At Sea

It's Day 2 and we're at sea today as the ship starts its long journey down the Pacific coast. After emerging from the calm waters of the Juan de Fuca Strait, we have now encountered stormy seas. The decaying remnants of a large depression which originated in the Aleutian region have moved south, resulting in force 10 winds of 50 knots and 20 foot waves.  As our cabin is near the bow, the movement of the ship is quite noticeable although it's not uncomfortable. The balcony is a 'no-go' zone however as the wind and wave spray are making it pretty unpleasant to stand outside. 

We set sail yesterday at 1600hrs local time, and after only an hour, the skyscrapers of Vancouver were starting to fade from view. Using the forward viewing balcony on deck 10, we were able to watch the ship pass under the Lion's Gate Bridge. The forward balconies on decks 10 and 11 are little known features of Coral Princess, but are perfect for watching arrivals and departures, not to mention the forthcoming Panama Canal transit. They are normally closed however, when out at sea.

Before the ship set sail, we took the opportunity to explore Coral Princess. As many passengers had still to board, the ship was quiet and it was easy to take photographs of the interior without people getting in the way. The interior is very grand and matches the high standards one would expect of any large cruise liner. It has a very traditional feel which appears to be aimed at an older clientele. The furniture and decor in some of the bars and public rooms has been carefully selected to maintain the ambience of a traditional cruise liner, and there's little evidence of the vibrant colour schemes and modernistic flair we saw a few years ago on NCL's Norwegian Jewel.  

Our cabin is perfect and contains all the typical amenities arranged in the usual manner to optimise space. The balcony is a good size and has plenty of room to move around. One minor criticism is the shower cubicle - definitely the smallest I've seen!

It's almost 7am now and we're passing abeam the Oregon state border as the sun starts to rise. Nearly time for breakfast!