I live in San Diego and have dear friends in Victoria, so it seemed like a no-brainer to take advantage of the great price for this short cruise to Vancouver. I also took it as an opportunity to see how I'd fare in the cheapest inside cabin... looking ahead to when I can't find any friends to share and may only be able to afford windowless real estate onboard. As I noticed the prices going down, I was upgraded to an outside obstructed, then to an outside unobstructed, and finally to a verandah. A good friend who had never sailed before, also booked a solo room and got the same upgrade. We were happy campers!

Embarkation: 3 ships were in port in San Diego and there was lots of news to avoid the area due to traffic jams and construction going on. One ship was only in for a port stop, so no passengers embarking/disembarking. The other was the Zuiderdam. We arrived at 11:00 am and promptly went through security and checking in. Alas, no one would be allowed on the ship until closer to 1:00 due to deep cleaning that supposedly was going on. The ship had been through drydock, then started the cruise in FLL for a Panama Canal crossing. Heard there had been outbreaks of Norovirus, as well as 3 deaths (according to a passenger we met at dinner). We took a walk, had lunch, and were able to board by 1:00.

Cabins: We both were on the 4th deck with verandahs. I had a shower only, which was fine with me. The sink had a long countertop so there was loads of room. I loved the detail of the Dutch tiles decorating. It was evident that it had been renovated during drydock. Everything looked fresh and new, except for what may have been a cigarette burn on the countertop near the sink. So sad.The verandah in 4006 has the steel wall, but being tall, it wasn't a problem. There were 3 chairs and two tables. Leaving San Diego, we sat outside and watched our departure. The next days it was too rough and windy to spend any time outside. Read more