Victoria - Last Day - AKA Sad Day

After the Most Travelled Luncheon we return to the cabin to change.  It is around 2 pm and we are full and all I want to do is just crawl into bed and have a nap.  But I won't, it is the last day and I want to enjoy it to the fullest.

The Cabin Steward - Enrique - has put the bed protector on the bed so we can start packing.  But we are doing early walk off so we will just pack late today or early tomorrow.  One nice thing about not having to fly home is that we can just throw the things in the bag and close it and go.

I head up to the top deck to catch a bit of the Deadliest Catch - Crab Sort Gameshow. It was quite fun to watch.

Oh did I tell you what a squirrely day it has been weather wise.  We keep entering these fog banks and the fog horn sounds periodically.   Then we come into beautiful sunshine.   It is warm enough that people are out on the pool decks and in the pool.  It is amazing how cool it can be when you are out in open waters.  There was also more movement last night as we are now sailing in the Pacific and we are not shielded by land on both sides anymore.

Events happening this afternoon:

• Navigational Chart Auction - Art Auction
• Line Dancing
• Veterans Get Together
• Golf Putting
• Ballroom Blitz Dance Class - Salsa
• Ice Carving Demo
• Naturalist Presentation:  Native People of the North West Coast
• The Great Egg Drop Challenge
• Arts and Crafts: Box Making
• Princess Cruises 50th Anniversary Trivia
• MUTS Iron Man
• Carpet Bowls Challenge
• Penny Whistle Class
• Deadliest Catch Gameshow 
• Great Alaskan Trivia
• Production Show Motor City (remember the days of the production show are different this voyage due to the new singers/dancers just coming on).

We sort of do our own thing this afternoon.  I head to the Princess Cruises 50th Anniversary Trivia but got there late so just watched from the back.  

Watched the egg drop contest and loved how many families worked together with their kids to come up with something.

I sit in Crooners and chat with Red for awhile.  We stop into the stores to say goodbye to a few friends.  The stores will close when we get into Victoria and will not reopen so this is our last chance to see some of the crew there.

We are coming into Victoria.  It is sure nice to be back in Canada (even if it is for a few hours). We head up to Skywalkers for our last night in the Elite Lounge with Rock and the allstars yeah that is a great name for them.  It is quiet up here and with so many people itching to get off as soon as possible that they are all hanging out in the Atrium and the hallways/stairways near the gangways.  A few times we hear Nelson the Customers Services Director come on the intercom to announce that it is important for guest to clear the aisles/stairs and to head to a public area to wait till we tie up and clear the ship.  

We are good though, hardly no one is in Skywalkers.  We enjoy a few drinks up here and say a fond farewell to Rock.

After the drinks we head out to the open decks to walk around and take some pictures and enjoy the fresh air.  We run into a couple - the husband is NOT happy and he sure lets his wife know how he feels.  I felt bad for her, but hey she married him.  But in the end I am not sure how you can't be happy.  And if you are not happy, don't take it out on your loved one, head back to the cabin and chill.

We decide not to go ashore today again.  I know I know but hey we live an hour and a half ferry ride from Victoria.  We were just here in May and we will be back here in September (more on that in a later blog).

You can read more about visiting Victoria here on a previous stop here.  

It is lovely tonight, the sun is starting to set, you can see the Legislature in the distance all lit up.  The sea air and the birds are tickling our senses.  

The Holland America ship is right next to us again.  Also a Norwegian Ship too. 

We head to the buffet for a light dinner tonight.  We get ice cream for dessert.  

Tonight we partake in the Multimedia Trivia where a we join up with a fellow passenger.  We do okay but not close enough.

And finally we are back at Crooners for a last goodbye to Red.  

Back in the cabin we pack up most of the bag and get things settled.  

Tomorrow it is back to normal.  Sad face.

Other things happening tonight:  

• Rolla Bolla Balancing of Krill
• Jewish Sabbath Service
• MUTS Stevie Wonder 
• LGBT Get Together
• Karaoke Power Hour
• 60 Second Frenzy 
• Farewell Multimedia Trivia
• Stateroom Movie:  The Longest Ride
• Indoor Goofy Golf

Sunday Evening - Formal Night

Rock making one of his famous Cosmos

As we wake from a nap - nothing better than a guilt free nap while on vacation - we decide to try out the Platinum Elite Lounge again.

Tonight is formal night and I can tell you that Alaska does seem to have a less formal vibe than we have experienced on other itineraries.  But in saying this we notice many people are dressed up including all the families.  So cute, and so many are posing for pictures.  What a great souvenir.

Up in Skywalkers it is quiet again.  We sit and chat with Rock, who by the way makes the BEST Cosmos, as per Bernie's well tuned palate.  We enjoy two each and a few munchies and we catch up on how Rock is and what is new with him and his family.  He is quite excited as he is heading home soon.  I have to say we visited the Elite Lounge a lot more this voyage because of Rock and all the great staff up there.

At around 7 pm we make our way down to the Atrium to catch a glimpse of the Captain's Announcement and the Introductions of the Officers.  They are walking around with champagne and those yummy chocolate treats.  It is busy here but not crazy like we have seen in the past.  I am thinking with so many first time Princess Cruisers they may just not be aware of it.

We went to Michelangelo Dining room around 7:45 and we see Stefano the Head Waiter at the front door.  Right away he recognizes us and gives us big hugs.  He sits us at a lovely table by the window were we are handed the Captain's Welcome Aboard Menu - with Special Items in Honour of Princess' 50th Anniversary.

Here are a few pictures of the menu and their "special items"

I start with some Risotto Cakes with a lovely cream sauce and for my entree I had the Fillet of Turbot that was like butter.  The Truffle Chive Sauce was to die for.

The Sorbet is served before the entree to cleanse the palate and then I finished it off with the Norman Love Chocolate Raspberry Mousse.  

So yummy... 

As we leave we are trying to figure out what to do after dinner.  But it is decided for us as we see something is starting in the Atrium.  It is the Balancing Act of Krill, quite impressive.

We stop by the Explorer's Lounge to watch a bit of Majority Rules.  The place is packed and lots of laughs, again it is fun to see many experiencing this for the first time.

I have to also say that I have been very impressed with how everyone is behaving.  I had been a little worried when I saw so many kids on board initially.  But I have encountered way more polite, respectful young people than I have rude, unhappy ones.  Whenever we have been in a line or around kids, we have always engaged them and they have responded very nicely.  Many have pushed elevator buttons, given way when walking down hallways, said good morning in passing, and always say thank you to the staff after they have done something for them.  A few adults seem to have forgotten many of these traits.  

This makes me think of a story of what happened today.  While we lined up in the long line to get ice cream up on deck - go figure lines are long with so many kids, and kids at heart on board.  A young guy of around 8 or 9 is in front of us wrapped in a pool towel (wet hair and swimsuit having obviously just come out of the pool).  I ask him how the water is, and he says "good, but there are a lot of bugs".  Of course Bernie pipes in "oh aren't the fish in the pool eating the bugs - that is why they are put in the pool".  The kid looks up and smiles (with three teeth missing in the front and says questionably "there aren't fish in the pool".  Bernie quickly responds "oh yes there are, you just haven't dove far enough down to see them".  Now I wonder if the boy believed him, but I do think he got him wondering.  

Another great day on board.  Tomorrow we arrive in Juneau late morning.  Lots still going on tonight. 

Here is a rundown of the evening events:

• LGBT Get Together
• Ballroom Dancing with the Tritone Duo in Wheelhouse
• Evening Melodies with the Elegy Duo in Crooners
• Acoustic Melodies with Guitar Vocalist Will Dickerson
• Discovery at Sea Trivia (Velocity - Cars) 7 pm
• Best of the Beatles with DJ Jammin in Club Fusion at 7 pm
• Captain's Champagne Waterfall 7 pm
• MUTS Cinderella 2015 7 pm and 10 pm
• Big Band Dance Date with Crown Princess Orchestra
• Evening Game Show: Passenger Feud Club Fusion 8 pm
• Comedy Magician Farrell Dillon 8:15 and 10 pm
• Princess Popstar
• Stateroom Movie - The Rewrite 
• Majority Rules Gameshow at 9:15
• Pianist David Moore in Crooners

Note normally there would be a huge production show tonight but the singers and dancers just left in Seattle and a new group arrived and they are needing some rehearsals/training so we will get the shows a bit later in the cruise. 

Weather today was lovely around 19C, sunrise was 6:07 and sunset was 8;41 pm.

Sales/Specials happening today:

• $50,000 Anniversary Slot Tournament
• Internet Cafe Embarkation Special, buy a internet time package and get up to an additional 40 minutes free
• Ultimate Ship's Tour is advertised (happens on last day of cruise) Sign up at Passenger Services Desk cost is $150
• Cafe Caribe is having a Mexican Themed Lunch
• Crab Shack $20 is happening tonight - call the dine line to reserve.  To hear more about this dinner read my blog from when we did it.