Canada & New England Cruise

10/06/07 - 10/13/07

Just Cruises - Crown Princess

Clay & Pat Stahl, Alice Campbell

Canada			United States
Nova Scotia	New Brunswick		Maine	Massachusetts	Rhode Island

Saturday 10/06 Travel to Brooklyn, Embarcation, & Atlantic Ocean

The limo (Lincoln Town Car) picked us and our neighbor Alice Campbell up promptly at 10:00 and we had an uneventful ride up RT 1 and the NJ Turnpike with the customary bottle of Champagne. We went across the Verrazano Narrows bridge, and found the Brooklyn cruise terminal relatively easy. With it being Saturday, we made excellent time and were at the Terminal at 11:35.

It Was An Easy Ride Up the NJ Turnpike, Through Staten Island, Across The Verrazano Narrows Bridge, and on to The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal

Check-in was probably a little faster than average, our rooms were ready, and our luggage was waiting for us! We usually have to wait for both the rooms and luggage, and this time we were on the ship well before the stated boarding time!

The Original Crown Princess was in service from 1990 until 2002, and our ship was just built (in Italy) in 2006 and has a 3599 passenger capacity. It is the largest that we have ever been on, and although we don't think it was full, there were a lot of other folks. We didn't see many children this time, as most of them are in school! We have a standing order with our travel agent to get us a balcony on the highest passenger deck, and we were on deck 15 with four decks of balconies below us. We think our stateroom is probably the smallest of the balcony rooms that we've had, but still pretty nice.

We ordered 7 shore excursions on the internet two weeks before the cruise, were confirmed for four and were "waitlisted" for the other three. Waiting in our stateroom were four tickets for the confirmed trips, and three cards stating that all the waitlisted tours were sold out. Alice hadn't signed up for anything, so the three of us waited at the desk and booked other tours. The next day, we got a call that one of our tours was canceled, maybe because it was on Canada's Thanksgiving Day, but it was a day's second tour, so we will bag it and stick with the one. We and Alice have something scheduled for each of the five ports, and we will be together on four of them.

The three of us had lunch at the buffet, very good as usual. We signed up for two wine tastings and although Princess allows you to bring wine on board and we did, we still bought 6 more bottles. There was no discount, but we can bring them to the dining room and won't have to wait for the waiters to place the order, although this was not necessary because when we did order wine at dinner, it was served timely!

This time, the muster drill was in a bar, with a lengthy recorded message and a demonstration by the crew of the lifejacket donning. Attendance was confirmed by a handheld recorder scanning your cruise card!

Brooklyn On Our Side Of the Ship	Pat With Brooklyn In the Back	Brooklyn Bridge Up the East River

New Jersey and Lower Manhattan Behind Governor's Island		Busy Harbor, Governor's Island In The Back

Water Taxi	Tour Boat, Governor's Island, and New Jersey	We Don't Need a Tug, But Are Ready To Go!

Our balcony was on the port side facing Brooklyn, and since most of the photo opportunities in port here were on the starboard, Clay had to go up on one of the higher decks to await sailing. It was worth it with nice views of Manhattan, Governor's Island, Ellis Island, and The Statue of Liberty.

Finally Under Way, Ellis Island Over By New Jersey	Nice View Here, But Far Away	Warm Today, But Cool The Rest Of The Trip!

We sailed about a half hour late and passed under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, then had a very distant view of Coney Island, before heading out into the Atlantic.

The Verrazano Narrows Bridge.   Before, During, and After

Coney Island Is The Last Thing On Land To See	Where Is Everybody?   Five Decks Of Balconies On Each Side

Our stateroom steward appeared with two gift certificates, one for the expected bottle of wine from Karen, our travel agent, and the second for a bottle of Dom Perignon from our verrrry good friend, Dick Demchak! Since we are going to the surcharged Crown Grill for Pat's birthday with our bottle of (corkage fee) Gaja, the Dom Perignon was a perfect starter! The dinner was great, with the three of us having the Fillet entrees. The Dom was a 1999 and wonderful! Thanks, Dick!

The Surcharged Crown Grill For Pat's Birthday	Our Neighbor Alice Campbell Joined Us On The First Evening

Decanting the Gaja, A Nice Touch	Two Dynamite Wines For A Special Occasion	Fillet On a Fancy Plate, Everything First Class

We went to the show in the theater, not expecting much on the first night, except the usual cruise director and staff presentations, but were pleasantly surprised. After a short musical number by the ship's singers and dancers, and a few "commercials", there was a set by Duncan Tuck "From Classical to Country via Comedy", surprisingly very good! We caught him on a later cruise night, and he was just as good. With an after dinner drink at the Promenade Bar and a few numbers by Clarolyn (sic) Meier, we are off to a good start.

The Orchestra and the Ship's Singers and Dancers	Great Set By Comedian/Singer Duncan Tuck	Clarolyn Meier: An Elton John Request

Sunday 10/07 Atlantic Ocean

There is nothing going on today, we are sailing to Halifax, Nova Scotia. From there, we will head back south, with 5 straight ports altogether, ending back at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal where we started. We "slept in" in until 7:15, local time, having set our clocks ahead for Atlantic DST, an hour ahead of Eastern DST. There was quite a bit of ship motion, but not enough to be a problem, except for light sleeper Clay noticing it, and Pat being lulled in her sleep.

We had breakfast in the dining room with Alice, and we did this whenever we had the chance, finding the dining room pretty good for all of the meals, not usually the case for breakfast on some ships that we've been on. Today was still pretty warm, but it is supposed to turn cooler, and this will be the last day for Clay's shorts, although we saw some other shorts at all the ports!

Princess is Based In Los Angeles, But The Crown Princess Was Built In Monfalcone, Italy In 2006 With a Capacity of 3599 Passengers and 1200 Crew

With the relatively late breakfast, Pat was not interested in lunch, so Clay took a bottle of wine up to the buffet and found that there was a pretty good sushi spread on one end of the buffet. There was a sushi "demonstration" noted in the ship's daily newsletter "Princess Patter", but no mention of the sushi being available at the lunch buffet. Fantastic luck! Unfortunately it was the only day for that, and although it was typical free ship sushi with a lot of rice per piece, it was still pretty good!

Pat and Alice went to a "Ladies of the Red Hat Society" activity. Not! Nobody showed up, including the ship personnel running it!

The First Wine Tasting in the Dining Room	Bill & Lyla Taylor, Pat, Alice, & Clay	Bill & Lyla During the Desert Wine Pour

The first (and the ordinaryist!) of two wine tastings that we signed up for was in the afternoon, typical with two whites: a Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay, and a Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc; two reds: a La Crema Pinot Noir, and a Wolf Blass Cabernet Sauvignon; and a desert wine: Errazuriz (Chile) Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc. The presentation was tailored to be an hour, and was a little bit too long for the extremely short pours. We met Bill & Lyla from Las Vegas there, and invited them to our room for a little more wine and to discuss the nuances of the wines that we tasted!

Bill & Lyla Rehashing The Wine Tasting With Us	A Beautiful Sunset West Over The Atlantic

The three of us attended the Captain's Welcome party, typical on all cruises that we've been on -- a talk by the captain, and the introduction of his immediate staff with some hors d'oeuvres and champagne.

The Captain's Welcome, A Couple Flutes Of "Champagne", and Hors d'oeuvres, If You Get There Early Enough!

After the Captain's Welcome, Clay went back to the stateroom to get wine, and was to meet Pat and Alice for dinner. This is the first we've seen our tablemates Tim & Cheryl, and Craig & Mary (travelling with Bill & Lyla who we met at the wine tasting) as we went to the specialty restaurant the first night. There was no Pat or Alice when Clay arrived and he wondered if he had the correct table! Pat and Alice got tangled up with the kitchen not being a walk-through area (as it is on every ship!)

After dinner, we were to meet in the theater and Clay saved seats, but Pat and Alice were late and the show started before they got there, and we watched the show separately. It was about the Motown era, just so-so, for our tastes, but very well done. Pat and Alice left early.

"Motor City", A Tribute To the Great Motown Artists With the Ship's Singers & Dancers, Well Done, But Not Our Bag

Monday 10/08 Halifax, Nova Scotia

Halifax, Nova Scotia (New Scotland)   Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Are Part of Present Day Acadia.

Neither one of us felt the need for breakfast, the only one that we missed. We had two shore excursions confirmed today, but the afternoon "All About Beer" was canceled for an unspecified reason, we think probably because it is Canada's Thanksgiving Day. We met in the theater for the "Citadel National Park and Gardens" Tour. They get you there early and it is a big ship, but we waited for 45 minutes before moving (slowly) off the ship.

French colonists settled in Northeastern North America in the early 1600s and the area became known as Acadia. It originally included parts of eastern Quebec, the Canadian Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, and New England, even reaching as far south as Philadelphia! The English drove the French out, and some settled in Louisiana, who now are referred to as Cajuns, formerly a derogatory term. Later, Acadia was divided into the British colonies which were to become Canadian provinces and American states. Now, Acadia is those regions of Atlantic Canada with French roots, language, and culture.

We got on a bus, and travelled through town with commentary which was very good, and the city is nice and clean! One interesting talk was about the 1917 Halifax Explosion. A French munitions ship, the Mont Blanc, collided with a Norwegian relief ship, the Imo. There was a fire on the munitions ship which was loaded with many different kinds of flammable and explosive materials. It was the largest man-made explosion before the first testing of the atomic bomb, and is still one of the biggest non-nuclear man-made explosions ever! It destroyed the northern part of the city and killed 2000 residents and injured 9000.

The first stop was at Fairview Cemetery, where 121 victims of the Titanic disaster are buried. There are 29 others buried in Mount Olivet (Catholic) Cemetery and Baron de Hirsch (Jewish) Cemetery. Those of other religions including the undetermined are here in Fairview Lawn. It is a tourist attraction, but a somber place and this is responsible for Halifax being known as the "City of Sorrow."

Residential Neighborhood, But Many Tourists		Three or Four Rows Of Titanic Grave Markers	A Third Class Passenger

A Plain Stone For Members of the Crew	Don't Know	Unknown Child	Many Oriental Markers, Probably Not Titanic-related

The Citadel is a National Historic Site and was built to guard against an attack from the (gasp) United States. Constructed originally as a smoothbore fortification, the Citadel quickly became obsolete with the introduction of powerful rifled guns in the 1860s. The Citadel upgraded its armaments to defend the harbor as well as land. It later provided lodging and command for harbor defenses. During the Second World War, the Citadel was used as a temporary barrack for troops going overseas and as the center for anti-aircraft operations. There is a very prominent clock tower just outside the walls said to be ordered by Prince Edward to resolve the tardiness of the local garrison. Originally built in 1803, it has undergone many restorations, and is a prime city landmark. Although being 50 degrees and sunny and nice most of the day, on the Citadel hill it was windy and cold, the only place on the entire trip for which we were underdressed!

Halifax Citadel Regimental Association Guards	The Citadel Was Built To Guard Against An Attack By the United States	Canadian History Exhibit In the Museum	The Regiment Included Pipers

Drawing A Bead On That Tall Building!	It Was a British Fort	36 Stars!	Citadel Clock Tower

Finally, the last stop was a walk through the Victorian Public Gardens right in the heart of downtown Halifax. It occupies 17 acres and is enclosed by a wrought-iron fence with ornamental gates. Because of the warm fall weather, the flowers were still very nice, as were swans who would usually be moved indoors by this time. The gardens were originally the responsibility of the Nova Scotia Horticultural Society, and transferred to the city of Halifax in 1874

Victorian Public Gardens In the Heart of Downtown Halifax.   Blooms (and the Geese) are Courtesy of the Warm Fall Weather

Very Nice, But Isn't That Titanic a Little Bit Tacky?   Wonder What the Old Horticultural Society Members Would Say

During the morning bus ride, the guide pointed out the Alexander Keith's Nova Scotia Brewery. After being dropped off back at the ship, we asked how far (not very) and where the Keith's Brewery was (just down the street). We walked along the boardwalk and had lunch at the Hamachi Steakhouse. Our afternoon "waitlisted" (and fully subscribed) Shore Excursion was "All About Beer", and it would have consisted of two stops, the Atlantic Beer Institute, and Alexander Keith's Nova Scotia Brewery! After making an impulse buy of a bottle of Canadian Ice Wine, we went to the brewery and took the tour on our own.

We Joined the Brewery Tour In Progress, Very Nice, But His Beers Are Only So-so!

We are sure that our brewery tour would have been the same as that portion of the shore excursion that we weren't able to take because it was full. The tour consisted of talks by the brewmaster and costumed interpreters presenting a taste of 19th century garrison life. And of course, there were a few generous samples, a light(!) and their (in)famous India Pale Ale. Keith is given credit for inventing India Pale Ale while back in England, but his version here had very little hop character and probably wouldn't have made it past the Canary Islands! Maybe that is why Keith's is Nova Scotia's most popular beer and does very well all over Canada, and of course, being controlled by LaBatts marketing may have something to do with that also.

A Gift Shop, and There Were Refrigerated Cans, But Bottles Only By the Case, No Singles	It Is Marketed Like Budweiser in the United States, Here On the Side of a Bus	Born in Halifax, Samuel Cunard Did Pretty Well in Steamships!

We were berthed at Pier 22, but next door Historic Pier 21 had 1.5 million immigrants between 1928-1971, and took in world War II British evacuee children, war brides, and their children, and over 368,000 Canadian troops going to Europe passed through Pier 21 during World War II.

Tasting Only, But a Real IPA!	English Kicked French Out Of Acadia!	Pier 21 on the Halifax Waterfront Was Canada's Ellis Island!

Halifax has the largest Per-capita beer consumption in Canada, and right next to the ship was the Garrison Brewery! Clay ordered an IPA, but when the clerk said they can only offer tastings in little plastic cups, then "I guess I Will Have a Tasting!", and Pat bolted for the shops at this point! It's a pity that Keith's is so big and dominating, as this IPA was great and I should have bought a six-pack as we don't have an airplane flight home, instead settling for 3 single bottles of different types. We independently looked at the Pier 21 displays and the usual shops and stands in our adjacent (and interconnected) Pier 22 terminal before meeting back on the ship.

Movies Under the Stars, Actually During a Good Portion of the Day.   Brrr!	We Liked the Polonia String Quartet, But Their Schedule Usually Didn't Mesh With Ours	Red Background Carpet on the Port Side Corridors, White on the Starboard, or Is It the Other Way?

We had Dinner with the other two couples. They were great company, although they didn't have anything to drink the entire trip, not that there's anything wrong with that! We didn't like the show in the main theater, and the performances in the smaller theaters and lounges don't start until 10:30, so we had an early bedtime.

Tuesday 10/09 Saint John, New Brunswick

We have another relatively early shore excursion, this one being the "Saint John Highlights", secured upon boarding in place of the fully booked "St. Martin's & the Bay of Fundy." Picking a shore excursion with the couple of brief paragraphs available is a crapshoot anyway, and we will have our neighbor Alice with us on this one, and in the three U.S ports.

Second Port: Saint John, New Brunswick	Alice & Pat In Line for the Tour	Three Sisters	Bilingual, But English Is Primary

We had breakfast in the Buffet and waited another 45 minutes in the theater before heading out to the pier with our tour group. There was a substantial wait there also, with local people handing out flowers to the ladies, and Saint John lapel pins to the men, a nice touch. Finally, we boarded a bus and took off in the city with comments by the tour guide. The Three Sisters Lamp was pointed out, originally oil and then gas, and now electric. It acts as sort of a lighthouse. If the three red lights appeared individually, sailors would know they were heading straight into the harbor, however if only one or two could be seen, sailors knew they were off course!

Like Halifax, Saint John had its own tragedy of historic proportions, a fire in 1877 that leveled a major portion of the city. It had been a dry summer and the fire destroyed 1612 homes, churches, banks, hotels and created such intense heat that buildings would burst into flame without contact by the fire. This sparked (sorry) rumors that the fire was intentionally set. 19 people died and there was an unknown number of injuries, and very little insurance. The fire made worldwide headlines, and many U.S. cities provided aid.

Carleton Martello Tower	There Were Some Great Views From The Top of the Hill, Even If We Couldn't Go In The Tower

The first stop was at the Carleton Martello Tower. Between 1810 and 1847, eleven Martello towers were constructed in British North America, protecting coastal areas from enemy attack. A Martello is circular with a flat roof on which artillery could be mounted. Our tour didn't have the proper lapel pins (some of the other tours obviously did!) to go inside the tower, but just ascending the hill provided great views of the city of Saint John and its harbor.

The Reversing River Rapids.   It Was Clearly Flowing Upstream As We Were Well Into High Tide.

The famous Reversing Falls is a series of whirlpools and rapids in the St. John River caused by the world's highest tides in the Bay of Fundy. Just before high tide or low tide, you can see the river reverse its direction, and although we weren't that timely, we did see the river flowing upstream. Actually, the Delaware flows upstream at high tide, although not to this degree.

Never Miss a Chance To Make a Buck.   Canadian $ = 1.02 U.S. $	Clever, You Stop To Look & May Buy Something	Fort Howe On Another Hill

The guide obsessed about giving us an extra stop at Rockwood Park. It is located just minutes from the center of the city and was very nice, even if we didn't share her enthusiasm! The last stop was at the Saint John City Market, the oldest continuing market in Canada, first opened in 1876. It runs the length of a city block and we were there around noon so it was packed. The rafters are said to resemble an inverted ship's hull.

The Unscheduled Rockwood Park Stop, Nice	Historic City Market, Mostly Produce, Seafood & Meats, and of Course Wall-to-Wall Shoppers!

This was the end of the tour and we wanted to be dropped off, but the guide said she has to get back to the ship with everybody that left. There is extra security everywhere we go, and we're not sure if it is that or because they lost someone on a previous trip! So we walked back to the same area from the ship after getting dropped off, but it wasn't too far.

Wood Acadian Pioneers in the Market Slip	The Moosehead Brewery is Based in Saint John	We Had Lunch With A Nice View Upstairs Here

We had lunch and went into Market Square. The tour guide recommended using its escalators as a way to traverse the hilly downtown shopping area in addition to the stores inside. It also is a great way to get around the downtown and be sheltered during their harsh winters!

It Spans a Number of Downtown Blocks	Pat, It's Only a Clothing Store	It's a Mall, of Course

Pat headed back to the ship and Clay took the long way, looking for a few more photos.

A Couple of Protestant Churches

Clay decided on one more Moosehead before heading back to the ship and met three delightful Philadelphians in the A Khord bar. They were also on the cruise and we discussed the usual stuff, i.e. the trip, beers, and the sorry state of Philadelphia sports.

The (Somewhat Goofy) Philadelphians!   What Are The Odds Of That?		Best Moosehead Beer Is Not Named Moosehead!

Our Ship From A Side Street	The Street Across From the Ship Is Vendor-Filled

Lighthouse & Our Ship From Market Slip	Views of Saint John From The Ship

Back on the ship,we caught a set by the Dixieland Showcase, consisting of selected members of the Princess Band, in the Piazza. It was packed and we had to stand for a good portion of it. They were one of the most popular of the casual entertainment groups that we saw. The final number was "The Saints", and we don't think anyone prematurely requested it as someone almost always does of dixieland musicians!

The Dixieland Showcase (Members of the Ship's Band)	A Couple of Views of Saint John From The Ship On The Way Out

Bill & Lyla invited us to their stateroom for a snack and some wine before dinner. Bill & Lyla have the Anytime Dining Plan, whereas the seven of us have Traditional Dining, but since Tim, Cheryl, Craig, & Mary went to the specialty Crown Grill this evening, Bill & Lyla joined the three of us at our traditional dining room table.

In The Theater, Another Great Show: "What a Swell Party -- a Tongue in Cheek Look at the Cole Porter Era"

Wednesday 10/10 Bar Harbor, Maine

We went from the Atlantic time zone back into the Eastern time zone last night, Alice didn't set her clock back and she had an early wakeup call. That translated into an early wakeup call for us! The Norwegian Spirit is already here in the harbor. They have no deep water piers, so we will be tendered, and of course, the bigger the ship, the longer it takes. This is the first port with another ship, which means that the town will be a little more crowded.

Bar Harbor.   We Were Here a Few Days In the Early 70s on a Motor Trip

We went to the Buffet with Alice for breakfast, and everyone has to do immigration, as we are back in the United States. That only consisted of presenting your passport to one of many agents seated in one of the lounges and getting a stamped Immigration Pass that you saved as a souvenir. We met in the theater for our "Grand Tour of Bar Harbor With Lobster Bake", and this time were promptly led out to a big tour boat based in the Bar Harbor harbor(!) to be tendered in. A few of our much smaller lifeboats were also used.

It was the usual drill, off the boat, up the ramp, show your ticket, get on the bus. We were among the last and Pat and Alice were ushered into seats with handicapped signs, as almost everyone was on and they were not needed. No sweat, Clay found a window seat in the back, but was promptly ousted by the tour operator(?) and sat in an aisle seat in the middle of the bus. Hey, no big deal, but we have no idea why!

It's a little overcast and cloudy, but there is no rain, and we were off through Bar Harbor an into Acadia National Park. After quite a long ride, we stop at Thunder Hole, but it is low tide and calm.

Thunder (Not!) Hole At a Calm Low Tide	Very Nice Rocky Cliffs, But No Thunder For Us

Back on the bus, more driving, very nice, but a little long. We stopped at the Asticou Inn in Northeast Harbor for the included Lobster Lunch. The Asticou Inn is charming and first class and the food and especially the lobster were great. However, we were a little crowded, it was served buffet style, and we had paper plates and plastic utensils, but we can put up with that. Totally unacceptable however is the fact that the bar was closed until 5:00 PM because they "don't have much activity for lunch", but there were at least four bus loads! There was cornbread, iced tea, lemonade, and blueberry pie on the table when we sat down, and we went in the other room for a (paper) cup of "chowda", the lobster, corn on the cob, and boiled potatoes.

Northeast Harbor's Asticou Inn For Our Lobster Bake Lunch.   Very Nice, But a Sauvignon Blanc or Three Would Have Made It Much Nicer!

Also in the Asticou Complex, a Topsider, and the Cranberry House, Both Pricier Than the Main Building

The Asticou Azalea Garden Down and Across the Street

The next stop was in Somesville on Somes Sound. The guide said that there was a mill race up one of the paths. We found a stream, but shouldn't there be a mill somewhere? Anyway, back on Main Street, the historical Society building and adjoining footbridge are very picturesque! There was nothing to do here, it was just a photo stop. Somes Sound used to be classified as a fjord, but it is small and like the planet Pluto lost its status!

All Main Street Houses Are White With Black Shutters	Pat & Alice Looking For The Mill Race

Thank You Very Much!       The Somesville Historical Society Building, Bridge, (& Pond) Are Pretty       But What Size People?

Another short stop was made at the Jordan Pond house, where there was a photo opportunity and a gift shop, we're not sure which was the primary focus! Across Jordan Pond is the famous twin mountains officially known as "The Bubbles", but unofficially as part of the female anatomy! Other people had trouble with the gift shop cash register, so we were 10 minutes late leaving. That was a shame, because we rushed back to the bus after a drink, and could have used the extra time.

Jordan Pond House For A Snack & Photos	The Bubbles, Or Whatever!	Lousy View From Cadillac Mountain, Half Way Down

After another lengthy ride, we headed up Cadillac Mountain (Acadia Park is big and there seemed to be a lot of route retracing), but it was so foggy that the bus didn't even stop. The guide said that we could get photos that are just as good from a turn off halfway down the mountain. He was right, the photos from the top couldn't have come out much worse than this! It was the last stop on the tour, and we saw the top of the mountain very clearly through the earlier portion of the tour, and it seemed like we could have done the mountain then and had good views!

It was a 6-hour tour, a major portion spent on the bus, and we were dropped off in touristy Bar Harbor in late afternoon with a little time left before the last tender was due to leave.

Bar Harbor Main Street Looking Down at the Harbor	Leary's Landing.   A Frequent Patron's Black & Tan & the Affable Bartender

Side Of a Tourist Shop, Clever	The Quarterdeck For Clay's Last Maine Brew	We Get Tendered Back In Our Lifeboats

We went to a "Country & Western Hoe Down" (Shouldn't it be Hoedown?), expecting some music. There was, but since a great deal of time was spent teaching the dances, there wasn't much music and not a great deal of dancing either. Anyway, it wasn't too bad, as there are always a few that will try anything, but of course not us!

The "Hoe Down", a Group Line Dancing Class.   How About That Hat?   Dancing Music By Synergy, Only Time We Heard Them

At dinner tonight were only the three of us and Tim & Cheryl. Craig & Mary had a late lunch and skipped dinner. The wine guy was touting the second wine tasting the next day and we asked him what time it was. We wouldn't be back from our shore excursion in time and since we had signed up the first day, had to cancel out. Lyla and Bill went and said it was just OK!

Thursday 10/11 Boston, Massachusetts

We had signed up for a morning "Beacon Hill Walking Tour & ‘Cheers’" on line at home, but it was fully booked, so we decided to do that on our own and got off the ship right after docking. We are tied up pretty far from the historic district, and (for a fee, natch) took a shuttle to the Quincy Market. It was foggy all morning, but warm and no rain! The Market is actually a group of buildings including the original market Faneuil Hall, the site of several speeches by Samuel Adams and others encouraging independence from Great Britain.

Using A Van To Pull The Tieup Rope	Early Morning Foggy Boston Skyline From Our Balcony	Faneuil Hall

Quincy Market Just Opening:   Outside, Inside, and A New England Specialty!

Adjacent To the Market, We Ate Here Here 40 Years Ago With Our Family!	Old State House, Oldest Public Building in Boston, Built in 1713	Protest Meetings That Led to the Boston Tea Party Were Held Here

After walking around the other parts of the market, we set out for Beacon Street walking a lot, asking a few people (actually three at places along the route) directions, we found its start! On the way, we stopped in at a Borders Bookstore for Pat to get something to read and of course we never pass up a restroom break on the road!

Irish Famine Memorial On A Corner By Borders Books On Our Way To Beacon Street

At the start of Beacon Street it had been a long walk already! The address for the Bull & Finch (Cheers) was 84, and since the numbers start here, it can't be more than a block! Wrong! It was still pretty far as we were on a border with the Boston Common and Public Gardens, with large fancy houses and government buildings across the street, so the address numbers incremented very slowly. We finally arrived there and had to wait 20 minutes for them to open. However the upstairs gift shop was open! They don't claim that this is "Cheers", but maybe more correctly "The(!) Bar that inspired the Cheers TV series."

The Inside Is Nothing Like the TV Show, Of Course, But The Outside Sign Is Unmistakable.   Didn't Get the Young Couple's Names

We are taking a taxi back to the Quincy Market (and shuttle pickup point), but since the Boston Public Gardens are right across the street and on the way, we decided to walk through them. The set of bronze statues based on the main characters from the children's story "Make Way for Ducklings" was on the way, and was pointed out by our guide later on the afternoon bus tour. Often, this is taken over by children riding them, but today there was only one family, and patience paid off, although I think a duckling or two was missed in the photo!

Across the Street From Cheers, Swan Boats are Gone For the Season		Make Way For Ducklings	Adjacent, Didn't Go In

We have to be back at the cruise terminal for the shore excursion "Scenic Boston", but left plenty of time. Right next to the shuttle pickup point was Durty Nellies for which a bar in Ireland is named after! It was a good choice in the middle of the day and we had some good conversation with the three people inside, a Businessman, a guy from Limerick, and the Bartendress from Ireland.

There was a lot more activity and busses at the place where the shuttle dropped us off and was supposed to pick us up. After numerous queries, we found a long line for our shuttle a block away. Fortunately, we had plenty of time and we actually let a couple with an earlier shore excursion onto the shuttle ahead of us! The wait in line wasn't that long, but the shuttle ride back was, with all the traffic.

A Slainté While Waiting For The Shuttle	Boston's Tunnel System, aka "Big Dig"	The Black Falcon Cruise Terminal On the Left

We arrived back at the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal in plenty of time, sat in the waiting area and waited for Alice to join us. The terminal looks like a converted warehouse, and when not serving cruise ships, has trade shows, exhibitions, and special events. The terminal received its unusual name to honor seven longshoremen who lost their lives in a 1953 freighter explosion. Across from the terminal is another similar building with many offices.

Boston Banknorth Gaden	USS Constitution (Old Ironsides)	Bunker Hill Bridge	A Yuk!   Anyone Need a Hand?	He Has a Briefcase!

The back(!) of our waiting group, including the three of us were ushered onto the bus first, and it had started to rain lightly. It is "Scenic Boston", and we wound our way through downtown over the bridge to a stop at the USS Constitution. It was only a brief photo stop and that through a wrought iron fence in the rain. From there, we passed a lot of cemeteries with a lot of famous people, around all the street borders of the Boston Common and Public Gardens, and onto Beacon Street and by Cheers. The guide pointed out the mansions on Beacon Hill, and the State House, which we passed on our earlier walk, and was inundated with TV vans. What else, there was a Gambling bill up for debate or a vote or something.

Copley Square	Boston Marathon Finish Plaque	Marathon Runners?

We stopped at Copley Square where the tour guide mentioned it was site of the Boston Marathon finnish and a commemorative tablet to which Clay's inquiry brought a personally guided trip. It was still raining lightly, and again it was just a short photo op.

John Hancock Tower.   NE's Tallest (of Flying Window Fame)	Episcopal Trinity Church Consecrated in 1877	On the Way Back To the Ship, A Famous Seafood Company Since 1925 & its Equally Famous Golden Weather Vane

Traffic was brutal again on the return trip to the cruise terminal, and there was a long line for the ship, so we didn't board until a little after 5, the scheduled sailing time. We did sail about 6, an hour late. As previous Princess Cruisers, we were invited to the Captains Circle Party, as was a large portion of rest of the passengers. It was typical, a couple of glasses of champagne, an hors d'oeuvres or two, and a short speech by an officer of the ship, as the Captain was occupied on the bridge getting us out of the harbor!

We Are On the Top Balcony Deck, Port Side, Aft!	Pulling Away From The Pier a Little Late	Lots Of Light At Logan Airport

As Prior Cruisers With Princess, We (and it Seems, Half the Ship) got Free Champagne and hors d'oeuvres

All of us were at dinner and Lyla joined us since we have a table for eight, there was room. The show was "Spotlight Showtime From Classical to Country via Comedy", with that Duncan Tuck that we liked on the first night. He doesn't seem to have any obligation other than the two shows and wonder how much the cruise contributes to his compensation. Anyway, we enjoyed him very much again!

Las Vegas Lyla & Levittown Alice	Tim & Cheryl From Utah	Craig & Mary From Las Vegas	Musician/Comedian Duncan Tuck

Friday 10/12 Newport, Rhode Island

We are not scheduled to anchor until 10:00, so the three of us went to breakfast in the dining room. On this ship, they always ask if you want a table alone or want to sit with other people. We usually opt for the "other people", and this time sat with 2 California ladies and a lady from Scotland.

Lighthouse On Conanicut Island in Narragansett Bay.   Center Bridge Is From the Mainland to the Island, Right Bridge From the Island to Newport

There Are Some Pretty Nice Houses On The Island, On the Way to Anchoring in Newport Harbor

How About The One In the Middle On Its Own Island Rock?   What About Plumbing, Electricity, Transportation?   Heck, What About Hurricanes?

We dropped anchor just about 10:00, the scheduled time. Our shore excursion is the "Grand Mansions of Newport", a replacement for the one that we chose at home. Many of the tours, especially here, seemed very similar, so we weren't too disappointed at the change, and here again we will be with Alice. Since our tour is not until 1:30, the two of us are going into town early, and got our tender tickets promptly. Waiting for our number to be called and waiting for the tender was another story, and with the ride, it was probably an hour and a half. The only tenders here are our lifeboats, and that may have had something to do with the long time to get ashore.

An Armed Escort Into the Harbor	First Crystal Ship We've Seen -- The Symphony	Fort Adams 1824 - 1950.   Now a Tourist Site

Since it took so long to get ashore, and although it is a little before 12, we stopped at The Landing for a bowl of New England clam chowder. The "New England", and probably the "clam" are redundant! There was a nice balcony with what looked like great views of the adjacent marinas, but it was early and not open yet, so we sat downstairs. The waitress opened the doors facing the water thinking that would satisfy us, and it did somewhat!

We Stopped Here For a Bowl of Chowda	Now, There Is a Red "Sacks" Fan!	Lobster Trap, Expense Trap, Or What?

Pat shopped and Clay wandered around the immediate area for an hour or so and we met back at the place to get the tour. We had trouble finding our tour as it was very busy with the two ships in port. Finally, we asked what looked like a tour guide for our tour and he said that this long line is it. We also asked how we were supposed to know that, as there was no sign and we were on time! One guy pointed a finger, probably a thumb, and told us to get at the end of the line! Cheesh, we're just asking, we wonder how he knew where to go. We're glad he ended up on another bus.

Downtown Newport Is Nice, But It's Not That Big, and Was a Little Crowded Today Later

Alice was supposed to meet us here, but there was no sign of her. We watched a couple of tenders unload with no Alice before the guide started leading us to the busses. Pat took a look at the last tender, and Alice showed up. She had been sitting nearby for an hour and a half! Anyway all's well that ends well, and as we were the last ones on the bus, we got prime seats in front. Now, we wish that guy was on our bus!

The bus started out through the town with the guide talking about points of interest. Soon, we are out of town looking at the "cottages", as the owners used to call them, but they are referred to as Mansions now.

A Few Of The "Cottages" Along Our Bus Route

The Preservation Society of Newport County Has ownership of 11 of the mansions, but several are privately maintained and open to visitors. Our stop is The Elms, and is owned by the Preservation Society. The Elms is one of the mansions that uses Self-Guided Audio Tours, and they were very good with the three of us being in synch or nearly so for the duration of the tour. The tour lasted about an hour, and no photographs were permitted inside.

One Of The Front Steps Bookends	The Elms From the Back	One of Many Roof Corner Sculptures

The Fountains, Gardens, and Trees Were Recently Restored

The Elms was the summer residence of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Julius Berwind of Philadelphia and New York. Mr. Berwind made his fortune in the Pennsylvania coal industry. The Elms was completed in 1901 and cost approximately $1.4 million. Mrs. Berwind died in 1922, and Mr. Berwind died in 1936. Mr. Berwind's sister, Julia, continued to summer at The Elms until her death in 1961, at which time the house and most of its contents were sold. The Preservation Society purchased The Elms in 1962, opened the house to the public, and in 1996, was designated a National Historic Landmark. Ironically, the namesake elm trees on the property died of Dutch Elm disease!

The Wave Feet Often Get Socks!	Touro Synagogue, Oldest In the U. S.	A Choppy Tender Ride Back To the Ship

Back at the dock, the tour guide mentioned that the line for the tender didn't seem that long, but it sure looked long to us, but she was right, we were on the tender quickly and had a choppy ride back to the ship. We went to the buffet and had a sizeable snack with a bottle of wine.

Birthday And Anniversary Balloons.   We Also Had "Happy" Singing at Two of Our Dinners

One of the many paper handouts said to put your bags out before dinner if you could, but if they are not out by midnight, you will have to carry them out yourself! We did them promptly after dinner. We went to the last dinner with the other two couples, exchanging addresses, electronic and otherwise.

Saturday 10/13 Disembarkation, Travel Home

Our scheduled time for disembarkation isn't until 9:30, so we went to the dining room for breakfast. We probably did more breakfasts in the dining room on this cruise than on any other. We still had to be out of our stateroom by 8, wait in the theater until 9:30 and then go to a lounge and wait some more. Everyone is assigned a place to wait, but typically, the corridors are lined with people wanting to get the jump. Alice was on a different deck, had a different lounge to wait in, and a different color luggage tag, but she stayed with us. It was still quite a while before we were called and we also had to wait for the limo driver.

Brooklyn Bridge Early In the Morning.	Waiting for Our Number	Alternate Route Home, Over That Brooklyn Bridge

Many of the limos had hand lettered signs in the passenger window as they circulated around the pickup area, but we didn't see any for us. Pat got the driver on her cell phone and he said he was there! Finally, there was a limo with New York plates and a sign for "PATT"! An inquiry as to the last name brought a puzzled look, but he asked us where we were going, and Levittown was the magic answer.

We're Doing An End Run Through Lower Manhattan To Beat the Construction Traffic on Staten Island

The driver said that the Interstate traffic on Staten Island was brutal, so he took us through the Holland Tunnel. Great, we are getting a free tour through lower Manhattan! We don't mind, and it is Saturday morning so the traffic was relatively light. We thought he would pick up the New Jersey Turnpike on the other side of the Tunnel, but he took the Pulaski Skyway, visible from all over north New Jersey, but we've never been on it before. Just after the Pulaski Skyway, there is the main leg of the New Jersey Turnpike, but we continued on RTs 1/9 around the West side of the Newark Airport, and picked up the Turnpike there.

The Striking Pulaski Skyway Heading West. It Was Built in 1932, 135 Feet High to Avoid Drawbridges Over the Passaic & Hackensack Rivers

When we got home, the driver didn't want to take a credit card, so, no sweat, how much is it? He expected us to know and we did know the base price, but we also have to pay tolls and parking. He also said there would be a charge for waiting! Finally, he calls his office and they straightened it out, with us paying the tolls, but nothing for waiting, and he didn't park. We know the limo company has New York City ties, think the driver is based there, and just helped out this time.

PORTS NAUTICAL MILES KNOTS TIME ZONE CHANGE New York to Halifax 589.3 17.0 +1 Halifax to St. John 293.0 21.5   St. John to Bar Harbor 135.9 13.3 -1 Bar Harbor to Boston 168.7 15.2   Boston to Newport 279.0 19.2   Newport to New York 141.5 15.7   TOTAL 1607.4

Comments Welcome:

ClaytStahl @aol.com

Created: 10/24/07 Changed: 11/21/09

© 2007 - 2008 Levittown, PA. Clayton Stahl  All rights reserved.

Back to Clay's Home Page