Today marked our final lay day before we begin the last leg of our journey, and it was both eye-opening and reflective. Guests were treated to a private tour of the North Pacific Cannery Historic Site, a powerful and at times sobering look into one of the oldest canneries on the West Coast.

Unlike standard tours, this private visit gave us exclusive access to areas normally closed to the public, offering deeper insight into the realities of cannery life during its operational years. The facility’s history revealed a stark hierarchical structure—with European and Japanese workers at the top and Chinese and Indigenous laborers occupying the most grueling, least rewarded roles. The cannery, in its peak, functioned with almost no labor protections; child labor was common, and women and children often worked exhausting shifts as long as 22 hours, processing fish while men worked offshore.

The experience painted a vivid picture of the human cost behind the industry, long before labor standards and workers’ rights were established. It was a sobering reminder of the sacrifices made by marginalized communities—many of whom shaped the very coastlines we now explore in leisure.

After the tour, guests had the afternoon to wander through Prince Rupert, finish up last-minute provisioning, or simply relax before tomorrow’s early departure. The calm energy of the town offered space to digest the morning’s experience and prepare for the next chapter of our voyage—crossing into Alaska.