the ships pub for a pint and we headed back down to the tender.... much quicker this time as the crowds thinned considerably. Still lots of Luau goers :-)  Cathy, Brian, Jane and Ross and us found ourselves back on shore and once again, cabbed it to the Old Lahaina Luau. Our driver was great and his cab was spotlessly maintained.

On arrival at the Luau site (we went early but it didn't open up until 17:30) we went next door to the Aloha Mixed Plate Restaurant and had a Happy Hour Mai Tai... hey $4 each... cheapest drink we have found on this trip!! Great staff... very friendly. There was a geaocache right out front but sadly i couldn't get to it due to the crowds of people eating. Next time I guess!

Aloha Mixed Plate happy hour!

At 17:30 went next door and entered the beautiful gardens of the Old Lahaina Luau. They were simply stunning. After getting the tickets sorted out we headed in.

Luau Gardens

More gardens and pathways lined with foliage.

Sorry I am not a botanist :-)

 They also handed out flower lei's to each person and offered a nice cold Mai Tai as well.  Yes please!

They had several interesting stations set up around the grounds to help explain some of the Polynesian ways of life. Kelly watched the coconut chopper fellow and after sampling some of the coconut, posed for a picture.

Coconut anyone?

The biggest draw was the pit that contained the pig. It had been cooking for 12 hours and it was time for the reveal. With some pomp and pageantry along with some great jokes, it was unveiled and taken away for dinner.

Removing the sand.

Uncovering the fern leaves.

Opening up the "oven".

It looked very tasty!

 After an issue with the seating arrangements was successfully resolved, we sat down and enjoyed the sunset. Our seats were pretty close to the stage so a good view was inevitable.

Sunset on Maui.

Our table.. stage in background.

We had a great meal with lots of local fare offered up. The pork was excellent along with the other dishes. It was served buffet style and they clearly had the whole operation down to an art... even came by to advise when it was a good idea for a bathroom stop!  The Mai Tai's never stopped.

After dinner the music and entertainment started and we were treated to a history (through dance) of the Polynesian people and their traditions. All very well done.

The dancing and traditional outfits were very nice.

Following the Luau we walked back into town past all the shops, bars and small eateries that lined the main street of Lahaina. Kelly even had a rest in the exact spot Forrest Gump rested at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company... well maybe not quite.

No sign of Forrest!

We hopped on the tender and whisked away towards our awaiting ship. It was all lit up and look fabulous.

Our floating home.

 Once back onboard we went up to the Pool Bar and took in the dance party that was in full swing. A DJ had some tunes spinning and then a band started up and took over.  No dancing for us but we had a drink and watched the action.

Finally pulled the pin on another great day!