PUGET SOUND & SAN JUAN ISLANDS CRUISE
26 March - 4 April 2026
ACL’s “Puget Sound and San Juan Islands Cruise” began in Tacoma, Washington. Flying in a day early provided an opportunity to check out Tacoma. I stayed in Hotel Murano.
Thursday 26 March - I flew American Airlines from DFW to SEA-TAC. The Captain announced a flight time of about 4 hours. Through the window, we saw snow covered mountain peaks shining in the bright sunshine. We landed at 3:49 PDT; Washington State is on Pacific Daylight Time and is 2 hours behind Texas. After deplaning, I walked a considerable distance to the “Baggage Claim” area and asked for directions to the UBER location. The Security Guard I asked said the signage is terrible and most people can’t find it without asking. It required going down one level, going across to the garage, and going down another level. When I reached the bottom level, an “Orange Taxi” was waiting, so at 4:20 I was heading for The Hotel Murano in Tacoma. Traffic was moderate, at least by DFW standards, and the drive took 50 minutes. The sunny day and blooming trees combined for a beautiful Spring day. Upon arrival at the hotel, I checked into room 616.
Friday 27 March - Sunny with a forecast high of 60. Went to “Bite” for breakfast. Then I returned to the room to read and work puzzles until time for my massage at 11. The free WiFi is slooow. My massage was just what I needed to relieve yesterday’s travel stress. I walked towards the museum area making some photos along the way. The bright, sunny day with a temperature of 60 and no wind, was unusual for the area; it was warm in the sun. Cherry trees were blooming. The old Union Station had been converted into a Federal Courthouse.
The so-called “Bridge of Glass” crossed the busy street. One part had Chihuly glass in the ceiling; another had a wall of niches filled with Chihuly glass.
Once across the bridge and down numerous steps, I entered The Museum of Glass. Disappointingly, only one gallery was open. The “Hot Shop” was in operation, but glass blowing is almost the same all over the world. The cafe inside the museum was out of food.
I looked through the shop and resisted buying pumpkins. Leaving there, I climbed the steps, crossed the bridge, and went to the Tacoma Art Museum. After getting a brownie and coffee in the cafe for lunch, I walked through the galleries and made some photos.
From there I walked back to the hotel to find several fellow cruisers checking in. It was time to relax in the room for a while before going to dinner in “Bite” after 5. After dinner, I went to “Bar 960” for a drink and met more cruisers. About 7:25, I returned to the room. The hotel’s glass theme was carried out with each floor featuring a glass artist with showcased examples and several photos. Glass was also displayed in various locations inside the public areas of the building.
Panel inside elevator
Saturday 28 March - Today’s plans: bag ready by 7am, breakfast, board bus to ship at 11:30. When “Bite” opened at 6:30, I was the first person inside for breakfast. After returning to the room, I worked puzzles and read until time to leave. In contrast to yesterday’s weather, the morning was overcast and 43 degrees.
The sun came out mid-morning, and it turned out to be a beautiful day. We boarded the bus as scheduled for the short drive to the ship. ILWU was picketing and passing out flyers as we entered the port.
Upon embarking and reaching cabin 210 where my bag awaited, I unpacked.
The safe would not allow a combination code; I reported it before going to the “Sky Lounge” for lunch. I enjoyed visiting until time to return to the cabin for the Emergency Egress Drill at 2 pm. We all gathered in the “Cascade Lounge” for the drill, Kristin, the Cruise Director, introduced the officers and some of the staff. We watched a video celebrating America’s 250th before leaving the lounge; I complained about the safe again. The Sail Away Party was topside; it wasn’t much.
When I returned to my cabin about 3:30, the Head Housekeeper was there; he decided to take that safe away and brought a different one. It worked. At 4, I attended the Enrichment Lecture, “Exploring the Maritime Heritage of Puget Sound, Part 1” by Bob Steelquist. The “Solo Travelers Get Together” was at 5:15; Cocktail Hour was at 5:30; Dinner followed. After the Port Preview and Chart Your Course, I skipped the entertainment, a mentalist, and returned to the cabin. The motion of the ocean was very evident, and Captain Morgan urged everyone to use extra caution when moving around as we rocked and rolled.This was the first cruise of the season for this itinerary and many of the personnel were new.
Sunday 29 March - Anacortes, WA - When I woke about 4:45, we were docked in Anacortes. We must have entered Canadian waters briefly around midnight because I had a “Welcome to Canada” text. The forecast called for temperatures in the low-40s with a slight chance of rain. I went to the “Sky Lounge” for breakfast.
About 9, I prepared to disembark for the tour and was first off the ship when the tour was called. We met Mary, our guide, on the dock. She showed a map and gave us a brief orientation; we were on Fidalgo Island and has sailed in on the Guemes Channel to reach Anacortes. Mary spoke about the heyday of the salmon canning industry here and pointed out the trash cans decorated as cans of salmon patterned after originals made by Chinese laborers. Smugglers, including Larry Kelly, brought in legal opium and illegal Chinese laborers. Kelly was considered “an honest smuggler” because he landed the Chinese on a small island instead of dumping them overboard if the authorities approached.
Within the canneries, Whites, Natives, and Chinese were segregated as they worked. Then she spoke of the current industries: crab processing; boat dry docking and repair; 2 oil refineries. Anacortes’ population of about 18,000 included many retirees who winter in Arizona. As we walked up Commerce Street, we learned of its past as a rough area of taverns and brothels frequented by fishermen and lumberjacks. The USNavy ended that in 1940. The town was named for Annie Curtis, wife of Amos Bowman, a newspaper man determined to make Anacortes the railroad hub for the state; that didn’t happen. As we continued walking, we learned about murals created by Bill Mitchell depicting citizens of the town.
One shows 3 generations of the Kasch family, active in ferry service.
At The Majestic Hotel and Spa we rode an elevator to the roof deck for an aerial view of the city.
Mary spoke of efforts to restore and preserve the historic structures within downtown. Many of the buildings have retail on the ground floor with residential above; purchasing the structure, remodeling it, and adding an elevator can often prove cost prohibitive. There are no chain stores—Walmart, Target, etc.—on the island. Many gift shops and eateries lined the streets.
When the tour ended near the Visitors Center, I walked back to the ship. Rain sprinkled on me as I returned but not enough to get me wet. Once back aboard, I returned to the cabin to change before going to lunch in the “Sky Lounge”. Afternoon rain made me glad I canceled the tour to La Conner. At 5:30, I went to Cocktail Hour before dinner. After dinner, it was time for the Port Preview and Chart Your Course. “Motown, Soul and More” was the entertainment by a combo: keyboard, trumpet, bass guitar, drums, soloist. They were excellent, and I danced some.
Monday 30 March - Friday Harbor, WA - At 6, we departed Anacortes for the short sail to Friday Harbor. I went to the “Sky Lounge” for breakfast. Then I returned to my cabin to get ready for the “Nature and Wildlife Cruise” scheduled for 8:45. When we arrived at Friday Harbor about 7:45, the sun shone in the cloudless blue sky; the temperature was 39 degrees with a forecast high of 43. Some walkways were slick with frost or thin ice. A few minutes before 9, we exited through the dining room and boarded the tender for a short ride to the “Odyssey,” our tour boat. That boat had a captain and 2 naturalist guides.
Harbor Seals,
Ducks,
Mouflon Sheep (Goats),
It was 12:30 when I returned to the cabin to change clothes before going to the dining room for lunch. After eating, I returned to the cabin for my iPad before going to the “Sky Lounge.” About 2:30, I returned to my cabin for a nap. An announcement from the captain about plumbing maintenance and toilets being inoperable woke me after about 25 minutes; the problem was corrected in about half an hour. I went to Cocktail Hour and Dinner. At 6, we cast off and began the half-hour sail to Shaw Island where we anchored overnight. After dinner, we went to the “Cascade Lounge” and played Rank-D, a quiz show type game.
Tuesday 31 March - I had just gotten up when we weighed anchor and began sailing toward Port Angeles. Overcast skies, wind, and a temperature of 39 degrees combined to create a cold morning. I went to the “Sky Lounge” for breakfast. There was plenty of time to read, work puzzles, and go to the “Sky Lounge” before “The Eagle Society” event at 10 and the sales presentation at 10:30. We docked in Port Angeles before noon. I had lunch in the “Sky Lounge.” About 12:45, I returned to the cabin to get ready for the “Olympic Bluffs Cidery and Lavender Farms” tour at 2:15. I caught a golf cart for a ride to the coach. The tour departed on time with Linda as our guide; she interjected so many personal details into her commentary that we didn’t learn a lot about the area.
Then I walked to the back of the property and made a photo of Mount Baker across the water.
Before boarding the coach, I made my photo of the Olympic Range including Hurricane Ridge.
Once everyone was aboard, we rode back to the port. After disembarking the coach, I was fortunate to catch a golf cart ride back to the ship. I went to Cocktail Hour and Dinner. Hannah, the Excursions Director, gave instructions for tomorrow’s excursion into Canada at 8. Entertainment was “A Tour of Hollywood” by the “Puget Sound Strings.” Before going to bed, I completed the forms for entering Canada tomorrow. .
Wednesday 1 April - Victoria, Canada - Today’s forecast called for highs in the mid-40s and rain showers. The schedule was for breakfast at 6 with a 7:15 disembarkation to catch the Coho Ferry from Port Angeles to Victoria. My excursion was to The Butchart Gardens. I went to the “Sky Lounge” for breakfast and returned to my cabin to work puzzles until time to disembark. Disembarking the ship about 7:15, I rode a golf cart to the Black Ball Ferry Terminal where we boarded the Coho for the 90 minute ride to Victoria, BC, Canada. Hannah did an excellent job of keeping us together as our lanyards were our tickets for group boarding.
When we disembarked, Customs and Immigration took my form and checked my passport. The group going to The Butchart Gardens boarded a double decker bus for the ride; I chose the upper level. Our driver/guide provided an entertaining commentary during the trip, and I made photos.
Hannah distributed the entrance tickets and $35CD food vouchers before we arrived at the gardens about 11. Before leaving the bus, we were told to be back on board at 2pm. Light rain was falling and many umbrellas were available in all areas of the gardens.
The Coffee Shop for lunch was first on my agenda. After lunch, I wandered the gardens making photos: daffodils, hyacinths, flowering trees. The rain was never an issue, and I was never wet even after discarding the umbrella.
Without disturbing anyone’s previous seating, I was able to change to the opposite side of the bus for the ride back to the ferry terminal where we waited over an hour before embarking for the return to the US.
At Immigration, my picture was taken and my passport checked. At Customs, I was waved through because I had nothing to declare. We disembarked the ferry in Port Angeles about 5:30. I went to Cocktail Hour and Dinner. I was exhausted and sleepy, so I left dinner about 8, returned to my cabin, and crashed.
Thursday 2 April - Port Townsend - The ship left Port Angeles at 5:30. I went to breakfast in the “Sky Lounge” about 7 and stayed until we docked in Port Townsend (after a rocky crossing) about 9. Lunch was in the “Sky Lounge.”
We drove through Fort Worden State Park, a former military base,
and made a photo stop at the Point Wilson Light.
Wending our way through town, both uphill and down, we made a second stop at the Bell Tower, part of an early fire warning system.
The number of 19th and early 20th century structures, both commercial and residential, impressed. After disembarking the bus at 5, I made photos of some commercial buildings before embarking.
It was time for Cocktail Hour and Dinner. After eating, we went to the “Cascades Lounge” for Port Preview and Chart Your Course.
Friday 3 April - Good Friday - Bremerton - We left Port Townsend around 3am and docked in Bremerton about 8. When I got up, the temperature was 42; today’s high was forecast to be in the mid-50s. After breakfast, I prepared for the tour to Poulsbo, a town proud of its Norwegian heritage. The walk from the ship to the street was a long one across an L-shaped wooden dock, up a metal staircase, and across a metal ramp with a switchback. Quite a hike! The bus ride was about half an hour. Upon arrival in Poulsbo, we were given about 2 hours to sightsee and to shop. At “Sluy’s Bakery,” I bought a cinnamon roll, which I immediately scarfed down, and 2 cookies for later;
a dark chocolate peanut cluster from “Boehm’s” hit the spot.
Then I sat on a bench beside the harbor until time to leave. Weather wise, it was the best day of the cruise. The return trip to Bremerton took a little more than 30 minutes. I checked in for my flight. After changing, I went to lunch in the dining room. The “Red, White and Blue Cocktail Hour” began at 5:30, the same time we left Bremerton for the 3-hour sail to Tacoma.
Some Harbor Seals played in our wake.
Dinner was very enjoyable.
Disembarkation information followed, and then Kristen led an “Emoji Game” as a time filler before the entertainment: “Good Co. - Rock and Roll Time Machine,” who came aboard when we docked in Tacoma. Returning to my cabin about 9:45, I finished packing, put the bag outside my door, and got ready for bed.
Saturday 4 April - I went to the “Sky Lounge” for breakfast. The bus to the airport departed for SEA-TAC Airport about 7:30. Security was fairly easy, and I was inside by 8:30. Boarding for AA767 began about 11:15. Take off for the three-hour-plus-flight was 12:04PDT. We landed about 5:50CDT. After deplaning, I called an UBER and was home by 6:30.
