- Cruise planning, pre-cruise stay in Anchorage, Grandview Train to Seward, embarkation
- Morning at sea, Hubbard Glacier, La Cucina
- Icy Strait Point, Seven Seas main dining room
- Skagway, Cagney's Steakhouse, Juneau, Tracy Arm/Sawyer Glacier, Le Bistro
- Ketchikan, day at sea, Moderno Churrascaria
- Norwegian Sun disembarkation, post-cruise stay in Vancouver
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It was Monday morning and the end of our Norwegian Sun Alaska cruise, boo hoo! Disembarkation was smooth as we took advantage of "Easy Walk Off" (carrying our own luggage) and could depart at our leisure.
We had one post-cruise night, staying at the Westin Bayshore, located 20 minutes' walk from the port at Canada Place. It was still raining when we got off the ship; we got a bit soaked getting there, as I only had one umbrella. Fortunately our room was ready, even though we were checking in so early. I had redeemed Starwood Preferred Guest points for a standard king room and ended up getting a complimentary upgrade to a premium corner view room!
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We had passes for the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus offered by Westcoast Sightseeing, but it did not pick up directly in front of the Westin like how the Vancouver Trolley does. The bus stop was located a few blocks away in a tiny parking lot and not as clearly marked as I would have expected, so here's a picture of it:
Our first stop was Vancouver Aquarium, located inside Stanley Park. It continued to rain, so the interior exhibits were more crowded than the outdoor ones.
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We re-boarded the hop-on-hop-off bus to Ferguson Point and had a lovely lunch at the Teahouse. The food was so good. Their salmon burger inspired me to stop eating Costco frozen salmon burger patties and use wild salmon filets instead.
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| delicious lemon tart |
After lunch, we strolled along several trails amongst the giant trees in Stanley Park.
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We walked back towards Canada Place to catch the free shuttle to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. What a beautiful, picturesque location! With the rain gone, it was a delightful visit. The sights were too difficult to accurately capture on camera...you just have to visit this place yourself if you haven't yet.
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360 spherical photo of us on Capilano Suspension Bridge:
On Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver, BC #theta360 - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA
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360 spherical photo of us walking on the Treetops Adventure:
Walking the treetops at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in Vancouver, BC #theta360 - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA
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360 spherical photo of us on the Cliffwalk:
On the Cliffwalk at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in Vancouver, BC #theta360 - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA
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We took the shuttle back to Canada Place, where we then went to FlyOver Canada, a simulated flight ride similar to Disney's Soarin'. No pictures of course, but I thought the ride was superb!
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All this sightseeing can work up an appetite! I had to re-visit Kingyo, since I had such a good lunch there back in September 2015. Dinner did not disappoint. Everything was scrumptious, but the tuna belly sashimi was the best. After we scarfed it down, we asked for another plate and we got the last order...sold out for the rest of the night!
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After dinner, we headed back to our hotel and enjoyed the beautiful views from the balcony.
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360 spherical photo from our balcony:
On our room's Juliet balcony at the Westin Bayshore Vancouver #theta360 - Spherical Image - RICOH THETA
The next morning, we checked out of the hotel and walked about half an hour to get to Waterfront Station and take the Canada Line to Vancouver airport (YVR). YVR is a pre-clearance airport for flights to the U.S., so we were able to clear customs and immigration before getting onto the plane. We had Global Entry, an expedited service, which quickened the process. The security officer asked to see our Global Entry Cards before we could use the entry kiosks, which fortunately we had with us. We then cleared into the USA terminal, which technically is in the U.S., though it is on Canadian land. Confusing, huh?
We headed over to the Plaza Premium Lounge in the USA terminal, with complimentary entry thanks to having a Priority Pass. (many elite credit cards offer this as a benefit, such as the American Express Platinum Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve) There were decent offerings for breakfast. The windows offered a view into the airport arrivals hall.
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Our flight was on Alaska Airlines, with a transfer in Portland. I had redeemed Mileage Plan miles for our flight. Alaska offered complimentary beer and wine in coach, which Kaleb enjoyed.
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In Portland, we stopped by the Alaska Lounge for a cup of tea, thanks again to the Priority Pass. Since writing this blog entry one year after the fact, I've noticed that there is another choice for Priority Pass holders: The House Spirits Distillery. Passholders and their guests get a $28 per person credit to spend there, not too shabby if you like to drink your calories!
What's next on the trip list? A quick birthday getaway to Lake Tahoe...stay tuned!
