Our first port is Ketchikan, Alaska. Known as one of the wettest and rainiest cities, we lucked out with no rain this time. Since this is our third visit, we didn’t plan any excursions. On previous cruises, we’ve explored Misty Fjords and tried ziplining.
First thing off the ship, we headed to the Tongass Trading Post to grab some waterproof pants for our Zodiac tour in the Inian Islands, as the forecast looked rainy. The ship's store was sold out, so we went there to be safe. Investing in these pants seemed smart, though I’m sure I’ll forget where I put them when I need them again!
Next, we strolled over to Creek Street, which we’ve seen before. Not much has changed, but the cute stores and history are always a draw.
We walked up the Salmon Run, though we only spotted a couple of salmon since it’s not the peak season. But we did see a bald eagle perched in a tree and snapped some photos. There are plenty of signs to guide you.
Then we visited the Tongass Historical Museum near the entrance of Cave Street. It’s different from the Tongass Heritage Center up the road. After soaking up Ketchikan's history, we headed back to town to browse and find lunch.
I asked a local kid where to eat, and he recommended “The Fish House” by the Lumberjack Show, which I almost did since it sounds fun—maybe next time. We had lunch by the water: clam chowder for me and fish and chips for my husband. It was a chill day, and now we're back on the ship for relaxation and evening dinner and show.
Edit: I say 600- 800 people but really it's more like 500 passengers. Maybe 600-800 if you count crew.
We wake up, pack our suitcases, and prepare for the long trek to the ship. Just kidding—it’s only 2 blocks! We arrive a bit early, drop off our suitcases, and are told to return around noon. With some time to kill, we head to the FlyOver Canada experience, just a few flights of stairs or a quick elevator ride away. I snagged tickets on the Viator app for about $25 each—saving a few bucks. Plus, when charging things in Canada, the conversion to USD usually means a lower price than CAD. Bonus!
The entire Fly Over Canada experience takes about 30 minutes, with the actual ride lasting 10-15 minutes. You start with a short film for 7-10 minutes, then line up to get seated. If you’ve been to California Adventure next to Disneyland, it’s pretty similar. After the ride, we wander around for a bit and then head over to check in.
Alongside the Canada Place where the ships dock.
People had already checked in, and the Disney ship was also in port. It was like a game of "pick your adventure"—Seabourn Line or Disney Line. We headed to a room with chairs set up in an orderly fashion. They had row-by-row seating, and the place was super organized. There was flavored water if you were thirsty, and maybe even champagne—but we didn’t check out the drinks, so who knows?
Once onboard, we went straight to our room and couldn't stop oohing and aahing. It was amazing! The bathroom was huge, with a separate shower and bathtub, plus two sinks. The room itself was spacious, with a walk-in closet, safe, slippers, and lots of little extras. There was a mini bar set up, a fresh bowl of fruit, a bottle of welcome champagne, a couch, two small tables, and a balcony with two chairs and a little table.
My Makeup Station
Walk in closet /safe.
Sitting area w/Mini bar set up.
After unpacking, we set out to explore the ship, which has 11 floors. We were on Deck 7 forward, home to Seabourn Square, a relaxing area with a coffee bar and snacks like cookies, pastries, and gelato. Deck 4 is where the Restaurant is—beautiful and no lines. Deck 5 has "The Club" with a sushi bar open every night from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, and a band plays in the evening. There's also a little casino, though we never saw anyone in there.
Casino open for business.
Deck 8 is "The Colonnade," their buffet area for breakfast and lunch, but dinner is sit-down. Deck 8 also has the pool area and "The Patio," where they host "Earth & Ocean" pop-up lunch and dinner. Deck 9 is for Spa & Wellness and the Gym. Deck 10 is the Observation Bar, all the way forward, with a great view. They serve afternoon teas and have an evening bar with an entertainer and appetizers.
As we cruise through the Queen Charlotte Sound, we’re settling into our next 11 days on the high seas—or rather, the smooth sailing of the Inside Passage. We’re spending our days leisurely discovering the ship, eating delicious food, sipping on drinks, soaking up the stunning views, and absolutely loving life.
The Golden Hour Light
Click on the text "Sail away from Vancouver" on top to see a few quick shots, not on the main body if you see an ad.
I booked the "Secret Foodie Tour" with TripAdvisor which is a 3 hour walking tour. The tour takes us through Gastown and we visit 5 eateries.
It's a rainy day but we've brought our umbrellas. It's just me and Johnny with 2 guides. One is still in training we get a 2fer. Alia is from Eastern Europe and I certainly couldn't tell he was new. Andrew is our second guide who is very knowledgeable so we get a lot of personalized attention.
Our first stop is Pure Bread which is like a bakery. I supposed it is usually at the end but we start out there because it's close to our starting point. We have the "crack bar" which is a butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, corn flour delicacy. We chat with our guides as we learn about their city and their backgrounds.
Next stop is Meat & Breadand the funny thing about this is we are vegetarians. But not to fear, we get the Grilled Cheese sandwich and my husband says it's the best Grilled Cheese he has ever had. It's still early in the day so no crowds yet as we started at 10:30 am and it's now around 11:00 am or so.
Our third stop is MeeT which we were worried when we hear the restaurant name, but to our surprise, it is Vegan. Yay!! We have Butter Chicken Poutine which is Indian inspired, vegan twist on the national dish topped w/creamy tomato gravy and Mozza. We also have the Sweet Chili Cauliflower. Knowing that we have 2 more places after that I slow down my eating. We start splitting our food with the guides because I don't want to be too full for the next two.
Our fourth stop is Tacofina where we have 2 Fish tacos that are full size that we split. At this stop we order a margarita. I love Mexican food and really like these fish tacos. I didn't get a pic of the fish tacos but here is what the place looks like before the crowds come in.
Our last stop is Miku which is a Sushi restaurant right across from the pier at Canada Place. Now it's close to lunch time and the place is packed. We have the Signature Aburi Oshi sushi and Salmon Oshi Sushi featuring pressed BC wild sockey salmon, jalapeno, and Miku sauce. The interesting thing about this is they flame it with a torch so it definitely has a unique taste. We like it so much we go back here for dinner!
All in all we had a great time and learned about the history of Gastown as well as our guides. This is the Famous steam clock and it's one of Vancouver's most iconic landmarks. If you want to know more about this iconic landmark check it out here. Steam Clock
