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Published: June 28th 2011
We departed Skagway in the afternoon for our return to Seattle. We hit the open seas and headed south. Cruising all day Friday and most of Saturday, we arrived at our last port of call, Victoria.
Friday was very quiet, with the ship moving along at 21 knots. Friday evening, being the second formal night, required us to dress for the evening and pose for all of the photo stations on board. Mind you, this was not a requirement of the Princess Cruise Line; it was a requirement of my wife.
Saturday, we were able to enjoy the ship’s atmosphere, grab a snack or two, and recoup some of our losses in the casino. After a quick bite to eat on board the Sapphire Princess, we headed out to explore Victoria, B.C.
A shuttle bus from the pier dropped us in front of the Empress Hotel. Saturday evening in Victoria was bustling. A mix of cruise ship escapees and land lubber visitors made for a lively environment. The downtown street entertainment was what one would expect. Mimes, jugglers and a one man band played for tips.
First we explored the Empress, walking around the grounds, looking in
on the “High Tea” aficionados, and absorbing some of the history. I haven’t been to the Empress since I was a kid, but it did seem a bit familiar.
Lani and I continued our walking tour through the downtown area of shops, bars and restaurants. After a week of shopping, we still weren’t ready to concede. The current exchange rate is 93 cents Canadian to our dollar. You would think the seven percent premium we had to pay would limit our buying. Apparently, it didn’t. Finally, with a couple more bags in our hands, we headed back to the ship for the evening.
The ship departed Victoria at midnight. We were the last of three cruise ships to head back to Seattle. Lani and I watched from our balcony as we pulled away from the dock and lined up in the procession. The lights aboard the two ships in front provided a look at our route out of the harbor.
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