Category: New England & Canada

Trips taken that include New England and Canada stops.

Portland, Maine

Thursday, August 7, 2025

I woke up at 6:30 and made my way to the Exploration Cafe for our coffees. I was prepared to stand in a long line but was pleasantly surprised – no line at all. Way different than cruises that have the Grand Dutch Cafe which always has a line no matter what time of the day. But I did miss not being able to get a raisin bun with the coffees. The Explorations Cafe had some sad-looking croissants available, but I wasn’t going to waste calories on them.

I got the first load of laundry ready to send out and then we went for a leisurely breakfast in the main dining room.

Today was a very short port day. We arrived at 7:00. The ship was cleared soon after and everyone had to be back on board at 12:30. The last time we were in Portland, we took a HAL tour that drove us to the famous Portland Lighthouse and then gave us a tour of Kennebunkport. Today we opted for a nice stroll along the boardwalk toward Fort Allen Park. It is a popular area for joggers and dog walkers as it is flat and paved. We were back on board by 10:30.

A sailing camp for children
An old garrison
The Gathering Stones – a public art display
A tourist train that would take you from port along the boardwalk and back
He serenaded us for quite some time

We spent the rest of the sunny day on the Sea View deck chatting with other guests. The sailaway was promptly at 1:00.

It was dressy night tonight and we had reservations for the Pinnacle Grill. I was in the shower and right in the middle of it, the whole large showerhead broke from the tubing and just fell off. Water spurted from the coil all over the ceiling and walls until I could get close enough to turn the water off. I was lucky the showerhead didn’t land on my head. I had a head-full of conditioner so I had to turn the water back on slowly and use the stream coming from the coil to rinse the conditioner out. I wiped down the ceiling and walls the best I could.

We’ve already had one issue with the room and that was last night when the smoke alarm suddenly started beeping. We didn’t smell any smoke. I called the room steward and he came and removed it. Said it must be the batteries. Now I had to call him about the showerhead. He said he would send a plumber. I hoped there wouldn’t be a third incident.

We had a very good meal at the Pinnacle. I got the lamb chops and Chuck had the filet mignon and lobster tail. For an appetizer, I chose the crab and corn chowder soup from the special New England section. There was a lot of corn and other vegetables and practically no crab so I can’t recommend that soup. Wish I had gotten the crab cakes like Chuck did. He said they were excellent.

We then went to the World Stage to see Breton Thunder perform. We have seen them before, but they always put on a high energy show and tonight was no exception. I hope to catch them again this trip.

We went to the last set of the Ocean Bar band. Still not very impressed. The lead female singer seemed to be losing her voice. She was drinking a lot of water between songs.

After some time in the Casino, we called it a night. Came back to the cabin to find a new smoke detector, new showerhead and coil, and the laundry that was sent out this morning returned cleaned and pressed. Very happy.

We also found the note that the clocks would move forward an hour. Boo.

Tomorrow: Halifax, Nova Scotia

Embarkation Day

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

So I slept better than I did the night before. I was up before 6:30. About 7:30, Chuck went across the street to a Dunkin Donuts. He brought back their excellent coffees and some breakfast sandwiches. After breakfast, I got all the bags repacked and tagged for the ship.

While Chuck was out and about this morning, he saw a man in a ballgown enjoying a leisurely morning stroll and a man in only his underwear singing and dancing down the sidewalk. Life in the big city. When we went out a little later just to kill some time before we had to checkout, we sat in the hotel swing and only saw some joggers and dog walkers.

At 10:45 we went to the lobby to meet with the HAL representative. The bus was supposed to be there at 11:00. At 11:15, the rep said “The bus is on its way. It’s just around the corner.” At 11:25, the rep said, “Oh, the bus just got hit by a car. Another bus is coming.” At 11:45, we were finally on a bus with the luggage. We pulled away from the curb, went one block, and were stuck in a huge traffic jam. It was stop and go all the way to the port. I knew it wouldn’t get any better once we were at the terminal. Serenity Now!

I enjoy sailing out of Boston because it is scenic and not usually too hot. I do not like Boston embarkations. The lines are typically long and slow. Today was no different. Not as bad as last year (see photo below) but long. The security screening is the worse. You would think they would at least follow the airports, but it is way stricter. I can’t think of another embarkation port that we have encountered that is worse.

September 2024 embarkation line in Boston

We had been notified that each person would also have to complete a Canadian declaration form while in the terminal. But, I guess the lines were slow enough, so they decided to put them in our stateroom instead. Thankful for small favors.

Once we finally made it out of the terminal, I thought we were home free. Nope. Not today. Once we got up the ramp, we were stopped on the promenade deck to do the final check-in to the ship. Typically, they do the final check-in once you are inside the ship.

There were two lines but one line was held up with a couple who had a small service dog. The couple was looking for all their paperwork while the HAL officer left to find someone higher up in rank to help. I wondered if they would end up getting on the ship or not.

I thought our line was moving okay until two people had to show their passports. They were waved on but then another HAL official saw something on the screen and pointed while saying “Passport Denied!” and took off after the people. The other HAL person seemed shook up. I thought she was going to stop the line, but she scanned our boarding passes and just let us keep going. Finally, we were onboard the Volendam.

We found our cabin easily and almost immediately one piece of luggage showed up. We went to brave the Lido for a lite lunch. It wasn’t too crowded. Afterwards, I went to the dining kiosk and made our specialty dining reservations.

We went back to the room and found our 2nd piece of luggage had arrived. We were able to get everything put away before the sailaway at 3:00. I met our room steward and inquired about the small refrigerator I had requested to rent for our room. He said it would be delivered before the end of the evening.

On some of the ships, like the Volendam, only refrigerators are available in verandas and above. On some of the newer ships, refrigerators are available in all of the rooms. I was glad to be able to rent one. We like to keep water and soft drinks in there.

I dropped off the Canadian Declaration form to Guest Services and then met up with Chuck at the sailaway party. It was a lot of fun as usual.

The Cruise Director and his team were very energetic. I left at 4:00 to go attend the Cruise Director’s port talk about Portland. I found out during the talk that all his talks would be recorded, and we could watch them in our cabin. Good to know.

Soon the Casino opened. It was very small but had some of our favorite machines. Chuck made sure that his free play was loaded on his card. We met the Casino host who remembered Chuck from one of the sailings on the Zuiderdam.

For dinner, we went to the Lido for their steak dinner.

We then went to the show in the World Stage – Ventriloquist Mike Robinson. He was very funny.

Once the show was over, we went to the last two sets of the Ocean Bar band. They were okay but I missed the Rolling Stone Rock bands on the larger ships.

We were ready to call it a night.

Tomorrow: Portland, Maine

Travel Days 1 & 2

Monday and Tuesday, August 4 & 5, 2025

When we have an early flight, I prefer to go to the airport the day before. Chuck indulges my nervous-traveler needs. After reviewing my travel check-list for the 3rd time and being snubbed by Pumpkin when we tried to say good-bye, we got to the shuttle office at 1:30 and left promptly at 2:00.

The driver must have been new because he had a long spiel “Buckle up – we’ll do our best to get you there on-time, let me know if you get hot or cold.” In the past, most of the drivers just say buckle up and they take off. Maybe it’s a new rule.

The van was full, but everyone was going to the airport, and the driver didn’t have to drop-off or pick-up anyone up at the auxiliary locations. Since we were just going to an airport hotel, I didn’t care but I’m sure the other passengers trying to get to their flight were anxious because the weather soon started getting worse and the traffic was snarling.

We arrived at the domestic terminal only about 20 minutes later than expected which I thought was pretty good given the conditions. While the others spread out heading for the different airlines, we went to the hotel shuttle area. With all of the construction that has been going on (and is still going on), we discovered that the hotel shuttle and the regional shuttle areas have been moved farther away from the airport exit.

We had to cross the street, go down a long ramp, and then cross another street. Instead of having someone let you know which hotel shuttle was arriving, you had to look at the sign and go to the area where your shuttle would eventually arrive. Annoying.

We stayed at the Hyatt Airport South again. We were on the 5th floor. They have done some renovations to the building and inside, but more is needed. Especially having more than one elevator working. We like the location. It was still misting so we decided to just go next door to the Burger Place at the Sonesta hotel.

Chuck had a burger and I had a bar-b-que sandwich. Good service and food. Pricey for what you get but not unexpected.

Watched some reruns of Big Bang Theory and went to sleep early. Wish I could have stayed asleep, but I tossed and turned all night. Just got on up at 5:00.

The hotel still offers a decent free breakfast and good coffee. When we checked out and went outside to wait for the 9:00 hotel shuttle, I saw a fire truck arrive at the Sonesta and block the road the shuttle typically takes. Luckily, they didn’t stay there very long. Not sure what the issue was.

We had a very smooth transition from the pick-up at the hotel to sitting down at our gate – 40 minutes. Couldn’t believe how easy security was this time. Typically, one of our bags goes down the naughty line to be examined. Not this time. Started talking with a couple near us who were also going on the cruise. They had flown in from Hilton Head early that morning.

With the dreary weather, I was concerned we might not take off on time, but we did. However, the pilot kept the seatbelt light on longer than usual because we were bumping along as we tried to get well above the bad weather. I watched the MineCraft movie. It was cute. Chuck watched some old reruns of Fraiser.

After retrieving our bags, we found the Holland America (HAL) representatives who escorted us and one other couple to our driver. I was glad it was him and not me battling the Boston traffic.

The last couple of times in Boston, we stayed at the Marriott Copley. This time, HAL had us booked at the W Boston (also a Marriott property). It is located in the Theater District and is a more modern building than the Copley.

Our room was ready so we dropped off our luggage. We were on the 11th floor. We found the HAL representatives to get information about the transfer to the pier tomorrow. Unlike last time, we would be responsible for bringing our luggage down to the lobby. I was okay with that change because they always picked up our luggage so early and now I wouldn’t have to rush to get everything ready.

After so much sitting today, we needed to walk around so we wandered around the Theater District and then on to the Boston Commons.

Once we made it back, we ate falafels at The Halal Guys across the street from the hotel. We enjoyed sitting outside people watching. We didn’t really care for all the pigeons watching us.

Too big to wrap up in the pita bread

After dinner, we had run out of steam and were ready to call it an evening.

Tomorrow: Embarkation

Canada Bound

We were offered a good deal on this 10-day Boston to Montreal cruise on the Holland America Volendam. Though we’ve done a similar route before, we decided to book this trip because it offered three ports we have not experienced, and we could celebrate Chuck’s birthday. I was able to celebrate my birthday on a cruise earlier this year, so this cruise was his turn.

The Volendam is one of the two smallest ships in the Holland America (HAL) fleet. We have never sailed on the Volendam, but we have sailed several times on its sister ship – Zaandam. So, we knew the Volendam would not have all the amenities of the larger ships, but it would still offer great service, good food, and enjoyable activities/entertainment. And its small size allows it to sail into ports that larger ships cannot as well as being very easy to navigate inside.

So let’s go have some fun.

B2B: Disembarkation & Traveling Home

Saturday, September 7, 2024

It’s a travel day so sleeping well the night before was out of the question. My alarm was set for 7:00 but I got up at 6:30.

Since we had Customs inspection in Bar Harbor yesterday, the ship didn’t have any trouble with clearance today. They started calling disembarkation promptly at 7:00 for those considered self-assist (need no assistance whatsoever from HAL getting yourself and your luggage off the ship). We went up to the Lido for breakfast and it was crowded as I expected. I found us two seats and waited for Chuck to come back with his food before I got mine.

We came back to the room to find that the stewards had already done some preliminary work on the room. We could have stayed in the room, but we know how anxious the stewards are to get the room ready for the next guests, so we got our stuff out of the safe and took our two backpacks and our one carry-on up to the Sea View deck to wait for our number to be called.

It was a pleasant morning although a little overcast. We chatted with some other departing guests while we drank coffee. I noticed a gentleman sit down with his coffee and I remarked to Chuck that he looked like Glenn Michaels, the Cruise and Travel Director from our Zaandam cruise; however, this gentleman was very casually dressed so I couldn’t be sure. Chuck went over and asked him.

Yes, it was Glenn. He told Chuck that he would be taking over for the current Zuiderdam Cruise Director while she was on vacation. He said he remembered us, but he may have just been being polite. It was two years ago, and he sees many, many guests.

Glenn Michaels – Sept 2022

Our number was finally called, and we got in line to be processed off the ship one last time. Once we finally made it downstairs to the luggage area in the terminal, it was a madhouse. Chuck finally found our two big pieces of luggage and then we realized we had to get in another long line for the taxis. The line was so long it stretched from outside the terminal building back into the building itself.

If we had wanted to take an Uber, I heard a dock person tell someone that they had to turn right out of the building and walk down the sidewalk to Dock Street. That was where the Uber pick-up was. If you were taking a HAL transfer, you turned to your left and someone directed you to the correct bus.

What we should have done was have a porter help us with our luggage inside the terminal. Seemed as if you had a porter, you followed him/her and by-passed the taxi line and got into the first available taxi. One of the personnel said that the wait for taxis was longer than normal because three big ships were disembarking/embarking today.

Even though our flight was not until 2:00, I was starting to get nervous because, with three ships in port, I didn’t know how crazy the airport would be once we got there. Also, for some reason, Chuck’s TSA pre-check symbol did not show up on his boarding pass so I knew we would be going through the longer regular airport security line. Then, there was the “always fun” road construction issues.

We finally did make it to the airport about 10:45 at a cost of $25. We checked our big bags outside. Inside, we went to the CLEAR line which was at least a little shorter than the regular line. The person checking me in said “you’ve got pre-check.” (which meant she didn’t know why I wasn’t in the expedited line). I know but his didn’t show up and we’re not getting separated.

Then she took us to the Security line, and the officer looked at my boarding pass and said “you’ve got pre-check” (why aren’t you in the expedited line?). I know but his didn’t show up so we’re not getting separated. He kind of rolled his eyes, stamped my boarding pass so the officers at the security line would let me keep my shoes on. I also didn’t have to go through the full body scan machine – just the metal detector.

Chuck’s backpack went down the naughty line again and was reviewed and sent back through the x-ray. But once we were both through, I realized they didn’t make him go through the full body scan or take his shoes off either. You just never know.

I knew though when I got back home, I was going to double-check all our existing reservations to ensure that we both have our Known Traveler Number entered on the reservations.

We split a turkey sub sandwich and chips and each had a diet Coke at the airport Jimmy John’s. $20. Sigh

I took my camera bag out of the carry-on and gate-checked the carry-on, so we could have more foot room on the plane. We could each put our backpacks in the overhead. The plane was on-time, but we were delayed boarding for about 10 minutes because they were still cleaning. I couldn’t find a movie I liked so I watched three episodes of the CBS series Elsbeth. It was okay.

The flight was uneventful (except for all the coughing). We touched down a little earlier than expected so I was hoping we might make an earlier shuttle. Our gate-checked bag came off first and then Chuck’s big bag came off. Took a while, but my bag finally showed up.

We got to the shuttle pick-up area and saw the shuttle. I told the driver that we had reservations for the 6:00 shuttle but if he had room on this 5:00 one, we’d love to ride it. He checked with dispatch and then let us on.

We did not have to make any stops between the airport and the shuttle office. However, there were signs about delayed traffic because of an accident near our destination. He exited before we got to the delay and took the backroads to the office (didn’t seem to be his first time having to do that). We were only a few minutes later than normal. No telling how long it would have been if he hadn’t taken the earlier exit.

Wasted no time getting the luggage in the car and heading home (with a quick stop at Krystal’s for a to-go order).

Pumpkin greeted us with many yowls of displeasure and immediately wanted to go out. Then he wanted to come back in and yowl some more. Then he wanted to go back out. No, wait, he wanted to stay in and yowl. I was in for a long night.

It was good to be home.

Tomorrow: Laundry and grocery shopping 😒

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustav Flaubert

B2B: Bar Harbor, Maine

Friday, September 6, 2024

I’ll start out with a tip – if a port has a face-to-face inspection with the country’s Customs & Border Patrol personnel and you really want to see the port, book a Holland America excursion. People on those excursions (especially early excursions) will get the priority numbers and get to see the inspectors first.

The ship does not have any control on when the Customs people will show up. Today, the agents were supposed to be brought aboard by tender by 7:00. The ship was notified that the agents were ready to be picked up by about 7:15. By the time they got the agents over, set up in the Dining Room, and technology was functioning – it was closer to 8:00 before Group 1 was called. We were in Group 10 so we went on to breakfast in the Lido.

We had our group numbers, passports, and our room cards. When our group was called, we made our way to the Dining Room. The first HAL worker took your numbers to be sure you weren’t in a later group, once you got to the front of the line, another HAL person pointed to the Custom’s person you were to see, the Custom’s person looked at your passport, did something with his/her technology, and since we passed inspection, said “have a good day” and then the last HAL person put a sticker on our room key.

We were then free to take a tender to Bar Harbor. You could not get on a tender without that sticker on your room key. There were 36 groups called and then they had to call 3 people by name who didn’t show up in their assigned group. Wasn’t over until after twelve o’clock.

Even if you had no intention of going to Bar Harbor today, you had to meet with the Customs Agents.

We had a good time the last two times in Bar Harbor, but we didn’t have plans to go there today. After our inspection and we got back to the room, the room stewards had already put the luggage mats on the bed ready for us to start packing. 😁 We took the hint, and we got the suitcases out from under the bed and started getting things organized to pack up.

We had to decide what we needed to keep for the next day and what could go on in the suitcases to be put out in the hall for pickup tonight. Once those decisions were made, it was not that hard to get the stuff back in the cases.

Finished in time for some relaxation on the Sea View deck and we stayed there until the sailaway party was over. Then it was time for our last night on the ship. The comedian was doing a repeat of one his shows on the main stage, so our last night was much like the other nights. Dinner in the main dining room, Casino, and two sets of the Rolling Stone Lounge band.

Just like that it was time to put the suitcases out in the hall and call it a night.

For me – Wild mushroom strudel
For Chuck – Red wine braised beef

Tomorrow: Boston, Massachusetts and Disembarkation

Saint John, New Brunswick

Thursday, September 5, 2024

Today was a new port for us. Most of the excursions were centered around going to the Bay of Fundy. We have been there before, so we decided just to walk around the historic area.

We first went to the right and walked less than a mile to the Tin Can Beach. If we could have cut across a couple of roped-off parking lots, the trip would have been even shorter. It was low tide so there were a couple of people exploring the tide pools. We did not walk down there.

Never out of sight of the ship

We walked back to the ship and kept going to the 506 Waterfront Container Village.

Every store was in a metal container unit. We walked farther down the street admiring the sites.

Our last stop before getting back on the ship was the Three Sisters Historic Navigation Lamp. It was an enjoyable easy morning.

After lunch, Chuck took a nap, and I took my book to the Sea View deck and read for a while. It was cooler and breezier than yesterday. I eventually moved to the Crow’s Nest where I stayed until it was time to get ready for our last Pinnacle Grill meal of this B2B cruise.

We opted for pre-dinner drinks at the Sea View as the wind had died down. At the Pinnacle, I chose my favorite meal again – shrimp cocktail and seared scallops. So very good. Chuck ordered the 15 oz ribeye and declared it excellent. He was going to skip dessert, but the waiter insisted he take a piece of key lime pie back to the room. I ordered a scoop of orange sherbet, and it was very good.

By the time we finished, the Casino was open, and we spent the rest of the evening there as we decided not to go to the HAL singer and dancers show.

When we got back to the room, we found the paperwork for the immigration meeting tomorrow with U.S. customs and another tray of candy for Chuck courtesy of the Casino.

Tomorrow: Bar Harbor, Maine

Travel Trivia

Saint John, New Brunswick

It was named after John the Baptist and was founded by French settlers in 1604.

Saint John New Brunswick is the oldest incorporated city (1785) in Canada.

It is the only city on the Bay of Fundy.

It is home to Canada’s first museum, the New Brunswick Museum, established in 1842.

It is home to Moosehead Breweries, Canada’s oldest independent family-operated brewery.

The city is the birthplace of several notable artists, actors and musicians, including Walter Pidgeon, Donald Sutherland, Louis B. Mayer, and Miller Brittain.

Saint John is notably one of the filming locations for Children of a Lesser God (1986).

B2B: Halifax, Nova Scotia

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Woke up to a gorgeous day in Halifax. No overcast skies this morning. Nothing but blue skies and sunshine.

We enjoyed a Lido breakfast and let the bulk of the passengers disembark at 8:00. Our destination today was the Public Gardens of Halifax, so we were not in any hurry.

Once we did get off the ship, our next decision was whether to walk there or take an Uber. Even though the destination was uphill, we decided to walk. We were definitely not speed-walking. More of a meandering stroll.

We even decided to stop at Bliss Caffeine Bar for a cappuccino for me and an iced tea for Chuck – gave us a little more pep in our step. We didn’t order any pastries because we were still full from breakfast but they looked delicious.

Once we arrived at the Gardens there were several tour groups from the ship already there, so we just started at a different location in the park. The garden also gives free tours with the times listed outside of their little visitor center. Public restrooms are also available. We looked at all the flowers and stopped to watch the ducks. Just a very pleasant morning.

Titanic replica in the pond

We took a different route back to the ship. Though the route was longer, it was easier because we were going downhill. We got back in time for a Lido lunch. The day continued to be warm, so we enjoyed the hot tubs on the Sea View deck, and I even got in a little sun-bathing.

The Casino opened at 4:30 so we spent the pre-dinner time there. Dinner tonight was again in the main dining room. I had the beef brisket and Chuck had the sole. We gave each other some of our meal so we each ended up with surf and turf.

We went to the first set of the Rolling Stone Lounge Band and then went to the Breton Thunder “Unleashed” performance that we missed last week. It was just as good as their “Heritage” performance that we did see.

I called it a night, but Chuck went back to the Casino to play some cards.

Tomorrow: Saint John, New Brunswick

B2B: Sydney, Nova Scotia

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

We had breakfast in the Lido because we had an early HAL tour today. We were leaving the town of Sydney today and going to the countryside. There was a chance of rain, so we made sure that we packed our raingear in our backpacks.

Tour Description: Relive History at the Fortress of Louisbourg –

Start your journey with an introduction to the port of Sydney and a panoramic drive through the historic North End.

Step back in time to 1744 and experience the Fortress of Louisbourg — the largest fortified town outside of Europe. Louisbourg was once a thriving seaport and capital of Île Royale (Cape Breton Island) — the third-busiest harbor in North America and one of France’s key centers of trade and military strength in the New World. Situated along a rocky Atlantic coastline, the site now serves as an exciting and entertaining lesson in Canadian, American, French and British history.

You’ll see a selection of buildings and exhibits as costumed actors re-enact the lives of specific individuals residing here during the pre-siege era. Experience the life of a military officer as you visit the home of Captain and Madame DeGannes. Discuss household duties with the servant in the Engineer’s Residence and discover some tips and tricks for open-hearth cooking (which every domestic cook needs to know, of course). Wander up to the spectacular chapel in the King’s Bastion.

Stop and talk to a soldier about his guard duty, living conditions, security and (most interestingly) diet.

Notes: Arrivals before May 22 are during the Fortress’ low season; guests will have access to the grounds only (no indoor visits). Arrivals from May 22 to June 30 and after September 15 will feature a trio of rotating workshops. Tour requires considerable walking. Terrain includes varied surfaces, including gravel, grass, mud, paved and unpaved paths, steps, stairs, boardwalks, and inclines. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Dress warmly in layers with a wind- and waterproof outer layer; on cooler days, bring gloves, a scarf and a warm hat.

We met on the dock and, once we were checked in, were directed to one of the two busses that were taking people on this excursion. The bus was comfortable, and the sound system was working well so we could hear the guide. Took about an hour to get to the Fortress.

We were given 2 hours at the Fortress. You had the option to stay with the guide or explore the Fortress on your own. We opted to stay with the guide. Without the mic, he was kind of a low-talker so I missed some of his commentary but the signage all over the Fortress was helpful.

We started in the museum that was featuring a 1000-piece Lego replica. The guide told us that it had been on display for quite a while and was popular. However, it was soon to be dismantled because the Legos had been donated by the company and now they wanted their Legos back. Glad we were able to see it.

We enjoyed walking through the various buildings and talking to the re-enactors. Unfortunately, it started raining just at the time they were going to fire the cannon, so we didn’t get to see that happen. The heavy rain lasted for about 20 minutes.

French soldier
King’s Bastion
The chapel
Shackles for prisoners
Governor’s house
Tavern
Entrance into Fortress from water
Louisbourg Cross

The two hours passed quickly, and we were soon making our way back to the ship. We got back in time for lunch in the Lido. When we got back to the cabin, our disembarkation papers had been delivered. The paper stated that our Mariner benefit would allow us to disembark anytime between 8:00 and 9:30 on Saturday. Because our flight wasn’t until 2:00, we would wait until 9:30.

After all that walking, a nap was in order. Luckily, we woke up in time for happy hour. So tonight, we decided to eat in the main dining room. There was a longer line to get in the dining room that I had seen in a long time. However, the line moved quickly. We were seated at the same table for two as the other night. I enjoyed my meal of eggplant parmigiagna and Chuck enjoyed his baked cod but the wait time between courses seemed excessive tonight. (Again, I forgot to take a photo).

The Rolling Stone Lounge Band had the night off and the HAL singers and dancers were performing on the main stage, so we spent more time in the Casino. Seemed like others had the same idea as the machines were ringing and beeping tonight.

Tomorrow: Halifax, Nova Scotia

B2B: Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (PEI)

Monday, September 2, 2024

We didn’t have any plans for Charlottetown today. We decided to treat it as another sea day.

Our first stop was the main dining room for breakfast. We shared a table with a couple from California and a couple from Canada. We enjoyed the leisurely breakfast and conversation.

We decided to use one of our Mariner Benefits and try out the Spa’s Thermal Suite and whirlpool. My understanding is that there are limited number of passes available for this area. If all the passes are not sold for a cruise, people can opt to get a day pass for any given day. We were each allowed one free day pass but the caveat is that we could only use it on a port day when the area is less prone to be busy.

You give the spa personnel your room key and you get a special key that unlocks the doors of the suite and the whirlpool. We each headed for our respective changing area with lockers and robes to use. We met back out by the thermal suite area.

The thermal suite had some heated ceramic loungers in front of a big picture window. It also has a dry sauna, rain shower area, and a wet sauna area. We were in there with one other woman. If nobody is waiting, I guess you can stay on the loungers as long as you want. Otherwise, I think you are supposed to relinquish yours after about 20 minutes. Chuck thought they were uncomfortable even with the rolled up towels to put behind your back and head. I thought they were okay, but we left after about 30 minutes.

We went to the whirlpool. It is not as big as a swimming pool but much larger than the regular hot tubs. It was warm and bubbly. We were the only ones in there. I could have swum around it all day. Again, after about 30 minutes, Chuck was ready to leave and go back to the room. I opted to stay for a while longer and then my intention was to go back to the thermal area and try the dry sauna.

However, when I went back, two other women were in there on the loungers. I sat on one of the loungers to dry off more and ended up talking with them until I was ready to leave. They were leaving too as they had a late afternoon excursion to see the Anne of Green Gables farmstead. It looked like they were going to get nice weather, so I told them I hoped they got to enjoy the gardens that we missed last week.

I’m not sure that I would pay for a pass to this area, but I will definitely try to use my one free pass each cruise.

The weather did get much nicer in the late afternoon, so we spent the pre-dinner time out on the Sea View deck.

We were having another dinner in the Canaletto tonight. We had the same waiter as we did last week, and he remembered our names and wine order. Impressive. I couldn’t remember my own wine order from last week. This time Chuck chose the braised short ribs for his main course, and I chose the casarecce pesto Genovese as mine. We had the same appetizers and dessert as the last time. Everything was very good.

Our evening was once again spent in the casino and the Rolling Stone Lounge.

Tomorrow: Sydney, Nova Scotia