All Aboard! in Seattle

The motel in Port Angeles was by far the nicest of the entire trip. As usual, we were at the door to the breakfast room waiting for the meal to start. The difference from the rest of the trip was that we were joined by about 50 international travelers (we think from Germany and/or Switzerland) on a tour bus. It was quite a departure from our usual quiet, early start to the day.

We drove for about an hour and a half before reaching the ferry terminal. The ferry to Seattle was HUGE! They were serving breakfast and had big tables where we played a game of cards. Mom was KILLING us – especially me – but the ride was so short we didn’t end up finishing the game. (My competitive nature was unfortunately happy by that turn of events).

As we pulled closer to Seattle, we saw the Norwegian Pearl docked in front of the Seattle skyline. I was SO excited! (I’ll have to post the picture I took later, however, because the bandwidth on the ship won’t let me upload them.) We had been so efficient about getting ready that we found ourselves with several hours to kill before the scheduled embarkation time.

With me driving and Aunt Rocky navigating, we looped around downtown Seattle a few times until we found the Hertz rental car return location, another gas station to fill up the tank (yes, we pumped our own gas) and then made our way back close to the piers to park. We decided that we probably wouldn’t be able to check in early at the cruise ship, so we walked across the street to the Seattle Aquarium.

My first impression of the Aquarium wasn’t much; it seemed even smaller than the Aquarium in Manteo. We saw a few neat exhibits before we found the “how you’d look as an octopus” picture station. Aunt Rocky encouraged me to let her take a picture. I felt kind of goofy, but figured the kids would get a kick out of it. Aunt Rocky had seen the sign pointing to building 2, where the shorebirds and mammals supposedly were. We walked across the pier and into the birds exhibit. I was entertained by the cutest little mear (it looks like a miniature penguin, but has no white on its head). It was having the BEST time, and watching it splash around and flip and roll over and shake was definitely worth getting sprayed with the green water and feeling like I smelled like fish for the rest of the day! I was so captivated by him (no need to be politically correct here) that I noticed, but was not really phased by, the elusive puffins that were in the same display.

Around the corner we saw exhibits/tanks with sea lions, harbor seals, fur seals, and otters. They were all really cute. I had taken “Snappy” in with me, but there wasn’t even enough light for any kind of a decent picture of them (not to say that I didn’t try). We walked around a bit more and then decided to walk the 10 blocks or so up the harbor to the ship terminal.

When we got there, we were amazed to find lines of people already checking in and checking their bags. We left mom on a bench and Aunt Rocky and I speed-walked back to the car. We drove around, dropped off our big suitcases and passports with mom, and went to return the rental car. The six-story parking garage (Hertz was on the 6th floor, of course) was like a bad scene from Alice in Wonderland. I found myself ducking, because every level we climbed, the ceiling looked lower and lower. We managed to find the Hertz counter back on the 1st floor, turned in the keys, and took a relatively uneventful taxi ride back to the ship.

There were hundreds of people in line, but NCL (as Norwegian Cruise Lines likes to call themselves), was very efficient at moving us through quickly. We boarded the ship and enjoyed a complimentary lunch at one of the restaurants. It was good – not spectacular or anything (which concerned me a little) – and the view was wonderful. Our cabin was ready at 1:30, so we decided to check it out. Bear in mind that I’ve only cruised once before, onboard a Disney ship. When we took that trip I wondered why everyone was always complaining about how tiny the cabins are. I’m claustrophobic, and I didn’t find them too bad at all, especially considering we had five people in our cabin. NCL’s cabins, however, ummm…not so roomy…

Our room had one king-size bed and a purple and orange psychedelic couch-futon thing. In my mind, I have taken to thinking of it as sleeping on “the slab”. I’m not complaining, and I am thrilled that the bed that Mom and Aunt Rocky are in is pretty comfortable for them. Anyway, we decided right off that we wouldn’t be spending much time IN our cabin. We have, on the other hand, spent what must have added up to hours, FINDING our cabin. This ship is HUGE!

We decided to check out the spa first thing – because if you took the tour, you got entered into a drawing for $500 in spa treatments. (No, we didn’t win – although in slots, I’ve turned $20 into $63.50 so far). We did the tour and signed up for a couple of wonderful treatments (over the past couple of days, Mom had a seaweed treatment that I would have hated-but she loved, and a facial; Aunt Rocky and I had a facial and a massage). We signed up to use the thermal spa – that has been the best deal of the cruise.

There’s a huge “pool” thing that is the temperature of a hot tub, with amazing jets, a waterfall showerhead that massages your back, and a spot where you sit on PVC pipes, laid out like a lounge chair, and bubbles come up through them. There are also tiled, heated, “lounge chairs” – I want one at home – they are wonderful! I’m not so much for saunas and steam rooms, but theirs have wonderful, amazing views. As a matter of fact, the spa is on the next-to-the-top deck at the very front of the ship. There are places to just sit (inside) in beach-style lounge chairs, and watch everything that’s in front of the ship.

Anyway, we have obviously enjoyed the spa…that’s a foregone conclusion. Back to the food…we have managed to find and sample several of the restaurants. NCL does something called “freestyle” cruising, which means you can eat anytime, whatever you want to, basically. That has NOT helped my weight loss – it hasn’t even worked very well for me to not GAIN weight. I have used the treadmill for the last two days.

A few other highlights of the trip – we’ve seen the spray from pods of whales, and I saw a humpback’s tail as it went under. The scenery is beautiful – mountain tops with snow, and miles and miles of empty sea. Of course we’re not driving along the coast, so we have a better view that we did of California, Oregon and Washington, but the coastline of Alaska is by far our favorite. We’ve enjoyed a comedy show, and attended a martini demonstration (I do not feel the need to sample a dirty gin martini ever again, but the creamy chocolate one made up for having to try to choke down the first one). Too bad Tico isn’t here for the dancing – I haven’t been able to convince my two cohorts present to go. I did introduce Aunt Rocky to Long Island Ice Teas, though…but that’s probably a whole ‘nother story.

We’re getting ready to pull into Juneau, Alaska’s capital city. It’s actually a pretty day, which is a blessing, according to most of the ship’s staff (the typical forecast is rain every day…but they don’t put THAT on the web site). We’re signed up to go whale watching on a fast catamaran, so I’ve got the camera batteries charged. I talked to the kids today on the ship’s ($6 per minute – ARRGH!) phone, because I can’t get a cell signal. I miss them and love them bunches (and yes, you too, Tico), but am enjoying myself immensely.

I’ll add pictures after I get home…and THANK YOU to all of you who have been commenting on this blog. I haven’t had time to answer everyone (or ANYONE, for that matter), but I love reading your comments and really appreciate them.

Juneau, here we come (If we can figure out how to find the gangway that gets us off this ship!)…