American Cruise Lines Encore - Columbia and Snake River Cruise Day 1/10 – Heading to Portland and our 50th State
We rolled out of the Villages at 7:30 this morning. Cedric, our driver from Creative Concierge, was right on time. We arrived at Orlando International Airport with plenty of time to spare. While the ride was uneventful, it was interesting.
 |
| You never know what you'll see around Orlando - Cedric reported that the lobster there was rubbery |
We whipped through baggage drop and TSA, arriving at the gate with about an hour to spare. Our flights today take us to Salt Lake City, Utah, and then on to Portland, Oregon.
We boarded, pushed back, and launched like clockwork. We actually arrived a little early, giving us time to make a leisurely walk from our arrival gate of A21 to our departure gate of A45.
 |
| The airport sure has a pretty backdrop in Salt Lake City |
Let's talk a little about what this trip will be. Tomorrow, we will board the brand-spanking new, all-balcony Encore - the newest ship in the American Cruise Lines (ACL) fleet of river and coastal ships. This 180-passenger vessel will transport us from the west, starting in Portland, Oregon, along the Columbia and Snake Rivers, ending in Clarkston, Washington.
 |
| They run this cruise in both directions - we opted for the west-to-east route |
The entire cruise is eight days, Wednesday-to-Wednesday. Since we won't arrive home until the wee hours of Thursday morning, the entire trip will span ten days. We will see Mount St. Helens (assuming that the weather cooperates), and Hell's Canyon - the deepest canyon in North America - 2,000 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon, plus a lot of beautiful scenery.
As an added bonus, Ann and Dave, friends from our former home of Holt, Michigan, are joining us on this adventure. That should make the trip even more fun.
After about a 90-minute layover at SLC, we were on our way to Portland and our 50th state.
We touched down a little early and made our way to the baggage claim area.
 |
| "Celestial Ancestors" sculpture by artist Lillian Pitt |
 |
| Nothing says, "Welcome to Oregon" better than a Sasquatch reading poetry across from the baggage carousels |
Our bags came out as we met another couple taking the cruise. The American Cruise Line rep was there and walked us out to the shuttle area, where we picked up the shuttle to the Embassy Suites. After a five-minute ride, we arrived at our crash pad for tonight.
 |
| They sure made us feel welcome |
We got checked in, picked up our ACL information packet and room keys, and got settled in. We called Ann and Dave and met them downstairs for the Embassy Suites happy hour. We each could get a couple of free drinks. Unlike previous Embassy Suites stays, where they had actual appetizers, this one only offered crackers, cheese, and other small nibbles.
After a drink, the four of us decided to head out for an actual dinner. I had scoped out a place, so I hailed an Uber, and we took off to Salty’s on the Columbia River.
They had a nutcracker theme, with several around and in the building.
 |
| This one was supposed to be Picasso |
Since it was a beautiful evening, we sat outside and took in the views of the Columbia River.
 |
| The Interstate Bridge connecting Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington |
We started with a crab, artichoke, and spinach dip that was quite tasty. Both couples split the fantastic Sturgeon dinner with mashed potatoes and fried artichokes. It looked so good when it arrived that I forgot to take a photo.
As we took an Uber back to the hotel, Mt. Hood stood there in all its glory.
 |
| Mt. Hood and the air traffic control tower at PDX - Portland International Airport |
The air traffic was continuous, with multiple aircraft stacked up on approach.
 |
| We are thankfully on the opposite side of the hotel from the approach - I took this from the parking lot |
Arlona and I took the short walk to a nearby 7-Eleven to grab a Sprite Zero to sip. We've been happy that gas at home has dropped from around $4.25/gallon to $3.65 when we flew out this morning. This is what we saw at the 7-Eleven gas station.
 |
| Yikes - welcome to the West Coast - 69% more expensive than in Florida |
After we got back to the room, we opened our suitcases, and both found this inside our bags.
 |
| For some reason, TSA decided that they needed to inspect our underwear |
So, we've arrived in Oregon, completing our 50-state journey. We're ready for this adventure to start in earnest tomorrow. We'll be up early for breakfast. They will pick up our bags at 7:00 tomorrow morning for delivery to the ship. We will get on a bus at 9:00 and take a tour to Multnomah Falls. At 620 feet, it is the tallest waterfall in Oregon and a nice beginning to this trip. The bus will then deliver us to the ship by 12:30 to start the cruise.
No comments:
Post a Comment