mk-ultra

CRUISE DAY!
Bags re-packed.  Safe emptied.  Caffenating, hydrating and Ibuprofen-ing my way out of a mild hangover.  Overdid it a little last night at the casino.  😛
Looks like we're the only ship at Canada Place this morning.  I'd heard some boarding horror stories about CP on a multiple-ship day, but looks like that's not in the cards this time.  W00t!

Ha!  Totally wrecked the casino trying to rid myself of Canadian Monopoly money this afternoon.  It paid for my hotel stay, plus some bonus additional $CAD.  Adhering  to my rule to just walk away when good-fortune visits you.

Just received departure instructions.  I think it's going to be a bit of a tango, since you technically "pre-clear" US Customs outbound before getting on the ship -- your next stop is a US port.  No clue about what happens on the return stop in Victoria, since that's Canada again.  Then the US again for Seattle.  Shrug.  Whatever.  Toss my baggage.  It's a little bit different from the normal Star Class bag drop.
Royal app is borked again.  No credit for watching the safety-videos ahead of time.  That happened last cruise as well, and the crewmember at the muster station just flagged it as done.  Easy-peasy.
"Dear Mark,
It's almost time for you to experience the wonders of the Royal Suite Class as Star Class guests, your Royal Genie eagerly awaits your arrival. With regards to that, please be advised that your drop-off point at Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal (Address: 999 Canada Pl, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1, Canada)
Upon arrival at the Cruise Terminal, please drop your luggage at the designated luggage drop off area and please identify yourself that you are in Star Class Suite.
Right after, please look for Star Class Purple banner which will be set up at the entrance of door ‘D’ and please be advised you to contact below Pier Staff. (Please refer below photo for door D location & Star Class purple banner)
    Pier Staff Contact number: 604-834-9261
Pier Staff will assist you from the Check-in to the CBP area, onboard Genie will meet you right after immigration.
Here is my WhatsApp number  WhatsApp XXXX , it will be the main communication method while you are onboard.
Kindly be advised that there may be a line for the security screening process and check-in. There will be multiple verifications of your traveling documents, so kindly keep them available. I suggest you to have it printed.                                                                                                                                

If I am escorting another guest onto the ship, as I am responsible for other Star Class suites as well, kindly wait for me in the waiting area inside the terminal after security screening, and I will be there to escort you as soon as I can. Kindly be advised that there might be some waiting time involved, especially if you are arriving early at the terminal.
Please do not proceed to the ship on your own. Also, I might have to escort multiple guests at the same time, if they arrive together. I thank you, in advance, for your kind understanding and patience in this matter.
The suite will be ready by 12.30 pm to 01.00pm latest. You can also proceed to do the mandatory guest safety briefing in your designated assembly station (TWO70, Deck 5) while we wait for your suite to be ready. Coastal Kitchen opening hours on boarding day is from 12.00 pm till 1.30 pm.
I would highly suggest to download the Royal App, before starting your vacation to review the menus of the Specialty Restaurants onboard on Quantum of the Seas. The Royal Caribbean International app is available for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Wishing you a safe and pleasant journey to the beautiful Quantum of the Seas!".

Had breakkies at the "Honey Salt" restaurant here at the JW (gotta use up that property credit).  For the second time in my life, I remembered to snap a pic before demolishing the plate.  Holding up the [APPLAUSE] sign.
It's their slightly-modified take on eggs Benedict.  American bacon and sautéed spinach, with the world's crispiest skin-on breakfast potatoes.  Really, really good.  They actually decently toasted AND lightly buttered the English muffins, which makes me want to hug a chef.
 

The Parq has a park on floor 6, where The Victor restaurant is.  Comes complete with a view of the BC Stadium that nothing short of a wide-angle can capture decently, and a Canadian goose that will stare menacingly at you for intruding into its domain.  The Victor does a full-on Sunday "roast" with prime rib and a Yorkshire pudding on weekends -- which will be dinner tonight.  Inside.  Away from the goose.

When you least expect it, BOOM... A marathon appears right outside of the hotel.  It actually ends at Canada Place where the cruise terminal is.  I should grab my luggage and join in.  Also, met a Vancouver native PD officer.  She was super-nice and gave me a little history.  🙂  This is the off-ramp from Cambie Bridge.

Taking some pics yesterday I totally missed that mama bear has a cub.  So, cub:

Oh, I also promised to mention how it went with Canadian Customs.  Zip -- done.  Walk to a kiosk, scan your passport, have it take your photo... collect the paper ticket it spits out and walk to the exit where they collect the ticket.  Just past that, grab your bag(s).  Everything except waiting for the bags to hit the luggage carousel was FAST.  Kiosk noted I'd already filled out my GENDEC.  All it did was ask if I wanted to modify it (vs. having to answer all the questions).  ArriveCAN is definitely a way to shave some time off getting through Customs.

Friction-less trip from YVR to the JW Marriott Parq.  About 20 minutes in a ludicrously oversized black SUV. 😛 Got the usual FH&R room upgrade to a floor 16 "water" view room that overlooks False Creek to the southeast.  The big silver globe on the other side of the creek is Science World.  May check that out tomorrow.  Looks like it's geared for kids though.  Luckily, I'm still  brat at heart.  There's a walking/running/biking track all the way around the False Creek basin.



Gonna ask the concierge to pre-book another car for boarding day.  Learned my lesson in L.A. when several thousand other people also had the bright idea to hit the Uber or Lyft button at the same time to get to the ship.  1100 show time on Monday.
A lot of the restaurants here at the JW appear to be closed.  I read that on Tripadvisor after I'd already booked.  Still, there's plenty of food on-property (I had poutine and a beer while watching the Oilers <> LV Golden Knights game).  Did I mention the JW is also a casino?  Oops.  I'll give them a shot at my money tomorrow.  There's only one 3:2 shoe-dealt blackjack table in the entire place.  $25 min, so fewer ploppies.  All of the others are continuous-shuffle-machine and there are a bunch of stupid ones that require a $1 side bet each hand.
Tons of food (at every wallet level) within a 5-10 minute walk from the JW.  If you want to buy yourself wine for your one-bottle allotment the closest place, Robson Wine & Spirits, is a little under 10 minutes.  It's in the direction you'll want to go in to check out local restaurants, so not wasted time.

Pushback and wheels-up were on time.  SF is catching the East side of a low, so we get a nice tailwind to Vancouver.  1+46 en-route.  It's Bailey's & Coffee o'clock onboard.

CRUISE DAY!
Bags re-packed.  Safe emptied.  Caffenating, hydrating and Ibuprofen-ing my way out of a mild hangover.  Overdid it a little last night at the casino.  😛
Looks like we're the only ship at Canada Place this morning.  I'd heard some boarding horror stories about CP on a multiple-ship day, but looks like that's not in the cards this time.  W00t!

Ha!  Totally wrecked the casino trying to rid myself of Canadian Monopoly money this afternoon.  It paid for my hotel stay, plus some bonus additional $CAD.  Adhering  to my rule to just walk away when good-fortune visits you.

CRUISE DAY!
Bags re-packed.  Safe emptied.  Caffenating, hydrating and Ibuprofen-ing my way out of a mild hangover.  Overdid it a little last night at the casino.  😛
Looks like we're the only ship at Canada Place this morning.  I'd heard some boarding horror stories about CP on a multiple-ship day, but looks like that's not in the cards this time.  W00t!

CRUISE DAY!
Bags re-packed.  Safe emptied.  Caffenating, hydrating and Ibuprofen-ing my way out of a mild hangover.  Overdid it a little last night at the casino.  😛
Looks like we're the only ship at Canada Place this morning.  I'd heard some boarding horror stories about CP on a multiple-ship day, but looks like that's not in the cards this time.  W00t!

I'm glad things are working out for you, and have a wonderful time on your sailing.

More good fortune.  Looking forward to climbing on-board tomorrow.

More good fortune.  Looking forward to climbing on-board tomorrow.

More good fortune.  Looking forward to climbing on-board tomorrow.

Ha!  Totally wrecked the casino trying to rid myself of Canadian Monopoly money this afternoon.  It paid for my hotel stay, plus some bonus additional $CAD.  Adhering  to my rule to just walk away when good-fortune visits you.

Just received departure instructions.  I think it's going to be a bit of a tango, since you technically "pre-clear" US Customs outbound before getting on the ship -- your next stop is a US port.  No clue about what happens on the return stop in Victoria, since that's Canada again.  Then the US again for Seattle.  Shrug.  Whatever.  Toss my baggage.  It's a little bit different from the normal Star Class bag drop.
Royal app is borked again.  No credit for watching the safety-videos ahead of time.  That happened last cruise as well, and the crewmember at the muster station just flagged it as done.  Easy-peasy.
"Dear Mark,
It's almost time for you to experience the wonders of the Royal Suite Class as Star Class guests, your Royal Genie eagerly awaits your arrival. With regards to that, please be advised that your drop-off point at Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal (Address: 999 Canada Pl, Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1, Canada)
Upon arrival at the Cruise Terminal, please drop your luggage at the designated luggage drop off area and please identify yourself that you are in Star Class Suite.
Right after, please look for Star Class Purple banner which will be set up at the entrance of door ‘D’ and please be advised you to contact below Pier Staff. (Please refer below photo for door D location & Star Class purple banner)
    Pier Staff Contact number: 604-834-9261
Pier Staff will assist you from the Check-in to the CBP area, onboard Genie will meet you right after immigration.
Here is my WhatsApp number  WhatsApp XXXX , it will be the main communication method while you are onboard.
Kindly be advised that there may be a line for the security screening process and check-in. There will be multiple verifications of your traveling documents, so kindly keep them available. I suggest you to have it printed.                                                                                                                                

If I am escorting another guest onto the ship, as I am responsible for other Star Class suites as well, kindly wait for me in the waiting area inside the terminal after security screening, and I will be there to escort you as soon as I can. Kindly be advised that there might be some waiting time involved, especially if you are arriving early at the terminal.
Please do not proceed to the ship on your own. Also, I might have to escort multiple guests at the same time, if they arrive together. I thank you, in advance, for your kind understanding and patience in this matter.
The suite will be ready by 12.30 pm to 01.00pm latest. You can also proceed to do the mandatory guest safety briefing in your designated assembly station (TWO70, Deck 5) while we wait for your suite to be ready. Coastal Kitchen opening hours on boarding day is from 12.00 pm till 1.30 pm.
I would highly suggest to download the Royal App, before starting your vacation to review the menus of the Specialty Restaurants onboard on Quantum of the Seas. The Royal Caribbean International app is available for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Wishing you a safe and pleasant journey to the beautiful Quantum of the Seas!".

@WAAAYTOOO -- Yen says it was sweet of you two to remember her.  🙂

Had breakkies at the "Honey Salt" restaurant here at the JW (gotta use up that property credit).  For the second time in my life, I remembered to snap a pic before demolishing the plate.  Holding up the [APPLAUSE] sign.
It's their slightly-modified take on eggs Benedict.  American bacon and sautéed spinach, with the world's crispiest skin-on breakfast potatoes.  Really, really good.  They actually decently toasted AND lightly buttered the English muffins, which makes me want to hug a chef.
 

The Parq has a park on floor 6, where The Victor restaurant is.  Comes complete with a view of the BC Stadium that nothing short of a wide-angle can capture decently, and a Canadian goose that will stare menacingly at you for intruding into its domain.  The Victor does a full-on Sunday "roast" with prime rib and a Yorkshire pudding on weekends -- which will be dinner tonight.  Inside.  Away from the goose.

Had breakkies at the "Honey Salt" restaurant here at the JW (gotta use up that property credit).  For the second time in my life, I remembered to snap a pic before demolishing the plate.  Holding up the [APPLAUSE] sign.
It's their slightly-modified take on eggs Benedict.  American bacon and sautéed spinach, with the world's crispiest skin-on breakfast potatoes.  Really, really good.  They actually decently toasted AND lightly buttered the English muffins, which makes me want to hug a chef.
 

The Parq has a park on floor 6, where The Victor restaurant is.  Comes complete with a view of the BC Stadium that nothing short of a wide-angle can capture decently, and a Canadian goose that will stare menacingly at you for intruding into its domain.  The Victor does a full-on Sunday "roast" with prime rib and a Yorkshire pudding on weekends -- which will be dinner tonight.  Inside.  Away from the goose.