Trip Index
- Days 1-2 in Tokyo: Planning, JAL business class, Hyatt Regency, Meiji Shrine, Tokyu Food Hall, Don Quixote
- Days 3-4 in Tokyo: Asakusa, Tokyo National Museum, Imperial Palace, Robot Restaurant, conveyor belt sushi/ramen/blowfish
- Day 5 in Tokyo: Mt. Fuji Shibazakura Festival, Standing Sushi Bar
- Days 1-2 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: Embarkation, day at sea
- Days 3-4 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: Hakodate, day at sea
- Days 5-6 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: Bridge tour, Petropavlovsk (Siberia)
- Days 7-13 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: crossing the Bering Sea, two May 4ths, Qsine
- Days 14-15 of Celebrity Millennium transpacific cruise: Victoria, disembarkation, Miku; Ruby Princess 1-night cruise Vancouver to Seattle
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Land ho! After seven straight days at sea, Celebrity Millennium would be docking in Victoria, British Columbia (Canada). Kaleb and I have been here several times before, but we never get tired of visiting Butchart Gardens.
Since concierge class cabins had a full breakfast menu for room service, we decided to try it out. The order arrived as scheduled; we received a phone call shortly before delivery, which is a nice gesture in case you overslept, need to get dressed or left the privacy sign on the door. After eating, we sat out on our balcony, enjoying the beautiful weather and watching Ruby Princess sail into port. We'll be on that ship tomorrow!
We disembarked, then walked about 20 minutes to the Fairmont Empress hotel, where the CVS tour bus would pick up. There were signs along the way guiding visitors towards downtown.
We have booked directly through CVS before, but I found a better deal on the same exact tour using Groupon with a discount code. At the podium, our vouchers were exchanged for tickets and we got in line to board the bus. It was a double-decker and we were able to find seats on the upper level. However, it was sweltering as the air conditioning wasn't on, just warm air blowing, but we assumed it was a temporary matter as the bus wasn't moving yet. However, once we got going, the air never got cool. Passengers informed the driver that the air conditioning wasn't working. He manipulated controls on his dashboard, but to no avail. Due to traffic, the bus was moving slowly, trying to get out of the downtown area. Eventually, one of the passengers got very angry and profanely demanded to be let off the bus. The driver had no choice but to pull over, then call the company to figure out what to do. His instructions were to drive us back to the Fairmont Empress, which took a while too due to traffic. In the end, everyone was accommodated on the next bus and proceeded to the gardens after about an hour delay.
I love coming to Butchart Gardens during spring as all the tulips are blooming. It was a warm enough day for visiting the gelateria in the Italian Garden.
We took the return bus back to the Fairmont Empress (had afternoon tea here before), shopped for souvenirs, then walked back to the ship.
Farewell dinner:
The next day, Celebrity Millennium docked in Vancouver. Disembarkation was smooth.
Our 14-night transpacific cruise from Tokyo to Vancouver had come to an end. It was what I had expected in terms of weather and itinerary. At the price point we paid, I would absolutely do it again. We enjoyed the sea days exercising, watching TV and movies using our devices, not having to cook, just relaxing. True that the food selection got limited on the final stretch of the cruise, but we had done so much eating already that it didn't matter. It was tiring to lose an hour almost every day as we sailed east, since I personally have a hard time with jet lag. I might want to try the voyage going west, gaining an hour. (then lose an entire day at the International Date Line) I would recommend a transpacific itinerary for seasoned cruisers as there are a few days where the ocean is rocky. I heard from one of my trivia team members that his brother's family, who had never been on a cruise before, now swore off cruising forever due to getting sea sick at the beginning of the Bering Sea portion. This is unfortunate to hear, because the typical cruise is usually in calmer waters, with plenty of port stops. They may have booked without the help of a travel agent - s/he would have warned against going, or if the client still insisted, provided a packing list that included motion-sickness remedies and recommendations for a more pleasant experience.
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...
Once we got off the Millennium and exited customs, we searched for the Ruby Princess baggage drop. It wasn't inside the cruise building, but near the bus parking in the garage. Since the cruise was only for one night, there wouldn't be much baggage to pick up as most people would bring carry-ons. Kaleb and I, along with a few other guests, were waiting for quite a while until a small white delivery truck came to pick up the bags.
We had about an hour to kill before our lunch reservation at Miku, so we walked around the waterfront. It was a very nice day, warmer than usual in Vancouver.
360 spherical photo of the waterfront:
We arrived at Miku half an hour before our reservation at 1pm (made online at their website), and had no trouble getting seated. Since it was our first time at the restaurant, we decided to try both of their sampler sets and adding a dessert.
The aburi (torched/seared) sushi was delicious - melted in my mouth! I recommend the salmon aburi, and anything raw - nigiri, sashimi, rolls. The four cooked dishes we tried were just okay.
After lunch, we boarded Ruby Princess. We had sailed her in the Caribbean many years back and is a sister ship to Emerald Princess, which we were on last year to Alaska. It felt quite familiar when we got on board.
Since I had blogged about this ship before, I didn't take as many pictures.
Kaleb and I stayed on our balcony to enjoy a picturesque sail-away, accompanied by the sounds of screaming revelers all around. 1-day cruises can have a party atmosphere depending on cruise line. The 1-day sailing I experienced on Holland America was not as lively.
Tonight's dinner was Italian themed. With $50 onboard credit to spend, we decided to splurge on the rib eye surf and turf.
When we got back to our cabin, disembarkation information was laid out along with turn-down milk chocolate hearts.
The next morning, Ruby Princess arrived in Seattle. We had breakfast up in the buffet, then when leaving the ship, ended up stuck in a huge line for customs. Two ships were docked and disembarking today so the terminal was overwhelmed. It took several hours to get through and it didn't look like we would make our flight home.
I ordered an Uber to the airport. It was nice to see a dedicated set up for rideshare, though it was a long walk away from the cruise terminal. Drivers would text the parking space number to riders.
We arrived at the airport with less than 45 minutes to flight departure - we weren't going to make it. Speaking with the ticketing agent, he was able to book us on the next departing flight a few hours later, though we had to pay a $50 fee per person. I used my City National Bank Crystal Visa card so the charges were reimbursed from the annual airline incidentals credit.
We had a late lunch in the Centurion Lounge, accessible by holding the American Express Platinum Card.
We didn't have seat assignments until close to departure. Kaleb and I ended up sitting in Premium Class, located in the first couple of rows of the main cabin, which provided extra legroom, complimentary alcoholic drinks, and two snacks.
Home sweet home! Where to next? The girls and I head to San Francisco to watch Hamilton, four rows from the stage - stay tuned!
(Missed reading about our days sailing the Bering Sea? Click here! What about earlier entries of our trip? Click on the Trip Index links at the top of this page. Feel free to click here to sign up for updates straight into your inbox...opt out anytime!)
If you came here from a Facebook or Twitter link, thanks for clicking the "Facebook Like" button at the top of the page 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 with your ideas and I can help you plan it! 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!
Another disclaimer: The intention of this blog was to remind Future Me in full detail about where I went and what I did. I could have made it private, but I frequently get questions from family, friends and internet folks about how I planned things, got deals, etc., so instead of repeating the story over and over, I direct them here. If you are offended by anything I say or do, save yourself the discomfort and kindly click away from my blog. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!
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Since concierge class cabins had a full breakfast menu for room service, we decided to try it out. The order arrived as scheduled; we received a phone call shortly before delivery, which is a nice gesture in case you overslept, need to get dressed or left the privacy sign on the door. After eating, we sat out on our balcony, enjoying the beautiful weather and watching Ruby Princess sail into port. We'll be on that ship tomorrow!
 |  |
 |  |
We disembarked, then walked about 20 minutes to the Fairmont Empress hotel, where the CVS tour bus would pick up. There were signs along the way guiding visitors towards downtown.
|
|
|
|
We have booked directly through CVS before, but I found a better deal on the same exact tour using Groupon with a discount code. At the podium, our vouchers were exchanged for tickets and we got in line to board the bus. It was a double-decker and we were able to find seats on the upper level. However, it was sweltering as the air conditioning wasn't on, just warm air blowing, but we assumed it was a temporary matter as the bus wasn't moving yet. However, once we got going, the air never got cool. Passengers informed the driver that the air conditioning wasn't working. He manipulated controls on his dashboard, but to no avail. Due to traffic, the bus was moving slowly, trying to get out of the downtown area. Eventually, one of the passengers got very angry and profanely demanded to be let off the bus. The driver had no choice but to pull over, then call the company to figure out what to do. His instructions were to drive us back to the Fairmont Empress, which took a while too due to traffic. In the end, everyone was accommodated on the next bus and proceeded to the gardens after about an hour delay.
I love coming to Butchart Gardens during spring as all the tulips are blooming. It was a warm enough day for visiting the gelateria in the Italian Garden.
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We took the return bus back to the Fairmont Empress (had afternoon tea here before), shopped for souvenirs, then walked back to the ship.
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Farewell dinner:
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| final slice of chocolate cake, passionfruit sorbet |
The next day, Celebrity Millennium docked in Vancouver. Disembarkation was smooth.
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| concierge guests' waiting area in the Cosmos Lounge |
Our 14-night transpacific cruise from Tokyo to Vancouver had come to an end. It was what I had expected in terms of weather and itinerary. At the price point we paid, I would absolutely do it again. We enjoyed the sea days exercising, watching TV and movies using our devices, not having to cook, just relaxing. True that the food selection got limited on the final stretch of the cruise, but we had done so much eating already that it didn't matter. It was tiring to lose an hour almost every day as we sailed east, since I personally have a hard time with jet lag. I might want to try the voyage going west, gaining an hour. (then lose an entire day at the International Date Line) I would recommend a transpacific itinerary for seasoned cruisers as there are a few days where the ocean is rocky. I heard from one of my trivia team members that his brother's family, who had never been on a cruise before, now swore off cruising forever due to getting sea sick at the beginning of the Bering Sea portion. This is unfortunate to hear, because the typical cruise is usually in calmer waters, with plenty of port stops. They may have booked without the help of a travel agent - s/he would have warned against going, or if the client still insisted, provided a packing list that included motion-sickness remedies and recommendations for a more pleasant experience.
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...
Once we got off the Millennium and exited customs, we searched for the Ruby Princess baggage drop. It wasn't inside the cruise building, but near the bus parking in the garage. Since the cruise was only for one night, there wouldn't be much baggage to pick up as most people would bring carry-ons. Kaleb and I, along with a few other guests, were waiting for quite a while until a small white delivery truck came to pick up the bags.
We had about an hour to kill before our lunch reservation at Miku, so we walked around the waterfront. It was a very nice day, warmer than usual in Vancouver.
 |  |
360 spherical photo of the waterfront:
Vancouver waterfront - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA
We arrived at Miku half an hour before our reservation at 1pm (made online at their website), and had no trouble getting seated. Since it was our first time at the restaurant, we decided to try both of their sampler sets and adding a dessert.
|
|
|
|
The aburi (torched/seared) sushi was delicious - melted in my mouth! I recommend the salmon aburi, and anything raw - nigiri, sashimi, rolls. The four cooked dishes we tried were just okay.
After lunch, we boarded Ruby Princess. We had sailed her in the Caribbean many years back and is a sister ship to Emerald Princess, which we were on last year to Alaska. It felt quite familiar when we got on board.
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Since I had blogged about this ship before, I didn't take as many pictures.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kaleb and I stayed on our balcony to enjoy a picturesque sail-away, accompanied by the sounds of screaming revelers all around. 1-day cruises can have a party atmosphere depending on cruise line. The 1-day sailing I experienced on Holland America was not as lively.
 |
|
|
|
 |  |
Tonight's dinner was Italian themed. With $50 onboard credit to spend, we decided to splurge on the rib eye surf and turf.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When we got back to our cabin, disembarkation information was laid out along with turn-down milk chocolate hearts.
 |  |
The next morning, Ruby Princess arrived in Seattle. We had breakfast up in the buffet, then when leaving the ship, ended up stuck in a huge line for customs. Two ships were docked and disembarking today so the terminal was overwhelmed. It took several hours to get through and it didn't look like we would make our flight home.
I ordered an Uber to the airport. It was nice to see a dedicated set up for rideshare, though it was a long walk away from the cruise terminal. Drivers would text the parking space number to riders.
|
|
|
|
We arrived at the airport with less than 45 minutes to flight departure - we weren't going to make it. Speaking with the ticketing agent, he was able to book us on the next departing flight a few hours later, though we had to pay a $50 fee per person. I used my City National Bank Crystal Visa card so the charges were reimbursed from the annual airline incidentals credit.
We had a late lunch in the Centurion Lounge, accessible by holding the American Express Platinum Card.
 |  |
We didn't have seat assignments until close to departure. Kaleb and I ended up sitting in Premium Class, located in the first couple of rows of the main cabin, which provided extra legroom, complimentary alcoholic drinks, and two snacks.
|
|
|
|
Home sweet home! Where to next? The girls and I head to San Francisco to watch Hamilton, four rows from the stage - stay tuned!
(Missed reading about our days sailing the Bering Sea? Click here! What about earlier entries of our trip? Click on the Trip Index links at the top of this page. Feel free to click here to sign up for updates straight into your inbox...opt out anytime!)
***
If you came here from a Facebook or Twitter link, thanks for clicking the "Facebook Like" button at the top of the page 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 with your ideas and I can help you plan it! 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!
Another disclaimer: The intention of this blog was to remind Future Me in full detail about where I went and what I did. I could have made it private, but I frequently get questions from family, friends and internet folks about how I planned things, got deals, etc., so instead of repeating the story over and over, I direct them here. If you are offended by anything I say or do, save yourself the discomfort and kindly click away from my blog. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!
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