HOMEWARD BOUND – a day of cruising

A leisurely wake up this morning as today is our last day on the Madam V – a day of cruising and relaxing and stuffing everything we bought into several bags.  The time has just flown by and it seems like it was yesterday that we were all bright eyed and bushy tailed and looking forward to our adventure.

 After our Lido brekky, Kylie and Tyler decide to walk around the decks for a bit and I head off in the other direction to take some more happy snaps of the onboard amenities.

This is a photo of the Art Gallery where you can actually purchase the artworks done by artists from around the world.  How gosh is that eh?  Nice to look and pretend that I can actually buy something but unfortunately my credit doesn’t go that high and I still have a long way to travel on the Visa.

Next to this gallery there is a wine tasting area where you can sit and sip, but don’t be fooled, you are then expected to buy.  There are so many amenities on the Madam V.  Three swimming pools, saunas, spas, cooking classes, cinema, shopping galleries – you could spend your way from Vancouver and back and not leave the ship.

Deciding to meet up just before lunch we venture out on the back deck and even though the sun is out there is not much warmth and a breeze makes the chill factor just a bit more chilly! 

Entering the Lido for lunch – yep – packed to the rafters. They must realise that the ‘let’s pile the plates with as much as we can’ meals are nearly over – so instead of fighting our way through we go out to the swimming pool area and decide on pizzas and burgers which are just as yummy.

Oh Captain announced earlier in the cruise that he will be, at the end of the cruise, signing copies of the Alaskan Cruise Handbook which we can buy for only $20.00.  So of course as we are avid readers we get copies. Over lunch, Kylie tells us that she will be having a few words with Oh Captain about the ‘Case of the Disappearing Whales’.  Tyler and I pretend not to hear and after devouring our lunch we are found once again standing at the railing with eyes peeled for anything that moves.

All of a sudden a school of dolphins start to frolic in the wake of the boat.  Unfortunately I have video but no stills – and then a spout of water – a glimpse of a tail – and that’s it.  At least we saw something that moved beside this BC ferry!

We head on back to the cabin to sort out clothes – K&T decide to do some laundry and I sit on the verandah in the ever hopeful chance that Moby will say hello, but no such luck.

Kylie has not returned and as the book signing is at 2pm I grab both copies and head on up to the signing area.  Fakers have beaten a path leaving a trail of devastation but not to be undaunted I refuse to be intimidated and stand my ground.

Oh Captain – Peter Bos – resplendent in his uniform talks a little about the cruise and then proceeds to sign the books.  Of course the Fakers want to know the ins and outs of a duck’s bum but he smiles ever so politely. How does the man do it?  K&T have arrived and we patiently wait our turn.  Getting to the head of the line – these people will not move under any circumstances so that you can take a photo – but they expect you to move for them.

I do the best I can to get Oh Distinguished Captain in the frame and he asks us if we have enjoyed the cruise, we give Kylie the ‘not a word’ look and politely say yes it was great thank you – it is a beautiful ship and it is nice to be able to put a face to the voice.  After the book signing he passes our books to members of the crew who highlight our passage over the last week.  Yep the Fakers want an in depth explanation of every little bay we visited – as if they will remember in 10 minutes time. Highly unlikely!  We get our books marked and once again the Fakers circle Oh Captain and crew.

We go back to the cabin and rest for while, not that we have done anything energetic but encounters with the Fakers always leave us drained.  It is getting on in time and tonight we are dining at The Pinnacle Grill.  Holland America says ‘this intimate reservations-only venue offers an elegant, sophisticated dining experience. Featuring premium Sterling Silver beef, inspired seafood dishes and many select wines rated “Excellent” by Wine Spectator – as well as distinctive Bvlgari® china, Riedel® stemware and Frette® linens’.

The food of course is included with the cruise payment but to dine amongst fine china, stemware and linens – like everything worth having there is a price – US 20.00 per person booking fee.  Seems such a little amount to pay for such elegant surroundings.  Time to don our best clobber and head off. There are no Fakers here – most probably put off by the booking fee.

We are welcomed by the Maitre d’ who escorts us to our table – see photo above.  After being seated in a most elegant manner I soak up the atmosphere and actually delight in having the linen serviette snapped open and placed in my lap.  We are now ready to indulge.

Along comes our Beverage Waiter who professionally disperses the Beverage List.  As K&T do not drink white wine I choose to have a glass (not a bottle) of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc (bottled in New Zealand).  At US14.00 per glass, or I should say half glass, this is not going to be my usual winefest. 

Our next table attendant is the Food Waiter who brings a full trolley displaying the different cuts of meat that is available to us.  He explains each cut and how it is cooked etc and then leaves us drooling while we decide on what to eat.

I choose an Entree of Lobster Bisque – simply delicious; Ocean and Land (commonly known to us as Surf’n’Turf). This consists of a large piece of rump steak with three of those humungous prawns and assorted veggies and as if I haven’t eaten enough – dessert is a trio of Creme Brulee.   Served in a long white dish with three separate compartments, each tiny compartment contains a different flavoured Brulee – Coffee, Chocolate and Vanilla.  Simply displayed – and definitely not the way to finish  a magnificent meal.

This is then accompanied by coffee and after dinner mints.  Altogether oh so elegant but oh we are so stuffed!  We sit for a while just languishing in these surrounds and when it is time to leave we thank the staff for their wonderful service with the customary tip and decide to have a little walk around to get our dinner settled.  We have to put our bags outside the cabin before bed so that they can be collected at 4am, so we waddle on back to our cabin for a relatively early night as we are due to dock in Vancouver somewhere around 7am in the morning.

Tomorrow sees us begin the land leg of our holiday – I can hardly wait, although on the other hand I am sad to be leaving the Madam V and the relaxing sea-going nights.  To pay homage to our journey we order tea and sit on the verandah for the last time,  thinking back over the past seven days as we cut through the water – the end of one adventure and the beginning of another.

Highlight of the day:  Dressing up and being elegant in the Pinnacle Grill.