Today is our last day at sea. We have been in the open water most of the morning. After breakfast I sat outside, both on deck and on my balcony. Just enjoying the fresh breeze and watching the horizon. Seas are calm, but as we are in the open water, we do have a rolling swell, so the ship has a gentle rolling motion. It is very relaxing.
As I sat on my balcony, off on the horizon, I saw some major whale breaches with huge splashes. Too far away for the camera and too far to determine how big the whale was, but the splashes were enormous. A little later we had a humpback not too far off our port side that was not breaching but was slapping the surface with his dorsal fin as we passed by. Almost like he/she was waving us by.
Today is a bit of a relaxing day, will have to pack up a little bit later as the cruise ends in Vancouver at 8AM tomorrow morning. This really has been a great trip, and I have been extremely lucky with beautiful, if not hot weather in each of the port stops. Even the locals have said how unusual it has been, with no real rain for the past 2 weeks. They also have said they are not use to these 70+ degree days and are ‘sweltering’. LOL I don’t feel bad for them because tomorrow night I will be back in the desert in 110+ degree heat!
Oh Canada
Late in the afternoon we sailed into the Inside Passage. The Captain made a public announcement, informing us of a local Canadian gentleman that had a little speedboat and he rides out to every passing cruise ship that enters the passage and pulls alongside and displays the Canadian flag while he serenades the passing ship with his trumpet. Sure enough, up pulled a speedboat with the Maple Leaf flag, the cruise ship slowed down and the speedboat pulled to the bow and then shut its engines and up stood the gentlemen with his trumpet and proudly played Oh Canada! as the cruise liner passed by, as soon as he finished, the passengers on the ship cheered wildly, and the Captain blew the ship’s horn in salute.
Then the speedboat raced to the bow again, this time the gentleman raised the US Flag and took his trumpet and played The Star Spangled Banner. Again the passengers of our vessel cheered wildly and our Captain saluted with the ship’s horn once again.
The speedboat raced to the bow a 3rd time, this time he played When the Saints Go Marching In! Again a reaction from the passengers and the captain blew the horn. Finally he played the famous bugle call for charge! three times. Each time the passengers yelling charge! and the captain letting out a short blast of the ship’s horn. The gentleman saluted and took his little speedboat back to his small village on the shores.
Fountains
If you have never been on a Norwegian Cruise, then you do not know about the “Fountains” tradition. On the last day/night the crew puts on a talent show that showcases just regular crew members and not the entertainment staff. This time we had cooks coming out and playing guitar and singing, we had restaurant/bar staff singing, the coffee shop barrista coming out and singing a funny song, the cabin stewards coming out with their ‘dance troupe’ and putting on a show from Madonna, to Michael Jackson, to MC Hammer, etc. The waiter from the brazilian restaurant on board singing a church hymn dedicated for Father’s Day. But the show culminates with a performance by senior crew members of THE FOUNTAINS. Performed to ENYA, and costumed strictly in togas and water urns the staff surprises the audience with a comedic performance recreating some of the famous ’fountains’ of the world! Each ship’s crew put their own spin on it. I have seen it two times now and crack up every time!
Now I am all packed and ready to disembark in the morning. Back to work on Tuesday. Cant wait to return to Alaska sometime in the future. It really is an incredible place.
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