We were a little delayed docking into Montreal, so disembarkation was delayed about 30 minutes. Because our flight was not until 3:00, we signed up for a tour of Montreal and then would be dropped off at the airport.
Once we found our luggage, we got in line for our bus. There were two busses for the tour so it was a little disorganized. We were sent to the second bus. I hoped our luggage got on the second bus too.
Our guide was a retired college history professor. I enjoyed his narrative as we drove throughout the different areas of Montreal.
We stopped at a park for photos.
Our last stop was the Notre-Dame Basilica to have a brief tour.
We had to park around the corner from the Basilica and walk up a slight hill. He talked about the history while we were outside of the building. He then went to the entrance and presented our tickets. We were allowed to look around at our own pace. It was a beautiful place.
Once our time was up at the Basilica, the next stop was the airport. Time to get home.
Because the Volendam is a small ship, I thought we would be able to dock at the Old Town port like we did once on the Zaandam. Instead, we were at the industrial port like when we were on the Zuiderdam which is a larger ship. The City did provide shuttle service this time from the industrial port to a couple of different places in Old Town.
We started with a breakfast in the main dining room. Then we walked a mile around the promenade.
It was a pretty day today and lots of people got off of the ship. We didn’t however. We disembark tomorrow and the suitcases needed to be packed. It didn’t take too long. I watched the Clooney and Pitt 2024 movie Wolfs.
We spent the rest of the day enjoying the Sea View area. We said good-bye to the friends we made. Found out they will be on our April cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Vancouver through the Panama Canal.
Tonight, we had a reservation at the Canaletto. We usually don’t eat at a specialty restaurant on the last night of the cruise but tonight was the only time I could get a reservation earlier than 8:00. It was a delicious dinner. I had the shrimp and lobster puff pastries. Chuck had the beef tenderloin.
We ended the evening in the Casino playing off the casino points we had accumulated. Time to get the bags finalized and out in the hallway.
Another early room service breakfast means another early tour.
The HAL Tour: Parc Nature Pointe-aux-Outardes
ABOUT THE EXCURSION: With six miles of trails, the nature park of Pointe-aux-Outardes offers many great beauties to explore. The park’s mission is to protect and showcase wildlife. Its rich yet fragile ecosystems include many birds of prey and shore, forest and sea birds.
Wander with your guide over majestic sand dunes to contemplate the beauty of the lower estuary and the Rivière aux Outardes as it flows into the immense St Lawrence River. The eight different ecosystems here include dunes, boreal forest, a salt marsh, and a beach.
If time permits, at the end of the guided tour, enjoy some free time staying close to the interpretative center.
Notes: Tour requires approximately one mile of slow walking. Terrain includes flat paths or boardwalks and a flight of stairs.
I was leary when I saw another school bus but this one was much nicer than the last one. Also, this guide handed out headsets, so we were able to hear his commentary. His English was very good. I looked up and saw that this school bus assigns seats.
The ride took about an hour but the guide was very informative.
However, once we got to the park we were met by two young guides. The problem was that we were too big of a group to only go with one guide.
And we found out that one guide was told to take a group on a walk that would go a little over a mile and the other guide was to take a group on a walk that was a little less than a mile. Nobody wanted to leave the “more than a mile” group.
So the guide had to eventually split the group. I am sure the HAL Shore Excursions department was going to hear from the group that ended up in the shorter time frame.
The path was mostly flat through the different ecosystems and the guide stopped often to talk about the importance of the different systems and identify some plants. At different points, he would let us touch, smell, and/or taste different plants. (For the record, I would not taste any of the plants.)
Bundle berriesBundle berries and blue berriesSupposed to be okay to eat – Nope
Part of the path was a boardwalk, and you could walk up a flight of stairs to an overlook to view the marsh area and the St. Lawrence River. He talked about how during the winters the River freezes over and you could walk from one side to the other.
Protected sand dunesHeard a lot of birds. Only saw this one.
It was a pleasant trek. It was a warm day but breezy. I was glad there were no bugs. I was also glad we did not come across the animal that left a lot of scat in several areas on the path. Definitely marking its territory.
We had another one-hour ride back and the guide didn’t give any more information, so I just watched the scenery go by. I’m glad we took this tour and the weather was nice. Wouldn’t have been good if it had been raining.
We came back to the cabin to find birthday wishes from the Captain and the Casino.
It was another dressy night and we went to the Main Dining Room. We each had the beef tenderloin with crabmeat topping which was excellent. The wait staff presented a birthday cake and sang the Philippine birthday song. It was fun.
The HAL singers and dancers show was cancelled for the second night in a row due to technical difficulties. Disappointing because their shows have been very good.
However, the cancellation of the show meant that we were able to get very good seats in the Ocean Bar and stayed for all three sets. They are off tomorrow night so tonight was our last chance to hear them before the cruise ends.
A bartender tipped them off about the birthday and they sang Happy Birthday and the crowd joined in. There was also a couple in there who were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.
The band played Moon River which was the song that they danced to at their wedding reception. Even though we all liked the slow songs to dance to, we all let them be the only couple on the dance floor for their song. I didn’t see too many dry eyes in the audience when the groom kissed his bride as the song ended.
The evening ended with the “Chocolate Surprise.” Waiters fan out all over the public areas on the ship offering chocolate samples. I’m not one to usually turn down chocolate but even I couldn’t eat all that was being offered. But I tried.
We got back to the room to find that, instead of the usual towel animal, the room stewards had built a birthday cake and left a nice note.
We also found our disembarkation tags, our commemorative tile, and a letter about the Air Canada strike. I’m glad we are flying Delta.
Tomorrow: Quebec City, Quebec
Travel Trivia
The city of Baie-Comeau was founded in 1936 when a paper mill was built by Colonel Robert R. McCormick, who published the Chicago Tribune newspaper.
Located on the St. Lawrence River, the city’s name, Baie-Comeau, honors Napoléon-Alexandre Comeau. However, the name actually came from his father, Antoine-Alexandre Comeau. Antoine worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company and had a camp there. Travelers would call it “the bay of the Comeau camp.”
Five rivers flow through Baie-Comeau: the Manicouagan River, the Amédée River, the Petit-Bras River, the Chasse River, and the English River. These rivers are fed by about thirty lakes.
Baie-Comeau has several French-language public elementary schools. It also has two French-language public high schools. There is one English-language public school that teaches both elementary and high school students.
Today was our first organized tour of this trip and it was the hottest day so far.
We started with a room service breakfast. Then we had to meet the tour on the pier.
The HAL tour: Corner Brook Highlights
About the Excursion: This part of the world has been visited by many people, beginning with the Maritime Archaic Peoples 3,500 years ago. Since then, Inuit, Beothucks and European visitors have come and gone. Some have stayed, too.
Jacques Cartier was the first European to sail along what is now the Eastern Coast of Canada in 1534 on his first voyage to the New World. Since that time, Portuguese, Basques, and Captain James Cook have frequented this area. Today, Corner Brook is a modern, progressive city with a population of approximately 19,000 and is nestled among scenic hills 30 miles from the Gulf of St Lawrence.
Head out to the city’s eastern edge to see some highlights — Marble Mountain, the Heritage Tree and the Old Man in the Mountain.
Before returning to the ship, you’ll also drive through Corner Brook to Captain Cook’s Monument .
Notes: Transportation for this excursion is via school bus; scooters, walkers or wheelchairs cannot be accommodated on the transportation.
The transportation was a very bouncy school bus with a mic that did not work well. In addition, the guide spoke a mile a minute so we only caught a few words at a time. But he did provide a lot of handouts to review.
Our first stop was the Captain Cook Monument park area at Crow Hill.
Then we stopped at another park so we could use the public restrooms. Lots of families enjoying the area.
Our third stop was the Old Man in the Mountain. A number of people couldn’t find the face. Can you?
Our last stop was the Marble Mountain ski lift area and the Heritage Tree.
The tour was okay. It was only about 3.5 hours long. But, I think we would have just been better off walking around Corner Brook or taking the long tour to Gros Morne National Park.
We took the free shuttle back to Corner Brook to walk around and look at the shops. The heat started getting to me, and I started getting a headache probably from having no caffeine or being dehydrated or both.
Got back to the room and took a nap while Chuck went to the Sea View area.
After the nap, I was feeling much better which was good because we had another Pinnacle Grill dinner tonight. Chuck had the filet mignon again and I had a lobster tail. Another great dinner.
We played some slots. Then I decided to go up to the sports deck to see if I could see the Perseid Meteor shower. It was advertised in the daily planner. The wind was so fierce it almost knocked me over.
I had on my jacket, stocking cap, and gloves. So different from today when I thought I was going to melt in the heat.
I made it to the very front of the deck and was able to get into a spot that cut the wind somewhat. There were several other people trying to view the meteor shower too. I made it to 11:00 and only saw stars and some planes. No meteors.
Came back to the room and set the clocks back an hour and a half.
Tomorrow: Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec
Travel Trivia
The area was surveyed by Captain James Cook in 1767. The Captain James Cook Historic Site stands on Crow Hill overlooking the city.
The city is the main office for the Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nations government.
Corner Brook was designated the Forest Capital of Canada in 2002
In 1986, The Corner Brook Royals, their hockey team, won the national championship and took home the Allan Cup.
December and January get nearly 6.5 feet of snow on average.
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.
I was really looking forward to today and didn’t even mind that it was cloudy and 41 degrees.
Today we would be in port until 9:30 pm so I would finally get to go to the Butchart Gardens.
Our tour was not scheduled to leave until 10:00 so we were able to have an early breakfast in the main dining room. There was an announcement that the officers of the Koningsdam were meeting with representatives of the First Nation for a welcoming ceremony.
I never did understand if this meeting was because it was the Koningsdam’s first time ever in Victoria, BC or just the first time this year.
We walked out on the third deck to watch the welcoming ceremony. The deck was very crowded so I could only see a little of what was going on. I do know that the ceremony was a long one.
We were not allowed to disembark until the ceremony was completed. The lines to the gangway on Decks 2 and 3 were stretched down the hall and spilled over to other halls. People on private tours or renting cars were the most anxious as their time ashore was getting used up.
We were on a HAL tour – Butchart Gardens & Short City Drive
ABOUT THE EXCURSION – This tour offers the very best of Victoria, combining the city’s unique highlights with a visit to the world-famous Butchart Gardens. On a panoramic drive you’ll take in Chinatown and the Gates of Harmonious Interest, along with the Old Town and scenic Marine Drive.
At beautiful Butchart Gardens, see how the Butchart family has transformed a barren rock quarry into what is now one of the world’s best-known horticultural attractions, covering more than 55 acres.
The gardens are a lush paradise of flowers, rare trees and winding paths and were created more than 100 years ago. Enjoy the cascading fountains and footbridges connecting the many themed gardens, including the beautiful Sunken Garden, the Japanese Garden and the Rose Garden. A map will help you on your self-guided tour.
Notes: This tour operates during daytime calls to Victoria only. Due to ongoing road construction, panoramic tours of Chinatown may not be possible.
I like when the Shore Excursion staff tells us to meet at the World Stage and then, when the busses are ready for us, we can all go out as a group to our bus(ses).
Unfortunately, today we were to meet at the busses in the parking lot, so we were caught up in the long lines trying to get off the ship. I wasn’t as anxious as the private tour people because I knew that HAL would have to give us the full tour experience no matter what time we left or would refund part of our money if they cut it short.
It was even more chaotic at the busses because there were several busses that had tours going to the Gardens but no clear lines as to which bus we would be getting on. Of course, once we figured it out – it was the longest line, and we were at the back of it. Sigh.
We were 1/2 hour late leaving. It was a double-decker bus, and we were on the top deck. The views were great. Luckily, the sound system was very good, so we had no problem hearing the guide. He had a lot of stories and information as we drove through Victoria. We had seen some of Victoria the last time we were here, but we didn’t have the depth of information he was able to give.
I was so happy that the weather was good when we got to the Gardens. We received our tickets and were told to be back at the bus in 2 hours. The people at the Gardens were apologetic that the roses weren’t blooming yet, but I was thrilled at all the spring flowers and blooming trees.
We had plenty of time to wander through the entire Garden with no rush. Really amazing how a quarry was turned into something so beautiful.
A working carouselThe Star Fountain/Garden
I didn’t even mind spotting one of the local residents sunning on top of the hedges.
We returned to the ship about 4:00 and it was time to get ready for the evening. We had reservations at the Tamarind, the Asian specialty restaurant. Our server told us that they are planning to update their menu in the next few months. That news usually means that some of our favorites are going away.
We had an excellent meal tonight. I had the crispy ginger duck and Chuck had the wasabi-crusted tenderloin.
After the meal we went to the early show of Elliott Finkle. We’ve seen him on other HAL ships but he never ceases to amaze us with his wonderful piano-playing and story-telling.
The Rolling Stone Lounge band was off tonight, and the Casino was closed. We decided to go see the BB King Lounge band only to find that they would not be performing tonight because they had learned that day that one of their original band members had passed away. He was supposed to join back with the band tomorrow when we dock at Vancouver. Sad.
We stayed to listen to the DJ play some songs but then decided to call it a night and relax in the cabin.
I really enjoyed our day in Victoria. Chuck said it was nice. High praise from someone who groaned when I first told him I very much wanted to see it. 😊 At least I didn’t ask to go to High Tea at the Empress Hotel (butmaybe next time). 🤫
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
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 strudelFor Chuck – Red wine braised beef
Tomorrow: Boston, Massachusetts and Disembarkation
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.
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).
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.
