After a short, 30-minute flight from SEA to YVR on Monday morning, we took the super-convenient light rail service from the airport to the cruise ship terminal, Canada Place. It was a gorgeous day so we completed half the check-in process (i.e. dropped bags) then took a walk along the waterfront. Gelato was found, of course.

Sitting on balcony later in the afternoon on departure day, we cruised out of port, under the Lion’s Gate Bridge and into Vancouver Bay.

The ship was massive, but our mini-suite with a balcony felt just right—spacious enough indoors and out for us to relax comfortably. That extra room turned out to be a big plus, especially when the rain pushed most guests inside and the main decks filled up with activity. Our suite remained calm and quiet—a little oasis amid the buzz of the ship.

Our first onboard experience was dinner at Sabatini’s Trattoria—a five-course Italian tasting menu that set the tone for the week. The food was delicious, the service exceptional, and it made for a perfect introduction to our cruise.

Tuesday was spent “at sea.” Once we left the shelter of northern Vancouver Island, we entered 24 hours of offshore sailing. The rain came down steadily, the shoreline disappeared into the mist, and the rolling waves reached an impressive 12 to 15 feet.

Thankfully, Deck 7 was covered, allowing us to walk the full perimeter of the ship. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t a popular activity in the rain—so we had it almost entirely to ourselves. From the bow, we watched the ship slice through the swells; from the stern, we listened to the deep, rhythmic churn of the engines pushing us forward.

Several times we passed a couple of maintenance crew out painting (!) despite the drizzle. Judging by their expressions, they thought we were nuts for being out there. Fair enough, guys—same to you.

On Wednesday we arrived at our first Alaskan port of call, Sitka, where we’d booked a bike and hike shore excursion—an awesome way to experience the lush scenery up close, even if it was raining.

Our local guides were full of energy and eager to share their knowledge of the area’s wildlife, plant life, and local legends, peppered with personal stories of growing up in Sitka that gave the tour some extra charm.

We also walked through the lush landscape of Totem Park which displays native totem poles from all over Alaska. It was interesting to see the different colors and motifs than we see on the works of the Tribal Nations of the Pacific Northwest.

Our second port of call was Ketchikan. Already hosting two cruise ships when we arrived, we were about to bump the up the local population by another few thousand!

We happened to be on deck—and on the right side of the ship—to watch the entire docking process in Ketchikan. It was surprisingly fun to see it all up close, complete with a bit of friendly banter with the team on the pier.

Unfortunately, our planned excursion was cancelled due to weather – rain with strong wind.  We walked around town a bit then settled back in on our balcony as the afternoon weather cleared – a typical pattern.

Evenings after dinner were all about relaxing (bundled up!) out on the balcony, or hopping between the sitting area and the balcony to dodge raindrops. One of my favorite things about dining onboard was the flexibility: we could enjoy an earlier dinner, then put together our own “second dinner” with a little spread of cheese, fruit, and salami to take back to the room for later. Add in some afternoon prosecco and fruit, and we had ourselves a very civilized routine.

Our final full day at sea didn’t disappoint – we sailed past the stunning northern coastline of Vancouver Island, catching all the views we missed overnight on the way out. To top it off, the ocean gave us one last breathtaking sunset.

In our collective travel experience, a cruise wasn’t something we’d done before and overall it was a fun adventure. Not being “group activity” people, I’m not sure that cruises would be a thing we would pursue again, but I’m certainly glad we went!