Seattle

Today is embarkation day on the MS Westerdam on Holland America Line!

We started the day with a run. Myron joined for the first 3 miles and then Sherilyn continued on for another 3 to total 6 for the day. Seattle is a super hilly city so it was a challenge to find a route that wasn't completely uphill the whole time. We got ready and went to breakfast at the 5 point cafe which had gotten great reviews as a hidden gem in Seattle. It was good but honestly nothing special.

We walked back to the hotel and checked out. We arranged a shared van with the concierge and they brought us to the pier for $9/person. We got there really early, around noon, so the lines were very short and we were able to board the ship quickly and efficiently. We spent the rest of the day eating, drinking and exploring the Westerdam. The rest of our group arrived in Seattle that morning so we met up with them as they were exploring the ship too.

Myron and I absolutely loved having a balcony room for this cruise. It was great to sit out there wrapped in the cozy wool blankets they provide. We had hoped to have our coffee out on the balcony in the mornings but it was generally too cold to do that. That evening, we had our chocolate cake with chocolate frosting in honor of Grampa not being able to go with us to Alaska, and we ended the night in the piano bar.Read more