On Saturday May 29th we caught on the 6:40am Amtrak Cascades Train south to Seattle, arriving at approximately 11:00am. It was a nice relaxing trip down and very convenient. Might I add, a nice stress free way to get to Seattle and back without breaking the bank or needing park a vehicle and spend a night in a hotel. This is a great option for Vancouverites to cruise from Seattle, and vice versa. From the Amtrak station in Seattle we were able to get a town car service to the Pier for $20 (not sure if that is a good price or not) and the driver gave us a brief tour of downtown. It was a smooth transition to the pier. After checking our bags, and doing our pre-boarding check-in, we made our way into the waiting area which was very busy (Golden Princess was next door). Though crowded, I found Pier 91 to be very well organized, with plenty of guidance and assistance if necessary, making it very easy to find your way around.

Finally our boarding group was called and we went up to the lido for a quick snack. The lido was quite crowded and we found it very difficult to find a seat. The lines were longer than usual as they have the 48hr 'code yellow' (or whatever you call it) in effect and all food including beverages are being served. I also noticed a large number of people with 'guest' passes in the lido, which may explain some of the crowding. I knew from previous trips that the first day was usually much busier in the lido so we weren't at all concerned. After lunch, the cabins were ready so we headed down to check out our Ocean view (3388) on the Lower Promenade deck. This is the first time not having at least a verandah cabin so we were not quite sure what to expect.

Our first impressions were that the cabin was a bit smaller than those we have been in before, but found it was very clean and well laid out. There was plenty of storage, both for empty suitcases (2 large and 1 small) and all of our clothing. The closet system was excellent, with shelves that could either lay flat for stacking or get folded up to allow for more hanging space. The bathroom was spacious and quite updated, with ample storage shelves for what we brought along. We chose this cabin for its proximity to walking area and the aft elevators so we could easily get to an outside area to take photos (as we have been used to having a verandah to step out on). Read more