Kacey’s Royal Caribbean Cruise Line vacation continues.

Day 7: Victoria, B.C., Canada

I absolutely loved my first glimpse of Victoria. It reminded me a lot of an East Coast harbor town such as Boston. A lot of brick buildings and very elegant 17^th century structures. We stepped onto the pier and decided to take the waterfront walk into town in order to experience more of the stunning sea views, fisherman’s wharf, and all of the unique houses and boats at the water’s edge. We have been so lucky with the weather all trip long! It was another absolutely gorgeous day and I barely needed the sweater I brought along.

Victoria is loaded with amazing architecture that brings together a variety of different cultures and attitudes. From the vine covered castle that is the Fairmont Empress Hotel to Irish pubs dotting the brick sidewalks and gigantic totem poles from the tribes of the Pacific Northwest, Victoria had an astounding number of things to experience. The very first thing that we did when we arrived in town was grab a fresh cup of coffee. Victoria is bursting with small, independent coffee shops. After walking down busy Government Street, doing some window shopping and drooling over some of the gorgeous clothes and shopping opportunities offered, we decided to head down to the famous Craigdarroch Castle.

Unfortunately, it was quite a long walk being that Victoria is a much bigger city than Skagway or Juneau, and we managed to get ourselves lost in the process. So instead we decided to stop for lunch at a local pub called The Sticky Wicket. Great food, great beer, and overall great atmosphere. So we never made it to the castle (although I later found out that it was only about 3 blocks away from where we were lost). But I heard from fellow travelers it was an absolutely beautiful building. The Buchart Gardens also got rave reviews from our dinner mates and was labeled a “must see”. Oh well, next time.

As it was, I still have to say Victoria has been my favorite port of call. It is definitely is a prosperous city, but one that keeps its artistic soul close and avoids the crazy metropolis feeling that places like Seattle give off at times.

To experience a bit more of the environment of the Pacific Northwest we decided to take a long walk back to the boat through Beacon Hill Park. As I mentioned earlier it was such a gorgeous day and many families were out as well, having barbeques, playing games, and just laying about enjoying the good weather. It reminded me distinctly of being home in Sacramento. It was great to see the wide variety of ducks and geese, and some truly enormous trees! It gave off such a peaceful atmosphere right in the heart of a bustling city. I can see why people are so proud to live here and call it one of the most beautiful cities in British Columbia.

Once back on Rhapsody of the Seas we prepared for our last night aboard ship. We had to repack  our suitcases, trying to find room for all of the extras and souvenirs we acquired throughout the trip. Afterwards we put them outside the door for our stateroom attendant to take care off. Extremely simple and hassle free on our part, as we were assured our luggage would be waiting for us at the pier as soon as we got off the boat.

Our final show featured former Olympic gymnast, Lance Ringnald and a great deal of other performances from the ship’s singers and dancers and our cruise director.  It was somewhat sad saying goodbye to all of our new friends we made at dinner, but emails were exchanged and I’m sure that we will keep in touch.

Mark and I decided for our last night just to walk a bit on deck and enjoy the magnificent sea views and fresh air. The sun was just beginning to set over the water when we spotted a flash of movement on the horizon and suddenly a great black tail popped out of the water! I finally saw my whale! That was the only glimpse I got, but I still think it was a good way to end our vacation.

I would definitely recommend an Alaskan cruise to all those interested in stunning views and wildlife while still experiencing all of the comfort and relaxation that a cruise ship has to offer. Alaska has been amazing, but I am excited to get home. All the better to start planning my next trip! 

Kacey Kuebler
kacey.k@travelstoreusa.com

Tags: Alaska, alaskan cruise, kacey kuebler, rhapsody of the seas, Royal Caribbean, victoria

This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 at 8:48 am and is filed under Alaska, Canada, Royal Caribbean. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.