Alaska Revisited with a Fresh View - Day 2

Day 2

Today was Embarkation Day! After a bit of a wait for an Uber (only a$10.73 CAD), I arrived at the cruise port amidst many others were either arriving to embark either or disembarking the Konigsdam or Princess Majestic Princess. This was my first experience with sailing out of the Canada Place pier in Vancouver and I will admit it was a bit of a confusing process. There were a number of port employees in front of the port terminal building who gave instructions but the process of dropping off luggage and then moving to the next step was complicated as they were on different floors. But once through the luggage drop, it was quick few steps to provide the required documentation, get through security, and move to the holding area. The wait to get onboard was a bit long but once onboard, passengers were greeted eagerly and cabins were already open to guests.

Not having had breakfast, my first stop was to the Lido Market for a quick bite to eat. The options in the Market vary from salads, sandwiches, pizzas, burgers, sushi, ramen, hot dishes, breads, and sweets. The food is always fresh and there are options for everyone in the Market. Also open were the Main Dining room, Coastal Café, and the Dutch Café so that everyone could find lunch after embarkation. And of course, the bars were serving cold beverages all over the ship.

After spending some time touring the ship and getting some photos, I headed back to my cabin where my luggage was promptly delivered. Cabin attendant introduced himself and assured that I had everything I needed. As I unpacked, the ample storage space of the cabin was a pleasant change from other lines where you have less space for your clothing, etc. to be stored in a manageable and comfortable way. Once unpacked, it was Sail Away time and I didn’t want to miss sailing under the Lions Head Bridge!

We were delayed by almost an hour due to muster drills not being completed by all onboard but once we set sail, the views became even more amazing as we left the skyline of Vancouver behind and sailed past the surrounding mountains. The weather was sunny and a balmy 75’ when we left the port but the breeze started to crisp up as we gained speed. I am reminded of our time in Alaska and how cool the summers could be so it will be interesting to see what the weather will be like tomorrow as we approach the Inside Passage.

Dinner was delicious with an Alaskan Crab cocktail, baked salmon with dill & capers, and a lemon torte. The food on HAL is always good as well as stellar service in the dining areas. I went to dinner alone as I didn’t want to wait until 8 pm to dine, which was our group reservation, but was sat at a table with a couple from Pennsylvania who were also in the travel business. Great dinner conversation and was a nice close to a fabulous first day on the Konigsdam.

I spent a bit of time doing some videos and photos today, and will certainly be taking many more this week which I will share on our social media channels for family, friends, and clients to enjoy. Tomorrow will be Day 3 of our journey to see Alaska with a fresh view and I am eager to see the next part of this adventure!

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