Friday, July 12, 2024
It was an early day for us today. Our flight was scheduled to depart MSP at 5A, so we were up and moving before 3A. My brother brought us to the airport, and there was no line for TSA PreCheck, so we went right on through. The agent checking IDs liked my last name. I checked his name tag to see that he had the same one!
Our first flight was to Midway in Chicago. I’ve flown through Chicago a dozen times, but always through O’Hare. This was my first Midway layover. Our plane was very empty. The gate agent said that of the 175 seats on the plane, only 78 would be filled. This made sleeping easier!
Our second flight to Seattle wasn’t as nice. The plane was full, and the flight was long. I slept as much as I could, but I was still so antsy sitting there that long. At one point they called for a doctor to the back of the plane. There was no emergency landing though, so everything must have been okay. The flight attendant was so funny. She made an announcement after landing and said something about “for the last 4 hours and 11 minutes of our lives….” and it made everyone laugh. (I know, I know, you had to be there). We landed early, so we had to wait for our gate to be open. Then we had to wait to be towed in. When we were finally able to deplane, she came back over the intercom and said, “Alright folks, get off.” making everyone laugh again.
We retrieved our bags from baggage claim, then headed out to the Uber pickup where we caught our ride to the hotel. (For future reference, an Uber from SeaTac to downtown Seattle is ~$100. You can take the train, but I didn't feel like figuring that out with our 6 bags of luggage. Though the train is like $3!)
Our rooms weren’t ready yet, so the hotel stored our luggage and we went for lunch. Aaron loves wings, so I found a place called Vindictive Wings for us to eat at. The wings were good, the fries were good, and the service was good. The only down side is that they serve room temperature water. (The upside is that the bathrooms look like Christmas threw up in them 24/7!)
After lunch, I wanted to find the helipad that is used to shoot the helicopter scenes in Grey's Anatomy. Luckily, it was on the way back to the hotel!
We walked back to the hotel and found that our room was ready. We had just enough time to settle in and rest for a moment before heading out for our next activity. We stayed at the Hampton Inn in Seattle Center. I was able to book it with Hilton points, and it was in the perfect location! Right near the Space Needle and some museums, as well as the monorail.
I had scheduled the Seattle Underground Tour for us to go on. It began at 4:30, and we left the hotel at 3:45 to make the ten minute walk to the monorail. We JUST missed the tram, so we had to wait for the next one. After we road the tram, I realized we still had another mile to walk to get to the tour. We definitely should have left earlier!
We ended up making it just in time. I thought the tour was really cool! Our tour guide, Jennifer, was really funny. She told us a bit about the history of Seattle at our meeting point before we left on the tour.
Basically, in the 1800s Seattle was a big logging camp. Outside of natives, it remained 90% male until roughly the 1890s. (Which explains a lot of what I’m about to recall, if you ask me). Seattle is on the coast, and because of that’s it’s also a tide flat. When the tide came in, it spread into the city and “cleaned” the outhouses.When the tide went out, what was left behind was a bunch of muck - both sediment, and outhouse contaminants.
They solved this problem by installing flushing toilets, which they drained into the bay. Which meant that again, high tide brought in some crap.
Then they tried to solve the problem by using the free saw dust from the local mill to essentially pack into the ground to raise the ground level. What they didn’t account for is that saw dust packed by constantly flooding water rots. Whole horses and carriages would sink into the roads, leaving giant pot holes.
What “saved” them from this problem was the great Seattle Fire of 1889. The fire began because of a carpenter overheating a pot of glue. It spread to a hardware store housing dynamite, and a liquor store packed with whiskey. Many explosions later, the whole city burned for a full day.
The fire chief was out of town, and the assistant chief had a breakdown, so the mayor took over. He had read an article about fire breaks, so he decided to use dynamite to blow up a couple blocks in hopes to stop the fire. It didn’t work.
The firemen’s hoses also didn’t work because they relied on pressure from the bay, but the tide was way out so there was no pressure. It ended up that Seattle’s citizens just drank on the hill and watched the city burn until it ran out of fuel.
They ended up trying to be strategic in their rebuilding. They took everything that was burned in the fire and used it to pack in the ground to raise it to keep from flooding. (In retrospect a terrible idea. Seattle still sinks at a rate of 1/8-1/4 inch per year because of the “filling.”) They also demolished a hill and used that dirt to help level the land. They built the first floor of buildings with the knowledge that they would eventually be underground, and put the entrance on the second floor - this is why the underground tour we took now exists.
The “Underground” was used for a lot of things over the decades. Fun fact - this is where the UPS got its start. The USPS refused to deliver mail to the underground, so the UPS was born to do it instead. Their first delivery? Laudanum to help with dysentery. The underground was also used to house alcohol during prohibition, and as a vault for gold in the gold rush era.
Our tour took place in Pioneer Square, which was the red light district of Seattle. We learned that seamstresses are a symbol of Seattle because back in the day, seamstress was code for prostitute. They taxed themselves $10/week and used all this money to rebuild the town. Pioneer Square is historic, and it was deemed that Seattle couldn’t change the culture of the area, so this area now houses the missions, mental health places, etc. Much of the upper floors are vacant because they’ve been condemned after earthquake damage and aren’t worth fixing. Seattle can’t tear town the buildings until the ground level floor is considered condemned.
After the tour, we walked the half mile to where I wanted to have dinner - Fisherman’s Restaurant. Aaron got the Butter Baked Lobster, and I had the Alaskan Halibut and chips. Both were delicious!
Our view was amazing also. We had a view of the bay, and the Seattle Great Wheel, which was our next stop.
After boarding the Ferris wheel, we got to do three trips around. The view was absolutely beautiful. You could see out into the bay, view the skyline of Seattle, see both the baseball and football stadiums, and catch Mount Rainer in the background.
We walked back to the monorail through Pike Place Market to see the gum wall (unfortunately I did not have any gum to stick on it!), and took the monorail to Seattle Center as we could easily walk to our hotel from there.
Saturday, July 13, 2024
We started out day by meeting up with a tour group of about 13 other visitors to take a shuttle out to some waterfalls. It was nice because our meet up place was only a block from our hotel! One of the ladies and her granddaughter(?) that were on our tour were originally from St. Paul, MN, and the lady's brother actually went to college in our hometown!
We drove the 40 minutes to Olallie State Park in the Cascade Mountain Range to hike to see Twin Falls. Our guide shared a lot of information about the plants, berries, and mushrooms throughout the rainforest hike.
After Twin Falls, we made the short drive to see Snoqualmie Falls.
It was suppose to be a 40 minute drive back to downtown Seattle, but traffic was horrendous so it turned into double that. Lucky for me, I slept for most of it!
We swung into our hotel for a minute before taking the monorail back to the other end of downtown so we could go to Pike Place Market. Aaron wanted to see the fish flinging, and we were hoping to get lunch at Pike Place Chowder. Unfortunately, the line was stupid long and it was already 1:30 so we were too hungry to wait.
We ended up going to Beecher’s Handmade Cheese for lunch. The line for this was long, but not nearly as bad, and it moved quickly. Aaron and I split the lasagna and a bowl of mac n cheese. It was delicious!
From there we went to The Purple Store. It is a store that only sells purple things! My version of Heaven! They even had Minnesota Vikings things!
I wanted to go to the original Starbucks, but the line for that was stupid long too, and it was too hot to wait.
We took the monorail back to our end of town and spent the rest of the afternoon at the hotel. I’d been fighting a migraine since yesterday so I wanted to rest with a big bag of ice. On our way back to the hotel, we saw a parade of naked people! Probably about 50 of them in a long line/mob roller blading and riding their bikes. I never knew the naked bike parade was real! (I'll spare you a photo!)
I was still hoping to see the Space Needle, but when we walked down there the line was still long. We decided just to go get pizza and bring it back to the hotel, then visit the Space Needle in the morning. We got a giant pizza from Big Mario’s, which was just down the street. Supposedly they were ranked #11 for pizza in the nation. Honestly I wasn't impressed. I don't think they're top 11 in the pizza I've eaten, and I've definitely not tried enough in the nation to make a list of top 11 nation-wide.
Sunday, July 14, 2023
Today was another early wake up. The day/night time change has been fine, but my body still wants to wake up at 6AM Minnesota time, which is 4AM Seattle time!
We laid around for awhile this morning before getting up to shower. We wanted to get to the Space Needle right when it opened at 8. This was a great decision and I would highly recommend it! We got right in and it wasn’t jam packed with people.
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| I spotted our cruise ship from the top! |
We headed back to the hotel to eat breakfast and pack up before the hotel shuttle took us to Smith Cove Pier to board our cruise ship. When we arrived at the hotel on Friday, I wasn't sure how we would get to the ship. However when we checked in, the lady at the desk asked if we needed a ride. I think that a shuttle contracts through them to take people to the pier, because their website said they didn't have a cruise shuttle!
The process to board was very organized and quick! We hardly waited in line at all. We didn't have our medallions shipped to us because I didn't want to worry about remembering to pack them. It wasn't needed though - in fact I think the line for people WITH their medallions was longer than the one for people WITHOUT. Once on the ship we did a little exploring and had some ice cream, followed by more exploring until the MDR opened for lunch.
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| The Da Vinci Sundae: hazelnut, vanilla gelato, chocolate and raspberry sauce with whipped cream |
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| View of Seattle from the ship |
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| View of Mt. Rainier from the ship |
I read so many Facebook posts saying that you MUST eat in the MDR for lunch on embarkation day because the orange soufflé was to die for. (They were right, so good!)
Starter: Antipasto of Dry-Cured Salami and Roasted Vegetables (balsamic vinaigrette)
Main: Spinach and Ricotta Cheese Ravioli (homemade tomato sauce, Parmesan)
Dessert: Orange Soufflé (grand marnier - vanilla sauce)
After lunch they announced that our staterooms were ready, so we headed there. Our room (L302) was in prime location! It’s on the lido deck, which means we are right by the pool, bar, noodle restaurant, burger place, buffet, and ice cream stand. Plus we’re at the very beginning of the hall, so the elevators are right there as well.
Some of our luggage had already arrived so we brought that in, watched the muster drill video, checked in at our muster station, and went out on our balcony to wait for the sail away party.
A little before three, the captain announced the ship would soon be departing port. However, he also told us that the ship doctor had said someone needed to be taken away by ambulance first, so we had to wait for that.
We grabbed drinks and headed to the aft of the ship for departure, which happened about an hour later than planned. Then wandered for a bit before heading back to our balcony to enjoy the view as we sailed away.
Our dinner reservations were for 7PM. I’m glad we made them because a lot of people were getting turned away at the door and told to come back later! Dinner was delicious!
Starter: Greek Salad (cucumber, tomato, feta, red onion, Kalamata olives, red bell pepper, balsamic vinaigrette)
Main: Pan-Fried Alaska Cod (glazed carrots, creamy mashed potatoes, lemon-caper butter)
Dessert: Princess Love Boat Dream (heart shaped dessert with layers of chocolate-raspberry mousse and vanilla raspberry cream on a shortbread cookie base)
After dinner, we went up to the room for a little bit and then went to the casino until the show we wanted to go to at 9:30. We saw Steve Marshall, who was a comedy magician. The show was pretty funny.
After the show, we grabbed snacks from the café and drinks from the bar for a little wind down. Then, we headed up to the room to watch a little TV before going to sleep around midnight. The TVs did not have cable, but had select shows and movies you could watch. Our go to for this trip began with CSI: Las Vegas.
Monday, July 15, 2024
We slept in this morning for the first time all vacation! I guess that is what staying up past midnight (which is 2AM at home) will get us. Finally around 8 we got ready for the day and headed down to the MDR for breakfast.
The couple we were sat next to said they had seen many whales out the window while they were sitting there! We didn’t see any, though I wasn’t very good at looking for them. I just had pancakes and sausage for breakfast.
From there we headed to the spa so I could book a pedicure as I ran out of time to do it before we left for vacation. I bought a new sweatshirt, we dropped off a paper for our excursion on Wednesday, and we otherwise wandered the ship.
My pedicure was at noon, and from there we went to lunch.
Starter: Colossal Fries (truffle aioli, cheese sauce, mayonnaise)
Main: Buttermilk Fried Chicken & Waffles (collard greens and maple syrup)
Dessert: Double Chocolate Tart (crème anglaise)
After lunch we sat on the balcony for awhile and looked for marine life (no luck) and then I read for a bit before taking a nap.
After my nap I was ready for a snack. I was also bound and determined to get as much as I could out of the Plus package that I paid for, and since I'm not a big drinker, I was going to do it with the premium desserts!
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| The Godfather Sundae: Fudge brownie, vanilla gelato, chocolate sauce and whip cream |
We hung out in the room watching CSI and on the balcony watching the waves until dinner time.
Starter: Smoked Black Pepper Duck Breast (creamy apple celeriac-salad, spiced lingonberry puree, frisée, candied walnut garnish)
Main Dish: Gnocchi with Truffled Cream (Parmesan shavings, arugula, basil oil)
Dessert: Chocolate Hazelnut Bar with Citrus Cream (hazelnut dacquoise cake, dark and milk chocolate crème)
After dinner, I went to a show and Aaron went to the casino. The show was called Fiera! And while the production was really cool, it was also the kind of costumes that would give me nightmares - creepy carnival outfits and plague masks!
Tuesday, July 16, 2024
We gained an hour last night as we shifted time zones once again. Despite that extra hour of sleep, I still didn’t get up until room service knocked on my door with the breakfast I ordered the night before at 6:30. We had already docked in Ketchikan, and despite the fact that it was raining, I was eager to finally touch foot on Alaskan soil. After showering and getting ready, we headed down the gangway and into Ketchikan!
First we walked to Creek Street to see the salmon ladder. Unfortunately, there were no salmon. We didn’t really know what else to do, and it was raining and we hadn’t originally brought our umbrellas, so we headed back to the ship for an hour.
At about 9:45 we headed back off the ship, this time WITH our umbrellas, and walked down to the Alaska Fish House for lunch. It opened at 10, and there was already a line! (People in the Facebook groups said not to pack an umbrella. I am SO glad I didn't listen!) It rains approximately 230-280 days a year in Ketchikan, and they get an average of about 152 inches of rain each year.
Though it was slow moving, we got inside and ordered at the counter before finding a place to sit. The tables were full, but we spotted some people who were leaving and snagged their table.
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Alaska Fish & Chips Sampler - one piece of Pacific Cod, one piece of Local Silver Salmon, and one piece of Local Halibut
Alaska Fish Tacos - one grilled salmon and one grilled halibut taco with smoked cheddar, slaw, chipotle sauce, and pineapple pico de gallo. |
We wandered back toward the pier near where we docked, doing some shopping along the way.
At the pier, we met our tour group for the wildlife tour we were taking. Ketchikan is the only Alaskan port that doesn’t guarantee you will see something, but we got lucky and saw TWO whales, plus some sea lions and a seal! We also saw lots of salmon jumping in the water, and some bald eagles. I hadn't originally booked this excursion, but once we boarded the ship I had decided I wanted to do something in Ketchikan besides just walk around. I'm glad we did!
Our tour returned to land just in time for us to get on the ship, where we were welcomed with hot chocolate.
We headed up to our room to get rid of our wet gear, then down to Vines for some Prosecco and charcuterie.
Charcuterie Board (imported meats and cheese: salami, mortadella, porchetta, ham, aged parmigiano-reggiano, fresh mozerella do bufala, gorgonzola, olives, onions, marinated artichokes and crispy breadsticks)
I read on our balcony for a bit before snuggling into the blankets for some CSI while finally trying to thaw my toes.
We had dinner reservations at 6.
Starter: Tropical Fruit Cup, Macadamia Nuts (melon, papaya, mango, lemon-honey dressing)
Main: Beef Stroganoff (sautéed beef strips, egg noodles, paprika demi-glace, mushrooms, pickles, sour cream)
Dessert: Banana, Chocolate, and Dark Rum Mousse Tart (chocolate shortcrust)
I could barely keep my eyes open at dinner, so I ended up going back to the room to watch tv and call it an early night. Aaron ended up winning big at the casino (whoot!)
Wednesday, July 17, 2024
I was so anxious sleeping last night because I knew we had some scenic cruising today that started early in the morning and I wanted to see it all! The sun rose in the 4 o'click hour, so despite the room darkening curtains, I was up with the sun to go check out the balcony and see the sights.
It was so cool!! We cruised down Endicott Arm to Dawes Glacier where the captain turned the ship around so everyone could see the glacier. I was personally amused by the ice chunks in the water.
We continued our journey on to Juneau, where of course it was raining. Our helicopter ride to the glacier was cancelled, so we rescheduled it with another company in hopes we could still take that trip. That one ended up being cancelled too.
We got off the ship and went to Red Dog Saloon for lunch. They have a famous shot called the Duck Fart. It was created because once upon a time an old lady came in and they were having fun creating shots/drinks. She had them put together Crown Royal, Baileys, and Kahlua, and when she took the shot she immediately farted and it sounded like a duck, so they named the shot Duck Fart.
Bristol Bay Fish Sandwich (beer battered Alaskan Cod with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion and tartar sauce served on a toasted bun with chips)
Nunivak Reindeer Sandwich (Alaskan reindeer sausage topped with grilled onions, provolone cheese. Served on a crispy baguette roll with chips.)
We explored the shops a bit and got back on the ship to dry off some before our afternoon excursion.
We ended up getting to go on a sled dog excursion after all, just not on a glacier. We took a bus out into the Tongass Rainforest where the musher camp was set up. First, we got to go on a ride either the dogs. Each team has 16 dogs who are fed a very high protein diet because they run 8 miles a day! The dogs were SO excited to see us, because it meant they got to run. The girl who led our team of dogs was in her 20s, and had begun her kennel when she was only 16!
After our run we got to check out a suspension bridge and listen to a presentation about the evolution of sled dogs and mushing as a sport.
We learned about how Alaskans used to used Siberian Huskies as sled dogs, but they’re weren’t quite up to running the distances desired. They ended up breeding them down to a smaller, leaner Husky called an Alaskan Husky.
Then we got some hot cocoa and got to snuggle the babies!
We took the bus back to downtown Juneau and IT FINALLY STOPPED RAINING! We went to Tracy’s King Crab Shack for dinner.
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| 1 lb Snow Crab & Fries |
We had to be back in the shop by 8:30 so we could depart at 9. The fog was finally lifting, and the views were beautiful!
Thursday, July 18, 2024
Though we arrived in Skagway at 6AM, our morning started off slow. I grabbed breakfast from the buffet to eat out on our balcony, then I was able to FaceTime with my dad and also my grandma/aunt/niece/nephew.
We didn’t get off the ship until about ten. Once off, you had to take a shuttle bus down the pier because of a rock slide that happened a couple years ago. Then, make the 5-10 minute walk into downtown Skagway. We browsed some shops, then went into Skagway Brewing Company for lunch.
Alaskan Sandwich (5 oz Spruce Tip Ale-battered Alaskan Greenling, locally caught. Served with lettuce, tomato, red onion, tartar sauce; on a toasted Brioche bun)
Brewer’s Alaskan Halibut Fish & Chips (5 oz locally caught Halibut dipped in Spruce Tip Ale Batter; served with fries, house made tartar)
We browsed some more shops after lunch, then headed back to the ship to drop off our purchases and get ready for our excursion.
We took the White Pass Scenic Railway Train ride up through Skagway on the White Pass Trail into Canada. The views were so beautiful!! You could see the remnants of the trail that the adventurers took in search of gold during the Gold Rush.
One of the train conductors was passing through our cabin and took note of Aaron's Busch Light shirt. He asked if we were from the midwest. We told him we were, and where we were from. Funny enough, he had been to our hometown because he used to work for Canadian Pacific!
By the end of the train ride I was getting a migraine, so we got in the (very long) line to board the ship, got some ice so I could make an ice pack, and went to our room to rest before dinner. The view off our balcony as we sailed away from Skagway was beautiful. We didn’t get to see much sailing in as it was so foggy, so we took it all in now!
Our dinner reservations were at 6. Despite the big lunch and my still-present migraine, I was hungry!
Starter: Tomato & Basil Bruschetta (arugula, extra-version olive oil, balsamic reduction, chili oil and crispy caper garnish)
Main: Pan-Fried Chicken Scaloppine (sautéed broccoli, cherry tomatoes, rosemary fingerling potatoes, cognac mushroom sauce, basil oil garnish)
Dessert: Lychee, Raspberry & Rose Mousse (coconut crisp, almond biscuit)
After dinner, my migraine still hadn’t dissipated, so we grabbed some more ice from the bar and headed back to the room. I spent the rest of the night in bed with my ice pack and Gil Grissom, and Aaron won us “new bed money” from Blackjack.
Friday, July 19, 2024
Since I had an early night, I also had an early morning. I went and grabbed some breakfast from the buffet, then changed into my suit to sit in the hot tub for an hour. It was very peaceful as not many people were out an about. A Man Named Otto was playing on the big screen, and a few people came and went as I relaxed and watched. The weather was a little misty, but the hot tub felt nice!
For lunch, Aaron and I decided to use one of the casual dining meals that came with our Plus Package at Alfredo's. It was just as filling as eating in one of the main dining rooms!
Starter: Antipasto (prosciutto, salami milano, mortadella, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomato, Kalamata olives, grana padano, crostini
Main: Pizza Margherita (tomato sauce, mozzarella, sweet basil)
Dessert: Crostada di Mele Della Nonna (apple torte with apricot jam and vanilla sauce)
We were so full and still exhausted from the day before, so though we put on CSI to watch, we both ended up falling asleep and taking naps!
After my nap I was ready for a snack! (And still trying to take down the premium dessert menu!)
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| The Lake Como Sundae (cheesecake, vanilla gelato, strawberry and chocolate sauce, with whipped cream) |
I continued to read my book throughout the afternoon. I was reading The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah. I had chosen to bring this book because it was set in Alaska. I'm so glad I did! I don't think I would have picked this book out to read otherwise, and it was so good! I especially liked that I was able to really picture the setting after having just explored (something similar to) it.
Once again, our dinner reservations were for 6. Next time I cruise, I need to remember to make them for 5!
Starter: Seafood Deviled Eggs (salmon rilletes, baby shrimp, honey mustard dressing, chive oil garnish)
Main: Cheesy Tortellini (with ham and peas)
Dessert: Chantilly Swan (with raspberry sauce)
I went to another show after dinner. This one was less chaotic than the one I went to earlier in the week, but still very good! I was smart and brought my Airpods this time to help plug some of the noise out of my ears. (I guess I'm getting old..the volume was way too overwhelming for me without them!)
I had planned to meet up with Aaron for a comedy show after the production show, but when we got to the correct area it was already filled with people. I ended up grabbing a drink from the bar as we contemplated what to do instead.
We both had money in our casino accounts, so we went to see what we could do with it. I ended up with more than I put into the slots, so I decided I was done. I'm not much of a gambler!
Saturday, July 20, 2024
I began the day with my favorite breakfast treats from the ship - Strawberry and Chocolate Croissants from the International Cafe!
We spent the morning being bums, reading and watching TV. There were some activities on the ship throughout the day, but we just wanted to chill.
For lunch we went to the burger bar, and then I plowed through another ice cream sundae!
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| The Michelangelo (chocolate chip muffin, vanilla gelato, raspberry and chocolate sauces) |
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| Rainbow on the water |
We reached Victoria, British Columbia, Canada around 6PM and I anxiously awaited as I watched them put up the gangway until I saw people getting of the ship. I wanted to get off ASAP as I had PLANS!
I had pre-bought tickets to the shuttle bus while we were still on the ship, so we were able to get on the first shuttle bus into downtown Victoria. I had one goal while here - eat at the Beavertails restaurant!
When I was ten, my family went to Disney World for the first time. In the country of Canada at Epcot, they had Beavertails. We thought these were SO GOOD. When we went back two years later, they no longer had them, which was a BIG DISAPPOINTMENT. We tried to make them on our own once, but it wasn't the same. All that to say, I HAD to eat a Beavertail! And since I was in Canada, I also HAD to get poutine! (One of my favorite foods!)
We did a little shopping and sightseeing in Victoria, but headed back to the ship pretty quickly.
We didn't depart Victoria until midnight. We had a beautiful full moon as we sailed away, and the other ships looked really cool all lit up!
Sunday, July 21, 2024 - Monday, July 22, 2024
We didn't know how easy/difficult disembarkation would be, so I didn't want to rush us in getting home. We decided to stay one more night in Seattle, then fly home the following day. I booked Seattle Express to take us to the hotel we were staying at that night - Embassy Suites by Hilton Seattle Tacoma International Airport. As we arrived, we saw many people checking out, ready to head off to the pier for their cruises! We also saw many people who had just disembarked their cruise like us and had to hang out until the rooms were ready.
The hotel stored out luggage, and we set off for an adventure! We were right by the train stop, so we headed their first and bought an ORCA card and put some money on it. We waited for the train. And waited. And waited. And then realized a train wasn't coming. The tracks we were at only ran on weekdays! The weekend train was two miles away! (If only the security guy who helped us get the ORCA cards had told us that instead of telling us how to get up to the track!)
We decided to forget adventuring and headed back to the hotel to wait for our room to be ready. After an hour of waiting, we walked down to Wendy's to get lunch. At this point we realized the dining room was closed, though a lady riding her bike by said we could walk through the drive-thru. We decided to keep walking to Jack-in-the-Box instead.
We were able to check into our room around 1. I had originally booked two queen beds as it was cheaper that way, but they had overbooked that type of room and upgraded us to a king suite instead! (I wish my airline reservations were upgraded as much as my hotel reservations are!)
I watched some TV and then we went down to the lobby for Happy Hour to snag some snacks while we decided on dinner. I think I ate my weight in celery and ranch!
We ended up walking down to Wendy's again and walked through the drive thru. They gave me 14 nuggets in my ten piece order! Too bad I couldn't eat them all!
The next morning, we took the hotel shuttle to the airport. SEATAC is a WHOLE mess. There was about 6 different lines to go through TSA, and PreCheck was in a different spot than regular, and in a different spot than CLEAR + PreCheck. I swear by the time we found the PreCheck line we probably could have made it through the regular line!
I am thankful I got our tickets on Southwest (shoutout to you, Companion Pass!). So many people were stuck because of the CloudStrike/Microsoft issues. One of the girls on our flight said she had been trying to get out since Friday on a different airline. Someone in the cruise group on Facebook said they weren't going to be able to get out until Wednesday! The poor Delta flight next to us had been delayed at least an hour by the time we boarded our flight. I was happy to make it home on time!
As we waited to board our flight out of Seattle, a gray-hair gentleman said to me, "were you on the princess cruise?" I said yes. He said, "I'm the one who was waving to you!" When I would read outside on our balcony, he would always wave to me when he was out on his balcony a couple rooms down from us. Too funny!
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