Trip Index
***
Tuesday was the first of two back-to-back sea days, but the early morning included cruising around Tracy Arm Fjord. Unfortunately we did not wake up in time to get the full experience, just the tail end. The ship had slowed down to a snail's pace and there was commentary on the loudspeakers. (not inside the rooms, which was why we slept through most of it) We did get to see a few bits of glaciers.
We had gotten an invitation to visit the front of the ship at 10am but we didn't partake.
Day 5 Cruise Compass and inserts:
We also received Canada customs forms to fill out in preparation for our stop in Victoria.
Tonight was our reservation at Portofino, the specialty Italian restaurant. We liked the food better here than at Chops Grille.
 |
| bread with accompaniments |
|
 |
| beef carpaccio |
|
 |
| tuna carpaccio |
|
 |
| insalata riviera for two |
|
|
|
 |
| saltimbocca |
|
 |
| spiedino di mare |
|
 |
| pappardelle |
|
 |
| tartufo |
|
 |
| sampler |
|
Towel animal for tonight, delivering a reminder to turn back the clock one hour tomorrow.
 |
| a monkey |
Wednesday was another day at sea. We didn't do much that was picture-worthy, except to provide you with tonight's formal night menu, since we ate at the buffet. The main dining room was serving lobster and Grand Marnier souffle...
Day 6 Cruise Compass and inserts:
Thursday we docked in Victoria, BC, our last full day of the cruise. The weather was perfect.
Day 7 Cruise Compass and inserts:
Instead of going through the ship's excursions, we did
Butchart Gardens and
afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress on our own as there wasn't an excursion for both, and we had ample time in port to do so. I had visited the gardens before on a
girls' cruise, which included afternoon tea on-site, so I wanted to try a different place for tea.
I booked the Butchart Gardens tour ahead of time through
CVS Tours. It was self-guided; the inclusions were only roundtrip bus transportation and admission. The prices were quoted in Canadian dollars so it was a bit less after converting to USD. (don't forget to use a credit card with no foreign transaction fees) The CVS bus stop was in front of the Fairmont Empress so it was convenient for our afternoon tea reservation, booked way in advance using
OpenTable. (no 100 point reward though)
It was about a slow half-hour walk from the dock to the Fairmont Empress. There were signs along the way pointing towards downtown. We did miss a turn at one point as one of the signs was hidden around a wall, but it wasn't hard to get back on the right path.
When we arrived at the CVS bus stop, there was a long line of tourists waiting to get on the next bus. I checked in with the agent standing there and received tickets for the tour. The return ticket was open so we could take any bus leaving the gardens.
The buses were running late so we didn't start our tour until an hour later than scheduled.
 |
| we've been waiting for a while |
|
 |
| how often do they use the "body fluid cleanup kit"? |
|
Butchart Gardens is a beautiful place, but I must say that it was much more impressive in early May when
I went with the girls. It was also too early for the rose gardens to be in bloom, though we found a few rose bushes scattered around.
It was a warm enough day to get gelato in the Italian Garden.
We visited the Mediterranean Garden, which was located off to the side, in the middle of a parking lot. I bet a lot of visitors miss this one.
After a gift shop stop, we boarded the CVS bus to return to downtown Victoria and the Fairmont Empress. FYI: the bus is first-come, first-serve, so if you really want to get on the next one, wait near the curb instead of sitting in the waiting area.
 |
| the Fairmont Empress |
We got to the Empress and followed signs taking us to afternoon tea. (not through the hotel's main entrance)
Arriving a bit early, we visited the restrooms, then looked at a small gallery of photos nearby. If you are a
Fairmont President's Club member, you can access complimentary wi-fi.
We checked in at our reservation time and got a table right by the window. The tea was very good and the food was delightful but I didn't think it was significantly better than the afternoon tea
at Butchart Gardens. My favorite afternoon tea is still the one at
Claridge's in London.
We walked along Government Street to do a little souvenir shopping, then headed back to the dock following the signs along the walkway. Awaiting in the cabin was disembarkation documentation wrapped in a towel heart...awww...
 |
| to give additional tip on top of the automatic gratuity |
As the ship departed for Seattle, the weather became foggy. We were lucky to have perfect weather in Alaska and Canada.
Packing was easy since we only had carry-ons. I checked the room safe thoroughly for personal items (I had
left my keys in one before) and was surprised to find money stuck between the hinges of the door.
 |
| around $15 USD |
We disembark tomorrow and stay overnight in Seattle. Stay tuned!
***
If you came here from a Facebook or Twitter link, thanks for clicking the "Facebook Like" button below or retweeting!
Don't miss a blog entry! Sign up for updates direct to your inbox
here or add the blog to your
RSS feed.
Getting excited reading about these trips and want to go? Contact me at
yellowdogtravel at gmail d0t com
for more information! Or if you've already put a deposit on a cruise
through the cruise line, contact me to get more information on
transferring the reservation to me to get bonuses like extra onboard
credit or gifts. I have lots of happy returning clients - references always available.
Come check out my other blog "
What in the world is Kat Kong doing now?", documenting things other than traveling...sign up for blog updates direct to your inbox
here!
Previous post:
A drive from Skagway into the Yukon Territory
No comments:
Post a Comment